Medical systems and methods including balloons having nanotubes are disclosed. In some embodiments, a medical system includes an elongated shaft, and an expandable balloon carried by the shaft and including nanotubes. The medical system is capable of cooling the balloon to less than about 37° C. In some embodiments, a method includes providing a medical device having an elongated shaft, and an expandable balloon carried by the elongated shaft and including nanotubes; and cooling the balloon to less than about 37° C.

The body includes various passageways such as arteries, other blood vessels, and other body lumens. These passageways, such as a coronary artery, sometimes become constricted or blocked, for example, by plaque or by a tumor. When this occurs, the constricted passageway can be widened in an angioplasty procedure using a balloon catheter, which includes a medical balloon carried by a catheter shaft.
In an angioplasty procedure, the balloon catheter can be used to treat a stenosis, or a narrowing of the body vessel, by collapsing the balloon and delivering it to a region of the vessel that has been narrowed to such a degree that fluid (e.g., blood) flow is restricted. The balloon can be delivered to a target site by passing the catheter shaft over an emplaced guidewire and advancing the catheter to the site. In some cases, the path to the site can be rather tortuous and/or narrow. Upon reaching the site, the balloon is then expanded, e.g., by injecting a fluid into the interior of the balloon. Expanding the balloon can expand the stenosis radially so that the vessel can permit an acceptable rate of fluid flow. After use, the balloon is collapsed, and the catheter is withdrawn.
In some cases, re-stenosis, which is the re-narrowing of the vessel, can occur after an angioplasty procedure. To reduce the occurrence of re-stenosis, the treatment site can be treated with, for example, prolonged balloon inflation, a heated balloon, a cooled balloon, radiation, drugs, and/or a stent.


An impact screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects in a material flowing in a direction is provided, comprising a metal plate having a perimeter and comprising a plurality of openings therethrough and forming a grid having longitudinal ligaments substantially parallel to the direction of the material flow and transverse ligaments substantially perpendicular to the direction of the material flow; and a number of longitudinal wear bars positioned on an equal number of longitudinal ligaments to cover a substantial portion of the number of longitudinal ligaments without substantially interfering with the openings.

Vibrating and/or stationary screens are used in coal dressing, metallurgy, mine, power station, and the like. They are primarily used for the classification of bulk materials such as coal, minerals, coke, etc. Vibrating and/or stationary screens are also used in the oil sand industry, in particular, in oil sand slurry preparation plants.
Oil sand, such as is mined in the Fort McMurray region of Alberta, generally comprises water-wet sand grains held together by a matrix of viscous bitumen. It lends itself to liberation of the sand grains from the bitumen by mixing or slurrying the oil sand in water, allowing the bitumen to move to the aqueous phase.
As-mined or pre-crushed oil sand is generally mixed with warm or hot water to yield an oil sand slurry. The slurry is then conditioned in a hydrotransport pipeline and subsequently introduced into a large, open-topped, conical-bottomed, cylindrical vessel commonly termed a primary separation vessel (PSV) where the more buoyant aerated bitumen rises to the surface and forms a bitumen froth layer.
It may be desirable to remove the larger aggregates present in oil sand slurry prior to pipelining in order to avoid blockage or damage of downstream equipment, e.g., pump component wear. Thus, vibrating screens may be used at various points during slurry preparation to reject larger lumps of oil sand, rocks and other aggregates, which are large enough to block or damage downstream equipment, prior to pipeline conditioning. Screens may also be used to further screen oil sand tailings slurry prior to treating/disposing same.
However, oil sand slurry is extremely heavy and abrasive due to the large amount of sand, gravel and crushed rock contained therein. Further, primary vibrating screens are generally vibrating with an acceleration of approximately 4-5 g, so that all oil sand slurried material passes over and through the screen cloths of the vibrating screen. This results in the rapid spalling and eventual wearing through of the screen cloths of the vibrating screen ("hole-throughs"), which can lead to production interruption and an unplanned maintenance event.
Thus, it is desirable to have an improved screen cloth that can withstand the abrasiveness of oil sand slurry.

Screen cloth for vibrating or stationary screens


A transformer assembly includes a vertical bobbin and a shrouding element. The vertical bobbin includes a first winding portion, a second winding portion, and a flange. The flange is disposed between the first winding portion and the second winding portion. The flange includes a flange edge. The shrouding element, which substantially covers the first winding portion or the second winding portion, includes a shrouding edge that is operatively coupled to the flange edge. The flange edge and the shrouding edge have at least one complementary corrugation. In one example, the flange edge includes at least one groove and the shrouding edge includes at least one protrusion that is complementary to the groove. In another example, the shrouding edge includes at least one groove and the flange edge includes at least one protrusion that is complementary to the groove.

Switched mode power converters are typically constructed by mounting electronic components onto a printed circuit board (PCB). One electrical component typically included in a switched mode power converter is a transformer, which is one example of an energy transfer element. During operation the transformer allows the transfer of energy between an input side (referred to as a primary side) of the power converter and an output side (referred to as the secondary side) of the power converter. The input and output sides of the transformer are typically galvanically isolated from each other. Galvanic isolation occurs when dc current is unable to flow between the input side and output side of the power converter.
Transformers typically include coils of wire wound around a structure called a bobbin. The bobbin provides support for the coils of wire and also provides an area for a core of magnetically active material (such as ferrite or steel) to be inserted so that the coils of wire can encircle the core. The coils of wire make up the primary and secondary windings of the transformer. The core provides a path for a magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the coils of wire. The area around the bobbin where coils of wire can be wound is often referred to as the bobbin window.
Safety regulations require a minimum amount of creepage distance and clearance distance between the coils of wire of the primary, coils of wire of the secondary, and the core. Creepage distance is the length of the shortest path between two conductive parts along the surface of the structure separating them. Clearance distance is the shortest distance through the air between two conductive parts. To meet creepage and clearance distances, a designer may have to sacrifice usage of the bobbin window. In other words, some applications are unable to utilize the entire bobbin window while meeting creepage and clearance distances. For applications that utilize the entire bobbin window, the design of the bobbin (and the overall transformer) can be bulky, which is undesirable. Design of a bobbin is typically a compromise between copper loss, core loss, size and the safety considerations of creepage distance, clearance distance, and insulation requirements.


Virtual local area network (VLAN) identifications (VIDs) used in a local area network (LAN) are identified. The LAN is connected to a connection-oriented wide area network (WAN). Each VLAN supports multiple priorities. For each VID, each of the priorities is mapped to a service type available in the WAN. Virtual connections (VCs) are set up based using a combination of the VID and the mapping of the priorities to the service types.

