A sensor element for electrically measuring the position of liquid levels, comprising a substrate (2) and a plurality of electrodes (3) that can be contacted individually and that are mounted on the substrate, characterized in that the electrodes comprise sensor-active partial electrodes (5) that are networked with electrical connections (7), with the partial electrodes of two respective electrodes always being positioned opposite one another, separated by a distance, as partial electrode pairs (11) and with the electrode pairs (8) thus formed recurring periodically over the length of the sensor. Quasi-digital measuring methods are derived from the behavior of the impedance of the electrode pairs, whereby the liquid level is measured by detecting a conductivity boundary in a capillary filling.

The invention relates to a microsensor for measuring the position of liquids in capillaries which is particularly well suited for use in automated pipetting dispensers in medical laboratories and in the pharmaceutical industry.
In the analysis of clinical profiles or routine health checks, modem medicine increasingly relies on the quantitative determination of relevant substances in bodily fluids. The number of substances to be monitored is constantly growing, as is likewise the frequency of testing. Performing greater numbers of analyses while simultaneously lowering costs primarily requires a decrease in the use of reagents, which are often very costly. The tendency toward precise metering of the smallest possible quantities of liquids, with a volumetric range of 0.1 to 20 xcexcL, is therefore a key objective.
In the metering operation, defined quantities of samples and reagents from starting containers must be distributed onto microtiter plates having many individual reaction receptacles (wells). A conventional plastic microtiter plate contains 96 wells, for example, each with a volume of 500 xcexcL, in a 9-mm grid. Modern pipetting systems can meter between one and several hundred xcexcL of a liquid, using stepping motor-driven injection pumps, with a piston injection precision of several percent. Typically, eight separately controllable pipettes are arranged in parallel, with the result that a microtiter plate must be filled in several passes. The throughput is therefore limited, which affects the measuring results in kinetic tests. Devices currently exist which contain 96 pipettes. However, such devices are not separately controllable; that is, with each metering operation the same quantity is dispensed to all the pipettes. In many applications, separate control of the pipettes would be preferable. In order to meter quantities of liquids from 0.1 to 20 xcexcL with greater precision in an array of separately controllable pipettes, the metering operation must be actively monitored at each individual pipette.
In the course of a quantitative analysis, samples and reagents are successively pipetted into the appropriate wells of the microtiter plate, using an injection pump via a liquid column. The operating liquid is typically separated from the sample or reagent by an air bubble to avoid contamination. After the reactions have taken place in the wells, the concentration of one of the reaction products is photometrically determined, and the concentration of the sample component being sought is calculated therefrom.
The sample volume dispensed during a pipetting operation results from the piston feed from the injection pump. However, the sample volume is defined in the same manner both before and after the metering operation by the filling level of the sample liquid in the pipette.
Filling level sensors for monitoring liquids in reservoirs or tanks have been known for quite some time. In addition to sensors that are based on floats, there are a number of systems with no moving parts. Such systems are based, for example, on optical or electrical measurement techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,880 describes a capacitive sensor comprising two concentric cylinders which are submerged in a dielectric medium along the measurement axis. The cylinders are divided into a number of discrete condensers. The capacitance of each individual condenser depends on whether air or the medium to be monitored is present between the electrodes. By comparison of the capacitances, the filling height of the medium in the container may be quasi-digitally determined with a precision corresponding to the number of measurement segments. The capacitive measurement principle can also be employed in the form of a planar sensor. This type of sensor must be calibrated for each liquid.
The filling level may be potentiometrically determined in conductive liquids. A rod-shaped resistor, which is vertically submerged in the liquid and together with this liquid forms the resistors of a bridge circuit, may serve as the measuring probe. The voltage drop at the resistor, measured via the liquid, is proportional to the liquid level. An example of such is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,785. Here, the measuring probe is additionally divided into a series of individual resistors, thus generating a stair-step, quasi-digital output signal.
A further electrical sensor principle is based on conductivity measurements. To this end, an alternating current in the kHz range is applied between two respective electrodes, and the current between the electrode pairs is measured. An example of such is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,556.
The electrical devices for measuring liquid levels according to the current art are not suited for measuring the position of liquids in capillaries. The use of said devices is limited to the measurement of filling levels in tanks, for example.
The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method for operating said device for electrically measuring the position of liquid levels in capillaries, particularly in metering devices, which is cost-effective to produce and which operates reliably and precisely.
The microsensor for measuring the position of liquids in capillaries according to the invention is based on the principle of conductivity measurements. However, only a change in the conductivity is essential to the measurement principle. The absolute value of the conductivity of the operating liquid plays a minor role.
Contained in the capillary is a gas bubble which is enclosed on both sides by the operating solution and which can be moved back and forth within the capillary by means of a sensor chip. A nonconductive liquid which is immiscible with the operating solution may be used instead of the gas bubble. The following description relates only to a bubble, without limiting the universality. It is essential that a significant difference in conductivity exists between the operating liquid and the contents of the bubble. It is also conceivable, therefore, that the operating liquid is nonconductive and the bubble is composed of a conductive liquid. Thus, there is at least one boundary between two different conductivities of the capillary filling in the region above the sensor element.
The sensor chip comprises a substrate preferably made of silicon, glass, or plastic. Microstructured, partially passivated metal electrodes preferably made of platinum, iridium, or gold are mounted on the sensor chip. Iridium is characterized by an especially low polarization resistance in aqueous solution. The electrodes each comprise a preferably constant number of partial electrodes which are separated by a preferably constant distance from one another and which are networked with electrical connections. The partial electrodes of preferably two electrodes are positioned pairwise opposite one another, separated preferably by a constant distance, as partial electrode pairs. The recurring basic geometry (meander) thus comprises preferably two electrode pairs, which in turn comprise partial electrode pairs. This basic geometry repeats itself periodically over the entire length of the sensor chip. The distance between the partial electrode pairs in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the direction of the bubble motion to be measured, is always the same. This also applies to adjacent partial electrode pairs which form part of adjacent meanders.
The electrical connections between the partial electrodes of the electrodes are preferably coated with a passivating layer, whereas the partial electrodes themselves represent the sensor-active regions of the sensor chip and thus are situated directly on the surface, which comes into contact with the operating liquid. The sensor is mounted laterally on the capillary, which is made of glass or plastic, for example, in such a way that the active regions of the electrodes, and thus of the partial electrodes, are located in the interior of the capillary. In contrast, the connections (bondpads) of the electrodes of individual meanders are situated outside the capillary. To this end, the capillary wall is partially replaced by the sensor chip. When a conductive liquid is present in the capillary and a voltage is applied thereto, a current flows between the oppositely situated partial electrodes of a meander. The impedance of the meander is determined by the wetted electrode area, that is, the number of wetted partial electrode pairs. The impedance decreases with an increasingly wetted area. This effect can be used to advantage in detecting the position of an air bubble, or a conductivity boundary in general, which completely or partially covers the meander, or, in the case of a single conductivity boundary, which is located above the meander. The following discussion relates to a description of the operating mode of the sensor with regard to a bubble, without limiting the universality. Moreover, the discussion is also valid for the presence of a single conductivity boundary. Hence, it is not a bubble position that is determined, but rather, the location of the conductivity boundary between two partial electrode pairs of a meander, or the location of the conductivity boundary between two meanders. A bubble represents a special case in which two conductivity boundaries are present in the capillary filling.
The position of the bubble may be determined by comparing resistance values of all meanders in the idle state. Regardless of the specific operating liquid, all the meanders wetted by the liquid have the same minimum resistance. When the bubble is large enough to completely cover at least one meander, this results in a maximum resistance value for this meander. The adjoining meanders, which are only partially covered, have intermediate resistance values. To determine the exact position of the liquid surface in the intermediate region of a meander, it is necessary to know the shape of the resistance curve (reference resistance curve) for a coated meander as well as the minimum and maximum resistance of the affected meander. By interpolating on the curve of a known shape and with the known minimum and maximum values, any intermediate resistance value can then be assigned to a specific partial electrode pair of the corresponding meander, and the position of the bubble or of the conductivity boundary can thus be precisely determined.
If the wetting properties of the operating liquid with respect to the sensor element are such that no permanent liquid film forms on the sensor element, and if the migration velocity of the bubble is not too high, characteristic abrupt changes in the resistance (jumps) occur during the movement of the bubble over the partial electrode pairs of a meander. In the case of an aqueous solution, this signifies a hydrophobic surface on the sensor element; however, the solution must not be repelled so strongly that no wetting can take place in the regions of the sensor element that are covered by the operating liquid. Ideally, the sensor element is always wetted by the operating liquid in the exact location where it is covered by the operating liquid level. If all meanders are monitored in parallel, the path distance traveled by the bubble, and thus the displaced liquid volume, can be determined from the total number of jumps during migration of the bubble.
Two possible methods for detecting the position of the bubble can be derived from the behavior of the impedance of the meander:
In the dynamic method (incremental measurement), the resistance between the electrode pairs of all meanders of the filling level sensor is determined in parallel with many measured values per unit time (high sampling rate). In this manner, the number of jumps occurring during the movement of the bubble can be counted. Since the distance between the partial electrode pairs in the longitudinal direction is known, the path length traveled by the bubble in the capillary may be determined, and from this value, together with the cross section of the capillary, the displaced liquid volume may be determined. This measurement technique is quasi-digital in nature. The resistance curve is qualitatively evaluated, and the absolute value of the resistance is not used in the evaluation. The conductivity of the operating liquid, which is influenced by a number of factors such as the ion concentration and mobility as well as the temperature, plays a minor role in the measurement result. The conductivity need only be high enough to allow the jumps to be detected.
In the static method (absolute measurement), the resistance between the electrode pairs of the meanders is measured in the idle state. All meanders that are completely covered by the liquid present in the capillary have a minimum resistance value. If one of the meanders is completely covered by the bubble, said meander has a maximum resistance value. If the adjoining meanders are only partially covered by the bubble, intermediate values appear. When the resistance is qualitatively known (reference resistance curve) as a function of the number of partial electrode pairs (short-circuited partial electrodes) of a meander covered by liquid, and the minimum and maximum values are available, the position of the bubble front over the corresponding meander can be obtained by interpolation of the intermediate values. The displaced liquid volume is again obtained from the distance traveled by the bubble. If the liquid film below the bubble tears cleanly so that all partial electrode pairs that are covered by the bubble are uncovered, the maximum resistance of the meander that is completely covered by the air bubble is a constant value, independent of the properties of the operating solution or liquid. Since the minimum resistance of a meander that is completely covered by liquid can be redetermined at any time, there is an option for in situ calibration, which is understood to mean calibration performed during operation. However, it is preferable for the same liquid to be present on both sides of the bubble. Here as well, the measuring technique is independent of the conductivity of the operating solution, provided that this conductivity exceeds the minimum value required for measurement.
A significant advantage of the static, as opposed to the dynamic, measurement method is that the position of the bubble is precisely determined both before and after the metering operation.
Operations can therefore be performed when high bubble migration velocities are present, since the occurrence of jumps is not important for the measurement. In the dynamic measurement method, the migration velocity of the bubble is limited by the wetting properties of the operating liquid.
In a preferred embodiment, the meanders are divided into not substantially more than 10 partial electrode pairs. If this number is significantly exceeded, the jumps in conductivity become increasingly difficult to distinguish from one another, especially when the dynamic measurement method is used. This represents a major advantage of the periodic electrode structure, in addition to the possibility for detecting the bubble position for exactly one meander.
With regard to bubble size, the bubble should be able to completely cover at least one meander, particularly for the static measurement method. The length of the bubble is preferably twice the length of a meander, thereby ensuring that there is always a meander that is completely covered by the bubble.
Errors, such as plugging of the capillary, are known in both methods.
The resolution of the sensor is determined by the number of meanders per unit length of sensor chip and the number of partial electrode pairs per meander. The distance between the partial electrode pairs in the longitudinal direction and the cross section of the capillary define the minimum detectable output or intake of liquid volume.
When a direct current is supplied to the meanders, undesirable electrochemical effects in the operating liquid may occur at the electrodes. Therefore, alternating current in the kilohertz range is preferably applied to the electrodes. For the conductivity measurement, an alternating current ranging up to 100 millivolts is applied and the resulting current is measured as the output signal.
The sensor chip according to the invention is characterized by particularly cost-effective production. In addition, the sensor chip allows the position of the liquid surface to be easily and precisely measured. The sensor according to the invention enables the liquid level in capillaries to be electrically measured, which is particularly advantageous in the pipetting of liquids. Furthermore, the measurement of the position of the conductivity boundaries can be used to determine differential pressures, similar to the classic manometer in which the pressure differential creates a difference in levels between the two arms of a U-shaped tube. The capillary in this case corresponds to the tube. In general, the sensor according to the invention can detect the motion of various liquids in a fluid system in which the liquids are being processed and/or analyzed.

