The invention provides a method to enforce face-to-face stacking of organic semiconductors in the solid state that employs semiconductor co-crystal formers (SCCFs), to align semiconductor building blocks (SBBs). Single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals n-orbital overlap optimal for organic semiconductor device applications.

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have garnered widespread attention as devices where low material weight and flexibility are critical factors. The construction of such devices has involved organic semiconductor molecules based on polyacenes and oligothiophenes, as well as their hybrids. See Payne, M. M. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 4986-4987; Meng, H.; et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 2406-2407; and Fichou, D. J. Mater. Chem. 2000, 10, 571-588. The majority of efforts to design and affect the performance of OFETs have focused on strategies to control solid-state structure. Many reports have underscored the importance of extended face-to-face stacking with short intermolecular separations that maximize p-orbital overlap. See Garnier, F. Syn. Met. 1996, 81, 163-171; Facchetti, F., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 13480-13501; Wu, Y., et al., and Appl. Phys. Lett. 2005, 86, 142102(1-3)
In this context, synthetic efforts to promote face-to-face solid-state stacking have focused on the functionalization of semiconductor molecules (e.g. pentacene, oligothiophene) with groups intended to direct the assembly process to the prerequisite packing. See Turbiez, M., et al., J. Chem. Eur. J. 2005, 11, 3742-3752; Moon, H., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 15322-15323; and Meng, H., et al., Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 1090-1093. The intermolecular forces used to promote such arrangements have thus far been relatively weak, being based on van der Waals and/or dipole-dipole interactions. The most successful implementation of this strategy has, arguably, involved pentacene, where steric effects provided by bulky substituents prevented C-H . . . p forces. See Anthony, J. E., et al., Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 15-18; Sheraw, C. D, et al., Adv. Mat. 2003, 15, 2009-2011; and MacGillivray, L. R. CrystEngComm, 2004, 6, 77-78. A much greater p-orbital overlap was achieved, along with a lower anisotropic resistance perpendicular to the ring system (see Anthony, J. E., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 9482-9483), as compared to pure pentacene. However, the amount of p-orbital overlap cannot be correlated to the size and position of the functional groups, owing to a difficulty to control slipping along the pentacene short axis. See Anthony, J. E., et al., Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 15-18; Sheraw, C. D, et al., Adv. Mat. 2003, 15, 2009-2011; and MacGillivray, L. R. CrystEngComm, 2004, 6, 77-78. At the same time, reports have suggested a need to incorporate relatively strong intermolecular forces within such semiconductor lattices in order to suppress charge carrier scattering by lattice vibrations (See Dimitrakopoulos, C. D.; Malenfant, P. R. L. Adv. Mat. 2002, 14, 99-117. Collectively, these observations attest to the sensitivity of crystal packing to changes to molecular structure and create a challenge to devise methods that employ stronger intermolecular forces that control face-to-face stacking as a means to optimize the performances of organic semiconductor solids.
Currently there is a need for organic semi-conducting materials. Such materials will be useful, for example, in electrical devices, such as organic field-effect transistors, display devices, computer chips, plastic paper, and smart cards.


A method of generating a high-level vacuum comprises evacuating a chamber having a substantially-pure gas therein to a medium-level vacuum, and freezing the residual gas to generate the high-level vacuum within the chamber. Impurities, such as atmospheric air, may be purged from the chamber by evacuating the chamber to a medium level vacuum (e.g., around 10−2 Torr) and subsequently filling the chamber with the gas. This purging process may be repeated multiple times to decrease the level of impurities in the gas filling the chamber. The substantially-pure gas may have an impurity-level of less than approximately 100 PPM and may comprise carbon-dioxide, although the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect. The medium level vacuum may range between approximately 1×10−2 Torr and 5×10−2 Torr allowing the use of a roughing pump, and the high-level vacuum may range between approximately 1×10−5 and 1×10−8 Torr.

Systems that operate at cryogenic temperatures generally utilize a high-level vacuum to provide sufficient insulation. Conventional methods for generating a high-level vacuum require powerful vacuum pumps, such as turbo pumps, operating for many hours and even days depending on the volume to be evacuated. These conventional methods make it difficult to quickly deploy systems, such as cryogenic systems requiring a high-level vacuum, in the field. Furthermore, the powerful vacuum pumps required by conventional methods tend to be relatively delicate and very expensive making them less suitable to field operations.
Thus, there are general needs for improved vacuum-insulating systems and methods for generating high-level vacuums. There are also general needs for systems and methods that can generate high-level vacuums more quickly. There are also general needs for systems and methods that can generate high-level vacuums without the use of delicate and/or expensive high-power vacuum pumps. There are also general needs for systems and methods more suitable for field operations that can generate high-level vacuums.

Vacuum-insulating system and method for generating a high-level vacuum


A hot-melt ink composition for an ink jet printer comprising from 10 to 65% by weight of a polyamide resin, from 5 to 60% by weight of a fatty acid amide, from 5 to 40% by weight of a glyceride, and up to 5% by weight of a colorant. The composition is excellent in transparency to provide a highly transparent ink image on an OHP sheet.

Water-soluble liquid ink compositions have widely been employed in ink jet recording systems, but their use is limited to printing on special paper with a non-blotting coat due to their easy soaking through usual paper. Where the water-soluble liquid ink compositions are applied to OHP (overhead projector) sheets, the poor drying properties have made it necessary to give a special pretreatment to the sheet surface.
Under these circumstances, a hot-melt ink jet recording system has been proposed, which affords satisfactory print quality irrespective of the kind of paper. According to this system, a hot-melt ink composition mainly comprising a wax, etc. which is solid at room temperature is liquefied by heating, imagewise jetted onto paper by means of any energy, and cooled and solidified on the paper to form a dot image.
The hot-melt ink jet recording system has various advantages over the aqueous ink jet recording system in that the ink, as being solid at room temperature, causes no stains on handling; that evaporation of the ink in the molten state can be minimized, causing no clogging of a nozzle; and that the molten ink is rapidly solidified and dried immediately after being jetted, causing no blots on paper, so that various sorts of paper, such as Japanese paper, drawing paper, post cards, etc., may be used without requiring any pretreatment.
Comprising a wax as a main component, the conventional hot-melt inks have low transparency on an OHP sheet. In order to improve transparency, it has been proposed to smooth the surface of the ink image fixed on an OHP sheet by means of a hot roller to thereby prevent scattering of light. However, such a post treatment is still insufficient for obtaining desired transparency.
Thus, while the hot-melt ink jet recording system is expected to be applied to office automation equipment, printers for domestic use, facsimiles, etc. on account of its advantages over the aqueous ink jet recording system as mentioned above, the poor transparency of the hot-melt ink on an OHP sheet has been a hindrance to putting it to practical use.


A fence alarm, having a plurality of laterally spaced electrically conductive fence elements, the fence elements electrically being connected in series with each other, a sensing arrangement electrically connected to the plurality of conductive fence elements, the sensing arrangement being calibrated to a nominal electrical value, the sensing arrangement further being operable to sense a predefined deviation from the nominal electrical value caused by a deviation in an electrical property of the conductive fence elements.

The inventor is aware of fences that provide physical barriers to entry. The inventor is further aware of fence alarm systems that can be connected to fences, such as electrified fence systems. However, said fence systems often do not provide a physical barrier to entry and is only effective when used in combination with a physical barrier to entry.
The invention aims to address this shortcoming.


A method for stress-induced magnetic field signal acquisition and stress measurement is disclosed. The method can include the following steps: a1, conducting AC magnetization on a to-be-tested structure by using an AC magnetic field with preset frequencies and strengths, and acquiring the excitation magnetic field signals in at least one cycle; a2, subtracting the excitation magnetic field signals in at least one cycle of a stress-free sample having the same material as the to-be-tested structure from the excitation magnetic field signals acquired in step a1 to obtain a stress-induced magnetic field signals of the to-be-tested structure; a3, quantitatively assessing the stresses in the to-be-tested structure by comparing the mean values of the stress-induced magnetic field signals acquired in step a2 with the pre-calibrated relationship of stresses and the mean values of the stress-induced magnetic field signals for the material of the to-be-tested structure.

The stress in a material is a key factor to cause structural damages and mechanical failures. Quantitative measurement or assessment of the stresses is very important to ensure the integrity of the structure in the life of service and to reduce the maintenance costs. In the last century, it was found that the stresses can change magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic material, which is widely known as magneto-mechanical effect. The magneto-mechanical effect provides a greatly potential for the quantitative assessment of stress and leads to a series of stress assessment technologies, such as the technologies with magnetic memory testing, magnetic flux leakage testing, eddy-current testing, Barkhausen testing and the like. The above technologies acquire the induced magnetic field signals due to the magneto-mechanical effect and try to assess quantitatively the characteristic stresses. However, the induced magnetic field signals of the magneto-mechanical effect are influenced simultaneously by additional multiple factors, for instance, the sensors, materials, and environment. Because of the above disturbance to magnetic signals of the magneto-stress effect, the existing stress measurement technologies based on the induced magnetic field are of low accuracy and have limited applications.

