A device for assisting a rescuer in delivering therapy to an adult or pediatric patient, the device including a user interface comprising a display and/or audio speakers, the user interface being configured to deliver prompts to a rescuer to assist the rescuer in delivering therapy to a patient; a processor configured to provide prompts to the user interface and to perform an ECG analysis algorithm on ECG information detected from the patient; at least one detection element configured to determine without rescuer input via the user interface that a pediatric patient is being treated; wherein, if a pediatric patient is detected, the processor modifies the ECG analysis algorithm or the prompts provided to the user interface to use an ECG analysis algorithm or prompts adapted for a pediatric patient rather than for an adult patient.

Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are used by non-medical personnel to defibrillate victims of cardiac arrest the prevalence of which is approximately 600,000 people per year, worldwide. In the past, these AEDs had only been available for the adult population, and the pediatric arrest victims were forced to wait valuable minutes for the professional rescuers such as paramedics, doctors or nurses to arrive. AEDs are now available that are designed specifically to be compatible for use on children. Because defibrillation energies are lower with children, various methods have been developed to accommodate this fact and provide a means of switching defibrillation energies if a pediatric arrest victim is present. One method, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,413, determines a pediatric arrest victim is present if the AED detects that electrodes specifically designed for use with children are attached to the device, in which case the energy levels and voice prompts associated with energy delivery are adjusted to conform with those most appropriate for children. U.S. patent application No. 2003/0195567A1 describes a method that determines a victim is a child based on user input form the AED operator. The energy levels are set based on such indirect means as a measurement of the patient, e.g., the length of an anatomical feature of the victim may be correlated within the AED to a specific energy level.
Resuscitation treatments for patients suffering from cardiac arrest generally include clearing and opening the patient's airway, providing rescue breathing for the patient, and applying chest compressions to provide blood flow to the victim's heart, brain and other vital organs. If the patient has a shockable heart rhythm, resuscitation also may include defibrillation therapy. The term basic life support (BLS) involves all the following elements: initial assessment; airway maintenance; expired air ventilation (rescue breathing); and chest compression. When all three [airway breathing, and circulation, including chest compressions] are combined, the term cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is used. In the case of pediatric arrest, CPR takes on a heightened prominence based on the fact that cardiac arrest is rare in children, and many more children are affected by respiratory arrest due to choking, drowning, poisoning and asthma.
There are many different kinds of abnormal heart rhythms, some of which can be treated by defibrillation therapy ("shockable rhythms") and some which cannot (non-shockable rhythms"). For example, most ECG rhythms that produce significant cardiac output are considered non-shockable (examples include normal sinus rhythms, certain bradycardias, and sinus tachycardias). There are also several abnormal ECG rhythms that do not result in significant cardiac output but are still considered non-shockable, since defibrillation treatment is usually ineffective under these conditions. Examples of these non-shockable rhythms include asystole, electromechanical disassociation and other pulseless electrical activity. Although a patient cannot remain alive with these non-viable, non-shockable rhythms, applying shocks will not help convert the rhythm. The primary examples of shockable rhythms, for which the caregiver should perform defibrillation, include ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular flutter.
The current protocols recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA) are as follows: after using a defibrillator to apply one or more shocks to a patient who has a shockable ECG rhythm, the patient may nevertheless remain unconscious, in a shockable or non-shockable, perfusing or non-perfusing rhythm. If a non-perfusing rhythm is present, the caregiver may then resort to performing CPR for a period of time in order to provide continuing blood flow and oxygen to the patient's heart, brain and other vital organs. If a shockable rhythm continues to exist or develops during the delivery of CPR, further defibrillation attempts may be undertaken following this period of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As long as the patient remains unconscious and without effective circulation, the caregiver can alternate between use of the defibrillator (for analyzing the electrical rhythm and possibly applying a shock) and performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR generally involves a repeating pattern of five or fifteen chest compressions followed by a pause during which two rescue breaths are given.
Defibrillation can be performed using an AED. The American Heart Association, European Resuscitation Council, and other similar agencies provide protocols for the treatment of victims of cardiac arrest that include the use of AEDs. These protocols define a sequence of steps to be followed in accessing the victim's condition and determining the appropriate treatments to be delivered during resuscitation. Caregivers who may be required to use an AED are trained to follow these protocols.
Most automatic external defibrillators are actually semi-automatic external defibrillators (SAEDs), which require the caregiver to press a start or analyze button, after which the defibrillator analyzes the patient's ECG rhythm and advises the caregiver to provide a shock to the patient if the electrical rhythm is shockable. The caregiver is then responsible for pressing a control button to deliver the shock. Following shock delivery, the SAED may reanalyze the patient's ECG rhythm, automatically or manually, and advise additional shocks or instruct the caregiver to check the patient for signs of circulation (indicating that the defibrillation treatment was successful or that the rhythm is non-shockable) and to begin CPR if circulation has not been restored by the defibrillation attempts. Fully automatic external defibrillators, on the other hand, do not wait for user intervention before applying defibrillation shocks. As used below, automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) include semi-automatic external defibrillators (SAEDs).
Automated External Defibrillators include signal processing software that analyzes ECG signals acquired from the victim to determine when a cardiac arrhythmia such as Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) or shockable ventricular tachycardia (VT) exists. Usually, these algorithms are designed to perform ECG analyses at specific times during the rescue event. The first ECG analysis is usually initiated within a few seconds following attachment of the defibrillation electrodes to the patient. Subsequent ECG analyses may or may not be initiated based upon the results of the first analysis. Typically if the first analysis detects a shockable rhythm, the rescuer is advised to deliver a defibrillation shock. Following the shock delivery a second analysis is automatically initiated to determine whether the defibrillation treatment was successful or not (i.e. the shockable ECG rhythm has been converted to a normal or other non-shockable rhythm). If this second analysis detects the continuing presence of a shockable arrhythmia, the AED advises the user to deliver a second defibrillation treatment. A third ECG analysis may then be initiated to determine whether the second shock was or was not effective. If a shockable rhythm persists, the rescuer is then advised to deliver a third defibrillation treatment.
The typical algorithms process the ECG for measured features which will differentiate the rhythm as shockable (ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT)) or non-shockable rhythms (normal sinus rhythms (NSR), abnormal rhythms (ABN), non-shockable VT's and asystole). Some of these features include R to R interval averaging, R to R interval variance, average and maximum signal amplitude, measures of baseline isoelectric time, QRS width, ECG first difference distributions, and parameters from frequency domain analysis1 Analyses of annotated ECG databases establish the distribution of values for a given feature for shockable and non-shockable rhythms. Appropriate decision logic techniques can be used to combine this knowledge and produce the shock or non-shock decision.
Although AEDs have been designed for use on adults and the ECG arrhythmia logic has been developed for the adult population, there is a clear need to extend the use of AEDs to children with cardiac arrest. Recent literature have reported the accuracies of adult based AED arrhythmia algorithms on ECG databases collected from children and have concluded they are safe and effective. However, there are significant differences between adult and pediatric ECG rhythms. For example, the pediatric ECG exhibits faster normal heart rates, narrower QRS widths, and shorter PR and QT intervals as compared to adults. Shockable ventricular tachycardia occurs at much higher rates (>200 BPM) in pediatric subjects than adults (>150 BPM).
Following the third defibrillator shock or when any of the analyses described above detects a non-shockable rhythm, treatment protocols recommended by the American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council require the rescuer to check the patient's pulse or to evaluate the patient for signs of circulation. If no pulse or signs of circulation are present, the rescuer is trained to perform CPR on the victim for a period of one or more minutes. Following this period of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (that includes rescue breathing and chest compressions) the AED reinitiates a series of up to three additional ECG analyses interspersed with appropriate defibrillation treatments as described above. The sequence of 3 ECG analyses/defibrillation shocks followed by 1-3 minutes of CPR, continues in a repetitive fashion for as long as the AED's power is turned on and the patient is connected to the AED device. Typically, the AED provides audio prompts to inform the rescuer when analyses are about to begin, what the analysis results were and when to start and stop the delivery of CPR.
The AED can be used on adult and pediatric patients. However, the American Heart Association recommends a different protocol in the rescue of pediatric victims compared to the adult rescue protocol particularly with regards to the application of CPR. Because of the heightened prominence of airway and breathing with pediatric arrest victims, the AHA recommends that prior even to calling and activating emergency medical services (EMS) system, the child's airway is first checked for obstructions, the airway is cleared, and mouth to mouth breathing is performed in order to provide what is usually the primary treatment of respiration to the child. The AHA recommends a ratio 15 chest compressions to two ventilations in the case of an adult victim and a ratio of five chest compressions to one ventilation in the case of pediatric victims. The recommended rate of compressions in both adult and pediatric victims is 100 compressions per minute. The rationale for this difference in compression to ventilation ratios is that: 1) the most common cause in pediatric (<8 years of age) arrest is respiratory; and 2) respiratory rates in pediatric (<8 years of age) population are faster than respiratory rates in adults. In addition, the recommended depth of chest compression for pediatric victims (<8 years of age) is 1 to 1.5 inches while the recommended chest compression depth for adult and pediatric (>8 years of age) is 1.5 to 2 inches.
Existing AEDs are unable to provide appropriate rescue protocol and ECG analysis for a pediatric (<8 years of age) victim that is different from an adult rescue protocol and ECG analysis. Also, a lay rescuer who is trained on pediatric resuscitation and is not aware of the AHA guidelines recommendations will not be able to provide an effective resuscitation for a pediatric victim when using these existing AEDs.


