A data processing apparatus includes a storage format setting unit for setting a storage format in an interactive manner in order to store acquisition data, acquired from a control appliance connected thereto, a storage file forming unit for forming a storage file used to store the acquisition data based upon the storage format set by this storage format setting unit, and a storage unit for storing the acquisition data acquired from the control appliance in the storage file formed by this storage file forming unit according to the storage format set by the storage format setting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus for acquiring via a communication line, data saved by a control appliance having a storage apparatus such as a plurality of programmable logic controllers (hereinafter referred to as a "PLC") and programmable controllers (hereinafter referred to as a "PC") connected to each other, and for storage, acquiring, and writing the data in useful formats.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 44 is a block diagram for showing an arrangement of a conventional data acquiring/storing apparatus. In this drawing, reference numeral 1 shows a control apparatus for controlling an appliance connected thereto. To this control apparatus 1, a CRT2 functioning as a display unit, a keyboard 3 functioning as an input unit, and a control appliance 4 containing a plurality of PLCs and a plurality of PCs are connected.
Within the controller 1, there are provided a CPU 11 for executing a user program, a memory 12 for storing a user application program, an auxiliary storage unit 13 having a database formatted storage file 131 for storing data acquired from the control appliance 4, an interface 141 for interfacing to the CRT2, another interface 142 for interfacing to the keyboard 3, and also a further interface 143 for interfacing to the control appliance 4.
The conventional data acquiring/storing apparatus is arranged in the above-described manner. In this data acquiring/storing apparatus, for instance, the database formatted storage file 131 is formed inside the auxiliary storage unit 13 in accordance with the user application program formed by the user himself, and then the data acquired from the control appliance 4 is stored into this storage file 131.
The conventional data processing apparatus is arranged as described above, and the user himself must produce the user application program in order to form the storage file for storing therein the necessary data acquired from the control appliance. Therefore, this user programming work would require huge amounts of workload, time; and knowledge, so that the efficiency of programming work would be lowered, but also a large amount of workload would be required to correct the user application program. A similar heavy workload is required to produce such programs, i.e., setting of conditions used to acquire the data from the control appliance, and setting of the production instruction to the control appliance, and also to form a descriptive file used to store write data to be written into the control appliance. No one can readily perform this work.
Also, in order that the data acquired from the control appliance is made as a suitable data format for the user, a further fine setting work should be carried out, resulting in a further heavy workload.
Moreover, as to setting of the data transmission between the control appliance and the data processing apparatus, this setting work cannot be easily performed by the user.
In such a case that a plurality of control appliances are connected to the data processing apparatus while transmitting the data, there is another problem that this data transmission would require a large amount of time.
Also, even when the end request for notifying the end of data processing is inputted, this data processing apparatus does not execute the end processing in response to this end request unless predetermined waiting time has passed. Accordingly, the response characteristic to the end request would be deteriorated.

Data processor providing interactive user configuration of data acquisition device storage format


The invention includes a method for encrypting and transmitting a message M from a first location to a second location. Random numbers P and Q are initially selected, each of them being either a prime or a non-prime number. P and Q are both furnished to a sender and a recipient at the first and second locations, respectively. A client at the first location generates an encrypted message E, which is the remainder left when a modulus operator divides a first quantity, equal to M multiplied by P to the i power, where i is a selected number, by a second quantity equal to (PQ−1). A tuple comprising E and i is transmitted from the first location to the second location, and a second data processing system at the second location to determines the message M from E, i and Q.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed and claimed herein pertains generally to a method and system for encrypting, transmitting and decrypting a message, wherein a private or secret key is furnished to both the sender and the receiver of the encrypted message. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus of the above type, wherein modular arithmetic is used to achieve faster encryption, and to reduce the length or amount of transferred data.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a continuing and ever increasing need for encryption algorithms that can be applied to computer related transmissions. These algorithms should be capable of providing encryption which is very hard to break or decode, that is, encryption which is non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP) hard. It is also desirable to minimize the amount of computing power that is required to implement an encryption algorithm.
As is well known by those of skill in the art, modular or modulo arithmetic is an arithmetic system in which integers return to zero, or "wrap around", after a specified value, or modulus, has been reached. In the past, efforts to use modulo arithmetic in encryption algorithms have been significantly hampered, since such algorithms generally could not use non-prime numbers. As is also well known by those of skill in the art, a prime number is a positive integer that cannot be divided by any positive integer, except one and itself, without leaving a remainder. Accordingly, a non-prime number is a positive integer that can be divided by at least one other positive integer, in addition to one and itself, without leaving or producing a remainder.
Previous algorithms of the above type have not used non-prime numbers for at least two reasons. One reason is that encryption could result in zero. Another reason was that an encryption result was not necessarily unique, that is, it would be possible that a result would not be limited to a one to one mapping between an original message and the encrypted message.

Use of a private key to encrypt and decrypt a message

International Business Machines Corporation


The objective of the present invention is to provide compositions containing vegetable oils and an anti-oxidant system to prevent oxidation of the triglycerides in the vegetable oil in food products, in particular in products which are often stored for a long time. The antioxidant system should not give an undesired colour, and neither an undesired taste, to a food composition. Additionally, it should be a natural compound and/or common food ingredient, and fitting to the food composition with regard to taste and colour. This has been achieved by providing a food composition containing vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar, wherein the weight ratio of citric acid and malic acid to total organic acids in the apple cider vinegar is more than 2%.

Vegetable oil comprising mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fatty acids in food products are prone to oxidation during storage of the food product. This causes rancidity, and may lead to rejection of the food product by consumers. Therefore food products often contain antioxidants to prevent oxidation of the vegetable oil, in particular food products which are stored for a relatively long time. An additive which may commonly be used is EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid), which complexes metal ions which generally promote oxidation of the triglycerides in the vegetable oil. These metal ions may be present in the food product as constituent of common food ingredients. EDTA however can be regarded to be chemical and artificial by consumers, therefore there is a need for alternatives which are natural. Within the food industry an increasing effort is made to remove artificial ingredients from food products and to replace them with natural alternatives. Owing to its effectiveness, reasonable cost, and lack of viable alternatives, however, EDTA has so far been one of the more difficult artificial ingredients to replace. Many compounds are known for their antioxidative properties, however not all compounds are sufficiently effective.
WO 2013/189709 A1 relates to mayonnaise which does not contain EDTA, and which contains reduced grape juice. Additionally, the mayonnaise contains a source of acetic acid, which is selected from the group of wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, spirit vinegar, rice vinegar, apple vinegar, malt vinegar and combinations thereof. Reduced oxidation of the oil is caused by the incorporation of the reduced grape juice.
WO 2017/001154 A1 discloses compositions containing caramel and phenolic compounds.
WO 2007/096444 A1 discloses a mayonnaise-type sauce, the composition of which includes only buttermilk by way of an emulsifier, and may also contain white wine vinegar.
EP 1 336 340 A1 discloses a mayonnaise sauce and its manufacturing process, said mayonnaise having extra virgin olive oil as its main oily ingredient and olive oil as its secondary oily ingredient.
JP2004073043 A2 discloses a dressing which contains 'umeboshi vinegar'. The umeboshi vinegar has the effect that it contains acids which have antibacterial properties. Umeboshi vinegar is a salty and sour condiment, which is the byproduct from making umeboshi. Umeboshi are pickled and dried plums, from the species Prunus mume.
D. Tagliazucchi et al. (European Food Research and Technology, 227(3), 2008, p.835-843) describes the antioxidant activity of traditional balsamic vinegar, due to compounds synthesized during cooking of must.
CN 101708062 relates to the use of modified tea polyphenols in fatty foods, to improve antioxidant activity.

