A rear axle case of an agricultural work vehicle and a rear axle assembly including the same. The rear axle case of an agricultural work vehicle includes: a rear axle cover, having a hollow pipe shape, for surrounding a rear axle; a reduction gear cover unitarily provided at the side of the rear axle cover; a differential axle cover integrally formed at the front end of the reduction gear cover so as to cover a differential axle extending to the outside of a rear differential case; and a brake unit cover unitarily provided at an opening of the differential axle cover in a form in which one side opening of the differential axle cover is covered, such that a space in which a multi-disk brake unit can be provided is formed between the brake unit cover and the rear differential case.

An agricultural work vehicle which is called 'tractor' is structurally similar to general cars, but it has a powerful engine so that it has good traction force and is strong. As a result, the tractor is generally used for cultivation in agricultural work, and so as to perform the cultivation, further, the tractor has various kinds of agricultural work machines detachably attached to the rear side of the body thereof.
So as to improve the efficiencies of the work, the agricultural work vehicle has to have a large gear-shifting range so that a driving speed and a rotational speed of a power take off (which is referred to as 'PTO') shaft can be adjusted to optimal speeds according to qualities of soil under the work, and accordingly, the agricultural work vehicle adopts a transmission complicated in structure and having a large gear-shifting range.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional transmission assembly for an agricultural work vehicle.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional transmission assembly for an agricultural work vehicle largely includes a transmission 1 and a rear differential 9. The transmission 1 includes a shuttle gear-shifting unit 2 for forward/backward gear-shifting, a main gear-shifting unit 3 and a sub gear-shifting unit 4 for providing a large gear-shifting step range, and a front wheel driving unit 5 for performing bi-speed turn and front wheel driving, and the rear differential 9 is adapted to appropriately distribute the power gear-shifted by the transmission 1 to left and right rear wheels.
The shuttle gear-shifting unit 2 of the transmission 1 is a hydraulic multi-plate clutch for performing selective power connection fey the pressure oil whose flowing is permitted by the lever manipulation of a driver, and the main gear-shifting unit 3 has a synchronized multi-stepped (four step) gear. The sub gear-shifting unit 4 has pairs of gears having different gear ratios moving to left and right sides by means of lever manipulation in such a manner as to be selectively engaged with each other.
The front wheel driving unit 5 is a hydraulic multi-plate clutch in the same manner as the shuttle gear-shifting unit 2. The various components constituting the transmission 1 and the rear differential 6 are located protectedly in a closed space formed by a transmission case 8, and oil as a lubricating agent is filled in the transmission case 8 so as to achieve gentle power transmission between gears, gentle shaft rotation, and friction and abrasion reduction between components.
A reference numeral 7 not explained yet in the figure indicates a PTO gear-shifting unit for taking off the engine power from the vehicle body so that the power generated from the engine is utilized as the power for driving the work vehicle, and a reference numeral 35 indicates a counter shaft having gear-shifting gears rotatable unitarily therewith and freely rotatable therefrom.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the rear differential (rear axle assembly) applied to the conventional transmission assembly.
As shown in FIG. 2, the rear differential 9 largely includes a rear differential case 90 in which a differential 91 is embedded to appropriately distribute the driving power gear-shifted according to driving situations to left and right rear wheels, brake cases 93 assembled with left and right sides to protect brake units 92 spaced apart from each other on both sides of the differential 91, and rear axle cases 96 in which rear axles 95 are insertedly fitted.
A ring gear (bevel driven gear) 910 constituting the differential 91 receives power from a bevel pinion, that is, bevel driving gear (not shown) which outputs finally gear-shifted power through main and sub gear-shifting, thereby rotating the differential 91 and differential axles 94 connected to the differential 91, and accordingly, the rear axles 95 connected to the differential axles 94 rotate, so that the left and right rear wheels rotate with the revolutions finally gear-shifted.
However, the conventional rear differential (rear axle assembly) applied to the agricultural work vehicle largely includes three case components, that is, the rear differential case 90, the brake cases 33, and the rear axle cases 36 coupled to the brake cases 93, thereby causing many disadvantages such as complication in structure, increase in the number of parts, failure in reduction of manufacturing cost, and many difficulties in assembling and so on.

Rear axle case of agricultural work vehicle and rear axle assembly of agricultural work vehicle, including same


Method and apparatus for rule-based, proactive web browsing are provided. A set of rules is determined and stored in computer data storage, where each rule in the set of rules is a proactive browsing rule that indicates a web page. The occurrence of an event represented by event information is detected. In response to detecting the occurrence of the event, the set of rules is evaluated based on the event information to determine whether any rules are satisfied. While a web browser is in use, a determination is made that a particular rule is satisfied. In response to determining that the particular rule is satisfied, the web browser is automatically redirected to directly access a particular web page that is indicated in the particular rule.

Web browsing by nature is a very "reactive" process in which a software application (e.g., such as a web browser) navigates among web pages in response to user input such as, for example, a web address typed by a user or a mouse click on the currently displayed page. This "reactive" nature of the web browsing process, however, tends to diminish the quality of the user experience in certain circumstances.
For example, there are many users who have signed up for Fantasy Football leagues on Yahoo! sports. On a Sunday morning, a typical user would want to check his or her team roster before the games start. Under the current "reactive" browsing process, the user needs either to type into the browser the web address of the roster page for his or her Fantasy Football team, or to surf the "yahoo.com" web site in order to reach that roster page. For example, after logging into the "yahoo.com" web site, the user needs to click on a link to get to the sports web page, then click on a link thereon to get to the fantasy football league page, then click on a link thereon to get to the user's team page, and then click on a link therein to get to the page of the team's roster. However, each of these two cases of "reactive" browsing has its own disadvantages that diminish the quality of the user experience.
In the former case, while it may be possible for the user to type into the browser the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of the web page that the user wants to visit, such URL address is typically long and complicated and hence difficult to remember, especially when the URL address requires parameter values needed to locate or to dynamically generate the desired web page. In the latter case, the user needs to click through several intervening web pages which, in addition to taking extra time and being rather annoying to the user, involves retrieval of unnecessary information because the content of the intervening pages needs to be retrieved and loaded by the browser even though such content is not of interest to the user at that particular time.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.


A baby carriage which can be used not only as a two-wheel-steered baby carriage but also as a four-wheel-steered baby carriage whose front and rear wheels can be swung to steer the carriage. Brackets having slender horizontally extending through-holes, through which the rear axle of the baby carriage extends so as to be swingable along the holes, are attached to the lower ends of right and left rear legs and are secured to a coupling plate extending from one of the brackets to the other. The rear axle has a length such that the axle extends from one of the brackets to the other. The rear axle is pivotally supported at the longitudinally central portion of the axle by the coupling plate so that both ends of the axle extending through the slender horizontally extending throughholes of the brackets at the ends of the axle can be swung in mutually different directions. The rear wheels are attached to the rear axle at both ends thereof. Swinging of the rear axle can be freely prevented by the brackets.