Stress-induced magnetic field signal acquisition method and stress measurement method based thereon


An apparatus for driving an objective lens of the present invention includes: a base which is moved along an optical disk; an objective lens disposed so as to be opposed to the optical disk and having an optical axis in a vertical direction with respect to the optical disk, for optically recording information onto the optical disk or optically reproducing information from the optical disk; a holder portion for holding the objective lens; a plurality of elastic arms extending between the base and the holder portion in a tangent direction of the optical disk, for supporting the holder portion movably with respect to the base; and a driving portion for generating an electromagnetic force for moving the holder portion with respect to the base, wherein the elastic arms are disposed away from each other in a vertical direction, the base includes each movable portion for supporting one end of each of the elastic arms, and each of the movable portions is supported at each position in a vertical direction outside of one end of each of the elastic arms, so as to be elastically pivotable around each axis in a radius direction of the optical disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for driving an objective lens used in an optical head for optically recording information onto an optical disk and optically reading information therefrom, and particularly to an apparatus for driving an objective lens for inputting and outputting light with respect to the optical head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an optical head for recording and reproducing information with respect to an optical disk such as a compact disk, an objective lens for inputting and outputting light is disposed so as to be opposed to an optical disk, and the objective lens is moved in a radius direction of the optical disk by an actuator, whereby a track on the optical disk is traced.
Furthermore, in order to regulate a focus position of the objective lens by moving the objective lens upward and downward in accordance with the up and down movement of the optical disk surface caused by warpage thereof, to correct a tracking shift of the objective lens caused by eccentricity of the optical disk, and to regulate a relative tilt angle between the optical disk and the objective lens, the objective lens is moved by an apparatus for driving an objective lens.
In the apparatus for driving an objective lens, the objective lens is moved in three directions: a vertical direction (focusing direction) of the optical disk, a radius direction (tracking direction) of the optical disk, and a tangent direction of the optical disk, thereby enabling the optical head to exactly trace a track on the optical disk.
A conventional apparatus for driving an objective lens is described in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-319537. FIG. 12 is a schematic view thereof. In this figure, an objective lens 101 is held by a lens holder 102, and the lens holder 102 is connected to an elastic supporting plate 103 via four wires 104. The lens holder 102 is elastically supported by the elastic supporting plate 103 by using each wire 104, so that the lens holder 102 can be moved in any of a focusing direction F, a tracking direction T, and a tangent direction K of an optical disk with respect to the elastic supporting plate 103.
A pair of electromagnetic coils 106a and 106b are provided on a base 105. The elastic supporting plate 103 is fixed to the base 105, and the lens holder 102 is disposed between the electromagnetic coils 106a and 106b. By appropriately regulating an electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coils 106a and 106b, the lens holder 102 is moved in the focusing direction F, the tracking direction T, and the tangent direction K of an optical disk.
A pair of slits 103a are formed in the elastic supporting plate 103, thereby providing a pair of supporting portions 103b. Resonance of each wire 104 is suppressed by an elastic force of the supporting portions 103b.
In recent years, there has been a demand for a thinner apparatus for driving an objective lens of the above-mentioned type, capable of stably positioning an objective lens with high precision. In order to satisfy such a demand, an apparatus for driving an objective lens has been variously modified and developed. The process thereof will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 13, a basic structure of an apparatus 200 for driving an objective lens of the above-mentioned type includes a lens holder 202 for holding an objective lens 201, a base 203, and a plurality of wires 204 connecting the lens holder 202 to the base 203. A light beam 205 passes through the objective lens 201 and is reflected by a prism 206 to be input and output between an optical head (not shown) and an optical disk (not shown). In this structure, the height of the apparatus 200 for driving an objective lens is added to the height of the prism 206, so that the optical head becomes bulky, which is not preferable.
Therefore, in an apparatus 300 for driving an objective lens shown in FIG. 14, considering that the height of a lens holder 302 is larger than a distance between the respective wires 304 at a connected portion between the lens holder 302 and each wire 304, an objective lens 301 is disposed away from the connected portion so as to make the lens holder 302 thinner at a portion of the objective lens 301, and a prism 306 is disposed at a portion where the lens holder 302 is thinner. Thus, the optical head is made thinner.
In the structure shown in FIG. 14, the objective lens 301 is disposed away from the connected portion between the lens holder 302 and each wire 304. Therefore, when resonance occurs in each wire 304, a vibration amplitude of the objective lens 301 which is disposed away from the connected portion becomes large, degrading displacement frequency characteristics of the apparatus for driving an objective lens. Furthermore, resonance around an axis in the tracking direction T (i.e., resonance in a direction represented by an arrow A) occurs in the vicinity of a cutoff frequency of a gain of a servo driving system which moves the objective lens 301 in the focusing direction F. This makes focus control by the servo driving system unstable.
Furthermore, in the case where the objective lens 301 is moved in a radial tilt direction which is a direction around an axis in the tangent direction K of an optical disk, as well as the focusing direction F and the tracking direction T, each wire 304 is greatly twisted. Therefore, unnecessary resonance is likely to occur, further degrading the displacement frequency characteristics of the objective lens 301. Furthermore, a diameter, a length, and the like of each wire 304 are not determined so as to suppress unnecessary resonance of each wire 304, but determined by a lower order resonance frequency of an apparatus for driving an objective lens. Therefore, an unnecessary resonance frequency of each wire 304 cannot be shifted by changing the diameter, length, and the like of each wire 304.
Thus, in an apparatus 400 for driving an objective lens shown in FIG. 15, an elastic supporting portion 406 is provided on a base 403, and one end of each wire 404 is fixed to the elastic supporting portion 406, whereby vibration of the elastic supporting portion 406 is further suppressed by a damping member (not shown). In this structure, a resonance frequency of each wire 404 is shifted by the elastic supporting portion 406, whereby a resonance amplitude of each wire 404 is decreased. Because of this, the displacement frequency characteristics of an objective lens 401 are enhanced. Furthermore, a resonance frequency of each wire 404 can be removed from the vicinity of a cutoff frequency of a gain of a servo driving system which moves the objective lens 401 in the focusing direction F, without affecting a lower order resonance frequency of the apparatus 400 for driving an objective lens, whereby focus control by the servo driving system can be made stable.
However, in the apparatus 400 for driving an objective lens shown in FIG. 15, a printed substrate made of synthetic resin is used for the elastic supporting portion 406 in order to improve the ease of assembly. The printed substrate""s characteristics (e.g., coefficient of elasticity) change remarkably depending upon temperature and time. Therefore, a resonance frequency, a resonance amplitude, and the like of each wire 404 cannot be made stable.
Furthermore, in the case where a distance between the respective wires 404 is decreased in the focusing direction F so as to make the apparatus 400 for driving an objective lens thinner, a tilt of an optical axis of the objective lens 401 when the objective lens 401 is moved is increased for the following reason. When a distance between the respective wires 404 is decreased in the focusing direction F, a radius of a path of the objective lens 401 when the objective lens 401 is moved in the focusing direction F becomes smaller, as a result of which a tilt becomes too large to be negligible. Furthermore, the elastic supporting portion 406 may move in the tangent direction K along with deformation of each wire 404. In this case, a tilt is further increased.
The occurrence of such a tilt will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 18. Under the situation shown in FIG. 16, the objective lens 401 stays at an initial position, and each wire 404 and the elastic supporting portion 406 are not deformed.
In the case where the objective lens 401 is moved upward in the focusing direction F, as shown in FIG. 17, a movement path of a lens holder 402 has a generally elliptical shape, and a tilt occurs in the objective lens 401. As described above, as a distance between the respective wires 404 becomes smaller, a radius of a movement path of the lens holder 402 becomes smaller and a tilt becomes larger. The lens holder 402 tilts in the direction represented by an arrow N5 with the movement of the lens holder 402. At this time, forces in directions represented by arrows P5 and P6 occur in each wire 404, and the elastic supporting portion 406 pivots in the direction represented by an arrow M5 with respect to a pivot axis S by the forces in the directions represented by the arrows P5 and P6. As a result, the lens holder 402 further tilts in the direction represented by an arrow N6, so that a tilt is further increased.
In the case where the objective lens 401 is moved downward in the focusing direction F as shown in FIG. 18, the lens holder 402 also tilts in the direction represented by an arrow N7 with the movement of the lens holder 402, in the same way as shown in FIG. 17. At this time, forces in directions represented by arrows P7 and P8 occur in each wire 404, and the elastic supporting portion 406 pivots in the direction represented by an arrow M6 with respect to the pivot axis S by the forces in the directions represented by the arrows P7 and P8. As a result, the lens holder 402 further tilts in the direction represented by an arrow N8, so that a tilt is further increased.
When a tilt is increased as described above, optical aberration on a recording surface of an optical disk is increased; as a result, a signal to be recorded onto the optical disk and a signal to be reproduced therefrom are remarkably degraded.
An apparatus for driving an objective lens of the present invention, includes: a base which is moved along an optical disk: an objective lens disposed so as to be opposed to the optical disk and having an optical axis in a vertical direction with respect to the optical disk, for optically recording information onto the optical disk or optically reproducing information from the optical disk; a holder portion for holding the objective lens; a plurality of elastic arms extending between the base and the holder portion in a tangent direction of the optical disk, for supporting the holder portion movably with respect to the base; and a driving portion for generating an electromagnetic force for moving the holder portion with respect to the base, wherein the elastic arms are disposed away from each other in a vertical direction, the base includes each movable portion for supporting one end of each of the elastic arms, and each of the movable portions is supported at each position in a vertical direction outside of one end of each of the elastic arms, so as to be elastically pivotable around each axis in a radius direction of the optical disk.
In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the movable portions of the base includes a damping member for suppressing vibration of each of the movable portions.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the base includes an elastic plate, the elastic plate is bent at each position in a vertical direction outside of one end of each of the elastic arms, and each of the movable portions of the base is supported so as to be elastically pivotable around each corner of the bent elastic plate.
In another embodiment of the present invention, each axis of the movable portions in a radius direction of the optical disk is elastically movable in a tangent direction of the optical disk.
In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the elastic arms is in the shape of a bar.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the base includes an elastic plate made of metal having each of the movable portions of the base, a stationary section made of metal, and a resinous holding portion for holding the elastic plate, and the holding portion is integrated with the elastic plate and the stationary section by molding.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the base includes an elastic plate made of metal having each of the movable portions of the base, each of the elastic arms is made of metal and soldered to each of the movable portions of the elastic plate, and a reverse surface of each of the movable portions of the elastic plate to which each of the elastic arms is connected is surface-treated for the purpose of decreasing solder wettability.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment for the purpose of decreasing solder wettability is Ni-plating.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the base includes an elastic plate made of metal having each of the movable portions of the base, each of the elastic arms is made of metal and soldered to each of the movable portions of the elastic plate, and each of the movable portions of the elastic plate to which each of the elastic arms is connected is surface-treated for the purpose of increasing solder wettability.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface treatment for the purpose of increasing solder wettability is Au-plating.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the base includes an elastic plate made of metal having each of the movable portions of the base, a stationary section made of metal, and a resinous holding portion for holding the elastic plate, the holding portion is integrated with the elastic plate by molding, and the elastic plate is soldered to the stationary section.
In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the movable portions of the base is made of synthetic resin integrally molded with at least part of the base.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantage of providing an apparatus for driving an objective lens which is adapted for a thin type apparatus, and is capable of realizing stable displacement frequency characteristics by suppressing resonance, preventing a tilt of an objective lens from increasing with the movement in a focusing direction and even canceling a tilt of the objective lens at all times.
This and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

