This invention relates to a method and apparatus for viewing of a panorama or large portion thereof by selectively displaying a portion thereof on a video display device or other means and in a manner that forces the user to change his own orientation to vary the portion of the panorama viewed. Such a method and apparatus coordinates the user's normal feedback responses associated with changing orientation to changes in the portion of the panorama viewed. In a preferred embodiment, a simple apparatus for allowing a user or users to view the recorded panorama is disclosed.

Panoramic recording systems are known and have used moving imagers, fish-eye lenses, multiple cameras or panoramic lenses for recording of a panorama or a large portion thereof. Many of the known techniques are suitable for a still panorama, however, even in this case, changing light conditions or changes within the panorama can cause distortion and loss of accuracy.
The use of panoramic lenses or fish-eye lenses in recording of an image produce a distorted form of the image on a film record. The film record is basically a circular mapping of the panorama and are difficult to use in that format. It is known to take these film records and project them on a cylindrical screen for viewing. In the case of real time panoramic imaging, recording of the image in this particular form does provide good detail, but viewing in the circular form is not particularly satisfactory.
One example of a different method for recording a generally static panoramic image is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,862 which issued Nov. 14, 1978. This patent discloses a system where the panorama is scanned in a series of discreet segments and the information is recorded in a format suitable for use in displaying of portions of that panorama on a video display unit. The time interval to effectively scan the entire panorama renders this type of direct recording of the panorama only useful for generally static panoramas or ones in which real time imaging is not critical. With such a system, changing light conditions may also cause portions of the panorama to be less visible.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,113, which issued to Stechemesser et al Mar. 15, 1966, discloses a particular image gathering arrangement which utilizes panoramic lenses and results in recording of the panorama on a film record in a ring type shape. This patent also illustrates how the recorded images can be reprojected and shown on a cylindrical screen.
There remains a need to provide a simple system for viewing of a panorama image stored in a suitable accessible record media.
There also remains a need to provide a system for the convenient and effective viewing of a real panorama image while providing the user with some of the physical sensations associated with normal scanning of an actual panorama.


The invention relates to the adaptation of the functionalities of a remote control in a local area network. More specifically, it relates to the definition of commands to be sent upon an input of a user, depending either of the commands that can be sent in a RF network joined by the remote control, or of the commands that can be received by a device that the remote control is bound to in a RF network.

A home environment has more and more devices that may be controlled electrically. This is the case of lamps, heating and cooling equipments, windows, shutters or blinds, cooking and food preservation equipments, cleaning devices, entertainment devices, security systems, etc. These devices may be controlled from one or more remote controls, either in Line of Sight (LOS) of the device to be controlled, or from another room. Different types of remote controls may be used: optical (visible or Infrared) for LOS control, radiofrequency (RF) also for LOS, with the caveat that some non-LOS communications are also possible depending on the configuration of the home.
It is advantageous to establish a network in the home, for instance a Radio Frequency (RF) network, to be able to share data between various devices having a same function, in a coordinated manner, i.e. setting the temperature control points of a central heater and of individual heaters connected to the central heater. The RF network may comply with the Wi-Fi, the Bluetooth™ or the Zigbee standard (IEEE 802.15.4). The Zigbee standard is advantageous for this type of applications because of its power saving capabilities. A power line network may also be used in lieu of a RF network that authorizes non-LOS communications but is delicate to install, notably in old buildings.
Also, the devices installed in the home and connected to a network may be controlled from outside the home, using for instance an internet connection to a home or room gateway. The devices may then be monitored and controlled from anywhere in the world using an application running on a desktop, a laptop, a tablet or a smart phone or the like.
Similar problems and solutions arise in office and industrial or commercial buildings, with equipment that may be very costly and that will generally be monitored centrally by a facilities management system.
In all cases, it is necessary to commission the network and its nodes at the time of installation and to create associations between the nodes that will exchange information in operation. In Zigbee terminology, the first operation is called "Joining" and the second operation is called "Binding". This terminology will be adhered to in the rest of this description, although the invention may also apply to other types of networks or radio standards.
Standard networks and protocols, such as Zigbee 3.0, allow interoperability with devices from a number of different manufacturers. Protocols such as Zigbee 3.0 allow the implementation of a large number of features. For example, the commands to turn ON or OFF the electricity of an electric outlet can be sent in a standardized way to any device implementing the standard protocol. Although a large number of different features may be allowed by a standard protocol, the standard protocol cannot, by nature, allow new features at the time they are implemented in a new product, and cannot apply to specific features of a product.
Custom networks or protocols may also be developed to allow, on the same or different radio links, sending specific commands, or more generally communicating in a more specific and adaptive way, with devices sharing the same proprietary protocol. In addition, these protocols can be updated very quickly, for example by a simple software update, when new products and features become available.
Among a number of examples, electric outlets may be controlled remotely using the Zigbee standard. The Zigbee standard defines commands to switch ON or OFF the electricity of the outlet, and thus indirectly control the device that the outlet provides electricity to. For example, if this device is an electric heater, turning ON or OFF the electricity allows turning ON or OFF the heat. However, the standard Zigbee commands lack the adaptation to specific commands that allow a more precise control of heat. For example, in France a wide number of electric heaters can be controlled using the "fil pilote" (French expression for "pilot wire") protocol. The "fil pilote" protocol, which is part of the NFC 15-100 standard, allows sending commands to electric heaters directly from the electric outlet. The control of the electric radiator is performed through standard commands: four main commands, and two additional commands that are sent directly by an electric signal from the electric outlet to the electric radiator. Each command is defined by a specific electric signal shape. The four main commands are: "Comfort", "Comfort −1° C.", "Comfort −2° C." respectively defining commands to set a defined comfort temperature, and temperatures 1 or 2° C. below the comfort temperature, while an "Eco" (for economical) command performs heating using a limited amount of power. The two additional commands are "No freezing" and "Stop". The electric heaters compliant with the "fil pilote" protocol may either comply with the four main commands only, or with the six commands (four main commands+two additional commands). The commands are sent to the heater from the electric outlet by a special signal, and interpreted by the internal thermostat of the heaters.
Therefore, different heaters compliant with the "fil pilote" standard may be configured with different "Comfort" temperature presets. The "fil pilote" standard therefore allows a convenient way to control electric heaters. It is thus possible, using custom Zigbee commands, to control an electric outlet to send "fil pilote" commands rather than simple ON/OFF commands. However, the Zigbee 3.0 standard does not comprise commands relative to the "fil pilote" protocol. Sending such commands using Zigbee therefore requires the definition of custom commands.
The Zigbee standard allows the development of custom protocols using a Manufacturer Specific Profile (MSP). A MSP can be developed for example by a manufacturer to provide additional features to its devices. However, a MSP does not allow interoperability with devices from manufacturers that do not implement the MSP.
Meanwhile, devices in a RF network may be configured to receive different commands. For example, an electric outlet that is able to control electric heaters using the "fil pilote" protocol may receive custom Zigbee commands associated to "fil pilote" commands, which are not defined in the Zigbee 3.0 standard. On the contrary, standard electric outlets that are not able to control electric heaters using "fil pilote" commands may receive only ON/OFF commands, defined in the Zigbee 3.0 standard.
Some existing IoT (Internet of Things) devices are able to communicate using different protocols, for example a protocol compliant with the Zigbee 3.0 standard, and a protocol using a MSP, or to send different commands to other IoT devices they are bound to. However, such devices usually require an input from a user to switch from one protocol to another. This is a cumbersome task for a user. In addition, most users are not familiar with issues relative to protocols used by IoT devices, and may therefore fail to switch to the relevant protocol. Such existing devices are thus not intuitive for a user to use, and may fail to establish connections with other IoT devices.
There is therefore a need for a device that automatically adjusts its communication with the IoT device it is in connection with, and accordingly provides to a user an access to the possible commands of those devices.

