A casting mold (e.g., a cope and drag) is disposed on a drag slab having a sprue and a reaction chamber containing an alloyant to be selectively introduced into the melt as it is drawn through the reaction chamber during differential pressure, countergravity casting. A rubber formed between the mold and the drag slab communicates the reaction chamber to a plurality of narrow mold ingates that supply the melt treated (alloyed) in the reaction chamber to the mold cavity during countergravity casting.

A vacuum countergravity casting process using a gas permeable mold sealingly received in a vacuum housing is described in such patents as the Chandley et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,900,064; 4,340,108 and 4,606,396. That countergravity process involves providing a mold having a porous, gas permeable upper mold member (cope) and a lower mold member (drag) sealingly engaged at a parting plane, sealing the mouth of a vacuum housing to a surface of the mold such that a vacuum chamber formed in the housing confronts the gas permeable upper mold member, submerging the underside of the lower mold member in an underlying melt and evacuating the vacuum chamber to draw the melt upwardly through one or more narrow ingates (pin gates) in the lower mold member and into one or more mold cavities formed between the upper and lower mold members.
In practicing the vacuum countergravity process to produce nodular iron castings, the melt is typically prepared in a melting vessel (e.g., a cupola) using a charge of pig iron to which additions of alloyants are made to provide the desired base melt chemistry. For example, in casting nodular iron, ferromanganese (Fe--Mn), ferrosilicon (Fe--Si) and other additions are made to the base pig iron charge to provide a desired base melt chemistry.
Once the desired base melt composition is achieved, the melt is transferred from the melting vessel to a ladle where a nodularizing agent (e.g., a magnesium bearing alloy such as Fe--Si--Mg) is added to spherodize (nodularize) the carbon. The treated base melt is then transferred from the ladle to a casting vessel to provide a melt pool from which a plurality of molds are successively vacuum countergravity cast over time.
However, prior art workers have experienced great difficulty in maintaining an effective concentration (i.e., at least 0.02 percent by weight) of magnesium in the melt over the extended time required to cast a plurality of molds in succession from the melt. This difficulty is attributable to the rapid evaporation of magnesium from the melt after the initial treatment with the nodularizing agent in the transfer ladle. Erratic, uncontrolled loss (also known as fade) of the fugitive magnesium from the melt over time has been experienced and resulted in off-chemistry melts in so far as magnesium content is concerned and correspondingly inconsistent nodularization.
As a result of this inability to reliably control and maintain the melt chemistry (i.e., to maintain the magnesium content above the desired effective level) over the time required for casting a plurality of molds in succession, use of the countergravity casting processes described in the aforesaid patents in high volume production of nodular iron parts has been rendered impractical and/or uneconomical to date.
Moreover, in order to produce iron castings having different compositions/microstructures (e.g., corresponding to the known ferritic nodular grade 4010 or pearlitic nodular grade 5203), the practice has been to prepare separate base melts of the desired different compositions using pig iron charges to which appropriate alloy additives are made in the melting vessel and then ladling and countergravity casting the separate base melts from the casting vessel as described above. This practice amounts to producing castings of one composition/microstructure in one batch and castings of another different composition/microstructure in a separate batch with preparation as well as subsequent handling, treatment and casting of different base melts for each batch.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of a melt wherein the melt is drawn through a reaction chamber formed in a drag slab to introduce alloyant therein above a predetermined effective concentration and the treated (alloyed) melt is then supplied to a casting mold, such as a cope and drag, disposed atop the drag slab.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of a melt wherein a fugitive alloyant, such as a Mg nodularizing agent used to nodularize iron, is introduced into the melt in a reaction chamber of a drag slab disposed between the mold and the melt to maintain a predetermined effective concentration of the fugitive alloyant in the melt supplied to the casting mold, thereby counteracting any previous loss (or fade) over time of the fugitive alloyant from the melt.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for the differential pressure, countergravity casting of a melt wherein the melt is treated (alloyed) in a reaction chamber in a drag slab disposed between the mold and the melt and supplied to the mold to produce a casting having a composition/micro- structure different from that obtainable from the underlying melt and tailored for a particular intended use, thereby eliminating the need to prepare, handle, treat and cast separate base melts.

Differential pressure, countergravity casting with alloyant reaction chamber


Methods and systems for diagnosing or prognosing liver fibrosis in a subject are provided. In some examples, such methods and systems can include detecting liver fibrosis-related molecules in a sample obtained from the subject, comparing expression of the molecules in the sample to controls representing expression values expected in a subject who does not have liver fibrosis or who has non-progressing fibrosis, and diagnosing or prognosing liver fibrosis in the subject when differential expression of the molecules between the sample and the controls is detected. Kits for the diagnosis or prognosis of liver fibrosis in a subject are also provided which include reagents for detecting liver fibrosis related molecules.

To date pre-clinical and clinical applications of mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic techniques analyzing complex biofluids have fallen short of expectations, largely due to deficiencies in both analytical sensitivity and throughput. These deficiencies result in measurements typically failing to confidently detect and quantify proteins at moderate to low concentrations, or not providing sufficient sample analysis throughput for statistical relevance. Higher sensitivity targeted MS analyses are currently utilized to address these shortcomings [1, 2]; however, these often only analyze a small list of proteins identified as biologically significant. While targeted MS measurements are increasingly common in clinical applications [3, 4], the limited number of proteins they examine does not necessarily reflect the biodiversity across a population, making broad untargeted measurements useful in developing individual disease metrics for diagnosis [5]. As the future of medicine proceeds toward a personal profiling approach [6, 7], the potential for robust high throughput clinical measurements based upon MS is highly attractive if its deficiencies can be addressed.
An initial step in attaining broad untargeted measurements that increasingly retain the benefits of targeted analyses exploits technological advances such as faster separations, more effective ion sources, detectors with greater dynamic range, and MS measurements with both higher resolution and accuracy. Advanced liquid-phase separations have already been employed to provide a significant sensitivity increase as illustrated by the higher number of proteins detected in liquid chromatography (LC)-MS-based studies [8]; however, the long LC separations most compatible with blood samples are extremely time-consuming. Fast gas-phase ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) separations that take place on the time scale of tens of milliseconds offer an additional separation stage and a way of reducing the need for extended LC separation times. In an IMS separation, ions subject to an electric field while traveling through a buffer gas separate quickly based on ion shape, e.g. compact species drift faster than those with extended structures [9, 10]. IMS can be coupled between LC and orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight (TOF) MS stages, and by combining the three orthogonal separations into a single LC-IMS-MS instrumentation platform, multidimensional high-resolution nested spectra are produced containing elution times, mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) and IMS drift times for all detectable ions in a sample [11, 12]
Liver fibrosis may result from a wide variety of conditions including chronic alcohol exposure, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, Wilson's disease, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Chronic HCV is the leading contributor to chronic liver disease and represents a worldwide public health concern affecting an estimated 130-170 million people [16]. The liver damage ensuing from HCV infection is also the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States and Europe and a major burden on healthcare services [17, 18]. In this disease, the liver elicits a persistent inflammatory and repair response known as fibrosis, which is characterized by the formation of fibrous tissue and scarring on the liver. Because the prognosis of HCV patients is related to the development of fibrosis and the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, an accurate evaluation of fibrogenic progression is important for patient care.
Currently, liver biopsies are the primary technique for generating information on the degree of fibrosis; however, they have multiple disadvantages, including risk of complications (e.g., major bleeding or inadvertent puncture of the lung, kidney, or colon), cost and occasionally inaccurate findings due to small specimen size and variability in histology evaluation. These disadvantages have spurred the development of noninvasive methods that can reliably predict, diagnose and assess the degree of fibrosis [19, 20].


A cover height adjuster which can be used for a boundary box, a manhole cover, etc. in a paved location having two rings with interengaging sloping castellated end surfaces extending around the peripheries of at least three sectors of the rings and can vary the height of the upper ring upon its rotation over the lower ring. The upper surface of the upper ring may have a slope which engages a sloping surface of a cover assembly, so that relative rotation can also vary the slope of the cover.

In the above-mentioned installation and many others, there is frequently a need for access to be provided for subterranean apparatus for example, a water meter or valve, or a manhole cover in a road surface. It is a relatively simple matter to install a cover for example to be in a roadway oriented to the same angle as the road surface in which it is located and further to be substantially coplanar with the surrounding road surface. However, as the road wears and is resurfaced, either or both the surface level and camber can change and one of the objects of this invention is to provide means whereby at least the height can be varied so that a single cover assembly can be utilized for a range of situations which are encountered in practice.
Another problem sometimes encountered is variation of position, height or camber due to vibration and load imparted by traffic to a cover in a road surface, particularly if the cover is ill-fitting, a situation which frequency exists. Vibration can cause both settlement of the ground and rotation of a cover, both of which, if surmounting a tapered spacer ring, will increase error of location with respect to the surrounding road surface. Another object of this invention is to provide means which will both provide not only ready height adjustment means but will also inhibit rotation.