A VLAN is a local area network that maps workstations or nodes on a basis other than geographic location (for example, by department, type of user, or primary application). VLANs are used to regulate the access of information among nodes that reside in different multiple networks. Although these networks are physically connected, logically they are separate.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of prior art VLANs. In this example, there are three Ethernet LAN segments 101, 102 and 103 connected with each other through network 100 using switches 106, 107 and 108 respectively. Each of the switches 106, 107, 108 performs the transfer of frames from one Ethernet segment to another Ethernet segment. The Ethernet segment 101 includes nodes 105 and 110. The Ethernet segment 102 includes nodes 115 and 120. The Ethernet segment 103 includes nodes 125 and 130. Each of the nodes in the Ethernet segments 101, 102, 103 may be a workstation such as a personal computer.
VLAN traffic is generated by multiple different applications. Some of these applications are mission critical applications and demand higher priority of service than other applications. VLANs can be implemented in an Ethernet network by inserting a VLAN tag into an Ethernet frame. Originally, an Ethernet frame is defined to have a minimum frame size of 64 bytes and a maximum frame size of 1518 bytes. The maximum allowable frame size is extended by four (4) bytes to 1522 bytes to allow insertion of the VLAN tag. Of these four (4) bytes, the last two bytes or 16 bits are used as follows: the first three (3) bits are used as a priority field to assign a priority level to the Ethernet frame, the next one (1) bit is used to indicate the presence of a routing information field (RIF), the last 12 bits are used as a VLAN identifier (VID) field that uniquely identifies the VLANs to which the Ethernet frame belongs. Each VLAN gets a unique network number or identifier (using the VID field).
Referring to FIG. 1, the nodes 105 and 115 (nodes A and C) may be configured to be in a first VLAN. Similarly, the nodes 110, 120, 125 and 130 (or nodes B, D, E, and F) may be configured to be in a second VLAN. A node can belong to more than one VLAN. For example, the node 115 (or node C) may be configured to be in both the first VLAN and the second VLAN. As illustrated, the nodes in the first VLAN and in the second VLAN may be connected to different Ethernet segments. Thus, a port on the switch 106 may receive frames from the first VLAN or from the second VLAN. The switch delivers the frames based on the VID in the VLAN tag of each packet. When the node 110 (or node B) sends a broadcast message, frames associated with the broadcast message are sent only to those nodes belonging to the second VLAN (i.e., nodes D, E and F), even though the frames may cross the switches 106, 107, and 108. Each switch reads the incoming frames and, according to how the addressing (e.g., port assignment) of the network is defined, identifies each VLAN.
The network 100 may be a connection-oriented network such as, for example, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network and Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. In a connection-oriented network, there may be different type of services (e.g., bandwidth, jitter, delay, etc.) to handle different types of traffic (e.g., voice, video, data, etc.). The type of service is established at the time that the connection is made. For example, in the ATM network, the ATM Forum has defined four quality-of-service types of service that are architected to handle the different types of traffic. These types of service include Constant Bit Rate (CBR), Variable Bit Rate (VBR), Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR), Guaranteed Frame Rate (GFR), and Available Bit Rate (ABR).
CBR is a reserved bandwidth service. A contract is established between the network and the end station. The end station provides the network with parameters describing the traffic for that specific connection at call setup time. The network, in turn, allocates resources that match the parameters. VBR is also a reserved bandwidth service. The network allocates resources to the end station at call setup time in response to the traffic parameters requested by the end station. In the case of VBR, however, in addition to a peak rate, a sustainable rate and a maximum burst size are established. The sustainable rate is the upper limit of the average rate, and the maximum burst rate limits the duration of cell transmission at peak rate. GFR provides a rate guarantee for application traffic across networks. UBR is a non-reserved bandwidth service. The cell loss is unspecified, which means that the network is not required to provide resources for a proposed UBR connection. ABR is a mix of reserved and non-reserved bandwidth service. Periodically, a connection polls the network and, based upon the feedback it receives, adjusts its transmission rate.
As described above, the three bits priority field in the VLAN tag is used as a priority field to assign a priority level to the Ethernet frame. When, however, these Ethernet frames are sent across a connection-oriented network such as the ATM network 100, one connection is used. The quality of service of this connection may be CBR, VBR, GFR, UBR, or ABR. Using the above example, all Ethernet frames transmitted by the node 110 to the node 125 are transferred from the switch 106 to the switch 108 using the same connection having the same ATM quality of service. A connection is identified by its VPI/VCI. VPI is a virtual path identifier that identifies a path that an ATM cell will take. VCI is a virtual channel identifier that identifies a channel within the path that the ATM cell will take to reach its destination.
Because the same connection is used, the priority values in the VLAN tags of the Ethernet frames are not considered. As such, Ethernet frames having higher priority are treated the same by the ATM network 100 as Ethernet frames having lower priority.

End-to-end preservation of VLAN priority in connection-oriented networks


The present invention provides methods and apparatus for filtering a broadcast data stream that can support data flow, e.g. IPv6 packets. The present invention utilizes common filtering for packet segments that are common among IPv6 packets. Segments that are not common are separately filtered. A set of rules is applied to the filtered segments in order to determine whether corresponding packets should be subsequently processed. The present invention is applicable to numerous application including MPEG multicast services.

The present invention relates to data filtering. In particular, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for filtering data packets of data for multiple data connections.
With the evolution of communication services, digital services are requiring greater transmission bandwidth. Moreover, more subscribers are subscribing to these services, thus exacerbating the bandwidth demands to an even greater degree. Consequently, services that are common to a group of users and are unidirectional in nature can be broadcasted to the group of users. This approach is commonly referred as multicast services. One example of such a service is digital video broadcast (DVB) in which video signals (such as television) are broadcasted over different transport media, including terrestrial facilities (DVB-T), satellite facilities (DVB-S), and cable facilities (DVB-C). A plurality of services are typically transmitted over a common data stream.
Digital data is typically transported from one location to another in packets having well-defined segments. FIG. 1, for example, illustrates a MultiProtocol Encapsulation (MPE) packet 100 using a DSM-CC section format (also referred as a DSM-CC Private section) that may be used to transport audio, video or other data. Packet 100 includes several distinct segments that are defined by a protocol. For example, the MAC address is formed from different segments of packet 100.
Components that are configured to filter packets read information found in the different segments within the packet. For example, a digital video broadcast (DVB) receiver may read the information found in table id segment section 102, MAC address 1 segment 104, MAC address 2 segment 106 and MAC address 5 segment 108. Conventional hardware based filters are configured to read contiguous segments of data. When the desired data is found in clusters and is not contiguous, resources are wasted when excessively large filters are utilized to filter the clusters of data.
Cluster is a generic term and may include a contiguous segment or a set of contiguous data within a packet or a segment of a packet. With respect to packet 100, table id 102 and MAC address segment 5108 are found in non-contiguous segments or clusters. When a single filter is utilized to filter bits 0-40, the desired clusters are filtered along with several bits of unneeded data. As a result, the size of the filter is unnecessarily large. Supporting a plurality of data connections exacerbates the size of the filter configuration.
In order to provide DVB services, the associated MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Expert Group) transport stream (TS) that is received over the DVB RF channel contains a data signal having a large bandwidth, thus requiring substantial processing whether by associated hardware or by software being executed by a processor. The MPEG-2 stream broadcasts different services to different groups of users by multiplexing streams of different programs. In the art, the broadcasting arrangement is commonly referred as multicasting. There are many fields (segments) in the MPEG-2, MPE (Multiprotocol Encapsulation) and IP protocol headers that must be processed by the receiver""s protocol filter. FIG. 2 shows processing a DVB transport stream according to prior art. A MPEG transport stream 225 carries DVB services and comprises a plurality of packets of different packet types as differentiated by a packet identifier (PID). A PID filter 201 compares each packet with a preselected PID and passes only packets containing the preselected PID in a transport stream 227. Consequently, a processor 205 processes all packets having the preselected PID. If processor 205 processes the data stream with software, the associated processor clock must be sufficiently high. However, increasing the clock speed increases the power consumption of the processor that executes the software. Especially with mobile terminals, power consumption is an important engineering consideration in view of the size of the terminal""s battery. Processing the data stream with hardware also has engineering issues. Processing the large number of fields with a stream having a large bandwidth increases the required amount of logic circuitry. However, a circuit consumes more power as the size increases with circuit complexity.
New services such as DVB require high-bandwidth transport streams such MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Consequently, the demands on a receiver in processing the transport streams are increasing. A method and apparatus that reduces the associated processing are beneficial in advancing the art in support of these services.
An aspect of the present invention provides methods and apparatus for filtering a broadcast data stream that can support a plurality of data connections. The aspect of the present invention utilizes common filtering for packet segments that are common among the plurality of data connections. Segments that are not common are separately filtered. A set of logic rules is applied to the filtered segments in order to determine whether corresponding packets should be subsequently processed.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a digital video broadcast (DVB) receiver that detects a plurality of IPv4 connections in accordance with a set of predetermined conditions that are applied to selected packet segments of a MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Expert Group) transport stream is provided. (However, the present invention can support protocols other than IPv4.) All selected packets are inputted to a processor for subsequent processing. The selection of the packets is performed by a programmable filter arrangement that utilizes common filtering and Boolean logic. A variation of the exemplary embodiment detects a plurality of IPv6 connections.
Another exemplary embodiment comprises a programmable filter arrangement in which Boolean logic functionality is applied to service information table connections. A service information packet is passed for subsequent processing only if the service information packet has been updated since the last occurrence of processing the packet by a processor.


The first aspect of the instant claimed invention is a method of formulating radiation curable Supercoatings for application to an optical fiber used in a telecommunications network. A Multi-layer Film Drawdown Method useful in the Method of formulating radiation curable Supercoatings is also described and claimed. Single mode Optical fibers coated with specific radiation curable Supercoatings are also described and claimed.

