A medical sensor for monitoring vital signs, in particular oxygen saturation, consists of a flexible carrier carrying the transmitter and receiver elements, and a housing element specifically adapted for application to a part of the human body, such as a finger. The flexible carrier may be used with a variety of different housing elements, such that it can be applied to virtually any limb or other part of the human body.

Sensors for trans-illuminating human tissue, or for recording illumination reflected by human tissue, in particular for pulse oximetry, have to fulfill several demands. The most important one is surely that the sensor has to provide a high quality physiological signal, in order to produce accurate readings. Thus, good skin contact, as well as immunity against patient movement, is required. The sensor should also provide sufficient comfort for the patient, i.e., it should not impair his well-being. Last, but not least, easy handling by medical personnel has to be ensured.
Apart from these physiological and medical considerations, the sensor should be easy to manufacture, at reasonable costs.
There have been several attempts in the prior art to fulfill the above needs. DE-A-37 03 458 discloses an elastic, self-contained sensor for application to a human finger. Another solution, also for application to a human finger, is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,464. The latter document describes a sensor of the clothes-peg type.
There have also been prior art sensors which could be secured to the human skin by an adhesive. Such a sensor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,014.
One will note that all of the above medical sensors are designed for application to a specific limb or other part of the human body. So far, the prior art sensors have revealed acceptable results.
However, one serious disadvantage of the prior art sensors (in particular, in terms of cost) is the above discussed aspect that different sensors have to be provided for different sites of application. The variety of different sensors necessitates intensive store-keeping, as a multiplicity of sensors have to be taken on stock. Another aspect is that different sensors require different product runs and are thus not as cheap to manufacture as would be the case if only a single sensor, with the associated number of pieces, would be manufactured. There are also clinical aspects which would make it desirable to have a single sensor only, instead of a variety of different sensors. For example, a patient may be monitored with a foot sensor, but it is desired, in the course of medical treatment, to continue monitoring with an ear sensor. In such a case, the foot sensor has to be completely removed and disconnected from the monitor; similarly, the ear sensor has to be applied, fastened, and connected to the monitor. Alarms have to be disabled during this process in order not to generate an alarm when the foot sensor is removed.
Another clinical problem in this context is that medical personnel have to be trained to use and apply all different kinds of sensors correctly. This is of particular importance in order not to miss any dangerous condition, e.g., a stress situation, of a patient.
The underlying problem becomes even more apparent in respect of disposable sensors, such as adhesive ones. If a patient is monitored at various different locations of the body, several sensors will have to be used, which are all thrown away afterwards.
It would therefore be desirable to have one common sensor for all of the various places of application. However, the prior art could not provide any solution. Therefore, as the sensors have necessarily to be adapted to the shape or geometry of the human skin at the place of application, in order to ensure tight contact with the skin. For example, a self-contained sensor of the type disclosed in DE-A-37 03 458 (which is intended for application to a human finger) cannot be applied to the human ear, or the human foot. Likewise, a sensor of the clothes-peg type (U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,464) cannot practically be applied to a foot (unless it is applied to a toe which is not a preferred location). Similar considerations apply when comparing sensors intended for use with an adult person to sensors intended for neonates.


An electrophotographic recording apparatus comprises an electrostatic charging device for electrostatically charging a surface of a photosensitive body, an exposure device adapted to form an electric charge latent image on the surface of the photosensitive body, a developing device for effecting developing of the electric charge latent image by using a developer containing at least a toner to thereby form a toner image, and a transferring/fixing device for transferring and fixing onto a recording sheet of paper the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive body, the exposure means including a laser exposure section for exposing the surface of the photosensitive body to an optical image of high resolution and a light emitting diode array exposure section for exposing the surface of the photosensitive body to an optical image of low resolution.

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic recording apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image by using a toner.
A conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus such as, for example, a printer employs a laser or an LED (Light Emitting Diode) array as an exposure device. In a multicolor recording device as well which is adapted to employ a plurality of exposure devices, one or more exposure devices of the same type are employed.
On the other hand, an electrophotographic recording apparatus which concurrently uses both a laser exposure and an LED exposure includes, as a proposal, one which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-219971 and one which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 62-296175. The LED exposure, in the former Publication, was utilized as a blank exposure at the time of effecting normal developing, and, in the latter Publication, was utilized for regulation of laser exposure type energy pattern.
However, the above-described prior art apparatuses have taken no measure against the following inconveniences.
(1) Where two or more laser devices in number are used, the space which is utilized for laser beam scanning or laser beam path becomes large in volume. PA1 (2) Where only two or more LED arrays in number are used, the resolution is limited by the size of an LED element. In addition, there exist variation between a plurality of such LED elements in respect of the luminous area and of the luminous energy. Therefore, when it is desired to obtain a print image having not only a high level of fineness but also a small unevenness of density, the exposure device tends to increase in cost.


A method for producing quick setting concrete is provided comprising hydrng a concrete dry mixture with carbonate solution to create a slurry, and allowing the slurry to cure. The invention also provides for a quick setting concrete having a predetermined proportion of CaCO.sub.3 of between 5 and 23 weight percent of the entire concrete mixture, and whereby the concrete has a compression strength of approximately 4,000 pounds per square inch (psi) within 24 hours after pouring.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing concrete, and more specifically, this invention relates to a method for producing quick-setting concrete while simultaneously minimizing the release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, said release of carbon dioxide inherent in cement production.
2. Background of the Invention
Concrete is the most widely used material in the construction industry, with road construction being one of its biggest applications. An inherent problem with cement production, however, is the high level of carbon dioxide that is released therewith, per equation 1, infra: EQU 5CaCO.sub.3 +2SiO.sub.2 .fwdarw.(2CaO.2SiO.sub.2)+(3CaO.2SiO.sub.2)+5CO.sub.2 Eq. 1
wherein CaCO.sub.3 is the calcareous material component (e.g., limestone) that is the source of CO.sub.2 out-gassing during calcination, SiO.sub.2 is argillaceous material (e.g., clay, shale, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.SiO.sub.2), and the products, .beta.-dicalcium silicate (2CaO.SiO.sub.2) and tricalcium silicate (3CaO.SiO.sub.2), are the major binding phases of cement.
The other source of CO.sub.2 during cement production is the combustion of fuel (i.e. coal) that is required to produce the heat for calcining and clinkering the cement components. Generally, the decomposition of natural lime stone into calcium oxide requires reaction temperatures of approximately 850.degree. C.
For each ton of cement produced, approximately one ton of CO.sub.2 is produced by these two sources combined. By 2015, approximately 3,500 million tons of CO.sub.2 will be produced annually worldwide from cement production. In anticipation of this increase, attempts are being made to reverse this trend. The Clean Air Act of 1990, for example, requires that emission of greenhouse gases be reduced to 1990 levels by the turn of the century. To comply with this and other mandates, the cement industry will require new CO.sub.2 emission reducing technologies.
Another drawback of current concrete fabrication processes is the relatively long cure time of concrete. This is a particular problem in the manufacture of precast components. The economics of concrete use would be considerably enhanced if its curing time could be reduced. Current ASTM standards reflect the long setting rates, by requiring that concrete withstand a load factor of 4000 pounds per square inch (psi) after a 28 day set time.
A method of decreasing both CO.sub.2 liberation and curing times previously has been reported in Nature Physical Science Vol. 240, pp. 16-18 (Nov. 6, 1972). The mechanism appears to involve a carbonation reaction in the aqueous film surrounding the surface particles of a concrete structure. During carbonation, impregnated CO.sub.2 reacts with the silicates on the surface of the pores and grains of the structure.
That process exposes curing concrete to predetermined partial pressures of carbon dioxide. The drawbacks to this technique include incomplete carbonation, due to the inner regions of the grains remaining unreacted. Also, from a practical standpoint, it is not convenient to enclose cement structures, such as bridges and roads, in a carbonation chamber during curing.
Previous efforts at direct impregnation using CO.sub.2 has resulted in the formation of a slurry having low pH. This low pH is contrary to the high pH values needed to facilitate the formation of a corrosion protective layer on steel that is used in the production of reinforced concrete structures.
A need exists in the art to ultimately minimize CO.sub.2 burden in the atmosphere during cement production processes and also to minimize the long curing times now associated with concrete structure fabrication processes. An improved process necessarily must include a method for impregnating the entire microstructure of cement with CO.sub.2, and without the need for placing the entire process in a carbonation chamber.

Quick-setting concrete and a method for making quick-setting concrete

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy


A semiconductor device is proposed, in which a chip is placed in an opening penetratingly formed in a substrate in a manner as not to come into contact with the substrate, and an encapsulant formed on the substrate fills up the opening for encapsulating the chip. This arrangement of the chip accommodated in the substrate therefore reduces the overall height of the semiconductor device. Moreover, a plurality of conductive elements disposed on the substrate are also encapsulated by the encapsulant in a manner that, bottom sides of the conductive elements are exposed to outside of the encapsulant, and coplanarly positioned with a bottom side of the encapsulant. This therefore provides good planarity for a bottom side of the semiconductor device, allowing the semiconductor device to be well electrically connected to external devices. A method for fabricating the foregoing semiconductor device is also proposed.