A method for forming a strained metal silicon nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal silicon nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing a substrate to a gas containing a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a first nitrogen precursor configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas pulse containing a second nitrogen precursor configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic different than the first reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide a strained metal silicon nitride film.

Nitride-based films are widely used in semiconductor devices and ultra-large-scale integrated (ULSI) circuits. For example, nitride films have been widely used in semiconductor devices as diffusion barriers for dopants and metals, as an etch-stop film during etching of fine features, as a final passivation film for encapsulation of fabricated devices, and as electrodes in capacitor and metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) structures, among many other uses. Nitride films can be deposited at low pressure or at atmospheric pressure using a variety of processing systems and process gases.
Recent innovations to improve complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor performance have created an industry need for strained films that are compatible with current ULSI integration techniques. In particular, channel carrier mobility for negative metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors can be increased through introduction of tensile uniaxial or biaxial strain on a channel region of a MOS transistor. Typically, this has been accomplished by deposition of highly tensile strained silicon nitride films that are compatible with existing fabrication processes. With the advent of metal gate stacks, the strain imparted in the channel using stressed silicon nitride liner films over the MOSFET will be decreased due to the higher modulus of the metallic films. One proposed solution to this problem is to use stressed films within the gate stack, so that the stressed film is more proximate to the channel, thus increasing the imparted strain.

Strained metal silicon nitride films and method of forming


An Ethernet network switch is disclosed. The network switch includes multiple Ethernet ports, each port including Ethernet transceiver circuitry forming one end of an Ethernet link. The switch also includes control logic to, when the switch is connected to multiple Ethernet cables defining Ethernet links, 1) initiate a diagnostic mode of operation, 2) control at least two of the multiple Ethernet links to measure a parameter associated with alien crosstalk, and 3) configure operation parameters for the links based on the measured parameter.

Much of today's modern Ethernet infrastructure is based on twisted pair copper cables that meet certain specifications. One common "category" of Ethernet cable is identified as CAT5e, which is rated for data rates up to 1 Gbps. Recently, however, proposals have been made to use the existing Ethernet infrastructure in the enterprise environment for data rates above 1 Gbps and up to 5 Gbps and beyond. Using cabling such as CAT5e at higher rates poses challenges such as alien crosstalk.
The Ethernet network in an enterprise environment includes many point-to-point data links. A signal on one data link may cause alien crosstalk noise into another adjacent link. CAT5e cable is generally not standardized for alien crosstalk, and the operating behavior typically varies widely from cable to cable and setup to setup. Attempting to diagnose an existing network cable run for alien crosstalk using conventional apparatus and methods is often problematic. Alien crosstalk creates interdependencies between various links of a network. In other words, it may not be possible to optimize the performance of a link in isolation and without considerations of other links in that network. In such an environment, the links have to be optimized together. Given the unpredictability of alien crosstalk environment optimizing the overall throughput of a network may become a challenging problem.
In an effort to diagnose existing Ethernet networks for crosstalk, Information Technology (IT) operators typically utilize test equipment that includes connection ports to connect the remote ends of the various Ethernet cables that define the links of the network. Practically speaking, however, deployed Ethernet network cables are often run through walls or ceilings to separate areas to connect to, for example, computers, network printers, access devices and the like. Thus it is very difficult to successfully connect all network cables to a given test apparatus to diagnose alien crosstalk on a global network scale.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Network switch apparatus and methods for global alien crosstalk characterization, diagnostics and network optimization


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for analyzing a semiconductor wafer for analyzing a defect distribution pattern on a semiconductor wafer to be tested. The method comprises: obtaining a defect distribution map of the semiconductor wafer to be tested, the defect distribution map indicating a defect distribution within a surface of the semiconductor wafer to be tested; establishing a three-dimensional model to be tested according to the defect distribution map, wherein an XY plane of the three-dimensional model to be tested corresponds to the surface of the semiconductor wafer to be tested, and a Z-axis of the three-dimensional model to be tested corresponds to the number of defects in each grid unit in the XY plane.

Defect monitoring and defect analysis have always been indispensable parts of the semiconductor process. Especially in the process of large integrated circuit wafer production, monitoring the defect problem generated in the process at each process node is a necessary means to control the improvement of yield. In other words, how to accurately screen defective semiconductor wafers from a large number of semiconductor wafers is a prerequisite for ensuring subsequent defect analysis and control to improve yield.
At present, the industry mainly relies on the defect number threshold alarm for online defect monitoring. With the gradual development of the semiconductor manufacturing process, the absolute number of defects has been well controlled. Therefore, relying solely on the defect number threshold alarm cannot effectively screens out the defective semiconductor wafers.
Furthermore, due to its specific machine structures or special process operations, different processes may cause special or regular distribution of defects. For example, in a defect detecting process of a dry etching process, since the machine structure has inherent defects, inevitably accumulate polymer deposited during the long-term dry etching process on certain fixed parts above the cavity. If these polymers are dropped on the wafer being worked on, the wafers that are being worked on will be incompletely dried, some of the patterns cannot be etched successfully, and a special distributed defect wafer is formed. Due to the different number of drops, the number of defects will vary to different extents. Large differences in the number of defects make it difficult to monitor the above defects.
For such special distribution defects, the advanced approach in current industry is to generate surface defect maps for semiconductor wafers and to intelligently identify images by similar or simulated face recognition. This method mainly identifies the similar defect maps by grasping and comparing the feature points. This kind of intelligent picture recognition method has a higher recognition rate for a serious or very typical special distributed defect wafer map, it is not possible to accurately identify types that have a small interception or a large variation in the area of the defect.
In view of this, there is a need for a method and apparatus for analyzing semiconductor wafers, which are capable of intelligently classifying and identifying different numbers of defects exhibiting various distributions on different semiconductor wafers, and performing alarm interception or unified classification analysis the defects to finally achieve the long-term effective monitoring and analysis of surface defects of semiconductor wafers.

Method and apparatus for analyzing semiconductor wafer

Shanghai Huali Integrated Circuit Mfg. Co. Ltd.


There is disclosed herein a bookmark to be attached to the back of a book to separate read and unread pages and which carries indicia-receiving areas for receiving advertising or reader's notes. The bookmark is a thin elongated rectangular member made of a vinyl, having an adhesive carrying area on the back side adjacent the top edge and an indicia-receiving area on the front side. The bookmark is adapted to be attached to a book back page by the adhesive area, flexes over the unread pages, to be positioned between read and unread pages and have the indicia-receiving area on the front facing the reader so that indicia thereon is oriented and positioned to be read.

This invention relates to bookmarks, and more particularly, to a bookmark having an adhesive section for attaching to a book and an indicia-receiving section.
Bookmarks are usually simple articles, perhaps a sheet of paper or cardboard, that is placed in a book between read and unread pages so as to indicate where the reader stopped reading or is to begin reading again.
Moreover, bookmarks can sometimes be clips affixed to a page top or a decorated and elongated article that can be inserted between the pages.
However, most of such bookmarks may become lost or separated from the book, which means that the reader will lose its place.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a bookmark that is attachable to the book and which is unlikely to be separated from the book.
Sometimes the bookmark may be a thin ribbon bound to the binding. However, it is often desirable to make notes while reading and sometimes it is desirable to make these notes on the bookmark. Moreover, bookmarks can be used as an advertising specialty where indicia can be applied to the bookmark for the reader to see. Furthermore, the bookmark should be separate from the book prior use for marking purposes, be attachable after the book is selected and detachable after the book has been read. The bound ribbon does not provide for notes or advertising nor for separate attachment or detachment.
Thus another object of this invention is to provide a bookmark to which an indicia can be applied.
Yet another object is to provide a bookmark which is separate but can be attached or detached from a book.
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

Elastomeric bookmark assembly with static electricity and adhesive portions


A color medium structure for use with a stage spotlight comprises a frame constituted by two opposite frame plates, preferably made of a fiber reinforced plastic, with a portion of the periphery thereof secured together to allow other portion of the periphery to be peelable off for receiving therebetween a light-transmitting color film. The light-transmitting color film is secured between the frame plates by the attraction of magnets mounted to the frame plates.

In a stage, spotlights are widely used to produce "spot lighting" on a special scene. In general, the spotlight is provided with a number of color mediums in the form of different colored films to project out light beams of different colors. Conventionally, light-transmitting color films which are fixed on rigid frames, such as metal frames, slidable along a rail structure disposed before the light source of the spotlight are used to produce the colored light beams.
The disadvantages of the conventional color medium structure may be summarized as follows:
(1) The conventional color film frame is usually in the form of rectangle comprising sharp corners which are very dangerous to both human being and flats.
(2) The metal frame is quite heavy and if it falls down during movement, it may cause damage to either human being or devices.
(3) Due to the heavy weight of the metal frame, it is required to be stored separately from the color mediums; this generally results in a difficulty in seeking for the required color mediums in next operation.
It is therefore desirable to provide a color medium structure which comprises a light weight frame in which a light-transmitting color film is disposed to overcome the above-mentioned problems.