The present invention relates to a baby carriage. More particularly, the invention relates to a baby carriage each of the four wheels at the front and rear of which can be freely swung to steer the carriage.
A conventional baby carriage can be moved back and forth with four wheels. Since the baby carriage has a simple constitution wherein the wheels are merely rotatably attached to both ends of axles secured to the front and rear of the carriage, the efficiency of steering of the carriage is very low. This is a problem.
To solve this problem, another conventional baby carriage having front wheels swingable in the manner of swivel casters has been proposed. The baby carriage has four wheels, which are the right and left front wheels a and right and left rear wheels b as shown in FIG. 8. Only the front wheels a attached to the front legs of the baby carriage are mutually independently supported by swivel mechanisms 8, as shown in FIG. 10, so that the front wheels can be not only rotated about the axes thereof but also freely swung rightward and leftward to steer the baby carriage. The rear wheels b are attached to both ends of a rear axle secured to the body of the baby carriage in such a manner that the rear wheels can be rotated about the axes thereof but cannot be swung rightward and leftward to steer the baby carriage.
When the direction of movement of the baby carriage is to be changed while the carriage is being pushed, the push handle 7 of the carriage is moved rightward or leftward. As a result of the rightward or leftward movement of the push handle 7, the front wheels a of the baby carriage are swung in a direction reverse to that of the movement of the push handle, so that the baby carriage is steered. The efficiency of steering the carriage is thus greatly improved.
The wheel steering apparatus of the baby carriage is effective as far as the push handle 7 for moving the carriage is secured to the body thereof so that the hand-gripped upper portion of the handle is located at the rear of the body of the carriage over the rear wheels b, as shown in FIG. 8. However, two significant problems occur when the push handle 7 is secured to the body of the baby carriage so that the hand-gripped upper portion of the handle is located at the front of the carriage over the front wheels a to enable the operator of the carriage to face the baby sitting on the seat 3 of the carriage, as shown in FIG. 9.
First, when the direction of movement of the baby carriage is to be changed, the front wheels a, which are located at the rear with regard to the direction of movement of the carriage, are swung to turn the body of the carriage to change the direction of the movement thereof. In other words, the front wheels a located at the rear with regard to the direction of movement of the baby carriage are swung in a direction reverse to that in which the carriage is desired to be moved to change its direction of movement. However, since the front wheels a need to be swung rightward or leftward to change the direction of movement, the operation of the carriage for the change is not only unnatural but also the locus of movement of the carriage becomes a large arc centering on the rear wheel b located at the front with regard to the direction of the movement of the carriage. In other words, the baby carriage is required to perform a useless motion. Moreover, since the front wheels a located at the rear with regard to the direction of movement of the baby carriage can always be swung to steer the baby carriage, the front wheels are in an unstable state where they are likely to be swung rightward and leftward, thus causing the carriage to move unstably.
Secondly, to solve the problem of the front wheels a being in an unstable state, locking devices 81 provided in the swivel mechanisms 8 are put into action to render the front wheels incapable of being swung rightward and leftward. One way of changing the direction of the movement of the baby carriage when the locking device 81 are in action is to push the push handle 7 downward to raise the rear wheels b located at the front with regard to the direction of movement of the baby carriage, and thereafter turn the body of the carriage about the front wheels a located at the rear with regard to the direction of movement of the carriage. Another way of changing the direction of the movement of the baby carriage when the locking devices 8 are in action is to lift the push handle 7 to raise the front wheels a located at the rear with regard to the direction of movement of the carriage and to thereafter turn the body of the carriage about the rear wheels b located at the front with regard to the direction of movement of the carriage. In each of the ways, however, a strong force for lifting the body of the baby carriage is needed. Therefore, it is not easy to operate the baby carriage in either of the above-mentioned ways.
To solve these two problems, a baby carriage having front and rear wheels in the form of swivel casters has been proposed. However, that baby carriage too has problems, as will now be described.
The carriage has swivel mechanisms 8 attached to the lower ends of legs as shown in FIG. 10. Two wheels a are provided at the two sides of each swivel mechanism 8 so that one of the wheels is located in an inner position under the body of the carriage. If a bag or basket for storing a purchased article, luggage or the like is hung from the bottom of the seat of the carriage, the rear wheels in the inner positions at both sides of the bag or basket limit the size thereof. Moreover, since the front and the rear wheels must be constructed to serve as swivel casters, the cost of the baby carriage is increased.


A system and method manages workflows exchanges a document between a first server associated with a first service provider and a second server associated with a second service provider over a network. A first workflow engine associated with the first service provider is configured to apply the document to a first workflow based on a first set of rules. A second workflow engine associated with the second service provider is configured to apply the document to a second workflow based a second set of rules. The first and second workflow engines run the first workflow at first service provider asynchronous to the second workflow at the second service provider. The system and method transports a document between the first service provider and second service provider. A first server encrypts the document to create an encrypted document and append an unencrypted header to the encrypted document. The header has a pairwise relationship identifier.

In the field of telecommunications, interconnection refers to connections between carrier service providers for the physical linking of their networks. An interconnection between two carriers interconnects calls originating in one carrier's network and terminating in the other carrier's network and vice versa. Termination rates are rates that telecommunications carriers charge each other on a wholesale basis for terminating calls on their respective networks. An interconnection agreement between two carriers sets forth bilateral conditions for various terms, such as termination rates, capacity, carrier commitment, etc.
The explosion of voice and data traffic, as well as next generation networks, have created information overload, extra complexity and data exchange inefficiencies between the telecommunication carriers. The increasing complexity and volume of price lists, invoices, declarations, data formats and other business documents used in the interconnect business has created a paperwork nightmare for service providers. Electronic Termination Rate Agreements (known as "eTRA") have been developed by standards bodies to drive toward open standards. To further standardize practices for electronic exchange of voice and data business information among wholesale carriers, the Global Business Exchange for Telecom (GBET) has been formed as a global consortium of carriers, such as Verizon, TeliaSonera, Deutsche Telecom, etc. These carriers work cooperatively to define standards with the aim of reducing administrative cost and the ambiguity for various transactions. Also formed is the Global Settlements Carrier (GSC) Group, which works to simplify accounting and invoicing, and enable business process development for the benefit of carriers globally, including carrier's billing and settlements.
Business-to-business platforms that enable telecommunication service providers to access and share business documents among trading partners are known. One such platform is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 8,359,400, which discloses a system and method for user-definable document exchange based on user-definable validation rules. Also, known are systems and methods for managing a carrier's interconnect traffic across a telecommunications network. On such system is called iXLink® developed by Telarix as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,050,55. iXLink® creates a "Link" for relationships between pairs of carriers so that they can seamlessly communicate with an existing interconnect management system based on corresponding Link configurations. Business rules specific to each partner and/or service are applied to validate transactions, meet internal business objectives and capture errors so that time-stamped and validated documents can be exchanged electronically.
An e-contract is a contract modeled, specified, executed, controlled and monitored by a software system. Typically, a workflow management system is used for e-contract management. E-contracts are complex interrelated workflows that have to be specified to satisfy contract requirements. Frameworks to conceptualize e-contracts and model the complexity of interrelationships are known. One such framework is based on an entity-relationship (ER) model used in the design of database to reflect more precisely the properties and constraints found in more complex databases, such as in engineering design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), telecommunications, complex software systems and geographic information systems (GIS).
Conventional manual processes for executing bilateral contracts amongst service providers result in delays due to incorrect data, back-and-forth communication, unsynchronized document exchange and conferences calls. Lack of adequate documentation has created an internal dilemma for management to account for network costs and business case justifications. As a result, the length of time and cost for getting signed and verified quotations and contracts has increased dramatically. Furthermore, conventional workflow models do not have the capabilities to handle the complexities of interrelationships in executing e-contracts amongst a large number of service providers having bilateral relationships. Therefore, there is exists a need for a system and method that facilitates exchange of documents between such service providers efficiently.

System and method for transporting a document between a first service provider and a second service provider


Methods are disclosed for conditioning a polymeric stent after sterilization, and/or after crimping and before packaging, such that the properties of the polymeric stent fall within a narrower range of values. The stent is exposed to a controlled temperature at or above ambient for a period of time after radiation sterilization and/or after crimping and before sterilization. As a result, the polymeric stent properties, particularly radial strength and number-average molecular weight of the polymer of the polymeric stent, fall within a narrower range.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods making stents from bioabsorbable polymers.
2. Description of the State of the Art
This invention relates to radially expandable endoprostheses that are adapted to be implanted in a bodily lumen. An "endoprosthesis" corresponds to an artificial device that is placed inside the body. A "lumen" refers to a cavity of a tubular organ such as a blood vessel. A stent is an example of such an endoprosthesis. Stents are generally cylindrically shaped devices that function to hold open and sometimes expand a segment of a blood vessel or other anatomical lumen such as urinary tracts and bile ducts. Stents are often used in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis in blood vessels. "Stenosis" refers to a narrowing or constriction of a bodily passage or orifice. In such treatments, stents reinforce body vessels and prevent restenosis following angioplasty in the vascular system. "Restenosis" refers to the reoccurrence of stenosis in a blood vessel or heart valve after it has been treated (as by balloon angioplasty, stenting, or valvuloplasty) with apparent success.
Stents are typically composed of scaffolding that includes a pattern or network of interconnecting structural elements or struts, that may be formed from wires, tubes, or sheets of material rolled into a cylindrical shape. This scaffolding gets its name because it physically holds open and, if desired, expands the wall of the passageway, or lumen. Typically, stents are capable of being compressed, or crimped, onto a catheter so that they can be delivered to and deployed at a treatment site. Delivery includes inserting the stent through small lumens, such as blood vessels, using a catheter and transporting it to the treatment site. Deployment includes expanding the stent to a larger diameter once it is at the desired location. Mechanical intervention with stents has reduced the rate of restenosis as compared to balloon angioplasty. Yet, restenosis remains a significant problem. When restenosis does occur in the stented segment, the treatment of it can be challenging, as clinical options are more limited than for those lesions that were treated solely with a balloon.
Stents are used not only for mechanical intervention but also as vehicles for providing biological therapy. Biological therapy uses medicated stents to locally administer a drug. A medicated stent may be fabricated by coating the surface of either a metallic or polymeric scaffolding with a polymeric carrier that includes a drug. Polymeric scaffolding may also serve as a carrier of a drug.
It may be desirable for a stent to be biodegradable. In many treatment applications, the presence of a stent in a body may be necessary for a limited period of time until its intended function of, for example, maintaining vascular patency and/or drug delivery is accomplished. Therefore, stents fabricated from biodegradable, bioabsorbable, and/or bioerodable materials such as bioabsorbable polymers should be configured to completely erode only after the clinical need for them has ended.
One of the challenges of making medical devices out of polymers is that the properties of a polymer can change both during processing and after processing. These properties include mechanical properties such as strength and toughness as well as bioresorption kinetics. The processing steps in a fabrication process of a stent may be designed to maintain or instill in the stent particular ranges of the strength, toughness, and bioresorption, that are crucial for treatment with the stent. In some cases, properties of the polymer can change during additional processing operations and/or as a function of time during storage. Therefore, methods are needed that reduce, or eliminate undesirable changes in properties, and/or ameliorate their impact.

