A DCME system having a circuit switching capability for use in a redundant communication system is disclosed. Alarm conditions defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763 are previously stored. When detecting alarm information defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763 from a received signal on each radio circuit, it is determined whether a failure has occurred on each radio circuit by comparing the alarm conditions with the alarm information. One of the radio circuits is selected based on the determination results.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a redundant system including at least one radio circuit, and in particular to a DCME (Digital Circuit Multiplication Equipment) system used for a radio circuit, wherein DCME is defined in ITU-T Recommendation G.763.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a communication system using a radio circuit has employed redundant configuration so that, when a failure occurs in a working circuit. it can be switched to another circuit to ensure communication reliability. In satellite communications systems. both circuits of the redundant system are a radio circuit. In terrestrial communications systems, both circuits are a radio circuit in many cases. A wired circuit may be used as the other circuit.
A communication system using DCME is typically formed in conformity with ITU-T Recommendations (G.704, G.732, G.763). The ITU-T G.704 stipulates provisions for frame structure in each bit rate. For example, for a 2048-kbps signal, it is provided to form each frame consisting of 32 time slots (TS). According to the provisions, a synchronization pattern is included in TSO, signaling is assigned to TS 16, and data and speech are assigned to other TSs, a multi-frame consists of 16 frames. and an insertion location of a CRC bit is also stipulated.
Furthermore, in ITU-T Recommendation G. 732, various circuit abnormalities (circuit alarms) including loss of a signal input, loss of a frame synchronizing signal, and a bit error, are stipulated. In ITU-T Recommendation G.763, various alarms (DCME alarms) concerning a DCME unit are stipulated. The DCME unit is defined as a digital circuit multiplexing equipment having both a speech compression function using ADPCM and a DSI (Digital Speech Interpolation) function. Use of these functions is recommended in order to increase the use efficiency of a radio circuit.
As for circuit abnormalities, there is stipulated such a scheme that a station which has detected an alarm issues a switching request to the opposite station, confirms a switching response supplied from the opposite station, and then they execute circuit switching.
In a satellite communication circuit, however, round trip propagation delay time is as long as 0.5 sec. If switching is conducted after waiting a switching response from the opposite station, therefore, rapidity is lost and the system reliability is hampered. Especially when a DCME unit stipulated In ITU-T Recommendation G.763 is used, it is necessary to detect both the circuit alarms stipulated in ITU-T Recommendation G.732 and ITU-T Recommendation G.763. This poses a problem that it takes more and more time to conduct switching.
A conventional circuit switching method in a redundant system has been disclosed In Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 6-104859. According to this conventional method, each of communication devices connected through working and protection transmission lines stores switching condition information, which is used to automatically switch from the working transmission line to the other protection transmission line in case of occurrence of a failure on the working transmission line.
In satellite communications systems, however, a radio communication circuit is frequently in an unstable state hovering between the abnormal state and the normal state. In such an unstable state, the redundant system employing the above conventional switching method is caused to frequently switch between two transmission lines.
An object of the present invention is to provide a circuit switching method and a DCME system allowing rapid and reliable circuit switching operation.
According to the present invention, a DCME system for use in a redundant communication system having a plurality of circuits including at least one wireless circuit, includes a DCME unit provided for a single wireless circuit, wherein the DCME unit conforms to ITU-T Recommendation G.763 and a storage previously storing alarm conditions defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763. The DCME system further includes an alarm detector for detecting received alarm information from a received signal on each of the plurality of circuits and a determiner for determining whether a failure has occurred on each of the plurality of circuits, by comparing the alarm conditions read from the storage with the received alarm information detected by the alarm detector. A circuit selector selects one of the plurality of circuits depending on a determination result obtained by the determiner.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a DCME system for use in a redundant communication system having first and second radio circuits includes a DCME unit provided for each of the first and second radio circuits, wherein the DCME unit conforms to ITU-T Recommendation G.763 and a storage previously storing alarm conditions defined In ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763. the DCME system further includes a first alarm detector for detecting first alarm information defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763 from a first received signal on the first radio circuit, and a second alarm detector for detecting second alarm information defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763 from a second received signal on the second radio circuit. The DCME system further includes a first determiner for determining whether a failure has occurred on the first radio circuit to produce a first determination result, by comparing the alarm conditions read from the storage with the first alarm information, and a second determiner for determining whether a failure has occurred on the second radio circuit to produce a second determination result, by comparing the alarm conditions read from the storage with the second alarm information. A circuit selector selects one of the first and second radio circuits based on the first and second determination results.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, attention is paid to the fact that the circuit switching can be conducted by using a switching request issued by the opposite station as a trigger. Thus, the DCME system is provided with a circuit switching function capable of determining whether a circuit failure occurs to the extent that switching should be executed, on the basis of the switching request (alarm information) issued by the opposite station and alarm information detected in the own station, and taking an appropriate action. In the own station, therefore, rapid circuit switching can be executed and communication circuit interruption can be prevented.
The first determiner may produce the first determination result which indicates one of a first alarm-on period of time during which a failure has occurred on the first radio circuit within a predetermined time period and a first alarm-off period of time during which a failure has not occurred on the first radio circuit within the predetermined time period. The second determiner may produce the second determination result which indicates one of a second alarm-on period of time during which a failure has occurred on the second radio circuit within the predetermined time period and a second alarm-off period of time during which a failure has not occurred on the second radio circuit within the predetermined time period.
Since the first determination result indicates one of a first alarm-on period of time and a first alarm-off period of time and the second determination result indicates one of a second alarm-on period of time and a second alarm-off period of time, it is possible to determine whether a failure occurs on the first radio circuit and the second radio circuit to the extent that circuit switching is performed from one radio circuit to the other radio circuit before the circuit switching operation. Therefore, the circuit switching can be prevented when the other radio circuit to which a working circuit switches continuously changes in alarm state.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a DCME system for use in a redundant communication system having a wireless circuit and a wired circuit, includes a DCME unit provided for the wireless circuit, wherein the DCME unit conforms to ITU-T Recommendation G.763; a storage previously storing alarm conditions defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763; a first alarm detector for detecting first alarm information defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 and G.763 from a first received signal on the wireless circuit; a second alarm detector for detecting second alarm information defined in ITU-T Recommendations G.732 from a second received signal on the wired circuit; a first determiner for determining whether a failure has occurred on the wireless circuit to produce a first determination result, by comparing the alarm conditions read from the storage with the first alarm information; a second determiner for determining whether a failure has occurred on the wired circuit to produce a second determination result, by comparing the alarm conditions read from the storage with the second alarm information; and a circuit selector for selecting one of the wireless and wired circuits based on the first and second determination results.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the DCME system for use In such a communication system including a wireless circuit and a wired circuit monitors the circuit states of the wireless circuit on the basis of alarm conditions stipulated in ITU-T G.732 and ITU-T G.763 and the received alarm information stipulated in ITU-T G.732 and ITU-T G.763 and detected from received signals of the wireless circuit, and take an action to switch the operational circuit from the wireless circuit to the wired circuit or maintain the working circuit as it is.
In the own station, therefore, rapid circuit switching can be executed and communication circuit interruption can be prevented in the same way as the first aspect of the present invention.

DCME system with circuit switching capability


A touch screen, a touch display screen and a display device are provided. The touch screen includes a first region and a second region. The first region can be bent, and the first region is in a flat state when the touch screen is in a flat state and is in a curved state when the touch screen is in a folded state. The first region includes a plurality of first touch patterns arranged in an array in a first direction and a second direction when the touch screen is in the flat state. The plurality of first touch patterns are in the same layer and adjacent first touch patterns are insulated from each other, the first direction is intersected with the second direction, and the second region is connected with the first region.

With the development of the display technology, the size of the smart terminal device such as the mobile phone, the tablet computer, and the lap top computer is getting larger and larger, which is very convenient to use, but it is very inconvenient to take and carry them due to the large screen. Therefore, the bending device, the folding device, and even the rollable device have become a hot research topic. The folding of the display device includes the folding of the display screen and the folding of the touch screen. Currently, the Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display screen has been developed rapidly, the folding of the display screen has been achieved in some extent, and corresponding prototypes from some companies are available in the market.

Touch screen, touch display screen and display device

MIANYANG BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A toner concentration detecting circuit detects a toner concentration of a two-component developer composed of toner and a carrier by detecting a change of magnetic permeability of the two-component developer. The detecting circuit is used in a developing device of an image recording apparatus. The toner concentration detecting circuit includes a sensor for sensing a change of a magnetic permeability of the two-component developer, a waveform corrector, a counter connected to a control CPU and a gate signal generating circuit connected to the control CPU so that a gate signal is sent to the counter.