Smart adaptation of the functionalities of a remote control in a local area network


A method of and apparatus for controlling data transfer between two stations comprises a link manager for controlling allocation of available channels in a plurality of communications links. In each of the communications links data is transferred between two stations in at least one channel. Data for transfer from a data source is buffered in a data buffer. A controller determines latency in the buffer from the amount of data in the buffer and the rate at which data is being output from the buffer. The controller generates a request for a change in the allocation of channels in a communications link between two stations depending on the latency in the buffer and preset threshold values. The link manager is responsive to a request generated by the controller either to allocate a different number of channels to the communications link or to generate a refusal of the request.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling data transfer between two stations.
II. Description of the Related Art
IS-95 is an over-the-air interface standard which, together with its derivatives such as IS-95-A, IS-99 and IS-707, IS-657 and ANSI J-STD-008 etc. (referred to herein collectively as the IS-95 standards), defines an interface for implementing a digital personal communication system using code division multiple access (CDMA) signal processing techniques. A personal communication system configured substantially in accordance with the use of IS-95 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459 entitled xe2x80x9cSystem and Method for Generating Signal Waveforms in a CDMA Personal communication Systemxe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representing a personal communication system configured in accordance with IS-95. As is typical for most personal communication systems, IS-95 allows mobile telephone service to be provided to a set of wireless stations or terminals 10 (typically cellular telephones or xe2x80x9cmobilesxe2x80x9d) using a set of base transceiver stations (BTS) 12 coupled by a base station controller (BSC) 14 and a mobile switching center (MSC) 16 to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 18. During a call from a wireless terminal 10, the terminal 10 interfaces with one or more base stations 12 in a communications link using CDMA modulated radio frequency (RF) signals. The RF signal transmitted from the base station 12 to the wireless terminal 10 is referred to as the forward link, and the RF signal transmitted from the wireless terminal 10 to the base station 12 is referred to as the reverse link.
Under the IS-99 and IS-707 standards (referred to hereinafter simply as IS-707), an IS-95 compliant communications system can also provide data communications services. Data communications services allow digital data to be exchanged using a wireless terminal 10 and the RF interface to one or more base stations 12. Examples of the type of digital data typically transmitted using the IS-707 standard include computer files and electronic mail. Under IS-95A and IS-707, frames are transmitted once every 20 mS (milliseconds).
The IS-95B Standard has recently been developed to enable multiple traffic channels to be assigned to a wireless terminal by a base station in a communications link in both forward and reverse directions. IS-95B defines formats for supplemental traffic channels for different rate sets, but is silent as to how supplemental channels should be assigned in the communications link. There are only a finite number of traffic channels and, as such, the channels are a limited resource. Furthermore, it is not unusual in the transfer of data for the rate at which the data is delivered to vary with time. At some times the data rate may be relatively high and at others relatively low, the delay tolerances of several data sources is not rigid. It is wasteful of resources simply to assign a maximum number of channels to a communications link in order to ensure that the link is able to match the rate at which data is transferred with the maximum rate at which data may be delivered for transfer over the link.
The invention aims to overcome or at least minimize some of the above discussed disadvantages and problems.
The invention will be described in the following with reference to a CDMA system in which the invention may be embodied. A CDMA system is preferred because of the advantages that such a system offers over other communications systems. The invention is, however, not limited to being embodied in a CDMA system and can be applied equally to any communications system in which plural channels may be assigned in a communications link.
In one aspect the invention provides an apparatus for controlling data transfer between two stations, the apparatus comprising: a link manager for controlling allocation of available channels in a plurality of communications links in each of which communications links data is transferred between two stations in at least one channel; a data buffer for buffering data from a data source; and a controller for determining a parameter representing the buffering of data in the buffer and for generating a request for a change in the allocation of channels in a communications link between two stations depending on the parameter, and wherein the link manager is responsive to a request generated by the controller to allocate a different number of channels to the communications link or to generate a refusal of the request.
In another aspect the invention provides a method of controlling data transfer between two stations, the method comprising: controlling allocation of available channels in a plurality of communications links in each of which communications links data is transferred between two stations in at least one channel; buffering data from a data source; determining a parameter representing the buffering of data in the buffer; generating a request for a change in the allocation of channels in a communications link between two stations depending on the parameter; and responding to a generated request by allocating a different number of channels to the communications link or generating a refusal of the request.

Method and apparatus for controlling data transfer between two stations


An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a waste ink tray, an ink inflow section, an ink detecting section, and a controller. The recording head ejects ink. The waste ink tray recovers the ink. The ink inflow section is located on the waste ink tray. The ink flows into the ink inflow section. The ink detecting section outputs a detection signal indicating whether there is the ink or not. The ink inflow section has a first inflow opening and a second inflow opening. The second inflow opening is located at a position higher than a position of the first inflow opening. The ink detecting section detects whether or not the ink has flown into the second inflow opening. The controller, upon receiving the detection signal, detects that the first inflow opening is clogged.

The present disclosure relates to an inkjet recording apparatus.
Various inkjet recording apparatuses that recover ink discharged by purging have been disclosed. For example, an image recording apparatus reuses ink discharged by purging. This image recording apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage, a guide bar, a purging device, and an ink recovery container. The recording head ejects ink toward a recording medium. The carriage holds the recording head and moves in a main scanning direction along the guide bar. The recording head performs recording on the recording medium as the carriage moves. The purging device causes the recording head to discharge ink in order to remove air bubbles generated in the ink. The ink recovery container recovers the ink discharged by the purging device. The ink recovery container includes a plurality of ink storage sections and an ink tray. The plurality of ink storage sections are separated from each other by a partition wall. The partition wall is set to have a height lower than that of an outer frame of the ink recovery container. The ink tray guides the ink discharged from the recording head by the purging device to the ink an adjacent storage sections. When one of the ink storage sections becomes full, the ink flows into ink reservoir section adjacent thereto. When this ink storage section becomes full, the ink flows into still adjacent ink reservoir section adjacent thereto, and this is repeated sequentially.


A device for limiting rotation of a wheel, such as a wheel on a skateboard, comprising a physical stop secured against one wheel of the skateboard. Multiple physical locks may be used, each secured against single wheel. The physical stop may comprise a block of resilient material placed in a semi-compressed state into the gap between the skateboard deck and the wheel such that the block exerts pressure on the wheel sufficient to prevent the wheel from freely rotating. Alternately, the physical stop may comprise a holder at least partially surrounding the wheel and at least one protrusion from the holder adjacent a rolling surface of the wheel, where the protrusion is capable of functioning as a chock and substantially preventing the wheel from rolling against a surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a device for limiting rotation of a wheel, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a device that may be placed onto the individual wheels of a skateboard to limit rotation of the wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical skateboard has a deck, two trucks, and four wheels. In its simplest form, riding a skateboard involves standing on the deck and pushing off the ground to propel the skateboard along the ground on the wheels. It is common, however, for skateboard riders to perform tricks that involve the wheels of the skateboard leaving the ground. These tricks, and even tricks for which the wheels do not leave the ground, require balance and particular movements, both of which may be perfected through extensive practice. The wheels of the skateboard complicate such practicing, as performing a trick incorrectly or incompletely could result in the skateboard rolling away, causing the rider to fall.
Several training aids have been developed to address this problem. These typically require some modification of the skateboard, such as removing the wheels or adding additional elements. These modifications may be difficult and, more importantly, may change how the skateboard functions in some significant way: make the skateboard heavier, prevent access to elements such as the underside of the deck for balancing tricks, prevent the proper functioning of the trucks, etc. Thus, once the modifications are removed, the skateboard no longer behaves how it did when the rider was practicing, forcing the rider to re-learn certain elements.
Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a device that limits the rotation of the wheels of the skateboard so that the skateboard cannot roll while the rider practices tricks.
It is further desirable for the device to allow the user to learn tricks, develop muscle memory, train reflexes, and get over fear.
It is further desirable for the device to be easy to install without tools and without removing parts or otherwise modifying the skateboard, allowing the device to be temporarily installed to the skateboard, such that it stays in place while the rider performs tricks, and easily removed so that the rider can resume normal operation of the skateboard.
It is further desirable for the device to be lightweight so that it does not affect the weight and general feel of the skateboard and does not change the center of gravity of the skateboard.
It is further desirable for the device to work with a variety of skateboard dimensions and configurations.
It is further desirable for the device to allow access to the center, nose, and tail areas of the board, allowing for contact with surfaces and obstacles such as rails, stairs, and platforms.


Systems, methods, and computer media for securing software applications are provided herein. The multi-factor fingerprints allow attackers to be distinguished from authorized users and allow different types of attacks to be distinguished. The multi-factor fingerprint can include, for example, a session identifier component, a software information component, and a hardware information component. The different components can be separately compared to components of stored fingerprints to determine whether an application session request is malicious, and if so, what type of attack, such as session cookie theft or a spoofing attack, is occurring.

With widespread adoption of software applications and cloud-based services, cyber security has become increasingly important. Attackers employ various malicious techniques to gain unauthorized access to applications and associated data. In addition to exploiting software bugs and vulnerabilities, some attackers obtain valid credentials or other information for authorized users and use this information to gain unauthorized access to applications or computer systems. Detecting and managing such unauthorized access is challenging.

Application security through multi-factor fingerprinting


Alloyed nanophenes comprising carbon, boron, and a Group V element other than nitrogen are provided. The alloyed nanophenes are useful, for example, as miniature electronic components, such as wires, coils, schottky barriers, diodes, inductors, memory elements, and other circuit devices and elements.