A BGA (ball grid arrayed) semiconductor device provides a semiconductor chip disposed therein with sufficient I/O connections in response to highly performing semiconductor devices desired for use with electronic products. However, such a conventional BGA semiconductor device has the following drawbacks.
First, the conventional BGA semiconductor device has its overall height to be the sum of heights including a portion of an encapsulant higher than the chip, the chip, a substrate mounted with the chip, and solder balls implanted on a bottom surface of the substrate. In other words, such a structure makes the BGA semiconductor device hard to be miniaturized in profile, unless the foregoing components of the BGA semiconductor device are individually reduced in dimension. This therefore restricts the application of the BGA semiconductor device for use in a low-profile product.
Second, in the BGA semiconductor device, the chip is bonded to the substrate by means of an adhesive. Due to a great difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the chip and the substrate, during a temperature cycle in subsequent fabricating processes or practical operation, thermal stress is generated and leads to delamination occurring at a bonding interface between the chip and the substrate. This greatly affects quality and reliability of fabricated products.
Moreover, after mounting the chip on the substrate via the adhesive such as silver paste, in order to stabilize the adhesive for firmly bonding the semiconductor to the substrate, an additional curing process is often performed for the adhesive. This not only increases the fabrication cost, but makes the fabrication time not able to be further reduced.
Further, for the solder balls implanted in the BGA semiconductor device, due to dimensional inaccuracy of the solder balls, or the occurrence of warpage in the substrate resulted from the thermal stress, the solder balls implanted on the substrate can not be positioned in satisfactory coplanarity. This therefore detrimentally affects electrical connection established between the solder balls and the external devices such as a printed circuit board by using surface mounted technology (SMT).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same


The invention is a method, system, and computer-readable medium for gathering and communicating caller identification information on a wireless device. The invention includes receiving, at a wireless device, a calling party phone number to be communicated by the wireless device, determining that the calling party phone number and a corresponding caller identification are not stored on the wireless device memory, performing, in response to the determination that the calling party phone number and the corresponding caller identification are not stored on the wireless device memory, an external database search for the calling party phone number and corresponding caller identification, and determining that the calling party phone number and corresponding caller identification have been identified in the external database search. The invention further includes communicating, in response to the determination that the calling party phone number and corresponding caller identification have been identified in the external database search, the calling party phone number and caller identification.

Wireless devices typically are able to send and receive information about the caller placing a phone call. Wireless devices can include, for example, cellular devices, tablets, smart phones, and the like. Stored in the memory, wireless devices often maintain a contact database. The contact database can include a telephone number correlated to a name, address, and company, for example. These contact databases can associate phone numbers with callers. When a recognized caller whose phone number is stored on the wireless device of a called party calls the called party, the called party's wireless device may communicate the caller's information on the called party's wireless device so that the called party can determine whether or not to answer the call. Sometimes, however, the phone number of the caller may not be associated with any contacts stored on the called party's wireless device, so a called party may not be able to determine who is calling. This results in some important calls not being answered or some unimportant calls being answered. On the other hand, answering such anonymous phone calls can result in being subject to undesirable solicitation phone calls and the like.
Therefore, there is a need for providing a calling party's information when that information is not stored on a called party's wireless device so that the called party's wireless device can communicate that information for the called party.

Method, device and system of providing caller identification information to a user of a wireless device


A laminate includes a metal substrate and a sliding layer overlying the metal substrate. The sliding layer can include a polymer fabric. The polymer fabric can include first polymer P1. The sliding layer can further included a melt-processable matrix polymer. The melt-processable matrix polymer can include a second polymer P2. In embodiments, either P1 or P2 is a fluoropolymer. The sliding layer can further include a filler. In embodiments, the total amount of fluoropolymer and filler in the sliding layer is at least 30 vol %.

Conventional metal polymer plain bearings with polymer based sliding surfaces are typically composed of two-layer or three-layer composite bearing structures. Both forms rely on a metal backing to provide rigidity and allow the material to be formed into the appropriate shape, more commonly a cylinder. The metal polymer two-layer bearing materials typically rely on directly-applied or adhered polymers. The design of the three-layered bearing typically rely on an adhesive or porous metallic interlayer to attach the polymer bearing lining to the metal backing. In any case, a critical part of providing the appropriate load bearing and tribological characteristics is the composition of the sliding layer.
Chemically resistant layers, such as those made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are widely used in industry to protect sensitive parts of machinery or equipment from the corrosive effects of acids or other chemicals. One such use is in one or two piece pump diaphragms commonly used with air or electrically driven diaphragm pumps. In the two piece diaphragms, an outer PTFE overlay diaphragm is commonly used to protect an inner rubber diaphragm from materials that would cause rapid failure of the rubber part alone. In some other cases, the PTFE provides the sole material of construction of the diaphragm.
EP 0 394 518 A1 describes a multilayer slide bearing material in which the metallic support material preferably consists of cold-rolled steel on which a layer of a copolymer of perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) and tetrafluoroethylene has been applied as intermediate layer. A sliding layer composed of a PTFE compound material is in turn applied to the intermediate layer. In this slide bearing material, the intermediate layer has the function of establishing firm adhesion of the sliding layer to the support material. In order firstly to ensure adhesion of the intermediate layer to the support material, the surface of the metallic support material in this known slide bearing material has to be pretreated in a suitable manner by wet chemical means. The best results appear to be achieved by chromating of the surface of the metallic support. However, this process is problematical for a variety of reasons, including environmental issues and others. As such, there is a continued need for improved slide bearings.
Moreover, the performance properties of the sliding layer depend from a variety of factors such as the strength of adhesion to the metal backing and the inherent tribological properties of the sliding layer. In conventional bearings, the friction properties of the sliding layer, absent any post-production lubrication, e.g., grease or oil, depend from the amount of a fluoropolymer and/or a filler present in the sliding layer. The majority of the sliding layer usually comprises a non-fluorinated thermoplastic polymer or curable resin that provides structural integrity of the sliding layer. However, the total amount of friction providing fillers or fluoropolymers does not exceed 30 vol %. For example, US 2009/0052822 discloses extrusion-type bearings, which limits in its embodiments the amount of a fluoropolymer in the sliding layer to 20 vol % and the amount of another filler therein to 8 vol %, totaling the friction providing ingredients in the sliding layer to not more than 28 vol %. As such, there is a need to improve slide bearings by increasing the amount of the friction providing ingredients.
Therefore, it would be advantageous if a bearing composite could be produced that would combine the physical demands of the above described bearing with an improvement of the tribological properties of the sliding layers.

SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS PAMPUS GMBH


A computing system implements a telematics service that obtains a set of vehicle telematics data for each vehicle of a population. Within each set of vehicle telematics data, a set of time-based measurements for a measurement type is identified. The set of time-based measurements identified for each vehicle are combined to obtain a combined set of time-based observations for the measurement type across the population of vehicles or a sub-set of the population defined by vehicle make, model, and/or year of production. An outlier observation is identified from among the combined set of time-based observations. A determination is made whether the outlier observation is part of a temporary deviation or a persistent deviation. For a temporary deviation, an impact of the outlier observation on the set of time-based measurements is reduced. For a persistent deviation, the outlier observation is programmatically characterized.

Modern vehicles typically include on-board electronic control and monitoring systems that manage, measure, and report operation of the vehicle's various subsystems. On-board electronic control and monitoring systems may include or otherwise support on-board diagnostic (OBD) services that enable vehicle owners and repair technicians to access diagnostic information or other forms of operational information from the control system. As one example, on-board electronic control systems of a vehicle may be accessed via a data interface in the form of a physical wired data link connector or data port. OBD information may be communicated over this data interface using a variety of protocols, including ALDL, OBD-I, OBD-1.5, OBD-II, etc.

