The present invention generally relates to mental performance monitoring of brain activity that implements computing using blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies. Specifically, this invention relates to creating a blockchain from data obtained from a mental performance monitoring device that measures in real-time the mental activity and applying artificial intelligence machine-learning for pattern recognition of ‘best performance’ envelope to raise work efficiency, certify cognitive biometric status, detect cerebral microemboli, perform motor, sensory, facial, object and color processing tasks. The invention generally provides a mental status categorization that is implemented using a computer method for accessing, developing and maintaining a decentralized database through a peer-to-peer review network, to preserve the original state of ‘best mental performance’ envelope data inputs while applying artificial intelligence in a neural network model for pattern recognition of the changing mental states for use in cognitive biometrics, memory assessment, facial recognition, object recognition, language processing, odor recognition, color processing, psychomotor function, cognitive user preferences, task-difficulty, autonomy decision-making levels, and prediction of future actions. The system matches peer-to-peer clusters in a neural network of humans and human-robotic assembly for optimization of efficiency in task performance. The present invention could be applied to assist medical diagnosis through machine-learned models.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies are rapidly emerging technologies with promise to provide solutions to several areas of human endeavor. AI techniques are collectively known as machine learning. Machine learning is simply that a machine learns a task without being programmed with explicit instructions. The algorithms of the machine are designed with the ability to discover relationships within the provided data. On the other hand, blockchain is a new filing system for digital information, which encodes data in an encrypted, distributed ledger format. In other words, data held in blockchains are highly secure, because of cryptography used in the filing system. The blockchains are ideal for storing the highly sensitive personal data that are collected with the present invention which integrates the AI technologies. The obtained encrypted data are distributed across many different computers. This enables the creation of tamper-proof, highly robust databases which can be read and updated only by those with permission. On the other hand, blockchain technology is most widely associated with cryptocurrency, but is now gaining use in several applications in different areas. Cryptocurrency just like ordinary money is implemented as a reward system for valid mental performance task. However, simply put, a blockchain creates a history of data deposits, messages, or transactions in a series of blocks where each block contains a mathematical summary, called a hash, of the previous block. This creates a chain where any changes made to a block will change that block's hash, which must be recomputed and stored in the next block. This will change the hash of the next block, which must be recomputed and so on going down to the end of the chain. The state-of-the art impose rules which require the value of the hash to be below a certain threshold value. Furthermore, the hash is based on a special type of mathematical function that is not reversible; you cannot predict what input can be used to produce the desired output. To find a valid hash, a changeable value in the block is repeatedly adjusted and recalculating the hash until it meets the validity requirements. The freely changeable value is called the nonce. The value of the hash is not predictable, thus increases the difficulty of finding a nonce that produces a valid hash of the block.
The recording of mental state performance data raises serious privacy and ethical issues. It involves huge amount of data recorded on a datapoint-by-datapoint basis in real-time, in a blockchain, which requires large computer processing power. The machine learning-powered mining algorithm is deployed as a hashing algorithm used to mine blocks. In the present invention, the two technologies, blockchain and AI, which are ground-breaking technological trends in their own respective rights, but now innovatively combined with the potential to become even more revolutionary. Both technologies have been implemented in the present invention to enhance the capabilities of secure storage and analysis, while also offering opportunities for better oversight and accountability.
Mental performance could be monitored using brain electrical potentials, cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood flow velocity or brain metabolism. To illustrate the concept, we would apply the use of measurements cerebral blood flow velocity, just as an example, which should not limit its use to only this parameter. It has been shown that, mental performance implicating higher order intelligence could be determined using non-invasive transcranial Doppler ultrasound measurement of mean cerebral blood flow velocity (MCBFV) in the right and left middle cerebral arteries in the brain in male and female subjects (Stroobant & Vingerhoets, 2000). The results demonstrated that, for successful resolution of Raven Progressive Matrices (RPM) tasks, females used a left hemisphere strategy while males used the right hemisphere (Njemanze, 2005). Similarly, facial processing was associated with the right hemisphere in men but in the left hemisphere in women (Njemanze, 2007). Color processing was implemented in the right hemisphere in men but in the left hemisphere in women (Njemanze, 2010, 2011). On the other hand, color processing was detected in the right hemisphere in female mice but in the left hemisphere in male mice (Njemanze et al., 2017, 2019). Studies in humans suggested that, general intelligence, facial processing and color processing are associated with neural network systems within the right hemisphere in men and in the left hemisphere in women, that are accessible to a variety of cognitive processes (Njemanze, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011). There were detectable changes in cerebral blood flow velocity associated with motor and facial tasks both in normal earth 1G conditions and in simulated microgravity (Njemanze, 2002, 2004). Similarly, studies of cerebral metabolism during stimulation with colors and polarized light have revealed novel findings, which demonstrated that, light stimulation evoked wavelength-differencing effects in the visual cortex of male mice but frequency-differencing effects in the visual cortex of female mice (Njemanze et al., 2020). Furthermore, quantum superposition effect of coherence was observed in the brain of female mice, while the effect observed in male mice was classical wave superposition, leading to the preposition that, female mice could be used to study neural networks that could be implemented in quantum computer models (Njemanze et al., 2020).
Furthermore, cerebral blood flow velocity is a useful predictor of levels of consciousness (Njemanze, 1992, 1992). In conditions of normal earth gravity (1G) and in hypergravity conditions, that could result in gravitational loss of consciousness (GLOC) such as in high-performance avionic systems, cerebral blood flow velocity showed early indication of diminution before peripheral light loss (PLL) and GLOC (Njemanze, 1993a). The U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,744, 1992 to Njemanze P. C. describes a transcranial Doppler device with probe integrated into a helmet to detect changes in MCBFV during impending GLOC, with G-suit to initiate countermeasures. The brain hypoperfusion during impending loss of consciousness preceded hypotension and cardiac asystole (Njemanze, 1994). The latter suggests the tight relation between levels of MCBFV and human consciousness (Njemanze, 1992, 1993a, 1993b). Furthermore, higher-order brain functions could be monitored using measurements of MCBFV. It has been demonstrated that, there are differences in cerebral blood flow velocity in the right and left middle cerebral arteries during higher cognitive functions of language processing (Njemanze, 1991b, 1996), general intelligence (Njemanze, 2005), facial processing (Njemanze, 2007), color processing in humans (Njemanze, 2010, 2011) and animals (Njemanze, 2017, 2019, 2020). It therefore follows that, measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity and its lateral differences, could be used as index for mental state-of-being. The present invention securely stores MCBFV in blockchain, and analyzes the data using AI system to determine the mental state-of-being of a person. Various computational models (Bagchi, 2015) could be applied to mental performance to determine the mental state-of-being using machine-learning AI technologies.
The present invention seeks to utilize the combined capabilities of AI for pattern recognition and the blockchain for data encryption of mental performance data and determination of mental state-of-being of a human subject interfaced with a computer or computer network. The present invention would solve several problems in the areas of cybersecurity, cognitive biometrics, defense, self-driving cars, increased work efficiency, enhanced peer-to-peer networking, mental prosthesis, human-robotic interface, video gaming, intelligent computer operating systems, digital currency reward system, artificial intelligent quantum computer models, and improved air-safety measures.
The present invention could help overcome pilot error in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) caused by loss of situational awareness. The present invention stores best performance envelope and real-time changes in mental performance of the pilot in blockchain and implements AI technologies for pattern recognition of the mental status and uses it to regulate autonomy-decision-making level between the pilot and autopilot on detection of cerebral blood flow changes suggestive of loss of situational awareness in the pilot.
In our present era and going into the future, network security would be of utmost importance. In the present era of cyberterrorism, we are in a crisis situation whereby the gains of speed and ease of use of internet technology is being eroded by the danger of unwarranted use. There is need to improve security both for personal identification and cooperate identity. The introduction of use of finger-printing and facial recognition may have added some level of security, but it is grossly inadequate in many areas of application especially with regard to terrorism. Take for example, a military pilot of F-18 plane may be 'radicalized' and wants to fly his jet with bombs into the 'White House' with the intent to commit an act of terror. The personal identification, finger print and facial recognition will give him a pass to fly the F-18 jet. However, the present invention would detect the mental state-of-being of the pilot for cognitive-biometrics and determine that he is not in his best performance status and decline him access to fly the F-18 plane. Similarly, in both military and civil aviation, the present invention can determine poor mental state of alertness, sleep, emotional stress and pass onto the auto-pilot the control the aircraft during periods of poor mental status.