Post electron beam conditioning of polymeric medical devices


A stabilizer for holding sport cards, or other cards, in a vertical to an angled position so that the user can easily view a group of cards by flipping through them. The stabilizer is preferably made from card stock which, in an unfolded position, forms an elongated, rectangular sheet. When the card is properly folded, it forms an angled card rest, and a tab in one portion of the card fits into a slot in the other portion of the card.

The field of the invention is filing accessories, and the invention relates more particularly to devices for assisting in the filing of index cards or other types of cards.
The hobby of collecting baseball cards is presently very popular, and the baseball cards are typically held in a box such as a shoe box, and such boxes are often partitioned lengthwise, so that two or more rows of cards can be held adjacent one another. With baseball cards, it is important to be able to flip through the cards, and when they are tightly packed in a box, this is difficult to do. When they are loosely packed in a box, they tend to slump down, and some of the cards can slide to the bottom of the box. Various card holders and organizers are known, and patents showing card organizers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 386,952; 769,855; 1,071,375; 1,739,545; 2,649,093 and 3,198,339. Most of these devices are designed to work with a particular style of box or are formed of wood or metal and not easily foldable for mailing or display.


Vanity mirrors are provided with a body base member having a mirror, and an illumination member detachably mounted to the body base member. The illumination member includes a lens plate and an elongate lamp tube having one and another terminal ends between which electrical current may pass to illuminate the lamp, and thus the mirror. The illumination member is provided with a planar base plate having a pair of spaced-apart base contact terminals adapted to being connected to lamp circuit leads through which electrical current may be supplied to the lamp tube. The lamp tube is positioned on an upper side of the base plate and has one terminal end thereof soldered to one of the base contact terminals. A contact piece is positioned on the upper side of the base plate and has an end thereof soldered to the other terminal end of the lamp member. The contact piece is operably associated with a switch mechanism so as to make and break an electrical circuit with the other of the base contact terminals in response to a mirror cover being moved into the opened and closed conditions so as to turn the lamp tube on and off, respectively, and thereby illuminate the mirror.

The present invention relates to an improved vanity mirror and more particularly to a vanity mirror which is capable of involving a fewer number of parts involved as well as reducing the thickness of the vanity mirror.
Some vanity mirrors used in the automobile, particularly those attached to the sun visor therein, use a lamp for illumination purposes during the night operations for the passenger""s sake.
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 shows a conventional vanity mirror, in which the numeral 20 denotes a vanity mirror composed of a body base 22 centrally attached with a mirror 21, a cover 23 openably attached to said body base 22 by way of a hinge mechanism and lamp sections 24 attached to the opposite sides of said mirror 21 and adapted to be powered on and off through opening of said cover 23.
Further, said lamp sections 24 are composed of recesses 221 formed on both sides of said mirror 21 in the body base 22, lamp holding metal members 25 attached in said recesses 221 from the reverse side thereof and fuse type lamps 26 held by holding pieces 251 attached on the body base 22 to forwardly project therefrom.
Each fuse bulb 26 is connected to bus bars 27 by way of each bulb holding metal member 25. One of said bus bars 27 is attached a lead wire L connected thereto from an automotive power source (not shown).
Said cover 23 is formed with protuberance 231, which is adapted to press a bent terminal piece 28 provided at a reverse side of the body base 22 to have a lead wire L connected thereto. Thereby, the fuse bulb 26 is turned on as a result of said terminal piece 28 being brought into contact with the bus bar 27. Further, the closure of the cover 23 causes the protuberance 231 formed on the cover 23 is detached from the terminal piece 28 such that the terminal piece 28 returns to its original position by virtue of its resiliency to remove the electrical connection and turn off the fuse bulb.
However, the vanity mirror 20 with the above structure has the fuse bulb 26 retained by the holding pieces 251 which are in need of a certain extent of thickness and there is a limit no matter how strenuously an effort is made to produce as thin a vanity mirror as possible.
There is another problem that the need for connection of each fuse bulb 26 to a bus bar 27 by way of the bulb holding metal member 25 causes the manufacturing cost to increase.
The present invention has been made to solve the afore discussed problems and its object is to provide a vanity mirror which is as thin as possible and capable of having the manufacturing cost as low as possible by having a fewer number of parts. Therefore, the vanity mirror of the invention essentially comprises a body base having a mirror attached thereto; a cover plate openably attached to said body base through a hinge mechanism; a switch turned on and off though opening and closing of said cover plate; and an illumination unit composed of a lamp connected to lead wires and a lens plate adapted to be attached and detached to said base plate; said illumination unit detachably attached to body base body base.


Provided is a molecular assembly (for example, a polymeric micelle nanoparticle) which is capable of efficiently encapsulating a fat-soluble drug. A molecular assembly comprising: an amphiphilic block polymer A1 comprising a hydrophilic block having a sarcosine unit and a hydrophobic block having a lactic acid unit; a hydrophobic polymer A2 having a lactic acid unit; a fatty acid triglyceride; and a fat-soluble drug. Examples of the fat-soluble drug include miriplatin.

There has been a growing interest in nanotechnology in recent years. Nanotechnology has been attracting attention in detection of substances in biological samples and in-vivo imaging. Particularly, in the field of medicine and pharmacy, for example, liposome that is a nanoparticle composed of phospholipid is used as a carrier in a drug delivery system (DDS).
JP 1992-169531 A and JP 1992-169532 A, for example, disclose a liposome formulation containing a fat-soluble platinum complex having a saturated or unsaturated higher fatty acid residue as an active ingredient.
On the other hand, peptidic nanoparticles having higher biocompatibility are also known. For example, JP 2008-024816 A and US 2008/0019908 A disclose peptidic nanoparticles using an amphiphilic block polymer having polyglutamic acid methyl ester as a hydrophobic block. The publication indicates that accumulation of the nanoparticles in cancer tissue has been observed.
Further, Chemistry Letters, vol. 36, no. 10, 2007, p. 1220-1221 describes that an amphiphilic block polymer composed of a polylactic acid chain and a polysarcosine chain was synthesized, and a molecular assembly with a particle diameter of 20 to 200 nm having applicability to a nano-carrier in DDS was prepared by self-assembly of the amphiphilic block polymer.
WO 2009/148121 A (US 2011/0104056 A) and Biomaterials, 2009, vol. 30, p. 5156-5160 disclose that a linear amphiphilic block polymer having a polylactic acid chain as a hydrophobic block and a polysarcosine chain as a hydrophilic block self-assembles in an aqueous solution to form a polymeric micelle (lactosome). The particle diameter of the lactosome disclosed in paragraph [0127] in WO 2009/148121 A is 10 nm to 500 nm, but the particle diameter of the lactosome actually demonstrated is only 30 nm to 130 nm disclosed in paragraph [0251]. It is known that the lactosome exhibits high retentivity in blood, and the amount of the lactosome accumulated in the liver is significantly reduced as compared to a polymeric micelle that has been already developed. This lactosome utilizes the property that a nanoparticle with a particle diameter of several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers retained in blood is likely to be accumulated in cancer (Enhanced Permeation and Retention (EPR) effect), and therefore can be applied as a nano-carrier for cancer site-targeting molecular imaging or drug delivery.
Cells grow faster in cancer tissue than in normal tissue, and therefore formation of new blood vessels is induced in cancer tissue in order to obtain oxygen and energy required for cell growth. It is known that the new blood vessels are brittle, and therefore relatively large molecules also leak from the blood vessels. Further, the substance excretory system of cancer tissue is undeveloped, and therefore molecules leaking from the blood vessels are accumulated in cancer tissue for a certain period of time. This phenomenon is known as EPR effect.
WO 2012/176885 A (US 2014/0127132 A) discloses that a branched amphiphilic block polymer having a branched hydrophilic block containing sarcosine and a hydrophobic block having polylactic acid self-assembles in an aqueous solution to form a polymeric micelle (lactosome) having a particle diameter of 10 to 50 nm.
WO 2012/026316 A (US 2013/0149252 A) and WO 2012/118136 A (US 2013/0336896 A) disclose a switching fluorescent nanoparticle probe composed of a lactosome nanoparticle encapsulating a fluorescent dye, and a fluorescent molecular imaging method using the same.

