An optical beam steering device includes an at least partially optically transparent container having a polygonal reflector therein that is at least partially surrounded within the container by an optically transparent liquid. The polygonal reflector may be configured to have a center of mass, which is equivalent to its geometric center. In addition, the polygonal reflector may be configured so that a difference between an effective density of the polygonal reflector and a density of the optically transparent liquid is preferably less than about 2.1 grams per cubic centimeter. More preferably, the polygonal reflector and the optically transparent liquid may be collectively configured to be neutrally buoyant relative to each other within the container.

Directing beams of light in specific directions has many applications, and many technologies exist that can accomplish this task. Light, also known as radiation, may be composed of a broad distribution of wavelengths (broad band), such as white light, or may be a very narrow band of wavelengths, such as produced from a typical laser (narrow band). The wavelengths that compose light may be in the visible range, detectable by our eyes, or outside the visible range. Light just beyond the visible range on the long wavelength side of the spectrum is known as infra-red radiation. Light just beyond the visible range on the short wavelength side of the spectrum is known as ultra-violet.
Beams of light may be directed by various means, but directing light by means of a reflecting, movable surface, or mirror, is the most relevant to the present invention. A technology that can provide a reflective surface, and move that reflective surface in a controlled, high speed manner can find application in uses such as microscopy, projection displays, laser sensors, and similar. Should these technologies be enabled in a manner that makes them immune from distortion or damage due to external vibrations, accelerations, and gravitational orientations, the technologies become useful in a broader range of harsh conditions.
There are a number of actuation technologies know in the prior art, when coupled to reflective mirrors provide controlled beam steering. For example, there are a variety of methods for actuation that utilize electromagnetic effects. One method of directing light in a controlled manner at high speeds uses an electromagnetic device known as a galvanometer. This technology uses permanent magnets and/or ferromagnetic materials with electrical coils. Electrical current driven through the device initiates motion that can be controlled in a closed loop or an open loop manner. This actuation technology coupled to a mirror can provide a high speed mechanism to control and direct light.
It has been observed that galvanometer-based technologies consume significant electrical power under operation, making them incompatible for applications where electrical power is constrained. The electrical power consumption is largely a function of the mass of the mirror being moved, and the fact that significant energy is expended to accelerate the mirror to a position, then decelerate the mirror to stop at the desired position. The back and forth oscillatory nature of the devices is not as energetically favorable with respect to a technology that continuously rotates. It has been further observed that the mechanical complexity of the construction of galvanometer-based technologies limits the ability to miniaturize this technology to achieve low cost.
Light can also be directed in a controlled manner using mirror systems driven by voice coil actuators/motors (VCAs). Voice coil motors are typically relatively simple electrical devices, which are similar to a galvanometer, and sometimes also called a solenoid. Electrical energy applied to the windings drives a core linearly, driven by magnetic repulsion. Voice coil motors coupled to the edges of a mirror can be actuated in a controlled manner to tile the mirror and effectively direct light.
It has been observed that voice coil mirror systems consume significant amounts of electrical power, and given that they have multiple parts including fine electrical windings, they are difficult to miniaturize at low cost. The electrical power consumption is largely a function of the mass of the mirror being moved, and the fact that significant energy is expended to accelerate the mirror to a position, then decelerate the mirror to stop at the desired position. The back and forth oscillatory nature of the devices is not as energetically favorable with respect to a technology that continuously rotates.
Another technology that uses reflective surfaces for directing light in a controlled manner is electrostatic actuation. This technology uses that fact that when voltage is applied across two surfaces at close proximity, positive and negative charges collect on the respective surface, and an attractive force is generated. This actuation effect can be applied in a beam steering technology by using the force generated, and the resulting motion of attractive surfaces to change the angle of a mirror.
It has been observed that electrostatic actuation results in small movements, which in turn, even when mechanically amplified into larger angles, results in modest angles of motion in the mirror.
Piezoelectric effects also can be coupled to a mirror for beam steering. Certain materials expand when subject to high voltages, in a process known as the piezoelectric effect. It has been observed that mirror systems driven by piezoelectric effects, similar to electrostatic actuators, deliver multiple angles of motion in the mirrors.
Electrothermal actuation can be used to drive controlled angular deflection in mirrors. This class of device takes advantage of the fact that most materials expand in length when heated. By careful design, electrical power can be dissipated selectively in electrothermal actuators to produce bending or linear extension. This motion can then be coupled with mirrors to deliver a beam steering effect.
It has been observed that electrothermal actuators are relatively slow, and do not produce high speed precision motion relative to other technologies. Additionally, they typically consume significant electrical power in order to generate the high temperatures in regions of the actuators. In order to produce high temperatures and the associated thermal expansion more efficiently, some such product package the actuators in vacuum or low thermal conductivity gasses, adding to the cost of the product.
The aforementioned actuation technologies that allow for the controlled steering of light can be realized using several different manufacturing technologies. These technologies can be manufactured by traditional means, including machining, electrical winding, and hand assembly. Additionally, these beam steering technologies can be realized using semiconductor-like fabrication technologies, known as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).
As these devices are miniaturized, typically the actuation speeds that can be realized increase, due to the reduction in the amount of mass in motion. It has been observed that traditional manufacturing methods such as used in galvanometers and voice coil technologies do not scale down to small sized cost effectively. MEMS manufacturing technology has the capability of forming high precision mechanical structures at sub-millimeter scales, but it has been observed that the beam steering devices manufactured using MEMS fabrication, even when produced on large silicon wafer, do not achieve sufficiently low cost in high production volume. This is generally due to the complexity of each manufacturing step, the number of manufacturing steps, and the complex equipment typically required.
Another technology that is effective in directing beams of light in a controlled manner is known as a polygonal scanner, in which a polygon with reflective outer surfaces is rotated. Incident light reflecting of the rotating polygon's perimeter is scanned in three-dimensional (3D) space based on the speed of the polygons, number of outer sides, and the angle of each mirror side. This approach is energetically favorable with respect to the oscillatory technologies where a mirror is accelerated and decelerated back and forth, but lacks the ability for the mirror to maintain a fixed position if required. Polygonal scanner mirrors are typically mounted on a shaft on bearings, and is rotated using an electromagnetic motor. Polygonal scanners may be configured as a rotating plane with one or two sides that are reflective, or may be a multi-sided polygon with several hundred of reflective faces on the perimeter. Typical mirrors found in these devices have three to eight sides. The mirrors rotate on bearings that may be based on ball bearings or air bearing technology. Polygonal mirrors have found broad application in markets such as bar code readers, 3-D imaging, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), laser printing, and light shows for entertainment purposes. Polygonal mirrors are typically formed in lightweight metals such as aluminum, but some applications use copper for low speed stability. For low cost application the polygonal mirrors are formed with plastics. The outer reflective surfaces are formed with the economic and optical needs of the application in mind, and typically include aluminum, gold, silver, or nickel.
It has been observed that polygonal mirror scanners that use ball bearing based bearing systems can be susceptible to dust and moisture from the environment and under continuous operation, and typically have a lifetime for reliable operation that is under two years. Ball bearing based bearing systems are more robust under mechanical forces and vibration than alternative air bearings, but also can be damaged due to external forces, gravitational changes, and vibrations. It has also been observed that polygonal mirror scanners that use air bearings have long lifetimes when used in stationary, low vibrational environments, but are highly susceptible to shock and vibration that can result in catastrophic failure. Polygonal air bearings keep the high speed rotating shaft and mirror separate from the fixed mounting and motor surfaces by creating a high speed layer of air in a designed gap. This air can be actively pumped into the bearing gap, or naturally entrained into the air bearing gap by the rotation of the device. When subjected to significant acceleration, the suspended moving mass can bridge that gap, colliding with the fixed surfaces and initiate an imbalance in the high speed rotation, leading to catastrophic failure.

Optical beam steering devices having polygonal reflectors therein


A locking-ring closure for fastening lids on containers has: at least one screw lock and further has an open locking ring (1) having a U- or V-shaped cross section, bearing blocks (3) and (4) arranged at the ends of the locking ring, one of which bearing blocks has a through-passage hole and the other an internal thread, a screw (2) which extends through the through-passage hole in the one bearing block (3) and engages by way of its thread in the internal thread of the other bearing block (4), wherein the screw extends beyond the width of this bearing block and, on the portion that emerges from the bearing block, carries a fixed threaded ring (5) enclosing said portion. The screw (2) has, at its end opposite the screw head (6), a portion (8) adjacent to the threaded ring and arranged on that side of the threaded ring (5) that faces the screw head, which portion (8) has no thread engaging in the internal thread of the bearing block (4) and extends at least over the width of the bearing block.