As the era of self-driving cars is fast approaching, it may be necessary to determine when the driver can override the auto-driver. For example, a self-driving car using AL, will perform well in traffic under normal conditions. However, in a situation where on the way chaos ensues due to a bomb explosion or natural disaster, there would be need for the human driver to either take over or offer advice in a shared control setting with the self-driving car. On the other hand, the auto-driver of the self driving car could detect a tendency towards sleep pattern or effects of alcohol in the human driver, and takes over control of the car to avert accidents. The shared control settings would allow the self-driving car to use the perceptive inputs of the human person to navigate out of serious dangers. Therefore, the self-driving car would need a continuing interrogation of the mental state-of-being the human driver-designate to make sure it is receiving directives of a person in good mental state. The present invention would allow the self-driving car to alternate autonomy-decision making with the human-driver at critical moments.
Most often, employers are faced with the task of maximizing work efficiency by pairing groups of talented employees. At present, this is done by empirical evidence collected from previous test scores which does not take into consideration the current real-time mental performance. It is desirable to have a mental state-of-being measure that could be determined in real-time and use it to cluster groups that are similar, different or complimentary in mental performance. The present invention seeks to provide a solution to determining the mental state-of-being of human persons in a manner that securely stores the data in a blockchain, and then applies AI methods for cluster analysis to find groups of observations that are similar to one another, and could complement each other. The similarity/difference is captured by the metric called distance. The AI application could be used to select a group of persons with mental performance skills needed for a particular task. For example, a mission may require a pilot with high object recognition skills, while another with better dexterity-motor skills and yet another with greater level of general intelligence. A combination of persons with complimentary cognitive skills into a group could assure mission accomplishment.
The human nose has the capacity to discern over 1 trillion scents. In some cases, criminal investigators and perfume designers are interested in a particular odor effect on the mental state-of-being of a human being or animal such as a dog. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,571 to Njemanze P. C. describes a transcranial Doppler ultrasound device for odor evaluation. The present invention applies blockchain to securely store the data and AI technologies for pattern recognition of the effects of different odors acquired with data such as that from the '571' patent, and to mine the data. The AI technologies apply statistical methods to detect the trend of changes in mental performance and their relationship with odors in the large database of varying effects.
Designers of cloths, decorators and artists creatively use colors in their different designs, but the state-of-the art approach is based on empirical evidence. The human eye can distinguish about 10 million different colors. Njemanze and others, have demonstrated that colors evoke measurable changes in MCBFV in the brain in humans (Njemanze, 1992, 2010, 2011) and mice (Njemanze, et al. 2017, 2019, 2020). The U.S. Pat. No. 8,152,727 to Njemanze P. C. describes a method for assessment of color processing mechanism in the human brain for diagnosis and treatment. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,820 to Njemanze P. C. describes a method and system for evaluation of hemodynamic model in depression for diagnosis and treatment. The present invention implements blockchain to securely store the MCBFV data and applies AI technologies to pattern recognition of color processing in patients for diagnosis and treatment brain diseases and disorders such as depression, Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative brain diseases.
Sometimes, the task may require analytical and strategic planning. It is known that women use left hemisphere processing for general intelligence with high analytic capabilities, while men use the right hemisphere with strategic planning capabilities (Njemanze, 2005). A peer-to-peer network pairing with complimentary capabilities based on patterns of variations using AI could be performed. Similarly, dating and match-making services could use the new invention to find male/female partners that are complimentary based on cognitive styles (Njemanze, 2007).
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,219 to Njemanze P. C. demonstrates a method of using cerebral blood flow velocity measurements indexed by transcranial Doppler ultrasound implanted on the temporal bones to monitor microembolic signals discharged into the brain, said signals are used to trigger injection of anticoagulant in a pump implanted under the skin, to prevent a stroke in patients with vascular lesions, vascular grafts, blood coagulation abnormalities, atrial fibrillation, etc. The '219' patent requires transmission of the signal to a remote physician via mobile phone technology to evaluate the microembolic signal to give consent before injection of the anticoagulant. This leads to loss of valuable time that could be avoided to save lives. The present invention could be applied to prevent stroke and heart attacks in patients by detecting microembolic signals using implantable transcranial Doppler ultrasound as described in the '219' patent and applying blockchain to securely store the data and AI technologies to perform pattern recognition of the microembolic signals and automatically triggering the implanted pump to inject anticoagulant into the patient, saving valuable time for prevention of strokes and heart hearts.
It is known that medical diagnostic accuracy could be as low as 60% when one expert is involved in the decision-making. Medical diagnostic accuracy could be significantly improved through machine-learning approaches. Prior art includes medical expert systems like Mycin for infectious diseases, Internist-1, QMR and DXplain for general medicine. These medical expert systems generally include a knowledge base, which encapsulates the evidence-based medical knowledge that is curated by medical experts, and a rule-based inference engine devised by the expert, which operates on the knowledge base to provide a differential diagnosis. The present invention uses an innovative approach, first, to determine the mental performance of the medical examiner at the time of the examination of the patient to ascertain the reliability of the diagnosis and then consulting with the medical expert system to evaluate more options of differential diagnosis. The AI machine-learning system adapts its methodology and rule-based heuristics from the patterns observed in the medical examiner.
Njemanze (2005) demonstrated that for a successful resolution of general intelligence tasks such as Raven Progressive Matrices (RPM), females used a left hemisphere strategy while males used the right hemisphere. This implies that general intelligence is associated with neural systems within one hemisphere that are accessible to a variety of cognitive processes. The present invention utilizes some basic scientific concepts demonstrated by research and innovatively applied them to use of blockchain, AI and cognitive biometrics, as demonstrated in the illustrations below. The application of transcranial Doppler ultrasound to recording of mental performance has been described in the teachings in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,979, (2002) and in the cited literature (Njemanze, 2005). Parametric measures in form of brain electrical signals, cerebral blood flow and brain metabolism have been developed and could be applied in a similar manner.
The block hash could calculate the hemispheric advantage using laterality index (LI) expressed as:LIo=(Right MCBFVo−Left MCBFVo/Right MCBFVo+Left MCBFV0)*100.The hemisphere advantage or relative LIl denotes the relationship between a block and the previous block was given byLIl1=LI1−LI0 Positive LI suggests either a right lateralization or hemisphere advantage, while negative LI shows left lateralization. Zero LI may suggest no change from baseline or equal bilateral activation. The changes in laterality index during mental performance using RPM tasks is shown in FIG. 1. In male subjects, the LI increases to higher positive values when the response is correct, showing a right hemisphere advantage, but reduces when the response is wrong with a tendency towards left hemisphere involvement. On the other hand, in female subjects, the LI decreases to lower negative values when the response is correct, showing a left hemisphere advantage, but increases when the response is wrong with a tendency towards right hemisphere involvement. It therefore follows that, a right hemisphere increased neuronal activity is associated with intelligent solutions in male subjects, while in female subjects intelligent solutions were associated with the left hemisphere. Involvement of the contralateral hemisphere indicated comprise in the effort to search for the correct answers. The present invention innovatively applies blockchain, AI and cognitive biometric technologies to mental performance monitoring using data collected with transcranial Doppler ultrasound measured MCBFV in the right and left MCAs during mental performance. The present invention could also apply other indicators of mental performance using brain electrical potentials, cerebral blood flow and brain metabolism to make similar calculations.
The present invention could apply AI and blockchain technologies for programmed neural network machine-learning and integration of mental prosthesis used in training and physical rehabilitation of psychomotor functions in patients with limb prosthesis or in conditions of limb paralysis after stroke. Applying trained AI pattern recognition according to the teachings of this invention, the movements of a trainer evokes changes in brain activity in motor areas which could be telemetrically transmitted for brain-brain connectivity to replicate similar motor activity in the patient with an implanted nerve stimulation device in the analogous (corresponding in function) area of the brain or in homologous area of the contralateral hemisphere to enhance neuroplasticity. This means that analogous areas of the brain in the trainer and patient could be telemetrically linked, such that movement (kinesis) in the trainer elicits stimulation of the same area in the patient's brain. The latter is known as telekinesis physical therapy. The intensity of neuronal stimulation for movement by the patient is dependent on the neuronal activity generated in the brain of the trainer. The parametric measures used to detect movement in the brain include but not limited to somatosensory evoked potentials, spontaneous electrical potentials, cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood flow velocity, and brain metabolism. The present invention uses blockchain and AI technologies to facilitate physical therapy by telekinesis. The AI technology system of the present invention is capable of machine-learning after the training process and could replicate the physical therapy by telekinesis on its own without the trainer.