Composition comprising vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar


An installation for the formation of a laser beam suitable for isotope separation. According to the present invention, a pumping means of tunable chains are constituted by a plurality of solid matrix lasers, e.g., of the frequency-doubled, switched YAG type, having optical fibers guiding the pumping light to the tunable chain. Such a system finds particular application to isotope separation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an installation for the formation of a laser beam suitable for isotope separation in an atomic vapor (SILVA process).
2. Discussion of the Background
Isotope separation by laser in an atomic vapor is based on the selective photoionization of uranium 235 atoms by resonant absorption. This process requires the production of a laser beam having special properties. It must firstly be polychromatic, i.e. formed from three or four colors, in order to permit the excitation of the various transitions involved in the photoionization process. It must also be wavelength tunable between approximately 550 and 700 nm, to permit the adjustment of the various wavelengths to the transitions involved. It must have a good spectral fineness close to 10.sup.-6. It must supply pulses with a duration of approximately 50 ns with a repetition rate of approximately 10 kHz. Finally, its average power must be a few dozen Watts for laboratory installations and must be able to reach 25 kW for an industrial installation.
In order to achieve such performance characteristics, installations have been constructed having several dye laser chains (i.e. tunable lasers), operating at different wavelengths. Each chain comprises an oscillator stage and an amplifier stage connected in series. Each of the stages of said chains is optically pumped by a chain of lasers arranged in series, each of the pumping lasers operating at a high average power (several hundred Watts). Each pumping chain supplies a bean, whose average power is approximately 1 kW.
The various beans emitted by the different pumping chains are directed by appropriate optical elements (mirrors, lenses, etc.) towards the stages of the dye lasers. The lasers forming the pumping chains are generally copper vapor lasers, which emit two lines respectively at 510 and 578 nm with a repetition rate of approximately 5 kHz.
FIG. 1 shows an installation according to this prior art. The dye laser chain comprises an oscillator stage 10 and amplifier stages 12, 14, 16. There are the sane number of chains of this type as there are wavelengths to be produced (e.g. four).
In the illustrated example, the pumping chain comprises four chains A, B, C and D, each constituted by an oscillator 20 and three amplifiers 22, 24, 26. The four beans 30, 32, 34, 36 supplied are controlled and multiplexed in a system 40 and are then transported by a set of mirrors and lenses and are finally supplied to two bean distribution systems 44 and 46 positioned on either side of the dye laser chain.
It is not appropriate here to describe the wavelength multiplexing means of the beans finally supplied by the various dye laser chains or the separator where the selective photoionization of the uranium 235 finally takes place, because these means are well known and do not form part of the invention. A description is provided in the work entitled "Le Laser-Principes et techniques d'application", coordinator H. MAILLET, chapter 4: "Separation isotopique par laser" by M. CLERC, P. RIGNY and O. DE WITTE (Edition Lavoisier).
Although satisfactory in certain respects, these installations suffer from disadvantages.
Firstly, they have considerable overall dimensions as a result of the use of copper vapor lasers, which are several meters long and have voluminous electrical supply circuits. This is in particular due to the fact that these lasers use a low pressure gas as the active medium. They also require numerous optical elements (mirrors, lenses, etc.) in order to control, multiplex and direct the different light beans emitted by the pumping chains to the dye chains. Therefore, numerous mechanical constraints appear for ensuring the correct focusing of the pumping beans in the dye lasers. These mechanical constraints are made worse by the fact that the two subsystems, namely that of the dye chain (at the top of FIG. 1) and that of the pumping chain (at the bottom of FIG. 1) are in practice very remote from one another and are usually positioned in separate rooms or even buildings, due to the widely differing technologies involved.
Finally, the increase of the average power, which is always desirable when it is wished to achieve industrial dimensions, causes serious problems as a result of the power limiting phenomena occurring in pumping chains, linked with the performance characteristics of the optics (in-line losses and flux resistance threshold) and the saturation of the medium.

Installation for the formation of a laser beam suitable for isotope separation


An ultrasonic testing apparatus 100 comprises an ultrasonic probe 1 including n (n≧2) number of transducers arranged along a predetermined direction, disposed so as to face a test object P, and a transmission/reception control device 2 for selecting m (n>m≧1) number of transducers from among the n number of transducers, transmitting ultrasonic waves from the selected m number of transducers toward the test object, receiving the ultrasonic waves therefrom, and switched m number of transducers to b selected successively. If an angle that the arrangement direction of the transducers makes with the surface of the test object which ultrasonic waves enter is θ, and the effective beam width of each selected m number of transducers with respect to a target flaw is W1, the transmission/reception control device switches m number of transducers to be selected successively by a switching pitch length P satisfying the formula: P≦W1·cos θ.

In ultrasonic testing of pipe or tube (Hereinafter, "pipe or tube" is referred to as a pipe when deemed appropriate.), it is necessary to detect not only an axial flaw (a flaw extending in the axial direction of pipe) but also a circumferential flaw (a flaw extending in the circumferential direction of pipe) and a planar flaw parallel with the inner and outer surfaces of pipe called a lamination.
The axial flaw is detected by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves by using an ultrasonic probe 1′ tilted in the circumferential direction of a pipe P and by propagating ultrasonic shear waves in the circumferential direction of the pipe P as shown in FIG. 1A.
Also, the circumferential flaw is detected by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves by using an ultrasonic probe 1′ tilted in the axial direction of the pipe P and by propagating ultrasonic shear waves in the axial direction of the pipe P as shown in FIG. 1B.
Further, the lamination is detected by propagating ultrasonic longitudinal waves in the wall thickness direction of pipe as shown in FIG. 1C.
Thus, to detect various flaws that extend in different directions or have different shapes, a plurality of ultrasonic probes are generally used according to the type of flaw.
Conventionally, for a flaw of any of the types mentioned above, as shown in FIG. 2, ultrasonic testing has been performed by using a plurality of ultrasonic probes 1′ (in the example shown in FIG. 2, four ultrasonic probes denoted by symbols A1 to A4) arranged along the axial direction of pipe to enhance the testing efficiency and by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves from/by the ultrasonic probes 1′ and conveying the pipe in the axial direction while the pipe is rotated in the circumferential direction (spiral conveyance). For example, the ultrasonic probe A1 tests the pipe in a spiral region hatched in FIG. 2, and the ultrasonic probe A2 tests the pipe in a spiral region shaded in FIG. 2. Thus, by arranging the plurality of ultrasonic probes 1′ along the axial direction of pipe, whole surface testing of pipe has been realized.
However, the conventional ultrasonic testing method shown in FIG. 2 has a problem that the flaw detectability is deteriorated because of the decrease in sound field intensity at the boundary of sound fields formed by the adjacent ultrasonic probes 1′. FIG. 3 shows a profile example of echo intensity from a circumferential flaw formed on a pipe by machining. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a graph in which the flaw echo intensities obtained with the ultrasonic probes A1 to A4 by moving the pipe, on which a circumferential flaw has been formed, in the axial direction correspond to the axial location of the circumferential flaw. FIG. 3 reveals that in the boundary portion of the adjacent ultrasonic probes 1′ (the portion encircled by a broken line in FIG. 3), the flaw echo intensity decreases markedly. Therefore, it is apparent that the flaw detectability is also markedly deteriorated in this boundary portion.
To solve the above problem, for example, a technique described in JP3674131B (Patent Document 1) has been proposed. In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of ultrasonic probes are arranged in a straight line, and from among the plurality of ultrasonic probes, a probe group consisting of a fixed number of continuous ultrasonic probes is selected to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, the probe group to be selected being switched successively. This technique is characterized in that the switching pitch is matched to the total width of a plurality of ultrasonic probes, and is set so as to be equal to or smaller than the practical effective beam width of the ultrasonic wave emitted from one selected probe group.
The "practical effective beam width" is defined as a width until the level is decreased by 3 dB with respect to the peak value of sound field intensity obtained in the central portion of ultrasonic probe (paragraph 0005 of Patent Document 1). That is to say, the "practical effective beam width" is a value determined from the profile of sound field intensity of the ultrasonic beam transmitted from the ultrasonic probe.
However, when the technique described in Patent Document 1 is applied to testing of a pipe whose various flaws extend in different directions or have different shapes must be detected, a problem described below arises.
The profile of flaw echo intensity obtained when the ultrasonic probes are scanned in the arrangement direction thereof (in the example shown in FIG. 2, the axial direction of pipe) cannot be determined uniquely by only the profile of sound field intensity, and the flaw shape in the scanning direction of the ultrasonic probe exerts a great influence.
FIG. 4 shows a profile example of flaw echo intensity obtained when the identical ultrasonic probe is scanned in the axial direction of pipe with respect to an axial flaw and a circumferential flaw produced on the pipe.
In the above-described example, since the identical ultrasonic probe is used, the profile of sound field intensity is the same. However, as shown in FIG. 4, if the flaw is different, the profile of flaw echo intensity will be different. Therefore, with the practical effective beam width derived from the profile of sound field intensity, the switching pitch cannot be determined properly, and the flaw may be overlooked. Consequently, there arises a problem that the switching pitch must be determined inevitably by repeating trial and error for each type of flaw.

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation


Methods for removing coatings from metal components, such as metal components used in aircraft and other aerospace vehicles and the oil industry. The method may include removing an outer layer of a coating with a first stripping operation, removing an inner layer of the coating with a second stripping operation, and specifying an aqueous bath for either the first stripping process based upon an element in the outer layer or the second stripping process based upon an element in the inner layer.

