A field assembled packer or plug features a sleeve of a swelling material, preferably rubber, which is slipped over the tubular. A pair of molds is assembled over the tubular. The molds can accommodate variation in the size and out of roundness of standard API tubulars. An epoxy mixture is formulated on site and pumped into the molds at opposed ends of the sealing element assembly and allowed to set up. The molds are removed and the assembly is ready to be run in the hole as a packer included in a tubular string. The element assembly can include a harder swelling material on opposed ends of the main sealing element to protect the main sealing element from damage during run in.

Packers are used downhole to isolate zones in a wellbore from each other. There are many styles currently in use. Some involve set down weight to mechanically compress the sealing element. Others use hydraulic pressure on a piston to compress the sealing element. Yet others use pressurized fluid to inflate an annular space between the mandrel and the sealing element to grow the sealing element radially as its length shortens.
Swelling rubbers have been a more recent development. These packers have to be shop fabricated because of specialized equipment needed to get a bonding relationship between the swelling rubber sleeve and the mandrel. Essentially, the packer assembly that is as long as a tubular section, with the rubber sleeve mounted to it has to be inserted into a long oven and heated to obtain the desired bond to the mandrel. This process is expensive and requires the maintaining of a large inventory of different sizes at remote locations.
Packers that are field assembled have been used in the past. These designs involved a slip on of a tubular shaped cylindrical assembly that had two layers of natural and non-swelling rubber that were separated by a Mylar® sheet to define an inflatable annular space between the layers. Tubing would be connected to the annular space to deliver the inflation fluid. To keep the element from shifting, a hinged clamp was made up over the tubular and disposed at opposed ends of the slipped on element assembly. There were many problems with this design that date back to the 1970s. Apart from issues of over inflation leading to a rupture of the element assembly, the clamps proved unreliable. The vibration in a tubular string that is inherent to its use downhole made the bolted connections on the clamp release. Apart from that, the clamps were damaged during run in by striking the wellbore. The design was discontinued.
Ring structures have been formed in place for tubulars to serve as centralizers for such purposes as to keep the tubular centralized for cementing in deviated wells.
What is needed and provided by the present invention is a packer design that can be field assembled using, preferably, an element assembly that swells downhole to create a seal. It is retained to the mandrel by rings that are formed to the tubular so that variations in the outer dimensions of the tubular become unimportant. The assembly can further feature different swelling materials to protect the ends of the main swelling material during run in. These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawing that appear below, while recognizing that the full scope of the invention is to be found in the claims.


In one embodiment, the invention is a moment-based characterization waveform for static timing analysis. One embodiment of a method for mapping a timing waveform associated with a gate of an integrated circuit to a characterization waveform includes using a processor to perform steps including: computing one or more moments of the timing waveform and defining the characterization waveform in accordance with the moments.

The present invention relates generally to design automation, and relates more particularly to static timing analysis of integrated circuit (IC) chips.
For static timing analysis to be efficient, the various constituent gates of a very large scale integration (VLSI) design must have their timing properties pre-characterized. A typical gate library consists of a thousand or more gates, each representing a different logic function, drive strength, transistor topology, or the like. For each of these gates, the timing properties are typically characterized by running repeated simulations for different input waveforms ("characterization waveforms") and different capacitive loads. The resulting gate delays and output slews are then tabulated (or fit) as functions of input slew and output load capacitance.
Once the library is characterized, static timing analysis tools use the pre-computed and tabulated timing properties to time each gate in the design. In particular, the input waveform appearing at the switching input of a gate under analysis ("timing waveform") must be mapped to a characterization waveform. Typically, this mapping is performed by measuring the fifty-percent crossing time and the slew of the timing waveform and then selecting the characterization waveform that matches the measured values (as represented by a saturated ramp that is commonly referred to as the "standard ramp"). The delay and output slew of the gate are then obtained from either function evaluation or table interpolation.
A shortcoming of this conventional approach is that since the timing properties of the gate are treated as dependent on input slew and load capacitance only, all timing waveforms with the same slew will result in the same gate delay and output slew values. In other words, although the actual delays may vary significantly, this approach would assign the same delay value to all of these timing waveforms. This approximation is typically inaccurate and can result in flawed timing analysis.

Moment-based characterization waveform for static timing analysis

International Business Machines Corporation


An intermediate for a mailer type business form, and the mailer so produced, comprise face-to-face first and second plies which have aligned windows in them, with the outgoing address visible through both windows in the outgoing configuration of the mailer, and with the reply address visible through the second window in the reply envelope configuration after the outgoing mailer is opened and a reply address card inserted into the reply envelope. Carbonless coatings are also preferably provided associated with the first and second plies so that indicia imprinted on the first ply is transferred to the second ply. First adhesive patterns hold the plies together in the intermediate, and second adhesive patterns hold the mailer together when the plies are V-folded about aligned intermediate fold lines. Perforations allow opening of the outgoing mailer, and the bottommost ply of the outgoing mailer has reply address indicia printed thereon, and perforations which allow it to be detached into a card and inserted into the reply envelope, for reply address indicia visible through the second window.

In the construction of mailer type business forms, which are some of the most versatile and useful business forms, sometimes it is desirable to provide indicia imprinted onto a top ply to an underlying ply, and also to provide a return envelope construction that is simple to utilize. However, since an outer face of the outgoing envelope will have a carbonless coating on it, it is desirable to provide a window in that face so that a reply address card having a reply address on it is visible through the window in the reply envelope.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided which comprises the following elements: A first ply having first length and first width dimensions, perimeter edges, first and second faces, and a first window therein. A first fold line formed in the first ply across the width thereof. A second ply having second length and second width dimensions both less than the first length and width dimensions, perimeter edges, first and second faces, and a second window therein. A second fold line formed in the second ply across the width thereof. First adhesive patterns for attaching the first and second plies together adjacent at least some of the perimeter edges of the second ply, so that the first and second windows are aligned and so that the first and second fold lines are aligned and so that the second ply covers the majority of the first face of the first ply, the second ply second face substantially in face-to-face engagement with the first ply first face. Second adhesive patterns provided adjacent at least some of the perimeter edges of the first face of the first ply on areas thereof uncovered by the second ply, for holding the first ply in an outgoing mailer configuration when folded about the first fold line. And, third adhesive patterns formed on the first face of the second ply for forming a reply envelope when the second ply is folded about the second fold line.
The second window in the intermediate is slightly larger than the first window, and when the windows are aligned no portion of the second ply immediately adjacent the second window is visible through the first window. A CB coating is provided on at least a significant portion of the second face of the second ply, and a CF coating on at least the portion of the first face of the first ply aligned with the CB coated portion of the second face of the second ply. The first adhesive means secures the second ply to the first ply at three perimeter edges of the second ply, but not at a fourth perimeter edge. Lines of weakness are provided which allow the mailer formed from the intermediate to be readily opened despite the adhesive patterns.
The first fold line is typically provided at a mid point of the length of the first ply, so that the intermediate is V-folded to form a mailer according to the invention. An outgoing address area is provided on the first face of the second ply on the opposite side of the second fold line from the second window, aligned with the second window when the intermediate is V-folded about the fold lines. Reply address indicia is typically provided on the first ply on the panel thereof on the opposite side of the first fold line from the first window, and perforations are formed in the first ply to allow a sheet portion with the reply address thereon to be detached from the first ply and inserted into a reply envelope formed from the second ply so that it is visible through the second window. The second ply also has a flap formed therein with activatable adhesive on the first face of the second ply, at the flap.
According to another aspect of the present invention an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided comprising the following elements: A first ply having first length and width dimensions, perimeter edges, and first and second faces. A first fold line formed in the first ply across the width thereof at approximately the mid point of the length. A second ply having second length and width dimensions both less than the first length and width dimensions, perimeter edges, and first and second faces. A second fold line formed in the second ply across the width thereof. First adhesive patterns for attaching the first and second plies together adjacent at least some of the perimeter edges of the second ply, so that the first and second fold lines are aligned and so that the second ply covers the majority of the first face of the first ply, the second ply second face substantially in face-to-face engagement with the first ply first face. Second adhesive patterns provided adjacent at least some of the perimeter edges of the first face of the first ply on areas thereof uncovered by the second ply, for holding the first ply in an outgoing mailer configuration when folded about the first fold line. Third adhesive patterns formed on the first face of the second ply for forming a reply envelope when the second ply is folded about the second fold line. A CB coating on at least a significant portion of the second face of the second ply. And, a CF coating on a portion of the first face of the first ply aligned with the CB coated portion of the second face of the second ply.
The invention also comprises a mailer type business form. The mailer type business form comprises the following elements: A first ply having top and bottom faces and a first window therein. A second ply having top and bottom faces, the top face of the second ply in face-to-face engagement with the bottom face of the first ply, the second ply having a second window therein in alignment with the first window. A third ply having top and bottom faces underlying the second ply, the third ply top face in substantial face-to-face engagement with the second ply bottom face, and outgoing address information provided on the top face of the third ply in alignment with the first and second windows. A fourth ply having top and bottom faces, the top face of the fourth ply in substantial face-to-face engagement with the bottom face of the third ply. Adhesive patterns for holding the plies together to form an outgoing mailer configuration, and a reply envelope within the outgoing mailer configuration. And, lines of weakness adjacent the adhesive patterns for allowing opening of the outgoing mailer to expose the reply envelope.
The second window is slightly larger than the first window and the windows are aligned so that no portion of the second ply immediately adjacent the second window is visible through the first window. Also a CF coating is provided on the bottom face of the first ply, and a CB coating on the top face of the second ply. Reply address indicia is printed on the fourth ply, and perforations are formed on the fourth ply so that a reply address containing a portion of the fourth ply can be detached from the fourth ply and inserted in the reply envelope, so that the reply address is visible through the second window.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a mailer type business form is provided comprising the following elements: A second ply having top and bottom faces, the top face of the second ply in face-to-face engagement with the bottom face of the first ply. A third ply having top and bottom faces underlying the second ply, the third ply top face in substantial face-to-face engagement with the second ply bottom face, and outgoing address information provided on the top face of the third ply in alignment. A fourth ply having top and bottom faces, the top face of the fourth ply in substantial face-to-face engagement with the bottom face of the third ply. Adhesive patterns for holding the plies together to form an outgoing mailer configuration, and a reply envelope within the outgoing mailer configuration. Lines of weakness adjacent the adhesive patterns for allowing opening of the outgoing mailer to expose the reply envelope. And, a CF coating on at least a significant portion of the bottom face of the first ply, and a CB coating on a portion of the top face of second ply aligned with the CF coated portion of the bottom face of the first ply.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a mailer type business form, and intermediate for the construction thereof, that is versatile and advantageous. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.