One embodiment of the present invention teaches that, the AI pattern recognition of mental performance could be used for telemetric control of robotic systems. The state-of-the-act control of robotic systems is based on hand movement of the operator that moves the robotic arm remotely or by programmed control. The reliance on dexterity (manual use of limbs) of the operator has several drawbacks when operating remotely with the robotic arm. To eliminate these problems such as depth-perception, some have applied three-dimensional viewing in virtual reality to add higher degree of precision. The present invention teaches that, the task could be performed mentally through human-robotic sensory interface for telekinesis of psychomotor control of robotic arm. In other words, the operator thinks and moves with the robotic arms as if it were his/her own arms. The patterns of mental performance changes during programmed movement by the operator is translated by the AI system for telemetric control of the robotic arm. The operator uses the internalized mental imagination to move the robotic arm. The latter new AI concept could be described as human brain-telerobotic 'theory of mind', where the human through introspection has direct access for 'mind'-control of the robot in a manner analogous to self activity. The same concept of human brain-telerobotic 'theory of mind' could be a new approach for mind-control telerobotic surgery, that is, surgery using the human mind to control robotic dexterity during surgical operation. The latter could be crucial in many day-to-day life situations. In a situation where a surgeon suffers a skiing accident and breaks an arm bone, it could take several months to heal or could result in permanent physical deficits. Similarly, experienced old surgeons who are sound in mind could continue to operate and teach new younger surgeons even when they are physically frail. The surgeon could continue to perform lifesaving operations despite physical frailty, using the AI technology of mental performance described in the present invention, which applies the concept of 'theory of mind' control telerobotic surgery by the AI Surgeon Expert System hereby described for the first time.
One embodiment of the present invention could be applied for medical diagnostic expert systems based on monitoring mental performance. Medical diagnosis is based on observation of symptoms and signs. The present invention applies blockchain to store the information of the expert knowledge-base and that of the patient and the machine-learning algorithms for training the AI expert system.
Another use of the present invention is in the gaming industry to develop video game consoles. The computer games on platforms such as Sony-Playstation, Nintendo-Switch. Microsoft-Xbox, and others, could use the present invention to assess the level of mental performance of the gamer and upgrade or downgrade the level of difficulty posed by the game tasks according to the mental state-of-being of the gamer. Since most gamers are children below 15 years of age with developing brains, mental stress posed by a game could be deleterious to their overall mental development. It is important for government regulators to have metric systems to prohibit high levels of mental stress measurable in real-time during the video game. It is therefore desirable for all games to comply with the restriction to prevent mental stress in a gamer. Prior act in the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,979, describes the application of transcranial Doppler ultrasound to recording of mental performance. However, the state-of-the-art has no measurable real-time monitoring of mental performance during video games. The present invention would monitor patterns of mental performance in a gamer in real-time during the video game and could apply AI to differentiate patterns associated with mental stress from those not associated with stress as encoded in a blockchain on a peer-to-peer network. The present invention could perform a network wide assessment of the hash data and apply AI technologies to mine data for assessment of overall mental stress levels. When the present invention performs a real-time determination of mental stress patterns the device could either downgrade the level of difficulty of the game, exclude a particular gamer from the network or even terminate the game entirely for a rest period for the gamers.
In another embodiment, the present invention uses the concept of 'theory of mind' to play the 'Mind Game'. The present state-of-the act uses dexterity for user control interface, for all game consoles. However, the present invention implements an innovative concept of 'Mind Game Telekinesis' as the user control interface for video games and other games like Chess and Drafts. The gamer moves the control interface or machinery using the mind. The new generation 'Telekinetic Video Games' works by the gamer intending a movement which changes the brain activity in the sensorimotor area of the brain, detected by the brain activity sensor attached to the present invention, which in turn causes activation of movement through the game console or robotic arm to effect the game activity.
In yet another embodiment, a person could perform psychic control of computer settings, typing text, perform speech, and motor activity using a 'Telepsychic Computer'. The telepsychic computer by the person intending to make a change, for example, of the color background, and 'thinking blue' would activate the center for blue color in the brain (Njemanze, 2010, 2011. 2017, 2019, 2020), that changes the brain activity, which could be indexed by changes in brain electrical potentials, cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolism, or cerebral blood flow velocity, at the 'color center' in the brain (Lueck et. al. 1989). The present invention in turn causes the game console to effect a background color change. Similarly, telepsychic control of computers could be used for writing text and speech. The present invention effects telepsychic control to aid the physically challenged. The telepsychic control telemetrically connects with the physically challenged to a robotic assistant in a manner where the person exerts 'Mind Control' of the robot. At a geriatric home, a physically challenged person who cannot speak could use only the mental activity to direct the nurse assistant-robot to get a cup of water from the fridge. The telepsychic robotic nurse assistant would be crucial in nursing homes for the aged as human care-givers become rare and more expensive.
A person working on a computer to complete a particular task may at some point lack the necessary information to proceed with the task. In such a situation the person might start seeking information to help him/her to accomplish the task. However, the problem is usually that the person is unaware of websites on the Internet where such information could be obtained. In the present state-of-the-art, search engines may use words to present options to the person. The present invention solves this problem by first determining that the mental state-of-being of the person shows some compromise and the need arises to provide help, which triggers the operating systems of personal computer, workstation and/or internet to utilize the search engine, guided by keywords from the task to provide online information needed to complete the task. These suggestions could vary such as templates of letters, literature citations, dictionary, online consultancy etc. The real-time continuing assessment of the person determines when the mental state-of-being has returned to normal state and the system stops suggesting solutions. The tasks may be as simple as writing a good job application to complex issues as coding new AI software.
The problem in jobs demanding high mental stress such as air-traffic control requires that the controller be in a good mental state-of-being at the peak of work time. It is desirable to determine the real-time mental state-of-being of the air-traffic controllers in a peer-to-peer network such that, the autonomy decision-making for direction of traffic could be alternated between the controller and his/her supervisor at critical periods of performance decrement. The present invention determines mental performance patterns using blockchain and AI system that is continually compared to the real-time mental performance, and if decrement is detected the autonomy-decision making is passed on to the supervisor.
The monitoring of mental performance is a suitable case for implementation of blockchain. The first step in building the blockchain, would assure it provides immutable storage of the data, digital 'mental' signatures and encryption. The data could be managed by the AI system to provide the most efficient and intelligent options of the hybrid from human-machine interface solutions that offer the smartest solutions to a given task. In the second step, it utilizes at least one of the options such as proof-of-work to provide a consensus mechanism. The third step entails using a suitable platform of which there are many free open source options (BigChainDB, Chain Core, Ethereum, HydraChain etc.) depending on the consensus mechanism chosen. The fourth step involves the designing of the nodes, which could be private, public or hybrid. Some could be permissioned like those for military applications, and others could be open as permission-less. The fifth step would require design of the blockchain instance involving planned configuration for permissions, key formats, block signatures, hand-shaking etc. The sixth step involves building the application program interface (API), to specify how the software components should interact. The seventh step would implement design for the admin and user interface, which is the front end and programming languages (e.g. HTML5, Javascript, Python, Ruby, Golang etc.). External databases (e.g. MySQL, MongoDB) and servers (web servers, FTP servers and mail servers) could be chosen. The blockchain solution could be integrated with the Artificial Intelligence, and Cognitive Biometrics systems for data mining.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention involves monitoring of mental performance using blockchain and AL, and uses a rewarding system including a form of digital currency when the AI system indicates a valid contribution, the said task could be a game, sports, office assignment or stock market trading.
Another advantage for use of the blockchain for mental performance monitoring in a distributed network is the increased security. This means a large number of users with access to the network working together on a task with their mental performance continually monitored in real-time would be adding the blocks to the blockchain that correlates with their actual valid contribution towards the solution of the task. The AI systems determines valid contributions and adds the blocks to the end of the chain by finding a nonce that produces a valid hash for a given block of data. When two blocks are found that both claim to reference the same previous block, a fork in the chain is created. In seeking solution to the task, some users in the network may attempt to find the next block on one end of the fork while other users will work from the other end of the fork. On the long run, one of the forks will grow longer than the other in length, and the longest chain is accepted by consensus as the valid chain. This would correlate to the correct path to the solution of the problem. In the present state-of-art, anyone who attempts to change a block must not only re-find a valid hash for each subsequent block, but must do it faster than everyone else working on the currently accepted chain. Thus, after a certain number of blocks have been chained onto a particular block, it becomes prohibitively costly to try to change that block. However, there are rules or protocols governing the blockchain and its data, which accommodate blockchain forks allowing each side of the fork to store valid data that could be used by the AI system to find alternative path to the solution of the problem. These and other major features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.

