To protect a private cryptographic key, two values are derived. The two values together can reconstruct the key. One value is sent to a server and deleted from the local machine. The other value is held by the local machine. To use the key, the user will enter a password, which will be used to authenticate the user to the server, and retrieve the value from the server. The password is also used to unlock the value held by the local machine. The private cryptographic key is thus protected against brute force password attacks without changing the behavior of the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cryptographic systems, and more particularly, to securing private keys in a public key cryptographic system.
2. Description of Related Art
The increasing accessibility of public networks, such as the Internet, allow a wide variety of data to be quickly and cost effectively accessed from virtually anywhere. The Internet, for example, allows users to access databases such as web page servers from any computer connected to the Internet.
One disadvantage with using a public network or an insecure private network to access information is the possibility that sensitive or private information may be accessed, modified, or intercepted by an unauthorized party. These problems can be mitigated, however, by using public key cryptographic systems. In these systems, an authorized person can digitally sign messages to verify their source and information can be encrypted before it is transmitted over the insecure network. The receiver of the signed message will be assured that the message originated from the authorized person. The encrypted information, even if unlawfully intercepted, is not intelligible. In this manner, an insecure network may act functionally like a private and secure network.
The basic components of a public key cryptographic system include a cryptographic algorithm and two numerical codes called keys, one of which is referred to as the public key and the other the private key. To encrypt information, a user inputs a public key to the cryptographic algorithm along with the information to be encrypted. The resultant information, encrypted with the public key, can only be decrypted with the corresponding private key. For example, if a first user encrypts a message with the public key, only the holder of the private key can recover the original message. Even the first user, absent the private key, cannot decrypt the message.
Parties wishing to securely communicate with one another over an insecure network using a public key cryptographic system begin by exchanging their public keys. The sending party then encrypts its information using the second party's public key. The second party decrypts the received information using its private key. Similarly, when digitally signing a document using public key cryptographic systems, the signing party signs the document using its private key. Correctly decrypting the signature with the signing party's public key verifies the identity of the signing party.
For a public key cryptographic system to be reliable, the communicating parties must keep their respective private keys secure. A user's private key is typically stored at the user's computer. To guard against someone stealing the private key, either by unauthorized physical or logical (i.e., programmatical) access to the user's computer, conventional public key encryption systems encrypt the user's private key using a symmetric encryption algorithm that uses a single key based on a password entered by the user. The encrypted version of the private key is only secure, however, if the user uses a "strong" password. Weak passwords—passwords that are short or based on real words—are vulnerable to brute force cracking algorithms that discover a private key by decrypting the stolen but encrypted version of the private key by methodically trying a large number of possible passwords.
Strong passwords are passwords that are long enough so that a brute force attack is not likely to be able to guess the correct password. Strong passwords, although desirable from a security standpoint, are not particularly user friendly. Users do not like to type in long phrases every time they begin a secure session. Additionally, strong passwords can be difficult to remember.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to improve the user friendliness of passwords used to protect a private key without compromising the security offered by strong passwords.


Methods and apparatus for an ATM network for determining an allowed cell rate without the introduction of oscillations by using a average cell rate of all virtual circuits. Each ATM switch may be configured to calculate an allowed cell rate (ACR) for each connection between adjacent ATM switches along the virtual circuit and to relay this information back to a source using a BRM cell.

The ABR service class has been defined by the ATM Forum as one of the five service classes in an ATM network. In an explicit-rate mode of ABR service in an ATM network, a real-time determination may be made as to the amount of bandwidth that each ABR circuit may utilize. The amount of bandwidth allocated to each ABR circuit is known as the Allowed Cell Rate (ACR). The ACR may be transmitted to the source of each circuit via special control cells known as resource management (RM) cells. The format of RM cells and the principles governing their generations and usage are specified by the ATM Forum Traffic Management 4.0 standard. There are two types of RM cells, Forward RM cells (FRM) which travel from the source to the destination, and Backward RM cells (BRM) which travel from the destination back to the source. Specifically, the Allowed Cell Rate is marked into the BRM cells because they are received by the source with a smaller delay than FRM cells. Also, according to the standard, the FRM cell contains a Current Cell Rate (CCR) field which is set by the source to indicate to the ATM network the cell rate at which the source is currently transmitting traffic. The intention of the CCR field is to assist the network in determining the ACR for all ABR circuits.
One key to a successful implementation of ABR service is the ATM network's capability to quickly and fairly adjust the allowed cell rate (ACR) for each ABR circuit when the level of congestion within the network changes. Accordingly, improved algorithms are desirable for varying the allowed cell rate (ACR) in ATM networks for each ABR circuit.

Available bit rate flow control algorithms for ATM networks


A condenser core portion carries out a heat exchange between refrigerant and air. The condenser core portion includes a plurality of condenser tubes through which the refrigerant flows and condenser fins disposed between each pair of adjacent condenser tubes. A radiator core portion is disposed in series with the condenser core portion in an external fluid flow direction with a predetermined clearance therebetween, to carry out a heat exchange between engine coolant and the air. The radiator core portion includes a plurality of radiator tubes through which the engine coolant flows and radiator fins disposed between each pair of adjacent radiator tubes. A connecting portion integrates each of condenser fins and radiator fins. The condenser fins disposed at an upper area of the condenser core portion introduce cooling performances more than the condenser fins disposed at a lower area thereof.

This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-79350 filed on Mar. 16, 2000, and 2001-67002 filed on Mar. 9, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compound heat exchanger including a plurality of heat exchangers suitable for use in an automotive cooling module in which a condenser is integrated with a radiator.
2. Description of Related Art
JP-A-10-253276 discloses a compound heat exchanger in which a condenser is integrated with a radiator. In the conventional compound heat exchanger, fin of a condenser core portion and fin of a radiator core portion are integrally formed, and a louver arrangement of the condenser fin is different from a louver arrangement of the radiator fin for adjusting heat exchanging performances of the radiator and the condenser.
Here, the louver arrangement includes etching angle, louver etching length, width dimension, the number of louvers, and the like.
However, in the conventional compound heat exchanger, heat exchanging performance does not vary within the condenser or within the radiator. Thus, when required heat exchanging performances are different between at one area and another area within the condenser or within the radiator, the conventional compound heat exchanger cannot satisfy such a request.
An object of the present invention is to provide a compound heat exchanger easily attaining required heat exchanging performance between at one area and another area within a heat-exchanging core.
According to the present invention, a first core portion to carries out a heat exchange between a first fluid and an external fluid. The first core portion includes a plurality of first tubes through which the first fluid flows and first cooling fins disposed between each pair of adjacent first tubes. A second core portion is disposed in series with the first core portion in an external fluid flow direction with a predetermined clearance therebetween, to carry out a heat exchange between a second fluid and the external fluid. The second core portion includes a plurality of second tubes through which the second fluid flows and second cooling fins disposed between each pair of adjacent second tubes. A connecting portion integrates each of first cooling fins and second cooling fins. At least one of the first cooling fins and the second cooling fins introduce different cooling performances between at one area and another area within at least one of the first core portion and the second core portion. Thus, the compound heat exchanger easily attains the required heat exchanging performance being different between at one area and another area within at least one of the first core portion and the second core portion.

Compound heat exhanger having cooling fins introducing different heat exhanging performances within heat exchanging core portion


In order to enable notification of radio resources that make up an enhanced downlink control channel, a radio base station that transmits downlink control information for a user terminal using an enhanced downlink control channel frequency-division-multiplexed with a downlink shared data channel is provided. The radio base station includes a configuring section that configures the user terminal with a resource set including a plurality of resource blocks allocated to the enhanced downlink control channel; and a notifying section that notify the user terminal of pattern information of the resource blocks that make up the resource set and information indicating a number (n) of resource blocks that make up the resource set.

In a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network, for the purposes of further increasing data rates and providing low delay and so on, long-term evolution (LTE) has been under study (see Non-Patent Literature 1). In LTE, as multi access schemes, OFDMA (OrthogonalFrequency Division MultipleAccess) isadopted for the downlink and SC-FDMA (Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access) is adopted for the uplink.
In addition, for the purposes of achieving further broadbandization and higher speeds, a successor system to LTE has been under study (which may be called, for example, LTE Advanced or LTE Enhancement (hereinafter referred to as"LTE-A")). In LTE (Rel. 8) and LTE-A (Rel. 9 and later), MIMO (Multi Input Multi Output) technique has been also considered as a radio communication technique for transmitting and receiving data via a plurality of antennas thereby to improve a spectrum efficiency. In this MIMO technique, a transmission/reception device is equipped with a plurality of transmission/reception antennas, and different transmission information sequences are transmitted simultaneously from the different transmission antennas.

