To maximize the effective use of on-chip cache, a method and system for exclusive two-level caching in a chip-multiprocessor are provided. The exclusive two-level caching in accordance with the present invention involves method relaxing the inclusion requirement in a two-level cache system in order to form an exclusive cache hierarchy. Additionally, the exclusive two-level caching involves providing a first-level tag-state structure in a first-level cache of the two-level cache system. The first tag-state structure has state information. The exclusive two-level caching also involves maintaining in a second-level cache of the two-level cache system a duplicate of the first-level tag-state structure and extending the state information in the duplicate of the first tag-state structure, but not in the first-level tag-state structure itself, to include an owner indication. The exclusive two-level caching further involves providing in the second-level cache a second tag-state structure so that a simultaneous lookup at the duplicate of the first tag-state structure and the second tag-state structure is possible. Moreover, the exclusive two-level caching involves associating a single owner with a cache line at any given time of its lifetime in the chip-multiprocessor.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to microprocessor design and, specifically, to cache memory systems in microprocessors.
2. Background Art
The performance of applications such as database and web servers (hereafter xe2x80x9ccommercial workloadsxe2x80x9d) is an increasingly important aspect in high-performance servers. Data-dependent computations, lack of instruction-level parallelism and large memory stalls contribute to the poor performance of commercial workloads in traditional high-end microprocessors.
Two promising approaches for improving the performance of commercial workloads are lower-latency memory systems and the exploitation of thread-level parallelism. Increased density and transistor counts enable microprocessor architectures with integrated caches and memory controllers, which reduce overall memory latency. Thread-level parallelism arising from relatively independent transactions or queries initiated by individual clients enables the exploitation of thread-level parallelism at the chip level. Chip multiprocessing (CMP) and simultaneous multithreading (SMT) are the two most promising approaches to exploit such thread-level parallelism. SMT enhances a traditional wide-issue out-of-order processor core with the ability to issue instructions from different threads in the same cycle. CMP consists of integrating multiple CPU cores (and corresponding level-one caches) into a single chip.
The main advantage of the CMP approach is that it enables the use of simpler CPU cores, therefore reducing overall design complexity. A CMP approach naturally lends itself to a modular design, and can benefit from the on-chip two-level caching hierarchy. In the on-chip two-level caching hierarchy, each first-level cache is associated with and is private to a particular CPU and the second-level cache is shared by the CPUs. However, conventional CMP designs with on-chip two-level caching require the contents of first-level caches to be also present in the second-level caches, an approach known as the inclusion or subset property. With an inclusive two-level caching implementation, an increase in the number of CPUs per die increases the ratio between the aggregate first-level cache capacity and the second-level cache capacity. When this ratio approaches 1.0, nearly half of the on-chip cache capacity can be wasted with duplicate copies of data. Hence, a design that does not enforce inclusion (e.g., an exclusive design) is advantageous and often preferred over the design of inclusive two-level caching.
Exclusive two-level caching has been previously proposed in the context of single processor chips. An example of exclusive two-level caching implemented in a single processor is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,547, issued to Norman P. Jouppi on Jan. 31, 1995, which is incorporated herein by reference. this invention is the first to address it for CMP systems. This invention also describes new mechanisms to manage effectively a two-level exclusive cache hierarchy for a CMP system.
But, even with exclusive two-level caching, there are performance issues to be addressed in CMP design. Particularly, there is a need to improve mechanisms for effective management of exclusive two-level caching in CMP systems. The present invention addresses these and related issues.
Hence, in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention relates to chip multiprocessors (CMP) design. In particular, the present invention provides a system and method that maximizes the use of on-chip cache memory capacity in CMP systems. The system and method are realized with a combination of features. One such feature is a relaxed subset property (inclusion) requirement. This property forms an exclusive cache hierarchy in order to minimize data replication and on-chip data traffic without incurring an increased second level hit latency or occupancy. Another aspect of the combination involves maintaining in the second-level cache a duplicate tag-state structure of all (per-CPU) first-level caches in order to allow a substantially simultaneous lookup for data in the first-level and second-level tag-state arrays.
An additional aspect involves extending the state information to include ownership indication in addition to the data validity/existence indication and data shared/exclusive indication. The ownership aspect lives in the exclusive two-level cache hierarchy and helps orchestrate write-backs to the second-level cache (i.e., L2 fills). Another aspect involves associating a single owner with each cache line in order to eliminate redundant write-backs of evicted data to the second-level cache. Namely, at any given time in the lifetime of a cache line in the CMP chip, only one of its copies can be the owner copy.
Finally, the present invention provides policy-guidelines for administering the ownership and write-back aspects, as the following guidelines exemplify: 1) a first-level cache miss that finds no other copy of a requested cache line becomes the owner of the cache line; 2) a first-level cache miss that does not find a copy of a cache line in the second-level cache but finds it in one or more than one of the first-level caches receives that cache line from the previous owner and becomes the new owner; 3) a first-level cache that replaces a cache line, is informed by the second-level cache whether it is the owner, in which case it issues a second level cache fill; 4) whenever the second-level cache has a copy of the cache line, it is the owner. A first-level cache miss that hits in the second-level cache without invalidating it (i.e., not a write miss) does not steal ownership from the second-level cache; and 5) whenever the second-level cache needs to evict a cache line that is additionally present in one or more first-level caches the second-level cache arbitrarily selects one of these first-level caches as the new owner.
Advantages of the invention will be understood by those skilled in the art, in part, from the description that follows. Advantages of the invention will be realized and attained from practice of the invention disclosed herein.

Method and system for exclusive two-level caching in a chip-multiprocessor

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A drill bit including a body having a face and a plurality of blades disposed on the face of the body. Each of the plurality of blades may have a row of cutters disposed thereon, and the rows of cutters may collectively define a cutting profile of the drill bit. At least some of the cutters along the cutting profile may have alternating positive back rake angles. The difference between a majority of back rake angles on adjacent cutters along the cutting profile may be less than 20°.

