In one embodiment, a multistage interconnection network (MIN) has two or more configurable stages, each stage having a plurality of switches. The network has one or more unused input terminals, each mapped using fixed switch connections to an unused output terminal. The network also has a set of used input terminals that are selectively mapped to a set of used output terminals based on values of control signals supplied to the stages. Each stage receives a different control signal, and each control signal is generated by cyclically shifting a control seed by a corresponding cyclic-shift value. Fixing the mappings of the unused terminals ensures that the used input terminals are not mapped to any unused output terminals. By storing only the control seed, memory requirements are reduced over networks that explicitly store individual control signals for all of the stages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signal processing, and, more specifically but not exclusively, to techniques for interleaving and de-interleaving.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multistage interconnection network (MIN) is a network constructed of a plurality of stages interconnected by wires or optical fibers, where each stage is constructed using one or more switching elements. Generally, a multistage interconnection network is defined by the number N of inputs to the network and the number M of outputs. For instance, an (N×M) multistage interconnection network is used for the interconnection of a set of N input terminals to a set of M output terminals. When the number N of input terminals of a multistage interconnection network is equal to the number M of output terminals, the multistage interconnection network may be designated as an (N×N) multistage interconnection network, having a size N. Currently, there are many different multistage interconnection networks known in the art such as Banyan networks, Clos networks, Belles networks, Delta networks, and Omega networks.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of one implementation of a prior-art multistage interconnection network 100 known as an Omega network. In general, Omega networks are (N×N) multistage interconnection networks that are sized according to integer powers of two. Thus, Omega networks have sizes of N=2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, etc. Further, the number L of stages in an Omega network is equal to log2(N) and the number of (2×2) switches per stage is equal to N/2.
Omega network 100 is an (8×8) network that receives eight input values at eight input terminals A[0:7] and maps the eight input values to eight output terminals B[0:7]. Each input value may be any suitable value such as a single bit, a plurality of bits, a sample, or a soft value (such as a Viterbi log-likelihood ratio (LLR) value) having a hard-decision bit and at least one confidence-value bit. The eight input values are mapped to the eight output terminals using log2(8)=3 configurable stages i, where i=1, 2, 3, each of which comprises 8/2=4 (2×2) switches.
Each stage i receives the eight input values from the previous stage, or from input terminals A[0:7] in the case of stage 1, via a fixed interconnection system (e.g., 102, 104, and 106) that implements a perfect shuffle on the eight input values. A perfect shuffle is a process equivalent to (i) dividing a deck of cards into two equal piles, and (ii) shuffling the two equal piles together in alternating fashion such that the cards in the first pile alternate with the cards from the second pile.
For example, stage 1 receives eight inputs values from input terminals A[0:7] via fixed interconnection system 102. Fixed interconnection system 102 performs a perfect shuffle on the eight input values by dividing the eight input values received at input terminals A[0:7] into a first set corresponding to input terminals A[0:3] and a second set corresponding to input terminals A[4:7]. The two sets are provided to stage 1 in alternating fashion such that the input values at input terminals A[0] and A[4] are provided to the upper and lower inputs of switch 108(0), respectively; the input values at input terminals A[1] and A[5] are provided to the upper and lower inputs of switch 108(1), respectively; the input values at input terminals A[2] and A[6] are provided to the upper and lower inputs of switch 108(2), respectively; and the input values at input terminals A[3] and A[7] are provided to the upper and lower inputs of switch 108(3), respectively. Similarly, fixed interconnection system 104 performs a perfect shuffle on the outputs of switches 108(0), 108(1), 108(2), and 108(3) and provides the shuffled outputs to switches 110(0), 110(1), 110(2), and 110(3) of stage 2, and fixed interconnection system 106 performs a perfect shuffle on the outputs of switches 110(0), 110(1), 110(2), and 110(3) and provides the shuffled outputs to switches 112(0), 112(1), 112(2), and 112(3) of stage 3.
In addition to receiving eight input values, each configurable stage i receives a four-bit control signal Ci[0:3] from control signal memory (e.g., ROM) 114, wherein each bit of the four-bit control signal configures a different one of the four 2×2 switches in the stage. Thus, switches 108(0), 108(1), 108(2), and 108(3) are configured based on the values of control bits C1[0], C1[1], C1[2], and C1[3], respectively, switches 110(0), 110(1), 110(2), and 110(3) are configured based on the values of control bits C2[0], C2[1], C2[2], and C2[3], respectively, and switches 112(0), 112(1), 112(2), and 112(3) are configured based on the values of control bits C3[0], C3[1], C3[2], and C3[3], respectively.
Setting a control bit to a value of one configures the corresponding switch as a crossed connection such that (i) the value received at the upper input is provided to the lower output and (ii) the value received at the lower input is provided to the upper output. Setting a control bit to a value of zero configures the corresponding switch as a straight pass-through connection such that (i) the value received at the upper input is provided to the upper output and (ii) the value received at the lower input is provided to the lower output.
In signal-processing applications, multistage interconnection networks, such as Omega network 100, are often used for routing purposes to connect processors on one end of the network to memory elements on the other end. However, multistage interconnection networks may also be used in signal-processing applications for other purposes, such as for permutating or interleaving a contiguous data stream.
Interleaving is used in many signal-processing systems to re-arrange a contiguous data stream in a non-contiguous manner. Often, interleaving is used to reduce the effects that burst errors in a transmission channel have on recovering data at a receiver. For example, in conventional hard-disk drive (HDD) systems, contiguous bits of a data stream may be interleaved before writing the data stream to a hard-disk platter. Upon retrieving the interleaved data stream, burst errors, which result in a plurality of consecutive interleaved bits of the data stream being in error, may occur. The read channel of the HDD system de-interleaves the bits of the interleaved data stream such that the errors are spread amongst the data stream. Spreading the errors increases the likelihood that an error-correction encoder can correct any errors present in the data stream.
Multistage interconnection networks are particularly useful in implementing local interleavers in local/global interleavers and local de-interleavers in local/global de-interleavers. Local/global interleavers, which are discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/891,161 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/835,989, perform both local interleaving on a local unit basis and global interleaving on a global unit basis, where (i) the unit basis refers to the number of values treated as a fixed unit for interleaving purposes and (ii) the global unit basis is larger than the local unit basis.
For example, in one implementation, a local/global interleaver has a local interleaver that receives sets of 96 values. The local interleaver interleaves the 96 in values in each set on a local unit basis, where the local unit basis (i.e., the number of values treated as a fixed local unit for local de-interleaving) is one value. Thus, the local interleaver interleaves 96 local units (i.e., 96 values) at the level of the individual value (i.e., value by value) to generate a set of 96 interleaved values.
After interleaving each set of 96 values, the local interleaver outputs one or more global units to a global interleaver. A global unit may be greater than the local set size (e.g., 96 values), equal to the local set size, or smaller than the local set size. For example, for each set of 96 values, the local interleaver may output one global unit having the 96 values or the local interleaver may output four global units in parallel, each having only 24 of the 96 values. The global interleaver then interleaves the global units at the level of the global unit (i.e., global unit by global unit) to generate interleaved global units. For example, the global interleaver may interleave multiple global units, where each global unit is itself either (i) a set of 96 interleaved values or (ii) a set of 24 interleaved values.
When implementing a multistage interconnection network, such as an Omega network, in a local/global interleaver or de-interleaver, the multistage interconnection network size should be selected appropriately for the number of inputs and the number of outputs to be interconnected. However, the number of inputs and the number of outputs to be interconnected might not correspond to a multistage interconnection network size. In such cases, a multistage interconnection network size may need to be selected that is capable of processing greater numbers of inputs and outputs than is actually needed for the particular signal-processing system. As a result, a number of input terminals and output terminals of the multistage interconnection network might not be used.
For example, suppose that an Omega network is used to implement a local interleaver in a local/global interleaver that interleaves 96 values. Since Omega networks are sized according to integer powers of two, there is no Omega network size corresponding to 96 inputs and 96 outputs. A (64×64) Omega network does not have enough input terminals to process all 96 values in a set at one time, and the smallest Omega network that can process 96 values at one time is a (128×128) Omega network. Using a (128×128) Omega network to process 96 values results in 32 input terminals and 32 output terminals of the Omega network being unused.
In performing an interleaving operation, the Omega network used to implement the local interleaver may output the 96 input values to any of the 128 output terminals depending on the configuration of the Omega network stages. Further, since different interleaving mappings may be used from one interleaving operation to the next, the locations of the used and unused output terminals may vary from one interleaving operation to the next. This variability may make it difficult to determine which output terminals of the Omega network should be provided to the global interleaver for global interleaving. Further, when the Omega network outputs multiple global units at a time (e.g., four 24-value global units for each set of 96 values output by the Omega network), this variability may make it difficult to ascertain the output terminals that correspond to each of the multiple global units. Thus, there is a need to (i) develop a method for ascertaining the locations of the used output terminals and route the used connections properly to the global interleaver or (ii) develop multistage interconnection networks in which the locations of the used output terminals and unused output terminals are fixed such that they do not vary from one interleaving operation to the next.
Referring again to (8×8) Omega network 100 of FIG. 1, for each interleaving mapping (i.e., particular routing of the eight inputs to the eight outputs), Omega network 100 stores twelve total control bits (i.e., one four-bit control signal for each of the three different stages). In some interleaving applications, the Omega network implements many different mappings. For example, suppose that Omega network 100 implements six different mappings. In such a case, control signal memory 114 stores six mappings×12 bits/mapping=72 total bits.
The number of control bits stored can be even greater for larger Omega networks. For example, suppose that a (128×128) Omega network is used to implement a local interleaver in the local/global interleaver described above. A (128×128) Omega network has log2(128)=7 stages, where each stage has 128/2=64 switches. The 7×64=448 total switches are configured based on 448 control bits for each interleaving mapping. Suppose also that the Omega network performs twelve different interleaving mappings. In this case, the control signal ROM stores 12×448=5,376 bits for the twelve different interleaving mappings.
It is preferable that the number of bits stored by the control signal ROM be reduced such that the size of the control signal ROM may be reduced. However, each of the bits stored by the control signal ROM is needed to configure a different switch in the Omega network. Simply reducing the number of control bits would result in one or more switches not receiving a control bit. Thus, there is a need to reduce the number of control signal bits that are stored by the control signal ROM, and yet still be able to provide a control bit to each of the switches in the Omega network.

