A key track system for a filter base module comprises a ring-shaped fixture including a series of perforations, each perforation at least partially defining a parting line along which a tab may be selectively removed. The key track fixture is incorporated into the filter base module to define the periphery of an entryway to a cartridge-receiving receptacle in the header portion of a base module. In some embodiments, the key track fixture is a molded ring-like component with pre-key selected angularly spaced key slots. Base modules including the key track system may be efficiently configured to accept the key pattern of a filter cartridge compatible with the filter system in which the base module will be used.

This invention relates generally to fuel filters employed in connection with internal combustion engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to fuel filter systems having a replaceable cartridge for removing foreign particles and/or separating water from fuel of the fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine.
A number of conventional fuel filter systems perform the dual functions of removing particulate matter from the diesel fuel and separating water from the fuel. Conventionally, the fuel filter systems employ a disposable filter cartridge which is replaced at pre-established intervals of filter usage. In practice the filter cartridge requirements may vary depending upon such characteristics as the type and make of the internal combustion engine, the specific applications for which the engine is employed, the climate in which the combustion engine is operated and/or regional characteristics as to the quality of the fuel supply. The filter cartridges thus commonly vary as to their internal dimensions, their capacity, and the qualities of their filter media.
One of the problems which is frequently encountered in connection with replacement of the filter cartridge is ensuring that the replaced cartridge is compatible with the filtering requirements for the fuel system. Because numerous types and qualities of filter cartridges may dimensionally conform to the base of a given filter system, the replacement filter cartridge frequently does not comply with the specifications for the filter system, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of the fuel filtering system. Use of an incompatible filter cartridge can have very serious effects on the operation of the internal combustion engine, and may also be unnecessarily expensive when a less costly cartridge is fully suitable. Frequently, either the owner or the maintenance personnel servicing the internal combustion engine are totally unaware of the replacement filter cartridge specifications and requirements and unknowingly jeopardize the integrity of the filtering system by using non-conforming filter cartridges. There are also instances where inferior or improper replacement filter cartridges are intentionally installed without the knowledge of the owner or operator of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,797, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a key system for a filter system intended to address issues of filter cartridge compatibility. Fuel filter systems commonly comprise fuel inlet and outlets disposed in a base and a disposable filter cartridge which mounts to the base. Disposable filter cartridges constructed according to this invention have slots which are designed to mate with axial projections of the base. The projections obstruct the use of an incompatible cartridge by interfering with the mounting and sealing of the cartridge to the base. An alternative key system includes keys radially projecting from the communication end of a filter cartridge. The radial projections interfere with the reception of the filter cartridge in the base module. While these systems work well, they frequently require the manufacturer to design and manufacture a new base module for use with each differently keyed filter cartridge.
One aspect of filter system design and manufacture which tends to increase costs is the necessity of designing and manufacturing multiple variations of a given filter system to meet the headroom, flow, filtration and other requirements of particular applications. Filter base modules manufactured for a particular application frequently have an external configuration and/or internal key structures which make them useless for other applications. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/785,785, filed Feb. 17, 2001 and which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a Multi-Configurable Filter Base Module which illustrates an attempt to address this issue.
The multi-configurable filter base module uses a few standardized molded parts to create a wide variety of base module configurations. The multi-configurable filter base module is primarily directed to the external configuration of the base module, i.e., the configuration of the fuel inlet and outlet connectors and the mounting brackets on the outside of the filter base module. However, even a multi-configurable filter base module may have an internal structure keyed to accept only a particular filter cartridge and cannot be used for applications requiring a differently keyed filter cartridge.
Briefly stated, the invention in one preferred form comprises a key track system which may be incorporated into a filter base module and later efficiently configured to accept the key pattern of a filter cartridge appropriate to the end use.
Filter base modules, which are typically molded plastic or cast metal units, include a header portion which defines a receptacle for receiving the communication end of a filter cartridge and may include a lip structure for retaining a received cartridge. In an alternative retaining system, a retainer ring is threaded to the base module and engages a circumferential roll seam shoulder of the filter cartridge to retain the cartridge to the base module. When properly received in a base module, the communication end of a filter cartridge fills the header portion of the base module and receives the fuel inlet/outlet conduits projecting from the base module.
The present invention is directed to a key track fixture which may be molded or otherwise incorporated into a base module. One preferred form of the key track fixture is a flat metal ring including a plurality of angularly spaced perforations at least partially defining a series of parting lines for tabs which project radially outwardly from the interior edge of the ring. The key track fixture is mounted within the base module in such a manner that it defines the periphery of an entryway to the receptacle of the header portion. The configuration of this entryway may be altered by selective removal of tabs.
When the manufacturer wishes to create a filter system utilizing a filter cartridge having a particular communication end key configuration, the appropriate tabs are punched, or otherwise removed from the key track fixture retained in a base module. Thus, a generic base module may be efficiently configured to receive only a properly keyed filter cartridge. A key track fixture in accordance with the present invention, when combined with the use of interchangeable components, allows the manufacturer to create filter base modules having the desired external and internal configuration without having to design or manufacture new components.
In another embodiment of the invention, the key track fixture is in the form of a molded ring-like component which is ultrasonically welded in place. The inner edge of the fixture is defined by a plurality of angularly spaced keyway slots which are disposed at selected angular orientations which correspond to the keys at the communication end of the cartridge. The absence or presence of a slot at certain angular positions corresponds also to various characteristics of the filter cartridge such as water separating features, filter porosity and the customer model and other identification information for a given cartridge. The molded ring prior to installation may have one or more exterior notches so that the component may be suitably, angularly aligned with the rest of the header portion. In addition, a rim is provided to facilitate ultrasonic bonding of the molded component.
An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved key track system which provides for the efficient and cost effective production of generic filter base module components which may be efficiently configured to accept the key pattern of filter cartridges compatible with the requirements of the filter system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved key track system which allows the production of internally keyed filter base modules from a limited set of pre-fabricated components.


A sheet material dispenser box holder, such as a cosmetic tissue box holder, is made up of elastic cord or strap material in a woven fish-net pattern forming a bag shaped container closed at the top except for an access opening, facilitating easy placement of a tissue box, inside the bag shaped box holder, such box holder having diverse attachment patches for retaining the box holder in position where it will remain reliably in any attitude of a vehicle or surface to which it is mounted while readily allowing removal of individual tissue sheets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dispensers for fast access to sheet materials such as absorbing, wiping, cleaning and polishing sheets and more particularly to cosmetic tissue dispensers and dispensers which are desired to be stationary when located in a vehicle that is subject to roll, pitch, or yaw movements such as might be encountered in an automobile, boat, aircraft, or spacecraft.
Prior to this invention it has been difficult to hold a tissue box stationary with tissues within reach of an individual whose attention is focused on some more important task. This invention relates to means for holding such sheet material dispenser readily accessible to the user in virtually any environment and position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art does not suggest a universally applicable sheet dispenser box mountable in a wide variety of places for containing readily available boxed sheets, in any position, and rigidly enough to allow drawing the sheets out in sequence without displacement of the dispenser box. The prior art does not teach a holder that is expandable and conformable to hold various shapes and sizes of dispenser boxes, nor does it provide a holder that is not rigid and can be compressed and stored in a pocket when not in use.

Sheet-or-tissue dispenser-box holder for clinic, vehicle, factory or household applications


A clock control cell for production of an output clock signal from an input clock signal has a hold element and an output stage. The hold element is preceded by a signal level converter, with the signal level converter designed such that it converts an input signal to an output signal at predetermined signal levels, wherein the input clock signal is the input signal of the signal level converter.

