A system is provided for controlling air flow over a condenser. A fan is arranged to cause flow of air over the condenser. A meter is configured to determine energy used by an air cooled chiller, which includes the condenser. A controller is configured to control air flow caused by the fan as a function of the energy.

Many buildings and campuses are cooled by chilled water plants. In general, these chilled water plants use a chiller to produce chilled water, which is pumped to air handlers to cool building air. Chillers, air handlers, and other components of a chilled water plant are designed to operate at a specific chilled water entering and leaving temperature, or the difference, Delta T. At design Delta T, these components are at their most efficient and can produce cooling output at their rated capacity. Low Delta T, which occurs when the entering and leaving temperature become closer than the design Delta T, reduces efficiency and cooling capacity of the chilled water plant and causes the chilled water plant to use more energy than required for a given demand.
Many mitigation strategies have been developed to address Low Delta T, such as through the use of sophisticated sequencing programs and equipment ON/OFF selection algorithms. For example, chilled water plants using an air cooled chiller may cycle a condenser fan on and off or provided variable condenser fan speeds. As another example, variable chilled water flow is used. In most instances, the chilled water plant operator simply pumps more water to system air handlers to increase their output, but this has the compounding effect of further reducing the already low Delta T. Also, increased pumping results in higher than necessary pumping energy usage. These approaches may not completely resolve the Low Delta T.
Air cooled chillers compound the inefficiency. Air cooled chillers are inefficient as compared to water cooled chillers. The condenser section in an air cooled chiller stores a low volume of liquid refrigerant, making low ambient temperature operation difficult because the refrigerant tends to build up in the condenser (i.e., stacking). This build-up causes system pressure to drop, and the chiller to shut down. The condenser fan section is generally set to maintain a constant condensing temperature. This may be ideal for a small range of ambient temperatures, but is usually too high or low at most times of the year. Nuisance trips may be caused by maintenance of the temperature.


Vascular catheters include ultrasonic imaging capability and optical waveguides for delivering laser energy for ablating vascular obstructions. The ultrasonic imaging capability comprises a fixed ultrasonic transducer which directs ultrasonic energy at a reflective surface on a rotating element. The rotating element allows the interior of the blood vessel to be scanned prior to the application of laser energy to ablate the obstruction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction and use of vascular catheters. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vascular catheter which provides both ultrasonic imaging capability and an optical system for delivering laser energy within the field of view of the imaging capability.
Arteriosclerosis is a pandemic health problem which can cause myocardial infarction (heart attack) and a variety of other circulatory diseases. Arteriosclerosis is characterized by vascular constrictions, generally referred to as stenoses, which result from the formation of atheroma on the interior wall of the blood vessel. Initially, atheroma is soft and has a relatively low density. Over time, however, the atheroma calcifies into a hard plaque having a high density which can significantly occlude a blood vessel. Moreover, once plaque forms, platelets can aggregate on the diseased blood vessel wall, further occluding the lumen.
Numerous approaches for reducing and removing such vascular obstructions have been proposed, including balloon angioplasty where a balloon-tipped catheter is used to dilate a region of stenosis, atherectomy where a blade or cutting bit is used to sever and remove the obstruction, and laser angioplasty where laser energy is used to ablate at least a portion of the obstruction.
Each of these approaches finds use under different circumstances. For example, laser angioplasty is well suited for penetrating severe occlusions which leave little or no room for entry of balloon or atherectomy catheters. By utilizing appropriate wavelengths, laser energy can be used to penetrate even the most refractory stenoses. Frequently, laser angioplasty is utilized to create a passage through a severe occlusion, and the resulting passage utilized for subsequent balloon angioplasty or blade atherectomy to debulk or widen the lumen. Laser angioplasty is advantageous in that it generally results in the ablation of the occluding material, minimizing the release of emboli and other particulates which can cause secondary circulatory problems.
Despite its advantages, laser angioplasty suffers from numerous drawbacks. In particular, because of the high penetrating power, misdirection of the laser beam can cause penetration and piercing of the blood vessel wall. This problem arises because of the difficulty in positioning and aiming a laser catheter within a blood vessel. Generally, such positioning and aiming is accomplished by fluoroscopy which yields little information concerning the position of the cell wall, the precise direction in which the laser is aimed, and the nature of the obstructing material. The latter information is important because hardened plaque will generally require more energy to penetrate than relatively soft plaque or thrombus.
To overcome these problems, it has been proposed to combine laser angioplasty with various viewing systems. Most commonly, laser catheters have been provided with optical viewing systems employing optical waveguides which run in parallel with the waveguides carrying the laser energy. Such systems, however, are problematic in that they require stoppage of blood flow and flushing of the blood vessel with a clear liquid such as saline in order to allow viewing. Moreover, optical systems provide little or no information concerning the amount and distribution of plaque in the arterial wall.
To partially overcome these limitations, the use of ultrasonic imaging sensors with laser catheters has been proposed. In particular, a fixed ultrasonic transducer has been placed at the distal end of a catheter tube with an optical waveguide terminating at its center. The optical waveguide is coupled to a laser energy source and generally directs laser energy in the direction of viewing. The system, however, is limited to generally forward viewing and laser ablation, and is not particularly useful in debulking or widening the arterial lumen.
In addition to aiming difficulties, laser catheters generally have a very narrow field of penetration and have not been particularly useful in widening blockages in the blood vessel lumen. While some provisions have been made for deflecting a laser beam laterally to remove plaque and thrombus from the blood vessel wall, without precise information on the thickness of the stenosis, the chance of piercing the blood vessel is greatly increased.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide laser catheters having improved imaging capability. In particular, it would be desirable to provide laser catheters having an ultrasonic imaging capability which can be used to scan a relatively wide path around the blood vessel wall. Such systems should allow for precise aiming and control of the laser energy in order to provide for maximum penetration and ablation without damaging the blood vessel wall. Such systems should be useful for widening the central lumen in a radial direction as well as penetrating the lumen axially.
2. Description of the Background Art
Vascular catheters carrying fiber optics waveguides to deliver laser energy to stenosed regions within a blood vessel are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,979, discloses a waveguide which is coupled to an excimer laser for performing laser angioplasty. U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,688, discloses a catheter having a waveguide carrying fiber optics for both viewing and delivery of laser energy, where the distal tip of the waveguide is deflectable to allow selective direction of the laser energy. WO 83/01893 (PCT US82/01669) also describes a vascular catheter which carries fiber optics for both viewing and laser ablation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,892, describes a vascular catheter having a rotatable axial waveguide with a mirror or prism at its end for allowing transverse viewing and transverse deflection of laser energy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,177, describes a vascular catheter including an optical fiber for delivering laser energy and a fixed ultrasonic transducer at the forward end for imaging an obstruction. A lens at the forward end of the optical fiber aligns the laser energy with the viewing direction of the transducer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,972 discloses a vascular catheter having a fiber optic bundle extending its length. A piezoelectric coating on the fibers at their distal end can generate axially directed ultrasonic energy in order to produce a longitudinal cross-sectional image. U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,502, describes an esophageal catheter having a plurality of radially-spaced ultrasonic transducers at its distal end. The transducers are utilized to obtain a complete cross-sectional view of the organ surrounding the catheter. French Patent Publication No. 78-14494 describes an esophageal catheter having an ultrasonic catheter rotatably mounted in a balloon. The transducer may be turned to direct the ultrasonic energy in a desired direction. European patent application 163 502 describes an atherectomy device using an axially translatable, rotating blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,931 and copending application Ser. No. 07/290,533, each describe a vascular catheter which combines an ultrasonic imaging capability with an atherectomy blade for severing stenosis from the vascular wall. The entire disclosures of both the patent and the application is incorporated herein by reference.