Drill bits, such as rotary drag bits, reamers, and similar downhole tools for boring or forming holes in subterranean rock formations are well-known. When drilling oil and natural gas wells, rotary drag bits drag discrete cutting structures, referred to as "cutters," mounted in fixed locations on the body of the tool against the formation. As the cutters are dragged against the formation by rotation of the tool body, the cutters fracture the formation through a shearing action. This shearing action forms small chips that are evacuated hydraulically by drilling fluid pumped through nozzles in the tool body.
One such fixed cutter, earth boring tool, generally referred to in the oil and gas exploration industry as a polycrystalline diamond compact or PDC bit, employs fixed cutters. Each cutter has a highly wear resistant cutting or wear surface comprised of PDC or similar highly wear resistant material. PDC cutters are typically made by forming a layer of polycrystalline diamond (PCD), sometimes called a crown or diamond table, on an erosion resistant substrate. The PDC wear surface is comprised of sintered polycrystalline diamond (either natural or synthetic) exhibiting diamond-to-diamond bonding. Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, wurtzite boron nitride, aggregated diamond nanotubes (ADN) or other hard, crystalline materials are known substitutes and may be useful in some drilling applications. A compact is made by mixing a diamond grit material in powder form with one or more powdered metal catalysts and other materials, forming the mixture into a compact, and then sintering it, typically with a tungsten carbide substrate using high heat and pressure or microwave heating. Sintered compacts of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, wurtzite boron nitride, ADN and similar materials are, for the purposes of description contained below, equivalents to polycrystalline diamond compacts and, therefore, a reference to "PDC" in the detailed description should be construed, unless otherwise explicitly indicated or context does not allow, as a reference to a sintered compacts of polycrystalline diamond, cubic boron nitride, wurtzite boron nitride and other highly wear resistant materials. References to "PDC" are also intended to encompass sintered compacts of these materials with other materials or structure elements that might be used to improve its properties and cutting characteristics. Furthermore, PDC encompasses thermally stable varieties in which a metal catalyst has been partially or entirely removed after sintering.
Substrates for supporting a PDC wear surface or layer are typically made, at least in part, from cemented metal carbide, with tungsten carbide being the most common. Cemented metal carbide substrates are formed by sintering powdered metal carbide with a metal alloy binder. The composite of the PDC and the substrate can be fabricated in a number of different ways. It may also, for example, include transitional layers in which the metal carbide and diamond are mixed with other elements for improving bonding and reducing stress between the PCD and substrate.
Each PDC cutter is fabricated as a discrete piece, separate from the drill bit. Because of the processes used for fabricating them, the PCD layer and substrate typically have a cylindrical shape, with a relatively thin disk of PCD bonded to a taller or longer cylinder of substrate material. The resulting composite can be machined or milled to form a desired shape. However, the PCD layer and substrate are typically used in the cylindrical form in which they are made.
Fixed cutters are mounted on an exterior of the body of an earth boring tool in a predetermined pattern or layout. Furthermore, depending on the particular application, the cutters are typically arranged along each of several blades, which are comprised of raised ridges formed on the body of the earth boring tool. Each blade typically includes a flat surface, oriented parallel to the formation being cut. The cutters are usually disposed in holes or openings along these flat surfaces. In a PDC bit, for example, blades are generally arranged in a radial fashion around the central bit axis (axis of rotation) of the bit. They typically, but do not always, curve in a direction opposite to that of the direction of rotation of the bit.
As an earth boring tool having fixed cutters is rotated, the cutters collectively present one or more predetermined cutting profiles to the earth formation, shearing the formation. A cutting profile is defined by the position and orientation of each of the cutters associated with it as they rotate through a plane extending from the earth boring tool's axis of rotation outwardly (e.g., bit axis). A cutter's position along the cutting profile is primarily a function of its lateral displacement from the bit axis (axis of rotation) and not the particular blade on which it lies. Cutters adjacent to each other in a cutting profile are typically not next to each other on the same blade. Conversely, cutters that are adjacent to one another in a cutting profile are typically on different blades.
In addition to position or location on the bit, each cutter has a three-dimensional orientation. Generally, this orientation will be defined with respect to one of two coordinate frames: a coordinate frame of the bit, defined in reference to its axis of rotation; or a coordinate frame generally based on the cutter itself. The orientation of a cutter is usually specified in terms of a back inclination or rotation of the cutter and a side inclination or rotation of the cutter. Back inclination or "back rake" is specified in terms of an axial rake or back rake angle, depending on frame of reference used. Side inclination or "side rake" is typically specified in terms lateral rake or side rake angle, depending on the frame of reference used. Such drill bits are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,556,683, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,171 describes a fixed cutter drill bit that includes sets of cutter elements mounted on the bit face. Each set includes at least two cutters mounted on different blades at generally the same radial position with respect to the bit axis but having differing degrees of back rake. The cutter elements of a set may be mounted having their cutting faces out-of-profile, such that certain elements in the set are exposed to the formation material to a greater extent than other cutter elements in the same set. The cutter elements in a set may have cutting faces and profiles that are identical, or they may vary in size or shape or both. The bit exhibits increased stability and provides substantial improvement in ROP (rates of penetration) without requiring excessive WOB (weight on bit).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,394 describes a fixed cutter drill bit particularly suited for plastic shale drilling. The bit includes rows of cutter elements arranged so that the cutting tips of the cutters in a row are disposed at leading and lagging angular positions so as to define a serrated cutting edge. The angular position of the cutting tips of cutters in a given row may be varied by mounting cutters with different degrees of positive and negative back rake along the same blade. Preferably, within a segment of a given row, the cutters alternate between having positive back rake and negative back rake while the cutters mounted with positive back rake are more exposed to the formation material than those mounted with negative back rake. Nozzles are provided with a highly lateral orientation for efficient cleaning. The positive back rake cutter elements have a dual-radiused cutting face and are mounted so as to have a relief angle relative to the formation material. Cutter elements in different rows are mounted at substantially the same radial position but with different exposure heights, the cutter elements with positive back rake being mounted so as to be more exposed to the formation than those with negative back rake.
Although drill bits having varied configurations of cutters are known, the need remains for drill bits having cutters configured for improved formation failing efficiency, ROP (rates of penetration) and stability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A device for lighting and extinguishing candles that includes a housing, an ignitor mechanism provided on the housing, an extinguisher mechanism provided on the housing and being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a first actuator for the extinguisher mechanism. Activation of the first actuator prevents the ignitor mechanism from being operated.

Over the years, people have lit candles in a number of ways including the use of tapers and matches. Traditional style candles are not very hard to light as one may simply hold a match to the side of the wick. Jar type candles, on the other hand, have wicks which are recessed below the rim of the jar and are difficult to light using a regular match as one can burn ones' fingers doing so. Long fireplace style matches may be used to light this type of candle but these matches are expensive and can leave small pieces of burned wood or carbon in the candle wax. Jar type candles are more easily and safely ignited by using a butane lighter having an elongated flame proof barrel made from metal.
Hundreds of years ago, castles and other buildings had large wall-mounted candles for illumination and not so long ago, most towns had kerosene street lamps. These were regularly lit and extinguished using long sticks that could retain a burning taper to light the candle or lamp and included an extinguishing cap to snuff out the flame.
A number of other devices are known in the art for both igniting a candle flame and extinguishing the same. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,740,623 to Payne discloses a device which includes a candle lighter and an extinguisher. The device has a telescoping handle that includes a region through which a taper is threaded. A mechanism is provided for feeding the taper through the tube. The device further includes a bell-shaped region that is placed over the end of the candle to extinguish the burning wick.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,556 to Smith discloses a device that is used for lighting and extinguishing altar candles. The device includes a tube through which a taper is threaded and a support having a bell at one end for extinguishing a flame. A second tube extends through the support from the bell to a container used to hold a quantity of a flammable liquid, such as lighter fluid. The user depresses a trigger to release a valve and thereby permit a specified quantity of the flammable liquid to flow through the second tube from the container to the bell region. The bell is positioned over the candle wick and the flammable liquid fluid is dispensed thereover. When the trigger is released, the flow of liquid is halted. The device is partially rotated and the taper is used to light the candle. Later, the bell may be used to extinguish the candle. In one embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 6-9, when the mechanism for dispensing flammable liquid over the candle wick is released, it actuates a second mechanism which ignites the liquid on the wick. Because of the structure of the igniting mechanism, the bell cannot be provided adjacent the tube that dispenses the flammable liquid. Instead, a second container is provided that holds a quantity of compressed carbon dioxide or other similar gas. A third tube connects the second container to the support and a separate actuator is used to dispense the carbon dioxide to extinguish a flame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,492 to Nunemaker discloses a device having a straight shaft with a candle extinguisher at one end and a holder for a safety match at the other end. The extinguisher is, once again, a bell-shaped region that is placed over the top of the candle. The device is rotated to use the two different elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,309 to Phare discloses a generally Y-shaped shaft with a bell type extinguisher on a first arm of the Y and a member for holding a taper on the second arm thereof. The device further includes a squeeze bulb at the other end of the shaft for directing air into the second arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,466 to Reese, discloses a butane type lighter having an elongated flame proof barrel that is used to light a candle. The barrel is extendable in length. The lighter includes a pivotable bell-shaped region at the opposite end of the device from the barrel. The bell-shaped region is, once again, used to extinguish flames. One of the issues with this lighter is that the bell-shaped extinguisher is positioned adjacent the container of fuel. The user has to place the fuel-filled container next to the burning flame in order to extinguish the same. Obviously, this creates a safety issue for the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,683 to Benson discloses a device that has a candle lighting area at one end and a candle extinguishing area at the other end. The lighting area includes a pair of cooperating jaws that are used to clamp a safety match therein between. The extinguishing area once again comprises a bell-shaped region that is placed over the end of the candle to deprive the burning wick of oxygen.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D330,784 to Zuffoletti shows a lighter having an elongated, generally Y-shaped shaft with a bell-shaped extinguisher on one arm and a region for lighting a candle on the other arm. The shaft extends outwardly from a body that presumably contains a fuel source. When a candle is to be lit, a trigger is depressed to allow fuel to flow to the region for lighting the candle. The device is rotated to permit the bell-shaped region to be positioned on the top of a candle to extinguish a burning wick.
There are devices other than bell-shaped members known in the art for extinguishing burning candle wicks. A number of these other devices include two opposing plates that are moved toward each other to clamp a burning wick between them and thereby extinguish the flame. A first one of these snuffer type devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 940,832 to Swoger. Swoger discloses an elongated handle with two plate-like surfaces pivotally mounted at one end of the handle. The plates are biased by a spring into a position where they are separated from each other. A string connected to the plates is pulled downwardly to move the plates toward each other. The user positions the plates on either side of a burning candle wick and pulls on the string so that the plates clamp the burning wick between them and thereby extinguishes the flame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,737 to Ray discloses a tong type member that includes two opposing faces that may be moved toward each other to clamp a burning wick between them. The faces are provided with surfaces that may be wetted so as to more quickly and easily snuff out a burning wick.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,858 to Cormier et al discloses a tong type snuffer having two faces that are simply brought toward each other to clamp a burning wick between them.
U.S. Publication 2005/0032011 to Chapman discloses a combination lighter and snuffer where the snuffer includes a tong type device that is similar to that disclosed by Cormier above. The device also includes a holder that is shaped to receive a disposable lighter therein. The lighter holder is at the opposite end of the device from the snuffer. The lighter holder includes a mechanism for retaining the lighter within the holder. It is unclear from the patent if the lighter is removed from the holder to light a candle or if the lighter is ignited while still in the holder.
U.S. Publication No. 2005/0287486 to Yates et al discloses tongs that have cup-like chambers on opposing jaws of the tongs. The jaws are brought together to enclose the chambers about the burning wick to deprive the same of oxygen and thereby extinguish the flame.
Matches are currently used less frequently to light fires, barbeques or candles than in previous times. Instead, the most popular type of device used as a lighter is one that has a body with a chamber containing butane gas, an elongated flame proof barrel extending outwardly from the body and a trigger type mechanism for dispensing and igniting fuel flowing out of the chamber. These lighters are favored because the flame proof barrel allows the person to position their hand a remote distance from the materials being ignited. The lighters are thus safer to use than smaller tubular type lighters. As the patent to Reese (U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,466) has disclosed, it is known to provide elongated barrel lighters with some type of extinguisher. However, the present inventor has recognized that the positioning of the extinguisher on the Reese lighter creates a safety hazard in that the extinguisher is disposed adjacent the fuel source. Simply positioning the extinguisher on the barrel creates two issues. Firstly, the extinguisher could prevent the barrel from being inserted into confined spaces, such as into the interior of a jar-type candle. Secondly, if the extinguisher is positioned so that the barrel can be inserted into confined spaces, the extinguisher itself could interfere with the flame produced by the barrel and could therefore render the device less useful.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved device that enables a person to light and to extinguish a candle, where the extinguisher on the device is positioned away from a fuel source on the device but still enables the barrel to be inserted into confined spaces without interfering with the flame produced by the device.