Microsensor for measuring the position of liquids in capillaries

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angeandten Forschung E.V.


A wire stripper operable to strip insulation from a wire, the wire stripper including a battery, a handle portion including a receptacle that receives the battery along a battery insertion axis, a motor, the motor located in the handle portion, the motor including a motor shaft that rotates about a driveline axis. The wire stripper further includes a rotary head coupled to the motor for rotation about a wire insertion axis that is perpendicular to the driveline axis. The rotary head defines a central aperture and the wire insertion axis extends through the central aperture. A blade is coupled to the rotary head for rotation with the rotary head about the wire insertion axis. The blade extends into the central aperture to cut the insulation of the wire passing through the central aperture along the wire insertion axis as the blade rotates about the wire insertion axis.

The present invention relates to power tools, and in particular, the invention relates to a wire stripper.
Wire strippers are used by electricians and other professionals to separate a short segment of insulation from a wire. Separating the insulation exposes the underlying conductor for making connections. For small gauge wires, a wire stripping pliers, utility knife, or other hand tool is typically used. For larger gauge wires, the insulation layer is typically thicker, more rigid, and more difficult to remove with hand tools. Furthermore, damage may be caused to the underlying conductor when penetrating the insulation layer with a manual cutting tool due to imprecise cutting depth control.


A radiographic inspection system includes an electron gun, a fixed anode of a dense material, and apparatus for steering an electron beam generated by the electron gun to multiple focal spots on the anode. A detector includes a plurality of individual detector elements. Operation of the system includes is carried out by directing the electron beam at a first time interval to a first focal spot on the anode, generating a first X-ray beam aligned with a first detector element. During a second time interval, the electron beam is directed to a second focal spot on the anode, spaced-away from the first focal spot, generating a second X-ray beam aligned with a second detector element. This cycle is repeated with additional focal spots in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional pattern. The detector element output is read in coordination with the position of the electron beam.

This invention relates generally to radiographic inspection systems, and more particularly to a method of operating a radiographic source with a fixed anode.
X-ray tubes produce X-rays by accelerating electrons into a tungsten or other dense target. During this process, as much as 99 percent of the tube's electrical energy becomes thermal energy. Ideally an x-ray tube would produce a large x-ray output flux from a very small x-ray focal spot to produce high quality images in a short period of time. Unfortunately, these two requirements compete. Inspection time and spot cooling capability are directly related to the X-ray output, which is directly related to the focal spot size. However, focal spot size is inversely related to image resolution. Therefore, trade-offs must be made between tube life, inspection speed, and image quality.
Prior art fixed anode X-ray tubes provide moderate focal spot sizes with relatively low output flux. They offer a low cost, high reliability source of x-rays for continuous use in radiographic inspections. Rotating anode tubes move a metallic target in front of a fixed electron beam, increasing the effective target cooling area and permitting improved tube output while maintaining focal spot size. This requires a mechanism to rotate the anode while maintaining anode cooling and tube vacuum. These requirements generally increase tube cost and reduce tube life when compared to fixed anode tubes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of operating a fixed anode X-ray inspection system to increase cooling capability while maintaining a small focal spot size.

Method and system for a multiple focal spot x-ray system


Systems, methods, and apparatus for generating a clock signal using re-timer circuitry, including receiving an input data signal transmitted without a reference clock signal; comparing the input data signal with a re-timer clock signal to determine a frequency difference between the input data signal and the re-timer clock signal; determining a data rate of the input data signal based on the frequency difference between the input data signal and the re-timer clock signal; and generating, based on the data rate of the input data signal, a control signal for adjusting a frequency of the re-timer clock signal to frequency-lock the re-timer clock signal with the input data signal.

This specification relates to re-timer circuitry for data communications.
Conventionally, to synchronize data transmissions between a transmitter and receiver, a reference clock signal may be transmitted with a data signal. In general, growth in bandwidth in modern data transmission follows a logarithm law, and network and point-to-point connections favor high-speed data transfers without a reference clock signal.
A re-timer typically recovers the reference clock signal at the receiving end of the high-speed data transfer, where a reference oscillator may be used. In general, data transmission includes identifying data patterns, such as a preamble, that provides usage and protocol information. However, the identifying data patterns typically cannot be read until a clock is recovered. Conventionally, to recover the reference clock signal, the data rate of the data signal needs to be specified at the re-timer prior to receiving the data signal. However, a reference-less re-timer is preferable because such a design would allow for dynamic adaptation to multiple data rates and/or multiple data protocols.