3F, No. 6, Alley 157, Lane 189, Sec. 3, Kangning Road


A radiant-energy tool (e.g., a flashlight or fire starter) comprises a housing adapted to accommodate an energy source (e.g., a battery pack or a fuel tank) and an elongate extension having a proximal end connected to the housing and a distal end opposite the proximal end adapted to release radiant energy. The extension connects the energy source to the distal end and is formed of a material that can be easily flexed by hand to assume a plurality of different shapes and that can retain a given shape indefinitely. The housing and the distal end of the extension can each be conveniently positioned and oriented independently of the other. The housing is formed with a peripheral groove for accommodating the extension so that the extension can be wrapped around the housing for storage and to provide a compact configuration for use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radiant-energy tools such as flashlights and fire starters and more particularly to a novel flashlight and a novel fire starter that are more versatile than conventional ones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flashlights or electric torches have been known for many decades and have antecedents in flaming torches and lanterns that have been known for centuries. From time immemorial there has been a need for a portable source of light that can be used at night and at other times when the general illumination is poor.
The invention of the electric flashlight was a major advance in the technology of portable, personal light sources. As compared to older forms of such light sources, the electric flashlight has many advantages: it can be easily and instantly turned on and off, it is "clean" (not messy to handle), it produces no smoke or odor, it is silent in operation, it produces good illumination, and it is quite safe for use, even by children. Moreover, modern flashlights can be made small enough to fit easily into a pocket or purse or the glove compartment of a car. Even though small, they produce good illumination, especially in view of recent improvements in battery and bulb technology.
However, despite the excellent characteristics of modern flashlights, they have certain drawbacks. A major drawback of conventional flashlights is that they are awkward to use under certain circumstances, as when it is necessary to employ both hands to perform a task that requires illumination. Examples include operating a battery-powered screwdriver, cutting cloth with scissors, examining documents, writing (while steadying the paper), setting a watch, sorting clothes, and searching for a small object in a purse or briefcase. When the general illumination is low, persons performing these and similar tasks with the aid of a flashlight resort to tucking the flashlight under an arm, cradling it between the neck and shoulder, balancing it on a nearby table, mantel or ledge, even holding it in the mouth, etc.
None of these makeshifts is very satisfactory. If it is necessary, for example, to employ a tool under the hood of a car, it is pure happenstance if a way can be found to balance a conventional flashlight on some portion of the car's fender or engine in such a manner that it illuminates the work properly. Similarly, if during a power outage the contents of a briefcase on a table are to be searched with the aid of a conventional flashlight resting on a mantel, it is unlikely that the interior of the briefcase will be adequately illuminated. That may leave a choice of hoisting the briefcase substantially to the height of the mantel and tilting it precariously to illuminate the interior, thereby foregoing the use of one hand in rummaging through the contents of the briefcase, or, better, leaving the briefcase on the table, holding the flashlight in one hand and rummaging with the other. In either case, only one hand is available for the task presented, the other being committed to holding the briefcase or the flashlight.
Another drawback of conventional flashlights is that they are rather specialized. The familiar cylindrical flashlight is designed specifically to be held in the hand. It is not well adapted to be worn on a belt, for example. On the other hand, there are conventional "right-angled" flashlights specialized for wearing on the belt. Such flashlights typically have a cylindrical battery housing adapted to be secured to a belt by a clip so that the axis of the cylindrical housing is vertical. The light bulb, reflector and lens are constructed to project the light in a direction at right angles to the cylindrical housing axis, that is to say horizontally. Such a light can be worn to light the way while walking and frees the hands to carry camp gear, books, tools or whatever. However, except for this specialized use, the right-angled flashlight is no better than the straight cylindrical flashlight. It is, in other words, not very versatile.
Book lights specialized for reading in bed, while traveling, etc., as disclosed in applicant's earlier U.S. patents, are also known, as are portable fluorescent lights as disclosed in applicant's earlier U.S. patent. Such lights can be designed to operate on house current, batteries, or both. A book light is excellent for its intended purpose, but, even if battery-powered, does not function as an all-purpose flashlight. A portable fluorescent light also gives excellent service, but it does not provide a complete solution to the problems of the prior art.
Another drawback of conventional flashlights is that they often will not reach an area in a crowded environment that requires illumination. The engine compartment of a modern car, for example, is crowded with hoses, belts and wires that limit access by tools. Sometimes it is necessary to illuminate a work area deeply recessed within the engine compartment so that a conventional flashlight must be held at a considerable distance from the work area. The tool in use may preempt the space along the line of sight to the work area, so that the flashlight must illuminate the work area from a different angle. When the flashlight cannot be brought close to the work area, the hoses, belts, wires, etc., may cast deep shadows that prevent adequate illumination of the work area.
Attempts have been made heretofore to improve the versatility of flashlights. For example, flashlights are commonly made with a focusing adjustment to enable selection of a floodlight or a spotlight. Also, flashlights are sometimes provided with lenses of different colors (red, yellow, clear, etc.) so that they can be used primarily for illumination (clear lens), warning (red lens), signaling (red lens, clear lens, etc.), illumination combined with adaptation to the dark (red lens), or another purpose. However, prior attempts to increase the versatility of the flashlight have met with only limited success, and the most advanced flashlights of today, while benefitting from recent improvements in battery and bulb technology, are in their basic design virtually indistinguishable from flashlights that were commercially available decades ago.
In order to start a fire in a fireplace or stove or light a charcoal grill, it is the usual practice to lay a fuel bed and set a lighted match to it. In the case of a fireplace, the fuel bed often includes logs laid on top of kindling and crumpled newspapers. In the case of an outdoor grill, the fuel bed often includes charcoal briquettes. In both cases, it is the practice of many people to add a petroleum-based fluid or gel as a starting fuel.
Starting a fire is recognized as a dangerous procedure, especially if a liquid or gel starter fluid is used. Starter fuel is highly flammable and more or less volatile, depending on the choice of starter fuel.
Despite warnings, every year some people use gasoline as a starter fuel and are severely burned because of the extreme volatility of gasoline and the tendency of the vapor rising from the fuel bed to explode at the approach of a lighted match.
Kerosene is a less volatile and a safer starter fuel than gasoline but still dangerous, especially if used by people with no special training in starting fires.
Various commercial products have been developed expressly for use as starter fuels. While such products may be relatively nonvolatile, they must be sufficiently flammable to be lighted by brief contact with a lighted match and thus cannot be regarded as completely safe. In fact, a starter fuel that is insufficiently volatile and flammable ceases to be useful for its intended purpose.
The danger is all the greater because a match is usually relatively short and becomes shorter still as it burns. Thus the fingers of a person--even a very careful person--starting a fire may be literally only a fraction of an inch from the flame when the starter fuel ignites. A person trying to start a fire using a relatively "safe" starter fuel may find that the match burns down and singes the fingers before it ignites the starter fuel.
Another problem attendant upon starting a fire in a fireplace or grill is that fireplaces and grills usually have an abundance of ashes and soot and manage to dirty the hands of a person using a match to start a fire, especially since the hands must get very close to the bed of fuel in order to get the flame of the match in all the right places. In order to give the fire a good start, it is desirable to place the flame of the match in contact with the fuel bed at a number of spaced-apart locations. Moreover, these locations should be at or near the bottom of the fuel bed, since heat rising from a part of the fuel bed that has been ignited ignites fuel more readily at a higher level than at a lower level. This requires that the person starting the fire poke the match deep into the fuel bed, and it is nearly inevitable that the hands become soiled in the process.
Attempts have been made heretofore to make the process of starting a fire safer and cleaner. An old technique is to use a match only to light a taper and use the taper to light the fuel bed. Makeshift tapers such as a rolled-up sheet of newspaper or strip of cardboard are often employed. Such tapers leave much to be desired, however. They burn down at a rate that is unpredictable and produce a flame of unpredictable size. In many cases they produce ash that may fall outside the fireplace, stove or grill. They are inconvenient to make and in many cases they are suitable to be used only once, then thrown into the fireplace, stove or grill and consumed; often a search must be made for a suitable material, and sometimes none is at hand.
A much better alternative, of which the present applicant is a joint inventor, replaces both a match and a taper and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,983. This devices comprisesa housing for a fuel container, a piezoelectric igniting device, and an extension tube mounted on the forward end of the housing and pivotable from a folded position to an extended position. A flame can be provided at the distal end of the extension tube, remote from the user's hand. The housing has a recess in which a pushbutton is positioned for supplying the fuel and actuating the igniting device simultaneously. When the extension tube is folded, it lies parallel to the housing over the recess and the pushbutton so that the lighter cannot be accidentally ignited. Applicant hereby incorporates the disclosure of that patent herein by reference.
The fire starter described in the cited patent has enormous advantages as compared to the use of a match and taper. However, it does not represent a complete solution to the problem of starting fires. Consider the following situation, which is often encountered: a grate supporting the fuel bed may be reachable only over the top of some barrier such as the rim of a bowl of a charcoal grill or the lower edge of a stove doorway. In order to get the flame to various points at or near the bottom of the fuel bed, it may be necessary, for example, to insert the hand all the way into the grill or stove. In some cases, there is simply no way to position the flame ideally with respect to the fuel bed, given the rigidity of the pivotable extension. The problems of danger, dirt and inconvenience mentioned above in connection with matches and tapers have thus not been entirely avoided by recent advances in the art.