A diaphragm driving device for a camera with a single type sector includes a shutter base, a driver installed on the shutter base, and a diaphragm ring rotatably placed on the shutter base with the same center and connected to the driving source to receive rotational force from the driving source. The diaphragm ring has a cam side composed of a plurality of circular arc portions spaced apart from each other with a respective radius corresponding to an appropriate diaphragm value and rectilinear portions interconnecting the neighboring circular arc portions. A sector opening and closing device is rotatably fixed on the shutter base at its bottom portion. The head of the sector opening and closing device contacts the cam side of the diaphragm ring. The sector opening and closing device opens and closes the sector by rotating along the cam side. A desired aperture value is pre-determined by stopping rotation of the diaphragm ring when the sector opening and closing device is positioned on one of the circular arc portions corresponding to the aperture value. Thereafter, opening and closing speeds of the sector assembly is established.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera exposure controlling method camera and a diaphragm driving device for controlling the camera exposure and, more particularly, to a diaphragm driving device that prevents an overrun defect, employing the aperture-priority method.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to determine the amount of camera exposure, a method of controlling F-numbers, which indicate the relative size of the lens aperture opening (for example, 1.4, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, etc.), or a method of controlling the shutter speed (which typically has values of B, 1, 2, 4, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, etc.), can be used.
Among the methods, the former is called "aperture priority method" while the latter called the "shutter speed priority method".
When a camera has a diaphragm and a shutter, as a separate item, either the aperture priority method or the shutter priority method can be implemented without any difficulty depending on the situation. However, when a diaphragm is used for a shutter as well as for controlling the aperture, the aperture and the shutter speed are controlled at the same time. In the latter case, the sector may be formed as a single type or a double type.
In the single type sector, as shown in FIG. 7, a diaphragm ring 200 for controlling the aperture has a cam 202 contacting a sector opening and closing device 204. Because this cam 202 has a smooth surface to enable continuous movement, the single type sector tends to have overexposure problems, shown as R in FIG. 6. Although the rotating diaphragm ring 200 stops at a predetermined position on the cam 202, inertia may force the diaphragm ring to overrun after the diaphragm ring stops at the right position with a diminishing oscillation. Because of this overrun exposure, the total amount of light reaching the film plane cannot be uniformly controlled.
Therefore, an aperture priority method cannot be employed in such a single type sector.
A double type sector has a first set of sectors that is used to control the aperture and a second set of sectors that is used to control the shutter speed. Therefore, while a double type sector may prevent the overrun exposure problem, it requires a complicated mechanism and an expensive complex structure.

Method of controlling exposure of camera and diaphragm driving device for performing same


According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, polyethylene formulations and modified polyethylene compositions are provided. Embodiments of the polyethylene formulation may include a free radical generator; and a multimodal polyethylene composition. The multimodal polyethylene composition may include a peak in a temperature range of 95° C. to 120° C. in the elution profile via improved comonomer composition distribution (iCCD), wherein a polyethylene fraction area is an area in the elution profile beneath the peak of the polyethylene fraction between 95° C. and 120° C., and wherein the polyethylene fraction area comprises at least 20% of the total area of the elution profile and a molecular weight (Mw) of less than 80,000 g/mol in the temperature range of from 95° C. to 120° C. on an elution profile via iCCD. The modified polyethylene composition may be the reaction product of the free radical generator and the multimodal polyethylene composition.

Monolayer and multilayer polymer films may include blown or cast films. Generally, a composition's processability may be a function of the melt index of the composition. A higher melt index results in reduced bubble stability, and a lower melt index improves bubble stability. However, a lower melt index makes extrudability more difficult, for example, because such compositions require a higher extrusion pressure.


In accordance with a rate detecting method for detecting a predetermined rate at which a received signal has been coded, the coded signal is decoded based on a first synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a first rate such that a first decoded signal (ST11) is generated and then it is judged whether or not synchronization is determined for the first decoded signal (ST12). If the synchronization cannot be determined, there is generated only a second synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a second rate having a difference between itself and a first rate which is smaller than a permissible value of the rate determined by the lower and upper values of the rate (ST13, ST17).

The present invention relates to a rate detecting method and a rate detecting apparatus each for detecting, upon receipt of a signal coded at a predetermined rate, the rate of the coded signal that has been received.
In the field of digital CS broadcasting or the like, a Viterbi decoding method has been used as one of convolutional decoding methods. If a coded signal is received and the rate r (mxe2x89xa6rxe2x89xa6n where m represents a minimum value and n represents a maximum value) of the received signal is unknown to the receiving side, the rate r has been detected conventionally by determining the synchronization of the coded signal by using a Viterbi decoder. In this case, it is sensed whether or not the synchronization can be determined by sequentially varying the frequency of a clock signal for determining the synchronization from the minimum value m of the coded signal to the maximum value n thereof in the receiving apparatus. If the synchronization cannot be determined even when the clock signal reaches the frequency corresponding to the maximum value n of the rate, the clock signal is reset to the frequency corresponding to the minimum value m of the rate and it is judged again whether or not the synchronization can be determined. The foregoing process is repeatedly performed till the synchronization is determined.
In the conventional rate detecting method and apparatus, however, digital noise arises due to a significant change in the frequency of the clock signal which occurs when the clock signal is reset from the frequency corresponding to the maximum value n of the rate to the frequency corresponding to the minimum value m thereof. If the rate detecting apparatus and an analog circuit are integrated in a single substrate as a semiconductor integrated circuit, the problem is encountered that the digital noise adversely affects the performance characteristics of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the foregoing problem and suppress the digital noise which arises when the synchronizing signal is changed.
To attain the object, the present invention reduces, when the synchronization of the coded signal that has been received is to be determined, the difference between a rate for synchronization determination and another different rate such that it is smaller than a permissible value of the rate determined by the lower and upper limit values of the coded signal that has been received.
Specifically, a rate detecting method according to the present invention assumes a rate detecting method for detecting, in a signal that has been coded at a predetermined rate, the predetermined rate of the coded signal, the method comprising: a first synchronizing signal generating step of generating a first synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a first rate between lower and upper limit values of the rate; a first decoded signal generating step of decoding the coded signal based on the first synchronizing signal to generate a first decoded signal; a first synchronization determining step of determining whether or not desired synchronization is obtainable for the first decoded signal; a second synchronizing signal generating step of generating, if the synchronization of the coded signal is not obtainable in the first synchronization determining step, only a second synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a second rate having a difference between itself and the first rate which is smaller than a permissible value of the rate determined by the lower and upper limit values; a second decoded signal generating step of decoding the coded signal based on the second synchronizing signal to generate a second decoded signal; a second synchronization determining step of determining whether or not the desired synchronization is obtainable for the second decoded signal; and a reiterating step of reiterating, if the synchronization of the coded signal is not obtainable in the second synchronization determining step, the second decoded signal generating step and the second synchronization determining step till the synchronization of the coded signal is obtained, while changing the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it is smaller than the permissible value.
In accordance with the rate detecting method of the present invention, only the second synchronizing signal having the frequency corresponding to the second rate having the difference between itself and the first rate which is smaller than the permissible value of the rate is generated in the second synchronizing signal generating step. Accordingly, the difference between the frequency of the first synchronizing signal and the frequency of the second synchronizing signal is reduced to be smaller than the permissible value of the rate determined by the lower and upper limit values, which suppresses digital noise arising when switching is performed from the frequency of the first synchronizing signal to the frequency of the second synchronizing signal.
In the rate detecting method of the present invention, the first decoded signal generating step or the second decoded signal generating step preferably includes the step of decoding the coded signal by using a Viterbi decoding method. This ensures decoding of the coded signal actually (commercially) used.
In the rate detecting method of the present invention, the reiterating step preferably includes the step of changing the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it increases stepwise and changing, if the frequency after the change is over the upper limit value of the rate, changing the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it decreases stepwise. This allows the reiterating process to be performed positively without changing the frequency in a single step to the lower limit value of the rate if the frequency after the change is over the upper limit value of the rate.
In the rate detecting method of the present invention, the reiterating step preferably includes the step of changing the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it decreases stepwise and changing, if the frequency after the change is under the lower limit value of the rate, changing the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it increases stepwise. This allows the reiterating process to be performed positively without changing the frequency in a single step to the upper limit value of the rate if the frequency after the change is under the lower limit value of the rate.
A rate detecting apparatus according to the present invention assumes a rate detecting apparatus for detecting, in a signal that has been coded at a predetermined rate, the predetermined rate of the coded signal, the apparatus comprising: a decoding circuit for receiving the coded signal and decoding the coded signal that has been received to output a decoded signal; a synchronizing signal generating circuit for generating a synchronizing signal used to perform synchronization determination with respect to the decoded signal and outputting the synchronizing signal to the decoding circuit; and a synchronization detecting circuit for receiving the decoded signal, performing predetermined synchronization determination with respect to the decoded signal that has been received, and outputting, if the synchronization has not been determined, a frequency switching signal for switching a frequency of the synchronizing signal to the synchronizing signal generating circuit, the synchronizing signal generating circuit generating, based on the frequency switching signal, only a first synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a first rate between lower and upper limit values of the rate in the coded signal and a second synchronizing signal having a frequency corresponding to a second rate having a difference between itself and the first rate which is smaller than a permissible value determined by the lower and upper limit values.
In the rate detecting apparatus of the present invention, only the first synchronizing signal having the frequency corresponding to the first rate between the lower and upper limit values of the rate in the coded signal and the second synchronizing signal having the frequency corresponding to the second rate having the difference between itself and the first rate which is smaller than the permissible value of the rate are generated. Accordingly, the difference between the frequency of the first synchronizing signal and the frequency of the second synchronizing signal is smaller than the permissible value of the rate determined by the lower and upper limit values, which suppresses digital noise arising when switching is performed from the frequency of the first synchronizing signal to the frequency of the second synchronizing signal. Even if the apparatus according to the present invention has another circuit adjacent the peripheral portion thereof, the performance characteristics of the adjacent circuit are not affected thereby.
In the rate detecting apparatus of the present invention, the decoding circuit is preferably a Viterbi decoding circuit for performing decoding in accordance with a Viterbi decoding method. This ensures decoding of an actually used coded signal.
In the rate detecting apparatus of the present invention, the synchronizing signal generating circuit preferably changes the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it increases stepwise and changes, if the frequency after the change is over the upper limit value of the rate, the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it decreases stepwise. This allows the reiterating process to be performed positively without changing the frequency in a single step to the lower limit value of the rate if the frequency after the change is over the upper limit value of the rate.
In the rate detecting apparatus of the present invention, the synchronizing signal generating circuit preferably changes the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it decreases stepwise and changes, if the frequency after the change is under the lower limit value of the rate, the frequency of the second synchronizing signal such that it increases stepwise. This allows the reiterating process to be performed positively without changing the frequency in a single step to the upper limit value of the rate if the frequency after the change is under the lower limit value of the rate.