Device for lighting and extinguishing candles


A flat electric cable having a plurality of parallel conductors spaced apart inside insulation, and provided with screening, wherein at least one of the outer conductors projects partially from the insulation and makes contact with the screening, and the projecting outer conductor is wider than the other conductors.

Regardless of whether or not they include a drain ensuring electrical continuity for the screening, most prior screened electric cables are not suitable for having conventional connectors mounted thereon, which connectors are designed to be mounted on unscreened cables in practical and rapid manner by conventional types of connection device, in particular by using automatic machinery, since the connection devices do not provide connection with the screening of the cables at the same time as they connect with their conductors. It is therefore necessary to use special connectors which are relatively uncommon and which are connected to a cable by operations that are lengthly and expensive, and which provide connections of uncertain reliability, particularly when the cable conductors include a drain conductor.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,125 describes a flat coaxial cable provided with screening, the cable including an outer conductor projecting from one of the sides of the insulation or two outer conductors projecting from two sides of the insulation, with the, or each, projecting outer conductor making contact with the screening.
Such a cable cannot be mounted in a zero insertion force connector in compliance with conventional standards and it cannot accept the pins of staple-type connectors, whether they be longitudinal (Berg system) or transversal (AMP system), which provide both electrical contact and electric charge drainage simultaneously.
The object of the present invention is to provide a screened flat electric cable suitable for being connected to a similar cable after mere stripping by an operation that is simple and quick, using zero insertion force connectors or connectors having longitudinal or transversal staple-type pins, which connectors provide reliable connection.

Screened flat electric cable having a plurality of parallel conductors


In one embodiment, a method selects a percentage of a plurality hosts that are coupled together via a network fabric and calculates a number of workloads needed for the percentage of hosts based on a benchmark test to run. A plurality of data compute nodes are configured on one or more host pairs in the percentage of the plurality of hosts to send and receive the number of workloads through the network fabric to perform the benchmark test. A set of measurements is received for sending and receiving the workloads through the network fabric using the plurality of data compute nodes. The method increases the percentage of the plurality of hosts until the set of measurements fails a criteria or the percentage of the plurality of hosts is all of the plurality of hosts.

A network fabric is a network topology in which network nodes interconnect via one or more network switches or routers. Performance is a critical consideration in the design of the network fabric, especially in a data center. There have been many proposals and solutions that help build a data center to better adapt to the evolution of the cloud and big data. However, every solution may be evaluated differently, which makes it hard to compare different network fabric designs.

Control of a computing system to perform network fabric benchmark measurements


Method and system for network discovery and selection in wireless network systems. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a wireless communication system. The system includes a first access network that is connected to a content service network. The first access network includes a base station to provide wireless access to wireless devices within a first region through a plurality of communication channels. The plurality of communication channels includes a broadcast channel. The first access network is configured to send broadcast messages through the broadcast channel. The broadcast message includes a first broadcast message, which includes channel availability information. The system also includes a wireless device. The wireless device includes an antenna and a wireless interface. The wireless interface is adapted to receive at least the first broadcast message.

The present invention relates in general to telecommunication techniques. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for providing allocation of network resources. In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for providing network discovery and selection in wireless network systems by using network broadcast messages. Certain embodiments of the invention are used in the WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) standard. Merely by way of example, the invention is described as it applies to wireless access network, but it should be recognized that the invention has a broader range of applicability. For example, the invention can be applied to any communication product that supports periodic broadcast of network information.
Techniques for wireless communications have progressed through the years. For example, satellite wireless communication networks have been developed where satellites are use to relay voice communication among wireless. There are other techniques as well. Over the recent years, the "cellular" wireless communication networks have become one of the most widely used technique for providing wireless communication.
A wireless network usually includes base stations and mobile stations. For example, a mobile station (MS) refers to a station that is to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified geographic locations. As an example, the mobile station is a mobile communication device. In another example, the mobile station is a cellular phone. In yet another example, a base station (BS) refers to a set of equipment that can provide connectivity, management, and control for one or more mobile stations. As merely an example, a connective service network refers to a set of network functions that provide IP connectivity services to mobile stations. In an exemplary process flow, a MS obtains radio access from a BS. Through the BS, the MS obtains IP services.
In a telecommunication network, a mobile station is typically connected to a local network, which provides, among other things, radio connectivity. The local network also establishes a connection between the mobile station and a network where a variety of services (e.g., routing, Internet protocol routing, etc.) are provided. FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a conventional telecommunication network. As an example, the conventional telecommunication network 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 complies with WiMAX wireless networks.
As shown, the mobile station 101, which is sometimes referred to as mobile subscriber station when the mobile station is subscribed to a specific network service provider, is connected to an access service network. For example, the mobile station 101 is connected to the access service network (ASN) 102. For example, the ASN 102 is configured to provide radio access to the mobile station 101. According to an embodiment, the ASN 102 includes a base station (BS) for providing radio access. For example, the BS refers to a generalized equipment set for providing connectivity, management, and control of mobile stations. In addition, the ASN 102 includes a gateway for interfacing with other networks. For example, the gateway allows the mobile station 101 to communicate with other ASNs (e.g., ASN 106). As another example, the gateway allows the mobile station 101 to connect to a connectivity service network (CSN) 104. As an example, the connectivity service network refers to a set of network functions that provide, among other things, IP connectivity service to mobile stations. Often, the CSNs also store policies associated with mobile stations.
Typically, a mobile station connects to a CSN that stores the network policies associated with the mobile station through an ASN. As an example, the CSN is often referred as network service provider from a management perspective. Similarly, the ASN is often referred to as network access provider from a management perspective. Typically, the ASN and/or the CSN stores information associated with individual wireless devices. As an example, the information includes location information of a specific wireless device. As another example, the information includes context information for a wireless device.
When a wireless device moves and/or enters into a geographical location, the wireless device performs a network detection and selection process to obtain wireless connectivity. For example, in various conventional techniques the wireless device scans for available channels. Unfortunately, these conventional techniques are often inadequate for various reasons.
Therefore, an improved method for providing wireless communication network is desired.


A communication apparatus that transmits and receives packet data by radio communication with another communication apparatus, the communication apparatus including a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to: receive first packet data in a first packet transmission period; calculate data collection efficiency indicating a ratio of a reception data amount of the first packet data, to a transmission data amount of the first packet data, based on received the first packet data, and measure a first radio quality in a radio section between the communication apparatus and the other communication apparatus, based on received the first packet data; calculate a packet length and transmission count of the first packet data, based on the data collection efficiency and first radio quality; and transmit a second packet data including the packet length and transmission count.