Method and system for mental performance computing using artificial intelligence and blockchain


Chelating agents are often used in conjunction with stimulation operations in a subterranean formation to address the presence of certain metal ions therein. Hydrophobically modified chelating agents can be used to form metal-ligand complexes in a subterranean formation that can sometimes exhibit significantly different behavior than do their more water-soluble variants. Methods for treating a subterranean formation can comprise: providing a treatment fluid comprising a hydrophobically modified aminopolycarboxylic acid chelating agent, the chelating agent comprising an N-substitution having no carboxylic acid groups and about 6 carbon atoms or more; introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation; and complexing metal ions in the subterranean formation with the chelating agent to form a metal-ligand complex.

The present disclosure generally relates to stimulation of subterranean formations, and, more specifically, to methods for complexing metal ions in a subterranean formation with a hydrophobically modified chelating agent to decrease the occurrence of precipitation in the subterranean formation.
Treatment fluids can be used in a variety of subterranean treatment operations. Such treatment operations can include, without limitation, drilling operations, stimulation operations, production operations, remediation operations, sand control treatments, and the like. As used herein, the terms "treat," "treatment," "treating," and grammatical equivalents thereof refer to any subterranean operation that uses a fluid in conjunction with achieving a desired function and/or for a desired purpose. Use of these terms does not imply any particular action by the treatment fluid or a component thereof, unless otherwise specified herein. More specific examples of illustrative treatment operations can include drilling operations, fracturing operations, gravel packing operations, acidizing operations, scale dissolution and removal operations, sand control operations, consolidation operations, and the like.
Downhole acidizing operations and other dissolution operations may be used to stimulate a subterranean formation to increase production of a hydrocarbon resource therefrom. During an acidizing operation or a like dissolution operation, an acid-soluble material in the subterranean formation may be dissolved by one or more acids to expand existing flow pathways in the subterranean formation, to create new flow pathways in the subterranean formation, and/or to remove acid-soluble precipitation damage in the subterranean formation, thereby stimulating the formation's production capabilities. Introduction of an acidizing fluid to a subterranean formation may take place at matrix flow rates without fracturing of the formation matrix or at higher injection rates and pressures to fracture the formation. The acid-soluble material being dissolved by the acid(s) may be part of or formed from the native formation matrix or have been deliberately introduced into the subterranean formation in conjunction with a treatment operation (e.g., bridging agents, proppants, or gravel particulates). Illustrative substances within the native formation matrix that may be dissolved by an acid include, but are not limited to, carbonates, silicates and aluminosilicates, which may be present alone or in combination with one another in formations of mixed mineralogy. Other substances may also be dissolved during the course of performing an acidizing operation, and the foregoing substances should not be considered to limit the scope of substances that may undergo acidization.
Carbonate formations can contain minerals that comprise a carbonate anion (e.g., calcite (calcium carbonate), dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate), and siderite (iron carbonate)). When acidizing a carbonate formation, the acidity of the treatment fluid alone may often be sufficient to solubilize the carbonate material by decomposing the carbonate anion to carbon dioxide and leeching a metal ion into the treatment fluid. Both mineral acids (e.g., hydrochloric acid) and organic acids (e.g., acetic and formic acids) may be used to treat a carbonate formation, often with similar degrees of success. Since it is relatively inexpensive, hydrochloric acid is very commonly used, typically in concentrations up to about 28% by volume. Other mineral and organic acids may be used as well.
Siliceous formations can include minerals such as, for example, zeolites, clays, and feldspars. As used herein, the term "siliceous" refers to a substance having the characteristics of silica, including silicates and/or aluminosilicates. The acids that can be effective for acidizing carbonate materials may have little effect on siliceous materials. Hydrofluoric acid, however, can react very readily with siliceous materials to promote their dissolution. Oftentimes, a secondary mineral acid or an organic acid can be used in conjunction with hydrofluoric acid to maintain a low pH state as the hydrofluoric acid becomes spent during dissolution of a siliceous material, where the low pH state helps promote continued solubilization of the siliceous material. Many types of siliceous formations can also contain varying amounts of carbonate materials. Most sandstone formations, for example, contain about 40% to about 98% sand quartz particles (i.e., silica), bonded together by various amounts of cementing materials, which may be siliceous in nature (e.g., aluminosilicates or other silicates) or non-siliceous in nature (e.g., carbonates, such as calcite). When siliceous materials are co-present with carbonate materials, significant precipitation issues can sometimes be encountered, as discussed below.
In some instances, it can be desirable to remove a carbonate material from a siliceous formation prior to acidizing the siliceous material therein to decrease the occurrence of precipitation in the subterranean formation. For example, calcium ions liberated from the carbonate material can react readily with fluoride ions from hydrofluoric acid to form highly insoluble calcium fluoride, which can lead to damage of the subterranean formation. Other metal ions liberated when acidizing carbonate materials of mixed mineralogy can also be problematic in this regard.
Another approach that can be used to address the presence of metal ions in a subterranean formation is to employ chelating agents that effectively sequester any problematic metal ions in a metal-ligand complex once the metal ions have been liberated from their source. As used herein, the terms "complex," "complexing," "complexation" and other variants thereof refer to the formation of a metal-ligand bond without reference to the mode of bonding. Although complexation of a metal ion may involve a chelation process in some embodiments, complexation is not deemed to be limited in this manner. Once bound in a metal-ligand complex, the metal ions may be substantially unable to undergo a further reaction to form damaging metal-containing precipitates. Although precipitation can be a particular concern when acidizing a siliceous material, chelating agents may also be used with similar benefits in conjunction with acidizing subterranean formations that comprise substantially only a carbonate material. In addition, chelating agents may also be used to directly dissolve a carbonate material, even in the absence of another acid. After complexing a metal ion with the chelating agent, the resultant metal-ligand complex may be produced from the subterranean formation during a cleanout operation, thereby precluding a subsequent reaction of the metal ions in the subterranean formation to form problematic insoluble compounds. Typically, such cleanout operations are conducted using aqueous cleanout fluids after generation of the metal-ligand complex is complete. However, cleanout operations can introduce significant delays in producing a hydrocarbon resource from the subterranean formation, not to mention increased production costs.

Treatment fluids containing a hydrophobically modified chelating agent and methods for use thereof


A vibration isolator including an electrorheological fluid filled partition assembly for providing variable dynamic stiffness characteristics. The partition assembly separates the variable volume fluid chambers of the isolator and includes movable electrode elements which define therebetween a chamber containing an electrorheological fluid. A fixed electrode is positioned between the movable electrode elements and separates the chamber into upper and lower portions. A plurality of openings extend through the fixed electrode allowing for passage of the electrorheological fluid between the portions in response to movement of the movable electrode elements. The yield stress developed in the electrorheological fluid by application of an electric field constrains movement of the movable electrode elements in response to input excitations thereby providing the isolator with a selectable dynamic stiffness.

The basic function of a vibration isolator is to isolate, for example, a vehicle structure from input excitations or vibrations generated by an engine or drive train while at the same time adequately supporting these elements for their proper operation within the vehicle. A typical vibration isolator or mount may include a pair of superimposed variable volume, fluid filled chambers separated by a partition. Fluid communication between the chambers during operation of the isolator may occur through an orifice in the partition and/or an elongate inertia track passageway extending between the chambers. Inertia forces generated in the fluid moving between chambers can be utilized to enhance the desired attenuation of vibratory forces. The inertia forces of the oscillating fluid can reduce the dynamic stiffness of the mount at some particular frequency of input excitation, to provide a low stiffness "notch" at a particular excitation frequency where a vibration problem exists. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 392,089, filed Aug. 8, 1989, and entitled "Mount with Adjustable Length Inertia Track" owned by the assignee of the present invention.
Additional improvement in the operating characteristics of a vibration isolator may be achieved by reducing the overall dynamic stiffness of a vibration isolator for high frequency, low amplitude input excitations while at other times retaining a sufficiently large loss angle or mount "stiffness". As an example, the isolation of low amplitude engine idle oscillations is improved by using a mount of "soft" dynamic stiffness. At the same time, the mount must allow for proper control of the position of the engine and limit the amplitude of movements under static or quasi-static loads such as during acceleration, braking, cornering and torque overloads, etc. Such large engine loads cannot be adequately accommodated by the mount with a low dynamic stiffness to provide a safe, stabilized mounting system.
Two modes of operation in a vibration isolator are provided by a so called fluid decoupler. A decoupler allows for relatively low dynamic stiffness characteristics for high frequency, low amplitude input excitations and other dynamic stiffness characteristics for relatively lower frequency, larger amplitude input excitations. Most decouplers are incorporated in the partition between the opposing fluid chambers of a vibration isolator and oscillate in response to alternate pressurization of the fluid chambers caused by the input excitations. For low input amplitudes, the decoupler will oscillate relatively freely in what is termed the "decoupled state". In this mode, the required low level or soft dynamic stiffness is maintained. For large input amplitudes across the isolator, the fluid pressure will force the decoupler to engage its seat and under these conditions the isolator will be operating in the high dynamic stiffness mode. Exemplary decoupler arrangements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,897; U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,316; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,999.
While known decouplers can be constructed to switch with predictability between the low dynamic stiffness (decoupled) and the high dynamic stiffness (coupled) modes, the particular frequency and amplitude at which this transition occurs may not be readily varied or controlled during operation of the vibration isolator. Moreover, mounts of this type offer limited or no control over the dynamic operating characteristics of the system when in the low dynamic stiffness mode. Another problem associated with existing decouplers is that the transition between the decoupled and coupled modes may be somewhat abrupt which can cause adverse effects resulting from engagement of the decoupling element with the seat.
An effort to achieve improved control capabilities in vibration isolators has been accomplished with the use of electrorheological fluids. Electrorheological fluids exhibit an increase in apparent viscosity when subjected to a high voltage electric field. Mounts which utilize electrorheological fluids to adjust their dynamic stiffness characteristics include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,758 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,087. The mount in U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,087 also includes multiple fixed electrode plates in contact with an electrorheological fluid and enclosed by upper and lower diaphragms. The diaphragms provide "decoupling action" in that they produce minimal damping of small amplitude excitations and large damping of greater amplitude excitations when the diaphragms engage the electrode plates. Because the electrode plates are oriented parallel to the direction of electrorheological fluid movement, it is the yield stress of the electrorheological fluid in shear that dominates the adjustment of the dynamic stiffness. While this arrangement may function satisfactorily for certain applications, it has been found that improved control and greater load carrying capability can be accomplished where the tensile and comprehensive yield stress properties of the electrorheological fluid also determine the dynamic stiffness characteristics of the vibration isolator. Electrorheological fluid yield stress in tension and/or compression is generally three times as great as that in shear and can be utilized to increase the overall stress state achievable per unit volume of fluid in a particular isolator application. Additional control over the movement of elements which provide decoupling action may also be realized when dictated in part by the tensile and compressive yield stress of an electrorheological fluid in surface contact with the decoupling element.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a vibration isolator having a electrorheological fluid filled partition assembly which takes advantage of the tensile and compressive properties of the electrorheological fluid in addition to simple shear properties for adjustment of dynamic stiffness characteristics.