Multi-data rates multi-protocol communications techniques for reference-less re-timer


A spindle motor for a disk drive is disclosed having a carrier assembly supported on a mounting structure by an elastomeric damper for damping and isolating mechanical vibration and noise generated by the spindle motor. The carrier assembly includes a carrier on which is supported the remaining components of the spindle motor such as the hub, bearings, rotor and stator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spindle motor for a disk drive and in particular to a spindle motor capable of damping and isolating mechanical vibration and noise generated in the spindle motor stator and bearings.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is currently a large demand for disk drives for use in servers, desktop computers and laptops. Disk drive manufacturers are meeting this demand with drives having improved drive performance and higher storage capacities in the same size or smaller form factor. In general, a disk drive includes a head disk assembly (HDA) and control electronics. The HDA consists of an enclosure housing a head stack assembly and one or more magnetic storage disks rotated by a spindle motor. The head stack assembly includes a pivot bearing assembly for pivotally supporting a rotary actuator having one or more read/write heads. As the storage disk is rotated, the read/write head is pivoted across a surface of the storage disk on an air bearing so that information may be transferred to and from the disk under the direction of the control electronics.
One important drive performance characteristic is the level of mechanical vibration emanating from the drive. Large mechanical vibration can adversely affect drive performance. A corollary effect of mechanical vibration is acoustic noise. Acoustic noise emanating from a drive can create the appearance of poor quality. Additionally, standards for acceptable acoustic noise levels, set by the International Standards Organization (ISO), are becoming more stringent as computers become further integrated into the workplace and home.
A significant source of mechanical vibration within a disk drive is the spindle motor. A disk drive spindle motor typically includes a base and a central shaft for securing the spindle motor to the disk drive enclosure. A hub for supporting the storage disks is rotationally mounted to the shaft by a pair of bearings. The spindle motor further includes a rotor fixedly mounted to the hub and a stator fixedly mounted to the shaft, which together generate torque for rotating the hub. In particular, the stator includes a series of electrically conductive coils wrapped around cores which are arranged radially around the shaft. Leading portions of the stator wires extend downwardly from the core and are electrically connected to the drive control electronics. The various coils of the stator are selectively energized, via signals from the printed circuit board assembly, to form an electromagnet that pulls/pushes on a permanent magnet forming part of the rotor. The magnetic interaction between the stator and rotor imparts a rotational motion to the rotor, hub and storage disk(s) attached to the hub.
For brushless spindle motors, the electric current supplied to the coils of the stator is rapidly switched to maintain the stator magnetic field such that the rotor and hub continue to rotate. This switching frequency generates mechanical vibration and noise. The vibration and noise are also compounded by tolerances within the bearings on which the hub and rotor are rotationally supported. This vibration and noise are transmitted through the spindle motor base and shaft to the drive enclosure, which can amplify the vibration and noise, particularly at resonant frequency, due to its large surface area. Moreover, the problem of vibration and noise becomes worse at higher rotational speeds. As drive manufacturers are constantly striving for higher rotational speeds to increase data transfer-rates, the vibratory response of the spindle motor is of critical importance to disk drive manufacturers.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a spindle motor for a disk drive, the spindle motor including a mounting structure having a bracket and/or a shaft that mount to the disk drive base and cover, respectively. The motor further includes a carrier assembly including a carrier mounted to the mounting structure. The carrier in turn supports the spindle motor hub, bearings, rotor and stator.
In order to prevent mechanical vibration and noise generated within the motor from being transmitted to the drive enclosure, the carrier assembly is mounted on the mounting structure by an elastomeric damper. In one embodiment, the elastomeric damper may comprise a pair of O-rings interposed at an interface between the mounting structure and the carrier so that no direct contact between the mounting structure and the carrier assembly occurs. As a result, mechanical noise and vibration from the carrier assembly is isolated and not transmitted to the mounting structure or drive enclosure.
In one embodiment, each O-ring lies snugly within an interface between a pair of generally perpendicular surfaces of the mounting structure and a surface of the carrier that is inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the mounting structure surfaces. With such an orientation, the O-rings are able to support the carrier to prevent horizontal and vertical movement of the carrier assembly relative to the mounting structure, and are able to isolate and dampen both horizontal and vertical components of mechanical vibration from the carrier assembly.

Reduced acoustics treatment spindle motor for a disk drive


Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for producing an audio output customized to a listener's hearing impairment through a digital telephone. A user initially sets user parameters to represent the user's hearing spectrum. In receiving a call, the digital telephone receives an input signal. The digital telephone adjusts the input signal according to the user parameters and generates an output signal based upon the adjusted input signal.

Conventional cellular phones provide an audio output which can be difficult to hear for a listener whose hearing is impaired. Increasing the output volume of the cellular phone is usually only partially effective when the listener's hearing is impaired. Typical hearing impairment occurs at select frequency bands. The hearing impairment may be complete or partial at any band. Uniform increasing of the output volume only addresses those bands which are partially impaired and so a uniform increase only partially aids the listener. In certain bands, which are completely impaired, the user still does not hear. The listener can also experience discomfort at the loudness of the output in bands which are not impaired in order to be able hear the other bands.
Conventional hearing aids typically provide selective amplification of sound to compensate for a user's specific hearing impairment.
Voice coder-decoders ("vocoders") have been used in cellular phones to achieve compression in the amount of digital information necessary to represent human speech. A vocoder in a transmitting device derives a vocal tract model in the form of a digital filter and encodes a digital sound signal using one or more "codebooks". Each codebook represents an excitation of the derived vocal tract filter in an area of speech. One typical codebook represents long-term excitations, such as pitch and voiced sounds. Another typical codebook represents short-term excitations, such as noise and unvoiced sounds. The vocoder generates a digital signal including vocal tract filter parameters and codebook excitations. The signal also includes information from which the codebooks can be reconstructed. In this way, the encoded signal is effectively compressed and hence uses less space than directly digitally representing every sound.
A receiving vocoder decodes a compressed digital signal using codebooks and the vocal tract filter. Based upon the parameters contained in the signal, the vocoder reconstructs the sound into an uncompressed digital sound. The digital signal is converted to an analog signal and output through a speaker.

Customizing audio output to a user's hearing in a digital telephone


This invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a function of encoding or decoding image data and discloses a technique for extracting an image feature, especially a thin image portion of a specific color of an image, and for encoding the thin image portion with high efficiency to minimize degradation of image quality by selecting an appropriate encoding method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as an image encoding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus suitably used in a color copying machine, a color printer, a color facsimile apparatus, a database, or the like. Related Background Art
Methods of dividing an image into blocks, performing orthogonal conversion, and quantizing and encoding coefficients of the orthogonal conversion result are known as conventional methods of encoding color images, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 185,024, 261,276, 312,755, and 362,014 filed by the present assignee.
In the conventional examples, since the coefficients are quantized upon orthogonal conversion, high-frequency components are lost, and ringing occurs in edge portions, and particularly, character portions, and blurring occurs in edges of reproduced line image portions such as characters, thereby greatly degrading image quality.
To the contrary, techniques for performing encoding in accordance with whether an input image is an edge portion or not are disclosed in a new U.S. Patent application based on Japanese Patent Application No. 1-333836 proposed by the present assignee. With this arrangement, the ringing phenomenon described above can be prevented to obtain a high-quality image.
Even in the above new U.S. application, there is much room for improvement in processing of a line image portion of a specific color among different line image portions.
For example, reproducibility of a black line image portion which is most frequently used in a general document and a general image, that is, reproducibility of a black character is desired to be subjected to special processing since this reproducibility greatly influences image quality.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-82723, run length encoding is performed for a "0" run. However, when a specific pattern is included in a block having a predetermined length, this pattern is block-encoded. However, no consideration is taken for the presence of an edge in an image.
When an image obtained by decoding encoded data is to be reproduced as a hard copy of four colors, i.e., Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), a black inking signal is required to print a black line image in only black so as to clearly print the black line image. The processing sequence for the black inking signal is undesirably complicated.
In order to improve quality of a black character portion, it is possible to independently encode a character portion and other portions in accordance with different methods. When only the black character portion is extracted, a peripheral portion of a black character is included in other portions if an image is read from, e.g., an image scanner. The peripheral portion forms an edge portion, and the edge portion causes degradation of orthogonal conversion encoding efficiency.
In a small letter of the Ming type, since a space between horizontal lines in the letter is very small, the space may often be omitted when it is read from an image scanner.
Demand has arisen for providing a method of performing encoding with high efficiency without degrading quality of characters when characters of a plurality of colors are present in an original.
In extraction of a line image portion of a predetermined color of input image data and encoding of this portion independently of other portions, when only the line image portion is simply eliminated, this processing is unsatisfactory due to precision of an extracting means and the like. For example, a high-frequency portion around a color character is left uneliminated. This problem is also posed in image processing except for encoding (e.g., color conversion processing).

Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding color images


Provided herein are methods for decreasing LRRK2 mRNA expression. Such methods are useful to ameliorate LRRK2 associated diseases. Such LRRK2 associated diseases include Parkinson's Disease, including non-LRRK2 mediated Parkinson's Disease.

The leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene encodes a protein called Dardarian. The LRRK2 gene is active in the brain and other tissues throughout the body. One segment of the dardarin protein is enriched with leucine and may be involved in signal transduction and cytoskeleton assembly. Other parts of the dardarin protein are also thought to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Additional studies indicate that dardarin has an enzyme function known as kinase activity, including phosphorylation and GTPase activity.
Genomewide association studies have found an association between LRRK2 and Parkinson's Disease. Indeed, LRRK2 is the greatest known genetic contributor to Parkinson's disease. Nonetheless, Parkinson's disease has not been considered to be a genetic disease. The majority of Parkinson's disease cases are idiopathic. Approximately 10 percent of Parkinson's disease cases have been linked to a genetic cause. Mutations in the LRRK2 gene are the most common cause of Parkinson's disease in this relatively small group, representing one to two percent of total Parkinson's cases.
Currently there is a lack of acceptable options for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, including non-LRRK2 mediated Parkinson's Disease. It is therefore an object herein to provide methods for the treatment of such diseases.


A bone fixation assembly is provided, including a bone fixation plate that has a plurality of apertures having different cross-sectional dimensions, and a temporary fixation wire. The temporary fixation wire includes an abutment member that can compress the bone fixation plate against an underlying bone so that the alignment of the bone fixation plate on the bone can be analyzed prior to using bone fixation members to permanently attach the bone fixation plate to the underlying bone.

A variety of fixation devices for the reduction of bone or bone fragments are well known. Some fractures, including wrist fractures, can be difficult to align and treat. Alignment and fixation have been typically performed by one of several methods, including casting, external fixation, and interosseous wiring. Casting is noninvasive, but may not be able to maintain alignment of the fracture where many bone fragments exist. Therefore, as an alternative, external fixators may be used. External fixators utilize a method known as ligamentotaxis, which provides distraction forces across the joint and permits the fracture to be aligned based upon the tension placed on the surrounding ligaments. However, while external fixators can maintain position, it may nevertheless be difficult in certain fractures to first properly align the bones. In addition, external fixators are often not suitable for fractures resulting in multiple bone fragments. In addition, external fixation is associated with reflex sympathetic dystrophy, stiffness, and pin complications. Moreover, with some fractures, movement helps to facilitate rehabilitation, and this movement is prevented by external fixation. Interosseous wiring is an invasive procedure whereby screws are positioned into the various fragments and the screws are then wired together as bracing. This is a difficult and time consuming procedure. Moreover, unless the bracing is quite complex, the fracture may not be properly stabilized.
As a result, fixation of fractures, including those of the wrist have more recently been performed using bone fixation plates. Attachment of a bone fixation plate to a fractured bone is accomplished by first reducing the fracture fragment(s) and subsequently attaching the bone fixation plate to the bone on opposite sides of the fracture site(s) using bone screws or the like. It is therefore important in many instances to ensure that the bone fixation plate is properly positioned on the bone to ensure that the bone fragment(s) are adequately reduced. Thus, the bone fixation plate is temporarily affixed to the bone, and a medical image (e.g., X-ray) determines whether the fracture site is adequately reduced before the bone fixation plate is permanently affixed to the bone.
Several systems are being used to temporarily affix a bone fixation plate to an underlying fracture bone to determine proper reduction prior to permanent plate fixation. For instance, in one system, a K-wire is screwed or otherwise driven through the screw holes of the plate on opposite sides of the fracture. The K-wire is smaller in diameter than the screw holes, and is thus positioned so as to bear against opposing edges of the respective screw holes so as to prevent movement of the plate during imaging. The process of accurately positioning the K-wire so as to prevent movement of the bone fixation plate has proven difficult and tedious, as any space between the K-wire and the outer edge of the screw hole will allow movement. In another system, holes are pre-drilled in the bone, and a cortex (e.g., non-locking) screw is inserted through the screw hole and into the pre-drilled hole in the bone. Unfortunately, several unnecessary holes are drilled in the bone as the bone fixation plate is repositioned. In yet another system, holding clamps attach to the bone fixation plate and are invasively fitted around the bone.

Methods and assemblies for aligning a bone fixation plate


A system and method including self oscillating feedback for acoustic operation of a discharge lamp. The system includes a ballast configured to receive a modulation input and modulate a lamp power signal in accordance with the modulation input. A photodetector senses the optical output of the lamp to provide an electrical feedback to a feedback circuit. The feedback circuit filters the feedback to couple a portion thereof corresponding to a selected acoustic resonance mode of the lamp to the ballast as the modulation input thereby causing self-oscillation at the selected acoustic resonance mode.

The use of gas discharge lamps, such as high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, is common in a wide variety of applications. In a gas discharge lamp, light is emitted from an arc discharge established between lamp electrodes. Typically the lamp includes a lamp bulb including a sealed arc tube therein. The arc tube may enclose a fill material including, for example, one or more metal halides that are vaporized in the arc between the electrodes to establish the arc discharge. The fill may also include a buffer for limiting energy transfer from the arc discharge to the tube walls and, in some circumstances, a starting gas. The electrodes may be positioned at the top and bottom of the arc tube, and may be coupled to a ballast for generating the arc discharge in the fill material between the electrodes. The arc discharge between the electrodes emits light that passes through the light-transmissive materials of the tube and bulb for providing illumination.
It is known that under certain operating conditions the arc discharge may take an undesirable shape and/or become unstable. For example, operating a lamp with its axis in a horizontal position can result in an arc discharge which is bowed, or curved upwardly. In a non-horizontal position, the arc discharge may take a contorted shape, which may be unstable, and vapor phase segregation (incomplete mixing of the metal additives in the vapor phase of the discharge) may occur. These undesirable conditions in the arc discharge can lead to color separation over the length of the tube, unintended extinguishing of the arc discharge, reduced light output, local overheating of the arc tube wall, and other problems that may cause premature lamp failure. This may be particularly true for lamps having relatively high aspect ratio arc tubes, e.g. tubes whose length-to-width ratio is greater than about 2.
To reduce or avoid these conditions, modulation of the input lamp power at acoustic frequencies has been proposed. Modulation of lamp power causes modulation of the arc temperature distribution and, as a result, modulation of the gas pressure distribution throughout the arc discharge tube of the lamp. Certain frequencies of lamp power modulation cause standing wave acoustic oscillation of the gas pressure in the tube compelling gas or vapor movement to counter segregation or gravity-induced convection in the arc discharge.
The acoustic standing wave modes of the gas pressure in discharge lamps are known to those of skill in the art. In general, because of the generally cylindrical shape of commercial arc discharge tubes, the acoustic modes can generally be described as modes of a cylinder of a size comparable to the cavity in which the arc is formed in the arc tube of the lamp. If the pressure has a spatial dependence along the axis of the tube (i.e., the cylinder of comparable size), then the mode is longitudinal with the number of half-wavelengths in the standing wave determining the order of the mode. For example, if there are two half-wavelengths, the mode is the second longitudinal (2L) mode. If the pressure has a spatial dependence along the radius of the tube, then the mode is radial, and if the pressure has a spatial dependence around the circumference of the tube, then the mode is azimuthal. Combination acoustic modes are also possible, such as radial-longitudinal modes and azimuthal-longitudinal modes, in which the pressure distribution varies along more than one coordinate. These combination modes can be further defined, depending on the periodicity of the standing wave, such as a combination acoustic mode of the third azimuthal and second longitudinal modes.
The lamp power modulation frequencies for exciting any acoustic mode may be estimated using cylindrical models, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,844,687, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Excitation of certain modes in the arc discharge tubes have been found to be particularly effective in avoiding associated conditions in the arc discharge. For example, exciting the second azimuthal (2A) mode may be particularly effective for straightening an arc discharge. Also, exciting the second longitudinal (2L) mode has been found to be particularly effective in reducing or avoiding segregation.

System and method including self oscillating feedback for acoustic operation of a discharge lamp


According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed herein of assemblies that may be used for mounting enclosures of portable remote control locomotive (RCL) systems and/or speakers to locomotive handrailing. Also disclosed are exemplary embodiments of portable remote RCL systems mountable to locomotive handrailing by such assemblies. Additionally, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of audible alert systems including speakers mountable to locomotive handrailing by such assemblies.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Remote control locomotive (RCL) systems enable rail operators to remotely control operation of locomotives. For example, a rail operator may use a RCL system to remotely control starting, stopping, speed, braking, switching, etc. of a locomotive.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Assemblies for mounting portable remote control locomotive (RCL) systems to locomotive handrailing


A fiber-reinforced metal-ceramic composite material having a hot ceramic side and a cool metal side and a graded ceramic-metal zone therebetween, wherein the ceramic content of said composite ranges from 100% at said hot ceramic side to 0% at said cool metal side and the metal content of said composite ranges from 0% at said hot ceramic side to 100% at said cool metal side, and wherein said fiber reinforcement is graded by coefficient of thermal expansion from the hot ceramic side to the cool metal side.