In order to fasten lids on containers or drums, use is frequently made of locking rings, as a result of which a large number of screw connections are avoided.
Such locking rings usually have a U- or V-shaped cross section and ensure the fixing and sealing of the lid on a drum.
For handling, the open locking rings are provided with one or more turnbuckles which connect the free ends of the locking rings together and pull them together during closing and push them apart during opening. During opening, the locking ring can also assume a larger diameter on account of its internal stress.
A locking ring having a screw lock is known from German laid-open specification DE 197 28 655 A1. A locking ring of the type mentioned at the beginning is sold under the name "Locking ring DN 457" by the company UCON AG Containersysteme KG.
In order to easily and quickly open or close the locking-ring closure, use is frequently made of an electrically or pneumatically driven screwdriver, for example a cordless screwdriver. When the locking-ring closure is opened, the screwing operation should be interrupted before the threaded ring comes into contact with the bearing block. If this does not happen, the threaded ring arranged at the end of the screw frequently strikes the bearing block having the internal thread. In this case, the locking-ring closure receives an impulse, as a result of which it is catapulted up uncontrollably. As a result, there is a risk of injury to bystanders or material damage.
Accordingly, it is desired to avoid this disadvantage of the prior art and to specify a locking-ring closure in which there is no risk that it is catapulted at the end of the opening process when opening is carried out with the aid of a motor-driven screwdriver.

Locking-ring closure having at least one screw lock


A transference control apparatus includes a communication controller, and a processor that executes a procedure, the procedure including processing a control that causes first processing, in which an update log representing the update content of updating performed for a first database is transmitted, by the communication controller, to a second database serving as a copy destination for the first database, to be performed with priority over second processing, in which transmission target data contained in the first database is transmitted to the second database, and restraining, in the case that updating of the transmission target data is allowed in the first database, the control that causes the first processing to be performed with priority.

As a method for realizing database (DB) duplication for the purpose of one of countermeasures against disaster, load distribution, and so on, a method is available in which a log representing an update result of a copy source database based on a structured query language (SQL) application in a primary system is transmitted to and used in a copy destination database in a secondary system.
In such a database duplication system, a fault may occur from which self-recovery by the secondary system is not possible. In this case, by extracting DB data to be transmitted to the secondary system, transferring the extracted DB data to the secondary system, and storing the DB data transmitted from the primary system in the copy destination database, the copy destination database may be logically restored using the DB data from the copy source database.
Data synchronization techniques in a database duplication system include, for example, the technique described next. That is, a primary storage system transfers, by synchronous remote copying, write data written to a log logical disk to a secondary storage system on a recovery site. The primary storage system also transfers, by asynchronous remote copying in which the writing order is guaranteed, write data written to a DB data logical disk to the secondary storage system on the recovery site. The log logical disk and the DB data logical disk are discriminated from each other. The write data is data written to the primary storage system as a result of a transaction but is not data separately extracted for recovery or the like.

Transference control method, transference control apparatus and recording medium of transference control program


An automated personal assistance system employing artificial intelligence technology that includes speech recognition and synthesis, situational awareness, pattern and behavioral recognition, and the ability to learn from the environment. Embodiments of the system include environmental and occupant sensors and environmental actuators interfaced to an assistance controller having the artificial intelligence technology incorporated therein to control the environment of the system. An embodiment of the invention is implemented as a vehicle which reacts to voice command for movement and operation of the vehicle and detects objects, obstructions, and distances. This invention provides the ability to monitor for the safety of operation and modify dangerous maneuvers as well as to learn locations in the environment and to automatically find its way to them. The system may also incorporate communication capability to convey patterns of environmental and occupant parameters and to a monitoring center.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to automated personal assistance systems and, more particularly, to automated systems of assistance devices that allow persons using the systems to access, manage, traverse, and sense their residence or surroundings through non-traditional means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Persons become disabled to greater or lesser degrees as a result of injuries, diseases, aging, and the like. Such disabilities may include physical limitations such as paralysis, lack of strength in various muscles, balance challenges, mobility limitations, sensory limitations, and the like. The disabilities may also include mental issues such as forgetfulness, emotional changes, euphoria/depression, speech difficulties, and the like. In many cases, the disabled persons are able to compensate for their disabilities to such an extent that they can live independent lives in their existing homes. In other cases, the persons must be placed in care facilities so that their needs can be met. A sudden change from familiar surroundings and people to unfamiliar places populated by strangers can induce relocation trauma which can affect the acceleration of biopsychosocial changes in adults already compromised. Thus, there are significant motivations to maintain persons with disabilities in familiar surroundings and with convenient access to family and friends, to the extent possible.
Current technologies provide many types of remote controls, computerized controls, and speech controls, as well as various types of monitoring devices. Many of these types of controls have been adapted for controlling lighting and temperature within residences. For example, computerized thermostat controls are common and can be programmed to maintain varying temperatures on particular days and at particular times of the day. Similarly, lighting controls can be programmed to illuminate at certain times of the night or day. Lighting controls for sensing the presence of a human and illuminating a room only when a person enters the room are known. Systems for monitoring elevated temperatures, smoke, carbon monoxide, and natural gas are well known and are often interfaced with dialing mechanisms to communicate dangerous conditions to monitoring centers. Intrusion detectors and systems which detect and record and/or report instances and times of openings and closings of doors are well known. Devices for remotely summoning help are available, such as devices which can be worn by elderly persons to summon help when falls occur.
The availability of such control and monitoring devices are typically made use of in what may be described as an a la carte approach on an as-needed basis. Even on this basis, they have provided some assistance to persons having various kinds of disabilities and limitations.
A fairly common type of disability is a limitation in mobility, that is, the ability of a person to move safely and conveniently about a residence or in environments external to the home. Mobility limitations can range from balance and stamina problems to degrees of paralysis of the legs and lower body to amputations of the feet and legs. In the past, the solution to mobility limitations was typically an unpowered wheelchair which could be propelled by the occupant or pushed by another person. More recently, wheelchairs powered by electric motors combined with manual or electrical steering controls have been developed. Additionally, vehicles referred to as scooters, power chairs, or personal mobility vehicles have been developed, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,570,739; 5,944,131; and 6,290,011, which are incorporated herein by reference. The use of the term "wheelchair" herein is meant to encompass more traditional styles of wheelchairs as well as vehicles having similar functionality, such as scooters, power chairs, personal mobility vehicles, and the like.
The current state of the art wheelchair technology uses joysticks or adaptive devices, such as blow tubes, to control the movement of the wheelchair. These adaptive devices currently use microprocessors as simple controllers. Because of the simple controllers, current motorized wheelchairs require the occupant to drive the wheelchair with a mechanical control, such as a joystick, moving to simulate the direction in which the occupant wants to move. In addition, these wheelchairs use rudimentary speed controls. For example, the farther the occupant moves the joystick, the faster the occupant goes. With this technology, the occupant must have the physical mobility and dexterity to adjust a slide or thumbwheel manually to set the range of speed.
Efforts have been made to provide autonomous or semi-autonomous controls for wheelchairs to enable automatic navigation of the chair. An example of such an autonomous wheel chair navigation system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,842,692 which is incorporated herein by reference. Typically, such automatically navigating wheelchairs make use of stored coordinates of pre-defined paths referenced to special markers to enable movement from reference positions along the stored paths to stored designations. A problem with this type of approach is that such a system is not able to automatically learn and adapt to changes in the environment, such as the relocation of pieces of furniture, appliances, or the like.


A particle sensor having a magnet for attracting and retaining metallic particles in a lubricating fluid is disclosed having a sensor to determine when the particles attracted and retained on the magnet have reached a predetermined level and to transmit this information to a machine operator. The sensor, which includes a plug removably attached to the machine casing, has a magnet which extends into the path of the lubricating fluid to attract and retain metallic particles. A pair of coils, one attached to the moveable plug and one attached to the casing adjacent to the plug are inductively coupled such that the accumulation of particles on the magnet changes the inductance of the coils. An electronic circuit converts the changes in inductance to voltage changes to activate an alarm or other signal to the operator when the threshold value has been reached.

The present invention relates to a sensor for sensing the presence of metallic particles in a lubricating fluid circulating through a machine casing. The sensor includes a permanent magnet extending into the lubricating fluid to attract and retain metal particles carried along by the lubricating fluid.
It is well known in the art to incorporate magnetic plugs in the casings of machines to attract and retain metallic particles in the lubricating fluid of the machine. These devices, a typical example of which is shown in French patent 2,159,757, require frequent inspections to determine when the particles accumulated on the magnet exceed a given threshold amount. Once the particles exceed this threshold amount, the magnet may be completely covered and, therefore, unable to attract and retain any additional particles. This will allow the particles to remain in the lubricating fluid and cause considerable damage to the moving parts of the machine.