Radio base station, user terminal, radio communication system and radio communication method


A ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp is provided herein, which implements the safety function for protecting the user from electric shock since it conducts only when both ends thereof have been correctly installed into a lamp socket. The ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp includes a lamp tube, two end caps, an LED module and a power supply module. The power supply module includes a detection module for temporarily conducting two detection terminals of the detection module during a detection stage, so that a pulse current is generated when the LED tube lamp is powered on. The detection module performs a detection based on the pulse current, so as to determine whether to conduct or cut off a current path between the first and the second detection terminals after the detection stage.

LED lighting technology is rapidly developing to replace traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting. LED tube lamps are mercury-free in comparison with fluorescent tube lamps that need to be filled with inert gas and mercury. Thus, it is not surprising that LED tube lamps are becoming a highly desired illumination option among different available lighting systems used in homes and workplaces, which used to be dominated by traditional lighting options such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent tube lamps. Benefits of LED tube lamps include improved durability and longevity and far less energy consumption. Therefore, when taking into account all factors, they would typically be considered as a cost effective lighting option.
Currently, LED tube lamps used to replace traditional fluorescent lighting devices can be primarily categorized into two types. One is for ballast-compatible LED tube lamps, e.g., T-LED lamp, which directly replace fluorescent tube lamps without rewiring the lighting fixture; and the other one is for ballast-bypass LED tube lamps, which omit traditional ballast on their circuit and directly connect the commercial electricity to the LED tube lamp. The latter LED tube lamp is suitable for the new surroundings in fixtures with new driving circuits and LED tube lamps. The ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp is also known as "Type-A" LED tube lamp, and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp provided with a lamp driving circuit is also known as a "Type-B" LED tube lamp. Compared to the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has better luminous efficacy and longer life time since the power consumption and the malfunction concerns of the ballast can be excluded.
For the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the power supply configuration can be categorized into two types. One is single-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal merely through one side of the LED tube lamp; and the other one is dual-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal through both sides of the LED tube lamp. In order to fulfill the light emitting requirements of traditional fluorescent lamps, the circuits of the traditional fluorescent lamp fixtures are designed and disposed for providing the AC signal through both ends of the lamp. For the purpose of replacing traditional fluorescent lamps, an LED tube lamp having the dual-end power supply configuration can be popularized much easier since the installation is simpler than the single-end power supply configuration.
However, there are some drawbacks in the dual-end power supply configuration. For example, when an LED tube lamp has an architecture with dual-end power supply and one end cap thereof is inserted into a lamp socket but the other is not, an electric shock situation could take place for the user touching the metal or conductive part of the end cap which has not been inserted into the lamp socket.
In the U.S. patent publication Ser. No. 20130335959, filed on Jun. 15, 2012, or the U.S. patent publication a solution of disposing a mechanical structure on the end cap for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, the connection between the external power and the internal circuit of the tube lamp can be cut off or established by the mechanical component's interaction/shifting when a user installs the tube lamp, so as to achieve the electric shock protection. However, due to the physical characteristics of the mechanical components, the mechanical fatigue may inevitably cause the reliability and durability of the electric shock protection to be limited.
On the other hand, although the ballast-bypass type and the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamps can be configured in the dual-end power supply configuration, there are many different considerations in the power supply circuit design. For example, due to the frequency of the voltage provided from the ballast being much higher than the frequency of the voltage directly provided from the commercial electricity/AC mains, the skin effect occurs when the leakage current is generated in the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, and thus the human body would not be harmed by the leakage current. Therefore, since the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has higher risk of electric shock/hazard, compared to the ballast-compatible type, it is preferred that the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp have extremely low leakage current for meeting strict safety requirements.
In the PCT patent application WO2015/066566, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, a solution of utilizing an electronic switch in the power supply circuit for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, a transistor/switch is disposed in series with the input rectification stage of the fluorescent lamp replacement and the LED load, and a current flowing through the sense resistor will be detected for determining whether the fluorescent lamp replacement is correctly connected to the ballast. WO2015/066566 does not address the electric shock problem in the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp.
In detail, compared to the power supply (typically an AC powerline or commercial electricity) for a ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the signal provided by a ballast (especially electronic ballast) has relatively high frequency or voltage. Further, for purposes such as one of driving a filament of a fluorescent lamp, a ballast may have to output a relatively high starting voltage as to excite electrons from the filament. So the starting voltage from a ballast can be as high as 1200 volts. On the other hand, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp is typically powered by commercial electricity with frequency as low as e.g. 50 Hz or 60 Hz and voltage as low as or below about 300 volts. Based on the above characteristics difference between power supplies for the direct replacement type LED tube lamp and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the benchmark and behavior for detecting the installation state is significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamps. For example, since the waveform of the current flowing through the sense resistor may be significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamps, utilizing the same determination criteria to determine whether the LED tube lamp is correctly installed is ineffective and will likely result in incorrect or inaccurate detection results. Thus, if the shock hazard detection of WO2015/066566 is applied to the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, a wrong detection result is relatively likely to occur, for example, because of the offset of the input voltage/current that may occur for lower frequency power signals.
Further, according to the circuit structure of WO2015/066566, a bias circuit is configured for starting the shock hazard detection, in which the input terminals of the bias circuit are connected to the ballast output at one side of the fixture. Therefore, the bias circuit can form a loop with the ballast and be powered up when one end of the LED tube lamp is installed on the corresponding socket/tombstone of the fixture. However, since there is only one output on each side of the fixture for providing the dual-end power so that the loop of the bias circuit cannot be formed, the shock hazard detection circuit of WO2015/066566 cannot be implemented in most of the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamps.

Jiaxing Super Lighting Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.


A method of mixing a powder material and a binder in a predetermined ratio and kneading the mixture so that substantially whole surface of the powder particles are covered by the binder, molding the kneaded mixture into the shapes of desired products, then removing the binder from the moldings without causing expansion or cracks in the moldings before sintering. The binder comprises one or more organic binding substances soluble to an alcohol or to an mixed solvent of an alcohol and benzene or one or more ketones and one or more organic binding substances insoluble to the alcohol or to the mixed solvent. The moldings are put in contact with the alcohol or the mixed solvent to extract the organic binding substances soluble to the alcohol or to the mixed solvent from the moldings. The organic binding substances insoluble to the alcohol or to the mixed solvent are then removed by heat-decomposition. The dissolution of the organic binding substances soluble to the alcohol or to the mixed solvent can be controlled to an appropriate rate by the constituents of the mixed solvent and their ratio of mixture.. By this method, it is made possible to remove the binder from the moldings made of powders with small particle sizes and large specific surface areas, which are difficult to remove the binder from without causing defects by the conventional methods, in short time without causing expansion or cracks in them.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved methods of kneading a powder of metal, ceramic, cermet, or other materials with a binder, molding the kneaded powder, and removing the binder from the moldings before sintering them to obtain products.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Injection molding is widely used as a method of forming complicated-shaped metal and ceramic products out of powders. In injection molding, various organic compounds or thermoplastic resins are added to a powder to fluidize it; the powder containing added binder is hot-kneaded, and injection-molded; the binder is removed from the moldings obtained before sintering; and the moldings are sintered into products. In this process, removal of the binders is most important to obtain products without defects. There are two methods conventionally used for removing the binder from powder moldings: the heat decomposition method in which an organic binder is decomposed and gasified by heating, and the dissolution method in which an organic binder is extracted from moldings with an organic solvent.
In the thermal decomposition method, rapid decomposition and gasification of an organic binder raise the internal pressure of the moldings and thereby cause cracks or expansion in them. The decomposition and gasification of a binder therefore must be carried out gradually, and take a long time. Especially for a powder with a small particle size and a large specific surface area to which a larger amount of binder must be added to fluidize it for injection molding, complicated techniques such as heating moldings step by step to higher temperatures are necessary for the removal of the binder, and the removal of the binder takes a longer time. Though addition of volatile substances to binders is thought of, those substances can evaporate during kneading and molding, and make it difficult to reuse the sprue and runner part of moldings.
In the dissolution method, an organic binder is extracted from moldings with an organic solvent, and the pores left by the dissolved out binder serve as passages of decomposed and gasified binder. Therefore, remaining binder is easily removed by heat-decomposition without causing defects in the moldings. In the dissolution method, however, liquid materials such as mineral oils, fatty acid-derived oils, or natural oils are used in large quantitites for a binder. But these oils can separate from the powder during kneading and ooze out of the moldings, so as to make it difficult to store the kneaded powder and moldings stable for a long time. Moreover, oils move to the surface of moldings during storage and can cause cracks or expansion in the moldings during extraction.
A method of dissolving out a plasticizer and a lubricant in an organic binder using hot water is also thought of. In this method, however, the stability of the kneaded powder containing them and the strength of the moldings decrease as the proportion of the plasticizer and the lubricant added increase, whereas cracks and expansion can be caused by heat decomposition and gasification of the binder if their proportion is low.
Disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication gazette No. 101101/1990 is another dissolution method in which water-soluble resins are used for a binder and they are dissolved out with water. This method has an advantage of using water which is lower in cost and safer to handle than an organic binder. Water, though, is inferior to an organic solvent in the permeating ability into moldings and evaporativity. Therefore, extraction of the binder and drying of moldings after the extraction take a longer time, especially for ceramic or metal powders with a specific surface area of 10 m.sup.2 /g or greater, to which a large quantity of an organic binder must be added. Moreover, when heating moldings to remove the water that has permeated into the moldings, the problems of cracks and expansion can arise as a higher temperature is used. In addition, powders of materials which can rust in contact with water, such as iron and copper, and those of materials which react with water and generate gases, such as ceramic Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 which generates ammonia gas, cannot be used.

