Described herein is a technology facilitating the operation of non-native program modules within a native computing platform. This technology provides a mechanism for aligning—as necessary—parameters of data structures so that program modules or operating systems of different paradigms may use them. The data of parameters of data structures is aligned to match the native paradigm. Typically, such data structures are shared by non-native program modules and the native operating system (or other program modules). It is aligned so that data—that would otherwise be non-aligned and performance hindering—is quickly and easily accessible by the native platform. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Applications designed to run on a specific computing platform do not operate on different computing platforms. Generally, software is inextricably linked to the specific computing platform for which it is designed to operate. For example, software written and compiled to operate within minicomputer running a specific implementation of the Unix operating system will not function within a hand-held computer using a proprietary operating system.
A computing platform typically includes an operating system (OS) and computing hardware architecture. Examples of OSs include these Microsoft® operating systems: MS-DOS®, Windows® XP, Windows® 2000, Windows NT® 4.0, Windows® ME, Windows® 98, and Windows® 95. Examples of computing hardware architecture include those associated with these Intel® microprocessors: 80286, Pentium®, Pentium® II, Pentium® III, and Itanium™.
Examples of computing platforms includes 16-bit platforms (such as Microsoft® MS-DOS® and Intel® 80286), 32-bit platforms (such as Microsoft® Windows® NT® and Intel® Pentium® II), and 64-bit platforms (such as Intel® Itanium™ and, for example, Windows® XP 64-bit Edition). A computing platform may also be called a platform, computing environment, or environment.
Specific versions of applications are designed to operate under a specific platform. These applications may be called "native" when they execute under their specific platform. For example, Microsoft® Office 2000 is an application designed to operate on a 32-bit platform. In other words, Microsoft® Office® 2000 is a native application relative to its 32-bit platform. However, these 32-bit applications may be called "non-native" when they execute under a different platform, such as a 64-bit platform.
An example of a program-module target platform (or simply "target platform") is the platform that an executable program (e.g., program module, application, program) was targeted to run. For a program module, its target platform is also its native platform. For example, if one builds a Microsoft® Office® application to run under Windows® 2000 32-bit X86 OS environment then for that image target platform would be 32-bit x86.
An application program is the primary example of a "program module" as the term is used herein. However, the term "program module" includes other executable software that may not be labeled an application.
Typical Computer Architecture
Typical computer architecture is multi-layered. From the bottom up, it includes the hardware layer, the operating system (OS) layer, and the application layer. Alternatively, these layers may be described as the hardware layer, the kernel mode layer, and the user mode layer.
FIG. 1 illustrates the layers of typical computer architecture 100. The top of the architecture is the user mode 110. It includes applications, such as applications 112a–e. These applications communicate with a set of APIs 120. Typically, this API set is considered part of the OS, and thus, part of the computing platform.
The next layer of the architecture is the kernel mode 130. This may be generally called the "kernel" of the OS. Since it is part of the OS, it is part of the computing platform.
A kernel of an OS is the privileged part of the OS—the most trusted part of the OS. It is an inner layer of code. It typically operates I/O 132, security 134, display control (i.e., access to the screen) 136, memory management 138, and other privileged functions 139. The kernel has sole access to the hardware in the hardware layer 150 via device drivers 142 and other hardware interfaces 144.
Kernel APIs 140 are those APIs within the kernel that arbitrate access to the kernel functions. The applications typically do not call the kernel directly. Instead, the applications call the APIs 120 and the APIs, in turn, may call the kernel (in particular the kernel APIs 140).
Although FIG. 1 does not show the components 132–144 of the kernel 130 with connections between them, these components are connected as is necessary. The coupling lines are omitted from the drawing for the sake of simplicity and clarity.
Below the kernel mode 130, there is the hardware layer 150. This layer includes all of the hardware of the actual computer. This includes the processor(s), memory, disk I/O, other I/O, etc. The platform also includes the hardware layer.
Therefore, a computing platform includes the hardware layer, the kernel layer, and typically the user-mode APIs 120.
Interoperability and Compatibility
Application compatibility has long been a major concern since computing platforms began evolving. People want to run their desired applications in their chosen platform in the ideal world. However, in the real world, it is difficult to impossible to run an application on a different host platform for which it was not designed. For example, a 32-bit x86 application cannot run on 64-bit Itanium (IA64) environment. The problem worsens when people buy a more powerful machine with a different platform than they have used previously. Immediately, all the applications from the old platform become useless.
Each platform has its corresponding body of native applications that are a designed to run under it. When a new generation of platform is released, software developers generally upgrade their products to run under the new generation platform. Software developers do this for many reasons, including marketing, technology, and economics.
For similar reasons, OS developers like their products to be backwards compatible. In this way, older generations of applications may run on the latest generation of the OS (and thus the latest generation of platform). In other words, if non-native applications can run under a native platform (including the new OS), users are encouraged to purchase the new OS because they are not forced to discard their current applications and purchase new versions. This also gives software developers time to develop upgrades to their applications.
Herein, an example of compatibility is a non-native program module functioning appropriately and peacefully co-existing with native program modules within a native computing environment (e.g., an OS).
As used herein, an example of interoperability is the ability of both native and non-native program modules to share resources (such as access data within each other's memory space or a shared memory space) and/or work together and cooperatively.
For the sake of clarity and simplicity, an example is used herein to illustrate the problem of incompatibility of non-native applications and non-interoperability between native and non-native applications. In this example, the non-native program modules are called 32-bit applications because they are designed to operate on a 32-bit platform. In this example, the native applications are called 64-bit applications because they are designed to operate on the native platform, which is 64-bit. This is provided as one example and not for limitation. Those of ordinary skill in the art understand and appreciate that there exists other combinations of native and non-native applications and native platforms.
Running Non-Native Applications on a Native Platform
Consider this: Running non-native applications on a native platform. More specifically, consider this example: Running 32-bit applications in a 64-bit environment. Assume, for this example, that the 64-bit platform is an upgrade to an existing popular 32-bit platform (on which the 32-bit applications are designed to run).
In computer architecture, the numbered-bit platform (e.g., 32-bit platform) typically refers to the word size of addressable memory of a platform. Typically, a word is a unit of data that is moved in a single operation from storage to a processor register. In the most familiar architectures of the past few decades, a word has been four bytes in length, or 32 bits. Both IBM's mainframe processors and Intel's processors, used in standard PCs, have used a 32-bit word. Recent processor architectures from Intel and others provide for a 64-bit word.
One advantage of a 64-bit platform over a 32-bit platform is that the much larger memory space can be addressed. Primarily, this is because an address to memory may be 64-bits long in the 64-bit platform as opposed to the typical 32-bit long address of the 32-bit platform.
Alignment of Data
Alignment is putting data into the computer memory at addresses that are more efficient for the platform to access. Typically, this is done by storing data at word boundaries of memory. This may be done at the price of wasting some memory when the data being stored is less than a word in size. However, the benefit of alignment is speed. Alignment of data stored in memory speeds memory access of such data because the computer platform is utilized most efficiently.
For example, a modern RISC platform reads from memory in multi-byte chunks, usually 4 or 8 bytes long, these chunks must begin at addresses that are multiples of the chunk size. Memory accesses to misaligned addresses are emulated by multiple aligned accesses and is much slower, or may generate bus errors and abort the program. Other platforms can handle misaligned (i.e., byte aligned) memory accesses more gracefully, but it degrades performance.
Those of ordinary skill in the art of familiar with the alignment of data and the costs and benefits of doing so.
Memory Shared by Native and Non-Native
One problem with interoperability and compatibility is managing memory shared between non-native (e.g., 32-bit) applications and native (e.g., 64-bit) applications. Another is managing memory shared between non-native (e.g., 32-bit) applications and the native (e.g., 64-bit) operating system.
This is particularly true when the memory address alignment differs between native and non-native. For example, all data is aligned in memory on four (4) byte increments in a 32-bit environment and all data is aligned on eight (8) byte increments. In such a situation, it is possible for data of a non-native application to be stored in a manner that is not aligned for the purposes of the native environment.
FIG. 2 illustrates this point. Memory blocks 210 represent a memory structure based upon a 32-bit word addressing scheme. The bold vertical lines indicate the word boundaries. 64-bits of data, labeled "A1" through "A8", is stored in two word-sized memory locations 212 and 214. 32-bits of data, labeled "B1" through "A4", is stored in a single word-sized memory location 216.
In FIG. 2, memory blocks 230 and 250 represent a memory structure based upon a 64-bit word addressing scheme. Again, the bold vertical lines indicate the word boundaries.
When the A1–A8 data and B1–B4 data of blocks 210 is converted for use by a 64-bit memory addressing scheme, it may stored and addressed in the manner depicted in by memory blocks 230. More specifically, this manner is un-aligned. However, the same data is stored in an aligned fashion in memory blocks 250.
Thus, when faced with the decision on whether to align data, one option to ignore the issue and allow the hardware to compensate for it. As described above and illustrated by memory blocks 230 of FIG. 2, the hardware may compensate by accessing overlapping data from more than one contiguous memory address locations. The cost of this approach is the extra time required to access data from memory. This approach is feasible only if the lost time (of multiple accesses) is tolerable.
What if the time wasted by compensating for data non-alignment within memory becomes intolerable?
Another issue is whether it is always necessary to force an alignment. Sometimes alignments happen naturally.

