A system for creating protected functional descriptions of integrated circuits provides encrypted gate delay information preventing deduction of gate function from gate delay but allowing simulation of the integrated circuit with accurate propagation delay calculation. Individual gate delay values may be modified so that they obscure actual gate delays but so that the modified individual gate delays total to equal the actual cumulative gate delay along a given data propagation path.

The present invention relates to integrated circuits and in particular, to an electronic description of an integrated circuit that is encrypted to prevent the details of the circuit from being revealed while still allowing simulation of the integrated circuit, and in particular, allowing gate delays to be simulated.
Complex integrated circuits, such as "system on chip" (SOC) designs, can be constructed from circuit "building blocks" developed by different companies. The building blocks are assembled by combining electronic files describing each building block to produce the necessary integrated circuit masks needed to produce the ultimate integrated circuit.
These building blocks are often referred to as intellectual property (IP) cores, reflecting the fact that it is the underlying design (the intellectual property) that is sold by the designer as opposed to an actual integrated circuit. The ability to license IP cores provides substantial efficiency in the design of complex circuit elements by allowing the costs of developing an IP core to be shared among multiple manufacturers.
The abstract IP core is captured in an electronically readable circuit-level schematic describing each component, for example, logic gates and their interconnection, together with a functional description of the inputs and outputs to the IP core (the functional specification). While the sale of an IP core may include this entire functional specification (a so-called "soft" core), it is also possible to sell an electronic description of an IP core that provides only layout information and the functional description of the inputs and outputs without the circuit level schematic. This so-called "hard" core allows fabrication of the IP core but does not reveal information about the internal circuit configuration or components, preventing ready copying or modification of the IP core.
Normally a hard-core license for an IP core will be cheaper than a soft-core license because the hard-core license, by hiding the circuit design, reduces the risk that the purchaser will be able to compete with or develop commercial alternatives to the IP core or that the intellectual property of the IP core will be revealed. Nevertheless, the less-expensive hard-core license has significant drawbacks. Because the details of the underlying circuit are hidden, it is not possible to simulate the IP core alone or in combination with the other building block circuits. The ability to simulate operation of the IP core allows better integration with other circuit elements, for example, by revealing operating limitations such as signal propagation delays that need to be accommodated. Simulation is also important to identify how component faults will affect the IP core. Such fault simulation allows the end user to construct more efficient "built-in self test" (BIST) logic that can be used to test the operation of the IP core during manufacture. Generally, BIST logic identifies bit patterns or vectors that are used to detect faults in a logic circuit.
The practical ability to select only between a hard-core or soft-core licensing model substantially limits the market for IP cores in many important applications where IP core simulation is required but where purchasing a soft-core license is too costly.
US patent application 2015/0188661, assigned to the assignee of the present application and hereby incorporated by reference (henceforth the Logical Encryption Invention), describes a system for producing an encrypted description of the logic elements (gates) of an integrated circuit that allows operation of the integrated circuit to be simulated without the gates being identifiable as to function. The encrypted description of logic elements can be used by simulators without decryption. This invention makes it possible to license IP cores in a way that provides the intellectual property protection associated with hard-core licensing while allowing the logical simulation capabilities associated with soft-core licensing. This simulation permits fault analysis and the development of bit vectors for BIST logic.
In simulating an integrated circuit, it can also be important to be able to accurately model signal propagation delays through the integrated circuit. The Logical Encryption Invention identifies the gates and their interconnection (although not their function) and thus allows rough estimates for gate delays to be calculated, for example, by assuming all gates have an average standard gate delay. Such an approach is inadequate for sophisticated circuit simulation where accurate propagation delays need to be calculated. Generally, gate delays vary meaningfully between different types of gates both according to their logical function and their circuit level architecture (e.g., size of transistors, etc.).
Revealing detailed gate delay information for each gate can undercut the intellectual property protection of the integrated circuit. For example, it may be possible to deduce the function of gate from its gate delay.
Equally important, independent of an interest in preserving the secrecy of the gate functions, the manufacturer may wish to preserve secrecy with respect to gate delay values themselves. Gate delays of each gate instance are often tailored by the manufacturer for improved integrated circuit performance, and this information also represents important intellectual property.

Encrypted digital circuit description allowing signal delay simulation


A heatable medium pipe having at least one pipe connector and heating element, wherein the heating element has a few wires, in particular two wires, and said wires extend continuously along the medium pipe and along the at least one pipe connector. In a method for producing such a heatable medium pipe, the heating element is continuously wound around a tubular medium pipe and the heating element is pre-assembled on the medium pipe in that the heating element is fastened or fixed by at least one fastening element, the medium pipe is cut to a first length for the particular application, the length corresponding to the desired medium pipe length (lR) plus the heating element length (lH) required for wrapping around the at least one pipe connector and the transition area the fastening element is removed in the region outside the desired medium pipe length (lR), the heating element is unwrapped from the medium pipe section cut from the first length, the medium pipe is cut to the desired medium pipe length (lR) to form a second medium pipe section, the medium pipe section is connected to the at least one pipe connector as the medium pipe, and the heating element is at least wrapped around the at least one pipe connector.

Heatable medium pipes and methods for producing the same are known in the art. In particular in vehicles a number of medium pipes are provided for conveying mostly liquid media. These medium pipes tend to freeze at low temperatures, which is why they are provided with heating. Pipe connectors are used to connect at least two medium pipes or to connect a medium pipe with a given aggregate. The medium pipes often convey media which due to a relatively high freezing point tend to freeze up at ambient temperatures still at a fairly high level, which means that operability of a vehicle, for example, may be greatly impaired or even interrupted. This is true, in particular, of water pipes for windscreen washer systems, and also for medium pipes where the medium is an aqueous urea solution used as a NOx reaction additive for Diesel engines with so-called SCR catalysers.
The EP 1 985 908 A1 has disclosed a pipe connector for medium pipes, which consists of a connecting piece with connecting portion for connection with the medium pipe or an aggregate and with a transition portion adjacent to the connecting portion with current channel. At least in the area of the transition portion electrical heating means are provided in an arrangement enclosing at least partially the current channel. The electrical heating means arranged in the transition portion, i.e. outside the connecting portion, are used to prevent the respective medium from freezing within the connecting piece or to reverse the freezing process by thawing the frozen medium. The heating wire or wire strand wrapped around the outside in the manner of a coil surrounds the connecting piece, wherein at least one further coil winding is arranged inside in the area of the current channel so that when a current flows through the outer heating wire an induction is provided in the inner coil winding for generating heat. The medium pipe consists of an inner pipe line with a heat conductor arranged on the circumference, wherein pipe line and heat conductor are enclosed by an outer envelope such as by a corrugated pipe. Pipe connectors are attached at both ends of the medium pipe. Prior to fitting the corrugated pipe an adhesive tape is wrapped around the heat conductor arranged on the pipe line and thereby fixed to the pipe line. Alternatively the fixing may be effected by using a varnish or adhesive layer. The heating wires of the pipe connectors and the heat output of the pipe line are electrically interconnected, wherein the heating wire of one of the pipe connectors, respectively, is electrically switched in series with one of the winding wires of the heating wire surrounding the pipe line, and the connecting ends of the two series connections at the two pipe connectors are run to outside, where a connection to a voltage source or a further connection is provided. Alternatively it is disclosed that the heating wires of the pipe connectors and the windings surrounding the pipe line are provided in the form of a series connection of all heating wires with only one outside line connection. In each case a pipe line with heating wires wrapped around it is subsequently cut to length, before being connected with the two pipe connectors and the heating wires fitted to its outside. This is disclosed for example in the DE 10 2005 037 183 B3 or EP 1 519 098 B1. Then follows an expensive connection of the individual components which have heating wires wrapped them.
As detailed in the DE 10 2005 037 183 B3 the pipe line is initially implemented as an endless pipe and subsequently cut to a defined length. This pipe already comprises the heating wire as an electrically conductive plastic layer. As an alternative this publication of the prior art discloses that the electrical feed lines are melted into the pipe. Further it is disclosed that the pipe line may comprise grooves extending as far as the heating element and clamped or glued into the electrical feed lines. Or the electrical feed lines and, as required, further components of the pipe may be extruded, which means that the electrical feed lines and the heating element are produced together within one production process.
Correspondingly, with the electrically heatable medium pipe or liquid pipe disclosed in the EP 1 519 098 B1, the heating wire is wrapped helically around an inner plastic layer with an electrically insulating tape being wrapped directly around the plastic layer and the heating wire. The heating wire is wrapped around the plastic layer in the form of a double helix, and the ends of the heating wire are connected with a plug which can be plugged into a socket or a voltage source.
Further the EP 1 721 097 B1 discloses an electrically heatable medium pipe, where the medium pipe, a cable for heating the medium pipe and at least one electrical connector for connecting the cable to the current source are provided. The medium pipe and the cable are completely received in an outer protective envelope comprising a first tube with an inner cross-section which exceeds the outer cross-section of the medium pipe. At one end or both ends of the cabling the cable is run separate from the medium pipe and within a branch piece. It is run to a second tube on the electrical connector. The outer protective envelope encompasses the first tube, the branch piece and the second tube, wherein the branch piece is arranged between the first and second tube. This means that at least on one side the cable is not run to a pipe connector but directly into the branch line and in there to a plug connector for connection to an electrical energy source. According to this publication of the state of the art therefore, it is not the pipe connector which is heated but merely the medium pipe.
The EP 2 107 291 A2 has disclosed a fluid line, where pipe connectors are attached to the ends of an elastic pipe line. A heat conductor is fitted into the pipe line and the ends thereof are pressed in between pipe connector sections arranged in the pipe connectors. The heat conductor is connected with a connecting wire by a connecting section and thereby with an energy source. The heat conductor is laid as a loop within the pipe line and ends in the area of the loop in front of the second pipe connector. Although due to the heat conductor lying inside the pipe line the heat can be introduced directly into the medium flowing inside the medium pipe or pipe line, the wires of the heat conductor must be highly resistant against the medium flowing in the medium pipe resulting in proportionally high cost as regards the heat conductor. Further it has proven to be laborious to insert the conductor loop, i.e. the doubled-up conductor into the pipe line in a desired helical or meandering configuration. Also the costs for a pipe line of this kind are higher than for pipe lines, for which the heat conductor is run on the outside, because the inner diameter, and possibly also the wall thickness of such a pipe line, through which the heat conductor is run, must be comparatively larger in order to accommodate these without creating an obstruction in the medium flow.
It has proven to be expensive, when providing pipe connectors with heating wires wrapped around them and a pipe line separately provided with heating wire, to connect the respective heating wires of pipe connectors and pipe line, since this is time-consuming and must be carried with great care in order to ensure a proper electrical connection so that production is a drawn-out process. With the previous method a heating wire is wrapped around a pipe line, and the pipe line is pre-assembled with adhesive tape or textile adhesive tape and stored on coils. To produce the respectively required heatable medium pipe the pipe with wrapped-around heating wire must then be cut to the desired length, the adhesive tape or textile adhesive tape must be removed from both ends of the cut-to-length pipe, the respective heating wire ends must again be unwrapped, the excess pipe length must be cut off, the pipe length must be adjusted, the cuts must be cleaned and the heating wire ends must be connected with corresponding heating wire ends of heating wires arranged on pipe connectors, in particular via crimping points. On the one hand, therefore, a number of process steps is required for producing the heatable medium pipe containing the wrapped-up pipe and the pipe connectors or for initially connecting pipe and pipe connectors or the heating wires arranged on them. The provision of numerous crimping points results in high production costs. Therefore costs arise from the comparatively high production expenditure. Later, when the heatable medium pipe is installed for example in a vehicle, in particular a lorry, these crimping points are exposed to vibrations which may lead to damage to the insulation at the crimping points which may result in short-circuits and the consequences connected therewith.