Reconciling outlier telematics across monitored populations


A luminous keyboard comprises a key assembly, a thin-film switch circuit board assembly, a base plate and a light guide plate. The key assembly is disposed on the thin-film switch circuit board assembly. The thin-film switch circuit board assembly is disposed on the base plate. The base plate is disposed on the light guide plate. The base plate and the light guide plate together form an aperture structure. The thin-film switch circuit board assembly includes a thin-film switch circuit board and a light-emitting unit. The thin-film switch circuit board forms a protrusion protruding toward the aperture structure. The light-emitting unit is disposed at the bottom surface of the protrusion and extends downward such that a lower end of the light-emitting unit is lower than a lower surface of the base plate so that the light-emitting unit emits light into the light guide plate directly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luminous keyboard; in particular, to a thin, low-cost luminous keyboard with higher lighting efficiency.
2. Description of Related Art
A keyboard is an indispensable input device used with a computer for inputting characters, symbols and numbers. When choosing a keyboard, the users consider not only the functionality that a keyboard has but also the appearance of the keyboard. Accordingly, there are many kinds of luminous keyboards available in the market. A luminous keyboard is not only visually appealing, but also convenient when type in the dark.
A conventional luminous keyboard includes a backlight module located beneath the key assembly so that light emitted from the backlight module can be transmitted through the key assembly. For most conventional luminous keyboards, the backlight module is formed by attaching LEDs to a flexible printed circuit (FPC), which is then attached to a light guide plate or a reflection plate. However, this kind of backlight module has the flexible printed circuit with increased thickness and the costs.
In this regard, it is important to reduce the thickness, lower the cost and improve the lighting efficiency of conventional luminous keyboards. The applicant of the present invention provides an improved luminous keyboard to address the above objectives.


A distributed memory type parallel computer and a write data transfer end confirming method of the distributed memory type parallel computer, in which a series of processes to confirm a write data transfer end between plural computing nodes can be made in high speed, are provided. A computing node in the distributed memory type parallel computer provides a request accepting section, a data accepting section, an arbitration section, an address transforming section, a request/data outputting section, an EOT (end of transfer) judging section, and a selector. By using the EOT judging section and the selector in a remote node, a transfer end mark can be added to transfer data themselves. Therefore, without executing processes before and after write data transfer by a CPU in a local node, an end confirmation of a write data transfer from the remote node to the local node can be realized by adding a transfer end mark to the transfer data. With this, a series of the processes to confirm the write data transfer end can be executed in high speed.

The present invention relates to a distributed memory type parallel computer and a write data transfer end confirming method thereof, in particular, in which a CPU (central processing unit) in a local computing node has a main role and a write data transfer is executed from the local computing node to a remote computing node, and a CPU in the remote computing node confirms the end of a write data transfer.

Distributed memory type parallel computer and write data transfer end confirming method thereof


A thread cutting knife assembly for an automatic sewing machine cuts leading and trailing threads during the stitching of garments so that very little tail is left. The body member of the assembly has an open top cavity and first and second ends spaced from each other in a first dimension, which includes a first direction in which the thread passes with respect to the assembly under the influence of the sewing machine feed dogs. A top plate covers the body member cavity open top, and a movable cutting element is disposed between the top plate and the body member and is reciprocated to effect cutting of the thread. Air flow within the cavity from the first end of the body toward the second end in the first direction is effected by supplying air under pressure to an opening at the body first end. Another opening at the body first end can also be provided into which atmospheric air is drawn to provide a Venturi effect. The movable cutting element is reciprocated by a cam in the first direction, and returns to effect cutting under a spring bias. A pneumatic actuator may alternatively be provided for reciprocating the movable cutting element, and includes an O-ring movable with, and then with respect to, an interior bore in a piston to block, and then uncover, a vent passage, to thereby limit the stroke of the cutting element as powered by the actuator. A groove or cavity is defined in the top plate to guide the thread to the movable blade for effective cutting.

In the manufacture of garments utilizing automatic sewing machines, it is necessary to provide some sort of a knife assembly in order to cut the leading and/or trailing threads which effect stitching of the garment. Typically a scissors action type cutting element is provided just downstream of the automatic sewing machine throat plate in the direction of garment movement, and a vacuum is utilized to draw the thread into operative association with the scissors type cutter, and then to carry away the cut thread. Utilizing such a conventional structure--standard equipment with Union Special Corporation type sewing machines--cutting may be effectively practiced, however the amount of thread tail remaining is typically on the order of about one inch. Also, in the prior art, the garment itself sometimes is sucked into contact with the knife, resulting in change to the garment or temporary cessation of the cutting action.
According to the present invention, a thread cutting knife assembly for an automatic sewing machine, and in combination with an automatic sewing machine, is provided which allows the leading or trailing thread to be cut much more closely to the garment than in the prior art, the apparatus according to the invention essentially allowing the thread to be cut right at the garment. This very advantageous action is provided by the particular design and orientation of a top plate of the assembly defining a surface over which the thread passes, the particular cutting elements, and the means for effecting air flow.
According to one aspect of the present invention a thread cutting knife assembly for an automatic sewing machine comprises: A top plate defining a surface over which thread passes. The top plate having means defining a groove in the top plate elongated generally in a first dimension. A body member having an open top cavity therein, and a first end and a second end, the first and second ends spaced from and opposite each other in the first dimension [the top plate covers the body member cavity open top]. A movable cutting element elongated in the first dimension, and disposed between the top plate and the body member, having a cutting portion at a first end thereof adjacent the body first end, and an engagable portion at a second end thereof spaced from and opposite the first end in the dimension of elongation. A stationary cutting element positioned closer to the body first end than the top plate is positioned, and disposed over the body cavity. Means for reciprocating the cutting element in the first dimension, the means engaging the engagable portion of the movable cutting element. And, means for effecting air flow within the cavity from the body first end toward the body second end in the first dimension.
The air flow effecting means preferably comprises a flexible material tube extending outside the body from connection to a source of air under pressure adjacent the body second end to a first opening in the first end of the body, so as to provide a flow of air under pressure in the cavity. Moving the thread in a blown stream of air allows better control over the thread than in a purely suction stream. Also, it is desirable to provide a second opening in the first end of the body adjacent the first opening open to the atmosphere so that compressed air passing through the tube entrains atmospheric air which also passes through the cavity under a Venturi effect. This air flow entrains the cut thread, and passes it to a disposal area.
The cutting portion of the movable cutting element preferably makes an angle of about 45.degree.-75.degree. with respect to the first dimension, in the direction from the first end to the second end. Also the body is open at the second end and the means for reciprocating the movable cutting element comprises means defining a passage away from the body in fluid communication with the body second end. For example, the means for reciprocating the cutting element may further comprise a cam engaging element, the passage being defined in the cam engaging element so that it normally moves the first end of the movable cutting element into engagement with the stationary cutting element. The body first end has a termination slanting downwardly from the body cavity open top, and the flexible tube enters the first opening beneath that end termination.
The assembly according to the present invention is preferably part of an automatic sewing machine. That is, according to the invention an automatic sewing machine is provided including a sewing needle, a pressure foot, a throat plate, feed dogs, and a leading or trailing thread cutting knife assembly. The knife assembly is operatively positioned with respect to the sewing needle, pressure foot, throat plate, and feed dogs to receive cloth stitched with thread by the needle, the cloth moving in a first direction in a first dimension with respect to the knife assembly. The knife assembly is as described above. It cooperates with cams also forming part of the automatic sewing machine.
Utilizing the apparatus according to the present invention, less air is needed than in conventional automatic sewing machine cutting mechanisms, and there is better control over the thread in the air stream. Also, a reciprocating action is provided for effecting cutting of the thread rather than a scissors action, which allows a construction that minimizes the cloth entering the cutting mechanism, but maximizes the probability that the thread will be properly positioned for cutting. Utilizing the invention it is possible to trim the thread very close to the leading and trailing edges of the garments, e.g. leaving only a few millimeters of thread tail rather than one inch as in the prior art.
The invention also contemplate a particular pneumatic actuator which may be used to reciprocate the movable cutting element of the knife assembly, or in other circumstances where a pneumatic actuator of a small, predetermined stroke length is desired. The pneumatic actuator according to the invention is for reciprocating a reciprocal element, and comprises the following elements: A body defining an interior cylindrical bore, having means defining an opening therein for introduction of gas under pressure. A piston including a shaft for connection to the reciprocal element, and a piston face which is engaged by gas under pressure, the piston mounted in the cylinder for reciprocal movement therein. Means defining an opening in the piston face, including an interior bore parallel to the cylindrical bore. A stationary rod extending from the body into the piston interior bore. An O-ring having an outside diameter, and compressibility, such that the O-ring can sealingly engage the piston interior bore and prevent gas from passing therepast. Means for mounting the O-ring with respect to the piston so that O-ring moves with the piston, providing a gas-tight seal preventing gas from the cylindrical bore opening passing into the piston interior bore, a first distance, and after the O-ring and piston have moved together the first distance the piston continues to move while the O-ring does not so that there is relative movement therebetween and the seal between the O-ring and the piston interior bore is broken, and gas from the cylindrical bore opening may freely pass into the piston interior bore; and vent means for venting gas passing into the piston interior bore.
Preferably the means for mounting the O-ring comprises a rod fixed to the body and extending into the piston interior bore, substantially parallel to the cylindrical bore. The rod has a shoulder which acts on the O-ring to instigate the relative movement between the O-ring and piston, and the vent means comprises means defining an opening in the rod, and an interior passageway in the rod extending to a point in operative communication with the exterior of the body. Desirably, spring means are provided for biasing the O-ring on the rod in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof with the piston in response to gas under pressure being introduced into the cylinder, and spring means are also provided for biasing the piston in a direction opposite to the direction of movement thereof in response to gas under pressure being introduced into the cylinder.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective trimming of thread from the leading and/or trailing edges of garments stitched by an automatic sewing machine. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.

