A method for uploading and storing application code in a re-writable, non-volatile memory of an electronic device is carried out by means of a bootloader. The bootloader receives the application code transmitted by a master unit through a communication channel, writes at least one portion of the application code to a portion of the non-volatile memory, and validates the at least one portion of the application code by means of the bootloader.

The present invention relates to electronic devices, in particular electronic embedded devices, which may include a microcontroller and a nonvolatile memory storing software or application code, i.e. firmware. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for programming or re-programming firmware in electronic embedded devices, such as power supply systems, controllers, sensors and other devices.
In the field of producing, programming and installing embedded electronic devices, it is well known that, even after a test or production period, a need can arise to re-program the devices to update them to new functionalities or because of the presence of faults or failures not previously detected in the code.
The conventional re-programming solution is to physically remove the board and to update the firmware by means of a conventional external programming device.
A bootloader is a software layer which manages the basic functions of the device to update the application code without using a programmer and without touching the device itself. Typically, this operation is performed by using a communication channel, e.g. RS232, RS485, 12CBus, SPI, or USB. This procedure is carried out remotely. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider that an embedded environment is typically an environment with few resources, and that the bootloader must necessarily ha code.
In an embedded environment (e.g., power supply systems, controllers, and sensors) this software layer is used for reprogramming the firmware with no need to shut down the machine, to remove the board from its support, or to disconnect it from one or more parts of the device. In this manner, savings can be obtained in a variety of ways, including the following:
1. There is no need for the customer to return the devices to be reprogrammed.
2. The customer himself can update the firmware received through any means, even through the same management program for managing the device, i.e. "friendly" interface produced and tested ad hoc by the manufacturing company.
3. The customer does not incur service interruptions due to the "traditional" management of reprogramming.
4. The manufacturing company can provide stronger support to the customer without logistics and management costs of reprogramming, by making the new firmware available for the customer through whatever means (e.g. via electronic mail).
European Patent Publication EP-A-1,701,262 describes a method for re-programming a device, in which a memory is present, comprising a sector storing a bootloader and one or more sectors storing the application programs. This publication relates in particular to a method that allows optimal exploitation of the available memory without leaving unused spaces but rather guaranteeing the integrity of the bootloader during the reprogramming phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,365 describes a system for updating applications by means of a flashloader in a vehicle control unit for controlling electronic devices. The described system provides for the automatic update from an existing version of application code to a new version by using the flashloader.
One of the problems that can occur in conventional updating or re-programming procedures is management of the critical operations, which can result in a malfunction of the device. These critical operations can include: management of the communication channel; receipt of the new firmware fragmented into a plurality of messages; power outage during the procedure; corruption of the new firmware (during transmission, during saving, or corruption of a memory cell, because of external factors due to damage to the device); minimal management of the device in the case of absence of the application code so as to avoid device damage; and certainty that the application code to be executed is the code "desired" by the person who updated the device.
Data corruption or loss during the reprogramming phase controlled by the bootloader can result in a non-functioning device. Errors in data transmission, reading or writing, an accidental power outage, or other external factors may lead to the corruption of the application code and, therefore, to a failure in the device.

Method and apparatus for reprogramming applications in embedded devices


An inorganic felt material includes zirconia stabilized by at least one Group IIA material, such that the Group IIA material includes at least one of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), or a combination thereof. The felt material may also include at least one Group III material.

The present application relates to a ceramic felt material for high-temperature fuel cells. More specifically, the present application relates to inorganic felt materials for sealing gaskets in molten carbonate fuel cell manifolds.
Metal external manifolds are a component of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) and are positioned over the faces of a MCFC stack in order to separately contain the fuel, oxidant, and exhaust atmospheres. As a result, the manifolds must be manufactured and installed to be leak resistant and electrically isolated from other components of the MCFC stack to prevent electrical shorting throughout all phases of the MCFC operation (i.e. stack conditioning, thermal cycling, etc.) at temperatures exceeding 600° C. One means to achieve leak resistance and electrical isolation has been to include a gasket between the MCFC stack and manifold; the gasket is pressurized to form a seal. However, because gaskets are designed as continuous structures from cell-to-cell along the vertical faces of the MCFC stack, and also because gaskets may contact molten electrolyte at each cell, conventional gaskets often experience significant voltage-driven migration of the electrolyte along the gasket which results in removal of electrolyte from one end of the stack and a flooding of electrolyte at the opposite end. Furthermore, over time, the MCFC may undergo shifts in manifold position or shape and/or changes in the vertical profile of the MCFC stack, either of which may dislodge or create gaps in the gasket seal due to weakness and lack of elasticity of the gasket material.
Previous efforts to improve gasket performance have included specialized heat treatments to promote cross-linking between fibers of the inorganic felt, designing gaskets having multiple felt layers and various material compositions, etc. However, these efforts suffered from difficulty of practical implementation in manufacturing or scarcity of materials and end-products or methods of fabrication were not adequate to achieve the required strength and electrolyte migration resistance properties in corrosive operating conditions to serve as sealing gaskets for molten carbonate fuel cells.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved inorganic felt material for sealing gaskets in MCFCs that overcomes the foregoing challenges. These and other advantageous features will be apparent to those reviewing the present disclosure.

Ceramic felt material for high-temperature fuel cells


A torque limiting coupling (5) has a plurality of slide-like driving members (19) circumferentially and movably distributed in a coupling hub (10). The unit is rotatably accommodated in a coupling sleeve (7). The driving members (19), with their torque transmitting faces (25) at their heads, are pushed by a spring assembly (38, 39) and switching cams (32) into correspondingly designed recesses (22) of the coupling sleeve (7). The pressure springs (38, 39) and the switching faces (30, 31) of the driving members (19) as well as the torque transmitting face (25) are arranged so as to extend in the same direction. Thus, the springs (38, 39), during the transmission of torque by the coupling sleeve (7), subject the driving members (19) to a moment which acts against the tilting moment resulting from the transmission of torque. This results in an improved wear and switching behavior.

The invention relates to a torque limiting coupling, especially in a driveline, for driving agricultural implements or machinery. The coupling includes a coupling hub and a rotatably supported coupling sleeve. Driving members are movably arranged in inwardly directed, circumferentially distributed recesses of the coupling hub. The heads of the driving members, in the torque transmitting position, each engage a corresponding recess in the opposed inner face of the coupling sleeve. The heads, in the switched-off position, are disengaged from the recesses. The rotational axis of the coupling sleeve and coupling hub extends parallel to the torque transmitting face of the heads. The base of the driving elements is provided with two switching faces. One switching face provides support in the torque transmitting position, and the other switching face, provides support in the switched-off position. The switching faces are loaded by respective switching faces of a switching cam. The switching cam is spring-loaded in the direction of the torque transmitting position and movable transversely relative to the respective driving member arranged in the recess in the coupling hub. The switching faces serve torque transmitting purposes and extend at an angle relative to the central axis of the respective driving member. The angle is greater than the angle of the switched off position. Also, the switching faces are designed so as to correspond to one another.
DE-PS 912 411, published Apr. 15, 1954, illustrates a torque limiting coupling. The torque limiting coupling is designed to transmit torque and to be switched off in both possible directions of rotation. For this purpose, the head faces of the driving members are designed as cylindrical members. Each member includes two inclined faces engaging coupling sleeve recesses with corresponding inclined faces. Towards the inside, the driving members are provided with inclined faces loaded by switching cams, which are movable transversely relative to the driving members. The switching cams are each loaded towards one another in the direction of the switching faces of the driving members by a spring. In the disconnected position, the switching cams, with their faces extending parallel to the cylindrical face, are supported on the cylindrical face of the driving members. Re-engagement is possible through actuation from the outside. For this purpose, there is provided a switching ring which, via a slot control system, engages the driving members and moves them back into the torque transmitting position. With such a design, the driving members, when torque is transmitted, carry out a tilting movement around all axis extending through the central axis of the driving members and parallel to the rotational axis of the torque limiting coupling. As the spring forces exerted by the switching cams cancel one another, these cannot make a stabilizing contribution.
The tilting movement leads to edge pressure between the recess edges loaded by the respective driving members in the torque transmitting direction towards the outer face of the coupling hub. This leads to an increase in the size of the recess through wear and to wear on the driving members.
In addition, there is built up a projection which increases the friction between the outer face of the coupling hub and the inner face of the coupling sleeve. The overall result is that the reaction accuracy is reduced and furthermore, increasing wear may lead to overloading.

Torque limiting coupling with driving members and switching cams having complementary faces


An improved solenoid actuated, fluid control valve includes a diaphragm which is fluid actuated. Inlet pressure through a restricted orifice into a chamber on one side of the diaphragm acts against the diaphragm and causes closure of the valve, when the solenoid actuated valve in the passage from the chamber to exhaust is operated. When the solenoid or pilot operated exhaust is actuated, then the chamber is depressurized and the fluid flow valve opens.