The present invention relates to fiber-reinforced composites.
Conventional ceramic materials are used extensively as engineered materials and products. They are very hard materials with good thermal resistance and corrosion resistance. They tend, however, to incorporate defects during formation processes, which lead to strength faults under specified temperature and pressure conditions. These materials, while they are very hard, are also very brittle. This can result in splintering and cracking upon sudden or rapid loss in temperature, or upon impact with another material of high hardness. Fiber-reinforced ceramic composites offer significant improvements with respect to fracture resistance. They are well known and are important in the ceramic industry for high temperature engineering components, such as gas turbine and diesel engines where high temperature resistance are required. However there is a compromise in strength or load-bearing capacity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,815, issued Jun. 26, 2001 to Triplicane A. Parthasarathy and Ronald J. Kerans, we disclosed an improved fiber-reinforced ceramic composite material in which reinforcing fibers having different coefficients of thermal expansion were used in selected regions of the composite structure to reduce thermal gradient induced stresses. We have now found that the composite properties can be further enhanced by varying the matrix composition in selected regions of the composite.
To augment the load-bearing capacity, the composite has a metallic region within the matrix of the composite. This supplements the conventional ceramic materials to compensate for a deficiency in load-bearing capacity as well as thermal conductivity, which hinders use of ceramic materials for a specified purpose. Carefully selected metal components may cure one or several of these deficiencies. The resulting composite material will better withstand high temperature, and display less rigid and more ductile characteristics with less tendency to fracture when struck hard or cooled or heated rapidly. In addition, the ceramic regions are expected to be carefully varied for optimal properties.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fiber-reinforced metal-ceramic composite material.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for enhancing the cooling of a chip stack of semiconductor chips. The method includes creating a first chip with circuitry on a first side and creating a second chip electrically and mechanically coupled to the first chip by a grid of connectors. The method further includes creating a cavity in a second side of the first chip between the connectors and filling the cavity with a thermal material. The chip stack of semiconductor chips with enhanced cooling apparatus includes a first chip with circuitry on a first side and a second chip electrically and mechanically coupled to the first chip by a grid of connectors. The apparatus further includes wherein portions of a second side of the first chip between the connectors is removed to provide a cavity in which a thermal material is placed.

Thermal interfaces in microelectronics packages are commonly credited with a majority of the resistance for heat to escape from the chip to an attached cooling device (e.g. heat sinks, spreaders and the like). Thus, in order to minimize the thermal resistance between the heat source and cooling device, a thermally conductive paste, thermal grease or adhesive is commonly used. Thermal interfaces are typically formed by pressing the heat sink or chip cap onto the backside of the processor chip with a particle filled viscous medium between, which is forced to flow into cavities or non-uniformities between the surfaces.
It has been determined that stacking layers of electronic circuitry (i.e. 3 dimensional chip stack) and vertically interconnecting the layers provides a significant increase in circuit density per unit area. However, one significant problem of the three dimensional chip stack is the thermal density of the stack. For a four layer 3 dimensional chip stack, the surface area presented to the heat sink by the chip stack has only ¼ of the surface area presented by the two-dimensional approach. For a 4-layer chip stack, there are three layer-layer thermal interfaces in addition to the final layer to grease/heat sink interface. The heat from the bottom layers must be conducted up thru the higher layers to get to the grease/heat sink interface
On the chip side (i.e. the heat source), there usually exists hotspots, areas of higher power density, where most of the processing takes place, which results in a temperature gradient across the chip. These areas of higher heat and power density need to be kept within a set temperature range in order for the chip to perform properly and to pass quality and specification tests at the end of manufacturing.
Control of temperature distribution has been addressed by changing chip design/architecture. However, this requires expensive redesign of the microprocessor that may influence other operating parameters and does not address the present issues facing current high performance microprocessors.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for reduced thermal resistance between heat sources and a cooling device that is both efficacious and yet not require changes to the microprocessor fabrication process.

Method and system for internal layer-layer thermal enhancement

International Business Machines Corporation


An e-garment that includes embedded circuitry and a battery for power the embedded circuitry further includes several charge generator circuits that can include both active and passive charge generators, such as solar cells, triboelectric generator, piezoelectric generator, and thermoelectric generator circuits. Each different generator circuit accumulates charge in a respective storage capacitor until the voltage of the respective capacitor is sufficiently higher than that of the battery to overcome the forward voltage bias of a protective diode, where some of the charge flows out of the capacitor to the battery. Each of the charger generator circuits can contribute charge to the battery to prolong its operating time needed between recharges, if not actually recharge the battery.

E-garments, sometimes referred to as "smart" textiles, that enable electronic circuitry such as computers, sensors, transceivers and so on. These circuits and devices require power to operate, and therefore a battery (rechargeable) is provided in the garment to power the circuitry and devices. However, it is desirable to minimize the size of the battery as these component tend to be bulky and weighty. Opposing this design goal, however, is the is the goal to maximize operating time between battery recharge cycles, which tends to encourage using larger, bulkier batteries.
Accordingly, there is a need for a way to increase the operating time of a battery used for powering circuitry in an e-garment that does not unduly add to the bulk of the e-garment.
Those skilled in the field of the present disclosure will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. The details of well-known elements, structure, or processes that would be necessary to practice the embodiments, and that would be well known to those of skill in the art, are not necessarily shown and should be assumed to be present unless otherwise indicated.

Mobile textile charger and garment using same


A knife assembly for a shredder includes a base and a knife cap coupled to the base. The knife cap is configured to cut a material passed through the shredder. In addition, a brazing material is positioned between the base and the knife cap to secure the base and the knife cap together. The base and the knife cap have generally the same outer footprint.

The present invention relates to knives for shredders.
With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a shredder 10 known in the prior art includes a rotating drum 14 located near the bottom of a hopper 18. Knives 22 are mounted to the drum 14 on knife holders 26, and as the drum 14 rotates, the knives 22 cut against a stationary bed knife 30 mounted to the hopper 18. Material (e.g., carpet) is fed into the hopper 18 and the material is cut as it passes between the drum 14 and the bed knife 30. With reference to FIG. 3, the knives 22 include a central threaded bore 34 for a fastener 36 to attach the knives 22 to the knife holders 26. When installed, the corners of the knives 22 and the corresponding bed knife 30 act as the primary cutting surfaces. Once a corner of the knife 22 is worn, the knife 22 is removed, rotated and re-installed with a different corner acting as the primary cutting surface. The knives 22 are an all steel body and need to be replaced often due to excessive wear. Alternatively, with reference to FIGS. 4A-4B, cutting tips 38, known in the prior art, can be added to the corners of knife bodies 42, 46 to improve the operating life of knives 50, 54. The cutting tips 38 are typically made of harder material than the knife bodies 42, 46 (e.g., carbides). However, the cutting tips 38 themselves, and more specifically the bond between the cutting tips 38 and the knife bodies 42, 46, are subject to failure. Sometimes fasteners 56 are used to secure the cutting tips 38 to the knife bodies 42 (FIG. 4A). Alternatively, the cutting tips 38 have been individually brazed to the knife bodies 46 (FIG. 4B). The knives 50 and 54 include discontinuities between the tips 38 and the knife bodies 42, 46. The discontinuities result in less effective cutting surfaces, subjected to increased wear and shortened operational life.


A rehabilitation system includes: a rehabilitation robot configured to execute corresponding actions according to motion instructions; a brain wave detector configured to detect brain wave signals of a user; and control device configured to generate motion instructions according to brain wave signals to control the rehabilitation robot to execute corresponding actions.

With the development of science and technology, rehabilitation robots have been applied more and more widely in rehabilitation care, artificial limbs and rehabilitation healing. For example, research on rehabilitation robots is mainly focused on several aspects: rehabilitation robotic arms, hospital robot systems, intelligent wheelchairs, artificial limbs and rehabilitation healing robots.
At present, brain-wave-related technologies are mostly applied in medical fields such as treating patients with brain diseases such as seizure. However, most research remain in the lab stage, which on the one hand is due to the two complex human brain and the initial research on it, and on the other hand is due to the difficulty of measuring brain waves that is an important reason of inhibiting further development of technology.
Generally, in the case that the nerve center is damaged, a problem of losing motion capability might occur. In general, it is possible to help a patient to restore motion capability by one to one motion rehabilitation between a doctor and the patient. However, a special doctor assistance is needed for motion rehabilitation which might consume efforts and time. And there is a high requirement for experience of the assistant doctor in motion rehabilitation. Further, there might lack active patient participation in existing motion rehabilitation scheme.

Rehabilitation robot, rehabilitation system, rehabilitation method and rehabilitation device


Embodiments herein relate to a method performed by an IMS node for handling data of a UE, in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises partitioned sets of functionalities of one or more core networks wherein each set of functionalities belongs to a network slice. The IMS node receives, from the UE, a message for registering the UE to the IMS node, wherein the message comprises a slice indication indicating a network slice identity and a UE indication identifying the UE. The IMS node stores a registration of the UE in the IMS node, in addition to a previously stored registration of the UE, with the proviso that the indicated network slice identity differs from a previous network slice identity of the previously stored registration of the UE and thereby allowing parallel active communications using the registration and the previously stored registration.

