A method and system for allowing for the secure transmission and reception of data in a processing system is disclosed. The method and system includes providing at least one crypto algorithm in a region of a system memory in the processing system; and assigning a cryptographic function of the at least one crypto algorithm to the region. A system and method in accordance with the present invention ties the encryption/decryption algorithm to specific DMA regions and the encryption key to the particular DMA transfer. This allows the system processors to offload the encryption and enable all network (and non-network) adapters to take advantage of this offload without hardware changes to the adapters.

Currently cryptography is used to securely transmit and receive data within a network. The problem is that encrypting and decrypting data requires a large number of processor cycles, therefore slowing the entire performance of the processing system. The trend has been to off load the crypto engines onto the network adapters or have specialized non-network crypto adapters.
The problem with specialized network crypto adapters is that they are currently tied to a specific protocol and they require the replacement of existing hardware, i.e., the existing non-crypto network adapter. The problem with using specialized non-network crypto-adapters is that the data must cross the bus two extra times. The network adapter brings the data into system memory, but the system must push the data out to the specialized crypto adapter and bring back the encrypted/decrypted result back.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes the above-identified problems. The system and method should be cost effective, easy to implement, and adaptable to existing processing systems. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for allowing for the secure transmission and reception of data in a processing system

International Business Machines Corporation


An electrical energy supply indicator for a helmet is disclosed to employ a casing having a storage chamber for housing an electrical resistor, a light-emitting diode (LED), a cover plate, a female terminal socket; wherewith the storage chamber has a compartment plate, the female terminal socket has an article locking member, a pin receiving member having four trapezoidal faces, an anode and a cathode for connecting with the resistor and LED. The locking member is immobilized between the compartment plate and an interior surface, the receiving member passes through the receiving channel to connect externally with a male terminal pin. The LED operates to determine if attached electrical circuit is powered. A slant-faced extrusion block is on the underside of the cover plate to superimpose onto the locking member such that the locking member can be more secured inside the casing, thereby preventing undesirable movement of the female terminal socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical energy supply indicator for use in a helmet, particularly to an apparatus for determining the conductive state of an electrical circuit within an electrical heating wire mesh established within a helmet's visor, said apparatus can fasten the receiving aperture for the electrical energy supply plug, and as a result, said receiving aperture is fixed and will not move about from its original position when the electrical energy supply plug is inserted to cause rotation thereabout.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, some efforts have been made to provide an indicator showing electrical energy supply for use on a helmet, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. An embodiment of the prior art shows an assembly of a casing 11, a cover plate 12, an RCA female terminal socket 13, an electrical resistor 14 and a light-emitting diode 15, wherein the RCA female terminal socket 13 is constructed to pass through the receiving channel 111 of the casing 11, and there is at least one positioning groove 112 on the rim of the receiving channel 111; the RCA female terminal socket 13 has a pin receiving terminal 131 and screw thread 132, wherein the screw thread 132 fastens itself with the aid of a nut 2 into the interior of the casing 11, while also assists the RCA female terminal socket 13 to connect with the electrical resistor 14 and the light-emitting diode 15. Thereafter, the casing 11 can be lockably affixed onto a helmet upon combining with a casing 12 to perform altogether as an indicator for showing the state of electrical energy use by an electrical heating wire mesh upon the helmet's visor. Therefore when the RCA male terminal pin 3 is connected with the RCA female terminal socket 13, the light bulb inside the light-emitting diode 15 will be lit to indicate that the electrical energy is being properly supplied. The RCA male terminal pin 3 has around its perimeter at least one positioning block 31 that works to accommodate a specific positioning groove 112 in such a fashion that when the RCA male terminal pin 3 is inserted into the RCA female terminal pin 13, the positioning block 31 of the RCA male terminal pin 3 can securely interlock with the pitch surface of the positioning groove 112, thereby causing rotational movement of the RCA male terminal pin 3 and fixing the RCA male terminal pin 3 in a stable position within the receiving channel 111.
However, as FIG. 1C discloses, the RCA female terminal 13 can suffer from problems including short-circuit or the like relating to improper electrical circuit connection when rotation of a particular manner of the RCA, such as a one-time rotation or multiple rounds of rotation, of the male terminal pin 3 leads to concurrent movement of the RCA female terminal socket 13. Moreover, incessant rotation of the assembly pieces herein can also lead to breakage or joint disconnection of the cable lines or welding joints, thereby bringing about an undesirable situation where the light-emitting diode 15 will not glow notwithstanding stable electrical energy supply to the circuit. Occurrence of this disadvantage can disable the electrical energy supply indicator to reach the desired outcome, and can also reduce the service life of the indicator.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome this problem as seen in the prior art. An optimal solution for this case will be one that can stabilize the movement of the RCA female terminal socket 13 when the RCA male terminal pin 3 is moving about, as this can avoid disconnection or the like of the RCA male terminal pin 3 with other work piece in the product assembly.

Electrical energy supply indicator for a helmet


A fluid injection valve has: a valve body that is provided with an opening portion at one axial end thereof and is for starting and stopping a supply of a fluid out of the opening portion; and an injection port plate having a plurality of injection ports that penetrate therethrough, the injection port plate being fixed on the one axial end of the valve body to form a fluid chamber between itself and the valve body to accumulate the fluid therein and to which at least a part of the injection ports opens. A circumferential surface of the fluid chamber recedes toward the injection ports so as to decrease a cross-sectional area of the fluid chamber that is taken along a radial direction of the injection port plate and to reserve a predetermined length of distance between itself and the injection ports.

In fuel injection valves for engines, it is important to atomize the fuel injection spray sufficiently from viewpoints of toxic substance reduction in emission gas, fuel consumption performance improvement and so on. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,405,946-B1, 6,616,072-B2, US-2004-0124279-A1 and their counterpart JP-2001-46919-A disclose fluid injection nozzles for promoting an atomization of the fuel injection spray.
In the fluid injection nozzles disclosed in the above publications, a flat disc-shaped fuel chamber is formed between a valve seat and injection ports. By the fuel chamber provided between the valve seat and the injection ports, fuel, which has flown on an inner circumferential surface of the valve body, passes through an opening portion of the valve body, then forms a spread flow in the fuel chamber. Thus, at the outflow side of the injection ports, it is possible to decrease collisions among fuel spray columns that are injected out of the injection ports.
However, by forming the fuel chamber between the valve seat and the injection ports, a dead volume in the fluid injection nozzle increases. When the dead volume is large, a relatively large amount of fuel is left in the fuel chamber without being injected out of the injection ports. For example, in a case that a fuel injection valve is installed in an intake pipe of an engine, the fuel left in the fuel chamber is sucked by intake air that flows through the intake pipe at a large speed. Thus, a fuel ratio in the intake air increases, and it becomes difficult to control the fuel injection amount with high accuracy.


A silk fibroin membrane containing an entrapped biocatalyst such as an enzyme or microorganism is provided by forming a mixture of a biocatalyst solution and a silk fibroin solution, forming a membrane by casting the mixture, drying the membrane and mechanically treating the resultant membrane at a temperature and humidity to produce the membrane in .beta.-form and to structurally stabilize the membrane. Mechanically treating may be by stretching or compressing. A biocatalyst sensor is formed by coating an electrically conductive substrate with a gas-permeable layer and coating the gas-permeable layer with the silk fibroin membrane containing an entrapped biocatalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a biocatalyst-fixed membrane, a method of manufacturing the biocatalyst-fixed membrane, and a biocatalyst sensor using the biocatalyst-fixed membrane. More particularly, the invention relates to a biocatalyst-fixed membrane such as an enzyme or microorganism fixed membrane which effectively exploits the manufacturing characteristics of silk fibroin, the manufacture of the membrane and a biocatalyst sensor using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a biocatalyst is fixed by an entrapping method in the prior art, the fixed carrier often requires a crosslinking treatment with glutaric aldehyde or the other compounds in order to achieve insolubilization. However, the secondary deactivation of biocatalyst due to heat, strong acids and alkalis, organic solvents and so on cannot be avoided, and the activity in the membrane almost completely vanishes within only one month.

Biocatalyst entrapped in a silk fibroin membrane


A filter element comprising a filter medium which extends through an axial length between an end face at a clean air end and an end face at an unfiltered air end such that the filter medium separates an unfiltered air end of the filter element from a clean air end, in which the filter medium is circumferentially surrounded by a jacket and attached in a sealed manner to the jacket, and in which contours for securing the filter element in a filter housing are arranged on the jacket of the filter element.