Apparatus for driving an objective lens utilizing flexible arms and pivotability mechanisms

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Methods, systems, and devices for providing data from a server to a UAV, enabling the UAV to navigate with respect to areas of restricted air space (“restricted areas”). A server may receive from a UAV, a request for restricted area information based on a position of the UAV. The server may determine boundaries of a surrounding area containing the position of the UAV and a number of restricted areas. The server may transmit coordinate information to the UAV defining the restricted areas contained within the surrounding area.

As unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs) become ubiquitous, the challenge of preventing UAVs from flying into restricted air spaces will become more complex and increasingly important. Examples of restricted airspace include but are not limited to airports, airplane flight paths, no-fly zones, buildings/skyscrapers, military reservations, stadiums, private property, and other geographic boundaries. Government aviation authorities are developing guidelines and regulations for UAV operations of all kinds (civil, commercial, recreational, etc.), including rules for controlling UAVs in and around restricted airspaces.
UAVs may be required to adhere autonomously to no-fly zone policies, which may proliferate as governments and individuals place restrictions on over flights by UAVs. No-fly zones may be include residences (e.g., where each residence may define overflight policies), irregularly shaped zones (e.g., parks, schools, airport facilities, etc.), time dependent zones (e.g., flight over schools permitted except during school hours), no-fly zones that are dynamic/condition dependent (e.g., flight over a park permitted, but not if the President is visiting the neighborhood). In rural areas, the density of restricted areas may be low, but in urban areas, the density of restricted areas may be high.

Systems and methods for managing restricted areas for unmanned autonomous vehicles


Adaptive index density in a database management system is provided, which includes receiving a number of partitions for an index for a database table, the index subject to creation. The adaptive index density also includes selecting a column from the database table, the column selected based upon an estimated frequency of execution of database queries for the column. The adaptive index density further includes calculating an estimated cost of executing each of the database queries for the column, and determining data to reside in each of the partitions of the index responsive to the estimated cost.

The present invention relates to database table indexing, and more specifically, to intelligent, adaptive index density in a database management system.
A database index is a data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table at the cost of slower writes and increased storage space. An index can be created using one or more columns of a database table, providing the basis for both rapid random look ups and efficient access of ordered records.
The density of an index measures the uniqueness of values within a data set. Density is determined by dividing the number of rows that correspond to a given key by the number of rows in the table. Indices may be classified as ordered indices which fall into two types: dense and sparse. In a dense index, an index record appears for every search key value in file. This index record contains the search key value and a pointer to the actual record. In a sparse index, index records are created only for select records. To locate a record, an index record having the largest search key value less than or equal to the search key value that is being looked for is searched. The record pointed to by the index record is the beginning location, and the pointers in the file are examined (sequentially) until the desired record is found.
Dense indices are faster in general, but sparse indices require less space and impose less maintenance for insertions and deletions. Further, having many dense indices will consume a lot of main memory and is costly in terms of bringing a block into main memory (i.e., more dense indices may not fit into limited space in main memory resulting in swapping data between memory and disk, whereas sparse indices tend to be smaller and so may be able to fit all its data into memory).
Access patterns for indices may be classified as clustered (i.e., sequential access patterns) and unclustered (i.e., random access patterns). An unclustered index is structured in a way that does not correspond to the order of the actual data records. It resembles the words index at the back of a book. For this reason, it typically does not perform as well as clustered indices on ranged searches where the result set is large, since each result might cost an additional input/output (I/O)-operation to get the actual data record.
Clustering alters the data block into a certain order to match the index; hence, it is also an operation on the data storage blocks as well as on the index. An address book ordered by first name resembles a clustered index in its structure and purpose. The exact operation of database systems varies, but because storing data is very redundant, the row data can only be stored in one order. Therefore, only one clustered index can be created on a given database table. Clustered indices can greatly increase overall speed of retrieval, but usually only where the data is accessed sequentially in the same or reverse order of the clustered index, or when a range of items are selected.
Since the physical records are in this sort order on disk, the next row item in the sequence is immediately before or after the previous one, and so fewer data block reads are needed. The primary feature of a clustered index is therefore the ordering of the physical data rows in accordance with the index blocks that point to them. Some databases separate the data and index blocks into separate files, others put two completely different data blocks within the same physical file(s).
Current storage disk technologies provide two types of hybrid disks: solid state disks (SDDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs). Solid state disks and other devices based on NAND flash memory allow many more random I/Os per second than conventional magnetic disks. Thus, in principle, they can support workloads involving random I/Os much more effectively. However, flash memory does not support general in-place updates. Instead, a whole data page is written to a new area of the device, and the old page must be invalidated. Groups of contiguous pages form erase units, and an invalidated page becomes writeable again only after the whole erase unit has been cleared. Erase times are relatively high. Flash-based memory does, however, allow in-place changes of 1-bits to 0-bits without an erase cycle. Thus, it is possible to reserve a region of flash memory initialized to all 1s, and incrementally use it in a write-once fashion.
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. SSDs are external storage devices designed on the basis of semiconductor memory. One advantage of SSD is that it does not contain any mechanical moving parts, in contrast to HDD which has moving parts. Other advantages of SSD over HDD include the access time of the SSD is much faster, the read speed of the SSD is higher, the SSD is lighter in weight, and the power consumption of SSD is typically lower.
As indicated above, dense indices are faster in general, but sparse indices require less space and impose less maintenance for insertions and deletions. Further, having many dense indices will consume a lot of main memory and is associated with high costs in terms of bringing a block into main memory. Recent memory management systems have improved the number of queries that a particular microprocessor can perform in a given unit of time. Furthermore, the use of multiple microprocessors and/or multiple networked computers has further increased the capacities of many database management systems.
From a software standpoint, the use of relational databases, which organize information into formally defined tables consisting of rows and columns, and which are typically accessed using a standardized language such as Structured Query Language (SQL), has substantially improved processing efficiency, as well as simplified the creation, organization, and extension of information within a database. Furthermore, significant development efforts have been directed toward query "optimization," whereby the execution of particular searches, or queries, is optimized in an automated manner to minimize the amount of resources required to execute each query.
Through the incorporation of various hardware and software improvements, many high performance database management systems are able to handle hundreds or even thousands of queries each second, even on databases containing millions or billions of records. However, further increases in information volume and workload are inevitable, so continued advancements in database management systems are still desirable.