An aerial lift comprising a frame, an articulated boom including a first and second boom portions, a workman support structure mounted on the upper end of the second boom portion for pivotal movement relative thereto about a generally horizontal axis, and a mechanism for leveling the workman support structure throughout the range of movement of the first and second boom portions, the leveling mechanism including first and second sections of elongate material extending through the boom portions, a hydraulic assembly connected to the second section and including a hydraulic cylinder, a piston dividing the cylinder into first and second chambers, and a piston rod having one end fixedly connected to the piston, and a hydraulic accumulator communicating with one of the chambers.

The invention relates to articulated booms, and more particularly to articulated booms including an arrangement for leveling the workman support bucket.
A conventional articulated boom comprises a pair of elongated boom portions that are pivotally joined together. The lower end of one of the portions is pivotally mounted on a frame, and the upper end of the other portion supports a pivotally mounted bucket in which a workman rides. The boom also comprises means for leveling the bucket throughout the range of movement of the boom portions. This means typically includes a closed loop of flexible, elongate material, such as a cable or chain, which extends through the boom from the frame to the bucket and which is supported by pulleys or sprockets. A portion of this loop, referred to as the tension portion, resists downward tilting movement of the bucket and thus is maintained under tension by the force of gravity acting on the bucket. The remainder of the loop, called the holdback portion, is not maintained under tension by the bucket.
Articulated booms are commonly mounted on trucks, and it is desirable to maintain tension in the loop so that the bouncing which inevitably occurs when the boom is being transported does not cause the loop to come off its pulleys or sprockets and does not cause damage to the loop itself or to other components within the boom. Maintaining the loop under constant tension also reduces elongation of the loop when it is loaded, such as when a workman enters the bucket.
Houck U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,763 discloses an arrangement in which turnbuckles are provided for adjusting the tension in the loop. A disadvantage of using turnbuckles is that it is necessary to frequently tighten the turnbuckles in order to maintain tension. Another disadvantage of using turnbuckles is that the closed loop is typically enclosed within the boom portions and it is necessary to provide access to the interior of the boom portions in order to afford access to the turnbuckles. For example, in the Houck patent, access plates 13' and 14' are provided to afford access to the turnbuckles. Thus, it is necessary to remove the access plates each time the turnbuckles are tightened.
Attention is directed to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.
______________________________________ Johnson 4,081,055 Mar. 28, 1978 Freudenthal, et al. 4,512,436 Apr. 23, 1985 Houck 4,429,763 Feb. 7, 1984 Brendel 3,049,194 Aug. 14, 1962 Geary 2,063,802 Dec. 8, 1936 Gould 4,484,732 Nov. 27, 1984 Pitts 2,323,352 Jul. 6, 1943 Puryear, et al. 3,302,480 Feb. 7, 1967 ______________________________________

Articulated boom including tensioning apparatus


A hinged two-part doorstop wedge that can be folded into a generally flat or collapsed configuration, and which can be unfolded and deployed in an elevated configuration for placement on the ground near a door so as to stop the motion of the door. The doorstop includes pivotally coupled first and second hinge elements, wherein in the fully collapsed configuration the first hinge element and the second hinge element have generally coplanar upper and lower surfaces, and when in the elevated configuration the top side of the first hinge element is angled upwardly to engage the bottom rail of a door.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to door stops, and more particularly to a foldable door stop.
2. Background Discussion
Door stops must be tall enough to stop the movement of a door are thus typically an inch thick and wedge shaped. The size and shape of conventional doorstops make them difficult to store and move. There is a need in the art for a doorstop that can effectively stop a door and that can be folded or reconfigured into a more convenient shape for storage and transport.


A fuel injection device for internal combustion engines, in which the control of the high-pressure delivery of the pump piston is achieved via a magnet valve disposed in a line between the pump work chamber and a fuel tank. To that end, the magnet valve has a valve member, actuated counter to the force of a valve spring by an electrical actuator and the valve member cooperates, by its sealing face with a valve seat and is pressure balanced via a cross-sectional constriction, which is disposed in a pressure chamber that communicates with the pump work chamber. In the event of a fracture of the valve member, in order to avoid blocking of the magnet valve when closed and an attendant uncontrolled, excessive fuel injection quantity, an axial bore is disposed inside the valve member, which bore feeds into a connecting line and on into the low-pressure chamber, and via which the high fuel pressure can drop after the valve member breaks.

The invention is based on a fuel injection device, in particular a unit fuel injector for internal combustion engines as defined hereinafter. In a fuel injection device of this kind, known from an earlier German patent application P 41 42 998.2-13, a pump piston axially guided in a cylinder bore of a pump housing is driven to reciprocate by a cam drive. With its face end remote from the cam drive the pump piston defines a pump work chamber in the cylinder bore into which a fuel supply line discharges and which via a pressure conduit communicates with an injection valve protruding into the combustion chamber of the engine to be supplied. Thus not only the onset of the high-pressure delivery of the fuel found in the pump work chamber and therefore the onset of injection, but also the quantity of fuel to be injected is regulated via the diversion process by means of a magnet valve, disposed in the fuel line, which is controlled as a function of the operating parameters of the engine to be supplied.
To this end, the magnet valve has an electrically triggered valve member, which rests against a valve seat in the valve body with a conical valve sealing face disposed on its circumference. In the absence of current, the magnet valve is open; not until there is a supply of current does it bring the valve member into contact with the valve seat, counter to the force of a valve spring, and cause it to close. For the sake of the most minimum possible design of the magnet valve adjusting magnet and of the valve spring, the valve member has an annular cross-sectional constriction at its circumference, at the level of the entry of the high-pressure line from the pump work chamber, and this constriction is furthermore located in an annular chamber in the valve body when the magnet valve is closed, so that the fuel can flow evenly around the valve member, and so that high fuel pressure will act equally on the valve member in both the opening and closing directions of the valve member. As a result, the adjusting forces can be kept correspondingly small.
To cool the magnet valve in the known fuel injection device, a flow of force at low pressure, which is taken from the low-pressure chamber disposed on the underside of the magnet valve via a respective connecting conduit, each of which has a throttle, flows through part of the magnet chamber and immediately thereafter returns to a chamber having a low level of pressure.
The magnet valve of the known fuel injection device has the disadvantage, however, that on high-pressure entry, the valve member is put under a great deal of hydraulic stress at the annular cross-sectional constriction; in both the opening and closing direction of the valve member, the high axial forces acting upon the involved transition surfaces of the cross-sectional constriction can exert a concentration of stress upon the remaining cross section at the narrowest part of the valve member there, which can lead to a fatigue fracture.
If such a pressure occurs, the high axial forces drive the parts of the valve member apart at the point of fracture; the high pump work pressure now acts upon the entire valve member cross section and consequently holds the valve member with its sealing face pressed against the valve seat. The opening force of the valve spring is now no longer sufficient for the valve member to open independently, so that it remains closed throughout the entire stroke of the pump piston, and as a result, the fuel injection device injects the maximum possible supply quantity into the combustion chamber of the engine. This uncontrolled, uncheckable high fuel injection quantity can then lead to an increase in the engine speed above the permissible range, which can eventually destroy the engine.