Methods of removing binder from powder moldings


The disclosure is directed to a chart or a board listing medications, dosages and times to be taken, and notes. There is a medication recessed tray that organizes the user's medicines into one central location. The frequency denotes how frequently a medication is to be taken. Medication name column is where the name of the medication is placed, the type of medication, and the dosage and the usage. The calendar section, labeled Sunday-Saturday, that has square boxes that are to have check marks placed in them only after medication is ingested or applied. Refill column, where refill dates and other refill information is placed. The dot on the refill column is to be colored in if a doctor's visit is required before medication can be refilled. The pertinent medical information column is where the patient can place any information that he or she finds useful. The surface of the board is dry continuous basis. The board is to be marked by a marker.

This invention relates to a system for aiding people, particularly the elderly, home bound, drug babies, psych patients and any other persons in the administration of multiple medications. Because of advances in medicine, and today's powerful new drugs, people are living longer, a major problem confronted daily by people, particularly elderly and chronically ill patients, is home implementation of the necessary drug regimen in a safe, accurate and a timely manner. During pharmacological training of nurses and doctors, great emphasis is placed on the absolute necessity for maintaining perfect accuracy in the administration of medications. Errors and misuse can undermine the effectiveness of these drugs and can indeed be dangerous to the patient, causing fatal results and cost billions of dollars annually to out national health care system. In many instances the patients drug regimen includes up to six or more medications to be taken daily. Each medication having its own time table and dosage, and each with accompanying instructions and warnings. Particularly, among elderly patients, the timing and dosage of medicine is subject to frequent change and may vary from day to day. The effort to keep track of such a complexity of information can be confusing and threatening to the patient, causing distress and often prolonging recovery.
Charts currently in use by medical professionals are often difficult for anyone outside the profession to read and understand. Many patients are already disquieted simply by being ill and can become additionally concerned and/or confused with the added burden of having to follow the doctor's orders. Apprehension over possible misuse of the prescribed drugs and other medications only serves to cause further distress. As a Registered Nurse, I have witnessed the misuse of medications and have seen them have fatal results.
Homemade systems are often unworkable for multiple medications, as they can become very complicated and confusing to the patient. Moreover, when the doctor make changes to the regimen, the system may have to be completely revamped.
Plastic box containers work only for those using relatively few medications; they will not accommodate a large multiplicity of medications, for example, 6 to 12 to be taken several times daily, 7 days a week, and of course the medications must be in pill form to be placed in the slots of the plastic containers. Systems such as these are not useful for medications that are sensitive to light or air, neither are they practical for the use of patches, salves, liquid medications or medications that need to be refrigerated. The plastic box containers do not reinforce the name of the medication, the dosage, the usage or what it is for.
The Coleman Medication Board, as designed and invented, can assist with the administration of medication in any form, and also constantly reinforces the name of the medicine, the usage, the dosage, what it is for, and any pertinent information about the medication.


Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with execution of application code having multiple ISAs, are disclosed. In various embodiments, a runtime environment may execute application code having multiple instruction set architectures. The runtime environment may be configured to execute first code of the application code according to a first instruction set architecture, while also configured to execute second code of the application code according to a second instruction set architecture that extends the first instruction set architecture. Using gates, the runtime environment may be adapted to adapt an interaction from the first code to the second instruction set architecture and/or adapt an interaction from the second code to the first instruction set architecture and, subsequently, return to executing the application code according to the first instruction set architecture or the second instruction set architecture, respectively. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A computing device may be characterized by its Instruction Set Architecture (ISA). Typically, a computing device may include Operating System (OS) services, and the OS services may include the runtime library services (LIB), developed for the ISA of the computing device, to facilitate application developers to develop applications to operate on the computing device. For example, various smartphones may be characterized by the use of the ARM processor and its ISA. These smartphones may include an OS, e.g., iOS from Apple® Computer or Android from Google®, in support of the various applications developed for the respective smartphones.
As central processing unit (CPU) architectures evolve, a computing device may include a CPU adapted to provide some new features—for example, IA-64 of the Intel® Processor Family may supply extra resources and capabilities (e.g., additional registers, register-based arguments, and instruction pointer relative addressing). However, the computing device may have stored therein a legacy application that may not be adapted to take advantage of the new features of the new CPU architecture. Traditionally, the legacy application would have to be recompiled according to a new ISA to take advantage of the new features, e.g., a 32-bit application may be recompiled to run in a 64-bit mode. However, recompilation of an entire application may be impractical. For example, even if recompiled to a 64-bit ISA, an application may rely on system libraries that have not been ported to the 64-bit ISA.

System and method for execution of application code compiled according to two instruction set architectures


An asset tag apparatus and methods of monitoring assets with an asset tag are provided. The asset tag apparatus includes a housing and a wireless transmitter located within the housing. A processor is located within the housing, wherein the processor is in communication with the wireless transmitter. An accelerometer is positioned within the housing, wherein the accelerometer is in communication with the processor, wherein a wake-up signal is transmitted from the accelerometer to the processor in response to an activation of the accelerometer, and wherein the wireless transmitter transmits a signal externally from the housing in response to the wake-up signal received by the processor.

Radio-based asset-tracking systems are used in various enterprises, such as hospitals, moving and shipping companies, and other facilities with movable assets to track various assets to provide the enterprise or other party with knowledge of the location of the asset. The asset-tracking systems often use wireless tags that are connected to assets to help track the location of the asset. Installing the infrastructure to enable asset tracking is normally relatively expensive, and the asset tag typically has sufficient power to operate for a few months before its batteries are dead. The relatively short lifespan is due to several factors. One factor is that the tags are location-aware, which means they receive signals from infrastructure that are associated with particular locations, and the tags then have to report the location data back to an asset tracking system. The tags also normally use a two-way protocol, which includes sending a message and receiving an acknowledgement of receipt. Furthermore, the costs of the infrastructure for many conventional tracking systems, including RFID readers for passive RFID tags, can be prohibitively high to prospective users.
The need for an asset tag that has sufficient battery power to operate for the life of the asset, or a substantial portion of the life of the asset, is a critical factor in industries today. Having to replace a battery of an asset tag or replace the entirety of the asset tag is an expensive and often time-consuming process. Many assets will require tags with lifespans of many years. Additionally, it can be difficult to determine the optimal time for replacement of a battery of the asset tag, thereby leaving the user at the risk of the asset tag fully losing power and subsequently failing. Some low-power radios have been used to increase battery life, but these devices have shorter transmission range requiring the RF infrastructure to relay. When the assets being tracked are highly mobile (e.g., cattle or international shipping containers), having an asset tag which no longer functions to track the asset is highly undesirable.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Wireless tag apparatus and related methods