Data alignment between native and non-native shared data structures


A transmit drive circuit with high signal to noise and frequency agility. In one embodiment, a transmit circuit includes a digital to analog converter, an amplifier, and a signal to noise enhancer, the signal to noise enhancer being a nonlinear passive device that attenuates low-power signals while transmitting high power signals with little loss. The signal to noise enhancer may be fabricated as a thin film of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) epitaxially grown on a gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrate, the GGG substrate secured to a microwave transmission line from the input to the output of the signal to noise enhancer, such that the thin film of yttrium iron garnet is close to the transmission line.

1. Field
One or more aspects of embodiments according to the present invention relate to transmitting circuits, and more particularly to a system for transmitting a signal with reduced noise.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems transmitting radio frequency (RF) or microwave signals are on occasion deployed near each other with carrier frequencies that are offset by small frequency differences. In such systems it may be desirable to reduce interference that otherwise may be caused by noise in amplifiers or digital to analog converters propagating through the transmit chain. Such interference may degrade the signal to noise ratio in a system receiving one of the modulated carriers, or, if it is of sufficiently large magnitude, drive the receive system into compression.
Thus, there is a need for a system for reducing the noise at frequencies near a carrier in a transmission system.


An actuator including a jack having first and second pistons engaging a control rod, particularly for rotating the shaft of a fraction-of-a-turn plumbing device. The actuator can also include energy storage cartridges and/or damping members placed between the pistons. The energy storage cartridges can engage the first piston on one side and the second piston on the opposite side.

Actuators of the type comprising a single-action jack with springs for returning to a preferred position should the supply to the working chamber cease are already known. The energy accumulating in the springs which are compressed under the supply pressure should be sufficient to perform this movement of the pistons and rotate the control spindle.
Usually, the springs bear against the pistons at one end and against the cylinder heads or a fixed part, at the other. If shock absorbers are provided, they are arranged in the same way. In the preferred position, the pistons are located closest to one another. Between the pistons is the working chamber. The supply of pressurised fluid to the working chamber moves the pistons apart counter the force of the springs, thereby compressing them. In the event of an interruption to the main supply causing a drop in pressure in the working chamber, the energy accumulated in the springs pushes the pistons back towards the preferred position.
Owing to the fact that the compression of the springs takes place between the pistons and the cylinder heads of the fixed jack, the entire arrangement is relatively bulky. In order to fix the cylinder heads to the bodies of the jack, very long screws are needed. Moreover, as the springs bear on a fixed component at one end and on a movable component at the other, only some of the energy is recovered.
The aim of the invention is to improve the construction of an actuator of the type comprising a jack.


Apparatuses and methods for cogeneration ducting applications in which at least a desired effective flow stream control is maintained for stable combustion. A flow stream is directed through a flow control system to achieve the desired effective uniform flow rate and composition.

The power generation research and development community faces an important challenge in the years to come: to produce increased amounts of energy under the more and more stringent constraints of increased efficiency and reduced pollution. The increasing costs associated with fuel in recent years further emphasize this mandate.
Gas turbines offer significant advantages for power generation because they are compact, lightweight, reliable, and efficient. They are capable of rapid startup, follow transient loading well, and can be operated remotely or left unattended. Gas turbines have a long service life, long service intervals, and low maintenance costs. Cooling fluids are not usually required. These advantages result in the widespread selection of gas turbine engines for power generation. A basic gas turbine assembly includes a compressor to draw in and compress a working gas (usually air), a combustor where a fuel (i.e., methane, propane, or natural gas) is mixed with the compressed air and then the mixture is combusted to add energy thereto, and a turbine to extract mechanical power from the combustion products. The turbine is coupled to a generator for converting the mechanical power generated by the turbine to electricity.
A characteristic of gas-turbine engines is the incentive to operate at as high a turbine inlet temperature as prevailing technology will allow. This incentive comes from the direct benefit to both specific output power and cycle efficiency. Associated with the high inlet temperature is a high exhaust temperature which, if not utilized, represents waste heat dissipated to the atmosphere. Systems to capture this high-temperature waste heat are prevalent in industrial applications of the gas turbine.
Examples of such systems are cogeneration systems and combined cycle systems. In both systems, one or more heat exchangers are placed in the main exhaust duct of the turbine to transfer heat to feed-water circulating through the exchangers to transform the feed-water into steam. In the combined cycle system, the steam is used to produce additional power using a steam turbine. In the cogeneration system, the steam is transported and used as a source of energy for other applications (usually referred to as process steam).
A prior art cogeneration system typically includes a gas turbine engine, a generator, and a heat recovery steam generator. As discussed earlier, the gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a combustor (with a fuel supply), and a turbine. A compressor operates by transferring momentum to air via a high speed rotor. The pressure of the air is increased by the change in magnitude and radius of the velocity components of the air as it passes through the rotor. Thermodynamically speaking, the compressor transfers mechanical power supplied by rotating a shaft coupled to the rotor to the air by increasing the pressure and temperature of the air. A combustor operates by mixing fuel with the compressed air, igniting the fuel/air mixture and achieving a stabilized flame with burners with burners to add primarily heat energy thereto. A turbine operates in an essentially opposite manner relative to the compressor. The turbine expands the hot and pressurized combustion products through a bladed rotor coupled to a shaft, thereby extracting mechanical energy from the combustion products. The combusted products are exhausted into a duct. Feed-water is pumped through the steam generator located in the duct where it is evaporated into steam. It is through this process that useful energy is harvested from the turbine exhaust gas. The turbine exhaust gas is expelled into the atmosphere at a stack.
A uniform flow to the burners is important for a desired flame and a low emission level. Flow from the turbine usually possesses strong swirls and non-uniform velocities. Accordingly, elimination of the swirls and better distribution of the flow in the duct is needed. To this end, it is common in cogeneration plants to use flow distributors such as baffles and vanes in the duct. However, the shape of the flow distributors may not be optimized to regulate pressure drop which may be a detriment to the gas turbine's efficiency to maximize combustion and steam generation.
Due to deregulation of the energy market and volatility in energy prices, many cogeneration operators prefer to have the option of shutting down the turbine assembly while retaining the steam generation capability of the cogeneration system (known as fresh air mode operation). To enable operation of this fresh air mode, a furnace is disposed in the main exhaust duct. The furnace provides an alternate source of hot gas for steam generation. Fresh air is fed into the duct and then heated in the furnace as a substitute for gas turbine exhaust gas. In many practices, the fresh air is injected into the main exhaust duct through openings on the top, bottom or sides of the duct wall. Injection of fresh air through multiple openings creates flow stream variations. Thus, maintaining a uniform profile upstream of the furnace burners is problematic. Steam generation may be maximized by encouraging the fresh air flow to have a uniform profile prior to burner contact. Consequently, flow distributors are usually needed to direct the fresh air flow and a damper is usually needed to control the duct passage between the fresh air injection port and the gas turbine.
Therefore, there is a need for a flow control system to encourage uniform flow stream distribution that may be used with a cogeneration system. There is a further need for an apparatus and a method that may be used to increase steam generation efficiency by encouraging uniform flow stream distribution within the main exhaust duct of a cogeneration system.

Flexible flow control device for cogeneration ducting applications


The alloy fine particles of the present invention are fine particles of a solid solution alloy, in which a plurality of metal elements are mixed at the atomic level. The production method of the present invention is a method for producing alloy fine particles composed of a plurality of metal elements. This production method includes the steps of: (i) preparing a solution containing ions of the plurality of metal elements and a liquid containing a reducing agent; and (ii) mixing the solution with the liquid that has been heated.

Alloys exhibit different properties from those of individual constituent metal elements. Therefore, newly developed alloys are expected to have properties (for example, catalytic properties) that conventional metals do not have. On the other hand, metal fine particles are expected to have a variety of applications for reasons such as their large specific areas and possibly different properties and structures from those of bulk metals. For these reasons, various alloy fine particles have been studied. For example, a method for producing alloy particles containing silver and rhodium is disclosed (see Non Patent Literature 1).