Multi-stage interconnection networks having fixed mappings


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for designing a microseismic monitoring project. The method includes receiving data representing the microseismic monitoring project for at least one subterranean volume, the data including data representing a plurality of factors associated with a design of the microseismic monitoring project. The method also includes conducting a sensitivity analysis to determine a relative sensitivity between at least two of the plurality of factors, and determining whether to update a modelling scenario for the microseismic monitoring project based on the relative sensitivity.

Microseismic monitoring can be used for monitoring hydraulic fracture stimulation treatments in unconventional fields, as well as reservoir monitoring, carbon dioxide sequestration, gas storage, and other applications. In the example of hydraulic fracture stimulation, the treatments cause fractures to propagate in the formation, with the fracturing in turn generating microseismic events that act as a source for seismic waves that also propagate in the formation. Receiver sensor arrays (e.g., geophones) can be positioned, generally in a monitoring borehole or along the Earth's surface, to detect and record the arrival of the seismic waves.
Based on a model of the relevant subterranean volume, the characteristics of the waveform recorded by the receivers may be used, in a process known as inversion, to determine information about the source of the seismic waves (e.g., fracture propagation). Such information may include the general location of the event, moment tensors, and other information. Generally, the inversion process includes considering direct-arrival compression waves and shear waves (both Sh and Sv arrivals).
Experimental design methods have been applied in the survey design of microseismic monitoring projects. Those techniques can involve, for example, choosing or modifying the location, type, and/or configuration of geophones or other sensors, or arrays of those sensors, to try to arrive at a desired sensitivity or accuracy for the overall detection configuration. These studies allow different experiment setups to be tested statistically, to find a desired or advantageous experimental setup. These can be very successful but in practice, they can take a large amount of work to set up the parameters. Fielding the appropriate sensor and other hardware, and adjusting other parameters, can involve appreciable cost and time. Further, it may be difficult to make adjustments to apply in a variety of different scenarios without well-defined or constrained knowledge of input parameters.

Microseismic sensitivity analysis and scenario modelling


Various examples are directed to systems and methods of executing a web application. A web browser application may receive web application code for executing the web application and service worker code for executing a service worker. The web browser may execute a first portion of the web application code to register the service worker and may execute the service worker. The web application may send a first communication request describing a first recipient computing device. The service worker may determine that the first communication request complies with set of filter rules and send the first communication request to the first recipient computing device.

Web applications are typically executed in a web browser application to provide a user interface (UI) to a user. When executed, web applications are able to make communication requests directed to remote servers. For example, web applications may request UI content from a web server, send transaction information to a merchant server, etc.

Web application security with service worker


A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a feeding unit, a conveying unit, a printing unit, and a control unit. The control unit performs a successive feeding operation. An operating state of the feeding unit changes between a first operating state and a second operating state in which a feeding stop is more unstable than that in the first operating state, in a period from a start of feeding a printing medium until the printing medium reaches the conveying unit. In the successive feeding operation, a subsequent printing medium is fed without stopping until a leading end of the subsequent printing medium reaches a stoppable position. The stoppable position is arranged on an upstream side of the conveying unit. The subsequent printing medium can be stopped in the first operating state at the stoppable position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed (in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-039552) a printing apparatus such as an inkjet printing apparatus which adopts an operation of starting to feed a subsequent printing medium while printing on a preceding printing medium (also referred to as a successive feeding operation) in order to increase a printing speed when images are printed successively on a plurality of printing media. This successive feeding operation can increase the printing speed by reducing a gap between the preceding printing medium and the subsequent printing medium.
In the successive feeding operation of the printing media, the subsequent printing medium needs to be stopped midway along feeding and waited until image printing on the preceding printing medium has been completed. If a feeding unit stops feeding in a mechanically unstable state, the subsequent printing medium may become misaligned. This misalignment may cause problems of an overlap between the preceding printing medium and the subsequent printing medium, and a shift of the printing position of the image on the subsequent printing medium.


There is provided a method for communications involving at least one text message. The method includes a sender apparatus transmitting at least one message, the at least one message including message data and at least one video filmlet; transmitting the message data over a first network and the at least one video filmlet to a server on a second network; and a recipient apparatus receiving the at least one message, the at least one message being combined and generated from the message data received from the first network and the at least one video filmlet received from the server. Advantageously, the at least one message may be generated in a manner as composed by a sender of the at least one message. It is preferable that the sender and recipient apparatus are able to support a data sync protocol on the second network.

In the past, common forms of communication included, for example, telephone calls, facsimiles, telexes and the like. There were few alternative forms of communication available in the past. Advances in technology coupled with increases in data transmission rates have significantly increased the types of communication which are readily available.
One of these new types of communication which is readily accessible is texting. Texting may be done on handheld devices which are becoming more ubiquitous by the day. The ready availability and low cost of texting has led to an increase in the popularity of this form of communication. An increasing number of people also prefer texting as a form of communication, as it is convenient and un-intrusive, with a person being able to have the option of when to reply to text messages. Unfortunately, purely text-based messages appear sterile and boring. It is undeniable that the phrase "A picture speaks a thousand words" holds true.
In this regard, it is apparent that appropriate visual icons used in combination with text during text-based communication would enhance a communication experience between communicating parties.

Apparatus for enhanced messaging and a method for enhanced messaging


A dredge cutterhead has a plurality of helical arms inter-connecting a hub and a ring. Each of the arms has a front leading edge for attachment of cutting teeth. In one aspect, each of the arms has a trough portion, and the arm is shaped such that dredged material is directed toward the ring along the center of the trough portion. In another aspect, the ring of the cutterhead defines an annular channel for receiving loosened material.

The present invention relates to a dredge cutterhead used to remove material from harbors, shipping channels, and other marine environments and mining operations.
Dredge cutterheads are generally hemispherical with a multiplicity of hard rock cutting teeth or replaceable edges projecting outwardly from helical support arms or blades disposed about the hemispherical surface of the cutterhead. An example of such a dredge cutterhead is disclosed in Bowes, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,893. The cutterhead has a hub which fits around a shaft that provides the torque for turning the cutterhead in its operation of dredging. The cutterhead encounters all kinds of materials, including rock, sand and clay which must be removed from the bed being dredged.
Conventional cutterhead arms are shaped to minimize wear, but are not designed to move material. However, one of the problems encountered by cutterheads is that the material loosened by the cutting teeth must be directed into a suction pipe in order to be removed from the bottom of the waterway. As the cutterhead moves across the waterway bottom, the cutting teeth dig below the bed to loosen material. Unfortunately, a substantial portion of the material loosened by the cutting teeth does not reach the suction mouth, which is generally located adjacent to the lower side of the ring of the cutterhead. Instead, some of the loosened material quickly falls off the trailing edge of the digging arm and tumbles onto the following arm. When the cutterhead is operated at a steep ladder angle (for example as shown in FIG. 1), the loosened material remains near the hub end of the arm, and prevents admission of new material into the cutterhead.
The result is that the finished bed depth provided by the dredge cutterhead is often limited to the depth of the mouth of the suction pipe, rather than the depth of cut achieved by the cutting teeth. Since the dredge cutterhead itself is large and is often operated at an inclined ladder angle during use, the difference between the depth of cut achieved by the cutting teeth and the depth of the suction mouth may be as large as three to four feet. Accordingly, in order to achieve a specified finished bed depth, it is often necessary to cut into the bed substantially below the specified finished bed depth so that a sufficient amount of material may be removed. This results in additional time and effort needed to achieve a specified finished bed depth.
One attempt to direct material inwardly from the cutterhead to the suction pipe is disclosed in Fray, U.S. Pat. No. 2,090,790, which discloses a rotary cutter comprised of a plurality of blades. The body of each blade extends substantially in the line of a helix taken around the center of rotation, and the cut material accumulates within the space defined by the cutting blades, to be discharged into the usual suction pipe. Each blade provides a plurality of rib formations which are intended to propel movement of the earth or other materials being handled to the suction pipe.
Another attempt to move dredged material is disclosed in Shiba et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,024, which discloses scoop-in plates 7 coupled between helical vanes 3 and a ring 24. Earth and sand are scooped in by means of the scoop-in plate 7 so as to be directed toward the suction tube 5. However, the vanes themselves do not capture material so as to move the material toward the scoop-in plates.
Another dredge cutterhead has involved adding at the upper portion of the arm a wall at a sharp angle following a conventionally shaped cutterhead arm. The lower portion of the arm was shaped like that of a conventional cutterhead. Cross-sections of the arm of this prior art cutterhead are shown in FIGS. 10A-10D, which correspond to the locations of the cross-sections 6A-6D of the present invention. This arm shape caused dredged material to accumulate in the upper portion of the arm at the sharply angled juncture between the leading edge of the arm and the rear wall. This resulted in material jamming the interior of the cutterhead, and prevented the cutterhead from removing dredged material.
What is therefore desired is a dredge cutterhead that efficiently captures the loosened material within the cutterhead, that moves the dredged material to the mouth of the suction pipe, that supports and allows for the easy replacement of standard cutting teeth, and that is capable of withstanding the extreme forces encountered during dredging without breaking or becoming deformed.