Radiant-energy tool with flexible extension

c/c Zelco Industries, Inc.,630 S. Columbus ave.


A system for communicating information between a first controller and a second controller is presented. The system is designed to improve and increase the robustness data transferred between two controllers.

One system to control an engine during a condition of valve actuator failure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,932. The system description presents a way to deactivate a bank of cylinders in response to a valve actuator failure. In addition, an actuator controller is provided for each bank of the engine and each controller is configured to operate valves, fuel injection, and ignition if communication between the actuator controller and engine controller is disrupted.
The above-mentioned method can also have a disadvantage. For example, the system uses a single CAN data bus to communicate between the valve controllers and the engine controller. This configuration may be adequate during some conditions but may be inadequate during others; such as, when a valve is degraded. Generally, control and status commands for each cylinder are sent between the valve controller and the engine controller. The commands and status may be updated as often as each cylinder event. If a valve stays open or does not open, it may be desirable to inhibit spark in a cylinder while the valve is not operating as desired. During these conditions, it may be desirable to inhibit spark within as little as forty crankshaft angle degrees after a valve has not closed, for example. However, if a request to inhibit a spark event is transmitted from a valve controller to an engine controller at higher engine speeds, then there is less time to communicate between cylinder events. Consequently, the amount of time available to transmit data between the valve controller and the engine controller decreases as engine speed increases. This can increase the possibility of late or undeliverable data. As a result, it may be possible for a combustion event to occur in a cylinder when an intake or exhaust valve is open.
The inventors herein have recognized the above-mentioned disadvantage and have developed a system that improves communication and data exchange between a valve controller and an engine controller.

System for transmitting signals between an engine control unit and a valve control unit


The present invention is directed to an interactive toy generally including a body having a body section and a head section. Generally, the body resembles an animal, such as a horse, or popular fictional characters. The body section includes a preformed engagement surface configured to secure to a wearer. The toy can also include an internal support structure helping to define the engagement surface as well as limiting movement of the head section. The body includes at least one securing member allowing a person to wrap a measurable portion of the securement member around their upper leg and/or knee. The level of securement is dependent upon the level of desired motion to be applied to the secured animal through motion of the person's leg. The interactive toy can also include an audio device for replaying recorded sounds such as animal sounds, voice recordings, nature sounds, and the like. Preferably, the sounds are manually initiated by a child by pulling, pushing, pressing, and the like, on a part or portion of the animal body.

Conventional toy stuffed animals have long been a source of entertainment for children of all ages. However, the interaction between a child and the toy animal is primarily solitary in nature. Adult interaction and participation with the child seldom takes place with the child during this time. Instead, adults, and parents in particular, are generally forced to resort to other toys and recreational activities in order to obtain a more involved quality interaction with the child.
An example of one stuffed animal designed to promote such interaction is U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,712 to Curry, Sr., herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, disclosing a riding toy. While Curry, Sr. discloses a riding toy seeking to improve the interaction between an adult and a child, it lacks features that create a safe playing environment.
As a result, there is a need for a toy animal that is aesthetically and functionally designed to appeal to, and entertain, a child while at the same time permitting safe and secure interpersonal interaction between the child and an adult.


An LCD with an integrated touch screen panel includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixels formed thereon, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is provided with a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode. A second substrate faces the first substrate and has a plurality of common electrodes formed inside thereof. The plurality of common electrodes is arranged in a first direction to correspond to the plurality of pixels. A plurality of sensing electrodes is outside of the second substrate and arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. A liquid crystal layer is between the first and the second substrates. A common electrode driver sequentially supplies a driving signal to the common electrodes and supplies a compensation signal having a phase opposite to the driving signal to the common electrodes.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a liquid crystal display (LCD). More particularly, embodiments relate to an LCD having a mutual capacitive touch screen panel integrated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch screen panel is an input device that allows a user's instruction to be input with a user's hand or object by selecting an instruction displayed on a screen of an image display.
The touch screen panel is formed on a front face of the image display to convert a contact position into an electrical signal. The user's hand or object is directly in contact with the touch screen panel at the contact position. Accordingly, the instruction selected at the contact position is input as an input signal to the image display.
Since a touch screen panel can be substituted for a separate input device connected to an image display, such as a keyboard or mouse, the applications utilizing touch screen panels have been increasing.
Touch screen panels are divided into a resistive overlay touch screen panel, a photosensitive touch screen panel, a capacitive touch screen panel, etc. Among these touch screen panels, the capacitive touch screen panel converts a contact position into an electrical signal by sensing a change in capacitance formed between a conductive sensing pattern and an adjacent sensing pattern, ground electrode, etc., when a user's hand or object is in contact with the touch screen panel.
A touch screen panel is generally attached to an outer surface of a flat panel display, i.e., a liquid crystal display or an organic light emitting display.

Liquid crystal display with integrated touch screen panel


The present invention provides a method and system of walk through testing a fire alarm system without disrupting the building occupants. A communications channel is setup between a control panel and a single human tester. The tester then triggers an alarm or trouble condition in a device. The control panel detects the address of the device and automatically returns to the tester, over the communications channel, a label indicating the location of the device.

Typical building fire alarm systems include a number of fire detection devices located throughout a building. The devices include smoke detectors, heat sensors, pull stations and like devices. Normally, these devices are connected in loops and are monitored for alarm and trouble conditions at a central control panel. The loops are distributed throughout zones of an industrial plant, office or residential building.
Alarm and/or trouble indicators are located at the control panel to indicate in which zone the alarm and/or trouble condition is located. The alarm or trouble indicators may be LEDs and/or an alphanumeric display. A yellow LED usually indicates a trouble condition and a red LED usually indicates an alarm condition. A trouble condition may be caused by the removal of a device, faulty system wiring and the like. A tone alarm may be generated at the control panel to announce that a trouble condition has been detected. The tone alarm can be silenced by an operator authorized access to the control panel. During an alarm condition, audible devices are sounded throughout the zones of the building. These devices may include horns, bells and like devices. Light strobes may also be located throughout the building to provide a visual alarm.
A walk through test of each device verifies that each device is connected to the system in its assigned location. Before performing a walk through test, a human tester places the control panel in a test mode. When performing a walk through test, the tester places a device in an alarm or trouble condition. The control panel receives a signal from a sensing device identifying the location of the device and whether there is an alarm or trouble condition. The tester then must communicate with the control panel operator as to whether the alarm or trouble condition was properly detected by the control panel and whether the device is located in the proper zone. A communications channel is setup between the tester and a control panel operator. The communication channel may be setup through a pair of two-way radios, cellular phones or like devices. The control panel operator then resets the alarm or trouble condition at the control panel and the tester moves onto the next device to be tested.
A single tester walk through test such as presented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,818, allows the tester to place a device in an alarm or trouble condition. In test mode, the control panel senses the location of the device and whether there is an alarm or trouble condition. The control panel then audibly sounds a code, associated with the devices address, throughout the audible devices located in the system or zone. The tester listens to the code and verifies the location of the device by matching the code to a list of device addresses for all devices in the system. The control panel automatically resets the tripped device so the tester can move to the next device to test.
The single human tester method of verifying system installation and troubleshooting alarm devices can be very disruptive, not only to the tester but to the building occupants. This is especially important in buildings which do not typically have an unoccupied period during which testing can be preformed, such as hospitals. Also, only the device address is communicated to the tester and not the device location. Therefore, even though the system has the capability of conducting the verification with one tester, many tests are conducted with two people, a tester and control panel operator.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method and system of walk through testing a fire alarm system without disrupting the building occupants.
This result is achieved by setting up a private communications channel between the control panel and the tester. The tester then triggers a test condition in a device. The control panel detects the address of the device and automatically returns to the tester, over the communications channel, an indication of a location of the device. The indication may be a code associated with the device address which can be matched to location on a list. However, it is preferred that the indication be a direct identification of location such as presented in a label associated with the device address at the control panel.
The location of the devices may be a label which may be converted to a voice stream or textual message, which is transmitted to the tester over the communication channel. In response to the label, the tester can transmit over the communications channel, a response indicating the location of the device. The response may be stored in a storage device, and the response may be associated to the device tested. The response can be either a voice stream or textual message and the storage device may be a computer. The test condition may be an alarm or trouble condition.
An address of the device can also be returned to the tester. The tester transmits over the communications channel the response to the address of the device. The response is then stored in a storage device, and the response may be associated to the device tested. The response can be either a voice stream or textual message and the storage device may be a computer.
To setup a communications channel between the control panel and the tester, a computer may be connected to the control panel. A first communications device may be connected to the computer and a second communications device may be connected to the first communications device through a wireless connection. The communications device can be a two-way radio, cellular phone or pager interface.