Encoding rate detection method and encoding rate detection device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Examples relate to grouping students using content fields. Student data including a plurality of content fields is obtained. Each content field of the plurality of content fields includes a value that represents an unstructured marking linked to a content data collection. Student profiles are generated by assigning a student identification number to each of the plurality of content fields. Each of the student identification numbers are organized into at least one student group by analyzing the set of student profiles.

Grouping students is thought to be an effective strategy to improve student performance. Homogeneous grouping is one method of grouping students. Homogeneous grouping includes organizing students in a way that everyone in the group has a similar learning characteristic, such as learning habits or skill level. Heterogeneous grouping is another method of grouping students. Heterogeneous grouping is typically used with collaborative learning environments and organizes students with mixed or different learning skills and characteristics together to use each student's unique contributions to help the group.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A new class of activated polyalkylene glycol acids and their active ester reagents for conjugation to biopharmaceuticals such as polypeptides, sugars, proteins and therapeutically active small molecules to produce biologically active conjugates of these pharmaceuticals and methods for producing these conjugates.

Chemical attachment of hydrophilic polyalkylene glycol linear polymers (known as PAG) to biopharmaceuticals such as proteins and peptides is well known and commonly used in biotechnology. The most common polyalkylene glycol molecule is polyethylene glycol polymer (known as PEG).
As an example of biotechnical application of PAG, some active derivatives of PAG have been attached to biopharmaceuticals such as proteins and enzymes with beneficial results. Since PAG is soluble in organic solvents, PAG attached to such biopharmaceuticals as enzymes or proteins can produce resulting conjugates that are soluble and active in organic solvents. Attachment of PAG to protein can reduce the immunogenicity and rate of kidney clearance of the PAG-protein conjugate as compared to the unmodified protein. In addition attachment of PAG to biopharmaceuticals such as protein can also dramatically increase the blood circulation lifetimes for these PAG conjugates.
In preparing PAG conjugates with biopharmaceuticals such as proteins the pharmacokinetics of the particular biopharmaceuticals will govern both the efficacy and duration of effect of the drug. In view of the immunogenicity, water insolubility and short in vivo half-life of biopharmaceuticals particularly proteins and polypeptides, it has become of major importance to reduce the rate of clearance of these biopharmaceuticals so that prolonged action can be achieved. This may be accomplished by retarding or inhibiting glomerular filtration which can be effected both by the charge on the protein and its molecular size (Brenner et al., (1978) Am. J. Physiol., 234, F455). By increasing the molecular volume and by masking potential epitope sites, modification of a therapeutic biopharmaceutical such as a polypeptide and a protein with a polymer has been shown to be efficacious in reducing both the rate of clearance as well as the antigenicity of the biopharmaceutical, especially proteins. Reduced proteolysis, increased water solubility, reduced renal clearance, and steric hindrance to receptor-mediated clearance are a number of mechanisms by which the attachment of a PAG polymer to the backbone of biopharmaceuticals such as polypeptides and proteins are beneficial in enhancing the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug Thus Davis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,337 discloses conjugating PEG to proteins such as enzymes and insulin to produce a less immunogenic product while retaining a substantial proportion of the biological activity of these biopharmaceuticals.
There are a large variety of active PAGs, particularly PEG, reagents which have been developed for the modification of biopharmaceuticals such as proteins (see for example Zalipsky, et al., and Harris et al. in: Poly(ethylene glycol) Chemistry: Biotechnical and Biomedical Applications; (J. M. Harris ed.) Plenum Press: New York, 1992; Chap. 21 and 22), most of which require the formation of a linking group between PEG and the biopharmaceuticals. Some of these reagents are unstable, to various degrees, in the aqueous medium in which the conjugation reaction occurs. In addition the conjugation process often results in the loss of in vitro biological activity which is due to several factors foremost of which being a steric interference with the proteins active site. A desired property therefore of a new reagent would be one that is not susceptible to degradation in an aqueous medium and one which may be employed to produce the site specific modification of a protein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The replication of large amounts of data from a database source to a database target is often prone to failure when the amount of data exceeds the transaction capacity of the database. In other words, if the amount of data transfer during initial start-up fills the transaction log before the database changes are committed, then the transaction does not complete and the changes are rolled back. For a transaction to be completed and database changes to be made permanent, the transaction must be completed in its entirety. A method for initializing data propagation execution for a large data source according to an embodiment of the invention uses standard DBMS copy, rename and log clearing/cleaning utility applications to successfully complete an initial load process so that all necessary initialization fields are primed. The method steps create temporary database table names and structures and execute an initialization/cold start using a single data record to set a synchronization point marker. Upon validation of the single record initialization, the replication of the large data table proceeds in a continue/warm mode from the set synchronization point marker. Executable instruction steps and computer readable media incorporating the executable instruction steps are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to database management and, in particular, to methods, executable instructions and associated computer-readable media, for alleviating failure associated with replication of a large database or a database wherein the data source exceeds a transaction capacity of the database.
2. Description of Related Art
A database (DB) is a computerized information storage and retrieval system. A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is a database management system that uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data. An example of a well known RDBMS is the DB2 family of systems manufactured by IBM. RDBMS software using a Structured Query Language (SQL) interface is also well known in the art. The SQL interface has evolved into a standard language for RDBMS software and has been adopted as such by both the American National Standards Organization (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). For further information the interested reader is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,152, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety to the fullest extent allowed by applicable laws and rules. The interested reader is further directed to the Internet address https://aurora.vcu.edu/db2help/db2a0/form3toc.htm, which presents a detailed Application Development Guide that discusses how to design and code application programs that access DB2 databases, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The DB2 Universal DataBase-Data Propagation/Replication (DB2 UDB dPropR) system provides an application that allows the replication of data from DB2 source databases to DB2 target databases. This application also can be used to replicate data between DB2 and non-IBM source and target databases. The replication of large data loads, e.g., single database tables of about 10 GB or greater, or a database table that exceeds a transaction capacity of the database, can be problematic. This is especially the case at initial start-up, or when refreshing a target table. These operations are referred to herein as a "cold start" operation (i.e., involving the transfer of all data in the database table). In contrast, a "warm start," or a continue-mode transfer operation, refers to data transfer that continues from an identified stop point or synchronization marker, as those terms are understood in the art. Large database replication requires correspondingly large amounts of free (memory) space. For a successful cold start transfer, a target database requires sufficient free tablespace to receive all of the data, plus enough free logspace and enough free tempspace to hold two complete copies of the target database table. Thus the total "free space" required is approximately three times that of the largest anticipated table.
Another challenge relates to the "all or nothing" characteristic of a cold start. A drawback of a cold-start is that either all of the data successfully loads from the source to the target, or the process fails, typically due to a full transaction log. This occurs because the amount of data in the single transfer far exceeds the capacity of the receiving transaction space. In failure mode, the database manager will rollback the table to its original state. As such, the data is never propagated to the target/destination.
Another recognized problem pertains to time lost due to failure of the replication operation. It is often difficult to accurately predict how much free space a large data transfer operation will require. A short estimate may result in the replication operation running for several hours or longer. In failure mode, the process will error-out and run again for several hours in an attempt to recover. This cycle of attempting to replicate and failing may continue indefinitely, resulting in obvious losses.
Furthermore, the database itself may have problems. For example, during the loading of a database all tables sharing the same tablespace are unavailable until the load is completed. Thus the database residing on the target database server may be come unavailable for an extended period of time. Moreover, if the load fails, the tablespace could be left in a 'load-pending' state, jeopardizing the entire database. The loading of large amounts of data also may require temporary customization of the database, which may in turn require that the database or database engine be recycled.
In light of the foregoing recited drawbacks and disadvantages, and others that are appreciated by those skilled in the art, the inventors have recognized the need for a solution that addresses these problems in a consistent, successful manner and with minimal interactions and drawbacks. A solution is embodied by the invention set forth herein.