A ventilator conduit for a reversible airway device (RAD) is provided. The RAD can include a supra-glottic support member connected to a tubular guide (TG) having oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions and TG lumen, which extends between the ends and is defined by an inner surface. The RAD can be physically free of an endotracheal tube. The ventilator conduit can include a hollow tube having first and second ends, and a ventilator conduit lumen extending between the ends. The first and second ends can be adapted for connection to a ventilator circuit and insertion into the TG lumen, respectively. At least the second end of the hollow tube can be sized and dimensioned so that, upon insertion into the TG, an outer surface of the second end is brought into direct contact with a portion of the inner surface to form an air-tight seal therebetween.

Airway devices are widely used in hospital surgical environments to provide respiratory assistance and ventilate patients during medical procedures. While there are a multitude of airway devices currently on the market, one popular airway device is an endotracheal tube and another is a supra-glottic support device, such as a laryngeal mask airway (LMA). While the use of these devices is widespread, there are disadvantages associated with each of these devices.
Endotracheal tubes, for example, are used to ventilate patients requiring anesthesia and/or respiratory assistance. An example of a conventional endotracheal tube is a plastic tube, which is inserted into a subject's mouth or nasal passageway, passed down the trachea through the vocal cords, and lodged in the trachea proximal (or above) the lungs. The endotracheal tube may have a cuff or balloon portion surrounding the circumference of the endotracheal tube near the distal end that rests in the subject's trachea. After the endotracheal tube has been inserted properly, the cuff may be inflated to seal against the wall of the trachea. Once sealed, positive pressure ventilation may be used to provide respiratory assistance and, if desired, anesthesia or other gas, gas mix, etc., to the patient though the endotracheal tube via a ventilator. The cuff provides a seal that tends to block liquids and solids from passing along the outside of the endotracheal tube between the tube and the trachea wall and entering the subject's lungs.
A supraglottic airway typically includes a hollow tube (sometimes referred to as a tubular guide, tube or guide) and a laryngeal mask. The laryngeal mask of the supraglottic airway is intended to fit through the mouth in the oropharynx of a patient and cover the two openings leading, respectively, to the esophagus and the trachea, on the one hand, and blocking the fluid path to and from the esophagus and stomach, on the other hand, thereby providing a fluid path to the trachea and lungs for ventilating the patient. The laryngeal mask may be positioned without requiring a physician to view the glottal opening directly. The laryngeal mask has an inflatable cuff or rim area. Once the laryngeal mask is placed into the subject's mouth, the cuff can be inflated to seal against the walls of the inside of the mouth and, if positioned properly, to block flow to and from the esophagus. A flexible, membranous support material extends from the cuff to form a recessed area, e.g., a space or volume, into which a gas mix can be pumped through the tube or other instrumentality of the supraglottic airway to provide the requisite air and/or anesthesia to the patient. The tube is of relatively large diameter, as compared to the usually relatively narrower diameter passage of a conventional endotracheal tube, and such relatively large diameter facilitates gas mix and exhalant flow with relatively minimal interference, pressure drop, etc. The support material supports the cuff from the tube. Thus, the supraglottic airway can be used to supply a gas mix to the recessed area and from there to the trachea.
In patients that require ventilation with an airway device (e.g., critically ill or injured subjects), it is important to maintain a continuous airway. In such patients, if ventilation begins with a supra-glottic support device (e.g., a LMA) and intubation subsequently becomes necessary, the supra-glottic support device must be removed from the patient so that an endotracheal tube can be placed. Doing so, however, requires that the patient's airway be temporarily disrupted while also increasing the risk that the patient's airway may not be recovered. Additionally, placing an endotracheal tube requires the skill of an experienced medical professional, who may not be present in all circumstances in which unexpected intubation is required.
Reversible airway devices have been developed to address these drawbacks. Examples of such devices are disclosed in PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US15/41870 to Avitsian et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/048,343 to Avitsian et al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/795,932 to Avitsian et al. The reversible airway devices disclosed by Avitsian et al. generally comprise a tubular guide, a laryngeal mask, and an endotracheal tube slidably disposed within the tubular guide. The presence of the endotracheal tube facilitates transition between supra-glottic and infra-glottic support that does not risk disconnection or loss of the patient's airway during ventilation. In some instances, such as an emergency, the need may arise to provide a supra-glottic airway and connection to a ventilator. In such instances, however, the presence of the endotracheal tube in the reversible airway devices may hinder or prevent the ability of medical personnel to rapidly establish the supra-glottic airway.

Ventilator conduit for reversible airway device


There is provided a method of operating a communication network comprising at least one macrocellular base station, and a plurality of femtocell base stations that are within the coverage area of the at least one macrocellular base station, the method comprising providing a proxy in a signalling path between the at least one macrocellular base station and the plurality of femtocell base stations, providing unidirectional signalling for the support of mobility and interference control from the at least one macrocellular base station to the proxy; and providing signalling for the support of mobility and interference control between the proxy and the plurality of femtocell base stations.