Fine solid solution alloy particles and method for producing same


The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser diode comprising a GaAs substrate and at least a first conduction-type clad layer, an active layer containing In, Ga and As as component elements, a second conduction-type first clad layer, a current block layer and a second conduction-type second clad layer which are deposited on the substrate in order, wherein a current injection region is formed by said current block layer and said second conduction-type second clad layer, the effective refractive index step .DELTA.n.sub.eff in the horizontal direction is from 2.5.times.10.sup.-3 to 5.0.times.10.sup.-3 at the emission wavelength, and the width W of the current injection region is from 1.5 to 2.5 .mu.m. The semiconductor laser diode of the present invention is suited for uses where high output and long life-time are required, such as excitation light source for optical fiber amplifiers.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser diode, and more particularly, relates to a semiconductor laser diode suited for uses where high power output and long life-time are required, such as excitation light source for optical fiber amplifiers.
Development of optical information-processing techniques and optical communication techniques in recent years is remarkable. It is to a fact, for instance, the realization of many advanced technical achievements such as high-density storage system by a magnet-optical disc and bidirectional communication by optical fiber networks. Especially in the field of communication, many studies are being made on large-capacity optical fiber transmission lines which can genuinely cope with the coming age of multimedia communication and rare earth (such as Er.sup.3+, etc.)-doped optical fiber amplifiers (EDFA) for amplification of signals having flexibility for such transmission system. As a matter of course, development of a high power output and long life-time semiconductor laser diode, which is an essential component of EDFA, is looked forward.
There exist, in principle, three different emission wavelengths of a semiconductor laser diode applicable to EDFA, that is, 800 nm, 980 nm and 1,480 nm.
It is known that, when viewed from the standpoint of the amplifier itself, excitation at 980 nm is desirable in consideration of gain, noise figure and other factors. Since the important key point of the laser having this wavelength of 980 nm is coupling efficiency to the optical fibers, it is desired that the laser output especially its transverse mode should be stable even if laser diode has changing of current injection, temperature, reflection from the fiber. Further, being used as an excitation light source, this laser diode is required to realize high output and long life-time.
There is a request for application of this laser as SHG light source in this range of wavelength, and thus development of a high-performance laser for use in the above-mentioned and various other fields of application has been desired.
However, the hitherto reported semiconductor laser diodes having a wavelength around 980 nm, especially diodes having a structure designed for coupling to an optical system have involved the following problem. In the high-output region, for example, in the light output region of around 150 to 200 mW, there is observed a phenomenon of non-linearity, called "kink", in the current and light output characteristics. This is attributable to unstability of the transverse mode due to various causes and detrimental to stable coupling to fibers. This kink is also observed from a comparatively low light output region in the lasers having the similar layer structures, when the layer composition or thickness slightly differs. The above phenomenon is even seen from a particularly low light output region when the temperature is high.
As a result of extensive studies for solving the above problem, it has been found that in a semiconductor laser diode with an InGaAs system having an index guided structure, the refractive index step in the horizontal direction and the width of the current injection region for narrowing current injection pass necessary for laser oscillation have a strong correlation with the kink level and the temperature characteristics, and by optimizing the defined ranges of these parameters and their combination, laser diode with both a high kink level and good temperature characteristics has been realized. On the basis of the above, the present invention has been achieved.


A portable book holder capable of expanding to fit various size books. The base includes an upper section that is capable of being extended in order to accommodate books that are taller. Additionally, there are two book supports that are adjustable outwardly based on the thickness of a particular book. The two book supports are also adjustable with a semi-circular base adjuster thereby allowing for the adjustment based on the width of a book. The portable book holder easily folds out to form the book support and easily folds up for portability.

At some point in time we have all read books and wished that we had a means of holding the book open. Particularly when in college, holding a book open for studying or reading can become cumbersome when you are also trying to take notes or complete various papers. Another example of when it would be nice to have an adjustable book holder is when you are cooking. Cook books come in all different sizes from small thin paperbacks to heavy thick hard back books. It is very irritating when you are cooking to have to keep finding your page because the book will not stay open. It is also very annoying trying to get a small book to sit and stay open on most of the book holders that are currently available.
While there are a number of book holders on the market, they are not always the best choice. For example, most book holders are not portable and tend to be made of a hard material that makes them awkward to carry from place to place. Also, most book holders are designed to fit a fairly standard size book. Unfortunately, books come in a wide variety of not only sizes but thicknesses, as well as they come in hard back and paper back form. All of these variants make finding a book holder to accommodate all of these needs very difficult.
One example of a book holder that is described in Design Patent No. Des. 278,578 by Jensen. In this configuration, the book simply sits on the holder. This book holder also allows the angle of the book to be adjusted. However, there is no means of holding the book open to a particular page. Also, the size of the book could potentially be a relevant factor since there is no way of adjusting for size, but is purely based on the size of the holder itself.
Another example of a book holder is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,171 by Huls et al. This book holder is made of light materials and provides some flexible options for using the book holder. For example, it comprises a center leg that can be used to stick in the ground or sand (if you are at the beach) or it has additional legs that can be attached for reading on a solid surface. However, it order to hold a book, the book must be placed between a piece of plexiglass and a spring system allowing the book to be held rigidly in place against the plexiglass for easy reading. Unfortunately, in order to turn the page, the book would have to be removed from the holder, the page turned and the book replaced in the holder. With this particular type of book holder you also have the risk of the spring system getting stretched and no longer supporting the book.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,372 by Quigley is another example of a book holder. In this particular patent, the holder is comprised of a foamable plastic material which has been molded. It further comprises a series of elastomeric strips of inverted V-form. These elastomeric strips are used to hold the book in place and to keep the book open to the desired page. The particular book holder is also designed to be placed on either side for purposes of reading in bed, or it can be placed on the stomach or thigh or any other portion of the body depending on whether the reader is sitting, reclining or lying down.
While there are obviously a number of book holder options available including the standard holder that sits on a cabinet, none of these book holders address the need for a portable type holder that can easily be folded up and taken with one to another place. There are lots to places where people read books and/or study. For example, depending on your geographical location, you might like to read on the beach. College students seem to find lots of interesting places to study from the library to the student union. As books get heavier, the need for a book holder that accepts these books increases. However, the weight of the book holder, the ease of use and the portability of the holder must remain simple and light.


A method and a digital broadcast receiving terminal are provided. The terminal includes a receiving unit, a decoder, a memory, and a controller. The receiving unit receives a digital multimedia broadcast transport stream and the decoder decodes data included in the transport stream. The memory stores system information obtained from a previously received transport stream. The controller provides a signal for controlling an initial broadcast receiving operation of the terminal using information stored in the memory to reduce an initial operating time required for the terminal to receive a broadcast.

A digital broadcast receiving terminal uses a Code Division Multiplexing (CDM) channel to demodulate a received signal. The CDM channel includes three system information channels and two media channels. The system information channels are control channels rather than broadcast data channels. The media channels are channels that carry broadcast service content.
The system information channel includes a pilot channel, a Conditional Access System (CAS) channel, and an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) channel. The receiving terminal ("terminal" or "receiver") must continuously receive the system information channels, no matter what channel the user views. The receiver must continuously monitor the system information to determine whether or not it has been updated. When the user attempts to receive a digital broadcast, the receiver must first obtain system information in order to allow the user to view a desired channel broadcast.
Using pilot channel configuration information, the receiver can determine which CDM channel contains Program Specific Information (PSI)/Service Information (SI). Such system information items have different transmission periods (or intervals) according to their importance. In order to quickly enter its initial receiving operation, the receiver must quickly obtain information items having a short transmission period.
When a conventional satellite digital multimedia broadcast (DMB) receiver enters an initial receiving operation, the receiver sequentially obtains the pilot channel configuration information, obtains the PSI, a decodes an A/V channel, and the like as illustrated in a flow chart of FIG. 1.
When a user attempts to view or listen to a broadcast (S101), the receiver allows the user to select a channel using a Service Description Table (SDT) that has been stored in order to provide at least channel information such as a channel list and a channel name to the user (S102).
The receiver then achieves pilot channel synchronization (S103). Only after the pilot channel synchronization is achieved, the receiver can properly demodulate the CDM channel.
After achieving the pilot channel synchronization, the receiver first obtains CDM channel configuration information received in a pilot channel and transfers it to a controller (specifically, a Main Processing Unit (MPU)) (S104).
The controller determines a CDM channel which must be demodulated in order to obtain PSI/SI, and starts obtaining PSI/SI (S105).
The receiver obtains the PSI required to demodulate a broadcast channel (specifically, a PAT*, a PMT*, and a CAT* corresponding to a channel actually selected by the user) to extract audio/video and CAS-related PIDS* of the channel actually selected by the user. Applying bit de-interleaving to the satellite DMB causes a time delay of about 3.5 seconds or more after the receiver starts extracting PSI. Using the CDM channel configuration information and PSI, it is possible to determine CDM channels which must be demodulated in order to decode an audio/visual channel corresponding to the channel actually selected by the user (S106).
The receiver starts demodulating the determined CDM channels to provide audio/video to the user (S107). As described above, applying bit de-interleaving to the satellite DMB causes a time delay of about 3.5 seconds or more after the receiver starts extracting PSI. While receiving the broadcast, the receiver continuously monitors CDM channel configuration information and PSI/SI to determine whether or not it has been updated. If the CDM channel configuration information or PSI/SI has been updated, the receiver replaces the previous information with the updated information (S108).
The PSI among the system information (PSI/SI) has a short transmission period since the PSI directly relates to the receiver's operation. The receiver can operate properly only after obtaining the PSI. Service information, which is provided for system operation and user convenience, has a long transmission period.
The pilot channel is used not only to achieve received signal synchronization but also to carry CDM channel configuration information. The CDM channel configuration information is used to indicate configuration information which other channels contain. Specifically, the CDM channel configuration information indicates the CDM channels that carry other PSI/SI and A/V data items. In combination with the PSI/SI, the CDM channel configuration information may be used as a basis for determining which CDM channel must be demodulated to view a given channel number. Accordingly, the receiver operates in the following order. First, the receiver achieves synchronization through a pilot channel. Next, the receiver obtains CDM channel configuration information of the pilot channel and then obtains PSI/SI based on the obtained CDM channel configuration information. The receiver then starts demodulating a CDM channel corresponding to the channel selected by the user.
The conventional digital broadcast receiver usually achieves synchronization through a pilot channel. Thereafter, when the receiver is stabilized, it obtains CDM channel configuration information. The CDM channel configuration information is transferred to the MPU. The MPU analyzes the CDM channel configuration information to obtain PSI/SI. The receiver obtains the PSI after obtaining the CDM channel configuration information. Thus, even in a good wireless environment, a longer time is required to initially receive a digital broadcast than to change channels. Thus the initialization process requires additional time to obtain the CDM channel configuration information and to perform the PSI/SI CDM bit de-interleaving.
In order to quickly achieve synchronization, bit interleaving is not applied to a pilot signal that carries CDM channel configuration information and a digital broadcast synchronization signal. Instead, the pilot channel typically uses transmission power that is about 3 dB (or twice) higher than other channels. However, the pilot channel is vulnerable to burst errors because it uses no bit interleaving. Almost no packet error or bit error occurs in other CDM channels after Viterbi demodulation due to the characteristics of wireless environments. However, many errors occur in the pilot channel since the pilot channel does not use bit interleaving. Thus, in a weak electric field, it is difficult or takes a long time to obtain CDM channel configuration information carried in the pilot channel. For example, when a receiver attempts to receive a digital broadcast in a weak electric field, it may take a long time (or may not be possible) for the receiver to receive the broadcast although a nearby user is able to view a digital broadcast.