Heatable medium pipe and method for producing same


An improved c-ring slip retention system and method for extraction of the c-ring slip are provided. The c-ring slip retention system may use an axially movable support sleeve with a support ring for securing the c-ring slip against a retention lip of the liner hanger body. The disclosed retention system prevents the c-ring slip from being prematurely extracted from a liner hanger body while the liner hanger is lowered through a borehole. The c-ring slip retention system may also include anti-rotation features that prevent the c-ring slip from rotating relative to the liner hanger body. A single actuation of the support sleeve in an axial direction may unlock the c-ring slip from the retention lip, disengage the anti-rotation features, compress the c-ring slip out of the keyed profile, and extract the c-ring slip from the liner hanger body.

When drilling a well, a borehole is typically drilled from the earth's surface to a selected depth and a string of casing is suspended and then cemented in place within the borehole. A drill bit is then passed through the initial cased borehole and is used to drill a smaller diameter borehole to an even greater depth. A smaller diameter casing is then suspended and cemented in place within the new borehole. This is conventionally repeated until a plurality of concentric casings are suspended and cemented within the well to a depth which causes the well to extend through one or more hydrocarbon producing formations.
Rather than suspending a concentric casing from the bottom of the borehole to the surface, a liner is often suspended adjacent to the lower end of the previously suspended casing, or from a previously suspended and cemented liner, so as to extend the liner from the previously set casing or liner to the bottom of the new borehole. A liner is defined as casing that is not run to the surface. A liner hanger is used to suspend the liner within the lower end of the previously set casing or liner.
A running and setting tool disposed on the lower end of a work string may be releasably connected to the liner hanger, which is attached to the top of the liner. The work string lowers the liner hanger and liner into the open borehole until the liner hanger is adjacent the lower end of the previously set casing or liner, with the lower end of the liner typically slightly above the bottom of the open borehole. When the liner reaches the desired location relative to the bottom of the open borehole and the previously set casing or liner, a setting mechanism is conventionally actuated to move an anchoring element (e.g., slips) on the liner hanger from a compressed position to an expanded position and into engagement with the previously set casing or liner. Thereafter, when set down weight is applied to the anchoring body, the anchoring element is set to support the liner.
The liner hanger anchoring element can include a radially expandable and contractable c-ring with slip teeth formed about its outer and inner edge and a frustoconical tapered surface for supporting the liner within the previously set casing or liner. Typically, the c-ring slip (or anchoring body) is held in a compressed position within a recess in the body of the liner hanger while the liner hanger is lowered through the borehole. The c-ring slip is then moved out of the recess in the body of the liner hanger, and into its expanded position.
Unfortunately, the c-ring slip can sometimes become dislodged from the recess in the liner hanger body while the liner hanger is being lowered through the borehole, thereby unintentionally expanding the anchoring element before the liner hanger is ready to be set. This premature expansion of the anchoring element can cause undesirable delays, since the liner hanger assembly must be removed from the wellbore and the anchoring element reset.

Fully supported c-ring slip retention system


A vehicle chassis clamp for clamping a selected chassis part (7) which presents a throughpassing bolt joint (13a-c). The clamp comprises a U-shaped stirrup bracket (6a) having two legs so spaced as to straddle the chassis part (7). Each limb has a bush (14, 15) which can be tightened against a respective side surface of the chassis part, and each bush has a cavity (14d, 15e) which embraces a respective end of the bolt joint.

The work, for example, of determining the measurements of damaged vehicle chassis and of straightening (aligning) such chassis is normally carried out with the chassis secured to an alignment bench with the aid of chassis clamps attached, for instance, to the pinch weld connecting the doorsill assembly and the vehicle floor to the chassis. The pinch weld of vans and like light trucks or lorries is not strong enough for this purpose, and consequently it is necessary to support the chassis of such vehicles at other attachment locations, with the aid of separate clamps of particular construction. Hitherto, however, no such clamp has been proposed which is totally reliable in operation and which can be secured to the chassis with sufficient precision and with sufficient clamping effect.


An approach is provided for synchronizing an impedance cardiography (“ICG”) measurement period with an electrocardiography (“ECG”) signal to reduce patient (105) auxiliary current. The approach involves measuring an ECG signal of a patient via an ECG device (103). The approach also involves processing the ECG signal to cause, at least in part, a detection of one or more ECG features of the signal. The approach further involves synchronizing a start, a stop, or a combination thereof of a measurement of an ICG signal of the patient via an ICG device (101) based, at least in part, on the detection of the one or more ECG features. The measurement of the ICG signal includes injecting an electrical current into the patient (105) for a duration of the measurement.

Vital sign monitoring, particularly of the heart and vascular system, has become increasingly popular with patients and consumers. For example, techniques such as impedance cardiography ("ICG", sometimes also referred as impedance plethysmography "IPG", or electrical impedance plethysmography "EIP") and electrocardiography ("ECG") can give highly accurate measurements of the mechanical and electrical properties of the heart and vascular system. ICG, for instance, intentionally injects electrical current (e.g., representing auxiliary current) into a patient's body to measure the electrical conductivity of the thorax and its changes in time. These enables the analysis of the heart's mechanical properties (e.g., pre-ejection period ("PEP"), ventricular ejection time ("VET"), stroke volume, heart rate, cardiac output, etc.), while ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart as the heartbeats over time without providing such current. Generally, the accuracy or sensitivity of ICG measurements is dependent on the level of electrical current injected into the patient (e.g., higher currents yield better signal-to-noise ratio). However, patient safety regulations typically limit how much of this auxiliary current can be passed through a patient. Accordingly, device manufacturers face significant technical challenges in ensuring patient safety while also ensuring accurate and relevant health monitoring data from ICG and ECG devices.