An optical interface device determines whether frequency deviation of a clock signal corresponding to an optical signal from a client side is abnormal based on a stuff amount when subjecting a data signal corresponding to an optical signal input from the client side to a stuffing process, inserts an alarm indication signal (AIS) indicating that the frequency deviation is abnormal into a predetermined region of a data signal when the deviation is determined to be abnormal, and outputs an optical signal generated corresponding to the data signal to a WDM line side so as to transfer the AIS to another component disposed downstream therefrom, so that locating a site where an abnormal state occurs is made easier.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a typical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system. In this WDM optical transmission system, a WDM signal light, composed of multiplexed optical signals each having a different wavelength, is bidirectionally transmitted between opposite WDM optical transmission devices 1 through optical transmission lines (WDM lines) 2. Each WDM optical transmission device 1 is further connected to two or more client devices 3 via optical transmission lines (client lines) 4. The WDM optical transmission device 1 includes, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an optical interface device 10 and an optical wavelength multiplexing-demultiplexing device 30, and performs inter-conversion between optical signals respectively carried on channels CH1 to CHn through the client lines 4 and a WDM signal light that is transmitted through the WDM line 2.
The optical interface device 10 has a plurality of optical units 10A, 10B, etc. For example, the optical interface 10A converts optical signals carried on four channels, which are received from the client lines 4, to an optical signal suitable for transmission on the WDM line 2, and performs reverse conversion thereof. Furthermore, the optical interface 10B converts an optical signal carried on one channel, which is received from the client line 4, to an optical signal suitable for transmission on the WDM line 2, and performs reverse conversion thereof.
Specifically, in optical signal conversion by the optical interface 10A, optical signals, which are carried on four channels CH1 to CH4 through the client lines 4, are respectively received by optical transceivers 11 which are compliant with MSA (Multi Source Agreement) specification, and each optical transceiver 11 generates appropriate client signals (a data signal and a clock signal) for each optical signal. Each client signal generated by each optical transceiver 11 is converted so as to have a frame format for an OTU (optical channel transport unit) by a digital wrapper 13 that is defined by the ITU-T G.709 (Interfaces for the optical transport network, OTN). Then, a data string, that was contained into an OTU frame by the digital wrapper 13, is supplied to an MSA-compliant optical transceiver 15, and the MSA-compliant optical transceiver 15 modulates a light within the WDM wavelength band according to the data string and outputs the resultant optical signal to the optical wavelength multiplexing-demultiplexing device 30. In the optical wavelength multiplexing-demultiplexing device 30, optical signals of different wavelengths from the optical interfaces 10A, 10B, and so on, are multiplexed by a multiplexer 31, and the resultant WDM signal light is amplified to a desired level and is supplied to the WDM line 2 by a post-amplifier 33.
In the process performed by the digital wrapper 13 above, if a clock signal corresponding to an optical signal received from the client line 4 is asynchronous with a clock signal corresponding to an optical signal to be transmitted to a WDM line 2 side, the client signal is framed by synchronizing this client signal with a standard clock signal that is generated by a fixed oscillator, etc., within the optical interface. At this time, a stuffing process is performed to compensate for a difference between a bit rate (clock frequency) of the client signal and a standard clock frequency. In the stuffing process, an NJO (negative justification opportunity) byte and a PJO (positive justification opportunity) byte, both defined for an overhead of an OPU (optical channel payload unit) within the OTU frame, are used. According to the difference between a clock frequency of a client signal and a standard clock reference, either positive stuffing for inserting a justification byte (zero) or negative stuffing for accommodating extra data of a client signal is performed. Furthermore, when a stuffed signal is processed by the digital wrapper 13 on receiving side, a client signal that is similar to that on the transmitting side is recovered by performing a destuffing process based on the aforementioned OPU overhead information.
In the WDM optical transmission device 1 as described above, a client-side optical signal supplied to the optical interface device 10 has a clock frequency which includes a deviation within ±20 ppm according to ITU-T Recommendations. Furthermore, an optical signal available for Ethernet (registered trademark) may also be input to the optical interface device 10. For example, an optical signal available for 10 Gbit/s Ethernet (hereinafter abbreviated as "10 GbE") has a clock frequency which includes a deviation within ±100 ppm according to IEEE 802.3ae.
A prior art technique for accommodating such a frequency deviation of a client-side optical signal is, for example, disclosed in International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2007/072921 which proposes, regarding a stuffing process, to enable synchronization with a client-side optical signal within a large frequency range by adding a new overhead to each client signal, and using two or more defined stuffing bytes in cooperation with the new overheads.
However, even if such a conventional stuffing technique described above is applied to an optical interface device, when a deviation of a clock frequency of a client optical signal that is actually supplied to the optical interface device is outside of the defined range above due to occurrence of trouble in a system, a client device which receives the optical signal at a terminal of the line may detects an error. In this case, a conventional WDM optical transmission system suffers from the problem that locating a position in which an abnormal frequency condition occurs is difficult.
For example, in the forgoing exemplary configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, suppose that a deviation not within ±100 ppm occurs in a clock frequency of a 10-GbE optical signal to be transmitted to the WDM optical transmission device 1 from an optical transmitter (TX) of the client device 3 through the client line 4. In this case, when each optical module provided in each of the WDM optical transmission devices 1 which are respectively disposed at the opposite ends of the WDM line 2 has a proof strength with respect to the aforementioned deviation of the clock frequency whereas an optical receiver (RX) in the client device 3 disposed at a terminal end of the client line 4 on receiving side has no proof strength with respect thereto, the receiving client device 3 detects an error, an error detected by a client device 3 on receiving side. At this time, however, since each WDM optical transmission device 1 successfully completes its process, the matter that some error occurs in the clock frequency of a client-side optical signal to be supplied to the transmitting WDM optical transmission device 1 cannot be determined. Furthermore, since about ±160 ppm margin is provided for a stuff amount that is processed by an optical interface within each WDM optical transmission device 1 due to application of the conventional technique described above, no error resulting from a stuffing process limit occurs.
In addition, in the conventional WDM optical transmission device 1, the optical interface 10B (FIG. 2) for converting a 1-channel optical signal received from the client line 4 may use a clock signal, which was used for conversion of a client-side optical signal, as a reference clock signal when recovering a data signal and a clock signal by use of a received light (an optical signal received from the WDM line 2) on the opposite line side within the same optical interface. In this case, when a deviation of a clock frequency of a client-side optical signal increases, a frequency deviation of a reference clock signal in an optical reception process on the aforementioned opposite line exceeds the proof strength. This poses a problem because it may cause error occurrence on the opposite line, as well as the above-described error detection problem at the line terminal end.

Optical interface device, and abnormality monitoring method for input frequency deviation


The invention recites a microturbine system comprising a housing and a turbine including a rotary element having a shaft supported by the housing and rotatable about a rotary axis. A starter wheel is coupled to the shaft and rotatable in response to a stream of high-pressure fluid flowing from a high-pressure flow path. A pump is operable to provide a supply of lubricating fluid. The engine further includes a starter valve receiving the supply of lubricating fluid and being selectively operable to provide one of the stream of high-pressure fluid to the high-pressure flow path and a stream of low-pressure fluid to a low-pressure flow path.