In an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), a user equipment (UE) accesses the radio network through an enhanced Node B (eNB). The eNB initiates connections on the air interface, assigns air-interface resources and performs scheduling. The eNBs are connected to a core network via an interface known as S1. The eNBs are also interconnected through an interface known as X2, which allows the eNBs to initiate and complete actions, such as handovers, without having to use higher network authorities to co-ordinate the action.
Femtocells (or "Home" or "Enterprise" eNBs) are small, low-power, indoor cellular base stations for residential or business use. They provide better network coverage and capacity than that available in such environments from the overlying macrocellular network (i.e. the eNBs). In addition, Home or Enterprise eNBs use a broadband connection to receive data from and send data back to the operator's network (known as "backhaul").
The Home or Enterprise eNB acts as an extension to the existing macro cellular network and provides enhanced network coverage and capacity for all users in range of the Home or Enterprise eNB. In a residential context, this means that the Home eNB will provide access to the network for those resident in that location, as well as for neighbours and passers-by if the macrocellular coverage is poor and if the Home eNB is configured to have "open" access. Any interference between transmissions from the Home eNB and the overlying macrocellular network is mitigated by the ability for user equipments (UEs) to handoff between the Home eNB and the macrocellular network.
It has been suggested that due to the nature of these Home or Enterprise eNBs, there is no need for X2 interfaces to be established between neighbouring Home or Enterprise eNBs or between Home or Enterprise eNBs and the macro eNBs for handover signalling. One reason for this is that if X2 interfaces were provided between neighbouring Home or Enterprise eNBs and between Home or Enterprise eNBs and macro eNBs, then a large deployment of Home or Enterprise eNBs (as is envisaged) would result in a very large number of X2 interfaces to be managed by each Home or Enterprise eNB and particularly by each macro eNB. In addition, due to the nature of the Home or Enterprise eNBs, the population of Home or Enterprise eNBs within a macro eNB can change frequently as Home or Enterprise eNBs are activated and deactivated, so the macro eNBs will often need to reconfigure their connections. This would lead to significant complexity in the macro eNB.
However, there are benefits to having an X2 interface available to Home or Enterprise eNBs. These benefits include the ability to perform faster handovers between the femto and macro layers, the ability to wake Home or Enterprise eNBs when user equipments (UEs) which are registered to use the Home or Enterprise eNB arrive in its vicinity, and the ability to provide interference control between Home eNBs and macro eNBs, and also between neighbouring Home eNBs. In particular, a Home or Enterprise eNB can be provided with an indication of the loading and usage of the macro uplink, which is not available by other means.
Therefore, it has been proposed that X2 interfaces between neighbouring Home or Enterprise eNBs and between Home or Enterprise eNBs and the macro eNBs can be provided using a proxy function that operates between the Home or Enterprise eNBs and macro eNBs. An exemplary system is shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the X2 proxy is connected to each of its Home eNBs through one X2 interface for each Home eNB, and it is connected to each of the macro eNBs that manage cells that overlap one or more of the Home eNBs managed by the X2 proxy by respective X2 interfaces.
According to this proposal, for the direction Home eNB to macro eNB, the X2 proxy performs an "aggregation" function to provide the macro eNB with a complete picture of the Home eNB layer loading. The macro eNB is then expected to take account of the Home eNB layer loading, which adds complexity to the macro eNBs. In addition, there is questionable benefit in providing the macro eNBs with an aggregated X2, given that the various Home eNBs will be experiencing different loading conditions and will have different path loss/shadowing to the particular macro eNBs, which leads to different interference susceptibility between the Home eNBs and macro eNBs.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an alternative solution for providing an X2 interface between neighbouring Home or Enterprise eNBs and between Home or Enterprise eNBs and macro eNBs.


A system and method for automated distillery management includes the ability to manage customers, manage inventory, and facilitate the production, aging, and sale of customized spirits. Customers, groups, and distillery staff may engage in the production, aging, and storage of customized spirits on a micro-brewing and/or micro-distilling scale. Various levels of customization may be available when producing the customized spirit. A level of customization of a spirit may be based upon type of spirit, recipe selection, amount of involvement in production process, type of involvement in production process, amount of notifications provided, types of notifications provided, participation in tasting during production process, spirit proof, aging type and time, storage time, customized labels for one or more casks, tanks, bottles, and/or other receptacles to hold the customized spirit and/or other factors related to producing a customized spirit. Customers and groups may also age and store spirits at the distillery storage site.

Generally speaking, the production of spirits, including, for example, vodka, whiskey, gin, and/or other spirits, is conducted by licensed distilleries. Individuals employed by a distillery may host customers for a visit, provide tastings of various spirits, and handle a sale of spirits from the distillery. Individuals employed by the distillery may also provide education about spirits available through the distillery and about the processes by which various spirits are made. The distillery may also have on-site storage at which customers may store their casks, tanks, bottles, and/or other receptacles of spirits for aging alongside the distillery's batches of spirits.
Conventional automated distillery management tools may exist, but have various limitations and drawbacks. For example, conventional automated distillery management tools may be limited to inventory management and/or customer account management. These and other drawbacks exist.

System and method for automated distillery management


An oven door latching system has a latch bolt with a latch arm at one end and its other end pivotably connected to a lever through a resilient connection. The lever in turn is pivotably connected to a positioning device which has a positioning slide reciprocatable in a housing and biased towards the lever. A recessed camming surface in the slide seats a follower arm which is adapted to follow a camming surface therein which define two stable positions for the follower arm which are spaced apart in the direction of motion of the slide and at which the follower arm will seat and releasably lock the slide. When the positioning slide is moved, pivotal motion is imparted to the other end of the lever, and the connecting structure enbables pivotal motion of the latch bolt. An actuating element acts on the slide to move the slide relative to the follower arm between its stable positions and concurrent motion of the lever to enable movement of the bolt between an oven door latching position and an oven door unlatching position.

The present invention relates to latches for stoves and like appliances, and more particularly to a latch assembly for use in self-cleaning ovens.
In self-cleaning ovens, it is essential that the oven door be latched against inadvertent opening during such period of time as the oven is at a high temperature. Various types of manual devices have been proposed for this application, and it is now customary to include some form of thermostatically controlled mechanism to prevent inadvertent opening of the door or opening of the door by a child. Some latch assemblies include a projecting lever which extends outwardly of the door or of the stove frame to effect initial engagement, and users of the appliances sometimes inadvertently strike such levers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel oven latch which may be engaged and disengaged by pushing the oven door inwardly against the latch bolt.
It is also an object to provide such a latch assembly in which the latch bolt is securely retained in latched position during the high temperature cleaning cycle.
Another object is to provide such a latch which may be fabricated readily and relatively economically, and which will exhibit long lived operation.
A further object is to provide such a latch assembly in which a solenoid is employed in the latching assembly for positioning the latch bolt.

Push to close latch for self-cleaning oven


An electrical connector for terminating a plurality of line wires of communications cable which comprises a dielectric housing; a terminal insert, a contact subassembly and a wire fixture, and a polarization circuit fully covered by the wire fixture it is in a closed or working position.

An electrical connector is known in the state of the art, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,761 for use in data communications systems having insulation displacement contacts IDC. The electrical connector receives a communications cable including a set of individually insulated wires which are set in the corresponding IDC contacts of the electrical connector.
The electrical connector also includes a dielectric housing, a terminal insert, a contact subassembly and a wire fixture for retaining the communications cable in an appropriate position for termination of the electrical connector.
The terminal insert includes a printed circuit board that cooperates with the IDC insulation displacement contacts, in order to electrically connect the line wires with the respective terminals.
The contact subassembly includes a contact dielectric holder which holds a plurality of insulation displacement contacts IDC these are generally aligned in rows parallel to the back part of the electrical connector, i.e., in proximity to the part of the wire fixture for which the communications cable enters the electrical connector.
The IDC contacts are designed to receive in each a line wire included in the communications cable. A wire insertion face is provided for receiving each of these wires and to plug in or subsequently connect in the posterior part of the connector proceeding to push each line wire into its respective IDC. The wire fixture of the cover makes a pivotal movement or a plugging movement of the line wires into the IDC contacts.
The cover comprises connection thrusters so that in their closing movement, they push and progressively approximate each line wire, through a lever effect, to its fully plugged in position in the posterior part of the electrical connector.
A disadvantage of the electrical connector or modular female socket is that it requires to connect an external circuit to the electrical connector to meet electrical functionalities such as to check voltage in the communications wires connected to the electrical connector and to verify the correct polarity of the connection made between the line wires and the IDC contacts or detecting presence/absence of connector at the far-end of the communication line. This external circuit complicates the installation practice adding time and cost as well as risk of failure while ease of application was the initial benefit of the connector.
There is therefore, a need to supply a modular female socket which includes IDC insulation displacement contacts and a cover which includes a wire fixture to retain the line wires of the communication cable and a checker circuit of the communication line connectivity to the electrical connector.


To obtain user approval of network transactions at different levels of security, a network site selects a form in which a transaction with be presented to the user from a group of transaction presentation forms including presentation of the transaction in a browser pop-up window on a user network device, in a security software application window on the user network device, and in a security application window on another user network device. The network site also selects a type of approval of the transaction required from the user from a group of transaction approval types including approval requiring no action by the user after presentation of the transaction, the user to actively approve the presented transaction, and the user to sign the presented transaction. The transaction, the selected transaction presentation form, and the selected type of user transaction approval, are transmitted to obtain approval of the transaction by the user.