Fuel injection device for internal combustion engines


Disclosed are various embodiments for implementing wireless service for a wireless device. In a representative embodiment, a service initiation system is executed in a computing device that communicates with a service provider system over a network to activate a wireless service associated with a newly purchased wireless device. The service initiation system also generates a network page to send to a client over the network, where the network page has a component that initiates a porting of a contact designation associated with a prior wireless device to the newly purchased wireless device separate from the activation of the wireless service for the newly purchased wireless device.

The purchase of wireless devices such as cellular telephones can be technologically difficult to achieve over the Internet due to the fact that service needs to be activated for a wireless device and often a telephone number needs to be ported from a previously existing cellular telephone. For example, users may often wish to delay the porting of a telephone number until they are able to transfer contact information and other data from their old cellular telephone.


An assembly for securing the eyepiece of an endoscope to a digital camera includes a bar that supports the camera and a block that supports the eyepiece. The camera can be secured to the bar using the camera's tripod mounting hole. The block can normally move in three orthogonal linear directions relative to the bar, but can also be locked in a selected position relative to the bar. In this manner, the assembly can be adjusted so that the eyepiece of the endoscope contacts or nearly contacts the end of the barrel of the digital camera secured to the camera bar. Then, the support block can be locked into position to clamp the endoscope to the digital camera. A sheet is attached to one of the components and can be draped over the camera prior to use of the camera in a sterile environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to endoscopy. In particular, the present invention relates to an assembly for securing any readily-available digital camera to the eyepiece of an endoscope.
2. Description of Current Technology
Endoscopy is a visual diagnostic tool that is applied in many fields of medicine. In endoscopy, a long narrow flexible tube, i.e., an endoscope, is used to transmit an image of an object located near a first one of its ends to a second one of its ends. The first end is inserted into a body. The interior of the endoscope is capable of transmitting light entering the first end of the endoscope to the second end of the endoscope. The second end of the endoscope usually has an eyepiece so that a person can view the transmitted image of the object located near the first end of the endoscope.
Because of its narrow tubular structure, the endoscope is a useful tool for viewing the inside of a body lumen. For example, in a procedure called cystoscopy, a urologist uses an endoscope to visually inspect the urethra and urinary bladder for abnormalities. Endoscopic procedures outside the field of urology include but are not limited to colonoscopy (gastroenterology), bronchoscopy (otolaryngology), and tympanoscopy (pediatrics).
While it is possible to view an image of an object located near the first end of the endoscope by physically looking through the eyepiece at the second end of the endoscope, this method of viewing the image is limiting in the sense that only one person can view the image at a time and that person will often have to be in a particular location in a room in order to view the image. It is more useful to display the image on a monitor so that any person in the room can view it without moving to a particular location in the room. This is particularly useful during a surgical procedure, where a surgeon often needs to be at a particular location and cannot move from that location for purposes of viewing the image.
Additionally, often a doctor will want a physical record of an image from an endoscope. Such a physical record, i.e., a photograph, can, for example, be placed in a patient's paper file.
Currently, a large tower containing an analog camera linked to a monitor is used to display an image from an endoscope and to capture the image for a permanent record. This equipment is large, difficult to use, non-portable, and expensive. The cost of this equipment can be $40,000 or more and the non-portability of the equipment means that endoscopic procedures must be performed in a dedicated room. Additionally, because the camera is analog, i.e., the image is captured on film, the image cannot easily be incorporated into an electronic patient file.
Compact digital cameras are inexpensive, portable and readily available. A digital camera can be purchased for $500 or less. Digital cameras can capture images that can be easily downloaded into a computer, which can readily incorporate them into electronic patient files. Most digital cameras can also record video. Digital cameras also contain a port for plugging in a cable from a TV or a monitor for live display of the images received by the barrel of the camera. Newer digital cameras are able to wirelessly transmit images to a computer for storage or to a compatible monitor or TV for display. Some cameras can even wirelessly transmit a video being taken by the camera to a monitor or TV in real-time. Due to their popularity, new features are continuously being added to digital cameras and their prices continue to fall.
Attempts have been made in the past to use a digital camera in endoscopic procedures, with varying success. For a digital camera to be employed in endoscopy, it must be positioned against the eyepiece at the second end of the endoscope. Digital cameras, however, differ considerably in their size and construction. The barrels of some digital cameras are located at the center of the front face of the camera. The barrels of other digital cameras are located on a particular side of the front face. Additionally, the size of the barrel and the amount by which the barrel extends from the front face differs from camera to camera. Therefore, it is difficult to construct a universal mechanism that secures any common digital camera to the eyepiece of the endoscope.

Assembly and method for securing an endoscope to a digital camera


A sheet of cellulose based material having enhanced strength, particularly the dry strength, substantially unaffected repulpability is disclosed. The sheet of cellulose based materials generally includes a first cellulose based material connected with a second cellulose base material element. The first cellulose based material is formed by separating a portion of the fiber from a furnish, treating the separated portion with a cationic wet strength resin which is allowed to bond to the fiber. The treated fiber is then mixed with the untreated balance of the fiber at some point before the paper machine. The fiber that is separated may be secondary fiber, virgin fiber or combinations thereof. The second cellulose base material element is substantially free from any treatment. The second cellulose base material element may be include substantially all untreated fibers.

Containers made from fibreboard are used widely in many industries. For example, fibreboard containers are used to ship products that are moist or packed in ice such as fresh produce or fresh seafood. It is known that when such containers take up moisture, they lose strength. To minimize or avoid this loss of strength, moisture-resistant shipping containers are required.
Moisture-resistant containers used to date have commonly been prepared by saturating container blanks with melted wax after folding and assembly. Wax-saturated containers cannot be effectively recycled and must generally be disposed of in a landfill. In addition, wax adds a significant amount of weight to the container blank, e.g., the wax can add up to 40% by weight to the container blank.


Provided are a packing tape, and a method of forming the same, the packing tape including a flexible member having a first surface and a second surface defining a body therebetween having a thickness, a width and a length. The packing tape further includes a tear-away member defined by a first row and a second row of a plurality of perforated members which are parallel to each other and centrally located along the width of the flexible member. The packing tape also includes an adhesive on the second surface of the flexible member.

This application generally relates to packing tapes, and more particularly to packing tapes which include perforated members allowing users to easily tear the packing tapes to open a package.
Packing tapes are shown in the prior art for sealing letters, cans, cartons, or for wrapping and sealing packages of various descriptions such as newspapers, periodicals and the like. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,032,026 to Roden, issued Jul. 9, 1912, a sealing strip is shown for use in sealing a can or carton. A thread or cord is designed to run along the longitudinal length of the sealing strip so that the can or carton can be opened by pulling on the free end of the cord, causing it to fracture the sealing strip along the length thereof. The thread or cord is located on the bottom surface of the tape and is secured in position by a thin strip of paper which extends longitudinally on the bottom surface of the sealing strip over the cord. The strip of paper is pasted flat to the bottom surface of the sealing strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,385 to Humphner, issued Nov. 20, 1956, shows a draw tape having a tear filament located on the underside of the tape which extends longitudinally of the underside and which is united thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,120 to Getzin, issued Dec. 26, 1967, shows a length of packaging material for packaging filter elements which has a tear ribbon fastened to the bottom surface of the packaging material to facilitate tearing for opening the package.
In each of the above references, a cord or filament is pasted or otherwise affixed to the bottom surface of the tape or packaging strip, adding to the cost and complexity of manufacture. Also, the tear area or portion of the tape is not clearly visible to the user from the top surface of the tape.
It would be desirable to provide easier to use and more reliable packing tapes. Intended advantages of the disclosed articles of manufacture and/or methods satisfy one or more of these needs or provide other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.