This invention relates to a filter element through which the medium to be filtered flows with a surrounding jacket, to an unfiltered air element, a clean air tube and an air filter system formed therefrom, and to a method of manufacturing such a filter element and filter system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,085 describes a filter element through which the medium flows axially between a clean air end on one end and an unfiltered air end on the opposite end. The filter element has a cylindrical shape and is connected on its radial circumferential surface in a sealed manner to a jacket. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the sealing connection between the circumferential sheath and the filter must take place in the radial intermediate area. In addition, the filter element must be accommodated in a tubular filter system to ensure its function and clean air end of the filter element must be attached in a sealed manner to a flange in the direction of flow of the air stream. Due to the contours of the jacket, complex fastening means are required to ensure these functions.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product to reduce merge conflicts in an integrated development environment. The present invention includes a computer that receives computer code that includes a plurality of line edits authored by a plurality of developers and development activity information associated with the computer code describing the nature of the plurality of line edits. The computer displays in real-time the computer code in a manner that includes distinguishing the plurality of line edits based the development activity information. Furthermore, the computer dictates an editing activity of the computer code based on the development activity information. Furthermore, the present invention executes within an integrated development environment.

Contemporary software packages usually are comprised of thousands of line of code drafted by a team of developers and require a significant amount of man-hours to produce. To facilitate the drafting process, developers edit code within an integrated development environment (IDE), which packages many functions associated with developing software in one place. For example, an IDE may typically include a text editor, compiler, build automation tools, and a debugger.
An important aspect of software development is the ability for a developer to know the status of the code desired to be worked on, for example, available, restricted, etc. Status is typically provided by an individual, such as a computer software developer, who has been assigned tasks, such as the writing, debugging, and testing of computer software code, etc., that are required to complete the software development project. Typically, software development involves a number of developers editing different portions of the code (often at the same time).
A version control system (VCS) allows for the orderly updating of code modules and allows developers to backup and restore files, track file changes, track ownership, test code before synchronization. Using version control, each developer can retrieve (pull) their own copy of the central version of the source code file (working copy) or new changes (line edits) of a particular source code file and merge their line edits into the master branch or trunk (central version containing all working code) afterwards. Each developer can create their own branch (personal version of a particular source code file) and push (transmit) their line edits when they are working (have been compiled and deemed error free) to the master branch or trunk when it's working. Subsequent to the file being pushed to the master branch, the file is merged with the central version included therein.
When two developers are working on the same code, merge conflict issues can occur if both have pushed incompatible line edits to the master branch. Typically, one of the developers will have to sift through the code and determine the correct way to merge these source files together.

Reducing merge conflicts in a development environment


Disclosed is a case for secondary batteries including a laminate sheet composed of multiple layers, the laminate sheet including an insulating layer having an elongation percentage of 10% or more.

As mobile device technology continues to develop and demand therefor continues to increase, demand for secondary batteries as energy sources is rapidly increasing. Among secondary batteries, research into lithium secondary batteries, which exhibit high energy density and operation potential and have long cycle life and a low self discharge rate and discharge voltage, is underway and such lithium secondary batteries are commercially available and widely used.
However, such lithium secondary batteries have problems in regard to safety and thus attempts are being made to address such problems.
In particular, when lithium secondary batteries are over-charged, excessive lithium is released from a positive electrode and excessive lithium is inserted into a negative electrode, whereby lithium metal having very high reactivity is precipitated on a surface of the negative electrode. Accordingly, the positive electrode also becomes thermally unstable, and rapid exothermic reaction occurs due to decomposition of an inorganic solvent used as an electrolyte, whereby a battery has problems in regard to safety, such as ignition, explosion, etc.
In addition, when a battery is penetrated by an object having electric conductivity such as a nail, electrochemical energy inside the battery is changed into thermal energy and rapid heat generation occurs. Accordingly, due to subsequent heat generation, a positive electrode or a negative electrode material is subjected to chemical reaction and thus rapid exothermic reaction occurs, whereby a battery has problems in regard to safety, such as ignition, explosion, etc.
When nail penetration, compaction, impact, or the like is applied, a positive electrode and a negative electrode in a battery are subject to partial short circuit. In this case, excessive current partially flows and thus heat generation occurs. Since the size of short circuit due to the partial short circuit is inversely proportional to resistance, short circuit current mainly flows at low resistance. Here, current flows through foil mainly used as a current collector, and, when a generated heat amount is calculated, very high heat is partially generates around a portion penetrated with a nail.
When heat is generated in a battery, a separator is contracted, additional short circuit in a positive electrode and a negative electrode is induced, and short circuit ranges are enlarged due to repeated heat generation and contraction of a separator. Accordingly, thermal runaway is generated, or a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte included in a battery react together or combust. Since such a reaction is very high exothermic reaction, a battery finally ignites or explodes. Such risk increases with increasing capacity and energy density of a lithium secondary battery.
In order to address such a problem and enhance safety upon over-charging, attempts of adding an additive to a non-aqueous electrolyte have been made. However, securement of safety under conditions such as nail penetration, compaction, impact, etc. was not accomplished by adding an additive to a non-aqueous electrolyte.
There is an urgent need for technology to develop a secondary battery which may effectively enhance safety of a battery.

Case including insulating layer for secondary batteries and lithium secondary battery including the same


A series arrangement of LED loads (LP1-LP4) is coupled between output terminals of a rectifier having its input terminals coupled to a mains supply supplying a low frequency AC voltage. Control means render the LED loads conductive one by one, when the amplitude of the supply voltage increases, and non-conductive one by one when the amplitude of the supply voltage decreases. The first LED load (LP1, LP2) has a forward voltage that is substantially higher than that of the other LED loads. As a consequence, the LED utilization is comparatively high, thus allowing the LED loads used in the series arrangement to be comparatively cheap.

Such a LED light source is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,722. The LED loads are LED arrays comprising series arrangements and possibly parallel arrangements of individual LEDs. The known LED light source comprises a rectifier for rectifying the low frequency AC supply voltage. A series arrangement comprising the N LED loads is connected to output terminals of the rectifier. During operation, a periodicDC voltage with a frequency 2f and an amplitude varying between zero Volt and a maximum amplitude is present between the output terminals of the rectifier. When the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage is zero Volt, none of the LED loads carries current. When the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage increases, a voltage is reached at which a first LED load starts carrying current. Similarly, when the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage increases further to a high enough value, a second LED load starts conducting.
A further increase of the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage subsequently causes the remaining LED loads to start carrying current.
When all the LED loads carry current, the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage increases further until the maximum amplitude is reached. After that the amplitude of the periodicDC voltage starts decreasing. While the amplitude decreases, the LED loads stop conducting current one by one in reversed order (first the Nth LED load stops conducting and the first LED load is the last to stop conducting). After the first LED load has stopped conducting, the amplitude of the periodicDC current decreases further to zero and then the cycle described hereinabove is repeated.
The known LED light source is very compact and comparatively simple. Furthermore, it can be directly supplied from a low frequency AC supply voltage source such as the European or North American mains supply. LED-utilization is defined a follows:
LED_Utilization (in case N=4)=(I_LED1_AVG/I_LED1_AVG*Vseg1+I_LED2_AVG/I_LED1_AVG*Vseg2+I_LED3_AV G/I_LED1_AVG*Vseg3+I_LED4_AVG/I_LED1_AVG*Vseg4)/Vstring_total wherein I_LED#_AVG is the average current through the LED load, evaluated over one period of the low frequency AC supply voltage, Vseg# is the LED load voltage, Vstring_total is the total voltage of all 4 LED loads.
The low LED utilization is caused by the fact that the different LED loads conduct current during time intervals of substantially different duration within a period of the periodicDC voltage. The Nth LED load carries current during a much shorter time interval than the first LED load. As a consequence, the first LED load carries a higher average current than the Nth LED load. The LED loads are generally formed by one or more LED packages comprising a number of multi-junction LED dies. In the manufacturing process, the packages that will be used in the first LED load are not discriminated from the packages that will be used in any of the other LED loads; therefore, all the packages have the same die size and package power capacity that has to meet worst case requirements. In this case, said requirements correspond to the use of the package in a first LED load (which, during operation, carries the highest average current of all the LED loads). However, most of the LED packages used in the LED light source are not used in the first LED load.


Described herein is a mobile device trade-in facilitation system comprising: one or more servers configured to interact with one or more external data sources; a mobile application communication center configured to interact with one or more mobile devices; an analytic database; and a main processor configured to: initiate a trade-in value calculation based upon an event related to a mobile device; receive information from the mobile device related to characteristics of the mobile device via the mobile application communication center; receive first data related to the mobile device from the one or more servers; retrieve second data related to the mobile device from the analytic database; determine a trade-in value for the mobile device based upon one or more of: the information, the first data, and the second data; and transmit the trade-in value to the mobile device.