This invention relates to an improved fluid valve and, in particular, to a solenoid actuated, pneumatic valve.
Heretofore power tool designers have recognized the desirability for control of a pneumatic valve in a pneumatic tool by using electrical sensors and signals. For example, it may be desirable to sense torque output by a pneumatic screwdriver with electrical sensor means, and thereby control the air supply to the tool. Such control has been effected in various ways. One of the ways is to provide a solenoid which operates a pilot or other mechanism in order to effect pneumatic control valve actuation. In this manner a low power DC voltage solenoid can be used to actuate a pneumatic valve.
A desirable feature with respect to such a solenoid operated pneumatic valve has been to provide for a quick response time by the valve. Clapp in U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,724 discloses a fast acting solenoid operated disc valve which provides for valve response time on the order of 5 milliseconds and which also has a very small size.
The present invention contemplates a fast acting electronically operated pneumatic or fluid shut-off valve which provides for improved response time and which further provides for actuation over a wide range of pressures with a generally low voltage solenoid actuator.


A method of producing an acoustic radiation pattern, the method comprising receiving an input audio signal representing a first acoustic radiation pattern, generating an acoustic monopole and an acoustic dipole based on the input audio signal, wherein generating the acoustic monopole and the acoustic dipole is to produce a second acoustic radiation pattern substantially similar to the first acoustic radiation pattern.

In audio playback applications, a piece of audio is played back using a sound producing device. For example, a music recording encoded in an electronic file can be output by a speaker unit of a home entertainment system. Many different configurations of playback systems and speakers exist that aim to provide high quality playback of audio to a listener.
Many sound recording techniques involve capturing an acoustic radiation pattern. This pattern represents the sound field produced by an acoustic source, for example a musical instrument, in both intensity and direction. One way in which an acoustic radiation pattern can be recorded is described in GB394325. The method described is known as "Blumlein recording", after its inventor A. D. Blumlein. This recording can capture a spatial, or "true directional", impression of an acoustic source by using two or more microphones configured to capture the sound field of an acoustic source, including its directional qualities. This is essentially a way to emulate human hearing, where humans detect phase and intensity differences in a sound field as the sound waves arrive at each of our left and right ears. The brain can then use this to determine the direction from which the sound is coming.
The captured audio can be encoded in an electronic signal and the left and right sides of the sound field can be defined. The electrical stereophonic signal encoding proposed by Blumlein is described by the now classic and simple relations:left=mid+sideright=mid−side
In these relations, the "mid" signal represents the centre of a stereo image and the "side" signal represents the edges of that image. In these equations, the sign of the encoded side signal describes the phase of the analogue electrical signal, thus implying that the left and right variables are tensors defined by the mid and side vectors. The above equations can be applied to an electronic signal registered from an acoustic domain, and have an inherent psycho-acoustic property (how they will be perceived by a listener when they are played back) that is dependent on how the registering microphones are placed geometrically in relation to each other and to the sound field to be captured.
Despite many sound recording and playback techniques being available, there is a general disregard in the art for accurately reproducing the acoustic radiation pattern of an input piece of audio when the audio is generated for consumption by a listener. To date, there has been no solution to how to reproduce the acoustic radiation pattern carried in an input audio signal in an accurate manner.


A method for measuring a glycated protein in a sample, the method comprising (1) a step of allowing a sample in which a degradation product has been generated from a glycated protein by a protease to react with an oxidoreductase in the presence of an electron mediator to generate a reduced electron mediator; and (2) a step of detecting the reaction state in the step (1) by an electrochemical technique using an interdigitated electrode.

It is known that the blood level of glycated proteins reflects the average blood glucose level over a certain period in the past and the measured value of the blood level can be an important indicator for diagnosis and management of symptoms of diabetes mellitus. As the glycated proteins, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is the glycated protein of hemoglobin, and glycated albumin (GA), which is the glycated protein of albumin, are known. The blood level of glycated proteins is a stable indicator reflecting the blood glucose level over a long period (several weeks to several months) and is therefore useful for judging whether or not the glycemic control that is performed for diagnosing or treating diabetes mellitus is successful.
As a method for measuring the blood level of a glycated protein, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method using a fructosyl amino acid oxidase (hereinafter, may be referred to as "FAOD"). In the method disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a sample is pretreated with a protease to degrade a glycated protein into glycated peptides and glycated amino acids before the reaction between the sample and FAOD, and thereby the reaction rate of FAOD is enhanced, and the detection sensitivity for the glycated protein is enhanced. The titer of FAOD can be measured by using a known method, such as a colorimetric method, a fluorescent method, and an electrochemical method.
Furthermore, various procedures, in which about 0.3 to 10 microliters (μL) of a liquid sample is sucked into a sensor unit, the sample is treated with a variety of reagents in the sensor unit, and the reaction is measured to analyze the sample, have been proposed. In particular, a biosensor that can measure the concentration of a specific substance in a sample by utilizing the substrate specificity of an enzyme used as a reagent is suitable for analysis of a biological sample containing a variety of substances and therefore has been used not only as medical test equipment but also in various fields. Patent Literature 2 discloses a known example of application of such a biosensor to measurement of the blood level of a glycated protein. In the biosensor disclosed in Patent Literature 2, FAOD is immobilized on an electrode together with an artificial electron mediator by a water-soluble photocurable resin, and the glycated protein concentration is measured by an electrochemical method.
Furthermore, Patent Literature 3 discloses a method for measuring a blood component, such as glucose, by applying a biosensor including an interdigitated electrode to the measurement. In the method disclosed in Patent Literature 3, the biosensor having an interdigitated electrode oxidizes the blood component by an oxidoreductase and detects the oxidation current due to the reaction product with the electrode to measure the blood component.

Method for measuring glycated protein using interdigitated electrode


A computer program product and method for dynamically creating test scripts for software testing. The method includes selecting one or more reference scripts to create a selected script set, selecting one or more parameters to create a selected parameter set, generating permutations of the selected script set based upon the selected script set and the selected parameter set, and generating permutation test scripts for each of the generated permutations which include test code, a dynamic variable, and varying values for the dynamic variable amongst the permutation test scripts. Depending upon the scope of the parameters, the generation of permutations uses variations of an n-ary Cartesian product to determine the permutations and varying content of the generated permutation test scripts.

Software testing, especially data-driven testing, has typically used structured test scripts containing loops or conditions which iterate through a data table in order to execute the desired tests. In order to change the scale of a test or to add new variables to a test script, the internal logic and structure of the test script needs to change to include additional loops and conditions for the new variables. Due to these changes in the test script, the test script itself needs to be regressed in order to maintain the validity of all existing iterations through the test script. This regression testing of the test script adds costs and time to the level of effort necessary to maintain and scale the test script.
Additionally, a user must have intimate knowledge of the test tool, as well as programming skills, in order to use and run the test script. A user must understand the structure of the test script once opened in the test tool, and then be able to work with and within the test script in order to run the test that is needed. These limitations add to the total cost of ownership and reduce the return on investment in developing and delivering a well tested, high quality software solution to the solution's intended users. Current software testing methods lack the automation to dynamically create test scripts with changing variables that can be used by both skilled and non-skilled software testers.
Advantages over the prior art are herewith provided in the following disclosure.

Automated framework for dynamically creating test scripts for software testing


A cooling device comprises a circulation passage through which a liquid coolant flows, and a pump provided in the circulation passage configured to circulate the liquid coolant along the circulation passage. The pump includes, (1) a pump casing including a pump chamber into which the liquid coolant flows, (2) an impeller mounted in the pump chamber to push out the liquid coolant from the pump chamber to the circulation passage, and (3) an injection portion provided in the pump casing configured to inject the liquid coolant to the pump chamber.