Method and apparatus for initializing data propagation execution for large database replication

International Business Machines Corporation


A data organization application allowing the automatic organization of input data into fields of a record of a database is provided. The database is maintained by a separate application. To organize data, a user inputs data in a free form manner onto an input screen provided by the application. When the data entry is completed, the user invokes an organize function in the application to process the input data. The application breaks the input data into logical groups that belong together and assigns tokens to these logical groups. From the assigned tokens, the application is able to identify single tokens or groups of tokens that belong to a unique field or a number of unique fields in the record of the data store. The application goes on to identify other logical groups of data in the input data which belong to other fields in the record. The application next displays the logical groups of data in their respective fields in a confirmation screen and requests the user for a confirmation to allow it to proceed with a storage transaction where the application stores the logical groups of data as displayed on the screen to the database. The user is allowed to make modifications to the data displayed on the confirmation screen before confirming the storage transaction. Upon confirmation, the application stores the data as displayed on the screen to the fields in the record of the database. The user is able to access the stored record using the separate application.

This invention relates to automatic organization of data and more particularly to automatic organization of personal information data in an electronic organizer. An organize application program in the electronic organizer automatically classifies and stores a set of input information into one or more appropriate databases.
With an avalanche of information in the modern and busy world, electronic organizers such as personal digital assistants (PDA""s) and handheld personal computers (PC) have replaced pen-and-ink diaries for the recording of personal management information. Examples of personal management information are information of business contacts and appointments. In the pen-and-ink diaries, separate sections are available for recording the different types of information. An address and telephone directory section is usually provided for recording information such as name, address, telephone number and other information of business contacts and friends. A separate section is also devoted to the recording of appointments where pages representing each calendar day of the year in which appointments can be recorded are provided. Sometimes, a separate task section is devoted to the maintenance of a to-do list.
There are two aspects in the usage of an organizer: the entry and the retrieval of information. A typical user follows one of two methods to enter information into the pen-and-ink diary. The user can either quickly jot down the information in free form manner on a rough piece of paper and organize them into the appropriate sections of the diary later. Or alternatively, the user can interrupt the meeting so as to allow the user to record the information in the diary. Though this pen-and-ink diary serves its purpose, it suffers from disadvantages. As an example, consider the following scenario. A user of a diary is in the middle of a business meeting, and is required to record the following chunk of information given which the user is expected to hurriedly record without impeding the progress of the meeting:
The next status meeting is scheduled for 9 August, at 9-11 a.m., in the Einstein Room. But before the next meeting, the user has to submit a status report to the Operations Manager two days before the meeting, that is, by 7 August. And for input to the report, the user needs to contact Mr. John Smith of the Sales and Marketing Department to get the sales forecast for the next quarter. John""s phone number is 538-7666, and his email address is email@example.com.
To use the diary effectively to record the information on the fly, a user has to quickly assimilate the information to decide what information goes into which sections of the diary. Using the same example as above, a user would first need to break the chunk of information into logical pieces according to the applications which are used to store them. The information when broken down according to the respective applications is as follows:
1. Status Meeting to be held on 9 August, at 9-11 a.m., in the Einstein Room (to be entered into the Calendar application).
2. Submit Status Report to the Operations Manager by 7 August. Contact John Smith of Sales and Marketing Department for sales forecast for the next quarter (to be entered into the Task application).
3. John""s phone number is 538-7666, and his email address is email@example.com (to be entered into the Contact application).
It is obvious that this separation of information is not intuitive to a user who has to quickly record the information. The user would usually prefer to simply capture the information first and organize them later. This capture-first-organize-later approach comes across as more intuitive to the user. In the real world, information is usually received from unscheduled and spontaneous sources, requiring the user to adopt this capture-first-organize-later approach to record the information. Sources of such information include information received from conversations with people or from the mass media. The conversations may be carried out over the phone, in person, through electronic mails or by other means. Mass media information includes information disseminated through television and radio broadcasting, newspapers, magazines etc. When receiving information in such situations, the user has to quickly capture the information so as not to miss any detail. The user will usually grab any rough piece of paper like sticky note pads, newspapers and grocery bills which are within easy reach of the user to capture the information. The user will decide if the information is worth more permanent storage later. These pieces of information can be classified as either short-term or long-term information. Short-term information is information which is of temporary use like the telephone and address of a store. Long-term information, on the other hand, is information which may be of longer interest to the user, like contact information of friends and family members. The user will usually transfer longer-term information into a more permanent storage such as in the pen-and-ink diary.
Another disadvantage of the pen-and-ink diary is the tedious process of searching for information that was previously recorded. For example a user records an appointment which is five months away in the diary. After a time lapse, the user equipped with only information regarding what the meeting is about will find great difficulty in recalling which day and therefore on which page the appointment information is recorded. A further disadvantage which is also linked to searching is the unavoidable haphazard way a user enters information. For example, information in the address and telephone directory is not ordered in any manner, and a user wishing to search for a particular item will have to scan through the entire directory to locate the required piece of information.
Electronic organizers allow much faster searches. Some even allow invoked searches on one application to search for information residing with other applications. An example of such a search feature is found in the find tool of applications for Windows CE (Windows CE, a trademarked operating system from Microsoft, Redmond, Wash., USA). One of the reasons that contribute to a faster search is the more orderly manner of information storage as compared to that possible in a pen-and-ink diary. The separate groups of information are not only maintained in different databases, very much like the different sections in a pen-and-ink diary but they are also sorted before being stored. The processing power of the microprocessor in such electronic organizers further enhances the speed with which searches of information can be made. To search for a particular piece of information, a user simply invokes a find feature which scans a user-specified number of databases for the particular piece of information. Even though the electronic organizers are more useful and convenient as compared to the pen-and-ink diaries, they still suffer the same disadvantage of slow data entry. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that the keyboard of the electronic organizers is usually small and therefore limits the speed with which a user can use the keyboard to enter information. The different types of information are also stored in separate databases necessitating the user to launch different applications to record the different types of information. In such cases, there is a one-to-one relationship between an application and a database. The speed of information entry is governed by how fast a user can decide which application to launch to capture a particular set of information. Also, once the appropriate application is launched, it is not possible for a user to enter information using a free form manner since the graphical user interface (GUI) of the application will dictate the manner a user enters data, thus further slowing down the process of information entry.
The process involved in information entry inconveniences a user who now has to assimilate the information to be organized, decide the application under which the information should rightfully reside with, launch the selected application and enter the information as dictated by fields in the GUI input screen. Users of these electronic devices are mostly mobile people who would rather do away with this extraneous step of having to decide which of the many applications to launch to capture a set of information. Also, a user would prefer to enter information in an order as and when the information is supplied and not have to look for a field to enter a certain piece of information. This restrictive manner in which an application requires a user to enter information is unintuitive and impedes the process.
The naming of the applications on organizers of different make further inconveniences a user. For example, a contact application in one organizer is known as a phone application in another organizer. Similarly, a calendar application in one organizer is known as an appointment application on another. The task of having to decide which application to launch for a user who owns two such organizers is inconvenient and annoying. The user would rather remember just one application and be able to enter information using the one application as would be the case with a rough piece of paper where the user could enter the information in a sequence as the information is supplied.
The foregoing therefore creates the need for an application software or a software function within an application software which a user can independently launch or invoke to quickly capture any input information entered in a free form manner. Once the information is entered, the user can either have the information organized immediately or wait till a more convenient time later to organize the information. To organize the information, the user simply activates the automatic organize function which takes the input information, classifies the information into groups and stores the individual groups of information into the appropriate databases.
An organize application software on an electronic organizer is provided with a preferred method for hassle free capturing and organizing of information. To capture and organize a set of input information, a user simply launches the organize application which, according to one aspect of the invention, is separate from and independent of existing applications on the electronic organizer. A graphical user interface (GUI) is presented to the user to allow the user to enter the input information in a free form manner. Once the user is done with the information entry, the user can either organize the information immediately or at a later time convenient to the user. To organize the information, the user invokes an organize function to process the input information. This invocation causes the application to parse the input information and decide what the input information is and where and how the information is to be stored.
With this invention, a user no longer needs to worry about which of the many applications to invoke to organize a set of input information. The user needs to launch only the organize application. The user is also allowed to enter information in a free form manner. In other words, data entry is not dictated by fields in a database; once the free form information is entered, the application decides how the information is to be organized. The invention also corresponds closely to a capture-first-organize-later approach which is more intuitive to the user. All these simplified steps allow a user to more quickly capture short and long-term information and storing only longer-term information which the user deems necessary.

