A method and system that can be used to automatically calculate and generate performance analysis charts, including a reliability curve is disclosed. The method and system may be used to selectively convert performance records data from a database into graphs and charts reflective of a performance analysis. The invention also provides a tool and method that can be used to predict the effective life or run time of a component, such as a drill bit, based calculated reliabilities for similar components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a performance analysis tool that may be used to automatically generate reliability curves as well as other performance analysis charts based on data obtained from a set of desired data records which may be randomly dispersed within a larger unsorted record set. The present invention also provides a method for automatically generating reliability curves as well as other performance analysis charts based on bit run records data.
2. Background Art
Oil and gas are typically obtained from subterranean earth formations by drilling bore holes from the surface to the subterranean earth formations. FIG. 1 shows one example of a conventional drilling system used to drill bore holes through earth formations. The drilling system includes a drilling rig 10 used to turn a drill string 12 that extends downward into a bore hole 14. Connected to the end of the drill string 12 is a drill bit 20. Drill bits used for drilling bore holes through earth formations typically include roller cone drill bits and fixed cutter drill bits. The drill bit shown in FIG. 1 is a roller cone drill bit. A more detailed example of a roller cone drill bit is shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, the drill bit 20 includes a bit body 22 having an externally threaded connection at one end 24, and a plurality of roller cones 26 attached to the other end and able to rotate with respect to the bit body 22. Attached to the cones 26 are a plurality of cutting elements 28 typically arranged in rows about the surface of the cones 26. The cutting elements 28 may be inserts, such as tungsten carbide inserts or polycrystalline diamond compacts, or milled steel teeth. Hardfacing (not shown) may also be applied to the cutting elements 28 and other portions of the bit 20 to reduce wear on the bit 20 and to increase the life of the bit 20 as the bit 20 cuts through earth formations.
As shown in FIG. 2A, each roller cone 26 is mounted on a steel journal or pin 32 typically formed integral with the bit body 22. The roller cone 26 is held on the journal 32 by journal bearings 30 which allow the roller cone 26 to rotate with respect to the journal 32 when cutting elements 28 on the roller cone 26 contact earth formation at the bottom of the bore hole (16 in FIG. 1) during drilling.
One example of a fixed cutter drill bit is shown in FIG. 3. The fixed cutter drill bit 40 includes a bit body 42 having an externally threaded connection at one end 44, and a plurality of blades 46 extending from the other end of bit body 42 and forming the cutting surface of the bit 40. A plurality of cutters 48 are attached to each of the blades 46 and extend from the blades to cut through earth formations when the bit 40 is rotated during drilling. The cutters 48 deform the earth formation by scraping and shearing. The cutters 48 may be tungsten carbide inserts, polycrystalline diamond compacts, or any other cutting elements formed of materials hard and strong enough to cut through the formation.
When components of a drill bit wear out or fail as a bore hole is being drilled, the bit must be withdrawn from the bore hole and replaced with another bit. The time required to replace a bit is significant and is essential time lost during drilling operations. This time can become a significant portion of the total drilling time, and thus very costly, particularly as the bore hole depths become great. Therefore drill bits having reliably long service life are desired for drilling operations to maximize the effectiveness of the time spent drilling.
The need to replace a bit during a drilling operation is often indicated at the surface by a significant drop in the rate of penetration achieved by the bit. Replacement of a drill bit may be required for a number of reasons, such as severe wear or failure of one or more journal bearings (30 in FIG. 3) or seals. The bearings can be friction or roller-type bearings, which can be subject to high loads, high hydrostatic pressures in the hole being drilled, high temperatures due to drilling, as well as harmful abrasive particles originating from the formation being drilled. Bits may also be replaced because of excessive wear, breakage, or loss of cutting elements contacting and breaking up the formation, or the loss or failure of other components of the bit.
Drilling operators take great care in attempting to always pull bits and replace them just before or soon after a bearing failure or other failure of the bit occurs to avoid the risk of losing large portions of a bit in the bore hole. When portions of bits fail and break off in the bore hole, these portions must typically be retrieved before drilling can be resumed. Retrieving portions of a bit that have broken off in a bore hole is typically difficult, expensive, and time consuming. Therefore, being able to predict the performance or risk of failure of a bit used for drilling is desired so that bits can be pulled from a bore hole before catastrophic failure occurs.
To predict when a bit should be pulled from a well bore, drilling operators generally look at past performances of similar bits. To facilitate this analysis, drilling operators typically record all aspects associated with a drilling operation. When the bit being used for drilling is pulled to the surface, the condition of the bit is also carefully examined and other parameters characterizing the final condition of the bit are recorded, such as grades indicating the worn or failed condition of the cutting elements bearings/seals, etc., as well as the final depth and footage drilled by the bit. In this way, data characterizing each segment of drilling is obtained to capture a complete characterization of the drilling operation.
Data recorded for each drill bit used during a drilling operation may be stored in a database ("bit records database"). Each record in a bit records database typically corresponds to the use of a single drill bit used during a particular drilling operation. Bit records may be collected for drilling operations that occur all over the world at various times. Data from the records stored in a database can later be used for performance analysis studies, such as to analyze the performance of a particular style or group of bits, to develop performance verification techniques for bits, to perform comparisons of different bit products by different manufactures, and/or to calculate reliability curves which can be used to predict when a bit may need to be pulled during a drilling operation to avoid catastrophic failure. The data from these records may also be particularly useful to bit manufactures to identify areas of improvement needed in their bit designs to improve product performance and illuminate the longevity of components of their bits, such as the cutting elements, bearings and seals compared to their competitors.
To perform bit performance analysis studies, data is typically reviewed by an engineer or skilled practioner who filters data from the bit runs and uses the filtered data to generate graphical representations summarizing the performance of various bits. These graphical representations typically include graphs, tables or charts showing performance parameters for different groups of bits. The data may also be used by skilled practitioners to calculate reliability curves for selected groups or types of bits.
Data from the bit records can be used to calculate the reliability of a family or group of bit based on the recorded condition of the bits, such as whether seals or bearings failed during drilling. To determine the reliability of a family of bits, the following reliability equation may be used is:
                                          R            ^                                          (                          t              i                        )                          =                                            N              +              1              -              i                                      N              +              2              -              i                                                                    R              ^                                                  (                              t                                  i                  -                  1                                            )                                                          (                  Eq          .                                                    1                )            wherein N is the total number of bits being considered, i is the rank of a current bit that failed, ti is the time corresponding to the current failure, ti-1 is the time corresponding to the previous failure, and {circumflex over (R)}(·) is the reliability of the functioning feature at the indicated time. Various equations for calculating a reliability or confidence level for a function of a member are known in the art. See for example, Lewis, E. E., Introduction to Reliability Engineering, N.Y., John Wiley & Sons, 1987. p. 121-211.
Reliability equations are commonly used to evaluate life-related performances, such as failure of components, such as bearings or light bulbs or the life expectancy of patients on various medications. These types of equations also may be used to predict the life and performance of bits used to drill bore holes in earth formations, such as to predict bearing/seal life. In the prior art, reliability curves for predicting effective bit life and bit performance were calculated one data point at a time with a hand calculator after spending a significant amount of time identifying and manipulating the data used to calculate the reliability curve.
Conventional methods used first required manually going through and examining data records to identify records containing "good" data for calculating the reliability. Records corresponding to a desired group or family of bits are then selected for use in calculations. Once the desired records are selected, data in the records corresponding to a time parameter (parameter to represent time) is selected from the records. Examples of time parameters include hours drilled, feet drilled, revolutions or total energy for a bit during drilling. Then the corresponding data in the records indicating the condition of the component for which the reliability is to be calculated is selected. Examples of functional conditions recorded for components in bit records include conditions such as failure of the bearing/seal or the wear condition of the cutting structure. For features that are graded using codes or numbers, the function condition may be considered failed if the grade is beyond a certain value, and the data for the function condition may be replaced by a Boolean indicator, such as a 0 or 1 to indicate whether the function will be considered effective or failed, respectively, for the given analysis. Once the time parameter data and the corresponding component condition data are collected, the data is ranked (reordered) in ascending order based on the value of the time parameter for each record. Then the data is indexed in ascending order to indicate the ranking of each record. After that, a hand calculator or computer programmed with the reliability function may be used to calculate, one by one, the reliability associated with each of the records having a failed function based on the time related index given to the record. Once the reliability values are calculated, they can then be plotted with respect to the corresponding time parameter values to generate the reliability curve for the selected feature of the selected group of bits.
Using the conventional method for calculating reliability described above, when the reliability based on a different time parameter or for an altered group of data is desired, the previously ordered and ranked data has to be discarded because data sorted and ranked based on the old time parameter is no longer useful. Then the group of desired records must be reselected (if the group is altered), new data corresponding to the newly selected time parameter and component parameter is selected from the group of records, reconditioned (to include Boolean function indications), and resorted based on the value of the newly selected time parameter. Then the data is re-ranked, and the reliability calculated for the functions indicated as failed in the data.
Calculating reliability values using the above conventional method can be laborious, especially when 20 or more bit records are considered, or when the reliability of several different groups of bits is desired for a comparison. Therefore, bit performance based on the reliability of bit life, while extremely useful, has not been widely practiced. Currently, reliability charts that are generated involve a very limited number of bit runs because of a lack of capability for the easy creation of reliability curves. Furthermore, most bit companies do not use reliability curves or other statistical data in an analysis of their bits because of the difficulty, skill level and experience involved in correctly calculating and generating these curves. Also because reliability curves in the past have been generated manually by various individuals, errors may frequently occur and no standard format or layout has been set for producing these types of curves or other performance charts desired from a performance analysis.
Other charts desired in a performance analysis study are also typically generated manually. This is typically done by first obtaining data records from a database. Then, depending on the type of chart desired, locating the data field containing the desired data and selecting the desired data from the records. Calculating performance analysis values as needed and then arranging and formatting the data as needed for input into a graphics generator to generate the performance chart desired. Titles, legends and other aspects of the charts must then be defined. This procedure is repeated to produce each performance chart desired, one at a time. As a result, the production of a complete set of performance charts can take hours or days.
To reduce the time and skill level required to generate quality reliability curves, and other performance charts, a tool providing the ability to more easily calculate values for generating these performance charts is greatly desired by both drilling operators, in selecting bits, and drill bit manufactures in identifying performance issues with their bits.