1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to a cooling device in which liquid coolant is circulated for cooling a heat generating element in an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regarding a CPU or the like used in an electronic apparatus such as a portable computer, the amount of heat generated during operations is increasing, accompanying with faster speed operation and more multifunctional device. If the temperature of the CPU becomes too high, the CPU processing speed may decrease and there may be errors in the CPU operation.
In recent years, in order to increase cooling performance for the CPU, electronic apparatuses have been implemented with a so-called liquid cooling type cooling device in which liquid coolant (hereinafter "coolant") such as antifreeze or water, is circulated. Heat generated by the CPU is radiated outside the electronic apparatus by using the coolant having a specific heat which is much higher that air.
The above-described conventional cooling device comprises a heat receiving portion thermally connected to the CPU, a heat radiation portion which radiates a heat of the CPU, a circulation passage which makes connection between the heat reception portion and the heat radiation portion, and a pump which circulates a liquid coolant along the circulation passage.
The liquid coolant absorbs the heat from the CPU by heat exchange at the heat reception portion. The heated liquid coolant is sent to the heat radiation portion through the circulation passage and radiates the heat of the CPU in a course of passing the heat radiation portion. The liquid coolant cooled at the heat radiation portion returns to the heat reception portion through the circulation passage and absorbs the heat of the CPU again. By circulation of the liquid coolant, the heats of the CPU are sequentially transferred to the heat radiation portion, from which the transferred heats are radiated outside of a portable computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,147 discloses an electronic apparatus with this type of cooling device.
In the meantime, a conventional cooling device is provided with a reserve tank in the middle of a circulation passage. The reserve tank is intended to supplement an evaporation component of the liquid coolant and reserves a predetermined amount of the liquid coolant. Further, the reserve tank has an injection port. The injection port is available for use in injecting the liquid coolant into the circulation passage and is closed by a removable cap except for a liquid coolant injection mode.
According to such the conventional cooling device, after a heat reception portion has been connected to a heat radiation portion via a circulation passage, a liquid coolant is injected from an injection port of a reserve tank to a circulation passage. However, in a state in which piping of the circulation passage has been completed, a sealed space in which the inside of the circulation passage is shielded from the outside is provided. Therefore, even if the liquid coolant is injected from the injection port, the flow of the liquid coolant is prevented by the air which remains inside of the circulation passage or inside of the pump, and a long time is required until the liquid coolant has reached the pump.
As a result, even if an attempt is made to drive the pump and transfer the liquid coolant to the circulation passage, a wait time is extended until the pump has functioned efficiently. In other words, it takes long to fill the circulation passage with the liquid coolant.

Cooling device for an electronic apparatus


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to a cross-browser compliant web page zoom feature. A method includes receiving a web page with machine-readable instructions and a zoom factor for the web page; processing a document object model representation of the web page in accordance with the machine-readable instructions; and displaying the web page in a web browser according to the document object model representation. In that method, the processing includes modifying parameters pertaining to content in accordance with the zoom factor, if one or more scalable content parameters exist in the document object model representation, and modifying parameters pertaining to layout in accordance with the zoom factor, if one or more scalable layout parameters exist in the document object model representation.

The present disclosure relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to a web page zoom feature.
A web page is typically used to deliver content to users of the World Wide Web (the "web"). From a user's perspective, a program referred to as a web browser is typically used to access a web page. Examples of web browsers include Microsoft Corporation's Internet Explorer and Netscape Communications Corporation's Netscape Browser.
As part of the functions performed by a web browser, a web browser interprets code in a web page to determine how the web page should be displayed to a user. For example, a web page can include code that indicates the word "Hello" should be displayed, and formatting for the word should be bold. Following that example, a web browser can interpret the code, and display the world "Hello" as bold text.
Because a web page can include code that indicates how content in the web page should be displayed and a web browser can determine how to display the content in the web page, a combination of a web page and a web browser tends to govern how content is displayed to a user. Consequently, if a web page includes code that indicates content of a web page (e.g., text) should be, for example, displayed at a small size, and a user is sight impaired, a web browser can display content that the user is incapable of reading.


A method and apparatus for treating a subterranean formation with a fluid, including forming a fluid including a organosilane and a particulate and introducing the fluid into a subterranean formation with exposed surfaces, wherein the organosilane modifies the particulate or surfaces or both. Also, a method and apparatus for treating a subterranean formation with a fluid, including forming a fluid including an organosilane and introducing the fluid into a subterranean formation with exposed surfaces, wherein the organosilane modifies the surfaces with a first functional group.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. The oilfield services industry stimulates the productivity of hydrocarbon wells and injector wells in subterranean formations. The most common techniques use aqueous-based fluids to increase hydrocarbon productivity and include matrix acidizing, hydraulic fracturing, acid-fracturing, sand control, water-control, enhanced oil-recovery, and other techniques. A number of these techniques involve the injection of aqueous solutions of polymers that may be crosslinked and may render viscous gels.
In either hydraulic fracturing or water-control, viscosified polymer selection and modification is critical to achieve predictable fluid properties, specifically, fluid rheology, particulate-suspension in hydraulic fracturing, and gel strength in water-control. In these and other stimulation treatments, tailoring the interactions of the gel with either the formation or injected particulates that may comprise part of the treatment could benefit the overall outcome. For example, improved gel strength in water control applications could lead to longer treatment-lifetimes; efficient and predictable generation and subsequent breaking of gel viscosity can help to minimize damage in hydraulic fracturing.
In hydraulic fracturing fluids, a viscosified polymer solution is used to carry solids including proppant such as sand downhole and through the length of the fracture. The inability to carry proppant through the entire fracture length leads to the premature buildup of proppant in the tubulars, the presence of this buildup is referred to as a screenout. The occurrence of a screenout is highly undesirable because of the costs to remove the material. Screenouts most often occur when the viscosity of the fluid is insufficient under the bottomhole temperature, shear rates experienced in the tubulars and fracture, and pressure to carry the proppant throughout the length of the fracture. There is a need to improve the fluid rheology under downhole conditions and, as a result, extend the time for sand-settling to improve the success rate of hydraulic fracturing using crosslinked polymer solutions. A wide variety of polymers are used in the crosslinked-polymer fluids pumped in hydraulic fracturing, including polysaccharides, guar, derivatized guar (including hydroxypropyl guar, HPG, and carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, CMHPG), xanthan gum, and diutan. Crosslinking is usually performed by crosslinking the polymer hydroxyl groups using inorganic species such as zirconates, titanates, aluminates, and other species such as borates or protected derivatives of any of these crosslinkers.
The other key to a successful hydraulic fracturing treatment relates to the behaviour of the viscous fluid after proppant placement. The viscous, often crosslinked, carrier fluid carries proppant throughout the fracture. As fluid leakoff occurs through the fracture faces, the crosslinked fluid concentrates significantly in the proppant pack, often leading to significant gel damage in the proppant pack. This gel damage is often strongly adsorbed to the proppant itself and minimizes the expected productivity gains from the fracturing treatment. In order to decrease the fluid rheology after treatment and minimize polymer-gel damage in the proppant pack, "breaker chemicals" are often added either throughout the fracturing fluid or in encapsulated form to release into the fluid upon fracture closure. However, the methods by which these breaker additives are added into the fluid can lead to heterogeneous placement through the proppant pack which often leads to insufficient rheology-break throughout the fracture. For example, encapsulated breaker may be deposited only in selected areas of a proppant pack, not homogeneously. As a result, significant amounts of unbroken polymer gel damage may exist in packets throughout the fracture, specifically, packets of gel strongly adsorbed to the proppant.
Another example of a crosslinked polymer solution used in oilfield services is in water shutoff or water control, where solutions of polymer and crosslinker are injected downhole and, after a delay, form a rigid crosslinked gel under bottomhole conditions including exposure to high temperature and pressure. In water control applications, this rigid, crosslinked gel forms within the formation in the porous matrix. The viscosity of a water control solution should remain low during the injection downhole to minimize friction pressure or drag through the tubular and to ensure injectivity into the target formation. However, the critical parameters for success of a water control treatment are the rigidity or gel strength of the gel upon crosslink and minimized extrusion of the gel from the formation. In current water control formulations, there is a lack of a distinct covalent bond between the crosslinked polymer gel and the formation. This lack can lead to debonding of the gel from the formation and extrusion of the gel out of the porous matrix.
An effective way to treat proppant surfaces and surfaces of subterranean formations to encourage effective interactions with each other and with fluids possibly containing polymer is needed.

Surface modification for cross-linking or breaking interactions with injected fluid


An object of the present invention is to simplify portions of an oil supply passage which portions are formed at a cylinder block. An oil supply device according to the present invention includes a cylinder block, an oil pan, an oil pump, and an oil filter. Wall portions of the oil pan are coupled to wall portions of the cylinder block. An oil filter is attached to the oil pan. An upstream oil supply passage through which the oil filtrated by the oil filter flows is formed at the oil pan. A downstream oil supply passage including a main gallery extending in a cylinder column direction is formed at the cylinder block. A first communication passage through which the main gallery and the upstream oil supply passage communicate with each other is formed at the wall portion of the cylinder block and the wall portion of the oil pan.

An oil supply device configured to suck up oil from an oil pan by using an oil pump and supply the oil to respective portions of an engine has been known. For example, in the oil supply device disclosed in PTL 1, a bearing portion of a crank shaft is formed at a cylinder block. The oil sucked up by the oil pump flows through an oil filter and an oil cooler to be supplied to the bearing portion through oil supply passages formed at the cylinder block.