The invention relates to stripping coatings from metal components and, more particularly, to methods for removing coatings from metal components used in aircraft and other aerospace vehicles, and the oil industry.
Aircraft landing gears include metal components, such as inner and outer cylinders, axles, pins, and actuators, formed from high strength structural materials like steel alloys. The metal components of aircraft landing gears, as well as the metal segments or components of exhaust augmentor flaps or turkey feathers and compressor blades found in aircraft engines, are often encapsulated or at least partially covered by a coating to provide a beneficial effect, such as corrosion resistance. For example, a coating, such as WCCo CrC/NiCr, or (WC/CoCr), may be applied to these metal components by, for example, a plasma spraying technique or by a high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process. The coatings are also used to coat shafts, gear boxes, and other wear parts in other industries, such as the oil industry.
Landing gears and exhaust augmentor flaps, as well as compressor blades and other rotating engine parts, are periodically removed from aircraft to inspect the material forming the metal components for stress corrosion, cracking, or other evidence of a condition that could lead to a field failure while in service. The inspection requires that the coating be stripped so that the coating does not interfere with the inspection process. For example, a porous coating may restrict the ability of a penetrant to reach the underlying structural material. If the component passes inspection, a new coating is applied to the metal component before the landing gear or exhaust augmentor flap is returned to service.
Conventional processes for stripping coatings suffer from various deficiencies. For example, a reverse plating process using an aqueous bath containing tartaric acid may be used to remove tungsten-containing coatings. However, this particular reverse plating process is expensive and slow. Aqueous baths containing acids may cause metal components formed from high strength steel alloys to be susceptible to hydrogen ion embrittlement. Embrittled metal components may become susceptible to damage from shock. Although residual trapped hydrogen in the stripped metal components may be removed by a low temperature bake, the required length of the bake slows process throughput.
Nevertheless, there is a need for improved apparatus, methods, and compositions to efficiently remove coatings from metal components used in aircraft and other aerospace vehicles.

Methods for removing coatings from a metal component


A method for inserting a PDU LI in an RLC is disclosed. According to the preferred embodiment, if a current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU and the current PDU has information indicating that the current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU, a component of the next PDU does not include information indicating that the current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU. Therefore, the next PDU is free from unnecessary insertion of the LI value so that waste of network resources can be prevented and overhead required for processing unnecessary LI values also can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio link protocol, and more particularly to a method for inserting a Length Indicator (LI) in a Radio Link Control (RLC) that selectively controls LI value insertion so that any LI to be inserted in the next PDU may be prevented from being unnecessarily included.
2. Background of the Related Art
The current trend in communications technology is concentrating research into allowing access of multimedia applications without restrictions on time/space and endeavors for visible achievement thereof. The development of digital data processing and transmission technology is consequently on the verge of realizing a real time global data communication system via satellites in which wire and radio communications are unified.
Also, the development of digital data processing and transmission technology allows still and dynamic images to be transmitted in real time via a network, as well as allowing the previous voice communication and information to be accessed freely without discriminating between wire and radio communication at any time and place. International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) will be an example thereof.
The Radio Link Control (RLC) layer presented in the invention is the second layer of 3 GPP, which has two kinds of Packet Data Units (PDUs). They are an Unacknowledged Mode Packet Data Unit (UMD PDU), used when the acknowledgment signal transmission to a sending side is not necessary after receiving the PDU in a receiving side, and an Acknowledged Mode PDU(AMD PDU). Each PDU format is as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 1, a format of the UMD PDU is composed of a header, a LI group, data, and a PAD (Padding). The header is composed of a 7 bit Sequence Number as a field for indicating the sequence number of each PDU, and a 1 bit Extension (E) field to indicate if the next field is data or LI and E bit. The data group is a field corresponding to the Service Data Units (SDUs) descended from an upper layer including at least one SDU. Since such a data group is variable in magnitude, a padding is carried out for octet aligning the overall PDU size.
Here, the PDU is sourced from ITU-TX.200/ISO-IEC7498-1, and the SDU is sourced from ITU-TX.140.
As shown in FIG. 2, a format of the AMD PDU includes a header, a LI group, and data. In the AMD PDU, a piggyback type status PDU is inserted instead of the padding to enable the transmission.
The header of the AMD PDU additionally has a 1 bit D/C field to indicate if the pertinent PDU is loaded with data information or control information, a P field as a 1 bit polling field for requesting a status report to the receiving side, and a 2 bit Header Extension (HE) field for notifying if the next data is data or LI and E bit.
In the above UMD PDU and the AMD PDU, the LI group is composed of the LI and E bit, in which each of the LIs is a field for indicating the boundary of each SDU when the PDU includes several SDUs. Each LI indicates the number of octects from the first octet in the data group to the last octet of each SUD. The LI group means the LIs for the SDUs included in one PDU. The LI size is 7 bits or 15 bits.
In the case of the AMD PDU, the 7 bit LI is used if the PDU size is at most 126 octets, and alternatively, the 15 bit LI is used. In the case of the UMD PDU, the 7 bit LI is used if the PDU size is at most 125 octets, and alternatively, the 15 bit LI is used.
Some values of these LIs are predefined for use in specific purposes.
Table 1 illustrates LI values for a specific purpose (In the case of the 7 bit LI), and Table 2 illustrates LI values for a specific purpose in the case of the 15 bit LI.
As can be seen from FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, if the end of one SDU (referred to as A) correctly matches the end of the PDU, the first LI value of the very next PDU (referred to as B) is inserted as 'LI=0' to so indicate.
In the case of the 15 bit long LI, if the last segment of the RLC SDU is one octet insufficient to the end of the PDU, the first LI of the very next PDU has the value of '111 1111 1111 1011' to so indicate. Also, the PDU uses 'LI=1' as a value to indicate that the rest part of the RLC PDU is a padding, where the padding is necessarily positioned at the last of the RLC PDU.
TABLE 1Length: 7bitBitDescription0000000The previous RLC PDU was exactly filled with the lastsegment of an RLC SDU.1111100Reserved1111101Reserved1111110AM PDU: The rest of the RLC PDU includes a piggy-backed STATUS PDU. UM PDU: Reserved1111111The rest of the RLC PDU is padding.
TABLE 2Length: 15bitBitDescription000000000000000The previous RLC PDU was exactly filled with thelast segment of an RLC SDU.111111111111011The last segment of an RLC SDU was one octetshort of exactly filling the last RLC PDU.111111111111100Reserved.111111111111101Reserved.111111111111110AM PDU: The rest of the RLC PDU includes apiggybacked STATUS PDU. UM PDU: Reserved.111111111111111The rest of the PDU is padding.
FIG. 3 illustrates the ends of the SDUs in one PDU by using the 7 bit LI in the AMD PDU. Here, the PDU size is 35 octets and the data size included in the PDU is 24 octets.
As can bee seen in FIG. 3, the AMD PDU has three SDUs, for example SDU1, SDU2, and SDU3. Each of the SDUs has the size of 11 octets, 9 octets and 4 octets, respectively. The LI values for accumulatively indicating the octet numbers from the first octet to the last octet of each data part of SDU1, SDU2, and SDU3 are inserted as 11 (octet), 20 (octet) and 24 (octet), and more inserted with 'LI=111 1111' to express the rest part of the PDU is a padding (5 octet).
In the related art, LI='0' is inserted into the very next PDU (B) in all the cases where the end of one SDU (A) exactly matches the end of the PDU in the RLC PDU.
FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 illustrate three cases where LI='0' is inserted according to a method for inserting LI of the related art, in which FIG. 4 shows a proper process, while FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show problems of unnecessary LI value insertions.
Referring first to FIG. 4, LI='0' is attached to the next PDU. If the LI for the SDU2 in FIG. 4 is included in the current PDU, one octet data of the SDU2 is necessarily shifted to the next PDU due to size of the LI. In other words, if a cumulative sum of LI=22 is recorded in the octet under LI=12 to indicate the end of SDU2, since the currently set PDU size is 25 octets and the sum octet of components of the PDU is 25, the sum octet of the PDU components becomes 26 and the end of the SDU2 does not match the end of the pertinent PDU. Then, it is meaningless to attach the second LI (LI=22).
Therefore in this case, LI='0' is inserted into the first LI of the next PDU (B) instead of inserting the second LI in the first PDU (A) to indicate the end of the SDU2.
However, in the cases as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the pertinent PDU (A) itself shows that the last SDU of the PDU (A) fits exactly into the PDU (A), including the various LIS, so that LI='0' need not be attached to the next PDU(B). Accordingly, the related art has various problems.
For example, the LI='0' value indicating that the last segment of the very previous SDU exactly matches the end of the previous PDU is unnecessarily inserted to the very next PDU (B) even though the LI indicates the end of the SDU2 of the PDU(A) as shown in FIG. 5.
Also, the LI value or the LI='0' value is inserted to notify that the end of the pertinent PDU (A) (the middle PDU in FIG. 6) is the padding since the end has one excessive octet (causing '0' padding as the position of the padding disappears due to the insertion of the final LI) as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, inserting the LI='0' value in the very next PDU (B) is unnecessary since the LI='1' value means that the end of the pertinent PDU (A) correctly matches the last segment of the SDU2.
In the dotted part under the SDU 2 of the pertinent PDU(A) of FIG. 6, the PDU(A) size is 27 while the sum of the components of the PDU is 26 leaving 1 octet. Therefore, the remaining one octet is padded as LI=1111111.
The aforementioned problems are observed also in the UMD PDU as same as in the AMD PDU. Therefore, according to the method for inserting LI of the related art, the LI value or LI='0' value is unnecessarily inserted into the LI group of the PDU, which includes unnecessarily overlapped information thereby wasting network sources.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Method for inserting length indicator in protocol data unit of radio link control


The present disclosure involves computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for optimizing the utilization of network infrastructure resources through predictive analysis. A computer-implemented method includes calculating, using at least one hardware processor, at least one user network load profile for each user profile of a set of user profiles, calculating a predicted dynamic network load using the at least one user network load profile for each user profile of the set of user profiles, transferring the predicted dynamic network load to an at least one network infrastructure resource, and adjusting the capacity of the at least one available network infrastructure resource.