An optical fiber is a glass fiber that carries light along its length. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communications, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communications. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss, and they are also immune to electromagnetic interference.
Light is kept in the core of the optical fiber by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers which support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multi-mode fibers (MMF), while those which can only support a single mode are called single-mode fibers (SMF). MMF generally have a larger core diameter, and are used for short-distance communication links and for applications where high power must be transmitted. SMF are used for most communication links longer than 550 meters (1,800 ft).
Throughout this patent application, attenuation in fiber optics, also known as transmission loss, is defined as the reduction in intensity of the light beam (or signal) with respect to distance traveled through a transmission medium. Attenuation loss coefficients in optical fibers usually are reported using units of decibels per kilometer, abbreviated dB/km.
Attenuation is an important factor limiting the transmission of a digital signal across large distances. Thus, much research has gone into both limiting the attenuation and maximizing the amplification of the optical signal. Empirical research has shown that attenuation in optical fiber is caused primarily by both scattering and absorption.
In 1965, Charles K. Kao {one of three winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication"} and George A. Hockham of the British company Standard Telephones and Cables (STC) were the first to promote the idea that the attenuation in optical fibers could be reduced below 20 decibels per kilometer (dB/km), allowing optical fibers to be a practical medium for communication. They proposed that the attenuation in fibers available at the time was caused by impurities, which could be removed, rather than fundamental physical effects such as scattering. The crucial attenuation level of 20 dB/km was first achieved in 1970, by researchers Robert D. Maurer, Donald Keck, Peter C. Schultz, and Frank Zimar working for American glass maker Corning Glass Works, now Corning Incorporated. They demonstrated a fiber with 17 dB/km attenuation by doping silica glass with titanium. A few years later they produced a fiber with only 4 dB/km attenuation using germanium dioxide as the core dopant. The achievement of such low attenuations ushered in optical fiber telecommunications and enabled the internet.
The following U.S. Patent is incorporated by reference in its entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,488 issued on Jan. 11, 2000.
Microbends are sharp but microscopic curvatures in an optical fiber involving local axial displacements of a few micrometers and spatial wavelengths of a few millimeters. Microbends can be induced by thermal stresses and/or mechanical lateral forces. When present, microbends attenuate the signal transmission capability of the coated optical fiber. Thus for the success of a telecommunications network it is known each telecommunications system has a limit to the amount of tolerable increase in attenuation for optical fiber and that to avoid reaching that limit it is well to reduce microbending overall because reducing microbending, reduces the increase in attenuation.
One of the critical driving forces for the development of optical fiber coating technology is increased user demands on videos. For the existing technology of optical fiber coating, 2G network application is sufficient. However, the future networks, such as 3G, 4G, and IPTV, high definition television (HDTV), video conferencing and other high bandwidth applications will impose a higher requirement for the performance of optical fiber, therefore the requirement of performance of the optical fiber coating will become higher and higher.
In order to meet the huge demand of video applications on the internet, the telecommunication network of next generation requires the support of transmission of greater capacity, longer distance and broader spectral range, and the performance of the current generation of optical fibers G652 was developed for long haul straight alignment utility; therefore G562 is not suitable to meet the requirements of Fiber to the Home (FTTH) challenges.
As optical transport of communication signals migrates into homes and MDU's (Multiple Dwelling Units), optical glass fibers are encountering tighter bends, requiring optical fiber producers to offer G657 Macrobend resistant fibers. At the same time, increasing demands for bandwidth are putting strains on the available margin in deployed networks.
The first generation of radiation curable DeSolite Radiation curable Supercoatings™ (trademark of DSM IP Assets B.V.) for optical fiber are described and claimed in these U.S. Patent Applications, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,935, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226916 on Sep. 19, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,838, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080241535 on Oct. 23, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,547, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226912 on Sep. 19, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,614, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226914 on Sep. 19, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,604, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226913 on Sep. 19, 2008;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,721, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080233397 on Sep. 25, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,525, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226911 on Sep. 19, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,628, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226915 on Sep. 19, 2008; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,541, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published as US 20080226909 on Sep. 19, 2008.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,541, filed Dec. 13, 2007, published on Sep. 18, 2009 as US Published Patent Application 20080226909, entitled "D1381 RADIATION CURABLE SUPERCOATINGS FOR OPTICAL FIBER" describes and claims Radiation Curable Supercoatings for Optical Fiber as follows:
Supercoatings suitable for coating an optical fiber;
wherein the Supercoatings comprise at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating,
wherein the cured Primary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity:                A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%;        B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; and        C) a Tube Tg, of from about −25° C. to about −55° C.;
wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity:                A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%;        B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and        C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.
With the recent launch of the DeSolite Supercoatings™ line of Radiation curable Supercoatings for optical fiber, by DSM Desotech, see www.Supercoatings.com it has been reported that use of Supercoatings has great positive effect upon the microbending characteristics of the optical fiber. Thus using Supercoatings is known to reduce the amount of microbending in an optical fiber and reducing the amount of microbending reduces the amount of attenuation in the telecommunications network
As the demand for ever increasing bandwidth develops in the internet and current telecommunications devices, the demand for optical fiber that is attenuation resistant will also increase. Thus the demand for radiation curable Supercoatings will increase. As the demand for attenuation resistant optical fiber and radiation curable Supercoatings increases it would be desirable to have a method for selecting and formulating radiation curable Supercoatings for optical fiber.

D1451 radiation curable supercoatings for single mode optical fiber


Compositions and methods for the prevention and/or treatment of conditions involving disease or damage in mammalian cartilage and bone, using mesenchymal stem cells isolated with anti-integrin α10 antibodies are disclosed.

Articular cartilage is highly prone to injury and pathological degeneration. Once damaged, articular cartilage generally does not heal, or heals only partially under certain biological conditions. Damage leads to further degradation of the cartilage, and cartilage breakdown products initiate inflammation, resulting in further degradation of cartilage that in turn drives the inflammation, thus creating a vicious cycle1. There is a well-known link between early cartilage traumas, from sports injuries, for example, and later development of osteoarthritis (OA)2.
Cell therapy is a promising method for tissue regeneration. A series of studies in animals and humans have shown safety and efficacy for the treatment of various diseases, including cartilage damage using multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)6,7. Therapeutic effects of MSCs are believed to be multifactorial. MSCs can directly differentiate into the specific cell type of the tissue to be regenerated, but also modify the microenvironment by producing extracellular matrix, cytokines and growth factors, recruit and stimulate endogenous stem cells, and have immunosuppressive effects8. Transplantation of MSCs for cartilage repair and regeneration is therefore a promising strategy given the potential of these cells to differentiate into chondrocytes6. Typically, stem cell preparations are complex mixtures of cell types or cells with varying capacities of differentiation. Because of their plasticity and large differentiation potential it is important that preclinical and clinical studies are conducted with well-defined cells.
Characterization of MSCs by quality controlled biomarkers is crucial for good efficacy but also for safe use of the cells as therapeutic agents. The international society for cellular therapy proposed the cell phenotypes plastic adherence, trilineage differentiation potential, as well as expression or absence of the surface markers CD73, CD90, CD105 respective CD45, CD34, CD14 or CD11b, CD79α or CD19, HLA-DR to be minimal criteria for human cells to be defined as MSCs9.
In veterinary patients, three approaches based on MSCs are currently used for the treatment of tendon, ligament, or cartilage/joint injuries in horses or dogs10. The three cell types used are: a culture expanded cell population derived from bone marrow (BM) aspirate (most of the clinical studies have used this cell population), a concentrated mixed cell population derived from BM aspirate, and a mixed nucleated cell population derived from adipose tissue (AT). All three types of cells can be of autologous (own) or allogeneic (donor) origin. None of them have been very well defined.
To improve cartilage repair with MSCs, two variables are believed to be important for satisfactory results; the quality and number of MSCs to be injected and the administration method. It is now evident that cells selected by the international society for cellular therapy criteria, still are a heterogeneous population. A solution to the MSC quality problem could be to use a defined population of MSCs with expression of specific candidate potency markers11.
Integrin alpha10 beta1 (α10β1) was originally identified as a collagen type II binding receptor on chondrocytes and has been shown to have a critical role in skeletal development12. It is abundantly expressed on chondrocytes and is present in a sub-population of human MSCs. Antibodies targeting integrin α10β1 can be used to identify, differentiate, and isolate MSCs from a mixed cell population (see WO03/106492). Extended culturing of chondrocytes or transforming growth factor (TGF) μ1 treatment leads to dedifferentiation accompanied by a decrease in the chondrocyte-specific integrin α10 level. In contrast, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 administration to the culture medium stabilizes the chondrogenic phenotype and induces high levels of integrin α10 expression13. In suspension culture, the formation of chondrocyte aggregates with distinct pericellular matrix requires α10β1 integrin-collagen type II interaction14. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that integrin α10β1 expression correlates with improved chondrogenic differentiation potential of human BM derived MSCs15.
It is known that joint injury substantially increases the risk of osteoarthritis (OA), a phenomenon called post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). However, no preventative or disease modifying treatments are available for treatment of OA or PTOA, and current treatments alleviate symptoms without preventing the onset of disease and/or disease progression or worsening. Thus, there is a substantial need for means to prevent development of OA following injury or trauma.