Knife assembly for automatic sewing machines


A diagnostic educational memory skill game and method for developing, improving, and diagnosing memory skills comprising a game board assembly and cards. The game board assembly includes a game board which has a plurality of player areas with a common area disposed therebetween and extensions of said game board. Each player area comprises a pair of rows of spaces, one row represents the recycling area while the other represents the mastered area. The cards have information printed thereon and comprise question cards, center cards, and bonus cards. When a question card is drawn, a player must answer a question relating to that question card. If his response is correct, the question card is placed in his mastered area; if incorrect, the question card is placed in his recycling area. When a center card is placed in the common area, each question asked relates to the information on both the displayed center card and the question cards drawn. If a bonus card is drawn, the player must make fresh responses for each question card in his player area, and the question cards are repositioned according to the acceptability of the responses. The object of the game is to respond acceptably to each question so that all of a player's question cards are placed in his mastered area before the teacher's question cards are placed likewise. During the game, the student players are motivated through competition with the teacher, and the teacher diagnoses student memory skill deficiencies and prescribes correction procedures.

This invention relates to the field of educational games and more particularly to a method and apparatus for developing, improving, and diagnosing memory skills.
Groups of basic facts or concepts that must be committed to memory form the foundations upon which learning in any academic discipline is anchored. Thus, a person's acquisition of knowledge depends heavily upon that person's memory skills, i.e., the ability to perceive, understand, and retain important information. When a person's abilities are not responsive to the particular method being used to commit basic information to memory, that person is severely handicapped.
Many people have their own individual methods for memorizing which are best suited for their intellectual capabilities. Some people memorize best under traditional rote memorizing techniques, where repetitive visual or auditory stimuli are used. If you hear or see something enough times you may remember it. Other people use word associations to memorize. For example, a person using word associations to memorize will pair up concepts to be memorized with words already committed to memory. In this manner, that person is more likely to recall the associated concept when a word from the memorized list is retrieved from memory. This method is an intricate mental cross-referencing. A similar technique uses mnemonics, e.g., the first letter or initial sound is taken from each word or concept and is used to form a word or saying that is more easily memorized. "Every good boy deserves favor" is a mnemonic used to memorize the musical notes corresponding to the staff lines in the treble clef, E-G-B-D-F. "A red Indian thought he might eat tobacco in church" is a mnemonic used to memorize the spelling of arithmetic. These techniques are but examples of the countless ways individuals commit information to memory. Some techniques work for some people, but do not work for others.
One of the most challenging aspects of teaching in any educational institution, whether it be in a large classroom or a one-to-one tutorial situation, is to stimulate each student's memory. To accomplish this, a teacher must first get each and every student intensely interested in the learning activity. Since students' capabilities are widely diverse, a teacher must attempt to reach each student by communicating on many different levels at once. This multiple-level communication is seldom accomplished because some students are receptive to a particular method of teaching while others are not. Perhaps the most distressing results of this failure of communication is that the teacher is seldom able to diagnose problems early enough to easily correct them.
The lack of communication problem is particularly acute when the student is exercising memory skills. If the student is memorizing wrong information because of a misunderstanding, a misperception, or just the inability to process that information properly, the student is learning behavior that is most difficult to correct later. Thus, it becomes imperative that the teacher be able to diagnose incorrect memorization and prescribe a procedure for correction as soon as possible.
To stimulate student interest and provide tools for diagnosis, teachers have used many different techniques or methods. Educational games are frequently used to spur student interest because the lure of competition supplies the motivational drive to get the students involved. However, educational games frequently have the same or similar disadvantages in teaching memory skills encountered with other traditional teaching methods.
Educational games fall into basically three broad categories: board games, flash card games, and bingo-type games. Board games usually have dice or spinners, visually stimulating playing boards, and movable playing pieces. Each of these components vies for the student's attention bombarding the students with attractive visual stimuli. In a learning environment such as this, a student is frequently distracted from the task of memorizing information. Although the game itself provides the motivational impetus, the quality and quantity of memorization is significantly handicapped. Dice and spinners insert an element of chance into the game that have some desirable results but they usually interject less desirable aspects from a memorization standpoint. The element of chance is provided in most games to give the less skilled student the opportunity to win over a more advanced student. However, the less skilled student frequently gives up before the element of chance has an opportunity to work in his favor or he proceeds with the game only to have the element of chance destroy what confidence he had before the game. Additionally, the element of chance frequently punishes correct responses, for example, when the student encounters a "GO BACK 3 SPACES" or a "LOSE ONE TURN". Another disadvantage with most board games is that the game is played among students only. There is no person actively attempting to exhibit behavior for the students to model, and there is no opportunity for the teacher to diagnose what information is and is not being properly memorized.
Flash card games usually comprise a deck of cards with a question on one side and the correct response on the other or on a matching separate card. When flash cards are used in a classroom situation, several undesirable results occur. The teacher flashes a card and the more advanced students quickly respond. Incorrect responses are drowned out by the correct responses sounded, and some of the slower students do not respond at all. Though teacher's behavior exists on both the social and academic levels for the students to model, there is no opportunity for the teacher to diagnose the problems of each individual student. If the students take turns responding as each card is flashed, an acute stress factor enters into the game which frequently causes several students to lose interest in the game in order to avoid the stress. These disinterested students focus their attention elsewhere. Also, if this method is used, each student does not have the opportunity to respond to each card. Thus, neither the student nor the teacher can diagnose problems and it is only a matter of chance which card will be flashed on a student's turn. Another disadvantage to flash card games is that frequently in order to avoid the tedium of excessively repeating five or ten concepts to be memorized, too many cards are used. Although the more advanced student is able to master a large number of concepts, the less skilled student is often confused or becomes disinterested. A further disadvantage to most flash card games is that they are not structured to take advantage of the motivational drive created by the competitive nature of other types of educational games. This is because using flash cards is frequently little more than thinly disguised rote memorization where advanced students thrive on their successes and less skilled students give up because they cannot adequately compete. Using flash cards in a small group or one-to-one teaching situation eliminates some of the disadvantages that are encountered while using flash cards in a classroom situation. Nevertheless, flash card games remain deficient in creating student motivational drive and therefore, are severely handicapped tools for developing or diagnosing memory skills.
Bingo-type educational games usually comprise game cards with columns of possible responses, chips or tokens to cover these responses during the progress of the game, and randomly selected chips, tokens, or cards which have printed thereon the questions corresponding to the responses on the game cards. As with the educational board games, bingo-type games bombard the student with visual and auditory stimuli. As the teacher calls out a question, each student must assimilate that information and determine what response he is going to give. The student then scans his game card to see if his response is on the card. If the student's response is correct but is not on his card, he is being punished even though he made a correct response. If the student's response is incorrect yet the incorrect response is on his game card, he is being rewarded even though his response was incorrect. Since bingo-type educational games are usually only effective when played with several students, the teacher is seldom able to determine whether or not each student is responding correctly. Even if the teacher walks about the room during the time when responses are being formulated giving encouragement and helf where needed, the teacher cannot diagnose the problems of each student. One major disadvantage to bingo-type games is that the students cannot determine whether or not their responses are correct until someone wins the game, and then they only hear the responses without the questions. Thus, positive reinforcement for correct responses and negative reinforcement for incorrect responses is delayed, reducing the value of the game in developing memory skills. Another disadvantage is that the element of chance plays a major role in the game. Thus, even though a student may respond correctly to every question the responses may not appear on his game card or he may not win the game even though they do appear on his game card.
It is an object of the diagnostic educational game of this invention to provide a method by which students develop or improve their memory skills.
Another object of this invention is to provide an educational game that is so versatile that it is used for developing memory skills in many different disciplines and on many different advancement levels.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an educational game playing environment in which the teacher is in personal communication with each student player so that reinforcement is appropriately administered.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a diagnostic tool by which the teacher readily diagnoses and prescribes for each student's individual memory skill problems.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an educational game playing environment not cluttered with excessive visual or auditory stimuli enabling the student to focus upon the information to be memorized.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an educational game playing environment wherein competition is against the teacher rather than against fellow students thereby eliminating a stress factor associated with peer pressure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an educational game playing environment wherein the teacher exhibits behavior for the students to model.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and appending claims, and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.


This invention relates to motion compensated (MC) coding of video and to a MC prediction scheme which allows fast and compact encoding of motion vector fields retaining at the same time very low prediction error. By reducing prediction error and number of bits needed for representation of motion vector field, substantial savings of bit rate are achieved. Reduction of bit rate needed to represent motion field is achieved by merging segments in video frames, by adaptation of motion field model and by utilization of motion field model based on orthogonal polynomials.