The increasing sophistication of site specific attacks based on man-in-the-middle (MITM) and man-in-the-browser (MITB) techniques has profound implications for our current authentication techniques. Specifically, the strength of the initial login authentication is increasingly becoming less relevant as these attacks manipulate transactions after the legitimate user has provided the initial credentials to login. In reaction to this trend, leading organizations have begun deploying transaction authentication systems, such as EMV-CAP based token authenticators, or have been using out of band authentication (OOBA) techniques to ensure that the user actually intended the transaction being seen at the back end. However, such approaches are inherently not easy to use and consequently, even when deployed, are generally used only for high risk transactions or occasional events like profile changes. For the vast majority of transactions no current authentication solution provides a reasonable point in the "How easy? How secure? How costly?" trade-off.
In prior work (see the related applications identified above), we described innovations that address some of the problems with conventional authentication systems.
Specifically, we introduced the notion of using quasi out of band authentication (QOOBA) techniques to ensure that the user actually intended the transaction being seen at the back end. We also described how these techniques can be used to provide a user with a one time password (OTP) to enable login into a web site (i.e. authentication of the user to the website), based on a secret shared between the web site and a QOOBA security server. Thus these techniques can be used to provide the security of one time passwords, but do not require a per user shared secret which all prior one time password systems have required.
The innovations described herein further extend our prior work to address the issue of providing an authentication solution for the vast majority of transactions at a reasonable point in the "How easy? How secure? How costly?" trade-off.

Flexible quasi out of band authentication architecture


An airfoil includes an airfoil wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, a first side wall, and a second side wall. A rib connects the first and second side walls of the airfoil wall. The rib includes first and second unbranched arms that initiate at the second side wall and extend there from to meet at a node. A third unbranched arm initiates at the first side wall. The third unbranched arm extends perpendicularly there from and connects at either the node, the first unbranched arm, or the unbranched second arm.

A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
The high pressure turbine drives the high pressure compressor through an outer shaft to form a high spool, and the low pressure turbine drives the low pressure compressor through an inner shaft to form a low spool. The fan section may also be driven by the low inner shaft. A direct drive gas turbine engine includes a fan section driven by the low spool such that the low pressure compressor, low pressure turbine and fan section rotate at a common speed in a common direction.


A device for testing the performance of high speed integrated circuits (ICs) while in wafer form or separated from the wafer which includes first and second spaced-apart probes fixedly mounted on a support member for accurately positioning the first and second probes in three dimensions for contacting at least one first point and a second point, respectively, on an IC under test. The first and second probes are interconnected at a predetermined portion of their length by a capacitor means which provides sufficient flexibility so as to facilitate independent movement of the first and second probes and avoid introducing parameters (e.g., inductance) which interfere with high speed testing of the IC. In one embodiment, the first probe is a transmission line probe (e.g., a coaxial line) and the second probe is a wire probe for supplying power to the second point on the IC. In a another embodiment, the first and second probes are wire probes for providing a reference potential and power, respectively, to respective first and second points on the IC. The capacitor means can consist of just a foil type capacitor, or a capacitor in series with a flexible metal strip having dimensions to minimize inductance for electrically interconnecting the first and second probes. The capacitor functions to block direct current and pass A.C. signals when required.

Testing of integrated circuits (ICs), also called chips, is an important step in determining whether a design and manufacture have been successful in achieving a desired product. Advantageously, initial testing is performed while the chips are still held together as parts of a semiconductor wafer. If testing shows that the performance is defective in some way, then the design, or perhaps the processes employed in fabricating the wafer, can be altered to achieve a desired result.
With the development of higher speed ICs have come special problems resulting from the inherent inductance of the probe wires that are used in testing the ICs. The inductance of a standard probe wire is much too large to permit accurate testing at frequencies above about 100 MHz. Probing apparatus such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,964 (Boll et al.), issued on Oct. 3, 1989 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, is highly effective for testing ICs up to very high speeds and has been used at frequencies up to 120 GHz. Generally, very high speed prior art techniques tend to be unnecessarily expensive when accuracy is not important or when the ICs or circuits being tested are not high speed.
Still further, applying power to a circuit on a chip during testing can present serious problems. The circuit demands more or less current from the power lead as the internal circuits on the chip switch on and off during testing. The inductance of a probe wire that supplies the electrical current causes the voltage supplied to the chip to vary as the current demanded by the circuit increases and decreases.
A technique for supplying relatively stable power through low impedance transmission lines which use an inflexible capacitor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,723 (E. Strid), issued on Aug. 16, 1988. More particularly, a wafer probe is disclosed comprising transmission lines having a first impedance, and power supply conductors having a second impedance which is lower than the first impedance, and ground conductors. The transmission lines and the power supply conductors are formed on a first level of a substrate while the ground conductors are formed on a second layer of the substrate. The substrate is tapered so that the transmission lines and power conductors converge to engage minutely spaced bonding pads on a wafer being tested. Fixed bypass networks, such as bypass capacitors, are optionally located where test apparatus is joined to the wafer probe. Accordingly, this structure is relatively complex and more expensive to implement than is desirable in some applications.
It is desirable to provide a probe device for testing high speed integrated circuits and very high speed digital circuits that connects various portions of a circuit on a chip to a testing apparatus for analysis. Still further, it is desirable to provide power during probe testing in a manner that is simple, flexible, and effective.

Integrated circuit probing apparatus including a capacitor bypass structure


An apparatus for biometric security having a biometric scanner for capturing over a first field of view image data representative of one or more biometric objects associated with a subject, and a presentation attack detection system for capturing over a second field at one or more locations along the subject information indicative of presence of the one or more biometric objects. One or more processers utilizes the image data received from the biometric scanner to select such one or more locations, and to direct the second field of view of the presentation attack detection system to obtain the information along one or more of the selected one or more locations, and to determine in accordance with the information when the first field of view contains a true or fake presentation to the biometric scanner.