Millions of mobile devices are sold annually. As used herein, mobile device may refer to transportable devices such as mobile telephones, smartphones, personal digital assistants, handheld devices, tablets, nettops, or laptop computers, and similar devices that have mobile communications capabilities. Consumers with business needs and/or financial means regularly upgrade/change their mobile devices as technology advances. Oftentimes many used mobile devices are simply forgotten by their owners' when replaced by newer devices. Used mobile devices may go unused, resulting in wasted resources, that could otherwise be repurposed for use by other users or for extracting components for use in other electronic devices.

System and method for reclaiming residual value of personal electronic devices


A data distribution system, method and a computer program product therefor. Computers provisioned with operations centers supporting individual locations share resources with organizations in multiple locations. Each operations center receives and evaluates local information for the supported location and selectively provides evaluated information for reuse by other locations. A data exchange agent in each operations center publishes information available from a supported location to a publication subscription unit. The operations center also subscribes to the publication subscription unit for information available from other locations. The publication subscription unit identifies matches between subscriptions and publications. A negotiation unit negotiates matched information transfers between operations centers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to sharing locally generated data among organizations in other locations and more particularly to more efficiently distribute data collected/generated for one location with other locations that may otherwise be unaware of, but that may have a need or use for, the data.
2. Background Description
A typical broad geographic area may cover many smaller locations, each managed and serviced by local authorities, e.g., organizations, government departments, and individuals. Local authorities are setting up operation centers, such as the IBM Intelligent Operations Center, to efficiently monitor and manage services for the location, e.g., police, fire departments, traffic management and weather. See, e.g., www-01.ibm.com/software/industry/intelligent-oper-center/.
A state of the art operation center includes an emergency capability that facilitates proactively addressing local emergencies. In particular, the operation center emergency capability facilitates departments in generating, collecting, and processing voluminous information about the local environment from a wide range of location services and simulation engines. Sources of this information include, for example, police departments, fire departments, traffic management systems, weather forecasts, and flooding simulation. The usefulness of much of this data produced, processed and collected by one entity may overlap with, be common with, and frequently is relevant to, not only other local organizations, but also to organizations in one or more of the other (e.g., surrounding) localities.
A typical operation center normally simulates and models local conditions and extreme weather conditions, e.g., traffic, weather and flooding in metropolitan areas. By combining local sensor data with the simulation results the operation center can identify possible infrastructure disruptions. After using the simulation results to identify potential disruptions, the operation center can identify similar conditions as they arise, and trigger appropriate local responses, e.g., initiate processes to circumvent and/or minimize effects of the disruptions. Thus, the simulation and model results have made an operation center an important tool in minimizing the impact of flooding and, moreover, for flood prevention planning in highly populated areas. Similarly, a typical operation center uses simulation and model data to facilitate situational planning for dry regions, e.g., to mitigate bush fire damage to crops.
A complete data picture is important to analyzing and predicting the potential impact of extreme or hazardous conditions for a specific locale. While, a typical simulation may focus on a small, limited area, the results generally depend on data from a more widespread region and surroundings. Simulating extreme weather conditions, for example, a hurricane impacting on a city, requires data from surrounding areas, and even distant locations. Locating and identifying all relevant data that may be available, has not been a simple task.
Thus, there is a need for discovering available geographically specific data and in particular for facilitating allowing owners of geographically specific data to share costs, and optimize producing and using geographically specific data.

Data distribution system, method and program product


A developing unit develops a latent image with a developing agent. A supply unit supplies, to the developing unit, a developing alternating current bias voltage with a waveform having a pulse period during which a rectangular wave is output and a blank period during which no rectangular wave is output. An input signal generation unit generates, as an input signal be supplied to a primary side of a transforming unit that forms the developing alternating current bias voltage, an input signal obtained by adding an additional pulse smaller in width than the rectangular wave in the pulse period at a timing to transit from the pulse period to the blank period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply circuit for supplying power to an electronic device such as an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A developing device in an electrophotographic or electrostatic printing image forming apparatus efficiently develops an electrostatic latent image with toner by applying, to a developing sleeve, a voltage in which DC (Direct Current) and AC (Alternating Current) voltages are superposed. In particular, an AC voltage having a rectangular waveform increases the charging efficiency of toner with respect to a latent image (ratio at which toner charges couple with latent image charges).
A voltage applied to the developing sleeve needs to have a target value. This is because various problems arise if an applied voltage greatly exceeds a target voltage to generate an overshoot. For example, a current flows through an unintended conductor via the surface of an insulator or an air layer. Also, aerial discharge occurs in a conductive impurity mixed in a developing agent, damaging a latent image. As one solution to relieve these problems, a damping resistor having a sufficiently large resistance value is adopted.
However, the use of the damping resistor also has disadvantages. For example, the rise and fall responses become slower than those of an ideal rectangular wave, resulting in a blunt rectangular wave. The blunt rectangular wave is poorer in charging efficiency than the ideal rectangular wave. The power loss across the damping resistor accounts for half the input power to an AC voltage generation circuit, increasing the space for permitting the energy loss and raising the component cost.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-354831, an AC voltage generation circuit is formed from a full bridge circuit made up of four switching elements. A predetermined OFF period is set in part of a period during which each switching element is turned on. This arrangement relieves an overshoot without depending on a damping resistor.
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-354831 can correct an output waveform distortion by LC resonance satisfactorily for a developing unit, photosensitive member, developing high-voltage power supply, and developing agent under a given condition. However, a problem arises when the conventional technique is applied to a so-called blank pulse waveform having a pulse period during which a rectangular wave is output and a blank period during which output of a rectangular wave stops.
FIG. 8 exemplifies a waveform when the conventional technique is applied to the blank pulse waveform. When a constant OFF period is always used, like the conventional technique, LC resonant waveforms appear at a leading edge from the blank period to the pulse period and a trailing edge from the pulse period to the blank period. Such a waveform distortion degrades the developing quality, as described above.

Power supply circuit for supplying power to electronic device such as image forming apparatus


This invention relates to a closure which permits the opening of a hermetically sealed plastic container in a single action motion, which also maintains the hermetic seal under retort conditions. This closure includes a generally cylindrical side wall having threads along the inner surface thereof and a top portion having a metallic disk with its lower surface coated with a fusible coating, such as polypropylene. An annular flange is provided along the inner surface of the side wall to retain the metallic disk between the annular flange and an inwardly inclined inner surface portion of the side wall. A method is also disclosed for providing a hermetic seal on plastic containers using the closure of this invention.

To ensure proper nutritional support for newborn infants, many doctors and hospitals recommend the use of liquid pediatric nutritional products. Pediatric nutritional products are utilized when breast feeding is not possible for either medical and/or social reasons. Furthermore, even in cases where breast feeding is possible, some mothers prefer the convenience afforded by the use of pediatric nutritional products.
In response to the need for pediatric nutritional products soy and milk-based liquid foods have been developed for bottle feeding in conjunction with a rubber or latex nipple. Since the containers for these nutritional products should provide a twelve to eighteen month shelf life, a hermetic seal must be provided across the top of the container. A hermetic seal is one which when in place is impervious to microbiological intrusion and external influence. Presently, hermetic sealing is accomplished through the use of a glass container, to which is secured by vacuum closure a stamped steel cap having a pre-cut rubber or vinyl plastisol gasket. The sealed container is then subjected to temperatures above the ambient air temperature, and more specifically to retort conditions, during which the hermetic seal must survive sterilization of the nutritional product and the container. Since the glass container and the stamped-steel cap expand a similar amount and since a vacuum is present within the container, the hermetic seal is usually maintained during the sterilization process.
Due to concerns about material cost, container weight, and breakage, suppliers of nutritional products have sought to manufacture the product container from a plastic substance, such as polypropylene, which is relatively clear, optically, and cost effective as compared to glass. A problem arises in attempting to provide a cap for a plastic container, which cap still maintains a hermetic seal. Since it is difficult to maintain a vacuum in a plastic container, and conventional metal caps and plastic containers expand by a dissimilar amount, the prior art metal caps can not maintain a hermetic seal on plastic containers when subjected to retort conditions.
Another problem arises in that the heat during retort conditions causes polymer relaxation or shrinkage, especially in the upper neck portion of the container. Injection or extrusion molded plastic bottles are formed by stretching the polymer molecules. The introduction of heat causes those molecules to relax, so as to actually shrink the diameter of the neck. This shrinkage causes severe problems in maintaining a conventional metal cap on a plastic bottle. This shrinkage also prevents the use of a conventional plastic cap on a plastic bottle.
One approach to overcome these problems would be to apply a substantial amount of torque when initially capping the bottle. However, the amount of torque necessary to maintain a conventional cap on a plastic bottle is so high that a person would not be able to easily twist off the cap following retort. Another possible approach would be to fabricate a bottle from a plastic which does not shrink at retort temperatures and can maintain an internal vacuum without distortion, however, the cost of providing such a plastic bottle would is prohibitive.
Yet another possible approach to the providing of a hermetic seal to a plastic container would be to utilize a barrier membrane, such as aluminum foil, such that the integrity of the seal is independent of the closure or cap. This primary membrane seal or foil would be protected from accidental or premature puncture by an overcap of conventional design. One type of foil seal is the type which is peelable. However, in dealing with nutritional products subject to spoilage, peelable seals are not optimal for maintaining confidence that the product has not been tampered with and or for ensuring against spoilage. Additionally, peelable foils also encounter difficulty surviving sterilization without encountering problems in their removal.
A heat-fused metallic seal, which imparts a permanent seal, fused to the container is more desirable. However, the use of a conventional heat-fused foil membrane necessitates that the outer cap be removed, followed by the piercing of the membrane seal. The piercing is usually accomplished by a microbial laden device, such as a pair of scissors or a fingernail, thereby contaminating the pediatric nutritional product with bacteria.
It is thus apparent that a need exists for an improved closure for a pre-filled, membrane-sealed pediatric nutritional product containers which provides system seal integrity during retort, as well as permitting the sanitary opening of the container in a single action motion.

