When sending personal data to a recipient, the data owner encrypts the data using both a public data item provided by a trusted party and an encryption key string formed using at least policy data indicative of conditions to be satisfied before access is given to the personal data. The encryption key string is typically also provided to the recipient along with the encrypted personal data. To decrypt the personal data, the recipient sends the encryption key string to the trusted party with a request for the decryption key. The trusted party determines the required decryption key using the encryption key string and private data used in deriving its public data, and provides it to the requesting recipient. However, the decryption key is either not determined or not made available until the trusted party is satisfied that the associated policy conditions have been met by the recipient.

Digital identities and profiles of parties are becoming more and more relevant for enabling Internet transactions and interactions among citizens, service providers, enterprises and government institutions. For example, in an e-commerce scenario, a person initially provides their digital identity and profile information to an e-commerce site in order to access their services. After the user logs in and interacts with these services: it might happen that interaction with other web sites or organisations is needed to carry out a service. The user might be conscious of this or this might take place behind the scene, for example due to fact that the e-commerce site interacts with partners and suppliers. The e-commerce sites may or may not have prior agreements with these third parties or may or may not belong to the same web of trust.
In general users have little understanding or knowledge of the privacy laws and legislation that regulate the management of their information. The privacy and data protection laws that regulate this area are hard to enforce or monitor, especially when private information is spread across organisations and national boundaries. People perceive and address the related security and privacy issues in different ways, ranging from completely ignoring them (and indiscriminately disclosing their personal data), to being so concerned as to refrain from using any Internet applications. It is also frequently the case that users do not bother to read long lists of terms and conditions concerning privacy and confidentiality because they cannot understand them or do not have the time to do so. Thus, whilst users are often asked to grant authority to web sites to electronically manage their information, in many cases the user doesn't consider the implications of such a request and simply chooses the easiest way forward to obtaining the service they want.
Little has been done so far to allow the explicit management and enforcement of privacy policies by directly involving users (or entities acting on their behalf) especially in a context of multiparty interactions. Users have a lack of control over their personal information, especially after its initial disclosure. In addition, third parties (such as delegates, e-commerce sites or enterprises) have lack of control over the confidential information they manage on behalf of their customers, in particular when they disclose it to external entities, during transactions or interactions.
Privacy management solutions can play a key role in protecting identities and profiles, enforcing good management practices and helping to detect criminal activities and support forensic analysis. However, for such solution to succeed, they need to simplify users' experience so that people can feel they are in control of their personal data and that this data is managed in an accountable way. If people are not willing to be involved in the active protection and management of their digital assets, trusted third parties could do this on their behalf and could provide people with easy-to-use tools to monitor and keep the situation under control.
Mechanisms such as proposed by W3C allow users to define simple privacy policies but this is only meaningful for point-to-point interactions (see: "The Platform for privacy preferences 1.0 specification (P3P 1.0)." http://www.w3.org/tr/p3p—W3C Proposed Recommendation—2002)
Solutions based on federated identity management have also been implemented (such as Microsoft Passport) but, at least currently, rely on a closed web of trust. Identity providers must be part of trusted clubs and be compliant with predefined privacy policies. This approach limits scalability and flexibility of the allowed interactions and transactions.
A more fine-grained control over the privacy of personal data has been described in the papers:                G. karjoth, M. Hunter—A Privacy Policy Model for Enterprises, IBM Research, Zurich—15th IEEE Computer Foundations Workshop—June 2002        G. karjoth, M. Schunter, M. Waidner—Platform for Enterprise Privacy Practices: Privacy-enabled Management of Customer Data—2nd Workshop on Privacy Enhancing Technologies, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer Verlang—2002
In the first of these papers the authors define a privacy control language that includes user consent, obligations and distributed administration. In the second paper, the authors describe a platform for enterprise privacy practices (E-P3P) and introduce the "sticky policy" paradigm and mechanisms for enterprise privacy enforcement. Sticky policies are policies that are strictly associated with a user's data and drive access control decisions and privacy enforcement. The papers do not, however, describe how the strong associations between policies and confidential data are enforced, especially across enterprise boundaries. Users still need to trust the enterprise when disclosing their data. Leakage of personal and confidential information might happen, despite data protection laws and privacy policies, because of lack of security, dishonesty of some of the involved intermediaries and the complexity of the overall systems.
Furthermore, many of the current privacy mechanisms introduce an overhead in terms of usage of digital certificates at the user site (where data is encrypted) and complexity when dealing with dynamic metadata (policies) associated with the encrypted data
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved way of effecting privacy management for personal data.
The present invention is in part based on the appreciation that Identifier-Based Encryption (IBE) has certain properties than can be adapted for use in privacy management.
Identifier-Based Encryption (IBE) is an emerging cryptographic schema. In this schema (see FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings), a data provider 10 encrypts payload data 13 using both an encryption key string 14, and public data 15 provided by a trusted authority 12. This public data 15 is derived by the trusted authority 12 using private data 17 and a one-way function 18. The data provider 10 then provides the encrypted payload data <13> to a recipient 11 who decrypts it, or has it decrypted, using a decryption key computed by the trusted authority 12 in dependence on the encryption key string and its own private data.
A feature of identifier-based encryption is that because the decryption key is generated from the encryption key string, its generation can be postponed until needed for decryption.
Another feature of identifier-based encryption is that the encryption key string is cryptographically unconstrained and can be any kind of string, that is, any ordered series of bits whether derived from a character string, a serialized image bit map, a digitized sound signal, or any other data source. The string may be made up of more than one component and may be formed by data already subject to upstream processing. In order to avoid cryptographic attacks based on judicious selection of a key string to reveal information about the encryption process, as part of the encryption process the encryption key string is passed through a one-way function (typically some sort of hash function) thereby making it impossible to choose a cryptographically-prejudicial encryption key string. In applications where defence against such attacks is not important, it would be possible to omit this processing of the string.
Typically, the encryption key string serves to "identify" the intended message recipient and the trusted authority is arranged to provide the decryption key only to this identified intended recipient. This has given rise to the use of the label "identifier-based" or "identity-based" generally for cryptographic methods of the type under discussion. However, as will be seen hereinafter, the string may serve a different purpose to that of identifying the intended recipient. Accordingly, the use of the term "identifier-based" or "IBE" herein in relation to cryptographic methods and systems is to be understood simply as implying that the methods and systems are based on the use of a cryptographically unconstrained string whether or not the string serves to identify the intended recipient. Generally, in the present specification, the term "encryption key string" or "EKS" is used rather than "identity string" or "identifier string"; the term "encryption key string" may also used in the shortened form "encryption key" for reasons of brevity.
A number of IBE algorithms are known and FIG. 2 indicates, for three such algorithms, the following features, namely:                the form of the encryption parameters 5 used, that is, the encryption key string and the public data of the trusted authority (TA);        the conversion process 6 applied to the encryption key string to prevent attacks based on judicious selection of this string;        the primary encryption computation 7 effected;        the form of the encrypted output 8.
The three prior art IBE algorithms to which FIG. 2 relates are:                Quadratic Residuosity (QR) method as described in the paper: C. Cocks, "An identity based encryption scheme based on quadratic residues", Proceedings of the 8th IMA International Conference on Cryptography and Coding, LNCS 2260, pp 360-363, Springer-Verlag, 2001. A brief description of this form of IBE is given hereinafter.        Bilinear Mappings p using, for example, a modified Tate pairing t or modified Weil pairing e for which:p: G1×G1→G2 where G1 and G2 denote two algebraic groups of prime order q and G2 is a subgroup of a multiplicative group of a finite field. For the Tate pairing an asymmetric form is also possible:p: G1×G0→G2 where G0 is a further algebraic group the elements of which are not restricted to being of order q. Generally, the elements of the groups G0 and G1 are points on an elliptic curve though this is not necessarily the case. A description of this form of IBE method, using modified Weil pairings is given in the paper: D. Boneh, M. Franklin—"Identity-based Encryption from the Weil Pairing" in Advances in Cryptology—CRYPTO 2001, LNCS 2139, pp. 213-229, Springer-Verlag, 2001.        RSA-Based methods The RSA public key cryptographic method is well known and in its basic form is a two-party method in which a first party generates a public/private key pair and a second party uses the first party's public key to encrypt messages for sending to the first party, the latter then using its private key to decrypt the messages. A variant of the basic RSA method, known as "mediated RSA", requires the involvement of a security mediator in order for a message recipient to be able to decrypt an encrypted message. An IBE method based on mediated RSA is described in the paper "Identity based encryption using mediated RSA", D. Boneh, X. Ding and G. Tsudik, 3rd Workshop on Information Security Application, Jeju Island, Korea, August, 2002.
In all of the above cases, the decryption key is generated by a trusted authority in dependence on the encryption key string.
A more detailed description of the QR method is given below with reference to the entities depicted in FIG. 1 and using the same notation as given for this method in FIG. 2. In the QR method, the trust authority's public data 15 comprises a value N that is a product of two random prime numbers p and q, where the values of p and q are the private data 17 of the trust authority 12. The values of p and q should ideally be in the range of 2511 and 2512 and should both satisfy the equation: p, q≡3 mod 4. However, p and q must not have the same value. Also provided is a hash function # which when applied to a string returns a value in the range 0 to N−1.
Each bit of the user's payload data 13 is then encrypted as follows:                The data provider 10 generates random numbers t+ (where t+ is an integer in the range [0, 2N]) until a value of t+ is found that satisfies the equation jacobi(t+,N)=m′, where m′ has a value of −1 or 1 depending on whether the corresponding bit of the user's data is 0 or 1 respectively. (As is well known, the jacobi function is such that where x2≡#modN the jacobi (#, N)=−1 if x does not exist, and=1 if x does exist). The data provider 10 then computes the value:s+≡(t++K/t+)modN where: s+ corresponds to the encrypted value of the bit m′ concerned, andK=#(encryption key string)        Since K may be non-square, the data provider additionally generates additional random numbers t (integers in the range [0, 2N)) until one is found that satisfies the equation jacobi(t−,N)=m′. The data provider 10 then computes the value:s−≡(t−−K/t−)modN as the encrypted value of the bit m concerned.
The encrypted values s+ and s− for each bit m′ of the user's data are then made available to the intended recipient 11, for example via e-mail or by being placed in an electronic public area; the identity of the trust authority 12 and the encryption key string 14 will generally also be made available in the same way.
The encryption key string 14 is passed to the trust authority 12 by any suitable means; for example, the recipient 11 may pass it to the trust authority or some other route is used—indeed, the trust authority may have initially provided the encryption key string. The trust authority 12 determines the associated private key B by solving the equation:B2≡K modN ("positive" solution)
If a value of B does not exist, then there is a value of B that is satisfied by the equation:B2≡−K modN ("negative" solution)
As N is a product of two prime numbers p, q it would be extremely difficult for any one to calculate the decryption key B with only knowledge of the encryption key string and N. However, as the trust authority 12 has knowledge of p and q (i.e. two prime numbers) it is relatively straightforward for the trust authority 12 to calculate B.
Any change to the encryption key string 14 will result in a decryption key 16 that will not decrypt the payload data 13 correctly. Therefore, the intended recipient 11 cannot alter the encryption key string before supplying it to the trust authority 12.
The trust authority 12 sends the decryption key to the data recipient 11 along with an indication of whether this is the "positive" or "negative" solution for B.
If the "positive" solution for the decryption key has been provided, the recipient 11 can now recover each bit m′ of the payload data 13 using:m′=jacobi(s++2B,N)
If the "negative" solution for the decryption key B has been provided, the recipient 11 recovers each bit m′ using:m′=jacobi(s−+2B,N)