The present invention relates to turbine engines, and particularly to microturbine engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to microturbine engines having lubrication oil systems.
Microturbine engines are used to generate electricity or to provide power for other rotating equipment. Microturbine engines often include two turbines, however single turbine systems are also used. In the two-turbine system, the first turbine, or gasifier turbine, rotates under the influence of a flow of products of combustion to drive a compressor. The compressor provides a supply of compressed air for combustion within a combustor. The products of combustion leaving the combustor drive the gasifier turbine and then flow to a power turbine that drives a generator or other piece of equipment.
The gasifier turbine and compressor may reside on the same shaft. The shaft is generally supported by high-speed bearings that use lubricating oil for cooling and lubrication. The power turbine as well as any associated gearing may also require a supply of lubricating oil. Thus, microturbine engine systems generally include a lubrication oil system that is capable of providing a low-pressure supply of lubricating oil to various components.
Starting a microturbine engine requires an outside energy supply to initiate rotation of the gasifier turbine and the compressor. The compressor is then able to supply compressed air to the combustor to initiate combustion and start the engine. In single turbine systems connected to a generator, it is sometimes possible to operate the generator as a motor to start the engine. However, in two-turbine systems, the gasifier turbine is not directly coupled to the generator. Therefore, an additional power supply is required. Some systems employ a gear coupled to the gasifier shaft and driven by an external motor during start-up. The addition of a gear to the gasifier shaft is undesirable due to the high speed of the shaft and the dynamic instabilities of the rotor. Also, having the starting system physically contact the shaft during operation can create a drag on the system, which results in inefficiencies. It is therefore desirable to provide a system capable of quickly accelerating the gasifier turbine to start-up speed without the addition of complicated or expensive hardware. It is also desirable to provide a system that is not in physical contact with the gasifier turbine during operation.
Thus, according to the present invention, a microturbine engine provides a housing and a turbine including a rotary element having a shaft supported by the housing and rotatable about a rotary axis. A starter wheel is coupled to the shaft and rotatable in response to a stream of high-pressure fluid flowing from a high-pressure flow path. A pump is operable to provide a supply of lubricating fluid. The engine further includes a starter valve receiving the supply of lubricating fluid and being selectively operable to provide one of the stream of high-pressure fluid to the high-pressure flow path and a stream of low-pressure fluid to a low-pressure flow path.
The invention further provides a method of starting a microturbine engine having a compressor supported for rotation and having a starter wheel coupled to the compressor. The method comprises the acts of providing a supply of lubricating fluid with a constant displacement pump and providing a starter valve in fluid communication with the pump, the valve receiving the supply of lubricating fluid from the pump. The method further includes the steps of operating the starter valve to provide a high-pressure stream of fluid and directing the high-pressure stream to impinge upon the starter wheel to begin rotation of the compressor until the engine has started. The method also includes the steps of operating the starter valve to provide a low-pressure stream of fluid and directing at least a portion of the low-pressure stream to the microturbine engine to provide lubrication.
In preferred embodiments, a solenoid operated starter valve operates to redirect flow from the lubrication oil pump to the high-pressure flow path. The high-pressure flow path includes a pressure control valve that directs a portion of the high-pressure stream to the low-pressure flow path at a lower pressure while maintaining the desired pressure within the high-pressure flow path. The high-pressure oil flows through a nozzle and into a Pelton wheel attached to the gasifier turbine shaft. The Pelton wheel rotates in response to the oil flow accelerating the turbine and compressor. Once the engine is started, the starter valve solenoid de-energizes redirecting the oil flow through the low-pressure system at the desired lubricating oil pressure.
Additional features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

Single pump lubrication and starter system


An iris region of an eye is detected from an original image (S1) and image conversion is performed to the detected iris region so that feature data unique to the person can not be extracted (S2). For example, the iris region is divided into a plurality of portions and respective images of divided portions are re-arranged in a predetermined order or at random.

In recent years, personal identification technologies using iris images started to be used in room access control in important facilities, ATMs (automated teller machines) at banks and the like, and PC log-in application and the like. Specifically, the method disclosed in Patent Reference 1 has been already commercialized around the world and is becoming the de facto world standard.
In the method of Patent Reference 1, an iris region is cut out from an image in which an iris is photographed, and the iris region is expressed in polar coordinates. Then, 2D Gabor wavelet filtering is performed to generate an iris code and personal authentication is performed by comparing the iris code generated from the image taken at a time of authentication to an iris code which has been registered in advance.
Moreover, as known techniques for protecting personal privacy, there are techniques for use in surveillance cameras, in which the face or body of a person in an image is obscured by a mosaic or painted out with a color (see, e.g., Patent References 2, 3 and 4).    (Patent Reference 1) Japanese Patent Publication No. 3307936    (Patent Reference 2) Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-261789    (Patent Reference 3) Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-278584    (Patent Reference 4) Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-186507

Image processing method, image processor, photographic apparatus, image output unit and iris verify unit


A shutter panel for use in a lost formwork for making a cavity floor. The panel has connection members for bearer feet. The connection members extend through holes in the shuttering panel. For marginal reinforcement of the panel around the holes, special fittings are provided, for example bracing plates, flanges or washers disposed against the underside of the panel. The holes in the shutter panel may also have an inside diameter such that the bearer feet can be passed through them from above at the time of fixing to fittings at the holes. The panel preferably consists of plaster.

To produce formwork for the upper floors of cavity floors, it is known to use as expendable shuttering panel-like shuttering elements. Indeed, it is also known to use a synthetic plastics shuttering film provided with blocked-out portions which form the bearer feet by which the shuttering foil is supported on a lower floor. Flowable flooring composition is applied onto the shuttering film and flows into the upwardly-open bearer feet shapes, where it hardens and forms the bearer feet (German Offenlegungsschriften 31 03 632, 32 01 085, and 33 17 683). Such shuttering films with integrally moulded bearer feet, to be filled with flooring composition, are unstable to the extent that it is not possible for anyone to walk on the structure during installation. Furthermore, a variety of heights of cavity flooring cannot be produced with these shuttering films.
It is also already known to use square shuttering sheets with downwardly angled-over corners which fit into tubular bearer feet, the height of which can be adjusted by means of setscrews (German Gebrauchsmuster 84 04 767.4). The shuttering sheets or panels are provided with upwardly-angled edge parts at which they are clamped by means of special clamping sections. The cost of production and installation of a cavity floor produced by means of such shuttering sheets is relatively high. Furthermore, at the corner zones of the panels there are a large number of potential leakage points where the flooring composition can flow into the cavity of the double floor. Adjustment of the carrier feet by means of setscrews disposed at their bottom ends is difficult.
Finally, the state of the art also includes shuttering panels provided with integrally moulded hollow studs which constitute the means of connecting the vertically adjustable bearer feet (German Patent 34 34 872). The pot-shaped bearer feet are fitted frictionally in telescopic fashion on the hollow studs, with no holes on the bottom of the studs through which the flooring composition might pass. Pouring the flooring composition into the bearer feet is problematical since any enclosed air cannot escape. Thus the stability of the upper floor is questionable.

Shuttering panels for use in formwork for cavity floors


The present invention relates to a method for treating liquids used in inkjet recording including, providing a first printing liquid and a second printing liquid that is capable of reacting with the first printing liquid to cause coagulation and thickening if mixed with the first printing liquid, and exposing the first and second printing liquids to each other to form a mixture, wherein when the mixture includes a coagulation-thickening preventing agent which prevents the reaction of the printing liquids.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of treating an inkjet liquid (printing liquid) such as an ink or a processing liquid used in printing with an inkjet recording apparatus. Further, the invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, an inkjet liquid storage tank, and liquid absorber for inkjet liquid storage and an inkjet liquid treatment apparatus using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In inkjet recording methods, a liquid or melt solid ink is fired from nozzles, slits, porous films and the like, to perform recording on paper, cloth, film and the like. These methods have features of small size, low cost and silence and are used in a lot of printers. Among them, a piezo inkjet method of firing a liquid ink from a nozzle utilizing deformation of a piezoelectric element and a heat inkjet method which utilizes a heat boiling phenomenon are excellent in resolution and printing speed. Therefore, these methods are frequently utilized.
Inkjet recording is a promising recording technology as described above, however, it has a problem of poor discharge of ink. There are various causes for poor discharge, and drying and thickening of an ink in a nozzle, and clogging of a nozzle with bubble, refuse and the like can be exemplified. As technologies developed for solving such problems, a technology of covering a nozzle with a cap during non-printing period, a technology of providing a suction apparatus for discharging thickened inks, bubbles and refuses, a technology of empty firing, so-called dummy jet, and the like, can be exemplified. Among suggested technologies are technologies of providing an ink suction mechanism (see, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 56-60256, 57-12655, 62-113556 and 63-295265) and a technology of wiping off an ink adhered on the end surface of a head body by a wiper member (JP-A No. 62-251146). Owing to development of such technologies, improvement in poor discharge has been tried.
On the other hand, it has been recently desired to print at high speed and with high image quality particularly on regular paper. Therefore, various methods have been suggested to improve image density and to improve bleed of a single color and inter-color bleed. In a method suggested in JP-A No. 6-106735, in an ink set, color inks contains a surfactant that promotes permeation, and a solvent and salt, and the black ink contains a component causing thickening or coagulation under an influence of a salt. In a method suggested in JP-A No. 10-272768, pH of a color ink is 5 or lower, coagulation of a black ink is caused by contact of a black ink having weak ion strength with a color ink having strong ion strength, to improve water resistance and inter-color bleed. Examples of the compound enhancing the ion strength of a color ink in this method include monovalent and polyvalent chlorides, fluorides, bromides, nitrates and tosylates of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals.
However, when components thus causing coagulation are used in inks and processing liquids, in the maintenance part including a disposal apparatus that disposes of an ink and processing liquid, it is necessary to dispose of inks and processing liquids separately if the inks and the processing liquids cause coagulation and thickening when mixed. Consequently, an inkjet recording apparatus becomes larger and the cost increases.
There is a maintenance part that fires inks and processing liquids from each nozzle immediately before formation of an image (dummy jet) and prevent the discharge at the formation of an image from becoming faulty. There is also a method in which a cap is provided on each head to prevent drying of inks and processing liquids in a nozzle part, and the inks and the processing liquids are sucked by a pump while the nozzles are capped, to remove from a nozzle inks and processing liquids that were thickened when they dried. In these example, usually, a waste liquid composed of inks and processing liquids generated during maintenance is recovered through a tube to a waste ink tank that stores a waste liquid. In many cases, in the waste ink tank, a porous body such as urethane foam or a fibrous material such as polyester felt is used as an absorber, and this absorber absorbs the waste liquid composed of inks and processing liquids.
If the inks and the processing liquid which coagulate or thicken when mixed are mixed and disposed of in a part of disposal device in such a maintenance section, a problem occurs. For example, clogging with a coagulated substance occurs in a pump that sucks inks and processing liquids. Clogging with a coagulated substance occurs at the inlet or inside of a tube which is a route to a waste ink tank. Coagulation occurs in the upper or other specific part of an absorber provided in a waste ink tank to disturb absorption of inks and processing liquids. In that case, the absorber and the waste ink tank can store less waste liquid than expected. Because of these problem, the respective parts cannot function well and the apparatus becomes faulty.
In order to avoid these problems, when there are two or more combinations of printing liquids (ink-ink, ink-processing liquid) that can coagulate or cause coagulated substance when mixed, it is necessary to provide waste liquid processing parts separately for each combination of the printing liquids in a maintenance part. However, as a result, the number of parts of a waste liquid processing parts increases to elevate the cost and the machine size also increases. There is therefore a need for improved techniques for the treatment and disposal of liquids used in inkjet recording.