A system, method and computer program product for performing a data protection operation is provided. The method includes receiving a write instruction that is associated with a writable entity, the write instruction includes a writable entity identifier, and data protection metadata indicative of a relevancy of at least one data protection operation to be applied in relation to the write instruction, and participating in an execution of a relevant data protection operation, if such a relevant data protection operation exists.

The importance of data has increased during the last decade while the cost of data storage medium has decreased, thus motivating data storage vendors to provide data protection schemes that are based upon duplication of data.
Various prior art method and systems define mapping between address ranges and data protection operations. When information is written to a target address the applicable data protection scheme is determined only by that target address. For example, a certain volume can be defined as asynchronously mirrored, and incoming writes to this volume are recorded in some manner and later transferred to a secondary site.
This mapping does not necessarily address dynamically changing needs and storage limitations.
There is a growing need to provide a dynamic system, method and computer program product for data protection.

System, method and computer program product for performing a data protection operation

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


There is provided a developer that has excellent positive charging characteristics and charging stability, and which is compatible with high-speed developing. The developer of the invention contains toner particles and an insulating liquid, wherein a fatty acid ester is contained as the insulating liquid, a substance A expressed by the following formula (1) and/or a substance B expressed by the following formula (2) is further contained, and the total percentage in which substance A and substance B are contained is at least 0.1 wt % and no more than 3.0 wt %.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a developer.
2. Background Technology
A developer in which a toner made up of a material containing a pigment or other such colorant and a binder resin is dispersed in an electrically insulating carrier liquid (insulating liquid) is known as a developer used to develop electrostatic latent images formed on a latent image carrier.
Resin materials such as epoxy resins, polyester resins, and styrene-acrylic ester copolymers have been used for the toner particles that make up such developers (see Patent Literature 1, for example). These resin materials are easy to handle, the resulting images have good color expression, and good fixing characteristics are obtained.
Nevertheless, the resin materials used as the constituent material of toner particles generally have a negative charge themselves, so it is difficult to apply them to toner particles (a developer) with a positive charge. It is also possible to add a charge control agent to toner particles containing such a resin material to make the charge positive, but it is difficult to achieve an adequate amount of charge.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-219380 (Patent Document 1) is an example of the related art.


Inbound Roamer Multimedia Messaging Systems (“IRMMS”) are described that transfer Welcome Multimedia Messages (“MM”) (“WMM”) or Welcome Roaming Content (“WRC”) to devices of inbound roamers. The IRMMS transfers MMs to inbound roamers without involving components of the corresponding home network (HPMN). The MMs include text messages, music clips, voice clips, video clips, photographs, and drawings, but are not so limited. Use of the IRMMS eliminates payment by a VPMN with which a subscriber is roaming to the subscriber's HPMN because components of the HPMN are not included in the transfer of the MMs. Thus, charges typically incurred by the VPMN for transmission of free WMM/WRC sent to the inbound roamer via the HPMN are avoided.

There are many mobile or cellular network operators, or providers, in the world, often more than one in a single country. These network operators include, but are not limited to, operators who provide mobility services using a variety of protocols (e.g., GSM, GPRS, 3G, CDMA, TDMA, etc.) or their variants. These network operators provide voice and data services to their own subscribers and to subscribers from other networks. When the network operator provides service to a subscriber from a foreign country, it is referred to as "international roaming". When the network operator provides service to a subscriber from another network in the same country, it is referred to as "domestic roaming".
When the subscriber is registered in the network with which it has a direct billing relationship, the serving network is often referred to as the Home Public Mobile Network ("HPMN"). If the subscriber is in a network with which it does not have a direct billing relationship, the serving network is referred to as the Visited Public Mobile Network ("VPMN"), and the subscriber is referred to as an "inbound roamer" by the VPMN. The same subscriber is referred to as an "outbound roamer" by the HPMN. In such a case, the inbound roamers are treated as temporary subscribers from a service availability perspective, while the billing for usage incurred by them is through inter-carrier settlements via the HPMN of the subscriber.
The provision of Welcome Multimedia Messages ("MM") ("WMM") or Welcome Roaming Content ("WRC") to roamers or roaming subscribers by Multimedia Messaging Services ("MMS") is typically limited to outbound roamers. This limitation is a result of WMMs/WRCs being sent to (directly or via MMS internetworking) and retrieved from the HPMN MMSC or HPMN WAP gateway of the roamer using the HPMN GGSN. The WMM/WRC for outbound roamers is therefore handled entirely by the HPMN MMSC or HPMN WAP gateway involving the HPMN GGSN because the HPMN components know the GPRS/MMS/internet subscription of the roamers. However, because of the network components involved, costs are incurred when WMM/WRC are provided to inbound roamers.
Welcome SMS messages for inbound roamers are sent directly by a VPMN without involvement of the roaming subscriber's HPMN, and hence the VPMN absorbs the cost without paying the HPMN. Unlike SMS, which is a pure push service, the MMS is a push service for MMS/WAP-push alert and a pull service for MMS or WML-content retrieval service. With WMM/WRC for inbound roamers, in contrast, because it has to be delivered from the HPMN MMSC/WAP-Gateway via the HPMN GGSN, MMSC and WAP-gateway, the VPMN is required to pay the HPMN for the cost even though it cannot charge the inbound roamers for the WMM/WRC. Therefore, when the inbound roamer retrieves the WMM/WRC from the HPMN via the HPMN GGSN, MMSC and WAP gateway, the retrieval incurs costs at the HPMN network. These costs would typically need to be passed to the roamer by the VPMN with which the roamer is roaming, and since typical VPMNs might find these costs unjustifiable, the VPMNs are reluctant to charge inbound roamers for the WMM/WRC.
Therefore, unlike mobile terminated ("MT") SMS which is generally provided to subscribers free of charges, MT WMM/WRC for inbound roamers incurs GPRS cost at the VPMN, and the VPMN thus bills the HPMN to recover the cost. Consequently, there is a need for service providers to provide WMM/WRC to inbound roamers without involving network elements of the roaming subscriber's HPMN.
Incorporation by Reference
Each publication and patent application mentioned in this specification is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Inbound roamer multimedia messaging systems


An apparatus for analyzing tracking errors in magnetic tape holds a magnetic tape in a condition useful for examining the magnetic tape to measure the configuration of recorded tracks on the recording surface of the tape. The apparatus includes means for applying and maintaining a selected tension to the longitudinal and cross-web axes of the tape, a planar measuring surface having X and Y measuring scales allowing for measurement of distances between selected points on the recording surface of the tape, and a microscope or other sensing device for examining the recording surface