The integration density, that is to say the number and density of the components used in integrated circuits, is increasing to an ever greater extent in semiconductor technology. Furthermore, leakage currents are becoming ever greater with the new semiconductor technologies. In order to limit the power consumption and the heat developed by integrated circuits, concepts must therefore be found to limit the power consumption of integrated circuits.
For this purpose, it is known for the clock signal to be masked out or switched off in areas, blocks or register banks of the integrated circuit in which it is temporarily not used, in order to reduce or completely suppress the switching activity and the switching currents associated with it in these unused blocks. In principle, a simple AND gate (NAND gate with an inverter) would be sufficient for this purpose, by means of which a clock signal that is applied to a first input can be masked out by means of an enable signal which is applied to a second input. However, the enable signal is not synchronized to the clock signal so that, when the clock signal is enabled and masked out, the switching of the enable signal generally results in additional flanks (glitches) occurring in the clock signal at the output of the AND gate.
The use of a clock control cell (gated clock cell) as illustrated in FIG. 1 is known in order to synchronize the enabling and masking out of clock signals. The output stage 1, which comprises a NAND gate NAND and an inverter 11, is preceded by a hold element (latch) 2, which synchronizes the unsynchronized enable signal EN to the input clock signal CLK1. The output signal from the hold element 2 changes its value only when the input clock signal CLK1 assumes the logic value 0. At this time, the output signal from the output stage 1 remains at the logic level 0 when changes occur in the output signal from the hold element 2, and no additional flanks (glitches) occur in the output clock signal CLK2.
Relatively recent developments in particular are intended to have the capability to switch off the supply voltage, or to match the supply voltage to the instantaneous voltage required, corresponding to the instantaneous task of the block, that is to say in general to reduce it, in areas and/or blocks which are temporarily not used.
Any change in the supply voltage to a block results in correspondingly changed voltage levels of the logic values within this block, since the voltage levels are generally defined as a function of the supply voltage. Normally, the voltage level of the logic one is identical to the supply voltage, and the voltage level of the logic zero is identical to ground.
The supply voltages for different blocks in this case are intended to be varied or switched off independently of one another. In consequence, by way of example in blocks which are connected to one another, identical logic signals are represented by different voltage levels. Thus, in the general case, the voltage levels of the logic signal values for one block represent undefined signal values for the respective other block. Furthermore, voltages which represent the logic signal value one fall only slowly after a block has been switched off, and during this time period thus form undefined logic signal values for an adjacent block. This can lead to very high parallel or short-circuit currents in the adjacent block, associated with a large power consumption and a large amount of heat. Particularly in logic CMOS circuits, the parallel current disappears only when the voltage levels of the input signals are outside a specific voltage range, which is located between the voltage levels of the logic signal values.


A chuck device that prevents wear of ratchet teeth is provided. The chuck device includes a rotary sleeve which is rotated so that jaws inserted into a hole provided in a tip end of a body are slidingly opened and closed to thereby clamp a tool. Ratchet teeth forming an annular shape are provided in the body, an annular rotary member threadedly engaged with the jaws and rotated together with the rotary sleeve is fitted around the body inside of the rotary sleeve, a retainer spring member detachably engaging with the ratchet teeth is disposed outside of the ratchet teeth and the retainer spring member is provided so as to rotate a circumference of the ratchet teeth in accordance with the rotation of the rotary member. The ratchet teeth are formed of a harder member than the body, and the harder member is a discrete member from the body.

A chuck device having a looseness preventing mechanism is proposed as a chuck device having a structure described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-260708 (patent publication 1) assigned to the present assignee. Incidentally, since the structure thereof is the same as that of a first embodiment of the invention, the structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
In such a chuck device having a looseness preventing mechanism, a rotary sleeve 1 is rotated so that a plurality of jaws 3 inserted into a hole 2a formed at a tip end of a body 2 is slidingly opened and closed; a tool 4 is clamped by the jaws 3; ratchet teeth 5 forming an annular shape are provided on the body 2; an annular rotary member 17 engaged with the jaws 3 and rotated together with the rotary sleeve 1 is fitted around the body 2 inside of the rotary sleeve 1; a retainer spring member 7 that is detachably engaged with the ratchet teeth 5 is arranged outside of the ratchet teeth 5; the retainer spring member 7 is provided so as to rotate around the ratchet teeth 5 together with the rotation of the rotary member 17; the retainer spring member 7 is mounted on the rotary member 17 by a convex and concave engagement means; and a holder portion for holding the condition that the engagement between the ratchet teeth 5 and the retainer spring member 7 is held and the disengagement between the ratchet teeth 5 and the retainer spring member 7 is held is provided.
By the way, in such a chuck device, it is proposed to manufacture the above-described body of light alloy such as aluminum in order to meet the requirement of weight reduction. However, since the ratchet teeth are formed by machining the ratchet teeth directly to the body, if the body is made of light alloy such as aluminum, then the ratchet teeth themselves are made of light alloy.
However, since the ratchet teeth are continuously and repetitively engaged with the retainer spring member made of steel, if the ratchet teeth are made of light alloy such as aluminum that is softer than the steel, the ratchet teeth are easily worn due to the continuous and repetitive engagement so that the looseness preventing mechanism does not work. This is disadvantageous in durability and maintenance.
Although a publication of Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-024495 (patent publication 2) assigned to the present assignee discloses a point for applying a coating on surfaces of the body and the ratchet teeth to thereby prevent the wear of the above-described ratchet, it is currently demanded to enhance the durability of the ratchet teeth more.
Patent Publication: Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-260708
Patent Publication: Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-024495