Intelligent adaptive index density in a database management system

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for scheduling a call for a wireless device in a transmission, e.g., a High Speed Downlink Packet Access transmission from a communication node associated with a network. The method comprises determining a current and a future traffic load on a downlink channel over a plurality of communication periods and adjusting a transmit power of the transmission from the communication node across at least two communication periods of the plurality of communication periods based on the current and future traffic loads. Base station software including a power step limiting algorithm and a scheduler may ramp the transmitted power from a transmitter slowly over several frames as data transmission increases and/or decreases with time at a base station. By smoothing out a transmitted power envelope a carrier may operate at a maximum data and power level during a busy time period. In this manner, an increase may be avoided in a saturated power of a power amplifier and the effects of an increased peak-to average power ratio on a power step limiting algorithm and a pre-distortion unit may be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to telecommunications, and more particularly, to wireless communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Use of mobile services is on the increase. Until recently, however, most wireless devices have been used only for voice transmissions, but many new wireless devices deliver both voice and data communications. While more and more data is shifted between networks, the users of these wireless devices expect a higher service quality without delay of applications and packet loss, for example, in Internet based wireless multimedia communications and services. To keep up with such a demand of bandwidth for wireless communications, network providers are increasingly deploying wireless mobile communication systems that carry voice and data simultaneously to a single user.
For example, one such technique that may multiplex voice and data referred to as High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is based on a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) specification for Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). This technique enables user peak data rates and a quality of service for downlink packet data services. A HSDPA transmission may allocate up to twenty fixed power codes per carrier. The HSDPA transmission may set a data rate for a wireless communication depending on the results of channel quality estimation. The HSDPA transmission may assign codes to a user on a 2 ms frame rate on a first come first served basis and as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted. However, this technique may result in a significantly large step changes in transmit power of a transmitter at a 2 ms frame rate intervals.
Moreover, the HSDPA transmission may add significantly to a peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of a transmitted signal because some user equipments (UEs) are unable to process adjacent data frames. For instance, if such a UE receives a large data file, the transmitter sending the data may experience a 8 dB step in transmit power on a 2 ms frame rate. The unclipped PAR increases from approximately 10 dB for a voice transmission, to about 11.6 dB. This unclipped PAR increase is likely to have a substantial impact on peak limiting algorithms, power amplifiers and pre distortion units of a transceiver, such as a base transceiver station (BTS) at a base station, i.e., a Node-B in a wireless mobile telecommunication system.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Scheduling calls in downlink transmissions


The present invention discloses an improved rigid structure of a cushion frame provided with a vehicle seat for a child, wherein the seat for a child is mounted at the rear side of a seat back. Further, a seat belt anchor of the seat is firmly fixed to the cushion frame.. To a back frame member of a cushion frame to which a seat belt anchor for a child is fixed, a horizontal portion of a reinforcing member having a large section modulus in the longitudinal direction is firmly fixed. Further a vertical portion of the reinforcing member having a large section modulus in the vertical direction is firmly fixed to the right and left frame members of the cushion frame so as to reinforce the back frame member and the right and left frame members of the cushion frame.

One of the previously-used conventional vehicle seats provided with a child seat by using the rear side of a seat back is illustrated in FIG. 8 and is disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 131335/1985.
According to the aforementioned conventional vehicle seat, a child seat is constituted in a manner such that a stay(not illustrated) of the combination of a seat cushion and head rest for a child (207) is caused to engage an engaging hole(not illustrated) perforated at a lower portion of a seat back (201) under a condition that the seat back is shifted frontwardly (arrow F) as illustrated in FIG. 8 against a seat cushion (203). Arrow (R) denotes the rearward direction in FIG. 8 and reference numeral (205) denotes a movable supporting mechanism in that figure.
Furthermore, each end of seat belts (209,209) is fixed to the seat cushion (207) and also to the rear side of the seat back(201).
It may be noted, however, that since the aforementioned seat belt (209) is merely coupled to the seat back (201) and the seat cushion (207) at two points therebetween, the problem is encountered of eventually having to make the cushion (207) larged-sized to enhance the rigidity thereof, resulting in increase of weight when it is desired to ensure bearing strength of the seat belt (209) satisfactorily.

Frame of a vehicle seat provided with a child seat


For knee reconstruction surgery involving replacement of an anterior or posterior cruciate ligament the present invention is in a process of verifying isometric ligament positioning at the femoral and tibial points of origin that includes, as apparatus, an arrangement of a stud (19) with attached suture (24) to serve as a mock ligament for testing isometry. In practice, as for an anterior cruciate ligament replacement procedure, a surgeon, observing on a fluoroscopic monitor (17), forms a tibial tunnel (18) from a point medial to the tibial tuberosity that exits a test or proposed tibial point of ligament origin. The stud (19) is arranged for turning on a driver (20) that is then passed through that formed tunnel and the stud is turned into the test or proposed femoral point of ligament origin. The driver (20) is then pulled out of engagement with the stud (19) exposing the suture (24) that extends from that stud, which suture (24) is attached under tension to a tension isometer (25) and the knee (10) is flexed through its full range of motion. With an isometrically correct selection of the femoral and tibial ligament points of origin, the tension isometer (25) will show no more than a three (3) pound change in force and no more than a two (2) mm change in ligament length or distance between the two points of origin over a full range of knee (10) flexure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to arthroscopic surgical procedures for ligament reconstruction and particularly to apparatus and a procedure for isometrically locating either an anterior or posterior cruciate ligament femoral and tibial points of attachment.
2 Prior Art
In anterior and posterior ligament replacement surgery both ligament tension and positioning of that ligament between tibial and femoral surfaces must be optimumized for a successful surgery. Prior to the present invention such positioning involved a surgeon utilizing a fluoroscopic monitor or visually forming a tunnel to pass through the approximate ruptured ligament tibial and femoral points of origin, and attaching a ligament therein to test for correct isometry. An example of such procedure is shown in a patent to Daniel, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,542. If the ligament positioning was found not to be isometrically correct the tunnel had to be altered or reformed until correct isometry was obtained. Essentially, a trial and error procedure with the surgeon's skill determining the outcome.
Unlike the trial and error process set out above, the present invention provides a process for testing femoral and tibial ligament origin points that is both accurate and minimally invasive. The procedure further utilizes a mock ligament and a tension isometer to measure, when the knee is flexed through a full range of motion, a change in tension of no more than a certain force verifying proper isometric selection of the femoral and tibial points of origin.

Procedure for verifying isometric ligament positioning


Compositions, kits and methods are provided for restoring skin barrier function to skin exposed to environmental elements and/or in a pathological condition. In general, divalent cations such as calcium ions and/or magnesium ions are included in a physiologically acceptable medium. In some embodiments, divalent cations are balanced with monovalent cations such as sodium and potassium ions at appropriate ratios in order to maintain the homeostasis of skin barrier. The compositions, kits and methods can be used as cosmetics, cosmeceuticals or pharmaceuticals for improving skin condition, and preventing or treating dermatological diseases and skin disorders.