An electronic system includes an electronic system cabinet housing at least one electronic system component and a power generation system. The power generation system includes a cooling system having a cooling medium that generates a cooling energy. The power generation system further includes a thermoelectric conversion element having a first side and a second side. The first side is in a heat exchange relationship with the at least one electronic system component and the second side is in a heat exchange relationship with the cooling medium. Heat energy generated by the at least one electronic system component raises a temperature of the first side and the cooling energy generated by the cooling medium lowers a temperature of the second side to establish a temperature difference. The thermoelectric conversion element produces an electro-motive force based on the temperature difference.

This invention relates to the art of electronic systems and, more particularly, to a system for generating power from heat produced by an electronic system.
Conventionally, electronic systems, such as computer servers, are cooled by means of forced air convention. Air conditioners generate a cooling air flow that is directed into cabinets housing the servers. In order to provide additional cooling, liquid cooling systems pass a cooling fluid through the cabinets. The cooling fluid aides the forced air convection in dissipating heat. As data centers increase in size, thermal energy output from the servers, in the form of exhaust gases, increases significantly.

Generating power from heat produced by an electronic system

International Business Machines Corporation


A laser type radar apparatus which inhibits a first alarm at least for a predetermined time period from the pausing of the second alarm.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a radar apparatus for use in an automobile which measures a distance from an object located forward of the vehicle in the same traffic lane, and generates a first alarm if the distance is shorter than a first alarm distance and a second alarm when the distance becomes shorter than a second alarm distance.
Recently, some types of radar apparatus for use in an automobile have been proposed to avoid a dangerous traffic collision accident on a highway due to driving asleep or inattentive driving.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a situation where a laser type radar 3 as a vehicular radar apparatus of this type is assembled on a and measures a distance D between an automobile 2 traveling forward in the same traffic lane. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser type radar 3 is provided with a head 3-1 having beam irradiating and receiving sections. A laser beam LS irradiated from the beam transmitting section is reflected by a reflector 4 such as, for example, a rear tail lamp on a rear side of the forward-moving automobile 2, and the reflected beam LR is received by the beam receiving section. The laser type radar 3 calculates a distance D on the basis of an irradiation timing of the laser beam LS and a reception timing of the reflected laser beam LR, and displays the calculated distance D on a display unit 3-2 mounted in front of the driver's seat of the truck 1 as shown in FIG. 2. The display unit 3-2 is provided with a distance displaying section 3-21 which displays in format the calculated distance D which changes momentarily.
When the truck 1 comes close to the automobile 2 and the distance D becomes shorter than a safety distance (first alarm distance), an alarm lamp 3-22 turns on and a first alarm phrase is generated at the same time. If the distance D becomes shorter than a certain distance which is shorter than the first alarm distance, e.g., shorter than a half of the first alarm distance, a second alarm is generated.
The above operation will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3A is a timing chart showing a condition where the distance D varies (shortens) over time t, FIG. 3B shows the timing of the generation of the first and second alarms, and FIG. 3C shows a condition of the alarm lamp 3-22. When the distance D becomes less than a first alarm distance D1 at a time t1, an acoustic phrase A (a chime melody) is first generated and then an acoustic phrase B (a warning signal) is generated repeatedly. Next, when the distance is further reduced to less than a second alarm distance D2 at time t2, an acoustic phrase C (the chime melody issued two times) is first generated as a second alarm and then an acoustic phrase D ("Danger!") is generated repeatedly.
While generating the second alarm phrase, the second alarm is paused if, for example, the distance D rapidly becomes larger than the safety distance D1 at a time t3 as shown in FIG. 3, that is, if the automobile 2 traveling forward in the same traffic lane rapidly changes the traffic lane. After that, if the distance D from a different automobile traveling forward in the same lane becomes lower than the safety distance D1 at a time t4, the first acoustic alarm is again generated and, further, the second acoustic alarm is again generated if the distance D becomes shorter than the second alarm distance D2 at a time t5.
According to the conventional laser type radar apparatus 3 thus operating, the first acoustic alarm is meaningless if a time period T1 between the time t3 when the second alarm is paused to the time t4 when the first alarm is again started is relatively short.


A cylindrical member holding apparatus which is flexible in an axial direction of a cylindrical member and resists being deformed in directions perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylindrical member. A plurality of elastically-deformable supporting portions are disposed on respective opposite sides of the cylindrical member held by a holder portion in a direction of an axis of the cylindrical member and connect a base portion and the holder portion together. The supporting portions have such a shape as to be more easily elastically deformed in a first direction than in a second and third direction. The first direction is the axial direction of the cylindrical member, the second direction is a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and connects the holder portion and the base portion together, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and also perpendicular to the second direction.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cylindrical member holding apparatus which holds a cylindrical member such as a microphone.
Description of the Related Art
Vibrations externally applied to a microphone causes noise. To reduce such vibration noise, a microphone holder which holds the microphone is vibration-proofed.
In recent years, with attention focused on a direction in which a diaphragm (vibrating plate) of a microphone vibrates, there has been proposed a microphone holder with high resistance to vibrations in the direction in which the diaphragm vibrates, that is, an axial direction of the microphone when the microphone is attached to the microphone holder (the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,333).
According to this proposal, connecting a holder portion to a vibration source using two long and thin arm portions formed on a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the microphone implements a holding structure that is flexible in the axial direction of the microphone and easily reduces vibrations.
According to the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,333 mentioned above, the degree of flexibility of the microphone holder depends on the length of the arm portions, and in order to increase the flexibility and enhance the vibration-proofing effect, it is necessary to connect the vibration source and the holder portion together using the longest possible arm portions. However, increasing the length of the arm portions will increase the flexibility not only in the axial direction of the microphone but also in directions perpendicular to the axial direction of the microphone.
To reduce noise of the microphone caused by external vibrations, it is only necessary to vibration-proof the microphone in the axial direction thereof, and vibration-proofing for the other directions does not have much effect on noise reduction. Being flexible in directions other than the axial direction of the microphone will bring about degradation in stability with which the microphone is held.
Specifically, a problem of the microphone swaying widely will arise when an inertia force is applied to the microphone holder during, for example, panning or tilting of a video camera on which the microphone holder is mounted.

Cylindrical member holding apparatus capable of stably holding cylindrical member


A method for determining the amplified spontaneous emission noise of an optical circuit, such as an optical amplifier, in the presence of an optical signal includes applying a pulsed optical signal of prescribed intensity to an input of an optical circuit under test, and detecting an output signal from the optical circuit slightly after the pulsed optical signal is switched from on to off. The output signal immediately after the optical signal is switched off represents the amplified spontaneous emission noise of the optical circuit in the presence of an optical signal of the prescribed intensity. In a first embodiment, an optical spectrum analyzer is used for detecting the output signal. In a second embodiment, the output signal is passed through a narrow band optical filter to a photodetector. An electrical spectrum analyzer displays the detected waveform. When necessary, the observed output signal is extrapolated to a time immediately after the optical signal is switched off.