Method and terminal for receiving a digital broadcast


A method performed by a serving core network node in a communications network, for handling a service setup for a target User Equipment (UE) located in the communications network. The serving core network node receives a service setup request directed towards the target UE. The serving core network node sends a ping message to the target UE in response to the service setup request prior to a completion of a terminating service handling procedure of the serving network, wherein the terminating service handling procedure is completed when the service setup request is forwarded from a serving core network towards the target UE.

Communication services, such as e.g. voice calls, Short Message Services (SMS), chat, over cellular networks are main communication modes existing today. With an expanded reach and increased global uptake of communication services, it is imperative that mobile networks are optimized to deliver high quality performance for these latency sensitive services.
Current deployments of the aforementioned communication services imply a delay factor introduced by mobile network-centric procedures when providing the services, followed by a delay introduced to page a target User Equipment (UE) over a Radio Access Network (RAN) when the UE is in an idle state with regard to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection or an Evolved Packet System Connection Management (ECM) connection, which may herein also be referred to as being in IDLE mode. A UE is in an RRC_CONNECTED state when an RRC connection has been established between the UE and a radio network node. If this is not the case, i.e. no RRC connection is established, the UE is in the RRC_IDLE state. The ECM connection comprises the RRC connection over the radio interface and an S1 signalling connection over an S1-Mobility Management Entity (MME) interface. The ECM is in ECM-IDLE state when no ECM connection has been established between the UE and a core network node, such as e.g. a MME. The ECM is in ECM-CONNECTED state when an ECM connection has been established between the UE and the core network node.
The evolution of communication services implies even more complex network centric procedures as well as more processing logic in an end UE receiver, which may be the UE receiving the service request, to process data in order to establish communication services with a sender, which may be the entity sending the service request to the end UE receiver. The network-centric procedures, may herein also be referred to as terminating call handling procedures.
As an example, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), which may also be referred to as the Evolved Packet System (EPS), introduced a service for allowing voice traffic to be transmitted over a packet switched communications network. This service is commonly referred to as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). VoLTE end-to-end (E2E) call setup establishment spans over multiple domains, such as e.g., the UE, the RAN, an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and a User Data Convergence (UDC). Each of these domains executes functions and procedures that are involved in the end-to-end call setup flow. Due to the number of functions and procedures executed in these domains a latency is introduced in a communications network which negatively affects the performance, such as e.g. the setup time for a service between a receiver and a sender, of the communications network.

Method and network node for handling a service setup for a user equipment


There is described In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a radiation source assembly comprising: (i) an elongate radiation source; (ii) a positioning element connected to a proximal portion of the elongate radiation source; and (iii) a connecting portion secured to a proximal portion of the positioning element and configured to engage a support element to maintain a distal portion of the elongate radiation source in a cantilevered position. The present radiation source assembly is configured such that the distal portion of the radiation source is cantilevered with the respect to the distal portion of the protective sleeve in which it is disposed. This feature obviates the need to use spacers, stops, springs and the like in a distal portion of the protective sleeve to maintain correct position of the radiation source within the protective sleeve. Further, the present radiation source assembly is advantageous in that allows for withdrawal of the radiation source from the radiation source assembly without the need to disengage all of the components. Thus, it is possible to replace a single radiation source by removing it from the protective sleeve during operation of the fluid treatment system. This operation can be accomplished quickly without the need to shut down the fluid treatment system or otherwise compensate for the fact that one of the radiation source is being serviced.

Field of the Invention
In one of its aspects, the present invention relates to a radiation source assembly. In another of its aspects, the present invention relates to a radiation source module comprising a plurality of radiation source assemblies. Other aspects of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the present specification.
Description of the Prior Art
Fluid treatment systems are known generally in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,482,809, 4,872,980 and 5,006,244 [all in the name of Maarschalkerweerd and hereinafter referred to as the Maarschalkerweerd Patents] all describe gravity fed fluid treatment systems which employ ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Such systems include an array of UV lamp frames which include several UV lamps each of which are mounted within sleeves which extend between and are supported by a pair of legs which are attached to a cross-piece. The so-supported sleeves (containing the UV lamps) are immersed into a fluid to be treated which is then irradiated as required. The amount of radiation to which the fluid is exposed is determined by the proximity of the fluid to the lamps, the output wattage of the lamps and the fluid's flow rate past the lamps. Typically, one or more UV sensors may be employed to monitor the UV output of the lamps and the fluid level is typically controlled, to some extent, downstream of the treatment device by means of level gates or the like.
In recent years, there has been interest in the so-called "transverse-to-flow" fluid treatment systems. In these systems, the radiation source is disposed in the fluid to be treated in a manner such that the longitudinal axis of the radiation source is in a transverse (e.g., substantially orthogonal or vertical orientation of the radiation sources) relationship with respect to the direction of fluid flow past the radiation source. See, for example, any one of:
International Publication Number WO 2004/000735 [Traubenberg et al.];
International Publication Number WO 2008/055344 [Ma et al.];
International Publication Number WO 2008/019490 [Traubenberg et al.];
U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,174 [From et al.];
U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/193,686 [Penhale et al.], filed Dec. 16, 2008; and
U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/202,576 [Penhale et al.], filed Mar. 13, 2009.
Conventionally, when radiation source assemblies were used in a vertical configuration in a fluid treatment system, it has been known to use springs, stoppers, spacers and other support elements to receive the bottom portion of the radiation source in the assemblies for the purpose of supporting the radiation source and positioning it properly within the protective sleeve. The conventional radiation sources would have electrical pins that would be received by a module plug which would then be connected to an electrical supply (e.g., a ballast or similar power supply)—see, for example, the Maarschalkerweerd Patents referred to above.
When it becomes necessary to service the lamp (e.g., to replace it after its service life has been or is about to be exceeded), it is commonly necessary to remove the radiation source assembly from the fluid treatment system and effectively disassemble it to access the various components. This is cumbersome and increases maintenance costs for the fluid treatment system. This is especially so given that many of these radiation sources are three feet (or longer) in length and significant care must be exercised to avoid breakage of one or both of the radiation source and the protective sleeve in which it is disposed.
In addition, conventional radiation sources used in the fluid treatment systems typically contain a metal-containing amalgam composition. The temperature of this metal-containing amalgam composition is important to maintain optimal operation of the radiation source. The prior art has not specifically addressed the issue of appropriate temperature control for metal-containing amalgam compositions for radiation sources that are disposed in a vertical orientation in a fluid treatment system.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a radiation source assembly that obviates or mitigates at least one of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.


Methods, systems, and related products that provide enhanced personalized media content experiences. Past media content consumption is inferred based on requests for media content selection associated with a time or period of time in the past. The requests are fulfilled by selecting one or more media content items from the inferred media content consumption.

Human-machine interfaces (HMI) that allow human-machine interactions using natural language processing are becoming ubiquitous, in recent times in the form of smart home appliances and mobile devices. Providing a robust HMI involves understanding requests from users and providing relevant responses. A challenge in doing so arises when fulfillment of the request relies on information unavailable to the HMI. In the domain of media content delivery there are technical challenges in providing an HMI that can respond to a request for playback of content, where the request includes temporal boundaries or a particular time. Using words to form requests that describe when the content was previously played (e.g., a particular period in the past) might be made when users cannot recall the specific name of a playlist (or, to a lesser extent, track or artist). That is, users may not recall the particulars of the media content item they want to play again, but they can recall when (or approximately when) they listened to it. In an example, the HMI receives the request: "play what I listened to (or watched) twenty minutes ago" from a user. In response, the HMI accesses a playback log associated with an account of the user and determines which media content items where played for the account in the time period (e.g., twenty minutes prior to the request). However, a technical challenge arises when the request is to play a media content item from a time period for which no playback history exists. For instance, when the HMI receives the query, "play what I listened to (or watched) twenty years ago", but the system does not have playback logs from twenty years ago because the system and/or the user account did not exist at that point.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0161268 relates to methods and systems for searching media with search queries including query terms. An information source is searched to identify parameters associated with a query term. The parameters include at least one of a time parameter, a date parameter, or a geo-code parameter. The parameters are compared to tags of media items to identify matches. Media items whose tags match the parameter are presented to the user.