Retortable composite closure for plastic containers


Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for managing multiple locks for data set members in a data set index. The data set index has leaf nodes and internal nodes. In response to determining that a current lock is set at a locked node that prevents a grant to a requested lock, a determination is made as to whether there are different first and second descendant nodes from the locked node at a same level of the tree data structure linked to the requested data set member and the locked data set member, respectively. If so, the requested lock for the requested data set member is set at the first descendant node, the current lock is moved to the second descendant node for the locked data set member and the requested lock is granted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer program product, system, and method for managing multiple locks for data set members in a data set index.
2. Description of the Related Art
A partitioned data set extended (PDSE) is a data set having an index and zero or more members. When adding new data for a new or existing member, the new data is appended sequentially to the end of the PDSE.
The PDSE index may be implemented in a tree data structure where pages allocated to the PDSE data sets are assigned to implement internal nodes and leaf nodes representing the data set index. Each leaf node links to one or more members and provides information to access the member. Each internal node links to one or more further internal nodes or leaf nodes. When a user seeks to access a member, the member name is presented and the tree is traversed through the one or more internal nodes to the leaf node representing the requested member using the member name as the index key. Member data is only loaded into the memory when accessed.
When a data set is opened, the entire data set index is loaded into the memory by assigning pages to implement all the internal and leaf nodes used to represent the entire data set index. Access to the PDSE data set directory is serialized by a single lock to a root node of the data set index tree data structure providing either exclusive or shared access to the directory. Generally the PDSE directory lock is only held as needed and released upon completion of the input or output operation. In some cases, however, it is possible for a job to require the data set index lock for an inordinate amount of time thus denying access to the data set index by other processes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Managing multiple locks for data set members in a data set index

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A garment having a front opening including a selectively hidden display which, when the garment is fully open, may extend the full width and yet is hidden when the garment is closed.

Various fabrications of clothing have been presented in the past wherein clothing was fabricated such that additional protection was provided the wearer by a separate insert or where messages were displayed at will but were normally hidden from the viewer.
Prior art known to the present inventor which include devices of this nature include U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,772 granted to Egbert on Jan. 15, 1952, which discloses a two-layered garment wherein the exterior garment was of a water-repellant material and the inner lining was of another material for warmth; however, each of the portions of the garment could be worn separately.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,389 granted to Gross, Nov. 3, 1953 discloses a rain cape, wherein a supplementary segmented panel is secured over the front of the wearer, whereby the wearer has full use of his arms without exposing the front portion of his body to the weather.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,207 granted to Abraham on Mar. 26, 1957 discloses a jacket having an interior liner removably secured such that it looks like a shirt, whereas it is only a collar and a front portion of the shirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,307 granted to Shingler on May 7, 1968 discloses a garment which includes selectively disclosed or hidden display panels which are secured in a yoke over the shoulders of the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,848 granted to Boehland on Jul. 14, 1981 discloses an athletic jersey wherein one half of a colored panel is permanently secured to a jersey and the second half is removably secured such that the removable portion has an alternate color on the back so that the color presentation of the jersey may be quickly changed by raising or lowering the second half.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,656 granted to Neese on Sep. 12, 1989 discloses a removable insert assembly for use in combination with a lightweight jacket or vest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,981 granted to Sanchez on Dec. 8, 1987 discloses a garment including a flap with releasable gripping surfaces such that it may be opened to display a message.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,237 granted to Cohen on Oct. 24, 1989 discloses a jacket which has selectively displayed messages which may be secured in an upwardly extending vent panel when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,214 granted to Cohen on Nov. 13, 1990 discloses an article of clothing similar to the one disclosed in 4,875,237, but further includes a zipper to secure the bottom of the vent panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,935 granted to Hur on Jan. 22, 1991 discloses a cap with a hidden display in the visor which may be selectively displayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,233 granted to Hall on Feb. 12, 1991 discloses a garment which has a visible display and a display which is selectively hidden.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,848 granted to Oney on Mar. 19, 1991 discloses a novelty shirt wherein there is a visible message and a selectively hidden message.
French Patent No. 1,464,680 granted to Martin on Nov. 28, 1966, which apparently discloses a jacket-shirt front combination.


A method and apparatus for testing a bond interface is provided. An initial wave is transmitted into a first end of a first material. The first material is connected to a second material by an adhesive at a bond interface. The first material is dissimilar to the second material. The initial wave splits into a first wave and a second wave at the bond interface. Parameters are changed so a first wave travels through the first material to the first end of the first material and back to the bond interface in a first amount of time and the second wave travels through the second material to a second end of the second material and back to the bond interface in a second amount of time. The first amount of time is substantially equal to the second amount of time. A tension is obtained in the adhesive at the bond interface.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to strength measurement of materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a non-destructive method and apparatus for measuring the strength of a bond interface between bonded structures.
2. Background
Bonded joints are widely used in a variety of structural applications, and more specifically, primary composite structures are often bonded together in select aerospace applications. The strength of the bonded joint between composite structures needs to be certifiable if the bonded joint is used in a primary structure application. Conventional measurement of bond strength generally involves static proof testing. For the structure to be used in aerospace service, structural proof testing can be performed to the limit load. Limit load is the maximum load that a structure is expected to see in service. However, the cost of such testing is usually high. Physical testing to failure to validate strength is more commonly performed using witness coupons. The witness coupons are samples that are assembled at the same time as the bonded joint using the same materials and following as closely as possible the bonding process of the real structure. The coupons are then tested to failure to validate the process quality. While useful as an indicator, these test articles are not a part of the vehicle structure.
Non-destructive testing methods exist for composite structures; however, the non-destructive methods generally detect the presence of a defect such as a void or unbond with in a joint not the strength thereof. Such methods may include, for example, ultrasonics, x-rays, and acoustics, among others commonly known in the art.
Laser bond inspection is a method of testing bonds using stress waves. The method involves depositing laser energy onto the front surface of a bonded article and generating compression stress waves that reflect off of the back surface of the bonded article as tensile stress waves. The tensile waves predominantly provide the stresses that test the bond between similar materials. If a tensile wave of sufficient strength encounters a weak bond, the bond will separate. A tensile wave is a wave that causes tension in a material. Unfortunately, when the bond is between dissimilar materials the wave reflected from the back surface may not create sufficient tension to evaluate the strength of the bond.
The features, functions, and advantages can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments in which further details can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings.


The invention provides the advantages of a metallic housing and those of a synthetic resin structure for electronic devices, home electrical devices, etc., achieves high productivity and mass productivity, and enables a desired configuration and structure to be designed freely. As a pretreatment, a shaped aluminum alloy material is dipped in an aqueous solution of at least one selected from the group consisting of ammonia, hydrazine, and a water-soluble amine compound. A thermoplastic resin composition containing polyphenylene sulfide as a component is integrally bonded to the surface of the treated shaped aluminum alloy material by injection molding or other method. The molded article is a product made of the shaped aluminum alloy material and the thermoplastic resin composition containing PPS. Thus, the characteristic features of metal can be utilized in terms of mechanical strength and external appearance design. Moreover, a complicated configuration and structure can be formed inside the housing.