Oil supply device of engine, method of manufacturing engine, and oil supply passage structure of engine


A method of contextually displaying points of interest (POIs) on a personal navigation device according to a user's travel purpose includes storing a plurality of POIs into a memory of the personal navigation device, the POIs having corresponding POI category labels, entering a destination location into the personal navigation device and providing navigational instructions for a trip to the destination location, associating a travel category with the trip to the destination location, and displaying POIs whose corresponding POI category labels are included in the travel category associated with the trip to the destination location.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a personal navigation device, and more particularly, to a personal navigation device that displays points of interest that relates to a user's travel purpose for producing less cluttered maps that contain more relevant information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Global Positioning System (GPS) based navigation devices are well known and are widely employed as in-car navigation devices. Common functions of a navigation device include providing a map database for generating navigation instructions that are then shown on a display of the navigation device. These navigation devices are often mounted on or in the dashboard of a vehicle using a suction mount or other mounting means.
The term "navigation device" refers to a device that enables a user to navigate to a pre-defined destination. The device may have an internal system for receiving location data, such as a GPS receiver, or may merely be connectable to a receiver that can receive location data. The device may compute a route itself, or communicate with a remote server that computes the route and provides navigation information to the device, or a hybrid device in which the device itself and a remote server both play a role in the route computation process. Portable GPS navigation devices are not permanently integrated into a vehicle but instead are devices that can readily be mounted in or otherwise used inside a vehicle. Generally (but not necessarily), they are fully self-contained—i.e. include an internal GPS antenna, navigation software and maps and can hence plot and display a route to be taken.
One useful feature of personal navigation devices is the ability to list nearby points of interest (POIs). In rural areas, POIs may be spread out far from each other, and can easily be shown on the display of the personal navigation device. However, when traveling through cities or other areas where there are many POIs in close proximity to one another, there can be tens of POIs located very close together. It is difficult to clearly show multiple POIs that are in very close proximity to each other on the display of a personal navigation device. Furthermore, depending on a user's travel purpose, most of the POIs may be irrelevant to the user on that particular trip. For instance, a user traveling on a business trip will have little interest in the personal navigation device displaying POIs corresponding to scenic areas. Therefore, there is a need to avoid displaying POIs that are not relevant to the user's travel purpose.

Method of contextually displaying points of interest on a personal navigation device according to travel purpose


Described is a metal sheet for a metal sheet assembly, in particular for a bottom plate of a distribution panel of an electrical switchgear. The metal sheet assembly includes at least one opening for conducting a cable therethrough. The metal sheet is provided with at least one cutout on the longitudinal side, wherein the metal sheet assembly is composed of at least two metal sheets and the two metal sheets abut along the longitudinal side. The two metal sheets are oriented, relative to each other, in such a way that the cutouts in the two metal sheets are arranged opposite each other.

An electrical switchgear, in particular a medium voltage switchgear, generally includes a plurality of distribution panels. These panels can be feed-in panels, by which electrical power is supplied to the switchgear, or they can be output panels for distributing the electrical power to the consumers.
Electrical power is normally fed into the distribution panels by way of cables which are run inside ducts in the floor below the distribution panels. The cables extend from below into the distribution panels.
On the inside, the distribution panels are normally divided into different bays or compartments which are separated by metal plates. To insert the cables into one of the bays or into one of the compartments, these cables must extend through a metal plate, for example by conducting the cables from a cable duct through a bottom plate and into the respective distribution panel, wherein the metal plate or the bottom plate is normally provided with openings for this.
These openings must be formed, for example, into the respective metal plate and/or the bottom plate by stamping them out, based on the number of cables to be conducted through the plate and the desired spacing between these cables. The metal plate and/or the bottom plate must furthermore be cut out so as to correspond to the dimensions of the distribution panel. For that reason, the steel plate and/or the bottom plates must always be produced individually and depending on the respective use, wherein this involves expenditure.

Electrical switchgear, in particular medium voltage switchgear


A method is provided for electrically connecting between first and second bonding portions of a workpiece by a metal wire which is provided with a meltable insulating coating and held by a bonding tool. The method comprises causing the bonding tool to press an end of the wire against the first bonding portion of the workpiece for bonding thereto, and causing the bonding tool to press an intermediate portion of the wire against the second bonding portion of the workpiece for bonding thereto. Before bonding to the second bonding portion, the wire intermediate portion is heated to a temperature higher than a melting point of the insulating coating but lower than that of the wire.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the wire bonding technology in general. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electrically connecting between two different portions of a workpiece (e.g. a leadframe or printed circuit board to which electronic components are mounted) by a thin metal wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electronic circuits or components, it is usually necessary to electrically connect between two different portions of a workpiece. For instance, a lead of a semiconductor chip device need be electrically connected to a relevant bonding pad of the chip body through a metal wire. Further, a semiconductor chip mounted on a circuit board need be electrically connected through a metal wire to a relevant portion of a conductor pattern printed on the circuit board. An operation of bonding the metal wire for these purposes is called "wire bonding".
A typical prior art wire bonding method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 62-136836 for example. The wire bonding method disclosed in this Japanese document comprises the following steps.
(1) A capillary tool, through which a metal wire is supplied longitudinally, is brought to a position directly above a first bonding portion (e.g. a semiconductor chip) of a workpiece (e.g. an electronic component) with a spark torch arranged between the lower end of the wire and the first bonding portion.
(2) Then, the lower end of the wire is melted into a ball by causing a spark discharge between the torch and the wire lower end.
(3) Then, the spark torch is retreated, and the capillary tool is lowered to press the lower ball end of the wire against the first bonding portion for bonding thereto.
(4) Then, after raising and bringing the capillary tool to a position directly above a second bonding portion (e.g. a lead or a printed conductor pattern) of the workpiece, the capillary tool is lowered again to press a suitable intermediate portion of the wire against the second bonding portion for bonding thereto.
(5) Finally, the capillary tool is raised again to tear-cut the wire to leave a segment thereof extending between the first and second bonding portions.
The metal wire, which is typically made of gold or aluminum, is generally provided with an insulating resin coating of e.g. polyimide. Such a coating mechanically reinforces the metal wire which is extremely thin and protects the wire against oxidation.
The insulating resin coating does not pose any problem in performing the first bonding wherein the wire lower end is melted into a ball before attachment to the first bonding portion. This is because a portion of the resin coating is melted away at the wire ball end due to the high temperature caused by the spark torch for melting the wire.
However, no melting of the wire nor the resin coating takes place at the time of performing the second bonding wherein the intermediate portion of the wire is attaches to the second bonding portion. Thus, the presence of the resin coating hinders direct metal to metal contact between the wire and the second bonding portion, so that the resulting bonding strength at the second bonding portion may be weak or the electrical connection thereat may be improper.


The disclosed device and method comprise configuring a gaming device to offer one or more “As Is” prizes when a bet at a threshold limit less than a maximum bet is placed without apparently or actually reducing the expected return to player (“ERTP”) on bets larger than the threshold limit. In one version, one or more standard awards are sweetened for bets less than the maximum amount. In an alternative version, multiple “As Is” prizes are provided. Players are eligible for each “As Is” prize based on an amount of their wager. Consequently, to be eligible for a first “As Is” prize the player may need to place a first wager amount and to be eligible for a second “As Is” prize the player may need to place a second wager amount greater than the first amount.