Infrastructure costs are a significant factor in network operation costs. With a given network architecture and available data center network infrastructure resources, efficient utilization of available network infrastructure resources helps reduce overall network operation costs. On-demand network services, such as those provided by cloud-computing and other distributed network solutions, are strongly time-dependent. Another important factor affecting efficient allocation of network infrastructure resources is mobility. Network load demand from mobile users may be highly dynamic and may originate from a myriad of changing time zones. In order to ensure satisfaction of service level agreements at any time, network providers often attempt to anticipate network load demand and purposely overprovision the given network architecture with unnecessary network infrastructure resources. Overprovisioning of network infrastructure resources usually results in unused or under-utilized network infrastructure resources which is both inefficient and wasteful of business resources.


A preparation method of lithium hydroxide includes the following steps: A. coprecipitating a lithium extraction mother solution of salt lake brine with an aluminum salt solution and a sodium hydroxide solution, aging and then performing solid-liquid separation, washing and drying to obtain lithium aluminum hydrotalcite; B. acidifying the lithium aluminum hydrotalcite to obtain a lithium aluminate solution; C. performing nanofiltration on the lithium aluminate solution for lithium-aluminum separation, and sequentially performing primary concentration by reverse osmosis to obtain a primary concentrated lithium-rich solution; D. deeply removing aluminum from the lithium-rich solution to obtain an aluminum-removed lithium-rich solution; E. performing bipolar membrane electrodialysis on the aluminum-removed lithium-rich solution to obtain a secondary concentrated lithium-rich solution; F. evaporating the secondary concentrated lithium-rich solution for concentration to obtain lithium hydroxide.

Lithium is the lightest metal element in nature, which is silver-white in color, has distinct physicochemical characteristics of high specific heat, high conductivity and strong chemical activity, and has a wide range of applications. At present, the metal lithium and its compounds are increasingly applied in glass ceramic, electrolytic aluminum, lubricating grease, air conditioning refrigeration, and organic synthesis, metallurgy, chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, reagents and other traditional industrial fields, and their application in the fields of aluminum lithium alloy, lithium battery and energy such as nuclear fusion, military industry, aerospace, nuclear industry and the like is also expanding rapidly, so it is honoured as "Industrial MSG", and is also considered as an important strategic material in many countries; in addition, it is also honoured as "Energy metal that drive world progress" due to its application in lithium battery. In nature, lithium resources mainly exist in solid ore and liquid brine. The important position of brine lithium resources in the development of lithium resources in the world has been established for nearly 30 years, and its application in the extraction of lithium compounds has attracted the attention of lithium resource development industry. The international trend of lithium salt production is to extract lithium mainly from salt lake brine and to extract lithium from ores supplementarily. In China, extracting lithium from salt lake brines has the advantages of abundant resources and low cost. Moreover, with the depletion of solid lithium mineral resources, salt lake brine has gradually become the main source of lithium resources.
At present, the main processes for extracting lithium from salt lake brines with a high magnesium-lithium ratio primarily include: salt field process, magnesium-lithium separation, impurities removement from lithium-containing solution, precipitation and conversion of lithium carbonate and other process steps; in which, the precipitation and conversion of lithium carbonate mean that a sodium carbonate solution is added into a lithium-rich solution to prepare lithium carbonate through precipitation reaction, and at the same time solid-liquid separation is carried out to generate a mother solution of lithium carbonate, that is the lithium extraction mother solution of salt lake brine; the lithium content in the mother solution of lithium carbonate can still reach 1 g/L-2 g/L, which is an important lithium resource and intends to be recycled.
The current recycling process for the above mother solution of lithium carbonate is generally to remove the carbonate ions in it with hydrochloric acid firstly, and then to adjust its pH value by adding an alkaline. This process is complicated and high in cost because of acid and alkaline consumption; in addition, the carbonate ions have not been utilized rationally, causing the waste of resources. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a whole new way of recycling the mother solution of lithium carbonate.

QINGHA INSTITUTE OF SALT LAKES, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES


A liquid discharge head includes an actuator base, a case member, and a nozzle plate. The actuator base includes a plurality of grooves space from each other in a first direction. Each of the grooves extends in a second direction. The actuator base is formed of a piezoelectric ceramic material. The case member includes a frame portion spaced from the actuator base in the second direction. The frame portion has an end surface in the third direction that is level with an end surface of the actuator base in the third direction. The frame portion is formed of a ceramic material having aluminum titanate as a main component. The nozzle plate is contacting the end surface of the frame portion and the end surface of the actuator base.

As a liquid discharge head, a shear-mode shared-wall type liquid discharge head including a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with adjacent nozzles is known. In such a liquid discharge head, for example, a groove is formed at an end of a flat actuator substrate made of piezoelectric ceramics (e.g., PZT) to form a pressure chamber, and side plates are arranged on both sides of the actuator substrate to form a space serving as a common liquid chamber. The side plates are formed of a free-cutting ceramic (Macerite, Photoveel, or the like) of which workability is close to that of a piezoelectric ceramic PZT, and the actuator substrate is then polished together with the side plates to form a bonding surface that can be bonded to a nozzle plate.

Liquid discharge head, method of manufacturing liquid discharge head, and liquid discharge apparatus


An electrochemical biosensor analysis system is provided for analyzing a sample liquid, comprising a biosensor having an electrode structure made of at least two electrodes, a test field, covering the electrode structure and capable of absorbing the sample liquid, and a defined sample application surface on the top side of the test field. The system also includes an analysis instrument comprising an evaluation unit for determining the desired analysis data. The analysis instrument comprises an AC resistance measuring device for measuring an AC resistance value between two electrodes of the electrode structure by means of an area compensation measurement. The measured AC resistance value is used, in the determination of the analysis data, as a measure of the partial area of the effective electrode structure area wetted by the sample liquid.

Biosensor analysis systems are known in numerous variants for the detection (quantitative or qualitative determination) of various analytes. For example, the determination of glucose concentration in the blood of diabetics has especially great medical and economic significance. Other important analytes are cholesterol and various blood coagulation parameters. The latter example shows that an analysis parameter in the meaning of the invention is not limited to the concentration of a substance in the sample liquid, but rather the invention also relates to other relevant analysis parameters (in particular in the medical field), such as in this case the blood coagulation time. The invention is not restricted in regard to the analysis parameter.
Biosensor analysis systems are often used in medical laboratories. However, the invention is in particular directed to applications in which the analysis is performed by the patient himself for monitoring his health status ("home monitoring"). For uses of this type, simple handling is especially important to ensure that the required analysis is performed regularly by the patient and the precision of the analytical result is not impaired by handling errors. In addition, the analysis instrument for home monitoring is typically as small, light, and robust as possible. The invention is also suitable for so-called near-patient diagnostics ("near patient testing").
Elongate plastic strips are typically used as the carrier layer of known biosensors. However, there are also other forms, such as approximately square small plates. At the beginning of the development, biosensors in the form of test strips were typical, whose test fields were produced in single or multiple layers from an absorbent (porous) material, such as paper or porous plastic. A droplet of sample liquid was applied in excess to the surface of the test field. The excess was wiped or washed off. The reaction of the sample liquid penetrating into the test field containing the reagent system (comprising one or more reagent system components) resulted in a change of the color of the test field, which change was analyzed by means of a photometric device contained in the associated analysis instrument.
The present invention refers to electrochemical analysis systems. At the beginning of the development of such biosensors, designs were typical which had a porous test field for applying the sample liquid to its top side. This is, for example, known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,516, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Later, capillary biosensors were suggested, which have a capillary channel, in which the sample liquid is transported from an entry opening by capillary action into a reaction zone, in which the reagent system and the electrodes are located. Early variants of electrochemical capillary biosensors are known, for example, from EP 0170375 A2 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,420, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. In the following developmental period, this design principle was applied nearly exclusively for electrochemical biosensors. In particular it was considered advantageous that a capillary biosensor takes up a defined sample quantity which corresponds to the volume of the capillary channel including the reaction zone. This is also referred to as "self-metering". In addition, capillary sensors were considered advantageous with respect to their handling, because it suffices to bring a blood droplet, e.g. generated on the fingertip, into contact with the entry opening of the capillary channel, the sample liquid being suctioned rapidly and reliably into the channel. More recent capillary biosensors are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,359 and WO 2004/068138, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
The inventors have recognized that capillary biosensors have in many cases limited applicability or cause difficulties in regard to the production and/or handling, instead of the desired simplification. This is true, for example, in the following cases:
a) In many cases it is advantageous to heat the reaction zone of the biosensor, in particular for accelerating the reaction. This allows, inter alia, to use reactants (in particular enzymes) which have superior specificity, but react too slow at room temperature. The heating results in an improvement of the analysis quality and/or a shortening of the required reaction time. Thermostatic control of the reaction zone by means of a temperature measuring device and thermostat control electronics integrated in the analysis instrument, is especially preferred.
The heating device and possibly also the temperature measuring device are advantageously located in the interior of the analysis instrument. However, with typical capillary biosensors, the sample application takes place outside the device. This requires a long capillary channel and therefore a large sample volume. To overcome this problem at least with respect to the temperature measurement, special temperature measuring methods (U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,968, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) and correction methods (WO 2004/090533, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) have been suggested, which allow temperature compensation without temperature measurement. However, these suggestions do not allow heating of the measurement zone.
As will be described below, in embodiments of the present invention a user is able to position the biosensor in the analysis instrument in such a manner that the reaction zone defined by the test field is located at a central position of the analysis instrument in direct contact with a heating device, while still allowing the contacting of the biosensor with the sample to be performed in a very simple manner.
b) Analysis systems which operate with biosensors connected and arranged to form a tape are advantageous in many cases, because they allow in a simple manner the magazine storage of a plurality of biosensors, as well as their transport and positioning in the analysis instrument. It is possible to produce capillary biosensors in the form of sensor tapes and integrate them in corresponding systems (WO 2004/030822 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). However, the production and handling of such biosensor tapes can be made less difficult on the basis of the teachings of the present invention.
c) This is similarly true for multiuse biosensors, which have a plurality of test fields on a flat plate having, for example, approximately the shape of a credit card. Such multiuse test cards are suitable, for example, for applications (as so-called "day packs"), in which the user performs a specific number of analyses daily and the biosensors required for this purpose are positioned on a common support plate. In this context it is again very difficult and complex to use a capillary biosensor.
d) In the field of near-patient testing, it can be desirable to apply a sample to a biosensor's application surface by means of a syringe. With capillary sensors, this possibility for sample supply exists not at all or only with very complex handling.
On this basis, the invention addresses the technical problem to provide a biosensor analysis system which allows easier handling for a plurality of different applications. This object and others that will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art have been achieved according to the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein.