Techniques for integrating a metal and a resin with each other are demanded in a wide variety of fields such as those of manufacturing parts of automobiles, home electrical products, industrial equipment, etc. For this purpose, many adhesives have been developed. Among them are very excellent adhesives. Adhesives that exhibit their function at ordinary temperature or upon heating are used for bonding to integrate a metal and a synthetic resin with each other. The bonding method using such an adhesive is now a common technique.
Meanwhile, researches have heretofore been made to find an even more rational bonding method that does not use an adhesive. However, a method of integrating a high-strength engineering resin with light metals such as magnesium, aluminum and alloys thereof or iron alloys such as stainless steel without using an adhesive has not yet been put to practical use as far as the present inventors know. Examples of such a method include a method wherein a resin component is bonded to a metal by injection or other similar process. This method is named "injection bonding method".
The present inventors conducted exhaustive studies and development and found that bond strength increases uniquely if a shaped metal material is dipped in an aqueous solution of ammonia, hydrazine, or a water-soluble amine compound and thereafter brought into contact with a thermoplastic resin composition containing polybutylene terephthalate (hereinafter referred to as "PBT") as a main component under ordinary injection molding temperature and pressure conditions (see WO 03/064150 A1).
It has also heretofore been known that a metal-and-resin composite product is formed by insert-molding a metal product [for example, see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication (KOKAI) Nos. 2001-225352, Sho 54-13588, Sho 54-13587, Sho 58-217679, Sho 50-158539, and Hei 5-70969]. However, these conventional composite producing methods are for producing electric contacts, aluminum foil, etc., and hence unapplicable to mechanical structures that are required to exhibit strong bond strength (adhesion) and rigidity.
The present inventors further carried out researches to investigate whether or not the above-described increase in bond strength would occur with other kinds of resins. In electron microscope observation of an aluminum alloy dip-treated in an aqueous solution of ammonia, hydrazine or a water-soluble amine compound in the above-described invention proposed by the present inventors, it is revealed that fine recesses having a diameter of 30 to 300 nm are present on the aluminum alloy surface. Observation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that a large amount of nitrogen atoms are present on the aluminum alloy surface.
The above-described facts show that the aluminum alloy surface has been etched extremely finely, and nitrogen compounds attributable to ammonia, hydrazine or a water-soluble amine compound are present on the aluminum alloy surface. The present inventors infer that ammonia, hydrazine or a water-soluble amine compound is chemically adsorbed to the aluminum atoms. If an exothermic reaction takes place when the thermoplastic resin composition contacts the chemisorbed substances, the resin composition may enter the fine recesses on the aluminum alloy surface without rapidly cooling to become solidified.
PBT is an aggregate of carboxylic acid esters, and it is known that carboxylic acid esters exothemically react with an amine compound to form a carboxylic acid amide and an alcohol. This shows that our inference is valid. Then, we examined other polymers that may exothermically react with ammonia, hydrazine or an amine compound as in the case of PBT. One of them is polyphenylene sulfide.
This resin is an engineering plastic material developed by Phillips Petroleum Company, U.S.A., which is produced by desalting polycondensation reaction of p-dichlorobenzene, sodium hydrogensulfide and caustic soda. Because of the production method thereof, the polyphenylene sulfide has a composition containing not only high-molecular weight polyphenylene sulfide but also 3 to 10% low-molecular weight oligomers having several or ten-odd or several tens of phenylene groups.
Moreover, many of these oligomers and polymers have chlorine at the molecule end. The present inventors inferred that the chlorine end reacts with amines, which are basic, under high-temperature conditions while generating heat to form salt. Experimental results revealed that polyphenylene sulfide is also capable of injection-bonding to an aluminum alloy treated in the same way as the above. Although further experiments are needed to evaluate the validity of the above-described inference, it will be a good guideline for understanding the present invention in horizontal development.
With the above-described technical background, the present invention was made to attain the following objects.
An object of the present invention is to obtain an aluminum alloy-and-resin composite wherein a thermoplastic resin composition and a shaped aluminum alloy material are made to adhere so strongly that they will not readily separate from each other by treating the aluminum alloy surface, and also obtain a production method therefor.
Another object of the present invention is to obtain an aluminum alloy-and-resin composite capable of making housings and parts of various devices, structures, etc. free from problems in terms of configuration, structure and mechanical strength, and also obtain a production method therefor.
Still another object of the present invention is to obtain an aluminum alloy-and-resin composite useful for reducing the weight of housings and parts of electronic devices, structures, etc. and for simplifying device manufacturing processes, and also obtain a production method therefor.

Composite article of aluminum alloy with resin and method for production thereof


An autonomous driving system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a location unit configured to determine a current location of the vehicle; a database storing mapping information; and a control unit coupled to the location unit and the database, the control unit configured to selectively generate autonomous driving commands for the current location in view of the mapping information.

Autonomous driving systems and methods have been developed to provide autonomous, or automatic, control of vehicles, such as automobiles. These systems and methods allow for the vehicle to drive itself, including identifying and navigating roads and avoiding incidents with other vehicles. In certain situations, autonomous operation may not be available or appropriate. As such, a control system is typically able to switch between at least autonomous operation, in which a computing device controls operation of the vehicle, and manual operation, in which the driver controls the vehicle.
Increasingly, autonomous driving systems and methods rely upon information received from sources outside the vehicle, such as data from GPS satellites or cellular networks. Although this data improves, as an example, the accuracy of navigation, issues remain with respect to processing and management of the various types of information within the context of overall operation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved systems and methods for autonomous driving. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Systems and methods to enable or disable autonomous driving


This disclosure generally relates to retroreflective articles that include a low-index material and a printed region. This disclosure also generally relates to methods of making retroreflective articles.

Retroreflective materials are characterized by the ability to redirect light incident on the material back toward the originating light source. This property has led to the widespread use of retroreflective sheeting for a variety of traffic and personal safety uses. Retroreflective sheeting is commonly employed in a variety of articles, for example, road signs, barricades, license plates, pavement markers and marking tape, as well as retroreflective tapes for vehicles and clothing.
Two known types of retroreflective sheeting are cube corner sheeting and microsphere-based sheeting. Microsphere-based sheeting, sometimes referred to as "beaded" sheeting, employs a multitude of microspheres typically at least partially embedded in a binder layer and having associated specular or diffuse reflecting materials (e.g., pigment particles, metal flakes or vapor coats, etc.) to retroreflect incident light. Cube corner retroreflective sheeting, sometimes referred to as "prismatic" sheeting, typically comprises a thin transparent layer having a substantially planar first surface and a second structured surface comprising a plurality of geometric structures, some or all of which include three reflective faces configured as a cube corner element.
Typically, a cube corner element includes three mutually perpendicular optical faces that intersect at a single apex. Generally, light that is incident on a corner cube element from a light source is totally internally reflected from each of the three perpendicular cube corner optical faces and is redirected back toward the light source. Presence of, for example, dirt, water and adhesive on the optical faces can prevent total internal reflection (TIR) and lead to a reduction in the retroreflected light intensity. As such, the air interface is typically protected by a sealing film, but such films typically reduce the total active area, which is the area over which retroreflection can occur. Metallized cube corners do not rely on TIR for retroreflective light, but they are typically not white enough for daytime viewing of, for example, signing applications. Furthermore, the durability of the metal coatings may also be inadequate.

Retroreflective articles including printed areas


In an optical waveguide device, in a cross direction intersecting an extension direction of waveguide sections, one or more bridge portions of a ground electrode closer to a center of stress distribution of a stress due to a support member, and one or more bridge portions of a ground electrode farther from the center of stress distribution are formed with different shapes. The structure of the ground electrodes is devised so that a stress negating the difference in stress characteristics between the plurality of waveguide sections, generated by the stress applied from the support member to a substrate, is applied from the ground electrode to the substrate.