Optical amplifiers are commonly used in optical communication systems. One of the parameters that is important in characterizing an optical amplifier is amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise in the presence of an optical signal. The amplified spontaneous emission noise represents a noise signal that is generated within the optical amplifier and is amplified by the amplifier. The ASE noise typically has a wider bandwidth than the optical signal. The measurement of ASE noise is important in determining the noise figure of an optical amplifier as well as ASE buildup in communication systems, where ASE noise can limit performance.
The output of an optical amplifier includes a narrow band optical signal and broader band noise generated within the amplifier. When no signal is present, the amplifier generates and amplifies noise. However, when an optical signal is present, the output noise level is reduced in comparison with the noise level in the absence of an optical signal due to amplifier gain reduction. The gain reduction depends on the amplitude of the optical signal. Thus, in order to accurately characterize amplifier performance, the ASE noise must be measured at an optical signal level and wavelength that corresponds to normal operation.
In accordance with one previously reported technique, referenced here as the delta technique, the ASE noise measurement is performed by measuring ASE noise about the optical carrier, as shown in a spectral display on an optical spectrum analyzer. The actual noise at the optical signal wavelength is then inferred from an interpolation of the measured data. The delta technique is influenced by a combination of finite optical filter selectivity, finite optical signal bandwidth and optical signal sidemodes. These problems become important for large signal levels and for lasers such as distributed feedback (DFB) or distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers, which often have poor sidemode suppression levels.
Another technique for ASE noise measurement is reported by J. Aspell et al in Optical Fiber Communication, Vol. 5, 1992 OSA Technical Digest Series, (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C. 1992), paper THA4. The ASE noise is measured in the presence of an optical signal by ensuring that the optical signal is polarized and using a polarizer located after the source of ASE noise to reject the signal and pass half of the ASE noise. This technique assumes that the ASE noise levels in each of two orthogonal polarizations are equal. The disclosed technique is relatively complex, and its application to testing ASE noise in the presence of multiple optical signals is questionable.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide improved methods and apparatus for determining the ASE noise of an optical amplifier in the presence of an optical signal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for determining ASE noise using a pulsed or gated optical source.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for determining ASE noise wherein the deleterious effects of optical signal excess noise and sidemodes are avoided.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for determining ASE noise in the presence of the effects of closely-spaced optical signals.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for determining ASE noise using a relatively uncomplicated optical system.

Technique for determining the amplified spontaneous emission noise of an optical circuit in the presence of an optical signal


A lens holder assembly (49) and method of using the lens holder assembly (49) to mark an ophthalmic lens (3) is provided. The lens holder assembly (49) comprises a stem (61) having a central axis and a first opening (5) extending along the central axis of the body (65), a second opening (7) integrated within the stem (61) such that the second opening (7) is substantially parallel to the first opening (5), and at least one illumination source positioned within the second opening (7). The illumination source is capable of emitting light through the second opening (7) for illuminating at least a portion of an ophthalmic lens (3). At least a portion of the lens (3) is placed over the first opening (5). Suction is applied to the lens (3), and a marking is applied to a surface of the lens (3).

Pad printing is a method of marking ophthalmic lenses. This method can involve subjecting the face of a lens to be marked to a corona discharge, a flame, or ionized air in order to increase the surface energy and thereby improve adherence of the surface to be marked. The lens can then be marked with a marking using pad transfer or silk screening printing with a special marking ink. The ink is then dried. Thereafter, the ink component can be removed with an appropriate solvent, if desired.
Pad printing methods can present difficulties to consistently and accurately position a lens with respect to a frame when placing a marking, such as a stamp or engraving, in a desired location on a lens, particularly a tinted or polarized lens.

Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)


Device configuration based on predicting a health affliction. A process acquires measurements of conditions that a user is experiencing. The process predicts, based on the measurements, whether the user will experience a particular health affliction. Based on predicting that the user will experience the particular health affliction, the process configures devices of an environment in which the user is present to reduce effects of the devices on symptoms of the particular health affliction. The configuring includes adjusting a respective at least one state of each device of the devices.

Particular health afflictions can drastically affect a person's quality of life. Migraines, for instance, are a debilitating neurological disorder where the person suffers from severe and recurring headaches that last for a prolonged duration of time, perhaps several days. Statistics indicate that at least one in seven adults suffer from some kind of migraine. Although headaches are their main symptom, they are often accompanied by other effects including nausea or vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light), phonophobia (sensitivity to sounds), blurred vision, and confusion, among other symptoms.
Migraines affect the quality of life of those who suffer from them. They also negatively impact productivity. Migraines account for an estimated billions of dollars in economic loss due to work absenteeism.
Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and other devices can sometimes exacerbate the symptoms of a health affliction. For example, a person experiencing a migraine attack might present photophobia, a symptom that is made worse by the blue light emissions of a smartphone's display, and/or phonophobia, a symptom that is aggravated by the noises of incoming call rings, message alerts, application notifications and other sounds commonly emitted from the smartphone.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A convertible push and pull exercise machine capable of providing a user with a total body workout using resistance in two lines of motion. The exercise machine can include a base, an adjustable secured seat positioned on the base, and an arm assembly including opposed first and second arm members each having a first end and a second end. The first end of each of the opposed first and second arm members can pivotally be attached to the base. Additionally, the exercise machine can include a resistance arrangement capable of providing a resistance to each of the opposed first and second arm members in at least two lines of motion.

Exercise machines are well known and are widely used by the public to build muscle mass and lose fat. Generally, each exercise machine is designed to exercise a particular muscle group. Some exercise machines allow a user to add or remove bulky attachments to provide the user with the option of exercising multiple muscle groups, while employing the same base machine. For example, some bench pressing machines allow a user to connect a leg extension attachment and replace the bench with a seat so that the user can perform leg extension exercises as well. Additionally, these types of exercise machines require the user to change position to perform different exercises.
Several attempts have been made to create an exercise machine that allows a user to simultaneously exercise different muscle groups, while employing the same base machine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,446 describes a rowing machine having opposed cylinders to reduce heat build-up in the cylinders and to exercise most of the user's muscles during forward and backward movements. However, due to its design, this type of exercise machine has a very limited use.
Accordingly, a need exists in the industry for an exercise machine that allows a user to simultaneously exercise at least two muscle groups at the same time without requiring the user to substantially change position and/or connect bulky additional attachments.