As the use of biometrics becomes increasingly ubiquitous in today's market, there is an increased threat of individuals attempting to circumvent implemented biometric security measures. With items being secured by biometrics (e.g., access to a government building, a border crossing, computer system, computer terminal, a bank account, etc.) becoming increasingly valuable, it is desirable to detect presentation attacks (PAs) on a biometric detection system. Often PAs are referred to as a "spoof", however PA as used herein is currently the more generally accepted term and refers to a presentation to biometric detecting systems that is fabricated to mimic that of a living human biometric. In other words, a true or real presentation or biometric presentation means the biometric presentation is coming from a human, while a false or fake presentation or biometric presentation means that the presentation is considered fabricated to mimic that of a human biometric, but is not a human biometric and preferentially not a live human biometric. Often the physical mechanism by which a PA is implemented (e.g., a membrane of silicone with an imprint of a fingerprint or a glass eye ball) has been termed a "spoof", however the more current terminology is an "artifact" or a presentation attack instrument (PAI).
In the case of a biometric security system using the biometric modality of fingerprints, presentation attacks can come in the form of fake fingers complete with fingerprints (e.g., phantoms), thin membranes containing a fingerprint that are affixed to a real fingerprint, as well as dead fingers. Technology has been proposed for fingerprint presentation attack detection (PAD). These fingerprint PAD technologies include the sensing of electrical properties of an object touching the fingerprint platen such as the art described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,567,690 by J-C. Foundeur et al., as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,641 by Peter Kallo et al. These patents describe the use of impedance to distinguish certain PAIs from true fingers because the impedance of the PAI does not match that of a real finger. For example, the conductivity of the PAI may be too low such as in the case of a silicone fingerprint artifact. However, for PAI's that have a water content similar to that of human skin, it is difficult to distinguish these PAIs from real fingers.
Another finger PAD technology is the use of optical scatter off of an object that touches the platen of a fingerprint scanner, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,400,916 by K. Brownlee. This involves illuminating an object touching the fingerprint scanner's platen at one location of the object, and detect the amount and distribution of light scattered at other locations due to internal scatter within the object. Brownlee teaches to identify PAs if they do not have similar optical scatter and absorption properties as real skin. This technique can identify very clear or opaque fingerprint artifacts, but has limited use for identifying artifacts that are modeled to have similar scatter properties as skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,396,382 by Troy et al. provides a system and method for a biometric image sensor with spoofing detection using 3D (three-dimensional) scanning system based upon structured light imaging (SLI), but does not utilize the 3D topology measured of the biometric presentation in order to identify whether or not that presentation is true or false. Rather Troy et al. describes the use of captured color image data to determine if the reflectivity as well as the color spectrum of the object being presented is consistent with that of normal human skin. An explanation regarding how SLI can be implemented to capture the topology of an object may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,440,590 by Hassebrook et al.
In the case of a biometric security system using the biometric modality of the iris, presentation attacks can come in the form of a photo of an eye, a printed iris on contact lens or a glass eye. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/01329 A1 by Seal et al. describes different methods of potentially distinguishing if the iris presentations are true or false. In one method in Seals et al., light substantially parallel to the imaging axis illuminates the eye and the appearance of red-eye is observed. For example, there will be no red-eye effect if the iris presentation is a printed image, or even a glass eyeball with iris printed behind the pupil. Another method in Seal et al. is the observance of an optical effect with polarized light that Seal et al. terms the corneal cross that can be observed in a real eye due to the anisotropy of human eye, but will not be observed with a photo of an eye. A further method of Seal et al. uses is projected structured light. By illuminating the eye with structured light (a distinctive pattern of one or more straight and parallel lines), Seal et al. describes that one can identify if a subject is presenting a real iris or presenting a fake iris where the iris is printed onto a contact lens. In the case of a real iris the structured light pattern is straight across the iris, but in the case of a fake iris the structured light patterns are curved across the iris since now the fake iris is not flat, but rather curved to the shape of the subject's cornea.
Another method of determining the presence of false biometric presentations for both fingerprints as well as for iris is the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT). As described by Cheng and Lain, "Artificial fingerprint recognition by using optical coherence tomography with autocorrelation analysis," Appl. Opt. 45, pp. 9238-9245 (2006), by penetrating and imaging the material beneath the top layer fingerprint OCT can be used to detect the boundary between a silicone fingerprint overlay and real finger tissue. OCT has also been used for the identification of the iris as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,687,856 by Bower et al.
Often a disadvantage of PAD technologies, such as in OCT, is that they are slow or expensive to implement across a large field-of-view (FOV) of a biometric scanner. Thus, it would be desirable to readily incorporate slow or expensive PAD technologies in biometric detection systems to improve the detection of PAs to avoid unlawful access to environments protected by such systems, but without requiring the time-consuming process of performing presentation attack detection over the entire FOV of the biometric scanner.

Apparatus for directing presentation attack detection in biometric scanners


A document scanner for scanning an open book includes a housing and a wedge-shaped transparent platen supported by the housing. The platen defines an upper surface configured to support a book in a face-down position, and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The platen includes a first platen portion and a second platen portion joined at a vertex to thereby define the wedge-shape of the platen. The document scanner further includes a scan head moveably supported by the housing. The scan head is configured to move generally parallel to the first platen portion and the second platen portion.