Optical waveguide devices used as optical modulators in recent optical communication systems include a substrate having an electro-optic crystal such as LiTaO2 or LiNbO3 (LN). The optical waveguide device can change a refractive index of an optical waveguide formed in the substrate by causing an electric field to act on the optical waveguide. In the optical waveguide device, for example, a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) type structure is well known as an interference structure that uses an optical waveguide formed in an electro-optic crystal substrate. A Mach-Zehnder type optical interference structure that uses the optical waveguide includes an input waveguide section, a waveguide section including two parallel waveguides in which light input to the input waveguide section is branched and propagated, and an output waveguide section that combines the branched light having propagated in the waveguide section. Moreover an electrode that causes an electric field to act on the parallel waveguides in the waveguide section is formed above the substrate via a buffer layer such as SiO2.
As the electrode of the optical waveguide device including the Mach-Zehnder type optical interference structure that uses the optical waveguide, a coplanar electrode provided on the waveguide section in the form of a signal electrode and a ground electrode may be adopted. Furthermore in the case in which the electro-optic crystal substrate is a Z-cut substrate, the signal electrode and the ground electrode are formed respectively so as to have a portion overlapping on the parallel waveguides in the waveguide section. Moreover, the signal electrode and the ground electrode are formed in a configuration of a traveling-wave electrode with one end of the signal electrode being grounded via a resistor and terminated, corresponding to higher frequencies of signal light to be modulated. For example, a microwave high-frequency electric signal is applied to the other end of the signal electrode in the form of the traveling-wave electrode.
A Mach-Zehnder type optical modulator that uses the optical waveguide adopts a structure in which many waveguide sections are integrated on a single substrate, corresponding to diversification of an optical modulation system, such as for example, Return-to-Zero (RZ) modulation, multilevel modulation, and polarization multiplexing modulation. As one example, FIG. 10 illustrates an optical waveguide device in which four waveguide sections are formed in a substrate.
In FIG. 10, an optical waveguide device 1 includes an optical waveguide 3 extending in a length direction of an LN substrate 2. The optical waveguide 3 is formed in the Z-cut LN substrate 2 by a process of patterning and thermally diffusing a metal film such as Ti, or by a process of subjecting the metal film to proton exchange in benzoic acid after patterning. The optical waveguide 3 includes three parts, that is; an input waveguide section 3a for inputting light, four waveguide sections 3b for branching and propagating light input to the input waveguide section 3a, and an output waveguide section 3c for combining the branched lights having propagated in the waveguide section 3b. That is, the four waveguide sections 3b are connected in parallel between the input waveguide section 3a formed at one end of the LN substrate 2 and the output waveguide section 3c formed at the other end of the LN substrate 2.
In the four waveguide sections 3b, each of the waveguide sections 3b are formed by two parallel waveguides. Moreover a signal electrode 4 and a ground electrode 5 for causing an electric field to act, are provided for each waveguide section 3b, with a buffer layer 2a interposed therebetween (refer to FIG. 11). As illustrated in FIG. 10, the ground electrode 5 is formed wider than the signal electrode 4 in a cross direction D2 intersecting an extension direction D1 of the waveguide section 3b, in order to obtain excellent high frequency characteristics.
The ground electrode 5 illustrated in FIG. 10 has a portion divided into a narrow portion 5a having a narrow electrode width and a wide portion 5b having a wide electrode width in the cross direction D2, and the narrow portion 5a overlaps on one of the waveguides of the waveguide section 3b. The narrow portion 5a and the wide portion 5b are connected to each other by bridge portions 5c provided at a predetermined pitch in the extension direction D1. The reason why the ground electrode 5 is divided in the cross direction D2 as illustrated in FIG. 10 is to suppress a stress applied to the waveguide section 3b under the ground electrode 5 resulting from a difference in thermal expansion between the ground electrode 5 and the LN substrate 2.
When a stress is applied to the waveguide section 3b due to the difference in thermal expansion, it affects the refractive index of the optical waveguide at a portion where the stress is applied, and a variation occurs in a voltage that turns off an output light output from the output waveguide section 3c. With respect to this voltage variation, a control is effective that separately applies a bias voltage (DC) to the electrode, and adjusts the bias voltage while monitoring the output light, to thereby optimize an operating point of the optical modulator. However in this case there is a problem in that the drive voltage increases. To solve this problem, a portion positioned on the waveguide section 3b is made the narrow portion 5a by dividing the wide ground electrode 5, to weaken the stress applied to the optical waveguide, thereby suppressing operating point variations due to temperature fluctuations as much as possible. On the other hand, with regard to the high frequency characteristics of the electrode, the bridge portion 5c is formed to connect the narrow portion 5a and the wide portion 5b to ensure a sufficient grounded state, thereby maintaining the high frequency characteristics. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-084537 (Patent Document 1) discloses the configuration of dividing the ground electrode.
The ground-electrode dividing structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is for equalizing the stress due to the electrode in the cross direction intersecting the extension direction of the waveguide section, by reducing the stress applied to the optical waveguide from the wide ground electrode down to a similar level to the stress due to the thin signal electrode. However as illustrated in FIG. 10, the LN substrate 2 of the optical waveguide device 1 is supported by a support member 6 in a casing in which the optical waveguide device 1 is installed. Therefore, there is a stress applied to the lower surface of the LN substrate 2 from the support member 6, other than the stress applied to the upper surface of the LN substrate 2 from the ground electrode 5. The support member 6 is a part of the casing or a part separate from the casing, and is made of metal such as SUS, and there is a difference in thermal expansion between the LN substrate 2 and the support member 6. Because the LN substrate 2 is fixed to the support member 6 by using an adhesive or the like, the LN substrate 2 also receives a stress from the lower surface of the substrate due to the difference in thermal expansion between the LN substrate 2 and the support member 6. The stress applied by the support member 6 from the lower surface of the LN substrate 2 changes in magnitude in the cross direction D2. The stress applied by the support member 6 with respect to the four parallel waveguides 3b arranged in the width direction of the LN substrate 2 in FIG. 10 will be explained with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a cross-section along line A-A in FIG. 10, of the optical waveguide device 1 fixed to the support member 6. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the support member 6 is smaller than that of the LN substrate 2, and the stress applied from the support member 6 to the LN substrate 2 due to a difference in thermal expansion attributable to the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, becomes stronger with approach to the sides of the LN substrate 2. Consequently, when as illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the four waveguide sections 3b are arranged in the LN substrate 2 substantially symmetrically in the width direction of the substrate to equalize the stress due to the electrodes 4 and 5 in the width direction of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 11, the distribution of the stress applied from the support member 6 to the LN substrate 2 in the cross direction D2 exhibits characteristics such that the distribution center substantially coincides with the widthwise center of the substrate and the stress distribution becomes gradually stronger from the center of stress distribution toward the sides of the substrate.
Attributable to the stress due to the support member 6 illustrated in FIG. 11, with regard to two waveguide sections 3b-in of the four waveguide sections 3b, that are closer to the center of stress distribution, a stress difference X generated between each of the two waveguides constituting the waveguide sections 3b-in becomes small. On the other hand, with regard to two waveguide sections 3b-out farther from the center of stress distribution, a stress difference Y generated between each of the two waveguides constituting the waveguide sections 3b-out becomes large. That is, in the cross direction D2, a difference in stress characteristics occurs between the plurality of waveguide sections 3b. When a stress difference generated between two waveguides increases in one waveguide section 3b, the operating point variation due to temperature fluctuation increases. Therefore a difference occurs in the operating point variation corresponding to the position in the substrate where the waveguide section 3b is formed.
FIG. 12 illustrates operating point variation due to the position in the substrate of the waveguide section 3b illustrated in FIG. 11. In FIG. 12, the Y axis shows voltage variation (V) of the operating point accompanying a temperature fluctuation, with an operating point voltage in the normal state designated as "1". Moreover, the X axis shows distance (μm) from the widthwise center of the substrate. In the case of FIG. 11, because the widthwise center of the substrate substantially coincides with the center of stress distribution as described above, the widthwise center of the substrate on the X axis in FIG. 12 is the center of stress distribution.
The respective points in FIG. 12 are obtained by plotting variation in operating point voltage in the four waveguide sections 3b at the time of changing the temperature, corresponding to distance on the X axis. As illustrated in FIG. 12, in the waveguide sections 3b-in closer to the center of stress distribution in the cross direction D2, the operating point voltage varies only by about 1V in absolute value, due to temperature fluctuations. On the other hand, in the waveguide sections 3b-out farther from the center of stress distribution in the cross direction D2, the operating point voltage varies by about 3V in absolute value, due to temperature fluctuations. The reason why the sign (±) of the operating point variations is different between the left and right positions is due to whether the ground electrode 5 is provided with respect to the inside waveguide or with respect to the outside waveguide, of the two waveguides, in one waveguide section 3b.
To prevent such a difference in the operating point variation corresponding to the position of the waveguide section in the substrate, there may be considered a method of enlarging the width of the LN substrate 2, or narrowing down a mutual interval between the waveguide sections 3b. However, if the substrate width is enlarged, there is a problem in that the number of substrates that can be cut out from a wafer decreases. Moreover if the mutual interval is narrowed down there is a problem in that crosstalk increases. Therefore, currently there is no satisfactory solution.