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier having a toner concentration detecting circuit by which a change in magnetic permeability of a two-component developer made of toner and carrier is detected so that toner concentration in the developer can be known.
In an image recording apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier and a facsimile, a document is irradiated by a light beam, and an image is recorded on a recording sheet by reflected light from the document, or by an electric signal of the image sent from the outside.
In this type of image recording apparatus, a visual image is formed using the two-component developer made of toner and carrier, and is recorded on the recording sheet. In the two-component developer, a toner mixing ratio to a predetermined carrier weight is 4 to 10 weight %. The toner is decreased when recording is conducted, and therefore, it affects density of a copied image. Accordingly, in order to obtain a recorded image with a constant density, it is necessary to detect toner concentration in the developer, to supply toner to the developer when the toner concentration is decreased, and to control the toner concentration so that it is within an appropriate range.
Conventionally, the following methods are widely known to detect toner concentration: a method in which a toner image density is optically detected according to a small piece having reference density; and a method in which a toner concentration detecting sensor including a coil is provided close to the developer, and magnetic permeability of the developer is measured by the sensor so that the toner concentration (toner mixing ratio) in the developer can be known. The method, by which magnetic permeability is measured, has the advantages that the magnetic permeability can be always measured, and it is not necessary to change copying processes. The detected toner concentration is compared with a toner concentration reference value, and the toner is supplied so that the toner concentration in the developer can be always maintained.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing circuits by which the toner concentration is detected from the magnetic permeability of the developer, and which are applied to a developing section of a conventional image recording apparatus. In the drawing, numerals 51Y, 51M, 51C, 51K are toner concentration detecting sensors which are provided in developing devices in which yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black toners are respectively loaded, and by which toner concentration is detected according to the change of an oscillation frequency depending on the magnetic permeability of the developer. Numeral 52a is an analog multiplexer by which one of signals sent from the plurality of sensors 51Y to 51K is selected by a selection signal sent from a CPU 50, and sent to the next circuit, and numeral 53b is a waveform correction circuit in which a Schmitt circuit is used. Numeral 54a is a counter, for example, a 9-bit counter, which counts pulses in a predetermined time by a gate signal sent from a gate signal generating circuit 55a. Numeral 55b is a resonance circuit using a ceramic oscillation element. Numeral 58 is a D/A converter. Numeral 59 is a sample/hold circuit which samples and holds an analog value inputted by the sample/hold signal sent from the gate signal generation circuit 55a. Numeral 60 is a differential amplifier, and numeral 61 is an A/D converter accommodated in the CPU 50.
Outputted values from sensors 51Y to 51K are increased when a frequency is increased as the toner concentration of the developer is increased. One of the outputs is selected by the analog multiplexer 52a, waveform-corrected through a waveform correction circuit 53b, and after that, the number of pulses in a predetermined time is counted by the counter 54a. The counted value (digital value) is converted into a voltage value by the D/A converter 58, and after that, the voltage value is held by the sample/hold circuit 59. The held voltage value is inputted into the differential amplifier 60 together with the voltage value into which a digital value outputted from the CPU 50 is converted by the D/A converter 58, wherein the digital value is outputted from the CPU 50 to correct deviation due to the kind of the developer or an intrinsic error of the developing device. After that, the voltage value is amplified by the differential amplifier 60 and inputted into CPU 50. The inputted value is converted into a digital value by A/D converter 61 in the CPU 50, and after that, it is compared with a reference value. A toner replenishing direction signal is outputted to a toner replenishing means 17 corresponding to the difference between the above two values, and the toner is replenished to the developer.
In the toner concentration detecting circuit of a conventional image recording apparatus as described above, sensitivity of a sensor, that is, a change of the oscillation frequency of the sensor to a change of toner concentration of the developer, is extremely low. The sensitivity is as follows: when a center frequency of the sensor is 200 KHz, the frequency increases by 0.8 KHz as the toner concentration increases by 1 wt %. That is, when a gate time is 10 ms, the frequency increases by 8 pulses with respect to a 1% increase of the toner concentration. Accordingly, a change of the toner concentration is 0.125% per pulse, so that a highly accurate circuit is necessary.
However, as described above, in the conventional toner concentration detecting circuit, the circuit is complicated; noises are caused and an error becomes large because A/D conversion is further carried out after D/A conversion; and the cost becomes high, which are problems.
Further, because many analog circuits are used in the detecting circuit, an error in the circuit becomes large when voltage of a power source or temperature is varied, or variations in parts are caused.

Image recording apparatus with toner concentration detecting circuit


An injection system for a turbine engine annular combustion chamber includes                a support configured to support and to center a fuel injector head. The support includes a frustoconical surface connected at its downstream end of smallest diameter to an upstream end of a cylindrical surface.

The patent applications FR-A1-2 918 716, FR-A1-2 925 146, FR-A1-2 941 288, FR-A1-2 975 467, EP-A2-1 600 693, EP-A1-1 840 467, EP-A1-1 873 455, EP-A1-3 141 818, JP-A 2011 528098, U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,259 and EP-A2-0 286 569 describe injection systems for turbine engine.
A turbine engine comprises a gas generator comprising, in particular, one or more compressors, e.g. low pressure and high pressure, arranged upstream of a combustion chamber.
By convention, in this patent application, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are defined with respect to the direction of gas circulation in the turbine engine. Similarly, by convention in this patent application, the terms "inner" and "outer" are defined radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the turbine engine, which is in particular the axis of rotation of the rotors of the compressors.
Traditionally, the combustion chamber is annular and placed in an annular enclosure radially delimited by an outer annular casing and an inner annular casing. The combustion chamber is delimited by coaxial inner and outer annular walls joined upstream by a chamber bottom, also annular, and substantially transverse.
The combustion chamber is in particular supplied with compressed air, for example from a high-pressure compressor located upstream of the combustion chamber via in particular, an annular diffuser, and with fuel via injection systems distributed angularly around the axis of revolution of the chamber.
A conventional injection system comprises means for supporting and centering an injector head, and primary and secondary swirl inducers that deliver each of the air flow downstream of the injector in order to produce a mixture of air and fuel to be injected and then burned in the combustion chamber. A frustoconical shaped mixing bowl is mounted downstream of the swirl inducers to spray the mixture of air/fuel entering the combustion chamber.
The swirl inducers of the injection system each comprise a plurality of vanes delimiting between them inclined air passage channels to impart a rotational movement to the air around the axis of the swirl inducer, thus creating a recirculation zone to stabilize the flame, and a shear zone to promote atomization of the fuel layer in the chamber.
Two types of swirl inducers are known for an injection system of the above-mentioned type, the radial swirl inducers and axial swirl inducers. The terms "radial" and "axial" are defined here with respect to the axis of the injection system and not of the turbine engine. The radial swirl inducers are arranged axially one behind the other and have channels that extend radially. The axial swirl inducers are arranged radially around each other and have channels that extend axially.
The aforementioned means for supporting and centering the injector head comprise a frustoconical surface which is flared upstream and is connected by its downstream end, which is therefore the one with the smallest diameter, to the upstream end of a cylindrical surface. The injector head is capable of slidingly cooperating with the frustoconical surface to centre the injector and then with the cylindrical surface. The injector head is then inserted into the supporting and centering means.
In the current technique of an axial swirl inducers injection system, the axial swirl inducers are arranged around the cylindrical surface and downstream of the frustoconical surface. The frustoconical surface has an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the primary (or radially inner) swirl inducer so that this frustoconical surface and thus the supporting and centering means "hide" the primary/inner swirl inducer and hinder its air supply, as well as, to a lesser extent, the secondary/external swirl inducer. The current lines supplying the axial swirl inducers are thus diverted by the supporting and centering means.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, effective and economical solution to this problem.

Injection system for a turbine engine annular combustion chamber

Abstract: The system further includes a bowl configured to mix air and fuel arranged downstream of the support and                at least one axial swirl inducer extending at least in part around the support. Each swirl inducer includes vanes delimiting between them substantially axial channels for the passage of an air flow.

Abstract: The channels open at their upstream ends on said frustoconical surface.


An expandable annuloplasty ring which may either expand spontaneously, in situ, as the patient grows or be expanded by surgical intervention by balloon dilatation. The distensible annuloplasty ring of the invention may be usable in pediatric patients whose growth, subsequent to surgical implantation of the ring, will necessitate subsequent enlargement of the ring to accommodate growth of the annulus. The ring may include relatively expandable segments to enable the enlargement thereof. The ring segments may include engaging teeth which cooperate with notches or slots formed in the tubes to provide some resistance to ring distention, while preventing collapse of the ring in the opposite direction. The teeth may be of different sizes or shapes to regulate the amount of force needed to expand the ring at different stages of the patient's growth. Alternatively, the adjustable ring includes a solid core of non-elastic material which plastically retains its shape upon natural expansion of the annulus, or after surgical expansion. In one embodiment, segments are coupled together with a discontinuity around the ring periphery. Pivot regions are provided between adjacent segments that, along with the discontinuity, enable the ring to expand upon annulus growth. The discontinuity may be positioned along the anterior side of the ring or around the posterior side. A further version makes use of telescoped segments with no discontinuity. The segments are coupled together with tubular sheaths, and expand without decoupling. A fabric covering may be omitted.