Nanophenes have one or more single layer arrays or networks of a predominant atom, typically carbon, although up to 50 percent of the predominant atom can be substituted by one or more other atoms. Nanophenes can also be functionalized or otherwise reacted to other chemical species. Representative nanophenes include nanotubes; nanohorns (nanotubes having one closed end); fullerenes, for example, C60 fullerenes, C70 fullerenes, C76/78 fullerenes, or C84 fullerenes; and the like.
The nanophene layer (or for multi-walled nanophenes, each layer) will tend to curl or otherwise orient in a spherical, tubular, or cornucopia type pattern. In considering a nanophene structure, two axes or directions are noteworthy: (i) the traverse or "y" direction perpendicular to the layer(s); and (ii) the axial or "x" direction parallel to the layer(s) (and perpendicular to the y direction). Nanophenes have an average length in the y direction of less than 100 nanometers. The x direction length of a nanophene can be virtually any length, at least theoretically, but typically is less than a millimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,980 discloses nanotubes and nanoparticles having stoichiometries of BxCyNz, where x, y, and z are integers including zero where no more than one of x, y, and z are zero for a given stoichiometry.

Composition containing alloyed nanophene moieties


A collapsible light reflector apparatus of the umbrella type having a skeleton frame comprising outer relatively longer ribs and relatively shorter inner ribs adapted to be stretched when the umbrella is in open position, a covering of light reflecting material disposed over the outer ribs completely covering the outer surfaces thereof and a inner covering adapted to completely cover the inner ribs and an inner portions of the outer ribs wherefor the umbrella has a complete covering both on the outer and inner frame surfaces thereof except for covering on the lower part of a rod on which the ribs are mounted providing a covering of all lower surfaces of the upper and lower ribs.

In the past apparatus of an umbrella type has been employed for such purpose as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,164, which discloses a foldable umbrella-type reflector adjustably supported on a swivel atop a folding tripod stand having a vertically telescoping vertical pole, tne umbrella having, as in conventional umbrella as, a central shaft, a set of long ribs, which when the umbrella is opened, are curved, and straight when in folded position, a set of short rios or struts, a fabric cover of flexible reflective material is fixed by a fixed ring at the top of tne shaft to the upper ends of tne long ribs of the said cover. The cover comprises identical panels in tne general shape of an isosceles triangle which panels are sewn together along their edges and attached by separate loops to the outer ends of each of tne long ribs. Each of tne snort ribs is pivotally attached to a slide ring on tne pole and at its other end to an intermediate point on a long rib.
When the umbrella :s opened and exposed to view and one looks axially into the mouth of the umbrella, it will be seen that light is reflected from a light source mounted at an axial level within the covering and diverted and/or obstructed by the said short ribs or struts creating separate visible bands of light.
Similar umbrella type diffusing apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 923542; 3,870,874; 3,873,821; 4,443,837. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,205,860 an umbrella having only long ribs is shown having an outer covering therefor. The ribs are provided either inside or outside of tne cover since the function, as stated optionally, is purely mechanical to cause distention of tne reflector and permitting it to be collapsed.

Umbrella type reflector for photographic reflection


Method and apparatus which utilize an LCD modulator array for printing and/or enlarging an image recorded in a color film negative, a positive transparency or a color print, which LCD modulator array has pixels whose "closing time" (the time it takes to convert a pixel from a condition wherein it transmits radiation to a condition wherein it blocks radiation) is substantially longer than their "opening time" (the time it takes to convert a pixel from a condition wherein it blocks radiation to a condition wherein it transmits radiation). In accordance with the present invention, each pixel of the LCD modulator array is opened and closed in a rapid sequence, one after the other, at intervals which are much shorter than the closing time of the pixels of the LCD modulator array. The amount of radiation transmitted by each rapidly opened pixel is determined by detecting a spike of radiation which is transmitted through the rapidly opened pixel and by detecting and subtracting a background amount produced by radiation which is transmitted through other, slowly closing pixels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to methods and apparatus which utilize an LCD modulator array for printing and/or enlarging an image recorded in a color film negative, a positive transparency, a color print or electronically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A full color printer and/or enlarger which utilizes an LCD modulator array for printing and/or enlarging an image recorded in a color film negative, a positive transparency or a color print must scan the color film negative a number of times to acquire information about the images' chromanance and density. For example, once for each of three colors, to obtain a density value which is associated with each pixel (picture element) of the LCD modulator array. In practice, the scan time required to perform each scan can be quite long because of the response times of typical liquid crystal materials used in LCD modulator arrays. For example, FIG. 1 shows a response time curve for a typical LCD material. As one can readily appreciate, the "opening time" of a pixel in the LCD modulator array, i.e., the time it takes for the pixel in the LCD modulator array to convert from a state where less than or equal to about 1% of the radiation incident thereupon is transmitted to a state where over 90% of the radiation incident thereupon is transmitted, is typically about 0.1 ms and the "closing time" of the pixel in the LCD modulator array, i.e., the time it takes for the pixel in the LCD modulator array to convert from a state where over 90% of the radiation incident thereupon is transmitted to a state where less than or equal to about 1% of the radiation incident thereupon is transmitted, is typically about 20 ms. to 30 ms. Consequently, if one were to utilize even a coarse 64.times.64 pixel LCD modulator array in a printer and/or enlarger, the total opening time for the pixels of the LCD modulator array during each scan would be approximately 4 seconds and the total closing time for the pixels during each scan could be several minutes. Thus, a typical LCD modulator array utilized in a mode in which each pixel is opened and closed before the next succeeding pixel is opened and closed during each scan results in an extremely slow printer and/or enlarger.
Another additional problem associated with the use of an LCD modulator array for printing and/or enlarging an image recorded in, for example, a color film negative occurs because the pixels in an LCD modulator array are not completely opaque, even when completely closed. Specifically, because each pixel in a typical LCD modulator array is a leaky polarizer, an opacity problem occurs when an LCD modulator array is utilized for printing and/or enlarging. This opacity problem can be understood by considering a typical case where a closed pixel leaks about 1% of the radiation incident thereupon. For such a case, if the pixels of a 4000 pixel LCD modulator array were exposed, one at a time, for each of the three colors required to make a full color print, this would produce an unmodulated background exposure about forty times as great as the exposure which results from opening and closing a single pixel at any given time. Such a modulator would be almost ineffectual in varying the exposure locally in the print.
As one can readily appreciate from the above, there is a need in the art for method and apparatus which utilize an LCD modulator array for printing and/or enlarging an image recorded in a color film negative, a positive transparency, or a color print, which method and apparatus: (a) operate rapidly; (b) utilize an LCD modulator array which is comprised of pixels whose closing time plus opening time is approximately 30 milliseconds; and (c) achieve a modulation ratio of 10:1 (adequate for dodging applications) to 100:1 (adequate for printing a photograph from electronically stored information).

Apparatus and method utilizing an LCD for printing


A composite anode active material including metal core particles and carbon nanotubes that are covalently bound to the metal core particles, an anode including the composite anode active material, a lithium battery employing the anode, and a method of preparing the composite anode active material.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present teachings relate to a composite anode active material, an anode including the composite anode active material, a lithium battery employing the anode, and a method of preparing the composite anode active material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Carbonaceous materials such as graphite are representative examples of anode active materials for lithium batteries. Graphite has excellent electrical capacity retention characteristics and excellent voltage characteristics. In addition, graphite does not vary in volume when used to form an alloy with lithium, and thus, may increase the stability of a battery. Graphite has a theoretical electrical capacity of about 372 mAh/g and a high irreversible capacity.
In addition, metals capable of forming alloys with lithium may be used as an anode active material for lithium batteries. Examples of metals capable of forming alloys with lithium include silicon (Si), tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), and the like. These metals have a very high electrical capacity. For example, these metals may have an electrical capacity that is 10 times higher than that of graphite. Such metals undergo a change in volume during charging and discharging, thereby electrically isolating the active material within the electrode. In addition, an electrolyte decomposition reaction becomes severe, due to an increase in specific surface area of the active material. Si also has a relatively high resistance.
Metals capable of forming alloys with lithium may be formed into composites with carbonaceous materials, in order to suppress volumetric expansion and improve conductivity. However, conventional examples of such composite materials rely only on Van der Waals forces for cohesion, and thus, the metal and the carbonaceous material are easily separated during charging and discharging. Thus, there is a demand for a high-capacity and long-lifespan active material for high-capacity lithium batteries.