Electrochemical biosensor analysis system


Embodiments discloses a transmitter for transmitting a Bluetooth packet in an enhanced data rate format. The Bluetooth packet includes a GFSK modulated segment, a Guard segment and a DPSK modulated segment. The transmitter comprises a first multiplexer configured to select a phase signal from a Guard phase signal, a received GFSK phase signal and a received DPSK phase signal based on time; a second multiplexer configured to select a amplitude signal from a Guard amplitude signal, a received GFSK amplitude signal and a received DPSK amplitude signal based on time, a phase to frequency converter communicatively coupled to the first multiplexer and configured to convert the selected phase signal into converted frequency signal. The transmitter further comprises a phase lock loop, a digital to analog converter and a power amplifier.

Bluetooth enhanced data rate (EDR) packet includes a Gaussian frequency-shift keying (GFSK) modulated segment and a Differential Phase-Shift Keying (DPSK) modulated segment. During modulation, both an amplitude AMP and a phase PHA are switched directly from the GFSK modulation scheme to the DPSK modulation scheme. Since GFSK and DPSK are different modulation schemes, the amplitude of the GFSK end point differs greatly from the amplitude of the DPSK starting point, and the phases of the GFSK end point and the DPSK starting point are also largely different. The above direct switching results in amplitude and phase discontinuities, which leads to a spectral leakage at the baseband. The leakage passes through a phase-locked loop (PLL) and a Power Amplifier (PA), and is finally transmitted at the Radio Frequency (RF), which leads to a deterioration of the Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR). ACPR is defined as the ratio between the total power adjacent channel (intermodulation signal) to the main channel's power (useful signal). ACPR is desired to be as low as possible. A high ACPR indicates that significant spectral spreading has occurred.

Transmitter and method for transmitting a bluetooth packet


A poultry behavioral development system includes a left end plate and right end plate; a top beam, attachable to upper ends of the left end plate and right end plate; a plurality of connection assemblies, which each include a connection beam that detachably attaches between the left end plate and right end plate; such that preadolescent poultry perch and jump between the top beam and the plurality of connection beams.

In relation to care of pets and companion animals, providing the right type of environment, nutrition, and behavioral stimulation to keep that animal in good health is an important goal.
When raising young poultry, such as chickens, introducing new chicks to an existing flock can create problems for the young chicks. The expansion of backyard flocks in urban areas has particularly developed the need to interact and create human-animal bond. As chickens are social animals and positive social maturity occurs in the first year, it is important to create a positive social interaction prior to them joining the existing flock.
However, there are no available tools specifically designed to promote and encourage the development of their social skills and positive interaction as well as motor skills for perching and roosting.
As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved devices and methods for poultry behavioral development.


The present invention discloses a method, program product and system for controlling pricing using a markdown profile, where the method of the present invention includes: selecting a markdown profile based on an attribute of a product to be used for the sale of that product; selecting a retail price for the product; acquiring updated sales data regarding the product; and determining a markdown to be applied to the retail price from the markdown profile using the updated sales data. The method can further include the step of adjusting a retail price of the product by the markdown. The present invention also provides a data structure implementing a markdown profile for determining retail price adjustments for a product, where the data structure includes: an actual sales quota parameter; a posting period parameter arranged perpendicular to the actual sales quota parameter; a plurality of data fields containing markdowns, each data field corresponding to a specific posting period and actual sales quota range and each markdown relating to an amount of adjustment of a retail price for the product; and an attribute field containing product attribute data used to determine the relevance of the markdown profile to the product.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of retail pricing and specifically to the assignment of markdown profiles and automated pricing to reach sales quotas.
B. Background
Effective pricing of goods that are made available for sale is often a complicated task. In order to maximize profits, not only must revenue be optimized, but also the costs of inventory must be taken into account. One strategy used is to periodically reduce the price of the goods, effecting a markdown, in order to encourage sales of the goods. The amount of the markdown is often set by a sales agent who has had experience in the market for the goods and can, using his or her experience and intuition determine the timing and amount of markdowns.
In particular, the sale of seasonal goods poses a high financial risk for merchants. Each seasonal article can be assigned a specific sales period. When high-fashion and fashion articles are involved, the merchant wants to have as little remaining stock as possible at the end of the sales period, as it will be difficult to sell this merchandise even with markdowns. In this case, larger remaining stocks translate to higher losses. In addition to fashion articles, such as pink raincoats, this also applies to other goods, such as computer hardware.
For less "fashionable" products, the risk is lower because merchants can store any remaining stock and then try to sell it at the normal price again in the same season of the next year. Because storing inventories is expensive, however, merchants will generally prefer to sell their merchandise by the end of the regular sales period.
Merchants use markdowns to ensure that the merchandise is sold out as completely as possible by the end of a season. Markdowns are price reductions or buyer's incentives aimed at promoting the sale of certain articles. Of course, markdowns reduce the gross margin, which means the revenue merchants earn for selling the merchandise is less than originally planned. Merchants usually plan a certain budget for markdowns that must not be exceeded. Accordingly, markdowns are applied restrictively in retail, which once again increases the risk of remaining stocks at the end of the season.
Therefore, the primary goal in managing seasonal merchandise is to limit markdowns to a minimum and apply them at the best suitable time, while ensuring that nearly all the merchandise is sold by the end of the season.