Method for treating inkjet liquid, recording apparatus using the same, liquid storage tank, liquid absorber for liquid storage and liquid treatment apparatus


A barrel driving mechanism and an image pickup device thereof. The barrel driving mechanism comprises a fixing-barrel, a driving-barrel and a moving-barrel. The fixing-barrel has a first groove with a first stop-position and a first position. The driving-barrel disposed in the fixing-barrel has a second groove with a second stop-position and a second position. The driving-barrel has a first guiding protrusion inserted into the first groove. The moving-barrel disposed in the driving-barrel having a second guiding protrusion is inserted into the second groove. Wherein, the first stop-position to the first position and the second stop-position to the second position are slanted grooves. When the driving-barrel is rotated, the driving-barrel shifts a first axial distance and the moving-barrel shifts a second axial distance. The sum of the first axial distance and the second axial distance equals the total displacement of the moving barrel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a barrel driving mechanism and an image pickup device thereof, in particular to the barrel driving mechanism and the image pickup device thereof using special grooves formed on a fixing-barrel and a driving-barrel respectively to achieve a zooming effect of a camera lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
As digital technology advances, the way of recording details of our daily life has been changed accordingly, and digital cameras have become one of the necessary 3C products in our life. The zooming function of a camera allows users to adjust the range of viewing angles from the same position to meet different requirements and overcome different environmental conditions in order to obtain a user's desired viewing angle. Therefore, cameras with an optical zooming lens become a mainstream product in the market and these cameras are developed rapidly. As to the present existing cameras, most zooming methods of a camera lens adopt the design of a groove formed in a driving-barrel, such that a portion of a slanted groove in the groove is provided for moving a moving-barrel in the driving-barrel to achieve the zooming effect of the camera lens.
However, the length of the slanted groove of the driving-barrel becomes greater as the amplification increases. Therefore, the length of the driving-barrel is also increased accordingly. When the camera lens is contracted completely, the maximum length of the lens barrel is defined as the final length of the camera lens when it is completely contracted. If the length of the driving-barrel is increased, the final length of the camera lens of the camera is also increased after the camera lens is contracted completely, due to the shape and length of the driving-barrel. However, most designs of the cameras tend to accommodate the camera lens into the camera when the lens is contracted completely. The increased length of the camera after the camera lens is contracted will increase the thickness of the camera. Obviously, such design of simply arranging the groove in the driving-barrel is unfavorable for the design of a compact product and constitutes an obstacle to the miniaturization of the product.
In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention designed a barrel driving mechanism and an image pickup device thereof to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and enhance the industrial application.

Barrel driving mechanism and image pickup device thereof


Testing machine learning sensors by adding obfuscated training data to test data, and performing real time model fit analysis on live network traffic to determine whether to retrain.