Composite anode active material, anode including the composite anode active material, lithium battery including the anode, and method of preparing the composite anode active material


Techniques for using a graphical user interface to automatically generate expense lines from images are described herein. According to an embodiment, a server computer causes storing in a data repository, data identifying a plurality of users, the data comprising feature data extracted from one or more images of the users. The server computer receives a digital photographic image captured using a camera in a mobile computing device. The server computer identifies one or more faces in the digital photographic image and determines that the one or more faces in the digital photographic image match a particular user. The server computer generates and stores an expense line in an expense data table in the data repository, the expense line comprising an identification of the particular user.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Enterprise management software provide businesses with software functionality for generating various types of reports, expenses, and data management. One specific functionality of enterprise management software that is extremely important to businesses is the ability to generate, manage, and approve expenses for different employees.
Expense software interfaces generally require manual input of information, such as costs associated with the expense and specific information for each employee associated with the expense, such as the employee's name, title, company, and other information to justify the expense. With large meetings, such as business meals with clients, the amount of data that has to be manually entered increases with each employee that joins the meeting, making the generation of expense lines difficult and tedious.
Because of the difficulties generating such expenses using modern systems, expense generation tends to be a slow process that is not always performed properly. While intuitive interfaces may make the generation of expense lines slightly easier, the process of using an interface which requires manual input of each person associated with an expense can still be time consuming using modern systems.
Thus, there is a need for an improvement to computing systems that are used as a tool for generating expenses that reduce the time and effort required to use the computing system to generate expenses.

Automatic generation of expense data using facial recognition in digitally captured photographic images


A nose assembly for pulling fasteners through a workpiece includes an anvil having a conical surface for engaging a complimentary conical surface defined by a set of chuck jaws. The chuck jaws includes a rear skirted portion defining a recess for receiving a biased support member which prevents the radial collapse of the chuck jaws during actuation of the nose assembly. The nose assembly is particularly adapted for gripping a relatively short axially projecting portion of a fastener while ensuring complete engagement of all jaw teeth with the fastener.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for pulling fastener pins through a workpiece and particularly relates to a nose assembly having a set of internally-supported spring-biased jaws for engaging a series of pull grooves formed on the fastener pins.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Pin and collar fasteners of the lock bolt variety are commonly used to fabricate various frames and structures including aircraft wings and aircraft cabins. It is often desirable to produce an interference fit between the body of the pin and the members being fastened in order to produce a fatigue resistant joint by cold working the material surrounding the pin. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a fabrication requiring a leak-tight assembly such as an aircraft wing which also serves as a fuel tank, or an aircraft cabin which is subject to pressurization. While an interference fit can be clearly desirable in numerous applications, there has been a most undesirable problem associated with the use of an interference fit between a fastener pin and its surrounding structure.
In order to produce such an interference fit, it has been necessary to use a hammer or an air impact tool to force the fastener pin through a hole formed through each member being fastened. This hammering has resulted in excessive noise levels reaching up to 120 decibels. Hammering poses a threat to hearing and requires the use of ear protection. Another drawback associated with such hammering is that it often damages the head of the fastener pin and/or the members being fastened.
Setting fasteners by conventional techniques requires one assembler to initially position the pin through one exposed side of the workpiece and subsequently hammer the pin therethrough while a second assembly worker applies reinforcing support to the opposite side of the workpiece via a bucking bar. Thus, two workers are needed to carry out this labor intensive task using conventional methods.
Prior to the present invention, no tool was available which could adequately grip the relatively short axial length of the fastener pin which projected through the members or workpieces being fastened. That is, a portion of the end of the fastener pin opposite its head is typically of reduced radial section to allow that section of the pin to be freely inserted through the members being fastened. This exposes a short axial portion of the fastener prior to reaching the point of interference between a radially enlarged portion of the pin shank and the opposite or back face of the structure being fastened.
Of course, it is possible to make the non-interference fit portion of the fastener pin longer to provide a longer gripping surface. However, this results in considerable expense and material waste since this portion, which is commonly known as a pintail, is broken off and discarded when a collar or nut is subsequently swaged or fastened over the pin. This poses a particular problem in aircraft applications since the material used for the fastener pins in such applications is frequently titanium which is quite expensive.
Moreover, it is often not possible to use long fastener pins due to space limitations which prevent a fastener tool from accessing the elongated fastener pins. This is particularly true in the case of aircraft applications where structural channel members known as "J stringers" prevent the fastener tool from reaching and engaging those fastener pins located within the Jstringer channels.
Accordingly, a need exists for a reliable nose assembly for use with a low noise level tool capable of gripping a short axial length of a fastener pin and quietly and smoothly pulling the fastener pin through an interference fit hole without damaging the fastener pin or the workpieces being fastened.

Nose assembly for pulling fasteners through interference fit holes


Disclosed is a process and apparatus in which vacuum extraction is used to remove soil contaminants in both the saturated and vadose zones. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a vadose zone and a water table, which comprises providing a borehole in the contaminated area to a depth below the water table; placing in the borehole to a depth below the water table a perforated riser pipe inside of which is situated a vacuum extraction pipe with a bottom opening situated within the perforated riser pipe, said vacuum extraction pipe containing groundwater prior to application of a vacuum thereto, said vacuum extraction pipe having at least one gas inlet situated below the groundwater level in the vacuum extraction pipe; while introducing a gas into the riser pipe, applying a vacuum to the vacuum extraction pipe to draw gases and liquid from the soil into the perforated riser pipe and from the riser pipe into the vacuum extraction pipe and transport both the gases and the liquid to the surface as a two-phase common stream; introducing a gas into the vacuum extraction pipe at a level below the groundwater level in the vacuum extraction pipe to initiate two-phase flow within the vacuum extraction pipe; forming from the common stream a stream which is primarily liquid and a stream which is primarily gaseous; and separately treating the separated liquid and gas streams. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the process.