Document scanners are well known and are used to optically scan documents and other media in order to capture a facsimile of the object being scanned. The captured facsimile of the scanned object can then be replicated (such as in a photocopying process) or stored in a computer readable memory in the form of an image file so that the image file can be later replicated in hard-copy form, viewed on a screen, or manipulated via a computer. The optical scanning process used to capture the facsimile of the object being scanned can be an analog process, such as is commonly used in electrophotographic copying machines. More commonly, the document scanning process is a digital process, such as in the case of a "flatbed scanner", so-called because a transparent flat platen or "bed" is used to receive and support the object being scanned during the scanning process. A flatbed scanner is typically used in conjunction with a personal computer or the like. In a digital scanning process, a light source is passed across the object being scanned, and light is reflected from the object being scanned. In an analog scanning process, the reflected light is received by an optical photoconductor ("OPC"), which can then be placed in contact with an imaging substance, such as a dry toner. The toner will be selectively attracted to or repelled from the OPC according to the exposure from the reflected light, and toner attracted to the OPC can then be transferred to imaging media such as paper or the like. In a digital optical scanning process, the light reflected from the scanned object is typically received by a charge coupled device ("CCD") array. The CCD array provides an analog output signal representative of reflected light received from the object being scanned, and the analog output signal can then be converted to a digital signal via an analog-to-digital converter. The digital signal can then be stored in a computer readable memory for later use, as described above.
Optical document scanners typically include a housing which supports the platen, and a scan head. The platen defines an upper surface and a lower surface, and the object to be scanned is placed on the upper surface of the platen. The scan head is then configured to move across, and in proximity to, the lower surface of the platen to thereby allow the object placed on the upper surface of the platen to be scanned. The scan head typically includes a light source to illuminate the object being scanned, one or more mirrors to direct reflected light from the object being scanned to a final source (either an OPC of a CCD array), and a lens to focus the reflected light. (However, in certain configurations one or more of the mirrors, and the lens, can be placed elsewhere within the housing of the scanner, but in optical communication with the light source). The light source, mirrors, lens and final source are positioned to ensure that light reflected from the object being scanned is directed to the final source. Typically, the optical components (light source, mirrors, lens and final source) are fixed in their positions. The optical scanning process thus relies on the object to be scanned being placed on the platen in parallel orientation with the upper surface of the platen. If the object to be scanned is not parallel to the upper surface of the platen, then light from the light source will be reflected from the object at an angle other than the predetermined angle which is set to ensure that the reflected light is ultimately received by the final source. For flat objects to be scanned (such as a single sheet of paper), document scanners work very well. However, not all objects that a user desires to scan can be placed in parallel orientation to the upper surface of the platen. One particular example where this is so is in the case of a book. Frequently, a book cannot be laid on a platen so that the entirety of the pages to be scanned are in parallel orientation with the platen, or even in contact with the platen.
Turning to FIG. 1, a document scanner 10 of the prior art is depicted schematically in a side view, showing the relevant components of the scanner 10. The scanner 10 includes a housing 12 which supports a flat transparent platen 14. The platen 14 is defined by an upper surface 14U and a lower surface 14L. The scanner 10 includes a scan head 16 which is configured to be moved in direction "X" across the underside 14L of the platen 14 in order to perform the scanning process. The scan head 16 is guided by a scan head track 18, and is moved along the track by a motive means (not shown, but typically including a drive belt or cable which pulls the scan head 16 in direction "X"). The scan head 16 includes a light source 20 and a reflected light receptor 22. The reflected light receptor 22 can be a mirror, lens, or final source, as described above. The scanner 10 can also be provided with a cover 24, which is typically used to cover the object to be scanned so that during the scanning process incident light does not intrude into the platen 14, thus affecting the quality of the final scanned image. The scanner cover 24 can be supported by a flexible hinge 26 which allows the scanner cover to move upwards in direction "Z". In this way, the scanner cover 24 allows the platen 14 to receive relatively thick objects to be scanned that would otherwise prevent the scanner cover 24 from being placed over the object if the scanner cover were simply hinged to the scanner body 12 by a simple hinge.
As depicted in FIG. 1, a book "B" has been placed on the upper surface 14U of the platen 14. The book "B" has been placed on the platen 14 so as to present pages "P1" and "P2" to the scan head 16 as the scan head moves in direction "X" across the underside 14L of the platen 14. The book "B" includes a cover "CO", which defines a spine "S" of the book, where the pages of the book are joined to the cover "CO". As can be seen, the spine "S" of the book "B" forces the pages "P1" and "P2" to curve upwards, away from the upper surface 14U of the platen 14 in a crease area "C". As can also be seen, the portion of the pages "P1" and "P2" of the book "B" in the crease area "C" are not oriented in parallel arrangement to the upper surface 14U of the platen 14. Accordingly, light reflected from the portion of the pages "P1" and "P2" in the crease area "C" will likely not be reflected to the light receptor 22, resulting in loss of scanned data from the crease area "C". Further, since the portion of the pages "P1" and "P2" in the crease area "C" are moved away from the platen 14, the illumination of the pages by the light source 20 in the crease area "C" may not be sufficient to allow a decent image to be captured. Even when there is sufficient illumination of the crease area "C" by the light source 20, and the reflected light from the crease area "C" is received by the receptor 22, the captured image in the crease area "C" will be distorted, generally resulting in compaction of the image in the crease area "C". The problem is particularly acute for very thick books, and more so when the text on the pages to be imaged intrudes deep into the crease area "C". Even for relatively thin books, if the cover "CO" and spine "S" are quite rigid, then text or images in the crease area "C" will not be imaged, or will be poorly imaged.
One solution to this problem is to "break" the spine "S" of the book "B" so that the book lies flatter on the platen 14. This is obviously undesirable since it will result in permanent damage to the book. Other prior solutions to this problem have been proposed, as follows.
Japanese patent JP05019371 provides for a document scanner having a wedge-shaped platen configured to receive an open book, and a scan head which moves in a rectilinear direction under the non-rectilinearly shaped platen. While this configuration accommodates the shape of an open book, it requires dual receptors to capture the reflected light from the scanned book (due to the fact that reflected light will be reflected by the book in opposite directions as the scan head crosses from the first page of the book to the adjacent second page of the book). Further, this configuration requires that light intensity from the light source be continually adjusted as the scan head moves under the book, since the distance from the pages of the book being scanned to the reflected light receptor will vary as a function of the distance from the leading edge of a page to the trailing edge of a page near the spine of the book. If no such light intensity adjustment is made, then the resulting image will not be evenly exposed, resulting in over exposure of some areas of the pages being scanned, and/or underexposure of other areas of the pages being scanned.
Japanese patent number JP2000165608 also addresses the problem of scanning an open book. The solution proposed by JP2000165608 is to provide a scanner having a two-part platen with the first and second portions arranged in a generally wedge-shape configuration to receive an open book. The scanning apparatus further requires first and second scan heads to separately scan each of the respective first and second portions of the platen. While this configuration is effective in allowing an open book to be scanned without significant loss of data in a crease area of the book, it requires complexity in the way of providing, and coordinating the operation of, two separate scan heads.
Japanese patent number JP62107569 likewise addresses the problem of scanning an open book by providing a scanner having a two-part platen with the first and second portions arranged in a generally wedge-shape configuration to receive the open book. However, in this configuration a single scan head is positioned to scan, in general parallel arrangement, only one of the two pages presented to the platen. In order to scan the second page of the open book, the book must be reoriented to allow the second page to be scanned by the single scan head. This operation requires a significant amount of user intervention, which is undesirable.
In other proposed solutions to the problem of scanning the pages of an open book, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,475,505 and 5,712,718 provide for document scanners having a single platen which is configured to allow an open book to be placed at an extreme outside edge of the platen, thus allowing a single page of the book to be properly presented to the scan head for scanning. As with Japanese patent number JP62107569, this arrangement allows for a significant portion of the distortion and/or lost data from scanning an open book to be preserved for a single page of the open book, but again requires a user to reorient the book with respect to the platen to scan the second page of the open book.
One apparatus specifically configured for open book scanning is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,316. This apparatus provides a cradle for cradling an open book in a face-up position. The cradle is adjustable to accommodate different degrees of spread between the opposing pages of the open book. An elevator moves the cradle upward so that one page of the open book is presented to a platen, and a scan head under the platen can then scan the page. In order to scan the opposing page, the cradle must be lowered and then rotated on a carousel, and then moved back in position against the platen. As can be seen, this apparatus requires a substantial number of steps to be performed to scan both pages of an open book.
Most of the prior art apparatus described above result in separate scans for each page of an open book, and thus separate printed copies for each page of the open book. However, in many instances a photocopy of both pages of an open book will fit on a single sheet of copy paper. The prior art solutions can thus substantially increase imaging media consumption.
One apparatus that allows both pages of an open book to be scanned with a single scan head is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,954 B1. The apparatus described in that patent is a curved lens which is configured to be placed over the upper surface of a flatbed scanner platen. The lens is curved to receive a crease of an open book, and also to correct for distortion of the rendered image in the crease area. However, several such lenses can be necessary to accommodate different shapes of open books. Further, placing the lens on, and removing the lens from, the platen can result in the platen being scratched by the lens.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A differential having a differential case, a pair of side gears disposed in the differential case and a biasing element disposed between the side gears to force the side gears against the differential case, creating a torque bias between the side gears and the differential case. The torque bias may also include the torque bias between the biasing element and the side gears. In some embodiments, the differential may include washers disposed between the side gears and the differential case, so that the torque bias may be the sum of the bias created between the side gears and the biasing element, the side gears and the washer, and the washer and the differential case. In an alternative embodiment, the differential includes a pair of pinions rotatably engaging the side gears, wherein the biasing element applies a force to the pinion gears to create a torque bias on the pinion gears, thereby inhibiting the side gears from movement relative to each other until the pinion torque bias is overcome.

The present invention relates to a differential assembly and more particularly to a lightweight differential having a biasing preload.
Differential assemblies are well known in the art and generally include open, limited slip, and locking differentials, the simplest of which is an open differential. An open differential transfers the same amount of torque to each wheel. In low traction situations, such as driving on ice, the amount of torque applied to the wheels without one of the wheels slipping is limited to the greatest amount of torque that may be applied to the wheel with the least amount of traction. A conventional open differential is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a differential case 20, which encases and locates the side gears 41 and 42 and pinions 30. A flat thrust washer 60 is disposed between each side gear and the differential case to prevent the side gear from engaging the differential case. The thrust washers 60 are typically machined to specific tolerances to prevent preload or torque biasing.
Limited slip differentials generally include the components of an open differential as well as a clutch pack and a biasing element, such as a spring. Elements of the clutch packs rotate with the side gears and the biasing element urges the side gears apart to create an initial torque bias within the clutch pack. This initial torque bias prevents the side gears from rotating relative to each other until the initial torque bias is overcome. The magnitude of the torque bias is a function of the force applied by the biasing element, the number of frictional surfaces in the clutch pack, area of the friction surfaces, and the friction coefficient of the friction surfaces. In low traction situations, limited slip differentials create a torque bias so that the maximum amount of torque that can be applied to each wheel, without causing relative rotation of the side gears, is the torque it takes to overpower the clutch pack rather than the maximum amount of torque the wheel with the least amount of traction can sustain without slipping. The clutch pack preload typically found in limited slip differentials is greater than 108 N-m.
Four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles typically include a constantly driven axle 4 and a selectively engageable axle 2 (FIG. 6). Engagement of the selectively engaged axle typically includes engaging a transfer case 80 and wheel hub locks 92 (FIG. 6). When engaged, the wheel hub locks 92 ensure that the wheels rotate with their associated shafts. When the selectively engageable axle 2 is not driven, the locks 92 are disengaged to permit the wheels to rotate relative to their associated axle shafts in order to improve fuel economy. A limited slip differential may be unnecessary or undesirable on the selectively engageable axle 2. For example, including a limited slip differential on a selectively engageable axle 2, typically the front axle, increases the vehicle cost and may adversely affect steering. Therefore, it is usually desirable to use an open differential on the selectively engageable axle. One problem with using an open differential with a selectively engaged axle is that while the wheel hub locks 92 and transfer case 80 are not engaged, the output half shafts 12 and 14 may be spinning at different speeds due to inherent frictional or drag force differences between each output half shaft. If the output half shafts are spinning at different speeds, noise, vibration, and harshness may occur from the gear mesh between the side gears 40 and pinions 30 as they rotate within the differential case 20. Different speeds of the half shafts 12 and 14 may also make it difficult to engage the wheel-end hub locks and may cause engagement clash, resulting in grinding, noise, vibration, or harshness issues as the wheel-end hub locks are engaged. Therefore, it is desirable to ensure that the differential side gears 40 and output shafts 12 and 14 are rotating at the same speed.