The skin serves numerous functions but its primary function is as a protective layer or barrier. The most important role of the skin for terrestrial animals is to protect the water-rich internal organs from the dry environment. This cutaneous barrier function of the skin resides in the upper most thin layer (approximately 10-20 μm in humans) called stratum corneum. The water impermeability of this layer is 1000 times-high than that of other membranes of living organisms. Potts & Francoeur (1991) J. Invest. Dermatol. 96;495-499.
The stratum corneum is composed of two components, i.e., protein-rich nonviable cells and intercellular lipid domains. Elias et al. (1993) Curr. Opin. Dermatol. 231-237. The lipid molecule in the intercellular domain form a bilayer structure. The water impermeability is due to the conformation of the lipid molecules and also the order of the deal cells. Denda et al. (1994) Arch. Dermatol. Res. 286:41-46. Because of this specific "brick and mortar" structure, the stratum corneum shows high water impermeability.
The uppermost layer of the skin, called epidermis, is mainly constructed of keratinocytes. The epidermis is in a constant state of self-replacement. At the bottom layer, keratinocyte stem cells divide into daughter cells, which are displaced outward, and which differentiate through successive overlying layers to enter the stratum corneum. Then, the keratinocytes die (apoptosis) and their cellular organella and cytoplasm disappear during the final process of differentiation. Intercellular lipids are primarily generated from exocytosis of lipid-containing granules called lamellar bodies, during the terminal differentiation. The secreted lipids spread over the intercellular domains and form a bilayer structure. Elias et al. (1993), supra.
Ionic signals play important role in the homestatic mechanim of the epidermal barrier function. Lee et al. (1992) J. Clin. Invest. 89:530-538. In normal skin, calcium is localized with high concentration in the epidermal granular layer, i.e., the uppermost layer of the epidermis, just below the stratum corneum. On the contrary, the concentration potassium is the highest in the spinous layer, i.e., middle of the epidermis, and the lowest in the granular layer.
Calcium is a universal messenger, even in simple organisms and plants. The combination of its ionic radius and double charge may allow it tighter binding to receptors to the exclusion of other ions such as magnesium, leading to strong, specific binding. Carafoli & Penniston (1985) The Calcium Signal. Sci. Am. 253:70-78. The specificity enables cells to form special receptors to assess signals from calcium. For many parts of the body, Ca2+ often acts as a second messenger in a manner similar to cAMP. In skin, calcium can provide signals for the cells, either extracellular or intracellular (in the cytosol). The extra- and intracellular signaling may be connected to each other, but may also act separately. It has been found that intracellular Ca2+ increases with raised extracellular Ca2+. This implies that increased intracellular Ca2+ is the actual signal to trigger keratinocytes differentiation. Tanojo & Maibach (1999) in Percutaneous Absorption, 3rd Ed., Bronaugh & Maibach, ed., Marcel Dekker, NY, pp. 939-950.
As Ca2+ cannot be metabolized like other second-messenger molecules, cells tightly regulate intracelular levels thorough numerous binding and specialized extrusion proteins. Clapham (1995) Cell 80:259-268. The concentration of calcium in extracellular spaces (generally ˜1.5 mM) is four orders of magnitude higher than in the cytosol (˜0.1 μM). In excitable cells, for example, muscle cells, the extracellular concentration of calcium must be closely regulated to keep it at its normal level of ˜1.5 mM, so that it cannot accidentally trigger the muscle contraction, the transmission of nerve impulses, and blood clotting. In other cells, including keratinocytes, the extracellular level is maintained in a specific equilibrium with the intracellular concentrations.
As described above, there is a high calcium gradient between extra- and intracellular domains of keratinocytes, which requires tight regulation. Moreover, a calcium gradient is present within the epidermis, with higher quantities of Ca2+ in the upper than the lower epidermis. Menon et al. (1985) J. Invest. Dermatol. 102:789-795. Ca2+ concentration increases steadily from the basal region to stratum corneum, which this is not the case with other ions. Forslind et al (1995) Scanning Microsc. 9:1011-1026. Such a gradient is not observed in skin abnormalities related to the formation of abnormal barrier function, such as psoriasis. Menon & Elias (1991) Arch. Dermatol. 127:57-63. It has been reported that disruption of the skin barrier with acetone treatment or tape stripping depletes Ca2+ from the upper epidermis, resulting in the loss of the Ca2+ gradient. This is due to accelerated water transit that leads to the increased passive loss of Ca2+ into and through the stratum corneum. Mao-Qiang et al. (1997) Exp. Dermatol. 6:36-40.
In summary, calcium ions play an important role in the homeostasis of skin barrier. A change in the barrier will change the calcium ion gradient in skin and lead to barrier repair process. A severe change might lead to a high degree of calcium signaling, which may induce the activation of various processes, from increased synthesis of skin components or messengers to the inflammatory reactions. Thus, there exists a need for compositions and methods for activating the barrier repair process to restore normal barrier function to skin adversely affected by environmental elements or pathological conditions.

Cosmetic and cosmeceutical compositions for restoration of skin barrier function


A fluid processing device is provided that enables the controlled flow of a liquid sample along a fluid processing pathway through various sample-containment regions and is free of fluid flow blockages or valves along the processing pathway. A system is also provided for processing the device and includes a rotatable platen and alignment features that can hold the fluid processing device in two or more different orientations on the rotatable platen. A method is also provided for processing a sample, in the device, with the system.

Fluid processing devices including microfluidic processing devices often require complicated control and valving arrangements to manipulate the flow of liquid samples through such devices. It would be desirable to provide a fluid processing device that would not require complicated valving or a separate system for effecting valving in the device. It would also be desirable to provide a device that enables the accurate and controlled manipulation of a liquid sample along a processing pathway that includes a plurality of different sample-containment regions.


An image reading system reads an image of an original document by conveying the original document through a fixed reading position along a platen glass. The image reading system includes a conveyance device that conveys the original document keeping a prescribed distance from the platen glass at the reading position. The contact glass is arranged outside a depth of focus at the reading position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet through type image reading device and a copier having the sheet through type image reading device.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
An image reading device capable of sub scanning an image on an original document by conveying the original document through a fixed reading position is well known. A platen glass is arranged at the reading position to allow a light emitted from a light source arranged inside the image reading position to pass toward the original document located outside thereof and a light reflected from the original document toward the inside thereof. Since the original document passes there through contacting the platen glass in this type of the image reading device during reading the image of the original document, dust sticking to the image surface on the original document unavoidably attracts to the platen glass, and thereby an image signal read therefrom is influenced and an image is deteriorated as a result. This also deteriorates quality of an image formed by another type of an image reading device than the sheet through type. When the original document is fixed and the image reading section is moved in a sub scanning direction to read an image thereof, the dust only causes a spot on the image. Whereas when the sheet through type image reading device is employed, a line is drawn in the direction by the dust.
It is described in the Japanese Patent Registration No. 3573884 and the Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2007-159033 that an original document is conveyed through a reading position keeping a prescribed gap from a platen glass and is read by the image reading device. In such a configuration, the original document can be conveyed avoiding sliding contact with the platen glass. As a result, dust or the like can be prevented from dropping from the image surface side of the original document and attracting to the platen glass at the reading position. Accordingly, the line hardly appears on the image while maintaining the quality thereof.
However, in the above-mentioned several prior arts, the dust or the like dropped therefrom during its conveyance sometimes attracts to the reading position on the platen glass and draws the line on the image.

Deep focus image reading system and image forming apparatus


A displacement machine for compressing fluids includes a housing, a rotor in the housing and a drive shaft journalled in the housing and eccentrically mounting the rotor. A guide shaft journalled in the housing by a slide bearing guides the oscillation of the rotor. Intermeshing spiral strips on the rotor and housing produce compression of fluid in working chambers during oscillation of the rotor. In order to lubricate the drive and guide shafts, a lubricating system includes a bore supplying lubricant to the slide bearing, lubricant passages in the drive shaft and an intermediate line connecting the lubricant outlets from the slide bearing to the lubricant passages in the drive shaft. The guide shaft may be hollow to provide a bore therein which also communicates with the lubricant outlets from the slide bearing and supplies lubricant to an eccentric of the guide shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a displacement machine for compressible media. More particularly, it relates to for a spiral displacement machine having a lubricant system.
2. Background of the Related Art
Spiral displacement machines forming compressors are known, for example from DE-C- 26 03 462. Such compressors provide an almost pulsation-free delivery of, for example, a gaseous working fluid consisting of air or an air-fuel mixture and therefore could advantageously be used, i.a., for supercharging internal combustion engines. During the operation of such a compressor several approximately crescent-shaped working spaces are enclosed along the displacement chamber between the spiral-shaped displacement body and the two peripheral walls of the displacement chamber. The working spaces move from the intake through the displacement chamber to an output, while their volume is continuously reduced and the pressure of the working fluid is consequently increased.
A machine of this type is also known from DE-A-3 313 000. Because two eccentric arrangements, spaced from one another, are provided, one of which can be driven by a drive shaft, a statically determined bearing results, which guarantees a forcible oscillatory guiding of the rotor except at the top and bottom dead centers of oscillation. To achieve a precise guiding at the dead center positions of the rotor, a guide shaft of the second eccentric arrangement, supported in the housing, is positively connected to the drive shaft by e.g., a synchronous belt drive. Several means are known for flexibly accommodating any optional differences in spacing between the delivery chamber and the displacement body.
A precise movement of a displacement body according to the spiral principle is achieved by a translatory circular motion, i.e., oscillation, by double crank drive, as is known, for example, from DE-A-3 230 979 and in which one crank drives and the second crank guides. To be able to equalize the differences in length between the two points of application of the drive arrangement and guide arrangement, this known solution provides a transfer element that is longitudinally slidable, namely, in the direction of the connecting line of the points of application. This transfer element consists of a holding element adjustably held in the guide arrangement of the rotor. The holding element can be a slide ring which can slide in a parallel guide. The parallel guide comprises one of the two bearings of the guide arrangement, by which thus an optional equalizing of the expansion differences can take place.
Another solution for this problem is described in DE-A-3 107 231. To avoid inadmissibly high stresses, which can occur by buildup of tolerances during production or by different heat expansions between the two points of application on the rotating rotor, a bearing arrangement with an elastic bed is provided on at least one of the points of application, preferably on the point of application of the guide device. This elastic bed can be formed, for example, by a rubber ring, which sits between the bearing outside race and the bearing eye.
In all known spiral compressors, in which for translatory guiding of the rotor a guide shaft running at a synchronous angle with the drive shaft is provided, the bearing of the two shafts takes place by roller bearings. This can be especially clearly seen in the displacement machine according to DE-A-3 141 525 in which the drive shaft is mounted in the housing in two ball bearings and an eccentric collar is placed on the drive shaft by a roller bearing, while the guide shaft is mounted in the housing by two ball bearings and the eccentric pin of the guide shaft in the rotor disk by a needle bearing. In this case, the needle bearing in the rotor disk is generally lubricated with grease (DE-A-3 638 470), while the highly stressed eccentric bearing of the drive shaft is lubricated with oil (DE-A-3 320 086).
It is known from DE-C-3 119 542, in an arrangement for the bearing of an eccentric drivable rotor, to design the bearings for a disk rotatably mounted in a stationary housing and for the driver connected with it, as slide bearings. But the basic idea of this design, in the use of the spiral machine in the engine drive, is that if the rotor is exposed to very hot gases, the complete bearing of the eccentric device is shifted onto the stationary housing where a sealing from aggressive hot gases as well as sufficient cooling are possible. In this known arrangement only the drive eccentric arrangement, but not the guide eccentric arrangement, is provided with the slide bearing.