This invention is directed to a process and apparatus for removing chemical contaminants from groundwater. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a process and apparatus in which vacuum extraction is used to remove soil contaminants in both the saturated and vadose zones. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a vadose zone and a water table, which comprises providing a borehole in the contaminated area to a depth below the water table; placing in the borehole to a depth below the water table a perforated riser pipe inside of which is situated a vacuum extraction pipe with a bottom opening situated within the perforated riser pipe, said vacuum extraction pipe containing groundwater prior to application of a vacuum thereto, said vacuum extraction pipe having at least one gas inlet situated below the groundwater level in the vacuum extraction pipe; while introducing a gas into the riser pipe, applying a vacuum to the vacuum extraction pipe to draw gases and liquid from the soil into the perforated riser pipe and from the riser pipe into the vacuum extraction pipe and transport both the gases and the liquid to the surface as a two-phase common stream; introducing a gas into the vacuum extraction pipe at a level below the groundwater level in the vacuum extraction pipe to initiate two-phase flow within the vacuum extraction pipe; forming from the common stream a stream which is primarily liquid and a stream which, is primarily gaseous; and separately treating the separated liquid and gas streams. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a water table and a vadose zone above the water table which comprises a perforated riser pipe extending downwardly from the surface of the ground to a level below the water table, a vacuum extraction pipe situated inside of the riser pipe and having a bottom opening situated within the perforated riser pipe, said vacuum extraction pipe containing groundwater prior to application of a vacuum thereto, said vacuum extraction pipe having at least one gas inlet situated below the groundwater level in the vacuum extraction pipe for introducing a gas into the vacuum extraction pipe to initiate two-phase flow within the vacuum extraction pipe, a riser pipe gas inlet for introducing a gas into the riser pipe, a vacuum-forming apparatus in fluid communication with the vacuum extraction pipe and adapted to form a zone of reduced pressure in the ground around the riser pipe, whereby gases and liquid can be drawn from the ground into the riser pipe and from the riser pipe into the vacuum extraction pipe and conveyed to the surface as a two-phase common stream, and a means for receiving the common stream and separating the stream into separate gas and liquid streams.
Contaminants can exist in subsurface soil and groundwater in the liquid or vapor phase as discrete substances and mixed with and/or dissolved in groundwater and soil gases. Various contaminants can be found in groundwater and soil, such as volatile compounds, including volatile organic compounds, nonvolatile materials, metal contaminants, and the like. Such contaminants can be found and dealt with in the vadose (unsaturated) zone found between the surface of the earth and the water table, at the interface between the vadose zone and the water table, and in the saturated zone below the water table.
At many industrial and commercial facilities and at waste handling and disposal sites, soil and groundwater are contaminated with suspended or water-soluble chemicals, or both. A variety of techniques have been used for removal of contaminants and remediation of affected soil. One common technique entails the excavation and off-site treatment of the soil. Another technique entails saturating the contaminated soil with water in situ, causing the contaminants to be leached slowly from the soil by the water. The contaminated water can then be removed.
Techniques have also been proposed for removing volatile organic contaminants from soil by vacuum extraction. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,122, it was proposed that a vacuum be applied in a borehole at the level of the water table, the assumption being that a contaminant such as gasoline, which is lighter than water, would float on the water table and present a layer that could be drawn off by vacuum applied to the liquid at or around that level. U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,122 (Knopik) discloses a system and method for recovering organic liquid such as gasoline which has settled on the water table in underground areas. The system comprises a conduit extending from the ground surface to a point just above the water table, a collection head fitted on the lower end of the conduit, a collection vessel connected to the upper end of the conduit, and an exhaust means for creating less than atmospheric pressure in the vessel. The collection head has a liquid impermeable end portion and a liquid permeable intermediate portion for permitting the passage of liquid. The process comprises providing an opening in the ground to a point beneath the surface of the water table, positioning the conduit with the collection head in place so that the liquid permeable wall of the collection head is just above the surface of the water table, connecting the conduit to the collection vessel intake, and exhausting air and other gaseous materials from the vessel to cause liquid to flow into the collection head through the conduit into the vessel.
Others have suggested the possibility of venting soil above the water table (i.e., in the vadose zone) to cause vaporization of the contaminant in the soil, and then drawing off the contaminant in the vapor phase. Groundwater requiring treatment is in such processes conventionally removed by pumping from separate conventional water wells. In situations in which water does flow into vacuum extraction wells, it has been suggested that a second, liquid phase pump be placed either in the well or at the surface to remove the water through a second conduit. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,639 (Visser et al.), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process for the removal of volatile contaminants from the vadose zone of contaminated ground by extracting volatilized contaminants from the vadose zone by way of one or more vacuum extraction wells. The process entails drilling one or more wells into the subsurface media in the contaminated area, the well being constructed so that fluids in the vadose zone can flow into the well, whereas the liquid in the saturated zone below the water table cannot substantially flow into the well. The borehole and conduit of the well can optionally extend below the water table, in which case the vacuum applied to the upper portion of the conduit will be effective to draw contaminant from the vadose zone, but insufficient to draw a significant amount of water from the saturated zone into the conduit. If it is desired to remove groundwater from below the water table, this removal is accomplished either by a separate sampling device situated in the borehole or through a separate well.
In addition, Stinson, "EPA Site Demonstration of the Terra Vac In Situ Vacuum Extraction Process in Groveland, Mass.", Air & Waste Management Association, Vol. 39, No. 8, pages 1054 to 1062 (1989), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses an evaluation of an in situ vacuum extraction process. The process entails removal of contaminants from the vadose zone by vacuum. Wells are installed in the contaminated vadose soil. A vacuum pump or blower induces air flow through the soil, stripping and volatilizing volatile organic compounds from the soil matrix into the air stream. Liquid water, if present in the soil, is also extracted along with the contamination. The two-phase stream of contaminated air and water flows to a vapor/liquid separator where contaminated water is removed. The contaminated air stream then flows through a treatment system such as gas-phase activated carbon to remove contaminants from the air stream. The clean air is exhausted to the atmosphere through a vent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,760 (Visser et al.), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,102, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, also disclose processes for removal of volatile contaminants from the vadose zone of contaminated ground by pumping volatilized contaminants from the vadose zone using one or more vacuum extraction wells.
"Forced Venting to Remove Gasoline Vapor from a Large-Scale Model Aquifer," American Petroleum Institute, Health and Environmental Sciences Department, API Publication No. 4431 (1984) discloses the results of experiments examining forced venting of air through the soil above a gasoline spill in a model aquifer. Various flow rates and geometries for the venting plumbing were used to determine the most efficient method of removing gasoline from the underground environment and lowering gasoline vapor concentrations in the unsaturated zone above the spill.
"Venting for the Removal of Hydrocarbon Vapors from Gasoline Contaminated Soil," J. Thornton and W. Wootan, J. Environ. Sci. Health, A 17(1), 31-44 (1982) discloses the results of an experiment investigating the use of a venting strategy to remove gasoline vapors from contaminated soil strata. A contained gasoline leak was created in a large outdoor facility which simulates soil strata and a static water table. An air flow was established, and vapor samples taken before, during, and after venting were checked for hydrocarbon content.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,664 (Miller), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method and system for decontaminating water, such as groundwater or process effluent, which is contaminated by small concentrations of dissolved volatile organic compounds. The process includes introducing a flow of the water to an air stripping stage in which the water is directed through the column to air strip organic molecules from the contaminated water, releasing the decontaminated water to the environment, pretreating the organic compounds carrying air in the substantial absence of water through a preheater, passing the heated air through a catalytic stage that oxidizes the organic compounds, and releasing the gaseous effluent from the catalytic stage to the atmosphere. Water containing small concentrations of dissolved volatile organic compounds can also be decontaminated by including an apparatus for retrofitting an existing air stripper for this purpose.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,260 (Boyd et al.) discloses a method for the treatment of oil well production streams to process oil-contaminated sand to recover oil therefrom and produce an ecologically acceptable clean sand residue. The process entails separating the production fluid from an oil well having sand entrained therein from a plurality of components, one of which comprises an oil-contaminated sand. The contaminated sand is contacted with a light oil solvent to initiate a solvating action of the oil contaminant. The resulting mixture of oil-contaminated sand and solvent is then contacted with water and the system then gravity separated into discrete sand, water, and oil phases. The oil and water phases can be removed from the sand and the sand phase again contacted with water and the resulting mixture is then subjected to gravity separation to produce separate sand and water phases. The water phase is then removed and the sand passed to a suitable disposal facility.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,672 (Payne) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,673 (Payne), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, disclose a method and apparatus for collecting volatile contaminants from the vadose layer of earth. The apparatus is a closed-loop device which includes one or more contaminant withdrawal wells surrounded by multiple air reinjection wells connected by a conduit. One or more pumps serve to draw volatilized contaminant through the withdrawal well to the connecting conduit where it is captured or neutralized. Residual air from the withdrawal well is urged back into the ground through the air reinjection wells to encourage further contaminant to move toward the withdrawal well for collection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,988 (Payne et al.), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process for removing and disposing of or neutralizing volatile contaminants existing, in the vadose zone of earth and also in a below ground aquifer. The process includes the injection of substantially oxygen free air into the aquifer to retard the formation of aerobic bacteria and injection of oxygen rich air into the vadose zone to stimulate bacterial growth which aids contaminant recovery. Volatilized contaminants are pulled out of the soil through withdrawal wells which terminate in the vadose zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,119 (Bernhardt et al.) discloses a process for driving volatile impurities from a ground by means of air by aspirating an afterflow air and impurities containing gases which penetrated through a permeable wall of a shaft in a ground, at one or several locations. In regions of expected high gas contents, air afterflow passages are extended to these regions for supplying the afterflow air, and an adjustable afterflow resistance is arranged in the passages for influencing a negative pressure value and a flow speed in these regions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,355 (Blackwell et al.) discloses a method for withdrawing hazardous gases from a water saturated subterranean formation containing a mineral deposit suitable for mining. The process entails drilling wells through the subterranean formation and withdrawing water from the subterranean formation to establish permeability to gas within the subterranean formation. Gas is then withdrawn from the formation by means of the wells. The method is particularly applicable for reducing the influx of radon into a mine contained in a mineral deposit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,676 (Hess et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,541 (Hess et al.), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, disclose an apparatus and process for extracting contaminants from soil both above and below the water table. The process comprises placing a perforated riser pipe in a borehole in a selected portion of the contaminated area, wherein the perforations of the riser pipe are situated below the water table. Optionally, some of the perforations in the riser pipe can also be situated in the vadose zone above the water table. A vacuum is then applied to the pipe to draw gases and liquids from the soil into the pipe and to transport the gases and liquids to the surface as a common stream. At the surface, the common stream is separated into a primarily liquid stream and a primarily gaseous stream, and the separated streams are then treated separately.