Motion compensated prediction is a key element of the majority of video coding schemes. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an encoder for compression of video sequences using motion compensation. Essential elements in the encoder are a motion compensated prediction block 1, a motion estimator 2 and a motion field coder 3. The operating principle of the motion compensating video encoder is to compress the prediction error E.sub.n (x,y), which is a difference between the incoming frame I.sub.n (x,y) to be coded, called the current frame, and a prediction frame P.sub.n (x,y), wherein: EQU E.sub.n (x,y)=I.sub.n (x,y)-P.sub.n (x,y) (1)
Compression of the prediction error E.sub.n (x,y) typically introduces some loss of information. The compressed prediction error, denoted E.sub.n (x,y), is sent to the decoder. The prediction frame P.sub.n (x,y) is constructed by the motion compensated prediction block 1 and is built using pixel values of the previous, or some other already coded frame denoted R.sub.ref (x,y), called a reference frame, and motion vectors describing estimated movements of pixels between the current frame and the reference frame. Motion vectors are calculated by motion field estimators 2 and the resulting motion vector field is then coded in some way before applying it to the predictor block 1. The prediction frame is then: EQU P.sub.n (x,y)=R.sub.ref [x+.DELTA.x(x,y),y+.DELTA.y(x,y)] (2)
The pair of numbers [.DELTA.x(x,y), .DELTA.y(x,y)] is called the motion vector of a pixel in location (x,y) in the current frame, whereas .DELTA.x(x,y) and .DELTA.y(x,y) are the values of horizontal and vertical displacement of this pixel. The set of motion vectors of all pixels in the current frame I.sub.n (x,y) is called motion vector field. The coded motion vector field is also transmitted as motion information to the decoder.
In the decoder shown in FIG. 2, pixels of the current frame I.sub.n (x,y) are reconstructed by finding the pixels' predictions P.sub.n (x,y) from the reference frame R.sub.ref (x,y). The motion compensated prediction block 21 generates the prediction frame using the received motion information and the reference frame R.sub.ref (x,y). In the prediction error decoder 22 a decoded prediction error frame E.sub.n (x,y) is then added with the prediction frame, the result being the approximated current frame I.sub.n.
The general object of the motion compensated (MC) prediction encoder is to minimise the amount of information which needs to be transmitted to the decoder. It should minimise the amount of prediction error measured according to some criteria, e.g. the energy associated with E.sub.n (x,y), and minimise the amount of information needed to represent the motion vector field.
The document N. Nguen, E. Dubois, "Representation of motion information for image coding". Proc. Picture Coding Symposium '90, Cambridge, Mass., Mar. 26-18, 1990, pages 841-845, gives a review of motion field coding techniques.
As a rule of the thumb, a reduction of prediction error requires a more refined sophisticated motion field, i.e. more bits must be spent on its encoding. Therefore the overall goal of the video encoding is to encode the motion vector field as compactly as possible keeping at the same time the measure of prediction error as low as possible.
Due to the very large number of pixels in the frame, it is not efficient to transmit a separate motion vector for each pixel. Instead, in most of the video coding schemes the current frame is divided into image segments, as shown for example in FIG. 3, so that all motion vectors of the segment can be described by a few parameters. Image segments can be square blocks. For example 16.times.16 pixel blocks are used in codecs in accordance with international standard ISO/IEC MPEG-1 or ITU-T H.261, or they can comprise completely arbitrarily shaped regions obtained for instance by a segmentation algorithm. In practice segments include at least a few tens of pixels.
The motion field estimation block 1 of FIG. 1 calculates motion vectors of all the pixels of a given segment which minimise some measure of prediction error in this segment, for example the square prediction error. Motion field estimation techniques differ both in the model of the motion field and in the algorithm for minimisation of the chosen measure of prediction error.
In order to compactly represent the motion vectors of the pixels in the segments it is desirable that their values are described by a function of few parameters. Such a function is called a motion vector field model. A known group of models are linear motion models, in which motion vectors are approximated by linear combinations of motion field basis functions. In such models the motion vectors of image segments are described by a general formula: ##EQU1##
where parameters c.sub.i are called motion coefficients and are transmitted to the decoder. Functions f.sub.i (x,y) are called motion field basis functions and they have a fixed form known to both encoder and decoder.
The problem when using the linear motion model having the above described formula is how to minimise in a computationally simple manner the number of motion coefficients c.sub.i which are sent to the decoder, keeping at the same time some measure of distortion, e.g. a chosen measure of prediction error E.sub.n (x,y), as low as possible.
The total amount of motion data which needs to be sent to the decoder depends both on the number of segments in the image and the number of motion coefficients per segment. Therefore, there exist at least two ways to reduce the total amount of motion data.
The first way is to reduce the number of segments by combining (merging) together those segments which can be predicted with a common motion vector field model without causing a large increase of prediction error. The number of segments in the frame can be reduced because very often adjacent, i.e. neighbouring, segments can be predicted well with the same set of motion coefficients. The process of combining such segments is called motion assisted merging. FIG. 3 shows a frame divided into segments. The prior art techniques for motion coefficient coding include several techniques for motion assisted merging. After motion vectors of all the segments have been estimated, motion assisted merging is performed. It is done by considering every pair of adjacent segments S.sub.i and S.sub.j with their respective motion coefficients c.sub.i and c.sub.j. The area of combined segments S.sub.i and S.sub.j is denoted S.sub.ij. If the area S.sub.ij can be predicted with one set of motion coefficients c.sub.ij without causing excessive increase of prediction error over the error resulting from separate predictions of S.sub.i and S.sub.j, then S.sub.i and S.sub.j are merged. The methods for motion assisted merging differ essentially in the way of finding a single set of motion coefficients c.sub.ij which allow a good prediction of segments combined together.
One method is known as merging by exhaustive motion estimation. This method estimates "from scratch" a new set of motion parameters c.sub.ij for every pair of adjacent segments S.sub.i and S.sub.j. If the prediction error for S.sub.ij is not excessively increased then the segments S.sub.i and S.sub.i are merged. Although this method can very well select the segments which can be merged it is not feasible for implementation because it would increase the complexity of the encoder typically by several orders of magnitude.
Another method is known as merging by motion field extension. This method tests whether area of S.sub.ij can be predicted using either motion parameters c.sub.i or c.sub.j without an excessive increase of the prediction error. This method is characterised by very low computational complexity because it does not require any new motion estimation. However, it very often fails to merge segments because motion compensation with coefficients calculated for one segment very rarely predicts well also the adjacent segments.
Still another method is known as merging by motion field fitting. In this method the motion coefficients c.sub.ij are calculated by the method of approximation. This is done by evaluating a few motion vectors in each of the segments. Some motion vectors in segments S.sub.i and S.sub.j are depicted in FIG. 4. The motion field for the segment S.sub.ij is determined by fitting a common motion vector field through these vectors using some known fitting method. The disadvantage of the method is that the motion field obtained by fitting is not precise enough and often leads to an unacceptable increase of prediction error.
The second way to minimise the number of motion coefficients is to select for each segment a motion model which allows achieving satisfactorily low prediction error with as few coefficients as possible. Since the amount and the complexity of the motion varies between frames and between segments it is not efficient to always use all N+M motion coefficients per segment. It is necessary to find out for every segment what is the minimum number of motion coefficients which yields a satisfactorily low prediction error. Such a process of adaptive selection of coefficients is called motion coefficient removal.
Methods for performing motion estimation with different models and selecting the most suitable one are proposed in H. Nicolas and C. Labit, "Region-based motion estimation using deterministic relaxation schemes for image sequence coding," Proc. 1994 International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, pp. III265-268 and P. Cicconi and H. Nicolas, "Efficient region-based motion estimation and symmetry oriented segmentation for image sequence coding," IEEE Tran. on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, Vol. 4, No. 3, June 1994, pp. 357-364. The methods try to adapt the motion model depending on the complexity of the motion by performing motion estimation with different models and selecting the most suitable one. The main disadvantage of these methods is their high computational complexity and the small number of different motion field models which can be tested in practice.
Although the afore-described methods reduce the amount of motion information sent to the decoder to some extent while maintaining the accuracy of predicted image at a reasonable level, there is still a desire to further reduce that amount.

Video encoder and decoder using motion-based segmentation and merging


Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods of conveying information related to a printed publication. A label having a readable code for attachment to or insertion into a printed publication is used. A reader adapted to read the code on the label or insert and to communicate the code to a computer or device including a microcomputer may be incorporated. An internet site or platform is adapted to receive the code from the computer or a device including a microcomputer and correlate the code to the information. The information related to the code can be displayed at the computer or device including a microcomputer.