Method and automatic organization of data

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for creating an optical structure includes forming a layer of chalcogenide material upon a substrate, and applying a patterned stamper to the layer of chalcogenide material, in the presence of heat, the patterned stamper causing the layer of chalcogenide material to reflow such that stamped features of the patterned stamper are transferred onto the layer of chalcogenide material. The stamped features onto the layer of chalcogenide material are used to form one of an optical waveguide, an optical mirror, digital video disk data, compact disk data and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.

The present disclosure relates generally to optical component fabrication and, more particularly, to a method for creating infrared optical components by hot stamping of chalcogenide glass.
Optical components are used to transmit and process light signals in various fields of technology, such as telecommunications, data communications, avionic control systems, sensor networks, and automotive control systems. Generally speaking, such optical components are classed as either passive or active. Examples of passive optical components are those that provide polarization control, transmission, distribution, splitting, combining, multiplexing, and demultiplexing of a light signal. Active optical components include those requiring electrical connections to power and/or control circuitry, such as laser sources and photodiode detectors, and/or to process light signals using electro-optic effects, such as provided by certain non-linear optical materials.
Infrared (IR) optical components (e.g., IR optical fibers) are components that have the capability of transmitting radiation wavelengths greater than about 2 microns.
Since the mid-1960""s, efforts have been made to fabricate IR optical fibers with mechanical properties as close to silica as possible, but only a relatively small number have emerged as viable. Primarily, the use of IR fibers and waveguides has been limited to short-length applications requiring only tens of meters of fiber (e.g., sensing, laser power delivery), as opposed to the kilometer lengths of fiber common in the telecommunication industry.
In this regard, chalcogenide glasses have been utilized as IR optical waveguides, as these materials have good Infrared wavelength transparency, are durable, are easy to prepare in bulk or thin film form, can form optical fibers, and may be formed as patterned waveguides by photodarkening processes. Chalcogenides generally fall into three categories: sulfide, selenide, and telluride. One or more chalcogen elements are mixed with one or more elements such as As, Ge, P, Sb, Ga, Al, Si, etc. to form a two or more component glass. The ability to create chalcogenide thin films, by sputtering, for instance, allows for formation of a device using a chalcogenide glass as part of a larger semiconductor integrated package. Heretofore, such inorganic materials used in photonics applications have deposited as thin films and thereafter processed in accordance with conventional semiconductor photolithography and etching (RIE) techniques to shape the appropriate features. Unfortunately, this process is time consuming and involves multiple steps such as precoating with a photopolymer, masking, irradiating the polymer through the mask, etching, and dissolving of any unused mask. Thus, it would be advantageous to be able to create IR optical devices having the desired micron to nano-sized features in a quicker, less expensive fashion.
The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by a method for creating an optical structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes forming a layer of chalcogenide material upon a substrate, and applying a patterned stamper to the layer of chalcogenide material, in the presence of heat, the patterned stamper causing the layer of chalcogenide material to reflow such that the stamped features of the patterned stamper are transferred onto the layer of chalcogenide material. The stamped features onto the layer of chalcogenide material are used to form one of an optical waveguide, an optical mirror, digital video disk data, compact disk data and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.
In another aspect, a method for creating an infrared optical structure includes forming a layer of chalcogenide material upon a substrate and positioning the substrate and a patterned stamper within an embossing apparatus. The substrate, patterned stamper and embossing apparatus are heated, and the embossing apparatus is then engaged so as to apply the patterned stamper to the layer of chalcogenide material. The layer of chalcogenide material is caused to reflow such that the stamped features of the patterned stamper are transferred onto the layer of chalcogenide material. The stamped features onto the layer of chalcogenide material are used to form one of an optical waveguide, an optical mirror, digital video disk data, compact disk data and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.

Method for hot stamping chalcogenide glass for infrared optical components


Self supporting, non-lubricated retractable seal double block and bleed plug valve wherein an improved plug configuration provides direct bearing surface support for the plug along at least a portion of the radial surface of the plug. The remaining radial surface of the plug may be optionally relieved to avoid scuffing the swept seating area of the interior valve body surface. By utilizing the novel plug configuration for direct plug bearing support, the present invention obviates the need for a lower trunnion and does away with the need for high load-bearing bushings. In all other respects, the operation of a plug valve, utilizing the plug of the present invention, remains substantially the same as it would be for a prior art plug valve. In fact, it is possible to substitute a novel plug configuration of the present invention for a prior art plug configuration for retrofitting existing valves of the type herein disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to retractable seal double-block and bleed plug valves and more specifically to plug valves of that type in which the plug is designed to be self-supporting thereby obviating the usual requirement for supporting the plug by means of a trunnion and bushings.
2. Prior Art
Double block and bleed plug valves are well known in the art as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,513 issued to Heinen in 1961. Their positive sealing and superior flow characteristics are high advantageous for controlling the flow of fluids. Plug-type valves are generally the type in which a valve body is provided with a pair of axially aligned ports which are connected to incoming and outgoing fluid lines for movement of the fluid under pressure therethrough. Typically, a plug is adapted to selectively rotate within the main chamber of the valve to either provide a continuous channel between the incoming and outgoing coaxial ports when the valve is in the open position or a fluid-tight seal in one or both of the coaxial interconnecting ports when the valve is in the closed position.
Heinen discloses a centrally located cylindrical plug disposed within the valve chamber and provided with an upwardly extending shaft or trunnion which extends through the upper portion of the valve body and a downwardly extending shaft or trunnion which is received and terminates within the bottom plate of the valve body. As is well-known in the art, such trunnions assure the coaxial stability of the rotatable plug while also permitting vertical motion of the plug to allow seating and unseating of the valve slips as a result of the interaction of tapered flat surfaces of the plug and the slips.
The plugs of such valves are generally supporting by means of bushings which are in turn supported by the valve bonnet and lower plate. The bushings support the plug by means of the trunnions which extend above and below the plug. Unfortunately, the presence of a lower trunnion in particular makes it impossible to provide a flat lower body plate, thereby requiring an increased size in the overall valve body. Furthermore in such conventional plug type valves, the position of the plug within the body is dictated by the position of the trunnions which, int urn, is dictated by the locations of the bushings which are, in turn, dictated by the positions of the bonnet and lower plate which are all, in turn, dictated by the shape of the body. Consequently, plug location is not always possible to optimize for efficient valve operation.
Furthermore, the conventional design of plug type valves requires that the stem or trunnion be structurally stiff in order to support tremendous side loads and that they be hardfaced in order to withstand the engagement with a bearing surface. Furthermore, the bonnet and lower plate of the valve body must be relatively thick in order to provide significant structural support for the upper and lower bushings respectively, both of which must bear a substantial side load, particularly when the valve is in the closed position.
Clearly from the above noted disadvantages, it would be highly desirable to provide a self-supporting plug which obviates the requirement of conventional plug type valves for being supported by separate bushings, a lower trunnion and larger, heavier body members, all of which make the valve larger and more cumbersome and more expensive.
Relevant prior art known to the applicants includes the following:
66,657, Westlake;
178,312, Leland;
223,486, Cushing;
249,046, Hilliard;
370,780, Grossman;
452,188, Moore;
543,693, Keyes;
558,708, Baldwin;
565,730, Foote;
580,940, Hambleton;
615,616, Glauber;
745,316, Blake;
931,155, Smith;
1,572,678, Pordon.
U.S. Pat. No. 223,486 to Cushing is directed to what is termed a stop-cock. A plug B seats within a body A. A nut C acts as a bushing to hold the shoulder A.
U.S. Pat. No. 178,312 to Leland is directed to a combined stop-cock and T-joint. A plug D interfaces with the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 615,616 to Blauber is directed to a mechanism for securing washers on plug valves. A plug B interfaces with a casing A.
U.S. Pat. No. 452,188 to Moore is directed to a faucet type valve system and provides for a direct interface of the plug with a main body. The bottom portion may constitute a bushing F in the form of a washer.
There is apparently no prior art disclosure of a double block and bleed plug valve of the type shown in the Heinen patent and which employs a self-supporting plug to obviate a lower trunnion and bushings to bear the side loads.