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,764 (Hajali et al.), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process for removing contaminants from a contaminated area of the ground having a vadose zone and a water table which comprises providing a borehole in the contaminated area; placing in the borehole a perforated riser pipe inside of which is situated a vacuum extraction pipe with an opening situated near, at, or at any point below the water table within the perforated riser pipe, while introducing a gas into the riser pipe, applying a vacuum to the vacuum extraction pipe to draw gases and liquid from the soil into the perforated riser pipe and from the riser pipe into the vacuum extraction pipe and transport both the gases and the liquid to the surface as a common stream; forming from the common stream a stream which is primarily liquid and a stream which is primarily gaseous; and separately treating the separated liquid and gas streams. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,360 (Morrow), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method and apparatus for vacuum extraction of contaminants from the ground which, in a preferred embodiment, involves vacuum withdrawal of liquid and gaseous phases as a common stream, separation of the liquid and gaseous phases, and subsequent treatment of the separated liquid and gases to produce clean effluent. A primed vacuum extraction employs a single vacuum generating device to remove contaminants in both the liquid stream and soil gases through a single well casing utilizing a priming tube which introduces air or other gas to the liquid collected at the bottom of a well, permitting vacuum extraction of both liquids and gases from the subsurface by way of wells having a liquid layer which is more than thirty feet below the soil surface or in which a screened interval of the extraction pipe is entirely below the liquid surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,547,194 (Arbon) discloses a system for elevating oil consisting in packing a well between the eduction tube and casing to cause the accumulation of the gas, arranging valved ejectors in said tube above and below the packing, and regulating the valves to cause successive elevation of fluid in the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 753,045 (Cooper) discloses a method of obtaining gas from wells containing water with gas held in solution which consists in lifting the water in the well by means of a hydrocarbon gas introduced under pressure into the water column below and collecting the gas liberated from the lifted water.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,291,130 (Purchas) discloses an eduction pipe for air lifts, the cross section of which varies in steps, the maximum cross section being at the bottom and adapted to be submerged, the minimum cross section following the maximum cross section, the section larger than the minimum but smaller than the maximum following the minimum section.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,419 (Davidson) discloses an apparatus and process for enlarging the normal subterranean liquid capacity of the supply area of a tube well which consists of oscillating indigenous liquid of the area by pumping forces set up in the tube to dislodge alluvium and simultaneously applying air pressure to remove the alluvium from the well.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,120 (Carlson et al.) discloses the production of hot brines containing dissolved gases from liquid dominated geothermal wells by utilizing lift gases of essentially the same composition as the dissolved gases. The lift gas is separated from the produced brine and recycled. Heat is abstracted from the separated brine, which may be returned to the aquifer, processed for its mineral content, or discarded. The gas lift is carried out under temperature and pressure conditions such that the precipitation of minerals from the brine does not occur in the well bore.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,980 (Marks et al.) discloses a method and apparatus for releasing for use air that has been absorbed under pressure in sea water or in any other large free body of water. An elongated conduit or other equivalent means is vertically disposed so that air released from its upper end is collected by an open bottom container serving is a reservoir. The interface of the collected air and the submersion level of water within the reservoir is substantially below the free water surface level. A small amount of gas is introduced at the lower end of the conduit so as to rise upwardly through the conduit, thereby carrying water behind it, and to initiate a continuous process in which the rising water is under decreasing pressure, at times increasing temperature, thereby releasing more air, which in turn carries more water behind it. Air from the reservoir can be used as an energy source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,885 (Sanderford) discloses a method and apparatus to optimize and control the production of an oil well which is being artificially produced by gas-lift techniques. The invention is suitable for use with either continuous or intermittent gas-lift operation and can be used with a combination of both. The temperature of the fluid at the wellhead is sensed and used to determine the injection parameter values to optimize well production. In one embodiment, a process control unit is programmed according to the inventive method to interpret the temperature data and to control the gas control valve to optimize production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,085 (Chips) discloses a method and structure whereby contaminated soil is decontaminated in situ by the extraction of vapor from the soil and subsequent destruction of the contaminants contained in the interstitial fluid of the soil by processing the fluid through an internal combustion engine or other suitable combustion means. To achieve this purpose, a means of conducting the fluid from the soil to a manifold system is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,788 (Donnelly) discloses an apparatus and method for removing hazardous volatile contaminants from the ground by circulating air between two substantially parallel wells and by removing the vapors of the organic compound from the circulated air using at least one of a condenser and a demister. To enhance efficiency the air is recirculated in a closed loop. The heat output of the condensation process is used to heat the recirculated air. Pipes having openings along only a limited portion of their lengths are placed in the wells and the depth of the openings adjusted to treat one level at a time, thereby preventing shunting of air through more porous soil layers. Flow rates can be equalized by using circumferentially placed induction wells surrounding an extraction well (or the reverse) and by controlling air flow through individual sections of a given level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,266 (Dieter) discloses a method for the in situ removal of mobilizable contaminants, including volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, from a contaminated unsaturated zone of primarily porous layers of soil. The method comprises pulsatilely injecting heated pressurized steam into a first location in the zone to heat the soil in the zone, and withdrawing the contaminants under subatmospheric pressure from the soil at a second location in the zone. In specific application, the pulsatile injection of steam is used to heat the soil without directly recovering injected steam for a significant period of time until the targeted soil in the zone is uniformly heated to steam temperature. The pulsatile injection directs the heat in particular directions and to particular areas in the soil zone as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,576 (Udell et al.) discloses a method for in situ decontamination of contaminated subsurface area by injection of steam into injection wells and withdrawing liquids and vapors from extraction wells under subatmospheric pressure whereby steam is passed through the contaminated area in an essentially horizontal direction. After a substantial portion of the contamination has been removed in this manner, the injection of steam is ceased, but the extraction at subatmospheric pressure is continued, to volatilize and remove the residual water and contaminants trapped in the pores of the soil. The steam injection may be periodically resumed to reheat the area and to replenish the water in the pores.
Although known apparatuses and processes are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil which enables contaminant removal from below and/or above the water table. A need also remains for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil which enables contaminant removal from soils of varying air permeability and varying porosity. Further there is a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil which enables increased flexibility in the location of extraction wells. There is also a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil that can be implemented by modifying existing vacuum extraction systems. In addition, there is a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil that enables extraction of contaminants both from the vadose zone and from below the water table through an extraction well having a riser pipe with perforations both above and below the water table. Further, a need exists for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil that enables vacuum extraction of contaminants through a well from below the water table when the water table is deeper than the equivalent lift of the vacuum pump connected to the well. There is also a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil with simplified equipment in that a single vacuum pump can be employed to remove contaminants in both the vapor and liquid phases through a single well or pipe. Additionally, there is a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil that enables reduction of contaminant concentrations in the extracted groundwater as a result of the mixing of air and water in the vacuum extraction pipe, leading to reduced subsequent water treatment requirements. In addition, there is a need for a process and apparatus for removing contaminants from groundwater and soil that dewaters the saturated zone (groundwater)in the vicinity of the extraction well in some soil conditions, thereby allowing air flow to move through the dewatered soil, which accelerates the extraction rate of contaminants and results in reduced cleanup time. Further, there is a need for a process and apparatus for removing various kinds of contaminants from groundwater and soil, including volatile materials, nonvolatile materials, metal contaminants, and the like.
In addition, it is desirable in a two-phase vacuum extraction system that the flow of both liquid and gas through the well extraction tube be maintained at an adequate velocity of liquid and gas to maximize depression of the water table and accelerate the removal of contaminated groundwater and contaminated soil gas from both the vadose zone and the saturated zone below the water table. When a vacuum extraction pipe is first inserted into a riser pipe, however, the groundwater in the well fills the extraction pipe to the surrounding groundwater level. Subsequently, when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum extraction pipe to initiate the two-phase vacuum extraction process, removal of the groundwater through the vacuum extraction pipe may be difficult or impossible, depending on the length of the extraction pipe situated below the water table. In some instances, it may be necessary to apply extremely high vacuum levels (up to 30 inches of mercury, for example) and/or to manipulate several valves and/or partially or totally withdraw and slowly reinsert the vacuum extraction tube to initiate the two-phase extraction process. Thereafter, when the extraction process is terminated and subsequently restarted in the same well, the recharging of the well with groundwater may lead to the same difficulties encountered at the start-up of the process. Accordingly, a need remains for a method and apparatus for initiating two-phase vacuum extraction of groundwater and soil contaminants which eliminates the need for inconvenient and time-consuming start-up adjustments. There is also a need for a method and apparatus for initiating two-phase vacuum extraction of groundwater and soil contaminants which eliminates the need for moving or removing the vacuum extraction pipe within the riser pipe.
Further, in some instances it may be desirable to remove contaminants from groundwater and soil gases from significant depths, such as thirty feet or greater, and/or to lift the two-phase stream extracted from the well to significant heights, such as in systems wherein the two-phase stream must be lifted over one or more buildings or through ceiling pipes in buildings to reach the separation and treatment location. Accordingly, a need remains for a method and apparatus for initiating two-phase vacuum extraction of groundwater and soil contaminants which enables the extraction from soil of liquids and gases containing contaminants from significant depths. A need also remains for a method and apparatus for initiating two-phase vacuum extraction of groundwater and soil contaminants which enables the conveyance of a two-phase stream of liquids and gases containing soil contaminants to significant heights.