Particle sensor plug with wireless casing connection

Villiers St Frederic 78640 Neauphie le Chateru


Access in a knowledge graph, comprising nodes and edges connecting two or more nodes, is controlled by assigning each node to a non-intersecting zone. A first and second zone identifier, each indicative of a zone occupied by a node where an edge ends, are each stored. Determining an access graph comprising an access node for each zone, access edges representing edges between the zones, and a first list of the zones. Each entry in the first list relates to a zone and a second list of node identifiers, each indicative of a node occupying the zone. A first and second access control list, each related to a zone where an access edge ends and to which a access node in the access graph relates, are stored in each access edge.

The present disclosure relates generally to controlling access in a knowledge graph and, more specifically, to managing a knowledge graph using secure zones.
The management of data, especially unstructured data, continues to be a concern for enterprises. It can to be important to store and manage data in a way that allows quick and reliable access. Recently, cognitive computing knowledge graphs have been used to store and process information. A knowledge graph consists of data, which may be collected from various sources inside and outside the enterprise, stored on the nodes of a mesh of the knowledge graph. The nodes are typically connected via edges (or "links") representing the relationship between individual nodes.
Knowledge graphs may consist of several thousand nodes between which selected relationships exist. However, not every user having access to the knowledge graph (e.g., through the use of a search engine) may have access to all the data stored in the nodes. Typically, an access control list (ACL) may be used for controlling access to resources.

International Business Machines Corporation


An adapter for use in a filter device is provided, the adapter having a downwardly slanted inner wall including two or more hollow passageways, and a central fluid flow port, wherein the adapter can be welded to a filter device housing head.

Some filter devices require the use of an adapter when installing a filter into a filter housing when the filter comprises a polymer that is different than the filter housing polymer. However, there is a need for improved filter devices.
The present invention provides for ameliorating at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description as set forth below.

Adapter for filter device and method of use


A gelled composition for pipeline, flowline, pipeline jumper or flowline jumper dewatering or preventing ingress of seawater into open pipeline systems or components during tie-in operations of jumpers or additional pipe, valving, manifolds, subsea pipeline architecture or flow conduits operations is disclosed, where the composition includes a concentrated metal formate solution and a hydratable polymer. The gelled formate compositions have improved dewatering properties with 100% or 360 pipe coverage. The gelled formate compositions have can also be reused by breaking and reformulation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gelled, aqueous, metal ion formate salt composition for the prevention of seawater ingress during subsea pipeline tie-in operations and for the removal of seawater and conditioning of residual seawater film left on the pipewall during and following pipeline or flowline dewatering operations, which may involve the use of a pig or a plurality of pigs.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a use of a gelled metal ion formate composition for pipeline or flowline operations. In certain embodiments, the metal ion formate starting solution is a concentrated metal ion formate solution including at least 40 wt. % of a metal ion formate or mixture thereof. The method includes the step of filling an interior or a section of a pipeline, flowline, pipeline jumper or flowline jumper with the gelled composition, where the composition includes a metal ion formate solution and an effective amount of a gelling agent sufficient to gel the solution and where the composition reduces substantially all or part of a residual water film from the interior of the pipeline, flowline, pipeline jumper or flowline jumper during a dewatering operation, or minimize or prevent the ingress of seawater into open pipeline systems or components during tie-in operations of jumpers or additional pipe, valving, manifolds, subsea pipeline architecture or flow conduits. The gelled metal ion formate salt composition is effective in reducing a water concentration of a residual film in a pipeline formed during a dewatering operation, where the dewatering operation may involve the use of a pig or multiple pigs. A slug of the gelled metal ion formate salt composition can be added to the dewatering pig train in order to achieve an improved result.
2. Description of the Related Art
To date fluids such as methanol and glycols including in gelled form are utilized for dewatering pipeline or flowline applications offshore and constantly exceed the acceptable limitations for both subsea and overboard discharge. A liquid product that Weatherford International, Inc. supplies made up of a concentrated metal ion formate solution including at least 40 wt. % of a metal ion formate or mixture thereof of potassium formate is a newly accepted liquid product generally utilized to provide hydrate control; however, the establishment of a potassium formate gel provides equally good performance in regards to dewatering applications or minimization or prevention of seawater ingress in addition to hydrate control, while being less hazardous, and less environmentally damaging.
Historically, methanol and glycols, both of which pose immediate safety concerns as well as being potentially hazardous, have been utilized for dewatering pipelines and flowlines offshore. Secondly, these fluids are considered to be toxic for overboard discharge.
Thus, there is a need in the art for compositions that address these safety issues as well as overboard discharge problems associated with chemicals for dewatering pipelines in addition to an increase in dewatering performance capabilities/potentials.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods using formate gels to condition a pipeline or portion thereof


There is provided in a pressure feed pipe for feeding cement paste under pressure a wall panel assembly formed of a plurality of wall panels having collision surfaces and through holes and arranged at predetermined intervals. High-strength or superhigh-strength mortar or concrete is produced by kneading a designed amount of binder material comprising cement or cement and a pozzolan material together with a predetermined amount of water, passing this cement paste through the abovementioned pressure feed pipe to crush the cement balls contained in the cement paste and thus to homogenize the paste, and kneading the thus homogenized cement paste together with fine aggregate or fine and coarse aggregates.

The present invention relates to a mixer for crushing cement balls contained in cement paste to homoginize the cement paste and a method of producing high-strength or ultra-high strength concrete or mortar by use of the mixer.
Heretofore, as a technique for kneading concrete, as shown in FIG. 14, a so-called batch kneading method has been widely used in which water, cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, pozzolan and admixtures are put in a mixer at a time and kneaded together. In order to produce high-strength, high-quality concrete, a double-mixing method as shown in FIG. 15 is also used these days. In this method, only cement paste or mortar is kneaded in a mixer and then fine aggregate and coarse aggregate are added to the cement paste and kneaded together to produce concrete. Mixers used for producing concrete in these methods include gravity type mixers, horizontal pan type forced action mixers, twin-shaft mixers, continuous kneading mixers, omni-mixers, etc.
But, cement to be treated with the batch kneading process has a fine particle size (approx. 5500 cm.sup.2 /g in specific surface area). Thus, very hard cement balls are formed by a large cohesive force produced when the cement contacts water. It is difficult to crush such cement balls even if the cement is kneaded together with fine aggregate and coarse aggregate with a conventional mixer as described above. This hampers the production of concrete made of uniform cement paste. Concrete using a pozzolan material having a super-fine particle size (about 20 m.sup.2 /g in specific surface area) such as silica fume shows a particularly strong cohesive force between the pozzolan material and water. Thus, the above-described mixers can hardly crush the cement balls made of this material.
There is a growing tendency these days to use super-high-strength materials (1000 kg f/cm.sup.2 at the age of 28 days) as concrete for super-high-rise building structures. Since such concrete uses, in addition to a super-fine pozzolan material, a high-performance water reducing agent or a high superplasticizer in order to reduce the ratio of a water binding agent, its viscosity is extremely high. Thus, it is virtually impossible with the conventional batch mixing method shown in FIG. 14 to crush cement balls even if a powerful forced action mixer is used. Thus it is impossible to produce high-quality, high-strength or super-high strength concrete.
With the double mixing method shown in FIG. 15, since a conventional mixer as described above is used to knead cement paste or mortar, the crushing of the cement balls difficult. Thus, high-quality, high-strength concerete is difficult to obtain.

Cement paste mixer and method for producing mortar and concrete


According to one embodiment, a storage controller includes a condition storage, a determination module, a wear-leveling block retainer, and a data transfer controller. The condition storage is provided in a storage including a plurality of blocks, and stores block condition information including at least one of erasure time information indicating when data is erased last time and erasure count information indicating the number of times data is erased. The determination module determines whether there is a block that requires wear leveling based on the block condition information. The wear-leveling block retainer retains block identification information that identifies a block determined to require wear leveling. The data transfer controller performs compaction to transfer data stored in blocks of the storage for collecting the data in a block, and, when the block identification information is retained, transfers data stored in the block identified by the block identification information.