Self supporting plug for a double block and bleed plug valve


A card edge connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a pair of side walls (16) with a central slot (12) formed therebetween and a number of upper cavities (13) and lower cavities (14), the central slot defining a central line (125) along a middle portion thereof, the upper cavities and the lower cavities being located on opposite sides of the central line; a number of contacts each including a contacting portion (211, 221, 231, 241) extending into the central slot, a soldering portion (213, 223, 233, 243) extending out of the housing and a fixing portion (212, 222, 232, 242) interconnecting the contacting portion and the soldering portion, said contacts having upper contacts and lower contacts received in the upper cavities and the lower cavities respectively, the lower contacts comprising a first row contacts (21) and a second row contacts (22), the fixing portions (212) of the first row contacts and the fixing portions (222) of the second row contacts being located on opposite sides of the central line respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a card edge connector for receiving a module and more particularly to an angled card edge connector.
2. Description of Related Art
A card edge connector is used to hold a memory module and to electrically couple such module to a mother printed circuit board on which the card edge connector is mounted, nowadays, the card edge connector is designed to be angled with respect to the mother printed circuit board, thus reducing the height of the card edge connector. Such connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,606 and comprises an insulative housing defining a central slot with a plurality of upper contacts and low contacts positioned on an upper and a low sides of said central slot respectively, the upper contacts and the low contacts each defines an upper retention portion and a lower retention portion which are interferentially fixed with the housing, the lower retention portions is secured with bottom portions of a lower side wall of the housing, that is to say, the lower retention portions is located at a relatively lower portion of the housing. In order to further reduce the height of the housing, bottom portions of the lower side wall is to be cut away, in this way, the lower contacts can not be retained by the housing.
It is thus desired to provide a card edge connector to overcome the shortcomings described above.


Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. A peer to peer timing structure is implemented which includes recurring peer discovery intervals and traffic intervals. During a peer discovery interval, a wireless communications device, supporting peer to peer communications, monitors for and receives a broadcast signal from another peer wireless communications device, recovers an identifier from the received broadcast signal, and stores the received identifier in memory. The identifier is one of a device identifier and a user identifier. The wireless communications device maintains a list of discovered identifiers in its vicinity. In some embodiments, paging intervals are also included in the recurring peer to peer timing structure. In various embodiments, a wireless communications device receives or sends a page to a peer node prior to sending or receiving user data in a traffic interval. Various features are directed to peer paging protocol implementations.

Wireless communications devices are common place. Many cellular systems use centralized controllers and/or other network based control mechanisms to control wireless device operation so that cellular devices operate in an efficient and relatively synchronized manner. Unfortunately, in peer to peer systems such centralized control and/or network based synchronization mechanisms are normally lacking.
In the case of peer to peer systems, it would be desirable if peer devices could discover the presence of other peer devices in the vicinity and then use such knowledge to make communication and/or paging decisions. It would also be desirable if a peer device could operate in a loosely synchronized and/or predictable manner with respect to when communications and/or paging signals may be transmitted to other peer device in a system.

Methods and apparatus related to peer discovery and/or paging in peer to peer wireless communications


Methods, apparatus and computer products are provided for allocating network resources for data transport between a source network node and a destination network node by selecting a transport mechanism from a plurality of transport mechanisms based upon a prediction of the cost of the utilization of the transport mechanism so as to provide the transport mechanism having the lowest predicted cost.