Process and apparatus for high vacuum groundwater extraction


The present invention provides a method of modulating neovascularization in an animal. The method comprises administering to the animal two or more nucleic acid sequences, each nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one angiogenesis-modulation factor that acts upon a different angiogenic process, such that the nucleic acid sequences are expressed to produce the angiogenesis-modulation factors to modulate neovascularization in the animal. Modulating neovascularization includes the induction of neovascularization or, in the alternative, the inhibition or reduction of neovascularization.

This invention pertains to a method of modulating neovascularization in an animal.
Neovascularization, or the formation of new blood vessels, is a highly complex and tightly regulated biological process. Neovascularization is normally not continuously required on a large scale in adult animals, thus the process for forming blood vessels is often quiescent except in instances of injury and wound repair. When vascularization is not stringently controlled, serious pathologies can result. For example, reduced vascularization of target tissues is associated with ischemic damage, vascular diseases, necrosis, and muscle wasting. Increased vascularization is associated with, for instance, tumor growth, edema, and diseases of eye, such as diabetic retinopathy and the exudative form of age-related macular degeneration, which are major causes of blindness worldwide.
Several strategies for controlling vascularization have been proposed. Angiogenic or anti-angiogenic proteins have been administered to an animal to modulate neovascularization. However, it is difficult to target the administration of proteins to tissues such that widespread neovascularization does not occur. In addition, the half-life of some angiogenesis-influencing factors is relatively low, thereby complicating administration of appropriate dosages of peptides to achieve a desired effect. Delivery of an angiogenic or an anti-angiogenic agent to target tissues has also been achieved using gene transfer methods with encouraging results. For example, delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has promoted improved perfusion of cardiac tissue and ischemic limbs (see, for example, Isner et al., The Lancet, 348, 370-373 (1996). While perfusion of the target tissue is improved, a more efficient means of modulating neovascularization is needed. In addition, some factors have reduced efficacy under certain conditions. For example, preclinical data suggest that VEGF is less effective in aged individuals.
In view of the above, there exists a need in the art for an alternative and efficient means of modifying vascularization in an animal. The present invention provides such a method. This and other advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
The present invention provides a method of modulating neovascularization in an animal. The method comprises administering to the animal two or more nucleic acid sequences, each nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one angiogenesis-modulation factor that acts upon a different angiogenic process. Each nucleic acid sequence is under the control of separate promoters having different expression profiles. The nucleic acid sequences are expressed to produce the angiogenesis-modulation factors to modulate neovascularization in the animal. The angiogenesis-modulation factor can be an angiogenesis-promoting factor such that neovascularization is induced in the animal. Alternatively, the angiogenesis-modulation factor is an angiogenesis inhibitor and neovascularization is inhibited or reduced in the animal.


A manufacturing method, for an abrasive tape used for the burnishing of items such as floppy disks, which significantly reduces resulting scratches. An abrasive tape is manufactured by the steps of applying a coating liquid which contains as a major composition abrasive particles and a binder resin to a flexible substrate; drying the flexible substrate to produce an abrasive layer; and subjecting the abrasive layer to a surface smoothing treatment in order to align the tip ends of the abrasive particles to a uniform position by passing the abrasive layer between pressure rollers in such a manner that the flexible substrate comes in contact with an elastic roller, whereas the abrasive layer comes in contact with a metal roller, and wherein the pressure rollers are composed of the elastic roller having a hardness of 50-80 measured by a spring type hardness tester A and the metal roller, and are arranged opposite to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manufacturing method for an abrasive tape used when a magnetic recording medium, or the like, is polished, and more particularly to a manufacturing method for an abrasive tape for burnishing items such as floppy disks which can reduce possible resultant scratches to a minimum.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In burnishing processing for floppy disks, the floppy disk is polished by means of an abrasive tape which is produced by applying an abrasive layer containing abrasives, binders, additives, and the like, on a flexible substrate, and by drying the abrasive layer. This abrasive tape is formed into a tape or a disk, and also provided with a flexible substrate, so that it is suitable for processing of a curved surface of magnetic heads and the abrasion of flexible items such as floppy disks when compared with existing hones. In addition, this abrasive tape causes the surface to be polished to suffer from less damage, and enables the precise abrasion of the flexible items, so that this tape is indispensable for finishing abrasions.
In accordance with the tendency in recent years of magnetic recording orientating toward a high recording density, further improvements in the accuracy of the burnishing processing of floppy disks have been anticipated, and, therefore, scratches made on the surface of the magnetic layers of floppy disks during the burnishing process presented a major problem. Meanwhile, several approaches have already been put forward for preventing scratches of, or the attachment of abrasion wastes to, the surface to be polished without causing abrasive effects from being damaged when a magnetic head is finished using an abrasive tape.
One example of such approaches is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63(1988)-16980, wherein protuberances and recesses are evenly produced on the surface of an abrasive layer by embossing processing so that resultant abrasion wastes can be caught in the recesses, whereby it is possible to prevent scratches arising from the compressive sliding of the abrasive layer over the surface of a magnetic head to be polished, or the like. However, in the burnishing processing of items such as a floppy disk, an abrasive particle of abrasive particles on an abrasive layer which tends to cause a larger amount of particles to fly away from the abrasive layer tends to exert stronger forces on localized areas of the surface to be polished, so that the surface is scratched, thereby resulting in a quality problem. Moreover, the precision processing of a helical roller for emboss processing purposes adds to the cost of resulting products.
Another example is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55(1980)-117730, wherein a cleaning tape is produced by heating and pressing abrasive particles consecutively and in a stepwise fashion by means of a calender roller so that the particles can be buried in an abrasive layer. This method requires the use of an abrasive particle having a size of 0.3-5.0 micrometers. In this method, the surface of the coating film is subsequently smoothed by heating the coating film to 20-60 centigrade by the calender roller while the pressure of the calender roller is kept constant (for example, 200 kg/cm), or by gradually pressing the coating film by means of the calender roller under a pressure within a range of 200 kg/cm while the temperature is kept constant (for example, 60 centigrade), or by gradually heating and pressing the coating film under a pressure within a range of 200 kg/cm. The surface of the resultant coating film thus produced is provided with a gradually coarse or gradually smooth surface, which in turn causes a clog of the magnetic head to be easily removed, thereby leads to a scratch-free magnetic head. However, the arbitrary burying of the abrasive particles in the abrasive layer causes the locations of tip ends of the abrasive particles and the depth of the recesses in the surface of the abrasive layer to become uneven. Since a large amount of abrasion wastes is resultantly produced by the burnishing of items such as a floppy disk, in some areas of the abrasive layer abrasion wastes may not be caught between abrasive particles, and hence resulting smears on the surface of a floppy disk due to the removal of abrasion wastes will be the cause of a problem.


Polymer bound hindered amine light stabilizers are prepared by reacting hindered amine light stabilizers containing reactive hydrazide functionalities with anhydride containing polymers or copolymers. The reactions may be carried out in an inert solvent or in a melt blending step. The polymer bound hindered amine light stabilizers are useful alone or may also be used to stabilize other polymers, copolymers or polymers blends against the deleterious effects of heat and/or light.

This invention relates to permanently stabilized polymers or copolymers containing hindered amine light stabilizers chemically bound to anhydride containing polymer or copolymer via diacyl hydrazide and/or N-(acylamino) functionalities.
Synthetic polymers such as polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene) styrenics (e.g., polystyrene, rubber modified polystyrene, ABS, etc.) polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonates, polyesters, and polyphenylene ethers are subject to degradation and discoloration upon exposure to heat and/or light with consequent deterioration of mechanical and other properties. Various stabilizers have been proposed to inhibit such deterioration. In addition to activity as a stabilizer, commercially useful stabilizer additives must have both excellant compatibility with and/or solubility in the polymeric substrate to be stabilized along with superior resistance to loss from the stabilized composition during processing and end-use application. Many stabilizer additives exhibit limited compatibility in certain substrates and excessive tendency to exude, sublime, and/or volatilize during weathering or processing of the stabilized compositions.
One approach to solving the volatility and migration problems of the stabilizers has been to prepare polymeric stabilizers. A preferred method in the industry is to attach stabilizer groups to existing polymers or copolymers containing reactive functionalities. Examples of said approach are as follows:
(i) Styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers and octadecene-maleic anhydride copolymers have been reacted with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-ol to provide semi-esters containing a pendant HALS group (Canadian Pat. No. 1,180,496).
(ii) Cationic maleic anhydride homo- and copolymers were treated with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine to form the corresponding imide containing polymers. For example, an alternating maleic anhydride-styrene copolymer was treated with the above amine in xylene for 6 hours at 230.degree. C. to form the corresponding styrene-N-HALS-substituted maleimide which was used as a stabilizer for polypropylene. Similar N-substituted maleimide copolymers were prepared from 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine and copolymers of maleic anhydride with 11-15 carbons olefins, propylene and isobutylene (Ger Offen No. 3,024,525).
(iii) Maleic anhydride modified polyolefins were further modified by reacting them with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine to form the corresponding N-substituted maleimide modified polyolefins (U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,171). Due to their higher molecular weights and the polyolefin backbone, they are more compatible with polyolefins than with conventional hindered amine light stabilizers.
(iv) Maleic anhydride copolymers were moduled with 1-substituted-2,2,6,6-tetraalkyl-4-aminopiperidines (U.K. Patent Application No. B 2,145,100).