A cup assembly with circuit actuating capability comprises: a cup body having a bottom recess that is defined by a recess-defining wall and that has an open end, the recess-defining wall being provided with a threaded structure; a module support having a base part that covers the open end of the bottom recess, and a threaded confining part that is connected to the base part, that is received in the bottom recess, that defines an accommodating space, and that engages threadedly with the threaded structure; and a signal producing module mounted on the base part, received in the accommodating space, and including a signal producing member and a first switch that is coupled to the signal producing member and that is operable to enable and disable the signal producing member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cup assembly with circuit actuating capability, more particularly to a cup assembly including a cup body and a module support embedded in a bottom of the cup body.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,813 discloses a conventional cup assembly that includes a cup body having a bottom thread hole, and an audio system base part provided with a top thread member that engages threadedly with the bottom thread hole of the cup body. The audio system base part is disposed at an exterior of the cup body, and is preferably greater in diameter than the cup body to provide a more stable assembly.

Cup assembly with circuit actuating capability


Managing concurrent serialized interrupt broadcast commands in a multi-node, symmetric multiprocessing computer including receiving, by a communications adapter in a compute node, a plurality of serialized interrupt broadcast commands; receiving, by the communications adapter, a plurality of interrupt tags for the plurality of serialized interrupt broadcast commands, each interrupt tag including an identification of an interrupt service order for a serialized interrupt broadcast command; assigning, by the communications adapter, to each serialized interrupt broadcast command its interrupt tag; and if an interrupt tag assigned to a serialized interrupt broadcast command has an interrupt service order that matches a value of a current operation tag that identifies the next serialized interrupt broadcast command to be exposed to the one or more processors, exposing, by the communications adapter, the serialized interrupt broadcast command to the one or more processors on the compute node to be serviced.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for managing concurrent serialized interrupt broadcast commands in a multi-node, symmetric multiprocessing computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Contemporary high performance computer systems, such as, for example, the IBM System z series of mainframes, are typically implemented as multi-node, symmetric multiprocessing ('SMP') computers with many compute nodes. SMP is a multiprocessor computer hardware architecture where two or more, typically many more, identical processors are connected to a single shared main memory and controlled by a single operating system. Most multiprocessor systems today use an SMP architecture. In the case of multi-core processors, the SMP architecture applies to the cores, treating them as separate processors. Processors may be interconnected using buses, crossbar switches, mesh networks, and the like. Each compute node typically includes a number of processors, each of which has at least some local memory, at least some of which is accelerated with cache memory. The cache memory can be local to each processor, local to a compute node shared across more than one processor, or shared across nodes.
Conventional SMP computers typically include inter-processor communications to facilitate the coordination of interrupt processing amongst processors. In such conventional SMP computers, there exists a network between compute nodes and their processors to broadcast commands to execute such interrupt processing. These broadcast commands for interrupt processing must be serviced by at least one processor on each node in the serial order in which these commands they were broadcast. There is, however, no requirement that these commands be serviced simultaneously. To ensure that these broadcast commands are serviced by at least one processor in each node in serial order, conventional SMP computers reject all other broadcast commands for interrupt processing while any such command is being serviced by any of the nodes. Such rejection continues until each node confirms that it has completed servicing the last broadcast command for interrupt processing and is ready to execute another such command. As the number of processors and compute nodes in SMP computers continues to increase, the volume of such broadcast commands for interrupt processing also increases and therefore the latency caused by rejecting all broadcasts while currently servicing interrupt processing also increases.


A head restraint assembly for a vehicle seat has a head restraint post adapted to be mounted to the vehicle seat. A support member is coupled to the head restraint post. The support member having a plurality of attachment receptacles to mount the head restraint post to one of the plurality of attachment receptacles. A compressible pad member is mounted to the support member. A convex outer surface provides support for a head of an occupant. The support member is mounted to head restraint post at one of the plurality of attachment receptacles positions the compressible pad at a distance from the convex outer surface.

1. Technical Field
Multiple embodiments relate to inserts for vehicle seat head restraints.
2. Background Art
Occupants of motor vehicles have long suffered head, neck and spinal injuries during events such as rear vehicle impact or sudden deceleration. Typically, a vehicle head restraint is constructed with compressible foam surrounding a head restraint post. In a rear impact event, the occupant's head contacts the top of the vehicle head restraint with sufficient force to result in a significant deflection of the foam. The magnitude of neck deflection increases as the head further compresses the foam. Furthermore, because the foam is sufficiently resilient, the energy imparted to the foam by the occupant's head is mostly stored and not dissipated. As such, when the rear collision event has ended, the energy stored within the foam is released into the occupant's head, which causes the occupant's head to move rapidly forward possibly causing further injury to the vehicle occupant.

Support member for vehicle seat head restraint


Vacuum pumping apparatus includes a scroll set having an inlet and an outlet. The scroll set includes a first stationary scroll blade and a second stationary scroll blade extending from a stationary plate and separated by a gap, and an orbiting scroll extending from an orbiting plate, wherein the first and second stationary scroll blades are intermeshed with the orbiting scroll blade to define one or more interblade pockets. The vacuum pumping apparatus further includes a relief port in the gap between the first and second stationary scroll blades and coupled through a relief passage to an exhaust, a relief valve in the relief passage, and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the orbiting scroll element for producing orbiting motion of the orbiting scroll blade relative to the first and second stationary scroll blades.

This invention relates to scroll-type vacuum pumps and, more particularly, to scroll-type vacuum pumps which have a two-stage design.
Scroll devices are well known in the field of vacuum pumps and compressors. In a scroll device, a movable spiral blade orbits with respect to a fixed spiral blade within a housing. The movable spiral blade is connected to an eccentric drive mechanism. The configuration of the scroll blades and their relative motion traps one or more volumes or xe2x80x9cpocketsxe2x80x9d of a fluid between the blades and moves the fluid through the device. Most applications apply rotary power to pump a fluid through the device. Oil-lubricated scroll devices are widely used as refrigerant compressors. Other applications include expanders, which operate in reverse from a compressor, and vacuum pumps. Scroll pumps have not been widely adopted for use as vacuum pumps, mainly because the cost of manufacturing a scroll pump is significantly higher than a comparably-sized, oil-lubricated vane pump. Dry scroll pumps have been used in applications where oil contamination is unacceptable.
A scroll pump includes stationary and orbiting scroll elements, and a drive mechanism. The stationary and orbiting scroll elements each include a scroll plate and a spiral scroll blade extending from the scroll plate. The scroll blades are intermeshed together to define interblade pockets. The drive mechanism produces orbiting motion of the orbiting scroll element relative to the stationary scroll element so as to cause the interblade pockets to move toward the pump outlet.
Various scroll pump designs have been proposed in the prior art to increase performance and to reduce pump size. A two stage scroll pump is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,015, issued Apr. 1, 1997 to Liepert. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,405, issued Mar. 17, 1987 to Iwanami et al., discloses a scroll pump with axially-spaced pumping chambers in series. A double-sided first stage feeds a single-sided second stage. A scroll compressor having two stages on opposite sides of an orbiting plate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,047, issued Apr. 19, 1994 to Shibamoto. A single-sided scroll compressor having scroll blades with portions of different axial heights is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,238, issued Oct. 16, 1984 to Terauchi. A multi-stage, single-sided scroll compressor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,792, issued Apr. 18, 2000 to Shaffer. Scroll compressors having a relief valve in a passage which couples a moving volume between scroll blades to a discharge port are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,171 issued Jun. 21, 1983 to Eber et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,615 issued Feb. 5, 1985 to Griffith.
The prior art scroll pump designs have not been entirely satisfactory with respect to both performance and physical size. Accordingly, there is a need for improved scroll-type vacuum pumping apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the invention, vacuum pumping apparatus is provided. The vacuum pumping apparatus comprises a scroll set having an inlet and an outlet. The scroll set comprises a first stationary scroll blade and a second stationary scroll blade extending from a stationary plate and separated by a gap, and an orbiting scroll blade extending from an orbiting plate, wherein the first and second stationary scroll blades are intermeshed with the orbiting scroll blade to define one or more interblade pockets. The vacuum pumping apparatus further comprises a relief port in the gap between the first and second stationary scroll blades and coupled through a relief passage to an exhaust, a relief valve in the relief passage, and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the orbiting plate for producing orbiting motion of the orbiting scroll blade relative to the first and second stationary scroll blades so as to cause the one or more interblade pockets to move toward the outlet.
The drive mechanism may include a motor having an axis of rotation. The first stationary scroll blade may have a first axial depth, and the second stationary scroll blade may have a second axial depth. The first axial depth may be greater than the second axial depth.
The first stationary scroll blade may define a first pumping stage and the second stationary scroll blade may define a second pumping stage. The first and second pumping stages may be coupled in series between the inlet and the outlet.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a scroll vacuum pump is provided. The scroll vacuum pump comprises a scroll set having an inlet, an outlet and first and second pumping stages coupled in series between the inlet and the outlet. The scroll set comprises a first stationary scroll blade and a second stationary scroll blade extending from a stationary plate, and a first orbiting scroll blade and a second orbiting scroll blade extending from an orbiting plate. The first stationary and orbiting scroll blades define the first pumping stage, the second stationary and orbiting scroll blades define the second pumping stage, and a gap is provided between the first and second stationary scroll blades. The scroll vacuum pump further comprises a relief port in the gap between the first and second stationary scroll blades and coupled through a relief passage to the outlet; a relief valve in the relief passage; and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the orbiting plate for producing orbiting motion of the first and second orbiting scroll blades relative to the first and second stationary scroll blades.