Convertible push and pull exercise machine


Methods, systems and apparatus for converting locks between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions by means of a function-determinative lock actuator are disclosed. The disclosure teaches lock sub-assemblies that utilize a function-determinative actuator and a cooperating rotator bolt to transfer motion from a lock cylinder to a lock release mechanism. The function-determinative actuators can include movable portions that selectively determine the lock function by adjustment of the movable portion. Alternatively, changing the structure of, selectively adding portions to and/or removing portions from the actuator can determine the lock function. The disclosure also teaches dual-function locks that incorporate the above-noted lock sub-assemblies. Methods of converting lock functions using a function-determinative actuator are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to systems, methods, apparatus and related sub-assemblies for converting locks between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions. More particularly, the invention relates to conversion of locks between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions by means of a function-determinative lock actuator. Accordingly, the general objects of the invention are to provide novel systems, methods, apparatus and sub-assemblies of such character.
2. Description of the Related Art
Key operated locks are broadly classified into two mutually exclusive lock types. Locks of the first type are known as key-retaining locks because in such locks the lock mechanism prevents the key from being removed from the lock while the lock is in an unlocked condition. Locks of the second type are known as non-key-retaining locks because in such locks the lock mechanism permits the key to be removed from the lock while the lock is in an unlocked condition. Most conventional locks only offer one of these lock functions and, hence, are known as single-function locks.
One prior art single-function padlock 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and preferably comprises a padlock body 12, a lock cylinder 13 with a blade-like actuator 15 extending therefrom, at least one locking ball 16, a shackle 14 with a one or more recesses 17 for selectively receiving ball(s) 16, a rotational stop member 18 with an affixation screw and a rotator bolt 19. In particular, lock 10 of FIG. 1 is a key-retaining lock. As shown, padlock 10 is of a generally conventional configuration and employs locking ball(s) 16 (that cooperate with rotator bolt 19) that function as a release/locking mechanism to selectively release/retain shackle 14 in a locked or unlocked condition. A well-known variation of conventional lock cylinder 13, is the BEST-type (also known as the small format interchangeable-core) cylinder shown in FIG. 2. As depicted therein, cylinder 13xe2x80x2 includes an end face 11 with a pair of apertures 11xe2x80x2 for receiving corresponding legs of an actuator. A well-known variation of conventional rotator bolt 19, is depicted in FIG. 4. As shown therein, rotator bolt 19xe2x80x2 includes a release-mechanism engaging portion 24 and an actuator-engaging end-portion 25 with wedge-shaped posts 27 and space therebetween.
Those of ordinary skill will readily appreciate that the particular configuration of the conventional lock/components noted-above can assume a wide variety of well-known and equivalent sizes and configurations. Thus, for example, padlock body 12, cylinders 13 and 13xe2x80x2, actuator (or tailpiece) 15, shackle 14, ball(s) 16 and rotator bolts 19 and 19xe2x80x2 can assume a wide variety of well-known and equivalent sizes and configurations. A mere sampling of such configurations of the related art is provided in the Information Disclosure Statement (with the associated Form PTO-1449) attached to this application. Further references to such conventional components should be understood to encompass these and other configurations known in the art.
There are practical, functional and security advantages to both key-retaining and non-key-retaining single-function locks. Since most manufacturers produce single-function locks discussed above, lock purchasers normally need to first determine which lock function meets their particular requirements, and then purchase the single-function lock of the appropriate type. Therefore, locksmiths and other lock suppliers are typically required to stock inventories of both key-retaining and non-key-retaining locks in order to satisfy the needs of all potential lock purchasers.
In order to eliminate the need for locksmiths and other lock suppliers to stock unnecessarily large inventories of both key-retaining locks and non-key-retaining locks, dual-function locks have been developed. Some exceptionally innovative dual-function padlocks are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,136 granted on Dec. 29, 1992 and entitled xe2x80x9cDual Function Padlock With Removable Cylinder Mechanismxe2x80x9d; and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,356 granted on Nov. 14, 2000 and entitled xe2x80x9cDual-Function Locks And Sub-Assemblies Thereforxe2x80x9d; which Patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Other highly similar dual-function padlocks are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,678.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,136 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,678 constitute examples of padlocks which can be readily converted between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions by the introduction and/or disposal of components between the rotator bolt and the actuator of a lock cylinder. Thus, each of these locks offer the option of selecting one of two possible lock functions at the time of installation or later. However, in the case of each of these locks, components must be introduced into or removed from between the actuator and rotator bolt in order to achieve conversion of the lock function.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,356 represents an advance over the two aforementioned designs in that the locks shown and described therein can be readily converted between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions without the introduction and/or disposal of components. The lock designs disclosed therein rely on either of at least two primary principles of operation. In the first, the rotator bolt of the lock is manipulated to achieve lock conversion (no change in the lock actuator is necessary for conversion to occur). This may occur, for example, by manipulation of and/or reorientation of a multi-component rotator bolt. In the second principle of operation, the rotator bolt and the actuator are reoriented relative to one another to achieve lock conversion. Thus, these locks also offer the ability to select the desired lock function at the time of installation or later. Neither of the aforementioned designs shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,356, however, utilize manipulation and/or modification of the actuator structure to achieve lock conversion. It would be desirable to convert locks solely by manipulation and/or modification of the lock actuator because the actuator (along with the lock cylinder) is a readily accessible component of most locks. By contrast, lock rotator bolts are typically more difficult to access since they are often located deep within a cavity of the lock body.
There is, accordingly, a need in the art for novel methods, systems and apparatus that offer the ability to achieve inter-function conversion solely by manipulation and/or modification of a function-determinative lock actuator. Such methods and apparatus should enable a user to conveniently select the desired lock function without the use of additional components between the rotator bolt and the actuator. Additionally, such methods and apparatus should enable a user to conveniently select the desired lock function by manipulating/modifying a dual-function actuator thereby avoiding the need to access the rotator bolt deep within a cavity of the lock body.
The present invention satisfies the above-stated needs and overcomes the above-stated and other deficiencies of the related art by providing methods, systems and apparatus for converting locks between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions by means of a function-determinative lock actuator. In one form, the invention can be a dual-function padlock capable of conversion between key-retaining and non-key-retaining lock functions. The inventive lock includes a number of conventional components such as a body, a shackle which is at least partially disposed within the padlock body, a shackle-release-mechanism for selectively releasing/retaining the shackle, and a rotatable cylinder at least partially mounted within the body. Additionally, the inventive lock includes an axis-defining rotator bolt, which is mounted within the padlock body for rotation about the axis, with a release-mechanism-engaging portion for controlling movement of the shackle-release-mechanism and an actuator-receiving portion. The inventive lock further includes a function-determinative actuator that rotates about the rotation axis in response to cylinder rotation, the actuator cooperating with the rotator bolt such that the lock can be converted between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions by physically modifying the actuator.
The invention can also take the form of a dual-function lock sub-assembly for a lock of the type having a release-mechanism and an axis-defining lock-cylinder capable of transferring rotational motion to an actuator. In this form the invention includes a rotator bolt having a release-mechanism-engaging portion at one end thereof for controlling movement of the release-mechanism and an actuator-engaging portion for mechanically engaging at least a portion of the actuator. The invention also includes a dual-function actuator responsive to movement of the lock-cylinder for axial rotation therewith, the actuator having a free end extending from the cylinder, a first section which permits limited lost-motion between the free end of the actuator and the rotator bolt, and a second section for preventing lost-motion between the free end of the actuator and the rotator bolt. With this configuration, the lock function can be selectively determined by changing the second section of the actuator.
Still another form of the invention includes a method of converting a dual-function lock from a key-retaining mode to a non-key-retaining mode. The inventive method can be used with a lock of the type having a body, a rotatable lock cylinder at least partially mounted within the body and defining a rotation axis, a rotator bolt within the body for rotation about the axis, and an actuator extending from the cylinder and having a selective-engagement portion cooperating with the rotator bolt such that the actuator and the rotator bolt may remain generally stationary relative to one another. The inventive method comprises the steps of (a) taking the cylinder and actuator out of the lock body while leaving the rotator bolt within the body; (b) changing the selective-engagement portion of the actuator to thereby permit limited lost motion between the actuator and the rotator bolt when the cylinder and actuator are replaced into the body; and (c) replacing the cylinder and actuator into the body.
Naturally, the above-described methods of the invention are particularly well adapted for use with the above-described apparatus of the invention. Similarly, the apparatus of the invention are well suited to perform the inventive methods described above.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.

Conversion between lock functions using lock actuator


A flat gasket for a reciprocating engine or a driven machine includes at least two laminated metal sheets 0.05 to 0.5 mm thick which are provided with a coating of an elastomer film at least on the side facing outward and have an edge area, formed by the outer contour and/or at least one cylinder bore and/or a water and/or oil passage in the cylinder head, adjacent to at least one peripheral first bead of one of the metal sheets, the second metal sheet bridging the first bead, both metal sheets being joined together permanently on both sides of the first bead.

The present invention relates to a flat gasket for a reciprocating engine or a driven machine including at least two laminated metal sheets 0.05-0.5 mm thick which are provided with a coating of an elastomer film at least on the side facing outward and have an edge area, formed by the outer contour and/or at least one cylinder bore and/or a water or oil passage in the cylinder head, adjacent to at least one peripheral first bead of one of the metal sheets, the second metal sheet bridging the first bead.
Flat gaskets for internal combustion engines or driven machines are known in a variety of embodiments, e.g., from German Patents 195 39 245, 195 31 232 and 42 05 824. In the case of engines for commercial vehicles, such cylinder head gaskets have the function of sealing the joint between the cylinder head and the cylinder block. They are usually made of one or more metal sheets joined together to form a laminate and have one or more combustion chamber passage orifices and one or more liquid passage orifices, the latter permitting coolant water and/or lubricant oil to pass between the cylinder head and the cylinder block. With conventional cylinder head gaskets, a complete bead in an edge area often encloses and seals the combustion chamber passage orifices. The liquid passage orifices are often also sealed by a bead surrounding the orifice in an edge area. On installation of the cylinder head gasket, the cylinder head and the engine block are pressed together by the bias force of the cylinder screws. The beads on the flat gasket lying between them are mutually supported against the adjacent sealing surfaces of the cylinder head or the engine block. The highest specific compressive load per unit area prevails in the immediate edge area of the combustion chamber passage orifices and in the area of the cylinder head screws. Stoppers surround the combustion chamber passages and act as deformation limiters. In addition to this static compressive load, the gasket is exposed to dynamic loads in operation of the engine. The distance between the sealing surfaces is not constant over time and space. Due to the periodic explosions in the combustion chamber, the cylinder head executes vertical and horizontal movements relative to the cylinder block. The amplitude of these sealing gap movements is greater, the greater the distance of the site in question from the cylinder head screws. A stationary condition over time cannot be achieved in the sealing gap either with the combustion chamber seal or the liquid seal. For a permanent and satisfactory seal, the gasket must be able to follow these relative movements for as long as possible through an elastically flexible response. The flat gasket must not lose its sealing elastic contact with the sealing surfaces of the cylinder block or the engine block. The functional lifetime of this elastic resiliency essentially limits the service life of the gasket. After a certain number of alternating load cycles, the spring characteristics of the flat gasket are reduced. At the end of the service life, leaking occurs in the seal of the combustion chambers or the chamber passage orifices.
The object of the present invention is to provide a flat gasket having an improved sealing effect, a high elastic resiliency, low manufacturing costs and a long operating life.
With the flat gasket according to the present invention, at least two laminated metal sheets are provided. One of these metal sheets has a bead which surrounds the orifice of a combustion chamber or a liquid passage. The other of these metal sheets bridges this bead, with the two metal sheets being permanently joined together on both sides of the bead. Due to this connection between the metal sheets, the flat gasket retains a very good elastic resiliency over a long period of operation. The sheet metal connection may completely enclose the orifice to be sealed or it may be designed in only spots or sections around the periphery, depending on the desired spring stiffness. The connection of the two metal sheets at the base of the bead causes the distance between the legs supporting the bead at the base of the bead to be essentially maintained when there is a reduction in the sealing gap. Thus, a reduction in the sealing gap causes a tensile stress on the metal sheet bridging the bead. The deformation of the bead is limited by the connection of the metal sheets. This increases the elastic resiliency. In sealing off the combustion gas or a liquid, the sealing effect is thus improved, because even with comparatively great sealing gap movements, the contact with the adjacent sealing surface of the cylinder head or the engine block is maintained. As a result of the construction according to the present invention, an additional enclosure for the combustion chamber may be omitted. The bead constructed according to the present invention assumes the function of the combustion chamber enclosure. A stopper which limits the compressive load in the edge area of the combustion chamber enclosure may thus be omitted. At the same time, a bead designed in this way guarantees that the sealing contact will be maintained around the combustion chamber even with relative movements of the cylinder head with respect to the cylinder block. What is true of the sealing system of the combustion chamber is also true of the liquid seal. Here again, the high elastic resiliency of the bead defined at the base has the result that the flat gasket is better able to follow the horizontal and vertical movements in the sealing gap over a longer operating time. The service life of the flat gasket is extended because the pressure forces against the sealing surfaces of the cylinder head and engine block are maintained for a longer period of time.
In cross section, the bead profile may have various shapes, e.g., a U shape or a triangular shape. The spring properties as well as the frictional behavior of the flat gasket with respect to the cylinder head or cylinder block may be adapted very satisfactorily to relative movements to be expected in the sealing gap through an appropriate design of the bead cross section.
The metal sheets may be made of the same or different materials, e.g., spring steel sheets. The metal sheets may also have different thicknesses. It is of course also conceivable for other materials to be used, such as metal gauze or plastic instead of the metal sheet.
The connection of the two metal sheets may be substantive, e.g., by welding, soldering or gluing. Depending on the stiffness, the weld may be along the periphery, either continuously or as an interrupted line or spot weld. The connection may also be produced inexpensively by electron beam welding.
The second metal sheet is preferably designed to be planar. A high stiffness of the elastic recoil may be achieved in this way.
It is advantageous if the second metal sheet has at least one second bead in an area of the first bead, the second bead being especially preferably designed to be different from the first bead. The cylinder head and engine block are usually made of different materials. Since each of the beads on the main surfaces of the flat gasket is designed differently, it is possible to design the flat gasket to be different in its spring properties with regard to its contact with the engine block or the cylinder head.
With regard to the manufacture of the flat gasket, it is advantageous to design the two beads to be in mirror image.
It especially advantageous if a third metal sheet is arranged between the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet and this third metal sheet is included in the connection between the first and second metal sheets. In particular when the third metal sheet has in the area of the first bead and the second bead a third bead having a differently shaped profile, the elastic behavior of the gasket with respect to the engine block or the cylinder head may be adapted very satisfactorily even with comparatively large sealing gap movements. By dividing the first or second bead as a partial bead, a larger contact area with the sealing surface of the engine block or the cylinder head is achieved. This makes it possible to prevent the bead of the flat gasket from digging into the surface of the engine block or the cylinder head.
It may be advantageous to bridge a comparatively large sealing gap through flat gaskets stacked one above the other.