Systems and methods for delivering relevant media content by inferring past media content consumption


A chemically amplified positive resist composition is prepared by blending (A) an organic solvent, (B) a base resin in the form of a polyhydroxystyrene having some hydroxyl groups replaced by acid labile groups and a Mw of 3,000-300,000, (C) a photoacid generator, and (D) an aromatic compound having a group: --R.sup.13 --COOH in a molecule. The resist composition is sensitive to actinic radiation, especially KrF excimer laser and X-ray, has high sensitivity, resolution, and plasma etching resistance, and is effective for improving the footing and PED on nitride substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chemically amplified positive resist composition which is highly sensitive to actinic radiation such as deep-UV, electron beam and X-ray, developable with aqueous base to form a pattern, and suitable for fine processing.
2. Prior Art
As the LSI technology tends toward higher integration and higher speed, further refinement of pattern rules is required. The current patterning technology mostly relies on light exposure which is now approaching to the essential limit of resolution which is dictated by the wavelength of a light source. It is generally recognized that in light exposure using g-line (wavelength 436 nm) or i-line (wavelength 365 nm) as a light source, a pattern rule of about 0.5 .mu.m is the limit. For LSIs fabricated by such light exposure technique, a degree of integration equivalent to 16 mega-bit DRAM is the limit. At present, LSIs fabricated in the laboratory have reached this stage. It is urgently required to develop a finer patterning technique.
Under such circumstances, deep-ultraviolet lithography is regarded promising as the next generation of fine patterning technology. The deep-UV lithography is capable of working on the order of 0.3 or 0.4 .mu.m and makes it possible to form a resist pattern having a side wall nearly perpendicular to the substrate if a less light absorbing resist material is used. Advanced engineers place focus on the utilization of a high illuminance KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm) as a deep-UV source. A resist material having low light absorption and high sensitivity must be developed before such an excimer laser can be used in a mass scale manufacturing technique.
From this point of view, a number of chemically amplified positive working resist materials using acid catalysts were recently developed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,491,628, 5,310,619 and 5,362,607. These materials have high sensitivity, resolution and dry etching resistance and are promising as resist materials especially suited for deep-UV lithography. The chemically amplified, positive resist materials being known include those of the two-component system comprising an alkali-soluble base resin and a photoacid generator and those of the three-component system comprising an alkali-soluble base resin, a photoacid generator, and a dissolution inhibitor having an acid labile group. For these resist materials, it is desired to improve footing on nitride film substrates and post exposure delay (PED).
EP 679951 discloses a positive resist composition comprising a mixture of a polyhydroxystyrene having 10 to 60 mol% of the hydroxyl groups replaced by tert-butoxycarbonyl groups and a polyhydroxystyrene having 10 to 60 mol% of the hydroxl groups replaced by acetal groups and an organic carboxylic acid. This composition has the drawback of low resolution due to the use of a polymer mixture. Additionally, the composition is difficult to coat uniformly because many organic carboxylic acids such as monovalent or polyvalent aliphatic carboxylic acids, alicyclic carboxylic acids, unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids, oxycarboxylic acids, alkoxycarboxylic acids, and ketocarboxylic acids are less compatible with the polymers due to the absence of a phenyl group. Of the organic carboxylic acids, benzoic acid derivatives cannot be added in amounts of more than 1% by weight based on the weight of the resin component and photoacid generator combined because they show significant absorption at wavelengths of about 248 nm and reduce the transmittance and resolution of resists. For these reasons, the composition of EP 679951 is least effective for improving the footing on nitride film substrates and PED.

Chemically amplified positive resist compositions


An electrode loop structure of a touch panel mainly extends from I-shaped electrode elements serving as a base, and utilizes the annular conducting chain and gradient chain regularly cascaded together. A discontinuous resistor chain is disposed between the conducting chain and the gradient chain, wherein the conducting chain changes, by adjusting the cascaded length of and the gaps between the electrode elements, the conductor area to generate the trend of voltage drop, so that the conducting chain has the voltage regulating and compensating properties. Meanwhile, the gradient chain may also make the gradient chain have the voltage distributing uniformity by adjusting the lengths of and the gaps between the electrode elements, so that the electrode loop is effectively distributed around the electroconductive substrate to form the homogenized electric field effect, thereby satisfying the narrow-edge design requirement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the technical field of a touch panel.
2. Related Art
The manufacturing processes for a five-wire type resistive touch panel are extremely precise, and require the electric field uniformity that is higher than that of the typical four-wire type resistive touch panel. So, the resistance values of the circumferential silver wires must have the very high consistency, or otherwise the nonuniform voltage distribution of the workpiece surface tends to occur, and the coordinate position of the actual touch point is incorrectly judged or even the touch panel fails. The existing improvement is to try to establish the uniform equipotential electric field through the pattern layout of the resistive elements on the circumferential edges. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,916, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0119587 and Taiwan Patent Publication Nos. 201032098, 201032119 and 201122945, annular electrode loops constituted by different discontinuous electrodes on the periphery of the touch-sensing region are utilized to improve the potential "ripple" effect generated by the side-frame region.


A method for synthesizing .DELTA..sup.3 -7-substituted amino desacetoxy cephalosporanic acid from a penicillin sulfoxide or its alkylsilylated ester derivative is provided. According to the method, penicillin sulfoxide is heated in the presence of an organic ammonium salt catalyst and a copolymer composed of dimethylsilane and urea units until formation of the cephalosporanic acid occurs by ring expansion reaction. The copolymer functions both as a dehydrating agent for removing the water by-product generated from the reaction as well as an esterifying agent for converting penicillin sulfoxide into its dimethylsilyl ester derivative. The method of the invention produces high yields of the cephalosporanic acid and avoids the need for excess dimethylsilyating agents.

Cephalosporins are a group of antibiotics derived from Cephalosporium Acremonium, a fungus first isolated from sand near the Sardinia sea shore by Brotju in 1948. Naturally occuring cephalosporins, such as cephalosporin P, N, and C, have been discovered in C. Acremonium culture medium and were found to have bacteriostatic activities against Staphyllococcos aureus.
Among the three natural cephalosporins, cephalosporin C closely resembles penicillin both in terms of having a fused beta-lactam ring and having a broad antibiotic activity, however its very weak clinical effect has limited its use as an antibiotic. Accordingly, much research has been devoted towards the synthesis of semi-synthetic cephalosporin analogs with the goal of creating useful semi-synthetic, broad spectrum antibiotics having bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
A number of synthetic routes for preparing semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotics, starting from 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA), have been reported. For example, the D-2-amino adipic acid side chain of cephalosporin C can be hydrolyzed to yield 7-ACA as shown in the following equation ##STR1##
Many kinds of functional groups can be introduced into the 7-and 3-positions of 7-ACA, thereby a variety of semisynthetic cephalosporanic antibiotics can be produced by such chemical modification.
In addition, if the substituent on C3 of 7-ACA were modified to CH.sub.3 -group, many antibiotics suitable for oral administration could thus be synthesized. The acetoxy group on CH.sub.3 of 7-ACA can be removed to form 7-aminodesacetoxy cephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA), an intermediate between cephem and penam. That is, 7-ADCA can be produced by reduction of 7-ACA derivatives or by oxidation of 6-APA derivatives.
In one method, 7-ADCA was prepared by reduction of 7-ACA as shown in the following equation: ##STR2##
The product resulting from this reaction, however, is costly due to the use of expensive 7-ACA as starting material and nobel metal as catalyst.
Another method for the preparation of 7-ACDA is based on ring expansion of penicillin starting materials. Its synthetic route is as follows: ##STR3##
Pencillin G (R=--CH.sub.2 --.phi.) or penicillin V (R=--CH.sub.2 --O--.phi.) can be oxidized in water with periodic acid or peracetic acid as oxidant to form its corresponding sulfoxide. The sulfoxide is esterified to protect its carboxylic group, then heated in the presence of an acid catalyst to carry out the ring enlargement reaction. The product is then hydrolyzed to remove the protecting group and deacetylated by chemical or enzymatic methods to produce 7-ADCA.
The aforementioned process comprises oxidation, esterification, ring enlargement, hydrolysis, and deacetylation. Among which, the reagent selected for the esterification can affect not only the facility and yields of the esterification and hydrolysis reactions, but also influences the selectivity of ring enlargement reaction. In commercialized processes, the protecting ester groups used include trichloroethyl (U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,397), dibenzylmethyl (U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,799), and trimethylsilyl (U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,545) groups.
When alkylsilylating agents are employed, both esterification and hydrolysis can be carried out easily and produce high yields of the product. Furthermore, when alkylsilylating agent is used as dehydrating agent in the ring enlargement reaction, under the strong interaction between alkylsilylating agent and water, esterification, ring enlargement reaction and hydrolysis can be readily accomplished in one pot.
For the ring enlargement reaction, the presence of chloride ion or minor changes in the acidity or basicity of the reaction mixture can significantly affect the yield of the product. Similarly, different kinds of alkylsilylating agents and compositions of alkylsilylated products can produce various effects as well.
To avoid the effect of acidity and basicity and of chloride ion on the labile alkylsilylated ester product, neutral alkylsilylating agents have been employed in the ring enlargement reaction. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,894) describes the use of N,O-bis (trimethyl silyl) acetamide, or N,N'-bis (trimethyl silyl) urea which produce relatively good results. These reagents, however, are very costly. Moreover, in order to prevent destruction of the alkylsilylated penicillin ester by water produced in the ring enlargement reaction, excess amounts of the alkylsilylating agent, in amounts of three to four times the mole equivalent of the penicillin ester, are required. Thus, the cost of the alkylsilylating agent dominates the production cost of 7-ADCA.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a commercially useful method of producing 7-ADCA in high yields and which avoids the use of excessive amounts of costly neutral alkylsilylating agents.