Spiral displacement machine having a lubricant system


A method and system are provided to continuously signal a utility""s usage. A first device measures usage of the commodity in order to, for example, project usage over the course of a billing period and provide a first value indicative the projected usage. A second device allows a user to input a second value indicative of a threshold or budgeted level of usage. A processor generates a status value based on the difference between the first and second values. One or more of a plurality of different color indicators are displayed at any given time based on the status value. For example, three colored indicators (e.g., red, yellow and green) can be arranged to resemble a traffic signal where green can be indicative of a level of utility usage that is within budget, yellow can be indicative of utility usage that is approximately at budget, and red can be indicative of utility usage that is over budget.

The invention relates generally to monitoring usage of a utility such as electricity, gas or water, and more particularly to a method and system for continuously signaling the usage of a utility for a consumer relative to a budgeted or peak amount entered by a consumer.
Energy monitors are known in the art. Typically, energy consumption is displayed numerically as a monetary denomination, in units of energy or in units of the commodity (e.g., gas or electricity) being consumed. However, numerical display energy monitors present a variety of drawbacks. For example, the user cannot read a numerical display from a distance or over a broad range of viewing angles. Accordingly, a numerical display requires the user to be closely positioned in front of the display to read utility usage values. This means that the user must take the time to get positioned close enough to read the display. Even when the user is close to a numerical display, a significant portion of the population must then take the time to put on their reading glasses in order to view a numerical display. Further, since a numerical display lacks the visual capability to alarm or signal a user over to the display, the user must take the time to repeatedly approach the display to check usage information. If the user does not take the time to approach the display, it may be to late to adjust consumption to stay within a budget. Due to the lack of signaling capability, the user may not be motivated to take the time or even remember to view a numerical display monitor at all. Further, to be effective, at least two displays are generally required, i.e., one displaying actual use and one displaying the target or budgeted use level, in order to provide the user with over/under budget information. Still further, the numeric display may not be understandable to the youngest members of a household who very often can be the worst offenders in terms of wasting energy.
Some energy monitors include an alarm that sounds when energy consumption exceeds some preset budget level. However, alarm-type energy monitors also present a variety of drawbacks. For example, alarm sounding could occur at any time of day or night and thereby become an annoyance and/or an embarrassment. This could lead the user to either disconnect the alarm or set a high budget level which, of course, defeats the whole purpose of the alarm. Further, since the alarm typically sounds when energy consumption has reached or passed a budget level, the user is not provided with a warning to reduce energy consumption before the alarm sounds.
A power meter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,966 includes the use of colored LED""s to indicate whether an appliance plugged into the power meter is a high or low power consumption device. Specifically, one color is used to indicate a high energy consumption device and a second color is used to indicate a low energy consumption device. However, the power meter does not provide any indication of a consumer""s usage of a utility relative to a user-selected budgeted or peak amount.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for signaling utility usage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that provides a continuous signal indicative of utility""s usage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that continuously indicates utility""s usage relative to a threshold level of usage.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system that continuously indicates a utility""s usage in a simple manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and system in which a signal indicative of utility usage can be viewed from a distance, can be viewed from a broad range of viewing angles, and can be understood while one is moving.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system are provided to continuously signal a utility""s usage at a location where a commodity indicative of the utility is provided via a supply line. A first device is coupled to the supply line to measure usage of the commodity and provide a first value indicative of the usage. A second device is provided to allow a user to input a second value indicative is a threshold level of usage of the commodity. A processor, coupled to the first and second devices, generates a status value based on the first and second values. A reconfigurable display is coupled to the processor. The display can illuminate at least one indicator of a first color and at least one indicator of a second color. At any given time, at least one of the indicators is viewable based on the status value. For example, three colored indicators (e.g., red, yellow and green) can be arranged to resemble a traffic signal where green is indicative of an acceptable level of utility usage, yellow is indicative of utility usage that is bordering on excessive, and red is indicative of excessive utility usage.

Method and system for signaling utility usage


A noisemaking devices are described, which may be a blade member having a handle joining portion at its base, a flexible plate member operable for making sound (e.g., low-pitched, clicking sounds and alternative, louder, high-pitched clicking sounds), the flexible plate member having an indention that is operable for producing a sound when the flexible plate member is flexed about the indention. A handle, an upper portion of which is joined to the flexible plate member and be pivotably joined to the blade such that the blade pivots when the handle is translated perpendicular to the plane of the blade, and the blade and the flexible plate member being oriented such that when the blade pivots, the blade causes the flexible plate member to flex and thereby make the sound.

Conventional percussion instruments include, without limitation, drums, tambourines, cowbells, cymbals, castanets, maracas, and wooden blocks. Percussion instruments used to create unconventional sounds include, without limitation, garbage cans, garbage can lines, metal pots and pans, washboards and hollow logs.
Handheld percussion instruments and noisemakers are found in concert halls, schools, sports stadiums, at New Year's celebrations, at birthday parties, and at a host of other events and special occasions. Musicians, performers, cheering fans and partygoers use percussion instruments and noisemakers to make more sounds, louder sounds and noise, and/or different sounds and noise than if, they were just using their voices or hands to create the same or similar sounds or noise. Percussion instruments and noisemakers can also assist a person's ability to make musical sounds or noise over longer periods with relative ease.
An example of a conventional handheld percussion instrument and noisemaker is the Smith instrument illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,922, which is a sound-producing clapper assembly capable of producing, a soft pattering sound and an alternative, louder, rattling drum-roll noise. A limitation in Smith's design is that it only produces two distinct sounds. Furthermore, the majority of the sound generated cannot be projected in any one particular direction. The sound produced moves away from the device in a 360-degree pattern. This 360-degree pattern could project sound in the direction of people nearby who may find the noise undesirable.
Handheld noisemaking devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,761 issued to Kalinowski, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D373,150, issued to Zaksenberg and in U.S. Design Pat. No. D392,000 issued to Rapp. The Kalinowski, Zaksenberg, and Rapp designs are each noisemakers that use a handle to force multiple outer paddles to strike a center paddle creating sound. Zaksenberg and Rapp both designed their noisemakers with their outer paddles located closer to the center paddle. Kalinowski was able to show why the Zaksenberg and Rapp designs provided an insufficient amount of sound. Kalinowski successfully increased the sound of his design when he repositioned the paddles further away from his center paddle by relocating the pivot area.
Another example of a known noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 20010034177 issued to Hunn, who describes a noisemaking device consisting of a head at tone end attached to a handle. The handle is at least partially hollow. A user is able to, at least partially create noise by filling the handle with various items like bells and balls and shaking the noisemaking device causing the contents to rattle off the inside of the handle. Because a person must hold the handle to use Hunn's noisemaking device, the person's hand may undesirably reduce the level of noise resonating from the device.
Hunn's noisemaking device like those illustrated earlier by Smith, Kalinowski, Zaksenberg and Rapp, project only a moderate amount of sound a short distance and mostly in a 360-degree pattern. Furthermore, the designs by Smith, Hunn, Kalinowski, Zaksenberg, and Rapp each produce generally only one or two sounds, either increasing or decreasing depending on the amount of effort used to activate the device.
Another example of a noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 186,169 issued to Rowbotham, who describes a noisemaking device consisting of a steel box enclosing a flat steel plate that, when depressed, creates a clicking sound. U.S. army paratroopers used a similar device called a "cricket" during WWII to quietly communicate to one another during dangerous situations. Examples of the noisemaker are documented in books titled "D-Day: Jun. 6, 1944" by Stephen E. Ambrose; "D-Day: The Strategy, the Men, the Equipment" by Bernard C. Nulty; "D-Day: As They Saw It" by Lord Carver and many others. The "cricket" was first a toy before the military made it part of their lifesaving equipment. Today a similar handheld device is used to train animals.
The "cricket" generally consisted of two pieces of steel; one served as the body of the noisemaking device and the other was usually a thin, flat, rectangular piece used to make the actual noise. The "cricket" requires a user to create noise by using their thumb or finger to bend the flat, rectangular piece of steel. The use of the user's thumb or finger to bend the steel plate could easily cause the muscles of their hand to become weak if operated for more than a short period. The device only produces two sounds; one when a user presses down on the steel plate and another slightly different sound when the user releases the steel plate.
Another example of a known noisemaker is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,272 issued to Molenaar, who illustrates a sound generating device similar to the "cricket", consisting of a steel box enclosing a piece of flat steel plate which when depressed creates a clicking sound. The difference between Molenaar's sound generating device and the "cricket" is how the steel plate is held firm inside the device. The "cricket" is designed so that only one end of the steel plate is allowed to bend. Molenaar's device is designed so that neither end of the steel plate is allowed to bend. Molenaar's device creates sound by bending the middle of the steel plate. A person using the device is required to use their finger to activate the steel plate by pressing down on the steel plate. The device, like the "cricket" is only able to produce a limited amount of sound and project sound a short distance. Also, Molenaar's design creates limited sound because the user is required to press on the very area that produces the sound.
Furthermore, most past and present noisemakers used at parades, parties, sports arenas, and many other events are often provided to the public free of charge. Numerous companies purchase noisemakers to advertise their names and logos in hopes of generating future business. Many of the noisemakers purchased are made of materials that limit the size of a company's name and logo to one color. Many of these noisemakers also limit the amount of space available for advertising. An advertiser needs a noisemaker that is made with a material that can allow for using several colors and a larger imprint area for advertising. A noisemaker that offers multiple color imprinting and a larger imprint area at prices similar to a competitor's noisemaker is a tremendous advantage to the advertiser.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved handheld noisemaker that is able to create a variety of sounds, that is able to direct the sound in a particular direction and that is easy to use. There is also a need for a noisemaker that can be made of a material that can be imprinted with several colors, and that provides a substantial imprint area advertising.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Percussion instrument and noisemaking device