In many patients who suffer from disfunction of the mitral and/or tricuspid valves(s) of the heart, surgical repair of the valve (i.e., "valvuloplasty") is a desirable alternative to valve replacement. One specific group of patients who are typically candidates for such surgery is children who suffer from congenital valvular anomaly (CVA) or rheumatic valvular disease (RVD).
Remodeling of the valve annulus (i.e., "annuloplasty") is central to many reconstructive valvuloplasty procedures. In 1968, Dr. Alain Carpentier published studies which demonstrated that such remodeling of the valve annulus might be accomplished by implantation of a prosthetic ring (i.e. "annuloplasty ring") to stabilize the annulus and to correct or prevent valvular insufficiency that may result from defect disfunction of the valve annulus. Annuloplasty rings are typically constructed of a resilient core covered with a fabric sewing ring. Annuloplasty procedures are performed not only to repair damaged or diseased annuli, but also in conjunction with other procedures, such as leaflet repair.
The prior art has included numerous annuloplasty rings, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,042,979 (Angell), 4,290,151 (Massana); 4,489,446 (Reed); 4,602,911 (Ahmadi et al.); 5,061,277 (Carpentier et al.); and 5,201,880 (Wright et al.), as well as International Patent Publication WO 91/17721 and Foreign Patent Publication SU 197710.
One problem associated with the anmuloplasty rings of the prior art is that when such annuloplasty rings are implanted into children or adolescents (such as pediatric patients with CVA or RVD) the subsequent growth of the patient may render the annuloplasty ring too small for its intended function, thus abnormally constricting the annulus. The mitral annulus, for example, typically grows from about 16 mm across its longest dimension, to about 34 mm in adults. Follow-up surgery would be necessary to replace the originally implanted annuloplasty ring with a larger ring suitable for the then-current size of the patient. However, the tissue of the heart valve annulus grows into the fabric suture ring by design so that the ring is soon embedded in living tissue, making such replacement surgery problematic. Therefore, reconstructive valvuloplasty surgery on younger patients is often done using just sutures to bolster the annulus, or in conjunction with pieces of woven polyester or other biocompatible material. Such repairs may restore the normal geometry of the annulus, but are unlikely to maintain that geometry without additional structural support, and therefore are associated with less reliable and durable results.
Although some of the annuloplasty rings of the prior art have incorporated means for adjusting the size of the ring at the time of implantation, the inventors are aware of no prior art annuloplasty ring constructed and equipped for post-implantation size adjustment, in situ, to accommodate changes in annular size due to growth of the patient.


A framework for connectivity verification is provided. The framework includes a connectivity verification server performing unattended connectivity verification, and a connectivity verification application, both the connectivity verification server and connectivity verification application operating in a network management context. Connectivity verification jobs are defined via the connectivity verification application and the connectivity verification server is configured accordingly. Connectivity verification jobs can also be scheduled. The connectivity verification application also provides a display of connectivity verification results. The results of each connectivity verification job may be compared against a desired connectivity profile and deviations from the connectivity profile being used to raise alarms. Connectivity verification results, including alarm information, are further used to highlight displayed managed communications network entities on a network map displaying selected connectivity verification results. The advantages are derived from using the connectivity verification framework to automate connectivity verification testing at reduced operational costs.