A semiconductor laser device with a resonator containing an active region for laser oscillating operation is disclosed which comprises a third-order diffraction grating with a periodic corrugation for producing feedback of laser light, the corrugation being of substantially rectangular shape, wherein the ratio of the width of each convex portion of the corrugation to the periodicity of the corrugation is in the range of 0.20 to 0.25, 0.40 to 0.60, or 0.70 to 0.95.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor laser device having a diffraction grating for producing feedback of laser light, which attains laser oscillation in a single longitudinal mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor laser devices used as a light source in optical information processing systems, optical measuring systems, or other systems employing optical fibers are required to have operating characteristics that can provide laser oscillation in a single longitudinal mode. The semiconductor laser devices that can attain laser oscillation in a single longitudinal mode, that is, can emit laser light of a single wavelength, include distributed feedback (DFB) laser devices and distributed Bragg reflection (DBR) laser devices, which have a diffraction grading with a periodic corrugation formed in an active region and in the area adjacent to the active region, respectively, and emit laser light of a given wavelength.
For example, a conventional distributed feedback laser device comprises a diffraction grating with a periodic corrugation disposed on the surface of an n-type InP substrate, and an n-type InGaAs optical waveguide layer and an InGaAs active layer, both of which are disposed thereon, wherein laser light goes back and forth in the diffraction grating, resulting in laser oscillation.
In order to obtain the oscillation of laser light in the diffraction grating with a periodicity .LAMBDA., the following relation is required to hold: EQU .LAMBDA.=(N/2).multidot.(.lambda./n.sub.o) (I)
where .lambda. is the oscillation wavelength, n.sub.o is an equivalent refractive index, and N is a natural number, which denotes the order of the diffraction grating. For example, when .lambda.=1.3 to 1.5 .mu.m, n.sub.o =3.3, and N=1, .LAMBDA. is in the range of 1970 to 2350 .ANG.. That is, the periodicity of the first-order diffraction grating is in the range of 1970 to 2350 .ANG..
On the other hand, for a distributed feedback semiconductor laser device comprising a GaAlAs layer, as an active layer, formed on the GaAs substrate, which can provide an oscillation wavelength of 8900 .ANG. or less, when .lambda..gtoreq.8900 .ANG., n.sub.o =3.4, and N=1, .LAMBDA. is equal to or less than 1310 .ANG.. That is, the periodicity of the first-order diffraction grating is 1310 .ANG. or less. Moreover, as can be seen from Equation I, by increasing the order of the diffraction grating, the periodicity .LAMBDA. of the diffraction grating increases by a factor of that order.
To form such a diffraction grating, a holographic exposing system is employed that uses a He-Cd laser (wavelength .lambda..sub.o =3250 .ANG.). That is, a photoresist layer is formed on the substrate, and then exposed with an interference fringe pattern of the He-Cd laser, after which the photoresist layer thus exposed is developed to form a striped photoresist mask with a given periodicity. Using this photoresist mask, a diffraction grating with a periodic corrugation is formed on the substrate by a chemical etching technique.
The coupling efficiency of the diffraction grating increases by increasing the depth of the diffraction grating. When a diffraction grating of lower order is the same in shape and depth as a diffraction grating of higher order, the diffraction grating of the lower order has a coupling efficiency greater than that of the diffraction grating of the higher order. However, it is technically impossible to form a diffraction grating of the first order, which can be used for short wavelength AlGaAs DFB laser devices, with the conventional holographic exposing system (light source: He-Cd laser, wavelength .lambda..sub.o 3250 .ANG.).
Accordingly, a second-order diffraction grating with a periodic triangular shaped corrugation formed in the [011] direction. However, it is very difficult to form such a second-order triangular shaped diffraction grating because its periodicity .LAMBDA. is extremely small. Moreover, because the depth of the diffraction grating is small, it is difficult to form a diffraction grating with high accuracy and to obtain a high coupling efficiency.
For these reasons, the order of the diffraction grating is taken as the third order to form the diffraction grating with high accuracy, and the periodic corrugation of rectangular shape is formed in the [011] direction to obtain high coupling efficiency as compared to the periodic corrugation of triangular shape. However, even with such a rectangular shaped diffraction grating, there is a problem of how to obtain a high coupling efficiency.


Software on a server and/or client device verifies a user as eligible to play an online game in which the wager and payout are made with real money. The software causes a graphical user interface (GUI) view for a first online game to be displayed to a user. The software then receives a first game input from the user. The first game input represents a wager or a play according to game mechanics of the first online game. The software causes a GUI view for a second game to be displayed to the user. And the software receives a second game input from the user. The second game input represents a play according to game mechanics for the second game. Then the software provides a payout for the first online game. The payout includes a promotional payout that depends at least in part on the second game input.

Though online gambling for real money allows a user to gamble conveniently from almost any location in a governmental jurisdiction, it lacks the excitement that results from being in the company of other gamblers at the slots or poker tables of a busy casino.
Consequently, websites that provide online gambling for real money are engaged in ongoing research and study into ways to make online gambling more exciting and interesting.

Nested online games for real money gambling


A dynamic vibration absorber is configured to be attached to a rotary member. The dynamic vibration absorber includes a base member, a mass body, and a torque limiting part. The base member is rotatably disposed. The mass body is attached to the base member so as to be rotatable relatively thereto. The torque limiting part limits transmission of a torque to be inputted into the base member from the rotary member.

For example, in automobiles, a damper device and so forth are installed between an engine and a transmission. The damper device includes an input member, an output member and elastic members. The input member is a member into which a torque from the engine is inputted. The output member outputs the torque, inputted into the input member, to the transmission. The elastic members elastically couple the input member and the output member. Fluctuations in velocity of rotation from the engine are inhibited by the damper device installed in a torque transmission path between the engine and the transmission.


An inverted pendulum type vehicle has a first travel operation unit and a second travel operation unit. A controller of the inverted pendulum type vehicle controls an actuator on the basis of a restricted desired value. The restricted desired value is obtained by restricting a basic desired value of the lateral travel velocity of the second travel operation unit by a limiting processor, the basic desired value being for bringing the actual turn angular velocity of the vehicle close to a desired value. The limit width of the limiting processor is variably set according to the actual travel velocity of the second travel operation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of traveling on a floor surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been known an inverted pendulum type vehicle in which a rider mounting section tiltable relative to the vertical direction is attached to a base body, to which a travel operation unit that travels on a floor surface and an actuator that drives the travel operation unit are installed. The inverted pendulum type vehicle is configured to control the traveling motion of the travel operation unit by moving the supporting point of an inverted pendulum.
In, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-068165 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), an inverted pendulum type vehicle in which a travel operation unit is driven according to the tilt or the like of a rider mounting section thereby to permit travel on a floor surface in all directions, including the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction relative to a rider, has been proposed by the applicant of the present application.
The conventional inverted pendulum type vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 enables the rider to turn the vehicle by moving his/her upper body so as to gradually change the traveling direction of the vehicle. Generally, however, the rider has been required to have a high steering skill to accomplish a smooth turn.
Especially when the vehicle is traveling forward at a low velocity or when the vehicle is almost in a stopped state, it has been difficult even for a skilled rider to turn the vehicle, i.e., to change the direction thereof.
To overcome the aforesaid shortcoming, the inventors of the present application have created a vehicle, in which an inverted pendulum type vehicle is additionally provided with an auxiliary second travel operation unit, which is separate from the aforesaid travel operation unit (hereinafter referred to as "the first travel operation unit" in some cases) and which is spaced from the first travel operation unit in the longitudinal direction. The inventors of the present application have also been engaged in the development of an art, in which, if there is a request for turning the vehicle, then the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction are controlled so as to be different from each other, thereby causing the vehicle to make a turn (including a direction change).
However, various experiments and studies conducted by the inventors of the present application have revealed the following inconveniences.
In the inverted pendulum type vehicle provided with the auxiliary second travel operation unit as described above, a ground contact load acting on the second travel operation unit tends to be smaller than the ground contact load acting on the first travel operation unit. This in turn tends to cause the second travel operation unit to slip.
Meanwhile, when the vehicle is turned by controlling the travel velocities of the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction, it is considered preferable to carry out control so as to bring an actual angular velocity of the vehicle in the yaw direction (the direction about the yaw axis) close to a desired angular velocity as much as possible.
In this case, if the magnitude of the difference between the desired angular velocity of the vehicle at the time of turning and the measured value of the actual angular velocity of the vehicle in the yaw direction is large, then excessive acceleration or deceleration of the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction is apt to result. This inconveniently leads to frequent undue slip of the second travel operation unit.
An attempt to uniformly restrict the changes in the angular velocity of the vehicle regardless of the kinetic state of the vehicle in order to overcome the aforesaid inconvenience causes undue limitation to be placed on the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction. This inconveniently results in impaired responsiveness of the turning behavior of the vehicle or a narrowed range of the travel velocity (the velocity in the longitudinal direction) of the vehicle that permits a smooth turning behavior.


A gun lock has two relatively movable and lockable hooked jaws for restraining movement of components of a gun that must be relatively moved for its operation (e.g. trigger and guard, or grip and stock of a pump action shotgun). The jaws project rearwardly from a body housing a cam rotatable via a key to displace one jaw away from the other.