Assignment of markdown profiles for automated control of pricing


The present invention provides a method of producing glycol ethers, which are also commonly known as glymes. The method according to the invention includes contacting a glycol with a monohydric alcohol in the presence of a polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst under conditions effective to produce the glyme. The method of the invention can be used to produce, for example, monoglyme, ethyl glyme, diglyme, ethyl diglyme, triglyme, butyl diglyme, tetraglyme, and their respective corresponding monoalkyl ethers. The present invention also provides a method of producing 1,4-dioxane from mono- or diethylene glycol and tetrahydrofuran from 1,4-butanediol.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing glycol ethers.
2. Description of Related Art
Glycol ethers, which are also commonly known as glymes, are used as aprotic solvents in a variety of applications. Glymes can be produced by a variety of methods, but are conventionally produced in commercial quantities via the Williamson synthesis or via a reaction that involves the cleavage of epoxides.
In the Williamson synthesis, a monoalkyl polyalkylene glycol is treated with a base or an alkali metal, typically molten sodium, to form an alkoxide ion, which is then reacted with an alkyl halide such as methyl chloride to form the glyme. The by-products from the Williamson synthesis are hydrogen gas and a salt.
Although the Williamson synthesis is one of the conventional methods of producing glymes on a commercial scale, the process presents several disadvantages. For example, the Williamson synthesis requires the use of costly and potentially hazardous starting materials. It generates hydrogen gas as a by-product, which presents safety and handling issues. Moreover, for every mole of glyme produced, the process generates a mole of salt as a by-product, which presents treatment and disposal issues. Furthermore, the Williamson synthesis proceeds at a relatively slow rate.
The other conventional method for commercially producing glymes involves the cleavage of epoxides in presence of a low molecular weight ether and a Lewis acid catalyst. This reaction enables the insertion of oxacycloalkanes into chain-type ethers. A typical reaction involves dimethyl ether and ethylene oxide with catalytic amount of boron trifluoride or boron trifluoride dimethyletherate to yield, among other ether co-products, monoethyleneglycol dimethylether.
One of the principle disadvantages of the cleavage reaction of epoxides is that it is not particularly selective. Insertion of a specific number of oxacycloalkane units is difficult to control. Therefore, the final product consists of a mixture of glymes. It is necessary to separate the reaction mixture by complex distillation techniques or by other means in order to obtain pure glymes, which adds time and complexity to the manufacturing process.
The present invention provides a method of producing glymes that overcomes the disadvantages of both the Williamson synthesis and the cleavage reaction of epoxides. The method according to the invention comprises contacting a glycol with a monohydric alcohol in the presence of a polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst under conditions effective to produce the glyme. The starting materials used in the method according to the invention are commercially readily available, not expensive or hazardous, and the catalyst used in the reaction can be recovered, regenerated, and reused. The method according to the invention does not generate hydrogen gas or salt, it proceeds at a relatively rapid rate, and it produces a single glyme.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the present invention may be employed.
Glymes are produced in accordance with the method of the invention by contacting a glycol with a monohydric alcohol in the presence of a polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst under conditions effective to produce the glyme. A wide range of glymes can be produced in accordance with the invention, with the resulting glyme being dependent upon the glycol and monohydric alcohol selected for use in the reaction.
For example, ethylene glycol and methanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (monoglyme). These two reactants also react to produce ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which is also known as 2-methoxyethanol or xe2x80x9cMethyl CELLOSOLVE(copyright)xe2x80x9d. CELLOSOLVE(copyright) is a trademark of the Dow Chemical Company used in connection with a class of ethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers.
Ethylene glycol and ethanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce ethylene glycol diethyl ether (ethyl glyme). These two reactants also react to produce ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, which is also known as 2-ethoxyethanol or xe2x80x9cEthyl CELLOSOLVE(copyright)xe2x80x9d.
Diethylene glycol and methanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diglyme). These two reactants also produce diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which is also known as methoxyethoxy ethanol or xe2x80x9cMethyl CARBITOL(copyright)xe2x80x9d. CARBITOL(copyright) is a trademark of the Dow Chemical Company used in connection with a class of diethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers.
Diethylene glycol and ethanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce diethylene glycol diethyl ether (ethyl diglyme). These two reactants also produce diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, which is also known as xe2x80x9cEthyl CARBITOL(copyright)xe2x80x9d.
Diethylene glycol and 1-butanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce diethylene glycol dibutyl ether (butyl diglyme). These two reactants also produce diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, which is also known as xe2x80x9cButyl CARBITOL(copyright)xe2x80x9d.
Triethylene glycol and methanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (triglyme). These two reactants also produce triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which is also known as methoxytriglycol.
Tetraethylene glycol and methanol react in accordance with the method of the invention to produce tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme). These two reactants also produce tetraethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which is also known as methoxytetraglycol. It will be appreciated that other glymes can be produced in accordance with the method of the invention simply be selecting other glycols and monohydric alcohols.
The starting materials used in the reaction, being glycols and monohydric alcohols, are generally inexpensive and readily available. These starting materials do not present significant toxicity and handling problems, especially when compared to the starting materials used in the Williamson synthesis.
Preferably, a molar excess of the monohydric alcohol is used in the reaction. Typically, a molar excess of about 3 to about 5 moles of monohydric alcohol is used in the reaction for every mole of glycol.
The polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst used in the method of the invention is a Bronsted acid, and not a Lewis acid. Suitable polyperfluorosulfonic acid resins are available from E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company under the NAFION(copyright) trademark. These polyperfluorosulfonic acid resins are believed to be copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl-7-octenesulfonyl fluoride, which have been converted to the proton (H+) form. They are available in flake, pellet, powder, film, and solution form. The polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst is preferably used at about 0.5 to about 2.0 equivalents per 100 moles of glycol, with about 1.0 equivalent being most preferred during the preparation of monoglyme. The polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst is nearly solubilized during the reaction, and appears to act as a homogeneous catalyst.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the glycol, the monohydric alcohol, and the polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst are combined in a suitable reactor vessel under agitation and heated. Due to the high vapor pressures of the reactants and the products formed during the reaction, the reactor vessel must be capable of handling pressures as high as 1,000 psig (the term xe2x80x9cpsigxe2x80x9d means pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure, i.e., gauge pressure). A conventional autoclave is a preferred reactor vessel for use in accordance with the invention.
An elevated reaction temperature allows the catalyst to partially dissolve in the reaction mixture, thus providing semi-homogeneous catalysis conditions. For the production of glymes, a reaction temperature in the range of 100xc2x0 C. to 300xc2x0 C., preferably between 160xc2x0 C. and 220xc2x0 C. is suitable. Specifically for monoglyme and diglyme, the reaction temperature is selected most preferably between 190xc2x0 C. and 210xc2x0 C.
The reaction proceeds at a relatively rapid rate, at least as compared to the rate of the Williamson synthesis. For the synthesis of glymes, a reaction time ranging from about 0.5 hours to about 10 hours is typically sufficient, with 3 to 6 hours being preferred. A reaction time of from between 4 and 5 hours is most preferred for the production of monoglyme and diglyme.
Once the reaction has been completed, the reactor contents are cooled to ambient temperatures and the reactor contents are separated by distillation. As noted above, in addition to the formation of the desired products such as monoglyme, ethyl glyme, diglyme, ethyl diglyme, triglyme, butyl diglyme, and tetraglyme, the method also produces a quantity of the corresponding intermediate monoalkyl ether (i.e., 2-methoxyethanol, 2-ethoxyethanol, methoxyethoxy ethanol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, methoxytriglycol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and methoxytetraglycol, respectively). These materials can easily be separated and recovered by conventional distillation to be recycled in the process to achieve further conversion. In the case of diglyme production, 1,4-dioxane is formed as a co-product.
By-products from the reaction include water and dialkyl ethers, which are also easily separated and recovered by distillation. Dialkyl ethers such as dimethylether are high value products, and can be used in a variety of applications.
The polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst can also be recovered in concentrated form in the glycol bottoms for reuse in accordance with known methods. Once the activity of the polyperfluorosulfonic acid declines, the material can be regenerated by treatment with a strong mineral acid (i.e. nitric acid) to restore the proton sites on the resin. The glycol bottoms are further stripped off residual lights to yield a concentrated polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst solution. The later is transferred into a dryer, typically a double-cone dryer, to evaporate the remaining liquid constituents. The resulting solid can then be treated in a separate vessel with a strong mineral acid (i.e. nitric acid) at 80xc2x0 C. for 1 hour. After several washes, the regenerated polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst is dried and recycled in the process.
It will be appreciated that the reaction described above can also be performed by continuously feeding the glycol, monohydric alcohol and polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin into a reactor, while maintaining all operating conditions within a reaction zone within the reactor constant. The continuous feed may consist of fresh reactants, recycled unreacted reactants, intermediates or combinations of two or more thereof.
One of the advantages of the method of the present invention is that the reaction can be performed in conventional stainless steel reactor vessels, which is not practical in prior art sulfuric acid catalyzed reactions. Sulfuric acid, while inexpensive, is difficult to handle and tends to heavily carbonize and corrode stainless steel reactor vessels. Moreover, sulfuric acid is a one-time-use catalyst that cannot be effectively recycled. In addition, the yields and selectivity of sulfuric acid catalyzed reactions are poor as compared to the method of the present invention. Finally, sulfuric acid catalyzed reactions tend to produce darkly colored products, which are avoided in accordance with the present invention.
It is possible to form useful compounds other than glymes in accordance with the invention. For example, reacting ethylene glycol with itself in the presence of a polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst will produce 1,4-dioxane. Similarly, reacting 1,4-butanediol with itself in the presence of a polyperfluorosulfonic acid resin catalyst will produce tetrahydrofuran. Other useful compounds can also be produced in this manner.


In a diaphragm for a loud-speaker of the present invention, an increase in tensile strength is averagely attained as a whole, and the over all diaphragm is uniformly colored without showing any lattice pattern. The diaphragm includes a woven fabric comprising yarns made from a blend of a plurality of fibers wherein at least one of the plurality of fibers is PBO (poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)) fiber.