Wagering on games of chance can be a form of entertainment and recreation, as well as a source of profit for establishments that provide the games (referred to in this specification as the casino). There are different types of games of chance, examples of which include and are not limited to craps, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, keno, bingo, stud poker, video poker, and slot games. These games typically have pay schedules, also known as pay tables, which describe what award can be won based upon the wager size and game outcome. Furthermore, many types of games, like bingo, keno, video poker and slot games, to name a few, offer great latitude in pay schedule details.
The Expected Return To Player, or ERTP, of a game describes the long term expected player payback across all players. Another way of expressing this is the ratio of all expected player awards to all player wagers. For a game to be profitable for the casino, this ratio must average less than 100% over the long run. Actualized Return To Player, or ARTP for any given amount of play can vary from ERTP but the larger the set of games played, the closer the ARTP should be to the ERTP.
Certain games, like craps, bingo, keno and video poker, to name a few, have outcomes based upon known uniformly distributed play mechanism, such as randomly thrown dice or randomly drawn cards or numbered balls (either as physical devices or in computer modeled equivalents). These are referred to as "naked games." The expected outcome of such naked games can therefore be completely known to the player and based upon the visible pay schedule players can know the ERTP of such games.
Other games, such as slot games and scratcher-style games, do not have such publicly available game outcome methods. Unless the ERTP is actually stated, as is the case with some games offered online, the player cannot deduce the ERTP merely from the game's pay schedule. These are referred to as "cloaked games".
Every casino game can be considered to have a denomination defined by a minimum bet ("min bet") and a maximum bet ("max bet"). The denomination is the wagering unit. For a physical device which accepts coins or tokens, the denomination is often the smallest coin or token that the device will accept. Typically, the min bet for these devices is 1 unit of the denomination. For example, video poker and slot machines in U.S. casinos are usually designated to accept bets of specific denominations such as 5¢, 25¢, 50¢ and $1. A $5 slot machine or video poker machine, however, may accept $1 units but requires a minimum bet of $5 and all larger bets must be integer multiples of $5. Therefore the denomination for such a game is $5. Similarly, table based games, like Blackjack, allow $1 chips to be used to place bets and accept a bet of any multiple of $1 which is between the min bet limit (which is usually greater than $1) and the max bet limit.
Most casino games allow the player to play a specific game with a variety of bet sizes. An example is a slot game which can be played for one or two betting units. Another example with greater bet ranges includes table games which allow any whole dollar wager between $5 and $250, inclusively. Award values for winning outcomes are usually based on the award multiplier times the actual wager, except as discussed below. If a player places a $1 wager on a $1 slot game and obtains a winning outcome which pays 5 units, the player wins $5 ($1×5=$5). However, if the player wagers $2 on the winning payline, the player wins $10 ($2×5=$10) and so on. With such games, the per-wager award remains the same.
In addition to standard per-wager awards, some casino games also offer specific "As Is" awards which are typically indivisible and non-multiplicative such that they do not have a per-wager component. Primary examples include physical prizes such as a displayed motorcycle, car, boat or vacation, progressive jackpots which grow in size over time until won or special award amounts which are usually large amounts of money.
Some casino games allow the player to wager on different outcomes of the same game. For example, the game of craps allows for a myriad of different kinds of outcomes that the player can simultaneously wager upon. Likewise, slot games with multiple paylines allow the player to place separate wagers on different paylines.
Games which allow the player to wager on different outcomes often also allow the player to vary the bet size as well. An actual slot game which has these features is known as a multi-coin/multi-line ("MCML") slot game as exemplified by Williams Gaming's Reel 'Em In five reel slot games. With Reel 'Em In, the player chooses how many paylines (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) to wager on. The player may also decide how many betting units per payline to wager as defined by the game. In most cases, the game provides for a minimum of one betting unit per payline to a defined maximum betting units per payline. MCML slot games have proven quite successful in casinos. Conventional wisdom in the industry says there are a number of potential reasons for the popularity including:
High Hit Frequency whereby the player often gets some sort of award (though not necessarily larger than the original wager.);
Ability for one game to accommodate a range of player bet sizes. For example, a game with 9 paylines allowing up to 9 bet units per payline has a 1 to 81 bet range; and
Ability to allow players to easily increase their bet size, either by playing more paylines for higher hit frequency or more per payline for higher volatility or both. This may help attract a player for low stakes and then ease the player into wagers larger than the player typically plays.
Casinos typically use a variety of methods to encourage players to wager as much money per play as possible. One way is to offer games with higher ERTP for certain sized denominations and/or minimum bets. For example, a roulette game with only one green space has a higher ERTP than a roulette game with two green spaces. A given casino may have both types of roulette games available, but only makes the higher ERTP one-space roulette game available to players who play at least $100 or more per play. Another example comprises video poker games offered at different denominations such that the pay schedule for the higher denomination machines offer higher per-wager awards for certain outcomes than are available on the lower denomination machines.
Casinos typically also offer cloaked games such that the ERTP is higher based on the size of the bet denomination. For a given type of slot game, such as IGT's Double Diamond, changes in ERTP may only be affected by changing the underlying outcome probabilities and not by changing the visible fixed pay schedule.
Another method casinos use to encourage higher wagers per play is to improve the ERTP and/or the prize opportunities based upon the actual wager size within a specific game at a specific denomination. This is in contrast to a pure multiplier game which pays the same award amount per wager regardless of wager size. An example of a pure multiplier game is Williams Gaming's Reel 'Em In five reel slot machine which pays the same per-wager award for a winning outcome regardless of the number of units bet on the payline which produces the winning outcome.
There are two major varieties of pay schedule design to encourage higher per-play betting: Sweeteners and Buy-A-Pays.
A sweetener means that a given outcome is paid at a higher per-wager award rate at a higher wager level. This normally translates into a relatively higher award and ERTP only for max bet wager play. For example, the most popular video poker games typically have a sweetener for the Royal Flush outcome when the max bet is played. Specifically, a Royal Flush outcome pays 250 times the wager if the player has not played a max bet wager. For example, if the player places a $2 wager in a $1 denominated Jacks or Better video poker game which results in a Royal Flush outcome, he receives $500 (250×$2=$500). However, with a typical video poker game, with a five unit max bet, a Royal Flush outcome pays 4000 units which is 800 times the wager instead of the unsweetened 250 multiplier for non-max wagers. For most Jacks or Better video poker games, this max bet sweetener increases the ERTP by 1.2% relative to the ERTP for non-max bet play.
Similarly, most three reel slot games offer a sweetener for the top award or for the top two awards. Since most legitimate gaming jurisdictions do not allow the game outcome to vary based upon how much a player wagers on a multi-wager game, players realize that the max bet sweetener on a cloaked game, like a slot game, does increase the ERTP even though the player may not be able to directly determine the actual respective non-max bet and max bet ERTPs.
Some casino games offer "As Is" awards, such as a progressive jackpot or a physical prize, as sweeteners for max bet play. This may be in lieu of, or may be in addition to, standard awards. For example, on a slot game the top-most outcome pays a specific per-bet unit award for non-max bet but awards the "As Is" prize for a top-most outcome won on a max bet proposition.
Another type of pay schedule design to encourage higher wagering is a Buy-A-Pay structure. This makes available certain winning outcomes after a threshold wager. For example, the pay schedule for Alliance/Bally Gaming's Blazing 7's slot game pays nothing for obtaining three 7 symbols on the payline unless a wager of at least two units is place. The first wagered unit only provides awards for outcomes having BAR symbols or BLANK symbols. The second wager unit provides awards for outcomes having aligned 7 symbols but does not increase the award size for outcomes having BAR symbols or BLANK symbols.
There are pay schedules which combine both multiplier Sweeteners and Buy-A-Pay. Diamond Game Enterprise's Roman Reels game, for example, offers a sweetener for the top award for three coin max unit bet, and activates some bonus mechanisms not offered for lower bet amounts while not increasing the standard award related to two or three wagered coins.
Unfortunately, the above techniques are less effective for MCML slot games. The dynamics do not mesh well with the advantages of having a wide betting range. For example, because of the large bet range of most MCML games, making an "As Is" prize available for max bet play makes the game too expensive for players who cannot afford to play at the max bet level or do not want to start playing at such a level. Since most players can recognize that there is a higher ERTP for max bet play, they may be reluctant to play this game in their standard non-max bet fashion since they may correctly feel they are getting a bad deal relative to max bet players.
Similarly, we are not aware of any existing multi-bet game which makes an "As Is" prize available for the first bet unit of a multi-bet game. A game which offers an "As Is" prize for a bet threshold less than max bet creates a disincentive for any wager above the threshold since the ERTP for the game would drop beyond the threshold. For example, if a player can win a car on a certain outcome with a single bet unit wager, and would not win a prize of at least two cars or its equivalent for a two bet unit wager, the ERTP for two bet unit play is clearly inferior relative to the ERTP for one bet unit.
Thus, there is the need for a method of offering an "As Is" prize related to a non-max bet while maintaining or increasing ERTP for larger bets.

Gaming device providing an opportunity to receive awards which vary with different non-max bets


It is provided a vehicle power transmission device having a hydraulic power transmission device and a power transmission mechanism, the hydraulic power transmission device including an input-side rotating member that houses an output-side rotating member disposed with turbine blades and fluid flowing from pump blades to turbine blades, the vehicle power transmission device having an engine intermittent clutch and a lockup clutch disposed closer to an engine relative to the turbine blades in the input-side rotating member, one of the engine intermittent clutch and the lockup clutch being a single plate clutch, the vehicle power transmission device further comprising an electric motor, and the hydraulic power transmission device including a first damper inserted in a power transmission path between the crankshaft of the engine and the electric motor, and a second damper inserted in a power transmission path between the first damper and the output-side rotating member.

A vehicle power transmission device is known that includes a hydraulic power transmission device having an input-side rotating member disposed with a plurality of pump blades and an output-side rotating member disposed with a plurality of turbine blades receiving a fluid flow from the pump blades, and a power transmission mechanism transmitting power input to an input shaft from the hydraulic power transmission device to a subsequent stage, in a power transmission path between an engine and drive wheels. For example, this corresponds to those described in Patent Documents 1 to 3.