Method and apparatus for synchronizing impedance cardiography with electrocardiography to lower patient auxiliary current


Methods and kits are provided for amplifying and detecting misfolded tau protein from samples, for example, from patients having tauopathies such as Alzheimer's Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and the like.

Tauopathies may include, for example, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), FrontoTemporal Dementia (FTD), Corticobasal degeneration (CBD), Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Argyrophilic grain disease (AgD) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and Dementia Pugilistica (DP), and the like. Misfolded tau aggregates and fibrils may be formed and accumulate via nucleation and growth. The misfolded tau aggregates may induce cellular dysfunction and tissue damage, among other effects.
Real time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuiC) has been shown to cause replication of 3-repeat (3R) tau isoforms from brain homogenate and cerebrospinal fluid samples drawn from Pick disease subjects, allowing sensitive detection of this rare disease and discrimination from other tauopathies. Surprisingly, however, for more common tauopathies of clinical importance that include misfolding of 4R tau, the efficacy of RT-QuiC was reduced by 3 to 5 orders of magnitude, rendering it ineffective and impractical for clinical and laboratory use. Such adverse results were obtained by seeding with brain samples containing predominant 4-repeat (4R) tau aggregates from cases of CBD, AgD, and FTDP-17, and PSP, as well as AD, a 4R+3R tauopathy. Some AD and PSP samples gave signals above the detection limit, but the signals were outliers and much weaker compared to Pick disease brain samples. Additionally, the AD and PSP samples which generated weak responses were not analyzed for contamination. The RT-QuiC analyses of 4R or 4R+3R tauopathies in general do not appear to be significantly different from controls using diseased subjects with no immunohistologically detected tau pathology. Such controls included diagnoses of senile change (SC), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD), frontotemporal dementia with TDP-43 (FTD-TDP), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In sum, RT-QuiC analyses were shown to be generally ineffective and impractical for 4R tauopathies including 4R predominant and 4R+3R mixed tauopathies.
The present application appreciates that detection of misfolded tau protein, e.g., for diagnosis of related diseases, may be a challenging endeavor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In an ISDN system comprising a plurality of DSLs each having a plurality of DTEs and an ISDN switch having a TEI list, a multiplexer is used for enabling each DTE to access the ISDN switch through a single primary rate DTL in the time division technique. The multiplexer comprises subscriber interfaces connected to DSLs, respectively. The subscriber interface has first TEIs assigned to DTEs on the corresponding DSL and has a first data link with each DTE on the basic interface D channel using a first LAPD frame signal with the first TEIs. The subscriber interface has a second TEI assigned thereto and registered in the TEI list in the ISDN switch. The subscriber interface derives information field from the first LAPD signal and forms a second LADP frame signal having the second TEI and the derived information. The multiplexer statistically multiplexes a plurality of second LAPD signals from subscriber interfaces into the D channel on the DTL to form a second data link between each subscriber interface and the ISDN switch so that load of the ISDN switch is reduced. Addition of a switch selection code to the second TEI enables to switch the multiplexer to another ISDN by use of a cross-connector on the DTL. Use of line selecting signal in DTE signal also enables the multiplexer to transmit the DTE signals onto a different private line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated services digital network (ISDN) system according to recommendations of the CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Communication) and, in particular, to subscriber line multiplexing for multiplexing signals, particularly, control signals on a plurality of subscriber lines on a high rate digital transmission line extending to an ISDN digital switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the ISDN system, a plurality of subscriber lines extend from an exchanging office to user areas. Each subscriber line terminates to a network termination (NT) unit. A user bus is connected to the NT unit and extended in the user area. One or more user's equipments or terminal equipments (TEs) such as a digital telephone set or sets (which will only be called telephone sets hereinafter), a facsimile set or sets, a personal computer set or sets, and the like.
The CCITT recommendations I series prescribes protocol of user-network connection or interface in connection with seven classified layers which are numbered by 1 through 7. For example, layer 1 is directed to physical connecting conditions such as transmission rate, pin number of connectors and others, layer 2 being for data link, layer 3 for call control from a call setup to call release completion.
According to the I series, communication information and control signal are transmitted through different channels which are multiplexed in a time division fashion. The communication information channel is called a B channel and the control information channel is referred to as a D channel. It is possible to transmit communication information through the D channel.
As a basic one of user-network interface structures, a basic interface is determined which comprises two B channels of a transmission rate of 64 kbps which are separately called B1 and B2 channels and a single D channel of a transmission rate of 16 kbps.
Another user-network interface structure is called a primary rate interface which comprises 23 B channels of 64 kbps and a single D channel of 64 kbps.
As will be noted from the above description, the single D channel is commonly used by a plurality of TEs connected in the user bus.
In connection with the layer 2 for data link, a plurality of logical connections or links are made on the D channel by use of LAPD (Link Access Procedure on D channel). Various control information in layer 2 and layer 3 can be transmitted through the links. A frame format of the LAPD is in conformity with the HDLC (High-level Data Link Control Procedure) and comprises a start flag, an address field, a control field, an information field, a frame check sequence and a stop flag. The frame format will later be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The address field is rewritable to identify each one logical link. The control field is used for type identification of the LAPD frame itself. There are defined a number of types for the LAPD frame. For example, I (Information) frame is used for information transfer in a multiframe mode and UI (Unnumbered Information) frame is used for information transfer in an unacknowledged information transfer mode.
Transfer of call control information in the layer 3 is performed by use of the I frame or the UI frame. The call control information is inserted in the information field in each of the I and UI frames as a layer 3 message. A format of the layer 3 message comprises a common information portion and an individual information portion. The common information portion comprises a protocol discriminator for identifying the layer 3 message, a call reference for referring to a call, and a message type. There are a number of types for the layer 3 message, for example, SETUP for identifying a call request, REL COMP for identifying notice of completion of channel disconnection and release completion of a call reference, and others.
A large number of subscriber lines are extended from an exchange office having an ISDN digital switch to various users. When a user such as a company has a plurality of subscriber lines, it is advantageous to multiplex those subscriber lines into a single transmission line through which signals on the plurality of subscriber lines are transmitted as a TDM (time division multiplexed) signal. That is, B channel signals and D channel signals on a plurality of subscriber lines are time-division multiplexed and are transmitted through the signal transmission line.
Providing that each subscriber line is dependent on the basic interface having two B channels of 64 kbps and a single D channel of 16 kbps and that a primary rate digital transmission line (1544 kbps, 23B+D channels) is used for the single transmission line, only four D channels (64/16=4) can be multiplexed.
In order to resolve the problem, the Bell Communications Research, Inc. proposed a "Statistical Multiplexing" in Bell Communications Research Technical Advisory, TA-TSY-000397, May 2, 1987 (Reference 1). According to the Statistical Multiplexing, 16 D channel signals on subscriber lines of the basic interface are statistically multiplexed into a D channel on the primary rate transmission line. In order to identify each subscriber line and to identify multiplex, the identification information is tagged to the D channel information on each subscriber line to form a new D channel signal which is transmitted to the transmission line in the statistical multiplexing. The new D channel signal will later be described in detail in connection with the drawings.
According to the statistical multiplexing, an increased number of D channels can be multiplexed in comparison with the conventional time division multiplexing. However, a data link is still set up between a TE on one subscriber line and an ISDN switch or exchanger so that it is impossible to reduce load of the ISDN switch.
In multiplexing of a plurality of subscriber lines, it is impossible to handle those lines which belong to different exchange offices.
In another ISDN system, a private line or a privately used line is used. It is also impossible in the multiplexing to handle the private line and subscriber lines which belong to an exchange office together.

ISDN system having subscriber line multiplexer with means for establishing different data links through D-channels on subscriber line and high rate transmission line


Tissues are provided as multi-ply tissue products having greater tactile sensation and resiliency in hand. Improved tissues may have a thickened and reduced density middle layer. The tissues may serve as applicators for chemical agents to be released during use of the tissue. A tissue having an improved tactile impression to the consumer, with enhanced resilience and high external bulk is disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-ply structure having at least three plies is desirable. A middle or intermediate ply is comprised an increased thickness and a greater bulk is employed. In general, the exterior plies of the tissue are smooth and desirable to the consumer.