Flat gasket for a reciprocating engine or a driven machine


A vehicle history information system adapted to determine vehicle odometer rollback. In one embodiment, the system includes a vehicle history report module adapted to retrieve vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information. The system further includes an odometer rollback determination module adapted to analyze the vehicle history records to determine a likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on the data source information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system and method for automatically determining vehicle odometer discrepancies and, in particular, odometer rollback. The present invention is specifically directed to such a system and method in which the likelihood of a rollback is determined.
2. Description of the Related Art
Consumers and automotive professionals involved in the trading of used vehicles recognize the importance of information relating to a used vehicle's history in making a purchasing decision including placing a value on a particular vehicle. Consequently, services have been created that function primarily to provide vehicle history information to various parties in the used vehicle market, including dealers and individual consumers. A web site is typically provided which permits a potential buyer of a vehicle to purchase a vehicle history report containing an extensive collection of information on a particular vehicle. For example, the vehicle history report may include such vehicle information as model year, odometer readings and discrepancies, ownership records, accident information, the existence of salvage and/or flood titles, and maintenance records, such information being typically presented as a series of vehicle history records in a vehicle history report.
Automobile buyers and sellers in the resale market consider the number of miles or kilometers a vehicle has been driven to be, for many purposes, a valuable element of historical information. For example, CARFAX, Inc., the assignee of the present application, provides a vehicle history information system that generates vehicle history reports (which may be generated by the method and system originally described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,144, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference), and presents the user with odometer readings for a particular vehicle in its database. This feature permits the system to alert a user to odometer discrepancies as "odometer rollbacks".
As part of its vehicle history service, CARFAX reports potential odometer rollbacks to its customers. Rollbacks are a form of fraud whereby a person lowers the mileage or kilometers displayed by the odometer of a vehicle using a tool or software. By doing so, the person artificially and fraudulently increases the value of a vehicle. Rollbacks are detected and reported by CARFAX in its vehicle history reports by comparing two chronologically sequential odometer readings present in respective vehicle history records. The first mileage reading should always be equal to, or lower than, the second odometer reading. If the first odometer reading is higher than the second odometer reading, the odometer of the vehicle may have been tampered with and roll backed.

System and method for determining vehicle odometer rollback


An electronic throttle valve system more suitable for use in straddle type vehicles. A straddle type vehicle has an electronic throttle valve system for adjusting the amount of intake air to an internal combustion engine. The electronic throttle valve system includes a throttle valve for adjusting the amount of intake air to the internal combustion engine, an electric motor for actuating the throttle valve, and a control unit for controlling the electric motor. The throttle valve is fixed to a valve shaft. The electric motor is connected to the valve shaft. The valve shaft is provided with a throttle opening sensor on the right end, and a mechanical, throttle valve actuating mechanism on the left end. A throttle cable is engaged with the mechanism, while being coupled to a throttle grip (acceleration controller) provided on a right one of a pair of handlebars.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a straddle type vehicle (e.g. two-wheeled motor vehicle), and particularly to a straddle type vehicle having an electronic throttle valve system for adjusting the amount of intake air to an internal combustion engine of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic throttle valve system for electronically controlling the opening of a throttle valve to adjust the amount of intake air to an engine (internal combustion engine) can advantageously reduce emission and fuel consumption. This system has been used in some four-wheeled motor vehicles. Application of the system to two-wheeled motor vehicles has been under discussion (See JP-A-2002-106368, for example).
However, as different from four-wheeled motor vehicles, there is housing space limitation in the case of two-wheeled motor vehicles.
As compared to the case of four-wheeled motor vehicle having relatively less restrictions, the type of layout by which the type of mechanism is to be mounted cannot be determined simply, but is to be determined under severe restrictions.

Straddle type vehicle having an electronic throttle valve system


A replicable expression vector capable, in a transformed host mammallian cell, of expressing a DNA sequence encoding active human TPA which, when expressed in the host cell, yields active TPA which lacks one or more of the TPA-bound N-linked carbohydrate moieties of naturally occurring human TPA.

This invention relates to the use of recombinant DNA techniques to produce therapeutic proteins, in particular to the use of such techniques to produce the protein human uterine tissue plasminogen activator (uTPA).
Rijken et al. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 580, 140 describes the partial purification, from human uterine tissue, of uTPA, a single chain zymogenic enzyme activatable by plasmin in blood to a 2-chain form capable of dissolving fibrin clots. uTPA is thus undoubtedly useful as a therapeutic composition for dissolving clots in patients suffering from a variety of vascular diseases, particularly myocardial infarctions resulting in clots in and around the heart.
Recombinant DNA techniques have previously been used to obtain mRNA from a line of cancer cells (Bowes melanoma cells) and the mRNA used to produce cDNA encoding Bowes TPA, as described in Goeddel et al. European Pat. Appln. No. 0093619.

Human uterine tissue plasminogen activator produced by recombinant DNA


The present invention discloses a microstructured discrimination device for separating hydrophobic-hydrophilic fluidic composites comprising particulate and/or fluids in a fluid flow. The discrimination is the result of surface energy gradients obtained by physically varying a textured surface and/or by varying surface chemical properties, both of which are spatially graded. Such surfaces discriminate and spatially separate particulate and/or fluids without external energy input. The device of the present invention comprises a platform having bifurcating microchannels arranged radially. The lumenal surfaces of the microchannels may have a surface energy gradient created by varying the periodicity of hierarchically arranged microstructures along a dimension. The surface energy gradient is varied in two regions. In one pre-bifurcation region the surface energy gradient generates a fluid flow. In the other post-bifurcation region, there is a difference in surface energy proximal to the bifurcation such that different flow fractions are divided into separate channels in response to different surface energy gradients in each of the post-bifurcation channels. Accordingly, fluids of different hydrophobicity and/or particulate of different hydrophobicity are driven into separate channels by a global minimization of the fluid system energy.