FIG. 7 is a figure showing a structure of a conventional woven fabric for the loud-speaker diaphragms. A woven fabric 10 used for the diaphragm of the loud-speaker comprises threads 11 and 12 made of a single material. Although in a certain case these threads 11 and 12 may be made of a material of one kind, in some cases a fabric may be woven using two or more kinds of materials as shown in FIG. 7. As a variation of a method for manufacturing the woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragms, the woven fabric is obtained by weaving threads 11 and 12 of different kind. As a material of the threads 11 and 12, glass, polyester or polypropylene is usually used.
The woven fabric is wholly colored with pigments or dyestuffs in a coloring process of the woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragm manufactured by using fibers of the threads 11 and 12 of different kind. Moreover, in the case where the threads 11 constituting the woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragm are already colored threads 11 (a glass fiber, a polyester fiber or a polypropylene fiber), the resulting woven fabric is not further colored, but the original color of the threads 11 is represented as a color of the woven fabric 10.
In addition, PBO (poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)) fiber is sometimes employed for threads 12 and interwoven with a glass fiber, a polyester fiber 11 or a polypropylene fiber in order to increase a strength of the woven fabric 10 covering a surface. In this case, several threads 11 and 12 are alternately interwoven into this fabric as shown in FIG. 7.
When two or more kinds of threads 11 and 12 are interwoven into plain fabric to obtain the conventional woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragm, because, for example, the threads 11 and 12 may not be dyed into the same color, sometimes the resultant colors of the threads 11 and 12 may be different from each other. There is caused problem that the appearance is adversely affected by a lattice pattern formed in the woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragm because of the above described different coloring. On the other hand, in the case where original color of the threads 11 and 12 of different kind is represented without carrying out any dyeing treatment, although omission of dyeing process is advantageous, the resultant lattice pattern appears to be more remarkable.
It is preferable that the woven fabric is colored after the woven fabric 10 is woven so that a lattice pattern will not appear in the color of the woven fabric 10 for the loud-speaker diaphragm. However, since this woven fabric 10 is used for the surface of the diaphragm of the loud-speaker, it is required that the woven fabric 10 itself has a tensile strength higher than a specific value. Therefore it is desirable to employ a PBO material that has the high tensile strength and enough durability against vibration of the loud-speaker.
However, when the PBO fiber is woven into the fabric, the above described problem of formation of the lattice pattern becomes more noticeable. The PBO fiber has a characteristic that the PBO fiber itself is difficult to be colored and has originally golden color that gradually changes into amber by being exposed to light. For this reason, in a coloring process, only a method of adding pigments having a color deeper than original color of the PBO fiber is employable. When this colored PBO fiber is interwoven into woven fabric together with other fibers (a glass fiber, a polyester fiber or a polypropylene fiber), it may provide in a finished fabric a clear lattice pattern because each fibers are colored to the different extent.
The present invention provides a solution for the above described problem. Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide the woven fabric for the loud-speaker diaphragm with increased tensile strength in which no lattice pattern is formed even with use of plural and different kinds of fibers, and to provide the loud-speaker diaphragm using the woven fabric and the loud-speaker having the diaphragm covered with the woven fabric.

Cloth for loudspeaker diaphragm, loudspeaker diaphragm, and loudspeaker


A method and apparatus for the delivery of slurry solution comprising an ultrasonic flow meter positioned between a fluid preparation manifold and a slurry delivery arm, and a shutoff valve positioned between a proportional valve and the slurry delivery arm. Also, a method and apparatus for the delivery of slurry solution including an ultrasonic flow meter positioned to receive fluid from a fluid preparation manifold, a proportional valve and stepper motor in communication with the flow meter, and a reverse flow restrictor in communication with the proportional valve and a slurry delivery arm.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a slurry delivery method and apparatus for polishing a substrate in a chemical mechanical polishing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chemical mechanical planarization, or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), is a common technique used to planarize substrates. In conventional CMP techniques, a substrate carrier or polishing head is mounted on a carrier assembly and positioned in contact with a polishing article in a CMP apparatus. The carrier assembly provides a controllable pressure to the substrate urging the substrate against the polishing article. The article is moved relative to the substrate by an external driving force. Thus, the CMP apparatus effects polishing or rubbing movement between the surface of the substrate and the polishing article while dispersing a polishing composition to effect both chemical activity and mechanical activity.
Chemical mechanical planarization systems generally utilize a polishing head to retain and press a substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing material while providing motion therebetween. Some planarization systems utilize a polishing head that is moveable over a stationary platen that supports the polishing material. Other systems utilize different configurations including a rotating platen to provide relative motion between the polishing material and the substrate. A polishing fluid is typically disposed between the substrate and the polishing material during polishing to provide chemical activity that assists in the removal of material from the substrate. Some polishing fluids may also contain abrasives.
One of the challenges in developing robust polishing systems and processes is providing uniform material removal across the polished surface of the substrate. For example, as the substrate travels across the polishing surface, the edge of the substrate is often polished at a higher rate. This is due in part to the tendency of the substrate to nose drive, that is, centrifugal and frictional forces force the substrate to move toward to exterior of the support surface as the substrate moves across the support surface.
An additional problem with polishing uniformity is the distribution of slurry on the polishing surface. If the slurry is unevenly distributed, the polishing surface may not evenly polish across the substrate surface. If too little slurry is used, the polishing surface may distort the features of the substrate surface. If too much slurry is applied, valuable slurry may be wasted. Therefore, a system for delivering a polishing fluid to a chemical mechanical polishing surface that adjustably distributes and conserves slurry is needed. As the slurry leaves the slurry distribution system, the pressure drop across the system may facilitate the production of gas bubbles in the line. To provide delivery that is uniform and not distorted by the production of gas bubbles is an important process development goal.

Bubble suppressing flow controller with ultrasonic flow meter


A technique facilitates deployment and operation of a pumping system, e.g. an electric submersible pumping system, in a borehole. A locking and sealing mechanism, e.g. a spring-loaded locking sealing mechanism, may be coupled with the pumping system and comprises an anchoring section along with a sealing section. The locking sealing mechanism may be constructed for deployment with the pumping system via a running tool. Once in position downhole, the anchoring section and the sealing section may be actuated into sealing engagement with the interior surface of a surrounding tubing. At this stage, production of a desired fluid may be accomplished by operating the pumping system.

Following discovery of a desired subterranean resource, e.g. oil, natural gas, or other desired subterranean resources, well drilling and production systems often are employed to access and extract the resource or resources. For example, a wellbore may be drilled into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir and then a pumping system may be deployed downhole. The pumping system is operated to pump oil and/or other fluids to the surface for collection. The pumping system may comprise an electric submersible pumping system having a submersible centrifugal pump powered by a submersible electric motor.