As network communications grow more common, it becomes increasingly important to use network bandwidth in the most efficient way possible. In general, data communication through multiple networks is accomplished in one of two ways: routing each portion of the data through the network, called a routing system, or establishing a complete path through the network, called a connection. Each of these systems has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Routing System Transport
A routing system typically consists of tables of data that describe which computers are directly accessible to all other computers. The routing system examines a header within the packet to determine the destination address of a packet and which node in the network to transmit the packet to next, i.e. the destination of the next hop in the path from the source to the destination nodes. Ultimately, the data packet reaches the destination by being examined by each node in the path to the destination. The header within the packet contains an identifier that can be used to determine some of the characteristics of the packet. The resulting overhead in determining the paths on the routing system can reduce performance of data transport from the source to the destination. Consequently, a routing system works well if the data to be transported is relatively small or is concentrated at one point in time. One example of a routing system is transport control protocol/internet protocol ("TCP/IP" ). TCP/IP does not utilize any specific predetermined path from a message source to a message destination. In TCP/IP, messages are routed based upon a destination address contained in the message. The message may take any path to the destination which is available. The message may also contain the address of the source of the message but typically does not contain the address of the devices in the path from the source to the destination. These addresses are determined by each device in the path based upon the destination address and the paths available.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical interconnection of networks. As seen in FIG. 1, a source node 10 is connected to a destination node 35 by a number of networks, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, and 31 and routing devices 15, 20, 25, and 30. When operating using TCP/IP, source node 10 sends a TCP/IP datagram to the destination node 35 by forwarding the datagram through a series of routing devices. Each subsequent routing device has information regarding networks and other routing devices that may be used to forward datagrams. The routing device 15 forwards the datagram based upon a destination address contained in the datagram by looking up in a routing table the address of the device where the datagram is to be sent. This routing table associates destination addresses with the addresses of accessible devices. Thus, in the present example, if the datagram from node 10 has a destination address specifying node 35, then routing device 15 may direct the datagram across network 13 to routing device 25, which in turn would route the datagram over network 22 to node 30, which would finally route the datagram to the destination node 35 over network 31. Each step in the path of the datagram from node 10 is referred to as a "hop". A routing table specifies the address of the next hop in a datagram's path based upon the destination address of the datagram. Thus, the routing table includes the address of accessible devices to the routing device and the destination addresses which are associated with those accessible devices.
The manner in which a routing table is utilized by a routing device is known as a "routing algorithm". In TCP/IP, the routing algorithm is typically a three step process where the first step is to determine from the destination IP address of the datagram whether the address appears among the direct routes (host devices or networks attach directly to the routing device) specified in the routing table. If such is the case, then the datagram is sent to the directly attached network. If the destination address does not specify a direct route, then the routing device determines if an indirect route (a route through a gateway to a device or network not directly connected to the routing device) is specified for the destination address. If such is the case, then the datagram is forwarded to the specified gateway IP address. Finally, if no direct or indirect route is specified, then the datagram may be sent to a default address or, if no default address is specified, an error message is returned to the source. The routing tables used by routing devices in TCP/IP networks may be arrived at in a number of ways. In one type of routing, a routing table is broadcast to each routing device from the device which maintains a routing table of all possible routes. In other forms of routing, each routing device builds a routing table via its own dialog which is called the routing protocol. These tables are then built and maintained by each routing device. In a third form of routing, a static routing table is used for each message routed.
Each of these cases may have its own disadvantages. For example, the broadcast and routing protocols are repeated on a routine basis to assure the routing device has an accurate routing table. Consequently, this broadcast may occupy network bandwidth. The static routing table, while not requiring network bandwidth, may be inefficient in determining the optimal routing path or, in a worse case, be unable to adapt to changes in the network topography which makes routes unavailable.
With respect to the dynamic routing methods, as the number of interconnected networks and number of devices connected to those networks increases, the size of the routing table and therefore the amount of network resources occupied to maintain the routing table may also increase. In certain circumstances, this overhead may occupy so much of the resources of the network as to cause unacceptable reductions in network performance. Thus, in a routing system, communications are individually routed which incurs overhead of routing each datagram at each network node. Routing may, therefore, be less than optimal for long communications between the same sources and destination nodes. There are, however, certain advantages to a routing system. Specifically, a routing system may have the advantages of reliability and bandwidth utilization. For example, a routing system may achieve increased reliability by its ability to route a message from a source node to a destination node along different or alternative paths. Furthermore, a routing system may achieve greater bandwidth utilization by using only that bandwidth which is necessary to transport the messages required.
Connection Oriented Transport
A connection oriented system consists of virtual connections that link source nodes to destination nodes. The virtual connections are configured early and exist until the data transmission is complete. Data is transported to a destination node by examining the header that indicates which virtual connection to use. Unlike a routing system, nodes in a connection oriented transport do not need to examine the packet to determine which node to route the data to next. Rather the complete connection is established in advance and maintained until the data transmission is complete. The connection oriented transport, however, allocates a discrete portion of the network's bandwidth for each virtual connection. If a virtual connection is not used properly, bandwidth may be wasted. A connection oriented transport works well if a large amount of data is to be transported.
One example of a connection oriented transport is asynchronous transport mode (ATM). ATM transports data by establishing virtual connections between the source and destination nodes. Unlike the routing systems described above, data transported by ATM has a channel allocated to its use. In other words, the datagram in a routing system only specifies its source and destination while a connection oriented system specifies the route the data follows across the network to reach the destination. Such a system is illustrated in FIG. 1. Source node 10 requests the connection to destination node 35 from network device 15. The connection request specifies several connection parameters, including destination, traffic type, bandwidth requirement, delay and cell loss requirement. Network device 15 determines which source to destination route best fits the parameters specified. Network device 15 then selects a virtual connection to the next network device and sends a connection setup request to that node. The network device receiving the request then selects its own virtual connection to the next network device and associates the virtual connection from network device 15 with the virtual connection it selected to the next network device. This process continues until the destination is reached and a complete virtual connection is established between the source and destination nodes. The destination node responds by returning an acknowledge (ACK) signal to the network device making the request. Each network device then returns the ACK to the network device that made a request to it. The ACK is ultimately transmitted back to the source node completing the connection setup.
For example, assume that network device 15 determines that the best connection to destination node 35 is across networks 13, 22, and 31. Network device 15 sends a connection request to network device 25 across network 13 using virtual connection 1. Network device 25 then selects virtual connection 2 across network 22 to network device 30. Network device 25 then associates the virtual connection between network devices 15 and 25 with the virtual connection between network device 25 and 30. In other words, network device 25 associates virtual connection 1 with virtual connection 2. Network device 25 then sends a connection setup request to network device 30. Network device 30 then selects virtual connection 3 to the destination node and associates it with the virtual connection 2. This completes the virtual connection in the forward direction.
The destination node then responds by sending an ACK to network device 30. Network device 30 sends an ACK with an identifier for virtual connection 3. Network device 25 then associates virtual connection 3 with virtual connection 2 going in the reverse direction. Network device 25 sends an ACK to network device 15 along with the identifier for virtual connection 2. Network device 15 then associates virtual connection 2 with virtual connection 1 going in the reverse direction. This completes the virtual connection from the destination to the source node. These connections in the established path are then utilized for data transmission without further reference to the individual packets. Thus in a connection oriented transport system communications are routed from the source node to the destination node without the overhead associated with a routing system. This has the advantage of relieving the individual nodes along the path specified from the source node to the destination node of the overhead of having to route each portion of the datagram. Thus the individual nodes along a routing path are relieved from the task of having to route messages from node to node.
There are, however, disadvantages associated with a connection oriented transport. Specifically, a complete connection using a connection oriented transport has a discrete amount of network bandwidth associated with it. Consequently, if a particular connection is not fully utilized, some network bandwidth is wasted. Furthermore, the overhead associated with establishing the virtual connection from the source node to the destination node may also cause network bandwidth to be wasted.
The best transport for the data should be chosen to make the most efficient use of the network resources. It is possible, however, for the nature of the data to change after the selection has been made. Consequently, the best transport choice can also change. For example, if a routing system was chosen originally and the nature of the data changes such that a connection transport would be more efficient, network resources would be wasted despite having made the proper choice at the outset. Consequently, it is desirable to switch from one transport mechanism to another (i.e., switch from a routing system to a connection oriented system if the switch would result in better use of network resources). One way to switch from one transport mechanism to another is to count the data packets transmitted and switch when the count exceeds some predetermined number. This method, however, is simplistic and does not directly address the problem in terms of the cost of network resources and may result in inefficient use of network resources. Given the important nature of network resources and the differences in performance between routing and connection oriented systems, there is a need for an improvement in how the most efficient type of transport is selected.

Traffic flow cutover to virtual connection transport

International Business Machines Corporation


System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to creating and managing a route having an integrated exercise segment. In one embodiment, the navigation device provides improved integrated route creation, management and navigation capabilities by determining, according to map data, a route plan between a starting point and a destination such that the route plan includes an exercise segment that a user will manually traverse with a navigation device and a transportation segment over which the user will be transported as a passenger, determining a position of the navigation device while the user traverses the exercise segment, and transmitting, through a communication system of the navigation device, a request for transportation to complete the transportation segment based at least in part on the position of the navigation device while the user is traversing the exercise segment.

Health consciousness is increasing, as are "green" modes of travel, such as bicycle sharing and jogging. A daily commute to work can be an opportunity to implement a daily exercise routine, e.g., by jogging or bicycling to work. However, many people cannot take advantage of the opportunity for various reasons. The commute distance may be too long for a person to traverse in their current physical condition, or may take too long, or may be along a high traffic route that is ideal not for jogging or bicycling, etc. Accordingly, incorporating an exercise regimen into a daily commute remains an inaccessible option for most people.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


Compounds which improve extreme pressure and anti-wear properties of lubricating compositions are described. The compounds include the compounds of the following formula as well as statistical mixtures of those compounds: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl; R.sub.2 is hydrocarbyl having at least 4 carbon atoms or together with R.sub.1 forms a heterocyclic radical,. wherein R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl; PA0 wherein a is 0 or 1; PA0 wherein n is 1, 2 or 3; PA0 wherein X is oxygen or sulfur; PA0 wherein R.sub.5 is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl; and PA0 when n is 1, R.sub.6 is selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## and when n is 2, R.sub.6 is selected from the group consisting of ##STR3## and when n is 3, R.sub.6 is ##STR4## wherein R is independently an alkyl moiety, alkylene or alkylidene moiety containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, R' is hydrogen or alkyl moiety, alkylene, alkylidene or carboxyl containing 1 to 60 carbon atoms, and R" is aryl or substituted aryl.

This invention relates various dithiocarbamate-containing amides for lubricating compositions. More specifically, this invention relates to amide compounds derived from the reaction of a dithiocarbamate compound with an amide compound containing an activated ethylenically unsaturated bond. These compounds improve extreme pressure and anti-wear properties of lubricating compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,866 issued to Hook et al relates to dithiocarbamic derivatives used as antioxidants and anti-corrosion agents in oil compositions.
German Patent 1,178,417 relates to dithiocarbamic acid esters with strong nematocidal properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,265 issued to Varsanyi et al relates to dithiocarbamic acid esters with strong anthelmintic activity and are used to treat warm-blooded animals infected with parasitic helminths.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,535,877 issued to Stewart relates to dithiocarbamic acid esters used as plant growth regulators.
U.S Pat. No. 3,833,496 issued to Malec relates to dithiocarbamic acid esters in oil compositions as an anti-wear and anti-rust additive. Uses in lubricants and greases are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,363 issued to Malec relates to carbamic acid esters as used as additives in lithium greases.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,832 issued to Fischer et al relates to carbamic acid esters and their use as lipid-lowering agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,142 issued to Anderson et al relates to dithiocarbamic acid ester used as immuno regulatory agents.
Great Britain Patent 1,200,491 issued to Lund relates to dithiocarbamic acid ester used in cloth treatments.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,872 to Thompson relates to dithiocarbamic acid esters which have medicinal, bactericidal and insecticidal character.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,362 issued to Butke relates to carbamate additives for lubricating compositions.
As evidenced by the foregoing, many dithiocarbamic acid derivatives have been the subject of patents. However, one must bear in mind that a slight change of chemical structure, which has even a minor increase in performance, may have significant commercial implications.