Vibration isolator with electrorheological fluid controlled dynamic stiffness


A gas/liquid separator is provided in which separation performance for fluid into gas and liquid is enhanced. A gas/liquid separator includes a body which separates a circulation gas into water and hydrogen gas in a separating space, a supply port from which the circulation gas flows into the inner space, the supply port being provided on the side wall surface forming the separating space, and a discharge port through which the separated hydrogen gas flows out of the separating space, the discharge port being provided on the side wall surface. In this case, the discharge port is provided above the supply port.

Heretofore, a fuel cell has been known which supplies fuel gas (for example, hydrogen) to a fuel electrode (anode), and supplies oxidizing gas (for example, air) to an oxidizing electrode (cathode), thereby electrochemically reacting these gases with each other to generate electric power. In this type of fuel cell, discharge gas from the fuel electrode side is circulated to a fuel gas supply side by a circulation pump and the like, and thus reaction efficiency is enhanced.
Incidentally, in this fuel cell water is generated following the reactions of the gases on the fuel electrode and the oxidizing electrode. Generated water is particularly prone to be generated on the oxidizing electrode side. The generated water flows into a circulation system of the fuel gas, since the generated water moves toward the fuel electrode side through an electrolyte membrane. The generated water may cause a malfunction in the circulation means such as the circulation pump. Furthermore, the generated water flows into the fuel cell, and a problem of flooding can occur which will decrease the reacting area of the fuel electrode. Therefore, a gas/liquid separator may be provided in the fuel gas circulation system to separate the circulated gas (the discharge gas from the fuel electrode) into the fuel gas and the water (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-311185


A gas storage well with a tubing string that is disposed within a wellbore communicating an underground storage cavern with the surface. A surface controlled subsurface safety and flow control system is provided within the wellbore so that all flow into or out of the well can be shut down rapidly in the event of an emergency. The safety and flow control system features a dual opening-style packer element that provides an annulus seal between the surrounding casing and the tubing string and between the casing and a pup joint that is located within the annulus. Both the tubing string and the pup joint contain surface controlled subsurface safety valves that are capable of quickly shutting off flow through both the flowbore and the annulus. Each valve can be opened or closed independently of the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to well safety systems and flow control systems for underground gas storage wells and reservoirs and the like. In particular aspects, the invention relates to well safety systems having a plurality of surface controlled subsurface safety valves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Storage wells are used to provide temporary underground storage for excess natural gas that has been produced. Storage wells are often located in underground salt domes, thereby providing a large underground storage cavern. In this instance, it is necessary to drill a wellbore that communicates with the surface. Gas is injected into the storage well and then removed at a later time when needed. To accomplish the injection of gas, a tubing string is typically disposed into the wellbore, suspended from a wellhead. Gas is injected down the annulus between the tubing string and the wellbore wall. Because water is typically present in the gas storage well, it must be removed to accommodate the injected gas. Valving within the wellhead tree controls the flow of gas and water into and out of the cavern, respectively.
An important design feature for a gas storage well is the ability to provide high fluid flow rates. In modern storage wells, high flow rates are needed during injection of gas as well as production of gas from the well. Some systems, for example, are required to provide production rates of 200 million to 300 million cubic feet per day of gas. Conventional flow control systems are generally unable to provide the high flow rates that are necessary.
A second important design feature for a gas storage well is the ability to close off the well below the surface quickly in the event of an emergency. Wellhead tree valves are not useful in the event of an emergency requiring that gas flow be shut off at a point well below the surface of the well. If there is no subsurface safety valve present, the well cannot be safely shut off in the event of an emergency. Inflatable packers are sometimes used as temporary barriers to close off portions of the well below the surface. However, even these are not useful in an emergency where rapid shut down is required. These barriers require downhole control in that tools must be run in to the wellbore to actuate them.
Some systems are known that have employed surface controlled subsurface valves to control flow into and/or out of a gas storage well. In general, however, these are complex tools of highly specialized construction and, as a result, quite costly. Additionally, these arrangements are generally unable to perform simultaneous injection of gas and leaching of water. Water flow out of the storage cavern is conducted through a portion of the flowbore of the tubing string and then laterally outwardly into the annulus. Therefore, injection of gas must be stopped to allow water to be leached. This is undesirable.
The present invention addresses the problems of the prior art.

Annular safety and flow control system for underground gas storage


An amplifier circuit has a transistor element that has an input terminal, an output terminal) and a third terminal. An input signal to be amplified is supplied to the input terminal. The amplified input signal is emitted as an output signal at the output terminal. The input terminal is connected with the output terminal via a first reactance. The third terminal is connected via a second reactance with a zero potential. One of the reactances is fashioned as an inductor and the other of the reactances is fashioned as a capacitor. An inductance value of the inductor and a capacitance value of the capacitor are dimensioned such that the quotient of the inductance value of the inductor and the capacitance value of the capacitor is equal to the product of a desired input impedance that is effective at the input terminal and an output impedance associated with the output impedance. Based on this dimensioning, the output impedance associated with the output terminal is mapped to the input terminal at the same level or scaled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an amplifier circuit, of the type wherein the amplifier circuit has a transistor element with an input terminal, an output terminal and a third terminal, wherein an input signal to be amplified is supplied to the input terminal, and wherein the amplified input signal is emitted as an output signal at the output terminal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Amplifier circuits of the above type are generally known. In such amplifier circuits the input terminal is normally connected with the output terminal via an ohmic resistor. The third terminal is connected with a zero potential via an additional ohmic resistor. For example, such an amplifier circuit is known from the prospectus from August 1990, "RF & Microwave Signal Processing Components" by the Adams-Russell Corporation. In principle this amplifier already works quite well; but it exhibits poor noise properties, in particular for a relatively small amplification factor.
An amplifier circuit of the type described above is likewise known from DE 10 2005 038 442 A1 and the corresponding US 2007/0040612 A1. In this amplifier circuit, the input terminal is connected with the output terminal via a negative feedback transformer. A similar design is known from the reference book "Breitbandige Ferrit-Hochfrequenztransformatoren—Schaltungen und Systeme" ["Broadband Ferrite High-Frequency Transformers—Circuits and Systems"] by Joachim von Parpart, Hohig Verlag, Heidelberg, 1997; see Page 125 there, for example. These amplifier circuits do in fact exhibit advantageous noise properties, but they require optimally securely coupled transformers as directional couplers, which is why ferrite must be used in the directional couplers thereof. Therefore they cannot be used in environments in which strong magnetic fields predominate.
Additional amplifier circuits of the type described above are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,164,682 and 4,156,173.
An amplifier circuit of the type cited above is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,023. In this amplifier circuit the input terminal is connected with the output terminal via a first reactance. The third terminal is connected via a second reactance with a zero potential. One of the reactances is fashioned as an inductor, the other of the reactances as a capacitor.

Impedance-mapping amplifier circuit with exclusively reactive negative feedback


A voltage regulator has a switching circuit and a control circuit. The switching circuit provides an output voltage and an output current. The control circuit provides a switching control signal to the switching circuit to adjust the output voltage, such that the output voltage decreases with a first slope as the output current increases when the output current is less than a predetermined current, the output voltage decreases with a second slope as the output current increases when the output current is larger than the predetermined current.