In a typical communication network, wireless devices, also known as wireless communication devices, mobile stations, stations (STA) and/or user equipments (UE), communicate via a Radio Access Network (RAN) to one or more core networks (CN). The RAN covers a geographical area which is divided into service areas or cell areas, with each service area or cell area being served by a radio network node such as a radio access node e.g., a Wi-Fi access point or a radio base station (RBS), which in some networks may also be denoted, for example, a NodeB, an eNodeB″, or a gNodeB. A service area or cell area is a geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the radio network node. The radio network node communicates over an air interface operating on radio frequencies with the wireless device within range of the radio network node.
A Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation (3G) telecommunication network, which evolved from the second generation (2G) Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). The UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) is essentially a RAN using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) and/or High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) for user equipment. In a forum known as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), telecommunications suppliers propose and agree upon standards for third generation networks, and investigate enhanced data rate and radio capacity. In some RANs, e.g. as in UMTS, several radio network nodes may be connected, e.g., by landlines or microwave, to a controller node, such as a radio network controller (RNC) or a base station controller (BSC), which supervises and coordinates various activities of the plural radio network nodes connected thereto. This type of connection is sometimes referred to as a backhaul connection. The RNCs and BSCs are typically connected to one or more core networks.
Specifications for the Evolved Packet System (EPS), also called a Fourth Generation (4G) network, have been completed within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and this work continues in the coming 3GPP releases, for example to specify a Fifth Generation (5G) network. The EPS comprises the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), also known as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio access network, and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), also known as System Architecture Evolution (SAE) core network. E-UTRAN/LTE is a variant of a 3GPP radio access network wherein the radio network nodes are directly connected to the EPC core network rather than to RNCs. In general, in E-UTRAN/LTE the functions of an RNC are distributed between the radio network nodes, e.g. eNodeBs in LTE, and the core network. As such, the RAN of an EPS has an essentially "flat" architecture comprising radio network nodes connected directly to one or more core networks, i.e. they are not connected to RNCs. To compensate for that, the E-UTRAN specification defines a direct interface between the radio network nodes, this interface being denoted the X2 interface. FIG. 1 shows the overall E-UTRAN architecture and is further defined in for example 3GPP TS 36.300 v.13.1.0. The E-UTRAN comprises eNBs, providing a user plane comprising the protocol layers Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)/Radio Link Control (RLC)/Medium Access Control (MAC)/Physical layer (PHY), and a control plane comprising Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol in addition to the user plane protocols towards the wireless device. The radio network nodes are interconnected with each other by means of the X2 interface. The radio network nodes are also connected by means of the S1 interface to the EPC, more specifically to the MME by means of an S1-MME interface and to the S-GW by means of an S1-U interface.
The wireless communication industry is at the verge of a unique business crossroads. The growing gap between capacity and demand is an urgent call for new approaches and alternative network technologies to enable mobile operators to achieve more with less. Today, mobile broadband data is growing at an annual rate of 40-50 percent per year in the U.S. and other regions globally. Mobile service providers address these rapidly expanding traffic volumes through deployment of additional network functions, which will be a significant capital expenditure (CAPEX) challenge. The nature of the mobile broadband data traffic is also evolving with new services including new video applications, connected cars and the Internet of Things (IoT). This rapid capacity growth and increasing traffic diversity in LTE networks stresses the assumptions of existing network architectures and operational paradigms.
Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) provides a new path that can increase the flexibility required by mobile service providers and network operators to adapt and accommodate this dynamic market environment. NFV is a new operational approach applying well-known virtualization technologies to create a physical Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) distributed platform for the delivery of end-to-end services in the context of the demanding environment of telecom network infrastructure and applications.
Because EPC is critical to the realization and management of all LTE traffic, it is important to consider use cases related to virtualization of the EPC elements. Each individual EPC element also has specific considerations that determine whether to deploy with NFV. Virtualized EPC (vEPC) is a good example: Multiple virtualized network functions (VNF) can be deployed and managed on a Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) but must cater to performance scalability in both signaling/control plane and user plane, each potentially demanding different levels of NFVI resources.
vEPC elements can benefit from more agile deployment and scalability. However, virtual resource monitoring and orchestration, along with service awareness, are essential for implementing elasticity effectively. Due to the nature of telecom networks, service Level Agreements (SLA) will be a key issue for a virtualized mobile core network. Because virtualization usually leads to a performance trade-off, equipment vendors must optimize data-plane processing to satisfy carrier-grade bandwidth and latency requirements and sufficient control-plane performance for SLAs needed to ensure availability of regulatory services, such as emergency calls.
VNF is a virtualized network function which serves as a VNF Software for providing virtual network capabilities. A VNF could be decomposed and instantiated in roles such as Virtualized MME (vMME), Virtualized PCRF (vPCRF), Virtualized SGW (vSGVV) or Virtualized PDN-GW (vPDN-GW).
NFV is seen as an enabler for network slicing that is described herein.
When looking at the wide range of applications and use cases that are addressed with a 5G network, it is quite obvious these cannot effectively be addressed with a traditional approach of having a purpose built network for each application. This will lead to high cost for networks and devices as well as inefficient use of valuable frequency resources. An operator may have one physical network infrastructure and one pool of frequency bands, which may support many separate virtualized networks, also called network slices. Each network slice may have unique characteristics for meeting the specific requirements of the use case/s it serves.
A key function of 5G Core network is to allow for flexibility in network service creation, making use of different network functions suitable for the offered service in a specific network slice, e.g. Evolved Mobile Broadband (MBB), Massive Machine Type Communication (MTC), Critical MTC, Enterprise, etc.
In addition to Service optimized networks there are more drivers for Network slicing, such as;                Business expansion by low initial investment: Given the physical infrastructure it is much easier to instantiate another Packet Core instance for the business expansion than to set up a new parallel infrastructure or even integrated nodes        Low risk by no/limited impact on legacy: As the new instance is logically separated from the other network slices, the network slices can also provide resource isolation between each other. Thus introduction of a new isolated network slice will not impact the existing operator services and therefore only provide low risk        Short Time To Market (TTM): The operators are concerned about the time it takes to set up the network for a new service. Slicing of the network for different services/operator use cases provides a separation of concern that can result in a faster setup of a network slice for a certain service as it is separately managed and with limited impact on other network slices        Optimized use of resources: Today the network is supporting many different services but with new use cases and more diverging requirements there is a need for optimizing the network for the specific type use case. Network slicing allows to match services to optimized network instances, and it also allows for a more optimized use of those specific resources        Allows for individual network statistics: With service specific network slices and possibly even on the level of individual enterprises, there is a possibility of collecting network statistics specific for a limited and well defined group of users of the network slice. This is not the key driver for slicing but rather a benefit that may be a useful tool
Slicing can also be used to isolate different services in an operator's network. Future networks are expected to support new use cases going beyond the basic support for voice services and mobile broadband currently supported by existing cellular network, e.g. 2G/3G/4G. Some example use cases include:                Evolution of MBB                    Evolved communication services            Cloud services            Extended mobility and coverage                        Mission critical Machine Type Communication                    Intelligent traffic systems            Smart grid            Industrial applications                        Massive Machine Type Communication                    Sensors/actuators            Capillary networks                        Media                    Efficient on-demand media delivery            Media awareness            Efficient support for broadcast services
These use cases are expected to have different performance requirements, e.g. bit-rates, latencies, as well as other network requirements, e.g. mobility, availability, security etc., affecting the network architecture and protocols.
Supporting these use cases could also mean that new players and business relations are needed compared to existing cellular networks. For instance it is expected that future networks should address the needs of                Enterprise services        Government services, e.g. national and/or public safety        Verticals industries, e.g. automation, transportation        Residential users
These different users and services are also expected to put new requirements on the network. FIG. 2 shows an example of a network slicing for a case when there exists different network slices in the core network for MBB, Massive MTC and Critical MTC. In other words, the network slices may comprise separate core network instances supporting the different network slices.
Network slicing introduces the possibility that the network slices are used for different services and use cases and there is a need to enable usage of this mechanism for wireless devices in the communication network to improve the performance of the communication network. Thus, Network slicing consists of defining, realizing and operating end-to-end logical networks by means of dedicated and/or shared resources in the Core Network and/or the Radio Access Network and associated management system(s). Network slicing is about creating logically separated partitions of the network, addressing different business purposes. These "network slices" are logically separated to a degree that they can be regarded and managed as networks of their own.
The network slicing applies to both LTE based networks and 5G Radio Access Technology (RAT) and to any other RATs as well. The network slicing supports business expansion, i.e. improving the cellular operator's ability to serve other industries, e.g., by offering connectivity services with different network characteristics, such as performance, security, robustness, and complexity. One shared Radio Access Network (RAN) infrastructure, comprising one or more RANs, connects to several Evolved Packet Core (EPC) instances, e.g. one EPC instance per network slice. As the EPC functions are being virtualized, it is assumed that the operator shall instantiate a new Core Network (CN) when a new slice should be supported. This architecture is shown in FIG. 3. Slice 0 can for example be a Mobile Broadband slice and Slice 1 can for example be a Machine Type Communication network slice.
The existing network slicing mechanisms of 3GPP release 15, enables a mobile network operator to spread their subscribers over different 5G core (5GC) networks. Home subscribers may get their own slice, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) may get their own slice, and a huge car rental company customer may get their own slice as well.
3GPP, e.g. TR 22.823, are discussing the concept of spreading traffic of a single wireless device across different 5GC slices, wherein the wireless device is represented by a single IP multimedia private identity (IMPI), international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and/or IP multimedia public identity (IMPU). One way could be that real-time sensitive IP multimedia system (IMS) service traffic like voice shall traverse a specific 5GC slice, whilst more latency relaxed IMS traffic like messaging, shall traverse another 5GC slice. There are many possible combinations, e.g. telephony in one slice and low latency requiring mission critical push to talk (MCPTT) traffic over another. Both handled by one and the same IMS network.
A problem with the existing 3GPP IMS technology is that only one active authentication based IMS registration, IMS registration for short, such as Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) authentication, at a time is used for a wireless device with a given private identity, such as an IMSI or IMS IMPI, leading to a rather rigid solution.