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for electrically investigating a wall of a borehole in a geologic formation including injecting a current into the formation at a first position along the wall and returning the current at a second position along the wall, the formation current having a frequency below about 100 kHz, measuring a voltage in the formation between a third position and a fourth position along the wall, the third and fourth positions being located between the first and second positions, and determining an amplitude of a component of the voltage in phase with the current.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to exploring for hydrocarbons using electrical investigation. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for discriminating against unwanted signals that are dephased from the desired signal.
2. Background Art
When exploring a borehole drilled through an earth formation, it is desirable to know the characteristics of the geologic formation at various depths of the borehole. These characteristics include the stratifications, non-homogenous elements, and the size and shape of pores and breaks in the formation.
One technique for detecting these characteristics uses a tool with a series of current electrodes located on the face of a conductive pad that is pressed against the wall of the borehole. A constant current source injects a measurement current into the formation through a source electrode and returns the current through a return electrode situated on another part of the pad. The pad is moved along the borehole wall, and the discrete current signals associated with each electrode are related to the resistivity of the formation. If, however, a non-conductive drilling fluid ("mud") is used, such as an oil based mud or water-in-oil emulsion type mud, the resulting non-conductive mud layer between the pad and the wellbore wall produces poor and unusable signals.
Another technique can image a borehole drilled with a non-conductive mud. The tool for this technique uses a non-conductive pad with two current injectors and an array of voltage electrodes. The two current injectors, a source electrode and a return electrode, inject a current into the formation, and the current passes through the formation in a path parallel to the pad. The voltage electrodes measure the voltage differential in the formation where the current is passing. This measurement of the voltage is important because the resistivity of the formation is related to the voltage.
The resistivity of the formation can be calculated using the following equation:
                    ρ        =                  E          J                                    (        1        )            where ρ is the resistivity of the formation, E is the electric field in the formation, and J is the current density. The electric field E is given by the differential voltage δV divided by the voltage electrode separation, and the current density J is given by the current I divided by a geometric factor g. Substituting for E and J in Equation 1 gives:
                    ρ        =                  k                                                                                δ                                                                                V                                      I                                              (        2        )            where k is a geometric factor with units of length. Thus, the resistivity of a formation can be determined by injecting a current into the formation, measuring a voltage, and computing the resistivity of the formation using Equation 2.
The prior art pad used in this method is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The pad is shown generally in FIG. 1 at element 1. It contains a source electrode 2, a return electrode 3, and an array of pairs of voltage electrodes 4. The pad 1 itself is constructed of a non-conductive, insulative material 5, such as ceramics or polymers, that have a high strength, and high chemical and thermal stability.
The pad 1 is placed against the wall of a borehole 7, which may have a mud cake layer 6. An electrical current is injected into the formation 8 through the source electrode 2, returning at the return electrode 3. The voltage electrodes 4 measure a voltage in the formation 8, and the resistivity of the formation can be calculated using Equation 2, above.
When the pad 1 is not in contact with the borehole wall 7, the distance between the pad 1 and the borehole wall 7 is called "standoff." There are three main standoff effects: (1) mud and pad signals, (2) current leakage, and (3) voltage inaccuracies. There are various ways to reduce these effects so that accurate measurements can be made even when the pad 1 is not in direct contact with the borehole wall 7.
The current electrodes 2, 3 generate an electric field in the mud and in the insulating pad 5 which is detected by the voltage electrodes 4. One tool to reduce pad signal, shown in FIG. 9B, has a conductive backplate 92 behind the insulating pad 5 and parallel to the front face of the tool 1. The backplate 92 is maintained at an electrical potential equal to that of the formation in front of the voltage electrodes 4. This technique is described in Patent WO 0177711. This shields the array of voltage electrodes from the mud and pad signals.
"Current leakage" describes the condition when not all of the current injected from the source electrode 2 passes through the formation 8, referring to FIG. 1A. Ideally, when the pad 1 makes good contact with the borehole wall 7, the injected current passes almost entirely through the formation 8. But when mud or a mud cake layer 6 lies under one or both current electrodes 2, 3, when there is significant standoff, part of the current, called leakage current, will leak by capacitive coupling from the source electrode 2 to the return electrode 3, without passing through the formation 8. This situation is shown in the model circuit in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows a current source 21 modeled to be in a parallel circuit with a leakage impedance ZL and a variable mud impedance ZM. The formation current IF passes through the impedance of the mud or mud cake layer and through the formation. The leakage current IL passes through the leakage impedance ZL, but does not pass through the formation. When calculating the resistivity of the formation, the formation current must be used in Equation 2.
The leakage current IL and the formation current IF sum to the total current I. Thus, the formation current is given by:IF=I−IL  (3)Using Z=(V/I), the above equation can be transformed into a more useful form:
                              I          F                =                  I                                [                          1              -                                                Z                  INJ                                                  Z                  L                                                      ]                                              (        4        )            where ZINJ is the total impedance seen by the injector circuit, as measured by the tool, and ZL is the leakage impedance of the tool, which can be experimentally determined. Thus, the formation current IF can be computed from the injection voltage and current, without knowing the formation impedance ZF, standoff, or mud properties. An alternative method for determining the true current in the formation is to use injection electrodes 2,3 that are shielded by a conductive box, where the shields are maintained at the same electric potential as each electrode, as described in Patent WO 0177710.
Errors in the voltage measurement occur because the voltage electrodes 4 couple not only to the formation but also to the conductive backplate. The voltage output from the electrodes is given by:
                              δ                                                              V                =                  δ                                                                          V            TRUE                                                        Z              S                                                      Z                S                            +                              Z                C                                                                        (        5        )            where δVTRUE is the true voltage in the formation, ZS is the coupling impedance to the backplate and ZC is the contact impedance between the voltage electrodes and the formation. A scalar correction is obtained by solving for δVTRUE:
                              δ                                                                          V            TRUE                          =                  δ                                                                          V                                      (                              1                +                                                      Z                    C                                                        Z                    S                                                              )                                                          (        6        )
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an equivalent circuit showing the current flow using the prior art tool. It is similar to FIG. 2, but shows more detail along the path of the formation current IF. FIG. 4 shows the mud impedance ZM of FIG. 2 to be a series containing a mud impedance at the upper or source electrode ZMU, a formation resistance RF, and a mud impedance at the lower or return electrode ZML. Thus, the formation current flows through the formation resistance RF via the two mud impedances ZMU, ZML.
To a first approximation, the contact impedance of a voltage electrode ZC is linearly proportional to the mean contact impedance of the current injection electrodes:
                              Z          C                =                              (                                                            Z                  MU                                +                                  Z                  ML                                            2                        )                    ·                      (                                          A                INJ                                            A                BUT                                      )                                              (        7        )            where AINJ is the current injector 2, 3 area and Abut is the voltage electrode 4 (button) area.
Because the mud impedances under the injectors ZMU, ZML are usually much greater than the impedance of the formation RF, V=IR can be rewritten as:
                                          Z            MU                    +                      Z            ML                          ≈                  V                      I            F                                              (        8        )            where IF is given by Equation 4 and V is the voltage difference across the current electrodes 2, 3. Thus, δVTRUE can be calculated from V and I without knowing the standoff or mud properties.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show experimental resistivity data. FIG. 3A shows raw, uncorrected data in two different mud types, a 90/10 oil to water ratio mud and a 50/50 ratio mud, and with two different formations of mown resistivity, 20 Ω-m and 200 Ω-m Data with a conductive steel casing are also shown. The casing data lines represent the signal in the mud and shows how the mud signal affects the measured resistivity as the standoff increases. At large standoffs, the measured signal is composed almost entirely of the mud signal and not the formation signal. FIG. 3B shows the resistivity data after applying the scalar correction in Equations 4 and 6. The scalar corrected resistivity curves in the two formations are more accurate in the range from no standoff to the point on each curve where the mud signal becomes dominant, but at large standoff the mud signal overwhelms the formation signal and the data are unusable.