In high current voltage regulators used in laptop, desktop, server and telecom applications, adaptive voltage position (AVP) control is widely used to achieve good transient performance and reduce load power consumption. FIG. 1A illustrates the basic principle of AVP control, wherein Vout represents an output voltage of a voltage regulator, Iout represents an output current of the voltage regulator and Vref represents a reference voltage. As shown in FIG. 1A, output voltage Vout linearly decreases within a voltage tolerance window (Vmax-Vmin) as output current Iout increases, where Vmax is a permitted maximum output voltage, and Vmin is a permitted minimum output voltage.
FIG. 1B compares load transient response of voltage regulators with and without AVP control. As shown in the figure, for voltage regulators without AVP control, because of undershoot and overshoot at the output voltage Vout during load transient period, only half of the voltage tolerance window can be used. While in voltage regulators with AVP control, output voltage Vout is controlled to be slightly higher than permitted minimum output voltage Vmin at full load, and a little bit lower than permitted maximum output voltage Vmax at light load. As a result, the entire voltage tolerance window can be used during load transient period, which allows a smaller output capacitor in the voltage regulator. Furthermore, since output voltage Vout with AVP control decreases as the output current Iout increases, the output power at full load is degraded, which greatly facilitates the thermal design.
However, with fast development of electronic devices, higher and higher power is pushed on voltage regulators. The traditional AVP control may be not enough to achieve both fast transient response and safety operation within the voltage tolerance window.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Voltage regulator with nonlinear adaptive voltage position and control method thereof


An apparatus for displaying information on a vehicle includes an information acquiring unit that acquires at least one of speed information and engine revolutions-per-minute information of the vehicle; and a display control unit that controls a display screen in such a manner that a road and a roadside zone of the road is displayed three-dimensionally, and a display of the road side zone is changed dynamically according to a speed and an engine revolutions-per-minute of the vehicle, based on the speed information and the engine revolutions-per-minute information of the vehicle acquired.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for displaying various types of information on a vehicle effectively.
2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, display of speed information and engine revolutions-per-minute (RPM) information of a vehicle has been analog display using a circular display (meter) or digital display using numerals. The speed information and the engine RPM information of a vehicle have been displayed on separate displays (meters). In general, the displays have been set in front of a driver such that the driver can visually recognize the displays easily. In addition, a display screen for displaying map information has been provided in a in-vehicle navigation system separately from the displays.
However, when map information is not displayed on the display screen in a vehicle mounted with the in-vehicle navigation system, an animation image prepared in advance has to be displayed on the display screen or the display screen has to be turned off. Therefore, the display screen is not used effectively, leading to lack of entertainment for a driver and a passenger.

Method and apparatus for displaying information for vehicle, and computer product


An electrical connector with multi-direction cable installation capability includes a connector body, upper and lower cable protector covers pivotally connected to a rear side of the connector body and defining multiple cable insertion openings in different directions, a cable organizer lockable to the connector body by the upper and lower cable protector covers to keep core wires of an inserted cable in position, and an end cap detachably attached to the cable organizer and defining an opening for selectively matching with one of the cable insertion opening to provide a cable passage through which the inserted cable extends out of the electrical connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector technology and more particularly, to such an electrical connector that allows installation of a cable in the top, bottom, left, right or rear side thereof selectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional network connectors (such as keystone jack) generally have the cable outlet horizontally arranged at the rear side. When a network connector of this design is mounted at a panel and electrically connected to an internal circuit in an electrical box at the panel, the length of the network connector may occupy the whole area between the panel and the bottom side of the electrical box.
If the cable must be inserted into the electrical box from the left or right side, the user needs to curve the cable through 90° angle and then electrically connect the cable to the electrical connector. However, when the cable is curved through 90° angle, it has zero radius of curvature. Based on the transmission-line theory for electromagnetic waves, reducing the radius of curvature of the conductor will relatively lower the rate of electromagnetic transmission, and will likely cause scattering of electromagnetic waves. A network cable generally comprises 8 pcs of core wires arranged in four twisted pairs. If a network cable is curved through 90° angle, every core wire of the network cable can cause scattering of electromagnetic waves, increasing the risk of magnetic interference between the core wires and deterioration of the transmission characteristics of the network cable.
To prevent the aforesaid problems, network connectors with lateral cable outlet design are created, preventing curving of the installed cable.
However, these network connectors also have their also disadvantages while providing benefits. For example, if two network connectors with same direction of lateral cable outlet are arranged in parallel, one network connector will interfere with the lateral cable outlet of the other network connector; if two network connectors having reversed lateral cable outlets are arranged in a line, one of two cables that are arranged at one lateral side relative to the two network connectors can be directly inserted through the lateral cable outlet of one network connector and electrically connected to the respective network connector, however, the other cable must be curved through 180° angle and then inserted into the lateral cable outlet of the other network connector.
Further, the aforesaid prior art network connectors for lateral cable installation are designed for installation in a panel and an electrical box, not suitable for computer or machine room application. Therefore, the aforesaid prior art network connectors have a limited range of applications.
3M company's U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,642 discloses a network connector, entitled "Connector in the field of telecommunications". According to this design, the connector in the field of telecommunications comprises: a housing having a rectangular opening on one side unto which a complementary connector can be inserted, a plurality of contacts with which wires are connectable inside the connector, and a guide piece connected to the connector opposite the side where the complementary connector is inserted, the guide piece having three wire openings disposed on an outside surface of the guide piece and exposed on an outside of the connector distal from the contacts, wherein the wire openings are oriented in different directions wherein the housing is provided with at least one pivoted drive piece adapted to drive the guide piece towards the contacts. Further, the at least three wire openings are oriented in different radial directions from a center region of the connector. Further, the drive piece is a pivotable flap having at least one projection adapted to drive the guide piece when the flap is pivoted.
3M company's U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,779 discloses another design of network connector in the field of telecommunications that comprises: a housing, a plurality of contacts disposed within the housing and with which wires are connectable inside the connector, a guide piece having a plurality of wire openings disposed on the rear side of the housing, and a connector shielding attached to a rear side of a connector having an entry portion aligned with one of the wire openings in the guide piece and an extension mounted over said entry portion that is connectable with a cable shielding of a cable. Further, the connector has at least three wire openings. Further, each wire opening is adapted to accommodate at least two wires and exposed on an outside of the connector distal from the contacts. Further, the wire openings are exposed in at least three different directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,642 discloses three wire openings located at the rear side of the connector at different elevations and oriented in different directions.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,779 discloses at least three wire openings, and a connector shielding providing an electromagnetic wave shielding effect.
The aforesaid US patents improve the drawbacks of conventional network connectors and prevent curving of the installed cable. However, the network connectors in the field of telecommunications of the aforesaid 3M's US patents simply provide three wire openings oriented in three directions (upper, middle, and lower), not suitable for use with an electrical box that simply allows installation of the cable from the left or right side. Therefore, an improvement in this regard is desired.

Electrical connector with multi-direction cable installation capability


A light emitting device includes a structure with a light emitting region disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A plurality of holes in the structure, which form a photonic crystal, are formed in a first region of the structure corresponding to a first portion of the light emitting region. A second region of the structure corresponding to a second portion of the light emitting region is free of holes. The device is configured such that when forward biased, current is injected in the second region and the first region is substantially free of current.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device including a photonic crystal.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor light-emitting devices including light emitting diodes (LEDs), resonant cavity light emitting diodes (RCLEDs), vertical cavity laser diodes (VCSELs), and edge emitting lasers are among the most efficient light sources currently available. Materials systems currently of interest in the manufacture of high-brightness light emitting devices capable of operation across the visible spectrum include Group III-V semiconductors, particularly binary, ternary, and quaternary alloys of gallium, aluminum, indium, and nitrogen, also referred to as III-nitride materials. Typically, III-nitride light emitting devices are fabricated by epitaxially growing a stack of semiconductor layers of different compositions and dopant concentrations on a suitable substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), or other epitaxial techniques. The stack often includes one or more n-type layers doped with, for example, Si, formed over the substrate, a light emitting or active region formed over the n-type layer or layers, and one or more p-type layers doped with, for example, Mg, formed over the active region.
The quality of an LED can be characterized by, for example, its radiance, which is the power emitted in a specified direction per unit area of an emitting device, and its extraction efficiency, which is the ratio of photons extracted from the device to photons generated in the light emitting region. The extraction efficiency is limited by, among other things, the emitted photons suffering multiple total internal reflections at the walls of the high refractive index semiconductor crystal that forms the p-type, n-type, and light emitting regions of the device. As a result, many of the emitted photons do not escape into free space, leading to poor extraction efficiencies, typically less than 30%.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,749, entitled "Light Emitting Device Utilizing a Periodic Dielectric Structure," granted to J. Joannopoulos et al., describes the use of a photonic crystal to enhance the extraction efficiency. A photonic crystal is created by forming a lattice of holes through the semiconductor layers of the light emitting diode. The lattice of holes creates a medium with a periodically modulated dielectric constant, affecting the way light propagates through the medium. If the proper lattice spacing is chosen, light that would otherwise have been trapped in the structure by total internal reflection can now escape, increasing the extraction efficiency of the LED. Needed in the art are efficient photonic crystal designs.