Absorbent products such as paper towels, industrial wipers, baby wipers, tissue, food service wipers, and the like are designed to provide several important properties. For example, the products should have good bulk characteristics and a soft feel. The products should be highly absorbent to fluids, including bodily fluids. In many cases, the products need good strength even after they become wet. Some products require a high resistance to tearing. Small changes in the structure or manufacturing processes of such products can provide a profound impact on the ultimate sensation to the user. Attempts have been made in the past to enhance and increase the physical characteristics of multi-ply tissue products.
One advantage of providing a multi-ply product as opposed to a single ply product is that different plies may provide different properties to the overall product. For example, disposable absorbent articles such as diapers may have a permeable first ply such as a liner in a diaper, an absorbent middle ply such as an absorbent core, and an impermeable outer ply such as a cover or backsheet. In contrast to diaper products, tissue products customarily have comprised two or three permeable plies of material. Some of the most popular tissue products on the market today include multiple plies for enhanced softness and thickness. For example, some of the premium tissues currently sold in the United States have three plies, all of which generally are structurally equivalent and equally permeable. That is, in many tissues multiple plies are provided which are essentially the same and are combined together to form a single multi-ply tissue. Typically, tissues in the prior art have plies that are structurally similar. However, some tissue products are known to have existed with heterogeneous (dissimilar) plies. Heterogeneous plies are used to accomplish several objectives in the tissue industry, such as, enhancement of strength without a reduction in softness. In some cases, heterogeneous plies can provide a mechanism to bury or separate potentially harsh or irritating substances into the center of the tissue, thereby preventing irritation to the user at the surface of the tissue. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,847 to Rothe et al. In some cases, a multi-ply structure has been used to provide an absorbent core in the center of the tissue, such as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,908 (Demura et al.).
At least one known disclosure is directed to forming a tissue product or laminate from two dissimilar paper webs. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,017 (Flautt, Jr.). The Flautt patent describes a web of low density, high bulk process paper united with a web of conventional paper. Variations described in the Flautt disclosure include using two paper webs having different creping characteristics to form the laminated sanitary tissue. It is quite possible that such a structure would be useful for an end product such as a paper towel.
Several recent United States patents disclose multi-ply tissues in which a ply includes relatively low density regions dispersed throughout a relatively high density continuous network. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,830,558; 5,906,711; and 5,919,556 each issued on behalf of inventor Steven Lee Barnholtz. The stated goal of such heterogeneous tissues is increased absorbency. Barnholtz discloses a three ply tissue structure in which a center or middle ply comprises a more dense, thinner ply. See for example FIGS. 2A and 2B of each patent. The center ply is thinner than the outer plies, and it is generally more compact and more dense than the outer plies. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,711; column 9, lines 28-36.
One problem with tissues having a thin, dense and compact middle ply is that such tissues tend to lack the superior softness that is desired by consumers. Further, the bulk and resiliency of tissues having a thin and dense middle ply is less than desirable. A thin, dense middle ply does not provide the smooth, bulky, resilient feel that consumers prefer in tissues of this type.
What is needed in the industry is a multi-ply paper product or tissue that is durable and soft having increased resiliency and enhanced substance in hand. Further, a tissue with a thicker middle ply, and a less dense (i.e. more bulky) middle ply is desirable. Furthermore, it is highly desirable to provide a product having multiple plies in which middle plies of the tissue are structurally or chemically enhanced to improve products functional performance, e.g. doesn't tear, shred or fall apart in use. A strong tissue that is also soft would be a substantial improvement over the art. Higher bulk, less dense and thicker middle layers provide advantages to the overall feel of tissues. Further, it would be desirable to find a way to store a substance within a tissue, and then enable release of the substance at a later time.


The image processing device comprises: a photo image input unit which inputs a photographed image including a character; an extraction unit which extracts a facial image which is an image of a facial portion in the photographed image; a template image input unit which inputs a template image having a synthetic area, the synthetic area being a blank area on which the facial image is disposed; a template information input unit which inputs template information prescribing a position for disposing a prescribed component of the facial image on the synthetic area; a decision unit which decides facial configuration information according to an area including the extracted facial image, the facial configuration information being information related to a prescribed component of the facial image; and a synthesizing unit which synthesizes the facial image with the template image by disposing the facial image onto the synthetic area according to the facial configuration information and the template information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and an image processing program, more particularly to an image processing device, an image processing method, and an image processing program which extract a facial portion of an image in which a character is photographed, so that the facial portion is synthesized on a prescribed position of a template.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various techniques are developed in order to easily synthesize a facial image, which is an image of a facial portion of a character image, into a background image or a costume image. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-222649, first, while designating two points as reference for synthesis in a background image or a costume image, two points as reference for synthesizing a facial image are designated so that a hair area in the facial image and an inside area of profile of the facial image are used for synthesis. Next, the two points as the reference for synthesizing the facial image are designated so that a midpoint of line segment connecting the two points is disposed onto a jaw tip while length of the line segment is a breadth of the face, on the horizontal line passing through the jaw tip. Then, a portrait image is generated by mapping the areas used in synthesizing the facial image so that the two points designated on the facial image the two points designated on the background image or the like, overlap one another.
However, in the foregoing Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-222649, in the case in which a so-called "backdrop" type template image is adopted as the background image or costume to insert a facial image of a separately photographed character into the blank portion formed by carving out the facial portion of a human character, it is highly likely that the eyes or mouth of the facial image may stick out from the blank portion with the mapping in which the two points designated with respect to the jaw tip are used as the synthetic reference, as described above.

Image processing device, image processing method and image processing program


A method is provided for stabilizing alkylenebisdithiocarbamates, such as 1,2-ethylenebisdithiocarbamates, (EBDC) by mixing the EBDC with formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasing agents (donor) and a co-polymerization agent which forces the polymerization reaction of formaldehyde and ethylenethioureas toward completion to reduce and stabilize the content of and inhibit the formation of ethylenethiourea (ETU) in the EBDC. Paraformaldehyde as donor is preferably added in an amount of about 0.1 to 2 weight percent based upon the EBDC, together with a co-polymerization agent such as melamine or hydroquinone. The stabilized EBDC product contains aldehyde, co-polymerization agent, mono- and /or dimethylolethylenethioureas and polymerization products thereof, and less than about 0.015 weight percent ETU per se.

Various salts of 1,2-ethylenebisdithiocarbamic acid have been known for many years as agents for combating plant diseases caused by fungi. Among the ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (sometimes referred to as "EBDC") useful as plant fungicides are the manganese, zinc, nickel, cobalt, copper, sodium, potassium and ammonium salts of 1,2-ethylenebisdithiocarbamic acid or co-reacted metal EBDC. Preferred fungicides of this class are manganese EBDC (maneb), zinc EBDC (zineb), and particularly zinc coordination complexes of manganese EBDC (mancozeb).
A problem with the EBDCs is that they tend to degrade over time due to factors including oxidation, heat, humidity, etc., into, among other things, ethylenethiourea (2-imidazolidinethion), commonly known as ETU. Due to this degradation, ETU content increases in concentration during storage of the EBDC. Since ETU has been found to have carcinogenic and teratogenic effects in laboratory animals, and no significant biological activity as a fungicide has been observed, ETU is an unwanted degradation product.
Over the years a number of processes and additives have been developed to reduce the ETU content of EBDCs. It is desirable that the ETU content of EBDC formulations be reduced to less than 0.015 percent by weight, based on the weight of the EBDC in the formulation. Several prior attempts have been made to reduce the content of ETU in EBDC by adding formaldehyde or formaldehyde precursor (formaldehyde donor) to the aqueous reaction mixture, preferably with a water-soluble zinc salt, and also by optionally adding paraformaldehyde or another formaldehyde releasing agent (precursor or generator) to the dried product. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,293 and 4,344,890 of Adams. However, processes of even further reducing ETU content in EBDC are desired.

Enhanced reduction and inhibition of ETU content in alkylenebisdithiocarbamates


A method of gaming comprising: receiving an input indicative that a player accepts deferred payment in respect of at least one award awardable during play of a game; conducting the play to determine whether the at least one award is made; and providing an entitlement to the player to enable the player to obtain the award after a deferment period when the award is made to the player.

In current gaming systems, the focus has been on controlling the return to the player to ensure that the return that is provided meets the regulatory minimum return to player (RTP).
Some venues increase the return to player above the regulatory minimum as a method of competing within the marketplace. As a result they obtain a lower return on turnover. It would be advantageous to provide an increased return to player to players at a lower cost to the venue.