In the field of Internet Protocol (IP)/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) communications, it is known to verify whether two data network nodes can reach each other by employing functionality provided by a "ping" command and a "traceroute" command. The implementation of the ping and traceroute commands functionality specification are described in Internet Engineering Task Force Request For Comments (RFC) 1147 which is incorporated herein by reference. A short summary of the relevant concepts of the ping and traceroute commands follows:
Persons of ordinary skill in the art would understand that data communications networks conveying data packets in accordance with the IP protocol and/or the MPLS protocol do so in accordance with a store and forward discipline. At each data network node in a communications network, a packet is received via an input port, stored, an output port determined in real-time, and the packet is forwarded over the determined output port. Real-time port determination is known as routing functionality and is performed by a router network element. The real-time determination of the output port is made dependent on a variety of factors including: destination addressing information held in packet headers, forwarding class associativity, packet traffic differentiation, operational states of inter-connecting links between network nodes, transport bandwidth availability over links, packet processing bandwidth availability at data network nodes in the path, etc.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art would understand that data communications networks conveying data packets in accordance with the IP protocol, do so in accordance with a best-effort packet transport discipline. The best-effort discipline does not guarantee that data packets will reach their destinations, does not guarantee bounded packet arrival latencies, does not guarantee bounded packet arrival jitter, etc. In fact packets specifying the same source network address and the same destination network address do not necessarily follow the same transport path in a data communications network, which is known in the art as loose source routing.
The real-time output port determination described above may lead to situations in which packet transport loops are established. Each IP packet carries a Time-To-Live (TTL) specification in its header, which is an integer header field value initially set by a source data network node sending the packet (or a gateway at an edge between a customer network and a service provider network) and decremented by each data transport node forwarding the packet. When the TTL value reaches zero (0), the packet is discarded.
Although simple, this approach puts a lot of pressure on IP network design to ensure that only a small number of data transport nodes, and therefore interconnecting links, are traversed between a source data network node and a destination data network node. Physical implementations of interconnecting links varies and may include additional data/packet transport protocols—therefore from the point of view of connectivity verification, the data communications network infrastructure between two interfaces on two corresponding data transport nodes is referred to as a "hop" to make an abstraction thereof.
As mentioned herein above, the best-effort packet transport discipline does not guarantee bound packet arrival latencies. Latency is the amount of time it takes for a packet to traverse a communications network from its source data network node to its destination data network node. Latency is typically measured in milliseconds and includes physical data transport delays associated with physically conveyance of packets over physical interconnecting links, as well packet processing delays incurred by packets while being stored at transport network nodes, in a transport path between the source network node and the destination network node, while pending determination of output ports.
As mentioned herein above, the best-effort packet transport discipline does not guarantee a bound packet arrival jitter. Jitter is a measure of the variation of packet inter-arrival delays, and relates to a measure of the standard deviation of a group of delays incurred by a group of individual data packets typically associated with a data stream used in provisioning a data service.
The service provisioning, which is beyond the scope of the present description, is dependent on the resultant Quality-of-Service provided. Quality-of-Service is a combination of bandwidth, arrival delay, and jitter specifications for a particular data service provisioned end-to-end over a given interconnecting communications network infrastructure.
A person skilled in the art would understand that the MPLS transport protocol has been developed in order to provide high Quality-of-Service packet transport. Although, delays associated with physical packet propagation over physical interconnecting links can only be reduced to a certain extent, the MPLS technology provides: bandwidth reservation on the interconnecting links to ensure a resource availability, strict (pre-specified) routing/transport path to minimize packet processing delays along the path, and consolidated multi-transport layer switching minimizing switching delays at switching network nodes in the path. Packets having the same source network address and the same destination network address may follow different transport paths dependent on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) specification for each packet.
It is the adherence to a service level agreement in an MPLS environment, and the need to adhere to a service level agreement specification in a best-effort IP environment that is being addressed in the present description.
The implementation of ping and traceroute functionality includes the return conveyance of at least one individual echo return Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packet, a packet probe, in a data communication network between a source network node and a destination network node to verify connectivity therebetween.
The extent to which connectivity is verified by ping probe packets relates to reachability, see FIG. 1. Ping probe packets carry a TTL value, and therefore reachability includes: an assessment as to whether there is at least one bound sequence of interconnecting links which can be traversed by a packet conveyed between the source network node and the destination network node before the expiration of the TTL. It is emphasized that each ping probe packet tests connectivity between a pair of pre-specified source and destination network nodes.
Besides testing reachability, each ping probe packet is also stamped with a time stamp value corresponding to the time at which the ping probe packet was issued by the source network node, enabling the calculation the aggregate return transport delay upon the return of the ping probe packet at the source network node. In sending a group of ping probe packets, the corresponding group of aggregate return transport delays are used to determine: minimum delay, maximum delay, average delay (in milliseconds), and jitter. The determined minimum delay, maximum delay, average delay, and jitter are referred to as packet transport statistics.
The extent of connectivity verification performed by employing traceroute packets, as they are known, relates network node discovery in a path between a source to a destination network node, FIG. 2. Implementing traceroute functionality employs groups of ICMP echo return packets directed towards the destination network node and bearing increasing TTL values. Traceroute packets are returned to the source network node when the TTL value is decremented to zero, therefore the use of increasing TTL values in sending the traceroute packets discovering intermediary transport network nodes incrementally further along a path between the source network node and the destination node.
Making reference to FIG. 3, for a source routed Label Switched Path (LSP) pre-established path, physical network nodes incrementally further along the LSP transport path may not return traceroute packets as the traceroute packets are encapsulated while in transport through the LSP, the TTL value only being decremented at the distal end of the LSP which does return traceroute packets. Traceroute packets are of course returned by network nodes beyond the distal end of the LSP.
In a best-effort IP environment, it cannot be guaranteed that all traceroute packets are routed the same as packet processing conditions change dynamically at network nodes between the source and the destination network nodes. A degree of stability in a communications network is expected, although not guaranteed, which when traceroute packets are sent in a relatively rapid succession, results in the group of traceroute packets following substantially the same transport path.
Information held in returned traceroute packets is used to extract transport delay information. Statistical information is derived from successive sequences of traceroute packets. Therefore transport delay and jitter profiles can be provided for each determined transport path between a pair of network nodes in a communications network. The extent to which these delay and jitter profiles can be used to derive per-hop statistics is left to higher level applications interpreting the statistical information, higher level applications which are beyond the scope of the present description.
Having provided an overview of ping and traceroute functionality, it is important to emphasize that, ping and traceroute packets are sent from a source network node and returned to the same source network node. The resulting statistics are also made available by, and at, the source network node.
Service providers include organizations and communications network infrastructure providing communications services to customers. Services include best-effort packet transport, MPLS packet transport, as well differentiated services such as Virtual Local Area Networking (VLAN) in support of Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity.
Currently service providers make extensive use of ping and traceroute functionality to verify connectivity on a very limited basis. Typically operations management personnel needs to physically and manually log-in on each remote source network node via a Command Line Interface (CLI), issue necessary ping and/or traceroute commands from a prompt specifying network node addressing manually, capture the output of the console, and retrieve the output from the remote source network node.
In service provider managed communications network it is more important to verify connectivity between individual routers. Routers include physical router communications network nodes as well virtual routers associated with switching communications network nodes. Referring to FIG. 4, five fully meshed routers R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are shown providing VPN services VPN1 and VPN2. Connectivity verification for VPN1 between Location 1 and Location 3 can be performed manually in two steps: ping/traceroute test T1 is run from R1 towards R3 and a second ping/traceroute test T2 is run from R3 towards R1. Each time a ping/traceroute test is run, the operator has to log-in on the source router, run the ping/traceroute test, and retrieve the results.
If connectivity verification is required between all peer routers in VPN1 more test steps would be required: ping/traceroute test T3 verifies connectivity from Location 2 to Location 3, another ping/traceroute test would be necessary to verify connectivity to Location 3 from Location 2 , another two ping/traceroute tests would have to be done between Location 1 and Location 2.
The operator has to perform more ping/traceroute tests for the other VPNs such as VPN2 between Location 2 and Location 4.
In performing connectivity verification in two separate steps between each pair of locations, it is not obvious to operations management personnel which router IP address and VLAN IDentifier (VPN1/VPN2) to use from which router. This level of operator involvement is inadequate as CLI command entry is a very time consuming, complex, and error prone procedure leading to large operational overheads incurred by service providers. In particular, manual command entry makes is impossible and untimely for connectivity verification to be performed in an environment in which a large number of customers subscribing to a corresponding large number of VPNs serviced by a service provider using an infrastructure of a large number of communications network nodes interconnected via a large number of links. Meaningful statistics need be derived from a large number of ping/traceroute tests performed in a relatively short period of time.
Packet traffic patterns vary over a period of time and are typically cyclical over the time of a day and cyclical over a week. Therefore it is important to both customers and service providers that connectivity verification be performed during peak hours (business hours and evenings) and peek weekdays (workdays and weekends). Therefore it is apparent that if manually directed connectivity verification is time consuming, then manual connectivity verification within test windows would be impossible due to overwhelming operational overheads involved. The number of connectivity verification tests grows with the number of location combinations for each VPNs making connectivity verification even more complex and time consuming.
The closest prior art relates to network topology discovery and includes:
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,130 B1 entitled "System and Method for Collecting Connectivity Data of an Area Network" which issued on Dec. 31, 2002 to Keeler, Jr. et al. describes a system and method which collects dynamic connectivity data from an area network interconnecting multiple computing devices. The dynamic connectivity information is combined in a data warehouse with static network information, relating to the various users and their privileges. The combined data stored in a data warehouse permits the identification of each user and the various privileges of the user, correlated by connection port. The connectivity data is collected using commands in the simple network management protocol (SNMP). SNMP commands query all network devices such as hubs, routers, and gateways to other networks to obtain port connectivity information such as the identity of the ports being used by each network user. Although inventive, the solution proposed by Keeler Jr. et al. only achieves Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 2 and 1 connectivity discovery in support of billing applications for users subscribing to roaming network access services. Keeler Jr. et al. do not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,122 B1 entitled "Automatic Network Topology Analysis" which issued on Mar. 20, 2001 to Sharon et al. describes a system and method for automatic detection of physical network topology, by correlating information from computers connected to a network. Although inventive, the solution presented by Sharon et al. does not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,248 B1 entitled "System and Method to Discover End Node Physical Connectivity to Networking Devices" which issued on May 28, 2002 to Iyer describes an apparatus and method for determining physical connectivity between end nodes and networking devices within a network. Iyer addresses issues related to the SNMP protocol's inability to ascertain the physical connection between end nodes and networking devices. Although inventive, the solution presented by Iyer does not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,248 B1 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Determining Accurate Topology Features of a Network" which issued on Jun. 11, 2002 to Wood describes a method for determining accurate topology features of a given network utilizing source address tables. The solution proposes acquiring source address table information from each port of each network switching node at regular intervals to determine when a particular source address was learned and when discarded. The source address information is used to issue Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) queries to ensure that the source address information is valid. While inventive, the solution presented by Wood does not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,237 entitled "Communications Network Monitoring" which issued on Oct. 26, 1999 to Shurumer et al. describes a proprietary method for monitoring a communications network comprising a plurality of node equipment such as switches, and link equipment such as fiber optic links in which proprietary performance parameters of individual vendor specific components of the node equipment are used to determine an overall proprietary performance parameter for the node equipment. By comparing like proprietary performance parameters for individual network elements, the performance of different types of proprietary network elements can be compared with each other. Parameters which can be monitored include quality of service, cell discard, cell loss, and other measures of network performance. Connection tracing through the plurality of node equipment and link equipment is used employing proprietary means to provide topology discovery. While inventive, the solution presented by Shurumer et al. does not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
Other developments include, a prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,827 B1 entitled "Telecommunications Network Management System" which issued on Apr. 24, 2001 to Grant et al. which describes a system for managing a Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) network and proposes the tracking and processing of network related data in support of specifying connectivity parameters for establishing data pipes. The solution relates to a network management system which forms an overall view of the network and its condition, from which the system gives configuration commands to each transmission equipment so that all configuration changes can be performed significantly more rapidly. While inventive, the solution presented by Grant et al. does not address issues related to ensuring adherence to service level agreements in real-time.
Reducing operating expenditures is important service providers. Addressing these concerns is especially important in large and complex service provider IP/MPLS communications networks. There therefore is a need to solve the above mentioned issues.

Centralized internet protocol/multi-protocol label switching connectivity verification in a communications network management context


Systems and methods for providing a reservoir simulation are based on data from an unstructured grid using a structured grid reservoir simulator. Exemplary methods comprise obtaining an unstructured grid reservoir model comprising a reservoir model discretized on an unstructured grid. A virtual structured grid is defined for the unstructured grid reservoir model. The unstructured grid is aligned with the virtual structured grid by adding cells to the unstructured grid to make the unstructured grid and virtual structured grid have the same number of cells. The virtual structured grid may be represented in the unstructured grid. Structured grid reservoir simulator input data comprising reservoir model data assigned to the virtual structured grid is prepared based on reservoir model data in the unstructured grid model. A structured grid reservoir simulation is performed using the structured grid reservoir simulator input data to produce a reservoir simulation.