Prevention and treatment of bone and cartilage damage or disease


A new and distinct cultivar of Scoparia plant named ‘USSCO401-3’, characterized by its low-mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; small yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scoparia, botanically known as Scoparia hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the name 'USSCO401-3'.
The new Scoparia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Scoparia cultivars with uniform plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.
The new Scoparia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 10, 2004 in Hikone, Shiga, Japan of an unnamed selection of Scoparia montevidensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Scoparia hybrid cultivar Suntutuki, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,345, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Scoparia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 26, 2005.
Asexual reproduction of the new Scoparia by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jul. 1, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Scoparia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


To provide a technical means which is capable of increasing crystallinity and planarity of a single crystal semiconductor layer, crystal defects are reduced in such a manner that a single crystal semiconductor substrate, in which an insulating film is formed on its surface and an embrittlement region is formed in a region at a predetermined depth from the surface, and a supporting substrate are attached to each other with the insulating film interposed therebetween; the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated in the embrittlement region by a heat treatment; a single crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with laser light over the supporting substrate with the insulating film interposed therebetween; a surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer is etched; and a plasma treatment is performed on the surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a method for manufacturing the SOI substrate, a semiconductor device using the SOI substrate, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, instead of a bulk silicon wafer, integrated circuits using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate where a thin single crystal semiconductor film is present on an insulating surface have been developed. Since parasitic capacitance between a drain of a transistor and a substrate is reduced using the SOI substrate, the SOI substrate has attracted attention as a substrate which improves performance of semiconductor integrated circuits.
One of known methods for manufacturing an SOI substrate is a Smart Cut (registered trademark) method. An outline of the method for manufacturing an SOI substrate by a Smart Cut (registered trademark) method is described below. First, hydrogen ions are implanted into a silicon wafer by an ion implantation method to form an embrittlement region at a predetermined depth from a surface. Then, the silicon wafer into which the hydrogen ions are implanted is attached to another silicon wafer with a silicon oxide film interposed therebetween. After that, a single crystal silicon layer can be formed on the silicon wafer in such a manner that a heat treatment is performed so that the silicon wafer into which hydrogen ions are implanted is separated as a thin film in the embrittlement region. The Smart Cut (registered trademark) method is also referred to as a hydrogen ion implantation separation method.
A method has also been proposed in which a single crystal silicon layer is formed over a base substrate made of glass by such a Smart Cut (registered trademark) method (for example, see Reference 1). Since glass substrates can have a larger area and are less expensive than silicon wafers, the glass substrates are mainly used for manufacturing liquid crystal display devices and the like. With the use of glass substrates as base substrates, inexpensive large-area SOI substrates can be manufactured.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


In an image sensor having a plurality of photodiodes, subsets of photodiodes share a common node for signals to be sent to an amplifier. Within each subset, each individual photodiode is selected for sending signals to the amplifier by an associated selection device. The selection device is a MOS device operating in a linear region. The subset of photodiodes share a common “fill and spill” or “bucket brigade” transfer circuit to the amplifier, the transfer circuit including at least one MOS device which operates in a subthreshold region.

CMOS-based image sensor arrays typically comprise a linear array of photosites which raster scan an image bearing document and convert the microscopic image areas viewed by each photosite to image signal charges. Following an integration period, the image signal charges are amplified and transferred to a common output line or bus through successively actuated multiplexing transistors. In the scanning process, bias and reset charges are applied in a predetermined time sequence during each scan cycle. Where the array employs two stage transfer circuits for transferring the image signal charges from the photosites, the bias charge is applied to each photosite through a charge injection transistor and the first transistor in the two stage transfer circuit. The reset charge is applied through a reset charge injection transistor and the second transistor of the two stage transfer circuit.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Readout system for a CMOS-based image sensor array


The vehicle driving force transmission structure of a power unit can include a main transmission having a transmission shaft group and parallel to a crankshaft and provided in a crankcase on the side of the crankshaft. The transmission structure can also include a large rotational body provided at an end of the crankshaft, and an auxiliary transmission provided as a separate body from and connecting to the main transmission. The auxiliary transmission has a transmission shaft group parallel to the transmission shaft group of the main transmission and disposed so as to form a periphery of the large rotational body. The auxiliary transmission includes a transmission driving mechanism disposed below the large rotational body.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicle driving force transmission structure in a power unit having an auxiliary transmission of a separate body.
2. Description of Related Art
As a vehicle driving force transmission structure, a vehicle driving force transmission structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 3845155 (FIGS. 9 and 9)). In the structure, a main transmission having a multi-speed transmission mechanism and so forth and an auxiliary transmission having a forward-reverse switching mechanism and so forth are accommodated in the inside of a crankcase of an internal combustion engine which forms a power unit. Another vehicle driving force transmission structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Laid-Open No. 2010-242829 (FIGS. 1 and 2)), which includes an auxiliary transmission of a separate body directly coupled to a crankcase in which a main transmission is accommodated.
Where an auxiliary transmission is provided as a separate body from an internal combustion engine, even if the internal combustion engine itself can be formed in a reduced size, where both transmissions are joined together, there is the possibility that the size may become great. Therefore, further miniaturization of a power unit having an auxiliary transmission is demanded.

Vehicle driving force transmission structure


A cutting machine for cutting trenches in the ground, including a flat bottom face portion for supporting a pair of motor blocks; two motor blocks, with parallel axes, adapted to mount half-drum cutters; each motor block comprising a central vertical keel projecting downwardly from a horizontal top plate; connection means securing each motor block top plate to said bottom face; the inner edge of each top plate being provided with a beveled surface; an abutment member having parallel beveled edges complementary in shape to the beveled edge of each top plate; means mounting said abutment member to the central portions of said bottom surface; locking means urging the beveled edge of each top plate against the beveled edges of said abutment member.

The present invention relates to a new device for fastening blocks on a machine designed to cut trenches in the earth.
Machines are already known which make it possible to cut into the earth trenches of great depth filled with bentonite mud. These machine have on their bottom part two motor blocks each supporting two half-drums with a common shaft, revolving in opposite directions, and provided with teeth which are mounted symmetrically on either side of a vertical supporting keel whose upper part is integral with a horizontal top plate serving to mount the motor block on the bottom part of the trenching machine. The motors are generally situated inside of the half drums.
Such trenching machines require relatively frequent removal of the motor blocks, and this constitutes a great loss of money and time on account of the poor accessibility of the central part of the device between the two motor blocks.

Motor block fastening device for a trenching machine


An apparatus for deflecting an optical beam is designed as a prism and has an entry face as well as two reflection faces and two exit faces. The prism is essentially symmetrically constructed with reference to a rotational axis. The entry face is oriented essentially perpendicularly relative to the rotational axis. Those sides of the prism facing away from the entry face are designed as reflection faces having an inclination relative to the rotational axis, these reflection faces adjoining one another in the region of the rotational axis. Those sides of the prism facing away from the rotational axis are designed as exit faces which adjoin the entry face and the respective reflection face and, proceeding from the entry face, extend with increasing distance from the rotational axis.

The invention refers to the field of reproduction technology and is directed to an apparatus for deflecting an optical beam. The apparatus is essentially designed as a prism and has an entry face as well as at least one reflection face and an exit face.
Devices for deflecting optical radiation are employed, for example, in originals scanner devices or in recording devices.
In an originals scanning device, also referred to as an input scanner, a light beam is conducted line-by-line with a light deflector across an original to be scanned, and wherein the scan light reflected by the original or transmitted through the original is converted into an image signal in an opto-electronic converter. In a recording device, also referred to as a recorder, an exposer or an output scanner, a light beam for recording information is intensity-modulated by an image signal and is conducted line-by-line across a light-sensitive recording material with a beam deflector.
When the scanning or recording device is designed as a flat bed device, the holder for the original or for the recording material is a planar surface across which the light ray is deflected line-by-line, and that moves relative to the light deflector perpendicularly relative to the deflection plane.
When the scanning or recording device is designed as an inside drum device, the holder for the original or for the recording material is a non-rotational inside drum designed like a cylindrical segment. The light deflector moves relative to the inside drum parallel to its longitudinal axis, and the light beam is radially deflected across the inside surface of the inside drum perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,587 discloses an apparatus for deflecting an optical beam in an inside drum recording device. The apparatus therein is designed as a pentaprism. The pentaprism that rotates around the longitudinal axis moves across the inside drum in the axial direction, as a result whereof a recording beam that is modulated with the information to be recorded and proceeds parallel to the inside drum axis is perpendicularly deflected onto the inside surface of the inside drum line-by-line by the pentaprism.
A pentaprism has no pyramid errors such as, for example, a polygonal mirror, and is insensitive to small rotations around the axis perpendicular to the principal section, so that the recording beam is deflected by exactly 90.degree., even given an angular wobble that arises due to tolerances in the region of the bearing for the pentaprism. A good recording quality is in fact achieved by employing a pentaprism as a beam deflector; one disadvantage, however, is that respectively only one line can be recorded per revolution of the pentaprism. As a consequence of the relatively poor degree of utilization per revolution (duty cycle) of the pentaprism, thus only a low recording speed can be achieved.
Another device for deflecting an optical beam in an inside drum recording apparatus is disclosed by EP-A-0 354 028. Given the rotating prism recited therein, two recording beams are generated having an offset of approximately 180.degree., as a result whereof two lines can be recorded on the recording material per revolution of the prism. The recording speed can in fact be enhanced with this apparatus. However, it has the disadvantage that an angular wobble is doubled, and thus the recording quality is substantially reduced.
Another apparatus for beam deflection is disclosed by WO 90/15355. In order to alleviate the influences of disturbances, two reflection faces are arranged herein the region of a rotating shaft, the first reflection face thereof facing toward a beam source deflecting the light ray in the direction onto the second reflection face and the latter aligning the light ray onto a material to be exposed. This apparatus has the disadvantage that only one line per revolution can again be exposed on the recording material. An angular wobble is completely suppressed in this apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,720 recites different prism shapes that completely suppress angular wobble, but do not allow the production of two recording beams.
It is not possible with the assistance of the known apparatus to realize a beam deflector such that it is both simply constructed in structural terms and also guarantees a qualitatively high-grade transmission of an optical beam. In particular, the known apparatus are not in the position to undertake a reduction of an angular wobble to an adequate extent.