Magnetic tape has been used successfully for many years to store audio, video, computer and other forms of information. A primary goal in the magnetic information storage industry has been that of increased efficiency of storage, i.e., placement of increasingly larger amounts of information on progressively smaller areas of the recording medium. A packing density of 40,000 or more bits per inch of track length has been achieved, and 100,000 or more bits per inch of track length is envisioned for magnetic tapes in the 1990's and beyond.
Modern magnetic tapes generally consist of a polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) film base on which a magnetic material such as cobalt-modified gamma-ferric oxide, generally as a fine powder dispersed in a plastic binder, is deposited on the PET film surface. Information is stored on such tapes as a series of magnetized and unmagnetized domains arranged in a pattern of specific tracks in the magnetic coating. The patterns of magnetized and unmagnetized domains within tracks are established by passing the tapes in proximity to transducers, or "heads," that magnetize the magnetic particles in the tape coating. Analogous transducers may be used to read the pattern of magnetic signals recorded on the tape. A "read" head converts magnetic signals on the tape into electrical signals, and a "write" head converts electrical signals into magnetic signals when recording information on a magnetic tape. So-called "read/write" heads combine these two functions in one structure.
A drive apparatus is required to move the magnetic tape past the read and write heads at a controlled speed and with a minimum of lateral variation in tracking. "Tracking" refers to the proper alignment of the tape with the read and write heads to ensure continuous association of a particular track with the head during the read or write operation. The requirement for consistent tracking is particularly critical in preferred high density applications wherein a plurality of relatively narrow parallel or otherwise congruent tracks with high bit densities are utilized.
Refinements for increased recording efficiency in high density tape applications have involved the use of progressively narrower tracks and progressively smaller spaces between tracks. With helical drives, one or more rotating magnetic heads engage a tape wrapped at least partially around a cylindrical member such that the tape path describes a portion of a helix. Tracks generated by the heads in a helical drive thereby track diagonally across the tape. Generally, the recorded tracks lie at an angle substantially less than 45 degrees with reference to the longitudinal axis of the tape. The space between the centerlines of two adjacent tracks generated by "helical drives," for example, may be as small as about 12 micrometers.
In general, the combination of a moving tape with a spinning head wheel provides a more rapid recording and read-out of information than is possible with movement of tape past a stationary head wheel. Given the desirability of a spinning head wheel, the geometry of helical drives and resultant diagonal tracking across the tape allows for more efficient utilization of the surface area of the tape than is possible with non-helical drives.
In one typical helical drive configuration, four read/write heads are mounted on a scanning head wheel that is rotated as the tape passes the recording or reading areas of the heads. Each of the four heads is separated from its neighboring heads by 90 degrees on the head wheel. Rotation of the head wheel and movement of the tape is adjusted such that when the preceding head is on the middle of the track length (that is, in the middle of the tape width), the following head is on the beginning of its track. In other words, one half of the track represents one-fourth of the head wheel revolution.
A representative arrangement of parallel, diagonally oriented tracks produced by a helical drive is depicted schematically in FIG. 1. The diagonal tracks 5 are generally confined to a central area on the surface of the tape 16, as depicted in FIG. 1. The lateral margins of the tape may be reserved for various forms of reference data, such as cue tracks, audio controls and time codes.
Given the ability to record information on large numbers of congruent tracks having very small centerline-to-centerline separations, it is possible to pack large amounts of information on relatively small areas of tape. On the other hand, such high packing densities mandate great accuracy in any tape drive mechanism having the task of precisely aligning the directional movement of read and write heads with individual tracks. Even slight deviations of the read/write head from the two-dimensional orientation of an individual track may cause the position of the head to overlap onto an adjacent track. The result is that information on adjacent tracks is read inappropriately as "noise" superimposed on the information readout from the correct track. This can lead to partial or even complete loss of the information read-out from the magnetic tape.
Helical recorders will generally stress the tape on the input and output guides so that a bias is created that forces the tape to rest firmly on the bottom edge guides. This is required to maintain the tight tolerance required by the narrow helical recorded tracks. Hence, when tapes recorded on helical recorders are viewed with uniform longitudinal stress, the tracks will be curved. This indicates the differential nonuniform stress that the tape was subjected to during the recording.
Tracking errors due to misalignment of the read/write heads with the tracks on a magnetic tape are minimized when the same read/write heads and the same drive mechanism are used to read the tape as were used to record on the tape. For example, the track laid down by a read/write head may be slightly out of line or otherwise imperfect due to mechanical imperfections in the drive and/or head wheel structure. Nevertheless, if the very same drive/head wheel structure is used to read the tracks as was used to record the tracks (assuming the same mechanical imperfections are present in each operation), the same pattern of tracking errors as were produced in the "write" or record mode may be duplicated in the "read" mode. In other words, if the same head wheel and drive are used in both operations, the read heads likely will be able to follow individual recorded tracks without deviating onto adjacent tracks. The result would be a correct "read" of the information on the magnetic tape in spite of inherent tracking errors.
On the other hand, tracking errors during recording may lead to substantial or even catastrophic loss of information if the tape is run in a machine that is unable to duplicate the original track configurations. For example, tracking errors may arise from differing manufacturing tolerances in alignments of the tape drives and scanning head wheels of different machines. Even with the same machine, field use and changes in stability of the drive and scanning mechanisms over time may render magnetic tapes previously produced by the machine to be "unreadable" at a later date. Moreover, magnetic tapes themselves may undergo deformation due to stretching, aging, temperature changes, humidity changes and other variables, irrespective of structural variation in the recording/reading machines.

Apparatus for analyzing tracking error in magnetic tapes

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A fly cast training device that allows an instructor to take the lead in controlling the casting while the trainee follows along, and to gradually relinquish control to the trainee to instill the proper muscle memory through repetition. The fly cast training device generally comprises a flexible shaft section, a butt section, a spool attached to said butt section, and a multiple-handle assembly attached between the flexible shaft section and the butt section. The handle assembly includes a plurality of handle sections secured together at both ends in a spaced relation by a pair of brackets. The handle assembly may include two or three handles. The flexible shaft section and butt section may be attached centrally of the handles, or a second handle can be attached to in the existing handle of a conventional fly rod and offset there from by brackets. To use the above-described multi-handle fly casting rod, the instructor stands side-by-side with a trainee and grips one of the handles while the trainee grips the other. The trainer then initiates proper fly casting while the trainee follows along, and gradually relinquishes control of the casting to the trainee to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting. Alternatively, an experienced fly fisherman may use the device to improve ambidexterity in casting. The experienced fly fisherman grips both handles of the device and initiates proper fly-casting with the dominant hand while the weaker hand follows along. Gradually, control of the cast is transferred to the weaker hand to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fly fishing and more particularly, to a fly casting trainer and method of teaching fly casting to enable an instructor to impart a muscle memory of the proper casting form to a trainee.
2. Description of the Background
Fly casting raises the sport of fishing to an art, and recent publicity has sparked a renaissance in fly fishing. However, the proper casting technique is at least as complex yet not so well documented as the golf swing, tennis serve, etc. As a result, experienced instructors are finding themselves to be in great demand by novices seeking training.
The goal of fly casting is to deliver a substantially weightless fly to a pinpoint target, using line weight for momentum. Fly casting is the only way to deliver such light weight lures, hence the only way to catch a fish that feeds upon insects. A fly cannot be cast using conventional line because it cannot develop the necessary momentum. Thus, the fly-fisherman relies upon a weighted line to deliver the fly. The line may float or sink once it hits the water, but it has enough weight to deliver the fly many feet away. The thick fly line is separated from the fly by a monofilament leader. To cast the fly properly, the experienced fisherman will pull 8-10 feet of fly line out beyond the tip of the fly rod. The then pulls 20-30 feet of fly line off the reel and holds it, coiled, in his free hand. The fisherman then uses a quick rhythmic back-and-forth flicking motion, using right forearm and wrist, with the tip of the fly rod pivoting from vertical to horizontal. The fly line moves through the air in an elongate arc that opens up and flattens out as it approaches the water. Typically, this is done a few times without letting the fly hit the water, and each time some of the coiled fly line is released to lengthen the cast. Finally, the fisherman lets the fly, leader, and line settle gently to the water. The fisherman begins to retrieve line manually, and each pull of the line with the free hand makes the fly dart through the water as if it were alive. When the fly has been fully retrieved without a strike, the process begins anew.
The skill necessary to cast well is a combination of xe2x80x9ctouchxe2x80x9d, eye-hand coordination, and timing. With proper technique, the line should form a loop as the rod moves forward and then straighten beyond the tip of the rod, forming a line that is parallel to the ground. After the forward cast, a similar back cast retrieves the line. The line will travel back and forth properly given a proper back-and-forth motion of the forearm and rod, working together as a single unit. The forward cast begins with the elbow positioned comfortably at the side, at about waist level. During the back cast it should come up to the level of the shoulder, returning to that relaxed position at your side at the completion of the forward cast. The timing of the entire cast is important, and the tip of the rod should move in a straight plane often at or approaching vertical during the forward cast. Generally, it takes significant training and then practice to learn the proper casting technique. Since the technique is more a function of touch and feel, direct hands-on practice is a far more efficient way to learn than watching visual demonstrations, reading books, or watching video tapes.
There have been prior efforts to develop practice aids for fly casting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5.297,355 discloses a fly fishing practice device that uses a target that gives off visual or aural indications when the target is hit by a simulated fly. However, these are solely for use by the trainee.
For the instructor""s part, the most effective teaching method is to impart a xe2x80x9cmuscle memoryxe2x80x9d to the trainee whereby they can automatically replicate the feel and timing of proper fly casting. The same muscle memory approach has long been used by golf and tennis instructors with success. Muscle memory training preferably begins with the trainee following the instructor""s lead and gradually taking full control so that muscle memory can develop through repetition. This is readily possible in golf or tennis because the instructor can stand behind the trainee and exert as much control over the stroke as necessary, gradually relinquishing all control. However, the same approach is awkward with a fly rod since one hand is used for casting and the other for line control. Moreover, there are no known teaching aids that allow the instructor to participate in the trainee""s cast. It would be greatly advantageous to provide a training implement to enable an instructor to impart a muscle memory of the proper back-and-forth motion of the forearm and rod to a fly casting trainee.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fly cast training device that allows an instructor to take the lead in controlling the casting process while the trainee follows along and to gradually relinquish control to the trainee to instill the proper muscle memory through repetition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fly cast training device that allows an experienced fly fisherman to self-teach opposite-hand fly casting by instilling muscle memory from the experienced casting hand to the inexperienced casting hand.
According to the present invention, the above-described and other objects are accomplished by providing various embodiments of a fly casting training device and method of use thereof for teaching fly casting.
Generally, the device comprises a flexible shaft section, a butt section, a spool (a.k.a. reel) attached to said butt section, and a multiple-handle assembly attached between the flexible shaft section and the butt section. The handle assembly includes a plurality of handle sections secured together at both ends in a spaced side-by-side relation by a pair of brackets. The handle assembly may include two or three handle sections. The flexible shaft section and butt section may be attached to the supporting brackets centrally of the handles. Alternatively, a conventional fly rod may be used and a second handle attached to the existing handle and offset there from by said brackets. As yet another alternative, the handle assembly may be attached below the butt section.
In all embodiments (just as with conventional fly rods), the flexible shaft section and butt section may be integrally joined or may be separate sections connected by ferrules as is known in the art. The multiple-handle assembly may be constructed by die casting, forging, sand or injection molding, or any other appropriate and known methods of fabrication, and the multiple-handle assembly may be attached between the flexible shaft section and the butt section by rivets, bolts, welding, glue or any other known attachment means. Alternatively, the entire rod inclusive of the flexible shaft section, butt section and multiple-handle assembly may be formed as an integral unit by molding, die casting, etc. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention may be constructed other than as specifically set forth herein.
The present invention also includes the method for teaching fly casting using any of the above-described multiple-handle fly casting rods. The method comprises the steps of standing side-by-side with a trainee and gripping one of the handles while the trainee (grips the other, initiating proper fly casting while the trainee follows along, and gradually relinquishing control of the casting to the trainee to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting. Alternatively, the method comprises the steps wherein an individual grips both handles, initiates proper fly casting technique with the dominant hand while the weaker hand follows along, and gradually transfers control of the casting to the weaker hand to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting, and to develop ambidexterity in casting.