An image processing system including a vector processor and a memory adapted for attaching to the vector processor. The memory is adapted to store multiple image frames. The vector processor includes an address generator operatively attached to the memory to access the memory. The address generator is adapted for calculating addresses of the memory over the multiple image frames. The addresses may be calculated over the image frames based upon an image parameter. The image parameter may specify which of the image frames are processed simultaneously. A scalar processor may be attached to the vector processor. The scalar processor provides the image parameter(s) to the address generator for address calculation over the multiple image frames. An input register may be attached to the vector processor. The input register may be adapted to receive a very long instruction word (VLIW) instruction. The VLIW instruction may be configured to transfer only: (i) parameters for image processing calculations over the image frames by the ALU units and (ii) a single bit to the address generator.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing system and specifically to an address generator used to calculate addresses so that multiple image frames or windows are processed in parallel.
2. Description of Related Art
Reference is made to FIG. 1 (conventional art) and FIG. 2 (conventional art) which illustrate a system 16 including a camera or image sensor 12 mounted in a vehicle 18 imaging a field of view in the forward or rear direction. Image sensor 12 typically delivers images in real time and the images are captured in a time series of image frames 15. An image processor 14 is used to process image frames 15 for processing by one or more driver assistance systems.
Driver assistance systems include forward collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, traffic sign recognition (TSR) and headlight control systems.
Lane departure warning (LDW) systems are designed to give a warning in the case of unintentional lane departure. The warning is given when the vehicle crosses or is about to cross the lane marker. Driver intention is determined based on use of turn signals, change in steering wheel angle, vehicle speed and brake activation. There are various LDW systems available. One algorithm for lane departure warning (LDW) used by the assignee/applicant (Mobileye Technologies Ltd., Nicosia, Cyprus, hereinafter "Mobileye") of the present application is predictive in that it computes time to lane crossing (TLC) based on change in wheel-to-lane distance and warns when the time-to-lane crossing (TLC) is below a certain threshold. Other algorithms give a warning if the wheel is inside a certain zone around the lane marker. In either case, essential to the lane departure warning system is the lane marker detection algorithm. Typically, the lane markers are detected in the camera image and then, given the known camera geometry and camera location relative to the vehicle, the position of the vehicle relative to the lane is computed. The lane markers detected in the camera image are then collected over time, for instance using a Kalman filter. Wheel-to-lane marker distance may be given with an accuracy of better than 5 centimeters. With a forward looking camera, wheel-to-lane marker distance is not observed directly but is extrapolated from the forward view of the camera. The closer road markings are observed, less extrapolation is required for determining wheel-to-lane marker distance and more accurate estimates of wheel-to-lane marker distance are achieved especially on curves of the road. Due to the car hood and the location of the camera, the road is seldom visible closer than six meters in front of the wheels of the car. In some cars with longer hoods, the road visible in front of the wheels of the car is even less. Typically the lane departure warning system of Mobileye works on sharp curves (with radius down to 125 m). With a horizontal field of view (FOV) of 39 degrees of the camera, the inner lane markers are still visible on curves with a radius down to 125 meters. In order to correctly perform lane assignment on curves, lane markings are detected at 50 meters and beyond. With a horizontal field of view (FOV) of 39 degrees for the camera, a lane mark of width 0.1 meters at 50 m distance corresponds in the image plane to just under two pixels wide and can be detected accurately. The expectation from the lane departure warning systems is greater than 99% availability when lane markings are visible. Expectation with 99% availability is particularly challenging to achieve in low light conditions when the lane markings are not freshly painted (have low contrast with the road) and the only light source is the car halogen headlights. In low light conditions, the lane markings are only visible using the higher sensitivity of the clear pixels (i.e. using a monochrome sensor or a red/clear sensor). With the more powerful xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights it is possible to use a standard red green blue (RGB) sensor in most low light conditions.
The core technology behind forward collision warning (FCW) systems and headway distance monitoring is vehicle detection. Assume that reliable detection of vehicles in a single image a typical forward collision warning (FCW) system requires that a vehicle image be 13 pixels wide, then for a car of width 1.6 m, a typical camera gives initial detection at 115 m and multi-frame approval at 100 m. A narrower horizontal field of view (FOV) for the camera gives a greater detection range however; the narrower horizontal field of view (FOV) will reduce the ability to detect passing and cutting-in vehicles. A horizontal field of view (FOV) of around 40 degrees was found by Mobileye to be almost optimal (in road tests conducted with a camera) given the image sensor resolution and dimensions. A key component of a typical forward collision warning (FCW) algorithm is the estimation of distance from a single camera and the estimation of scale change from the time-to-contact/collision (TTC) as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,867.
Traffic sign recognition (TSR) modules are designed typically to detect speed limit signs and end-of-speed limit signs on highways, country roads and urban settings. In addition, iconic supplemental signs (e.g. rain, on exit (arrow), trailer) are typically detected and identified. Partially occluded, slightly twisted and rotated traffic signs are preferably detected. Systems implementing traffic sign recognition (TSR) may or should ignore the following signs: signs on truck/buses, exit road numbers, minimum speed signs, and embedded signs. A traffic sign recognition (TSR) module which focuses on speed limit signs does not have a specific detection range requirement because speed limit signs only need to be detected before they leave the image. An example of a difficult traffic sign to detect a 0.8 meter diameter traffic sign on the side of the road when the vehicle is driving in the center lane of a three lane highway. Further details of a TSR system is disclosed by the present assignee in patent application Ser. No. 11/951,405.
A typical automatic headlight or high/low beam control (AHC) system detects the following conditions and switches to from high beams to low beams: headlights of oncoming vehicles, taillights of preceding vehicles, street lights or ambient light indicating that high beams are not required and a low vehicle speed. The host vehicle lights are switched back to high beams when none of these conditions exist (often after a specified grace period). One approach for detecting taillights is to compare images from two sensors: one with a red filter and the second with a cyan filter. The cyan filter responds to non-red light sources and will give zero response to red light. By comparing corresponding pixels from two imaging sensors one can detect the color of the light source. The number of pixels of each color above a certain intensity is counted and if the count is above a threshold the systems switches to low beams. The use of color filters with imaging sensors may preclude the simultaneous use of the same image frames for other driver assistance applications.
A second approach for automatic high-beam control (AHC) uses an RGB sensor to give better color differentiation. Typical light sources can be located in the full CIE color space as defined by the International Commission on Illumination. This approach distinguishes between green, yellow and red lights. A powerful green traffic light is not confused with an oncoming vehicle. Since a single sensor with a color mosaic filter i.e. Bayer pattern mosaic is used, the lens is defocused so as to spread a light source over multiple pixels. The use of the color mosaic filter reduces both the effective image sensor resolution (by 50%) and the intensity response (to less than one third). The color mosaic filter may preclude the use of the same sensor for traffic sign recognition (TSR) or lane departure warning (LDW) because of the intensity response penalty.
Given that forward collision warning (FCW), traffic sign recognition (TSR) and lane departure warning (LDW) already require a high resolution monochrome sensor, a new automatic high-beam control (AHC) algorithm was developed for use with high resolution monochrome sensors as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,566,851. A number of different pattern recognition techniques are used with higher resolution monochrome imaging sensors to identify light sources instead of relying on color information. The automatic high-beam control (AHC) algorithm includes the following features: Detect bright spots in the sub-sampled long exposure image and then perform clustering and classification in the full resolution image, classify spots based on brightness, edge shape, internal texture, get further brightness information from the short exposure frames and classify obvious oncoming headlights based on size and brightness, track spots over time and compute change in size and brightness, pair up matching spots based on similarity of shape, brightness and motion, classify pairs as oncoming or taillights based on distance, brightness and color, and estimate distance and where unmatched spots might be motorcycles taillights.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/573,836 describes "bundling" or parallel processing of multiple driver assistance systems (e.g. automatic high-beam control (AHC) and traffic sign recognition (TSR), lane departure warning (LDW), forward collision warning (FCW)) on a single hardware platform 16, e.g. camera 12 and processor 14. Bundling provides cost reduction and may allow more driver assistance functions to be added to the vehicle without increasing the space required beyond the windshield of the vehicle.
Different driver assistance applications have different requirements from camera 12, and associated optics. For example, a conventional automatic high-beam control (AHC) algorithm makes significant use of color information and thus requires a color sensor, while lane detection and traffic sign recognition require the extra sensitivity of a monochrome sensor for operation under low light conditions. No single gain/exposure setting is optimal for all applications and in fact, some applications (such as AHC and TSR) may each use more than one gain/exposure setting. Most driver assistance applications require processing over multiple windows of a single frame and/or multiple image frames. In some cases, image frames are partitioned between different driver assistance applications and in other cases the image frames are shared between the different driver assistance applications.
A vector processor, or array processor, is a processor that implements an instruction set containing instructions that operate on one-dimensional arrays of data called vectors. is in A scalar processor in comparison operate on a single datum. Most commonly used processors are scalar processors
VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) digital signal processing units. contain several sub-processing units which operate in parallel. The VLIW contains multiple opcodes which direct the various sub-processing units, thus allowing for parallel processing since each sub-unit gets its opcode at the same time. An op-code is a portion of a machine language instruction that specifies an operation to be performed.
Reference is now made to FIG. 3, a system block diagram for a conventional image processing system 30. Image processing system 30 has a processor 304 connected to a register 306 via a register bus 322. A memory 302 is connected to image sensor 12 (not shown in FIG. 3) for inputting one image frame 15 at a time via an image frame bus 310. Processor 304 has multiple arithmetic and logic units (ALU) 320 and a load store unit LSU 318 connected to a very long instruction word (VLIW) 316 via data bus 314. ALU 320 and a load store unit LSU 318 are connected to register 306 by register bus 322. LSU 318 connects to and accesses memory 302 via memory bus 312.
During operation of image processing system 30, multiple arithmetic and logic units ALU 320 operate in parallel via op-codes (operation codes) provided by VLIW 316. In the case of VLIW 316, many op-codes provide multiple commands which allow parallel processing by sub-processing units ALU 320. VLIW 316 contains address information to be used by one of ALU 320 to compute the upcoming address to be then used by LSU 318 in a subsequent cycle.
Load-storage unit (LSU 318) is responsible for accessing memory 302. The address for LSU 318 generally comes from register file 306 where the address is the result of a computation performed by the other sub-units. As a result, LSU 318 must wait until the necessary address is calculated. Furthermore, ALU 320 requires at least one cycle to performing the address calculation instead of performing an algorithm specific computation.
Thus there is a need for and it would be advantageous to have a hardware platform suitable to support multiple image frames and/or multiple windows for processing in parallel multiple driver assistance applications, and specifically an address generator which calculates addresses over multiple image frames and/or multiple windows to support processing of multiple driver assistance applications using a single hardware platform.

Hardware to support looping code in an image processing system


Described are personal care compositions, comprising an aqueous dispersion comprising an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer and a least one cosmetically acceptable surfactant, emollient, or cosmetic active.

Conditioning of hair and/or skin is one of the most desired attributes in a personal care composition, particularly conditioners, shampoos, and body washes. Cationic polymers are known to provide conditioning benefits, but can tend to build up on hair and cause limp and/or unmanageable hair. Other conditioning agents containing oily (silicone) or waxy (fatty acids) material are known, but have several drawbacks, including the proclivity of silicones to wash off the hair when paired with surfactants. Thus, it is important in the art to develop new non-cationic conditioning agents and formulations that offer similar aesthetic properties to silicones.
Likewise, there is a need for a conditioning shampoo that can clean, condition, and increase manageability, for example, exhibit improved curl retention and frizz control (that is, a reduction in the appearance or intensity of frizz, a term of art referring to an aesthetically undesirable appearance of individual hair fibers behaving independently and non-uniformly, whether from static, humidity, or damage).

Personal care compositions with ethylene acrylic acid copolymer aqueous dispersions

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology LLC


A thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display are disclosed. In one aspect, the TFT array substrate includes a driving TFT including a driving gate electrode, a switching TFT including a switching gate electrode and spaced apart from the driving TFT, and a storage capacitor including a first electrode electrically connected to the driving gate electrode and a second electrode formed over and insulated from the first electrode. The TFT array substrate also includes a capacitor insulating film formed between the first and second electrodes and an interlayer insulating film covering at least part of the driving TFT, at least part of the switching TFTs, and the capacitor insulating film, wherein the switching gate electrode and the second electrode are formed of the same material.

Field
The described technology generally relates to a thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display including the same.
Description of the Related Technology
An OLED display includes a matrix of OLEDs each including a hole injection electrode, an electron injection electrode, and an organic emission layer formed therebetween. Excitons are generated as holes injected from the hole injection electrode and electrons injected from the electron injection electrode combine in the organic emission layer change from an excited state to a ground state to emit light.
Since the display does not use a separate light source, the OLED display can be driven at a low voltage, light-weight, and thin Furthermore, the OLED technology is considered to be a next generation display due to its favorable characteristics, such as wide viewing angles, high contrast, and quick response speeds.