A slider and microactuator elements are arranged on a gimbal portion of a flexure. A conducting member includes tongue conductive circuit portions, and unsupported conductive circuit portions which do not overlap with a metal base. The unsupported conductive circuit portions are disposed between arms of an outrigger portion. Bendable portions for reducing bending stiffness are formed in the unsupported conductive circuit portions, respectively. End portions of the microactuator elements are secured to supporting portions of a tongue, respectively. Each of bridge members is provided between the corresponding supporting portion of the tongue and the corresponding unsupported conductive circuit portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disk drive suspension comprising a tongue on which a slider is mounted, and a conducting member connected to the slider.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive (HDD) is used in an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. The HDD comprises a magnetic disk rotatable about a spindle, a carriage turnable about a pivot, etc. The carriage comprises an actuator arm, and is configured to be turned transversely relative to tracks of the disk about the pivot by a positioning motor such as a voice coil motor.
A suspension is mounted on the actuator arm. The suspension comprises a load beam, and a flexure disposed to overlap the load beam. A slider, which constitutes a magnetic head, is mounted on a tongue of a gimbal portion formed near a distal end of the flexure. The slider is provided with elements (transducers) for accessing data, that is, for reading or writing data. A conducting member is connected to the slider. The load beam, the flexure, the slider, the conducting member, etc., constitute a head gimbal assembly.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,499 (Patent Document 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,061 (Patent Document 2), a head gimbal assembly comprising an outrigger portion comprising a pair of arms in the exterior of a tongue is known. In this type of head gimbal assembly, a conducting member may be arranged in the interior of the outrigger portion, that is, between the arm and the tongue.
In order to deal with increased recording density of disks, the magnetic head needs to be more precisely positioned relative to the recording surface of the disk. In order to achieve this, dual-stage-actuator (DSA) suspensions, which use both positioning motors (voice coil motors) and microactuator elements made of a piezoelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), have been developed. Further, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-146631 (Patent Document 3) and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-218626 (Patent Document 4), a DSA suspension with microactuator elements mounted on a gimbal portion of a flexure is known.
A slider mounted on a tongue of a head gimbal assembly needs to be maintained at a predetermined position (attitude) with respect to the recording surface of a disk. Accordingly, the pitch stiffness and the roll stiffness of the tongue must be appropriate. As disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the case where the conducting member is arranged in the interior of the outrigger portion, movement of the tongue is susceptible to rigidity of the conducting member. For example, when the bending stiffness of the conducting member is high, the pitch stiffness and the roll stiffness of the tongue tend to be high.
Hence, a countermeasure that has been conceived was reducing the bending stiffness of the conducting member by forming a bendable portion in a portion of the conducting member. However, the conducting member comprising the bendable portion has a problem that it is easily vibrated since the stiffness is low. In particular, in the DSA suspension including the microactuator elements mounted on the gimbal portion as those described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, a problem arose that the tongue and the conducting member are easily vibrated when the microactuator elements are actuated.
If the conducting member is fixed to a protrusion formed in a portion of the outrigger portion, as described in Patent Document 2, for example, it may be possible to reduce vibration of the conducting member. However, if the bendable portion of the conducting member is fixed to the outrigger portion, coupling of a mode of vibration of the outrigger portion and a mode of vibration of the conducting member amplifies the vibration, which may generate large vibration in the gimbal portion.


A method for rapidly emptying an activated carbon filter while using an HC sensor (concentration change). A device for a tank system, for a motor vehicle having the device for a tank system and to a method for emptying an activated carbon filter for a tank system. The concentration of volatile components which are flushed from the activated carbon filter is detected by a concentration sensor. The concentration sensor is used as an early warning sensor to prevent any disturbances of mixture production of an engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for a tank system, to a motor vehicle having an apparatus for a tank system and to a method for emptying an activated carbon filter for a tank system.
2. Related Art
A tank system, in particular the tank system of a motor vehicle, usually has an activated carbon filter for filtering volatile fuel components, for example hydrocarbon emissions (HC). Since the activated carbon filter has a particular uptake capacity, it must be regenerated. If the uptake capacity is exceeded, the volatile fuel components pass the activated carbon filter and enter the environment. The activated carbon filter is usually regenerated in the motor vehicle using fresh air during the journey. After the fresh air has flowed through the activated carbon filter, it is supplied to an intake section of an engine. A lambda sensor arranged in the exhaust gas stream of the engine detects the ratio of air to fuel and transmits this ratio to the control device. The hydrocarbon emissions (HC) can be determined from the ratio determined. The control device then regulates the flow of air through the activated carbon filter on the basis of these values.
One disadvantage of this method is the delayed response of the control device. If the motor vehicle is shaken, for example by a curb, a relatively large number of hydrocarbons are emitted in the fuel tank. These hydrocarbons enter the activated carbon filter, which is purged at a constant flow rate. Since the concentration of hydrocarbons in the activated carbon filter has increased but the flow rate remains constant, the concentration of hydrocarbons purged from the activated carbon filter increases. This gas with a higher hydrocarbon concentration is now supplied to the engine. This results in a disturbance in the mixture formation process and thus in a disturbance in the combustion process. The lambda sensor in the exhaust gas stream detects the change in the combustion mixture only after combustion and can then transmit this change to the control device to reduce the flow rate through the activated carbon filter.
A resultant disadvantage is that the flow rate is below the maximum flow rate. If the flow through the activated carbon filter took place at the maximum possible flow rate in this method, this would result in an even more unfavorable mixture formation process in the event of shaking. This may result the mixture no longer being able to be ignited and in the engine stopping.
Another disadvantage of this method is that it is not suitable for motor vehicles having a start/stop function and vehicles with a hybrid drive. This is due to the fact that the regeneration of the activated carbon filter is restricted as a result of the phases in which the engine does not run.

Method for rapidly emptying the activated carbon filter while using an HC sensor (concentration change)


A programmable logic device includes a non-volatile permission memory block to enable a customer to utilize a proprietary core. In one embodiment, the core supplier designs its core to check for a specified permission bit or bit pattern in the permission memory block before the core will operate. If the permission bit or bit pattern is set properly, the core functions correctly when implemented in the PLD. If not, the core will not function. To prevent the customer from modifying the core such that it no longer depends upon the permission bits to function, the configuration bitstream used to program the PLD can be encrypted before and during transmission to the PLD. This encryption ensures security of the customer""s logic design as well as the supplier""s core design. In this manner, the customer remains dependent upon properly set permission memory bits, i.e. proper authorization, to obtain core functionality.