A color video projector as disclosed which includes a cabinet having a depressed top deck, and a mirror carrying L-shape mounting board pivotally carried by a pair of slidably movable arms, guide grooves on the side edges of said top deck and guide pins protruding from the mounting board ride in the guide grooves during withdrawal of the mounting board. The board can only be rocked to its upright position when the arms are fully extended and can only be rocked back to its original position when the arms are fully extended and from which position the mounting board can be pushed back into the cabinet with the mirror above the top deck.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a video projector and is directed more particularly to a color video projector which has three cathode ray tubes for producing three primary color images of red, blue and green colors separately.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is known a color video projector of the projection type for magnifying a video image, for example, a color image on a color cathode ray tube and projecting it upon a screen.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a typical prior art example thereof in which red, green and blue primary color images are obtained separately and then projected through two lens devices to form a color image, and it is called a two-eyed three-tube type projector.
In the figures, numerals 1R, 1G and 1B represent color cathode ray tubes for producing red, green and blue primary color images, respectively, which are disposed within a projector body 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 2. In the figures, numerals 3 and 4 denote lens devices, 5 a dichroic mirror and 6 a screen, respectively.
In order to minimize as much as possible the space occupied by the projector, including the screen 6, and to make the adjustment of the optical system unnecessary, it is sufficient that the screen 6 be mounted, for example, on a part of the projector body 2 as illustrated. This arrangement will require a mirror 7 because a color image cannot be projected directly upon the screen 6.
The mirror 7, for reasons of the related optical distance or the like, should be mounted on a mounting board 8 and positioned outside the projector body 2 such as in the manner illustrated. Thus, when the projector is not being operated, it is desirable for the mirror to be, for example, housed or replaced in the projector body 2 to avoid damage and to give a pleasing appearance.
With the above prior art projector, when the projector is used, it is necessary that the mounting board 8 be withdrawn from the projector body 2. In this case, it is necessary that the mounting board 8 be moved outwards in the direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 3 and then rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow B. At this time, if the mounting board 8 is erroneously rotated before it is moved outwards, a lower end edge 8a of the mounting board 8 abuts against the upper end edge of a front panel 2a of projector body 2. Thus, there occurs the objectionable features that the front panel 2a and/or a movable arm 18, which is pivoted on a support 16 fixed to the board 8 at a pivot pin 17, are damaged.


A female connector and a male connector engageable with each other are paired. Fixing shafts are projected from both lateral sides of the male connector. The female connector has a retaining lever being pivotable about pivots arranged on both lateral sides thereof. Rail portions are arranged on a front surface of the lever, each rail portion having a predetermined surface of curvature. When the male connector is inserted into the female connector, shaft portions of the fixing shafts are abutted against the rail portions and bias the rail portions, so that the surfaces of curvature produce resisting forces, each having a component for pivoting they lever.

1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a lever connector requiring only small inserting and pulling force, which is adapted for use chiefly in mutually connecting wire harnesses for automobiles.
2. Related art
A conventionally known connector of this type is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. This connector using a spring is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei. 4-87169.
In the process of bringing an intermediately inserted condition of male and female connectors 101, 102 in FIG. 8 into a completely inserted condition thereof in FIG. 9, a lock projection 104 of a cam lever 103 that is pivotably arranged on the connector 102 first pushes a lock portion 108 down with a tapered engagement portion 105 of the lock projection 104 sliding over a tapered engagement portion 109 of the lock portion 108 in a lock arm 107 on the connector 101 side, and then reaches the bottom of the lock portion 108 while passing over the lock portion 108 upon complete insertion. As a result, both connectors are regularly retained as shown in FIG. 9.
If the cam lever 103 is in the lowered condition while both connectors 101, 102 are being engaged, movement of the connector 101 in a movement direction is blocked, thus not allowing the connector 101 to be further inserted.
To overcome this problem, the operator has to first manually return the cam lever 103 to the elevated initial position at the time of starting the engagement of both connectors 101, 102, and then insert the connector 101 into the connector 102 for temporary engagement, which is a cumbersome operation.
Therefore, to dispense with this cumbersome operation, the conventional lever connector is so designed that a coil spring 106 is additionally provided at the shaft portion of the cam lever 103 arranged on the connector 102 so that the cam lever 103 is urged to be erected at the initial position.
As described above, in the conventional art, the initial position of a retaining lever (the cam lever 103 in the aforementioned example) is strictly limited in the process of assembling the connector.
To permit easy operation, a mechanism such as a spring (the coil spring 106 in the aforementioned example) must be arranged to set the retaining lever to the limited initial position, which has made it difficult to achieve an inexpensive connector.


A secondary battery which comprises a positive-electrode material, an electrolyte solution, a negative-electrode material comprising zinc, and a negative-electrode substrate made of lead or a lead alloy. In a modification, the negative-electrode substrate is made of an electro-conductive material, with the surface thereof being coated with lead or a lead alloy. The battery is free from dendrite short-circuit and has an improved cycle life.

The present invention relates to a secondary battery which employs zinc as a negative-electrode material.
Batteries are widely used as a power source for electronic and electric apparatuses. The recent trends towards miniaturization, higher performance, portability, and personal use of electronic and electric apparatuses have brought about increased demand for secondary batteries which are suitable for long term use and yet are economical.
For use in technical fields, nickel-cadmium and alkali-zinc secondary batteries have been investigated. In particular, alkali-zinc secondary batteries which employ zinc as the negative-electrode material have the advantages of high energy density and economically low cost.
However, secondary batteries employing zinc as the negative-electrode material have disadvantages, including deterioration of the zinc electrode by repetition of charge and discharge and short cycle life.
The causes of the deterioration of the characteristics of the zinc electrode with the repetition of charge and discharge are considered as below. The zinc electrode tends to dissolve unevenly during discharge because of delicate non-uniformity of the surface state, so that the surface roughness of the zinc electrode will increase with the progress of the discharge, and the zinc electrode will come to be deformed. During charge, zinc deposits in a form of a tree-branch (which is called a dendrite) on the projected portion. The dendrite will grow toward the positive electrode with the repetition of charge-discharge cycles, the deposited zinc finally penetrating the separator to cause internal short-circuit, or dendrite short-circuit.


Disclosed is an optical-modulation object, including birefringent island-in-the-sea yarns, whose island portions are grouped, based on two or more spinning cores, in a matrix. The optical-modulation object causes formation of an optical modulation interface between island portions and sea portions, thus maximizing optical modulation efficiency, as compared to conventional birefringent island-in-the-sea yarns.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical-modulation object, and more specifically, to an optical-modulation object in which birefringent island-in-the-sea yarns having two or more spinning cores are present in a matrix, to considerably reduce production costs and remarkably increase luminance.
2. Background Art
Optical-modulation objects comprise an inclusion dispersed in a continuous matrix, which are well-known in the art and are widely utilized in a variety of optical devices and liquid crystal displays, etc., requiring optical modulation. By modulating the characteristics of inclusions, a predetermined range of reflectivity and transmittance can be imparted to optical-modulation objects. These characteristics include the size of inclusions in an object relative to a wavelength, the shape and arrangement of inclusions, volume ratio of inclusions and mismatch levels in refractive index between an object and a matrix continuously arranged along three rectangular axes, etc.
Common absorptive polarizers comprise inorganic blocked chains containing light-absorbing iodine arranged in a polymer matrix as an inclusion thereof. Such a film absorbs light polarized according to its electric field vectors arranged parallel to blocked iodine chains and transmits light polarized perpendicular to the blocks. Since iodine chains have two or more dimensions smaller than wavelengths of visible rays and have a great number of chains per a cube of ray wavelength, the optical-modulation object has the same optical properties as a mirror surface (specular), and diffusive transmission through the optical-modulation object or diffusive reflection from the surface of the optical-modulation object is very slight. Like most other commercially obtainable optical-modulation objects (See FIG. 1), such an optical-modulation object is based on selective absorption and reflection of polarized light.
Optical-modulation objects filled with inorganic inclusions exhibiting different properties provide different optical transmittance and reflectivity. For example, mica flakes having two or more dimensions larger than wavelengths of visible rays are incorporated into a polymer film and a paint, to impart metallic luster thereto. By designing the flakes to be present in the plane of the film, strong direction-dependency can be imparted to reflection behaviors.
The use of these effects enables production of safe screens that have a high reflectivity at a specific observation angle and have a transmittance at other observance angles. Large flakes rendering color (selective regular reflection) depending on the arrangement state of incident light are incorporated into films, to provide evidence of reflection (tampering). For this purpose, flakes present inside the films should be uniformly arranged.
However, optical films produced from polymers filled with the inorganic inclusions have a variety of disadvantages. Commonly, the adhesion between inorganic particles and a polymeric matrix is bad. Accordingly, optical properties of optical-modulation objects are deteriorated, when stress or deformation is alternately applied to the matrix. This is because the bond between the matrix and the inclusion may be damaged and hard inorganic inclusions may be broken. Additionally, further considerations are required in the process for arranging inorganic inclusions, thus complicating a production process.
However, both a matrix and an inclusion inserted into the same, which constitute conventional optical-modulation objects, are optically isotropic, thus disadvantageously causing deterioration in optical modulation efficiency. When birefringent fibers are arranged in a matrix, light emitted from a light source is reflect, scattered and refracted on the birefringent interface between the birefringent fiber and the isotropic matrix, thus inducing optical modulation and improving luminance. However, general birefringent fibers have advantages of low production costs and high optical modulation efficiency, but disadvantageously cannot improve luminance to a desired level and are unsuitable for application to industrial fields, instead of conventional optical-modulation objects comprising inclusions.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical-modulation object comprising birefringent island-in-the-sea yarns designed to prevent aggregation of island portions and thus maximize optical modulation efficiency and a method for fabricating the same.