Light emitting device including arrayed emitters defined by a photonic crystal


The output terminal of an ECL circuit is directly connected to the input terminal of a CMOS output circuit. The CMOS output circuit has a transistor which sets the threshold voltage of the CMOS output circuit nearly midway between ECL logic levels. A first reference voltage generating circuit has substantially the same arrangement as the CMOS output circuit and outputs a potential midway between CMOS logic levels as a first reference voltage Vref1. The first reference voltage Vref1 is made variable. A second reference voltage generating circuit has substantially the same arrangement as the ECL circuit and outputs a potential which is midway between the ECL logic levels as a second reference voltage Vref2. A comparator makes a comparison between the first and second reference voltages Vref1 and Vref2 and controls the first reference voltage generating circuit and the CMOS output circuit so that the first and second reference voltages Vref1 and Vref2 may become equal to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Bi-CMOS logic circuit and, more specifically, to a level translator for translating ECL-level signals to CMOS-level signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 shows an example of a prior art level translator. An ECL (emitter coupled logic) circuit 11 is a general differential amplifier which is constructed, as shown in FIG. 7, from bipolar transistors 11a to 11e and resistors 11f to 11j. Outputs 11k and 11l of the ECL circuit 11 are coupled to inputs 12a and 12b of a differential amplifier 12, respectively. The differential amplifier 12 is constructed from MOS transistors 12c to 12f and has its output connected to an input of a CMOS output circuit 13 serving as an inverter.
The ECL circuit 11 provides an output signal proportional to the difference between an input voltage Vin applied to the base of the transistor 11a and a reference voltage Vref applied to the base of the transistor 11b. The logical amplitude of output voltages Z, /Z of the ECL circuit 11 is as low as 500 to 800 millivolts. The output voltages of the ECL circuit are, to some extent, amplified by the differential amplifier 12. The output voltages VA of the differential amplifier 12 are subjected to waveform shaping by the CMOS circuit 13 for conversion to CMOS logic levels Vcc and Vss.
In the prior art level translator, an output voltage of the ECL circuit 11 is changed by the differential amplifier 12 and the CMOS output circuit 13 to a CMOS voltage level. For this reason, some delay will occur between the moment that an output voltage is produced by the ECL circuit 11 and the moment that the output voltage is taken from the CMOS output circuit 13.
FIG. 8 shows response waveforms of the prior art level translator. In this figure, the time tpdA is the time required by the differential amplifier 12 to amplify an ECL voltage level, and the time tpdB is the time required by the CMOS to shape an input voltage and change it to a corresponding CMOS voltage level. Thus, the time tpdO it takes to change an ECL voltage level to a CMOS voltage level is tpdO=tpdA+tpdB.
The prior art level translator thus requires a plurality of circuit stages so as to change ECL voltage levels to CMOS voltage levels, with the result that a large amount of delay occurs and difficulty is involved in increasing the speed of the level translation. In addition, the use of the differential amplifier 12 increases the dissipation current and the number of circuit elements used.
To solve the problems, the direct application of output voltages of the ECL circuit11 to the CMOS output circuit 13 may be permitted. The threshold voltages of MOS transistors constructing the CMOS circuit 13 depend, however, upon the manufacturing process and the conditions under which they are used. For this reason, the direct application of ECL voltages, low in logical amplitude, to the CMOS output circuit 13 may cause the possibility of inaccurate level translation.

Level translator capable of high speed operation


The present invention features a paper handling instrument storage unit for use with a computer. The unit, fabricated from plastic, wood, metal, or other suitable material, has a tray that is mountable to a computer monitor near a computer keyboard, or to any other vertical wall, face, or upright on, in, or near a computer workstation. The mounted tray has assigned wells located in it, for containing pencils, pens, scissors, rulers, paper clips and other desk accessories. The wells are conveniently shaped to accommodate the various office items. In one embodiment, a photocell is positioned within the unit. Found within the unit's wells are a number of light passages. The light beam is interrupted when an instrument (e.g., a pencil or pen) rests within its assigned well. Removal of the instrument from its well allows the light beam in that passage to travel through the passage and reach a photocell detector. The photodetector provides a signal to the computer that initiates a data-saving program routine. Thus, when work on the computer keyboard is interrupted by an office worker reaching for a pencil or pen, for example, the data on the computer monitor screen is automatically saved.

Pencil- and penholders exist on almost every work desk. Some office personnel prefer to keep their pencils and pens in a styled caddy. Others prefer to use a simple, cylindrically-shaped cup. Pencil- and penholders have been designed along with clocks, calendars and other accessory objects.
Now in the computer age, as many office workers are using computers, their usage of pencil- and penholders that rest upon a desk is ergonomically incorrect. It is disruptive to the computer operator, if, during computer usage, he or she has to reach a long distance for a pencil. It is necessary, therefore, to provide a container or storage device to store paper handling instruments for computers that is within easy reach of the keyboard or the computer monitor (i.e., in and around computer workstations).
One such ergonomic storage unit for computers is illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. 346,402 (issued to HASSEL et al on Apr. 26, 1994). The unit is shown therein as part of a compartmentalized tray that attaches to a computer keyboard. The tray is designed with variously shaped wells for holding paper clips, pencils, scissors and other office appurtenances. Such a tray is close to the computer operator, so that any interruption from computer typing to obtain a pencil or pen is easily accomplished.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,103 (issued to KOENIG et al on Aug. 3, 1993) describes a holder for chalk and erasers that affixes to a chalk board, black board or white board. The holder comprises a back plate that lies in the plane of the board itself, a plurality of receptacles being disposed on and supported by the back plate in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the plate and the board.
The present invention reflects the discovery that a mishap or an inadvertent consequence of reaching for a pencil, pair of scissors, paper clip or other desk accessory, can result in the loss of computer data. More often than not, an improper key is hit during the interruption of the typing. At such a time, it is not uncommon to lose the work that is on the computer screen.
The current inventor has developed an instrument container or storage unit for computers that is not only ergonomically correct, but also can automatically save, when in use, the computer data on the screen.
The invention features a paper handling instrument storage unit that preferably attaches to the side of a computer monitor, but can easily attach to the vertical side of any structure, such as a computer desk, its uprights, or to any substantially vertical wall or face conveniently accessible to a computer workstation. An internally placed photocell, disposed within the caddy, is actuated when an instrument (e.g., a pencil or pen) is removed from the unit. Actuation of the photodetector sends a signal to the computer that automatically triggers a data-saving program. In this fashion, an operator is assured that an interruption from his or her typing will not be the cause of a computer mishap. This simple assurance is a soothing palliative to any office worker who has ever experienced loss of computer data. Such a data-saving mechanism is far more useful than a mounted clock or calendar.
In an alternate embodiment, a unit is provided for holding not only pens and pencils, but also all other paper handling instruments, such as scissors, Post-It.TM. slips, rulers, adhesive tape, high-lighters, markers, erasers, glue, correction fluid and tape, etc. The unit is affixed, via adhesives, screws, tape, or any other suitable method or means, to the side of a computer monitor, as opposed to the monitor screen itself, so as not to obscure the information being displayed on the monitor.

Paper handling instrument storage unit with computer data-saving feature

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A one-way valve for dispensing a fluid material from a container includes an axially extending valve body and an elastomeric sleeve stretched over the valve body in tightly fitting contact with it. A ring shaped enlargement is formed monolithically on each end of the sleeve and fits in sealed contact with reduced diameter portions at the opposite ends of the valve body. The sleeve can be assembled on the valve body in a variety of ways including mechanically expanding the sleeve and placing it on the valve body. The enlargements at the ends of the valve body have a thickness dimension in the radial direction in the range of 2 to 4 times the thickness of the sleeve between the enlargements.