Method of gaming, a game controller and a gaming system

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited


The heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers of this invention comprises thin members made of a monolithic ceramic material for forming the surface portions of swirl chambers communicating with main combustion chambers through communication ports, high rigidity outer wall members made of a monolithic ceramic material for forming the outer peripheral portions, and swirl chamber inner wall members made of a ceramic whisker material and disposed between the thin members and the high rigidity wall members. Therefore, this heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers has high thermal stress assured by the thin members, high mechanical strength secured by the high rigidity wall members and high heat-insulating property attained by the swirl chamber inner wall members. Moreover, since the outer wall members have high rigidity and since the swirl chamber inner wall members can offset the stress of the thin members such as deformation, mechanical stress hardly acts on the thin members, though the terminal stress alone is applied thereto. Accordingly, strength of the thin members can be secured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat-insulating engine with swirl chambers in an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In combustion chambers of internal combustion engines in general, a swirl chamber system incurs a greater loss of cooling water than a direct fuel injection system and its fuel cost performance is lower. However, since mixing of a fuel and air is effected twice, once in swirl chambers and another in main combustion chambers, in the swirl chamber system, the mixing state is better than in the direct fuel injection system. Further, generation quantities of NOx and HC are smaller in the swirl chamber system than in the direct fuel injection system and the amounts of smoke and particulates generated are also smaller. In connection with the formation process of soot, soot is more likely to occur when the fuel concentration is higher in a fuel-air mixture or its temperature is lower and as to the formation process of NOx, it is more likely to occur when the fuel concentration is lower in the fuel-air mixture or its temperature is higher. As to the formation process of HC, it is more likely to occur when the fuel concentration is lower in the fuel-air mixture or temperature is lower.
It can be understood from the explanations given above that in the internal combustion engines, the swirl chamber system is more advantageous than the direct fuel injection system in reducing the occurrence of soot, NOx and HC but the problem is yet left unsolved as to how to decrease the loss of cooling water in the swirl chamber system to a level equal to, or lower than, that in the direct fuel injection system. In other words, in order to accomplish the temperature rise during the rich mixture combustion period in the swirl chambers and to restrict the generation quantities of smoke and particulate intermediate products, particularly preferred for the swirl chambers of a Diesel engine is the structure which does not permit heat to radiate from its outer periphery, and in order to minimize the loss of cooling water and to improve the fuel economy, there remain the problems as to how to constitute the swirl chambers when they are constituted in the heat-insulating structure and how to secure the strength of the swirl chambers themselves.
Conventionally, the swirl chamber structure wherein the swirl chambers of an internal combustion engine are made of a ceramic material is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Nos. 69324/1985, 44070/1980 and 48207/1979 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 46317/1984 and 21508/1972, for example.
First of all, in the swirl chamber structure of the engine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 69324/1985, swirl chamber forming members are made of a ceramic material and a metallic layer is formed on the inner wall surface of the swirl chambers of the swirl chamber forming members.
In the swirl chamber type combustion chambers of the Diesel engine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 44070/1980, liners having the same shape as the inner surfaces of the combustion chambers and injection ports are formed along their inner surfaces, or a refractory material is sprayed to form a heat-insulating layer.
The swirl chamber forming members of the internal combustion engine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 48207/1979 are produced by fitting a metallic ring having a compressive stress to the outer periphery of a ceramic material formed in a predetermined shape.
Furthermore, the combustion chamber components of the internal combustion engine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 46317/1984 uses non-oxide ceramics of silicon type such as silicon nitride ceramics and silicon carbide ceramics as a blank material so that the surface of the non-oxide ceramics is converted to silicon oxide ceramics by high temperature heating and a thin layer of a precious metal catalyst is formed on the surface.
In the combustion chambers of the Diesel engine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 21508/1972, part or the entire portion of the inner wall of the swirl chambers is made of a heat-insulating material and part or the entire portion of its outer periphery is reinforced by metal hoops.
The swirl chamber structure of the internal combustion engine disclosed in each of the prior art references described above cannot provide the sufficient effect in securing heat insulating property of the swirl chambers themselves. Sufficient heat-resistance and strength cannot be secured, either, against the thermal stress of the surface portion exposed to a combustion gas, and moreover, the prior art structure is not sufficient in securing mechanical strength of the swirl chamber structure. Thus, the prior art structures are not yet free from the serious problems.
In other words, in the structures described above where the swirl chambers are constituted by use of the ceramics described above as the heat-insulating material or as the heat-resistant material, it is extremely difficult to secure strength of the wall surface and to obtain sufficient heat-insulating characteristics. In order to obtain sufficient strength, the wall thickness of the ceramics must be increased, and even when the wall thickness of the ceramics is increased, a sufficient heat-insulating effect cannot be obtained.


Techniques for generating a machine learning model to detect event instances from physical sensor data, including applying a first machine learning model to first sensor data from a first physical sensor at a location to detect an event instance, determining that a performance metric for use of the first machine learning model is not within an expected parameter, obtaining second sensor data from a second physical sensor during a period of time at the same location as the first physical sensor, obtaining third sensor data from the first physical sensor during the period of time, generating location-specific training data by selecting portions of the third sensor data based on training event instances detected using the second sensor data, training a second ML model using the location-specific training data, and applying the second ML model instead of the first ML model for detecting event instances.

Machine learning (ML) technologies have offered significant improvements in recognizing the occurrence of events from a wide variety of sources. Through the implementation of ML the capacity of computing devices to identify events has increased substantially. Although more commonly associated with cloud-based implementations, these technologies have found their way into self-contained sensing devices, such as low-power Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In some cases, the devices can include sensors configured to capture data for various types of modalities. The devices may also include ML models intended to assist in the event recognition process.
However, such devices can be placed in environments, or experience changes in their environment, where an ML model effectiveness is reduced. Furthermore, it can be difficult both to identify the occurrence of such situations (particularly in situations where resulting from intermittent changes in the environment) and to obtain a new ML model that is more effective. The development of an improved ML model training process is necessary to establish more reliable ML models in these and other types of situations.

Automated localized machine learning training


An objective of the present invention is to provide a document creation assistance server and document creation assistance method which are capable of efficiently acquiring information necessary to write a specification or other such documents, and of generating a document from the acquired information. According to an embodiment, this document creation assistance server for assisting with the creation of a document comprises: a final product identification part for accepting identification information for identifying a final product generated by synthesizing a plurality of chemical compounds; a chemical equation acquisition part for referring to electronic experiment note data which provides an electronic record of the details of an experiment relating to the synthesis of the chemical compounds, and acquiring a chemical equation for generating the final product associated with the accepted identification information; and a document generation part for generating a document including the acquired chemical equation.

Conventionally, for example in a pharmaceutical company, a chemist synthesizes a compound, i.e., a novel chemical substance, and carries out experiments for determining medicinal effects of the compound on a daily basis. The chemist describes the experiments on a lab notebook. Such a lab notebook once was made of paper; however, an electronic lab notebook is used in recent years (see, for example, Patent Document 1). After the experiments, a compound proven to have medicinal effects is subjected to a patent application in order to obtain the right for the substance. Upon filing of a patent application, documents such as a specification must be drafted. For example, a document creation assistance device that assists with creation of a document for patent application is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (Translation of PCT Application), Publication No. 2008-516351
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2007-149087

Document creation assistance server and document creation assistance method


In a circuit in FIG. 1, pluses are input to a first gate signal line and a second gate signal line in accordance with a timing chart in FIG. 3, so that transistors in the circuit are turned on/off. As a result, a potential difference between a third node and a second node does not depend on the threshold voltage of a fourth transistor and is determined only by a potential of a data line and a potential of a second wiring. Therefore, an intended current can flow in a display element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active matrix display device. In particular, the present invention relates to an active matrix display device including a display element having diode characteristics. The display element having diode characteristics includes, for example, an organic EL (electroluminescence) diode, a light emitting diode, and the like, but is not limited thereto. The display element having diode characteristics refers to the one which exhibits diode characteristics or characteristics close to diode characteristics in the voltage versus current characteristics and thus is changed in the amount of light emission, the transmittance, the reflectance, the color tone, the chroma, and the like to be changed in optical characteristics. Hereinafter, the display element having diode characteristics is also simply referred to as a display element.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a typical example of an electro-optical element having diode characteristics, an organic EL element is given. In addition, an active matrix organic EL display device is known in which organic EL elements are formed in a matrix over a substrate and the organic EL elements are controlled by respective transistors to display an image.
Amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, an oxide semiconductor, or the like is used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor used in an active matrix organic EL display device for the necessity of formation on a large area at a limited temperature range (e.g., see Patent Documents 1 to 3).
In the case of such a transistor including the semiconductor material, variations in the threshold voltage are generally large. In an organic EL display device, the degree of light emission is controlled by the values of currents flowing in the organic EL elements, thereby obtaining a gray scale level. In an active matrix organic EL display device, the values of currents flowing in the organic EL elements are controlled by transistors, and the current value also depends on the threshold voltages of the transistors. Therefore, when the threshold voltage of the transistor is varied, the value of the current flowing in the organic EL element is also varied, so that display lacks uniformity.
In order to suppress a display defect caused by such the variations in the threshold voltage, a technique for correcting the threshold voltage with the use of a plurality of transistors is known (see Patent Documents 2 and 3). Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose examples in which a threshold voltage correcting circuit is formed using only n-channel transistors, only p-channel transistors, or a combination of n-channel transistors and p-channel transistors.