Medicinal agent-containing molecular assembly which uses amphiphilic block polymer


This invention is directed to a portable information apparatus, which includes a main display, a sub-display provided independently of the main display, detection means for detecting information that the user must be informed of, and display control means for displaying a message indicating the information that the user must be informed of on the sub-display when the detection means detects this information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information apparatus and, more particularly, to a notebook type personal having a sub-display in addition to a main display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional notebook type personal computer, means for giving a warning message associated with hardware such as a low battery message, and abnormality and interrupt messages of a program generates warning by means of alarm sound or displays such messages on a display of the notebook type personal computer.
In some conventional notebook type personal computers, a plurality of applications are selected and started from a jog device. In this case, the names of applications to be started are displayed on the display (main display) of the notebook type personal computer.
However, in the aforementioned notebook type personal computer, if nobody is present around the computer upon producing alarm sound, or if the display of the notebook type personal computer is OFF and the display panel is closed, the user cannot confirm such message.
In the notebook type personal computer which selects an application to be started using the jog device, since the application to be started is displayed on the display of the notebook type personal computer, if the notebook type personal computer is in a power OFF or sleep state, and the display is OFF, an application to be started cannot be selected.
Note that some conventional notebook type personal computers have buttons for starting an application from power OFF and sleep states. However, since one button is assigned per application to be started, buttons are required in correspondence with the number of applications to be started.


The amplification efficiency is increased in a system for linear amplification of signals, especially in satellite transponders, by connecting at least three amplifier impedance inverter units in parallel to each other between an input signal control network and a common load. The reactive loading of the individual amplifiers is compensated by shunt susceptances at the output ports of the individual amplifiers.

All conventional linear amplifiers are subject to a reduction in the amplification efficiency when a partial modulation control is effective. This fact is independent of the amplifier operating point. In the present context the term "conventional amplifiers" means amplifiers in which the main supply voltage or the load are not dynamically controlled as a function of the instantaneous output power. Considerations generally applicable to such amplifiers show that the amplification efficiency cannot be better than being proportional to the signal voltage. Since practically all amplifiers have this characteristic, it is conventional to specify the amplifier characteristics at full input (output) voltage. The reduction in the amplification efficiency at partial output voltage or power is accepted as an unavoidable fact of nature.
Linear amplifiers of satellite transponders must be so controllable that relatively infrequent peak values are still transmitted without distortion. Such relatively infrequent peak values are formed by the vectorial addition of individual peak values which in turn are formed by the vectorial addition of the individual user signals (SCPC: single channel per carrier) in the transponder. As a result, the average signal power or voltage of the transponder becomes 4 to 8 dB smaller as compared to a full output power or voltage. This phenomenon is known as "backoff" and such backoff has the disadvantage that the efficiency of the transponder system becomes 1.5 to 3 times smaller than the characteristic values would tend to indicate for a full control or modulation.
The reasons for the reduction in the amplification efficiency are the following. Linear amplifiers are operated by applying a constant supply voltage to the collector. The amplifier is so dimensioned that on full output power or voltage the output transistor or the electron vacuum tube is optimally matched to the load. When a partial output power or voltage occurs, for example, when the output voltage is only 50%, the output power is reduced to 25% of the original output power due to the relationship (P=U.sup.2 /R), wherein P is the output power, U is the output voltage, and R is the load. Since the operating voltage of the amplifier is constant, the d.c. current input power is reduced only to 50% at this so-called half current operation. Thus, the problem is that the matching of the amplifier at half output voltage is actually mismatched. In fact, the supply voltage should also be reduced to one half in order to maintain a good amplification efficiency.
The same problem is encountered in amplitude modulated radio transmitters. Thus, any methods developed in connection with radio transmitters with regard to the just mentioned problem, are also basically usable in connection with satellite transponders. However, so far only AMSAT has used such methods in space.
Basically, there are two ways of keeping the amplification efficiency constant. One method involves modulating or controlling the collector voltage of the transmitter transistor as a function of the input signal. The other method involves using two amplifier channels which work into suitable output networks. In both instances, the load impedance at the amplifier output becomes variable so that for all loads the optimal matching is maintained.
Both conventional methods have been used in connection with radio technology and with corresponding modifications in amateur satellites. The following literature is relevant in this connection.
(1) A new high Efficiency Power Amplifier for Modulated Waves, W. H. Doherty, Proc. IRE, Vol. 24, Sept. 1936, pp 1163. PA1 (2) High Power Outphasing Modulation, H. Chireix, Proc. IRE, Vol. 23, Nov. 1935, pp. 1370. PA1 (3) Instruction Manual of the VP-100 Transmitter, Gates Radio Corp., Quincy, Illinois, USA. PA1 (4) Lineare Nachrichtentransponder durch nichtlineare Signalzer legung, K. Meinzer, Inaugural-Dissertation, Marburg, Federal Republic of Germany, 1973. (Linear Communication Transponders by Non-linear Signal Separation).
Special problems occur, however, in connection with L-band transponders. In the L-band, especially in the range of 1500 to 1700 MHz, the output powers presently obtainable with semiconductor amplifiers are within the range of 20 to 40 W (PEP-Peak Envelope Power). However, in most transponder applications larger output powers are required so that a parallel connection of a substantial number of amplifier modules is unavoidable. The large number of amplifiers causes a problem because hybrid matching circuits are required and these hybrid matching circuits make it impossible to take advantage of the principle of a variable amplifier load output impedance. A variation of the collector voltage, for instance by means of a pulse width modulator, regularly fails because the amplifier band-width cannot exceed a few MHz. This is so because the modulator must be capable of handling three times the transponder band-widths.

Method and system for the linear amplification of signals


In order to maintain performance during wireless communication, a transmitting electronic device may selectively enable use of pre-authorization messages during communication with one or more receiving electronic devices. In particular, the transmitting electronic device may monitor a performance metric associated with the communication. If the performance metric is less than a threshold, the transmitting electronic device may selectively enable the use of the pre-authorization messages before communicating data to the one of the receiving electronic devices. Subsequently, the transmitting electronic device monitors a pre-authorization performance metric associated with the communication of the pre-authorization messages. If the pre-authorization performance metric is less than a pre-authorization threshold, the transmitting electronic device may selectively disable the use of the pre-authorization messages. Moreover, if the use of pre-authorization messages is disabled, the transmitting electronic device reverts to monitoring the performance metric.