A tape cassette for accommodating a magnetic recording tape comprises a casing including first and second major walls opposite to each other and spaced a distance corresponding to the width of a length of magnetic tape, a pair of opposite end walls, and front and rear walls opposite to each other, all assembled together to render the casing as a whole to represent a generally rectangular box-like configuration. Art erroneous erasure preventing member is accommodated within a detection hole, defined in the rear wall, for selective movement between retracted and projected positions in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rear wall. The erasure preventing member has an outer surface which, when in the projected position, closes the detection hole while lying flush with an outer surface of the rear wall, indicating the condition in which the magnetic tape contained in the tape cassette is available for information recording or erasure. On the other hand, when the erasure preventing member is moved to the retracted position with the outer surface thereof consequently set back inwardly from the rear wall, the tape cassette is held in the condition in which neither information recording nor information erasure can be accomplished on or from the length of magnetic tape contained therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a tape cassette for accommodating a length of magnetic tape for the recording or reproduction of information thereon or therefrom, respectively, and, more particularly, to the tape cassette having an improved erasure preventive element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commercially available tape cassettes containing a reeled magnetic tape for the-recording or reproduction of analog audio signals have a basic structure comprising a generally rectangular box-like casing made up of a pair of casing halves, a length of magnetic tape, a pair of hubs to which respective opposite ends of the length of magnetic tape are secured, a plurality of guide rollers disposed along a path of travel of the length of magnetic tape from one hub to the other, shields, pads and lubricant sheets.
For avoiding any possible erroneous or premature erasure of information recorded on the length of magnetic tape, the tape cassette has a pair of breakable erasure preventive pawls 2 formed integrally with the respective casing halves 1, only one of which is shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, when one or both of the erasure preventive pawls 2 are cut away, recesses 3 defined in the casing halves and normally closed by the associated pawls 2 define detection holes, thereby providing an indication that the length of magnetic tape contained in the tape cassette should not be erased in any way.
The unique design of a pawl detecting mechanism provided in an analog audio deck requires that each of the pawls 2 serving as a detection surface must be flush with an upper face 14 of the respective casing half 1. As a matter of course, the presence of the pawls 2 in the tape cassette represents that information may be recorded on the length of magnetic tape contained therein.
If the pawls 2 are broken off from the tape cassette subsequent to the recording of an audio signal on the length of magnetic tape contained in the tape cassette of the type equipped with the erasure preventive pawls, an erroneous or premature erasure of the information recorded thereon can be avoided. However, the breakage of the two pawls 2 is complicated and time-consuming. If a subsequent recording of information on the length of magnetic tape in the tape cassette from which the pawls 2 have been broken off is desired, the associated recesses 3 exposed to the outside upon breakage of the pawls 2 must be covered up in any suitable manner, for example, by the use of an adhesive tape, requiring a complicated and time-consuming procedure.
The use of the erasure preventive pawls is not unique to audio tape cassettes, but is also employed in commercially available VHS video tape cassettes. In the VHS video tape cassettes, however, the detecting face of the erasure preventive pawl is somewhat set back inwardly of the video tape cassette and, therefore, if this design is applied to the audio tape cassette, the analog audio deck now in wide use will detect at all times that the tape cassette is no longer available for information recording.
More specifically, the condition in which the tape cassette is available for information recording means that the detecting face (represented by the pawl 2 shown in FIG. 6) must be in flush with the upper face 14 of the tape cassette.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Systems and methods for immobilizing a target such as a human or animal with a stimulus signal coupled to the target via electrodes provide the stimulus signal in accordance with a strike stage, a hold stage, and a rest stage. Systems include a launch device and separate projectile, where the projectile includes a battery, a waveform generator, and electrodes. The strike stage and hold stage may include pulses at a pulse repetition rate, for example, from 10 to 20 pulses per second, each pulse delivering a predetermined amount of charge, for example, about 100 microcoulombs at less than about 500 volts peak. The hold stage may continue immobilization at a lesser expenditure of energy compared to the strike stage. Because the strike stage and hold stage may immobilize by interfering with skeletal muscle control by the target's nervous system, a rest stage may allow the target to take a breath.

Weapons that deliver electrified projectiles have been used for self defense and law enforcement. These weapons typically deliver a stimulus signal through a target where the target is a human being or an animal. One conventional class of such weapons includes conducted energy weapons of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,803,463 and 4,253,132 to Cover. These weapons typically fire projectiles toward the target so that electrodes carried by the projectile make contact with the target, completing a circuit that delivers a stimulus signal via tether wires through the electrodes and through the target. Other conventional conducted energy weapons omit the projectiles and deliver a stimulus signal through electrodes placed in contact with the target when the target is in close proximity to the weapon.
The stimulus signal may include a series of relatively high voltage pulses known to cause pain in the target. At the time that the stimulus signal is delivered, a high impedance gap (e.g., air or clothing) may exist between electrodes and the target's conductive tissue. Conventional stimulus signals include a relatively high voltage (e.g., about 50,000 volts) signal to ionize a pathway across such a gap of up to 2 inches. Consequently, the stimulus signal may be conducted through the target's tissue without penetration of the projectile into the tissue.
In some conventional conducted energy weapons, a relatively higher energy waveform has been used. This waveform was developed from studies using anesthetized pigs to measure the muscular response of a mammalian subject to an energy weapon's stimulation. Devices using the higher energy waveform are called Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD) devices and are of the type generally described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,082 to Patrick Smith, filed Dec. 12, 2001, incorporated herein by this reference. An EMD waveform applied to an animal's skeletal muscle typically causes that skeletal muscle to violently contract. The EMD waveform apparently overrides the target's nervous system's muscular control, causing involuntary lockup of the skeletal muscle, and may result in complete immobilization of the target.
Unfortunately, the relatively higher energy EMD waveform is generally produced from a higher power capability energy source. In one implementation, a handheld launch device includes 8 AA size (1.5 volt nominal) batteries, a large capacity capacitor, and transformers to generate a 26-watt EMD output in a tethered projectile.
A two pulse waveform of the type described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/447,447 to Magne Nerheim filed Feb. 11, 2003, provides a relatively high voltage, lower amperage pulse (to form an arc through a gap as discussed above) followed by a relatively low voltage, higher amperage pulse (to stimulate the target). Effects on skeletal muscles may be achieved with 80% less power than used for the EMD waveform discussed above.
There exists a significant need for a more effective stimulus signal for use in conducted energy weapons to immobilize a human target without lasting injury or death. In the decade preceding this application, annually over 30,000 people died of bullet wounds in the United States. Further, thousands of police officers are injured as a result of confrontations with non compliant members of the general public each year. Even larger numbers of these non-compliant subjects are injured in the process of being taken into police custody. Without systems and methods for delivering more effective stimulus signals, further improvements in cost, reliability, range, and effectiveness cannot be realized for conducted energy weapons. Applications for conducted energy weapons will remain limited, hampering law enforcement and failing to provide increased self defense to individuals.


A pushrod for an internal combustion engine valve train is described comprised of a composite rod body having spherically machined tip surfaces at either end, with thin metal end caps fit and bonded to each end.

The present invention concerns pushrods for the valve train of an internal combustion engine and more particularly pushrods formed of composite materials.
It has heretofore been proposed that internal combustion engine valve train pushrods be constructed of a composite material such as epoxy resin with embedded strands of lightweight fibers such as graphite, glass or Kevlar (TM). Such composite pushrods are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,505, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,146.
Composite pushrods have been known to be produced by being pultruded as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,060 and the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,146. Composite pushrods so constructed are lighter and quieter than conventional steel pushrods.
The ends of the pushrods must engage the driving and driven components in the valve train and hence are provided with spherically shaped tips of a harder material such as steel or ceramic. The tips have heretofore been configured of solid pieces which are adhesively bonded to each end of a composite rod forming the main body of the pushrod. These tips are relatively costly and add significantly to the mass of the pushrod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,696, Japanese Patent Publication 57-13204 dated Jan. 23, 1982, and Japanese Patent Publication 59-155516 dated Sep. 4, 1984, show composite pushrods having various forms of these solid tips affixed to either end.
One problem with the pultruded tube construction is the failure by cracking along the boundaries between fibers. This failure mode is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,146. Brooming, i.e., the mushrooming of the ends, also may occur due to compression of the end of the composite rod or tube.
The tip constructions heretofore have caused at least small sections of the end of the composite tube which are unconfined by the tip to be stressed in compression such as to allow the failure by cracking and/or brooming of the embedded fibers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pushrod for an internal combustion engine valve train in which the total mass of the pushrod including the tips is minimized.
It is a further object of the present invention to prevent pushrod failure by cracking along the fiber boundaries and/or brooming of the ends.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a pushrod in which the cost of manufacture is also minimized.