Active matrix display device and driving method thereof

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Systems and methods for determining the present status of at least one occupancy of one or more individuals based on one or more occupancy data sources are described. The techniques include obtaining the at least one occupancy of said one or more individuals from said one or more sources; computing a score of said at least one occupancy by a computer processor based on the currency and the relative trustworthiness of said one or more sources; and determining said present status of said at least one occupancy based on said computed score. The techniques can also include presenting the at least one occupancy in a user readable format.

A compilation of addresses of potential and existing customers is an important asset for any company that uses traditional methods to identify, manage and allocate the multiple types of addresses that are configured for a professional to meet multiple operational needs for customer management, personal and non-personal communications. However, it can be a daunting task to keep a large compilation of addresses up-to-date and accurate.
A person often has multiple addresses of different types or categories. These addresses can enter into private or public records through many channels, for example, state or federal government authorizations, licensing or certification, membership in professional associations, registration of real property or motor vehicles, posting in advertisements, etc. After the addresses become available in these original sources, they can later be transferred to, shared or purchased by myriads of organizational entities including the government, communities, or commercial vendors (these become "secondary sources" for the addresses). The reliability of some of these sources can be questionable, as they are typically not actively monitored. For example, when a person changes his or her address, the change often is likely reflected in only a few of the above sources at the outset (and can percolate through other sources at different times). As a result, many sources, especially the secondary sources, can contain a significant portion of outdated addresses.
A user may want to gather the addresses of the persons of interest from various sources. However, the use of multiple address sources does not guarantee a broader reach to the targeted audience, but instead can create confusion and cause more waste. This is due to not only the varying reliability of the individual sources, but also the conflicts or inconsistencies of the addresses provided by the different sources. For example, an address can be present in one source, but not another; a person can have multiple office addresses reported by different sources, yet no information is available as to which one is more current. Without further analysis or investigation, a user of such addresses will not be able to use them effectively.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that can assess the currency and reliability of addresses obtained from various sources, as well as to reconcile the inconsistencies of a large amount of addresses obtained from different sources. There is also a need for presenting the analyzed addresses to a user in an understandable format to allow the user to more effectively use the addresses.

Systems and methods for address intelligence


A method of refining the grain structure and improving the hardness and strength properties of a metal or metal alloy workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece is subjected to forces that corrugate and then straighten the workpiece. These steps are repeated until an ultrafine-grained product having improved hardness and strength is produced.

The development of materials that are sufficiently strong and large enough for structural applications is an important and challenging problem. Traditionally, metals are preferred for these applications because of their combined strength and ductility. Metals can be made stronger using various methods that refine the grain size of the material from a coarse grain size to an ultrafine grain (UFG) size of a few microns or less.
Although most high-strain deformation processing techniques, such as extrusion, rolling, and drawing, provide materials with refined grain sizes and improved strength, they do not preserve the dimensions of the original workpiece. One or more dimensions of the workpiece are continuously reduced, which not only limits the obtainable strain, but also eventually transforms the workpiece to a product having a final geometry of a plate, foil, or wire, which limits its structural applications.
A recently developed technique known as Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE) has been used to provide an ultrafine-grained metal, alloy, plastic, or ceramic product from a coarser grained workpiece without significantly changing the dimensions of the workpiece. Briefly, the ECAE method involves pressing a metal workpiece through a die having two channels that are equal in cross-section and that intersect at an angle .PHI.. During the pressing, the workpiece undergoes severe shear deformation that refines the grain size and improves strength. Thus, the advantage of the ECAE method is the combination of improving the strength of a workpiece by grain refinement while maintaining its dimensions. The ECAE method may also be combined with cold working procedures such as cold rolling to produce refined, elongated grains.
Current limitations of ECAE hinder its cost-effective implementation for high volume production of metal products. Importantly, the length of a workpiece for processing by ECAE is limited by the stroke distance of the ECAE die press used for processing, and the length/diameter ratio is limited because a large length/diameter ratio makes the extrusion unstable. Furthermore, the ECAE method is currently a discontinuous, slow, and labor intensive, which makes the resulting UFG products expensive.
Clearly, a method for refining the grain size of a workpiece without significantly changing its dimensions is highly desirable. Therefore, an object of the present invention is a method for refining the grain size of a workpiece without significantly changing its dimensions.
Another object of the present invention is a method of improving the hardness and strength properties of a workpiece without significantly changing its dimensions.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Method for producing ultrafine-grained materials using repetitive corrugation and straightening

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


An air quality system for controlling air quality in a cabin of a vehicle is provided. The air quality system utilizes three air quality sensors for detecting three air quality parameters. A controller is responsive to the air quality sensors. The controller is programmed to determine a current value of the air quality parameters from the air quality sensors and to determine whether the current value of any of the air quality parameters exceeds a predetermined limit. The predetermined limits for the air quality parameters are based on levels indicative of poor air quality for the cabin. The controller is operable between purging and non-purging modes to purge the air from the cabin in the purging mode when the current value of any of the measured air quality parameters exceeds the respective predetermined limit.

The present invention relates to an air quality system for use in a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to the air quality system being used to control the air quality within a cabin of the vehicle.
Conventional air quality systems for vehicles are typically utilized to control air quality within a cabin of the vehicle by controlling a source of the air flowing into the cabin. Such a system typically comprises an outside air quality sensor for detecting an air quality parameter such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and the like. A controller is responsive to the outside air quality sensor to determine a current value of the air quality parameter that is detected.
The controller then makes a determination as to whether the air quality within the cabin is better or worse than the air quality outside of the cabin. Once the determination is made, the controller controls airflow into the cabin by controlling the source of the air. For instance, if the air quality within the cabin is better that the air quality outside of the cabin, then the air source will be the cabin, i.e. recirculated air. If the air quality outside of the cabin is better than the air quality inside the cabin; then the air source will be fresh air from the outside of the cabin.
In typical prior art systems, an air inlet valve is responsive to the controller and movable between recirculate air and fresh air positions such that fresh air from outside of the cabin moves through the air inlet valve into the cabin in the fresh air position and air from within the cabin is recirculated in the cabin in the recirculate position. Hence, once the determination of whether the air quality within the cabin is better or worse than the air quality outside of the cabin, the controller actuates the air inlet valve to move to either the recirculate air or fresh air positions.
One example of a prior art air quality system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,813 to Abthoff et al., granted on Nov. 9, 1993. The air quality system of Abthoff et al. is utilized to control the air quality within a cabin of a vehicle. The system comprises an outside air quality sensor for detecting an air quality parameter outside of the cabin of the vehicle. A controller is responsive to the outside air quality sensor to determine a current value of the air quality parameter that is detected. The controller then calculates the air quality within the cabin based on pollutant concentrations in the air outside of the cabin. Such a calculation takes into account time-varying concentrations of the pollutant in the air outside of the cabin and the pollutants measured. It should be noted that an air quality sensor is not used to determine the air quality within the cabin.
Still referring to Abthoff et al., once the air quality within the cabin is calculated, i.e., a concentration of the air quality parameter within the cabin is established, the controller makes a determination as to whether the air quality within the cabin is better or worse than the air quality outside of the cabin. The controller then controls airflow in the cabin by controlling the source of the air. For instance, if the air quality within the cabin is better that the air quality outside of the cabin, then the air source will be the cabin, i.e. recirculated air. If the air quality outside of the cabin is better than the air quality inside the cabin, then the air source will be fresh air from the outside of the cabin.
In Abthoff et al., an air inlet valve that is responsive to the controller is employed to move between recirculate air and fresh air positions such that fresh air from outside of the cabin moves through the air inlet valve into the cabin in the fresh air position and air from within the cabin is recirculated in the cabin in the recirculate position. Hence, once the determination of whether the air quality within the cabin is better or worse than the air quality outside of the cabin, the controller actuates the air inlet valve to move to either the recirculate air or fresh air positions.
Abthoff et al. further teaches the use of ventilation openings in a rear of the vehicle to create airflow through the cabin while the vehicle is moving. This airflow is to remove the air within the cabin. The ventilation openings are stand-alone features that are not integrated into the air quality system of Abthoff et al. Such conventional ventilation openings allow for slow rates of airflow through the cabin. Hence, when the air inlet valve is in the fresh air position to draw in fresh air from outside of the cabin, the rate for replacing the air within the cabin of the vehicle with the fresh air is slow. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a faster airflow rate through the cabin to quickly purge the air from the cabin and replace the air with fresh air from outside of the cabin.
The present invention provides an air quality system for controlling air quality within a cabin of a vehicle. The air quality system comprises an air quality sensor to detect an air quality parameter. A controller is responsive to the air quality sensor to determine a current value of the air quality parameter and determine whether the current value exceeds a predetermined limit. The predetermined limit represents poor air quality within the cabin. The controller is operable between purging and non-purging modes to purge the air from the cabin in the purging mode when the current value of the measured parameter exceeds the predetermined limit. An air inlet valve is responsive to the controller and movable between recirculate air and fresh air positions such that fresh air from outside of the cabin moves through the air inlet valve into the cabin in the fresh air position. The air,inlet valve moves to the fresh air position when the controller is in the purging mode to improve the air quality within the cabin of the vehicle. A cabin relief valve is responsive to the controller and movable between purge and recirculate positions such that the air within the cabin is discharged from the cabin to the outside of the cabin in the purge position. The cabin relief valve moves to the purge position when the controller is in the purging mode to improve the air quality within the cabin of the vehicle.
A method of controlling the air quality within the cabin of the vehicle is also provided. To start the method requires establishing the predetermined limit for the air quality parameter. A current value of the air quality parameter is then determined and compared to the predetermined limit for the air quality parameter. When the determined current value of the air quality parameter exceeds the predetermined limit for the air quality parameter, the air within the cabin of the vehicle is replaced with fresh air from outside the cabin of the vehicle thereby improving the air quality within the cabin of the vehicle.
The present invention provides several advantages over the prior art. The connectivity between the controller and the cabin relief valve allows the air quality system to quickly and efficiently replace the air in the cabin of the vehicle with fresh air from outside of the cabin of the vehicle. The ability of the controller to both move the air inlet valve to the fresh air position and the cabin relief valve to the purge position provides rapid replacement of the air within the cabin when the air within the cabin is of poor air quality.