A system for performing vessel analysis uses display means (1) for displaying a three-dimensional image representing at least a tubular structure. Indicating means (2) are used for enabling a user to indicate a position on a vessel of the tubular structure, for obtaining an indicated position. Identifying means (3) are used for identifying a portion of the tubular structure situated around the indicated position, including any bifurcations, and extending up to a predetermined distance measure from the indicated position, for obtaining an identified portion. The display means (1) is also used for displaying a graphical annotation in the displayed three-dimensional image, indicative of the identified portion of the tubular structure.

Medical image datasets include medical images of vascular structures. These medical images may be two-dimensional (such as in vascular x-ray), or three-dimensional (such as in CT angiography or MR angiography). The three-dimensional image may be a volumetric image, which means that vascular structures are represented in terms of gray values. Vessel tracking tools exist that can identify parts of the vascular structure, based on these gray values.
For example, US 2008/0101667 A1 discloses a device for presenting information associated with a blood vessel to a user for assessment of the blood vessel. The device includes a memory, the memory being capable of storing imaging data defined in three dimensions, and a processor operably coupled to the memory to receive the imaging data. The processor is configured to present a two-dimensional slice of three-dimensional imaging data of a blood vessel to a user in a first user interface; to receive a blood vessel selection from the user, wherein the user selects the blood vessel through an interaction with the first user interface; to identify a blood vessel path associated with the received blood vessel selection from the three-dimensional imaging data; and to present an intensity of the selected blood vessel along the identified blood vessel path to the user for analysis of the selected blood vessel.


The graphics display system includes an electroluminescent lamp which has a connector member which includes electrical pin connections which are connected to the illuminating assembly of the lamp. The lamp also includes a graphic image portion which results in a lighted image when the lamp is illuminated. The lamp fits into a base assembly which includes a socket arrangement which receives the connector member of the lamp. The socket portion includes electrically conductive spring clips which mate with the electrical pin connections on the connecting member and firmly hold the lamp in place when the lamp is properly inserted into the socket. The electrically conductive spring clips are connected to a source of electrical signals for illumination of the lamp. The system also includes a green filter applied to a surface of the lamp, and a clear substrate applied to the upper surface of the filter. The graphic image is printed into the substrate.

This invention relates generally to illuminated graphics systems, and more particularly concerns such systems using an electroluminescent lamp.
Electroluminescent lamps are in general well known. Historically, however, such lamps were limited in their application because of small size, the requirement of expensive, unreliable and bulky power supplies, and a relatively short life. New developments, however, have resulted in high quality lamps which are produced in panel-like rolls 36 inches wide and up to 1200 feet long. The desired length of a lamp for a particular application may be conveniently cut from such a roll. The rolled lamp is quite thin, as is typical with electroluminescent lamps, on the order of 0.040 inches. The useful life of these newer lamps is now quite long, up to 9000 hours in maximum cases, although a more reasonable expectation is 6000 hours. The newer electroluminescent lamp is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,755, among others.
Electroluminescent lamps have and are being used for illumination for various applications, including movie theater aisle lighting as well as in other retail environments, including arcades, amusement parks and restaurants. The lamps are also used for illumination of specific small, confined areas, such as the interiors of appliances, and the interiors of vehicles such as trucks, buses and trains.
Further, it is known that electroluminescent lamps can be used to make illuminated signage, in which printed graphics on optically clear overlaying material is applied to the lamp. In this arrangement, the original lamp is trimmed to the desired final size of the sign. The images are then applied to phosphor material by cold mounting. The combination of the image material and the phosphor is then placed onto the lamp and laminated to it, either by a cold or hot roll process. The laminated image on the lamp is then trimmed, leaving a frame of laminate around the graphic image. Current signage applications, however, have several disadvantages, including expense and cumbersome connections between the power supply and the lamp structure. Also, changing the lamp itself typically requires changing the entire graphics assembly.
In addition, the blue color of the electroluminescent lamps tends to result in somewhat unnatural illuminated colors when the conventional the graphic image/phosphor lamination process is used. Color matching to produce natural, accurate colors using electroluminescent lamps would be desirable.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is an electroluminescent graphics display system, which comprises: an electroluminescent lamp which has an illuminating assembly and a connector portion which includes electrical contacts for connection to a source of electrical signals which illuminate the lamp, the lamp being adapted to receive a graphics portion so as to produce an illuminated image when the lamp is illuminated; and a base assembly, which includes a socket member which is adapted to receive and release the connector portion of the lamp, wherein the socket member has electrically conductive elements which are spaced such that they contact the electrical contacts on the connector portion when the lamp is correctly inserted into the base member, wherein the base member includes a source of electrical signals for illumination of the lamp, the electrical signals being transmitted through the electrically conducting elements in the base assembly to the electrical contacts on the connector portion for illumination of the lamp.
Another aspect of the invention is an electroluminescent lamp for a graphics display system, comprising: an electroluminescent lamp, the lamp having an illuminating assembly therein and a connector portion which includes electrical contacts for connection to a source of electrical power to illuminate the lamp, and a graphics portion thereon to produce an image when the lamp is illuminated, wherein the electroluminescent lamp, the graphics portion and the connector portion form a unitary integral unit for convenient insertion and removal from a base assembly, which includes connections to a source of electrical power.
A still further aspect of the invention is an electroluminescent lamp which is useful in a graphics display assembly, which comprises: an electroluminescent lamp member, which produces a salmon pink color; a: combination of a green filter member, a white layer member and a substrate layer, positioned outboard of an interior surface of the lamp, wherein the white layer is positioned outboard of the green filter; and a graphics image, outboard of the green filter member, the white layer and the substrate layer, wherein the images produced when the lamp is illuminated are characterized by natural colors and a realistic appearance.


A plurality of pads SN to CY2 each of which is assigned a tone color of a different musical instrument, and has a surface which a player strikes are provided. Furthermore, a controller CT having a CPU 18a for identifying a pad included in the pads SN to CY2 and struck by the player is also provided. The controller CT has a tone generator 16 for generating musical tones of a musical instrument assigned to the identified pad. The CPU 18a evaluates the player's performance and scores the performance. More specifically, the CPU 18a awards an amount of points when the first and the second pads which are included in the pads SN to CY2 but are different with each other are struck in a sequence. Furthermore, a display unit 15 for displaying the awarded score is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic percussion instrument set such as electronic drums and electronic cymbals and relates to a musical performance evaluating apparatus which evaluates performance of an electronic percussion instrument set.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is an electronic percussion instrument which imitates an acoustic drum such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,207. The electronic percussion instrument has a capability of counting the number of consecutive strikes on an electronic pad over a given period of time and evaluating the beating speed.