Intrusion detection for cyber defense of networks (defense of computer networks against cyber attacks) has two main pitfalls that result in malicious penetration: computer networks are always evolving, resulting in new, unknown vulnerabilities that are subject to new attacks, and hackers are always obfuscating known (legacy) attack delivery methods to bypass security mechanisms. Intrusion detection sensors that utilize machine learning models are now being deployed to identify these new attacks and these obfuscated legacy attack delivery methods (Peter, M., Sabu, T., Zakirul, B., Ryan, K., Robin, D., & Jose, C., "Security in Computing and Communications", 4th International Symposium, SSCC 2016 (p. 400), Jaipur, India: Springer (2016), incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,887,285 to Resurgo entitled "Heterogeneous Sensors for Network Defense", incorporated herein by reference).
State-of-the-art machine learning model evaluation uses statistical analysis to determine model fit for a particular set of data. This works well for typical uses of machine learning (e.g. speech recognition, weather forecasting), but fails to meet cyber defense standards when using machine learning models to detect cyber attacks on networks. Currently, statistical analysis of cyber defense models (machine learning models for defense against cyber attacks) does not test for obfuscated attacks, and is only applied to archived data sets, not to (1) real-time, evolving network traffic; or (2) real-time attack detection.
A. Background of Obfuscation to Thwart Cyber Defense
Cyber attacks, such as malware, should not be thought of as a single unit based on result. Instead, cyber attacks can be broken into their functional components; propagation (i.e. attack delivery) method, exploit, and payload (Berr, T., "PrEP: A Framework for Malware & Cyber Weapons", George Washington University, Political Science Department & Cyber Security and Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C. (2014), incorporated herein by reference). The propagation (attack delivery) method is the means of transporting malicious code from origin to target. The exploit component takes advantage of vulnerabilities in the target system to enable infection and the operation of the payload. The payload is code written to achieve some desired malicious end, such as deleting data. Using this three-part component framework for analyzing cyber attacks becomes important when trying to detect and protect against cyber attacks. Many signatures (for signature-based intrusion detection systems) are based on the payload portion of the attack, because the propagation method and exploit components can vary substantially from target to target.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,887,285 to Resurgo, incorporated herein by reference, discloses how to combine signature-based and machine learning sensors for a more comprehensive computer network defense. This patent details how to build a data set using detection evasion techniques to train the machine learning sensor to cover the "blind-spot" of the signature-based sensor.
Detection evasion techniques in all fields (not just network security) can include obfuscation, fragmentation, encryption, other ways to change form or add variant forms (sometimes called polymorphous or polymorphic), and other detection evasion techniques, and are all referred to in this specification and claims collectively and singly as "obfuscating", "obfuscation" or "obfuscated attacks".
Detection evasion techniques as applied to network security were described in more detail in the Resurgo patent's background section:
The blind spot problem for signature-based sensors is compounded by the fact that use of evasion techniques by hackers has proven very effective at enabling known exploits to escape detection. Evasion techniques allow a hacker to sufficiently modify the pattern of an attack so that the signature will fail to produce a match (during intrusion detection). The most common evasion techniques are obfuscation, fragmentation, and encryption. Obfuscation is hiding intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, willfully ambiguous, and harder to interpret. In network security, obfuscation refers to methods used to obscure an attack pay load from inspection by network protection systems. For instance, an attack payload can be hidden in web protocol traffic. Fragmentation is breaking a data stream into segments and sending those segments out of order through the computer network. The segments are reassembled in correct order at the receiving side. The shuffling of the order of data stream segments can change the known attack signature due to the reordering of communication bits. Encryption is the process of encoding messages (or information) in such a way that eavesdroppers or hackers cannot read it, but that authorized parties can. Both the authorized sender and receiver must have an encryption key and a decryption key in order to encode and decode communication. In network attacks, the attack payload can often be encoded/encrypted such that the signature is no longer readable by detection systems. While each evasion technique chancres the attack pattern differently, it is important to note that the goal is the same: change the attack pattern enough to no longer match published attack signatures and hence to avoid intrusion detection.
Hackers use the above methods, among others, to vary the propagation method, exploit, and payload components to create obfuscated attacks, even though the name of the cyber attack, and its result, may be the same. The process of U.S. Pat. No. 8,887,285 focuses on the training of machine learning models with obfuscated attacks, but does not consider any methods for evaluating the resulting models beyond standard statistical techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,204 B2 to UT Battelle, LLC, incorporated herein by reference, and provisional patent application No. 61/872,047 (from which U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,204 B2 claims priority), incorporated herein by reference, disclose a send-supervised learning module connected to a network node. The learning module uses labeled and unlabeled data to train a semi-supervised machine learning sensor. However, semi-supervised learning is a model training technique and not appropriate for model performance evaluation or identifying obfuscated attacks.
B. Background of Machine Learning
Learning models, statistical models, analytical models and essentially all mathematical models can be used to explain, predict, automate, and analyze information about the nature of things. Fields of study such as machine learning, statistical analysis, and pattern recognition are actively researching new ways to process and handle datasets. To develop these models, a sufficient supply of samples which have been (to the best of ability) properly labeled (i.e. classified) must be supplied. The correctly labeled (i.e. classified) samples are known as the "ground truths". These samples do not change, so they are static. For machine learning purposes, these samples are not sorted or segregated by their classifications; a set of samples includes both normal network traffic and cyber attacks. The samples of normal network traffic preferably are obtained from the network that is to be protected. The samples of cyber attacks are preferably also obtained from the network that is to be protected, but if there is an insufficient number of samples of cyber attacks on that network, then some or all of the samples of cyber attacks can be provided from an existing repository of cyber attacks.
At a basic level, samples of ground truths can be split into two different datasets: training set and test set. The training set is a sufficiently large number of samples, which contains a sufficiently large number of ground truths, used to train (i.e. generate models using some model generating algorithm, and then select from those models). The training set is used to tune the parameters of a model generation algorithm (Bishop, C. (n.d.), "Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning", Mew York: Springer, incorporated herein by reference). In machine learning nomenclature, this is known as the training phase, or learning phase. This training phase involves providing a modal generating algorithm with the training data; generating multiple models (that is, generating multiple models using multiple different sets of tuned parameters) that each segregate the training data by label or classification; performing a statistical analysis on the performance of each model (or set of parameters) to determine whether the training data has been accurately segregated; and then selecting the model (or set of parameters) that provides the most accurate segregation, which becomes the trained model.
The multiple different sets of timed parameters used to generate multiple models are preferably generated by methods such as exhaustive cross-validation, grid search K-fold cross validation, leave-p-out cross-validation, leave-one-out cross-validation, k-fold cross-validation, or repeated random sub-sampling validation.
The training data must have a sufficient number of samples with ground truths (having correct labels or classifications) to train a model that performs well in supervised learning. This is a true statement for all machine learning, however some training techniques try to utilize unlabeled data. Unlabeled data is simply data that has not been classified by an expert and is therefore unknown in content. Supplementing ground truth data with unknown data in the training phase can be a very cost effective approach because creating or classifying ground truths can be an exhaustive process. This approach, called semi-supervised learning, is part of the training phase of machine learning and also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,204 B2 to UT Battelle, LLC, incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/872,047 (from which U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,204 B2 claims priority), incorporated herein by reference. Machine learning utilizing only unlabeled data (i.e. no ground truths), also known as unsupervised learning, is closer to anomaly detection but still can be referred to as machine learning. No matter what the percentage of ground truth is used in training, the algorithms work to classify the data based on optimizing parameters.
Different model generating algorithms generate models in their own unique ways, such as support vector machine learning algorithms. A support vector machine learning algorithm labels or classifies training data by finding the best separating hyperplane (where hyperplane is a point, line, plane, or volume, depending on the number of dimensions) in a multidimensional space into which the training data has been mapped, separating the space into two or more parts, with each part corresponding to a label or class of the ground truths of the training data. Optionally, support vector machine learning algorithms have tunable parameters which can be adjusted to alter how ambiguous data points are labelled or classified. A support vector machine learning algorithm generates a mathematical model which can assign or determine classifications of new data based on the classifications determined during training (Burges, C., "A Tutorial on Support Vector Machines for Pattern Recognition", Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, 121-167 (1998), incorporated herein by reference). Other model generating algorithms, such as Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, Naive Bayes, Random Forests, Adaboost, Neural Networks, and K-Means Clustering, similarly generate models that segregate training data into patterns, which can allow labeling or classification of data.
In machine learning, a trained algorithm will output a model that is useful to make better decisions or predictions, discover patterns in data, or describe the nature of something. Generally, the model generation algorithms are designed to minimize an error equation or optimize some other model parameters. The error rate of a model evaluated on a training set is known as the training error.
The second set of samples containing ground truths is referred to as the test set. The test set may include the remaining ground truths that were not used in the training set, or only a random portion of the remaining ground truths. The model's performance is evaluated on the test set by measuring the error of the test set. This is known as test error (Friedman, J., Tibshirani, R., & Hastie, T., "The Elements of Statistical Learning", New York: Springer (2001), incorporated herein by reference). The test error of a model is determined by the same methods as the training error. A test set is important because it determines the model's ability to perform on new data (data that did not train the model). In most applications, comparing test error of different generated models allows selecting an optimal model for real-world application.
C. Background of Machine Learning in Cyber Defense
Once cyber defense machine learning models/sensors graduate from the previously described static data testing, they are inserted onto actual computer networks that need cyber defense. At this point, the statistical predictive or determinative calculations that were used previously no longer apply. The predictive or determinative calculations of training errors and test errors only work with a given data set containing ground truths. Actual computer network traffic has no ground truths (because it has not been previously classified) or answer keys, and therefore no means by which to assess the fit of the machine learning model. Model fit testing (i.e. goodness of fit) is still required though, because cyber networks can change overnight or over a prolonged timeframe, thus requiring periodic model retraining. In machine learning, model retraining is effectively starting from scratch, and requires building a brand new data set with ground truths (from which new training data and new test data can be obtained) for training and testing, which can be so burdensome as to prohibit using machine learning sensors at all.
Model fit, referred to as goodness of fit, is how well a trained model does its designed task (e.g. predicts, determines, decides, classifies, or any other model performing function). Model fit traditionally has been calculated with different techniques such as chi-squared test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, coefficient of determination, lack of fit sum of squares, etc. The essence of these techniques is to obtain a value that describes the model fit and to compare that to some desired confidence value (i.e. a model fit value that is better than the desired confidence value is determined to be a good fit for the given data). Model fit can also be determined by the test set error relative to some desired confidence value (i.e. if the model produces a low test error when given a test set, then the model may be a good fit). Of course, model fit has to be recalculated for any new data with ground truths because model fit is relative to a static data set.
In current practice, model fit analysis on live networks does not take place, and model retraining is triggered by human subjective assessment based on observables, including the following:
Machine learning model output (i.e. attack alert log) quantity becomes too great for human analysis. In other words, the model alerts on attacks (or false attacks) too often for human analysts to be able to research or react to every alert. Model retraining is implemented to reduce the quantity of alerts.
Forensic analysis of the network traffic (sometimes initiated by the machine learning model's alert logs) determines that the machine learning model had false-positives. In sensing, false-positive alerts are those in which the sensor (or model) indicates an event when none really occurred. Model retraining is enacted as a reactionary step to reduce the quantity of false-positives.
Forensic analysis of the network traffic (sometimes initiated by a signature-based sensor alert or by a network disruption) determines that the machine learning model had false-negatives. In sensing, false-negatives are a lack of alert when an event actually occurred. Model retraining is enacted as a reactionary step to reduce the quantity of false-negatives.
These three current methods for determining the need for model retraining are based on human subjective assessment and not on actual model fit to the data, (actual network traffic). As a result, decisions are being made in machine learning cyber defense without appropriate context and without knowledge of the cyber defense implications. For example, if hackers know a network is employing machine learning sensors, they could create attacks that generate a large quantity of alerts. The sudden increase and sheer quantity of alerts would cause the analysts to request model retraining while they either ignore the machine learning alerts or set them aside for retroactive, forensic analysis. With the machine learning sensing being ignored, the hackers could then be free to go after their primary goal, until the model has been retrained and reinstalled in the network.
D. Need for a New Validation Test for Pre-Deployment (i.e. Laboratory) Model Fit Testing
Because most cyber network attacks from sophisticated actors (i.e. the really dangerous hackers) are actually the obfuscated type (Du, H., "Probabilistic Modeling and Inference for Obfuscated Network Attack Sequences", Thesis, Rochester Institute of Technology (2014), incorporated herein by reference), it was realized that conventional methods of model evaluation, training and test errors, were inadequate for intrusion detection. Conventional use of training error's and test errors only considers trained (attacks based on training data) and untrained attacks (attacks not based on training data), while cyber defense model fit testing must include trained, untrained, and obfuscated attacks (attacks based on training data that has been obfuscated), for a more accurate prediction of model performance on actual cyber networks.
Conventional model testing considers obfuscated attacks to be part of untrained test data. However, this skews test error results because these attacks were not truly untrained data points. Effectively, the attacks were indeed used in model training, just not those obfuscated instances of the attacks. An example: a buffer overflow of a website input field is used in training, but an obfuscated version uses fragmentation of the communication stream to reorder the packets of the very same attack. Conventional model testing would consider the obfuscated attack as part of untrained (or new) data. However this categorization is not valid for cyber network defense because hackers have countless methods for obfuscating known attacks: the known attacks can take many different forms, that is, they can be polymorphous or polymorphic. In cyber intrusion detection, machine learning model fit analysis needs to consider training errors and test errors for the following types of attacks:
Known attacks contained in training data;
Zero-day attacks or unknown attacks, unrelated to training data; and
Obfuscated (including polymorphous or polymorphic) attacks that are similar in propagation method, exploit, or payload components to training data. Example: a trained attack contains a website user input field (propagation method), buffer overflow (exploit), and a trojan (payload); an obfuscated attack could contain the same website user input field and buffer overflow exploit, but contain a different payload such as a virus.

Machine learning model evaluation in cyber defense