A high volume aeration device comprises a motor and propeller tube suspended in a pond by a float. A propeller on the motor shaft and inside the propeller tube creates a generally hollow water output stream that rises out of the propeller tube. A diffuser plate is longitudinally slidable inside the hollow water output stream. The water output stream strikes the diffuser plate and locates it at an equilibrium location whereat the force of the water output stream on the diffuser plate periphery equals the weight of the diffuser plate. If the propeller cavitates, the reduced water output stream causes the diffuser plate to fall toward the propeller and redirect the water output stream to the propeller. The redirected water output stream reloads the propeller and enables the aeration device to resume full output without outside intervention after the cause of the cavitation has been eliminated. The aeration device further comprises a weed guard that prevents motor shaft entanglement with weeds or the like, and a perforated cap that directs the water output stream into a high vertical column having a predetermined pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to fluid pumps, and more particularly to apparatus for circulating water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water aeration is a common practice. For example, it is known to pump water from a pond or lagoon generally vertically into the air. As the water falls back to the pond, it forms a spray of droplets that absorb oxygen. This practice helps keep the pond high in dissolved oxygen, which is especially beneficial to industry and municipalities for aerobic water and sewage treatment processes. In addition to performing a biological function, a column or fountain of water also has high aesthetic appeal. For those reasons, many parks and commercial buildings are landscaped with ponds having water fountains.
Some prior water aerators employ centrifugal pumps to pump the water into the air above the pond. The centrifugal pump is usually mounted to a block of low density material, such that the block floats at or near the water surface with the pump extending below the block. An electric motor is mounted to the pump. The pump outlet is substantially vertical to force the water into the air. Although centrifugal pumps can produce relatively high pressures, their output volumes are relatively low. When used as aerators, centrifugal pumps can produce decorative patterns, but only at low volumes. Low volume is a major disadvantage of centrifugal pumps. In addition, centrifugal pump aerators are undesirably expensive and heavy.
Another serious problem with centrifugal aerators is that they are very susceptible to failed operation due to cavitation. Once the pump impeller cavitates, the output flow reduces to a negligible amount. It is a characteristic of the pump that it cannot recover to properly discharge water again after the cause of cavitation is eliminated unless the motor is stopped and restarted.
Another common design of water aerator utilizes a propeller mounted to an electric motor shaft. The electric motor and propeller are usually mounted to a float device that suspends the propeller a few inches below the water surface. Prior propeller type aerators are relatively inexpensive and compact, and they are capable of pumping greater quantities of water than centrifugal pumps. However, propeller type aerators suffer the major handicap of being unable to impart a high velocity to the pumped water. Any attempt to increase the velocity of the water leaving the propeller by means of a nozzle or similar restrictor causes a back pressure on the propeller and a drastic decrease in flow, so the water output stream collapses to a dribble. Consequently, prior propeller type aerators cannot produce the decorative patterns of centrifugal pump aerators. For instance, because the propeller aerator cannot produce a high vertical column of water, a cone-shaped deflector is often located in the water output stream. Water striking the deflector is diverted into a high volume umbrella-shaped pattern but having only a low height. Also, like centrifugal pump aerators, propeller type aerators are very susceptible to failure due to cavitation. Should cavitation occur, the aerator must be stopped and then restarted.
Some prior water aerators suffer a further handicap, which concerns fouling due to weeds and other waterborne debris entering the equipment. Screens and strainers are commonly used to filter most of the contaminants from the incoming water. However, the screens must be cleaned periodically, which results in undesirable maintenance costs. Some aerators are designed with screens protecting only the impeller or propeller, with the motor shaft remaining exposed. As a result, even if the impeller or propeller is protected, weeds and the like can wrap around the motor shaft, thereby adversely affecting performance. Ultimately, the aerator must be shut down for cleaning. It is also known to provide aerators with knives for cutting the weeds, but knives present potentially serious safety problems. The foregoing deficiencies of prior aerators have been overcome to a large extent by the aeration device described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 333,267. However, the present invention represents further improvements in water aeration devices.


A metamaterial radome/isolator system includes a radiation source for providing a radiation beam through the radome/isolator having a frequency beyond the bandgap region where the metamaterial permittivity and permeability are both positive and the metamaterial medium has a low, matched relative permittivity and relative permeability.

The current state of the art in radome design features low loss tangent, low ∈r metamaterials such as Teflon or microwave laminates. Because the dielectric materials comprising the radome have positive permittivity greater than one (typically, greater than 2.1), the radome reduces the transmitted power by reflecting energy at the material interface, and refracts incident waves ultimately corrupting the beam shape.
Existing metamaterial solutions have demonstrated the ability to correct refraction in radomes in a variety of ways, but all such techniques are inherently narrowband (<1%) and have little impact on the reflection at the radome interface caused by characteristic impedance mismatch.


Disclosed herein is a novel multi-way merge network, referred to herein as a Hybrid Comparison Look Ahead Merge (HCLAM), which incurs significantly less resource consumption as scaled to handle larger problems. In addition, a parallelization scheme is disclosed, referred to herein as Parallelization by Radix Pre-sorter (PRaP), which enables an increase in streaming throughput of the merge network. Furthermore, high performance reduction scheme is disclosed to achieve full throughput.

Multi-way Merge Sort (MMS) is a fundamental operation for a plethora of applications in high performance computing, graphs algorithms, sparse matrix operations, machine learning, scientific research, etc. However, achieving high throughput for MMS binary tree hardware implementation is difficult. Furthermore, when the problem set grows larger, MMS hardware require exponentially more resources for compute and storage, which makes it not easily scalable and parallelizable. Also, full throughput and parallel reduction on the values of the sorted output is required in many cases.

High performance merge sort with scalable parallelization and full-throughput reduction


A reactor vessel includes a plenum and a reactor core with first and second sets of channels. A blanket salt flows through the first set of channels, and a fuel salt flows through the second set of channels. The plenum receives the blanket salt from the first set of channels. The blanket salt provides a breed-stock for a fission reaction in the fuel salt and transfers heat generated by the fission reaction without mixing with the fuel salt.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Conventional light-water reactors (LWRs) operate on a once-through cycle by burning uranium enriched in a rare isotope U-235 relative to the more abundant U-238. The LWRs use water as coolant to carry away the heat of the fission reactions. This arrangement, however, (1) uses only about 1% of fuel potentially available in natural uranium; (2) generates plutonium and other higher actinides, primarily Pu-239 from neutron capture on U-238 plus two beta decays, which creates a risk for proliferation of nuclear weapons; and (3) produces high-level waste that is difficult to dispose of because of an awkward mixture of short-lived radioactivities (30-year and less) and long-lived radioactivities (24,000 years and more).
Proposals have been made to convert from a "uranium economy" to a "plutonium economy" through the separation of fission products from the actinides for easier disposal, recycling of the plutonium and minor actinides as fuel to replace the once-through cycle, and enhanced breeding of the fissile Pu-239 from the fertile U-238 using solid fueled fast breeders cooled by liquid metals. These proposals, however, raise environmental, safety, and security concerns, as well as issues of high financial costs.
Molten-salt reactors (MSRs) offer an attractive alternative to the nuclear option for power generation. Because the fuel as well as the coolant is in a liquid rather than a solid state, chemical separation of fission products from fissiles and fertiles can be done on-site to achieve virtually 100% burn-up. This obviates multiple back-and-forth transports of nuclear materials from nuclear power plants to reprocessing and prefabrication centers that otherwise occur with the conventional recycle strategy. Moreover, substituting Th-232 for U-238 as the fertile stock for breeding into U-233 rather than Pu-239 simplifies the problem of disposal of high-level nuclear waste, thereby greatly reducing both volume and time that such material needs to be stored in a repository before radiation drops below background levels.
Neutron irradiation of Th-232 produces virtually no plutonium or heavier actinides, closing that particular path to proliferation of nuclear weapons. Moreover, if Th-232 is uninterruptedly irradiated over a period of one year or longer, there is sufficient U-232 generated along with the U-233 as to create a strong deterrent against nuclear weapons production. As part of its decay chain, U-232 has strong gamma emission that makes detection of its presence easy. Additionally, the strong gamma emission interferes with any electronic mechanisms associated with a weapon.
The MSRs also have features that promote inherent passive safety. For example, the features include (1) thermal expansion of fuel out of a reactor core when fission reactions run too fast; (2) drainage of fuel into sub-critical holding tanks through melting of freeze plugs if the fuel salt gets extremely hot; (3) inward instead of outward blowing of leaking radioactive gases because of low vapor pressure of molten salts; and (4) immobilization of radioactive fuel or blanket through solidification of the molten salts if they should somehow escape from their primary or secondary containment vessels or piping.
The MSRs, however, may raise issues of chemical corrosion of containers and separation of fission products from fissile and fertile elements dissolved in the fuel and blanket salts. Because many of the fission products from the former behave similarly to thorium in the latter, a simple approach is to keep separate the uranium/plutonium fuel and thorium breed-stock in a two-fluid scheme as part of the overall reactor design.
Early systems used single fluid designs that are graphite moderated. Recent studies indicate that such designs may be unstable to unanticipated large excursions to high temperatures that enhance the capture of neutrons by U-233 relative to those by Th-232. Two-fluid MSRs, however, present significantly greater challenges for "plumbing" than single-fluid designs. This tension between chemical complexity/simplicity and plumbing simplicity/complexity has existed since the earliest discussions on building of a molten-salt breeder reactor.