Electronic percussion instrument set and musical performance evaluating apparatus


A hypodermic syringe needle sheath holder, designed to prevent accidental pricking by a needle. The device can be operated with one hand and includes a housing with a sheath gripping mechanism mounted under the housing upper wall. The mechanism comprises a plurality of gripper blades pivotally mounted for movement between gripping and release positions, actuating means normally biasing the blades to gripping position, and release means for overcoming the actuating means to permit the insertion and withdrawal of a sheath therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to holders for hypodermic needle syringe sheaths, and more particularly to a holder designed to prevent accidental pricking of the finger of the user by an uncovered needle.
2. Description of the Background Art
A background art search directed to the subject matter of this invention conducted in the United States Patent and Trademark Office disclosed the following United States Letters Patent:
______________________________________ Des. 325,438 4,742,910 4,830,319 4,890,734 4,938,354 4,955,865 4,995,871 5,013,299 5,024,666 5,067,949 5,242,426 ______________________________________
None of the patents uncovered in the search discloses a hypodermic syringe needle sheath holder operable by one hand and which includes a housing with a sheath gripping mechanism mounted under the housing upper wall and comprising a plurality of gripper blades pivotally mounted for movement between gripping and release positions, actuating means normally biasing the blades to gripping position, and release means for overcoming the actuating means to permit the insertion and withdrawal of a sheath therefrom.


An air intake filter for internal combustion engines has a flat, replaceable filter insert through which air passes transversely in operation, and which can be inserted from one side into a filter housing. The filter insert has a gasket arranged on its periphery for sealing an end face of the filter insert against a lip on the filter housing. Sealing pressure is exerted by ledges on lateral portions of the filter housing which slant toward the filter insert in the direction of insertion. To prevent the gasket from being displaced laterally with respect to the lip on the filter housing when the sealing pressure is applied, the filter insert is received in a substantially open-faced frame. The frame has a closure member which is provided with abutments which engage on one side against the slanting ledges of the lateral portions of the filter housing and engage on the other side against the frame, and which can be pushed in the direction of insertion of the filter insert to a lockable closed position in which it exerts a sealing pressure on the filter gasket.

The present invention relates to an air intake filter for an internal combustion engine which comprises a flat, replaceable filter insert through which air passes transversely in operation, and which has a gasket arranged around its circumference for sealing the face of the filter against a lip of the filter housing, and which is insertable from one side into the filter housing, wherein a sealing pressure is exerted by means of ledges on lateral portions of the filter housing which slant toward the filter insert in the direction of insertion.
In a filter of this kind disclosed in German Patent No. DE 25 12 724, the filter insert itself has slanting lateral portions provided on both sides which rest against slanting ledges on the lateral portions of the filter housing. This arrangement has the disadvantage that, when the sealing pressure is applied, the gasket itself and the sealing seat are displaced sideways relative to each other, resulting in wear. This gives rise to the danger that the gasket will be damaged or will separate from the filter insert.

Air intake filter for an internal combustion engine


Disclosed is a method that includes specifying a firmware version to be updated; determining whether or not a direct update from a current firmware version to the specified firmware version is enabled; determining whether or not the update to the specified firmware version enabled through an intervention of another version update, if it is determined that the direct update to the specified firmware version is disabled; and executing the update to the specified firmware version through the intervention of another version update, if it is determined that the update from the current firmware version to the specified firmware version is enabled through the intervention of another version update.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a firmware updating apparatus, a firmware updating method, and a storage medium for the update of the firmware.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2006-129362 discloses a technique for downloading firmware from a firmware distribution server to a firmware updating apparatus via a network so as to perform a firmware update of the firmware updating apparatus. In this technique, firmware can be updated automatically at a designated time.
In the aforementioned technique, when normal update processing is not performed by a device having a facsimile receiving function for some reason, a major situation such as the failure to receive an important facsimile may occur. Hence, the technique can only perform an automatic update between operation-guaranteed versions.

Firmware updating apparatus, firmware updating method, and storage medium


A flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition includes (a) a polycarbonate resin, (b) an impact modifier, and (c) resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate). The impact modifier includes (b1) a large rubber particle-modified vinyl graft copolymer wherein the rubber particle has an average particle diameter of about 0.3 to about 0.7 μm, and (b2) a small rubber particle-modified graft copolymer wherein the rubber particle has an average particle diameter of about 0.05 to about 0.27 μm. The flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition can have excellent flowability, mold formability, flame retardancy, impact strength, and gloss characteristics.

Excellent processing properties and mechanical properties of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) alloy resins are attributed to high heat resistance and impact strength of the polycarbonate resins and good processability and chemical resistance of the ABS copolymer resins. PC/ABS alloy resins exhibit better physical properties than ABS and can be produced at lower costs than PC.
Due to these advantages, PC/ABS alloy resins can be utilized in various applications. For example, PC/ABS alloy resins are widely used in not only electrical/electronic products, such as monitor housings, hard disks, printers and notebook batteries, but also in automobile parts, such as door handles, bumpers and instrument panels. Thus, high flame retardancy is required to make PC/ABS alloy resins suitable for use in molded articles, such as housings of electronic products.
A general method for imparting flame retardancy to a thermoplastic resin includes mixing the thermoplastic resin with a brominated or chlorinated compound as a halogenated flame retardant. Halogenated flame retardants exert sufficient flame retardancy in the case of fire but can cause mold corrosion and environmental pollution problems during processing. Particularly, halogenated dioxin generated from halogenated flame retardants upon fire or incineration is fatal to humans and is a major cause of environmental pollution. For these reasons, the use of halogenated flame retardants is legally restricted under the control of the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) in Europe.
Under such circumstances, technologies associated with the use of phosphorus-based flame retardants instead of halogenated flame retardants have been developed recently. Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BDP) are mainly used as phosphorus-based flame retardants. TPP can be added at a level of 10% by weight per the total weight of a resin to achieve a flame retardancy rating level of V-0. However, TPP undergoes bridging or evaporation during extrusion due to the low melting point thereof. BDP may cause a problem in the flowability of resins due to the high viscosity and high molecular weight thereof.

Flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition


A new Dianthus plant designated ‘KLEDG20339’ particularly distinguished by light-pink with dark pink macules, double flowers and an upright habit, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Dianthus, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus L., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'KLEDG20339'. 'KLEDG20339' originated from a controlled cross in May 2015 in Stuttgart, Germany between the proprietary female Dianthus parent 'DSS-2014-1001' (unpatented) and the proprietary male Dianthus parent 'DSS-2014-1007' (unpatented). 'KLEDG20339' was selected in July 2016 from a population of plants grown resulting from the initial cross.
In August 2016, 'KLEDG20339' was first vegetatively propagated by vegetative stem cuttings in Stuttgart, Germany and Latina, Italy. 'KLEDG20339' was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation in Latina, Italy and Stuttgart, Germany via vegetative cuttings.


Device for receiving integrated circuit cards. The devices used until now in practice do not sufficiently protect the individual cards in all operating modes. The present device is intended to allow the cards to be locked. For this purpose, a locking mechanism (16) is provided, having at least one bar (9) which is designed as a lever (20, 21, 22) and can be moved out of a locking position into an unlocking position and vice versa and which is preferably held in its locking position with the aid of a holding device (23). The holding device (23) may, for example, be a torsion spring (36). In the case of another embodiment, the locking mechanism (16) may additionally have a closable blocking device (44) which acts on one of the abovementioned levers and can be moved out of a blocking position, preventing a movement of the relevant lever (21, 22), into a release position, releasing a movement of the lever (21, 22), and vice versa. The device is suitable in particular for protecting a plurality of cards to differing degrees and for using these for different purposes in cash registers.

The invention relates to a device for receiving integrated circuit cards.
There are already known quite generally devices in which the card is inserted into the slot-shaped guide until it comes up against a mechanical resistance. When the card is pushed in further, the resistance is overcome and the card is pushed with a predetermined force further into the slot-shaped guide, an electrical and/or mechanical contact being established between the card and the signal transmitting elements of the holder. In such a device, the card is held only unreliably in its operating position. In addition, such a device has no protection against removal.
German Utility Model G 89 02 736.1 already shows a device in which the cards inserted into their insert receptacles can be drawn completely into the insert area by means of a movable insert holder shared by all the cards and, in addition, can be covered by means of a lid mechanically coupled to the insert holder. This device is very complex in design and construction and does not allow, for example access to individual cards without consequently also relinquishing the protection of all the other cards at the same time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,991 discloses a device wherein bars protect the cards against dropping out or else against unauthorized removal of the cards, since the assigned bars have to be actively released in each case for removal of the cards. However, the bars cannot protect the cards against deliberate removal. In many cases, for example in the case of cash register systems, it is however required that certain cards can in each case be removed only by certain, authorized persons.

Device for receiving and locking integrated cards in a support

Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Aktiengesellschaft


Systems and methods of providing mobile network management of assets on a network are presented. In accordance with the method, a network management server is provided to control a network asset on a network. The network asset is connected to the network management server via a connection path. A secure communication path is established between the network management server and a mobile wireless capable device. The network asset is managed via the secure communication path with the mobile wireless capable device. The network is administered via the secure communication path with the mobile wireless capable device.