Thin-film transistor array substrate and organic light-emitting diode display including the same


A printing cylinder for a rotary printing press has a support, which is fixed against relative rotation, and a jacket rotatable around the latter, which is supported by a row of support elements, disposed axially side-by-side and individually controllable and radially displaceable at least in part in order to attain an even printing pressure across the width of the cylinder while avoiding any bending of the jacket. The jacket is constructed of three coaxial tubes, an interior tube, a filler body and a printing forme support, at least two of which, or even all three, in the rest state, are separated by a small gap so that they can be easily pulled off each other and exchanged in order to change the printing press over to another print pattern or another diameter or register. By charging the sealed interior chamber with pressure, for example with the use of the fluid pressure required for the support elements, the gap(s) are closed, so that the individual jacket parts have a press fit with each other and rotate together. By reducing the interior pressure to lower pressures, for example atmospheric pressure or a partial vacuum, it is possible to open the gap(s) again selectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing cylinder for a rotary printing press with a jacket including a plurality of coaxial tubes, in particular a resilient interior tube, a filler body outside of the interior tube and a printing forme support on the outside of the filler body.
2. Description of Background and Material Information
Printing cylinders of the aforementioned type are employed in rotary printing presses of different types, in particular for rotogravure printing, flatbed printing, including offset printing, letterpress printing, including flexographic printing, and for embossing a web of material. As a rule, such printing cylinders act together with an impression cylinder on a web of material, for example made of paper, a printable or embossable foil of plastic or metal, or a fiber material for transferring the pattern of the printing cylinder to the web of material by means of ink or by embossing.
A printing cylinder of the aforementioned type is known, for example, from European Published Patent Application No. 0,384,104, published on Aug. 29, 1990. In this case the resilient inner body is wound from fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The filler body consists of foamed polyurethane, and the printing forme support of an electroplated copper layer or an engravable photo-polymer, on the surface of which the pattern to be printed is applied.
As a rule, the jacket of the printing cylinder is connected with a driven shaft which rotates along with it, such as disclosed in Dutch Published Patent Application No. 8,302,811, published on Mar. 1, 1985. To change the printing press to another diameter, i.e., another register or another format, it is necessary either to exchange the printing cylinder for one with an appropriate diameter or the jacket has to be separated from the shaft and pulled off, which often can only be done with difficulty.
A printing cylinder is known from British Published Patent Application No. 2,051,681, published on Jan. 21, 1981, or German Patent No. 2,700,118, published on Jul. 14, 1977, where the inner part of the jacket is embodied as a pressure-tight hollow cylinder, which is provided at its two ends with journals which rotate along with it. The outer concentric jacket layer which supports the print backing is seated frictionally engaged on the inner part of the jacket. If needed, it can be separated from the inner part by means of gas under pressure, which is brought via bores from the inner part of the jacket into the space between the inner part of the jacket and the outer part. However, the removal of the outer part of the jacket presents difficulties here too, because of the considerable loss of pressure gas and the uneven expansion of the outer part.
When printing ever wider webs and correspondingly using ever longer printing cylinders, particularly when keeping the format, i.e., with an increase of the length-diameter ratio from a value of 10:1, customary up to now, to values of 15:1 or more, it also becomes problematical to achieve an even printing quality over the entire width of the web. This would require an even distribution of pressure, at least over the utilized length of the printing cylinder. Attempts have already been made to embody the counter-pressure roller or the impression cylinder cooperating with the printing cylinder in such a way that the latter exerts a printing pressure on the printing cylinder or the web to be imprinted, which can be at least partially individually adjusted over the web width or cylinder length. This is often sufficient to achieve the desired print quality with smaller rotary printing presses having shorter printing cylinders.
With greater printing width and correspondingly longer printing cylinders the pressure can be maintained evenly with appropriately embodied impression cylinders. But the sagging of the printing cylinder caused by the pressure is sufficiently great that the ink application over the width of the roller and possibly the scraping off of the ink by the doctor blades over the width become uneven, because as a rule the ink roller and the doctor blade cannot follow the bending of the printing cylinder to the required degree. This causes register fluctuations, color fluctuations and the formation of creases in the web of material. Thus, there is insufficient assurance of an even printing pressure over the width alone in case of wider printing presses.
With longer printing cylinders for web widths up to the range of approximately 10 meters, the change to another register and the exchange of the printing forme support by pulling off the outer part of the cylinder jacket can not be accomplished by means of the known methods.

Printing cylinder of a rotary printing press and a method for use therewith


An apparatus and corresponding method for contouring a container bottom to form carton legs from a standard carton blank through the use of a seal plate and a mandrel pad. The carton legs provide improved free standing stability of the carton.

The invention relates to manufacturing containers, and in particular to an apparatus and method for contouring a stable bottom for cartons or boxes such as paperboard cartons used for holding liquids, powders and the like, and to containers so contoured.
An example of one common and useful type of container is the paperboard carton having a square cross-section and a gabled top. Examples of such cartons include the everyday milk carton. In recent years, these cartons have been used for numerous other products, including, for example, foods, beverages and detergents. These cartons are typically coated or laminated with a heat-sealable plastic or other suitable material, which is used by manufacturers to seal the cartons.
The bottoms of such paperboard cartons, as well as other types of paperboard or cardboard containers, often are uneven, rather than perfectly flat, making them unstable. That is, rather than standing perfectly upright, the carton rests in a slightly tilted position when placed in the upright position on a flat surface. Furthermore, the carton may rock to a different tilted position if bumped or moved. This rocking and tilting is undesirable to consumers, wholesalers, transporters, grocers and other merchants and distributors of goods packaged in such cartons. This instability typically results from a natural bulge in the carton bottom due to pressure exerted by the product inside and/or discontinuities on the bottom exterior surface formed by overlapping, folded layers within the carton bottom.
Currently, there are several methods to minimize the effects of the problem of instability caused by the bulge.
A carton disclosed in Ljungstrom, U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,232, issued in 1995, provides a concave carton bottom having an arcuate cross-section such that the carton rests on the bottom end of each of two opposing side walls. Col. 7, lines 10-12. This method, however, has the disadvantage that it requires a specially designed carton blank having curved, rather than straight, side creases. Most current carton forming machines are designed to operate with certain standard carton blanks. It can be expensive and inconvenient to procure non-standard carton blanks. It would be desirable to form a concave carton bottom with standard carton blanks.
A packaging machine disclosed in Kume et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,847 which issued in 1989 provides a carton bottom with a substantially pyramidal recessed central cavity. Col. 3, lines 16-20; col. 3, lines 35-40. This carton bottom is supported by end surfaces on all four sides of the carton. This specific configuration is difficult to form, and increases the likelihood of liquids spilling from the carton during transport. A need exists for a simpler stable carton bottom which does not increase the risk of spillage.
A carton bottom sealer disclosed in Mills et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,204 which issued in 1996 provides a carton bottom with a lenticular profilexe2x80x94i.e., a xe2x80x9cconcave, stepped pyramid formed into multiple tiers of lapped layersxe2x80x9d as the profile of the carton bottom. Col. 1, lines 57-58. This carton bottom is formed from a standard carton blank and is intended to be more stable than a traditional carton bottom. However, the structure of the foregoing carton bottom has the disadvantage of being complicated.
Another effort to provide a stable bottom for a carton is described in Fujikawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,667 issued in 1993. The ""667 patent discloses forming a recess of inverted V-shaped cross section extending across the bottom closure through the center thereof, so that the recess diminishes the bulge of the bottom closure. The recess has a width approximately equal to the width of the striplike region (31 in FIG. 5 of the Fujikawa et al. patent) having four thicknesses of the container blank. See FIG. 5; col. 3, lines 30-37; col. 2, lines 50-56. Similarly, NiMCO Corporation of Crystal Lake, Ill., had previously provided packaging machines for making cartons having a bottom configuration of the type illustrated in FIG. 1A. In the prior art NiMCO container, the width of the recess also was limited to approximately the width of the center region having four overlapping layers, and the recess did not include the regions where there are fewer than four overlapping layers (i.e., on either side of the four-layer center region).
However, none of the foregoing bottom configurations satisfactorily solve the problem of instability resulting from a bulge in the carton bottom. Accordingly, there is a need for a more stable carton bottom than was provided by the prior art carton bottom configurations.
A need exists for an apparatus and method of forming a stable carton bottom from a standard carton blank which can be used with current carton forming machines. A need also exists for a carton bottom which is inexpensive to produce in current carton forming machines. Additionally, a need exists for providing a stable carton bottom on cartons with other than rectangular side panels, e.g., tapered cartons.
In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that forming the carton bottom so that selected regions of the carton bottom exterior surface extend below the surface of another region (i.e., a recessed region) of the carton bottom allows such selected regions to function as legs, thereby providing a more stable bottom structure than prior art methods. This is achieved by making the width of the recessed region wider than in certain of the prior art methods. In the preferred embodiment, the recessed region encompasses substantially the entire center portion of the bottom panel having the maximum number of overlapping layers as well as a substantial portion on either side of such center portion where there are fewer than the maximum number of overlapping layers. Providing such a wider recessed portion results in a marked improvement in carton stability over prior art methods, which had either a narrow center recess or which required either specially configured carton blanks or more complicated carton bottom configurations than the present invention.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a stable carton with carton legs is formed from a standard carton blank. Because the present invention may be used with, among other things, a standard carton blank, current carton forming machines may be readily adapted to use the present invention.
Additionally, a standard carton blank is often less expensive and more readily available than a specially designed carton blank.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a carton bottom is formed with a simple mechanism which can be readily incorporated into current carton forming machines. The present invention relates to a novel seal plate and mandrel pad which contour the carton bottom.
The present invention is advantageous because it easily and inexpensively can be adapted to and integrated into existing carton forming machines. For example, the sealing horn 22 and mandrel pad 40 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,300 or the pressure pad 118 and mandrel 120 of Hyduk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,463, as well as the horn and mandrel pad of other existing carton forming machines could be modified to incorporate the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a carton bottom is formed with improved stability. This improved stability is desirable for transportation, storage and display of the cartons to customers.