Method of reducing performance variability of membrane scaling devices. Scaling device performance uncertainty is reduced, thereby reducing the scaling safety factor, by specifying a narrow range or subset of the set of all qualified manufactured membranes for installation into scaling devices. In certain embodiments, the scalability factor is reduced by determining where within the performance distribution a particular membrane lies, and adjusting the scaling factor accordingly.

Manufacturers of filtration devices often offer small scale sizing tools for initial evaluation of process streams and for estimating membrane area requirements for the full scale process. Ideally, small scale devices should contain a minimum of membrane area or filtration media to save test fluid while also scaling linearly with their corresponding large scale devices. However, variability in the performance of small scale devices adds uncertainty to the scale-up requirements, resulting in potentially excessive sizing to guard against the possibility that the tested small scale device(s) represented the low end of the performance distribution.
In the case of microfiltration membrane filters, for example, there are many factors that influence membrane performance, including the pore size distribution, the membrane chemistry, membrane thickness, membrane porosity, and others. While membrane manufacturing processes are designed to control all of these factors to maximize uniformity and consistency, there inevitably will be some distribution within normal manufacturing conditions for all of these variables. This membrane variability limits device-to-device performance consistency and therefore limits the precision to which large scale performance can be predicted from small scale performance.
The performance of either large scale samples or small scale filtration devices is often used to estimate the sizing requirements of large scale devices. The use of small scale devices for sizing provides an obvious economic advantage. For example, in sterile filtration of biological fluids, 47 mm or 25 mm membrane discs offer a convenient format for evaluating performance against the discs to large scale membrane devices (e.g., cartridges containing tens to thousands of times more area). For accurate scale-up, the membrane in the small scale device must be representative of the membrane in the large scale devices. However, as in any manufacturing process, there is a finite tolerance in acceptable performance from one lot of membranes to another. The membrane in a scaling device could originate from anywhere within the acceptable performance range. Accordingly, when estimating the required sizing of full scale devices, the variability in membrane performance must be accounted for, necessitating the use of liberal safety factors in scaling estimates.
This can be illustrated by considering a hypothetical distribution of membrane performances as shown in FIG. 1. In this example, average performance (either permeability or throughput capacity) of all membrane lots is normalized to one and the acceptable range of performance is defined as ±30% of the mean. One commonly employed approach is to use a small scale device containing membrane randomly selected from the population, which could perform at anywhere from 0.7 to 1.3. Similarly, a large scale device could perform at anywhere within the same 0.7 to 1.3 range. When scaling from a small scale to a large scale device, the possibility that the small scale device contains high end (1.3) membrane while the large scale device could contain low end (0.7) membrane must be accounted for. That is, a scaling safety factor of 1.3/0.7=1.86 must be applied to ensure that the large scale device requirements are not undersized (see FIG. 2). In this situation, the worst case performance of the full system will be accurately estimated. However, it is also possible that the small scale device could contain membrane at the low end of the distribution (0.7) while the large scale device contains high end (1.3) membrane. Applying the same safety factor would result in a full system performance of (1/3/0.7)/(0.7/1.3), or 3.45. The result would be a filtration system that is oversized by a factor of 3.45. This value is defined as the scaling factor uncertainty ratio (Usf) according to the following formula (1):Usf=(Fh/Sl)/(Fl/Sh)=(Fh/Fl)*(Sh/Sl)  (1)where Fh is the full scale high end potential performance, Fl is the full scale low end potential performance, Sh is the scaling device high end potential performance, and Sl is the scaling device low end potential performance.
It therefore would be desirable to reduce the range of scaling device performance in order to lower large scale device requirements and save costs.


Various embodiments of a method, system and computer program product for optimization of a multidimensional model in a model based performance advisor are disclosed. The multidimensional model comprises groups. Each group has one or more levels. One or more recommended slices associated with the groups are determined based on a focus region.

1 Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to online analytical processing (OLAP) systems and more particularly to model based optimization with focus regions in an OLAP system.
2 Description of the Related Art
Online analytical processing (OLAP) systems are typically used to access and analyze business data. Business data typically comprises sales, product and financial data over various time periods. Using an OLAP system, an analyst can explore business results interactively. A dimension is a collection of related attributes of the data values of the OLAP system, for example, product, market, time, channel, scenario and customer. OLAP systems are typically multidimensional. To understand their businesses, business analysts frequently work with data which is aggregated across various business dimensions. This provides analysts with the ability to explore business information in context, for example, sales by product by customer by time, or defects by manufacturing plant by time.
In an OLAP system, dimensional models allow business analysts to interactively explore information across multiple viewpoints at multiple levels of aggregation, also referred to as levels. A dimension typically comprises many levels, and the levels are typically hierarchical. The business data is typically aggregated across various dimensions at various levels to provide different views of the data at different levels of aggregation. The data may be aggregated over various periods of time, by geography, by teams and by product, depending on the type and organization of the business. Aggregated data is commonly referred to as an aggregation. For example, an aggregation may comprise the sales data for the month of July for a specified product.
Business analysts issue queries to retrieve business data and may request aggregations at various levels. If the aggregations are not available, then the aggregations will be computed. Computing aggregations can take a large amount of time and query processing may be slow.
Various OLAP systems store pre-computed aggregations to improve the performance of query processing. However, OLAP systems typically have a limited amount of storage space and cannot store all possible aggregations.
Some OLAP systems employ performance advisors to make recommendations as to what aggregations to pre-compute for improving the performance of queries. Model based performance advisors make the recommendations based on meta-data that describes the system. Workload-based performance advisors make recommendations based on query workloads that are provided.
One advantage of a model based performance advisor is the ability to make recommendations at the time the model is defined rather than waiting for a history of queries to develop. In addition, optimization can be performed for the complete model rather than incrementally changing the recommendations as query workload histories are developed. If the model is extended, that is, if the model is changed, a model based performance advisor can immediately make appropriate recommendations to reflect the changes.
Workload-based performance advisors typically require that users provide query workloads that represent the overall system usage. In practice, this can be difficult. Even if the query workload is generated by capturing the actual queries being executed, there is a risk that a new pattern of queries will develop. The new pattern of queries may result from a change to the meta-data model or from a change in usage because the needs of the business changed. For a workload-based performance advisor, the user typically waits for a new query history to develop before appropriate recommendations can be made to reflect the changes. One advantage of workload-based performance advisors is that the workload-based performance advisors will only optimize the portion of the model that is actually being used.
One disadvantage to the model based performance advisor is that it may not be practical to optimize for the entire model. For large, complex models, it can be prohibitively expensive to optimize the entire model.
Therefore, there is a need for a technique to provide an improved model based performance advisor. This technique should allow the model based performance advisor to optimize portions of the model.