Fly casting trainer and method of teaching fly casting


In one embodiment, a liquid crystal shutter includes a first liquid crystal panel for left eye and a second liquid crystal panel for right eye. Each liquid crystal panel includes a pair of electrode substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the electrode substrates. A driving circuit switches the first and second liquid crystal panels between a transmissive state and a non-transmissive state by turns by applying a voltage to the first and second liquid crystal panels while inversing the polarity of the voltage applied between the pair of the electrode substrates at least once during a period in the transmissive state.

In recent years, various technologies for displaying a three-dimensional image are proposed. As the above-mentioned technology, the three-dimensional image display technology, for example, using a liquid crystal shutter of an active shutter type and display devices such as a liquid crystal display device etc. of a time sharing type is known (for example, refer to Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications (1) to (3)).
Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications No. H10-191399 . . . (1)
Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications No. 2000-275575 . . . (2)
Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications No. 2007-110683 . . . (3)
The liquid crystal display device displays the image for left eye and the image for right eye by turns. The liquid crystal shutter switches a liquid crystal panel for right eye and a liquid crystal panel for left eye to a transmissive state (ON) or a non-transmissive state (OFF) corresponding to the displayed images in the liquid crystal display device.
While the liquid crystal display device displays the image for left eye, the light emitted from the liquid crystal display device penetrates the liquid crystal panel for left eye, and is shut in the liquid crystal panel for right eye. Similarly, while the liquid crystal display device displays the image for right eye, the light emitted from the liquid crystal display device penetrates the liquid crystal panel for right eye, and is shut in the liquid crystal panel for left eye. Thereby, the user wearing the liquid crystal shutter watches the image for right eye and the image for left eye by turns by right and left eyes, and the two-dimensional images displayed on the liquid crystal display can be perceived as a three-dimensional image.
Although chromaticity of the three-dimensional image is decided with the liquid crystal display device and the liquid crystal panel for the liquid crystal shutter, the liquid crystal panel for the liquid crystal shutter is not equipped with a color filter generally. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the chromaticity of the three-dimensional image by adjusting applied voltages when the liquid crystal panels for left eye and for right eye are turned on.
By the way, in the liquid crystal shutter, precipitous region of the transmissivity change in response to the applied voltage is used depending on the impressed voltage to the liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal shutter when conducting the switch operation of the shutter panel. Accordingly, a following problem may be caused. That is, a flicker is sighted when even slight direct-current is applied to the above liquid crystal panel.

Liquid crystal shutter, driving method of the same and image display system


A wiping tool for free fall in a drill stem is disclosed. The wiping tool is adapted to be dropped in the drill stem to wipe the inner wall. It is constructed with an elongate mandrel terminating at upper and lower subs. The upper sub supports a fishing neck and the lower sub encloses a check valve assembly. Adjustable weight means are affixed to the lower sub. Wiping is accomplished by an elongate sleeve having narrow upper and lower ends slideably mounted on the central mandrel, and the sleeve is enlarged at central portions to a diameter sufficient to wipe the wall of internal upset pipe, and wherein said sleeve is resilient, and is therefore able to reduce in diameter on passing through an internal upset and resiliently restores to the initial diameter after passing through the upset. A closed system stores incompressible fluid to keep the sleeve filled and inflated.

This apparatus is directed to a device to be placed in a drill stem at the time that the drill stem is pulled from the well borehole during drilling and, more particularly, is a device for weighting the column of mud in the drill stem. This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,011 issued on May 8, 1990 which is incorporated by reference.
During drilling of a well, it is necessary to periodically remove the drill stem from the borehole, typically to replace the drill bit. When this occurs, the drill stem is normally lifted up and disassembled joint by joint or perhaps stand by stand. In the process of removing the pipe from the borehole, it is normally lifted in a wet condition and, upon unthreading, may spill drilling fluid on the rig floor creating a risky condition. Moreover, this destroys the hydrostatic balance which existed in the borehole. Heretofore, this has been overcome by slugging the column of mud in the drill stem with a slug of drilling fluid of heavier density so that it will tend to keep the level of mud down in the drill pipe due to the hydrostatic unbalance created on slugging. In the case of oil base muds, it requires the addition of weight material which has to be removed for best results when drilling is resumed.
The apparatus set forth in the parent disclosure hereof is thought to be a successful device which provides the necessary wiping inside the drill stem. This disclosure, however, sets out a further improvement which is directed to the resilient sleeve 25. In the referenced parent disclosure, the sleeve 25 is a resilient sleeve which is supported between upper and lower rings 27 and 28. It is made of resilient material so that it can flex and it tends to inflate, bowing outwardly to create a contact area which tends to wipe the inside of the pipe. Ordinarily, it provides contact against the full circle of the surrounding or enclosing axial passage through the drill stem. There are, however, internal upsets which are encountered periodically along the drill stem. When they are encountered, this requires the sleeve to contact against the upset regions, thereby shrinking to prevent leakage past the upset region. The present improvement sets forth a method and apparatus for further assuring that the sleeve is expanded radially outwardly so that the sleeve maintains more reliable contact with the surrounding drill stem, in particular better contact with the surrounding drill stem. Thus dynamically, the device will pass downwardly in a drill stem, being forced to shrink or narrow on encountering the internal upset, and is freed to expand radially outwardly after passing through the upset so that the present apparatus provides a more sure and certain contact region just below the upset. It is very helpful to maintain the resilient sleeve 25 at a fully inflated condition for assuring contact against the surrounding upset and the sidewall just below the upset. In the absence of certain contact, it is possible for leakage to occur and this system overcomes that tendency.
The present system has the further advantage of overcoming the tendency to leak by assuring a fully inflated sleeve during traversing of a drill stem. Moreover, the sleeve is filled with an incompressible fluid which is momentarily compressed when passing through an internal upset which fluid overflows from the sleeve into a chamber. The chamber is maintained under pressure which is assured by a cylinder in the chamber exposed to ambient pressure. Pressure on the tool dynamically moves the piston within the cylinder to adjust pressure equalization within the sleeve. This change in piston location maintains fluid pressure within the tool keeping the sleeve expanded in light of its physical location relative to upsets of the drill stem.
The present apparatus sets out an elongate tool which is buoyantly carried on the top of the mud column in the drill stem as the stem is being pulled and which includes a central elongate mandrel. The mandrel is of relatively narrow diameter to receive thereon a telescoped and slideable resilient sleeve. The resilient sleeve is not shaped as a cup, but rather incorportes upper and lower ends which are relatively narrow and are mounted on circular rings to enable telescoping movement of each end independently on the mandrel. The sleeve bows outwardly at the central portions and defines a resilient wiping surface. This surface is able to pass through the internal upset pipe. When it does, the sleeve is constricted slightly, forcing the two ends farther apart and which are both free to move. The two ends of the sleeve are arranged in a circular construction around the mandrel. Conveniently, shoulders at the upper and lower ends of the sleeve supported by the mandrel define the centered sleeve position, but such sleeve movement is nevertheless permitted during transition through an internal upset. The transition thus occurs as the device is traveling through the drill stem and yet permits the sleeve to slide through the internal upset, shrinking at the fatter central portion, forcing the two ends thereof relatively apart, and moving at one end or the other to accommodate appropriate elongation on diametric shrinkage, and further restoring to the original shape after transition through the internal upset. This is markedly different from cups which face upwardly or downwardly. Likewise, it is different from sleeves of substantially uniform diameter, and is substantially different from the wiping action provided by such devices.
The foregoing briefly sets out certain aspects of the present disclosure, but details of the present apparatus will become more readily apparent and understood in conjunction with the drawings of the preferred embodiment, and it is therefore a structure including the components illustrated discussed below for the preferred embodiment.