Method and apparatus for forming a stable container bottom


An improved method for forecasting and modeling product demand for a product during promotional periods. The forecasting methodology employs information about prior promotional demand forecasts, prior product sales, and the data dispersion and the number of data samples in a product class hierarchy to dynamically determine the optimal level at which to compute promotional uplift coefficients. The methodology calculates confidence values for promotional uplift coefficients for products at each level in a merchandise product hierarchy, and uses the confidence values as a filter to determine the optimal level for promotional uplift aggregation.

Accurately determining demand forecasts for products are paramount concerns for retail organizations. Demand forecasts are used for inventory control, purchase planning, work force planning, and other planning needs of organizations. Inaccurate demand forecasts can result in shortages of inventory that are needed to meet current demand, which can result in lost sales and revenues for the organizations. Conversely, inventory that exceeds a current demand can adversely impact the profits of an organization. Excessive inventory of perishable goods may lead to a loss for those goods.
Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation, has developed a suite of analytical applications for the retail business, referred to as Teradata Demand Chain Management (DCM), that provides retailers with the tools they need for product demand forecasting, planning and replenishment. Teradata Demand Chain Management assists retailers in accurately forecasting product sales at the store/SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) level to ensure high customer service levels are met, and inventory stock at the store level is optimized and automatically replenished. Teradata DCM helps retailers anticipate increased demand for products and plan for customer promotions by providing the tools to do effective product forecasting through a responsive supply chain.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the Teradata Demand Chain Management analytical application suite 101 is shown to be part of a data warehouse solution for the retail industries built upon NCR Corportion's Teradata Data Warehouse 103, using a Teradata Retail Logical Data Model (RLDM) 105. The key modules contained within the Teradata Demand Chain Management application suite 101, are:
Contribution: Contribution module 111 provides an automatic categorization of SKUs, merchandise categories and locations based on their contribution to the success of the business. These rankings are used by the replenishment system to ensure the service levels, replenishment rules and space allocation are constantly favoring those items preferred by the customer.
Seasonal Profile: The Seasonal Profile module 112 automatically calculates seasonal selling patterns at all levels of merchandise and location. This module draws on historical sales data to automatically create seasonal models for groups of items with similar seasonal patterns. The model might contain the effects of promotions, markdowns, and items with different seasonal tendencies.
Demand Forecasting: The Demand Forecasting module 113 provides store/SKU level forecasting that responds to unique local customer demand. This module considers both an item's seasonality and its rate of sales (sales trend) to generate an accurate forecast. The module continually compares historical and current demand data and utilizes several methods to determine the best product demand forecast.
Promotions Management: The Promotions Management module 114 automatically calculates the precise additional stock needed to meet demand resulting from promotional activity.
Automated Replenishment: Automated Replenishment module 115 provides the retailer with the ability to manage replenishment both at the distribution center and the store levels. The module provides suggested order quantities based on business policies, service levels, forecast error, risk stock, review times, and lead times.
Time Phased Replenishment: Time Phased Replenishment module 116 Provides a weekly long-range order forecast that can be shared with vendors to facilitate collaborative planning and order execution. Logistical and ordering constraints such as lead times, review times, service-level targets, min/max shelf levels, etc. can be simulated to improve the synchronization of ordering with individual store requirements.
Allocation: The Allocation module 115 uses intelligent forecasting methods to manage pre-allocation, purchase order and distribution center on-hand allocation.
Load Builder: Load Builder module 118 optimizes the inventory deliveries coming from the distribution centers (DCs) and going to the retailer's stores. It enables the retailer to review and optimize planned loads.
Capacity Planning: Capacity Planning module 119 looks at the available throughput of a retailer's supply chain to identify when available capacity will be exceeded.
Promotional demand forecasting is an important part of the Teradata Demand Chain Management (DCM) application suite described above. The accuracy of forecasts provided by the DCM application essentially relies on the calculation and utilization of promotional uplift coefficients to increase demand forecasts during the promotional activities. Currently promotional uplift coefficients are calculated by the Automatic Event Uplift (AEU) module, which is the core of the DCM Promotions Management module 114. AEU determines the expected regular sales for products using historical data, and then calculates a promotional uplift as the average ratio of the historical promotional demand over the revised demand. However, this method of computing promotional uplift coefficients does not account for the dispersion of the historical data, or the difference in the number of data points in a product class level.
The discussion which follows introduces a new and useful methodology that employs information about the data dispersion and the number of data samples in a product class hierarchy to dynamically determine the optimal level at which to compute the promotional uplift. The methodology calculates confidence values for promotional uplift coefficients for products at each level in a merchandise product hierarchy, and uses the confidence values as a filter to determine the optimal level for promotional uplift aggregation.

Methods and systems for forecasting product demand during promotional events using statistical confidence filters


Embodiments of apparatus, computer program product, and method for providing virtual buttons are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of providing virtual buttons in a device includes detecting a grip around a perimeter of the device, where the perimeter of the device includes one or more ultrasonic sensors; determining one or more locations of one or more fingers of a user using data collected by the one or more ultrasonic sensors; and providing one or more virtual buttons around the perimeter of the device based on the one or more locations of the one or more fingers of the user.

In conventional handheld devices, a user may customize the user interface of a home page or other pages of the device based on the user's preferences or use the default setting provided by the manufacturer. After the user has customized the home page or other pages, the locations of buttons/icons are fixed until the user makes further modifications. One of the drawbacks of this type of user interface is that the buttons/icons are stationary despite the user's hand operating the device may move around to different positions to hold the device. This drawback can cause some of the buttons not reachable by the hand holding the device without changing the grip of the device. In addition, the conventional user interface would require the user to look at the display to locate the buttons to be pressed, and in many cases the conventional user interface would require two hands to operate the device, for example using the assistance of the hand that is not holding the device to reach certain buttons. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide virtual buttons in a handheld device based on the locations of the user's fingers. It would also be beneficial to enable the user to generate commands according to the user's preferences using only one hand and without looking at the display of the device.

Providing virtual buttons in a handheld device


The lightweight constructional element of a sandwich structure having two cover plates comprises a honeycomb structure arranged between the cover plates which holds the cover plates spaced from each other. The honeycomb structure is formed by empty cans, especially used beverage cans, placed side by side whose axes are at right angles to the cover plates and which are arranged in a close packed or a rectangular array. The cans may be attached by adhesive to form a low cost lightweight and strong array.

The invention relates to a lightweight constructional element or structural member of a sandwich structure having two cover plates which are held at a distance apart by a honeycomb structure. Said lightweight constructional element is intended in particular as a structural part of a solar collector.
Solar collectors require a very large area because the incident energy radiation of the sun per square meter is relatively small. Such solar collectors are set up as large paraboloids on steel frames and must follow the path of the sun. To achieve adequate energy yield a large area is necessary which in turn means a relatively high weight. As support for such paraboloids usually lightweight structural members or constructional elements are employed which however have to be specially made and are very expensive. Such lightweight constructional elements as described for example in DE-OS 2,836,418 can however also be used as support for solar cells.

Lightweight constructional element of sandwich structure


A method and means are provided for utilizing, in a color imaging environment, such as ray tracing, display adapter hardware which is capable of interpolating color values for pixels lying in an area between previously color imaged pixels. A computer system CPU performs ray tracing calculations, or the like for a predetermined number of the total pixels, rather then each pixel, as is the case with conventional ray trace image systems. The system CPU then turns over the color imaged pixels to a display adapter, capable of color interpolating therebetween. Additionally, a prioritization scheme is provided which allows a graphics system user to assign priority values to particular areas or objects included in a scene description. In this way, the areas having higher priority values are subject to a greater concentration of ray tracing operations, thereby allowing these object to be displayed at a much faster rate. An even faster display of these prioritized areas can be achieved by combining the invocation of display adapter hardware to achieve color interpolation to the prioritization scheme.