The present invention relates generally to a device comprising spatially varying hierarchical microstructures.
More particularly, this invention pertains to a device comprising spatially varying hierarchical microstructures to generate graded Wenzel and graded Cassie interfaces with fluid flow. These graded interfaces may be characterized by surface energy gradients. These surface energy gradients may involve separately, or in combination, spatially varying microstructures to generate a spatially varying chemically induced surface energy gradient that may drive fluid flow in a device.
The behaviour of fluids at the scale of microns and smaller can differ from "macrofluidic" behaviour in that factors such as surface tension, energy dissipation, and fluidic resistance start to dominate the system dynamics. At small scales (channel size and surface textures of around 100 nanometers to 500 micrometers) some interesting and sometimes unintuitive properties appear. In particular, the Reynolds number (which compares the effect of the momentum of a fluid to the effect of viscosity) can become very low. A key consequence is composite fluids transition to a co-flowing fluid state, wherein the fluid constituents do not necessarily mix in the traditional sense. As flow becomes laminar rather than turbulent, molecular transport between the co-flowing fluids must often be through diffusion. It is also noted that ion exchange surfaces can generate very high osmotic pressures of over 100 MPa in water because they create high surface concentrations of counter-ions. Poly-ionic nanoparticles, with high surface area, produce such a great osmotic pressure that they can be used in practical desalination processes. Counter-ions and solutes present difficulties when trying to understand and develop microfluidic systems, thus a system that is uncharged without the presence of counter-ions or solutes but has the same characteristics would be beneficial.
Microfluidics-based devices, capable of continuous sampling and real-time testing of fluid samples for biochemical toxins and other dangerous pathogens, can serve as an always-on early warning system for biothreats.
In open microfluidics, at least one boundary of the system is removed, exposing the fluid to air or another interface (i.e., liquid). Advantages of open microfluidic systems include accessibility to the flowing liquid for intervention, larger liquid-gas surface area, and minimized bubble formation.
Another advantage of open microfluidics is the ability to integrate open systems with surface-tension driven fluid flow architectures. Surface tension driven fluid flow eliminates the need for external pumping methods such as peristaltic or syringe pumps.
Open microfluidic devices are also easy and inexpensive to fabricate by milling, thermoforming, and hot embossing. In addition, open microfluidics eliminates the need to glue or bond a cover for devices which could be detrimental for capillary flows. Examples of open microfluidics include open-channel microfluidics, rail-based microfluidics, paper-based, and thread-based microfluidics. Disadvantages to open systems include susceptibility to evaporation, contamination, and limited flow rate.
In continuous-flow microfluidics, manipulation of continuous liquid flow is achieved through microfabricated channels. Actuation of liquid flow is implemented either by external pressure sources, external mechanical pumps, integrated mechanical micropumps, or by combinations of capillary forces and electrokinetic mechanisms. Continuous-flow microfluidic operation is the mainstream approach because it is easy to implement and less sensitive to protein fouling problems. Continuous-flow devices are adequate for many well-defined and simple biochemical applications, and for certain tasks such as chemical separation, but they are less suitable for tasks requiring a high degree of flexibility or fluid manipulations. These closed-channel systems are inherently difficult to integrate and scale because the parameters that govern flow field vary along the flow path making the fluid flow at any one location dependent on the properties of the entire system.
In droplet-based microfluidics, manipulation of discrete volumes of fluids is performed in immiscible phases with low Reynolds number and laminar flow regimes. Interest in droplet-based microfluidics systems has been growing substantially in past decades. Microdroplets allow for handling miniature volumes (μl to fl) of fluids conveniently, provide better mixing, encapsulation, sorting, and sensing, and suit high throughput experiments. Exploiting the benefits of droplet-based microfluidics efficiently requires a deep understanding of droplet generation to perform various logical operations such as droplet motion, droplet sorting, droplet merging, and droplet breakup. Microstructured surfaces are particularly useful in manipulating and forming specialized interfaces with droplets in a microfluidic setting.
In digital microfluidics, discrete, independently controllable droplets are manipulated on a microstructured substrate using electrowetting. Following the analogy of digital microelectronics, this approach is referred to as digital microfluidics. Electrocapillary forces are used to move droplets on a digital track. In digital microfluidics there is a notion of a "fluid transistor". By using discrete unit-volume droplets, a microfluidic function can be reduced to a set of repeated iterative operations, i.e., moving one unit of fluid over one unit of distance. This "digitization" method facilitates the use of a hierarchical surface structure approach for microfluidic biochip design. Digital microfluidics offers a flexible and scalable system architecture as well as high fault-tolerance capability. The electrowetting mechanism allows each droplet to be controlled independently, and enables the whole system to be dynamically reconfigured, whereby groups of hierarchical domains in a microfluidic array can be reconfigured to change their functionality during the concurrent execution of a set of bioassays. One common actuation method for digital microfluidics is electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD). However, surface acoustic waves, optoelectrowetting, mechanical actuation, etc., are also methods of digitally manipulating fluid droplets.
In paper-based microfluidics, devices comprise surface microstructure hydrophobic barriers on hydrophilic paper that passively transport aqueous solutions to outlets where biological reactions take place. Current applications include portable glucose detection and environmental testing, with hopes of reaching areas that lack advanced medical diagnostic tools.
Microfluidics may also be combined with landscape ecology, either in the in vitro or in vivo environment. A nano/micro-structured fluidic landscape can be constructed by juxtaposing local patches of surface microstructure intended to create a bacterial and/or cellular habitat and connecting different microstructures patches by dispersal corridors to create a landscape. The resulting landscapes can be used as physical implementations of an adaptive landscape, by generating a spatial mosaic of patches of biological opportunity distributed in space and time. The patchy nature of these fluidic landscapes allows for the study of adapting bacterial and body cells in a metapopulation system. Microstructured landscapes can be used to study the evolutionary ecology of bacterial and cellular systems in a synthetic ecosystem setting. In an implant situation, microstructured landscapes can direct complex, organized tissue structures to improve healing or drive regeneration of an organ.
For example, microstructured landscapes can drive precise and carefully controlled chemoattractant gradients by using microfluidics. Controlled chemoattractant microstructured landscapes can be used to control cell motility and chemotaxis. Conversely, microstructured landscapes can be used to study the evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics in small populations of microorganisms and in a short period of time. These microorganisms including bacteria and the broad range of organisms that form the marine microbial loop, responsible for regulating much of ocean biogeochemistry. Microstructured landscapes have also greatly aided the study of durotaxis by facilitating the creation of durotactic (stiffness) gradients.
Thus, what is needed then is a device with microstructured surfaces that can discriminate between various fluid components and is applicable to a variety of microfluidic systems.


A piezoelectric mirror device (11) comprises a frame portion (12) having a centrally located opening (13), a mirror portion (14) positioned at the opening (13), a pair of mirror support portions (15) adapted to support the mirror portion (14) rotatably relative the frame portion (12) and a pair of drive portions (16) that is a multilayer structure of lower electrodes (17), piezoelectric element (18) and an upper electrode (19). The mirror support portions (15) are formed of a material having a Young's modulus of up to 160 GPa, and the frame portion (12) includes a cutout (13a) at a part of a site wherein there are the drive portions (16) positioned. The cutout (13a) is in contact with the opening (13).

Designed to drive a mirror surface to change a reflection path taken by light depending on its angle of rotation, a mirror device has so far been used for, e.g., optical equipments harnessing laser such as printers, copiers, displays, and projectors. The mirror surface of the mirror device is driven in an electrostatic drive mode using electrostatic force, a piezoelectric drive mode utilizing a piezoelectric element, and an electromagnetic drive mode using electromagnetic force (JP(A)'s 2001-13443, 2002-311376 and 2003-15064).
Of prior art mirror devices, a piezoelectric mirror device of the piezoelectric drive mode has an advantage of being higher in driving power than those of other drive modes. For instance, it has been fabricated by means of an MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems), with a mirror portion formed by etching an SOI substrate and a mirror support portion for that mirror portion in a rotatable manner.
However, a problem with the conventional piezoelectric mirror device is that the amount of displacement of the mirror portion is limited, because the mirror support portion is made of a silicon layer (Si) of high rigidity (having a Young's modulus of 166 GPa). For the fabrication of the mirror support portion or the like, it is required to make use of an SOI substrate having a silicon oxide that provides an etching stopper; that SOI substrate costs much, placing some limitations on fabrication cost reductions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Piezoelectric mirror device, optical equipment incorporating the same, and piezoelectric mirror device fabrication process


Embodiments herein relate to assigning processors to a memory mapped configuration. The processors having access to different buses of a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) segment are quiesced. The quiesced processors are assigned a memory mapped configuration.

Due to recent innovations in technology, users are seeking larger amounts of Input/Output (I/O) resources. However, due to I/O standards and/or bandwidth limitations, devices are unable to support a greater number of I/O devices to provide the I/O resources. System vendors are challenged to provide users with a greater amount of I/O resources.