Method and a tool for electrically investigating a wall of a borehole in a geologic formation


An eccentricity measurement method of measuring the eccentricity between a center of a connection portion of a rotary disk of a rotary encoder connected to a rotary shaft of a rotary member, and a center of a scale provided at the periphery of the rotary disk. The method includes forming, on the rotary disk, a circle pattern concentric with the scale and at least three straight-line patterns intersecting or contacting the circle pattern and the connection portion; and measuring an amount and direction of the eccentricity of the rotary disk by comparing a coordinate of the center of the connection portion, calculated from coordinates of intersections of the straight-line patterns and the connection portion, with a coordinate of the center of the scale, calculated from the coordinates of intersections of the straight-line patterns and the circle pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary aspects of the present invention generally relate to a rotary encoder, particularly to a device which measures the difference between the rotational center of a rotary disk and the center of a radial scale provided on the rotary disk to detect the rotational state of the rotary disk, i.e., the amount of rotational eccentricity.
2. Description of the Background Art
Devices that detect the rotational state of a rotary member, such as the rotation speed and the rotation amount (i.e., angle of rotation) thereof, include a photoelectric rotary encoder. In a photoelectric rotary encoder, the periphery of a rotary disk connected to a rotary shaft of the rotary member is provided with a radial scale including alternating light-transmitting portions and light-blocking portions, or light-reflecting portions and light-absorbing portions.
A light projector projects a light flux onto the radial scale, and light reflected by or transmitted through the radial scale is detected by a detection device. Then, using signals from the detection device, the rotational state of the rotary disk is detected.
In general, the detection accuracy of the above-described rotary encoder is significantly reduced if the center of rotation of the rotary disk and the center of the radial scale are not aligned, that is, if there is an eccentricity between the two centers.
Of course, the reduction in detection accuracy can be prevented by aligning the center of rotation of the rotary disk and the center of the radial scale, and to accomplish that the accuracy of manufacturing and assembly of the radial scale and the center of rotation of the rotary disk may be enhanced, as in certain known techniques. Alternatively, the radial scale may be attached to the rotary shaft while the center of the radial scale and the center of rotation of the rotary shaft are adjusted with the use of a microscope or the like, as in other background techniques.
If the manufacturing and assembly accuracy is increased, adjustment is unnecessary in the assembly or replacement of components, and thus the assembly work is simplified. However, to achieve such relatively high accuracy the cost is increased. Further, such relatively high accuracy is required not only of the manufacturing and assembly means, such as the methods and the tools employed, but also in a post-production testing and measurement.
Meanwhile, if the rotary disk is assembled after being properly aligned, the cost of manufacturing and assembling the rotary disk is not so high. However, it is difficult to assemble and adjust the rotary disk, and thus it takes a relatively long time for the assembly and adjustment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the post-production measurement of eccentricity of a rotary disk according to a background technique.
A rotary disk 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a mounting portion 101 and a radial scale 102. The mounting portion 101, which is a hole near the center in FIG. 1, is used to attach the rotary disk 100 to a detected abject (i.e., rotary member) such as a roller.
To calculate the center of rotation c1 of the rotary disk 100, the coordinates of an arbitrary point p1 on the circumference of the mounting portion 101 are first measured at at least three locations (three locations in the drawing) with the use of a measuring microscope or the like. On the basis of the measured coordinates, the coordinates of the center of rotation c1 of the rotary disk 100 can be calculated.
Then, to calculate the center c2 of the radial scale 102, the coordinates of an arbitrary point p2 on the circumference of a circle pattern 103 drawn concentrically with the radial scale 102 are measured at at least three locations (three locations in the drawing). On the basis of the measured coordinates, the coordinates of the center c2 of the radial scale 102 can be calculated.
The previously calculated coordinates of the center of rotation c1 of the rotary disk 100 are then compared with the coordinates of the center c2 of the radial scale 102 to obtain an eccentricity amount D.
Ultimately, whether or not the obtained eccentricity amount D meets a separately set standard is checked, and whether or not the rotary disk 100 can be used as a product for a rotary encoder is determined.
In the above-described eccentricity measurement method, however, in order to perform accurate measurement, it is necessary to accurately select the respective measurement points p1 and p2 without misalignment. In order to accurately select the measurement points, the expertise of a measurer and complicated image processing by a measuring device are necessary. As a result, the time for completing the measurement is increased.
Further, in the measurement of the measurement points, which uses a projector or microscope, a pattern enlarged by the device is blurred. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately select the measurement points, and thus to accurately measure the eccentricity amount.

Rotary disk eccentricity measurement method, rotary encoder, and rotary member control device


Clay aerogel polymer composites, formed from various types of clay and (co)polymers, which are relatively low density materials having myriad applications. Numerous methods for preparing the clay aerogel polymer composites are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the clay aerogel polymer composites are formed using a freeze-drying process. Structures and compositions including the clay aerogel polymer composites are also described. In a preferred embodiment, the clay aerogel polymer composites are derived from a clay, polymer and binder component that provides the composite with increased toughness and durability. Ceramic structures derived from the composites are also described.