Model based optimization with focus regions

International Business Machines Corporation


A communication system, includes: a node that requests a processing rule for processing a packet; and a control apparatus that notifies the node of the processing rule in response to the request. The control apparatus, upon being notified of change of a connection relationship between a communication apparatus to which a packet is addressed and the node, determines a forwarding path for a packet addressed to the communication apparatus and notifies the node of a processing rule for realizing the forwarding path.

PTL (Patent Literature) 1, and NPL (Non-Patent Literature) 1, and NPL 2 disclose central-management-type path control methods using an OpenFlow technique. The OpenFlow technique disclosed in PTL 1 recognizes communications as end-to-end flows, performs path control on a per-flow basis, and executes load balancing and path optimization.
In PTL 1, NPL 1, and NPL 2, a switch serving as a forwarding node includes a secure channel communicating with a controller (control apparatus) that calculates packet paths. The switch operates in accordance with a flow table set by the controller. In the flow table, a combination of a matching rule which is matched against packet header information and an action describing a processing content applied to packets matching the matching rule is defined. For example, the action is a process of forwarding a packet to a certain interface.
When a switch disclosed in PTL 1, NPL 1, and NPL 2 receives a packet, the switch searches the flow table for an entry having a matching rule that matches header information of the received packet. As a result of the search, if the switch finds an entry matching the received packet, the switch executes a processing content described in the action field of the entry (for example, the switch forwards the received packet to a certain interface).
If the switch does not find an entry matching the packet as a result of the search, the switch requests the controller to set an entry for the received packet. In response to the request, the controller calculates a path for the received packet and notifies switches relating to the path of an entry realizing forwarding that uses the path. Notified of the entry, the switches update the flow tables and execute the processing contents described in the entries in the updated flow tables. Namely, the switches forward the respective received packets.

Communication system, control apparatus, communication apparatus, communication control method, and program


A fan controller reduces the percentage of time that fans used in a heat exchanger of an outdoor cabinet that houses electronics and power source must operate to provide required cooling to the electronics and power source. The fan controller can also reverse operation of a fan of the heat controller to help reduce clogging of air intakes as well as to clean the interior of the cabinet. In an embodiment, the controller operates the fans in the heat exchanger according to operating temperature ranges. Thermostats can be used to provide the operating temperature ranges. Depending on the state of the thermostats and the ambient temperature, the fan controller causes one fan to operate in the reverse direction while the other fan is idle, causes one fan to operate in the forward direction while the other fan is idle, or causes both fans to operate in the forward direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooling systems for battery and electronic component enclosures. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fan controller for a fan-based heat exchanger for use in outdoor cabinets that house electronic components such as telephone digital loop carrier equipment and data and video transport equipment.
2. Background of the Invention
Telephone companies typically deploy outdoor cabinets to house electronic telephone equipment such as ADSL multiplexors. The cabinets typically have two chambers. One chamber houses the electronics. The second chamber houses a power source such as a battery. An exemplary cabinet is the Lucent 52B cabinet.
The outdoor cabinets typically include a fan-based heat exchanger to provide cooling to the electronics and battery as well as to remove gases that may build up due to the operation of the battery. Typically, the heat exchanger is driven by fans located in the door or heat exchanger of the cabinet. The fans create airflow that draws air up through the door or heat exchanger of the cabinet to the outside. This airflow extracts heat from the internal chambers of the cabinet.
Operation of the fans is controlled by a fan controller. In a conventional heat exchanger, the fan controller causes the fans to be either entirely "on" or entirely "off." FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior art fan controller 100. Fan controller 100 controls a fan 102a and a fan 102b. A power source 104 provides power to operate fans 102a and 102b when a thermostat 106 is closed. Conventionally, thermostat 106 is set to operate at, for example, approximately 13 degrees Celsius. That is, when the ambient temperature within the cabinet or within the battery compartment is greater or equal to 13 degrees Celsius, thermostat 106 closes. Closure of thermostat 106 supplies power to fans 102a and 102b to operate them. Once operating, the fans usually do not shut off until the ambient temperature falls below, for example, approximately 10 degrees Celsius. Consequently, in summer months, the fans are likely to be on all the time. Even in other months, the fans are likely to be on almost 90 percent of the time.
One problem with conventional heat exchangers is that the two fans generally operate at least 90 percent of the time, even when maximum cooling is not required. This long, almost continuous, operation of the fans significantly reduces the expected lifetime of the fans. With large numbers of deployed cabinets, the requirement to send service personnel to replace failed fans is very expensive. The costs are not limited to the cost of the fans themselves, but also include the cost of the service personnel and fleets of vehicles to transport the service personnel.
Another problem associated with conventional cabinets is that air intakes (where the air is sucked in from the outside) are typically only about 4 inches off the ground. This poses no problem in the relatively clean environment of a manufacturer's testing lab. In the outdoor environment in which the cabinets are typically deployed, however, the low placement of the intakes tends to allow the fans to suck in material or debris such as grass clippings, seeds, dirt and dust into the interior of the cabinet. Because the fans operate for such long periods, a lot of material and debris can be sucked up through the intakes. This material and debris reduces the efficiency of the heat exchanger. The reduction in efficiency of the heat exchanger adversely affects the operation of the electronics and the battery as well as significantly reduces their operational lifetimes.
Another problem is due to a fine mesh screen that covers the air intakes. The mesh screen prevents rodents and insects from getting into to the cabinet. However, over a period of time, the screens often become clogged. The clogging obstructs airflow through the cabinet. This creates a vacuum effect in the interior chambers of the cabinet. As a result, when it rains, water can be sucked up into the cabinet through any crack or crevices in the exterior shell of the cabinet. The suction of the fans prevents the water from leaking out. The trapped water can have a corrosive effect on the electronics and battery inside the cabinet. This lowers the life expectancy of the battery and reduces the reliability of the electronics.
One method that has been tried to solve the foregoing problems was to reverse the direction of the fans, so that the fans blow air out of the cabinet. This solution had the intended effect of reducing clogging of the intake meshing. However, this solution also had the unintended effect of increasing the internal temperature of the cabinet to a point above a safe operating temperature for the battery or electronics. Consequently, this technique could not be used in most cases.

System and method for controlling heat exchanger fans


The present invention provides an electronic program guide system comprising: receiving means for receiving at least one electronic program guide corresponding to a broadcast program; selecting means for selecting a desired program from said electronic program guide; notification means for creating a notification for the program selected from said electronic program guide; communication means for access to a communications network; transmission means for transmitting a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system using said communications network; and reception means for receiving a notification from a remote electronic program guide system.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electronic program guide system and a method therefor. More particularly it relates to an electronic program guide system and a method for notification of programs to a friend or other persons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many magazines, newspapers, and other publications have built their readership around the growing market of television (TV) viewers, who desire TV program information. Many cable TV networks have even designated a TV channel for providing the date, time and channel, at which TV programs will be presented.
An expedient presentation of TV program information is obtained by an electronic program guide (EPG). In an EPG it is possible to browse, in a simple manner, a multitude of programs provided from a multitude of TV channels.
An electronic program guide is an application provided in an apparatus such as an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) a set-top box (STB), or television receiver, designed to aid a viewer in the navigation of and selection from broadcast services in a digital television system. By means of the EPG it is possible to control the functionality of the apparatus, such as tuning to, or scheduling a recording of a specific service. It is also possible to register reminders and planned recordings as well as to filter the large amount of information available through the EPG. It is even possible to create a "virtual" channel comprising programs from different channels, as is described in the international publication WO 0040028.
A program recording system allowing a user of an interactive viewing system, such as EPG, to record a selected program or to set a reminder for a selected program is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,763.
A drawback with a reminder/recording system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,763 or WO 0040028 is that if a user would like to inform a friend or other persons of an interesting program, the user needs to remember or note down characteristic reminding/recording details for that program and give those details to the friend, who also has to remember or note down characteristic reminding/recording details.