In a packet data communications system (100) where a customer premises (120) has only a packet-based connection, a proxy modem (200) is provided at the customer premises to connect to devices that send and receive modulated transmissions, e.g., facsimile, modem, and TDD/TTY. The proxy modem demodulates the modulated transmissions (208), organizes the resulting digital signal into a packet (210) and forwards the packet over a packet network (104, 106). Another proxy modem (200) that connects to the packet network and to a telephony network (110) receives the packets from the packet network. The packets are re-organized into a digital signal that is then modulated and forwarded over the telephony network to a destination. Use of the proxy modems in the network prevents unnecessary digitizing of modulated transmissions, which slows transmission and introduces errors.

Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone services are known. Such systems allow voice calls using Internet Protocol ("IP") networks such as the Internet as an alternative to traditional public switched telephone networks ("PSTN"). Unlike the PSTN, which is circuit-switched, the Internet is packet-switched. As such, communications on the Internet is accomplished by transmitting and receiving packets of data. In addition to data, each packet contains a destination address to ensure that it is routed correctly. The format of these packets is defined by the IP. One type of allowable data is encoded, digitized voice, termed voice over IP (VoIP). VoIP is voice that is packetized as defined by the Internet protocol, and communicated over the Internet for telephone-like communication. Individual VoIP packets may travel over different network paths to reach the final destination where the packets are reassembled in correct sequence to reconstruct the voice information.
With the advent of VoIP services, many current proposals suggest that no analog telephone connection to the public switched telephone network be provided at a customer premises. Instead a packet network connection is provided at the customer's premises. For example, iMerge, a solution in IP and TDM transport formats, available from AG Communications of Phoenix, Ariz., transports voice or data from and to a customer's premises via a fiber-to-the-home network or a cable network that interfaces to a managed IP network. The managed IP network is coupled to the public switched telephone network via a gateway, such as an IP to GR-303 gateway. The equipment at the customer's premises, e.g., telephones, connect to the fiber-to-the-home network or cable network via an analog-to-IP gateway with multiple ports that support multiple directory numbers and line terminations. Where the customer's equipment uses a modulated data transmission, for example, a modem, fax or TDD/TTY terminal, the lack of an analog telephone connection from and to the home, requires that the modulated data transmission be digitized (re-digitized) at the analog-to-IP gateway, prior to transmission over the managed IP network. The digitized modulated data transmissions are eventually converted back to a modulated data transmission at a point where the packet network connects to a circuit-switched telephone connection. Unfortunately, the extra digitizing of the modulated transmission at the customer's premises and the subsequent packet transmission and conversion back to a modulated format causes undesirable errors in the modulated transmission that affect the true and attainable data rate and bandwidth for the connection. This is due to delay, clocking mismatches, packet drop outs and the like.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved method and apparatus for supporting modulated transmission where only an IP connection is provided at a customer's premises.

Proxy modem for voice over internet protocol based communication system


In a tire inflating station for inflating a tubeless tire arranged on a rim with a pressurized gas, arranged on a stand are a conveyor for receiving and conveying a wheel consisting of a wheel rim and a tire mounted on the wheel rim, and an inflation device above the conveyor and having an inflation opening which can be connected to a gas supply. The lower side of the inflation device has a carrier plate that is mounted to move backwards and forwards along an axis between at least two positions in a straight-line mechanism. There are inflation rings attached in tandem in a gas-tight manner to the lower side of a carrier plate. Inside the inflation rings, the carrier plate has a respective continuous opening. In each of the different working positions of the carrier plate, another of the continuous openings is connected to the inflation opening of the inflation device, which inflation opening is arranged on the upper side of the carrier plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tire inflating station and a method for inflating a tubeless tire arranged on a rim with a pressurized gas, comprising a stand, a conveying means which arranged on the stand for receiving and further conveying a wheel consisting of a wheel rim and a tire mounted on the wheel rim, an inflation device arranged above the conveying means and having an inflation opening which can be connected to a gas supply, and at least two inflation rings of different diameters which are configured to enter into sealing engagement with the upper side face of the tire of a wheel arranged lying under the inflation device. There is also a bearing means which has a sealing surface which cooperates with the lower side face of the tire and on which the wheel rests while it is being inflated.
2. The Prior Art
In automatic series production, motor vehicle wheels with tubeless tires are usually filled with compressed air in an automatic tire inflating station which is integrated into the assembly line. In this procedure, the rim with mounted tire is positioned on a suitable supporting plate which downwardly seals the wheel during the inflation procedure. Positioned on the upper side of the tire is an inflation bell which upwardly seals the tire and the rim and by which the side wall of the tire is pressed downwards to such an extent during inflation that an annular gap is produced between tire bead and rim through which the compressed air guided into the inflation bell can flow into the tire. The compressed air that has flowed in presses the tire forcibly against the supporting plate and the inflation bell. When the inflation pressure has been reached, the inflation bell is lifted, causing the sidewalls of the tire to move apart in an axial direction until the tire beads have assumed their respective fit position on the rim. For an inflation procedure of this type, the inflation bell must have an opening the diameter of which is on the one hand large enough that the inflation bell does not abut against the rim, but can be put over the rim. However, on the other hand, the diameter of the opening must not be so large that the inflation bell contacts the upper sidewall of the tire radially outside its high point. Should this happen, the inflation bell would obstruct the radial movement of the tire which could result in the tire bead not jumping correctly into its seat. Thus, an inflation bell is only suitable for a limited range of motor vehicle wheel sizes.
In order to broaden the size range of tires to be inflated in the same tire inflating station, a tire inflating station described in European Patent No. EP 1 125 772 B1 of the type mentioned at the outset has a tire inflation bell with two inflation rings of different diameters, the smaller or larger inflation ring being used depending on the size of the tire. The two inflation rings are arranged telescopically one inside the other, and the inner ring can be adjusted relative to the outer ring in a fluid-actuated manner. The known tire inflation bell requires a relatively large axial overall length.
European Patent No. EP 1 110 765 B1 discloses an inflation bell with three inflation rings arranged one inside the other. In addition to a large axial overall length, this configuration also involves quite considerable construction costs.
Furthermore, European Patent Application No. EP 1 671 820 A2 discloses a tire inflating station with a tire inflation bell, which tire inflation station comprises an inflation plate that can be moved along the axial line of the wheel and a plurality of separate inflation rings of different diameters which can be moved into a central position relative to the axial line, it being possible to move the inflation plate towards the side face of a tire to be inflated together with an inflation ring which has moved into the central position. The inflation rings are secured to holders of a movement means and can be moved thereby on a circular curve into the central position and axially. This known arrangement too is relatively expensive.