In recent years, a variety of things not only a personal computer and a smartphone are getting connected to the Internet. Accordingly IoT (Internet of Things) is drawing attention.
The IoT is said to be a mechanism that a variety of "things" are connected to the Internet to enable mutual control through information exchange. The "things" here include, for example, a smartphone having an IP (Internet Protocol) address, a commercial product having an IP address and being detectable by a sensor, a content stored in equipment having an IP address, and the like. The IoT is considered to enable, for example, smooth circulation of a vast amount of information, to improve productivity and efficiency on the life of the people and achieve a new social system.
In some cases, an IoT network may be implemented using radio communication. However, such radio communication may be affected by an external environment, so that may generate a fault. Therefore, there may be cases that an IoT service through the IoT network is hindered.
For example, cases of IoT introduced in a factory are increasing. In some cases in such a factory, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, drying equipment, etc. using a magnetron in an ISM (Industry Science Medical) band may be operated inside the factory. Such equipment may become an interference source upon IoT equipment that performs radio communication using an identical frequency band. It is known that the periodic control of a magnetron switched on and off generates a periodic interference upon radio communication performed in an identical frequency band.
Such periodic interference may cause the omission of a transmission packet in the middle of communication in a radio section to thereby deteriorate a data throughput.
As a radio communication technique to deal with the periodic interference including the followings, for example.
Namely, there is a radio communication apparatus that inserts the measured periodic data of an interference wave into a transmission packet as a part of transmission data, to transmit to another radio communication apparatus, so that the other radio communication apparatus adjusts the transmission time of each one transmission based on the periodic data of the interference wave.
It is urged that, according to the above technique, in radio communication with another radio communication apparatus, it is possible to reduce a periodically generated interference wave, and prevent an inappropriate increase of transmission power.
Also, there is a communication apparatus that identifies a time length of a non-signal section in which any signal from another apparatus is detected, and based on the time length of data to be transmitted to an opposite apparatus of communication and the time length of the non-signal section, determines the number of times of data transmission, so as to transmit data as many as the determined number of times to the opposite apparatus.
It is urged that, according to the above technique, a delay in a communication system can be reduced while reducing the probability of the collision of a transmission signal with a signal from the other apparatus.
Further, there is a communication apparatus that, on determining periodicity exists in a noise signal, continues communication if the communication is not hindered because a target signal level to a noise level is sufficiently large, while maintaining a normal operation state without switching over an operation state, whereas otherwise, reduces a transmission speed.
It is urged that, according to the above technique, packet communication can be performed without hindrance, even under an environment in which a noise signal having periodicity exists.

Communication apparatus, communication system, and communication control method


An electronic watch in which the display on a liquid crystal display 236 is prohibited when the detected output voltage of a secondary battery 220 drops to a first predefined voltage. An initialization process is performed when the detected voltage of the secondary battery 220 drops to a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and the display on the liquid crystal display unit 236 is restarted when the detected voltage of the secondary battery 220 rises to a third voltage not lower than the first voltage after having reached the second voltage.

In conventional compact portable electronic apparatuses, the secondary battery (or a primary battery) is often used as a power source for reducing both the size and weight.
A power source such as a secondary battery generally has a high internal resistance. Unless some measures are taken, therefore, the compact portable electronic apparatuses having this type of power source are liable to develop a malfunction or become inoperative due to the voltage drop across the high internal resistance of the power supply when the power supply voltage is lowered. Such compact portable electronic apparatuses are inconvenient to handle for the user.
In order to prevent the malfunction, these compact portable electronic apparatuses have been configured in such a manner that the system data is initialized or the user is urged to perform the charging operation in the case where the source voltage drops below a predetermined threshold level. The source voltage of the compact portable electronic apparatuses undergoes a small change in various processes.
Assuming that the threshold voltage is constant, therefore, depending on the operating conditions, the source voltage is reduced below the threshold level temporarily and the system data are initialized without the knowledge of the user or the screen display for urging the initialization or charging is repeated often to the inconvenience of the user.

Electronic apparatus and method of controlling the electronic apparatus


Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to pixel-based thermal conductivity determination. A pixelized representation is created for a conductor layer of a printed circuit board. The pixelized representation is analyzed to identify conductor paths in a direction. Based on the conductor paths, the conductor pixels separated into net pixels and isolated pixels. An effective thermal conductivity property value in the direction is then computed for a section or a whole of the conductor layer based on the number of the isolated pixels, the number of the net pixels and the number of total pixels in the section or the whole of the conductor layer.

High operating temperatures can severely affect the performance, power consumption and reliability of a circuit system. With the continued scaling of integrated circuit technologies, high power density and the resulting difficulties in managing temperatures have become a major challenge facing designers at all design levels. Computer modeling tools have been employed to predict and simulate the thermal behavior of both physical and virtual structures.
A printed circuit board is typically a layered composite consisting of copper foil and a glass-reinforced polymer (FR-4). It mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components or electrical components. Printed circuit boards are used in all but the simplest electronic products. They are also used in some electrical products, such as passive switch boxes. A common type of printed circuit board is usually 10 cm wide, 15 cm long and a few millimeters thick. Printed circuit boards can be singled sided, double sided and multilayered. Multilayer printed circuit boards have one or multiple conductor patterns (layers) inside the board, insolated by dielectric layers. This increases the area available for wiring. A smart phone may have a printed circuit board consisting of more than ten layers. Through the conductor layers, a printed circuit board can help to remove component heat. To preserve component reliability, efficient thermal design and management is needed.
When performing a steady-state thermal analysis on a printed circuit board, one of the critical parameters is the effective thermal conductivity. The accuracy of the effective thermal conductivity value for each of the printed circuit board layers can determine the accuracy of the thermal model. No two printed circuit boards are designed alike, but employing an accurate three-dimensional model to predict temperature distribution takes an excessive amount of time. A current method takes a digital image of each layer and converts it into a black and white image. Black is assigned to conductor and white assigned to dielectric. The image is then divided into patches based on inputs from the user. These patches are then converted into effective thermal conductivities by analyzing each row and column. This process often leads to under-prediction of effective thermal conductivities and the use of a correction factor to make up for this error.

Pixelized thermal conductivity determination for printed circuit boards


A vehicular lamp in which a luminous flux utilization factor is enhanced by a structure of a light-emitting element that is disposed to face forward with respect to a vehicular lamp and covered from its front side with a translucent member. The circumferential region of the translucent member forms a reflected light control portion that allows light from the light-emitting element which has impinged on the translucent member to be internally reflected by the rear face of the translucent member and turned into parallel light which travels forward, and the reflected light control portion further allows the parallel light to emit forward from the front face of the reflected light control portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp that uses a light-emitting element as a light source.
2. Prior Art
Recent years have seen adoption of many vehicular lamps having a light-emitting element serving as the light source.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2000-67610 discloses a vehicular lamp including a light-emitting element disposed to face forward on an optical axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the lamp and a translucent member disposed to cover the light-emitting element from its front side.
In this vehicular lamp, a central region of the translucent member which is located close to the optical axis is constructed so as to allow light from the light-emitting element, which has impinged on the translucent member, to emit forward from its front face. Further, the peripheral region of the translucent member which is located around the central region is constructed as a mortar-shaped light guiding body so as to emit light from the light-emitting element, which has impinged on the translucent member, forward from the surface of its leading end portion after repeated internal reflection on the rear and front faces of the translucent member.
The use of the translucent member in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2000-67610 enables enhancement of the luminous flux utilization factor for the light from the light-emitting element but causes some problems.
One problem is that since the peripheral region of the translucent member is constructed as the mortar-shaped light guiding body, only the leading end portion of the peripheral region looks bright when the translucent member is observed from an area in front of the lamp. This causes another problem of unattractive appearance of the lamp in its lit-up state.
In addition, light from the light-emitting element which has impinged on the translucent member is randomly emitted forward from the surface of the leading end portion of the translucent member after having been internally reflected by the rear and front faces thereof in a repeated fashion. The further problem resulting from this fact is that light distribution control of the vehicular lamp with high precision cannot be made efficiently.


A glove is generally insulated except the thumb and forefinger, enabling a person such as a policeman to operate a pistol without removal of the glove. The glove includes a hand covering having a main body and further consisting of five separate finger stalls, which permits the glove to be worn normally full time like a conventional glove, while at the same time permitting operations generally involving relative manual dexterity, such as involving opposing-appendage grasping operations, or trigger or button actuation operations.

The present invention is generally directed to an improved glove, and more particularly concerns a mostly insulated glove with tight fitting index finger and thumb stalls for performance of manual operations with relative dexterity while wearing such gloves.
Certain occupations require relatively long-term exposure to the elements, such as cold and/or wet weather, yet simultaneously require the person to be prepared to undertake activities (sometimes immediately and on little notice) involving manual dexterity. One prime example of such circumstances is that of a policeman who is outdoors during cold weather, but must immediately have access to, and operate, a firearm. Any hesitancy in being able to draw or operate a firearm can literally result in harm (or fatal injury) to the officer, or to innocent public bystanders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,052 issued to Rubin relates to a hand covering for use with firearms. A glove or mitten is provided with insulation generally, but is further provided with a separate uninsulated trigger finger stall to facilitate operation of a firearm. The Rubin hand covering is in fact preferably provided with two separate trigger finger receiving stalls, one being provided with normal insulation, and the other with no insulation for a tighter fit. One chief, and potentially critical, disadvantage of such a hand covering is that the user must transfer his or her trigger finger from the insulated trigger finger stall to the uninsulated trigger finger stall. Thus, a finite amount of time is required, involving partial withdrawal of the user's hand from the glove, and reinsertion so as to have the trigger finger received in the appropriate stall. Accordingly, such a six-fingered glove or modified mitten does not permit full time immediate safe operation of a firearm.
In general, the Rubin Patent recognizes that the bulkiness of an insulated trigger finger stall may cause accidental discharge of the firearm as the user works his or her finger into the trigger part of the gun. However, such very limited contribution to the art fails to facilitate safe operation of a firearm at a moments notice, and fails to address other disadvantages which generally accompany the wearing of bulky winter or insulated gloves.