A method for automatically generating a custom name list for use in an order form which can be submitted to an Internet shopping site to complete an order. The method utilizes address book data, stored primarily online utilizing a third party service. In one method according to the invention, names and addresses are read from an address book database and incorporated into a form which enables the user to easily select recipients for one or more gifts.

Many personal and corporate gifts are purchased on the Internet and shipped directly to specified gift recipients. The user currently is required to populate a web page form with each recipient's shipping address, a time-consuming process—particularly if multiple gifts are to be sent.
Some Internet shopping sites have addressed this problem by maintaining a list of previous names and corresponding addresses to which a given user has shipped goods. On returning to the site, the user can be presented with such a list and may elect to send a further gift to one of the recipients again without having to reenter the address data. That arrangement, however, requires the user to confirm or know that the address information being maintained by that site is still correct, and only concerns recipients who have previously received gifts. The Internet site does not have a reason to stay current with the addresses nor does it have access to the user's address book data.
What remains needed in the art is a method by which an Internet shopping site can offer a user the convenience of selecting a recipient from a comprehensive customized name list, and not require that the user enter the shipping details for a chosen person on that list; even if it is the first time that a person is chosen.
What is further needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a method by which an Internet shopping site can be enabled to read, with the user's permission, the user's client station address book data and incorporate that data into a customized name list.

Shipping address population using online address book


A control system for controlling a driving power source in a vehicle, includes a driving state detector for detecting a driving state of the vehicle; a first determiner for determining whether or not the driving state detected by the driving state detector is a first state; a second determiner for determining whether or not the driving state detected by the driving state detector is a second state; a rotational speed limiter for executing rotational speed limiting control for limiting a driving power source rotational speed to a predetermined upper limit value or less when the first determiner determines that the driving state is the first state, during an operation of the driving power source; and a rotational speed limiting termination unit for terminating the rotational speed limiting control, when the second determiner determines that the driving state is the second state, during the operation of the driving power source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to control systems in vehicles such as motorcycles, ATVs (all terrain vehicles), or small trucks. More particularly, the present invention relates to control of driving power sources to improve drivers' feeling during, for example, starting of the vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a vehicle drives on a bad road surface or rough road surface of a gravel road, a muddy road, a sandy road, etc., as well as a good road surface of a dried pavement, etc. During driving on the bad road surface, a wheel's (or tire's) grip force on the road surface tends to be small. If an engine speed increases in excess during starting, the drive wheel slips, and an impact is transmitted to a driver at a time point when the drive wheel's grip force on the road surface is restored after the slip is mitigated. This may result in a situation where the vehicle cannot start smoothly.
In addition to the above case, if a clutch is operated unskillfully by a driver in a relatively high engine speed condition during driving at a low speed, a driving power transmitted to the wheel changes rapidly, and the resulting impact is transmitted to the driver. Besides, due to such a rapid change in the driving power, the drive wheel slips for a moment and the resulting impact is transmitted to the driver as in the above case. Under such a high engine speed condition, the vehicle cannot start and accelerate smoothly.
Under the circumstances, to suppress a drive wheel slip, traction control is used, in which a slip state of the drive wheel is detected based on a signal from a rotational speed sensor attached on the drive wheel and an engine torque is reduced as necessary based on the detected slip state. The slip of the drive wheel can be suppressed by reducing the engine torque.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2006-329118 discloses a leisure vehicle in which a rotational speed of a front wheel which is a driven wheel is assumed as a vehicle speed and an engine speed is controlled to be a predetermined engine speed (e.g., about 700 rpm) irrespective of the driver's accelerator operation, when this vehicle speed is zero, a transmission gear position is a first gear position, and the engine speed is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, i.e., during starting of the vehicle, thereby enabling the vehicle to start smoothly even on the bad road surface.
However, in the conventional traction control generally used, it is necessary to perform feed-back control of the output of the engine speed sensor, and such control is complex. After the traction control is initiated, an engine torque continues to be suppressed irrespective of the driver's accelerator operation, during a period of time until the slip of the drive wheel finishes and the traction control is terminated. During the period of time, the driver's operation of an accelerator or the like is not reflected by the vehicle's behavior. In addition, in the traction control, since the engine torque is reduced after the slip of the drive wheel has occurred, the impact cannot be mitigated sufficiently sometimes, which leaves room for improvement.
In the case where the engine speed is controlled irrespective of the driver's accelerator operation during starting, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2006-329118, the driver feels discomfort because the accelerator operation is not reflected well by the vehicle's behavior. In the conventional example, since the engine speed is set considerably low to enable the vehicle to start smoothly even on the bad road surface or the like, the driver feels that the engine speed does not substantially increase regardless of the driver's operation of the accelerator or the like, and an engine stall could occur if the clutch is operated unskillfully by the driver.


Systems, devices, structures, and methods are described that inhibit atomic migration that creates an open contact between a metallization layer and a conductive layer of a semiconductor structure. A layer of an inhibiting substance may be used to inhibit a net flow of atoms so as to maintain conductivity between the metallization layer and the conductive layer of the semiconductor structure. Such layer of inhibiting substance acts even with the presence of point defects for a given temperature.

The technical field relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuits. More particularly, it pertains to capacitors in semiconductor integrated circuits.
A capacitor is composed of two layers of a material that is electrically conductive (hereinafter, electrode) brought near to one another and separated by a material that is electrically nonconductive. Suppose the capacitor is connected to a battery with a certain voltage level (hereinafter, energy level). Charges will flow from the battery to be stored in the capacitor until the capacitor exhibits the energy level of the battery. Then, suppose further that the capacitor is disconnected from the battery. The capacitor will indefinitely exhibit the energy level of the battery until the charges stored in the capacitor are removed either by design or by accident.
This ability of the capacitor to xe2x80x9crememberxe2x80x9d an energy level is valuable to the operation of semiconductor integrated circuits. Often, the operation of such circuits may require that data be stored and retrieved as desired. Because of its ability to remember, the capacitor is a major component of a semiconductor memory cell. One memory cell may store one bit of data. A system of memory cells is a semiconductor memory array where information can be randomly stored or retrieved from each memory cell. Such a system is also known as a random-access memory.
One type of random-access memory is dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The charges stored in DRAM tend to leak away over a short time. It is thus necessary to periodically refresh the charges stored in the DRAM by the use of additional circuitry. Even with the refresh burden, DRAM is a popular type of memory because it can occupy a very small space on a semiconductor surface. This is desirable because of the need to maximize storage capacity on the limited surface area of an integrated circuit.
One type of capacitor that supports an increase in storage capacity uses an electrode composed of a metal compound So that charges can be transferred into and out of the capacitor, a metallization layer is placed in connection with the metal compound electrode of the capacitor. The metallization layer may act with the metal compound to create a region that is electrically nonconductive. That act compromises the ability of charges to move into and out of the capacitor at the junction of the electrode. This effect is detrimental to the storage ability of a capacitor and would render a memory cell defective. One solution that has been proposed is to use polysilicon as a layer in contact with the capacitor. However, this solution is inadequate in that the polysilicon may act at a certain temperature with the metal compound electrode of the capacitor to form an electrically nonconductive region.
Thus, what is needed are systems, devices, structures, and methods to inhibit the described effect so as to maintain electrical contact between the metallization layer and the capacitor.
The above-mentioned problems with capacitors as well as other problems are addressed by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. Systems, devices, structures, and methods are described which accord these benefits.
An illustrative embodiment includes a capacitor. The capacitor comprises a first electrode, a first dielectric coupled to the first electrode, and a second electrode coupled to the first dielectric. The second electrode includes an inhibiting layer so as to inhibit formation of an undesired second dielectric.
Another illustrative embodiment includes a capacitor. The capacitor comprises a first electrode that comprises at least one conductive metal oxide. The conductive metal oxide is selected from a group consisting of ruthenium oxide and iridium oxide. The capacitor includes a dielectric coupled to the first electrode. The dielectric comprises at least one insulator metal oxide. The metal oxide includes ditantalum pentaoxide. The capacitor includes a second electrode. The second electrode comprises the conductive metal oxide that is selected from a group consisting of ruthenium oxide and iridum oxide. The second electrode also comprises an inhibiting layer. The inhibiting layer comprises a substance selected from a group consisting of a transition metal, a transition metal alloy, a nitride compound, a noble metal, and a noble metal alloy. The transition metal is selected from a group consisting of platinum, rhodium, and tungsten. The transition metal alloy includes a platinum rhodium alloy. The nitride compound is selected from a group consisting of tungsten nitride and titanium nitride. The noble metal includes platinum, gold, titanium, and silver. The noble metal alloy includes graphite, chlorimet 3, and hastelloy C.
Another illustrative embodiment includes a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes an insulation layer and a first conductive layer abutting the insulation layer. The first conductive layer includes an inhibiting layer that inhibits a diffusion that increases resistivity.
Another illustrative embodiment includes a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes an insulation layer and a first conductive layer abutting the insulation layer. The first conductive layer includes an inhibiting layer that inhibits formation of an undesired oxidation compound so as to enhance an ohmic contact.
Another illustrative embodiment includes a method of forming a semiconductor structure. The method comprises forming a first conductive layer, forming an insulation layer abutting the first conductive layer, forming a second conductive layer abutting the insulation layer, and forming an inhibiting layer abutting the second conductive layer. The inhibiting layer inhibits formation of an undesired oxidation compound so as to enhance an ohmic contact.
These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Structures and methods for improved capacitor cells in integrated circuits