Assigning processors to memory mapped configuration

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


An optical compensation method for an organic light emitting display device comprises: setting initial gain values of RGB subpixels; making each of the RGB subpixels converge on target luminance; selecting subpixels to emit light with the W subpixel from the RGB subpixels, and setting an initial gain value of the W subpixel; measuring color coordinates and luminance of the W subpixel to which the initial gain value is applied; calculating the luminance ratio of the W subpixel and the selected subpixels; adjusting maximum gains of the W subpixel and the selected subpixels; measuring maximum color coordinates and luminance ratio of the W subpixel and the selected subpixels; and making the W subpixel and the selected subpixels converge on target color coordinates and luminance.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a scan driver and an optical compensation method and driving method for an organic light emitting display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting element used for an organic light emitting display device is a self-light emitting element which has a light emitting layer formed between two electrodes. In the organic light emitting display device, electrons and holes are injected into the light emitting layer from a electron injection electrode and a hole injection electrode, respectively. The injected electrons and holes are combined to generate excitons, which illuminate when converting from an excited state to a ground state.
In the organic light emitting display device, when scan signals, data signals, and power are supplied to a plurality of subpixels arranged in a matrix, selected subpixels emit light, to display images. Some organic light, emitting display devices have a subpixel structure (hereinafter, abbreviated as RGBW OLED) that includes red, green, blue, and white colors.
The RGBW OLED uses a complicated algorithm (which is equivalent to finding one point on a three-dimensional space) that adjusts three RGB gains. The relationship between gain and luminance of each of RGBW has a different increasing pattern for each gray level, so it is difficult to estimate the common amount of change for converging on target values. Therefore, there is a high possibility of deadlock caused by gain variations because the RGBW OLED commonly uses RGBW gains to adjust color coordinates and luminance.
Moreover, the RGBW OLED drives one of the RGB subpixels to additionally emit light on a display panel in order to correct white coordinates. Accordingly, the power consumption of the RGBW OLED increases as much as the color additionally emits light on the display panel.

Optical compensation method and driving method for organic light emitting display device


A miniature motor comprising a housing made of a metallic material, formed into a bottomed hollow tubular shape and having a permanent magnet fixedly fitted to the inner circumferential surface thereof, a rotor consisting of an armature facing the permanent magnet and a commutator, an end cap engaged with an open end of the housing, and having brushes making sliding contact with the commutator and a pair of terminals electrically connected to the brushes; the rotor being rotatably supported by bearings provided on the bottom part of the housing and the end cap, in which a flat groove including a plane parallel to the axial line of the motor and opening toward the housing is provided on the end cap; the terminals being disposed to face the side of the groove, a chip laminated capacitor and a spring made of an electrically conductive material and formed into a substantially U shape in planar projection being disposed in the groove so as to come into contact with each other and also with the terminals.

This invention relates generally to a miniature motor used in audio and video equipment, and automotive electrical equipment, and more particularly to a miniature motor which can be manufactured in small sizes, assembled easily, and in which electrical noise can be reduced.
FIG. 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view illustrating an example of miniature motor to which this invention is applied. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 31 refers to a housing made of a metallic material, such as mild steel, formed into a bottomed hollow tubular shape and having a permanent magnet 32 of an arc-segment shape, for example, fixedly fitted to the inner circumferential surface thereof. Numeral 33 refers to an end cap made of a thermoplastic resin material, for example, and formed in such a fashion as to engage with an open end of the housing 31. Next, numeral 34 refers to a rotor consisting of an armature 35 facing the permanent magnet 32 and a commutator 36, and rotatably supported by bearings 37 and 38 each provided on the housing 31 and the end cap 33.
Numeral 39 refers to a brush arm made of an electrically conductive material, formed into a strip shape, having a brush 40 making sliding contact with the commutator 36, and provided inside the end cap 33. Inside the end cap 33 also provided are a pair of terminals 41 and 41 electrically connected to the brush arms 39 and 39 so that power can be fed from an external d-c power source to the armature 35 via the brush arms 39 and 39, the brushes 40 and 40 and the commutator 36.
With the aforementioned construction, when power is fed to the armature 35, rotating force is imparted to the armature 35 placed in a magnetic field formed by the permanent magnet 32 fixedly fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the housing 31, causing the rotor 34 to rotate, driving various pieces of equipment connected to the rotor 34.
As means for reducing electrical noise in the aforementioned miniature motor, there can be a construction where the housing 31 is connected to one terminal 41 via a ground terminal 42 made of an electrical conductive material and formed into a flat sheet shape. As another such means, there can also be a construction where a capacitor 44 is connected across a pair of the terminals 41 and 41 via a lead wire 43, as shown in FIG. 3.
Examples of public knowledge include EP 509683, GB 2172754, GB 2173648, and GB 2103042.
In the construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, where the ground terminal 42, the capacitor 44 and other component members for reducing electrical noise are provided, an excess space has to be provided inside the equipment or system which is driven by the miniature motor. Furthermore, a space larger than necessary may have to be provided because the shape, size and mounting position of the component members for reducing electrical noise are uncertain.
Since the component members for reducing electrical noise have no interchangeability, separate jigs, tools and personnel have to be provided if multiple types of component members are needed. This could lead to lowered production efficiency.
In the construction shown in FIG. 3, the operation of connecting the lead wire 43 of the capacitor 44 to the terminal 41 is extremely troublesome, the soldering operation inevitably needed for wire connections, and the placement and cutting of the lead wires 43 involve a high degree of skills because of a very limited space around the location at which the capacitor 44 is installed. This could result in increased assembly time and manhours, leading to increased manufacturing cost. In addition, soldering in a limited space tends to cause unstable wire connections, lowering the strength of wire connections to vibration or impact during service. This could lead to deteriorated reliability of electrical connections.


In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, a gate oxide layer is provided on a silicon substrate. A first polysilicon layer is provided on the gate oxide layer, a dielectric layer is provided on the first polysilicon layer, and a second polysilicon layer is provided on the dielectric layer. Upon appropriate masking, an etch step is undertaken, etching the second polysilicon layer, dielectric layer, first polysilicon layer, and gate oxide layer to remove portions thereof to expose the silicon substrate and to form a stacked gate structure on the silicon substrate. A rapid thermal anneal is undertaken for a short period of time, i.e., for example 10-20 seconds, to grow a thin oxide layer on the stacked gate structure. Then, another oxide layer is deposited over the oxide layer which was formed by rapid thermal anneal.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to improved performance of flash memory devices.
2. Background Art
A type of programmable memory cell is commonly referred to as a flash memory cell. Such flash memory cell may include a source and a drain formed in a silicon substrate, or in a well that is formed in the silicon substrate. The flash memory cell includes a stacked gate structure formed on the silicon substrate. The region of the silicon substrate beneath the stacked gate structure is known as the channel region of the flash memory cell.
The stacked gate structure of the flash memory cell includes a pair of polysilicon structures separated by oxide layers. One of the polysilicon structures functions as a floating gate and the other polysilicon structure functions as a control gate for the flash memory cell. The oxide layer that separates the floating gate from the silicon substrate is commonly referred to as a tunnel oxide layer, A memory cell of this type is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,787, xe2x80x9cSingle Transistor Electrically Programmable Memory Device and Methodxe2x80x9d, issued to Mukherjee et al. on Oct. 6, 1987.
Programming operations on a flash memory cell involve the application of a relatively large constant voltage to the drain of the flash memory cell while an even larger voltage is applied to the control gate. During such a programming operation, the source of the flash memory cell is maintained at a ground level or a zero voltage level in relation to the voltages applied to the control gate and drain. The high constant voltage applied to the control gate raises the voltage potential of the floating gate to a high level at the start of the programming operation. Such a high voltage potential on the floating gate attracts the electrons floating through the channel region. Under these conditions, electrons in the channel region having sufficiently high kinetic energy inject through the tunnel oxide layer and onto the floating gate. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as hot carrier programming or hot carrier injection. A successful programming operation involves the injection of sufficient numbers of electrons onto the floating gate to achieve a desired threshold voltage for the flash memory cell. The threshold voltage is the voltage that must be applied to the control gate of the flash memory cell to cause conduction through the channel region during the read operation on the flash memory cell.
In a typical memory array which includes a large number of cells, a cell can be programmed by applying programming voltages of approximately 9-10 volts to the control gate, approximately 5 volts to the drain, and grounding the source. These voltages cause hot electrons to be injected from a drain depletion region into the floating gate. Upon removal of the programming voltages, the injected electrons are trapped in the floating gate and create a negative charge therein that increases the threshold of the cell to a value in excess of approximately 4 volts.
A cell can be read by applying a voltage of approximately 5 volts to the control gate, applying approximately 1 volt to the bit line to which the drain is connected, grounding the source, and sensing the bit line current. If the cell is programmed and the threshold voltage is relatively high (5 volts), the bit line current will be zero or relatively low. If the cell is not programmed or is erased, the threshold voltage will be relatively low (2 volts), the control gate voltage will enhance the channel, and the bit line current will be relatively high.
A cell can be erased in several ways. In one approach, applying a relatively high voltage, typically 12 volts, to the source, grounding the control gate and allowing the drain to float erases a cell. This causes the electrons that were injected into the floating gate during programming to undergo Fowler-Nordheim tunneling from the floating gate through the thin tunnel oxide layer to the source. Applying a negative voltage on the order of xe2x88x9210 volts to the control gate, applying 5 volts to the source and allowing the drain to float can also erase the cell. Another method of erasing a cell is by applying 5 volts to the P well and xe2x88x9210 volts to the control gate while allowing the source and drain to float.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the formation of a typical stacked gate structure in accord with the prior art. As shown therein, the silicon dioxide layer 10 that will form the tunnel oxide is thermally grown on a silicon substrate 12. Then, a polysilicon layer 14 is provided on the oxide layer 10, a dielectric layer 16, for example, an ONO layer is provided on the polysilicon layer 14, and another polysilicon layer 18 is provided on the dielectric layer 16. A layer of photoresist is provided on the polysilicon layer 18 and is patterned as shown in FIG. 1, leaving photoresist layer portion 20 on the polysilicon layer 18. Then, an etch step is undertaken, using the photoresist layer portion 20 as a mask (FIG. 2), to etch through the polysilicon layer 18, dielectric layer 16, polysilicon layer 14 and oxide layer 10, down to the substrate 12, forming the gate stack 22 which includes tunnel oxide 10A, polysilicon floating gate 14A, dielectric 16A, and polysilicon word line 18A. The photoresist layer portion 20 is then removed.
As is well-known, the etch step used to form the gate stack 22 can cause gouging of the silicon substrate 12 adjacent the gate oxide 10A (see arrows A and B, FIG. 2), which, if allowed to remain in that state, can result in severely degrading erase integrity and erase distribution of the device. In order to reduce this problem, typically, a layer of pre-implant thermal oxide 24 is grown on the top and sides of the gates stack 22 and on the exposed portions of the silicon substrate 12 (FIG. 3), for example to a thickness of 100 angstroms, which substantially reduces or repairs the damage in the substrate 12 described above. Then, ion implantation 26 is undertaken (FIG. 4), using the gate stack 22 and the portions 24A, 24B of the oxide layer 24 on the sides of the gate stack 22 as a mask, to implant the source and drain regions 28, 30 of the device.
Typically, growth of the pre-implant oxide 24 is undertaken for a substantial length of time, for example, five minutes, to a thickness of for example 100 angstroms. Growing the oxide 24 for this length of time has been found to substantially degrade charge carrier mobility in the channel region of the device. This results in a significant core gain drop or drive current drop in the device, clearly a negative effect on device performance. In addition, this lengthy oxidation step has been found to cause oxide regions 32, 34 to be grown into the sides of the floating gate 14A near the bottom thereof (at the sides of the gate stack 22, see FIGS. 3 and 4). These undesired oxide regions 32, 34 can cause significant problems in erase speed of the device.
Therefore, what is needed is an approach which overcomes these problems by providing a pre-implant oxide layer which repairs damage in the substrate caused by the gate stack etch, meanwhile avoiding the problems recited above associated with growing this oxide layer for a substantial period of time.
In the present method of fabricating a semiconductor device, a gate oxide layer is provided on a silicon substrate. A first polysilicon layer is provided on the gate oxide layer, a dielectric layer is provided on the first polysilicon layer, and a second polysilicon layer is provided on the dielectric layer. Upon appropriate masking, and etch step is undertaking, etching the second polysilicon layer, dielectric layer, first polysilicon layer, and gate oxide layer to remove portions thereof to expose the silicon substrate and to form a stacked gate structure on the silicon substrate. A rapid thermal anneal is undertaken for a short period of time to grow a thin oxide layer on the stacked gate structure. Then, another oxide layer is deposited over the oxide layer which was formed by rapid thermal anneal.
The present invention is better understood upon consideration of the detailed description below, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. As will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, there is shown and described an embodiment of this invention simply by way of the illustration of the best mode to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications and various obvious aspects, all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.