The invention relates to a device for physically treating drinking water, in particular, for reducing the formation of limestone. The invention device comprises at least one water inlet (3b) and at least one water outlet (3c), whereby the device is mounted in the cold water supply line (3) of at least one water heater (1), preferably a boiler, and the device is placed in good heal-conductive thermal contact with the hot water area of the water heater (1).

The present invention concerns a water heater—in particular a boiler—comprising an apparatus for the physical treatment of drinking water for reducing calcification, wherein the apparatus has at least one water inlet and at least one water outlet.
PCT application WO 99/48822 describes that a weakly acid ion exchanger resin in the Ca-form catalytically triggers at its surface lime precipitation from a lime-bearing solution. That process can be used for physical water treatment: the lime seed crystals formed at the surface of the catalytically acting granular material are easily detached from the surface and are crystallisation centers in the supersaturated water itself. The growth of those crystallisation centers binds the excess calcium and carbonate ions to themselves and in that way precipitation processes on pipe and boiler walls are lastingly suppressed. PCT application WO 99/48822 also contains technical descriptions of how preferably water treatment apparatuses with that catalyst material are designed and used in a drinking water installation. Essentially those water treatment apparatuses are made up of a pressure-resistant container, a nozzle plate and a granular material-retaining filter element. The original idea was to install that catalyst technology in the cold water line of the drinking water installation.
It was subsequently found that this catalyst granular material is most effectively used in the hot water region in combination with a hot water storage unit, more specifically for the following reasons:                The degree of supersaturation of the lime-bearing water is higher in the hot water region; in a corresponding manner the probability of seed crystals forming at the surface of the catalyst granular material also increases.        The growth kinetics of the lime seed crystals formed are substantially faster at higher temperatures; in other words, lime seed crystals formed are available more quickly as crystallisation centers.        In drinking water heating systems with storage unit the water involved has a markedly longer mean residence time in the system. That residence time permits a longer water treatment time. That permits efficient water treatment even with small compact catalyst units.        With warm or hot water the catalyst granular material can be ideally disinfected; disinfecting is desirable for safe operation in the drinking water sector by virtue of the large surface area of the material involved, from the hygiene point of view.
Those reasons led to the catalyst granular material preferably being used in the hot water region. In order to ensure protection for the entire drinking Water heating system, it is necessary for all the hot water to be brought into contact with the catalyst. That requirement is satisfied for example if the water treatment apparatus is either used in an existing circulation conduit and the hot water is circulated with a circulation pump or alternatively its own bypass conduit is built by way of the hot water storage unit and the water treatment apparatus is integrated into that conduit together with a circulation pump.
Austrian patent specification AT 406 826B in FIG. 2 thereof shows an embodiment for the use of the catalyst granular material in the hot water circulation. That specification shows an apparatus for disinfecting a water treatment unit, which is installed as an independent device in the cold water part or the hot water part of a drinking water installation. The incorporation of such an additional device gives rise to additional expenditure and requires a greater amount of space. In addition that additional device requires a power supply for heating the water to be treated. That gives rise to an additional energy consumption which cannot be completely recovered by the heat losses which occur, in the drinking water installation.
The technical solution with a circulation conduit has two crucial disadvantages:                the system needs a circulation conduit with a circulation pump and power for operation thereof, and        there are heat losses due to the circulation.
Those disadvantages disturb the otherwise impeccable ecological and economic balance sheet of the catalyst technology. The process itself of forming the seed crystals does not need any chemical additives—it is a 'chemical-free' process—and no energy as the energy necessary for formation is stored in the supersaturation of the lime-bearing aqueous solution. The subsequent installation of a circulation conduit with a circulation pump increases the level of capital investment expenditure and operation of the circulation gives rise to operating costs. Particularly in the case of small installations, those circumstances have a particularly disadvantageous effect on the decision on the part of a customer for adopting that technology. Furthermore, when using layer-type storage arrangements, circulation by way of the storage unit gives rise to problems.
It is also known for the water-treating substance, preferably the catalyst granular material, to be integrated in a technical fluid-filled installation directly into the region where for example the lime problems occur. The technical installation itself is routinely provided not solely for receiving the water-treating substance, preferably the catalyst granular material, and performs another, technically necessary purpose. This can be for example the supply (storage/buffering) of a fluid, in particular the storage of hot water (energy storage) for later consumption. The technical installations described can also serve for heating fluids, passing the fluid along, or a combination of the stated functions.
It is assumed in this respect that transport, which is necessary for the treatment, of the fluid to the catalyst granular material and transport of the crystallisation centers which are necessary for the water treatment from the surface of the catalyst granular material into the entire fluid-filled space is effected to a sufficient degree by means of diffusion and convection. Diffusion and convection however are generally very slow processes and it is not always possible to guarantee an adequate treatment efficiency in the entire fluid-filled space. In addition specific adaptation of the listed embodiments in order to permit diffusion and convection to an adequate degree in the respective use sometimes requires a high level of technical expenditure which again nullifies a part of the savings (no pressure vessel, no heating means).

Device for chemically/physically treating drinking water


Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing Internet of Things (“IoT”) functionality, and, in particular embodiments, implementing added services for OBD2 connection for IoT-capable vehicles. In various embodiments, a portable device (when connected to an OBD2 DLC port of a vehicle) might monitor wireless communications between a vehicle computing system(s) and an external device(s), might monitor vehicle sensor data from vehicular sensors tracking operational conditions of the vehicle, and might monitor operator input sensor data from operator input sensors tracking input by a vehicle operator. The portable device (or a server) might analyze either the monitored wireless communications or a combination of the monitored vehicle sensor data and the monitored operator input sensor data, to determine whether vehicle operation has been compromised. If so, the portable device (or the server) might alert the operator of the vehicle via a user interface, and might initiate one or more remediation operations.

As vehicles become more connected with other devices and systems (e.g., due to proliferation of Internet of Things ("IoT") functionality, due to adding non-IoT wireless communications capabilities to the vehicles, and/or the like), these so-called "smart vehicles" become susceptible to external influence (such as hackers attempting intrusion into the vehicle systems, hackers planting viruses or other malicious software ("malware") that infect the vehicle systems, or malware-infected devices (perhaps even associated with the operator of the vehicle or passengers therein) being "innocently" connected to the vehicle systems thereby infecting them, and/or the like). Further due to modern vehicles operating by "fly-by-wire" systems (i.e., using electronic connections, rather than mechanical linkages, between the control systems of the vehicle (e.g., accelerator pedal, brake pedal, steering wheel, and/or the like) and the corresponding operational systems of the vehicle (e.g., engine or throttle valve, brakes, variable power assist system, and/or the like), in conjunction with the potential security issues that exist with wireless communications, it becomes possible for third parties to remotely control the vehicle or otherwise detrimentally affect the operation of the vehicle. Currently, there do not appear to be systems in place to remedy such occurrences, much less systems or methods that provide added services via OBD2 connection to remedy such occurrences.
Hence, there is a need for more robust and scalable solutions for implementing communications for Internet of Things ("IoT") functionality, and, in particular embodiments, to methods, systems, apparatus, and computer software for implementing added services for OBD2 connection for IoT-capable vehicles.

System and method for implementing added services for OBD2 smart vehicle connection


A system and method for actively damping tension members modulates the natural frequency of shape memory alloys incorporated into tension members, such as suspension ropes or cables. The frequency of the tension member can be modulated by heating the shape memory alloy, such modulation preventing potentially destructive resonance with natural exciting forces.

Tension members such as ropes and cables are subject to oscillations. These members can be excited by external forces such as wind. If the frequency of exciting forces matches the natural frequency of the tension member, then the tension member will resonate.
At the former World Trade Center in New York, high velocity winds caused the building to sway back and forth. The frequency of the building sway matched the natural frequency of the elevator compensating and they went into resonance. In resonance the amplitude of the oscillations increases unless limited by some form of dampening. At the World Trade Center, the oscillating compensation cables collided with entrance doors and shaft walls destroying both. Catastrophic resonance has also occurred causing bridges to collapse. Damping mechanisms are required to control resonance.