There have been proposed various storage devices for terminal devices. Among such storage devices is, for example, a flash memory. In recent years, a type of flash memory called NAND flash memory has been increasingly used.
The NAND flash memory is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory that needs to be erased before new data is written. The life depends on the number of times of erasure and erasure time intervals. It is preferable to equally use the blocks to prolong the life of the NAND flash memory.
In view of this, wear leveling techniques have recently been proposed. In the wear leveling techniques, erasure time and the number of times of erasure are measured with respect to each block as the minimum unit of data erasure. Then, data in a block being used and least recently erased is transferred to a free block which has been erased more number of times than the block in use by a predetermined value or more. With this, the blocks are equally exhausted.
In the NAND flash memory in which data is written to each logical sector and erased from each block formed of a plurality of logical sectors, as rewriting is performed, the block contains a logical sector that stores invalid data and a logical sector that stores valid data, i.e., some free space exists in the block. To effectively use the storage area, compaction is performed in which the latest effective data are collected from low-density blocks and rewritten to another block.
In conventional technologies, although wear leveling and compaction are similar in that both are techniques to transfer data, they are performed independently. This results in a redundant configuration and heavier burden in development or the like.

Storage controller for wear-leveling and compaction and method of controlling thereof


A multi-version database system controls visibility of data during transaction processing. A transaction includes a transaction identifier that identifies the transaction and an invisibility list of transactions whose effects are invisible to the transaction. Changes made by other transactions are visible to the transaction based on the isolation level of the transaction. Records are visible to a transaction based on a creator identifier stored in the record that identifies the transaction that created the record.

It is an object of a database system to allow many users to use the same information at the same time, while making it seem that each user has exclusive access to all information. The database system should provide this service with minimal loss of performance (latency) and maximal transaction throughput. The service is generally provided by so-called concurrency control mechanisms which are responsible for coordinating conflicting access to shared resources, ensuring serial ordering and preventing deadlocks and reducing communication and other overhead required to achieve these ends. Concurrency control is complicated by the fact that the information content of a database typically evolves over time. New information may be inserted into the database and existing information may be updated, and information may eventually deleted. Single-version databases record only the latest, most recent state of the information. If information is inserted into a single-version database at one time, and is subsequently modified, the single-version database will record only the modified state of the information. Once information is deleted from a single-version database, the deleted information is no longer accessible.
While the content of single-version databases may be modified, Single-Version Database Management Systems (DBMS) prevent modifications from being observed outside of the scope of the transaction that made the changes. This ensures that at any given time, concurrent users of single-version databases will always "see" the same information in the same state. To control concurrent access to information in this manner, modifications must be delayed until no other user or application is looking at the information to be changed.
Access to information that is in the process of being modified is typically delayed through the use of "locking" mechanisms. Acquiring a lock gives the transaction permission to use a resource in a given way, for a given period of time. If a transaction cannot acquire a lock, it must wait, or give up. In general, two transactions can both acquire read locks on a given record, but cannot both acquire write locks on the same record.
Like single-version databases, multi-version databases also record the latest, most recent state of their information. In addition, they may record other states of their information content. These other states may include previous historical versions, possible future versions, or alternative current versions of the same information. If information is inserted into a multi-version database at one time, and is subsequently modified, the multi-version database may record both the original and the modified version of the information. Even if information is deleted from a multi-version database, previous historical versions of the information may still be present and accessible.
At any given time, concurrent users of multi-version databases may therefore "see" different versions of the same information. When a user modifies the content of a multi-version database, the multi-version DBMS creates a new version of the content while preserving the original content. When other users concurrently request access to the content, the multi-version DBMS is then able to present them with the original, unmodified version. Where a single-version DBMS controls concurrency by delaying conflicting access, a multi-version DBMS controls concurrency by controlling "visibility", making different versions visible to different users at different times.
Thus, in the multi-version DBMS, fewer delays are required for controlling concurrency, less time and memory is required for "locking", and users can even access potential states, asking questions "as of" a certain time. Also, multi-level security schemes are easier to build on top of databases, and mistaken changes are more easily identified and rectified.
However, a multi-version DBMS requires significantly more persistent storage capacity (e.g. disk storage capacity), and presents challenges in efficiently selecting the appropriate version for a given request.

Controlling visibility in multi-version database systems


A monitoring and alerting system can be used in any condition with a respiration component. Respiratory symptoms as well as supporting physiological functions are tracked against the user's baseline and alerts the user when there is a worsening trend. The system is self-contained in a wearable that detects and logs the signals, analyzes them and generates alerts. The wearable is untethered during use and may be attached to the body in various manners, such as with adhesives, clothing, clips, belts, chains, necklaces, ear pieces, clothing circuits or the like. Information can further be transmitted both wirelessly and via wire to devices, cloud storage, or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention relates generally to monitoring and alerting systems. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring and alerting a user of any condition with a respiration component.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Respiration measurements can provide insight into an individual's wellbeing.
Respiration measurements can be indicative of physiological and/or mental states of an individual, as well as prognostic with regard to diagnosis of medical conditions. For example, respiration measurements can provide insight into an individual's stress levels, and can be evidential of more serious pulmonary disorders, such as disorders associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
Asthma may be considered one of the most preventable conditions necessitating frequent use of acute care services. To prevent hospitalizations and emergency department visits, it may be important for physicians to obtain an accurate assessment of a subject's asthma symptom control. A subject's perception and caretaker's perception of asthma control of a subject may vary tremendously and frequently may not correlate with objective measures. With varying asthma phenotypes, poor asthma-control perception, and growing costs of asthma, adequate asthma-control measures are important. These control measures include methods for monitoring a user's respiration parameters to obtain an accurate assessment of the patient's symptoms.
Traditionally, however, respiration monitoring has occurred in a clinical setting, contributing to the developing of respiration monitoring devices that are non-ambulatory, lack portability, and are difficult to use. Other respiration monitoring devices are devices that are tethered to another device for full functionality.
These conventional devices include smart devices (such as smartphones) tethered to sensors with or without data-loggers where meaningful processing of the sensor data occurs on the smart device, wearables that lack the ability to detect, data-log and analyze acoustic physiological signals, wearables that have to be embodied in vests or some other system larger than the intended wearable, wearables that have wired or wireless connections to another component or device housed separately from the wearable, and wearables that attempt to detect signals that infer that the acoustic physiological signals are present.
Many of the conventional devices suffer from one or more of the following problems: bulky or heavy devices requiring equally tenuous means of securing to the body; the need for wired or wireless sensors separate from the processing and data-logging components; data needed to be processed on devices/systems detached from the sensing and/or data-logging components; heavy power consumption requiring significant amount of stored energy devices possibly working in conjunction with energy harvesting devices; the need for continuous data transfer between sensors and the processing devices; devices tend to be large due to collection of subcomponents requiring a large amount of space; devices tend to have low processing capability to compensate for size and power consumption; devices tend to have short running time due to their power hungry nature; and devices tend to require the need of other devices for complete functionality, such as additional devices to process information or transmit data over a long range.
As can be seen, there are significant pitfalls in the devices available for respiratory monitoring. This led to the evaluation of a system geared for Asthma called the Automated Device for Asthma Monitoring, where this represents the most compelling solution to date. However, this solution fails on a significant number of points raised in the above paragraphs.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that there is a need for a device that can continuously detect, measure, record, data-log, analyze and compare with benchmarks, acoustic physiological signals, namely cardio pulmonary signals, as well as temperature and reflectance derived blood oxygen levels and capture the corresponding activity and motions in a miniature, ambulatory, autonomous, wearable device. The device should (1) provide real time monitoring of the respiratory system inclusive of acoustic physiological signals; (2) capture active data in real time; (3) have the ability to transmit meaningful data to device(s) over a broad area; (4) have a relatively small form factor; and (5) have continuous run time measured in whole days. The present invention, as described below, provides such a device which satisfies one or more of deficiencies of conventional devices.