Method for the preparation of .DELTA..sup.3 -7-substituted amino desacetoxy cephalosporanic acid

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Disclosed is a differential amplifying circuit including an amplifying circuit, wherein 1) a drain of a sixth transistor is connected to a drain of an eighth transistor, and a drain of a tenth transistor is connected to a drain of a fourth transistor, and 2) a ratio between a total of gate widths of the fourth (or eighth) and tenth (or sixth) transistors (converted per unit gate length, and gate widths that follow are the same)and a gate width of a fifth (or ninth) transistor is nearly proportional to a current ratio between a first (or third) and second (or fourth) current source circuits, the gate width of the fourth (or eighth) transistor being equal to or more than that of the tenth (or sixth) transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential amplifying circuit suitable for an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, to realize a high-precision pipelined A/D converter, a differential amplifying circuit with a high differential DC gain (hereinafter expressed as "DC gain") is needed. One of configurations to obtain a high DC gain in the differential amplifying circuit is a configuration including a gain boost amplifying circuit. The DC gain of the differential amplifying circuit can be increased by a DC gain of the added gain boost amplifying circuit. As an example of an A/D converter using the differential amplifying circuit including the gain boost amplifying circuit, there is one disclosed in the following related art 1.
A gain boost amplifying circuit disclosed in this related art has a configuration in which a transistor is added to adjust the output common mode voltage to a vicinity of a median value between reference electric potentials vdd and vss (hereinafter expressed as "reference potentials vdd and vss"), and power consumption increases by an amount corresponding to a current flowing through this transistor.
[Related Art 1] Yun Chiu et al., "A 14-b 12-MS/s CMOS pipeline ADC with over 100-dB SFDR", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuit, United States, IEEE, December 2004, Vol. 39, No. 12, pp. 2139-2151


This disclosure is directed to a boron reinforced composite structural member. The concepts and technologies illustrated in this disclosure are taught within the context of a boron reinforced aircraft keel. A boron reinforced composite structural member may be constructed of a structural member core and a surrounding structural member casing. In one embodiment, the structural member core includes alternating layers of boron fiber reinforced plies and layers of interior carbon fiber reinforced plies. The boron fiber reinforced plies are oriented in a longitudinal direction, and the interior carbon fiber reinforced plies are oriented diagonally, perpendicular, and parallel to the boron fiber reinforced plies. The structural member casing includes layers of exterior carbon fiber reinforced plies that substantially surround the structural member core.

Conventional passenger and cargo aircraft are typically configured as high or low wing aircraft. In those aircraft the wings are positioned above or below the passenger or cargo compartment within the fuselage, and the wings are attached to the fuselage through a wing structural box. The fuselage is attached at the top or bottom to the wing structural box depending on whether the aircraft is configured as a high-wing or low-wing aircraft. The wing structural box is typically very heavy since it needs to be substantial enough to bear a large portion of the wing loads and support the fuselage. The wing may also be mounted through a cutout portion of the fuselage, in which case fuselage reinforcement may be required to maintain the fuselage structural integrity.
An aircraft fuselage is designed to bear many types of loads. First, the fuselage must support hoop stress created from the pressurization of the fuselage during flight. The fuselage must also support tension, compression, and shear forces caused by bending and torsion of the fuselage resulting from the movement of the aircraft flight surfaces used to control the aircraft. The fuselage must also support the forces acting during landing, and from external air pressure and velocity changes such as those experienced during maneuvers while flying, during turbulence, or wind shear conditions. The skin assembly of an aircraft usually bears a large portion of these loads. The fuselage frame includes various stringers and bulkheads that further support the skin assembly and the loads experienced during flight operations.
Large aircraft are frequently built using an aluminum monocoque fuselage. One method of constructing an aluminum monocoque fuselage includes erecting a series of frames, shaped like the fuselage cross-section, and joining these frame sections with longitudinal stringers to create a fuselage section. The fuselage section is then sheathed with a skin of sheet aluminum, attached by riveting or by bonding with adhesives. Fuselage sections are then typically joined with fasteners to form the complete fuselage. In larger aircraft an aluminum keel is usually attached to the interior floor of the fuselage. The keel typically helps reinforce the area where the wing and main landing gear require a large fuselage cutout.
Another method of constructing a section of a monocoque fuselage includes placing layers of carbon fiber reinforced fabric around a rotating mandrel with reinforced fabric placement machines. In this way a composite barrel section is formed and one or more barrel sections may be connected to construct the fuselage. Examples of fabric placement machine technologies include automated fiber placement, automated tape laying, and filament winding. The mandrel provides the basic shape of a fuselage section and layers of carbon fiber reinforced fabric are applied over the rotating mandrel to form an interior skin of the fuselage section. With regard to some methods of constructing a section of a monocoque fuselage, the interior skin is typically covered with a layer of honeycomb core. The fabric placement machine then applies layers of carbon fiber reinforced fabric over the honeycomb core to form an exterior skin. The interior skin, honeycomb core, and exterior skin together form a skin assembly. With regard to other methods of constructing a section of a monocoque fuselage, the mandrel provides the shape of the interior skin and integral stringers. The skin and stringers are placed on the mandrel and co-cured to form a completed fuselage skin.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Boron fiber reinforced structural components


An efficient hand-held scanner simultaneously isolates and blocks out all but a single row of numbers on a lottery ticket at a time for ready comparison with winning lottery number displayed on the scanner. The multipurpose scanner has windows and displays for accommodating a six number weekly lottery game and a five number daily lotto game. The convenient scanner also has a support member, which preferably comprises an inclined flap, to support and guide lottery tickets past the windows of the scanner.

This invention pertains to image readers and, more particularly, to a scanner for scanning lottery tickets.
Lottery games are a very attractive way for state and local governments in the United States, Canada and elsewhere to raise public funds for education, public programs and various projects. Lottery games are very popular among consumers and taxpayers. Some states have weekly or biweekly lottery games in which a customer selects a series of six numbers ranging from 1 to 60, for a state regulated price, such as fifty cents. The selected numbers appear in a row on a lottery ticket. Customers often purchase more than one series of six numbers. Lottery tickets can include 10 or more rows of lottery numbers with each row containing a different series of selected numbers.
Some states also have daily or weekly lotto (lottery) games in which a customer picks a set of five numbers for a state regulated price. The selected numbers appear in a row on a daily lottery ticket. Daily and weekly lotto customers often purchase more than one set of five numbers. Daily and weekly lottery tickets can also contain multiple rows of lottery numbers.
A grand prize is awarded to or split among customers who correctly select all lottery numbers for a given lottery drawing. A second place prize is awarded or divided among customers who correctly pick all but one lottery number for a particular lottery drawing. A lesser third prize is often awarded to customers who correctly get all but two lottery numbers for a lottery drawing on a selected date.
Many lottery customers purchase numerous lottery tickets. It is not uncommon for customers to puchase 10 to 40 tickets especially when the grand lotto prize is millions of dollars. Some customers or pools of customers purchase hundreds of lottery tickets.
It is difficult, cumbersome, awkward, tedious, confusing and very time-consuming to compare the winning lottery numbers appearing in local newspapers with rows of numbers on lottery tickets. Consumers often get stiff necks, bloodshot eyes and eyestrain, checking lottery numbers in this manner. Furthermore, many customers get tired and easily confused with using this conventional technique to check lottery ticket numbers and often miss detecting a winning sequence of lottery numbers appearing on the tickets they purchased. In other words, many ticket holders are unaware that they possess a winning lottery ticket. As a result, many customers fail to collect the grand prize, second prize, or third prize that they are entitled to.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an affordable, convenient scanner for consumers which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.