Provided is an image forming apparatus having a control circuit. The control circuit includes a standard application execution circuit, an apparatus control platform, and a standard application control circuit. The standard application execution circuit has the standard application execution service that executes a standard application. The apparatus control platform includes control service, apparatus control execution service, and an apparatus control management service. The control service controls hardware on an operating system. The apparatus control execution service executes the control service with an interface that is an executing procedure of the control service. The apparatus control management service instructs a call of the control service to the apparatus control execution service. The standard application control circuit manages a state of the standard application and provides an interface for using the hardware resources of the standard application execution service.

The present disclosure is related with an image forming apparatus, image forming method, and a recording medium, and especially applied the image forming apparatus, the image forming method, and the recording medium for adding function by an application.
There is an image forming apparatus that can print a document and an image, such as an MFP (Multi Functional Peripheral, MFP) and a printer. Some image forming apparatuses can install and execute various applications (application software). There are applications, such as PDF generation, card management, and book management. Also, there is an application for cooperating with another apparatus, such as a camera.
Incidentally, in order to install and execute such applications, it is necessary to develop each application so that fundamental function of OS (Operating System) equipped in the image processing device can be used. Also, development of application is needed to carry out efficiently for lowering development cost.
A typical case that cancels such a problem is disclosed. In this case, two or more applications that can carry out a unique process for each user service, such as a printer, a copy, or a facsimile, are equipped. Also, a platform that performs management of hardware resources, execution control, and image formation processing, is provided. This platform is required in common for, at least two of applications. Thus, the platform intervenes between the application and the hardware resources. An application registration management module arranged on this platform manages the application. Therefore, when a user makes the application for each user service, sections other than a platform are made. Also, the application administrative module arranged on the platform is changed. Thereby, the burden of application making is reduced.

Image forming apparatus, method and recording medium that execute standard application to control hardware resources


An adapter card structure includes a lower cover, an upper cover, an insulating plate, a terminal set and a slide switch. The upper cover covers the lower cover. The insulating plate is lodged between the upper cover and the lower cover. The terminal set comprises a plurality of terminals and an independent terminal. The terminals and the independent terminal are inserted into the insulating plate at intervals. A middle section of one of the terminals is connected with a middle section of the independent terminal to form a short circuit portion. A wave-shaped perpendicular plate is formed by means of bending and extending from the outermost one of the terminals. The slide switch is movably provided between the upper cover and the lower cover to engage with the wave-shaped plate. Via this arrangement, a user can have a clear click feeling when pushing the slide switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adapter card structure, and in particular to a data storage adapter card structure for connecting a data storage adapter card to another adapter card.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional adapter cards are usually provided at one side of their casing with a slide switch. The side of the slide switch facing the casing is provided with a recess. The casing is provided with two protruding points to engage with the recess of the slide switch. The slide switch can be positioned at the two protruding points via the recess, so that the adapter card can be switched between a write enabled and write protected state.
However, the dimensions of such adapter cards are small, and thus the dimensions of the slide switch are even smaller. If the casing and the slide switch are molded including their protruding points and recess, respectively, the manufacture of the associated molds is difficult, and it is not easy to control the dimensions precisely. As a result, the protruding points and the recess may not correspond to each other very well, so that after operating the slide switch, a user cannot be sure whether the slide switch has been pushed to the correct position.
Therefore, in view of the above the drawbacks, the inventor proposes the present invention to overcome the above problems based on his deliberate research.


An optical filter consisting essentially of a glutamate copolymer having thermotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties and represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an arylalkyl group having 10 or less carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an arylalkyl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, provided that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are different from each other; m and n are numbers satisfying the following relationships 50.ltoreq.m+n.ltoreq.2000 and m/n=80 to 10/20 to 90.

This invention relates to an optical member, particularly an optical filter. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an optical filter consisting essentially of a copolymer which exhibits thermotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties and comprising specific two kinds of L-glutamates and/or D-glutamates, and suitable for use as an optical filter for a color display and a branching filter for synthesizing or separating multiple optical signals, and a notch filter, a band-pass filter, a circularly polarizing filter and an optical isolator which are used for various applications.
An optical member, particularly an optical filter is an important structural element in the field of optoelectronics such as displays and optical communications, and filters made of various materials and having various functions are used therefor. For example, in the field of a color display, a filter comprising a number of arranged picture elements comprising color filters respectively for R (red), G (green) and B (blue) is used. In this case, since the spectroscopic wavelength ranges respectively for R, G and B filters partially overlap with each other, a notch filter is used for cutting off the wavelength in the overlapped ranges. Although a notch filter made of an acryl resin containing neodymium has conventionally been used, it has disadvantages such as disagreement of the absorption wavelength range with the wavelength range to be cut off, small degree of absorption and difficulty in forming it into a thin sheet. Therefore, the development of a high performance notch filter capable of freely controlling the wavelength ranges to be cut off and being produced and processed with ease has been demanded.
Meanwhile, in the field of optical communications, wavelength multiplex transmission techniques have been developed to increase the transmission capacity per optical fiber and is expected to be applied to a subscriber transmission system. In the wavelength multiplex transmission system, a branching filter for synthesizing or separating multiple optical signals should be necessarily used, and an interference film optical branching filter and a diffraction grating optical branching filter have conventionally been developed therefor. The former is advantageous in that the central wavelength and bandwidth can be freely designed but disadvantageously requires extremely sophisticated techniques in forming an interference film and much work, causing not only difficulty in producing it but also increase in cost with the increase in the wave number to be separated. On the other hand, although the latter has an advantage that a number of waves can be separated using one diffraction grating, it is disadvantageous not only in that the wavelength band in which a high diffraction grating efficiency can be achieved is limited to that near the blaze wavelength, causing difficulty in widening the band, but also in that it requires sophisticated producing techniques and is high in cost. Therefore, also in the field of optical fiber communications, the production of a high precision band-pass filter or notch filter is extremely useful because such band-pass filter or notch filter can be used as a branching filter which is easy to produce, light in weight and low in cost.
Besides the above-mentioned fields, various optical filters such as an optical isolator, a half mirror and a circularly polarizing filter are used in the fields of optoelectronics and optics as well. These optical filters have serious disadvantages such as difficulties in producing them and maintenance and high cost and, sometimes, insufficient performance, because they are produced by combining a lens, a prism, a diffraction grating, etc. which have been generally produced by precision working of glass, metals or inorganic materials with a sophisticated technique.
Meanwhile, attempts have been made to apply specific optical effects of a cholesteric liquid crystal to an optical member. When the pitch of the helical structure is p and the average refractive index n, if the incident light is perpendicular to the sheet surface, the cholesteric liquid crystal has a wavelength, .lambda., corresponding to .lambda.=p.n, and selectively reflects a right-handed circularly polarized light or a left-handed circularly polarized light according to the direction of the helicalaxis. Therefore, the cholesteric liquid crystal can be used as a notch filter, a band-pass filter, a circularly polarizing filter, etc. by skillfully taking advantage of the above-mentioned properties. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 139506/1981 discloses a visible light reflecting polymer composite comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal having a helical pitch capable of selectively reflecting light belonging to a visible region and immobilized by an amorphous polymer. The visible light reflecting polymer composite is prepared by a method which comprises forming a cholesteric liquid crystal from a polyglutamate (L- or D-isomer), which is known as having lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties, using a photopolymerizable unsaturated monomer as a solvent and exposing the mixture to light rays to polymerize the unsaturated monomer and to immobilize the cholesteric structure by the resulting polymer. In the above-mentioned method, since the liquid crystal used is limited to a polymer which exhibits lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties, and it has a structure immobilized by polymerizing an unsaturated monomer which has been used as a solvent, not only difficulties are encountered in finding out conditions of preparation under which the pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal can freely be varied but also it is impossible to vary the pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal, once it has been prepared, after immobilization thereof. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 191203/1985 discloses a method of preparing a notch filter which comprises forming lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystals from poly-L-glutamic acid .gamma.-butyl ester and poly-D-glutamic acid .gamma.-butyl ester each using triethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a solvent with the same technique as mentioned above, immobilizing the liquid crystals by photopolymerization and laminating the resulting two films. However, this method has the same disadvantages as that mentioned above with regard to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 139506/1981 because the two methods use the same techniques.
The present inventors have previously found that a copolymer of a specific two kinds of glutamates exhibits thermotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties. This copolymer has various advantages as follows. Since the copolymer is thermotropic, there is no need for using any solvent in developing a cholesteric structure as opposed to the above-mentioned cases where the polymer is lyotropic. Further, the cholesteric structure can be immobilized simply by rapidly cooling a heated copolymer, which leads to an extremely easy production of an immobilized liquid crystal. Moreover, the pitch, i.e. selective reflection wavelength, can freely be varied with great advantages by heating the immobilized cholesteric structure which has once been prepared at a temperature different from that used in preparing it. Since these properties are suitable for preparation of various optical filters which require a precise control of transmitting wavelength and cutting wavelength, it is expected that the application to these optical filters will produce various favorable effects with great advantages.