A detector for use in cementing a tubular string in a wellbore includes: a tubular mandrel; an electronics package fastened to an outer surface of the mandrel; a first transducer: fastened to the mandrel outer surface, in communication with the electronics package, and operable to generate ultrasonic pulses; a second transducer: fastened to the mandrel outer surface, in communication with the electronics package, and operable to receive the ultrasonic pulses; and an antenna fastened to the mandrel outer surface and in communication with the electronics package.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to a dart detector for cementing a tubular string into a wellbore.
Description of the Related Art
A wellbore is formed to access hydrocarbon bearing formations, such as crude oil and/or natural gas, by the use of drilling. Drilling is accomplished by utilizing a drill bit that is mounted on the end of a drill string. To drill within the wellbore to a predetermined depth, the drill string is often rotated by a top drive or rotary table on a surface platform or rig, and/or by a downhole motor mounted towards the lower end of the drill string. After drilling to a predetermined depth, the drill string and drill bit are removed and a casing string is lowered into the wellbore. An annulus is thus formed between the string of casing and the wellbore. The casing string is cemented into the wellbore by circulating cement slurry into the annulus. The combination of cement and casing strengthens the wellbore and facilitates the isolation of certain formations behind the casing for the production of hydrocarbons.
Typical prior art cementing plug containers utilize a mechanical lever actuated type plug release indicator to indicate the passage of the cementing plug from the cementing plug containers. In some instances, these prior art mechanical lever actuated type plug release indicators may indicate the passage of the cementing plug from the cementing plug container, although the cementing plug is still contained within the container. The failure to properly release the cementing plug from the cementing plug container can lead to the over-displacement of the cement slurry to insure an adequate amount of cement slurry has been pumped into the annulus.
Another type of cementing plug indicator utilizes a radioactive nail placed into the cementing plug. When the cementing plug having the radioactive nail lodged therein is no longer present in the cementing plug container, a Geiger counter will not react to the radiation emitted from the radioactive nail in the cementing plug thereby indicating that the plug is no longer in the cementing plug container. However, such nails may be difficult to obtain and store.

Dart detector for wellbore tubular cementation


A gaming machine and a method of conducting a game of chance on the gaming machine are disclosed. The machine receives a wager from a player to purchase a series of plays of the game. In response to the wager, the machine provides the player with the series of plays and randomly generating at least one outcome for each play. The machine provides an accumulation feature that accumulates an element of the game over a plurality of the plays in the series and redeems the accumulated element for a bonus in response to a predetermined event in the game. The predetermined event may, for example, correspond to collection of a predetermined number of the element or a certain position of the element on a trail, feature ladder, or meter.

Gaming machines are operable to play such games of chance as slots, poker, keno, bingo, and blackjack. A major limitation inherent in the design of conventional gaming machines is that a wager generally purchases a single play of a game. The machine generates a random event for the purchased play and provides an award to the player for a winning outcome of the random event. Each play of the game is generally independent of other plays such that a given play is not correlated with prior or succeeding plays. Occasionally, the random event for a purchased play may trigger a bonus game involving lively animations, display illuminations, special effects, and/or player interaction, but the hit frequency for such bonus games is generally so low (e.g., once every 100 plays) that a player's gaming experience is still essentially the same from one play to the next. This low hit frequency is generally dictated by underlying math models used in the game to select game outcomes.
The static nature of the gaming experience can cause boredom among players and deter new players from being attracted to a game. Also, players who wish to experience a bonus game may become frustrated during dry spells in which the bonus game is not triggered. Even if the bonus game is eventually triggered, its duration is limited to the current play and another dry spell is likely to ensue at the conclusion of the bonus game.
In an effort to make the gaming experience more dynamic, some conventional gaming machines have attempted to introduce some interdependence between purchased plays of a game with an accumulation feature that accumulates one or more elements of the game over multiple plays. For example, a prior game entitled "Piggy Bankin" includes three symbol-bearing reels and an accumulation feature in the form of a piggy bank. In response to a wager, the reels are spun and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a pay line. For each spin resulting in three blanks along the pay line, the piggy bank is incremented by the wager amount. For a spin resulting in a "Break the Bank" symbol on the third reel, the player is awarded the accumulated total in the piggy bank. In another example, a prior game entitled "Boom" includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an accumulation feature in the form of a firecracker register. In response to a wager, the reels are spun and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with multiple pay lines. A firecracker mark is added to the firecracker register for every 25 credits wagered. Each firecracker mark is worth one credit. The player is awarded a firecracker bonus equal to the number of firecracker marks in the firecracker register when either (1) the firecracker register reaches fifty firecracker marks, or (2) a spin results in two "wild match" symbols anywhere on the display.
Although such accumulation-type games are generally entertaining, the gaming machines with the accumulation-type games suffer from a couple shortcomings. First, to redeem any accumulated element, a player must continue to wager and play the game until accomplishing an infrequent predetermined event that triggers the redemption of the accumulated element. If the player must walk away from the gaming machine for some reason, e.g., the player runs out of money, the player may be frustrated by his/her forfeiture of the accumulated element which now remains on the machine for redemption by a subsequent player. Second, because players may walk away before redeeming the accumulated element, people looking to play a game with an accumulation feature may scout for and hover around those machines with a more attractive accumulated element. Casinos may frown upon games with this type of "vulturing" effect because players may be pressured to relinquish their machine just when the accumulation feature appears to be ready to pay off.
Accordingly, a need exists for a gaming machine that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned shortcomings associated with conventional gaming machines.


A walkabout with fall control for assisting people with varying degrees of difficulty walking includes a base frame attached to a adjustable height top frame with a adjustable height seat and a fall control assembly which directs a person toward the seat in the event of a fall. The base and top completely encircle the person. A portion of the top pivots outward to open and allow ingress and egress of the walkabout. The seat is positioned below and at the rear of the top. An open space is provided in front of the seat for a occupant to stand and walk. Multiple upright supports taper in from the larger base to the smaller top joining the two pieces. A number of rolling devices attached to the base allow the walkabout to be moved along a walking surface. The rolling devices includes units suitable for outdoor use of the walkabout. The fall control assembly includes a strap to secure about the occupant and multiple cords fastened to the strap and the top rearward of the front of the seat. Should a fall occur the fall control assembly guides and pivots the person toward the seat, preventing him or her from hitting the floor.

1. Field of Invention
The walkabout relates to walkers that assist both the disabled and rehabilitating person with the act of walking.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various types of walkers have been provided in prior art in an attempt to provide an acceptable solution. Stillings, U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,465 issued Aug. 3, 1982 resembles a walker used by toddlers learning to walk. Its low height, crotch cord and unwieldy design make it unstable and unsuitable for anyone attempting to walk in a normal manner. There is nothing to prevent or control a person falling to the rear. The hard seat and support bars present dangerous objects in the event of a fall backward. Mueller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,804 issued Nov. 11, 1986 is a traditional four-legged walker with castors and a crotch strap/seat added. This provides greater mobility over the prior art at the expense of stability, comfort and convenience. The four-legged frame could only be used by a person able to walk but requiring something to periodically lean on. This device would not support anyone who stumbles and falls while using the walker. The wide crotch strap is at best an inconvenience while walking and unsuitable for use as a seat. Vinyard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,562 issued Jul. 26, 1988 is a walker conversion for wheel chairs. It is not relative to this invention other than it is classified as a walker. Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,410 issued Sep. 13, 1988 is a walker with height adjustment provided via compressed air. This device has a seat with a strap to hold a person in the seat. It's design would not provide any stability should a person stumble while trying to walk standing up. The rigid seat extends forward, between the legs and would severely hamper any attempt to walk in a normal manner. Napper, U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,051 issued Aug. 29, 1989 is a rehabilitation walker device. It consist of a chair with two wheels and a frame extending forward and out to the sides. The frame provides two hand-grips and two wheels. The entire structure provides a three-point base. There is no support to either side, no stability in the event a person stumbles and nothing to guide them to the seat in the event they fall to the rear or side. It is unsuitable for anyone with a problem walking. Sherlock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,851 issued Sep. 4, 1990 is a safety mobilizer walker. The device consist of four vertical legs with a wheel on the bottom of each leg and a circular frame on the top, to which the four legs are attached. There is a sling seat. The design provides vertical support for a person needing to lean on something. It provides no support in the event a person stumbles while using it. The sling seat would be an inconvenience while walking and uncomfortable to sit in. Harroun, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,912 issued Oct. 22, 1991 is a combination chair/walker. It consist of a chair with wheels on it's four legs and a raised bar across the front to contain the person and provide an attachment point for a sling. The sling is used to restrain a person in the event of a fall. The chair has a conventional seat and back consisting of plastic webbing or sheet material. The low sides and narrow width of the chair do not provide sufficient lateral support in the event of a fall while standing. Walking would be difficult with the sling between the person's legs and the limited room provided to step forward. The design is unwieldy in that it forces the person to try to walk while dragging a chair behind them.