An illumination light generation apparatus includes a light source unit and an emission unit. The light source unit includes first and second light source groups that radiate a plurality of light beams, respectively. The first and second light source groups face each other. The emission unit emits a composite light beam in a predetermined direction and includes a first reflection part that reflects the plurality of light beams radiated from the first light source group, and an emission part that reflects the plurality of light beams reflected from the first reflection part and the plurality of light beams radiated from the second light source group. The emission part generates the composite light beam by reflecting the plurality of light beams radiated from the first light source group and the plurality of light beams radiated from the second light source group in the predetermined direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination light generation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among various light radiation apparatuses (illumination light generation apparatuses), there is an apparatus that radiates light by compositing (combining) multiple light beams.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-013317 teaches a technology pertaining to a light source unit (illumination light generation apparatus) including, for example, a light source group that has multiple light sources arranged to form a planar configuration, and a first reflection mirror group that reflects light beams emitted from the light source group.
However, with the technology taught in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-013317, the size of the illumination light generation unit may become large due to the multiple light sources arranged into rows and columns to form the planar configuration. Further, with the technology taught in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-013317, the size of the illumination light generation unit may also become large due to multiple reflection mirrors of the first reflection mirror group arranged in a step-like manner or due to strip-like reflection mirrors (equivalent to the number of rows of the light sources of the light source group) arranged parallel to a row direction of the light source group.


An apparatus for exciting a rotating field pattern in a cavity containing an object, the apparatus comprising a radiating element configured to excite an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern in the cavity, wherein the EM field pattern is excited with EM energy at a frequency in the radio-frequency (RF) range, a field rotating element configured to rotate the EM field pattern, wherein the field rotating element has an anisotropy, the anisotropy selected from magnetic anisotropy, electric anisotropy, and a combination of magnetic and electric anisotropies, and a controller configured to determine the EM field pattern according to value indicative of energy absorbable by the object and to control the anisotropy of the field rotating element in order to rotate the EM field pattern.

Electromagnetic waves have been used in various applications to supply energy to objects. In the case of radio frequency (RF) radiation for example, electromagnetic energy may be supplied using a magnetron, which is typically tuned to a single frequency for supplying electromagnetic energy only in that frequency. One example of a commonly used device for supplying electromagnetic energy is a microwave oven. Typical microwave ovens supply electromagnetic energy at or about a single frequency of 2.45 GHz.
Applying EM energy to an energy application zone, e.g. a microwave cavity, at a resonant frequency, such as a resonant frequency of a microwave cavity, may result in excitation of a standing wave having local maxima and minima at a constant position in the cavity. Such a standing wave may result in a non-homogeneous energy distribution in the cavity.

Ferrite-induced spatial modification of EM field patterns


In a FLIR target detection system, true targets (52) are isolated from potential false target indications produced by background clutter through the use of a connectivity algorithm which attempts to find around each potential target (52) a closed path (65) of lower (or higher) intensity without exceeding a predetermined distance from the centroid (64) of the potential target. If the attempt is successful, the potential target (52) is a true target; if not, it is clutter.

In the forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imaging of a non-uniform scene such as terrain, point targets whose temperature is substantially higher or lower than that of the background (e.g. aircraft of long range) are often not detected by the target detection algorithms conventionally used in FLIR imaging. Conventional target detection algorithms can also falsely mark many background clutter features as targets. Such target detection algorithms include leading-edge-trailing-edge detection and least-mean-squared (LMS) filtering. One-dimensional LMS filters can produce false target indications on edges of background objects, as is the case for leading-edge-trailing-edge detection, and even the use of two orthogonal one-dimensional LMS filters can still produce false target indications on corners. In order to isolate point targets for a clear display, it is necessary to determine the spatial extent and spatial connections of an object of interest in real time--a difficult computational feat.
Prior art in this field includes: U.S Pat. No. 4,742,557 to Ma, which shows a system for extracting character information from a noisy background in an optical scanner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,439 to May, which relates to the preprocessing of an image by median subtraction; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,143 to Choate, which deals with a scheme for analyzing edge spectra.


Methods, devices and apparatuses pertaining to U-turn assistance. The method may include receiving, by a computing device, vehicle information associated with a vehicle from a plurality of sensors that are placed on a plurality of locations of the vehicle and obtaining a length and a width of the vehicle based on the received vehicle information. The computing device may calculate a turning radius of the vehicle, and provide a recommendation for routing the vehicle based at least in part on the turning radius.

A vehicle may not be able to turn completely around in a given area when an object, such as a boat, another vehicle, a trailer or a towable object, is attached to or otherwise towed by the vehicle. For a first time user of a particular vehicle, it may take time for the user to become familiar with the size and safe maneuvering, such as turning, of the vehicle. The attached object may be several hundred pounds and several meters long, and the vehicle may need to be maneuvered differently than when no object is attached to or towed by the vehicle, especially for certain maneuvers such as a circular turning and stopping. However, a driver might not be aware of these problems when operating the vehicle particularly for a first time user of the vehicle.


The systems and methods of gesture triggered automatic erasure on a private network, comprising: establishing a secure and encrypted private network with one or more profile computing devices; embedding local information on a first profile within one or more secure objects; embedding transit information exchanged by the first profile on the private network within one or more secure objects at source and destination; receiving a signal from the first profile computing device; automatically deleting one or more of the secure objects with embedded local and transit information from all profile computing devices.