The invention is an animal chew which contains one or more enzymes and substrates for the purpose of generating antimicrobial compounds upon contact with an animal's saliva. The animal chew, primarily made of rawhide, contains an oxidoreductase and substrate, such as, for example, glucose oxidase and glucose, which produces hydrogen peroxide upon being chewed. The hydrogen peroxide activates the salivary peroxide system present in the saliva, which in turn produces hypothiocyanite, a potent antimicrobial agent. The animal chew may also contain added thiocyanate and iodide ions to enhance its antimicrobial activity. The chew is preferably prepared by placing it into a substrate solution for a period, drying the chew, spraying the dried rawhide chew with a solution of the oxidoreductase, and finally drying the chew again.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chewable object for animals which contains one or more enzymes and substrates for the purpose of generating antimicrobial compounds upon contact with an animal's saliva. More specifically, chewable and consumable compositions are herein described which, upon being chewed, produce hydrogen peroxide or other antimicrobial agents.
2. Art Background
A number of naturally occurring antimicrobial systems rely upon the ability of certain oxidizing agents to disrupt metabolic processes of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Compounds such as hypothiocyanite (OSCN-/HOSCN), hypochlorite (OCI-, HOCl), and hypoiodite (OI-, HOI) are known to inhibit glycolysis, penetrate prokaryotic cell walls, and generally disrupt a wide variety of processes crucial to the survival of lower organisms. These oxidizing agents are the result of the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide by mammalian peroxidase systems, such as those found in saliva, cervical fluid, lacrimal fluid, and leukocytes.
The antimicrobial effectiveness of the aforementioned oxidizing agents is well established in the literature and is known to occur at concentrations of about 100 micromoles per liter. The limiting factor in all of the mammalian antimicrobial peroxidase systems is the availability of hydrogen peroxide.
The numerous prior art attempts to activate or supplement natural antimicrobial peroxidase systems are generally limited to the oral care field. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,113 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,362 (Hoogendorn, et al) describe dentifrices containing glucose oxidase in order to react with plaque and salivary glucose to produce low levels of hydrogen peroxide.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,269,822, 4,564,519 and 4,578,265 (Pellico, et al.) further describe dentifrice compositions containing an oxidoreductase enzyme, together with its specific substrate, for the purpose of producing hydrogen peroxide or other antimicrobial oxidizing compounds, such as hypothiocyanite ion. In each of these prior art formulations, the oxidoreductase enzymes and substrates are in aqueous solution and homogeneously distributed throughout the entire mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,519 describes a chewable dentifrice, such as a chewing gum or lozenge, which contains a dual enzyme system for producing hypothiocyanite ions upon being chewed or otherwise activated by the moisture in saliva. All of the above compositions teach a manufacturing and compounding process whereby the enzymes, and, optionally, the substrates are distributed homogeneously throughout the entire composition.
In addition to U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,519 above, other solid or chewable compositions capable of producing hydrogen peroxide or other oxidizing agents upon activation with moisture are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,320,116, 4,726,948, and 4,929,466. These compositions are foodstuffs intended for consumption by livestock in order to limit the growth of harmful bacterial within the animal's gastrointestinal tract. The authors also teach a manufacturing and compounding process whereby the enzymes and substrates are distributed homogeneously throughout the composition.
It is well known to those skilled in the art that enzymes are reactive with their corresponding substrates when present together in aqueous solution. It is also well known by those skilled in the art that most enzymes are thermosensitive and frequently undergo a gradual, but irreversible inhibition when exposed to temperatures higher than 5 or 10 degrees Celsius for extended periods of time.
Since domesticated animals, such as dogs, are unable to practice any type of oral hygiene, they are more at risk for caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease than their human counterparts. It would thus be advantageous to provide a chewable and consumable object for animals which contains or can produce agents effective in reducing or eliminating oral pathogens associated with such diseases.

Antimicrobial rawhide animal chew containing an oxidoreductase and oxidoreductase substrate


Nitrate-polluted run-off water from a field is conveyed via land drains to a reservoir. The reservoir is large enough to contain excess quantities of storm water from the field. From the reservoir, the run-off water enters a tank which contains wood or other organic carbon material. The wood is kept under water, i.e. under anaerobic conditions, whereby the nitrate is broken down by bio-chemical action. Sufficient wood is provided, and the flow rate is so adjusted, that the nitrate-polluted water spends many hours in contact with the wood.

One example of a manner in which agricultural run-off water can become contaminated is from the excessive use of fertilizers, particularly chemical fertilizers.
Ideally, a farmer wishes to apply just the right amount of chemical fertilizer: if he applies too little, plant protein production will be affected; if he applies too much, the economy of the operation will be affected. There is, however, a considerable margin between applying a little more fertilizer than the plant can usefully assimilate, and applying so much fertilizer that the plants would actually be poisoned. Economically, the farmer knows that it is far better to err on the side of a little too much fertilizer, than not quite enough.
Slow-release chemical fertilizers therefore tend to be over-applied, with the result that agricultural run-off water can contain substantial quantities of nitrate.
Nitrate pollution of groundwater can also arise from agriculture in the absence of chemical fertilizers; for example, some types of crop cultivation tend naturally to leave excessive nitrate concentrations in the soil, which leaches out into the run-off water. During the non-growing season, nitrogen from plants can become oxidised to nitrate.
Nitrate is a mobile and persistent anion in many groundwater flow systems. It is an especial problem that nitrate can remain intact for long periods in unconfined, shallow, aerobic, sandy, aquifers; when such aquifers are used for drinking water supply, it is a growing problem that the nitrate can exceed the drinking water contamination limit.
One of the difficulties in the effective treatment of the worsening nitrate problem lies in the fact that the nitrate is so diffuse. Any measure aimed at treating the nitrate in the water which it is contaminating, whether this is groundwater in its native aquifer, or water flowing in a river or stream, requires the handling of enormous quantities of water.
It is recognized that the problem might be alleviated to a great extent if the water could be treated actually at the agricultural site, before the nitrate enters the groundwater or other body of water.
It is an aim of the invention to provide a treatment which will break down the nitrate in water washed off an agricultural field, so that when the run-off water passes away from the field the water is substantially nitrate-free.
When a field is naturally well-drained, precipitation water may sink down vertically through the soil under virtually all conditions. The invention is mainly concerned with the treatment of pollution from fields that have drainage ditches and the like. The provision of drainage ditches, to cope with excess run-off water, is commonplace on farms. The use of land-drains, consisting of pipes of porous material inserted a few inches or more below the ground surface, is also common. Excess or storm water collects in the pipes and flows to a collection sump or ditch. Although powered pumping is sometimes utilised, land-drains are generally laid on an incline, whereby the collected water flows naturally to the collection sump, which is situated at a low point of the field. Land-drains may criss-cross a field, and may feed into a number of drainage ditches and collection sumps.
The pollution with which the invention is mainly concerned is that contained in the water that enters drainage ditches, land-drains, and run-off collection sumps.

Treatment of contaminated agricultural run-off


A method of fabricating nano-silver fibers is provided. An organic solution of a dispersant is prepared. Then, a silver salt and a reductant are added into the organic solution. The organic solution is stirred to let the silver salt and the reductant react to form silver nanoparticles dispersed in the organic solution uniformly. Next, a spinnable polymer resin is dissolved in the organic solution to form a spinning solution. A wet spinning method is performed to let the spinning solution form nano-silver fibers.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating antibacterial fibers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wet spinning method of fabricating nano-silver fibers.
2. Description of Related Art
As living standards have increased, antibacterial requirements for sanitary articles, daily-use articles, water treatment apparatuses, and food packaging have also increased. Therefore, adding antibacterial agents in these articles and apparatuses have become increasingly more welcomed by consumers. Among the applications, the earliest application of antibacterial textiles was during the Second World War. The percentage of injured persons becoming infected was thus largely decreased.
The commonly used spinning method can be divided into three classes: melt spinning, dry spinning and wet spinning. Wet spinning can be easily performed at a relatively low temperature and hence is quite economic. Therefore, wet spinning is widely used to fabricate acrylic fibers and Rayon fibers. If wet spinning could be used to fabricate antibacterial fibers, a large profitability could be obtained.
There are some methods of fabricating antibacterial fibers by wet spinning developed in the prior arts. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,505, chitosan is used as an antibacterial agent. The chitosan is dissolved in water first. After processing acrylonitrile polymer to form acrylic fibers, the acrylic fibers are immersed in the aqueous solution of chitosan to allow chitosan to coat on the acrylic fibers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,957, an antibacterial agent with bioactivity is dissolved in water. The aqueous solution of the antibacterial agent is added to an organic phase of a spinning solution to form an emulsion. The emulsion is flowed out from outlets of a spinning apparatus into a water tank to form antibacterial fibers.
In Japan Publication No. 09-059820, titanium dioxide is used as an antibacterial agent. Titanium dioxide powder is dispersed in an organic solvent to form a suspension solution. The suspension solution is mixed with an organic solution of acrylonitrile copolymer. Then, wet spinning is performed to get antibacterial fibers.
As with the descriptions above, wet spinning is performed after mixing an antibacterial agent and a spinning solution in most prior arts. However, either the particle size of the antibacterial agent is too large or it is difficult for the antibacterial agent to disperse in the spinning solution. Therefore, the antibacterial agent cannot be dispersed in the spinning solution uniformly. This usually requires the amount of the antibacterial agent added to the spinning solution to be multiple weight percents to enable the obtained fibers to have antibacterial ability. Moreover, the obtained antibacterial fibers are not water-wash resistant. Consequently, the antibacterial ability of the obtained antibacterial fibers is largely decreased after washing with water.