A light guide plate includes a light incident surface, a bottom plate, a light emitting surface opposite to the bottom plate, and a side surface opposite to the light incident surface. The light incident surface is perpendicular to the light emitting surface. The bottom surface is imaginarily divided into rectangular sub-portions which are equal in area and shape. A portion of the sub-portions close to the side surface constitutes a main portion. Each sub-portion uniformly distributes micro protrusions. Along a direction from the light incident surface to the side surface, the micro protrusion densities of the sub-portions of the main portion gradually ascend, and the difference values of the micro protrusion densities of any two adjacent sub-portions of the main portion gradually ascend.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a light guide plate and a backlight module including the light guide plate.
2. Description of Related Art
Light guide plates are often used to expand a number of point light sources to an area light source. A light guide plate includes a light emitting surface, a light incident surface perpendicular to the light emitting surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light emitting surface, and a side surface opposite to the light incident surface. The light source is positioned on one side of the light incident surface. Because there is a long distance between the light incident surface and the side surface, the light rays from the light sources will be reduced or lost during transmission, therefore, the brightness of an end of the light emitting surface away from the light incident surface is less than the brightness of the other end of the light emitting surface close to the light incident surface. That is, the brightness of the light emitting surface overall is not uniform.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a light guide plate and a backlight module including the light guide plate that can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.

Light guide plate having uniform light emission and backlight module including same


An assembly for the cleaning of the exterior and interior surfaces of combustion chambers of the type found in gas turbine and jet engines incorporating the use of an automatically positionable spray assembly having blast madia of desired grit size issuing under pressure therefrom to impinge upon exposed surfaces of the combustion chamber thereby stripping away any thermal oxidation, carbon deposits and thermal coatings in an automatic, accurate and efficient manner.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly incorporating a sandblasting type structure which is automatically positioned relative to the exposed surface portions of a combustion chamber of the type used in gas turbine engines and jet engines for the removal of contaminants or deposits formed on the exterior and interior surface of the combustion chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Both gas turbine engines and jet engines incorporate a combustion chamber therein. Such combustion chamber generally has an elongated configuration and comprises heat resistant coatings formed on exposed surface areas thereof. Under normal operating conditions, the combustion chamber is of course exposed to extreme heat conditions. The exposed surfaces of such chambers accordingly become contaminated by the formation of thermal oxidation, carbon deposits, thermal barrier coatings, etc. thereon.
In an effort to prolong the operable life of such gas turbine and jet engines, it is possible to clean or strip away the damaged surface coatings which include the above noted contaminants and resurface such chambers for replacement and reuse in the aforementioned gas turbine and jet engines.
While the above noted stripping procedure is generally recognized in the prior art, there appears to be a lack of an efficient process and/or apparatus to accomplish the effective and rapid cleaning of exposed surface portions of combustion chambers of the type set forth herein in an economic manner.
One method and associated apparatus adaptable for the effective cleaning of such exposed surfaces include sandblasting techniques or the direction and impingement of blast media such as sand or any applicable particulate material of a preferred grit size directed under pressure continuously over the exposed surface portions to be cleaned. In order to accomplish the above cleaning process in an effective manner, the apparatus must be specifically structured and adapted to continuously cover the exposed surfaces preferably in an automatic manner within a given time period which renders the entire process both reliable and economically feasible.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cleaning apparatus or assembly of the type preferably utilizing the direction of particulate blast media onto exposed surface portions of combustion chambers to be cleaned or stripped wherein a spray nozzle assembly is automatically positionable relative to the surface in a quick, efficient and reliable manner.

Stripper assembly for combustion chambers of turbine or jet engines


The present invention provides a metal nanoparticle that is surface-modified with a hydrophilic or hydrophobic functional group, and a composition for optical detection comprising the same. The surface-modified nanoparticles according to the present invention form clusters suitable for optical detection, for example, suitable as an X-ray contrast agent, and have surface plasmon energy in the visible region, thereby being usefully applied to a variety of optical detection methods.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a metal nanoparticle that is surface-modified with a hydrophilic or hydrophobic functional group, and a composition for optical detection comprising the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Nanotechnology is a technology of manipulating and controlling matters at the atomic or molecular level, and suitable to create many new materials or devices with a vast range of applications, such as in electronics, materials, communications, mechanics, medicine, agriculture, energy and environment.
Currently, nanotechnology has been developed in various fields, and is broadly classified into three kinds of major fields: (1) nanomaterial with respect to compounding new minute matters and raw materials, (2) nanodevice with respect to manufacturing the device to function a fixed ability through arranging or mixing nano matters, and (3) nano-biotechnology with respect to applying nanotechnology to biotechnology.
In the nano-biotechnology field, nanoparticles have been used in a broad range of applications, such as separation of biomolecules, imaging contrast, and drug/gene delivery.
For more effective imaging contrast or detection, nanoparticles should form clusters within a specific range of size, have a surface plasmon in the visible region, and easily perform in vivo flow imaging. Many studies have been made on nanoparticles satisfying these requirements, but there have been no remarkable results yet.

Surface modified metal nano-particle and use thereof


A device for treating a target, such as cleaning a window. The device has a handle and head, mounted in pivotal relationship to each other. When the head is placed in sliding, contacting relationship with the target surface the handle can pivot relative to the head for the ergonomic convenience of the user.

Devices for treating target surfaces are well known in the art. Such devices include squeegees, paint rollers, cleaning heads, concrete floats, dust mops having renewable surfaces, dust mops having replaceable surfaces, such as the Swiffer Sweeper sold by the instant assignee.
These devices typically have a blade or other edge which contacts the target surface. The blade may be used to spread a liquid for treating the target surface or for removing liquid from the target surface. For example, a squeegee blade may be used to remove cleaning solution, and concomitantly remove soil, from a window. Or the blade may be used to spread stain or lacquer onto a hardwood floor.
One problem the user may encounter when using such a device is that it is difficult to maintain control over the blade or other component which contacts the target surface. This difficulty may be exacerbated as the size of the target surface increases. Particularly, when the user encounters a vertical target surface and wishes to begin the stroke overhead and finish the stroke near the floor, it may be difficult to maintain proper pressure against the target surface throughout the stroke.
For example, the user may be attempting to clean a window which vertically extends from floor to ceiling. The user is typically able to apply adequate pressure if the head of the cleaning device is disposed between the waist and shoulders of the user. Likewise, the user is typically able to apply adequate pressure against the target surface when the head of the cleaning device is disposed between the waist and knees of the user. However, somewhere around waist level the user may encounter difficulty in the transition and not apply sufficient pressure against the target surface for the cleaning device to operate at optimum efficacy. This difficulty may result in chatter or even separation from the target surface.
A simple planar handle and scraper are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,200,948 and 5,009,009. Another example of a planarly disposed handle and head is found in the common paint roller. Attempts to improve upon this system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,685 which shows a cleaning implement having a curved handle and in U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,729 B2 showing a vacuum nozzle with integral squeegee. But these devices hold the head in fixed relationship to the handle. As such, they do not provide optimum ergonomics for all conditions.
An attempt to improve upon this system is found in devices having a pivot or universal joint on the head, as disclosed in U.S. D622,463 S, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,175,902, 5,549,167, 5,862,562, 7,007,338 and in commonly assigned Des. 409,343, D615,260 S, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,888,006, 6,842,936 B2 and 7,516,508 B2. But these attempts to work with just the head have not proven entirely successful.
Attempts have also been made to compensate for the ergonomic shortcomings by providing different handle arrangements. Illustrative handle arrangements are shown in US 2008/0265536 A1, 2008/0236972 A1, 7,124,474 B2 and 7,571,945 B2. Yet other handle arrangements can be found. For example, Lowes advertises a paint roller handle having the roller axis in adjustable, non-planar relationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle.
But attempts to improve the handle, in isolation, like the attempts to improve the head, in isolation, have not proven entirely satisfactory. Accordingly, a new approach is needed.

Device for treating a target surface and having an ergonomically pivoting handle


Provided is a method of constructing a natural gas liquefaction plant, which can shorten a construction time period by minimizing effect of a lead time for the refrigerant compressor thereon, the method including: transporting a refrigerant compression module body 175 to an installation area 85, wherein the refrigerant compression module body is provided with a frame 120 configured to allow refrigerant compressor 150 for compressing a refrigerant for cooling natural gas to be mounted therein; installing the refrigerant compression module body 175 to the installation area 85; and mounting the refrigerant compressor 150 into a mounting space 130 predefined in the frame 120 of the installed refrigerant compression module body.

In construction methods of the prior art, one example is a method for constructing a natural gas liquefaction plant (hereafter also referred to as "LNG plant") involves the step of assembling necessary facilities at a construction site, where the necessary facilities include an acidic gas removing facility for removing acidic gases contained in a raw material gas to be subjected to a liquefaction, a moisture removal facility for removing moisture contained in the raw material gas, and compression equipment for compressing a refrigerant (such as mixed refrigerant or propane refrigerant) used for cooling and liquefying the raw material gas.
One of known techniques for promoting efficiency of the above-described construction work performed a construction site is a method including the steps of: assembling functional facilities provided with equipment and apparatuses mounted therein of such an LNG plant as modularized facilities (hereafter also referred to as simply "module(s)") at a place remoted from a construction site; and transporting the assembled modules to the construction site. (See Patent Document 1)

Method for constructing natural gas liquefaction plant