Field
The described embodiments relate to techniques for adaptively providing collision or contention protection in a wireless network. In particular, the described embodiments relate to techniques for adaptively enabling pre-authorization messages prior to communication in a wireless network based on a packet error rate.
Related Art
Many electronic devices are capable of wirelessly communicating with other electronic devices. For example, these electronic devices can include a networking subsystem that implements a network interface for: a cellular network (UMTS, LTE, etc.), a wireless local area network (e.g., a wireless network such as described in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard or Bluetooth™ from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group of Kirkland, Wash.), and/or another type of wireless network.
The performance during wireless communication among electronic devices can vary significantly over time. In principle, providers of the electronic devices and operators of wireless networks can adapt the communication to address changes in performance. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, which provides an illustration of communication among electronic devices 110 in an existing wireless network, electronic device 110-3 may not be within communication range of electronic device 110-1. However, electronic device 110-3 may be within communication range of electronic device 110-2, as is electronic device 110-1. Thus, as far as electronic device 110-1 is concerned, electronic device 110-3 may be a hidden node in the wireless network.
If electronic devices 110-1 and 110-3 concurrently attempt to transmit information to electronic device 110-2, a collision or conflict may occur. The resulting interference may degrade the performance during the wireless communication in the wireless network, and may result in retries and increased latency.
One approach for addressing this problem is to have electronic devices 110-1 and 110-3 transmit pre-authorization messages to electronic device 110-2, and to wait for authorization responses from electronic device 110-2 prior to attempting to transmit information to electronic device 110-2. For example, in the context of Wi-Fi® (from the Wi-Fi Alliance of Austin, Tex.), electronic devices 110-1 and 110-3 may transmit request-to-send messages and may wait to receive clear-to-send messages from electronic device 110-2 prior to transmitting the information to electronic device 110-2. Because electronic device 110-2 is within communication range of electronic devices 110-1 and 110-3, electronic device 110-2 can 'see' both of these electronic devices. Consequently, there is no hidden node as far as electronic device 110-2 is concerned, and the conflict or collision can be avoided.
However, the pre-authorization messages add overhead and, thus, reduce the communication capacity in the wireless network. Consequently, even though they can offer protection from collisions and conflicts, such pre-authorization messages are often not used, which results in variations in communication performance that may degrade the user experience when using electronic devices 110.

Collision protection based on packet error rate


The present document provides a method and device for compensating a phase deviation, which are applied to a data sequence between a first training sequence and a second training sequence which are received by a receiving end; The method includes: determining a first phase difference between a first training sequence and a standard training sequence used for reference, and a second phase difference between a second training sequence and the standard training sequence; determining a subdata sequence requiring a phase compensation in multiple subdata sequences forming the data sequence according to the first phase difference and the second phase difference; calculating a phase compensation value corresponding to the subdata sequence requiring the phase compensation by using the first phase difference and the second phase difference; and conducting the phase compensation on the subdata sequence requiring the phase compensation by using the phase compensation value corresponding to the subdata sequence.

In coherent detection high-speed optical transmission system, due to the phase deviation between the corrected emission laser and the local oscillator laser at the receiving end, in order to eliminate the effects of the phase deviation on the signal judgment, the phase estimation algorithm is often used to compensate the phase deviation.
The VITERBI-VITERBI algorithm is a classical phase estimation algorithm. Its basic principle is to perform a biquadrate process to the phase of the received signal, then perform weighted average, and extract a phase compensation value. Because of the biquadrate operation, it is resulted that there is a phase ambiguity of positive and negative π/2 in the recovered phase. The phase ambiguity is solved mainly by estimating a phase offset through a mode of adding a training sequence. That is, the transmitting end introduces a standard training sequence among various data sequences when a data signal is sent, and the receiving end performs phase correction on a corresponding data sequence through a phase difference between the received training sequence and the standard training sequence after receiving the data signal.
In the traditional phase ambiguity training scheme, a section of training sequence is responsible for correcting the phase to a section of data sequence. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of phase ambiguity occurred in a middle part of an existing data sequence. As shown in FIG. 1, assuming that phase ambiguity is generated at the middle part of the data sequence (i.e., shaded area), in the existing phase ambiguity training method, the receiving end is unable to identify the phase ambiguity in the middle of the data sequence through the training sequence, therefore, in order to avoid the occurrence of the above situation, a section of data sequence should not be set to be too long, that is, a large number of training sequences are required to be introduced into the whole data signal to ensure the accuracy of the phase correction, thus, it will inevitably lead to excessive bandwidth cost.

Method and device for compensating phase deviation


A LED floodlight (1), includes:                a plurality of LEDs (3) suitably arranged for use;        an electrical circuit (4) for powering the plurality of LEDs (3);        a finishing casing (5);        element of electrical connection (6) to a power supply network;characterized in that it includes a stratified sheet (2), folded so as to suitably orient the beam from the floodlight (1), wherein the sheet (2) simultaneously serves as a mechanical support and as an electronic power and control board for the plurality of LEDs (3) and the electrical circuit (4) is obtained directly thereon.

The invention relates to the lighting technology sector: in particular, the invention concerns a LED floodlight that can be used above all for road lighting, or for lighting outdoor environments, or large indoor spaces.
LED floodlights used for this purpose are already known, comprising an opaque box-like containment element with a substantially spherical cup shape, a plurality of LED assemblies housed within said box-like element and linearly arranged on a plurality of circuit boards with a tape-like conformation, applied to metallic support strips joined at the top of said spherical cup, a closing optical screen for said box-like element made of transparent material, and an electrical power supply unit for said LEDs suitably connected by wires to the electrical control circuits of each tape-like board.
The LEDs used in said floodlights may indifferently emit white or coloured light, or be RGB type LEDs, and, in order to increase the luminous effect, they are often associated singly with a known type of lens, smooth or bossed, with a known property of concentrating or scattering the beams of light coming from a luminous source.
Also said closing optical screen has a smooth or machined surface with suitable bosses of different sizes, for further modulation of the light produced by all the LEDs.
This type of LED floodlight has certain limits and disadvantages.
The presence of a given structure constituted of tape-like boards on which the LEDs are positioned, applied to support strips, greatly conditions the distribution of the light sources, creating certain zones with a greater density of lighting power, and other zones with a lower specific lighting power. In fact, the strips inevitably cause a greater density of LEDs in the centre of the spherical cup and fewer LEDs towards the periphery. To ensure that the whole floodlight produces a uniform lighting effect, it is necessary to alternate, and carefully position on said support strips, LEDs with different lighting powers. Sometimes it may also be necessary to select only some LED assemblies to be supplied with, while others are kept switched off. This aim is achieved by means of a complex electrical control circuit, and a plurality of electrical cables.
Disadvantageously, the use of LEDs with different lighting power and the determination of their exact position, the use of several mechanical components for fastening said tape-like boards to the support strips and for joining the latter to the box-like element, and the use of electrical power supply and control cables and components for switching on each individual LED, greatly increase the time and costs involved in the construction of the floodlight, and maintenance costs when using the floodlight.
Furthermore, the presence of numerous electrical components increases the risk of short circuits and reduces the life-time of the appliance.
Lastly, the space inside the box-like element delimited by the closing optical screen, wherein the support strips for the LEDs are contained, disadvantageously retains a considerable concentration of heat, which is difficult to dissipate. To ensure lower temperatures inside said box-like element it is therefore necessary to use a smaller number of LEDs, or LEDs with lower light-emitting power, disadvantageously resulting however in a weaker light yield.

LED floodlight formed with a stratified sheet


A master license entry that links a software application to a user identification can be made. Application licenses to use the software application can be roamed to multiple computing machines. Feature licenses for added features of the software application can be roamed to those computing machines as well. Multiple overlapping license rights for the software application may be linked to the master license entry. A count of how many license rights for the software application are linked to the master license entry can be maintained. Requests for licenses may be refused if the count of license rights has reached zero.

In a typical software application licensing scenario, a user purchases license rights that allow the user to use a software product. Many such license rights only allow use of the software on a single computing machine at a time. Other license rights allow the use of the software on multiple computing machines at the same time. However, even in situations where use on multiple machines is allowed, a user typically manually enters information such as a product key on each machine.