The present invention relates to a gun lock, namely to a device which can be engaged with a gun so that the gun is rendered incapable of being fired until the device is disengaged.
At present, there are wall-mounted brackets, racks and the like by means of which a gun such as a rifle or shotgun can be immobilised. But if a gun is released so as to be portable, there is no convenient way of rendering it inoperable by unauthorised persons.
Various gun locks have been proposed. GB No. 2,143,623 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,099 disclose devices that are insertable into gun barrels and lockable by radial expansion. These have various disadvantages. For example, they do not prevent the accidental firing of a gun. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,392,471, 4,084,341 and GB No. 1,290,330 disclose devices having two plates connectable by shanks. In use the plates are located on respective sides of a trigger guard and clamped firmly together by the shank which passes through the guard. Such constructions are not convenient to use, and suit only a limited range of guns. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,992, 4,723,370 and GB No. 2,044,417 disclose locks having pairs of jaws that are relatively movable. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,370 discloses a device having a ratchet arm that is slidable through a slot in a body when a detent is released with a key. The arm and the body have hook formations pointing away from each other. For use, the arm is slid to bring the hooks close together, and they are inserted into a trigger guard so that one engages the guard and the other engages the trigger. They are then manually urged as far apart as possible, and locked by removal of the key. This operation is rather tricky. The fact that both body and arm have to be insertable between a trigger and a guard imposes severe manufacturing constraints. A particular device is likely to fit only a limited range of guns.


A metal head for use in a golf club includes a main hollow body and a striking plate. The main hollow body has an annular flange extending from a front surface thereof with a plurality of spaced protrusions extending outward from a distal end of the annular flange, and the striking plate has an annular dovetail groove defined in an inner surface thereof for receiving the annular flange and the protrusions. Thus, the main hollow body and the striking plate can be connected securely together by pressing the striking plate against the main hollow body to such an extent that the protrusions are deformed and got stuck in flared corners of the annular groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metal head for use in a golf club and, more particularly, to such a metal head in which a striking plate and a main hollow body are connected securely together, by means of a plurality of protrusions that extend outward from a flange of the main hollow body and are deformed and got stuck in an annular dovetail groove of the striking plate.
2. Description of Related Art
A metal head, for use in a golf club, is known that includes a main hollow body having an opening for receiving a striking plate at its entrance. In detail, the opening is provided on its sidewalls with a plurality of recesses near the entrance thereof, and the striking plate is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of inclined lips which, when the plate is pressed into the opening of the main body, may be deformed and got stuck in the recesses of the striking plate.
Although the metal head can be assembled quickly and securely, its has been found that the striking plate is much possible to be damaged during the pressing process. Furthermore, the plate is enclosed so that the resulting metal head has only a limited effective area for striking a ball.
The object of the present invention is to provide a metal head in which a striking plate and a main hollow body are connected securely together, by means of a plurality of protrusions that extend outward from a flange of the main hollow body and are deformed and got stuck in an annular dovetail groove of the striking plate, in order to improve the band-strength for the resulting mental head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal head in which the main hollow body and the striking plate are connected together in the above-mentioned hidden manner, so as to maximize the area where the plate covers the main hollow body and hence to provide the metal head with an enlarged effective area for striking a ball.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a metal head in which the annular dovetail groove of the striking plate is so shallow that the plate may be made thin enough without weakening the structural strength thereof and, therefore, the total weight of the resulting metal head may be reduced.
To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a metal head including a main hollow body and a striking plate. The main hollow body has an annular flange extending from a front surface thereof with a plurality of spaced protrusions extending outward from a distal end of the annular flange, and the striking plate has an annular dovetail groove defined in an inner surface thereof for receiving the annular flange and the protrusions. Thus, the main hollow body and the striking plate can be securely connected together by pressing the striking plate against the main hollow body to such an extent that the protrusions are deformed and got stuck in flared corners of the annular groove.


An aquarium water filtration means includes intake means for aquarium water, prefilter means, and water transfer means for transferring aquarium water from the intake means to the prefilter means. Both mechanical and froth filtration of the aquarium water is carried out in the prefilter, which comprises a plurality of chambers separated by walls of different heights. The aquarium water is gravity fed into and through the prefilter, and between the various chambers of the prefilter, its flow being determined by the relative heights of the separating walls, as well as by the heights of openings in certain of the walls.

The health of marine animals and plants kept in aquariums depends primarily on the cleanliness and oxygenation of the water. Examples of impurities which commonly degrade the aquarium environment are those in the form of suspended solids, such as fish feces and uneaten food, and those which are liquid or dissolve in the water, such as dissolved protein and ammonia from urea. All such impurities affect the desired chemical balance of the water; in particular, the rate of rise of the nitrate concentration of the water will affect the environment, and determines to a great extent the frequency with which the water must be changed. Accordingly, a great number of products for filtering and treating aquarium water have been developed.
In the simplest and most common filtering systems, the aquarium water is passed through one or a series of mechanical filters which trap particulate impurities. Such mechanical filters may for example comprise layers of sand, ground stone or coral, plastic beads, etc. For increasing the ease and convenience of changing the filter medium, filter pads made of a porous, fibrous or water permeable material are also used, either instead of or in addition to the filter layers of sand, etc. An obvious shortcoming of these systems is that they are poor at filtering out particulate matter significantly smaller than the size of the pores or distance between fibers, and they are not able to filter out dissolved matter or liquids at all.
One example of a filtering system using such simple mechanical filters is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,821 (D'Imperio), in which the primary goal is to provide a filter compartment as an integral part of the aquarium so as to be as inconspicuous as possible. In order to provide at least limited chemical treatment of the aquarium water, denitrification bacteria are provided on the surface of gravel which covers the bottom of the aquarium as a layer. Simple mechanical filters are also used in the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,462 (Augustyniak), which is primarily concerned with providing a device for maintaining a constant water level in the aquarium, and also provides prefiltering.
A system for rapid filtration of particulate matter from large amounts of water such as in fish hatcheries is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,299 (Birkbeck). This system further illustrates the use of sand, granite, glass beads and other media which are themselves particulate in order to remove particulate impurities from water. In particular, it illustrates the need to alleviate the problem of clogging due to accumulation of solids, which is a weakness common to all purely mechanical filter systems. For its part, the Birkbeck device is provided with means for backwashing at least one of its filters by moving it vigorously, and requires an air blower.
The tendency of many solid impurities, in particular, paint, to float on water is exploited in the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,557 (Turnquist). This device, which is intended for use in industrial paint spray booths, utilizes a weir, and a baffle at the entrance to a take-off chamber, to concentrate, separate and skim paint from the surface of run-off water and thus to remove the waste paint. The device is not intended and is therefore unable to remove sub-surface or dissolved impurities.
One method for removing dissolved organic impurities such as proteins is commonly known as protein skimming, froth floatation, froth filtration or froth fractionizing. According to this method, the water to be cleansed is caused to flow in the presence of a stream of air bubbles, whereby the dissolved or fine particulate impurities may attach themselves to and be carried along with the bubbles. In some of the prior systems, the air bubbles may flow in the same direction as the water flow, and in other systems, counter flow may occur. When the bubbles reach the surface of the water, the impurities collect as a foam and may be skimmed off. The foam is typically discarded as a waste product. Furthermore, the bubbles help to aerate the water as they pass through it. This incidental aeration is particularly beneficial when the water is used to support marine life.
One known industrial filtration device which utilizes froth filtration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,311 (Mook). In this apparatus, air is mixed with effluent, which is broken up upon passage through a screen panel. In order to accomplish this, the device requires an electric motor to drive a rotating screen cage, which acts as a centrifugal blower. The device is designed for handling large amounts of waste water, in particular effluent waste water received from sewers; it is ill-suited for use in aquariums, in which maintaining a high level of water purity is of much greater importance than treating large water volumes.
A smaller scale frothing filter for use in aquariums is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,829 (Walther). A primary objective of this device, referred to as "inlet means", is to allow it to adapt itself to changing water levels in the aquarium, so as to insure intake of water only from the surface. A second objective is to make the device as small as possible so that it may be placed directly in the aquarium. In order to accomplish these goals, the device comprises two telescopically arranged tubes--a float tube and a water discharge tube--which, while maintaining a good seal, must be able to move relative to one another.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an aquarium filter requiring minimal maintenance, which removes from the aquarium water not only solid particulates but also dissolved organic impurities such as proteins. This is accomplished primarily in a prefilter using both mechanical filter elements and protein skimming, further filtration being accomplished in a subsequent secondary filter stage.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a filtration system which, to a much greater extent than existing aquarium filtration systems, forms a closed ecological system. In particular, the protein froth created in the prefilter is used to feed an arobic denitrification bacteria which in turn are used to reduce greatly the rate of build-up of nitrate in the aquarium water and consequently the frequency of necessary water changes.