Method of fabricating nano-silver fibers


An isolated polysaccharide has the structure [-β(1,3)-D-GalpNAc-β(1,4)-D-Glcp-]n The polysaccharide may be from a Bifidobacterium strain NCIMB41003. The polysaccharide exhibits immunomodulatory activity.

The gastrointestinal tract provides a protective interface between the internal environment and the constant challenge from food-derived antigens and from microorganisms in the external environment (Sanderson et al., 1993). The complex ecosystem of the adult intestinal microflora is estimated to harbor 500 different bacterial species. Some of these species are considered potentially harmful because of toxin production, mucosal invasion; or activation of carcinogens and inflammatory responses (Salminen, 1998). However, bacterial strains with health promoting activities have been identified.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that exist in the healthy gut microflora and have been defined as a group of live microbial organisms which beneficially affects a host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance. They consist of "friendly bacteria" which are cultured in laboratory conditions and are then used to restore the balance of the microflora, which has become unbalanced because of, for example stress, illness, or as a result of the use of antibiotics. Importantly, it has been shown that the ingestion of probiotic bacteria can potentially stabilise the immunologic barrier in the gut mucosa by reducing the generation of local proinflammatory cytokines (Isolauri, 1993; Majamaa, 1997). Alteration of the properties of the indigenous microflora by probiotic therapy was shown to reverse some immunologic disturbances characteristic of Crohn's disease (Malin, 1996), food allergy (Majamaa, 1997), and atopic eczema (Isolauri, 2000).
One of the predominant bacterial species present in the intestinal microflora is Bifidobacterium. In the intestines, Bifidobacterium ferments sugars to produce lactic acid. The Bifidobacterium longum genome codes for many proteins specialised for the catabolism of oligosaccharides, enabling the bacterium to use so-called "nondigestible" plant polymers or host-derived glycoproteins and glycoconjugates. It is thought that Bifidobacterium's ability to compete with other gastrointestinal bacteria and occupy a large percentage in the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal region might be partly due to the large variety of molecules that it is able to use for energy.
While B. infantis, B. breve, and B. longum are the largest bacteria group in the intestines of infants, Bifidobacteria are said to be only the 3rd or 4th largest group of bacteria in adults (and only 3-6% of adult fecal flora). The number of these bacteria actually decline in the human body with age. In infants who are breast-fed, Bifidobacteria constitute about 90% of their intestinal bacteria; however, this number is lower in bottle-fed infants. When breast-fed infants' diets are changed to cows milk and solid food, Bifidobacteria are joined by rising numbers of other bacteria found in the human body such as Bacteroides and Streptococci lactobacilli.
Bifidobacteria have been shown to play a role in the modulation of the immune system. B. breve is thought to release metabolites exerting an anti-TNF effect capable of crossing the intestinal barrier. Mucosal inflammation in interlukin-10 (IL-10) deficient mice has been reported to be reduced by feeding the subject animals a preparation of lactic acid bacteria (Madsen, K et al., 1997; O'Mahony et al., 2001; McCarthy et al., 2004). W0 00/41168 discloses a strain of Bifidobacterium infantis isolated from resected and washed human gastrointestinal tract which is significantly immunomodulatory following oral consumption in humans.
Scientific research indicates an increasing incidence of illness which may be caused by deficient or compromised microflora (natural microbial resident population of the digestive system) such as gastrointestinal tract (GIT) infections, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, food allergies, antibiotic-induced diarrhoea, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers such as colorectal cancer. Evidence indicates that following treatment with a single Bifidobacterium infantis strain, IBS symptom severity is reduced (Whorwell et al., 2006). Efficacy is associated with modulation of systemic immune responses indicating that the mechanism of action, in part, is immune mediated (O'Mahony et al., 2005). The present invention describes a compound isolated from Bifidobacterium infantis that replicates the immunomodulatory activity of Bifidobacterium infantis in vitro.

The Procter & Gamble Company and Alimentary Health Limited


A pet carrier including a top portion; a bottom portion secured to the top portion and including a front wall having an upper edge, extending along an entirety of an upper side of the front wall from a first side to a second side, having a first portion proximate the first side and extending perpendicular thereto, a second portion adjoining the first portion and extending perpendicular thereto toward a floor of the bottom portion, a third portion adjoining the second portion and extending perpendicular thereto, a fourth portion adjoining the third portion and extending perpendicular thereto away from the floor of the bottom portion and opposing the second portion, and a fifth portion proximate the second side, adjoining the fourth portion and extending perpendicular thereto; and a first door carried between the second portion and fourth portion of the upper edge of the front wall of the bottom portion.

There are many carriers available in the pet industry today. However, they contain many drawbacks making travelling with pets inconvenient and cause anxiety in the pet. Many of the carriers require a pet to be placed into or removed from the carrier through a small opening. In most known pet carriers, the only alternative to entering and exiting through a small opening is to disassemble the pet carrier into two halves and remove the pet through the opening formed by removing a top half of the carrier. Therefore, a need exists for a pet carrier that provides a larger, unobstructed opening through which a pet may enter or exit the carrier without complete disassembly of the carrier.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture over a network. The system comprises at least one client system; a server operably coupled to the client system via the network; a plurality of business applications executable via the server; a data storage device in communication with the server via the network; an enterprise architecture assessment model executing on the system; and a maturity model map generated via the enterprise architecture assessment model. The maturity model map comprises a process component, an organization component, a business component, and a technology component. The maturity model map is generated using information stored in the data storage device. Other embodiments of the invention include a method and storage medium for implementing enterprise architecture assessment model.

This invention relates generally to enterprise architectures, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture.
An enterprise architecture has been defined as a framework designed to coordinate the many aspects of an enterprise. It is the overall plan that integrates business goals, visions, strategies and governance principles with business operations, such as organizational structure, processes, and data. These, in turn, are integrated with application systems, databases, and the enabling technological infrastructure of the business such as computers, operating systems and networks. Creating an effective enterprise architecture can be difficult due to its inherent complex nature and the inevitable challenges faced in attempting to create synergy among the various interdependent components that comprise the enterprise architecture. Even when an enterprise architecture has been successfully created, the challenges of assessing the ongoing vitality and efficacy of the system, as well as the challenges of redesigning or upgrading the system as the needs of the business change over time, must be considered and addressed.
Current attempts to address these issues include solutions that tackle the efficacy of the architecture, either by analyzing what currently exists, or by providing design guidance on how to create a flexible architecture. What is needed is a way to create and sustain an enterprise architecture.

Method, system, and storage medium for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture

International Business Machines Corporation


A service system for servicing a vehicle includes a service station and a parts locker array disposed in or adjacent the service station and including: a plurality of parts lockers. Each parts locker includes a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker's interior, and a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door.

Vehicles such as cars and trucks need routine maintenance. Automotive service facilities periodically perform a number of tasks on vehicles in order to keep them in proper working condition. Some of these tasks include tire rotation, fluid changes (e.g., oil, automatic transmission fluid, coolant, etc.), and fluid refills (e.g., windshield wiper fluid, etc.) Conventionally, technicians performed these tasks in a garage or service bay.
Some tasks (e.g., oil filter changes, etc.) require the garage or service bay to include an elevation device, such as a hydraulic lift, to lift the vehicle above the ground. Some of these same tasks may, in the alternative, require the garage or service bay to include a pit or basement so that the technician may access the underside of the vehicle while the vehicle is on the ground. For example, a technician may perform an oil change by standing in a pit or basement located under the vehicle to access the vehicle's underside.
In the conventional garage or service bay, technicians perform maintenance tasks one at a time until completing all of the desired tasks. Performing all of the required tasks simultaneously is not realistic because multiple technicians would have to work on the vehicle at the same time, getting in each other's way. Aside from this, some of tasks may require the use of a lift and some may not, making coordination difficult. Also, conventional garages or service bays need equipped with a large number of different equipment, making the space cluttered. The large number of different equipment may be moved in and out of the space but this may be tedious and time-consuming.
But customers demand fast service and convenience. Service facilities also prefer fast service because it allows for a larger volume of vehicles served. For a service facility with only a limited number of service bays, extended service time results in lost business and customer dissatisfaction because a vehicle cannot be brought in to the facility for service unless there is an open service bay in which to service the vehicle.
Increasingly, customers also demand transparency in service. Conventional service facilities had waiting rooms for customers to wait or, worse yet, required customers to leave the facility while maintenance was being performed. Customers often questioned, with little recourse, whether the maintenance work was actually performed. Often, when an unexpected costly repair was necessary, the customer was surprised and had to take the word of the technician as to whether the work was actually needed.
Another conventional problem is the variety of parts and specifications of the various vehicle brands, models, etc. Beyond the complexity of individual parts of a vehicle, the many options that are available in body style, engine size and type, transmission, and accessory equipment further complicate the specifications. In some cases manufacturers change specifications after manufacturing because of design improvements, safety recalls, etc. Therefore, in addition to the time spent actually servicing the vehicle, maintenance facilities must spend time obtaining, locating and retrieving the relevant parts and specifications for the specific vehicle they happen to be servicing at the time.
Therefore, there is a need for an automotive service facility that increases speed, transparency, and accuracy in vehicle service.