This invention relates to the field of publishing and more specifically to "Bookmarks" that have a specific code that can be read by a scanner and transmitted to a platform, a database or a search engine through the internet.
Previous applications have described systems in which printed material could be generated with special bookmarks which can translate to hyperlinks that could be picked up by a scanner transmitter and delivered over short distances to a cell phone, PDA, laptop, desktop or other synced microprocessor. While these systems can be used to stream lectures and discussions of the work that could be used for college or other academic credit, they did not form a viable business system to create the materials, because relatively few books are in publication and the republication costs per book are high.
There remains a need in the art for methods and systems to link printed materials with supplemental content.

Computer generated bookmarks for scanning and transmission to platform aggregator or search engine to add additional information to printed material


A land marking device is disclosed. The land marking device is capable of physically marking a point on the ground for the air.

The invention relates to a new land marking device.
Most land surveys are performed utilizing either optical survey instruments or satellite-based, Global Positioning System (GPS) survey equipment. In traditional surveys, a line of sight must be secured in order to perform the survey. GPS survey techniques require a relatively unobstructed signal path between a reference or relay station, a satellite network and the GPS receiver. However, in some terrain, maintaining a line of sight or GPS signal quality can be difficult or impractical. Specifically, forested areas and hilly terrain provide examples of terrain that can present difficulties utilizing traditional methods of conducting the two types of surveys noted above as both types of geography obstruct either line of sight or signal strength between the satellite and/or reference station.
In the case of forested area, ground-base land surveys using optical survey equipment or GPS are difficult if not impossible in areas with trees or other vegetative cover. As such, forest cover must almost always be removed prior to the commencement of a survey of such an area. This requires use of hand-cutting or bulldozing, or a combination of the two. This can be exceedingly expensive, require a massive amount of personnel on the ground and be relatively time consuming. Alternatively, while there are methods of surveying such areas without the need to clear a line of sight, these avoidance surveys are prohibitively time consuming for many applications. As such, they fail, in most cases, to provide a cost-effective means of surveying. Moreover, avoidance surveys sacrifice accuracy. For many applications, the accuracy lost is not acceptable. Sufficient accuracy has traditionally only been achievable by clearing a line of sight.
Surveys through geographically hilly regions can also present difficulties. In these cases, alternate techniques that are relatively slow and costly must be employed to compensate for the inability to maintain a line of sight or GPS signal strength through such regions. The techniques include alternating optical survey methods, and, in some cases, incorporating inertial/GPS and barometric surveys.
Surveys encountering swamps or muskeg terrain conditions or other geographically difficult terrain including ditches, ravines, fence lines, streams or rivers, buildings etc. can be expensive, dangerous and/or time consuming. In the case of swamp or muskeg terrain, any planned surveys are, in many cases, postponed until the terrain of such areas has frozen. Of course, this further assumes that this is an environmental possibility in the area of interest.
In the case of geographic variability over a survey area, such as ditches, ravines, fence lines, streams or rivers, buildings, by way of example, a survey team must, at the same time, negotiate these obstacles during a survey. This slows the survey.
The present invention provides a land marking device to be incorporated into new system and method of aerial land surveying and land marking free of the disadvantages and limitations noted above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new land marking device, to be used in surveying and land marking in association with a new method of land marking.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a land marking device capable of marking a survey point on the ground. The device comprises: (a) a housing adapted to be suspended from an aircraft; (b) a receptacle inside the housing, the receptacle being adapted to accommodate at least one marker in the form of a rigid elongated member, and (c) a mechanism cooperating with the receptacle for ejecting the marker from the receptacle towards the survey point, when the housing is positioned above the survey point, the mechanism being capable of applying sufficient force to the rigid elongated marker in the lengthwise direction of the marker as to propel the marker lengthwise toward the survey point with sufficient momentum as to partially penetrate the ground at or near the survey point on the ground whereby the survey point is securely marked.
The invention disclosed is a land marking device that may be used in association with the above-noted new system and method of land marking where the device is capable of marking a point on the ground. The device is comprised of an aerodynamically designed external shell that allows the device to remain stable when suspended from an aircraft. It also includes at lease one receptacle inside the shell where the receptacle accommodates a marker and provides for a means within the shell capable of ejecting the marker from the receptacle towards a point on the ground when the device is positioned above the point in question such that the ejected marker is secured at or near the point on the ground.
A further embodiment of the invention includes a bumper skirt designed to protect the shell during descent into its position above the point on the ground and its removal from that point to a subsequent point on the ground.
A further embodiment of the invention specifically provides for a receptacle that is an elongate tube.
A further embodiment of the invention provides for a marker that is a dowel.
A further embodiment of the invention provides for a hammer mechanism as the means for ejecting the marker.
A further embodiment of the invention provides for a tensioning means to drive the hammer mechanism.
A further embodiment of the invention provides for a steel spring as the tensioning means.
One of many advantages of the land marking device is that it provides, in combination with the aircraft and surveying means, a surveying method wherein a GPS signal may be maintained from the air and used to record a location of interest on the ground while the land marking device provides a marker on that location point. This is useful in a forested, obstructed or hilly survey area. Costs of such a survey should be reduced in so far as costs arising from the requirement to remove physical obstacles obstructing a line of sight or GPS signal quality is eliminated. For example, when surveying in a densely forested area, timber need not be cleared prior to the survey. This can result in savings on the order of several thousands of dollars per kilometer of surveyed area. Moreover, this results in significant environmental benefits as well as economic benefits. Also, the time required to conduct the survey through an area heavily forested or defined by hilly geography is greatly reduced.
Also, the method and system for aerially marking the ground using the subject invention is quicker and competitive with ground-based surveys where geographic obstructions arise on a survey site that slow ground-based crews. The use of the air-based land marking device will result in a survey that is not affected by difficulties in accessing and maneuvering through surveyed locations with obstacles, such as swamps, ravines, streams, buildings, fences, rivers, ditches, etc. The ground staking device is capable of laying out and recording a large amount of survey data in difficult or variable terrain in a relatively short time period when compared with conventional ground-based survey instruments. It is estimated that the land marking device, when used in association with an aircraft, provides for a surveying method wherein an area can be surveyed in a fraction of the time required to conduct a ground-based optical survey with little or no penalty in the accuracy of the resulting survey.
The land marking device can be utilized in many contexts, such as, by way of example, the oil and gas industry, civil engineering, mining and forestry. It can be applied, for example, to marking and/or surveying of boundaries, pipelines, oil/gas leases, seismic lines, open pit mines, roads, creek crossings, ordinary line features, etc. It can be used in all applications when land marking and/or surveying is carried out using traditional measuring and marking devices.


Disclosed is a chain formed from a series of at least two successive links that are joined end-to-end one to another. One of the two links has a gripping element for holding the other link at a particular position relative to the first link so that the chain can be lengthened or shortened without adding or removing a link or links.

The lengthening or shortening of chains has presented a problem which has been unsatisfactorily solved to date. As a rule this problem has been accomplished by adding or removing links which requires that one of the links has to be opened and the availability of a mechanism by which to open and close the links.


In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory for storing a portion of a cache. The memory may be configured to receive a request to write data to the portion of the cache, write the data to the portion of the cache, and update a map corresponding to the cache and stored within the memory.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The information handling system may include one or more operating systems. An operating system serves many functions, such as controlling access to hardware resources and controlling the execution of application software. Operating systems also provide resources and services to support application software. These resources and services may include a file system, a centralized configuration database (such as the registry found in Microsoft Windows operating systems), a directory service, a graphical user interface, a networking stack, device drivers, and device management software. In some instances, services may be provided by other application software running on the information handling system, such as a database server.
Some information handling systems are designed to interact with other information handling systems over a computer network. In particular, certain information handling systems may be designed to monitor, configure, and adjust the features, functionality, and software of other information handling systems by communicating with those information handling systems over a network connection. For example, one information handling system might be configured to manage a shared, distributed storage cache.

Systems and methods for tracking of cache sector status


A rotary cutter is provided with a spiral plane bit which comprises a mounting plate extending spirally in the axial direction with a constant width, the mounting plate being made in such a manner that it is spirally cut out of a hollow cylinder with the inner radius of the mounting plate and a bit edge member extending also spirally along one lateral margin of the mounting plate and being fastened thereto, wherein there are provided a plurality of fastening holes arranged in the mounting plate in the longitudinal direction thereof, through which fastening elements extend radially into a plurality of threaded holes so as to fasten the mounting plate together with the said bit edge member on a rotary shank. This spiral plane bit is advantageously employed particularly for cutting wood material, because the spiral plane bit makes point contact with a workpiece of wood material and the contact point is displaced over the whole length of the spiral plane bit during cutting operation, resulting in smooth and uniform cutting with a less noise. The spiral bit edge is fastened to the mounting plate angularly displaceable so as to adjust the fastening position thereof.

The present invention relates to a spiral plane bit. More particularly, the invention relates to a spiral plane bit which can be mounted and fastened on the outer surface of a rotary shank for use in a rotary cutter of a planer or the like.
A conventional rotary cutter, for example the type which is mounted on a planer for cutting the surface of wood material, is constructed in such a way that the planing bit is fastened to the outer surface of a rotary shank. In the past, two general categories of such cutters have been available. In one type, a straight planing bit is inserted and secured in a straight groove extending parallel to the axis of the rotary shank, while in the other a spiral planing bit is inserted and fastened in a spiral groove formed on the outer surface of the rotary shank.
It is pointed out that the former rotary cutter, that is the straight type rotary cutter, has the drawback that it generates high noise during cutting operation because the planing bit makes contact with a workpiece over the whole length thereof at the same time and it tends to form an inverted grain on the surface of wood material. To eliminate this drawback, it is necessary to mount a supplementary cutter. The latter rotary cutter, that is spiral type rotary cutter, was originally developed in order to eliminate the drawbacks inherent in the conventional straight type rotary cutter. In a spiral plane cutter which has a length equal to one pitch of a spiral line, for instance, the plane bit comes in contact with the workpiece at just one point at all times, which generates less noise and consumes less power for the cutting operation. On the other hand, there is a drawback with the spiral plane bit in that uniform bit edge protrusion can only be achieved with much difficulty. The aforesaid "bit edge protrusion" means the protrusion of the spiral bit edge in a peripheral direction from the surface of the spiral groove in which the spiral bit edge is to be received. In case of a spiral plane bit with fixed pitch length, the bit is oriented in opposite directions at points half a pitch length apart. Hence, a bit edge protrusion in the peripheral direction on one side results in a bit edge retraction on the other side at a point half a pitch length away. This means that it is substantially impossible to provide a uniform bit edge protrusion over the whole length of the spiral plane bit and this is a critical drawback with the conventional spiral type rotary cutter. It has been found that the above-mentioned drawback with the hitherto known spiral plane bits results from the geometrical shape and structure of the plane bit itself.

Spiral plane bit and rotary cutter incorporating same


Oligodendrogliomas are the second most common malignant brain tumor in adults. These tumors often contain a chromosomal abnormality involving a pericentromeric fusion of chromosomes 1 and 19, resulting in losses of the entire short arm of the former and the long arm of the latter. To identify the molecular genetic basis for this alteration, we performed exomic sequencing of seven anaplastic oligodendrogliomas with chromosome 1p and 19q losses. Among other changes, we found that that CIC (homolog of the Drosophila gene capicua) on chromosome 19q was somatically mutated in six of the seven cases and that FUBP1 (far upstream element (FUSE) binding protein) on chromosome 1p was somatically mutated in two of the seven cases. Examination of 27 additional oligodendrogliomas revealed 12 and 3 more tumors with mutations of CIC and FUBP1, respectively, 58% of which were predicted to result in truncations of the encoded proteins. These results suggest a critical role for these genes in the biology and pathology of oligodendrocytes.

Oligodendrogliomas (ODs) account for 20% of brain tumors in adults and, as their name suggests, they have prominent oligodendroglial differentiation (1, 2). These tumors generally arise in the white matter of cerebral hemispheres, in the frontal lobes. Well-differentiated ODs can evolve into high-grade "anaplastic" ODs, though it is often difficult to clearly distinguish these two types from each other or from other brain tumors (1, 2). Because this distinction is important for the management of patients, molecular biomarkers for ODs are of great interest.
To date, the best biomarker for ODs is loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromsomes 1p and 19q (2-5). Assessment for LOH events is now commonly performed in patients with ODs because of their important implications for therapeutic responses (2-5). The chromosome losses occur in 50% to 70% of tumors and are often associated with a pericentromeric translocation of chromosomes 1 and 19, producing marker chromosome der(1;19) (q10;p10) (2-7). This translocation is unbalanced, leaving the cells with one copy of the short arm of chromosome 1 and one copy of the long arm of chromosome 19. The functional basis for most cancer translocations involves one of the genes residing near the breakpoints, producing fusions that alter the gene's product. In contrast, the der(1;19) (q10;p10) breakpoints are in gene-poor centromeric regions and are always associated with LOH (4, 6, 8). This suggests that the basis for the t(1;19) translocation is the unmasking of a tumor suppressor gene(s) on either chromosome 1p or 19q (2-5), (9). This is supported by the fact that some tumors lose only chromosome 1p sequences, while others lose only chromosome 19q sequences.
There is a continuing need in the art to identify this putative tumor suppressor gene(s), as well as to increase understanding of OD pathogenesis.


A coupling device for connecting a clutch to a turbine train, a turbine train having a clutch, and a method for connecting a clutch to a generator and to a turbine. The coupling device for connecting the clutch has a first coupling flange and a second coupling flange, wherein the first coupling flange and the second coupling flange each have at least one bore for accommodating a coupling bolt. The first coupling flange and the second coupling flange are centered in relation to each other by means of at least one coupling bolt, which is inserted into the bores in the first and in the second coupling flange.

In order to couple a steam turbine to a generator with a gas turbine in a single-shaft plant, use is made of a clutch by means of which, during operation, the steam turbine can be coupled—directly or indirectly by means of an intermediate shaft—to the generator with the connected gas turbine. Such a clutch is known from the prior art. In the case of clutches of this type, the coupling flange of the generator or the turbine is machined separately from the flanges of the clutch since the clutches are to be exchangeable and otherwise chips penetrate into the clutch during the machining procedure, for example in the case of common honing. For this reason, in the case of the known clutches, massive coupling bolts are installed with a relatively large amount of play in order to be able to ensure that assembly is possible for all possible tolerances of position and size of the coupling bores. These clutches are centered by means of what is termed a recess which is inserted with a transition fit into the coupling connection while the coupling bolts have no influence on centering. This means that the coupling connection has a certain amount of play with respect to the clutch and the circular motion of the turbine train cannot be reproduced and is negatively influenced.
Since the internal side of the coupling flange of the clutch is generally not accessible, it is not currently possible to use continuous coupling bolts that would permit axial clamping with attachment on both sides.

Coupling device for connecting a clutch to a turbine train


A timer mechanism including a base piece, a top piece, a rod, and a spiral spring. The base piece includes an inner hub forming a threaded surface and a central passage. The top piece includes an inner post that a central passage and a threaded surface for engaging the inner hub. The rod is slidably disposed within the central passages and is selectively coupled to the top piece. The spiral spring is coaxially wrapped about the inner hub and terminates in a leading end connected to the top piece. The top piece is rotatable relative to the bottom piece to a raised position in which energy is stored by the spiral spring. The spiral spring rotates the top piece in an opposite direction, causing the top piece to wind relative to the bottom piece, forcing the rod downwardly for depressing a camera shutter release button.

The present invention relates to a timered device for actuating the shutter release mechanism of a camera. More particularly, it relates an inexpensive, easy-to-use timered device that can readily be assembled to a variety of different cameras and is capable of self-actuating the camera's shutter release mechanism.
Hand-held cameras are extremely popular, and are provided in wide variety of forms. In this regard, technological advancements have greatly enhanced the photographic capabilities of certain cameras. For example, intricate shutter control mechanisms, lens assemblies, film compositions, film developing techniques, flash components etc., have vastly elevated the ability of avid photographers to produce superior quality pictures. Conversely, in response to the demands of novice photographers, engineering efforts have also been devoted toward perfecting simplified, and thus less expensive, cameras that consistently produce highly satisfactory photographs. To this end, single use or "disposable" cameras have become highly prevalent in recent years.
The overwhelming commercial success of disposable cameras is directly related to their low cost and convenience. With these overriding goals in mind, then, manufacturers strive to simplify the disposable camera design as much as possible. The typical disposable camera is a basic point-and-shoot device containing an unexposed roll of film. Other standard features include a fixed-focus lens, a manual film forwarding mechanism, a single-blade shutter, a plastic encasement, and a manually depressible shutter release button. Other than a rudimentary flash device, disposable cameras generally do not have any additional features otherwise available with more expensive cameras. While highly viable, the inherently simplistic design of disposable cameras gives rise to certain drawbacks.
In particular, disposable cameras are not provided with a "self-portrait" or automatic shutter release feature. That is to say, disposable cameras do not afford a user the ability to take a "hands-free" picture. With more expensive cameras, a timered shutter release feature is commonly provided as an intricate mechanism or digital-based operation within the camera body. Due to cost constraints, these available automated shutter release techniques are not feasible for disposable camera applications. Even further, the steps for setting and activating these "built-in" hands-free features are usually quite complicated, even for an experienced photographer.
Some efforts have previously been made to devise a standalone, remote control shutter release actuator useful with disposable cameras. Generally speaking, the auxiliary device mounted to the camera's shutter release button, and incorporates components for actuating or otherwise depressing the button from a position remote of the camera. For example, pneumatic-based instruments have been envisioned, whereby a flexible hose is somehow attached over the shutter release button. The user then forces air through the hose, such as via a squeeze bulb, theoretically actuating the shutter release button. Unfortunately, it is exceedingly difficult to mount a flexible tube over the shutter release button. Further, a relatively lengthy hose is required. Therefore, these pneumatic-based devices are not compact or easy to transport, directly contrary to the desired convenience of disposable cameras.
Alternatively, intricate, self-contained, gear-based mechanisms have also been contemplated. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication 5-158146 to Jiyoriibu Iwaya K K describes a self-timing device for a camera. The disclosed device includes an adjustable clamp-holder that must be mounted and aligned with the camera. Within the device itself, a series of gears, cams, and springs, including a spiral spring, are utilized to direct a push rod portion of a plate component to depress the shutter release button. In this regard, a user-operated turning knob is connected to the spiral spring and is employed to provide requisite energy to the spring. Notably, a central axis of the spring is perpendicular to the axis of the push rod such that an elevated spring force is required to actuate the intricate cam and gear train. Further, the plate component pivots to "depress" the push rod, such that the push rod does not move in a truly linear fashion. As a result, depending upon the particular configuration of the camera shutter release button, this arcuate motion may not fully depress the button. Also, the mounting system and multiple component actuation system is complex and therefore expensive to manufacture. In light of the inexpensive nature of disposable cameras, the disclosed design is likely cost prohibitive to be commercially viable. Finally, the mounting and alignment technique is specific to one style of camera design, and likely cannot be employed with other types of cameras.
Disposable cameras continue to be highly popular. Unfortunately, however, to minimize costs, disposable cameras are not provided with a self-portrait or hands-free feature. Efforts to provide an auxiliary device capable of performing this function have been unavailing. Therefore, a need exists for a simple, inexpensive, universal timered shutter release actuator useful with virtually any camera, especially disposable cameras.

Self-timered device for activating a camera shutter release mechanism


It is common that communications such as telephone calls between calling and called lines be made by sharing a single communications path on a time division basis. Each call is assigned to a shared path for a short time interval, also called a time slot. It is known to interchange an input time slot to a different output time slot. Unfortunately, known time slot interchange arrangements insert an input sample in a single output time slot. The instant time slot interchanger extends an input sample onto a plurality of output time slots for broadcasting a sample through a plurality of locations. Also, the instant time slot interchanger may selectively insert an alternate message, e.g., an error message, in an output time slot.

It is common that connections such as telephone calls between calling and called lines be made by sharing a single communications path on a time division basis. Each call is assigned to a shared path for a short time interval and the connection between the two lines is completed only during the short time interval, also called a time slot in the TDM art. Otherwise, the time slot is available to be shared by other connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,030; entitled, "Digital Cross Point Switch" and issued July 26, 1966; discloses an arrangement for switching message bits from a first input time slot to a second output time slot. The arrangement includes two shift register message stores, which are utilized for writing digital data into one store while digital data are read out of the other store, and vice versa. The stored message bits are read through message gates in such a manner that the time sequence of the outgoing message bits represents the desired switched order. That is, the time sequence of the incoming multiplexed message bits is interchanged into a different output order. The order of the outgoing message bits corresponds to the outgoing lines to which the respective bits are to be routed. The routing is accomplished by actuating, successively and in time sequence, line gates respectively associated with the outgoing lines.
Unfortunately, known time slot interchange arrangements insert an input sample in a single output time slot.

Broadcast and alternate message time slot interchanger

Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated


A jump judgment circuit judges whether an instruction read bus cycle of a CPU to be emulated is to be executed in a sequential order of addresses of a memory. A control circuit operates in accordance with the judgment result. Specifically, if an instruction is in the sequential order of addresses of a memory relative to the immediately preceding instruction, instruction codes previously read from the memory and converted are read from a queue and supplied to the CPU. If an instruction is not in the sequential order of addresses, which would correspond to a jump to a noncontiguous address of a memory, that instruction is read from the memory at the designated address, converted into instruction codes, and supplied to CPU.

Two methods have been used conventionally for emulation of CPU instructions having a different instruction type. One method is a compiler method in which a set of instructions is compiled in advance. The other method is an interpreter method in which each instruction is interpreted when it is executed.
The above-described conventional methods have the following disadvantages. With the compiler method, it is necessary to convert object codes and store them in advance, which is inconvenient for practical use. With the interpreter method, an object code is read and interpreted as a kind of data and another instruction is executed which provides the same results of an original instruction.

Emulator for high speed, continuous and discontinuous instruction fetches


A one-piece bottle rack for the horizontal storage and display of long-necked bottles and which is formed of a plastic, such as acrylic or other appropriate material, the rack having a planar base member with an opening extending inwardly from one end of the base member and terminating at a transverse axis, the opening being bordered by support arms integral with the base and extending outwardly from the transverse axis to the open end of the base, and the rack also including an inclined planar ramp member formed integral with the base at the transverse axis, the ramp member being formed from the same piece of material as the base member, and the ramp member having a plurality of holes for receiving the necks of and supporting one or more wine bottles in generally spaced and parallel relationship with one another and with the base, and with the wine bottles extending along the base toward the other end of the base.

The invention relates to a bottle rack for the horizontal storage and display of long-necked bottles, typically wine bottles, and particularly to a one-piece rack which supports one or more bottles solely by their necks.
Bottle racks are known for supporting wine bottles with the neck of each bottle extending through a corresponding opening in an upstanding column. U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,389, for example, discloses such a rack which includes a vertical column with a number of holes formed in the column for receiving the necks of wine bottles to provide a support for the wine bottles. This patent also discloses a rack with an inclined flat member with spaced openings for receiving the necks of wine bottles in order to hold the bottles in essentially parallel relationship with the surface on which the rack is supported. U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,038 also discloses such a rack. Cole U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,124 discloses a similar rack for supporting a single bottle.
The rack of the present invention of the same general type as the racks described in the patents discussed above. However, the prior art bottle holders which support a bottle solely by its neck have required multiple parts which had to be separately manufactured and subsequently assembled together. These parts usually consists of a column which supports the bottle, and brackets or base which attach to and support the column. Because these bottle holders consist of at least two pieces of material, they have a rather ungainly appearance. Where a single element has been used for a prior art bottle holder (Cole U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,124), the bottle holding capacity was restricted to but a single bottle, and its construction offered no stability when the holder empty, and only limited stability when holding its one bottle.
The rack of the present invention is formed from a single piece of plastic material, such as acrylic, or other similar material. Because of its one-piece construction, it may be manufactured inexpensively and effectively, without in anyway impairing its ability to perform its intended function, which is to provide a sturdy and stable platform for the support of a multiple number of wine bottles, regardless of whether the rack is full, only partially full, or empty. By eliminating the need for attachments, brackets, screws, nails, clips, glue, etc., the one piece construction of the invention provides for a rack with a pleasing streamlined appearance.
Accordingly, the principal objectives of the invention are to provide a one-piece bottle rack which includes a planar base and an integral inclined planar apertured member formed at one end of the base. The inclined member serves to support a number of wine bottles one above the other, each extending along the base and generally spaced in parallel relationship to the base.
Other objectives of the invention are to provide such a rack which is inexpensive to produce, which is sturdy and stable in construction, and which has a pleasing appearance.


This disclosure relates to an equivalent transistor and a three-level inverter, and pertains to the field of power electronics technologies. The equivalent transistor includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a diode. A source electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to a source electrode of the second transistor; a gate electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the second transistor; and one end of the diode is electrically connected to a drain electrode of the first transistor, and the other end of the diode is electrically connected to a drain electrode of the second transistor. According to this disclosure, a reverse recovery time can be reduced, and a switching speed of the equivalent transistor can increase.

With rapid development of electronic technologies, transistors are more widely used.
Some transistors have a parasitic diode. When an extremely high voltage is loaded at two ends of the transistor, the diode is usually first overshot by a reverse voltage, and then an extremely high current flows through a branch circuit in which the diode is located, and does not flow through a branch circuit in which the transistor is located, so that the transistor can be prevented from being overshot by a high voltage.
In a process of implementing this disclosure, the inventor finds that at least the following problems exist:
A parasitic diode of a transistor generally has a relatively poor reverse recovery feature. Reverse recovery means that a conducted diode accumulates a specific amount of electric charges, and when the diode is cut off, the diode releases the accumulated electric charges to form a current in a specific time until the electric charges are released. The relatively poor reverse recovery feature means that an electric charge release time is relatively long. In a transistor switching circuit, when a transistor enters a cut-off state from a conducted state, a parasitic diode needs a relatively long time to release a stored electric charge, a forward current on the parasitic diode cannot quickly disappear, and a relatively long time is required before a state in which a current is cut off can be entered. Therefore, a switching speed of the transistor is relatively low.

Equivalent transistor and three-level inverter