In a personal computing system function calls, formatted in 16-bit format for a 16-bit interface to the firmware, are communicated through an operating system providing a System Management Interrupt (SMI) interface to the firmware. An SMI function call in SMI format is generated and sent to an SMI Interface Wrapper module between the operating system and the firmware. The SMI function call is received over the SMI interface at the SMI Interface Wrapper. In the SMI Interface Wrapper, function data from the SMI function call is extracted to provide function call data. A 16-bit function call with the function call data is generated by the SMI Interface Wrapper and passed to the firmware.

Historically, system BIOS applications and set-up utility functions reside in the firmware, i.e., the BIOS (Binary Input/Output System) and access to this firmware was through a 16-bit interface. As the computer hardware became more sophisticated, 32-bit operating systems began running on top of the firmware.
Today's operating systems generally operate in a 32-bit mode, however, for purposes of backward compatibility and particularly for purposes of system set-up, the operating systems have maintained a 16-bit interface with the firmware. Recently, operating systems, however, have begun to no longer support the 16-bit interface. This creates problems particularly for personal computer manufacturers in setting up their system boards. The problem is that the system set-up applications run on top of the 32 bit operating system but require access to 16-bit runtime interface that reside in the firmware. Accordingly, what is needed is computer architecture and process that permits 16-bit function calls from the system set-up applications to be forwarded to the firmware across a non-16 bit interface between the operating system and the firmware. If there were a 32 bit interface to the firmware, there would be a need to make changes to utility modules. However, changing the utility modules is time consuming, and there is no industry standard for 32-bit interface to the firmware.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System management interrupt interface wrapper


A step bearing is provided to axially support a shaft of an open-end spinning rotor, having a step bearing housing with a freely rotatable supporting ball, against which the end of the shaft is supported. The step bearing housing has a take-up space in the form of a lubricating grease reservoir in which the supporting ball is located. A lubricant distributor is arranged at the take-up space and is movable relative thereto.

This application claims the priority of German application 198 17 911.1, filed Apr. 22, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a step bearing having a housing comprising a take-up in the form of a lubricating grease reservoir for taking up a freely rotatable supporting ball, and a front end supporting surface of a shaft of an open-end spinning rotor. The shaft is loaded with an axial force and the supporting surface is disposable on the supporting ball. The step bearing housing also accommodates thrust bearing supporting the supporting ball.
Lubricating the supporting ball with grease instead of oil brings with it the essential advantage that the machine does not become covered in oil and thus remains cleaner. The grease lubrication, however, must be designed in a very particular way, so that an equally good operational efficiency is achieved as with an oil supporting ball.
A step bearing housing comprising a take-up space in the form of a lubricating grease reservoir for a supporting ball is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,273. The lubricating grease reservoir is relatively large here, so that it can be assumed that in the case of an increase in heat, a flowing motion arises, even if it is a slow one, by means of which the lubrication of the supporting ball is permitted. A collector for used lubricating grease is arranged at the take-up area for lubricating grease. When the supply of lubricating grease is used up, a new supply of lubricating grease can be applied to the take-up with the aid of a correspondingly formed lubricating grease press.
It has been shown that, up to the present, dependent on the amount of used lubricating grease, sometimes no grease reaches the critical place between the supporting surface of the shaft and the supporting ball. When the grease in direct proximity to the supporting ball is used up, when it contains hardly any more oil, it can happen that there is insufficient lubrication, namely principally in the case of relatively small lubricating grease reservoirs, in which there is not enough new, unused grease being pressed through. Also, used lubricating grease is not always removed efficiently enough.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid these disadvantages and to design a step bearing housing, in which lubricating grease can be applied at the right time, and without a complicated procedure, to the critical places of the supporting ball, while at the same time removing the used lubricating grease from these same places.
This object has been achieved according to the present invention in that a lubricant distributor, operated from the outside, is arranged at the take-up and is movable relative thereto.
When means are provided to set the lubricating grease reservoir in motion after a certain running time, then a small lubricating grease reservoir is sufficient which is small and handy and can be applied to the machine in exchange without any great disassembly taking place. This lubricant distributor can be operated from the outside at certain maintenance intervals by an operator, without the step bearing housing being disassembled, by means of a simple handle or a suitable tool. Thus the lubricating grease is "stirred", whereby used lubricating grease is removed from the old place and new lubricating grease is applied again to the supporting ball.
The present invention is based on the knowledge that after even a long running time of the step bearing, only a very small percent of the grease is actually used. Most of the grease filling is, for lubricating purposes, new and completely usable. When the grease is stirred from time to time, the lubricating of the supporting ball is ensured.
In the simplest embodiment of the present invention, the lubricant distributor can be designed as an adjustable closing piece, thus reducing the size of the take-up. Such a closing piece, which can, for example, form the closing lid of the take-up, can be screwed lower into the take-up by means of a screw thread for the purpose of subsequent lubrication, or it can be pressed in from time to time further into the take-up by means of a clip connection or the like. When re-adjusting, new grease is pressed onto the critical place and the used grease is pressed out.
The closing piece can, for example, take the form of a locking ball. According to the number of notches provided, the grease in the lubricating grease reservoir can be made to circulate several times.
It is practical for the purposes of the present invention when the closing piece is provided with a hollow which enlarges the take-up. The closing piece has then, for example, the shape of a hat, whose inner hollow space is a component of the take-up. By pressing the closing piece down, the grease located in close proximity to the supporting ball is displaced by means of pressing out. The excess grease enters an outer chamber, where it does no damage.
The described methods have the advantage in that the operating personnel do not have to work with a grease press, where, in the case of carelessness, it can happen that too much grease is applied and grease thus gets into parts where it is not required.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the lubricating grease reservoir is designed as an insert turnable in relation to the take-up. When, after a pre-determined running time, the grease supply to the supporting ball is to be secured again, the operating personnel are instructed to turn the insert by a pre-determined amount relative to the step bearing housing, or alternatively in the case of a stationarily arranged insert, to turn the step bearing housing relative thereto. This results in a kind of twirling effect. This can be increased in that the insert has a wing-like form, whereby the wings extend somewhat slanted, so that a screw effect arises. If the insert is turned too much, no damage is done, as the amount of grease in the inside of the lubricating grease reservoir does not change. In addition, no grease is released outside which might make keeping the machine clean difficult. The purpose of the insert is to make full use of the lubricating grease located in the take-up. This permits a reliable lubrication without grease re-fill occurring too quickly.
For the purpose of the present invention, the insert, or the step bearing housing movable relative thereto, is provided with working surfaces for a tool.
The insert can be applied in different ways in the step bearing housing. In one embodiment according to the present invention, it is possible to apply the insert to the step bearing housing from the side of the thrust bearing. In another embodiment according to the present invention, the insert is applied to the step bearing housing from the side of the shaft of the open-end spinning rotor.
The insert can be so designed that it borders the take-up with a radial web. An opening for the shaft can be provided in the web, whereby a non-contact seal is provided. When the end of the shaft is accordingly graduated, a labyrinth seal can thus be formed in this way.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that the insert comprises finger-like turnable wings surrounding the supporting ball at a distance, the axis of which turnable wings,lies coaxial to the shaft. Because of the turning of the turnable wings, the grease is forced to escape, and is pressed unavoidably towards the critical point of the supporting ball. By means of the small distance to the supporting ball, the turnable wings can at the same time form a securing device so that when the shaft of the open-end spinning rotor is pulled out, the supporting ball essentially holds its operational position and returns to its operational position after the shaft is guided in again.
It is particularly favorable when stationarily arranged stopping ribs are arranged at the turnable wings. These ribs can, for example, project radially inwardly from a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall of the take-up, and the turnable wings can be movable between the stopping ribs. When the turnable ribs push against a stopping rib, this is a signal for the operator that the turnable wings must be turned in the other direction for the next lubrication. The turnable wing is always turned in that direction which is currently possible.
The stopping ribs can also surround the supporting ball at a short distance thereto, so that they also function as a support when the shaft of the open-end spinning rotor is removed.
A collector for lubricating grease can be arranged at the takeup. Thus used grease, which has to a great extent become liquid, flows from the take-up to the collector. Thus, when the grease is "stirred" by means of the lubricant distributor, the lubricating grease always reaches only those parts where it is either needed or where it does no damage. Additionally it can be provided that the take-up is separated from the collector by the insert itself.
In a further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the step bearing housing takes the form of a cartridge, which forms, together with the supporting ball, an exchangeable spare part. Thus the possibility is retained, when the lubricating grease is finally used up, to exchange the cartridge for a cartridge with new lubricating grease. This exchange takes place infrequently due to the activity of the lubricant distributor according to the present invention. However, when the exchange must eventually take place, it is very simple to execute. The work involved and subsequently the costs for relubricating a step bearing are considerably reduced. In place of the removed cartridge, a new cartridge with the necessary supply of lubricating grease and a new supporting ball is applied. By activating the lubricant distributor between two cartridge exchange periods, the time intervals for exchanging a cartridge are significantly reduced.