Respiratory disease monitoring wearable apparatus


A blow molding device and method capable of forming a blow molded article having a built-in part with a good yield rate. The blow molding device has a die core, a blow mold, a parison holding unit and a built-in part holding unit. The parison holding unit has parison expanders and a parison outer holding plate. The built-in part holding unit has an airtight guide tube and a holding rod. After a lower end of a parison is expanded with a plurality of parison expanders, and an upper end of the airtight guide tube is inserted in the lower end of the parison, the lower end of the parison is held between the upper end of the airtight guide tube and the parison outer holding plate, and the pre-blowing is carried out. After the built-in part is positioned in an interior space of the parison, and the parison and built-in part are held between the slide cores, the blow mold is closed and blowing is carried out.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blow molding device adapted to form a blow molded article having a built-in part composed of a thermoplastic synthetic resin in an interior space thereof, and a blow molding method.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, tubular blow molded articles, such as fuel tanks for use in automobiles, etc., have been formed of metal, but, in recent years, thermoplastic synthetic resins have been frequently used to form such tubular blow molded articles, because they can effect lightweight automobile bodies, no rust is generated therein, and they can be readily formed into desired configurations.
In many cases, the tubular articles made of thermoplastic synthetic resins have been formed by blow molding, because tubular bodies can be readily formed therewith. Upon blow molding, a parison of a molten thermoplastic synthetic resin is extruded downwardly into a cylindrical configuration, and air is blown into the parison with the parison held with a blow mold, thereby forming the tubular bodies.
On the other hand, upon blow molding, built-in parts such as valves, baffle plates adapted to restrain noise caused by the flowing of fuel, etc. may be required to be provided in interior spaces of the blow molded articles, such as fuel tanks.
In order to provide the built-in parts in the interior spaces of the blow molded articles, a molding device shown in FIG. 1 has been used (see published Japanese patent applications No. Hei 9-174670 and Hei 8-72129, for example.). A built-in part 10 is held in a cavity of a blow mold 12 with a holding rod 14, and a parison 16 is lowered. Then, the blow mold 12 is closed with the built-in part 10 held with slide cores 18, and the parison 16 is pinched with pinching plates 20 to form the blow molded article.
When the dimensions of a built-in part increase, as shown in FIG. 2, a built-in part 22 held with a holding rod 24 is inserted in an interior space of a parison 26, and the built-in part 22 is held between slide cores 28 of a blow mold 30. But, upon inserting of the built-in part 22, it is necessary to prevent the built-in part 22 from contacting an inner wall of the parison 26.
To this effect, the diameter of the parison 26 must be increased. But, when the diameter of the parison 26 increases, the parison 26 is extruded exceeding a required amount for forming the blow molded article, and as a result, the amount of flash around the resulted blow molded article increases to cause a waste of material. In addition, die cores adapted to extrude the parison 26 become large, and a large number of die cores are required.
In order to solve the above-described problem, as shown in FIG. 3, a lower end of a parison 32 extruded from a die core 34 is enlarged with a parison expander 36 below a blow mold 38, and the lower end of the parison 32 is held with a tip end of a built-in part holding unit 40 and a parison holding unit 42. A built-in part 44 is held within an airtight guide tube 46 of the built-in part holding unit 40, and is held with a lower guide plate 48 in an airtight condition.
In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, in the pre-blowing process, the parison 32 is expanded in an airtight condition while holding the parison 32 with the tip end of the built-in part holding unit 40, and by sliding a built-in part holding rod 50, the built-in part 44 can be inserted into the parison 32. Then, the built-in part 44 is held with slide cores 52
However, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to position the built-in part holding unit 40 holding the built-in part 44 below the blow mold 38, and slide the built-in part holding rod 50 upwardly and downwardly, a pit 54 adapted to accommodate the built-in part holding rod 50 having a long shaft must be provided below the blow mold 38 so that a sufficient space is required and accordingly the production costs increase.

Blow molding device and blow molding method


A stereoscopic imaging assembly for converting true visual images of a real-life subject to a stereoscopic image includes a display and an analyzer. The display is preferably a liquid crystal display, which includes first image pixels, second image pixels, and a polarizer. The first image pixels are responsive to a first electronic image of a first true visual image and the second image pixels are responsive to a second electronic image of a second true visual image. The polarizer has a first polarization material, which enables transmission of light of a first polarity, while blocking light of a second polarity, thereby transmitting a first polarized image having a first polarity. A second polarization material enables transmission of light of the second polarity, while blocking light of the first polarity, thereby transmitting a second polarized image having a second polarity. The analyzer delivers the first polarized image to the first eye of an observer while excluding the second and delivers the second polarized image to the second eye while excluding the first, which enables the observer to synthesize the first and second polarized images into a stereoscopic visual image.

Many land-based military vehicles, particularly armored vehicles, such as tanks, personnel carriers, and the like, are provided with optical navigation systems, which enable the vehicle operator to visually navigate the vehicle while the operator resides in the interior of the vehicle in visual isolation from the surroundings of the vehicle. The operator navigates the vehicle by viewing a display for the optical navigation system, which provides the operator with a two-dimensional likeness of the three-dimensional real-life environment outside the vehicle. As such, the optical navigation system permits the operator to drive the vehicle, while reducing the exposure of the operator to enemy weaponry in a surrounding combat environment.
One of the shortcomings of conventional optical navigation systems is that the two-dimensional images produced by the displays lack a sensation of depth, which can lead to operator disorientation and navigational errors with serious consequences, particularly in combat situations. Although stereoscopic imaging technology, which produces so called 3-D stereo images, i.e., two-dimensional images having a sensation of depth, has been in existence for many years, prior art stereoscopic imaging technology is not readily adaptable to visual navigation applications for vehicles having severe space constraints, which is typical of most land-based military vehicles. Prior art stereoscopic imaging assemblies generally employ CRT displays, which are effective for their intended purpose, but are relatively cumbersome. Size constraints make CRT displays prohibitively bulky for most military applications as well as many civilian applications.
Flat panel displays can meet the size constraints for military applications, but to date have not met the performance requirements for stereoscopic imaging assemblies. The present invention recognizes a need for integrating a relatively small display into an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly which employs a flat panel display to substantially reduce the size requirements of the assembly. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly simultaneously providing the observer with a right visual image and a left visual image on the viewing panel of the flat panel display which the observer can synthesize into a single stereoscopic visual image. It is another object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly which provides the observer with both the right and left visual images distributed across the viewing panel of the flat panel display. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly which provides the observer with fully integrated right and left visual images evenly distributed across the entire viewing panel of the flat panel display to eliminate half-black imaging. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly which integrates the polarization-defining front polarizer with the image pixels of the flat panel display. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an effective stereoscopic imaging assembly which provides the observer with right and left visual images with corrected parallax to eliminate or reduce ghosting from the output of the flat panel display.
These objects and others are accomplished in accordance with the invention described hereafter.

Stereoscopic imaging assembly employing a flat panel display


A system for mounting a head frame to a spreader includes a sheave assembly connecting the head frame to a crane so as to permit the lowering of the head frame, mutually cooperating engagement devices for coupling the head frame and the spreader, an actuator arranged to connect mutually engageable transmission connectors on the head frame and spreader, and a registration device for registering the coupling of the head frame and the spreader. The registration device is arranged to prevent engagement of the transmission connector until the head frame and spreader are coupled.

Head blocks or head frames are mechanical devices having sheaves on an upper side and engagement devices, such as twist locks or connecting pins, on a lower side. The engagement devices are intended to come into contact with a spreader so as to couple the head frame and spreader. This is typically used for swapping spreaders for maintenance purposes. Other purposes include switching between a twin spreader arrangement to a single spreader arrangement such as for a system disclosed in WO2006/083230, WO2008/136766 and WO2008/136767, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The pin or twist lock connections allow a spreader to be attached to the head frame or removed from it for maintenance or other purposes.
Unlike the twist lock arrangements used for a spreader to engage a container, the twist lock and pin connection of a head frame are normally engaged manually. This manual engagement, as compared to a powered arrangement, is a reflection of the frequency with which a spreader is removed from a head frame. Whilst a spreader will engage many containers in a single day, maintenance may occur only once every several months. Consequently, there is no pressing need to include a powered system in order to engage and disengage the twist locks or other engagement devices coupling a head frame to a spreader.
In any event, even if the engagement device was automated at some point, it would be necessary for a manual operation as the electrical connection between the head frame and the spreader also needs to be disconnected and reconnected on engagement which again must be manually perform.

System and method for the coupling of a head frame


Techniques for managing network-accessible infrastructure metadata are provided. A method includes receiving a resource request comprising resource metadata corresponding to a network-accessible infrastructure resource, determining whether to commit the resource request based at least in part on a constraint associated with the network-accessible infrastructure resource, and, in accordance with a determination to commit the resource request: generating, by the computer system, a resource identifier describing resource metadata in accordance with the resource request, storing, by the computer system, the resource metadata in a data store in communication with the computer system, receiving, by the computer system, a data request to provide the resource metadata described by the resource identifier, and providing, by the computer system, the resource metadata described by the resource identifier in accordance with the data request.

Cloud-based platforms provide scalable and flexible computing resources for users. Such cloud-based platforms, also referred to as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), may offer entire suites of cloud solutions around a customer's data, for example, solutions for authoring transformations, loading data, and presenting the data.
Cross-service data is collected as part of managing cloud resource allocation, management, and infrastructure planning. The process of data collection may involve contacting each cloud service individually and aggregating cross-service data from service-specific data. For example, resource utilization data for multiple cloud services for a given IaaS client typically involves requesting resource metadata from each service, which individually tracks and accumulates resource metadata, and then aggregating the data from the multiple cloud services to provide a unified report. Such techniques may be computationally expensive, and may involve significant computational overhead for redundant data collection systems, as well as complicated processes at the point of report generation.