The present invention relates generally to the area of computer graphics and more particularly to methods and means for displaying of color images on display hardware. There are at least two distinct methods of placing color values (r.g.b) into the single picture elements (pixels) contained on a hardware screen: "rendering of geometry" and "displaying of image." "Rendering of geometry" is a method in which objects to be displayed on the screen are expressed as polygons. Vertices of these polygons have associated color values determined by calculations (lighting operations) performed at each rendering. Pixels, chosen at each rendering, are given these color values to display the vertices. Remaining pixels are given color values via "shading". "Shading" is the process of filling in the rest of the pixels that comprise a polygon during "rendering of geometry." Color values for these pixels are calculated from information known about the vertices of the polygon. "Gouraud shading" is one method of shading in which the color values of the vertices are color interpolated to derive the color values for the remaining pixels of the polygon. There are other methods of shading which do not involve color interpolation. In contrast to "rendering of geometry." pixels may be given color values by simply filling them in from an array of color values called an "image." In this case there are no established objects or polygons expressed to the display hardware. Such an image may have been obtained from a camera, or from a process of calculating color values such as "ray tracing." "Ray tracing" is a computation intensive method of calculating color values for a pixel. Typically, a computer system central processing unit (CPU) is utilized to perform these imaging computations. In these conventional systems the CPU performs all of the imaging (ray tracing) computations for each and every pixel on a display screen in sequential order. For a detailed discussion of ray tracing, see "An Overview of Ray Tracing," Andrew S. Glassner. It can be seen that imaging computations in general and ray tracing in particular are extremely time consuming and may take a matter of hours, or even days to complete this color imaging depending upon the description of the screen being displayed. The combination of calculating and displaying an image, may be called "color imaging."
Since ray tracing is an extremely computational intensive means of performing color imaging, it would be extremely desirable to have a prioritization scheme in place such that the pixels corresponding to the most important objects in a scene description are ray traced prior to other less significant objects. An antialiasing prioritization scheme has been discussed in "Antialiased Ray Tracing by Adaptive Progressive Refinement." by J.Painter and K.Sloan. This antialiasing prioritization method ray traces each pixel a number of times and then use sampling techniques to determine a priority regarding which pixels are to ray traced next. This prioritization is based upon the area lying between previously ray traced pixels and the in color therebetween. This article also discusses utilizing software to color interpolate non-ray traced pixels. It can be understood how a prioritization scheme which allows a user to modify the priority value of objects and areas in a particular screen description would be highly desirable.
Further, a number of currently available computer display adapter hardware devices are capable of performing rendering of geometry, including Gouraud shading. Gouraud shading is a graphics technique unrelated to color imaging, or ray tracing. Since Gouraud shading is implemented through color interpolation, these display adapters are capable of performing color interpolation. The present invention utilizes this color interpolation capability to achieve a goal not contemplated by the conventional and standard uses of Gouraud shading.
During the period when a CPU is performing the ray tracing calculation, all other associated computer graphics hardware remains idle awaiting completion of these computations. Therefore, it would be extremely desirable to provide a method which would optimize the efficiency of a computer graphic system by utilizing the capabilities of this idle graphics hardware in conjunction with the processing being conducted by the system CPU.
Additionally, it would be advantageous to have a graphics system with the capability of invoking this idle graphics display adapter hardware in conjunction with the previously discussed prioritization scheme.

Prioritization scheme for enhancing the display of ray traced images

International Business Machines Corporation


A system implements a method to non-disruptive restoration of storage services provided by a storage volume of the system. Upon detecting a disruption of storage services at the storage volume, the method freezes the input/output (I/O) operations of applications that are accessing the storage volume. The disrupted storage services are restored. And the configurations of the storage volume are maintained during restoration of the disrupted storage services. Afterward, the frozen I/O operations are activated, allowing the applications to continue their accessing of the storage volume.

A storage server is a computer system and a form of storage controller that is used to store and retrieve data on behalf of one or more clients on a network. A storage server operates on behalf of one or more clients to store and manage data in a set of mass storage devices, such as magnetic or optical storage-based disks or tapes. A storage server may be configured to service file-level requests from clients, as in the case of file servers used in a Network Attached Storage (NAS) environment. Alternatively, a storage server may be configured to service block-level requests from clients, as done by storage servers used in a Storage Area Network (SAN) environment. Further, some storage servers are capable of servicing both file-level and block-level requests, as done by certain storage servers made by NetApp®, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.
In a SAN environment, storage services provided by a storage server can be integrated into a client system's operating system in such a way that, to the user applications running on the client system, the remote storage server and its storage capacities appear as locally attached. In a NAS environment, the client system is aware of the storage server being remote, and can use file-based protocols such as Network File System (NFS) to access the files stored in the remote storage server. The client system's operating system can also provide an abstraction layer that shields the NAS storage from the user applications executing on the client system. During execution, user applications running on the client system can access the storage services provided by the remote storage server in a similar fashion as accessing the client system's local storage devices.
The local and/or remote storage services available to a client system can be disrupted by hardware failures or software errors that occur at the client system, the remote storage server, or the network in between. Data stored on the client system's local storage devices or the network storage server can also be corrupted due to various reasons. Once stored data is no longer available or becomes corrupted during a user application's execution, the operating system and/or the file system often raise exceptions (warnings or error signals) to the user application whenever it attempts to access these stored data. Upon receiving the exceptions, the user application usually aborts its normal operation and tries to process the exceptions instead. If the exceptions are not properly handled, the whole application can terminate abruptly. Even with sophisticated exception handling logics, the user application is often unable to recover from the service disruption or continue its normal operation. In this case, the user application can at best perform a graceful termination.
To restore the disrupted storage services, the failed hardware can be replaced; the faulty software can be repaired or reconfigured; and the corrupted data can be restored from previous backups. Still, in many situations, these storage service restorations may alter the original storage configurations. For example, during restoration, a corrupted storage Logic Unit Number (LUN) may need to be disconnected from the operating system with its allocated space released. The LUN's original storage partitions and/or configurations may be deleted and recreated, and the original drive letter that was assigned to the LUN may no longer be available. Thus, even for user applications that are not accessing the storage services during disruption, the restoration of the disrupted storage services may affect them nevertheless. These user applications may have to be shut-down and re-launched to reconnect to the restored LUN. Otherwise, accessing the no-longer-in-existent or altered storage services may raise further exceptions.
Storage service disruption imposes additional burdens to large-scale mission-critical applications, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications, etc, which are often required to provide continuous availability with minimum downtime. A large-scale application is often implemented with application components distributed to multiple systems and environments. When local or remote storage services are disrupted at one of the systems or environments, the impact could propagate to the application components that are running on other systems or unrelated to storage access. Further, large-scale applications often require a long latency time for shutting down and restarting up. Thus, even though physical data might be preserved via data redundancy at the device or storage server level, the disruption of services and the re-launching process can severely undermine the continuous availability of these applications.