A yaw-rate sensor is proposed having a first and a second Coriolis element (100, 200) which are arranged side-by-side above a surface (1) of a substrate. The Coriolis elements (100, 200) are induced to oscillate parallel to a first axis. Due to a Coriolis force, the Coriolis elements (100, 200) are deflected in a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis. The first and second Coriolis elements (100, 200) are coupled by a spring (52) which is designed to be yielding in the first and in the second axis. Thus, the frequencies of the oscillations in the two axes are developed differently for the in-phase and antiphase oscillation.

The present invention is based on a yaw-rate sensor according to the definition of the species in the independent patent claim.
Yaw-rate sensors in which a first and a second Coriolis element are arranged on the surface of a substrate are already known from the U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,936. The Coriolis elements are induced to oscillate in a first axis. The deflections of the Coriolis elements due to a Coriolis force in a second axis, which is likewise parallel to the substrate, are verified.
In contrast, the yaw-rate sensor of the present invention having the features of the independent patent claim has the advantage that a clear frequency separation of the different oscillation modes is achieved. Thus, it is possible to specifically excite the antiphase oscillation by the selection of an appropriate excitation frequency.
Further advantages and improvements are yielded by the measures in the dependent patent claims. If the gravitational centers of the Coriolis elements move perpendicular to a straight connecting line between the gravitational centers, then on average over time, the deflections of the Coriolis elements because of the Coriolis force lie on one and the same axis, in which an angular acceleration exerts no force component whatsoever. A further form of the excitation is effected by an oscillation of both Coriolis elements on one axis.
The Coriolis elements are induced to oscillate particularly easily by a drive element which transmits driving forces through springs. In this case, the Coriolis element may be suspended completely on this drive element. Electrostatic comb drives may be provided on the drive elements as excitation means. The Coriolis force may be verified in that the Coriolis element has movable electrodes which are arranged opposite stationary electrodes. However, verification elements may also be provided to which the Coriolis forces are transmitted by springs. In this case, it is possible in particular to suspend the verification elements in such a way on the substrate that only a movement in the direction of the Coriolis forces takes place. Interference effects because of a movement of the movable electrodes which are not in the verification direction are thereby suppressed.


Authentication codes associated with an entity are generated. A stored secret associated with an entity is retrieved. At a first point in time, a first dynamic value associated with a first time interval is determined. A first authentication code based on the first dynamic value is determined. At a second point in time, a second dynamic value associated with a second time interval is determined. A second authentication code based on the second dynamic value is determined. The first and second authentication codes are derived from the stored secret and the amount of time between the first and second points in time is different from the length of the first time interval.

Many computer users and other entities have systems that utilize some form of security. One form of security is to limit access to the system to certain entities by using computer-based authentication. Such computer-based authentication may involve the entity that is seeking authentication transmitting a time-based authentication code and identifying information to a verifier who authenticates the identity of the entity. The verifier typically possesses information that allows it to determine whether or not to authenticate a user. If the verifier receives the correct authentication code and information from the entity, the authentication of the entity is successful. If the received authentication code and information is incorrect, the authentication fails.


A metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators for increasing flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating. The structure includes a specially shaped metal diaphragm installed and clamped on its periphery into the outlet cavity of a pressure regulator body. The diaphragm is a circular thin metal disc dome shaped with specifically controlled height and thickness values.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to metal diaphragm regulators. More specifically, the present invention relates to a metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators for increasing flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating.
2. Background Information
Metal diaphragm regulators have been in use for years. Typically, metal diaphragm regulators include a flexible metal diaphragm clamped between a body section, and an actuator section.
The body section typically has at least one inlet, or high pressure fluid port and at least one outlet, or low pressure or regulated fluid port. A poppet valve, seat, and bias spring are typically contained within the body section. The poppet valve and seat separate the high pressure from the low regulated pressure. The bias spring biases the poppet valve against the seat enabling a positive fluid shut-off.
The actuator section, which usually contains an adjustably loaded compression spring commonly referred to as a xe2x80x98rangexe2x80x99 spring, applies a downward reference force upon the upper surface of the diaphragm. This causes the diaphragm to deflect, engaging the poppet valve away from its valve seat and allowing fluid flow and pressure to build on the low-pressure side. The greater the deflection, the greater the poppet valve opening and corresponding fluid flow. The fluid pressure on the low-pressure side acts on the underside of the diaphragm applying an upward force. Obviously, the greater the pressure, the greater the upward force.
As such, the diaphragm""s deflection/poppet opening is dictated by a balance-of-forces. The range spring applies a downward force. The balancing upward forces are the outlet pressure acting on the diaphragm effective surface area, the bias spring, the diaphragm or spring force, and the inlet pressure acting on the poppet/seat area. This can be illustrated by the equation
Range Spring Force=Outlet Pressure Force+Bias Spring Force+Diaphragm Spring Force+Inlet Pressure Force
A problem with conventional metal diaphragm regulators is that the diaphragms have a positive spring rate that contributes to a reduction in flow capacity. Flow capacity is the usable flow range of a pressure regulator without significant loss in outlet pressure. The higher the diaphragm spring rate, the greater the reduction in flow capacity.
The diaphragm deflection multiplied by the diaphragm spring rate equals the diaphragm spring force. As the diaphragm and poppet valve deflect downward, not only does flow increase, but also the diaphragm spring force increases, with the amount of change dependent upon its spring rate. As shown in the above xe2x80x98balance-of-forcesxe2x80x99 equation, an increase in diaphragm spring force contributes to a decrease in outlet pressure, resulting in a reduction of flow capacity.
This problem is further exasperated with a small or miniature metal diaphragm pressure regulator. Often it is desirable to use miniature metal diaphragm pressure regulators; however, what is not desirable is the extra reduction in flow capacity associated with the smaller size. Smaller diametrically sized diaphragms are less flexible, and they therefore typically have higher spring rates.
Examples of methods to reduce spring rates within a pressure regulator found in the art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,103,020 and 3,689,055. Although these help to reduce spring rates, they do so by requiring additional components, added complexity, and increased costs.
Another problem with conventional metal diaphragm regulators is that the diaphragm deflection and its associated poppet valve deflection is very small, particularly with smaller regulators, which limits the metering capability or controllability of the flow. The poppet valve as it deflects into or away from the valve seat changes the annular orifice area, thereby changing the flow. A greater deflection would allow for a finer and more controllable flow from the no-flow to full flow range. This would result in a smoother and more stable pressure control as flow demands change. To obtain the same flow range with a shorter deflection would result in a very xe2x80x98coarsexe2x80x99 flow control, resulting in a less stable pressure control.
Another problem with conventional metal diaphragm regulators is their low maximum inlet pressure rating. The maximum inlet pressure rating is primarily based on the weakest link, normally the thin metal diaphragm. Even though the diaphragm is located on the low-pressure side, the diaphragm must be able to hold without rupturing full inlet pressure with a suitable safety margin in the event of seat leakage. This is especially true in industries such as the semiconductor industry, where many of the gases that are pressure regulated are extremely hazardous (toxic, flammable, poisonous, pyrophoric, corrosive, etc.).
Metal diaphragms currently are designed to be as thin as reasonably possible so as to minimize the above-mentioned problems of high spring rate and short deflection. A thinner diaphragm has a lower spring rate and is typically able to deflect more. However, thinning out a diaphragm reduces its pressure holding capability.
While the inventions of the above-mentioned patents may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for increasing flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating. Accordingly, there is a need for a metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators that increases flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in known types of metal diaphragm regulators found in the art, the present invention provides a new metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators construction that can be utilized for increasing flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating. This metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating.
The present invention generally includes a specially shaped metal diaphragm installed and clamped on its periphery into the outlet cavity of a pressure regulator body. The diaphragm is a circular thin metal disc dome shaped with specifically controlled height and thickness values.
The present invention further provides a metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators that increases flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating. The present invention also provides a metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators that produces a non-positive spring rate throughout its usable deflection.
The metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators of the present invention allows for a large deflection relative to its diametric size. The metal diaphragm structure of the present invention also utilizes a thick diaphragm material relative to its diametric size. Further, the metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators according to the present invention increases flow capacity, flow control, and pressure rating without requiring additional components.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Metal diaphragm structure for pressure regulators