Various types of clays are widely available around the world. Some types of clays are layered or smectic clays that can be subdivided into individual layers. Such clays have been used in an attempt to reinforce polymers. Through some combination of mechanical reinforcement and selected crystallization of thermodynamically disfavored forms of the polymers, significantly enhanced thermal and/or mechanical properties are obtained when compared to the unfilled starting polymers or their more traditionally filled composites. In most cases, however, clay reinforcement of polymers does not result in property enhancement. One reason for sub-par performance is that to achieve useful exfoliation of the clay, the favorable thermodynamics which led to the clay's formation in nature must be overcome, and few polymer systems can provide such a thermodynamic driving force.
In an attempt to provide materials with beneficial properties, inorganic materials such as silicas, clays, metal oxides and the like have been formed into aerogels.
The production of inorganic aerogels from silica and water was first reported by S. S. Kistler, see "Coherent Expanded Aerogels", J. Phys. Chem. 1932; 36: 52-64. In this initial process, water was slowly removed from an aqueous silica mixture via a solvent exchange process using ethanol or ether to produce low density structures. The preparation of montmorillonite clay aerogels by freeze-drying clay hydrogels was reported by R. C. MacKenzie, see "Clay-water Relationships", Nature 1952: 171: 681-3, and F. Call, "Preparation of Dry Clay-Gels by Freeze-Drying", Nature 1953; 172: 126; the resultant fibrous montmorillonite structures were described as possessing reasonable rigidity, but poor thermal stability at 110° C. for extended time or when desiccated over phosphorus pentoxide. Similar processing of non-swelling clays, such as kaolin, only produced fine powders.
Weiss et al., see "The Skeleton Structure in Thixotropic Gels", Naturwissenschaften 1952; 39: 351-2, and Hoffman et al., see "A Thixotropy in Kaolinite and Inner-Crystalline Swelling in Montmorillonite", Kolloid-Z; 1957, 151, 97-115, studied several clay-solvent combinations that produced rapid setting, thixotropic gels. These authors demonstrated that high vacuum sublimation of frozen thixotropic clay gels in water or benezene produced "gel skeletons" with remarkable elasticity (elastic compression up to 75% of their original volumes). Montmorillonite interlayer spacings, measured by x-ray diffraction, were shown to inversely correlate thixotropic and sedimentation volumes. Weiss proposed that high thixotropic volumes of montmorillonite solutions containing alkali ions were caused by a splitting of the montmorillonite crystal into thin layers.
The effects of freeze-drying on the interlayer spacing of clay hydrogels was studied in greater depth by K. Norrish et al, see "Effect of Freezing on the Swelling of Clay Minerals", Clay Miner, Bull. 1962; 5: 9-16. Although montmorillonite clay hydrogels were found to retain their shape and partial rigidity when water was removed the interlayer spacing in sodium montmorillonite decreased from greater than 30 to 10 Å during freezing. Upon thawing, the original clay morphology was restored. Ice crystal formation was thought to be responsible for the collapse of the swollen structure, thus defining a mechanism for structural transformation, but the structure of the gel itself remained elusive.
H. Van Olphen, "Polyelectrolyte Reinforced Aerogels of Clays-Application as Chromatographic Adsorbents", Clay Miner, 1967; 15: 423-35, proposed that particles within clay aerogels, produced using a freeze-drying process, are linked edge-to-face much like a "house of cards" owing to opposite surface and edge charges that exist in clays. The author suggested ice crystals grow radially, pushing clay particles aside to promote parallel platelet alignment. The incorporation of polyelectrolytes into bentonite clay aerogels via freeze-drying of a polyelectrolyte-bentonite hydrogel was also studied by Van Olphen, who found the normally fragile aerogels to become stronger and tougher upon polyelectrolyte incorporation.
The effects of process parameters, such as clay concentration and freezing rates, upon the size and shape of resultant clay aerogels was investigated by Nakazawa et al., see "Texture Control of Clay-Aerogel Through the Crystallization Process of Ice", Clay Sci. 1987; 6: 269-76, who reported that decreases in clay concentrations and freezing rates resulted in pore shape changes from polygonal cells to thin lenses. The authors proposed that pores remaining in the freeze-dried aerogel structure are "negatives" of the ice particles once formed and later sublimed. The aerogels produced by Nakazawa were reportedly stable to heat treatment up to 800° C., albeit with some shrinkage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,454 to Kistler relates to reported improvements in the art and process of producing dry gels from colloidal solutions, and to the production of a gel, one continuous phase of which is a gas, and which Kistler defines as an aerogel. Kistler states that the aerogels are characterized by the fact that they are formed from colloidal gels in which the liquid menstruum is removed, at least in part, by heating the liquid under pressure beyond its critical temperature, and subsequently releasing the liquid thus heated. In this manner it is possible to produce a skeleton of the solid component of the gel as it actually exists before treatment and differing only in that the liquid medium is displaced by a vapor or gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,903 to Van Olphen et al. relates to inorganic aerogels characterized by reportedly substantial physical stability and to a process for preparing such aerogels. Van Olphen reportedly teaches a method for preparing physically stable, mechanically strong aerogels of inorganic materials. The method comprises forming a gel of the inorganic material in which there is uniformly and intimately admixed a polymeric material which has substantial solubility in the liquid which composes the dispersing medium of the gel, then removing the dispersing medium and replacing it with a non-condensable gas phase, under conditions such that no gas-liquid interface exists in the dispersing medium during its removal. The aerogels of inorganic materials prepared in this way reportedly have been found to have substantially greater mechanical strength than the aerogels of the same inorganic materials prepared by the methods known previously. It has reportedly been found, for example, that clay aerogels, which have little physical strength when prepared according to the prior art methods, when prepared according to the process of this invention can readily be formed into different shapes and are physically strong enough to retain those shapes when subjected to physical stresses encountered during their use. This invention reportedly provides inorganic aerogels of improved strength. Van Olphen only describes the use of a polymeric material that can be introduced into a precursor gel used to form an aerogel. Column 4, lines 15-33, state that the polymeric material can be first dissolved in a liquid to be used in forming the gel and then the gel formed, or the gel can be formed, then contacted with a solution of the polymeric material in that liquid, or in a different liquid. The inventors of the present application have found that the aerogel composites produced according to the teachings of Van Olphen are relatively fragile, and typically fall apart upon handling.
As such, there is a need in the art for aerogel materials having improved physical features over that of a clay aerogel whose mechanical properties are marginal.

Clay aerogel-based polymer composites, materials and methods


A method for generating a customized travel itinerary is disclosed. The method may comprise associating an individual with a travel sign based upon the results of a travel quiz; associating the individual with a travel location based upon the travel sign and a travel date; and associating the individual with an activity item based upon the travel sign. The method may additionally comprise receiving, by a mobile communication device, a travel itinerary comprising a plurality of travel locations; displaying, by the mobile communication device, a first travel location from the plurality of travel locations prior to a scheduled departure time for the first travel location; and displaying, by the mobile communication device, a second travel location from the plurality of travel locations prior to a scheduled departure time for the second travel location.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to travel services.
Related Art
Vacations are typically planned in advance by the individuals who will enjoy them. For instance, an individual who has a desire to travel to Hawaii may contact a travel agent, and the travel agent may help the individual to book airline and hotel reservations. In another instance, an individual may arrange the details of his travel on his own (e.g., he may call an airline or use the internet to make his reservations). Existing travel reservation systems are typically unable to recommend, based upon a variety of relevant and useful data, locations and/or activities in which individuals may have an interest. Rather, existing systems often rely upon an individual's knowledge of his preferences and/or a travel agent's knowledge of one or more travel destinations.
Thus, prior art systems require a certain awareness by an individual of his travel plans and the prior art systems are unable to make intelligent recommendations based upon one or more data sets. For certain individuals, it is undesirable to possess advance knowledge of a travel destination, as this may dampen the adventure and excitement associated with the individual's travel experience. Moreover, there are some who may prefer to avoid the decision-making necessary in planning a vacation, or who are simply too busy to plan the numerous details associated with a typical vacation. Accordingly, a variety of systems and methods are disclosed that enable customized, and if an individual desires it, mystery travel options.

Systems and methods for generating customized travel itineraries

AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.


A method of fabricating multiple conductor layers utilizing the same seed layer is described. In an embodiment a stud bump structure is described in which the seed layer is encapsulated by the passivation layer. By forming the stud bump prior to the passivation layer, the height of the stud bump extending from the top surface of the passivation layer can be controlled.

Packaging of chips is an important step in microelectronic fabrication, contributing to the overall cost, performance and reliability of a packaged chip. Some chip boding technologies utilize a copper bump formed on a chip to connect the chip to a package or PC board. For example, a copper bump may be utilized in wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WLCSP) technologies such as flip-chip. In a conventional manufacturing sequence, the chip passivation layer is formed prior to creation of the copper bump.