Centralized approach for managing cross-service data of cloud resources


An insulation failure diagnosis apparatus is provided which diagnoses presence/absence of insulation failure between a body of a vehicle and a connection path to a power supply for a traction unit. The apparatus includes a power converter circuit connected to the power supply and supplying power to an in-vehicle auxiliary unit, an outputting unit outputting an AC signal to the connection path, and a diagnosis unit diagnosing presence/absence of the insulation failure based on a current flowing through the connection path when the AC signal is outputted. The diagnosis unit includes a storage unit storing a determination value for determining the insulation failure or information for setting the determination value. The determination value or the information is obtained by measuring an electrical state quantity of the connection path depending on stray capacitance and is dielectric resistance of the connection path obtained when an AC signal is outputted to the connection path.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an insulation failure diagnosis apparatus and a method of diagnosing insulation failure which diagnose presence or absence of insulation failure between a body of a vehicle and a connection path to a power supply for a traction unit installed in the vehicle.
2. Related Art
This type of insulation failure diagnosis apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 4027727. When using this apparatus, the body of a vehicle is connected to one terminal of a power supply of a motor used as a traction unit via a capacitor and a resistor. The apparatus diagnoses presence or absence of insulation failure between the motor and the ground on the basis of a current passing through the capacitor when generating an AC voltage signal using an inverter connected to the motor.
Recently, some inverters for in-vehicle auxiliary units have been directly connected to a power supply for a traction unit. However, if the number of members connected to the power supply increases, stray capacitance between the power supply and the body of the so vehicle increases, or the value of dielectric resistance decreases. Hence, it is a concern that impedance associated with the stray capacitance or dielectric resistance is lowered. In this case, the accuracy of diagnosing the insulation failure can be lowered.

Insulation failure diagnosis apparatus and method of diagnosing insulation failure


A method and system for providing performance estimations for a specified power budget provides an indication of the impact on processing performance when closed-loop power/performance control is employed to meet the specified power budget. A workload, which may be the actual workload, or a test workload is run to determine actual power consumption at intervals during the execution of the workload. The power values are examined and if they exceed the specified budget, which may be one of multiple possible budget values, an estimate of the amount by and duration for which the closed-loop power/performance control would have to reduce the performance of the system for each interval in order to provide an estimate of actual performance for the budgetary level(s). The estimate is informed by tests of the workload at each power/performance level to provide a non-linear estimate of the relationship between performance and power for the particular workload.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to power/performance measurement and management in processing systems, and more particularly, to an estimation scheme that can predict a measure of computing performance from a specified power budget.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vendors of multiple processor servers and other medium to large-scale data processing systems are finding it increasingly necessary to incorporate sophisticated power measurement and management subsystems within such computer systems. In particular, budgetary power management is employed in groups of server systems located in racks or facilities with fixed power limits or where control of overall power consumption is desirable for thermal or economic reasons. Further, under power supply fault conditions, it is possible to continue operating at a lower power level when multiple power supplies are available and one of them has failed.
Even uniprocessor workstation systems, such as notebook computers that employ selectable or automatically selected power conservation modes, may benefit from power monitoring and control software that controls the power consumption of the system. In particular, specifying an upper bound on power consumption in a battery operated system determines an absolute minimum battery life.
In the multi-processor server systems described above, control of the power can be achieved by sophisticated power management solutions that include techniques such as dynamically adjusting the frequencies of the processors within the system to ensure that a power budget is maintained. Simultaneously, system designers and operators are be provided with the ability to set different power budgets (at design-time and run-time) to meet their environmental and cost constraints using emerging power management solutions. However, automatic control of the system performance by the dynamic power management solutions mentioned above makes it difficult to predict how power management will affect performance for a given workload, as the power control system will dynamically change the performance of the system in order to maintain a specified power budget.
Systems operators and architects need to know how particular power budgets will affect the processing performance of a system and in particular how the actual workload actually executing on the system will be affected by a power budget. The actual impact of an imposed power budget depends on complex relationship between the workload, the specific power budget, the control algorithm used to enforce the budget, and characteristics of the particular processing system. For example, a power budget may hardly affect system power/performance at one level, but another nearly identical power/performance level may have a more severe impact on the system. Since the behavior is non-linear in general and related to the specific workload(s), a lack of knowledge of the relationship between power budgets and performance can cause the system operator or architect to set a power budget that is undesirable.
Rough power/performance estimations can be accomplished by running a workload at each power-performance state while taking power measurements and performance measurements. The state with the highest performance that meets the power budget is used as an estimation of the performance of similar workloads under the same power budget. However, such analyses do not give accurate estimations of performance for system that take advantage of automatic, adaptive control mechanisms that meet power budgets by employing dynamically-changing multiple power states that provide a more energy-efficient and/or higher-performance solution.
Linear regression and other modeling techniques have been used to relate system performance to operating power levels, or vice-versa, so that performance can be roughly estimated for a performance level that will meet a power budget under all conditions. However, such estimating techniques will underestimate the actual performance for a given power budget of a system having closed-loop power that adjusts the performance level of the system dynamically.
It is therefore desirable to provide a method and system for estimating processing performance from a specified power budget in a processing system having closed-loop power/performance control. It is further desirable to provide such a method and system that provide a realistic estimate with respect to the actual workload being executed by the processing system.

Method and system for providing performance estimations for a specified power budget


An object detection device includes: an object detection portion which detects an object around a vehicle; a support member by which the object detection portion is attached to the vehicle; and a cover member which is provided in at least one of the object detection portion and the support member and extends from the object detection portion side toward the outside of the vehicle, wherein the cover member includes a cover main body portion, a receiving portion which receives a load applied from the outside of the vehicle, and a first fragile portion which is provided between the cover main body portion and the receiving portion, wherein the support member includes a second fragile portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object detection device.
2. Description of Related Art
As an object detection device which recognizes the presence of an object such as a vehicle around a host vehicle, for example, at a blind spot obliquely rearward with respect to a traveling direction of the host vehicle, there is an object detection device which determines the presence of the object by using detection results of a radar device and notifies the driver of the determination results.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2002-357653 discloses an object detection device in which a radar device (object detection portion) which is a sensing device is attached to a bracket of a vehicle body via a displacement permission unit so as to be displaced in a direction opposite to a vehicle traveling direction by a load from the vehicle traveling direction.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-300390 discloses an object detection device in which a cover member which covers an upper region of an electromagnetic wave transmitting cover provided on a front surface of an antenna for sending and receiving millimeter waves is disposed to prevent a decrease in performance of a millimeter wave radar device (object detection portion) during rainfall or the like.


Methods, systems, and computer program products for caching and reusing bearer channels for voice over packet sessions involving wireless entities are disclosed. According to one method, a setup request message is received for a voice over packet session involving a wireless entity. In response to the setup request message, a bearer channel is established using bearer channel setup signaling. When the first session is released, the bearer channel is cached for a predetermined time period. A second setup request message is received. The second setup request message involves the first and second nodes and a wireless entity. In response to the second setup request message, the cached bearer channel is re-used for the second session.

In Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant networks, the Iu interface is the interface between a media gateway (MG) and a radio network controller (RNC). The Nb interface is the interface between MGs. Both the Iu and Nb interfaces are used for bearer channel communications. The protocol used on the Iu interface is referred to as the Iu user plane (Iu-UP) protocol. Similarly, the protocol used on the Nb interface is referred to as the Nb user plane (Nb-UP) protocol. The transport layer for bearer channels set up over the Iu or Nb interfaces can be ATM-based or IP-based. If the transport layer is ATM-based, AAL2 is typically used as the ATM adaptation layer. If the transport layer is IP based, RTP/UDP/IP is typically used.
Before a bearer channel can be established over an Iu or Nb interface, signaling between the RNC and the MG or between MGs must be performed. For AAL2 bearer channels, this signaling is performed according to ITU Recommendation Q.2630. The signaling between RNCs and MGs and between MGs used to establish bearer channels will be referred to herein as bearer channel setup signaling. When an MG receives a session setup request, the MG performs Q.2630 signaling with an adjacent MG or with an RNC to establish a bearer channel for the session. The session is assigned to the bearer channel and the calling and called parties communicate with each other for the duration of the session. When the session is released, the bearer channel is also released. When a new session setup request arrives, the procedure is repeated.
One problem with the above-referenced procedure for establishing sessions between wireless entities is that Q.2630 procedures are resource-intensive. For example, within each media gateway, Q.2630 bearer channel establishment procedures involve the exchange of primitives between media gateway components. This exchange consumes processing resources of the media gateway and the corresponding media gateway controller. In addition, requiring Q.2630 signaling for each new session involving a wireless entity consumes bandwidth on signaling channels between MGs and between MGs and RNCs.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved methods, systems, and computer program products for assigning bearer channels to voice over packet sessions involving wireless entities.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for caching and re-using bearer channels for voice-over-packet (VoP) sessions involving wireless entities


The present invention is directed to a filter module that may incorporate sensors to measure various characteristics of fluid flow and filtration. The sensors may be MEMS and may measure the temperature, flow rate, pressure, etc. of the fluid. Sensor measurements may be used to determine the occurrence of harmful events, such as cavitation or particle breakthrough, or to predict the remaining service life of a filter element.