This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with embodiments of the disclosed techniques. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the disclosed techniques. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section is to be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
Three-dimensional (3D) model construction and visualization have been widely accepted by numerous disciplines as a mechanism for analyzing, communicating, and comprehending complex 3D datasets. Examples of structures that can be subjected to 3D analysis include the earth's subsurface, facility designs and the human body.
3D modeling techniques are important during exploration, development and production phases in the oil and gas industry. For example, reservoir simulation is routinely applied for making development and production strategies to optimize the recovery of hydrocarbon reservoirs that may hold billions of barrels of hydrocarbon fluids.
The ability to easily interrogate and explore 3D models is one aspect of 3D visualization. Relevant models may contain both 3D volumetric objects and co-located 3D polygonal objects. Examples of volumetric objects include seismic volumes, MRI scans, reservoir simulation models, and geologic models. Interpreted horizons, faults and well trajectories are examples of polygonal objects.
3D volumetric objects may be divided into two basic categories: structured grids and unstructured grids. Both structured and unstructured grids may be rendered for a user to explore and understand the associated data. There are large numbers of known volume simulation techniques for structured grids and unstructured grids.
In the oil and gas industry, reservoir simulators exist for operating on structured grids and unstructured grids. Typically, simulators will operate on one grid type or the other, not both.
Structured grid based simulators have been used in the oil industry for several decades and they have been proven to be efficient and stable for industry applications. Unstructured grid based simulators are newer and they have advantages over structured grid based simulators that unstructured grid based simulators can model reservoir internal and external geometries more accurately, and as a result, they give more accurate reservoir performance prediction. Unstructured grid based reservoir simulators are not commercially available. As a result, technical service companies have been trying to rewrite their commercially available structured grid based simulators with unstructured grids for some time. The rewriting process, however, is complicated, time-consuming, and expensive.
In order to convert reservoir models constructed with an unstructured grid so they are usable by structured grid based simulators, workarounds are used. For example, some workarounds involve building a structured grid to mimic the original unstructured grid model to be converted. This process is time consuming and can become very difficult or even impossible when the unstructured grid model is highly faulted and structurally complicated. The situation is worse when there are a lot of history match changes in the unstructured grid reservoir model to be converted. History matching is a process of modifying or tuning the properties of a reservoir model for a better match of the model prediction to observed reservoir production data. The process is to increase the confidence of model prediction. History matching changes on the reservoir properties can be within a cell and on the faces of the cell. An unstructured grid cell (with arbitrary number of faces) generally has more faces than can be handled by a structured grid cell (limited to six faces). As a result, history matching changes cannot be accurately mapped from an unstructured grid to a structured grid, which makes the conversion from the unstructured model to the structured model impossible.
As suggested above, many efforts have been made previously in this area. Among the prior U.S. patents related to the technology disclosed herein, the following non-exclusive list is representative of those efforts: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,928,399; 7,043,413; 6,106,561; 7,047,165; 6,018,497; 6,078,869; 5,740,342; 7,634,395; 7,451,066; and 7,596,480. International Patent Application Publication No. WO2008150325 is also related to the presently described technologies.

Systems and methods for subsurface reservoir simulation


The invention provides a system, computer program, and method for generating price point based incentives comprising: determining a category specific price point (620) associated with a dominant competitive brand and a client brand; generating an incentive (630) for said client brand based upon said price point and an anticipated price differential (640).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of marketing. More specifically, this invention relates to the field of marketing consumer goods.
2. Discussion of the Background
Point of sale (POS) computer systems function to account for transactions at POS terminals. POS systems typically include a database management system including a product price look-up table which is accessed by the POS terminal during a transaction. POS systems retrieve to the POS terminal data defining the prices of items for which a consumer requests purchase. POS systems total the costs for all of those items. POS systems log the purchase of the items. Some POS systems log the purchase of items in transaction records also including a unique customer identification (CID) associating that CID with the items purchased, the price of the items purchased, and the quantity of each product item purchased, the date of purchase, and the lane (POS terminal identification) in which the purchase occurred.
The present inventors recognize that the data stored in some POS computer systems can beneficially be used to determine purchase incentives that would induce customers to purchase certain products, as indicated below.

System and method for providing relative price point incentives based upon prior customer purchase behavior


A method and system for sheet accumulating wherein a web of material is cut into groups of cut sheets and a right-angle transport device is used to collate the cut sheets into packets. Because the cut sheets in each packet are moved into and out of the right-angle transport device in separate paths with different pathlengths, the cut sheets overlap with each other by an overlapped amount as they exit the right-angle transport device. A path deflector having a curved path is used in at least one of the paths in order to reduce the pathlength difference, thereby increasing the overlapped amount.