An apparatus causes a substrate to rotate and supplies a treatment liquid to a substrate surface to make a treatment, without concern that a mixed substance is eluted from a cup in the use for a long time, or a thin film comes off from an inside wall surface to be contamination-causing substances even if the cup made of a water-repellent material for collecting a treatment liquid becomes hydrophilic. A cup 16 disposed to surround the sides and underside of a substrate W rotating while being held by a spin chuck 10, and serving to collect a treatment liquid diffused from the substrate to the surroundings, is made of a plastic material. Further, an inside wall surface of an upper-side cup part 24 of the cup 16, being a portion on which the treatment liquid having been diffused from the substrate impinges, is roughened to be a hydrophilic surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate rotation type treatment apparatus that holds substrates such as semiconductor wafers, liquid crystal display glass substrates, photo-mask glass substrates, optical disk substrates in a horizontal posture to cause the substrates to rotate about a vertical axis, and supplies to the substrate surface treatment liquids such as cleaning fluids, coating solutions, and developers to make the substrate treatment such as cleaning, coating, and development.
2. Description of the Related Art
When substrates such as semiconductor wafers are held in a horizontal posture with a spin chuck to be brought in rotation about a vertical axis, and a treatment liquid, for example, a cleaning fluid, e.g., pure water is supplied to the substrate surface to make the cleaning treatment of the substrates, the cleaning fluid having been supplied on the substrate surface spreads to the substrate edge due to a centrifugal force, and the cleaning fluid having been used is diffused from the substrate edge to the surroundings. There is provided around a substrate, which is held by a spin chuck, a cup so as to surround the sides and the under side of the substrate. The used cleaning fluid having been diffused from the substrate to the surroundings impinges on the inside wall surface of a cup to be collected, flows down on the cup inside wall surface to be collected at the cup bottom, and is discharged from a drain, which is provided in the cup bottom, through a drain pipe to be recycled.
A cup for collecting a treatment liquid having been diffused from a substrate to the surroundings has been conventionally made of plastic materials such as fluororesin, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), and polypropylene (PP), or metal materials such as stainless steel. At present, however, most cups are made of resin. A main function of this cup is to prevent a treatment liquid having been diffused from the substrate to the surroundings from being diffused also to the outside of the substrate treatment section, as well as to collect the treatment liquid to cause it to flow to a drain in the cup bottom. Nevertheless, a plastic material, especially, fluororesin that forms a cup is water-repellent (hydrophobic), and an inside wall surface of the cup will be repellent to a hydrophilic treatment liquid such as cleaning fluid, e.g., pure water when the treatment liquid impinges thereon.
FIGS. 4-A and 4-B are schematic diagrams showing the schematic construction of substrate rotation type treatment apparatuses. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates a spin chuck that holds a substrate W in a horizontal posture. Numeral 2 designates a rotary shaft that supports the spin chuck 1 holding a substrate W to cause it to rotate about a vertical axis. Numeral 3 designates a cup that collects a treatment liquid. Numeral 4 designates a drain portion that discharges the treatment liquid, and recycles it. When the cups 3 is made of a hydrophilic material, as shown in FIG. 4-B, a hydrophilic treatment liquid having been diffused from the surface of a substrate W to the surroundings to impinge on the inside wall surface of the cup 3 spreads forming a thin film on the inside wall surface to flow down to the bottom of the cup 3, and is discharged through the drain portion 4. In contrast, when the cup 3 is made of a water-repellent material, as shown in FIG. 4-A, a treatment liquid having been diffused from the surface of a substrate W to the surroundings to impinge on the inside wall surface of the cup 3 is splashed on the inside wall surface, and a part of it will adhere to the surface of a substrate W again. At this time, a problem arises in that when a treatment liquid such as used cleaning fluid contains impurities, the impurities in the treatment liquid becomes particles to be contamination-causing substances of a substrate W. Moreover, a further problem arises in that when a treatment liquid adheres to the inside wall surface of the cup 3 to be dried, and treatment liquid constituents are accumulated during the treatment of a number of substrates, the accumulated constituents become particles to adhere to the surface of a substrate W along with the treatment liquid having been splashed on the inside wall surface to be contamination-causing substances.
To overcome this problem, it has been carried out that a cup made of a water-repellent material is made hydrophilic. Several methods of making hydrophilic include, for example, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 258249/1998, a method that material properties itself is improved to be hydrophilic by mixing a substance for making hydrophilic into resin material at the time of making a cup of a plastic material by molding, or another method that the inside wall surface of a cup is made hydrophilic by a hydrophilic material being deposited on the inside wall surface of a cup forming a thin film.
However, in a cup which material properties itself is improved to be hydrophilic by mixing a substance into resin material, a problem still exists in that the mixed substances will be eluted in the use of a long time period to become contamination-causing substances of a substrate. Moreover, in a cup on the inside wall surface of which a hydrophilic material is deposited forming a thin film, a problem exists in that the thin film of hydrophilic material comes off from the inside wall surface in the use of a long time period to become contamination-causing substances of a substrate.

Substrate rotation type treatment apparatus


An apparatus and method for providing a resource allocation of a Base Station (BS) in a mobile communication system includes, when a Mobile Station (MS) is located in a cell boundary region, locating a transmission frame region for the MS in a duty cycle reduction region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for improving transmission efficiency by reducing an influence of other-cell interference in such a manner that a frame region for duty cycle reduction in a conventional transmission frame region is partially allocated to a user by incorporating Zero Forcing (ZF) beamforming.
2. Description of the Related Art
A resource reuse scheme for dividing a system frequency band in a frequency domain or a time domain has conventionally been deployed to reduce inter-cell interference. In this scheme, resource allocation is achieved such that a resource used in each cell (or sector) is different from that used in its neighbor cell.
FIG. 1A illustrates a case where a conventional frequency reuse scheme is used when a reuse factor N is 1. As shown, a Base Station (BS) is located in a center of each cell where data transmission is achieved using the same frequency band.
FIG. 1B illustrates a case where the conventional frequency reuse scheme is used when the reuse factor N is 3. As shown, a BS is located in a center of each cell. By dividing the system frequency band into 3 bands, all BSs can be prevented from using the same frequency resource used in neighbor cells, thereby reducing interference.
The frequency (or time) reuse scheme allows the neighbor cells to use different resources. Thus, there is an advantage in that inter-cell interference can be reduced.
However, an increase in the reuse factor N results in a decrease in a cell throughput which leads to a decrease in a performance gain. This is because a system frequency bandwidth is limited, and an increase in the frequency reuse factor N results in a decrease in an amount of frequency resources that can be used in each cell. Further, since a required transmission amount varies from one user to another, resources may be insufficient or wasted. Therefore, when the frequency reuse factor N is 1, the system operates in a most ideal manner in terms of overall system efficiency, and a highest cell transmission throughput can be determined. However, since all cells use the same frequency-band resource in this case, there is a problem in that reception performance significantly deteriorates when a user is located in a cell boundary.

Apparatus and method for resource allocation in mobile communication system


A method of determining a location relevant to a user of a communication device is provided. The method involves determining general location information of the location relevant to the user and determining a list of location parameters from the general location information. Specific location of the communication device is also determined. The location relevant to the user is then determined by comparing the list of location parameters with the specific location information. Systems and programs for using the method are also provided.

The present invention relates generally to communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for determining a location relevant to a communication device or a location relevant to a user associated with a communication device.
Wireless telephones, pagers and other communication devices typically communicate via wireless telecommunications networks. In recent years, a number of service systems have been implemented or proposed for wireless telecommunications networks which would provide a given service based on the locations of the devices communicating via these networks. Such location-based service systems would provide a service in relation to a given location. For example, such a service could locate the nearest ATM, gas station, bank, police station, or restaurant, in relation to the location.
Generally, the location relevant to the service is the location of the communication device, or specifically the location of the wireless transceiver. This location may be determined using automatic position determination technology such as cell and sector identification and GPS. However, different position determination technologies provide different levels of location accuracy.
For example, cell and sector identification locates a wireless transceiver to a general area such as that covered by a single base station. Moreover, cell and sector identification-based positioning is inadequate to accurately identify one specific location. Meanwhile, GPS can accurately locate a wireless transceiver in open, unobstructed environments. However, GPS presents technological challenges to identifying a location in an obstructed environment such as a city.
A location may also be determined using information input by the user. However, user-specified location may be inefficient. If the information is input as speech (e.g. a location spoken into a cellular phone), the location may be difficult to recognize, primarily due to constraints in speech recognition technology.
It would be desirable therefore, to provide an improved method for determining a location.