A method for fabricating a mask ROM capable of reducing the processing time taken in fabricating the MROM by the manufacturer after the order by the user, thus improving the productivity. For fabricating the mask ROM, first, a fabrication of a MOS transistor is achieved by forming a gate oxide film, a gate electrode and source/drain regions on a semiconductor substrate. After the formation of the MOS transistor, a BPSG film, a metal electrode, a passivation film and a pad are sequentially formed. Finally the implantation of ROM code ions in accordance with the user's order is carried out, completing the fabrication of the MROM. It is possible to reduce the processing time (turn around time) taken in fabricating the MROM by the manufacturer after the order by the user because the ROM code ion implantation is carried out at the final stage of the MROM fabrication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a mask read only memory (ROM), and more particularly to a method for fabricating a mask ROM of the ion implantation type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
ROMs are memory devices capable of storing information, without any change, for the operating life thereof. They are a kind of non-volatile memory device in which information stored is not erased even if the supply of electric power were to be shut off.
Such ROMs are widely employed in look-up tables and character generators.
ROMs are mainly classified into mask ROMs (MROMs), in which data desired by the user is written by use of a mask in a fabricating process for the devices, and programmable ROMs (PROMs), in which data is electrically programmed after the fabrication. PROMs are further classified into erasable PROMs (EPROMs), in which data stored is erasable by use of ultraviolet ray so that new data can then be programmed, and electrically erasable ROMs (EEPROMs), in which data stored is electrically erasable so that new data can then be programmed.
MROMs in which data desired by the user is written into the ROM by use of a mask in a fabricating process for the devices have several advantages. A first is the advantage of having a simple circuit construction in which no separate data writing circuit is required. A second is the advantage of requiring only a simple fabrication in which the memory cell structure used requires no specific fabricating process. A third advantage lies in providing various memory cell systems from which an appropriate one can be selected according to the use intended.
However, such MROMs have a disadvantage because the MROMs are fabricated according to an order for codes, the time (turn around time) taken in supplying products from the manufacturer to the final user is lengthy, as compared with other ROMs such as EPROMs and EEPROMs. The MROMs also have the disadvantage of being difficult to produce having multiple codes in small quantities. Moreover, there is the drawback that the manufacturer or the user may be taking more or less of a risk, since it is impossible to change data after the fabrication because the programming of data is achieved during the fabrication.
Data writing methods for MROMs widely used are those of a contact opening and closing method, wherein writing of information is achieved by opening and closing contacts, and an ion implantation method, wherein writing of information is achieved by use of ion implantation. MROMs are mainly classified into NOR type MROMs and NAND type MROMs as defined by the circuit structure of the memory cell which is used in the device.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are pictorial schematic views respectively illustrating a memory cell array in a conventional MROM of the contact opening and closing type. FIG. 1A is a plan view of a layout of the memory cell array, whereas FIG. 1B is a schematic circuit diagram of an equivalent circuit of the memory cell array.
In FIG. 1A, a region 1 surrounded by the dotted line corresponds to one of a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix manner in the memory cell array. Each memory cell 1 is realized by either an N type or a P type MOS transistor.
Since writing of data in the MROM of the contact opening and closing type is achieved according to either the presence of a contact hole 5 or the absence thereof, the opening and closing of contact hole 5, namely, the presence or absence of contact holes 5, corresponds to logic levels "1" and "0" of the stored data, respectively.
In the MROM of the contact opening and closing type, a diffusion region 2 which serves as a drain region of the MOS transistor, is connected to a bit line 6 through each corresponding contact hole 5. Thus the process of forming ROM codes becomes nearer to a final step in the fabrication process. As a result, the processing time required to be taken in fabricating the MROM by the manufacturer after the ordering by the consumer, i.e., the "turn around time" (TAT), is reduced.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic and pictorial views respectively illustrating a memory cell array in a conventional MROM of the ion implantation type. FIG. 1A is a plan view of a layout of such a memory cell array, whereas FIG. 1B is a circuit diagram of an equivalent circuit of the memory cell array.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B, elements corresponding to those in FIGS. 1A and 1B are denoted by the same reference numerals.
The MROM shown in FIG. 2A is of the ion implantation type, in which a region 7 surrounded by the dotted line corresponds to an impurity-implanted region formed at a channel region of a MOS transistor.
In this case, the memory cell 1 comprises a plurality of MOS transistors which include those each having impurity-implanted regions 7 and others not having an impurity-implanted region 7. The MOS transistors having the impurity-implanted region 7 become transistors operating in the depletion mode corresponding to the level "1" of information, whereas the MOS transistors having no impurity-implanted region 7 become transistors operating in the enhancement mode corresponding to a logic level "0" of information.
In FIG. 2B, the reference numerals E and D denote MOS transistors of the enhancement and the depletion modes, respectively.
In an MROM of the ion implantation type, the ion implantation is carried out at a point of time nearer to the initial process step than to the final process step. Thus the processing time for fabricating an MROM by the manufacturer after an order by a user, the TAT, is lengthened, as compared to MROMs of the contact opening and closing type.
For fabricating such conventional ion implantation MROMs, first, a gate oxide film, a gate electrode and source/drain regions are formed on a semiconductor substrate, forming a MOS transistor. Thereafter, an ion implantation step for introducing ROM codes is carried out, so that data in accordance with the user's order is programmed.
A boron phosphorous silicate glass (BPSG) film is then deposited over the MOS transistor. This BPSG film is then heat treated to form a smoothing film. Thereafter, the steps for formation of contact holes and metal film are carried out. A passivation layer is then deposited over the entire exposed surface of the resulting structure. Thereafter, formation of contact pads is carried out, to complete the fabrication of the MROM.
In such a conventional method, there is a problem of a low productivity, because the process of implanting ROM code ions is carried out at an initial stage of the fabrication, which results in a very long turn around time, in that the fabrication of MROM is achieved after an order for ROM codes is placed by the user, at which time ROM code ions are implanted by the manufacturer in accordance with the user's order.


A resident measurement system for a charge level of a blast furnace includes a chamber, a servo system, a distance measurement unit, and a cooling-cleaning unit. The chamber is combined with a lateral furnace wall of the blast-furnace, covers an opening of the furnace wall, and has a pivoting hole. A pivot of the distance measurement unit is pivotally disposed at the pivoting hole, and the distance measurement unit is driven by the servo system to perform a motion with the pivot as a movement center, so as to measure the charge level. The cooling-cleaning unit is used to supply a high-pressure gas, which flows through the distance measurement unit to perform cooling and cleansing operations. The measurement system is small in dimension, and capable of scanning the charge level in an environment with high temperature, high concentration of dust, and high corrosion in the blast furnace, establishing charge level information into a two-dimensional charge level mode, and obtaining a charge level profile distribution situation in real time, thereby promptly modifying a burden distribution mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a measurement system for a charge level of a blast furnace, and more particularly to a resident measurement system for a charge level of a blast furnace.
2. Description of the Related Art
The charge level profile is a very important condition in blast furnace operation, and changing the burden distribution mode to acquire a reasonable furnace gas distribution is a method which is not only the most cost-efficient but also beneficial. A correct burden distribution mode can facilitate the manufacturing process by, for instance, increasing gas utilization and reducing the thermal load of a furnace wall, so it is one of the most important factors which influence the yield, the furnace lifetime, and the fuel ratio. However, in prior art, the blast furnace is subject to influences of heat radiation, pressure, and dust environment of the furnace top, so it is not easy to measure the charge level profile thereof in the production. In operations of the blast furnace, forming the required charge level shape to control the furnace gas distribution through a proper burden distribution mode is a main means for stabilizing the blast furnace and increasing production efficiency, so it is necessary to continuously measure the online charge level.
The laser distance measurement is usually applied to surface measurement of a large-scale object, such as in the case of civil engineering and construction measurement, historical sites conservation, and pipeline planning of petro-chemical plants. Measurement equipment applied to the blast-furnace further has many limitations in design. Because concentrations of carbon monoxide and dusts in the blast-furnace are very high, in order to prevent poisonous gas from leaking and dust from contaminating the equipment, small openings are dominant in design, which also causes difficulties in design and application. The mechanisms generally adopted by existing commercial optical scanning equipment on the market all utilize a reflective mirror with a rotatable mechanism, so as to generate scanning motions. However, commercial scanners are mostly all-purpose devices, which are disposed in an open space to perform measurement and are not designed to withstand specific interferences in the surrounding environment, such as high temperature, high-concentration dust, and high moisture. Furthermore, the opening of a scanner for blast furnace has to be as small as possible to avoid damage by high temperature, dust and corrosive gas, which would make a general commercial optical scanner unable to perform charge level measurement in the blast furnace.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a resident measurement system for a charge level of a blast furnace.

Resident measurement system for charge level of blast furnace


A vehicle stopping device having a panel of material with a split extending from one end of the panel toward an opposite end of the panel, a tactile surface formed adjacent to one of the panel and adapted to attach to a tire rolling thereover, and a reinforcement sash affixed to the panel of material and extending in a partial loop around the split seam. The reinforcement sash has a first end affixed adjacent to the tactile surface and a second end affixed to the tactile surface on an opposite side of the split seam from the first end. The panel has a width dimension suitable for extending across a roadway. The tactile surface extends across this width dimension. The panel is capable of being folded into a concertina. The tactile surface can be either an adhesive applied onto a top surface of the panel of material, an adhesive retained within a plurality of blisters affixed along a forward edge of the panel of material, or a plurality of barbs extending upwardly from the top surface of the panel of material.