The present invention relates generally to a sheet accumulating system and, more particularly, to a sheet accumulating system that uses a continuous web cutter for providing cut sheets and a right-angle transport device for stacking the cut sheets.
Continuous web cutters are known in the art. A typical continuous web cutter is shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a mass mailing insertion machine 1, which uses a continuous web cutter 10 to cut a continuous web of material 20 into cut sheets, and provide the cut sheets to a sheet accumulator 60 via a right-angle transport device 50. The cut sheets are accumulated into stacks in the sheet accumulator 60 and the stacks are inserted into envelopes in an envelope insertion station 70. As shown in FIG. 1, a continuous web of material 20 with sprocket holes on both side of the web 20 is fed from a fan-fold stack 18 into the web cutter 10, which has two moving belts with sprockets 12 (or tractors with pins) to move the web 20 toward a guillotine cutting module 16 for cutting the web 20 cross-wise into separate sheets. Perforations 30 (see FIG. 2a) are provided on each side of the web material 20 so that the sprocket hole sections of the web 20 can be removed from the sheets prior to moving the cut sheets to other components of the mailing insertion machine 1. In particular, the continuous web cutter 10, as shown in FIG. 1, is used to feed two webs 22, 24 of material linked by a center perforation 26. As shown, a splitter 14 is used to split the linked webs 22, 24 into two separate webs before the webs can be simultaneously cut by the cutting module 16 into two cut sheets 42, 44, as shown in FIG. 2a. This type of web cutter is also known as a 2-up cutter. As shown in FIG. 2a, the sheets 42, 44 are moved substantially along a direction 102 toward a right-angle transport device 50 so that both sheets are moved along the same line in a different direction 104 as they exit the right-angle transport device 50.
Right angle transport devices are known in the art. For example, Auerbach et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,772) discloses a right-angle transport device having two or more sheet turn-over modules, wherein the turn-over modules are placed at 45 degrees in the path of two or more sheets moving in a side-by-side fashion so that these sheets are turned over while their moving direction is changed by 90 degrees. Two turn-over modules 52, 54 are shown in FIG. 2a. Before encountering the turn-over modules 52, 54, the cut sheets 42 and 44 are moving side-by-side at the same speed, with their leading edges 142, 144 substantially in-step with each other. However, after emerging from the turn-over modules 52, 54, as shown in FIGS. 3d and 3e, the cut sheet 42 leads the cut sheet 44 by a distance D. This is because the two cut sheets 42, 44 travel on two different paths. As shown in FIG. 2b, the cut sheet 42 travels on a shorter inner path 112, while the cut sheet 44 travels on a longer outer path 114. The length of the outer path 114 (from Xxe2x80x2 to M) is greater than the length of the inner path 112 (from X to M) by a distance OM, which is substantially equal to D.
FIGS. 3a to 3e illustrate how the turn-over modules 52, 54 are used to change the direction of the cut sheets 42, 44 so that they are moving substantially in the same path 116, with one sheet leading another in an overlapping manner. As shown in FIG. 3a, sheets 42, 44 move at the same speed 106 toward the turn-over modules 52, 54 along the first direction 102. The length of the sheets 42, 44 is denoted by the letter L and the width is denoted by the letter W. As shown in FIG. 3b, part of the sheets 42, 44 are turned over by the turn-over modules 52, 54 and the turned over sections move along the second direction 104, which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction 102. FIG. 3c shows that the sheets 42 and 44 are further engaged with the turn-over modules 52, 54. Because they move at the same speed 106, the sheets 42, 44 are turned over by the same amount. As the sheets 42, 44 emerge from the turn-over modules 52, 54, they move substantially on the same line along the second direction 104 with the inner cut sheet 42 leading the outer cut sheet 44. The sheets are partially overlapped with each other by an amount S, as shown in FIG. 3d. The overlapped amount S is substantially equal to the difference between L and W. When the sheets 42, 44 are completely disengaged from the turn-over modules 52, 54, they are overlapped by the same amount S, as shown in FIG. 3e, if they are not moved by another moving mechanism in a different way.
The partially overlapped sheets 42, 44 form a 2-sheet packet. The overlapped amount in this 2-sheet packet is essential for collation in the sheet accumulator 60. If the difference between the length L and the width W of the sheets is very small, the small overlapped amount of the two cut sheets may cause a paper jam. If the width W is equal to or greater than L, then the sheets do not overlap with each other after they emerge from the turn-over modules 52, 54, which can cause problems in collation.
In order to achieve a desirable overlapped amount in a 2-sheet packet, Ifkovits et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,447) uses rollers of different speeds to separately drive the two cut sheets 42, 44 toward the turn-over modules 52, 54. More specifically, the driving speed for the inner cut sheet 42 is lower than the driving speed for the outer cut sheet 44. The use of different speeds would complicate the design of the mass mailing insertion machine because motors of different speeds are needed. Use of different speed motors in a higher velocity system is impractical because significant path length must be added to both paths in order to provide the design overlap.
Furthermore, in a mass mailing insertion machine, as shown in FIG. 1, the collation of sheets in the accumulator 60 requires that a minimum allowable gap is provided between two consecutive packets. The minimum allowable gap is determined by the time required for the trailing edge of the preceding packet to settle in the accumulator before the leading edge of the following packet arrives. The gap between consecutive packets is mainly determined by the cutter rate of the web cutter 10 and the moving speed of the cut sheets. In a machine, as disclosed in Ifkovits et al., if the speed for the inner path is 121 ips (inch per second) and the speed for the outer path is 144 ips, the inter-packet gaps at different cutter rates can be calculated as follows:
Depending on an accumulator""s design, it is generally desirable to have a minimum allowable gap of 2.94 inches or 20 ms between two consecutive packets. This gap is calculated by assuming that the sheets attain their velocity after they are cut by the cutting module 16 and driven by nips in the right-angle transport device 50. Without the speed differential, the resulting gap for a 25K cutter operated at 144 ips would be 1.38 in (10 ms). In practice, the gap is somewhat non-deterministic due to the soft nips used in the web cutter and in the right-angle transport device. At any rate, while the machine as disclosed in Ifkovits et al. increases the inter-packet gap and helps solve the problem regarding the overlapped amount between two sheets in a packet, it is difficult to achieve a minimum allowable gap beyond the cutter rate of 27K.
It is advantageous and desirable to provide a method and device for increasing the overlapped amount of the cut sheets as they exit the right-angle transport device and, at the same time, increasing the inter-packet gap as the packets arrive in an accumulator.
It is a primary objective of the present invention to increase the overlapped amount of cut sheets in a sheet packet as they exit a right-angle transport device. If so desired, the overlapped amount in the sheet packet can be increased so that they are totally overlapped with each other such that the leading edge of one sheet is substantially in-step with the leading edge of another. It is another objective of the present invention to achieve a desirable inter-packet gap in the accumulator of a mass mailing insertion machine while increasing the cutter rate. These objectives can be achieved by compensating the pathlength of one or more cut sheets between the cutter module of the web cutter and the turn-over modules of the right-angle transport device.
Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a path deflection device to be used in a sheet accumulating system. The system comprises:
a continuous web cutter for cutting a continuous web of material into groups of cut sheets, each group of cut sheets comprising at least a first sheet and a second sheet moving substantially side-by-side along a first direction, wherein the first sheet moves in a first path and the second sheet moves in a second path substantially equal to the first path in length; and
a right angle transport device for changing the moving direction of the sheets from the first direction to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first and second sheets move in a same path in the second direction, with the second sheet traversing an additional path in the second direction, causing the first sheet to lead the second sheet in the second direction in an overlapping manner with an overlapped amount. The path deflection device comprises:
a channel having an entrance point and an exit point, disposed in the first path such that the entrance point is located at a first point of the first path and the exit point is located at a second point of the first path; and
a deflection mechanism disposed at the entrance point of the channel for causing the first sheet to deviate from the first path at the first point, to move through the channel and exit the channel at the exit point so that the first sheet continues to move in the first path from the second point toward the right angle transport device, wherein the channel has a channel length greater than the distance between the first point and the second point of the first path so as to compensate for the additional path traversed by the second sheet in the second direction, thereby increasing the overlapped amount.
Advantageously, the first and second sheets have a width and a length, the length substantially parallel to the first and second paths, wherein the difference between the channel length and the distance between the first point and the second point of the first path is substantially equal to or small than the width of the first and second sheets.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sheet accumulation. The method comprises the steps of:
cutting a web of material into groups of cut sheets, wherein each group of cut sheets comprises at least a first sheet and a second sheet moving substantially side-by-side along a first direction, wherein the first sheet moves in a first path and the second sheet moves in a second path substantially equal to the first path in length;
changing the moving direction of the sheets from the first direction to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first and second sheets move in a same path in the second direction, with the second sheet traversing an additional path in the second direction, causing the first sheet to lead the second sheet in the second direction in an overlapping manner with an overlapped amount; and
increasing the first path in order to compensate for the additional path traversed by the second sheet in the second direction, thereby increasing the overlapped amount.
Advantageously, the first pathlength is increased by a path deflection device having a curved path disposed in the first path for replacing a section of the first path, wherein the curved path has a deflection pathlength and the replaced section has a section length smaller than the deflection pathlength or substantially equal to the width of the first and second sheets.
Advantageously, the first and second sheets have a width and a length, the length substantially parallel to the first and second paths, wherein the difference between the deflection pathlength and the section length is smaller than or equal to the width of the first and second sheets.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet accumulating system. The system comprises:
a continuous web cutter for cutting a continuous web of material into groups of cut sheets, each group of cut sheets comprising at least a first sheet and a second sheet moving substantially side-by-side along a first direction, wherein the first sheet moves in a first path and the second sheet moves in a second path substantially equal to the first path in length;
a right angle transport device for changing the moving direction of the sheets from the first direction to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first and second sheets move in a same path in the second direction, with the second sheet traversing an additional path in the second direction, causing the first sheet to lead the second sheet in the second direction in an overlapping manner with an overlapped amount; and
a path deflection device, disposed in the first path, for compensating for the additional path traversed by the second sheet in the second direction, thereby increasing the overlapped amount.

Pathlength compensation method and device for high speed sheet cutters


An ergonomic support surface (2) is disclosed that supports a user's hand or wrist while moving in contact with the ergonomic support surface (2) to control a hand activated device, for example, a computer mouse on a mouse pad (6). The ergonomic support surface (2) may comprise a base (4) with a support structure (7) upon which the user's wrist or hand rests. The support structure (7) provides a massaging member, for example, a roller (8) that imparts a massaging action to the user's hand or wrist while the user's hand or wrist moves in contact with the supporting structure (7).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related generally to computer peripheral support surfaces and more particularly to the augmentation of such computer peripheral support surfaces in order to provide ergonomic support and massaging benefits to a user.
2. Description of Related Art
Most of the currently available mouse pads, keyboard pads, and other similar supports for users working with computer interface equipment on the market today are primarily designed to aid the accessibility and maneuverability of the mouse, keyboard, or other interface equipment without taking into account the prolonged effect they might have on the physical health of the computer operator. The user's forearm muscles are under constant stress, as the user must use them to perform the various movements involved in working with a computer mouse or other interface equipment. Incorrect hand, arm, or shoulder alignment cause further trauma to the hands or wrists, as the hand is forced into an unnatural position while working.
In a situation where the user has to work with a computer all day the extended use of the mouse or other interface equipment can lead to several physical health problems such as cumulative trauma disorder, repetitive stain injuries, or carpal tunnel syndrome. The effects of these disorders range from local fatigue and soreness; numbness and tingling; and even complete loss of strength of the hand. In some cases the user becomes unable to perform regular job duties leading to eventual loss of work, time, and earnings. The curative medical expenses can be considerable as well.
There have been some attempts to alleviate the mal effects of working with computer interface equipment. Most notably are keyboard pads upon which a user's palms may rest to support the hands while typing. Such keyboard pads are generally a foam, encased gel, or plastic pad running the length of the keyboard, placed upon a work surface in front of the keyboard. This same pad design has been incorporated into mouse pad assemblies as well. These conventional keyboard and mouse pads are static in response to a user's movement of the hand and wrist, although if the surface of the pad is soft, e.g., foam, the pad may compress under the weight of the user's hand and wrist. These designs can place pressure over a relatively small, static area of the hand and wrist, thereby restricting blood circulation and correct nerve functioning.

Ergonomic and massaging computer interface support surfaces


A face chamber for use with a continuous positive airways pressure apparatus to treat a patient comprising a housing with a pressure chamber and a face receiving opening to fit over the patient's face, a seal to seal the patient's face to the housing so that the patient breathes into said pressure chamber, an inlet connector for connecting the output of the continuous positive airways pressure apparatus to the pressure chamber, and control valves for controlling the discharge of gases from the face chamber.