Step bearing housing for an open-end spinning rotor shaft and method of operating same


A device configured to switch a clock speed for multiple links running at different clock speeds and a method for switching the clock signals are disclosed. A frequency divider derives a plurality of clock signals at different frequencies from a source clock signal. A clock switching controller selects a maximum data rate among data rates requested by a plurality of ports of links and outputs a transmit clock signal at the selected maximum data rate to the ports along with a clock enabling signal for each of the ports. Each of the clock enabling signals selectively enables the transmit clock signal for matching a data rate requested by each port. The clock speed may be selected and updated as required by the ports glitch-free in a known amount of time without interrupting data transfers on any of the other ports.

In a computer system, various buses are provided for interconnecting a host processor(s) and other devices and transferring data among them. As an example, PCIe has been developed for replacing the older Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and PCI-X standards. PCIe is used in consumer, server, and industrial applications as a motherboard-level interconnect to link motherboard-mounted peripherals and as an expansion card interface for add-in boards.
A difference between PCIe and earlier PCI or PCI-X buses is a topology based on point-to-point serial links, rather than a shared parallel bus architecture. PCIe can be thought of as a high-speed serial replacement of the older parallel PCI and PCI-X bus. At the software-level, PCIe preserves compatibility with PCI so that a PCIe device can be configured and used in legacy applications and operating systems which have no direct knowledge of the new features of PCIe.
In PCIe 1.0 or 1.1, each lane carries 250 MB/s. PCIe 2.0, released in late 2007, adds a second generation signaling mode, doubling the rate to 500 MB/s. PCIe 3.0, currently in development, will add a third generation signaling mode at 1 GB/s.
PCIe 2.0 and 3.0 also maintain compatibility with the earlier generation of PCIe (i.e., PCIe 1.x). Since PCIe 1.x compatible devices are still being used in the market, PCIe 2.0 or 3.0 compatible devices may need to be connected with PCIe 1.x compatible devices. A PCIe 2.0 or 3.0 device may need to switch clock speeds as required by one of the ports and have the clock speed updated, glitch-free, within a certain period of time without interrupting data transfers on any of the other ports.

Device configured to switch a clock speed for multiple links running at different clock speeds and method for switching the clock speed


Systems and methods for monitoring a heart muscle function identify anomalies in the heart muscle function of a patient, relative to a predetermined cardio-profile. Concurrently, they also detect aberrations in the characteristics of perturbations that may have caused the anomaly. In detail, the aberrations are detected relative to a predetermined response matrix for the perturbation, and characteristics of the perturbation are weighted according to their potential influence on the anomaly. The anomalies that are identified from the cardio-profile are then evaluated relative to the corresponding perturbation aberration to determine whether clinical intervention is warranted.

It is well known that the heart muscle function of a person can be electronically monitored. It is also well known that the heart muscle function can be graphically presented in an electrocardiogram (EKG) which will indicate when there are irregularities (i.e. anomalies) in the heart function. When presented, the EKG can then be evaluated by clinical personnel to diagnose issues that may be detected, and to determine whether an appropriate clinical intervention is necessary.
Along with other scientific advances, electronic technologies have advanced to the point where continuous monitoring of a heart muscle function is feasible. In particular, it is now possible to monitor a patient's heart muscle function on a continuous, 24 hours-a-day, basis. With this extended monitoring capability, however, it has also become necessary to more accurately detect and ignore the false-positive reactions that would otherwise indicate that a clinical intervention is warranted. Stated differently, not all circumstances that may seem to adversely influence an EKG require an active response.
With the above in mind, the requirement for properly detecting a true positive which requires an active response is essentially two-fold. Firstly, there is the need to accurately identify an anomaly in the heart muscle function, when it occurs. Secondly, it is necessary to evaluate the cause of the anomaly in order to determine whether it is likely to adversely affect the patient's heart muscle function. As indicated above, a false-positive will indicate a need for clinical intervention when none is actually needed. On the other hand, a true positive may require immediate intervention.
As opposed to a chronic condition that develops over time, and which can be more thoroughly evaluated, an intermediate or short-term incident or accident may not tolerate such a delay. Typically, short-term incidents result from an egregious happenstance in a patient's normal activity that has a pronounced influence on the patient and his/her heart function. Like the heart muscle function itself, a perturbation that causes an anomaly in the heart muscle can be electronically monitored. Moreover, a heart muscle function anomaly and a causal perturbation can be monitored concurrently, and then simultaneously evaluated.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide systems and methods for monitoring a heart muscle function that concurrently monitors for anomalies in a heart muscle function and for aberrations in a perturbation that causes the anomaly, for an evaluation of their interaction with each other to determine whether clinical intervention is warranted. Another object of the present invention is to provide systems and methods for monitoring a heart muscle function that identify anomalies relative to a predetermined cardio-profile and detect aberrations relative to a weighted response matrix, and then simultaneously evaluate the anomalies and aberrations together to determine whether clinical intervention is warranted.

Cardiac monitor with perturbation evaluation


There is provided a technique for controlling drive of a voice coil motor which can select, with priority for effective reduction, any one of heat generation and EMI noise which are presumed to induce a read/write error and for simultaneously realizing the positioning control of magnetic head with higher accuracy during the tracking operation and the high speed access with shortening of the seek operation period. The magnetic disc storage apparatus introducing this technique is provided with a mode to drive with linear control a coil of the voice coil motor from both terminals and a mode to drive one terminal of coil with linear control and the other terminal with pulse width control. Thereby, the coil is driven in the drive mode of linear control during the tracking operation, while one terminal of coil is driven with linear control and the other terminal with pulse width control during the seek operation.

The present invention relates to a control technique of a magnetic disc storage apparatus and more specifically to a control technique of a voice coil motor for moving a magnetic head to read or write information from or to the storage track on a magnetic storage disc to be driven to rotate. A voice coil motor control technique has been disclosed in the patent application presented by the applicants of the present invention filed on Dec. 12, 2001 Ser. No. 10/012,401).
A magnetic disc storage apparatus comprises a magnetic head for reading or writing information from or to a storage track on a magnetic storage disc to be driven to rotate, a voice coil motor for moving this magnetic head on the magnetic disc and a voice coil motor drive controller for positioning the magnetic head by controlling a voice coil motor drive current while monitoring the read condition of the magnetic head.
Information storage density of a magnetic disc storage apparatus has been improved from year to year and thereby still higher accuracy has also been required for the positioning control of the magnetic head. Therefore, it has been proposed that the magnetic head is positioned through the feedback control of a drive current of the voice coil motor on the basis of a detected value of the relevant drive current. In order to drive the voice coil motor for moving the magnetic head, a linear drive system has been employed in which amount of a voice coil motor drive current is continuously changed.