As is perhaps well known, there have recently been several notorious chases of fleeing vehicles whose drivers refuse to stop or try to outrun the police. Some of the most famous chases involved armed and dangerous criminals who had virtually nothing to lose by using their vehicle to crash through classic police roadblocks which often resulted in bodily injury and great property damage.
The classic police roadblock by which police cars are parked across a roadway results in blockage of all vehicular traffic and thereby often causes congestion of citizen drivers at the roadblock who must either be allowed to pass by movement of police cars or risk physical harm in any subsequent confrontation between the police and the driver of a fleeing vehicle. In other words, classic police roadblocks are non-selective, cause congestion and often result in more injury than they are worth.
Accordingly, the prior art reveals attempts to replace classic police roadblocks with a selective and safe means for stopping a fleeing vehicle by puncturing its tires. A preferred device in use today is known as a spike strip and there are several variations, none of which have the advantages of the present invention. One of the earlier known spike strips simply consisted of a narrow length of flat rubber or fabric base containing a multitude of nails oriented in the same direction so that the strip could be coiled for storage in a trunk of a police car, but upon approach of a fleeing vehicle, the coil could be rolled across a roadway in the path of the vehicle whereby the nails would puncture the tires. However, in practice, it soon became apparent that a coil of nails had several inherent problems. First, the nails often snagged upon each other as the coil was unwound and often ensnared itself on other items. Secondly, someone had to physically place the outstretched strip with nails upright in the path of an oncoming vehicle which was usually driven at a very high speed, thereby allowing a few seconds to complete the task. Thirdly, even when initial contact is made between the strip and the fleeing vehicle, it was often seen that solid nails alone did not deflate the tires rapidly enough and the vehicle would continue for several more miles before being disabled. Fourthly, this type of coiled spike strip was non-selective in that any innocent vehicle ahead of the fleeing vehicle on the same roadway would obviously contact the nails and thereby most often result in the entire strip being adhered to the tires and dislodged from the roadway.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to devices for the rapid stopping of vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,714, issued on May 10, 1983 to W. G. Hutchison, describes a vehicle disabling device in the form of a plurality of spike-like devices adapted to project perpendicular to a road surface to puncture one or more tires of a fleeing vehicle. A plurality of the devices are interconnected for ease in putting in place and removing as well as creating a flailing effect when engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,303, issued on Oct. 1, 1985 to F. G. Glasmire, describes a protective traffic barrier designed to divert motor vehicle traffic away from an object or roadway. This device employs a base with wedge-shaped projections extending vertically from the base so as to impede the movement of a motor vehicle across the barrier. The shape of the base may be designed to fulfill a particular function including an opening to allow the barrier to fit over an object to be protected. A resilient cover encapsulates the base so as to protect people or animals from contact injury with the wedge-shaped projections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,774, issued on Jun. 23, 1992 to J. J. Dubiel, teaches an apparatus for the puncturing of tires. This apparatus employs a plurality of spaced tubular supports which are secured together by a flexible tether line. The respective outer distal tubular support members include a respective outer tether line that is in turn secured to a spike member for projection into the ground surface on opposed sides of a highway structure. Plural pairs of spaced parallel spikes define an acute angle therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,385, issued on Jun. 21, 1994 to R. Reisman, describes an anti-vehicle barrier that includes a pad made of a compressible material. An array of upwardly directed hollow metal spikes are distributed throughout the pad so as to puncture the tire of a vehicle which rides over the pad. The spikes may be removable so that upon puncturing the tire, they are removed from the pad and retained by the punctured tire so as to bring about its rapid deflation. When deployed in the pad, the spikes are flush with or are below the top surface of the pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,292, issued on Jul. 12, 1994 to F. R. Williams, teaches a traffic barrier which gives law-enforcement officers an effective traffic barrier which can be easily carried in the trunk of a car and quickly deployed across a roadway. The chain is simply stretched across the roadway at a right angle to the direction of traffic and pulled tight. The traffic barrier chain is designed so that no matter how the chain is placed on the road surface, half of the splines will be facing the direction of traffic flow at an angle of 45 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,102, issued on Mar. 12, 1996 to S. Bissell, teaches a tire puncturing spike strip which can be placed on a road surface in front of a moving vehicle. The spike strip is composed of rectangular modular frame units with low height for easy storage in a trunk of a police vehicle. The frame units have interlocking ends which can be quickly assembled in any desired length for placement across a roadway with spikes in a normal down position to allow safe passage of vehicles over the strip. The spikes may be selectively and remotely activated to their up position electromechanically by an operator to target a specific fleeing vehicle. Once the fleeing vehicle crosses over the strip, the spikes may be electromechanically returned to their down position to allow pursuing police cars to safely cross over the strip and apprehend the disabled vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which rapidly brakes the fleeing vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which is capable of selective deployment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which serves to stop both large and small vehicles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which can be folded so as to be easily stored in the trunk of a law enforcement vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which can be deployed by a single person.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle stopping device which is easy to use, easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.


A method and a distributed locking system for the management of lock resources in a distributed files system having several lock managers, each managing lock resources in its respective domain. Each lock manager maintains a registry lock file that comprises of a list of all locked files and a list of lock requests. The registry lock files of all lock managers in the distributed locking system are saved in a central database. Furthermore, the system enables concurrent locking operations of different file sharing protocols on the same file system resources.

The present invention relates generally to distributed file systems, and more particularly, for managing lock resources in distributed file systems.
During the past decade, the demand for scalability of storage systems has sharply increased. To meet this demand many storage systems implement distributed architectures, i.e., distributed storage systems. Generally, multiple processing nodes (e.g., storage servers) that serve data to client applications characterize a distributed storage system. The processing nodes and systems that host the client applications are connected through a network.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary diagram of a distributed storage system 100 is shown. The system 100 comprises of a plurality of independent processing nodes 110 connected to storage devices 120 through a Fiber Channel (FC) connection 130. A storage device 120 may be a tape drive, a disk drive, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) or similar devices. The processing nodes 110 are further connected to a plurality of clients 140 through a gigabit Ethernet or InfiBand connection 150. The clients 140 may utilize any file sharing protocols, such as network file system (NFS), common internet file system (CIFS), direct access file system (DAFS) or AppleShare to access data stored in storage devices 120. The processing nodes 110 communicate through a network 160, which may be a dedicated network, a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN) or a local area network (LAN). This allows distributed storage system 100 to aggregate dispersed data centers into a single, unified, storage device. An example of a distributed storage system 100 is disclosed in PCT patent application PCT/US00/34258, entitled "Interconnect Topology for a scalable Distributed Computer System" assigned to common assignee and which is hereby incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
The operation of the system 100 is managed by a distributed file system, which allows for sharing and storing files in the storage devices 120 or in a cache memory on various levels of storage hierarchy. Additionally, the distributed file system provides a locking mechanism to maintain data consistency of shared files. Specifically, the locking mechanism guarantees that only one client can write to a single file at a time. For example, when a client 140-1 writes to a file "A", the file is locked to prevent another client 140-2 from manipulating the file "A". When client 140-1 closes file "A" and client 140-2 attempts to write to that file, the distributed file system then informs client 140-2 that changes were made to the file "A".
As mentioned above, client 140 can access a file using a plurality of file sharing protocols, each such protocol providing a different mechanism for locking files. For example, the NFS protocol supports share locks and byte range locks, whereas the CIFS protocol supports share locks and byte range locks, as well as the opportunistic locks (Oplocks). A share lock provides exclusive or non-exclusive access permission for an entire file, while the byte range lock provides the same permission for a portion of a file. The Oplock is a non-persistent mechanism that is designed for optimizing local file caching. The Oplock allows a client 140 to notify a processing node 110 that another client (or process) requires access to the file and as result client 140 should flush the cached file back to the server. Generally, an exclusive lock granted to a client 140 does not allow other clients to access the file. A non-exclusive lock granted to a client 140 allows other clients to access the file for reading from or writing to the file. The access rights depend on the lock's mode.
In related art, distributed file mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,828,876, 6,009,427 and 6,173,293. However, the disclosed mechanisms do not provide locking services satisfying the locking requirements of all file-sharing protocols. Specifically, the current locking mechanisms do not enable simultaneous operations of different sharing protocols on the same file system resource. Furthermore, the distributed locking mechanisms disclosed in the related are not scalable beyond a certain number of nodes.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a method and a distributed locking system that would resolve the shortcomings introduced in by the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for managing lock resources in a distributed storage system


Example status prompt multimedia playing methods and apparatus are described. One example method includes receiving a first multimedia request by a status prompt application server, where the first multimedia request includes a non-idle identifier and is sent by a TAS. The status prompt application server sends a first multimedia response including a status prompt multimedia session description protocol (SDP) to the TAS, and receives a first multimedia acknowledgement message that includes a calling-side multimedia SDP and that is sent by the TAS. In this way, the status prompt application server obtains the calling-side multimedia SDP, and implements negotiation and acknowledgement of multimedia capability sets between the status prompt application server and a calling terminal device. The status prompt application server can play corresponding status prompt multimedia for the calling terminal device based on different non-idle identifiers. This implements playing of personalized status prompt multimedia in a non-idle state scenario.