A novel atmospheric pressure ionization device for the transport of charged particle produced by at atmospheric pressure to a mass analyzer includes a liquid shield between the particle source and the sample inlet into the mass analyzer. The liquid shield may be in the form of a disk with a central aperture and acts as a spray splitter and aerofocusing device which increases the flow rate of a liquid sample into the analyzer. The mass analyzer is located in a high vacuum region and an intermediate low vacuum region is provided between the sample inlet and the analyzer. An ion optical system includes electrostatic lens assemblies in said vacuum regions for transporting charged particles from the inlet to the analyzer.

The present invention relates, in general, to atmospheric pressure ionization techniques, and more particularly to an interface structure which utilizes atmospheric pressure ionization techniques such as electrospray, ion spray, and corona discharge ionization in combination with a mass analyzer.
The development of various spray techniques for forming ions from analytes was a significant advance in the field of mass spectrometry, for these techniques, and particularly those that employ electric fields to impart charges to droplets in the spray, permit the formation of highly charged ions (particles) from high molecular weight species. These highly charged ions are characterized by mass/charge ratios that are well within the range of values accessible to most modern mass analyzers.
In addition, the combination of mass analyzers with on-line separation methods, such as liquid chromatography, for mixtures in solution is becoming increasingly important. Mass spectrometry has long been recognized for its high sensitivity, but its use as a detector in combination with on-line separators of condensed-phase analytes has been limited at least in part because of the incompatibility of mass spectrometry to commonly used reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The incompatibility arises, in part, from the use of a wide variety of buffer additives in the conventional HPLC eluent, high percentages of water in the eluent, and flow rates that are typically maintained at 1 mL/min., with standard 4.6 mm inner diameter HPLC columns. The HPLC eluent composition and its flow rate into the mass spectrometer have challenged the development of a routine and analytically rugged interface between the HPLC column and the mass spectrometer (LC/MS interface).
Historically, electron ionization (EI) mass spectra were produced from solutions introduced into a mass spectrometer at less than one microliter (.mu.L) per minute. Later, chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra were generated by the introduction of aqueous solutions at 1-5 .mu.L/min. into a CI mass spectrometer ion source. For this early work, the direct liquid introduction LC/MS interface was developed and commercially marketed through the early 1980's. This approach produced a modest beginning for LC/MS problem solving in several areas, but its limitation was the need for a 100-1 post column split, as described by J. D. Henion, "Drug Analysis by Continuously Monitored Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry with a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer", Analytical Chemistry, 1978, No. 50, pp. 1687-1693, or the use of micro HPLC techniques, as described by Lee et al, Journal of Chromatography Science, 1986, No. 23, pp. 253-264. These were due to the vacuum pumping limitations imposed by conventional mass spectrometers. Thus, the liquid flow introduced into the CI ion source of these systems was limited to about 5 .mu.L/min., and this limitation and the experimental difficulties associated with it discouraged many potentially interested researchers in the early days of LC/MS.
The introduction of thermospray LC/MS in the mid 1980's offered a significant breakthrough to the previous flow limitations discussed above. Thermospray LC/MS offered the realistic possibility of using conventional HPLC flows of 1.0-1.5 mL/min. with high aqueous eluent composition and volatile buffer additives such as ammonium acetate. The total HPLC effluent could be introduced into the mass spectrometer without the need for a post-column split or the use of micro HPLC techniques. Although the thermospray LC/MS approach offered an apparent simplification of the process in addition to providing three different modes of ionization, it was later learned that there could be a number of problems with the technique. These included widely varying response to different analytes, the need for different temperature settings for varying experimental conditions, thermal breakdown of some labile compounds, and the lack of structurally informative mass spectral information. Some of these needs were addressed with the introduction of particle beam LC/MS techniques which provided EI and CI mass spectra using HPLC flows in the neighborhood of 0.5 mL/min. However, this approach to LC/MS suffers from some limitations with regard to trace analyses and extends to involatile compounds of only slightly higher molecular weight, than can be handled by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
Recently, considerable interest has developed in electrospray ionization as a new means of handling intractable, higher molecular weight compounds. Following initial results that demonstrated very good sensitivity for polar and high molecular weight compounds, interest has developed in combining HPLC with electrospray mass spectrometry. Unfortunately, however, electrospray returned the art to the very slow HPLC flow rates originally produced by the direct liquid introduction LC/MS interface described above. In particular, pure electrospray currently is limited to effluent flows of 1-5 .mu.L/min. More recently with implementation pneumatically assisted electrospray [A. P. Bruins et al, Anal. Chem., v.59, p.2642(1987)] higher flow (up to 50 .mu.L rates) became routine in practice of HPLC- mass spectrometry. However, at higher flow rate significant chemical noise causes problems: more solvated ions entering the mass spectrometer thus resulting in more noisy mass spectra as well as micro droplets produced by the spray at higher flow rates tend to plug the ion sampling orifice and produce random "spikes" in the chromatographic profile. This behavior is not acceptable, and it is preferred to use conventional HPLC flows of 1-1.5 mL/min. without any additional experimental constraints, while still obtaining low nanogram or better detection limits.

Atmospheric pressure ion interface for a mass analyzer


Polymer mixing apparatus strips oil from polymers in an oil phase continuous emulsion and at least partially hydrates the polymers by injecting the emulsion and a pressured aqueous solution into a mixing zone. The emulsion and solution are passed through a confined space, where the oil is stripped from the polymer molecules and at least partially hydrated. The resulting solution is removed from the confined space without recirculation through the confined space.

The use of liquid (emulsion) polyelectrolytes in water, wastewater and papermaking applications began to proliferate in the early 1980's. Polyelectrolytes are useful for removing fine particulate matter from water.
Initially, traditional batch systems were used to dilute and activate the new polyelectrolytes, commonly called polymers. Typical batch systems use one or more 50-5000 gallon tanks. A measured amount of polymer in an oil-based emulsion is dumped or pumped into the tanks, which contain water, with a propeller mixer running. The mixing action of the propeller strips some of the oil from the polymer molecules, called inversion, allowing the molecules to absorb water. After some period of time (10-30 min.) the mixer is turned off and the solution is allowed to "age" for an additional 30-60 minutes. Aging allows the polymer molecules to open and extend, called activation, exposing ionic sites to the water.
After aging, the solution is dosed into water containing suspended solids. The ionic sites attract and grasp suspended particles in the water, and the particles settle to the bottom of the water, leaving the water in a cleaner condition. Batch systems have several problems, though. Inversion is incomplete, and the impact of the propeller damages many of the polymer molecules. Activation is slow and cumbersome, and the process is inefficient overall.
In-line systems for activating the new liquid polymers began to appear in about 1982 and gained fairly rapid acceptance in the marketplace. In-line systems invert the emulsion and activate the polymer, fairly continuously moving the inverted solution until it leaves the system. In-line systems do not use aging tanks and offer savings in space required, installed cost and cost of operation. While they address some of the problems found in batch systems, though, they only solve them to some extent, as the shear forces they create lack uniformity, which limits the degree of activation achieved.
Thus, there is a need for a polymer mixing apparatus that more uniformly inverts an oil-phase continuous polymer emulsion to a water phase continuous emulsion, more fully exposing the polymer molecules to activating water.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide new and improved polymer mixing devices.
Another object is to provide new and improved polymer mixing devices that more fully and uniformly strip oil from polymers, which allows the polymer to hydrate in an aqueous solution.
Still another object is to provide new and improved polymer mixing devices which cause less damage to the polymer molecules in the process of inversion and activation.


A chip package includes a PCB, a connecting pad fixed on a surface of the PCB and a chip fixed on the connecting pad. The connecting pad includes a first metal film on its surface facing away from the PCB. The chip includes a second metal film formed on its surface opposite to the PCB. The first and the second metal are connected to each other via a eutectic manner.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a chip package and a method for assembling the chip package.
2. Description of Related Art
Chip packages may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and a chip. The PCB is configured to form a connecting pad. The chip is positioned on the PCB, precisely aligned with the connecting pad, and is fixed to the PCB via curable adhesive, thus electrically connecting to the PCB. However, the chip may slightly float away the connecting pad before the curable adhesive is cured, degrading a connecting quality of the chip package.
What is needed therefore is a chip package and a method for assembling the chip package addressing the limitations described.

Chip package and method for assembling chip package