The present invention relates to computer networking, and, more particularly, to secure mobile management of networked assets via wireless devices in networked environments.
A network manager such as a network administrator has responsibility for managing network assets such as network devices on a network such as a voice or a data communication network. Managing devices typically includes, for example, configuring the devices, and, once the network is configured, routine monitoring of the devices, reconfiguring the devices if desirable, and troubleshooting problems with the network and/or the devices if problems should arise. For routine monitoring as well as for more intensive troubleshooting, a network manager needs to examine information about the network device. This information allows the manager to solve network problems as well as to reconfigure the network for greater stability and improved performance. Examining information about a device is often accomplished at a management station physically remote from the network device. The management station may be a network management server that, for example, monitors performance of managed network devices using an application such as a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap monitoring application such as a fault browser or an alarm browser. Other devices have a built-in web server that provides an http interface for management applications. When faults occur on network assets such as network devices, a network manager may connect to these devices from a World Wide Web browser, to configure and manage these devices. The network manager is still reliant, though, on the a main network management system to forward, correlate, and isolate the faults in order to point the manager to the correct device, which the manager can now reconfigure or monitor more closely. Even if the device had the capability to send the network manager the fault directly, which some devices have, it would not be possible to isolate the cause of the fault and effect of the fault on the total network, or the applicable sub network absent the aid of topology information that resides on the network management server. Furthermore, the network manager would not have accurate information focused on the network that the manager is currently in. Rather, the manager would be faced with a jumble of individual devices and links and large network topologies, which make it difficult for the network manager to comprehend the small sub network around the manager and to monitor faults just for this network. The information on what exactly is in the network around a network manager is so difficult to obtain and information is so hard to apply to the context of the subnetwork in particular and the larger network in general. Network devices with built-in Web application interfaces do not solve this problem in a practical way that aids a roaming mobile network manager.
Service providers or distributors sell equipment, such as telecommunication private branch exchanges (PBXs) or Internet data routers, to their customers and manage the equipment remotely from their central offices. The PBXs or Internet data routers are a critical part of the working business environment of the customer organization and often hold vital security information about, for example, the telephones and the users in the organization.
A distributor has many network technicians, with or without administrative privileges, who can log onto a network management server to monitor, access, and manage network devices, for example, through Web applications residing on the network management server. The network management server hosts the applications that manage the PBX switch, for example. Generally, the network management server is located on the customer""s network and is remotely accessed from the distributor""s central office hosting a central network management server, or directly access by network technicians having login privileges on the customer""s network management server. A distributor might also remotely manage a customer""s network that has a variety of optical, wireless, data, and voice network devices and media on it, for example.
Currently, network management occurs via fixed network management servers. In order to manage the network, a network manager has to operate a network management server client that is physically connected to the network management server and thus to the network. Typically, the network management server client runs on the network management server itself. A network manager, such as a network administrator, or a technician granted network management privileges by the administrator, typically examines the network from a desktop workstation, for example, a UNIX terminal or a PC. The desktop workstation is, in effect, tied to the desk of the manager.
A service provider might remotely manage a network, albeit with a workstation dial-up modem connection or similar connection. In remote network administration, for example in a wide-area network, the management client has to be physically on the network. In some cases, this is difficult to achieve and can present authentication and domain networking issues.
In large, multiple asset networks, if a roaming network technician, for example, goes to a portion of a network located in a building, there may be a variety of network assets in that network portion. Typically the network technician will typically not have an easy way to determine which asset is to be managed. The network technician in many cases must walk back to the network management server client, which may be running on a network management server and which may be physically located in another building, to learn more about the problem areas in that portion of the network. Network management servers are unable to present to the network technician a view of the very network that the technician is standing right in front of, or right in the middle of. The network technician must instead connect to the server, typically through a client, or, for example, possibly even walk back to the server, which can be located miles away from where the network and its assets of interest are present, in order to determine what assets exists in the network and how to monitor and manage the assets. Even in this instance the network technician typically needs to have extensive knowledge of this network and its assets in order to be able to focus on the very devices and other assets that are affecting a particular geographical location, such as a particular building in a large corporate campus. This information often lies buried under layers of complex network topologies that most often do not easily correlate to the actual physical layout of the network.
Even a laptop computer is limited in terms of full mobility by the required physical connection with the network. Theoretically, an individual equipped with administrative permissions on the network and operating a laptop computer having a modem dial-up connection to the network management server can eventually drill down through complex device lists to either find a particular asset or identify the location of a particular asset. This nominal access to network equipment can be problematic and complicated, however, and is not a fully mobile solution since a physical connection to the network management server is typically required.
Conventional arrangements such as those described above limit the flexibility and mobility of a network manager such as an administrator or a technician to manage and troubleshoot problems on a network.
Systems and methods of providing mobile network management of assets on a network are presented. In accordance with an example of the method, a network management server is provided to control a network asset on a network. The network asset is connected to the network management server via a connection path. A secure communication path is established between the network management server and a mobile wireless capable device. The network asset is managed via the secure communication path with the mobile wireless capable device. The network is administered via the secure communication path with the mobile wireless capable device.
A mobile network management system is provided according to one aspect of the invention. The mobile network management system includes a network management server, a wireless transceiver, and a mobile wireless capable device. The network management server controls a network asset on a network. The network asset is connected to the network management server via a connection path. The wireless transceiver is coupled to the network management server. The mobile wireless capable device communicates with the network management server via the wireless transceiver to manage the network asset and to administer the network.
A mobile network management system is provided according to another aspect of the invention. The mobile network management system includes a network management server, a remote wireless transceiver, and a mobile wireless capable device. The network management server controls a network asset on a network. The network asset is connected to the network management server via a connection path. The remote wireless transceiver communicates with the network management server via an internet. The mobile wireless capable device communicates with the network management server via the remote wireless transceiver to manage the network asset and to administer the network.

Method and system for remote and local mobile network management


Object detection apparatus for detecting objects in a test image comprises means for comparing blocks of a test window of the image with reference data indicative of the presence of an object to generate index figures indicative of a degree of similarity between a region and the reference data; means for storing probability data corresponding to possible values of the index figure and the block position; means operable, in respect of a current block, for accessing a probability value from the storing means in dependence on that block's position within the test window and the index figure generated in respect of that block; and means for combining the probability values corresponding to blocks in a test window to generate a result indicative of the probability of that test window containing an object; in which the probability values in the storing means are ordered by block position then by index figure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to object detection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following description relates to a problem present in the detection of various types of objects, but will be discussed with respect to face detection for clarity of the description.
Many human-face detection algorithms have been proposed in the literature, including the use of so-called eigenfaces, face template matching, deformable template matching or neural network classification. None of these is perfect, and each generally has associated advantages and disadvantages. None gives an absolutely reliable indication that an image contains a face; on the contrary, they are all based upon a probabilistic assessment, based on a mathematical analysis of the image, of whether the image has at least a certain likelihood of containing a face. Depending on their application, the algorithms generally have the threshold likelihood value set quite high, to try to avoid false detections of faces.
Object detection tends to be very processor-intensive. In situations where object detection has to be carried out in real time, it can be difficult to complete all of the object detection processing in the time allowed—e.g. one frame period of a video signal.


Systems and methods for partitioning memory into multiple secure and open regions are provided. The systems enable the security level of a given region to be determined without an increase in the time needed to determine the security level. Also, systems and methods for identifying secure access violations are disclosed. A secure trap module is provided for master devices in a system-on-chip. The secure trap module generates an interrupt when an access request for a transaction generates a security error.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data and computer security.
2. Background Art
Maintaining the security of peripherals and other components in a computing environment is vital. Ensuring that non-secure components cannot access secure peripherals may be difficult as the number of components and peripherals grows. Further, identifying the reason a given access is not permitted may assist an application developer or other user in debugging.
On-chip temporary storage is often used for storage of calculations for quick access and other purposes. Temporary storage may be divided into secure and open regions. Current techniques for partitioning memory into secure and open regions are inflexible. Increasing the number of partitions in these systems results in increased latency for memory accesses.
What is therefore needed are methods and systems to support multiple interspersed secure and open memory regions without the timing penalties of existing systems.
What is further needed are methods and systems to implement secure access violation checks in a system on chip.