Currently, a ring back tone service is a mature telecommunications value-added service. The current ring back tone service (including a video ring back tone service) is only provided in a scenario in which a called party is in a service area of a network and is idle. In other words, a calling party can experience the ring back tone service only when the called party is idle. When the called party is in another status (such as in a power-off state, a user busy state, or arrears) or is using a supplementary service (such as a call waiting service or a call hold service), a called-side network plays a non-customized power-off tone or a busy tone for the calling party. Consequently, the calling party cannot hear a personalized ring back tone, and the called party cannot customize the personalized ring back tone to be used when the called party is in such a non-idle state.

Status prompt multimedia playing method and system, and apparatus


A composition is disclosed that includes an at least partially stabilized zirconia matrix with a pentavalent oxide first dopant and an oxide second dopant. A coated article is disclosed for use in a high temperature a gas turbine. The coated article can include an yttria-stabilized zirconia, a pentavalent oxide first dopant, and an oxide second dopant. The ratio of the pentavalent oxide second dopant to the oxide third dopant can be less than or equal to about 1. The composition can reduce sintering of the thermal barrier coating.

A thermal barrier coating (TBC) system may be used to protect the components of a gas turbine engine that are subjected to the highest material temperatures. The TBC system usually includes a bond coat that is deposited upon a superalloy substrate, and a ceramic TBC that is deposited upon the bond coat. The TBC acts as a thermal insulator against the heat of the hot combustion gas. The bond coat bonds the TBC to the substrate and also inhibits oxidation and corrosion of the substrate.
One currently used TBC is a stabilized zirconia, which is zirconia (zirconium oxide) with an oxide added to stabilize the zirconia against phase changes that otherwise occur as the TBC is heated and cooled during fabrication and service. The stabilized zirconia is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process such as electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD). In this deposition process, the grains of the stabilized zirconia form as columnar structures that extend generally outwardly from and perpendicular to the substrate and the bond coat.
To be effective, the TBC system must have a low thermal conductivity and be strongly adherent to the article to which it is bonded under contemplated use conditions. To promote adhesion and to extend the service life of a TBC system, an oxidation-resistant bond coat is usually employed. Bond coats are typically in the form of overlay coatings such as MCrAlX, where M is a transition metal such as iron, cobalt, and/or nickel, and X is yttrium or another rare earth element. Bond coats are also diffusion coatings such as simple aluminide or platinum aluminide. A notable example of a diffusion aluminide bond coat contains a platinum intermetallic, e.g. NiPtAl. When a diffusion bond coat is applied, a zone of interdiffusion forms beneath a diffusion bond coat. This zone is typically referred to as a diffusion zone.
During exposure of the ceramic TBC and subsequent exposures to high temperatures such as during ordinary service use thereof, bond coats of the type described above oxidize to form a tightly adherent alumina scale that protects the underlying structure from catastrophic oxidation.
The columnar structure of the TBC system is of particular importance to adherence of the coating and to the coating maintaining a low thermal conductivity. In addition to gaps between columns, there also exists a fine porosity within subgrains in the columnar structure. The fine porosity is sometimes observed to be oriented substantially orthogonal to the columns.
As the stabilized zirconia is cycled to elevated temperatures during service, sintering creates the problems of both the large-grain, inter-columnar porosity and the subgrain, fine porosity being gradually closed. As a result, the ability of the stabilized zirconia to accommodate thermal expansion strains gradually is reduced, and the thermal conductivity of the stabilized zirconia gradually increases by about 20 percent or more.
It has been recognized that the addition of sintering inhibitors to the stabilized zirconia reduces the tendency of the gaps between the columnar grains to close by sintering during service of the thermal barrier coating. A number of sintering inhibitors have been proposed. However, these sintering inhibitors have various shortcomings, and there is a need for more effective sintering inhibitors.
Some of the physical demands of a gas turbine blade include operation in extreme environments. One condition to which a gas turbine blade is subjected is the erosive effect of small particles that pass across the turbine blade. The small particles can be generated a part of the combustion process inside a gas turbine. Another condition that a gas turbine blade is subjected to is foreign objects that come into the gas stream.
What is needed is a TBC that avoids at least some of the problems that existed in the prior art.

Thermal barrier coating with reduced sintering and increased impact resistance, and process of making same


A pneumatic closing apparatus suitable for metering grain or other material gravity discharged by twin pendulum hopper doors from a hopper trailer. The closing apparatus includes a bidirectional pneumatic cylinder that operates a linkage assembly controlling the doors and a torsion spring which damps the pneumatic cylinder so that it is possible to meter the grain or other material. The torsion spring also resisting opening of the pendulum doors if the pneumatic cylinder loses pressure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closing apparatus for twin pendulum hopper doors suitable for metering grain from a hopper trailer.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A hopper trailer is a vehicle designed with one or more dropped hoppers below the trailer body. Each hopper has a bottom discharge opening through which material is gravity discharged. In the case of hopper trailers for use in hauling grain, a closing apparatus making use of pneumatically operated twin pendulum doors has been found effective. While a separate source of pressurized air could be used, it is preferred that the pneumatic system be operated off the vehicle""s air brake system where pressures tend to decrease with age of the vehicle. This is a problem for a pneumatic closing apparatus where the doors are closed with an extension spring.
Grain is typically unloaded into an augur or pit. When grain is unloaded from a hopper trailer, the operator may need to stop the flow or to adjust the rate at which the grain is flowing such that the flow of grain does not overrun the augur.
With a pneumatically operated closing apparatus having a spring return, there may not be enough pressure in an older vehicle""s air brake system to open the doors against the resistant of a spring stiff enough to close the doors against the flow of grain. Hence a closing apparatus that effectively meters the grain at first may stop working as the vehicle ages.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compressed air closing apparatus for twin pendulum hopper doors wherein the discharge of material in the hopper can be regulated and accurately metered by the doors. It is another object to provide a compressed air closing apparatus whose performance is not substantially affected by a decline in available air pressure. Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
In accordance with the invention, a door closing apparatus is provided for a hopper with a bottom discharge opening for discharging material therefrom and first and second pendulum doors connected to the hopper that are moveable between a closed position preventing discharge of material from the hopper through the bottom discharge opening and an open position allowing discharge of material from the hopper through the bottom discharge opening. A framework is provided in the discharge opening for supporting the door closing apparatus.
The door closing apparatus has a first gear wheel mounted on a first shaft and a second gear wheel mounted on a second shaft, with the first and second shafts journaled in the framework in the discharge opening and with the first and second gear wheels having teeth in mesh. A torsion spring having first and second spring arms and an initial tension is attached by the first spring arm to one of said first or second shafts and the second spring arm is stopped from rotation by the framework.
A first crank arm is attached to the first gear wheel and a second crank arm is attached to the second gear wheel, with each of the first and second crank arms having a free end. A lever arm with a free end is attached to one of the first or second crank arms.
A first connecting link is pivotally attached to the free end of the first crank arm and pivotally attached to the first pendulum door and a second connecting link is pivotally attached to the end of the second crank arm and pivotally attached to a second pendulum door. The first and second crank arms are generally oppositely directed when the pendulum doors are in a closed position and are generally parallel when the pendulum doors are in an open position.
A bidirectional pneumatic cylinder with a piston rod for connection with a source of pressurized air is pivotally attached to the framework above the first and second gear wheels. The piston rod is pivotally attached to the free end of the lever arm.
In operation, the initial tension of the torsion spring damps movement of the pendulum doors by the pneumatic cylinder and resists opening of the pendulum doors if the pneumatic cylinder loses pressure.
The invention summarized above comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated by the subjoined claims.

Closing apparatus for twin pendulum hopper doors