Tire inflating station and method for inflating tires


A strut top mount is optimized to provide a resilient response to jounce and rebound load rates that is symmetrical and linear over a predetermined range of travel. An annular tower is formed of the body structure. A central bracket has adhered thereto an outer resilient element that abuts the tower, and has adhered oppositely thereto an inner resilient element. A bearing is supported by the central bracket, and a spring seat is supported by the bearing. A sleeve is received by a strut shaft and adhered to the inner resilient element A lower washer abuts a lower end of the inner resilient element. An upper washer abuts an upper end of the inner resilient element. A retention washer is mounted onto the strut shaft, wherein a periphery thereof has a retention washer resilient element. The components are collectively tuned to provide the optimization.

Motor vehicle suspension systems are configured so that the wheels are able to follow elevational changes in the road surface as the vehicle travels therealong. When a rise in the road surface is encountered, the suspension responds in "jounce" in which the wheel is able to move upwardly relative to the frame of the vehicle. On the other hand, when a dip in the road surface is encountered, the suspension responds in "rebound" in which the wheel is able to move downwardly relative to the integrated body/frame structure of the vehicle. In either jounce or rebound, a spring (i.e., coil, leaf, torsion, etc.) is incorporated with the body structure in order to provide a resilient response to the respective vertical movements of the wheel with regard to the vehicle body structure. However, in order to prevent wheel bouncing and excessive vehicle body motion, a shock absorber or strut is placed at the wheel to dampen wheel and body motion. An example of a MacPherson strut is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,971.
Of interest is a prior art single fastener strut top mount for a MacPherson strut which is manufactured by Adam Opel GmbH, a division of General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., and is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1. This prior art strut top mount 10 interfaces with a broad, annular strut tower 12 which at its lower end (not shown) is connected to the body structure of the motor vehicle. This prior art strut top mount 10 features an annular tapered dome 14 that is open downward nestingly within the tower 12, and is welded thereto at a conjoining 16 (the taper being smallest adjacent the conjoining, and largest distant from the conjoining). An annular outer rubber element 18 has an inclined outer surface 18a which abuts the dome 14. An annular metal insert 20 is preferably provided, for stiffening, within the outer rubber element 18 adjacent the dome 14. An annular stamped metal support shell 22 is adhered to the outer rubber element 18 in nested (i.e., in cross-section being oppositely disposed) relation to the dome 14; and an annular inner rubber element 24 is nested within and adhered to the support shell 22 in cross-section being in opposite disposition with respect to the outer rubber element 18, wherein the aforementioned adherences result from the molding process of the inner and outer rubber elements.
At an annular shelf 22a of the support shell 22, within an upper polymer housing 26c, is an upper race 26a of an annular bearing 26. The lower race 26b of the bearing 26, within a lower polymer housing 26d, is located at an annular spring bracket 28, wherein the upper and lower polymer housings mutually have a conventional labyrinthine seal interfacing, and wherein the spring bracket locates and handles loads from both the coil spring 32 and the jounce bumper 34. At an outer periphery 28a of the spring bracket 28, wherein the spring bracket has a diameter less than that of the strut tower 12, but exceeding the diameter of the dome 14, is formed a spring seat 30 having a rubber insulator 30a upon which abuts the coil spring 32. At an inner periphery 28b of the spring bracket 28, adjacent the bearing 26, is a connection 28c to the jounce bumper 34. A strut shaft 36 is reciprocally interfaced to a strut housing (not shown) in a conventional manner so as to provide damping as it reciprocates in relation thereto in response to jounce and rebound. A tubular metal sleeve 35 receives the strut shaft 36 at a shoulder 36a thereof, wherein the sleeve is adhered (as a result of the aformentioned molding process) to the inner rubber element 24. At the shoulder 36a of the strut shaft 36 is a lower washer 38 which abuts a lower end 24a of the inner rubber element 24 and a lower end of the sleeve 35. Abutting an upper end of the sleeve 35 is an upper washer 40 which also abuts an upper end 24b of the inner rubber element 24, wherein the upper washer is held in place by a first nut 42 that is threaded onto the strut shaft 36. A retention washer 44 is mounted onto the strut shaft 36, and is held in place between the first nut and a second nut 46, which is also threaded onto the strut shaft. At the periphery of the retention washer 44 is a retention washer rubber element 48.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are graphs showing what is believed to be the response of the prior art strut top mount 10 to jounce and rebound. In this regard, FIG. 1A shows a graph 50 of load force versus displacement in which plot 52 indicates the believed response of the outer rubber element 18 to jounce; and FIG. 1B shows a graph 60 of load force versus displacement in which plot 62 indicates the believed response of the prior art strut top mount 10 to jounce and rebound.
From FIGS. 1A and 1B, several conclusions can be drawn with respect to the prior art strut top mount 10. Asymmetry is seen in the jounce to rebound rate ratio. Over-travel of the prior art strut top mount 10 can occur if the jounce bumper forces are routed through the inner rubber element, wherein the prior art strut top mount would have an unacceptably large amount of travel in jounce; and is likely why the jounce bumper forces are instead routed through the spring loadpath. The latter loadpath arrangement does not enable use of monotube struts (monotube struts route the jounce bumper loads up through the strut rod and, therefore, the strut top mount thereof requires an appropriately high load capacity in the damper rod load-path to handle them, whereby this is possible only for a single path strut top mount or a dual path strut top mount with the bumper and damper loads combined into the same path). The rebound rate changes abruptly as the retention washer rubber element engages the strut tower. The outer rubber element axial rate cannot be used to tune the prior art strut top mount 10 axial rate range, and the inner rubber element has little authority over overall axial rate, wherein the outer rubber element axial rate is determined by the inherent deflection requirement for retention (the retention objective is to ensure that the prior art strut top mount maintains contact with the underside of the strut tower at all times, and the outer rubber element compliancy allows for the retention washer to separate from the strut tower and thereby create freedom of mount movement during operation). With respect to the radial rate range of the prior art strut top mount 10, the large outer rubber element acts in series with the inner rubber element and is relatively soft in the radial direction. Additionally, the design height position of the prior art strut top mount 10, when loaded under vehicle curb weight, varies with vehicle mass, making it difficult to use this design on multiple vehicle applications (i.e., differing rubber chemistry or durometer of each of the inner and outer rubber elements is required, wherein the outer rubber element is adjusted to vehicle mass to provide a desired retention washer gap with respect to the strut tower, and the inner rubber element is tuned to adjust, somewhat, the mount rate).
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a single fastener, compact strut top mount which has an optimized resilient response to jounce and rebound.

Single fastener strut top mount and method of optimizing same


A data authentication technique is provided for a data access control function of an integrated system. The technique includes passing a data request from a functional master of the integrated system through the data access control function, and responsive to the data request, selectively authenticating requested data. The selective authentication, which can occur transparent to the functional master initiating the data request, includes employing integrity value generation on the requested data when originally stored and when retrieved, in combination with encryption and decryption thereof to ensure the authenticity of the requested data. As an enhancement, cascading integrity values may be employed to facilitate data authentication.

Multiple master functions are today being commonly integrated onto a single system chip. When initially defining an architecture for the integration of multiple discrete components onto a single chip, access to external devices can be an issue. For example, an MPEG video decoder system often employs external memory for various data areas, or buffers such as frame buffers. This external memory is conventionally implemented using either DRAM or SDRAM technology.
Two approaches are typical in the art for accessing off-chip devices. In a first approach, each on-chip functional unit is given access to the needed external device(s) through a data bus dedicated to that particular unit. Although locally efficient for accessing the external device, globally within the integrated system this approach is less than optimal. For example, although each function will have complete access to its own external memory area, there is no shared access between functions of the integrated system. Thus, transferring data from one memory area to another memory area of the system is often needed. This obviously increases the number of data transfers and can degrade performance of the overall system, i.e., compared with a shared memory system.
Another approach is to employ a single common bus within the integrated system which allows one or more functional units of the system to communicate to external devices through a single port. Although allowing the sharing of devices, one difficulty with this approach concerns controlling access to content or other sensitive data in the integrated system. For example, when using a large common memory pool in an integrated design, it becomes difficult to prevent unauthorized access to protected memory spaces, such as compressed data supplied by a transport demultiplexer to a decoder of a set-top box. This is especially true for a system where the programming interface is open and outside development is encouraged. Each of the functional masters should be able to access the memory space and it is not possible to differentiate whether an access is from a trusted master or an outside request, e.g., coming through an untrusted or open master.
In addition, when working with a system-on-chip design with multiple functional masters using shared memory, it is desirable to provide a mechanism for protecting the data from unauthorized access, particularly when the data comprises the device's system programming code. Encryption can be used to protect code and data structures stored in a system, but the encrypted values could be modified, either intentionally or unintentionally, while the values are in unsecured or open storage. When an integrated system decrypts corrupted values, it will yield an incorrect result. While this prevents unauthorized control of the system, it can lead to operational problems since the incorrect result could be a random value and cause unwanted actions, such as machine checks, incorrect data, etc.
In view of the above, a need exists in the art for an enhanced access control approach for an integrated system. More particularly, a need exists for an access control function which includes a means of authenticating, or verifying, the integrity of code or data retrieved from storage.