Optical filter employing a copolyglutamate having thermotropic cholesteric liquid crystal properties


A spare wheel assembly includes a spare-wheel cap having a core, and raised fins radially extending from the core toward a perimeter of the cap to form a cross and configured to provide gripping portions for rotating the cap. The spare wheel assembly further includes an ornament-removal tool having a handle and a longitudinal member extending therefrom. Some of the fins define recesses configured to receive and retain the handle and member to removably secure the tool to the cap.

Motor vehicles may include spare wheel assemblies having a spare-wheel cap and an ornament-removal tool removably coupled thereto. The ornament-removal tool may be positioned such that other spare wheel parts need to be removed before accessing the tool, which may be the first tool needed to remove an existing wheel from the vehicle.


A color switchable stress/fracture sensor in combination with a structure. The combination apparatus includes a structure requiring stress and/or fracture detection, and at least one elasto-mechanoluminescent material at least partially dispersed in and/or on the structure and/or in a coating on the structure. The combination apparatus further includes at least one fracto-mechanoluminescent material at least partially dispersed in and/or on the structure and/or in a coating on the structure, and at least one fiber optic cable positioned to receive and transmit sufficient light emitted from the elasto-mechanoluminescent material due to stress applied to the elasto-mechanoluminescent material and to receive and transmit sufficient light emitted from the fracto-mechanoluminescent material due to fracture of the fracto-mechanoluminescent material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to color switchable sensors, and more particularly, to a color switchable sensor containing both fracto-mechanoluminescent and elasto-mechanoluminescent materials for both visually and remotely detecting the transition point between stress and fracture in a structure, e.g., aircraft and/or ship components possibly due to hydrodynamic drag, by an optic waveguide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Glassy, plastic, polymer and composite among many different structural materials during both manufacture and use require integrity and robustness monitoring in situ and in real time in order to ascertain damage leading to failure of the structure. Usually, the failure is the result of a progression from initial stress to the structure to an eventual fracture. Monitoring the stress on a structure would allow for repair of the structure prior to fracture. Sage et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,260 recites to a damage sensor using triboluminescent materials connected to light guiding fibres or layers embedded within the structure or mounted on the structure's surface to detect the physical damage to the structure. The triboluminescent materials disclosed in Sage et al. are all fracto-mechanoluminescent materials emitting different wavelengths of light when fractured. The wavelength of emission can be used, through an algorithm, to directly locate the position of the fracture.
There is a need to know prior to the occurrence of a fracture where and when a fracture could occur to a structure in order that a fracture can be prevented with repair.

Color switchable stress-fracture sensor for damage control

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


A method controls an internal-combustion engine (1) supercharged by a turbocharger (12) and including a turbine (13) and compressor (14). The control method comprises steps of determining a current reduced-mass-flow rate (QAHR) of the compressor (14), determining a safety threshold (Mmax_turbo) of the reduced-mass-flow rate (QAHR) that delimits in a “reduced-mass-flow rate/compression ratio” plane an area substantially close to achievement of sonic conditions, and imposing that the reduced-mass-flow rate (QAHR) has to be lower than a safety threshold (Mmax_turbo) of the reduced-mass-flow rate (QAHR).

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates, generally, to a method for controlling an internal-combustion engine and, more particularly, to such an engine that is supercharged by a turbocharger.
2. Description of Related Art
Some internal-combustion engines are provided with a turbocharger-supercharging system, which can increase the power generated by the engine using the enthalpy of the exhaust gases to compress the intake air from the engine and, therefore, increase the volumetric efficiency of the intake.
A turbocharger-supercharging system includes a turbocharger provided with a turbine, which is arranged along an exhaust conduit to rotate at high speed under the pressure of exhaust gases expelled from the engine, and compressor, which is put in rotation by the turbine and arranged along the air-supply conduit compressing the intake air from the engine.
In particular, the useful area of the operating range is limited—on the left side of a "reduced-mass-flow rate/compression ratio" plane by the "pumping" line and at the right side of the same plane by the so-called "saturation" line. The "pumping" line, therefore, defines a first "forbidden" zone and consists of the location of points where the internal aerodynamic balance of the compressor is offset and there is a periodical, noisy, and violent flow-rate refusal to the mouth, with effects that can be destructive for the blading.
In a turbocharger-supercharging system, it is necessary to maintain the operating range of the turbocharger within a useful area dependent on the engine point both for functional reasons (i.e., to avoid malfunctions or else low performance), and structural reasons (i.e., to avoid damage to the turbocharger).
For example, Patent Application US-A1-2009293477 describes a control method of an internal-combustion engine supercharged by a turbocharger including a turbine and compressor. The control method envisages determining the current mass-flow rate of the compressor, determining a lower security threshold of the mass-flow rate, and requiring that the current mass-flow rate of the compressor be greater than the security threshold of the mass-flow rate. Patent Application US-A1-2009293477, therefore, describes a method that allows preventing damage to the turbocharger, but does not allow optimizing the performance of the turbocharger itself.
Patent Application EP1741895A1 describes a control method of an internal-combustion engine supercharged by a turbocharger including a compressor, a turbine adapted to drive into rotation the compressor under the action of the exhaust gases of the engine, and a waste-gate valve adapted to regulate the flow of exhaust gases supplied as input to the turbine for controlling the speed of rotation of the turbine itself according to an output supercharged-target pressure required by the compressor.
The control method described in Patent Application EP1741895A1 includes the steps of: measuring the pressure of intake air entering the compressor; determining the mass-flow rate of the compressor; calculating—through a predetermined map that characterizes the operation of the compressor and, according to the preset-limit speed of rotation, measured air pressure and mass-flow rate—a supercharging-limit pressure, which is related to the obtainable output-air pressure from the compressor when the turbine rotates at a speed substantially equal to the preset-limit speed; verifying if a requested supercharged-target pressure satisfies a preset relation with a supercharged-limit pressure calculated in the case where the relationship is met, and actuating the waste-gate valve for controlling the speed of rotation of the turbine according to the supercharged-limit pressure, thus reducing the rotational speed of the turbocharger at a value substantially equal to the preset-limit speed.
Patent Application EP1741895A1 indicates that, in supercharging systems of the above-described type, it is necessary to be able to limit, at the varying of operating conditions of the engine, the maximum rotation speed of the turbocharger both for functional and structural reasons so as to avoid critical operating conditions that may cause damage to the turbocharger. However, it gives no indication on how to implement the limitation of the maximum rotation speed of the turbocharger.
Patent Application EP2014894A1 describes instead a control method of an internal-combustion engine supercharged by a turbocharger provided with a turbine and compressor that envisages providing in a "Reduced-Mass-Flow Rate/Compression Ratio" plane at least one "operating limit" curve, at least one "interaction" curve of a waste-gate valve regulating a bypass conduit of the turbine, and at least one "intervening" curve of a Poff valve regulating a bypass conduit of the compressor. The control method according to Patent Application EP2014894A1 envisages the use of the "operating limit" curve for limiting the pressure target downstream of the compressor used by the motor control. The method further envisages controlling the opening of the waste-gate valve if the "intervening" curve of the waste-gate valve is exceeded and Poff valve if the "intervening" curve of the Poff valve is exceeded. The control method described by Patent Application EP2014894A1 is able to ensure that the operating range of the turbocharger remains within the useful area in any working condition of the internal-combustion engine.
The so-called "saturation" line defines a second "forbidden" zone, corresponds to the reaching of sonic conditions (and consequent blocking of the flow) entering the turbine, and defines the maximum possible flow that the compressor can provide in the given conditions of the intake environment. Substantially close to the "saturation" line, the turbocharger reaches, therefore, very high speeds and is able to develop the maximum power for compressing air intake from the engine and, thus, increasing the volumetric efficiency of the aspiration. Unfortunately, however, substantially close to the "saturation" line, due to the high speeds involved, it may occur that the turbocharger accelerates out of control until reaching the sonic block, with destructive effects upon the turbocharger itself.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for a control method of an internal-combustion engine supercharged by a turbocharger. More specifically, there is a need in the related art for such a method that is inexpensive and simple to implement. There is a need in the related art for such a method that also ensures that the operating range of the turbocharger remains within the useful area substantially close to the "saturation" line, but without reaching the sonic block.