The present invention provides a method of monitoring the position of a vehicle, vessel, rail car, barge, tanker truck that is loaded with bulk or hazardous material. A G.P.S unit is set to send a signal to a radio transmitter if the unit moves beyond a maximum permissible distance (for example, 50 feet or more). An oxygen sensor can be used to send a signal to a radio transmitter if oxygen levels fall below a selected minimum concentration. The radio transmitter can send the message to a tugboat crew, police department, fire department, company headquarters, civil defense office or other personnel if either of the unit has moved beyond the selected maximum travel distance or if oxygen levels fall below a minimum concentration. In addition to the radio transmission of oxygen concentration data and/or G.P.S position data, visible or audible alarms can be used such as strobe light, horn or the like. Also disclosed is a system for concealment of chemical and/or biological sensors in a building for urban or industrial environments.

The present invention relates to safety devices for monitoring the position of barges, rail cars, containers or other vehicles moving through a port or rail yard and that can radio position and/or oxygen levels to appropriate personnel.
It is common for large numbers of vehicles or vessels to be parked, moored, etc. in an area where they are not carefully monitored. For example, many barges are moored in the Mississippi River in a raft such as, for example, several barges wide and as much as a quarter of a mile long. During the night, these barges can become dislodged from their mooring creating a hazard to navigation.
Many of these barges carry hazardous cargo that can leak creating a health hazard for persons in the immediate area should leaks occur.
Many patents have issued that are directed to monitoring the position of a mobile unit as noted in the following table:
TABLE 1U.S. Pat. No.TITLEISSUE DATE6,055,426Notification of a MobileApr. 25, 2000Unit Out of Coverage6,269,763Autonomous Marine VehicleAug. 07, 20016,295,449Data Messaging in aSep. 25, 2001Communications NetworkUsing a Feature Request6,301,545Global Positioning SystemOct. 09, 2001Tag System6,427,127Vibrating Conduit ProcessJul. 30, 2002Parameter Sensors, OperatingMethods and Computer ProgramProducts Utilizing ComplexModal Estimation6,499,476Vapor Pressure Determination Dec. 31, 2002Using Galvanic Oxygen Meter6,522,301Above Deck Unit for AutomaticFeb. 18, 2003Identification System6,542,076Control, Monitoring and/orApr. 01, 2003Security Apparatus and MethodEach of the above referenced patents are incorporated herein by reference.
While certain novel features of this invention shown and described below are pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details specified, since a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. No feature of the invention is critical or essential unless it is expressly stated as being "critical" or "essential."

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for concealing sensors in urban and industrial environments


A rechargeable battery including at least one electrode assembly that performs charging and discharging; a case receiving the electrode assembly; a cap assembly coupled to the case and including at least one terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly; a lead tab electrically connecting the terminal and the electrode assembly; and a supporting member between the lead tab and the case, wherein the lead tab includes at least one coupling bar attached to the electrode assembly, and the supporting member includes a supporting protrusion coupled to one surface of the coupling bar and a base supported by an inner surface of the case.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike a primary battery that cannot be recharged, a rechargeable battery (i.e., a secondary battery or a secondary cell) may be repeatedly charged and discharged. A low-capacity rechargeable battery may be used for small portable electronic devices, e.g., mobile phones, notebook computers, camcorders, and the like. A large-capacity battery may be used as a power source for, e.g., driving a motor of a hybrid electric vehicle and the like.
A high-power rechargeable battery using a non-aqueous electrolyte with high energy density has recently been developed. For example, the high-power rechargeable battery may be constructed as a high-capacity rechargeable battery having a plurality of rechargeable cells coupled to each other in series such that it may be used as a power supply for driving motors in electric vehicles requiring high power.
A prismatic-shaped rechargeable battery may include an electrode assembly (including a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator interposed therebetween), a case (having a space for accommodating the electrode assembly), and a cap plate that seals the case and has a terminal inserted therein. The terminal may be electrically connected with the electrode assembly and may protrude outside of the case. The terminal may be electrically connected to the electrode assembly via the lead tab; and the lead tab may be fixed to the terminal and the electrode assembly.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A hybrid chemical/biological process which is highly effective to destroy the herbicide, Atrazine, in wastewater solutions is herein disclosed. The process comprises subjecting the atrazine molecule in an aqueous carrier to ozone to produce the oxidized product, diamino-s-triazine and thereafter, metabolizing the diamine in soil having indigenous and selected microorganism capable of degrading the diamine to carbon dioxide. Also disclosed is a disposal system capable of preforming the process of the invention in a single system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to treatments for the disposal of pesticides in wastewater. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for decomposing 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine, hereinafter referred to as "atrazine" in wastewater solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States. Annual production was estimated at 35,913 metric tons in 1982. Atrazine has been detected in groundwater in the parts per billion (ppb) range.
Safe disposal of herbicide wastewater containing atrazine compounds, and compounds related thereto, is a major problem for the farmer, commercial applicator, or small-scale formulator. Improper herbicide wastewater disposal is a significant contributing factor to groundwater contamination. Consequently, there exists a need for a simple, low-cost, and versatile system for the disposal of atrazine which maybe used by the low-level herbicide user.
Wastewater disposal treatments currently being investigated in the United States include (1) rinsewater recycling; (2) granular carbon absorption; (3) UV-ozonation; (4) small-scale incineration; (5) solar photo-decomposition; (6) chemical degradation; (7) evaporation, photodegradation and biodegradation in containment devices; (8) genetically engineered products; (9) leach fields; (10) acid and alkaline trickling filter systems; (11) organic matrix adsorption and microbial degradation; (12) and evaporation and biological treatment with wicks. Although most of these technologies are still in the experimental stage, they show little promise because they are costly and slow, often producing inconsistent results or having a limited applicability. Further, techniques such as wastewater volume reduction by rinsewater recycling and granular carbon absorption are disadvantageous because they require additional steps to decompose the pesticide or to recover carbon sources.

Simple system for decomposing atrazine in wastewater

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


This airbag device includes a first protective cover and a second protective cover which store and protect an airbag. The airbag has a tab formed between the first protective cover and the second protective cover so as to protrude outward approximately in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the airbag. The tab has one end connected to the first protective cover and the other end connected to the second protective cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbag device attached to a roof side rail of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle airbag device in which an airbag is deployed in a curtain form from a roof side rail of the vehicle in order to prevent the head portion of an occupant from colliding with a side window or the like in the event of a side crash is known. Such an airbag device is also referred to as a curtain airbag device.
In a curtain airbag device, an airbag is folded in a long and thin manner and is stored in a protective cover that is attached to a roof side rail of a vehicle. Airbags and protective covers are often disposed along the entire roof side rail in a front-rear direction of a vehicle in order to protect an occupant on a rear seat as well as an occupant on a front seat.
As a result, since the entire protective cover is long, it is not desirable to form the protective cover as an integral body when transportation or the like before attachment to a vehicle is taken into consideration. Thus, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-31640 proposes an airbag device in which a protective cover is divided along a longitudinal direction into a plurality of parts so that the protective cover can be bent in a compact form.
In an airbag device in which a protective cover is divided, an airbag folded in a long and thin manner is stored and protected by a plurality of protective covers disposed in line in a longitudinal direction of the airbag.
In general, an airbag is formed from a fabric or the like that can be deformed flexibly. Thus, before an airbag device is attached to a vehicle, the respective protective covers may rotate about the longitudinal direction of the airbag and the airbag stored therein may be twisted. That is, the respective protective covers may be attached to a vehicle in a state where the airbag stored therein is twisted erroneously.
If protective covers are attached to a vehicle in a state where the airbag is twisted, the airbag may not be deployed properly between an occupant and a side window or the like in the event of a crash and may be unable to protect the occupant. Besides this, a dangerous situation may occur.
Thus, in the airbag device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-31640, a connecting mechanism that connects adjacent two protective covers so that the protective covers cannot rotate in relation to each other is provided in an end of each protective cover.