Organic sulfide antioxidants useful for stabilizing polyolefins against oxidative and thermal degradation during processing and use represented by Formula I: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 2 to 15;. R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of 2 to 30 carbons, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group of 5 to 20 carbons a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of 2 to 30 carbons where any of up to 6 carbon atoms are replaced with an O or S heteroatom, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group of 5 to 20 carbons where any of up to 6 carbon atoms are replaced with an O or S heteroatom, with the proviso that the heteroatoms must be separated from each other and from the portion of the compound to which the R group is bonded by at least one carbon atom, the substituents for R being --OH, --SR.sup.4 or -- OR.sup.4, wherein R.sup.4 is an alkyl group of 1 to 30 carbons or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 20 carbons; PA1 R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently H or an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbons; and PA1 R.sup.3 is an alkyl group of 1 to 24 carbons or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 20 carbons.

Polyolefin resins, which are prepared from aliphatic olefins, are known in the art as a class of thermoplastics characterized by excellent physical properties. For example, polyolefin resins demonstrate a high resistance to stress cracking, a high tensile strength and a high stability under load. These physical properties make this class of thermoplastics particularly useful in the manufacture of pipe, film, wire, coated molded objects, etc.
However, polyolefins demonstrate a high amount of degradation at the high temperatures typically required in the processing of the polymers into useful finished articles. This drawback associated with the polyolefin resins is discussed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,165.
Moreover, polyolefin resins are further detrimentally affected by oxidative degradation caused by the formation of peroxides in the polymer backbone. These peroxides decompose under the influence of heat and light initiating chain scission or crosslinking reactions in the polymer which ultimately result in the loss of physical properties. The compounds of this invention effectively decompose the peroxides before they can adversely affect the polymer.
In order to stabilize polyolefins against the deleterious effects of both thermal and oxidative degradation, it is known in the art to incorporate small amounts of various phenolic or arylamine antioxidants into the resin in combination with other antioxidants, such as sulfide containing antioxidants. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,180,850, 3,258,493, 3,293,209, 3,574,165, 3,652,680 and 3,772,246 all teach the use of a combination of these types of antioxidants as ingredients in resins to protect polyolefin resins from both thermal and oxidative degradation.
Conventional sulfide antioxidants, used to stabilize polyolefin resins, are the esters of thiodipropionic acid, particularly the dilauryl thiodipropionate and the distearyl thiodipropionate (DLTDP and DSTDP, respectively). Although the thiodipropionates are effective in stabilizing polyolefin resins, they suffer from the drawback of being hydrolytically unstable due to the presence of an ester functionality. Due to this hydrolytic instability, the thiodipropionates may be leached out of the polyolefin resins and articles made with these resins by hot water and in particular, hot water containing soap and detergents. The loss of the thiodipropionate stabilizer will cause premature deterioration, such as embrittlement and cracking of the polyolefins. This is particularly disadvantageous when the resins are used in hot water applications such as in hot water pipes, tubing applications and as components for automatic laundry and dishwashing equipment, etc. The drawbacks of the thiodipropionates are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,652,680 and 3,772,246.
The present invention provides organic sulfide antioxidants which may be used to stabilize polyolefin resin compositions, which not only provide excellent results as antioxidants and processing stabilizers, but also possess hydrolytic stability. Moreover, the antioxidant compounds of the present invention may be incorporated into the polyolefin resins to protect the polyolefins both during processing and after the resins have been formed into articles.

Organic sulfide antioxidants and polymers stabilized therewith


A method to facilitate secure access to sponsored content may include accessing a portal device to generate a campaign for a sponsored data service (SDS), and providing campaign network addresses and customer identifiers associated with the content aggregator device and at least one content partner device. The method includes generating a unique first security credential associated with each of the content partner device(s), and providing information for a notification of the campaign to the portal device, where the information includes the unique first security credential associated with each of the content partner device(s), and where the notification is provided to each of the at least one content partner device. The method includes signing a unique first SDS network address associated with sponsored content provided by each of the content partner device(s), where the signing is performed using the unique first security credential associated with each of the content partner device(s).

User access to wireless communication networks and data services typically involves some form of payment made to the network provider. In some instances, a third party may wish to sponsor a user's data consumption in order to entice user engagement. Access to sponsored data may involve data exchanges with content providers configured in various network arrangements, some of which may include aggregators that obtain data from other downstream content providers. Some network arrangements can complicate the management of credentials used to access sponsored data from the downstream content providers.

Chained security credential distribution for sponsored data services


An apparatus and method including a die assembly and tooling, which includes a draw bolt and coaxially disposed expandable element. When control of the apparatus is initiated the die assembly and draw bolt retract or move down over the work piece until the die assembly is seated in the die holder. The draw bolt continues to move down which causes the elastomer insert to expand and push the work piece outwardly forcing the work piece to conform to the contour of the die assembly creating the desired transition diameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming duct assemblies with complex contours by application of pressure.
2. Related Art
Manufacturers fabricate circular duct assemblies for use in many ducting applications, for example, aircraft environmental control systems (ECS). Some of these assemblies are required to have at least one end expanded to accommodate adjoining ducts. The expansion required can be as much as a half inch from nominal size. Because of the limitations of the current methods of expanding ducts, a separate component with an expanded end must first be fabricated. The detail is welded to another duct section to create the duct assembly.
What is needed is a transition forming apparatus and associated method which enables the formation of duct transitions on a duct assembly thereby eliminating the need for an additional component and the associated welding operation.


A system and method is described for implementing or managing IRM controls over digital content through a browser. The computer implementing or managing IRM controls over digital content through a browser includes at least one user device and a server. The user device includes a browser, the server comprises a database to store a plurality of IRM rights data and corresponding user permission, an identifier module to identify the user, an editor module to allow the user to view, edit, copy, paste and print the digital content based on the user permission defined for any respective protected document within the user device or downloaded through the Internet.

Information right management systems in present market ecology or consumer domain support the specific needs to keep data dissimilation limited and confidential to only those who are actually meant to use it. These systems are typically designed to provide high levels of data security and its continued protection as per the policies in place. There is access permissions defined for the information that allows identified users a level of access on any particular information that they are authorized to view, edit or forward. However, in conventional IRM controls for managing access permission, the user has to install dedicated services, device drivers, plugins in the standard editor or viewer software or providing replacement application to handle editing or viewing of the documents or files. Installing these components often interferes with others components of the system e.g. antivirus software, firewalls, standard editors and viewers.
This can essentially make these software components and conventional IRM controls to work in conflicting manner. It may also cause parts of system or device operations to not work as transparently as they were doing before. Further, there can be restrictions imposed by operating systems or limitations that may prevent installing or copying such software/components on the system or device altogether.
Therefore, to eliminate the limitations/drawbacks listed above within the conventional system, the present invention proposes a system and a method to overcome the above limitations.

Information rights management through editors implemented in a browser


A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine includes a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member, and a phase-change mechanism disposed between the drive and driven rotary members. The phase-change mechanism changes a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by an operating force, and returns the relative phase to an engine start-up phase suitable for the engine start-up at the engine starting. The phase-change mechanism has a phase-change characteristic that a phase-change rate reduces near the engine start-up phase when the relative phase is returned to the engine start-up phase.