Two or more access control lists that are syntactically or structurally different may be compared for functional or semantic equivalence in order to configure a security policy on a network. A first access control list is programmatically determined to be functionally equivalent to a second access control list for purpose of configuring or validating security policies on a network. In one embodiment, a box data representation facilitates comparing entries and sub-entries of the lists.

Network management systems implement policies by configuring managed devices in the network, such as routers, switches, gateways, and firewalls, with instructions appropriate to carry out a desired policy. One general application for a network management system is implementation of a security policy on firewalls and other security devices. A policy server may be used in conjunction with other components to configure security devices on the network with security policies. CISCO SECURE POLICY MANAGER (CSPM), manufactured by CISCO SYSTEMS, INC., San Jose, Calif., is a commercially available software package for implementing security policies using a policy server.
An access control list (ACL) is a data structure that contains instructions for configuring firewalls and other security devices on a network. The instructions are usually provided by an administrator or operator of the network. Each firewall that is managed on a network may be configured by one or more ACLs. Each ACL typically contains multiple entries. Each entry identifies specific attributes associated with communication packets and instructions on how communication packets with such attributes are to be treated by the firewalls. The instruction provided with each entry specifies, for example, whether certain communication packets are to be permitted or denied based on source and/or destination information, protocol information, etc.
Usually, each firewall has been configured by at least one active ACL that was created and stored on a server of the network management system. ACLs are subject to revisions and updates, so the policy server may store several prior versions of an ACL. The ACL may be updated through the addition of entries, which provide new or superseding instructions for specified communication packets that may pass through the network. ACLs may contain hundreds or thousands of entries, each of which specify a particular instruction for the specified set of communication packets.
In a typical configuration, each firewall is configured by at least one ACL that is maintained on a server of the network management system. Numerous ACLs may exist for the same network.
Two ACLs are functionally equivalent when each ACL implements the same policy action on the same set of communication packets. However, two functionally equivalent ACLs may be very different in length or size, form and structure. One ACL may contain several more entries than another, but the ultimate effect of each ACL on communication packets passing through the network may be the same. The two ACLs may be equivalent because the ACL entries may supersede one another, include overlapping ranges of addresses, or combine with one another to have the same effect as one entry for a particular set of communication packets. For example, one entry from a first ACL may be equivalent to multiple entries from a second ACL, or one entry on the ACL may supersede other entries in the same ACL. As another example, a new ACL entry may supersede multiple prior entries, so that one ACL has redundant entries, while another does not.
There are several scenarios where it is desirable to determine whether two ACLs that appear to be different are equivalent in effect. For example, in one scenario, a network management system implements a security audit utility that periodically checks for validity of existing firewall configurations against an approved configuration. The approved configuration may be implemented using an approved ACL. Each firewall configuration may be checked against the approved configuration by comparing the ACL of that firewall to the approved ACL to determine whether the two ACLs are equivalent.
In another scenario, a network may be managed by a security management tool, such as CSPM, that enforces security on a number of firewall and virtual private networks. Typically, an administrator writes new policies for the network, and the tool may compute new configurations based on the new policies. The tool is required to validate any new configuration against the existing configurations of the devices. One step for validating security configurations includes comparing the ACL of an existing configuration with the ACL of a new configuration. The comparison enables the administrator of the network to detect when new configurations will change policies on the security devices. In addition, if the administrator can detect that the new configurations are equivalent to the existing configurations, the administrator will be able to avoid reconfiguring the device, thereby reducing device downtime.
In a third scenario, an administrator may wish to reduce the size, or otherwise optimize, the ACLs on the network, to improve processing efficiency and speed. For example, if there are two functionally equivalent ACLs but a first one of the ACLs has a substantially larger number of entries, that ACL will require more time to process than the shorter of the two. The administrator may identify a more optimal ACL for a particular firewall. The administrator may then compare the existing ACL to the more optimal ACL in order to validate that the optimal ACL is equivalent to the existing ACL. Such optimization may also improve readability and maintainability of the ACLs.
The process of comparing ACLs can be cumbersome and labor-intensive. As mentioned, entries in an ACL that appear to be different may be functionally equivalent with respect to how they affect communication packets passing through the network. Furthermore, entries may be ordered differently, making determination of equivalence between two ACLs even more difficult.
Current techniques for comparing ACLs generally require extensive manual input and calculation. The task of comparing two or more ACLs is typically performed by an administrator or other skilled technician. Comparing two or more ACLS can become a very tedious, and even impossible task, as the size of the ACLs increase.
Based on the foregoing, there is a clear need for a technique to automate a determination of whether two or more ACLs are equivalent. Furthermore, there is a need to automate the determination of whether two or more ACLs are equivalent, when the ACLs carry a large number of entries.
The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Method and apparatus for comparing access control lists for configuring a security policy on a network


A composite fiber or filament comprising a core or substrate coated with a cellular foam, and an outer circumference characterized by a substantially continuous, microcellular breathable and abrasion-resistant aspect.

This invention relates to a composite fiber formed of a sheath and core, adapted particularly for knitting, weaving or floccing wherein the core is a fiber or monofilament and the sheath enveloping the core is a cellular and pervious foam contiguous with, and adjacent, the core, and a microcellular less pervious foam at, and adjacent to, the outer perimeter of said sheath, the surface of which is regular and continuous in appearance. The invention relates, as well, to a method for producing these composite or conjugate fibers.
Combinations of foam and fiber have been known heretofore. The production more particularly of flexible cellular foam fibers having an outer envelope of woolen yarn or a combination of wool and synthetic fibers has been described heretofore, illustratively, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,892. The resulting product does not however present an outer surface of skin resistant to abrasion and inherently resistant to attack by moths or the like. The product also attains normally a reduced bulk without an economic use of materials; an incident of the use of the woolen fiber to define the outer surface rather than the core.
It has also been known to provide a cellular structure in which are disposed a plurality of glass fibrils, that involves coating glass fibrils with a thermoplastic polyurethane solution, immersing the coated product in a higher-boiling, miscible, non-solvent for the thermoplastic resin and heating this composition to drive off the initial solvent in which the resin is dissolved; forming the precipitated thermoplastic polyurethane and disrupting the invested glass fibrils. The product, as will be evident, cannot be woven, spun or knit; and presents a weakened product in solvent-susceptible state that cannot be dry cleaned by any conventional treatment means and has an abrasion-resistance that would render it vulnerable to excessive wear even when subject to washing.
Modifying a fiber to yield a porous irregular surface thereon is known and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,862,284; 3,278,329; 3,889,038; and 4,010,308. The use of these fibers in standard spinning and weaving procedures is, however, severely inhibited or prevented by the induced irregularity of the fibers' surface; and their use in apparel, for example, limited by their lack of abrasion resistance.
The production of a foam mass incorporating a reticulum of polyamide, polyester or polyolefin fibers and forming a sheet or mat is also well known heretofore. Mats or sheets, such as the foregoing are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,474,049; 3,474,050; 3,474,051; and 3,480,569 and utilize ratios of foaming components to fiber such that the volume of foam effectively exceeds that generally conceded to be desirable in formulating a discrete foam-covered fiber.
The length to diameter ratio of the individual fibers forming the network of the patentees' mats is also recited as not exceeding 10,000 to assure a continued adhesion between the fibers and surrounding foam. This length is however inadequate for the purpose of providing fibers for spinning, weaving or the like. The surface of the mats produced by the patentees will also be porous and irregular.
Accordingly, if a composite fiber or filament could be produced, and a process evolved for its preparation, having a continuous core fiber and adhering thereto an inner cellular thermoset sheath composed of a low density ply terminating at its outer perimeter in a high density ply having a smooth regular and continuous outer "skin" of limited porosity with accompanying superior abrasion- and tear-resistance properties, the result would be a significant advance in the state of the art.
If, additionally, the composite fiber and filaments so formed were capable of modifying or masking the undesired properties of the core fiber while providing significant integration of the inner and outer sheath with one another and with said core fiber, for example, and providing in contrast with the core fiber alone, improved bulking, pleasant and warm hand, ready dyeability, decreased crushability, increased resiliency, less hygroscopicity and better wet properties and yet fibers that are readily woven, spun or flocced the advance manifested in the art would be significant indeed.