This invention relates generally to face chambers and more particularly to face chambers for use in continuous positive airways pressure treatment.
Patients who suffer respiratory distress are sometimes subjected to a continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP) to assist the spontaneous breathing patient in breathing. This technique maintains a positive pressure (usually 1-30 cm. H.sub.2 O) in the respiratory system at all times. The benefits of positive pressure breathing have been repeatedly documented over the past three (3) decades in the medical literature. This treatment has been administered through an endotracheal tube or by face mask. On one hand, the mask devices available for the administration of positive airway pressure to the individual have certain disadvantages that limit their effectiveness and/or they have poor patient acceptance. On the other hand, the use of an endotracheal tube can effectively provide any desired volume of breathing under any range of pressures, but has a number of serious shortcomings and it creates life-threatening complications in addition to requiring intensive care facilities and expensive respiratory equipment during use.
Examples of this technique are set forth in the following articles:
(1) Gregory, et. al., Treatment of the Idiopathic Respiratory--Distress Syndrome with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, 284 The New England Journal of Medicine 1333 (1971);
(2) Ahlstrom, et. al., Continuous Positive Airways Pressure Treatment by a Face Chamber in the Idiopathic Respiratory Distress Syndrome, 51 Archives of Disease of Childhood, 13 (1976);
(3) Greenbaum, et. al., Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Without Tracheal Intubation In Spontaneously Breathing Patients, 69 Chest 615 (1976); and
(4) Covelli, et. al., Efficacy of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Administered By Face Mask, 81 Chest 147 (1982).
In addition to the face masks and chambers set forth in the above articles, the following patents describe various face masks and helmets for other uses which are provided with various ventilation valves and effluent receivers:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date C1/SubC1 ______________________________________ 3,473,165 Gran 10/21/69 3,550,588 Stahl 12/29/70 128/141 3,603,313 Arblaster 09/07/71 128/275 4,249,527 Ko 02/10/81 128/204.18 4,505,310 Schneider 03/19/85 141/114 4,537,189 Vicenzi 08/27/85 128/202.13 4,583,246 Griswold 04/22/86 2/2.1A 4,712,594 Schneider 12/15/87 141/114 ______________________________________
None of the masks or face coverings illustrated in these cited patents are adapted especially for use in CPAP therapy. The face masks or coverings previously used in CPAP therapy were usually uncomfortable, bulky and cumbersome to use and usually required that the patient remain in a restricted environment while such therapy was being performed. Also, in many clinical situations, there are individuals who require more help than that which can be administered with the presently available support equipment short of endotracheal intubation.
The disadvantages of the face masks and devices now readily available for the administration of positive airway pressure are as follows:
(1) The seal of the face mask is incapable of maintaining an air-tight face-to-face interface continuously to provide the airway with a predictable positive pressure;
(2) After placement of the face mask, there is no easy access to the face that will allow the individual to eat, to drink, to swallow medication, to wipe the mouth, to cough and expectorate, to blow or scratch the nose, etc., short of its complete removal. (The performance of such small required or desired functions at times seem insignificant until they are deprived or restricted);
(3) The application of a mask to the face for the purpose of administering continuous positive airway pressure has always been fraught with the danger of aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs, a complication with dire consequences should a person vomit;
(4) A most serious shortcoming is the lack of patient acceptance of the presently available masks due to apprehension since most people perceive them as a means of suffocation rather than aid. (The almost universal reaction of the person is to tear or pull the mask off the face almost immediately); and
(5) With the face mask applied typically over the nose and the mouth, the individual'speech becomes indistinct and difficulty in communication with the patient ensues.
It must be noted here that the introduction of an endotracheal tube into the larynx and trachea immediately deprives the patient of the ability to communicate by speech, literally confines the patient to bed, and requires a special team of nurses and respiratory therapists to provide care for now the patient's:
(1) swallowing has become difficult with the endotracheal tube in place;
(2) the evacuation of his tracheal bronchial secretions must be removed by mechanical suctioning of the endotracheal tube; and
(3) communication is limited to scribbling on a pad, and for those possessing limited writing skills, to banging on the side-rails, etc. The presence of the endotracheal tube also necessitates the use of a nasogastric tube early in the patient's care in order to keep the stomach deflated, to lessen pressure in the left diaphragm, and to prevent aspiration around the cuffed endotracheal tube. Clinically, however, this is not always effective to eliminate aspiration. Besides, it has been shown that the presence of a nasogastric tube causes gastroesophageal reflux with all of its complications to the lower esophagus. Because of the presence of the endotracheal tube in the throat and the tube in the stomach, the person's nutrition and fluid requirements have to be maintained and/or replaced intravenously, and in most instances, by a line placed in a large central vein.
All of the above necessary paraphernalia placed into the patient's orifices and lumina, needless to say, add to one's discomfort and cause anxiety as well as pain and complications. These problems are delineated as follows: (1) aspiration pneumonitis is caused by gastric esophageal reflux; and (2) the suctioning of the tracheal bronchial tube leads to complications of nosocomial infections and/or pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or other opportunistic infections. These complications are extremely difficult and costly to treat, may spread to other patients, and, at times, have caused tracheal stricture--a most severe and dreaded life-threatening complication.
The inability of the individual to speak to relatives or those caring for him (i.e., doctors, nurses and other paramedical personnel), as well as the restraining necessary to prevent the patient from forcefully removing the various tubes, leads to often occurring intensive care (ICU) psychosis. More commonly, however, the problem is one of a necessitating heavy sedation that impedes spontaneous breathing and prolongs the use of the respirator. Furthermore, the central intravenous catheter can lead to bacteremia, to lung abscesses, to bacterial endocarditis, and/or to fungal-type blood stream infections in immunosuppressed individuals.
Among the problems not mentioned above is the frequently serious decision of placing an individual whose ability to recuperate is uncertain on the respirator by way of an endotracheal tube. Then, that individual's course becomes protracted and without any foreseeable termination of mechanical respiratory support.


A ceramic powder including silicon dioxide, iron oxide, iron, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and a trace element group. The silicon dioxide occupies the powder of total weight from 81% to 86%; the iron oxide occupies the powder of total weight from 12% to 16%; the iron occupies the powder of total weight from 0.5% to 2%; the magnesium oxide occupies the powder of total weight from 0.2% to 0.5%; the aluminum oxide occupies the powder of total weight from 0.05% to 0.3%; and the trace element group occupies the powder of total weight of remains. The powder converts heat energy to electromagnetic radiation not being absorbed by a metallic material but disappearing in the form of light quantum, and provides for heat dissipation from electronic components. The powder converts electromagnetic radiation to far infrared electromagnetic radiation, providing for electromagnetic radiation absorption from the electronic component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ceramic powder and particularly to ceramic powder provided with the virtues of heat dissipation and electromagnetic radiation absorption.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many electronic components in an electrical unit or an electronic unit. When the electrical unit or the electronic unit works, the electronic components generate heat energy and electromagnetic radiation.
The heat energy generated by the electronic components makes the temperature of component go up and affects their performance. Eventually, the operation efficiency of electronic components decreases and is lost. For example, heat energy generated by a CPU in a computer makes the temperature of CPU go up. In that event, the operation efficiency of CPU decreases such that the computer performs slowly and may even crash. Thus, the heat energy generated by the electronic components must be further dissipated, without affecting their performance.
In a mode of heat dissipation for conventional electronic components, a heat-sink fin set and a fan are applied. The heat energy generated by the electronic components is transmitted to the heat-sink fin set, making the temperature of electronic components decrease. When the fan works, airflow is generated and passes through the heat-sink fin set to dissipate the heat energy. However, the fan needs electric power to work, which wastes energy.
Further, the electromagnetic radiation generated by the electronic components interferes with other electronic components distributed nearby and may affect the health of human beings in close proximity to electrical unit or the electronic unit. Consequently, the electromagnetic radiation generated by the electronic components must be further processed, while avoiding interference to other electronic components and respectively affecting the health of human beings.
The conventional method of processing electromagnetic radiation by the electronic components is by applying a metallic component. The metallic component is wrapped about the electronic component to shield the electronic component from the electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation is not further used so that it is wasted.
Indeed, from the description mentioned formerly, a further improvement is required for the conventional method of dissipating the heat formed by the electronic components. The conventional method of processing electromagnetic radiation by electronic components is obviously inconvenient and imperfect in practical use.
For this reason, in consideration of improving upon the defects described above, the inventor, having concentrated their studies and operating in coordination with academic theories, has finally provided this invention as a reasonable design and an effective improvement over the defects mentioned above.


Provided is a nonaqueous dispersion of resin particles, in which the resin particles have uniform particle diameters and shapes and which exhibits excellent fixing properties, particularly when used as a liquid electrophotographic developer. More specifically, provided is a nonaqueous dispersion (X) in which resin particles (C) are dispersed in a nonhydrophilic organic solvent (L) that exhibits a relative permittivity of 1 to 4 at 20° C., the resin particles (C) being core-shell type resin particles each of which comprise a resin particle (B) that contains a resin (b) and fine particles (A) that contain a resin (a) and that either adhere to the surface of the resin particle (B) or form a film on the surface of the resin particle (B), wherein the solubility of (a) in (L) at 25° C. is 10 wt % or less relative to the weight of (a).