The present invention is directed to a filtration elements incorporating micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to provide flow and filtration characteristic data.
In previous applications, filter modules have been used in a variety of applications and fluidic environments. When in service, it is often desirable to sense various fluid flow and filter performance characteristics in order to determine whether a filter element within the filter module is performing within application specifications and whether a filter element must be replaced or reconditioned before continuing operation.
In typical filter modules, a filter element is encased within a filter body and between inlet and outlet end caps. A filter manifold(s) may be attached to the filter body to feed unfiltered medium to the upstream side of the filter element (e.g., where the filter element is cylindrical, the outside of the filter element). As the medium passes to the downstream side of the filter element through the membrane material, contaminants are removed from the medium. Filtered medium is then collected from the downstream side of the filter element (e.g., where the filter element is cylindrical, the inside of the filter element).
During the filter element""s service life, an increasing amount of removed contaminant will collect on one side of the filter element in a phenomenon known as fouling. Fouling causes the pressure difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the filter element to increase and thereby lowers the filtration efficiency of the filter element. If the differential pressure exceeds a certain value that is dependent upon the filter element material and design, the filter element may be damaged. Additionally, at high differential pressures, particle breakthrough (i.e., contaminant particles passing through the pores in the filter element) may occur.
In prior modules, the filter head may have contained conventional pressure transducers, differential pressure sensors, virtual pressure switches and temperature detectors to measure characteristics of fluid flow and filter performance. These components were used to sense the pressure differential across the filter element to determine whether the filter element was sufficiently clogged with contaminant removed from the fluid flow to require replacement. These pressure sensors were generally binary in nature, i.e., they either indicated that the filter element needed to be replaced (e.g., by causing a part to pop up out of exterior of the filter head) or that it was still useable.
The use of the pressure-sensing components used in traditional filter modules is often a significant design constraint weight- and size-sensitive applications, e.g., aircraft filtration systems. Moreover, traditional filter modules offer no means for predicting when a filter element will need to be replaced. Finally, traditional filter modules disturb or alter fluid flow by requiring that pressure-sensing components be inserted into the stream of flow, creating turbulence.

Prognostic health monitoring of fluidic systems using MEMS technology


A pneumatic sensor/indicator device includes a sensor assembly having a bellows receiving chamber and sensor housing. An elastic bellows is in the bellows receiving chamber. A shaft connects to the bellows so bellows extension/retraction causes shaft axial movement. A magnet connected to the shaft generates a field moving an indicator ring. An indicator dome connects to the sensor body. The indicator ring is in the sensor housing in a non-indicating condition and displaces into the indicator dome providing a visible indicating condition. A flexible sensor tube connected to the sensor/indicator device extends into a well tube having a level sensing tube extending therefrom. A well fluid level rising above a level sensing tube inlet end increases inlet pressure port pressure inducing bellows axial displacement causing indicator device movement toward the indicating condition. The dome and indicating ring are isolated from the well preventing well contents entering and fogging the dome.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In groundwater wells, landfill gas, landfill leachate recovery wells and condensate recovery wells, hereinafter generally referred to as "wells", there is a need to monitor liquid level in the well. If liquid level exceeds a preset level, action may be required to lower the liquid level so that methane recovery is not impacted. This may involve installing a pump, repairing an existing pump, adjusting vacuum levels, adjusting gas flow, and the like. Well liquid level status should be measurable without impacting the well environment. Well environments may be hazardous because of flammable gasses such as methane in the well, or chemicals in the leachate that corrode or damage test equipment, therefore use of electronic measurement devices directly in the well may be precluded. Measurement systems that require the well to be opened for manual liquid level measurement are also undesirable, particularly in wells operating under a vacuum to prevent outside air entering the well during a liquid level monitoring event. In addition, opening the well for liquid measurement can by itself affect the liquid level, and can further adversely impact methane recovery in methane recovery wells.

Pneumatic indicator for detecting liquid level


A secondary battery having improved output characteristics is disclosed. The secondary battery according to the present invention accommodates a cell assembly including a plurality of cells connected in parallel, and an electrolyte together in one package, in which positive electrodes of a plurality of central cells disposed at a central part of the cell assembly have a loading energy density higher than that of positive electrodes of a plurality of side cells disposed at a side part, and the positive electrodes of the central cells have positive electrode material coating layers formed at surfaces thereof, which are thicker than those formed at surfaces of the positive electrodes of the side cells. Preferably, the total resistance of the side cells is lower than the total resistance of the central cells.

Lithium secondary battery, with its high operating voltage and energy density and superior output characteristics, is widely used as an energy source for the electronic products or electrically-driven apparatuses.
The lithium secondary battery includes a cell assembly and an electrolyte, and a package that sealingly accommodates the cell assembly and the electrolyte therein and that has an electrode terminal formed thereon.
The cell assembly includes a plurality of unit cells connected in parallel, and each of the unit cells includes at least a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and a separator interposed therebetween.
The positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate each includes a positive electrode active material coating layer and a negative electrode active material coating layer where lithium ions can be intercalated or de-intercalated. The lithium metal oxide and graphite are the representative examples that are used as the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material.
Traditionally, the lithium secondary battery has been mainly used in a handheld terminal such as mobile phone, laptop computer, video camera, electric tools, and so on.
However, the recent concerns over depletion of petroleum have prompted extended use of the lithium secondary battery to the field of electrically-driven vehicles. The electrically-driven vehicles, or vehicles driven by electrical energy, include electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plugin HEV (PHEV), and so on.
In order to be adapted for use in the electrically-driven vehicles, the lithium secondary battery is required to have high outputs and energy density. Only by that way it is possible for the battery to support excellent running performance and also increase the driving distance of the electrically-driven vehicle.
The output from the lithium secondary battery can be enhanced by enhancing the positive electrode active material.
For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 2014-0018542 discloses that use of a blended positive electrode material including a first active material having good outputs in high SOC range, mixed at a particle level with a second active material having good outputs in low SOC range leads into enhanced outputs of the lithium secondary battery.
However, blending active materials at a particle level can deteriorate microstructure of the active material coating layer due to differences in the physical characteristics of the respective active materials.
For example, when the active materials forming a blended positive electrode material have different coefficients of expansion or mechanical strengths from one another, this may cause cracks within particles or even crush the particles during the process of coating the blended positive electrode material on the positive electrode plate.
Further, in order to obtain an effect of increased output by use of the blended positive electrode material, it is necessary to optimize the particle shape or size distribution of each of the active material particles, but the process takes a considerable amount of time and cost.
Meanwhile, Korean Patent Publication No. 2014-0092554 discloses improving an output of a battery pack by constructing mixed cells by connecting in parallel the heterogenous cells with different electric characteristics from each other, and then constructing a battery pack by repeatedly connecting the mixed cells in series.
This mixed cells have a structure in which two independently-packed cells are connected in parallel. In such structure, when one of the cells has a relatively faster degradation, the service life of the battery pack would be shortened rapidly.
Cell degradation can happen mainly due to the loss of lithium ions contained in the electrolyte by the side reaction, or due to the structural decay of the positive electrode active material or the negative electrode active material. However, when two cells are independently packed, it is difficult to have electrochemical reactions between the cells to compensate for the degradation of either one of the cells.

Secondary battery having improved output characteristics


A prosthetic joint acetabular cup component is provided that can be press fit into a patient's acetabulum, to create an interference fit and to eliminate the need for cement. A body portion of the cup provides an outer convex surface, The inside of the cup provides an inner concave surface. An apex portion of the cup or shell is spaced from the lower rim portion, the lower rim defining a plane. A plurality of annular rings are spaced along the body outer surface beginning at the lower rim and extending at least a partial distance toward the apex. Each of the annular rings is preferably generally parallel to the plane of the lower rim.