The present invention relates generally to distributing an integrated circuit core, and more particularly to a method of ensuring that a core designed by a core supplier will be used only by an authorized party, and by such an authorized party only an authorized number of times.
In recent years, constant innovation in silicon process technology has drastically reduced the price and increased the performance and functionality of integrated circuit devices. With these improvements come increasing demands on the integrated circuit design system developers for still faster and cheaper devices. As a result, electronic system design is now moving to a methodology known in the art as xe2x80x9csystem on a chipxe2x80x9d in which a system is designed by integrating a plurality of existing xe2x80x9ccoresxe2x80x9d obtained, purchased, or licensed from various suppliers.
Cores are defined as any reproducible circuit description, often referred to in the industry as logic cores or circuit cores. The term xe2x80x9ccorexe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to cover all such definitions. In general, there are three types of cores: soft, firm, and hard. Hard cores are functions with mask layout data for the physical layout information. Firm cores are machine-readable netlists that are ready for place and route. Soft cores are available as synthesizable, encryptable files which allow the customer to optimize the core for the intended function.
The core suppliers would like to license their cores to as many customers as possible. However, suppliers are currently unable to easily monitor the number of times a licensed core is used and, therefore, whether the appropriate license fee has been paid by the customer. Moreover, suppliers cannot monitor whether only authorized parties have obtained copies of the core, or whether the core has been modified without permission.
One solution to these problems is for a supplier to directly police a customer""s fabrication facility, whether within the customer""s business or out-sourced. However, most customers do not want a core supplier to be able to interfere with manufacturing, even for license monitoring, particularly when manufacturing is out-sourced. Thus, a more efficient and customer-acceptable policing method is needed.
Programmable logic devices (PLDs), such as the field programmable gate array (FPGA) or the complex programmable logic device (CPLD), provide an especially convenient vehicle for integrating cores (particularly firm or soft cores) into user designs. PLDs, as described and claimed in numerous patents assigned to Xilinx, Inc., assignee of the present invention, allow a customer to configure (and reconfigure) the programmable elements on the PLD to implement various logic functions. Because of this versatility, the cores implemented on a PLD can be updated as improvements in functionality,and efficiency occur without requiring new silicon. Specifically, a PLD can simply be reconfigured with the improved design, instead of designing a new device. However, currently, the use of PLDs does not address the challenge of how to police and account for proper licensing of cores.
To address the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a PLD including a non-volatile permission memory block to enable a customer to utilize the core. In one embodiment, the core supplier designs its core to check for a specified permission bit or bit pattern in the permission memory block before the core will operate. If the permission bit or bit pattern is set properly, the core functions correctly when implemented in the PLD. If not, the core will not function.
To control the number of copies the customer can implement, the core supplier instructs the PLD manufacturer to give the customer a predetermined number of devices with the permission memory block set for the supplier""s core. The manufacturer then sets the permission bits appropriately, and ships the devices to the customer. Because the supplier""s core will only function if the device contains the appropriate permission bits, the supplier can be confident that the customer cannot make or use more copies than the number of appropriately set devices received from the manufacturer Thus, the supplier need not visit the customer to count the number of copies being made by the customer.
To prevent the customer from modifying the core such that it no longer depends upon the permission bits to function, the configuration bitstream used to program they PLD can be encrypted before and during transmission to the PLD. This encryption ensures security of the customer""s logic design as well as the supplier""s core design In this manner, the customer remains dependent upon properly set permission memory bits, i.e. proper permission, to obtain core functionality.

Proprietary core permission structure and method


A tapered metal pole has at least three ribs. Each rib has two parallel spaced apart walls. The inner edges of the walls of one rib will be welded to the inner edges of the walls of another rib. The walls of adjacent ribs will be at an angle relative to each other. An outer plate extends between the outer edges of each wall. The walls taper in width from a lower end to an upper end. Each of the walls of the ribs intersect with the walls of an adjacent rib at an angle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to tapered metal poles for supporting utility lines, lights and the like, and also to a method of manufacturing poles of these types.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tapered metal poles are used for diverse purposes, such as for supporting utility lines, or for lighting. The taller metal poles often have a polygonal shape with more than four sides. The pole tapers from a larger base to a smaller dimension at its upper end.
These poles are formed in two halves. Each half is manufactured by bending a long sheet of steel to form the corners of the polygon shape. The two halves are then welded together by an automatic welding process.
While these poles perform satisfactorily, the manufacturing process requires large, expensive machinery. This requires extensive capital investment. It also makes the poles expensive.


A fishing reel capable of generating click sound with rotational operation of an adjustment member for applying resistance to a spool shaft in adjustment of casting or drag resistance. The reel includes a click spring retained within a spring receiver barrel and engageable with teeth formed in an inner peripheral face of the adjustment member for maintaining a rotational position of the adjustment member. The click spring has an approximately inverse letter `V` shaped configuration including a top portion engageable with the teeth and a pair of leg portions extending respectively in opposite, outward directions from the top portion. The spring receiver barrel is attached to a reel body or to a handle shaft to be unrotatable relative thereto and has one axial open end to retain the spring therein. An anti-slipoff element is provided in the open end for preventing the click spring from slipping off the spring retainer opening. The click spring can be formed compact and economical and the spring receiver barrel is easy to mold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing reel, and more particularly to a fishing reel capable of generating click sound by utilizing an adjustment member for applying resistance to rotation of a spool shaft.
2. Description of the Related Arts
A typical fishing reel of the above-noted kind is known from e.g. a Japanese laid-open utility model gazette No. 62-89981. This fishing reel includes a reel body which rotatably supports a spool shaft carrying a spool thereon, an adjustment member threaded with the reel body for applying resistance to rotation of the spool shaft by contacting one end face of the spool shaft. One of the adjustment member and the reel body mounts a clicking barrel defining a plurality of teeth in its inner peripheral face while the other integrally forms a spring receiver barrel which supports an approximately annular click spring. This click spring essentially consists of a letter inverse `V` shaped top engaging portion engageable with the teeth, a pair of curved portions outwardly arcing respectively from opposed ends of the top engaging portion, and a pair of spring legs outwardly curving respectively from opposed ends of the curved portions.
In operation, with rotation of the adjustment member, the click spring elastically deforms to generate clicking sound and also to maintain the rotational position of the adjustment member.
In this conventional reel, however, the spring receiver barrel defines, in its peripheral face, a spring retainer cutout consisting of a receiver cutout for receiving the engaging portion of the click spring and stopper cutouts for stopping the opposed pair of spring legs. And, in molding the above spring receiver barrel, it has been very troublesome and costly to define the receiver cutout and the stopper cutouts in the mold.
In view of the above-described state of the art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive fishing reel through rational improvement of its construction. Its spring receiver barrel defining a spring retainer opening is easy to mold and its click spring is small and inexpensive.


Embodiments of the invention are directed to a valve. In one embodiment, the valve includes a body having a first biasing member and a sealing member configured to axially move inside the body against the first biasing member to provide a path for fluid to flow from an interior region of the body to an exterior region of the body at a first predetermined pressure difference across the sealing member.

1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention generally relate to producing formation fluid from a reservoir, and more particularly, to controlling the flow of fluids between the reservoir and the annulus region.
2. Description of the Related Art
A completion string may be positioned in a well to produce fluids from one or more formation zones. Completion devices may include casing, tubing, packers, valves, pumps, sand control equipment and other equipment to control the production of hydrocarbons. During production, fluid flows from a reservoir through perforations and casing openings into the wellbore and up a production tubing to the surface. The reservoir may be at a sufficiently high pressure such that natural flow may occur despite the presence of opposing pressure from the fluid column present in the production tubing. However, over the life of a reservoir, pressure declines may be experienced as the reservoir becomes depleted. When the pressure of the reservoir is insufficient for natural flow, artificial lift systems may be used to enhance production. Various artificial lift mechanisms may include pumps, gas lift mechanisms, and other mechanisms. One type of pump is the electrical submersible pump (ESP).
An ESP normally has a centrifugal pump with a large number of stages of impellers and diffusers. The pump is driven by a downhole motor, which is typically a large three-phase AC motor. A seal section separates the motor from the pump for equalizing internal pressure of lubricant within the motor to that of the well bore. Often, additional components may be included, such as a gas separator, a sand separator and a pressure and temperature measuring module. Large ESP assemblies may exceed 100 feet in length.
An ESP is typically installed by securing it to a string of production tubing and lowering the ESP assembly into the well. The string of production tubing may be made up of sections of pipe, each being about 30 feet in length.
If the ESP fails, the ESP may need to be removed from the wellbore for repair at the surface. Such repair may take an extended amount of time, e.g., days or weeks. When the ESP is removed from the wellbore, some action is typically taken to ensure that formation fluid does not continue to flow to the surface. This is typically done, for example, by applying some type of heavy weight fluid (also commonly referred to as "kill fluid") into the wellbore to "kill" the well, i.e., to prevent fluid flow from the reservoir to the surface during work-over operations. The hydrostatic pressure from the kill fluid is typically greater than the reservoir pressure. However, when the reservoir pressure exceeds the hydrostatic pressure, fluid from the reservoir often flows to the during work-over operations. In some instances, the "kill" fluid might damage the reservoir making it harder to recover the oil later.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an improved apparatus and system for controlling the flow of fluid between the reservoir and the surface.

Valve for controlling the flow of fluid between an interior region of the valve and an exterior region of the valve