As the resin particles which are dispersed in the nonaqueous dispersion of resin particles, desired are those having a narrow particle size distribution and high dispersion stability. Above all, in such fields as the liquid developer for electrophotography, the liquid developer for electrostatic recording, the oil-based ink for inkjet printer, the ink for electronic paper, and the like, there are demands for resin particles having a small particle diameter and a narrow particle size distribution.
In addition, in the field of electrophotography, there is a strong desire for decreasing power consumption by printing machines such as printers and the like by fixing toners at lower temperatures.
Therefore, in order to solve these problems, there has been proposed a method wherein a fatty acid monoester is added in the nonaqueous dispersion medium and, at the same time, a polyester resin is selected as the main component of the toner (see Patent Document 1). This method was intended to improve the fixing property of the toner by plasticizing the polyester resin with the fatty acid monoester. However, the toner particles obtained showed poor dispersion stability and were not entirely satisfactory in either particle size distribution or fixing property.

Nonaqueous dispersion of resin particles


An interdigital capacitor (10) is provided including a plurality of conductive and dielectric finger regions. The conductive finger regions are made of the same material type as a microstrip transmission line (12). The conductive finger regions are comprised of individual conductive fingers (14) and the individual conductive fingers (14) provide a predetermined level of impedance to the microstrip transmission line. The plurality of conductive finger regions are comprised of a first finger region (18) and a second finger region (20). The first finger region (18) is coupled to the microstrip transmission line (12) and the second conductive finger region (20) is coupled to ground (22). The individual conductive fingers (14) of the first conductive region (18) are located parallel and interspersed with the individual conductive fingers (14) of the second conductive finger region (20). Because the individual fingers (14) of the conductive finger region provide a predetermined level of impedance to the interdigital capacitor (10), the value of the interdigital capacitor (10) can be adjusted by a known amount by removing one or more individual conductive fingers (18) . This in turn provides a known response in the phase of a signal travelling on the microstrip transmission line (12).

Radiofrequency (RF) signals have use in household radios, radio telecommunication networks, microwave telecommunication networks, and many other systems. Radiofrequency signals are characterized by a frequency phase. Microstrip transmission lines carry radiofrequency signals between devices within a circuit. Manufacturing microstrip transmission lines usually includes forming a thin layer of conductive material, e.g., copper, on the top nonconductive dielectric surface of a circuit board. Microstrip transmission lines form the necessary connections between the components on an RF circuit board.
In certain applications, adjusting the phase or phase tuning an RF signal is necessary. Altering the impedance of the microstrip transmission line on which the signals are travelling is one method of phase tuning. For example, for a signal travelling at a 94 degree phase on a microstrip transmission line relative to a reference, by reducing the impedance of the microstrip transmission line the phase of the signal can be changed to 90 degrees relative to the reference.
The impedance of a microstrip transmission line results from the inductance and the capacitance of the material used to make the microstrip transmission line. The material, amount of material, and shape of the material used to form the microstrip transmission line affect the impedance of a microstrip transmission line. Different types of materials, for example, copper versus silver, have associated different impedance characteristics. Also, long, thin microstrip transmission lines have higher impedance, and inversely, short, wide microstrip transmission lines have lower impedance. The shape of the microstrip transmission line also adds to the impedance of the line. Straight microstrip transmission lines will, for example, have less impedance than spiral microstrip transmission lines.
Past approaches to alter the impedance of a microstrip transmission line include using RF variable capacitors, tuning chips, and capacitive stubs. Using RF variable capacitors requires attaching the capacitor to the microstrip transmission line. Signals are phase tuned by adjusting the value of the variable capacitor. The disadvantages of RF variable capacitors include their high cost, large size, and construction which is subject to mechanical failure and microphonics. Additionally, the packaging of RF variable capacitors provides a minimum capacitance which cannot be adjusted out, and also, affects the capacitance characteristic of the RF variable capacitor in applications above 2 gigahertz.
A second approach for altering the impedance of a microstrip transmission line is by attaching tuning capacitive chips of metal or dielectric to the microstrip transmission line with an adhesive. Using tuning capacitance chips has many disadvantages including the time and labor necessary to determine the proper size and location of the chip, and attaching the chip to the microstrip transmission line. Tuning chips can also fall off the circuit board if the adhesive fails.
A third approach for altering the impedance of a microstrip transmission line is using capacitive stubs connected to the microstrip transmission line. In this approach, a length and width of material of the same type as the microstrip transmission line are made a part of the microstrip transmission line. The capacitive stub provides impedance to the microstrip transmission line. Removing a portion of the length of the capacitive stub alters the impedance of the microstrip transmission line. The change in impedance thereby alters the phase of a radiofrequency signal travelling on the microstrip transmission line.
Using capacitive stubs is a very reiterative process. This process involves measuring the phase of the signal relative to a reference, removing portions of the capacitive stub and then remeasuring the phase of the signal. These steps are duplicated until the desired phase shift in the signal is achieved. If too much of the capacitive stub is removed during the phase tuning of the RF signal then the circuit board is ruined. Once portions of the capacitive stub are removed, the capacitive stub cannot be rebuilt. Since it is impossible to determine beforehand how much of the capacitive stub to remove in order to phase tune the RF signal, this process often results in unusable circuit boards.
Unfortunately, this result is exasperated because tuning the signal with a capacitive stub often occurs only after the circuit board has been populated with other devices. Therefore, if the signal cannot be adequately tuned by altering the capacitive stub, then the components on the circuit board have to be removed for placement on another circuit board. Removing the components from the circuit board often results in damage to these sometimes expensive parts, and leads to not only scrapping the original circuit board, but also all of the components that were previously placed on the circuit board.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved method and apparatus for altering the impedance of a microstrip transmission line that overcomes the limitations of prior art capacitive devices. It is an object of the present invention to provide a interdigital capacitor that is connected to the microstrip transmission line. The technical advantage of the present invention is the interdigital capacitor is in a shape such that, by removing portions of the interdigital capacitor, a predetermined and known change to the capacitance of the interdigital capacitor and, therefore, the to impedance of the microstrip transmission line is achieved. This in turn provides a predetermined and known result in the phase of the RF signal travelling on the microstrip transmission line. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method using the interdigital capacitor coupled to the microstrip transmission line to phase tune a radiofrequency signal travelling on the microstrip transmission line. By measuring the phase of a signal relative to a reference and knowing the predetermined impact to the phase of the signal by removing a known quantity of impedance from the interdigital capacitor coupled to the microstrip transmission line, the phase of the signal can be altered without the reiterative processes or limitations of the prior art.

Method and apparatus for adjusting the impedance of a microstrip transmission line


A source driver providing an output image to a plurality of pixels and including a judgment unit, an image processing unit, and a digital-to-analog converter is disclosed. The judgment unit encodes a first input image to generate an encoded code and compares the encoded code with a preset code to generate a luminance controlling signal. The image processing unit processes an image signal by an algorithm and outputs the processed result when the judgment unit asserts the luminance controlling signal. The image processing unit directly outputs the image signal when the judgment unit un-asserts the luminance controlling signal. The digital-to-analog converter transforms the output of the image processing unit and outputs the transformed result to the pixels.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic system, and more particularly to an electronic system with a display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because cathode ray tubes (CRTs) are inexpensive and provide high definition, they are utilized extensively in televisions and computers. With technological development, new flat-panel displays are continually being developed. When a larger display panel is required, the weight of the flat-panel display does not substantially change when compared to CRT displays.
Generally, flat-panel displays comprise self-luminescence displays and non-self-luminescence displays. Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are the self-luminescence displays. The self-luminescence displays comprise plasma display panels (PDP), field emission displays (FED), and electroluminescent (EL) displays and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays.
The self-luminescence displays are widely used as they possess the favorable advantages of thin profile, light weight, high luminance efficiency and low driving voltage. However, when the self-luminescence display displays the same image for a long period of time, the lifespan of the luminiferous elements are reduced. Taking a mobile phone as an example, a display image is shown in FIG. 1. The regions 110 and 130 continuously display the same image. Thus, the lifespan of the pixels disposed in the regions 110 and 130 are reduced because an image sticking effect occurs in the regions 110 and 130.

Source driver and electronic system utilizing the same


An electronic flight strip system and method of operation are disclosed. One such method receives a non-stylus touch on a touchscreen display that displays an electronic flight strip having a plurality of fields. A context-based reaction to the electronic flight strip is caused in response to which field of the plurality of fields received the non-stylus touch.

Today in the U.S. national airspace system (NAS), air traffic controllers make use of paper flight strips in controlling aircraft under their jurisdiction. Within an air traffic control tower, strips are physically passed between tower controllers with different roles (clearance delivery, ground control, local control) with each controller storing the strips in ordered strip bays and making markings on the strips to record interactions with pilots. Strips are also transferred between the control tower and the terminal radar room, in some cases by gravity down drop tubes, in other cases by a strip bar code scan that triggers reprinting of the strip in the radar room. This system can be inefficient and the paper flight strips can be lost, mislabeled by a controller, or inadvertently destroyed.

System and method for connecting user actions on a touchscreen electronic flight strip system