System and methodology using locking sealing mechanism


A method for monitoring and/or controlling the behavior of a vehicle including at least one wheel includes determining one or more values of deformation of a tire of the at least one wheel by measuring the one or more values using a first signal emitted between a rim of the at least one wheel and a casing of the tire, providing a database comprising predetermined values of deformation of the tire that correspond to a behavior of the at least one wheel, comparing the measured one or more values of deformation with one or more of the predetermined values of deformation, and emitting a second signal dependent on at least one result of the comparison for monitoring and/or controlling the behavior of the vehicle. The one or more values of deformation are determined in vertical, transverse, and longitudinal directions or along the axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring the operating conditions of a tyre fitted on a vehicle.
The present invention relates to the possibility of carrying out actions, whether automatic or actuated or commanded by the driver, on the vehicle driving and/or control system to modify the vehicle""s behaviour according to measurements made on the tyre or on the wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for measuring characteristic parameters such as pressure and temperature in a tyre are known from the prior art.
Patent application EP 887.211 describes a tyre monitoring system comprising a sensor, located inside the tyre, which is enabled to create an electrical pulse when the said sensor passes through the footprint area formed by the contact of the tyre with the ground during rotation. The system according to this patent also comprises means for measuring the ratio of the duration of the said electrical pulse to the duration of a revolution of the tyre and means for transmitting the said ratio to a processing unit within the vehicle.
In particular, the sensor is located inside the tread of the tyre, in such a way that the said electrical pulse has a first peak at the point where it enters the footprint area and a second peak at the point where it leaves the footprint area.
According to the teaching of this patent, the ratio of the time elapsed between the two peaks to the time taken for a complete revolution of the tyre can be used to discover the degree of flattening of the tyre during the operation of the vehicle.
This is because the sensor detects the instant of entry into the footprint area and the instant of exit from this area. It is thus possible to measure the length of this area, if the angular velocity of the tyre and its radius are known. The length of the footprint area is then related to the flattening of the tyre, which is a critical parameter of the tyre in use, particularly in tyres for heavy motor vehicles.
Patent application EP 0,689,950 describes a different method for monitoring parameters of a tyre, such as its pressure and temperature. In particular, a self-powered programmable electronic device located on the inner surface of a tyre or on its fitting rim is used. This device can be used to monitor and store the pressure, the temperature and the number of rotations of the tyre, and may comprise an extensometer, whose output signal measures the flexion of the inner surface of the tread strip, or an accelerometer which measures the intensity of the acceleration to which the tread strip is subjected. Additionally, the device is activated by an external signal at radio frequencies and transmits an alarm signal if a predetermined limit of the measured values is exceeded.
There are also known methods for measuring deformations of the tread strip of a tyre during movement and transmitting it to a receiver located on the vehicle.
Patent application WO 93.25400 describes a sensor located within the tread strip of a tyre and capable of transmitting a signal directly dependent on the aforesaid deformations, comprising a resonant circuit which oscillates at a predetermined characteristic frequency This resonant frequency is affected by the deformations of the tread strip during movement, and the sensor transmits electromagnetic waves proportional to these variations of the resonant frequency. These electromagnetic waves are received by a processing unit connected to a receiver located inside the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,831 describes a method for monitoring the behaviour of the footprint area of a tyre during the operation of the vehicle to optimize the driving of the vehicle. In particular, a piezoelectric sensor consisting of longitudinal strips of piezoresistive rubber is inserted into the tread strip. This sensor is capable of measuring the deformations of the tread strip, since these strips change their electrical resistance as a function of the said deformations.
There are also known methods and devices for acting on the vehicle driving and/or control system, particularly on the devices which control the suspension systems of the vehicle, to control its behaviour according to the information obtained from the axles of the vehicle or from the hubs of the wheels.
The publication xe2x80x9cA method for the evaluation of the lateral stability of vehicles and tiresxe2x80x9d by the Società Pneumatici Pirelli S.p.A., presented at the xe2x80x9cInternational Automobile Tire Conferencexe2x80x9d at Toronto, Canada, on Oct. 22, 1974, illustrates a method of measuring the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle as a function of the forces developed by the various types of tyre set-up and the various conditions of the road surface.
The publication primarily refers to three forces which determine the dynamic behaviour of a tyre, specifically the vertical force, the longitudinal force and the lateral force.
The vertical force is that due to the dynamic load to which the tyre is subjected. The longitudinal force is that due to the torque applied to the axis of the tyre as a result of an acceleration or braking of the vehicle. The lateral force is the resultant of the force due to the characteristic angles of the suspension systems of the vehicle (camber and toe-in) and to the angular thrust (ply-steer) developed by the layers of inclined cords of the ply structure of the tyre, which are also present in normal operating conditions in straight-line motion, and of the thrust generated by the centrifugal force in drifting conditions. The sum of the forces developed by the four tyres generates a resultant system applied to the centre of gravity of the vehicle, which balances the inertial actions and determines the attitude of the vehicle as a function of the characteristics of the suspension systems of each axle. This resultant system is measured by suitable accelerometers, one of which is located on the front axle and one on the rear axle of the vehicle. The article includes a series of graphs showing the centripetal acceleration or the centripetal force applied to the centre of gravity of the vehicle as a function of the angle of skid of the corresponding axle. The graphs plotted for various ground conditions and with various types of tyres can be used to find the behaviour of the vehicle provided with a predetermined tyre set-up and to determine any lateral skidding in either the front or the rear axle in cornering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,072 illustrates a system of what is called active suspension, consisting of four cylinders, one being provided for each wheel between the vehicle body and the hub of the wheel. These cylinders are powered by a hydraulic system operated by an electronic control unit. The system comprises a set of sensors for measuring the height of the vehicle above the ground for each suspension unit, and for making this measurement available to the electronic suspension control unit. The control unit operates the active cylinders separately according to the measurement of these heights.
The Applicant has observed that the aforesaid known systems of controlling the behaviour of a vehicle are based on systems of forces measured at the hubs of the wheels, and the systems of measuring the deformations of the tyre are based on the measurement of the deformations undergone by the tread strip in the footprint area of the tyre.
The Applicant has observed that the values measured in the cited art cannot be related in a unique way to the operating conditions of a tyre and, more precisely, to the system of forces developed by a tyre in each operating condition.
The present invention arises from the Applicant""s realization that the measurement of deformations of the tread strip, particularly in the footprint area of a tyre, cannot be used to identify the system of forces developed by the tyre and the deformations of the casing of the tyre connected to it and representative of the behaviour of the tyre. This behaviour is of considerable importance, especially during certain special events, such as braking or acceleration of the vehicle, drifting conditions, and variations of load on the tyre.
In accordance with the above, the present invention arises from the Applicant""s realization that the measurement of the deformations of the casing, since these are related in a unique way to the system of forces developed by the tyre in use, enables appropriate corrective actions to be taken on the vehicle drive and/or control system by means of the comparison of the said measured deformations with predetermined values thereof.
More specifically, the present invention relates to the control of the behaviour of a vehicle in motion by means of the measurement of characteristic deformations of the tyre during the movement of the vehicle, in such a way as to determine the operating conditions of the tyre by comparison with predetermined values representing the behaviour of the tyre in the various predicted states of deformation. According to the invention, the result of this comparison is used to generate a signal corresponding to a predetermined, preferably automatic, response of one or more devices controlling at least a mechanism for controlling the behaviour, including attitude, of the vehicle in motion, to keep the aforesaid behaviour of the vehicle within the limits of a predetermined behaviour, or to bring it back within these limits.
The Applicant has realized that, simply by knowing with certainty the behaviour of each tyre, in other words the function which relates the force developed by the tyre to its deformation, it is possible to act in the aforementioned way on the control devices of the vehicle in order to modify its behaviour, including attitude, in an optimal way.
It has been found that the measurements of the deformation of the casing structure of the tyre, at a given inflation pressure, in a triad of Cartesian coordinates, in other words, the deformation in the vertical direction, the deformation in the transverse direction and the deformation in the longitudinal direction, correspond in a unique or at least a reproducible way to the corresponding vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces which act on the tyre (or, in other words, to the forces which the tyre exchanges with the ground).
The Applicant has found that these deformations can be measured from the interior of the tyre independently of the events in the footprint area or, more generally, the interface conditions between the tyre and the ground.
It has also been found that the said predetermined values representing the behaviour of the tyre in the various predicted states of deformation can advantageously be:
calculated by simulation in a computer,
measured in the laboratory by means of special test machines which can be used to plot force-deformation graphs in various conditions,
obtained for each tyre on the vehicle in use or on a simulator apparatus.
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the movement of a vehicle including at least one wheel provided with a tyre, the said method comprising the steps of:
determining the deformations of the said tyre by measuring them by means of the reflection of a signal emitted inside the wheel;
providing a database containing values of deformation of the tyre which correspond to a predetermined behaviour of the wheel;
comparing the said measured deformations with the said predetermined values of deformation; and
emitting a signal dependent on the result of the said comparison, to be used for controlling the behaviour of the vehicle.
In particular, the aforesaid method is implemented by means of the following steps:
measuring the extent of the characteristic deformations of the casing profile of at least one tyre fitted on the vehicle, at a given inflation pressure;
comparing the values of these characteristic deformations with stored values representing the behaviour of the tyre in the measured state of deformation; and
generating a signal for acting on at least one device regulating at least one mechanism for controlling the behaviour, including attitude, of the said vehicle in motion, corresponding to the action to be taken on the said mechanism to keep the said behaviour of the vehicle within the limits of a predetermined behaviour or to bring it back within these limits.
In a different aspect, the present invention relates to a system for controlling the behaviour of a vehicle in motion, comprising:
at least one unit for measuring at least one quantity correlated with a force transmitted to the ground by a tyre of the said vehicle;
a database comprising predetermined values representing the behaviour of the said tyre in relation to the said force; and
a data processing unit communicating with the said at least one measuring unit, capable of comparing the values of this quantity with the said values of the said database, and of emitting a signal to be used for controlling the behaviour of the vehicle.
The said signal may be an alarm signal or a signal for controlling a mechanism controlling the behaviour, including attitude, of the said vehicle to keep the said behaviour of the vehicle within the limits of a predetermined behaviour or to bring it back within these limits.
Preferably, the said signal acts on a device regulating the said control mechanism.
Preferably, the measuring unit is capable of measuring the rotation velocity of the tyre and/or its inflation pressure.
In a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention, the aforesaid measuring unit comprises at least one sensor inserted into the supporting rim of the tyre and also, if necessary, a reflecting element located on the inner surface of the said tyre.
In a particular aspect of the invention, the quantity measured is the deformation of the casing profile of the tyre in a predetermined direction, preferably selected from the radial direction, the transverse direction and the circumferential direction.
In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a pneumatic wheel for vehicles, comprising:
a supporting rim which can be associated with a hub of the vehicle;
a tyre fitted on the said rim, comprising a casing structure provided with a crown portion extending axially between a pair of axially-opposed sidewalls, terminating in beads for joining the said tyre to the corresponding supporting rim, the said casing being provided with at least one reinforcing ply, having terminal flaps engaged with corresponding annular reinforcing structures embedded in the said beads, which forms a toroidal profile of the said casing;
an emitter of a signal which is to be reflected within the said tyre; and
a receiver of the said signal for the measurement of a quantity correlated with a force transmitted to the ground by the said tyre.
In a preferred embodiment of the wheel, the emitter and the receiver are integrated into a single sensor.
Even more preferably, this wheel comprises at least one unit for transmitting the aforesaid measurement to a data processing unit external to the said wheel.

Method and system for monitoring and/or controlling behavior of a vehicle by measuring deformations of its tires