Non-disruptive restoration of a storage volume


A method and apparatus for detecting leakage of flowing liquids from pipes includes an upstream flow-rate sensor positioned between a source of a flowing liquid which is conducted from a source to a destination terminal such as a VAV heat exchanger, and a downstream flow-rate sensor positioned between an outlet port of the destination terminal and a return line for the flowing liquid. The apparatus includes electronic control circuitry which is responsive to a differential flow-rate between upstream and downstream measured flow rates which exceeds a predetermined limit value in removing a valve-opening signal to the upstream shut-off valve, thus closing the valve to interrupt flow of liquid through the valve if the differential flow-rate signifies a leak. Optionally, the apparatus also includes a downstream shut-off valve positioned between the destination terminal and a return line, which is also closed in response to a differential flow-rate exceeding the limit value.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for detecting and abating leaks of flowing liquids from pipes in buildings and similar structures. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus which uses differential flow rate sensors for detecting water leaks, particularly in closed loop water circulation systems, and solenoid valves to shut off water flow if a detected leak rate exceeds a predetermined value.
B. Description of Background Art
Contemporary buildings of various types, and particularly hospitals, institutional buildings, and larger commercial and industrial buildings employ a variety of water distribution piping or plumbing systems. Thus, in addition to plumbing used to supply potable water for consumption by the building' occupants, highly purified water for use in production processing, or lower quality water for other purposes, many larger contemporary buildings also have at least one of the following two additional types of water distribution systems through which water is circulated, but infrequently discharged. One such water circulation or distribution system, which may be referred to as a "closed-loop" or closed-cycle system is used to supply water to ceiling-mounted fire extinguisher sprinkler heads. Obviously, water conveyed through plumbing of a building water supply system to fire sprinkler heads is discharged from the system rarely, that is, only in the event of a fire, or during periodic testing of the fire sprinkler system and sprinkler heads.
A second type of closed-loop water circulation system used in many larger contemporary buildings comprises part of the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system of the building. In particular, some larger buildings including hospitals use hot water as a primary working fluid to heat various regions or zones of the building to different individually controllable temperatures. The hot water is generated by a boiler which is generally located in a basement of the building, or in another structure which houses the "mechanical plant" of the building adjacent to the building. The hot water is typically circulated in a continuously, closed loop cycle, which originates at the hot, discharge side of a boiler heat exchanger.
Heated water issued from the discharge side of a boiler heat-exchanger is pumped upwardly through a vertical hot water source (HWS) riser pipe to the highest building floor requiring heating. At each location or zone of a building which requires heating, the hot water is input to a box-like heat exchanger terminal, such as a Variable Air Volume (VAV) terminal. Within the VAV terminal, air from an external source which is moved by an external or internal blower or fan is directed to flow in contact with the exterior surfaces of a coiled length of tubing called a heater coil which has an inlet port fitting which is connected to and receives hot water from the hot water source riser pipe.
The heater coil functions as a flowing air to hot water heat exchanger, and heats the air which flows through the heater coil. The flowing air is heated to a temperature which is adjusted by a thermostatically controlled fan and/or a damper valve for varying the volume of temperature controlled air which is discharged from the VAV terminal and conducted through ducts to ceiling diffusers or other outlet ports in various rooms of a building. Cooled water from the discharge side of the heat exchanger coil is conducted back down through a hot water return (HWR) riser line to the cold inlet side of the boiler heat exchanger. Thus, in such a system, a fixed volume of water is continuously circulated through the system, and is not discharged.
As can be well imagined, heating systems of the type described above, when used in large buildings with many zones and associated heat exchanger terminals, typically include a substantially large number of individual pipes, tubes and fittings. Thus there is the possibility of a leak developing at many different locations in the closed-loop system, the probability of which is increased in the event of seismic disturbance of the building. Therefore, it is understandable that prudent building maintenance procedures would necessitate monitoring such closed-loop water circulation systems for leaks, and providing an alarm signal to building maintenance personnel in the event of a leak. Also, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for automatically shutting off flow of water if a leak is detected.
Regarding first the problem of detecting a water leak, there are of course a large variety of water leak detectors which employ sensors that utilize a supply voltage and a pair of electrodes to detect electrically conductive water which has leaked onto and bridged the sensor electrodes. However, such electrolytic water leak sensors are effective only in detecting water leakage at discrete locations where the sensors are placed. Such point sensors would be for detecting leaks in most closed-loop water circulation systems, such as an HVAC hot water circulation system of the type described above. This is because a water leak detection system using point sensors for systems such as closed-loop water circulating systems which extend over a large area would require an unreasonably large number of individual sensors which were placed near every possible leakage point.
That the detection and abatement of water leaks in contemporary buildings is an important problem is evidenced by two recent cases in California, where leakage from broken building hot water circulation systems caused more than one million dollars worth of damage in each of the buildings. Part of the expenses associated with water leaks in buildings results from modern building codes and potential legal liability which require the complete removal and replacement of all drywall that has been subjected to water leaks for more than 72 hours, to prevent the growth of molds which can cause health problems.
More important than potential financial losses which can result from water leakage that is not timely detected and abated is the possibility of serious injury or even death which can result if a leak in a hot water circulation system of a hospital building should occur. For example, a hot water leak may allow sufficient water to accumulate, leak through ceilings and scald patients in their beds on lower floors.
The foregoing considerations of potential financial losses, bodily injuries and even deaths which may result from water leaks in modern buildings, and the unavailability of an adequate solution to the problem of promptly detecting leaks and shutting off water flow in closed-loop water circulation systems prompted the present invention.

Water leak detection and shut-off method and apparatus using differential flow rate sensors


A structure for receiving and stabilizing a fence post or other similar support, as well as methods of making and using and a material blank for forming the same, are all described. The support has a flat planar member, into which a series of cooperating notches/slits, recesses, and perforations or frangible connections are provided. When assembled, the support is defined by a pair of axially aligned planar members, cooperatively fitted to form supported receiving recesses at a predetermined axial offset from the non-receiving edge of the support. A method of securing such supports for subsequent encasement in concrete is also contemplated.

Every year, millions of linear feet of chain link and other prefabricated fences are installed. These installations rely upon regularly spaced apart fence posts that are vertically positioned and secured to a base. Often, these posts are formed as hollow circular tubes (possibly sealed or closed off at the above ground end).
While it is possible to drive the posts into the ground, this method is not preferred for a number of reasons. Foremost, variable and/or unstable soil conditions could lead to the post sagging or slumping off of its preferred vertical orientation. In turn, non-vertical orientation could lead to an outright failure of the fence once the chain link webbing or other prefabricated material is rolled out and attached to the posts. Separately, rotting or galvanic and other corrosion can be a concern for certain types of posts provided in certain climates/environments.
Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a preferred fence installation, such as a chain link or prefabricated fence, is based on a series of fence posts 2 are positioned approximately 8 to 10 feet apart, aligned to define the desired fence line, and positioned within preformed holes 10 in the ground that extend between 3 to 4 feet below the surface. These holes are at least 10 to 14 inches in diameter and, after the posts positioned upright (i.e., vertical) and centered, concreate encases the outer surface of the hollow post tube and may even penetrate upwards for distance into the hollow tube itself. In this manner, the post is secured once the concrete cures.
Rail clamps and/or sleeves 4 are affixed to the top end of the post, with a cap 6 nominally sealing the hollow tube. Optionally, top rail 8 may extend away from the clamp/sleeve 4 and pass through holders 9 affixed on certain posts 2. Chain link web 3 (partially illustrated) is then extended across the line formed by the posts 2, possibly held in place by stretcher rods 5 and/or other attachment means. Truss supports 7 can also be provided.
ASTM International (based in West Conshohocken, Pa.) publishes various standard s and codes that may provide further information. Accordingly, ASTM A121; A392; A824; C94/C94M; F567; F626; F668; F900; F934; F1034; F1083; F1184; F1664; F1665; F1910; F1911; F2200; and F2611 are all incorporated by reference herein. Other standards, procedures, and techniques will be known to those in the fencing industry so as to further inform the need for installing posts in a stable and consistent manner.
Consistent positioning of the posts within each hole facilitates the creation of durable and long-lasting fencing. When the post is simply driven into the ground at the bottom of its hole, the concrete only encases outer surface of the post can give rise to an unsightly "donut" at the base of each post. Further still, unwanted ground water, fluids, or even pests could penetrate into a post that is not encased in concrete (or other curable compositions) along its bottom.
In view of these shortcomings, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,762 proposes a structure for use with wooden posts to prevent ground rot. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,186,554; 2,718,382; 5,123,623; 5,704,188; and 5,975,500 all describe similar anchoring structures for posts. More generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,693 and United States Publication 2007/0193189 contemplate rebar or general purpose construction chairs onto which a work piece can be seated.
None of these solutions are particularly amenable to today's construction environment. For example, some require the use of wooden posts, which can add considerable cost and subsequent maintenance concerns. Many of the others use excessive amounts of materials, which increase manufacture, transportation, and installation costs. Further still, the size and shape of some of these solutions may not be amendable to conventional, high volume installation techniques.
In view of the foregoing, a simple means for securing tubular or solid posts would be welcome. Further still, a solution that was compact, easy to transport, and economical to make—possibly even on site—would be a considerable improvement over now-available materials and methods.

Fence post support and method and blank for making same


A stereoscopic camera includes first and second image pickup units, having respectively first and second optical axes, for photographing an object to form two image frames. Two angle adjusters make angle adjustment of the optical axes. An object detector detects a human face as a principal object in the two image frames. An arithmetic processor obtains a shift amount of the face between two image frames, and determines an axial correction angle according to the shift amount for the angle adjustment in consideration of the face. A checker checks whether the angle adjustment should be made for both optical axes or for one thereof. A controller operates at least one of the two angle adjusters according to the axial correction angle and in response to information from the checker, for positioning the face equally between the two image frames optically by adjusting the first and/or second optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image pickup apparatus and method of adjusting an optical axis. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stereoscopic image pickup apparatus in which an optical difference between two image pickup units can be corrected rapidly and by a simple structure, and a method of adjusting an optical axis.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A stereoscopic camera is known as an image pickup apparatus for creating and recording image data of a stereoscopic image. For example, JP-A 2006-033346 discloses the stereoscopic camera including a plurality of image pickup units, each of which picks up an object image of an object focused by a lens system. Image data from the image pickup units is obtained for the single object, to create the stereoscopic image data.
It is important in the stereoscopic camera to suppress offsetting of images due to offsetting of optical axes of the two image pickup units. JP-A 2003-052058 discloses a method of correcting offsetting of the optical axes. An shift amount of the optical axes is detected from two images obtained by the two image pickup units, to adjust an area of an image for being cropped after image pickup and a position of an image pickup device according to the shift amount.
JP-A 8-317424 discloses a method in which the shift amount of the optical axes are stored in association with focal lengths of the two lens systems, and the offsetting of the optical axes due to movement of a variator lens is corrected by changing an area to be read of an image according to the focal lengths or the position of the variator lens. U.S. Pat. No. 7,102,686 (corresponding to JP-A 11-355624) discloses the stereoscopic camera in which a first one of the image pickup units is kept slidable and rotatable from a second one of the image pickup units, so as to change an interval of the image pickup units, an angle of the optical axis and the like automatically.
However, the method of JP-A 2003-052058 and JP-A 8-317424 has a problem in that processing for changing the area to be read of an image requires considerably long time. The shift amount of the optical axes may not be corrected only by adjusting the area to be read of the image. If a position of an image pickup device requires adjusting, a problem arises in that the stereoscopic camera is likely to have an excessively large size. Also, the structure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,102,686 (corresponding to JP-A 11-355624) has a problem of an excessively large size because of sliding and rotating of the first one of the image pickup units relative to the second.