Methods of on-chip memory partitioning and secure access violation checking in a system-on-chip


An electronic package includes a substrate wafer having front and rear faces. An emitting integrated circuit chip is mounted to the front face of the substrate wafer and includes a light radiation optical emitter. A receiving integrated circuit chip is also mounted to the front face of the substrate wafer and includes at least one light radiation optical sensor. A transparent encapsulant extends above the optical sensor and the optical emitter. An opaque encapsulant encapsulates the transparent encapsulant. The opaque encapsulant has a front window situated above the optical emitter and which is offset laterally relative to the optical sensor. The transparent encapsulant accordingly has an uncovered front face situated above the optical emitter and offset laterally relative to the optical sensor. The opaque encapsulant may include an additional front window. The receiving integrated circuit chip further includes a second optical sensor situated opposite the additional front window.

An electronic package is known which comprises a mounting plate, a first integrated circuit chip provided with a first optical detector, a second integrated circuit chip provided with a second optical detector, and a third integrated circuit chip provided with an optical emitter, these three chips being bonded onto the mounting plate. An opaque cover is bonded onto the periphery of the mounting plate and optically insulates each of the chips by virtue of the existence of three separate chambers. The cover has three separate openings, formed facing the three abovementioned optical elements and provided with three transparent protection plates.
This known electronic package requires the use of a mounting plate and the fabrication of a specially dimensioned cover, involves numerous mounting steps and external electrical connection difficulties regarding the integrated circuit chips and has large dimensions compared to the size of the integrated circuit chips.

Optical electronic package having a blind cavity for covering an optical sensor


In one example, a method for testing a multi-threaded application includes running an initial test of the multi-threaded application and collecting thread generation data and determining the thread hierarchy. The thread execution is then modified to produce a modified configuration and a second test is run with the modified configuration. A device for testing of multi-threaded applications is also provided.

In computer software, multi-threaded applications have separate paths of execution (threads) that can be run concurrently. Conversely, sequential programs are executed linearly. Multi-threaded applications are able to take advantage of multiprocessor hardware and can improve the perceived responsiveness of an application and improve its actual performance.
When instructions in an application are executed concurrently the execution usually becomes nondeterministic, that is, the order that threads run may be variable. This introduces a complexity to programming that may give rise to defects that are difficult to debug.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.


The present invention discloses a composition of matter for use in wallboard in the construction that has a morphology of pores and a network of interconnected inorganic particles that are coated with a thin layer of organic binder. The process used to produce the wallboard can use either hydrophobic or hydrophilic prepolymers or preferably both to create the desired network of coated inorganic particles. A preferred embodiment uses at least one hydrophobic constituent and a decomposition reaction that produces a gas to form one or more layers or a gradient of the morphology in one or more layers to create wallboard products with superior properties to those wallboard products now known.

Current construction practice for interior and some exterior (such as soffits) surfaces relies primarily on gypsum board (drywall). Gypsum is a mineral found in nature as calcium sulfate dihydrate. Crushed and ground powder of calcined gypsum (calcium sulfate hemihydrate) is mixed with water and additives to form a slurry. This slurry is fed between two layers of paper and allowed to dry/harden, to make conventional gypsum boards. This simplistic system has served the construction industry for decades. However, it suffers several disadvantages that the present invention addresses. First, noise reduction performance is poor. A typical gypsum wall shows an NRC (noise reduction coefficient) in the range of 0.01 to 0.04. In contrast, acoustical tiles have an NRC on the order of 0.45 to 0.85. Second, standard gypsum boards exhibit poor thermal insulation. A xc2xd-inch board has a heat transfer resistance (in metric units) of 0.45. In contrast, a 1-inch fiberglass insulation of polystyrene foam shows a resistance number on the order of 4. Further, gypsum boards are heavy. Finally, when scribed and broken, loose powders create mess and potential health hazards.
This application discloses a class of materials for making wallboards and other related elements for residential and commercial construction. More particularly, the present invention discloses a systematic method of microstructure engineering, designed to create construction materials of controlled morphology and superior sound isolation and thermal insulation properties. A key and distinguishing feature of such materials is that they possess specially engineered microstructures comprising both inorganic and organic components. Another main characteristic is controlled morphology, ensuring microscopic voids dispersed throughout the system. Resilient polymeric binders with viscoelastic damping properties cover microscopic inorganic particles, forming a crosslinked, percolating network. The inorganic kernels of the coated particles provide mechanical and dimensional stability as well as fire/flame retardancy. The viscoelastic polymer network contributes cohesion and sound attenuation. Finally, the air phase may form either a co-continuous, tortuous phase, intertwining the particular network throughout the system, or simply exist as a collection of dispersed voids. In either case, thermal insulation afforded by this new board structure is greatly enhanced. In addition, the numerous interfaces created by blending the inorganic and organic components in contact with the void phase result in impedance mismatch of vibration transmission and a large number of destructive interferences of transmitted/reflected waves; both phenomena cause sound attenuation. Therefore, this approach to controlled microstructural engineering for construction materials yields improved acoustical properties over conventional wallboards. The novel construction materials disclosed herein exhibit significantly lower density than conventional materials, facilitating their installation. A consequence of the heterogeneous, textured morphology is the lowered density and weight savings. Yet another desired outcome is the improved workability of the resulting wallboards. Finally, the engineered materials may be filled between any two surfaces, such as wood veneers, to make lightweight doors. Alternatively, when overcoated with a scratch-resistant surface layer, lightweight countertops can be made.

Construction board materials with engineered microstructures

Innovative Construction and Building Materials


The degradation of an absorbent solution comprising organic compounds having a amine function in aqueous solution is substantially reduced in the presence of a small amount of thiadiazole-derived degradation inhibiting agents defined by the general formula as follows:

Deacidizing gaseous effluents such as, for example, natural gas and combustion fumes is generally carried out by washing with an absorbent solution. The absorbent solution allows to absorb the acid compounds present in the gaseous effluent (H2S, mercaptans, CO2, COS, SO2, CS2).
Deacidizing these effluents, notably decarbonation and desulfurization, imposes specific constraints on the absorbent solution, in particular thermal and chemical stability, notably to the effluent impurities, i.e. essentially oxygen, SOx and NOx.
The most commonly used absorbent solutions are aqueous alkanolamine solutions. Document FR-2,820,430, which provides deacidizing methods for gaseous effluents, can be mentioned.
However, it is well known to the person skilled in the art that these amines have the drawback of degrading under the conditions of use.
In particular, amines can be degraded by oxygen forming acids such as, for example, formic acid, acetic acid or oxalic acid in amine solutions.
These acids react with the amines according to an acid-base reaction and form salts referred to as Heat Stable Salts (HSS) or Heat Stable Amine Salts (HSAS). These acids are stronger acids than carbonic acid (formed by the reaction of CO2 with water). The salts they form by reaction with the amines are thus not regenerated in the regeneration column under normal unit operating conditions and they accumulate in the unit.
In the case of CO2 capture in fumes from industrial units, electricity or more generally energy production units, amine-containing absorbent solution degradation phenomena are increased by the presence of a massive amount of oxygen in the feed to be treated, up to 5 vol. % in general. In the case of fumes from natural gas combined cycles, the volume proportion of oxygen in the fumes can reach 15%.
The degraded solution is characterized by:
a decrease in the absorption of the acid compounds of the feed in relation to a fresh amine solution,
an increase in the density of the absorbent solution and in its viscosity, which can lead to a performance loss,
the formation of more volatile amines that pollute the treated gas and the acid gas from the regeneration stage: ammonia, methylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine, for example, depending on the nature of the amine used,
an accumulation of degradation products in the absorbent solution, which can require treating the degraded solution,
possible foaming problems due to the degradation products.
The degradation of the absorbent solution thus penalizes the performances and the smooth running of gas deacidizing units.
In order to overcome the degradation problem, for lack of limiting or suppressing the presence of oxygen in the absorbent solution, compounds whose purpose is to prevent or to limit amine compounds degradation, notably the degradation generated by oxidation phenomena, are added to the absorbent solution. These compounds are commonly referred to as degradation inhibiting agents. The main known modes of action of degradation inhibiting agents are, depending on their nature, a reaction of reduction type and/or capture, trapping and/or stabilization of the radicals formed in the absorbent solution in order to limit or to prevent, or to stop, the degradation reactions, notably chain reactions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,016 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,482 mention additives used for limiting the degradation of absorbent solutions respectively used for natural gas deacidizing and CO2 capture.

Absorbent solution containing a thiadiazole-derived degradation inhibitor and method for limiting the degradation of an absorbent solution

Abstract: The absorbent solution is used to deacidize a gaseous effluent.