System and method for determining a location relevant to a communication device and/or its associated user


A method of manufacturing an electromagnetic wave shielding material using a perforated metal thin plate, the method including: forming a gel coat to a mold; forming a first metal layer on a first composite layer by arranging a perforated metal thin plate, after forming the first composite layer on the gel coat layer formed in the first step; forming a second metal layer by arranging a perforated metal thin plate and the first metal layer formed in the second step in such a way that positions of perforations are arranged in a staggered manner without overlapping, after forming a second composite layer on the first metal layer formed in the second step; and molding the electromagnetic wave shielding material by curing and demolding after forming a third composite material on the second metal layer formed in the third step.

Recently, due to developments according to characteristics such as convenience, high-quality, lightweight, slimness, and hybridization, a large number of electronic components have been adopted for various electronic devices installed in airplanes, automobiles, and ships. However, since a large amount of harmful electromagnetic waves is emitted from these devices, malfunction of various electronic devices and occurrence of safety accidents are emerging as social issues. In order to block electromagnetic waves, composite materials having new functionality that block electromagnetic waves by adding materials such as carbon, metal, ceramic, and the like to lightweight polymer composite materials are being studied.
As a conventional technique related to this, Korean Patent No. 10-0943721 (Feb. 26, 2010) relates to a concrete member of a new structure which may be manufactured inexpensively and easily while exhibiting excellent electromagnetic wave shielding performance, wherein a metal thin plate such as an aluminum thin plate or the like is disposed in a state, which the metal thin plate is laminated to a concrete member. However, a subject of the electromagnetic wave shielding for the above-described technology is a concrete member, which is different from an electronic device, which is a subject for the present invention. Therefore, the above-described technology has a problem of being incapable of being applied to the electronic device.
Disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0460297 (Nov. 26, 2004) is an electromagnetic wave shielding material using a metal foil ribbon having a high specific permeability. The metal foil ribbon having a high specific permeability includes a metal foil ribbon having a thickness of 1-900 μm, and a width 1-90 mm and further includes an adhesive layer formed on at least one surface of the metal foil ribbon, wherein the metal foil ribbon is metal or an alloy having a specific permeability of 1,000 or more.
In addition, in Korean Patent No. 10-0376960 (Mar. 8, 2003), a method of forming a functional film for electromagnetic wave shielding on a plastic substrate is disclosed. After forming a multilayer plating film on the surface of the plastic substrate, a multilayer film composed of a single film of each material or a combination of these single films is formed on the multilayer plating film by vapor deposition using a sputtering target made of at least one selected from nickel, chromium, and alloy of nickel and chromium, through a magnetron sputtering method, to improve the adhesion between a gold (Au) film, which will be formed lastly for shielding electromagnetic wave, and the plating film.
Further, in Korean Patent No. 10-0707382 (Apr. 6, 2007), a manufacturing technique of an electromagnetic wave absorber for manufacturing a flexible electromagnetic wave absorber is disclosed. First, a blending ratio of an electromagnetic wave absorption blocking material composition composed of a ferrite powder, which is an oxide magnetic material, in comparison with a blending ratio of a synthetic resin composition, with respect to the total composition of the electromagnetic wave absorber is 80 to 90 w % or more to constitute a liquid electromagnetic wave absorber. The liquid electromagnetic wave absorber is coated on the surface of a thin heat-resistant film to have a thickness of about zero. 01-0.5 mm by using an application roller, and then cured by passing through a drying oven prior to removing the heat-resistant film, whereby a flexible electromagnetic wave absorber having a thin film shape is manufactured.
However, since the electromagnetic wave shielding material of the conventional art as described above is difficult not only to manufacture with a lightweight of a super thin film type but also to attain the same efficiency of electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding as expected. Accordingly, it has a problem limiting wide use in various electronic and communication devices that become light, thin, short, and small and are integrated.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop technology for electromagnetic wave shielding materials to solve these problems.

Electromagnetic wave shielding material using perforated metal thin plate and method of manufacturing same


A wave pool having a deep end and a shallow end with a plurality of wave generators along the deep end that are extended along a curved stagger line positioned at an oblique angle relative to the moving waves. The wave generators are preferably extended in a substantially staggered manner relative to the travel direction of the waves. A pair of dividing walls is preferably provided in front of each generator, wherein the dividing walls are extended substantially forward with an outward fade angle of no more than about 20 degrees relative to each other. The wave generators are preferably operated in sequence, such that a plurality of wave segments is generated, and such that the wave segments travel forward and then merge together to form a substantially uniform resultant wave which travels forward and then breaks along the shallow end.

Becoming a good surfer requires a combination of natural ability, skill and practice and learning to make continual adjustments while standing on a longitudinally oriented surfboard as it skims forward across a wave, such that while the surfer leans and makes adjustments to carve out the proper path, he or she can remain balanced and be propelled forward at just the right velocity and angle. In this respect, surfing requires the surfer to keep the board in a constantly changing equilibrium state, while maintaining constant awareness of his or her position relative to the board, and the board's position relative to the wave, wherein the board and surfer are synchronized together while moving forward in various angles and directions, and performing maneuvers using gravity and the sloped surface of the moving wave.
Because of the need to synchronize these movements carefully, it is important that the wave the board travels on is of sufficient size, shape and quality to enable the surfer to generate enough speed and use the ramps, transitions, sections and hollow tubes that are created on the wave to perform various tricks and maneuvers thereon. Moreover, the wave surface that the board travels on, and cuts across, must be sufficiently smooth and free of turbulence and discontinuities, to allow the surfer to perform the desired maneuvers, wherein, if there are any irregularities in the wave's structure, such as ridges, angles, ripples, vortices, chops, etc., the wave will be difficult to maneuver across and stay balanced on. And based on the size of a standard surfboard, including its overall width, length and thickness, it is critical that the smooth portion of the wave be sufficiently large/wide enough such that the board can be fully supported by the wave structure, wherein, as the board skims and maneuvers across the wave, the surfer is then able to make the necessary adjustments to stay balanced and move forward while performing maneuvers of interest. If there is too much turbulence, for example, or if the smooth portion of the wave is not large/wide enough, the board can be diverted, or misdirected, which can force the surfer to have to make quick compensating adjustments, which can increase the chance that a wipe out can occur.
Due to the size of a standard surfboard, which is typically about 18 to 20 inches (40 cm to 50 cm) wide, and about 2 to 3 inches (5 cm-7 cm) thick, and about 70 to 120 inches (2 to 3 meters) long, as well as its shape, which can have a taper or curve to facilitate carving, it is desirable that the smooth portion of the wave be wide enough to support this width as well as the board's varied movements. For example, if there are large ripples, bumps or chops that are spaced apart every 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm) or so, then, as the board encounters these formations, the surfer will have to use a more conservative (minimal maneuver) stance, with knees bent (to act as shock absorbers), and make quick adjustments, to keep the board on its proper path and avoid a wipeout, as the surfer travels forward. Indeed, one of the significant drawbacks to surfing on a low quality wave is that the board itself can be undesirably diverted, such as, for example, when the tip of the board enters into a chop, in which case, the nose of the board can dive into the water, which, in surf speak, is known as 'pearling', and will most often result in a wipe out.
In the past, because there are only a few places in the world where quality surfable waves are created naturally, it has been necessary for surfers to travel great distances to surf. And oftentimes, moments when ideal weather conditions exist can be relatively rare, thereby making it difficult for surfers to pursue their sport and catch a great wave. And given the lack of available resources most surfers have, greater emphasis has been placed on creating man-made waves using wave pools.
Wave pools are man-made bodies of water in which waves are created to simulate waves in an ocean. A wave pool typically has a wave generating device at one end and an artificial sloped "beach" located at the other end, wherein the wave generating device creates disturbances in the water that produce waves such as periodic waves that travel from one end to the other. The floor of the shoreline is preferably sloped upward so that as the waves approach, the floor causes the waves to change shape and "break" onto the beach.
One of the shortcomings of traditional wave pools is that they are typically large and therefore require significant land and therefore are relatively expensive to build. Also, to produce large surfable waves, not only does the pool have to be large, but the wave generators themselves have to be bigger and more powerful to push more water to create the desired surfable waves. Some wave pools have been built with multiple wave generators positioned side by side along the deep end, which are capable of being activated at the same time to produce a single wave that travels from the deep end to the shallow end. Typically, in such case, each wave generator is activated at the same time to simultaneously create a single resultant wave that progresses across the pool and breaks.
In Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,145, a wave generating facility having an angled reef for producing plunging type waves is shown, wherein multiple wave generators are provided at an oblique angle along the offshore side of the reef to generate multiple waves in sequence, wherein the waves are said merge together to form a single wave that peels laterally along the reef. In Cohen, the wave generators are staggered and positioned at an oblique angle relative to the front or crest of the moving waves, and likewise, the reef is extended along the same oblique angle, such that, as the waves progress, they will peel and break laterally across the reef.
One deficiency of Cohen, however, is that the wave generators are situated in open water with no provisions being made for how the wave segments will form and merge together to form a single resultant wave. Because the wave generators face the open water, and the multiple wave segments that they produce have to merge together in the open pool, natural forces and disturbances can occur along the convergence zones, including undesirable eddies and flow sheers, which can prohibit the formation of a smooth surfable wave. What Cohen fails to take into account is that when these wave segments converge and disturbances occur, these motions will negatively impact the near-term formation of an ensuing wave, wherein any wave that follows (such as within an approximate 45 second time frame) will encounter considerable instabilities, e.g., ripples, chops and vortices, etc., that are unstable and therefore unsuitable for surfing. Furthermore, the energy consumed by generating such disturbances can reduce the overall size, height and amplitude of the desired waves.
In Leigh, U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,724, a method and apparatus for generating artificial waves in a body of water is shown, wherein multiple wave generators for producing individual waves that merge together are shown. According to Leigh, each wave generator is provided with a pair of angled walls extending forward, to cause the waves to elongate as they travel forward, so that once the waves merge together, they create a single resultant wave with an elongated front that is longer than the width of the wave generators combined. By substantially angling the walls in front of each wave generator, the waves will necessarily spread and elongate as they travel forward, which, according to Leigh, allows for the waves that are created to be substantially elongated, thus making it possible to create longer waves using fewer and shorter wave generators, which according to Leigh, "drastically" reduces the "cost, complexity, and power requirements" of the facility. According to Leigh, the objective achieved is that by angling the walls outward to what appears to be 60 to 70 degrees, fewer wave generators are needed to create the same length of wave along the beach.
One serious disadvantage of Leigh, however, is that because the walls are angled to such a degree, the waves will spread out and elongate unduly, creating a significant lateral or down-the-line velocity component (i.e., in a direction down-the-line along the wave crest) as each wave travels forward, wherein the waves will eventually arc radially outward and collide against each other with force, rather than merge together smoothly to form a uniform resultant wave. That is, as the waves travel forward, not only will they travel in a substantial arc motion, i.e., radially outward, but they will also widen and elongate as they follow along the angle of the walls, wherein a lateral down-line velocity vector will be created such that when adjacent waves converge together, they will inevitably collide against each other with significant force and effect, which can create additional turbulence that can prevent the formation of smooth surfable waves.
Likewise, the elongation of the waves created by Leigh will, by virtue of the principles of energy conservation, cause the waves to drop significantly in height/amplitude as they travel forward. That is, by virtue of the waves elongating, the energy of the wave will have to be spread out along a greater distance, which necessarily decreases the height of the waves. Also, the extra turbulence and disturbance caused by the waves interfering with and colliding against each other will cause the waves to redirect energy, thereby further contributing to a reduction in wave height and amplitude. Accordingly, not only will the height/amplitude of the waves be reduced over time, but additional energy will be required to create the same size resultant wave.
For the above reasons, a need exists to design and build a wave pool using a plurality of wave generators positioned side by side along the deep end thereof to produce wave segments that merge together properly as they travel forward to create a single wave that is sufficiently smooth for surfing, and that overcomes the deficiencies of previous wave pool designs, before they peel and break along the shore.