Control function implementing selective transparent data authentication within an integrated system

International Business Machines Corporation


A cutter for cutting a workpiece while using a water includes a housing, an electric motor disposed in the housing, a rotation shaft, a base, and a splashboard. The rotation shaft is supported by the housing for rotatably supporting an end tool driven by the electric motor. The base supports the housing, and has a top surface and a bottom surface to be in contact with the workpiece. The end tool has a part protrudable from the bottom surface. The splashboard section is positioned on the top surface and behind the end tool in a cutting direction. The splashboard section protrudes in a direction away from the top surface and extends in a direction substantially parallel to an axial direction of the rotation shaft.

A conventional cutter such as an electrical stone cutter is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The cutter includes a main body 51 provided with a motor 53 and an end tool 52 such as a circular blade driven by the motor 53 for cutting a workpiece such as a concrete.
A housing 54 and a gear cover 55 serve as outer frame of the main body 51. The motor 53 having a motor shaft is installed in the housing 54, and a fan 56 is also installed in the housing 54 coaxially with the motor shaft for cooling the motor 53. A gear portion 57 is installed in the gear cover 55 for deceleratingly transmitting the rotation of the motor shaft to a rotation shaft 58 of the end tool 52.
A base 59 is disposed below the main body 51 and is configured to allow the end tool 52 to protrude from a lower surface of the base 59. The main body 51 is pivotally movable about a pivot shaft 63 with respect to the base 59. An arcuate shaped link 60 extends generally vertically from the base 59 in order to adjust a cutting depth of the end tool 52 with respect to the workpiece (not shown). Liquid such as water is supplied to or adjacent to the end tool 52 in order to improve cutting efficiency with respect to the workpiece such as a stone, and to suppress generation of dust as a result of cutting. Such conventional cutter is described in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H07-171822.
However, in such conventional cutter, water may fly rearward in the cutting direction due to the rotation of the end tool 52 and rotation of the fan 56, if water is used during cutting. The scattered water may pass through a gap between the base 59 and main body 51 and impinge on a worker using the cutter or working behind the cutter in the cutting direction. Further, an air discharge port is formed for discharging cooling air from the fan 56. Water may also be directed rearward toward the worker due to the air blowing through the air discharge port. This causes lowering of workability.


A system and method for vehicle design and manufacture. The method includes designing a vehicle, building a pilot vehicle of the designed vehicle, installing a telematics units in the pilot vehicle, configuring the telematics unit to monitor systems of the pilot vehicle during vehicle operation, operating the pilot vehicle in a captured test fleet, obtaining data from the telematics unit during the operating in a captured test fleet, altering vehicle design data in response to the obtained data and, building a production vehicle with the design influenced by the altered vehicle design data.

Vehicle design and manufacture typically includes an iterative development process to refine vehicle design parameters with each successive design. Various techniques are employed in the development of a new vehicle, including the building and testing of pilot vehicles. A pilot vehicle is usually a limited manufacturing run of a reasonably mature or even pre-production vehicle design. The pilot vehicle is frequently field tested in order to further refine the final production vehicle prior to large scale manufacture. However, present vehicle manufacturing technologies also allow for the ongoing refinement of production vehicles through iterative development since automated manufacturing facilities operating just-in-time assembly processes typically do not require major retooling or down-time to accommodate design changes.
Field testing of a pilot or production vehicle typically involves operating the vehicle in a simulated or real-world driving environment, and collecting various vehicle system test and diagnostic data for later review and analysis. In a pilot vehicle, raw vehicle testing data is typically collected and stored in a field data collection apparatus while the vehicle is in operation. A diagnostic system is later plugged into the field data collection apparatus to download the raw testing data after the completion of the vehicle field testing. Several vehicle systems may be monitored during a vehicle field test, with the subsequent data stored to the data collection apparatus. However, the collected system data is limited to the data stored during the field operation, and the data is not available in real-time to a diagnostic system. For vehicle field tests performed with this system, a staff is required to run the field test, and to retrieve the test data from the collection apparatus. Each test vehicle must be individually downloaded of test data by a staff member plugging the data collection apparatus into a diagnostic system or a secondary data storage medium. It is therefore impractical to collect data from more than a nominal number of vehicles of a particular model during a fixed duration field test exercise. Additionally, while it is possible to integrate limited data collection components into a production vehicle, the test data may only be collected from a production vehicle each time the vehicle visits a facility where the test data may be downloaded; for example, an auto dealership. Furthermore, production vehicles having integrated data collection components will generally be limited in storage and processing power due to increased costs of providing the data collection components, and therefore the collection components may not have enough capacity to collect data for a meaningful period between downloads, or may experience a data overflow prior to collecting statistically useful data. Iterative vehicle design enhancement is then hindered by the inability to collect statistically relevant quantities of test data from a large number of vehicles of a selected model. The inability to monitor collected data in real-time, or on production vehicles further prevents an interactive design process across a large sample group.
It would be desirable therefore to provide a method and system for interactive vehicle design and manufacture that overcomes these and other disadvantages.


A film assembly or a multilayer stack can include an antenna having a spiral form disposed on a stretchable layer. The film assembly includes a stretchable substrate having opposite major top and bottom surfaces, and a first material disposed on the major top surface of the stretchable substrate in the form of a plurality of intersecting rows and columns making the film assembly less stretchable than the stretchable substrate. The rows and columns define a plurality of closed cells. An antenna for use in a radio frequency identification tag is disposed on the stretchable substrate in each closed cell and is isolated from the first material. The antenna includes an elongated electrically conductive electrode having a spiral form.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be used for authentication. It may be desired to attach electronics that can be used for authentication to human skin. However, conventional RFID antennas may not provide sufficient flexibility for use in an RFID tag attached to human skin or may be prone to breaking when subject to the flexing or stretching associated with skin movement.

Film assembly and multilayer stack including antenna


A system and method of frequency offset compensation are disclosed for a wireless system between a fast moving radio terminal associated with a locomotive and a stationary radio terminal associated with a base station. The present invention utilizes advanced frequency offset prediction to quickly track Doppler Shift caused by a fast moving locomotive. In one embodiment according to the present invention, the frequency offset prediction is based on a first plurality of coarse frequency offsets, first-order derivatives of the first plurality of coarse frequency offsets, and second-order derivatives of the first plurality of coarse frequency offsets. In another embodiment according to the present invention, the frequency offset prediction is based on a plurality of previous frequency offsets according to a Doppler shift model.

In a wireless Positive Train Control (PTC) system, a fast-travelling locomotive communicates with a wayside or track-side base station through a radio link. A spectrum at 220 MHz has been allocated for the wireless PTC application, where orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is selected as the underlying modulation technology to provide a reliable communication link between a locomotive and base stations. It is well known for digital radio systems that there are various channel impairments due to noise, multipath propagation and the time-varying transmission media. Accordingly, channel equalization is often used to compensate channel impairments to improve system performance. For example, in U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5/283,811, entitled "Decision Feedback Equalization for Digital Cellular Radio", by Sandeep Chennakeshu et al., issued on Feb. 1, 1994, discloses an adaptive Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) for a digital cellular mobile radio channel demodulator employing a Complex Fast-Kalman Adaptation algorithm to track channel variations.
When a train travels at a high speed, the relative speed between the on-board radio terminal at the locomotive and the base-station radio terminal at wayside or track-side will cause a phenomenon of frequency shift in the received signal, called the Doppler Effect. The Doppler Effect becomes more prominent for signal at higher frequencies. For example, the wireless PTC system with a VHF signal at 220 MHz will be subject to a Doppler frequency shift of 102.1 Hz when the locomotive travels at a speed of 500 km/h (138.89 m/s) relative to the base station. In a real environment, the signal received from the transmitter often travels through multiple paths to arrive at the receiver. The overall result of Doppler Effect and multi-path reception will cause fluctuations in the received signal associated with the Doppler frequency.
In practice, the base station is located in the proximity of the railroad track. When the locomotive passes by the base station, the Doppler frequency will rapidly change from a positive frequency offset to zero, and to a negative frequency offset. In the above example, the Doppler frequency will change from +101.8 Hz to −101.8 Hz in a very short period of time. If the system design does not take into account of fast changing Doppler frequency near the base station, the system may fail, such as loss of phase tracking. For example, if a slow frequency tracking loop is used, the frequency may have changed substantially before the tracking loop converges. On the other hand, if a fast tracking loop is always used, the performance of the equalizer may be compromised. Consequently, it is desirable to design a system that can adaptively select proper tracking speed according to variation of the channel condition.

System and method of frequency offset compensation for radio system with fast doppler shift