The present invention is directed to an elastomeric sleeve tightly fitted on a one-way valve body. The sleeve is secured so that it is in sealed contact with the surface of the valve body. Flow is conducted through the valve body via a first and a second outlet passageways with the passageways arranged in spaced apart relation so that there is no direct flow between them. The passageways extend through the valve body each opening through the outside surface of the valve body to the inside surface of the sleeve. With pressurized flow of a fluid through the valve body, the fluid flows first through one of the passageways into a space between the outside surface of the valve body and the inside surface of the sleeve and then into the other passageway and out of the valve body. The elastomeric sleeve expands to permit flow out of the valve body and, when the outward flow is completed, rebounds into contact with the surface of the valve body preventing any return flow.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,810, a valve assembly, known as the ReSeal Valve, includes a one-way valve body laterally enclosed within an elastomeric sheath or sleeve. The sleeve fits tightly about the valve body and provides a closure for a first outlet passageway and a second outlet passageway not directly connected to one another. The elastomeric sleeve is sealed to the outside surface of the valve body by O-rings, adhesives, or by thermally or chemically bonding the sleeve to the valve body. The seal is required to assure that flow into an inlet end of the valve body is directed between the outside surface of the valve body and the inside surface of the elastomeric sleeve and then flows through a passageway to the valve body outlet. If the sleeve is free at one or both ends, the fluid being dispensed could escape and contaminants could enter into the passageways in the valve and eventually into a container holding the fluid to be dispensed through the one-way valve. Accordingly, providing a positive seal between the outside surface of the valve body and the elastomeric sleeve is a prerequisite to assure that the contents of the container are not contaminated during or following use of the one-way valve.
While the ReSeal Valve has proven to be effective, the use of separate O-rings seals or other means for maintaining a seal between the elastomeric sleeve and the valve body has affected the cost of the sleeve and O-rings, and of the procedure in assembling the sleeve on the valve body.

Elastomeric sleeve and method for assembling the sleeve on a one-way valve body

ReSeal International Limited Partnership


The present invention relates to a frame buffer used by a laser printer controller to send video signals to a laser printer engine. The frame buffer allows software to have sufficient control over the dimension of the buffer and to have sufficient time to process data by allowing hardware assisted memory erase.

The present invention is intended to be utilized with a printer controller for a laser printer engine which has, for example, 400 Dots Per Inch (DPI) with 20 pages per minute (ppm) speed. Because such an engine has higher speed and higher resolution, the printer controller requirements are more severe than 300 DPI and 8 ppm engines.
One of the key components to achieve higher speed and higher resolution is the control of a frame buffer used to buffer raster image information to be sent to the printer engine through a video interface.
In order to print through a laser printer, each pixel (picture element) must be defined as either black or white. A pixel is processed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of a controller and sent to the laser printer engine through video interface line(s). One major problem in this process of defining pixels of a page and sending the information to the printer engine is that the CPU is much slower in the processing time required to define the pixels than the printer engine needing them. One solution of this asynchronous process is to use a frame buffer for the synchronization.
There are two approaches in the prior art to construct a frame buffer. One approach is to create an entire page pixel definition by using a full bit map.
For example, if the printer engine is 300 DPI and handles only a letter size document, the buffer requires 2550.times.3300 pixels. The first number denotes the X dimension of the scanning (the number of pixels per scan line) and the second number denotes the number of scan lines (the Y dimension).
The other prior art approach is to receive an entire page description f rom a host computer and to create a display is list. Under this approach, the frame buffer can be smaller than the full bit nap depending upon the speed of creating the raster data from the display list. The frame buffer, which is smaller than full page bit map, is referred to as a band buffer.
When the frame buffer information is sent to the printer engine, the data in the memory of that location must be erased before other information can be written. If this erase is done by a CPU, the processing power of the CPU is taken up and less processing time is available to the CPU. The ideal solution is that the hardware reads out information from the buffer to be sent to the printer engine and at the same time writes the modified data to be blanked to the same location. However, none of the currently available Direct Memory Access (DMA) chips can memory-read-modify-write in one memory cycle.

Laser printer controller flexible frame buffer architecture which allows hardware assisted memory erase


A method and apparatus for receiving an application for providing an Internet protocol television (IPTV) communication service. The method includes: acquiring IP address information for initiating an IPTV service provider discovery at an entry point for searching for a service provider; receiving information regarding an IPTV service provider from an IPTV service provider discovery entity apparatus by using the IP address information; and acquiring information regarding the application for providing the IPTV communication service based on the information regarding the IPTV service provider.

1. Field
The exemplary embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for receiving information regarding applications for providing Internet protocol television (IPTV) communication service.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet protocol television (IPTV) service is a service for providing information, moving picture contents, and broadcasting on a TV through an IP network, that is, an ultra-high speed Internet network. As services combining communication and broadcasting have been widely distributed, there is increased interest in IPTV service. Therefore, wide distribution of the IPTV service may largely affect the content industry and electrical appliances, as well as the communication and broadcasting industries.
According to a conventional art, in order for a subscriber of the IPTV service to use the IPTV service through the IP network, the subscriber requires a set-top box that is specific for an IPTV vendor. Only the user having the specific IPTV set-top box that is manufactured according to specifications set by the IPTV service provider may use the IPTV service of the corresponding IPTV service provider. For example, when there are three IPTV service providers, that is, Company A, Company B, and Company C, subscribers who bought the set-top box of company A may only use the IPTV service provided by company A, and they should buy an additional set-top box of company B or company C in order to subscribe for the IPTV service provided by company B or company C. The above problem of compatibility between the IPTV service and the set-top box limits a range of selection, and thus, quality of the IPTV service may be degraded and expansion of the IPTV service may be restricted.
In order to address the above compatibility problem, an open IPTV forum has been recently established to discuss standardization of the set-top box. In this forum, a common standard that is independent from the IPTV service providers and providing the service subscribers with the IPTV service based on the common standard are being discussed.
The open IPTV forum aims to make an interface and a hardware platform that are not dependent upon the IPTV service providers so that the subscriber may easily use the IPTV services provided by IPTV service providers. According to the open IPTV forum architecture, the subscriber may use the IPTV services provided by different IPTV service providers even when the subscriber does not have different set-top boxes, and thus, the range of services that may be selected by the subscriber can be expanded.
In order for the subscriber to use the IPTV services provided by the different IPTV service providers, a functional architecture according to the open IPTV forum includes devices for relaying services of the plurality of IPTV service providers to a residential network. Examples of the relaying devices include entities such as an application gateway (AG) functional entity apparatus, an IMS gateway (IG) functional entity apparatus, and CSP gateway (CG) functional entity apparatus according to the functional architecture of the open IPTV forum. The above relaying devices receive the IPTV services provided from a provider network and relay the IPTV services to terminal devices in the residential network.

Data receiving method and device for applications providing an IPTV communications service


Provided is a wireless communication terminal capable of efficiently exchanging, with another wireless communication terminal, data items generated by a plurality of application programs. The wireless communication terminal, which performs wireless communication with another wireless communication terminal, is configured to: store a plurality of exchange data-related information items output when a plurality of application programs are executed; determine, when a wireless communication connection is established to the other wireless communication terminal, an exchange data-related information item to be subjected to data exchange processing, based on the stored plurality of exchange data-related information items and exchange data-related information items stored in the other wireless communication terminal; and execute the data exchange processing which is based on the determined exchange data-related information item, with the other wireless communication terminal.

The downsizing of wireless communication modules and such other factors have led to the advent of wireless communication terminals that can be carried outside with no trouble, such as smartphones and portable game machines. Such wireless communication terminals are capable of transmitting/receiving data to/from other wireless communication terminals without being connected by cables. Accordingly, for example, for the portable game machine or the like, there is proposed a technology of, while an application program of a game is being executed, exchanging data on the application program (for example, replay data, item data, character data, etc. of the game) with another portable game machine (for example, Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 4).

Radio communication terminal, method for controlling the same, and information storage medium


Techniques for objectively determining perceived video/image quality, the techniques including receiving a degraded bit-stream comprising encoded video/image data, and subsequently parsing the bit-stream to extract one or more video/image coding components. The video coding components may include intra-prediction modes, discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients, motion information, or combinations thereof, and may be used as a basis for objectively predicting a Quality of Experience (QoE) or Motion Opinion Score (MOS) score of the degraded bit-stream.

When providing video or image services, service providers may want to monitor the subjective quality of their users' experience, which may be commonly referred to as the Quality of Experience (QoE) score or Motion Opinion Score (MOS). Due to the complex nature of the human visual system (HVS), QoE scores may be affected by both the content of the video media as well as the quality of video signal. Specifically, human perception may be more sensitive to qualitative differences for certain classes of content than other classes of content. For instance, distortion may be more noticeable during periods of light motion than during periods of heavy motion (e.g., action scenes). Additionally, the HVS may be more sensitive to some luma (or brightness) levels, and consequently the average luma level of a frame or sequence of frames may impact the QoE score. As a result, monitoring traditional Quality of Service (QoS) metrics (e.g., bit error rate, etc.) alone may be an unreliable means for gauging QoE.
One technique for accurately gauging QoE scores is to obtain subjective assessments of image quality based on real-time human response, a procedure for which is outlined in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) recommendation BT.500 entitled "Methodology for Subjective Assessment of Quality of Television Pictures." Although accurate, subjective testing of this nature may require strict 'laboratory type' settings, and therefore may be expensive, time-consuming, and altogether impractical. As such, an objective approach for accurately gauging QoE is desired.

No-reference video/image quality measurement with compressed domain features