A vacuum cleaner has a housing that includes a separation chamber and collection chamber, a floor unit with a suction opening, and a passage between the suction opening and separation chamber. A suction source establishes a stream of air from the suction opening to the separation chamber for separation of liquids and contaminants. A controller stops the suction source when a level of liquid in the collection chamber rises to a predetermined level. There is a protective structure to shield at least a portion of the controller from circular movement of the liquid in the collection chamber. A structure in the separation chamber defines a path for the stream of air along an internal perimeter of the separation chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and in particular to wet/dry vacuum cleaners. The invention also relates to so-called cyclonic vacuum cleaners which use a circulating airflow to separate contaminants from the air.
2. Background Information
Wet/dry vacuum cleaners are well-known. Such vacuum cleaners separate liquid and contaminants from a suction stream of air. The liquid and contaminants are collected in a collection chamber for later emptying. It is also known to put a level switch, such as a float switch, in the collection chamber to stop the vacuum cleaner motor when a level of liquid in the collection chamber rises to a predetermined level.
Cyclonic vacuum cleaners that use circular airflow within a separation chamber to separate liquid and contaminants from a stream of air are also known. Typically, a separation chamber is provided in an upper portion of a cyclone housing, with the lower portion of the housing forming a collection chamber for the separated liquid and contaminants. The circular airflow causes circular movement of water in the collection chamber. A problem with placing a level switch within the collection chamber of a cyclone vacuum cleaner is that the circular movement of water in the collection chamber results in inaccurate level measurement.
A second problem is that it is difficult to get a stream of air laden with heavy water to move in a circular motion within the separation chamber in order to separate the liquid and contaminants from the air stream.


An object of the present invention is to provide a heat-resistant resin paste that enables the formation of a precise pattern, exhibits excellent adhesiveness, heat resistance and flexibility, and enables a shortening of the production time, as well as a method for producing thereof. The present invention relates to a heat-resistant resin paste, comprising a first organic solvent (A1), a second organic solvent (A2) that comprises a lactone, a heat-resistant resin (B) that is soluble in a mixed organic solvent of (A1) and (A2), and a heat-resistant resin filler (C) that is soluble in (A1) but insoluble in (A2), wherein (C) is dispersed within a solution comprising (A1), (A2) and (B).

Heat-resistant resins such as polyimide resins exhibit superior heat resistance and mechanical properties, and are consequently already in widespread use in the electronics field as surface protection films and interlayer insulating films for semiconductor elements. In recent years, screen printing methods and dispensing methods that do not require complex steps such as exposure, developing, and etching and the like are attracting considerable attention as image formation methods for polyimide-based resin films used as surface protection films, interlayer insulating films and stress relaxation materials.
Screen printing methods and dispensing methods typically use a heat-resistant resin paste with thixotropic properties that contains a base resin, a filler, and a solvent as components. Almost all of the heat-resistant resin pastes that have been developed to date have used a silica filler or an insoluble polyimide filler as a thixotropy-imparting filler, and as a result, large numbers of residual voids or air bubbles are left at the filler interface upon heating and drying, causing problems that include a deterioration in the film strength and inferior electrical insulation properties.
In order to overcome these problems, heat-resistant resin pastes that are capable of forming polyimide patterns with excellent properties have been developed by employing a special combination of an organic filler (soluble filler), a base resin, and a solvent in which the filler first dissolves upon heating and drying, and subsequently forms a co-soluble phase with the base resin to form a film (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2,697,215 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 3,087,290).

Heat-resistant resin paste and method for producing same


A slotted patch antenna includes a dielectric substrate, a radiation electrode which is provided on a major surface of the dielectric substrate, and a ground conductor which is disposed on a surface that is opposite to the major surface. The radiation electrode is formed with a slots having at least one of a meandering portion, a curve portion, or a folded portion. An external shape of the radiation electrode is a square, and totally two pairs of slots are formed inside the square, each of the slots being along respective sides of the square. Each of the slots is arranged so as to be line-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry that is parallel with one of the sides of the square and passes through a center of the square, and to be point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the square.

The use of a patch antenna capable of dealing with circularly polarized radio waves is common in antenna devices for satellites, for example, for GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). On the other hand, demand for provision of another transmission/reception band in addition to one that is determined by the external shape of a radiation electrode of a patch antenna has arisen in recent years.
Slotted patch antennas have been proposed to attain the above object. FIG. 12 shows a conventional slotted patch antenna (a ground plate is omitted). As shown in this figure, a slotted patch antenna 5 is equipped with a square dielectric substrate 10, a square radiation electrode 20 which is a planar conductor provided on a major surface of the dielectric substrate 10, and a ground plate (ground conductor; not shown) disposed on the surface opposite to the major surface. Furthermore, the radiation electrode 20 is formed with two pairs of straight slots 30. The slots 30 are portions where no conductor exists. The radiation electrode 20 is fed by a two-point feeding in which a power is fed at two points, that is, feeding points a and b, so that circularly polarized waves can be transmitted and received efficiently. As disclosed in the following Patent document 1, in patch antennas, a good axial ratio can be obtained in a wide frequency range by feeding signals that are different from each other in phase by 90° to two feeding points.
As such, the slotted patch antenna 5 shown in FIG. 12 has two transmission/reception bands, that is, a transmission/reception band that is determined by external dimensions of the radiation electrode 20 (i.e., a transmission/reception band of a patch antenna operation) and a transmission/reception band of a slot antenna that is determined by the length of the slots 30 formed in the radiation electrode 20 (i.e., a transmission/reception band of a slot antenna operation).


Disclosed is an apparatus for and method of routing telephony data packets by checking the address of each data packet as the data packet is sent to a common random access memory to be used by all of a plurality of router. The appropriate output link is ascertained by use of a lookup table accessible by each of the plurality of routers. The location of the data packet in memory is then sent to a FIFO entity associated with the appropriate output link. When the queue for that link reaches a pointer in the FIFO for that data packet, it is retrieved from memory and forwarded to its destination.

The present invention relates in general to routing of telephony data packets and in particular to methods and systems for efficiently routing cellular telephony system data packets using direct memory access (DMA) while providing monitoring capability for predefined system parameters.
When cellular telephone messages, such as those used in PCS (personal communication service) are digitized, they are typically bundled into a plurality of data packets and transmitted over serial links to receiving parties. In a BSC (base station controller) the receiving parties may be either MSs (mobile stations) or land line entities. In the process, the data packets may pass through one or more entities known in the industry as routers. A router receives messages from a given link and redirects the message to one or more other links. In other words, a message may be directed to a single recipient or it may be broadcast to a plurality of destinations on a plurality of links. Since messages from multiple source links may be substantially simultaneously directed to a single destination link, routers need to provide some sort of temporary storage for messages when traffic prevents immediate output of received data packets. Usually this comprises a FIFO (first in first out) procedure which basically operates to cause messages awaiting output to be delayed until all previously received messages for a specific output link have been transmitted. A priority mechanism for data packets waiting to be acted upon is also required. Further, routers need to be able to direct incoming messages to the appropriate output link. An address provided with the message is examined and a decision is made by some entity in the router that messages having a given range of addresses, including the present address, should be directed to a specific output link.
Prior art PCS routers, known to the present inventors, when broadcasting a message, occasionally would direct messages back to a source link whereby a loop was created which overloaded a router to a point of uselessness. While prior art routers could copy all messages bound for a given active output link to an alternate router output for test and monitoring purposes, such prior art routers did not have similar copying and monitoring capability for incoming links. Further, prior art router systems were typically designed (over-designed) for worst case scenarios as there was no method of monitoring overall system capacity usage or individual output link usage. Such over-design results in increased costs for equipment that may well be underutilized. Finally, known prior art systems in cellular telephony systems have required a plurality of cards interconnected to a bus to provide the routing function with the potential of system inoperability from poor electrical contact between the cards and the bus.
A router having a design that may be accommodated on a single card would minimize contact failure problems. Further, a design that allows monitoring of number of bytes and/or packets received on input links may provide useful data in the form of excessive usage by a data packet source, excessive source link induced errors and relative destination distribution of messages input to a router from a source link as well as system capacity capability per source link. Monitoring the FIFO level of an output link may provide useful information for redistributing addresses assigned to a given output link. Monitoring total messages flowing through a router per unit of time may provide similar information for redistributing the total number of addresses for which a given link of the router is responsible.
Therefore a router that can provide all the above mentioned monitoring functions, can be configured to minimize broadcast looping situations, can minimize electrical contact problems, can allow operation closer to its design intent and still be physically more compact than the prior art would be a useful and desirable device.
The present invention comprises a router utilizing RAM (random access memory) for both temporary message packet storage and a message address to packet router output link lookup table. The design of the router permits monitoring of various parameters of input and output link messages as well as overall router usage for system optimization.

Direct memory access packet router method and apparatus

Abstract: The design of the overall router entity facilitates monitoring of average input traffic as well as output traffic on each link at a data packet or byte level, monitoring the traffic of any input link by copying all data packets received from a given link to a monitoring link, restricting the capability of link sources from broadcasting data packets, checking individual or composite FIFO queue levels to determine the amount of time a link or links are operating at full capacity.