Method for producing waves for surfing using staggered wave generators extended along a curved stagger line


Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for modifying queries and rules for profile fetching and risk calculation are provided herein. A method includes comparing at least one aspect of a query submitted to access a data store to rule sets associated with the data store to determine a potential access path within the data store for responding to the query, comparing information pertaining to an entity identified via the query to risk information pertaining to entities to determine a level of risk associated with the entity identified via the query, generating a modified version of the query based on information derived from the potential access path within the data store for responding to the query, and calculating a risk score associated with the modified version of the query based on the aspect of the query and the level of risk associated with the entity identified via the query.

In typical query submission environments, components such as analytical engines commonly maintain profiles of entities and relevant internal facts (such as, for example, a geographic location associated with a certain internet protocol (IP) address). However, fetching data in response to queries in such environments has become increasingly challenging due to the ever-increasing volume of data and a multitude of unique deployment aspects of systems implemented within such environments.
Existing approaches include using database (DB) tuning processes which cause a debate every time a new fact is added to the system. However, such approaches require re-tuning for every database type, and troubleshooting operations can become challenging as a developer may not know what query was actually run against a DB. Accordingly, a need exists for techniques to efficiently re-write user queries so as to render the queries targeted without limiting the amount of related (or potentially related) information returned upon execution of the queries.

Modifying queries and rules for profile fetching and risk calculation


An electronic component is disclosed having a first layer of metallically conductive material, a second layer of semiconductor material, and a third layer between the first and second layers. The third layer comprises a dielectric and at least inhibits charge carrier transport both from the first to the second layer and also from the second to the first layer. The dielectric comprises praseodymium oxide of the form Pr2O3 in predominantly single crystal phase, and the second layer comprises silicon with a (001)- or with a (111)-crystal orientation at an interface with the third-layer.

Electronic components of the above-specified kind are usually identified by the abbreviation MIS (metal insulator semiconductor) or, in their most common and most significant configuration, MOS (metal oxide semiconductor). There are known for example MOS diodes, MOS field effect transistors (MOSFET), scaled MOSFETs in which material parameters such as doping are adapted to reduce lateral dimensions of the component structure, modulation-doped MODFETs or DRAM structures.
It should be noted that the metallically conductive first layer of such components can be formed both by metals themselves and also by highly doped (degenerate) semiconductors. In both groups of materials charge transport is effected in the first layer in the electrical field by means of virtually free charge carriers.
It should further be emphasised that the term 'layer' used herein does not necessarily imply a surface extent which is large in comparison with the layer thickness, in (lateral) directions, perpendicularly to the sequence of layers. Subsequent structuring or suitable adjustment of the production parameters, for example in epitaxial production processes, make it possible to produce in electronic components structures whose lateral dimensions are of the order of magnitude of the layer thickness. Such structures are also referred to herein as a 'layer'.
The use of silicon oxide SiO2 as a dielectric in the third layer of electronic components of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification has encountered physical limits in the recent past. Thus the reduction in the structural dimensions in the case of CMOS (complementary MOS) field effect transistors requires a reduction in the thickness of the gate dielectric between the metallically conductive gate electrode and the doped semiconductor channel. For transistors with channel lengths between the source and the drain of less than 100 nm, when using SiO2 as the gate electrode, by virtue of the relatively low dielectric constant of 3.9, a dielectric layer thickness of less than 2 nm is required. That small layer thickness increases the probability of direct tunnelling of charge carriers and therefore causes markedly increased leakage currents between the gate electrode and the channel or drain, which can adversely affect the efficiency of the transistor.
To resolve the problem, it is known to use alternative materials which can replace silicon oxide as the dielectric. Materials of that kind have a higher dielectric constant than silicon oxide. Thus, having regard to scaling of the component, it is possible to achieve an increase in the gate-oxide capacitance without reducing the layer thickness to a critical range of values in which there is a great probability of direct tunnel processes. As is known the gate-oxide capacitance is proportional to the dielectric constant and anti-proportional to the thickness of the gate dielectric.
Known alternative dielectrics are metal oxides in a predominantly amorphous phase. U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,553, to Wallace, discloses the use of zirconium or hafnium oxynitride as the gate dielectric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,213 discloses the use of crystalline YScMnO3 as a gate dielectrode in memory components. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,810,923 and 5,828,080 disclose the use of an epitaxial ZrO2 layer or ZrYO2 layer as the gate dielectric. Those materials admittedly permit a reduction in the leakage current density in comparison with an SiO2 layer. Here the value of the leakage current density, with the same equivalent oxide layer thickness EOT serves as a comparative measurement. The equivalent oxide layer thickness EOT (Equivalent Oxide Thickness) of a dielectric is the product of the layer thickness d and the ratio of the dielectric constants of silicon oxide (KSiO2) and the dielectric (KD):
                    EOT        =                  d          ·                                    K              SiO2                                      K              D                                                          (        1        )
The values of the leakage current density of ZrO2 and HfO2 with a given value of EOT=1.4 nanometers, which are known from the publications by B H Lee et al, Techn. Dig IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 1999 (IEDM '99), pages 133 and W J Qi et al, Techn. Dig IEDM '99, pages 145, are admittedly reduced in relation to known values of SiO2 with a gate voltage of 1 V by a factor of up to about 10−4 to values of between about 10−3 and 10−4 A/cm2. However a further reduction in the leakage current density is desirable in order to be able to produce components involving a particularly high degree of scaling, that is to say particularly low dimensions in respect of the relevant component structures.
P Singh, B Baishya, phys stat sol (a) 104, 1987, 885–889 report about investigations into various rare earth oxides, including also predominantly amorphous praseodymium oxide Pr6O11 in terms of the suitability thereof for use as a gate dielectric in thin-film transistors consisting of II–VI semiconductors. The production of such thin-film transistors was effected by means of a 'multiple-pump-down' process by the vaporisation of solid starting materials under the action of an electron beam in a vacuum chamber. The components produced in that way were then subjected to a step of thermal curing in ambient air at 200° C. over between 3 and 4 hours. The components produced in that way, with a praseodymium oxide layer, are of low strength.
The object of the invention is to develop an electronic component of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, in such a way that it can be particularly highly scaled. Another object of the invention is to develop a process for the production of an electronic component, including a step of depositing a praseodymium oxide-bearing material layer from a gaseous atmosphere on a substrate, in such a way that particularly highly scaled components can be produced.