Method for controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine supercharged by means of a turbocharger


A long-range optical fiber communication link overcoming certain constraints on signal transmission range imposed by fiber-induced loss is disclosed herein. A first embodiment of the communication link (10) of the present invention includes an optical fiber (16) having a first and a second end wherein the attenuation of optical energy passing therethrough at wavelengths included within a transmission window is substantially minimized. The inventive link (10) further includes a first arrangement (22) and (36) for launching a first optical carrier of a first wavelength onto the first end of the fiber (16). Provision is made within the launching arrangement (22) and (36) for impressing a first modulating signal spanning a first frequency spectrum upon the first carrier. The first embodiment also includes a second arrangement (26) and (37) for launching a second optical carrier of a second wavelength onto the second end of the fiber, wherein the second wavelength is included within the transmission window. The second launching arrangement (26) and (37) is further disposed to impress upon the second carrier a second modulating signal spanning a second frequency spectrum segregated from the first spectrum. A first receiver (64) of a first bandwidth encompassing the first frequency spectrum is coupled to the second end of the fiber (16). The first receiver (64) is operative to extract the first modulating signal from the first optical carrier. A second receiver (58) having a second bandwidth encompassing the second frequency spectrum is coupled to the first end of the fiber (16).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fiber-optic communication systems. More specifically, this invention relates to bidirectional signal transmission within such communication systems.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to a particular embodiment, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional embodiments within the scope thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In certain remote-guidance systems communication with a guided vehicle is facilitated by an optical fiber linking the vehicle with a control station. The optical fiber is typically wound around a bobbin or secured by other means capable of dispensing the fiber as the vehicle travels downrange. An optical carrier of a first wavelength is used to transport commands from the control station to the vehicle, while digital data from the vehicle is impressed upon an optical carrier of a second wavelength and carried by the fiber to the control station. The rate at which data is transmitted from the vehicle to the control station (downlink data rate) is typically much larger than the converse rate (uplink data rate). In order to facilitate a high downlink data rate the bandwidth of the downlink channel typically spans a much wider frequency spectrum than does that of the uplink channel.
The relatively wide downlink bandwidth in conventional remote-guidance systems necessitates a wide bandwidth receiver within the control station. Unfortunately, the sensitivity of a receiver is inherently reduced upon an increase in signal bandwidth since the noise bandwidth thereof is proportionately enlarged. It follows that the sensitivity of the wideband receiver in the control station constitutes one limitation on the transmission range of conventional remote-guidance systems.
The wavelength of optical energy utilized in signal transmission along the link also affects transmission range. In particular, the loss suffered by light energy propagating within an optical fiber generally decreases as wavelength increases. As conventional fiber-optic communication links within vehicle guidance systems typically include carriers at 850 and 1300 nm. (nanometers) or alternatively at 850 nm. and 1060 nm., optical loss at 850 nm. may be dispositive as to transmission range. In fact, fiber-induced loss at 850 nm. has constrained the transmission range of conventional fiber-optic communication links to approximately 10 Km. Designers of conventional vehicle guidance systems have been precluded from utilizing designs which involve an increase in the wavelength of the shorter wavelength carrier (850 nm.) out of concern for the need to maintain adequate isolation between the uplink and downlink channels.
Hence, a need in the art exists for a fiber-optic communication link wherein transmission range is not limited by the fiber-induced loss at relatively short optical wavelengths.

Long range bidirectional optical fiber communication link


A ceramic green sheet comprises a green sheet as a core and a surface layer formed thereon. Such ceramic green sheets are laminated for use in IC package, printed circuit board or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ceramic green sheets, and more particularly to a ceramic green sheet used for laminating a plurality of ceramic green sheets one upon the other.
2. Related Art Statement
Heretofore, the IC package, printed circuit board or the like has been frequently manufactured by laminating a plurality of ceramic green sheets one upon the other. This lamination is usually carried out by piling the ceramic green sheets one upon the other and bonding them through pressing at a heated state by means of a pressing machine or the like.
As the lamination through heating and pressing, there is a method of laminating a plurality ceramic green sheets at the piled state. However, in order to increase the bonding property and achieve the stable lamination, there has been proposed a method wherein the lamination is carried out after an organic solvent, a solvent dissolving a binder, a plasticizer or the like is applied to a surface of the ceramic green sheet, a method of heating and pressing a laminate of ceramic green sheets in an atmosphere of an organic solvent gas, and the like.
In the method of applying the organic solvent or the like, however, the stability is lost with the lapse of time due to the evaporation of the applied solvent. On the other hand, it is difficult to perform the method of laminating in the solvent gas atmosphere from a viewpoint of the equipment.
Further, a metallized paste for the formation of electric conductor is frequently formed on the green sheet to be laminated through printing or the like. Particularly, it is required to make the metallized pattern fine and highly dense. For example, when the pattern has line a width/spacing of about 100 .mu.m/80 .mu.m, it is difficult to conduct the bonding without forming a gap between the metallized lines. In this case, it is possible to remove the gap by raising the lamination pressure, but such a high pressure increases the density of the green sheet and generates scattering of the green sheet density to deform the laminated assembly at the green state, which causes problems such as change of shrinkage during firing, shape warp of the fired product and the like, and consequently products can not be produced with high accuracy.


A computer processor receives rules associated with applications installed on a mobile device, and collects declared intents of the applications prior to execution of the applications. The computer processor generates possible combinations of declared intents of the applications and collects, by an intent proxy during execution, information associated with intercepted intents. The computer processor compares the information associated with each of the intercepted intents to the rules, wherein a match results in a first violation. The computer processor compares the intercepted intents to the possible combinations of the declared intents, wherein the intercepted intents other than the possible combinations of the declared intents results in a second violation. The computer processor displays a risk alert for the applications associated with either or both of the first violation and the second violation.

The present invention relates generally to the field of mobile device application security, and more particularly to determining the reputation of mobile device applications from dynamic interactions at run-time.
The volume of mobile devices used for business, personal and recreational activity continues to grow at impressive rates. Coinciding with the demand and growth in use of mobile devices is the large number of available applications (apps) that operate on the mobile devices, and significantly more that continue to be developed.
The large number of apps makes it difficult for a user to evaluate each app to determine which is the most appropriate, and users may not take time to do their own investigation before downloading apps to their mobile device. Users may elect to rely on sources describing the popularity, novelty, and implied necessity of an app, or directly observe an app on another user's mobile device, to make a decision on obtaining an app. This approach includes significant risk for the use of new apps and ignores the potential threat of malware delivery through downloaded apps.
Mobile devices provided by employers or used for business purposes may include "rules" governing the business approved handling and sharing of documents, data, and communications. The rules may serve to protect personal, sensitive or business/trade confidential information; however, rules add complexity to users' decisions of application download and use.
Users of mobile devices typically include a plurality of apps on a mobile device, each having a specific function or service it performs, which can be used directly by user activity, or by other applications, to complete a sequence of activities. Mobile devices use an operating system (OS), for example, Android™ OS (Android is trademark of Google Inc.). The Android™ OS uses "intents", which are asynchronous messages which allow applications (apps) to request functionality from other components of the OS or other applications. Its most significant use is in the launching of activities, where it can be thought of as the binding connection between activities.
Intent messaging is a facility for late run-time binding between components in the same or different applications. The intent itself is an intent object; a passive data structure holding an abstract description of an action to be performed. An intent object is a bundle of information containing the component name receiving the message, the action to be taken, service to be launched, or broadcast receiver to be active, and the data to act on. The action or service is a string that names the action to be performed or service to be launched. The data information is the universal resource identifier (URI) of the data to be acted on and the multipurpose internet mail extension (MIME) type of the data. If instead the requirements of an application can be specified by intent filters, an implicit intent can be used. The system then determines the best component or components to use, even if it is in a separate application or native to the OS.
Other operating systems may use similar techniques to enable interaction of applications making use of application specific function, to perform more complex activities.
Security is an important aspect of selecting apps to add to a mobile device. Apps that have a known history of use by multiple users and interaction with other apps without malicious activity, obtain a positive "reputation" indicating a level of security and behavior observed from experience. An app reputation includes an evaluation and possibly a rating from a security, privacy and malicious behavior perspective, to provide guidance to users considering purchase or download of an app. Failure to determine reputation issues before downloading an app may result in exposure of the mobile device to security, privacy, performance or other malicious issues.

Mobile device application interaction reputation risk assessment

International Business Machines Corporation


A pointer is rotational relative to the screen. A driver unit rotates the pointer. An imaging device detects an image of the pointer sends a signal of the image. A controller receives the signal of the image from the imaging device. The screen indicates a graphic. The controller modifies the graphic according to the signal of the image.

Conventionally, an indicating device such as a meter device may include a pointer movable to point a dial gauge to indicate information such as a speed of a vehicle. A pointer may be set to a stepping motor and may be calibrated relative to a dial gauge in a manufacturing process of a meter device in a factory. During operation of the meter device, the pointer may be misaligned relative to the dial gauge.