The present invention relates to a variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, which variably controls open and closing timing of an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve of the engine according to an engine operating condition.
In recent years, there have been proposed and developed various variable valve timing control apparatuses. One such variable valve timing control apparatus has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2004-11537 (hereinafter is referred to as "JP2004-11537") corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,081 (B2), applied for by this applicant.
The variable valve timing control apparatus disclosed in JP2004-11537 includes a timing sprocket to which torque is transferred from a crankshaft of an engine, a camshaft rotatably supported within a predetermined angular range with respect to the timing sprocket, a sleeve fixedly connected to the camshaft, and a rotational phase control mechanism (or a relative angular phase control mechanism) provided between the timing sprocket and the sleeve so as to control a rotational phase of the camshaft relative to the timing sprocket in accordance with an engine operation condition.
The rotational phase control mechanism includes a radial guide groove formed in the timing sprocket, a spiral guide (a concentric-spiral guide groove) formed on a surface of a spiral guide disk, a link member having two ends: an inner end pivotally fixed to the sleeve and an outer end slidably supported in the radial guide groove so that the outer end can slide in a radial direction along the radial guide groove, an engagement portion provided at the outer end of the link member, the engagement portion has a spherical portion (a semi-spherical protrusion) engaged with the spiral guide, and a hysteresis brake applying a braking force to the spiral guide disk according to an engine operating condition.
The hysteresis brake has at the front end side of the sleeve a coil yoke, and an electromagnetic coil circumferentially surrounded with the coil yoke. The coil yoke has at a rear side thereof a pair of circumferentially-opposed cylindrical surfaces with a cylindrical air gap left between the opposed surfaces. The coil yoke further has a plurality of pole teeth on the opposed surfaces respectively. Furthermore, a bottomed and cylindrical-shaped hysteresis member, which has a hysteresis characteristic of magnetic flux, is arranged in the air gap between the opposed surfaces (in the air gap between the opposed pole teeth). The hysteresis member is movable relative to the opposed pole teeth.
When the electromagnetic coil is energized, a magnetic field is induced between the opposed pole teeth across the hysteresis member, and thereby an electromagnetic brake acts on the spiral guide disk via the hysteresis member. By way of this action (braking on the spiral guide disk), the engagement portion is guided along the spiral guide while the engagement portion moves in the radial direction along the radial guide groove. Thus, the sleeve (also the camshaft) can be rotated relative to the timing sprocket within a predetermined angular range.

Variable valve timing control apparatus of internal combustion engine


A mixing apparatus for producing aqueous calcined gypsum slurry includes a housing, a rotor assembly, and an actuator system. The housing defines a mixing chamber therewithin. A top lid of the housing includes a lid ring extending along a normal axis toward a bottom thereof. The rotor assembly includes a rotor disposed within the mixing chamber and a drive shaft extending along and rotatable about the normal axis. The rotor is rotatively coupled with the drive shaft and extends radially therefrom. The upper surface of the rotor and the lid ring are separated by a lid ring gap along the normal axis. The actuator system is arranged with the rotor assembly to selectively move the rotor over a range of travel along the normal axis between a lowered position and a raised position to selectively change the lid ring gap.

The present disclosure relates to manufacturing processes and systems for producing gypsum products from starting materials including calcined gypsum and water, and more particularly relates to a mixing apparatus for producing aqueous calcined gypsum slurry used in supplying gypsum slurry to a production line, for example a gypsum wallboard production line.
In many types of gypsum products, set gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) is often a major constituent. For example, set gypsum is a major component of end products created by use of traditional plasters (e.g., plaster-surfaced internal building walls), and also in gypsum board employed in typical drywall construction of interior walls and ceilings of buildings. In addition, set gypsum is the major component of gypsum/cellulose fiber composite boards and products, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,677, for example. Typically, such gypsum-containing cementitious products are made by preparing a mixture of calcined gypsum (calcium sulfate alpha or beta hemihydrate and/or calcium sulfate anhydrite), water, and other components, as appropriate to form gypsum slurry. The gypsum slurry and desired additives are often blended in a continuous mixer, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,146, for example.
In a typical gypsum board manufacturing process, gypsum board is produced by uniformly dispersing calcined gypsum (commonly referred to as "stucco") in water to form a dispersion of aqueous calcined gypsum. The aqueous calcined gypsum slurry is typically produced in a continuous manner by inserting stucco and water and other additives into a mixer which contains means for agitating the contents to form a uniform gypsum slurry. The slurry is continuously directed toward and through a discharge outlet of the mixer and into a discharge conduit connected to the discharge outlet of the mixer. Aqueous foam can be combined with the aqueous calcined gypsum slurry in the mixer and/or in the discharge conduit. A stream of foamed slurry passes through the discharge conduit from which it is continuously deposited onto a moving web of cover sheet material (i.e., the face sheet) supported by a forming table. The foamed slurry is allowed to spread over the advancing face sheet.
Various methods are known for producing foamed gypsum board having edges that are denser and harder than the core portion of the board, such as, by diverting a portion of the slurry from the mixing chamber. The diverted portion either contains a reduced amount of foam therein (and thus, is denser than slurry having a higher concentration of foam) or is then treated separately in one or more supplementary mixers with high agitation and/or defoaming agents to remove all or most of the foam and thus produce a harder, denser "edge" slurry to be cast at the edges of the cover sheet so that it comes into contact with the sides of the cast main slurry stream. Examples of such techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,985,219 and 4,279,673.
A second web of cover sheet material (i.e., the back sheet) is applied to cover the gypsum slurry and form a sandwich structure of a continuous wallboard preform. The wallboard preform is subjected to forming, such as at a conventional forming station, to obtain a desired thickness.
The calcined gypsum reacts with the water in the wallboard preform to form a matrix of crystalline hydrated gypsum or calcium sulfate dihydrate and sets as a conveyor moves the wallboard preform down the manufacturing line. The hydration of the calcined gypsum provides for the formation of an interlocking matrix of set gypsum, thereby imparting strength to the gypsum structure in the gypsum-containing product. The product slurry becomes firm as the crystal matrix forms and holds the desired shape.
After the wallboard preform is cut into segments downstream of the forming station at a point along the line where the preform has set sufficiently, the segments are flipped over, dried (e.g., in a kiln) to drive off excess water, and processed to provide the final wallboard product of desired dimensions. The aqueous foam produces air voids in the set gypsum, thereby reducing the density of the finished product relative to a product made using a similar slurry but without foam.
Prior devices and methods for addressing some of the operational problems associated with the production of gypsum wallboard are disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,643,510; 5,683,635; 6,494,609; 6,874,930; 7,007,914; and 7,296,919, which are incorporated by reference. The problem of lump formation in the mixer is a long-standing problem. When the calcined gypsum slurry exits the mixer containing lumps of gypsum and the slurry is fed to a board machine for introduction between paper cover sheets, the lumps of gypsum cause the paper sheets to break which requires stoppage of the board machine to remove the broken paper sheets and/or cleanup the gypsum slurry which may spill onto the board machine through the broken sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,635 discloses the use of a device in the mixer commonly referred to as a "lump ring," which aids the mixing action in the mixer and is intended to prevent lumps of gypsum from being discharged from the mixer with the calcined gypsum slurry The lump ring comprises at least one ring projecting from a surface to define a small circumferential gap between the ring and an adjacent surface to prevent lumps larger in size than the gap from passing radially outward of the ring to the discharge outlet of the mixer. The lump ring can include two rings, projecting from opposing surfaces to define a labyrinthine path.
The size of the gap can affect the volumetric flow rate of material exiting the mixing chamber and correspondingly the amount of material held within the ring. The gap is fixed once the machine is operating, and it determines how much slurry can pass from the slurry mixer. The gap also determines the amount of slurry retained within the volume defined by the ring. It is thought that the more slurry resident within the mixer during its continuous operation the less chance there is for a lump to develop within the mixer. If the gap is too small, it can be difficult to obtain the necessary slurry volumetric flow rate to produce thicker products at a desired line speed, forcing the operator to reduce the line speed to obtain the desired product thickness. If the gap is too large, the volume within the ring is not kept sufficiently full with gypsum slurry to help prevent lumps.
Conventionally, to adjust the gap, the mixer is shut down and opened up. Shims are manually inserted between the lump breaker ring and rotor to adjust the gap. The mixer is then sealed up again and returned into service.
There is a continued need in the art to provide additional solutions to enhance the production of gypsum products. For example, there is a continued need for techniques for helping to reduce the tendency for lumps to develop within the mixer while being able to produce gypsum products with a range of desired thicknesses in a manner that is quick and simple without requiring excessive labor and/or downtime.
It will be appreciated that this background description has been created by the inventor to aid the reader and is not to be taken as an indication that any of the indicated problems were themselves appreciated in the art. While the described principles can, in some aspects and embodiments, alleviate the problems inherent in other systems, it will be appreciated that the scope of the protected innovation is defined by the attached claims and not by the ability of any disclosed feature to solve any specific problem noted herein.

Calcined gypsum slurry mixing apparatus having variably positionable lump ring and method for manufacturing gypsum product using same