Current social media systems are enabled by central services provided by third parties. In essence, social media is interaction between two or more end-users that mirrors real-life situation where a third-party has no business interfering. But the digital world of the internet applications of social media do not align to the real-world frameworks.
Social media typically facilitates user-generated content including text, comments, photos, videos and voice. Traditionally these various media are generated through "online" interactions and are facilitated by one or more third party platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, SnapChat, Instagram, Weibo, LinkedIn and many others.
In traditional social media systems, users create profiles via a service providers website or app and all the content is maintained, processed and stored by the social media company. In such systems, users rely on the social media companies to store and protect their sensitive user data both while in flight, i.e. in transit and at rest, i.e. either at source or destination.
While users don't pay "directly" for use of these services, the services providers generate revenue from its user content and meta data through directed ads and selling access to their subscribers content for data mining or harvesting. This revenue then offsets the cost of maintaining the centralized servers and data centers and in some cases returns dividends to their shareholders.
Unfortunately, there are a number of serious drawbacks to this architecture. Most notably is the broken business model that requires the service provider to monetize their customers, which in turn requires their customers to give some, if not all of their privacy.
Additionally, the service provides have recently gone into censorship or "de-platforming" of content based on their or their advertisers best interests and not necessary the interest of their users or user communities. In some cases the censorship is at the direction of a central government but in most cases it is carried out based on arbitrary decisions of the social media service provides.
Complicating the matter, should a competitor wish to enter the market to compete against the entrenched social media companies it takes tremendous capital to build out the data centers and facilities to onboard even a single user. As users join the new network, more resources must be added to the central networks to manage the traffic load and to store the content being created by their users. At the end of the day, the new social media company would once again have to monetize their customer base, solicit advertisers and adhere to government oversight. While the new company might impose a different set of censorship policies than the legacy companies its still censorship by a third party and not by end users.
Further, social media companies typically deploy simply one-way authentication and HTTPS to secure their user's data in flight. Many enterprise networks (as well as others) are able to put a "man in the middle" of such traffic using an HTTPS proxy, thus exposing all data in flight to the intermediary and allowing that intermediary to filter, read, copy and save user content without them being aware of it.
One-way authentication only authenticates or assures the user that when they connect to a sight that "claims to be" say instagram, that in fact it is instagram. The converse is not true. The cryptographic system does not authenticate the client software used by the user and therefore must trust higher level protocols to assure that a user that claims to be user A is in fact user A, for example through passwords or other means.
Both sets of "keys", the ones that attest to the service provider's identity and the passwords used by the "user" are not changed very often, and can actually not change for years. This means that if either key is broken, that all the user's or even sights' data can be exposed. Breaking the keys to access a sights meta data can expose all data of every user in the system. Breaking a given user's key can expose all of a user's stored content.
In summary, the current architecture of social media tends to lead to: (i) Third party censorship, sometimes legally, sometimes not; (ii) Lack of Privacy either on purpose or by accidental exposure; and (iii) Lack of free association.
The last point, lack of free association can best be understood by the fact that the social media companies can and do decide what user can and can not participate in their platform. Worse is that while excluding one user A from freely joining a given community and conversing with members of that community, the same platform may allow other members to make almost any claim about user A without allowing user A the ability to refute those claims. This leads to very bad social norms in which gangs of denizens roam from social media site to social media site spreading false or unsubstantiated claims about user A without user A being able to defend herself on any of those platforms.
Furthermore, because the user's content is held by a third party and the social media companies routinely change their terms of services, most users are unaware that their content may be retained or archived, indefinite. A frivolous statement which is deemed "social acceptable today" may be judged years into the future by a new set of standards and lead to harsh consequences including ability to get into schools and colleges, ability to get a job, ability to run for public office, etc. We call this effect "Future Guilt."
Still further problems exist in the semantics of existing social interactions on social media sites. When someone creates content, they don't "own" that content, the social media company does. Even with as simple as email, "ownership" of content is fluid and the semantics of "polite" conversation are not a part of the system.
For example, if user A creates an email message and sends it to user B and in that email, user A included content that she did not want to disclose to anyone else, there is nothing in the art that would prevent user B from saving that information away, copying it or forwarding it to someone else like user C. Neither is user B prevented from replying to user A and copying additional users D, E, etc. on that reply. This sort of "lack of control" of content is pervasive in today's social media systems and this leads to a lack of polite discourse amongst members of society.
Accordingly, in the existing solutions in the industry, once content is created and distributed to existing network of systems, it: may exist indefinitely; the user may not have the ability to edit or append to the original message; may be free copied and distributed by others either directly or via screen captures or copy/paste operations; the user may never be able to delete the content when they feel like it; third parties can exploit the data.
Zeroization (also disclosed at the website en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeroisation) is known in the art of cryptography. Zeroization is the practice of erasing sensitive parameters/information from a system, i.e. a single computing device, to prevent their disclosure if the equipment is captured. In most cases in the art, the act of zeriozation is focused on a single machine and its compute, memory and storage. Information on a given computing device is local information which is then in transit when transmitting to another computing device. The originating computing device is the source computing device, the intermediate computing devices that receive the information are transit computing devices having transit information and the final target is the destination computing device. Computing devices designated as source, transit and destination are used for the travel of information on computer networks and corresponding computing device nodes. In particular, existing techniques focus on the following trigger points: When an application changes mode (e.g. to a test mode) or user; When a computer process changes privileges; On termination (including abnormal termination); On any error condition which may indicate instability or tampering; Immediately, the last time the parameter is required; and Possibly if a parameter has not been required for some time upon user request.
There are hardware-based mechanisms such as a physical button to zeroize a single computing device, often times with a cover over the button that must be depressed or actuated to indicate the user's desire to "zeroize" the system. There are also a number of standards for zeroization including ANSI X9.17 and FIPS 140-2. In all these cases, the focus is on cryptographically removing the information or at a minimum the keys on a single system when it has been compromised.

Systems and methods of gesture triggered automatic erasure on a private network


A method for creating an intelligent physical mailpiece includes looking up a mailpiece preference of an addressee concerning mail received by the addressee. A physical mailpiece to the addressee is prepared and includes on the mailpiece the addressee preference. The mailpiece is scanned to determine the addressee preference. The mailpiece may also be processed to link the owner of a meter employed to imprint an indicia on the mailpiece to the mailpiece.

Systems have been developed where the contents of received physical mail are scanned and the scanned version of the contents sent electronically to the recipient. When scanning physical mailpieces in order to send a digitized version of the envelope and its contents to the recipient as an alternative to receiving paper, it is necessary to open the envelope and prepare the contents for scanning. This step is either manual or automated. However it is done, it adds time and money to the operation. The results sent to the recipient may potentially impair the user experience with the mailpiece due to reduced visual quality from digitization when scanning. This can be due to degraded image quality of the original, skewing of the scanned materials, physical affordances of paper that do not readily transfer during scanning and the like.
Various systems are known where a printed object is scanned to establish an internet address corresponding to that object such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,214 B1 for LINKING OF COMPUTERS BASED ON OPTICAL SENSING OF DIGITAL DATA issued Oct. 30, 2001 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,927 B2 LINKING OF COMPUTERS BASED ON STENOGRAPHICALLY EMBEDDED DIGITAL DATA issued Apr. 1, 2003. These systems involve a printed object, such as an item of postal mail, a book, printed advertising, a business card, product packaging, etc., that is stenographically encoded with plural-bit data.
As disclosed in the '214 and the '927 patents, when such an object is presented to an optical sensor, the plural-bit data is decoded and used to establish a link to an internet address corresponding to that object. An object or paper product contains digital information and is scanned so that the digital information can be quickly read and acted upon by an appropriately configured device, computer or appliance. The digital information may be hidden on the objects. These objects can be marked with the digital information, using any of the broad ranges of printing and processing techniques which are available on the market and which are widely described in the open literature and patent literature surrounding digital watermarking.
One application proposed in the '927 patent involves postal mail information where it is suggested that many contexts arise in which data to be presented to a consumer is valuable only if timely and that the postal service mail is ill-suited for some such information due to the latency between printing a document, and its ultimate delivery to a recipient; and also that principles of the '927 patent system patent (referred to as a "Bedoop" system) allow the recipient to take a postal object that was printed well before delivery, and use it on receipt (i.e., when presented to a '927 type system) to receive up-to-the-minute information. In this and other embodiments, the '927 patent system, it is asserted that data can also uniquely identify the addressee/recipient/user, so the web site can present data customized to that user. Nevertheless, these systems are not flexible in the ability of senders and recipients to utilize electronic and physical mail

Intelligent physical mail method and system

Abstract: The intelligent physical mailpiece system may include a database of recipient preferences. A sender mail creation means is coupled to the recipient preference database. A processor is coupled to a scanner. A communications means is coupled between the processor and the sender mail creation means for communicating recipient preferences to the sender mail creation means for storage in the database of recipient preferences.


A data storage system includes a housing, one or more data storage media disposed within the housing, and an filter comprising activated carbon fibers disposed within the housing. The activated carbon fiber filter includes activated carbon fibers configured to adsorb both chemical contaminants and particulate contaminants within the housing. The activated carbon fiber filter may include a wide variety of active molecular functional groups, pores with sizes from macroscopic to nanoscopic scales, and a very high surface area per unit mass, in various embodiments. The activated carbon fiber filter may be mounted in a region of the data storage system having enhanced fluid pressure when the data storage system is in normal operation.

Strict control of both particulate contaminants and chemical contaminants inside a sensitive electronic device such as a data storage system is of increasing importance for the proper operation of the device, particularly as some internal components become ever smaller and more sensitive. For example, in a disc drive, as read/write head and transducer size, media magnetic or optical bit size, and head flying height all continue to decrease, the importance of eliminating particulate and chemical contaminants continues to grow.
Particulate contaminants may include particles that are dislodged from components within such a storage device from improper handling or during drive operations. Such particulate contaminants may proceed to scratch a media surface or a read/write head, or embed itself into a media surface, for instance, leading to serious or catastrophic failures and/or irrecoverable data losses. Chemical contaminants are also a substantial threat in the interior of a data storage system. Chemical contaminants such as organic vapors or corrosive gases may infiltrate the data storage system from the external environment or may outgas from internal components. Such chemical contaminants may smear or corrode media surfaces or read/write heads, resulting in data losses, high interface stiction, and/or the overall failure of the data storage system.
To address difficulties such as these, some data storage systems have been made with both a recirculation filter for adsorbing particulate contaminants, and a chemical filter for adsorbing chemical contaminants, out of the internal environment of the data storage system. One illustrative example of a recirculation filter includes tightly packed fibers of a polymer such as polyamide or polyester, while an illustrative example of a chemical filter includes grains or powders of activated carbon.
Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.

Activated carbon fiber filter for a data storage system