1. Field Of The Invention:
The present invention relates to medical prosthetic implant devices and more particularly to an acetabular cup component to be fitted to a patient's acetabulum. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a cementless acetabular cup component to be used in total hip replacement wherein there is provided an improved outer surface geometry that affixes the cup to the acetabulum with a plurality of annular, spaced apart rings, allowing a cementless press fit of the cup to the acetabulum.
2. General Background:
Total hip replacement has become a standard operation in orthopaedics for the relief of pain and restoration of function in patients who are incapacitated from disease or injury. Early total hip replacement implants were affixed to bone by means of bone cement. With time and experience, it was learned that bone cement has a finite lifetime and may fail by cracking, especially if in service for many years.
Cement failure leads to implant loosening, pain and loss of function, requiring operative intervention for correction. In the early 1980's, cementless fixation of total hip replacement implants was proposed as an alternative to cemented total hip replacement implants, on the basis that elimination of the weak link in fixation would increase the service life of total hip replacement implants.
Prior art approaches to cementless acetabular replacement include threaded components which are affixed to the acetabulum by means of screw threads. Threaded components were originally conical in shape; however, because of difficulty in placement, more recent designs have a more spherical shape. The threads of these cups are sufficiently deep to require screwing the cup into a prepared cavity for insertion. The primary disadvantage of threaded cups is the difficulty of insertion, which can lead to technical errors and poor results.
Another approach to this problem has been the spherical cup with a porous metal coating on the fixation surfaces. These cups have been affixed with a variety of fasteners, including screws, spikes and interference fits.
Screw and spike fixation have been shown to be effective; however, there are inherent risks associated with these fasteners. Surgical errors in the placement of screws have led to injuries of vital blood vessels proximate to the acetabulum, sometimes leading to the deaths of patients.
A longer term risk associated with these fixation means is the potential for fretting between the spikes/screws and the metal cup. Fretting will generate particulate metal debris which may lead to irritation and loosening of the cup, or malignant tissue responsive in the patient.
Interference fits of spherical cups are achieved by preparing the acetabulum with a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the cup which will be used. The cup is then impacted into the acetabulum during which the cavity expands to receive the cup. The expansion is partly elastic and results in a residual hoop stress in the bone at the cup/bone interface. The hoop stress applies pressure to the cup which is sufficiently large to retain it in position.
The primary disadvantage associated with spherical cups that are fit by interference is that there is very little mechanical interlock between the cup and bone. The small amount of mechanical interlock in many cases may not be sufficient to resist forces transmitted through the cup, especially if the quality of the surrounding bone is poor. Insufficient interlock would likely lead to loosening of the cup and require surgical intervention to correct.
One design which relies on this spherical cup interference fit fixation method is that which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,549 entitled "Dual Radius Acetabular Cup Component" issued to Figgie et. al. and assigned to Osteonics Corporation. The '549 patent describes a dual radius acetabular cup component which is currently marketed by Osteonics Corporation. The dual radius cup relies on an interference fit of the larger spherical surface adjacent to the rim of the cup. The Osteonics design seeks to improve the interference fit by limiting it to the portion of the cup adjacent to the rim. This should provide increased pressure during insertion compared to a cup with one continuous spherical radius. The increased pressure should provide an improved interference fit.
There are two disadvantages to the Osteonics design. First, the design has a rim at an intermediate position on the surface of the cup (transition from the first to the second spherical radius) which provides resistance to insertion. In an acetabulum which has been reamed to the size of the smaller radius, the rim will scrape bone away from the fixation surface during insertion. The removal of bone will lessen the possibility of a strong interference fit.
The second disadvantage of the Osteonics design is that it has a generally smooth outer surface that does not penetrate bone to enhance fixation. The '549 patent describes an affixation-assisting surface treatment, which should provide some frictional resistance to motion at the fixation interface. However, in practice, this surface treatment has been either a porous metal coating or a knurled surface, neither of which provides fixation ability.


A punch/emboss tool is provided that accepts interchangeable insert sets. A punch insert set consists of one punch and one die that cooperate to punch out a particular design in sheet material, such as paper. Similarly, an emboss insert set consists of one emboss die and one emboss die counter that cooperate to emboss a particular design. Once loaded in the tool, one half of the insert set is fixed relative to the tool. The other half is slidably aligned to the first half by a non-circular bore. The sheet material is inserted into a slit in the tool, between the two cooperating inserts. An actuating lever presses on the sliding half of the insert set with some mechanical advantage to the user. When a user presses the actuating lever, the two halves of the aligned insert set cooperate to form a punched or embossed design on the sheet material.

The present invention relates to a tool for punching and embossing a variety of designs in a sheet of material, such as paper. More particularly, the present invention is a hand-operated punch/emboss tool with economical interchangeable dies that are orientable in a variety of directions with respect to the punch/emboss tool.
A variety of punch and emboss tools are available for punching and embossing designs in sheets of material, such as paper. Most of these punch and emboss tools have a significantly limited reach and a fixed design orientation, and thus impose a restriction on the location and orientation of the punched or embossed image on common sizes of paper, such as 8xc2xdxe2x80x3xc3x9711xe2x80x3. As such, users must often punch or emboss smaller sheets, and adhere them to a larger sheet in the desired, but unreachable, location and orientation. Some long reach tools with orientable patterns exist, but they are usually limited to punching or embossing a single design. A user must invest in a whole new tool in order to have a new punch or emboss design with the same freedom of reach and orientability. A user therefore may begin to acquire a collection of individual punch tools and emboss tools that is not only expensive, but bulky to carry. The few tools that have interchangeable punch or emboss inserts are implemented such that the reach and orientability benefits are sacrificed, or such that the interchangeable inserts are relatively complex and costly.
Another common drawback of many punch tools is that they are difficult to actuate, causing excessive repetitive physical stain to the user. Therefore, tools that do not themselves include a means of providing the user with extra mechanical advantage are often actuated with an additional leverage mechanism, which again adds to a user""s cost.
Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide a single tool that will allow a user to punch or emboss a variety of designs on common sizes of sheet material such as paper, at any location on the sheet, in a variety of orientations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide interchangeable punch inserts and emboss inserts that are relatively inexpensive, so that it is economical to take advantage of the benefits of the tool for additional punch or emboss designs.
It is a further object of this invention to provide interchangeable punch inserts and emboss insets that are compact, such that it is easy to carry a collection of them.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a built-in means of leverage so that the user can actuate the punching inserts without excessive physical force or external leverage mechanisms.
The invention is an improved punch/emboss tool. The tool has a frame with two elongated beams. The upper beam is joined at one end to the lower beam and extends in a parallel and spaced-apart fashion so that a sheet of paper, or the like, can be slipped in between the two beams. The ends of the beams define two xe2x80x9cborexe2x80x9d portions for carrying either a punch set or an emboss set. A person in the arts and crafts industry would understand that punch and emboss sets work in much the same way, mechanically, the significant difference being that a xe2x80x9cpunchxe2x80x9d set is used to punch a decorative hole in a piece of paper and an xe2x80x9cembossxe2x80x9d set is used to emboss a decorative design in the paper.
Each of the two portions of the frame making up the bore portions are shaped to interchangeably hold one part of a two-part punch/emboss set. In other words, each frame portion holds one separate part (or one-half) of the set in a manner such that it is easy to replace one set (having a particular punch or emboss pattern) with another. An aspect of the invention that sets it apart from the prior art is that one of the two frame portions allows the part of the set that it holds to co-axially slide toward and away from the other part of the set. This enables the parts of the set to be driven together into engagement with a sheet of paper (or similar sheet of material) between them.
In preferred form, the bore portions described above are constructed as square bores in which each separated part of the punch/emboss set resides. The two bores are fixed by the frame such that the two halves of the insert set are registered in coaxial alignment. Their non-circular shape prevents one part of the punch/emboss set from rotating relative to the other to ensure precise registration of the parts of the set when they come together. While the bores are described here as being square in shape, it is to be understood that other polygonal shapes or other non-circular shapes may work just as well. An advantage to using a radially symmetrical bore shape is that the insert sets can be releasably loaded in multiple orientations, thus allowing further flexibility in the placement of the punched or embossed image on a sheet of material. For example, a square bore allows the insert set to be loaded in one of four possible orientations.
The upper frame of the tool carries a lever arm pivotally connected to the frame for driving one of the parts of the set into engagement with the other, when manipulated by the user. The lever arm has a lobe portion that extends into the recess or opening defined by the square bore of the upper frame, for pushing its respective one-half of the punch/emboss set toward the other half that is held in the lower part of the frame. The lever arm is positioned at or near the end of the upper beam.
The frame beams are sufficiently long so that the interchangeable insert set can reach the middle of a conventional sheet of paper for punching or embossing a design in it.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below in detail. In the past, a person practicing arts and crafts needed to purchase separate punch/emboss tools to create separate designs in paper. While some prior art tools have interchangeable cartridges that allow the same tool to be used to make different designs, none provide such easy interchangeability, orientability, and the capability of reaching to the center of a sheet of paper.

Punch and emboss tool with interchangeable dies