Stereoscopic image pickup apparatus and method of adjusting optical axis


A method, an apparatus and computer readable storage media facilitate establishing an email thread utilizing an email application used by a client device that communicates with other client devices across a network, where the email thread includes at least one email circulated to a group of users over the network relating to a discussion topic. The email application is linked with a synchronous communication application so as to establish a real-time discussion between at least some of the users of the group in relation to the topic utilizing the synchronous communication application and so that each email of the email thread is accessible via a graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

Email communications are a common form of communicating between groups of people in social and business environments. In certain environments, it is quite common for an email user to receive numerous emails in a given period of time (e.g., over a 24 hour period). For an email discussion between multiple users, long email threads can develop with different people providing different insights into the discussion. This can lead to a cluttering of email in a user's mailbox both from an information overload perspective and also a storage perspective. In addition, in certain instances, the asynchronous nature of email communications can hinder the progress of a discussion for a particular issue.

Exporting an email thread to a persistent chat room


An embossing and texturizing system capable of imparting a natural cloth-like surface to a flexible thermoplastic material or film simultaneously to either or both of its two exterior surfaces, through the use of a unique device and technique combining metal rolls, metal and rubber rolls, and embossing and texturizing fabric rolls into an embossing system creating the desired visual and tactile feel of natural fabrics as well as additional performance characteristics. The embossing and texturizing system embosses and texturizes the exterior surface of the flexible thermoplastic material or film by selectively altering the exterior surface, and therefore, the film can be embossed simultaneously on either or both of its two exterior surfaces (face and reverse) without necessitating major interruption or adjustment of the system. The use of the embossing and texturizing mechanism and its alignment to the core and stabilizing reinforcing substrate enables the exterior texturized surface and the bottom side exterior texturized surface to be identical in all manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the embossing of flexible thermoplastic reinforced composites and their manufacture. The invention is related particularly to fabrics used for tents, awning, casual furniture, signage, automotive, healthcare, and the like where the look and feel of natural cloth-like fabrics is desirable.
2. Description of the Related Art
The majority of the synthetic fabrics that attempt to imitate natural cloth-like characteristics that are used by businesses in the marketplace are dyed acrylic fabric, polyvinyl chloride or other thermoplastic compounds. The weakness of the dyed acrylic fabrics is that they lack adequate flame resistance, water proofness and other characteristics typically attributed to thermoplastics polymers such as polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene and other similar polymers. However, these other thermoplastic polymers lack the aesthetic look and feel of woven dyed acrylic and natural cloth fabrics because they can only be texturized on one side (face) of the composite. Alternatively, a print pattern may also be used on one or both sides of the composite to imitate natural cloth-like fabric. In all cases, such resurfacing in an attempt to create the illusion of embossing and texturizing, without actually creating the surface embossing and texturizing, inadequately mimics the natural woven product.
Historically, industry has achieved the characteristics and aesthetics of natural cloth-like fabrics by one of three mechanisms:
(1) Traditional weaving of natural or synthetic yarns which also may be dyed or coated with a thermoplastic polymer.
(2) Use of a metal embossing cylinder to emboss and texturize the surface of a thermoplastic material to create a surface on one of the synthetic flexible thermoplastic material surfaces to attempt to imitate the appearance of a natural cloth-like fabric.
(3) Use of a metal embossing cylinder to empress and texturize the surfaces of a thermoplastic material to create a surface on the face side of the flexible synthetic thermoplastic material surfaces and the use of a printed thermoplastic material on the reverse side to imitate the face side embossed texturized surface to attempt to imitate the appearance of a natural cloth-like fabric.
The above-described processes suffer from one or more of the following limitations. When a process is employed to mimic natural cloth like appearance, the process fails to provide the desirable additional characteristics including but not limited to high flame resistance, water-proof, mildew and fungal resistance, stability when exposed to ultraviolet light, color fastness, strong, light weight, conformable, dimensionally stable, and suitable for sewing welding and fabrication by various means common in industry. When a process is employed to provide the desirable characteristics of including but not limited to high flame resistance, water-proof, mildew and fungal resistance, stability when exposed to ultraviolet light, color fastness, strong, light weight, conformable, dimensionally stable, and suitable for sewing welding and fabrication by various means common in industry, the process fails to provide the natural cloth-like appearance. In both cases, the resulting product suffers in either un-natural appearance or inadequate performance. An additional limitation is that this undesirable one-sided product has limited useful application due to complications and utility arising from the dissimilar nature of the face to reverse surfaces.


A cost effective, efficient thermal insulation composition that will have ng shelf life and withstand severe high temperature and pressure conditions in high temperature solid propellant gas generators can be formed of an ethylene propylene, diene monomer (EPDM)/neoprene rubber binders containing silica powder filler and aramid fibers. The specific chemical constituents include EPDM elastomer, 2 Chlorobutadiene 1,3 elastomer, Silica hydrate, Polymerized Trimethyl Dihydroquinoline, Alkylated Diphenylamines and Diphenyl-p-Phenylendiamene, 40% a,a' Bis (Tert-Butylperoxy), Diisopropylbenzene, Napthenic Process Oil, Synthetic Polyterpene Resin, Aramid Fiber (0.25 inch), and Zinc Oxide, Technical.

Modern guided missiles need high performance solid propellant gas generators for providing high pressure and high temperature gases to the control nozzles of post boost control systems and the like. Prior art thermal insulations have not provided the high performance required for advanced weapon systems that must undergo severe operating requirements having long duration propellant burn requirements at very high pressures and temperatures. The primary requirements for thermal insulation of missile system high temperature solid propellant gas generators include high heat flow resistance; erosion resistance; producibility including bonding, layout, machining, dimensional control, mixing and calendaring; aging stability; system chemical compatibility; and non-toxicisity. In order to minimize toxic health hazards it has been necessary to use suitable non-toxic insulation materials in place of asbestos. Solutions to these and other requirements have been accomplished by the thermal insulation composition of the present invention.

Thermal insulation chemical composition and method of manufacture

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A SSD storage module comprising a printed circuit board, an encapsulating colloid, and an electronic circuit welded on an inner surface of the printed circuit board and having a data storage function; the encapsulating colloid is formed on the inner surface of the printed circuit board and is configured for seamlessly encapsulating the electronic circuit, an outer surface of the printed circuit board is provided with a plurality of metal contact pieces, the plurality of metal contact pieces are electrically connected with the electronic circuit, and the plurality of metal contact pieces comprise a plurality of SATA interface contact pieces. The encapsulating colloid seamlessly encapsulates the electronic circuit and isolates the electronic circuit from the air, such that a problem that the electronic circuit is directly exposed to the air, and performances of components of the electronic circuit may be affected, thereby resulting in an unstable functionality of a SSD can be avoided.

A hard disk is one of main storage mediums of a computer. Hard disks comprise a SSD (Solid-State Drive), the SSD is a hard disk made of solid state electronic storage chip arrays and has a very simple inner structure, a main body of the SSD is a piece of circuit board, and the most essential accessories of this circuit board are control chips, storage chips and some other auxiliary circuits.
A circuit module of an existing SSD is a finished SSD, of which control chips, storage circuits, and other circuit components are directly welded on a circuit board, and an outer shell of the SSD is then assembled to fabricate the SSD. With respect to an encapsulation using the aforesaid method, although the circuit board is placed in the outer shell of the SSD, there exists extra space in the outer shell of the SSD; therefore, circuit components may be directly exposed in the air, such that the circuit components are prone to be dampened and contaminated by dust, and performances of the circuit components may be further affected, thereby resulting in an unstable functionality of the SSD.

SSD storage module, SSD component, and SSD