Electronic component having a praseodymium oxide layer and process for fabricating same

IHP GmbH-Innovations for High Performance Electronics


Provided is an address validating data structure used for validating addresses. A data structure comprising a plurality of arrays is buffered. Each array includes a plurality of words, wherein one word in each array indicates address words in the array having valid addresses. At least one mask word provides mask information for at least one address word having a valid address, wherein the mask information for one address word indicates bits in the address word. The data structure is used to validate an address received from a transmitting node.

Systems in a network environment communicate information in packets that encapsulate the information according to network communication protocols. Hosts using the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) to communicate messages over a network can communicate over an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) tunnel through a border router that encapsulates the IPv6 packets from the host within an IPv4 header as described in the publication "Transition Mechanisms for IPv6 Hosts and Routers", Request for Comments ("RFC") 2893 (Copyright 2000, The Internet Society). The border routers that transmit the packets over the IPv4 tunnel implement both the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. For security reasons, when a router receives a tunneled packet, the router validates the source address in the IPv4 header to determine whether the packet originated from a router having a valid and trusted source address. A single IPv4 interface at a router can have numerous configured tunnels and the source address can be one of many source addresses.
A network processor in routers implementing IPv4 and IPv6 tunneling maintains in memory lists of valid possible source addresses to use to validate the source address included with the IPv6 over IPv4 transmission. Once the source address in the IPv4 header is verified, the receiving router may forward the decapulsated IPv6 packet to the IPv6 network and destination host.

Address validating data structure used for validating addresses


A band that extends around a garment appendage, such as a sleeve or trouser leg. The band has a concealed position that hides a reflective tape and a deployed position where the reflective tape is visible. The band includes a strip that encircles and is attached to the garment appendage at a distance from the free end of the garment appendage. The reflective tape is bonded to the underside of the strip or to the garment appendage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothing, more particularly, to uniforms for personnel involved in law enforcement, emergency medicine, fire and safety service, general work service, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Uniforms, perhaps more than other clothing, require designs that emphasize a combination of function, comfort and style. Often in the past, these attributes have been in conflict. For example, for tactical reasons, police uniforms are dark in color. However, police personnel are often outside when it is dark and need to be seen, particularly when on or near a road, such as when dealing with a nighttime automobile crash. Consequently, solutions have been proposed for concealable reflective panels incorporated into uniforms. One solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,804. The reflective panels are attached inside the garment at the ends of the sleeves and legs. Displaying the reflective panels is a matter of folding the garment end up. One shortcoming of this method are that the sleeve and/or leg is shortened by a significant amount when folded up. Another shortcoming is that the sleeve/leg must be hemmed when the garment is manufactured, it cannot be customized for the wearer. Another solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,154. The reflective panels are attached on flaps inside pockets. Displaying the reflective panels is a matter of pulling the panels out of the pockets. One shortcoming of this method is that the uniform needs pockets where the panels are needed. Another shortcoming is that at least four panels are needed for 360° coverage about the wearer.

Concealable/deployable reflective band for garments


A hydraulic pressure actuator having an inner tube and a mesh sleeve covering the outer periphery of the inner tube and longitudinally extendable by pressure fluid fed into the inner tube, wherein a low friction body formed in an elastic cylindrical body by knitting fine fibers in a circumferential direction without a seam is disposed between the inner tube and the mesh sleeve, and the low friction body contributes to an increase in the life of the hydraulic pressure actuator repeatedly performing extension/retraction motions. The hydraulic pressure actuator is used as an actuator for driving a CPM device which supports the extremity of a human body by ay least one of a plurality of members combined with each other and performs the rehabilitation of the joints of a handicapped by operating the member.

As a fluid pressure actuator, there has been known the one obtained by covering the outer periphery of a rubber tube (inner tube) with a mesh-like covering material (mesh sleeve) made of a resin without expanding/contracting property. The diameter of the mesh sleeve increases when the inner tube is expanded by feeding the air into the inner tube of the fluid pressure actuator. An increase in the diameter of the mesh sleeve is converted into a decrease in the length of the actuator since the material of the mesh sleeve has no expanding/contracting property. A contracting force (driving force) is obtained accompanying the decrease in the length of the actuator.
The fluid pressure actuator constituted chiefly by the elements of the mesh sleeve made of a resin and the inner tube made of rubber has a feature in that it is much lighter than the air cylinder equipped with a metallic cylinder and a rod. It is, therefore, expected that the fluid pressure actuator can be applied in a wide field of technology where the above-mentioned feature is required.
As the use of the fluid pressure actuator, there can be exemplified an artificial muscle or rehabilitation equipment for physically handicapped persons. Among them, the rehabilitation equipment for the physically handicapped persons may be the ones for the joints of the upper and lower limbs that have withered after the therapy for extended periods of time.
The conventional rehabilitation equipment for the joints, for example, the rehabilitation equipment disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2000-051297 is using an actuator such as a motor. However, since the motor is incorporated as a drive source in the equipment, the rehabilitation equipment becomes bulky and heavy. This involves a problem from such a standpoint that the handicapped person must carry and operate the rehabilitation equipment. It has, therefore, been desired to apply an air pressure actuator to the rehabilitation equipment for the physically handicapped persons.
As a result of experiment conducted by the present inventors, however, it was learned that when the above conventional fluid pressure actuator is repetitively expanded and contracted, for example, several hundreds of times, the inner tube expanded by the fluid (air) that is supplied partly swells through the mesh of the mesh sleeve often causing the inner tube to be damaged. Further, when the above fluid pressure actuator is repetitively used, the inner tube is often damaged or the mesh-like fiber of the mesh sleeve is broken.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,603 (hereinafter referred to as prior art document 1) and JP-A-61-236905 (hereinafter referred to as prior art document 2) are disclosing technical ideas for preventing the breakage of the fluid pressure actuator and for elongating the service life thereof. In order to decrease the friction between the inner tube and the mesh sleeve in the fluid pressure actuator, the prior art literature 1 discloses an art for forming a mesh sleeve by burying a mesh-like covering material in a layer of a soft material having expanding property and by providing a perforated friction-lowering layer between the inner tube and the laminar mesh sleeve. The above prior document discloses that the friction-lowering layer decreases the resistance at the time of expansion produced by the friction between the tube and the laminar mesh sleeve.
According to the fluid pressure actuator disclosed in the above prior document, however, the mesh sleeve must be produced by burying the mesh-like material in the layer of the soft material and, besides, the inner tube must be covered with a perforated friction-lowering layer leaving problems that must be solved, such as complex structure and increased cost.
The prior art document 2 is disclosing the art in which the mesh sleeve is covered with a rubbery elastic covering member which is introduced into gaps of mesh of the mesh sleeve.
According to the art disclosed in the above prior art document 2, however, a parting agent is simply applied between the mesh sleeve constituted as described above and the inner tube. It is therefore presumed that the inner tube is broken within short periods of time due to the friction between the inner tube and the mesh sleeve leaving a problem that must be solved, i.e., extend the service life of the fluid pressure actuator.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure actuator which is simple in the structure and has a long operation life.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a CPM device using the fluid pressure actuator of the present invention, i.e., to provide a CPM device for rehabilitation for the physically handicapped persons suffering from acquired disorder in the limbs or in some of the limbs.

Hydraulic pressure actuator and continuous manual athletic device using the same