The invention relates to immunotherapeutic compounds and to methods for stimulating an immune response in a subject individual at risk for developing cancer, diagnosed with a cancer, in treatment for cancer, or in post-therapy recovery from cancer or the compounds of the invention can be administered as a prophylactic to a subject individual to prevent or delay the development of cancer.

Cancer immunotherapy involves the use of compositions and methods to elicit and enhance an individual's own immune system against cancerous cells, or infections that predispose to cancer. Cancer vaccines function by triggering the immune system to mount a response to an antigen (e.g., typically a protein, peptide, or carbohydrate) that is introduced into the body in a non-carcinogenic form and triggers the body to confer immunity or obtain a long-lived "memory" immune response. See, e.g., Kast, Peptide-Based Cancer Vaccines, Landes Bioscience (2000); Stern et al, Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy, Cambridge University Press (2000). Once the immune system response is established, exposure of the immune system to this antigen (e.g., in the form of a cancerous tumor) results in a rapid and robust immune response.
It is often necessary to enhance the immune response to the antigens present in a vaccine in order to stimulate the immune system to a sufficient extent to make a vaccine effective, i.e., to confer immunity. Many protein, peptide and carbohydrate antigens, administered alone, do not generate a sufficient response to confer immunity. The reasons for this may be that the antigens recognized by cancer reactive immune responses originate from proteins that are expressed in normal tissue of the same histological type as the cancer, such that immunologic tolerance may prevent effective immune responses to the antigens. Such antigens need to be presented to the immune system in such a way that they will generate an immune response. To this end, adjuvants have been devised which immobilize antigens and enhance the immune response. The best known adjuvant, Freund's complete adjuvant, consists of a mixture of mycobacteria in an oil/water emulsion. Freund's adjuvant works (i) by enhancing cell and humoral-mediated immunity and (ii) by blocking rapid dispersal of the antigen challenge (the depot effect). Freund's adjuvant is used primarily with experimental therapies to help stimulate the immune system in animals, and in humans the mycobacterial preparation Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), is an immunotherapy approved as a treatment for bladder cancer.
Another molecule that has been shown to have immunostimulatory or adjuvant activity is endotoxin, also known as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS is also a model adjuvant that can overcome tolerance to self antigens. Waldner, et al., J. Clin. Invest., (2004); 113 990-997. While LPS is too toxic to be a viable adjuvant, molecules that are structurally related to endotoxin, such as monophosphoryl lipid A ("MPL"), are being tested as adjuvants in clinical trials. The only FDA-approved adjuvant for use in humans are aluminum salts, alum.
There is a need in the art for safe and effective compositions that can stimulate the immune system as a cancer immunotherapeutic. The invention is directed to this, as well as other, important ends.

Compositions and methods for cancer immunotherapy


A zoom lens system comprising, in order from an enlargement side, a first lens group of a negative power, a second lens group of a positive power and a third lens group of a positive power. The first lens group is fixed during a zooming operation from a longest focal length condition to a shortest local length condition and includes, in order from the enlargement side, a positive lens element, a negative lens element and an aperture stop. The second lens group includes two positive lens units which are movable independently of each other toward a reduction side during the zooming operation. The third lens group is also movable toward the reduction side during the zooming operation and includes, in order from the enlargement side, a positive lens element and a negative lens element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens system, and more particularly to a zoom lens system for use in an image projecting apparatus such as a microfilm reader or a microfilm reader/printer which projects microfilm images and has a limited conjugate length.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A microfilm includes a plurality of images thereon which are not always recorded in the same direction. Therefore, an image projecting apparatus such as a microfilm reader or a microfilm reader/printer has a prism disposed between a projecting lens and an image receiving plane for optically rotating images. This prism normally is disposed adjacent an enlargement side of the projecting lens for compactness.
In such an image projecting apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2, an image of a microfilm held by a microfilm holder 1 comprising two flat glass plates is projected onto a screen 7 through a projecting lens system 2, an image rotating prism 3 and mirrors 4-6. A dove prism may be used as the image rotating prism 3 for compactness of the prism itself. In order for the entire projected image to enter this prism 3, it is desirable to arrange the projecting lens system 2 and prism 3 as close to each other as possible, and to arrange the pupil position of the projecting lens 2 as close to the prism 3 as possible.
Zoom lens systems used as such a projecting lens system of the image projecting apparatus are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Kokai No. 62-237414, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,951, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,204, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,102 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,820.
The zoom lens system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Kokai No. 62-237414, as shown in FIG. 3B, is a positive-negative, two group zoom lens system comprising a positive lens group 8 at an enlargement side and a negative lens group 9 at a reduction side. An aperture stop S is fixedly disposed at the enlargement side of the lens system. Reference F denotes a microfilm plane. With such a positive-negative, two group zoom lens system, however, when the zoom ratio is increased to twofold, the positive lens group moves a great distance with a zooming operation and, since the aperture stop S is fixed, a main beam of a maximum angle of view has a very large incident angle .alpha.O with respect to the positive lens group 8 at a shortest focal length side. This entails an increase in the outer diameter of the lenses and difficulties in compensating for aberration. U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,951 also discloses a positive-negative, two zoom lens system which has a similar drawback.
On the other hand, the zoom lens systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,204, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,102 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,820 are negative-positive, two group lens systems comprising a negative lens group at an enlargement side and a positive lens group at a reduction side. Such a negative-positive lens system has a wide angle of view but, because of its construction, has a principal point located relatively close to the reduction side, and hence the disadvantage of having an increased overall length of the lens system.

Zoom lens system for use in a microfilm projection apparatus