Carbamate additives for lubricating compositions


A cutting tool has a tool body with a seat at the forward end thereof and a cutting insert in the seat. The insert has a central portion made of a hardened material, and surrounding the central portion is a softer metal sleeve. Surrounding the metal sleeve is a collar made of the hardened material.

Machines used to break up concrete and asphalt pavement and other hard surfaces have a plurality of tools mounted on a cutting wheel which is forced against the surface to be broken up. Each tool has an elongate steel body at the forward end of which is a tungsten carbide cutting tip. Until the present invention the cutting inserts of such tools have been formed as a unified part. When the wheel rotates, the tools are carried through a circular orbit and the tungsten carbide tips penetrate the hard surface with each tip removing a small amount of material, thereby advancing the cut.
The tools suffer wear as a result of being moved against the hard material being cut and they have to be replaced at regular intervals. Each time the tools are replaced, the machine is taken out of service for a lengthy period of time. Machines used to break up concrete and asphalt roadways are kept in continuous operation through the work day except for when the tools are being replaced, and it is not uncommon to replace the tools in such machines two or three times during a work day. The frequency with which tools have to be replaced and the time consumed during the replacement process therefore reduce the efficiency of the machine and increase the cost of its operation.
The cost of replacement tools and the efficiency with which the tools cut the hard abrasive material also effect the economic efficiency of the machine. To minimize tool costs it desirable that the components of the tool, namely the tool body and the tungsten carbide cutting tip, have comparable endurance to wear. The energy needed to operate the machines, and therefor the cost of operation, increases if the cutting tips become too blunt before the tool body has become sufficiently worn to require replacement. Both the cost of the tool and the cutting efficiency of the tool are important factors in maximizing the efficiency of the tools.
Tool failure can occur as a result of the failure the braze material holding the tungsten carbide tip into the seat at the forward end of the tool body. To prevent failure of the braze and the dislodging of the insert, the hardened inserts of such tools should have a base diameter of about 0.700 inches.
Theoretically, the life of the cutting insert will be increased by providing a larger sized insert, however enlarging the diameter of a currently available one piece tungsten carbide cutting tip will reduce the efficiency of the machine because the tip will rapidly become blunt. Since the tungsten carbide is the most expensive element in the tool, increasing the size of the insert will also increase tool cost. On the other hand, the metal which makes up the tool bodies is subject to wash away causing the tool to fail as aggregate of the hard material cut by the machine erode away the metal of the tool body behind the tungsten carbide tip.
It has long been recognized that the useful life of a tool can be substantially extended by increasing the hardness of the tungsten carbide from which the cutting inserts are made. Efforts to make a tool having a harder insert, however, have not been successful party because harder grades of tungsten carbide are more brittle and tend to fracture, and partly because the harder grades of tungsten carbide are more difficult to manufacture. A harder insert is manufactured by using smaller grain sizes of tungsten carbide particles with a higher concentration of tungsten carbide and a corresponding lower concentration of cobalt. It is the cobalt which cements the sintered tungsten carbide together and to compensate for the reduction of cobalt in the product the particles must also be more uniformly compacted together prior to sintering to reduce the inter granular porosity. If the particles are not uniformly compacted the completed insert will have less dense areas, or porosity, and be subject to failure. Inserts having contoured profiles, such as the insert shown in Ojanen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,520, are compacted in dies having contoured walls that are inadequate for uniformly compacting the smaller sized particles needed for a harder insert.
One effort to provide an insert which is made of a harder grade of tungsten carbide which is not subject to fracture is depicted in FIGS. 15-17 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,760 to Sollami. The insert depicted in Sollami has a cylindrical core and surrounding the core is an annular collar made of a softer grade of tungsten carbide. The core and the collar are bonded together with a braze joint. The Sollami tip has not reach its expectations because the braze material which holds the parts together does not bond readily to tungsten carbide but does bond well to cobalt, which comprises only a small percentage of the composite material. The problem is exacerbated for the harder grades of tungsten carbide because the cobalt content is a factor in the hardness of the tungsten carbide; hardness being increased as the percentage of cobalt is reduced.
The useful life of the tools could be greatly increased by the provision of a cutting tip as shown by Sollami provided the brazing problems encountered by Sollami could be overcome.
Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a cutting tool for a cutting machine where the tool has a body with a longitudinal axis, a tapered cutting portion symmetric about the axis, a radial flange axially behind the forward cutting portion and a cylindrical shank axially behind the radial flange. The tool body has a seat at the forward end of the cutting portion, and the seat has a generally cylindrical inner wall with a given diameter into which a tungsten carbide insert is brazed.
In accordance with the invention, the hardened insert is made of three components assembled in coaxially relationship. The central portion of the insert is an elongate cylindrical body at the forward end of which is a tapered cutting end. Fitted around the cylindrical body is a non-carbide metal sleeve and fitted around the circumference of the non-carbide metal sleeve is an annual collar made of tungsten carbide. The outer diameter of the collar is sized to fit within the given diameter of the seat at the forward end of the tool body. A braze material retains the sleeve to the central body, retains the collar to the sleeve and retains the assembled insert within the seat at the forward end of the cutting tool.
It has been found that the provision of the metal sleeve between the cylindrical central portion and the annular collar provides a surface which is receptive to liquefied braze material and will draw liquefied braze material between the parts by capillary action so they can bond to the tungsten carbide and retain the parts of the insert in assembled relationship. Another function of the metal sleeve is to more rapidly conduct heat to the assembled parts during brazing. The metal sleeve also offers significant shock absorbing qualities which protects the cylindrical central body of tungsten carbide from fracturing because steel has 15% to 20% elongation properties even when hardened to Rc 43-46.
In a second embodiment of the invention the metal sleeve is machined into the forward end of the tool body. In this embodiment the seat at the forward end of the tool body has two components, a cylindrical central indentation with a conical floor, and surrounding the cylindrical central indentation is an annular indentation. The cylindrical central indentation and the annular indentation are machined into the forward end of the tool body leaving a tubular protrusion standing between them. The cylindrical body of the insert described with respect to the first embodiment and the annular collar of the first embodiment are simultaneously brazed into their respective annular indentation.


Techniques are provided for dynamic configuration of search parameters for multimedia fingerprint databases that use weak bits. A multimedia fingerprint database, which stores reference fingerprints and uses weak bits, is maintained. Maintaining the database includes dynamically configuring one or more of the following parameters: a fingerprint length of those portions of the reference fingerprints that are used to identify multimedia objects; an index length of the index used to index those portions of the reference fingerprints that are used to identify multimedia objects; a threshold that is used to determine whether multimedia objects are correctly identified; and a number of the weak bits in the reference fingerprints.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
As a result of widespread and growing use, vast quantities of media content exist nowadays. Given the sheer quantity and variety of audio and video content that exists in various formats and encodings, and the expanding growth of that content over time, the ability to correctly identify media content is of particular value. One type of approaches for identifying media content is based on the use of media fingerprints.
Media fingerprints are identifiers of the media content from which the media fingerprints are derived, extracted, or generated. For example, acoustic fingerprints may be derived or otherwise generated from a particular audio waveform as code that uniquely corresponds thereto, and video fingerprints may be derived or otherwise generated from a particular video sequence based on video content characteristics such as luminance, chrominance, and motion descriptors. Media fingerprints may be stored in reference databases in association with various metadata information that describe and identify the media content objects from which the individual fingerprints are generated. The stored media fingerprints may be accessed to identify, categorize, or otherwise classify an object or a sample of media content, such as music or other audio content and a video sequence or other video content. Such identification, categorization, and classification of media content may be useful in a variety of contexts such as copyright management, validation of authorized uses of content, and detection of unauthorized use of various versions, copies, and other items of content.

Method to dynamically design and configure multimedia fingerprint databases

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation