This invention relates to a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal formed on a lithium tantalate substrate having a high electrooptical constant and a low propagation loss, which can be utilized in a thin-film wave-guiding second harmonic generating devices for converting the wavelength of an incident laser beam to a 1/2 level, characterized in that the lattice constant of the thin film of lithium niobate single crystal is matched with that of the lithium tantalate substrate.

With the recent development of optics-applied technique, shorter wavelength laser beam sources are increasing in demand.
Such shorter wavelength laser beam sources can improve recording density and photosensitivity and can be applied in the field of optical appliances such as optical memory discs and laser printers.
Thus, second harmonic generating (SHG) devices which can convert the wavelength of the incident laser beam into a 1/2 level have been studied.
A bulk of nonlinear optical single crystal has conventionally been used in such SHG devices utilizing high-output gas lasers as the light sources. However, gas laser is now being replaced mainly by semiconductor laser since there are strong demands for much smaller devices such as optical memory disc apparatus and laser printers, and since the semiconductor laser is less expensive and allows direct light modulation while the gas laser requires an external light modulator. Accordingly, thin film wave-guiding SHG devices are now in demand in order to obtain high conversion efficiency using a low light source output of several mW to several tens of mW.
As the nonlinear optical materials for such thin film wave-guiding SHG devices, those having a waveguide layer of a bulk of lithium niobate single crystal on which Ti or the like is diffused so as to modify refractive index, and those having a waveguide made of a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal formed on a lithium tantalate substrate by high-frequency sputtering process are known. However, it is difficult to obtain a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having excellent crystallinity in either of these methods, and thus they failed to afford high conversion efficiency.
By the way, the Liquid Phase Epitaxial Method is supposed to be an ideal way of forming a thin film of single crystal having excellent crystallinity.
The Liquid Phase Epitaxial Method for forming a thin film of lithium niobate is described, for example, in:
(1) Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 26, No. 1, January 1975, wherein a thin film of lithium niobate is formed as an optical waveguide on a lithium tantalate substrate by liquid phase epitaxial growth using Li.sub.2 O and V.sub.2 O.sub.5 as a flux;
(2) Japanese Patent Publication No. 9720/1976, wherein a thin film of lithium niobate is formed as an optical waveguide on a lithium tantalate substrate by liquid phase epitaxial growth using Li.sub.2 O and V.sub.2 O.sub.5 as a flux; and
(3) Japanese Patent Publication No. 47160/1981, wherein a solid solution thin film of lithium niobate/lithium tantalate single crystal containing magnesium is formed on a substrate by epitaxial growth using Li.sub.2 O and V.sub.2 O.sub.5 as a flux.
However, the known Liquid Phase Epitaxial Method is neither successful in forming a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having excellent crystallinity on the lithium tantalate substrate nor can form a film of lithium niobate single crystal having a sufficient film thickness required for producing a SHG device, and thus no practical thin film wave-guiding SHG device is so far known.
The film thickness required for producing a thin film wave-guiding SHG device is such that the effective index of an incident laser beam having a fundamental wavelength of .lambda. can be made consistent with that of the second harmonic with a wavelength of .lambda./2 in order to achieve phase-matching between them. Particularly, when a SHG device for semiconductor laser is produced using a thin film of lithium niobate formed on a lithium tantalate substrate, the thin film of lithium niobate single crystal should have a thickness of not less than 5 .mu.m so as to achieve such consistency between these two effective indexes.
On the other hand, in order to obtain a high-output thin film wave-guiding SHG device, a greater index difference must be secured between the substrate and the thin film waveguide layer, and studies are made for reducing refractive index of the substrate; for example, as disclosed in:
(4) Japanese Patent Publication No. 34722/1985, wherein magnesium oxide and vanadium pentaoxide are simultaneously incorporated to a lithium tantalate single crystal substrate to form a thin film of lithium tantalate single crystal thereon by epitaxial growth method; and
(5) Japanese Patent Publication No. 27681/1988, wherein vanadium pentaoxide is diffused on a lithium tantalate single crystal substrate to form a diffusion layer consisting of vanadium pentaoxide and lithium tantalate with a thickness of 5 to 6 .mu.m and a low refractive index, followed by epitaxial growth of a layer of lithium tantalate single crystal thereon to form a triple-layered optical waveguide.
These methods disclosed all use lithium tantalate as the thin film waveguide layer and are not the technique for forming a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having excellent optical properties on the lithium tantalate substrate.
In addition to the above methods, the following are also known as disclosed in:
(6) Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 54 (1981) pp. 572-576, wherein sodium is incorporated into lithium niobate to form a sodium-containing thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having a thickness of 20 .mu.m on a Y-cut lithium niobate substrate by liquid phase epitaxial growth;
(7) Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 84 (1987) pp. 409-412, wherein sodium is incorporated into lithium niobate to form a sodium-containing thin film of lithium niobate single crystal on a Y-cut lithium tantalate substrate by liquid phase epitaxial growth;
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,781, wherein a strain-free lithium ferrite film is formed on a substrate by liquid phase epitaxial growth by partly substituting lithium with sodium to effect matching of lattice constant of the film with that of the substrate; and
(9) Japanese Provisional Patent Publication No. 142477/1977, wherein crystal grains are allowed to grow slowly and naturally by allowing crystallization to occur very slowly to obtain a strain-free crystal by liquid phase epitaxial growth.
None of the above techniques of (6) to (9) discloses use of the thin film as optical materials.
As described above, there has not so far been disclosed a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal, formed on the lithium tantalate substrate, having excellent optical properties and a sufficient film thickness for providing optical devices including SHG devices.
The present inventors made various studies with a view to solving these problems to notice that a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having a film thickness sufficient for producing optical devices including SHG devices and also excellent optical properties such as low optical damage (change in the refractive index of a crystal to be caused by irradiation of a high intensity light) and very low propagation loss can practically be formed by subjecting the thin film of lithium niobate single crystal and the lithium tantalate substrate to lattice matching, and they previously accomplished an invention (see Japanese Patent Application No. 247179/1990).
As the result of their further study, they found that if the lithium niobate single crystal has some degree of propagation loss, it can sufficiently be used as an optical device.
On the other hand, according to the conventional liquid phase epitaxial growth method, for example, as described in Applied Physics Letter, Vol. 24, No. 9, 1974, pp. 424-426, the thin film of lithium niobate single crystal formed on a lithium tantalate substrate comes to have an electrooptical constant of merely about 1/3 that of the bulk of lithium niobate.
Thus, the present inventors found that this is because of the difference between the lattice constant of the thin film of lithium niobate single crystal and that of the lithium tantalate substrate and that a thin film of lithium niobate single crystal having a high electrooptical constant which has never been attained can be formed by achieving lattice matching between them, and they accomplished this invention.

Thin film of lithium niobate single crystal


An ink cartridge and an ink cartridge identifying apparatus are provided which reliably allow only standard, proper ink cartridges to be loaded. An ink cartridge to be loaded into a printer is provided which has a predetermined projected and recessed pattern portion formed on an outer surface thereof and which has a first electrode portion arranged on the projected and recessed pattern portion. The first electrode portion is positioned to be selectively engageable with a second electrode portion, which is arranged on a pattern matching portion which is fixed to a press rod arranged on the printer main body. First and second electrode portions are arranged on the projected and recessed pattern portion and the pattern matching portion to be selectively engageable, and an identification signal is generated when matching first and second electrode portions are engaged. The projected and recessed pattern portion and the pattern matching portion may be shaped into characters/symbols, graphics, or the like.

This invention pertains to printer technology for a recording apparatus using an ink, such as ink jet printers and more particularly, to an ink cartridge and an ink cartridge identifying apparatus which can confirm that a standard, proper ink cartridge designed to be used for such a particular printer has been loaded into the printer.
If a wrong sized or shaped cartridge is forced into a printer, damage to both the cartridge and printer may occur. Additionally, print quality may suffer once the cartridge is inserted. In prior art printers, various systems have been utilized to avoid the breaking of a printer main body by the insertion of a print cartridge other than a print cartridge designed for use with the particular printer.
One example of such a prior art printer is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 6-344628. In this prior art printer, first-level lockout processing is performed by first determining the number and position of a plurality of pen groups situated on the ink cartridge. A wing is arranged at a different position on each pen group by changing the dimension of a barrier arranged on the bottom of the carriage compartment of each pen group. Therefore, this barrier insures that a cartridge that is not one of a predetermined number of cartridges cannot be loaded into the printer since the pen groups will not move past the barrier and therefore the print operation cannot be performed.
Although the aforementioned prior art has been sufficient to prevent irregular loading of improper ink cartridges, there still is room for further improvement. It is desirable to provide a system with a simple structure and easy handling design which reliably allows for visibly checking and preventing the loading of an ink cartridge which is not one of a predetermined number of cartridges designed to be used with a particular printer.

Ink cartridge for printer and ink cartridge identifying apparatus


Data from a source domain operating at a first data rate is transferred to a FIFO in another domain operating at a different data rate. The FIFO buffers data before transfer to a sink for further processing or storage. A source side counter tracks space available in the FIFO. In disclosed examples, the initial counter value corresponds to FIFO depth. The counter decrements in response to a data ready signal from the source domain, without delay. The counter increments in response to signaling from the sink domain of a read of data off the FIFO. Hence, incrementing is subject to the signaling latency between domains. The source may send one more beat of data when the counter indicates the FIFO is full. The last beat of data is continuously sent from the source until it is indicated that a FIFO position became available; effectively providing one more FIFO position.

First-in-first-out (FIFO) storage devices are used in processors and communications applications involving transfers of data between different domains, commonly where the domains may operate at different data rates. While the data rates differ, and often vary, between the domains, the signals between them may be clocked relative to the same fundamental clock frequency (i.e., synchronous) or clocked relative to different fundamental clock frequencies (i.e., asynchronous). In a synchronous application, the buffering provided by the FIFO compensates for differences in the data rates of the two domains. In an asynchronous application, the buffering provided by the FIFO compensates for differences in the both the data rates and the clock frequencies of the two domains. In either case, the buffering helps to avoid data loss due to transfer of data at times or speeds when the receiving domain can not handle it and/or to avoid data duplication because the receiving domain is expecting and ready to receive additional data while the sending domain is still transferring prior data.
Most FIFO implementations, however, are limited by the finite size or depth of the memory or register array implementing the FIFO buffer. For example, data may still be lost if the sending domain sends more data when the FIFO storage device is already full of data awaiting transfer to the sink in the receiving domain. Various techniques have been developed to feed information about the fill level and/or write status of the FIFO, from the receiving or sink domain to the sending or source domain. However, need for further improvement in such techniques remains.

Latency insensitive FIFO signaling protocol


A system and method for determining whether the pressure in a fluid line upstream of an infusion pump is becoming lower as pumping draws fluid from the fluid line and fluid container due to a lack of proper venting. An initial pressure is sensed by an upstream pressure sensor at the start of an infusion. After a period of time, which may be determined either by monitoring infusion time or the number of pump cycles completed, a second pressure is sampled and compared to the initial pressure. Various analytical methods may be applied to the sensed pressures to determine upstream pressures or trends. Where an upstream pressure reading indicates a lack of proper venting, an alert signal is provided. Continuous monitoring may occur in which succeeding samples are compared to preceding samples to determine upstream pressures or trends.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for detecting when a negative-going pressure exists in an infusion line or container upstream of an infusion pump during administration of an infusion fluid to a patient. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system incorporating a container-side pressure sensor for sensing negative-going changes in the pressure within a fluid line, and for monitoring the container-side pressure to prevent negative-going pressure from developing due to an un-opened or blocked vent.
2. General Background and State of the Art
A common problem during infusion of therapeutic fluids into a patient occurs when the fluid to be infused is contained in burettes, bottles, or other non-flexible or partly flexible containers. When containers such as these are used as fluid reservoirs, they must be vented while the infusion is ongoing. If they are not vented, as fluid is drained from the bottle, burette, or other relatively rigid container, negative pressure is created within the container. This negative pressure may cause a reduction in flow, leading to inaccurate delivery of the therapeutic fluid.
Where an infusion pump is used to infuse the therapeutic fluid, the negative pressure building inside the container may also increase strain on the infusion pump, and may cause the pump to sound an alarm if the desired fluid infusion rate cannot be maintained. Another problem that can occur is that the negative pressure may result in air ingress into the system, especially at joints in the infusion line before the infusion line enters the infusion pump. This may result in air being entrained in the therapeutic fluid, and subsequently infused into the patient. While many infusion pumps use various types of air-in-line sensors to detect such entrained air and either halt the infusion or sound an alarm requiring attention by a care-giver before an amount of air that might injure the patient can be infused into the patient, prevention of such an occurrence is more cost-effective and efficient. Moreover, in cases where thin walled, yet rigid containers are used, the negative pressure may increase to such an extent that the thin walled containers collapse, possibly spilling their contents.
A vent is typically used in systems that will be infusing fluids from bottles, burettes, or other rigid or semi-rigid containers to prevent the build up of negative pressure as the fluid is drained from the container. However, if a care-giver forgets to open the vent or the particular drug or combination of drugs being infused wets the vent, the vent will not allow passage of air, resulting in a progressively increasing negative pressure in the container and fluid line as the pump attempts to draw fluid from the container.
What has been needed, and heretofore unavailable, is a system and method for determining when a container that requires venting to function properly is not being vented appropriately. Such a system would be able to detect the onset of negative pressure early enough so that a signal could be provided to care-givers before the infusion became inaccurate or damage was done to the pump. Moreover, such a system would be able to determine whether the intake or container-side pressure is not changing over time, indicating a stable infusion rate, or is decreasing as fluid is removed from the container, indicating lack of proper venting requiring attention by the care-giver. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.

System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump


The present invention relates to a circuit for controlling a refresh oscillator, and more specifically, to a circuit for controlling a refresh oscillator, wherein refresh characteristics can be tested in a more efficient manner in such a manner that the refresh characteristics are tested at a refresh cycle, which is extended as long as a predetermined time from an originally set refresh cycle, in a user test mode so as to measure a refresh margin over a wide temperature range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit for controlling a refresh oscillator, and more specifically, to a circuit for controlling a refresh oscillator, wherein refresh characteristics can be tested in a more efficient manner in such a manner that the refresh characteristics are tested at a refresh cycle, which is extended as long as a predetermined time from an originally set refresh cycle, in a user test mode so as to measure a refresh margin over a wide temperature range.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In DRAM devices, stored data are lost after a predetermined time elapses. In order to guarantee data retention characteristics, an operation of refreshing the stored data by activating a bit line sense amplifier is performed. In order to guarantee the operating cycle of self refresh, wherein the refresh operation is automatically repeated after a predetermined time elapses during the refresh operation, a self-refresh oscillator is used. The self-refresh oscillator generates a signal of a given cycle, and uses the signal to decide a self-refresh cycle.
Meanwhile, DRAM devices undergo a variety of tests at a wafer and package level so as to determine whether they meet AC/DC specifications of a product in the process of mass production. Of them, the refresh characteristic test is very important, test methods for various refresh characteristics have been used. More particularly, in case of a low-power DRAM used for mobile products, etc. a temperature compensation self refresh (TCSR) method in which the refresh current is reduced with different refresh cycles depending upon temperature characteristics is used. In a wide temperature range, refresh characteristics have to be tested. Accordingly, in order to change the refresh cycle according to temperature, an oscillator whose cycle is changed according to temperature, a method of controlling the division number, and the like have been employed.
FIG. 17 shows a circuit for controlling the refresh oscillator in the prior art.
An oscillation signal generation circuit 11 generates an oscillation signal OSC depending upon a basic refresh cycle if a refresh signal SRF is generated according to an externally applied refresh command. The oscillation signal OSC is output with its level changed on the basis of an internal signal delay time within the oscillation signal generation circuit 11 as a cycle. A reset circuit 12 uses a refresh signal SRF and a refresh cycle signal PSRF to output a delay signal SRFDD, a first reset signal CRST and a second reset signal ORST being a refresh signal. Whenever the refresh signal SRF is applied as a high level and the refresh cycle signal PSRF is applied as a pulse of a high level, the reset circuit 12 outputs the first reset signal CRST and the second reset signal ORST of a high level. At this time, the first reset signal CRST initializes a divider circuit 14, and the second reset signal CRST initializes the oscillation signal generation circuit 11.
A clock signal generation circuit 13 generates a signal JDG having the same phase as that of the oscillation signal OSC and a clock signal CLK having an opposite phase to that of the oscillation signal OSC according to the refresh signal SRF and the oscillation signal OSC.
The divider circuit 14 is initialized according to the first reset signal CRST, and generates divider signals RCA<0:3> that are increased depending upon dividers 14a to 14d according to clock signals CLK. For example, a first divider 14a can output the divider signal RCA<0> of one cycle according to two cycles of the clock signal CLK. A second divider 14b can output the divider signal RCA<1> of one cycle according to two cycles of the output signal RCA<0> of the first divider 14a.
A fuse set circuit 15 consists of a fuse. It outputs a plurality of fuse signals FUS<0:3> for deciding the refresh cycle depending upon a power-up signal PUPB and a cutting state of the fuse. For example, when the fuse signal FUS<0> is a high level, the refresh cycle is set to 1 division. When the fuse signal FUS<1> is a high level, the refresh cycle is set to 2 division. When the fuse signal FUS<2> is a high level, the refresh cycle is set to 4 division. When the fuse signal FUS<3> is a high level, the refresh cycle is set to 8 division. A greater number of divisions can be set according to an output combination of the fuse signals FUS<0:3>.
A refresh cycle signal generation circuit 16 compares the divider signals RCA<0:3> and the output signals FUS<0:3> of the fuse set circuit according to a delayed refresh signal SREDD. If the divider signals RCA<0:3> and the output signals FUS<0:3> of the adder are identical to each other, a refresh cycle signal PSRF is output as a high level at a rising edge of the signal JDG.
However, the refresh cycle is not always constant, but has some variation in width depending upon variation in a process condition, an operating voltage and temperature. FIG. 15 shows a refresh time of a chip depending upon variation in temperature. The refresh time has an inverse proportion to temperature, i.e., the higher temperature, the greater the refresh time tREF. At this time, tREFM is the refresh time of a chip, and refers to the characteristics of the chip. As indicated by A in FIG. 15, in the case where refresh is performed at a cycle of tREF=OSC1, there is no problem in refresh since the cycle is shorter than that of tREFM. In the event that refresh is performed at a cycle of tREF=OSC2 as indicated by B in FIG. 5, a chip can be passed or failed depending upon variation in the cycle of an oscillator because the refresh time is some of the characteristic value of the chip. Accordingly, in order to prevent problems from occurring, it is necessary to test refresh characteristics with sufficient margin by predicting change in a refresh cycle depending upon variation in process condition, operating voltage, temperature, etc. of a chip in the case where the refresh characteristic is tested.


To extend the lifetime of an incandescent lamp having a sealed glass envelope, an inert gas or gas mixture contained in the glass envelope, a tungsten filament mounted in the glass envelope, a hollow bulb screw or prefocus base mounted to the glass envelope, and first and second lead in wires for electrically connecting the tungsten filament to the base, a first rectifying diode is connected in series with the tungsten filament. Connected in parallel with the first rectifying diode is a series circuit including a resistor connected in series with a second rectifying diode. The first and second diodes are connected in opposite directions whereby the first rectifying diode applies to the filament the positive half-cycles of an alternating supply voltage, and the second rectifying diode applies to the tungsten filament the negative half-cycles attenuated by a voltage drop within the resistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an incandescent lamp of which the lifetime is extended by supplying the tungsten filament of the lamp through two rectifying diodes and a resistor. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with, in particular but not exclusively, incandescent lamps of the type used in traffic signal lights and in high structure obstruction marking.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, A-line or PS-line gas filled incandescent lamps are used in traffic signal lights and in high structure obstruction marking. Such lamps are constructed to operate from an AC (alternating current) voltage having a nominal amplitude of 120 volts and a nominal frequency of 60 Hz, and have standard power ratings of 69, 90, 100, 105, 116, 620 or 700 watts. These prior art incandescent lamps, having an average lifetime of 5000 hours, may be termed short-lifetime lamps as compared with known incandescent lamps having extended lifetimes up to several years. Failure of these conventional incandescent lamps is mainly caused by evaporation of the tungsten of the filament, the rate of evaporation of the tungsten increasing with the temperature of operation of the filament.
To extend the lifetime of an incandescent lamp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,578 granted to Christopher F. Goad, Sr. on Jan. 30, 1990 uses a rectifying diode connected in series with the tungsten filament of the lamp. Incorporation of a rectifying diode in the structure of an incandescent lamp is further described in the following three United States patents:
______________________________________ 3,148,305 Pearson 1964 3,869,631 Anderson et al. 1975 4,480,212 Monahan 1984 ______________________________________
The use of a rectifying diode installed in a socket for extending the lifetime of incandescent lamps is also disclosed in the following two United States patents:
______________________________________ 3,450,893 Munson 1969 3,963,956 Beining 1976 ______________________________________
With a rectifying diode, only the positive or negative half-cycles of the AC voltage are applied across the filament. Consequently the effective voltage supplying the tungsten filament is substantially lowered, thus reducing the temperature of operation of the filament. For example, when no rectifying diode is connected in series with its tungsten filament, a standard above-mentioned incandescent lamp of 100 watts has an operating temperature of approximately 2590.degree. C. and produces a light intensity of about 1070 lumens. With a rectifying diode connected in series with the tungsten filament, the operating temperature of the same lamp reduces to 2190.degree. C., and the light intensity produced is approximately 375 lumens. Connection of a diode in series with the tungsten filament of an incandescent lamp reduces the power consumption of the lamp from 100 watts to 58.4 watts and increase its average operating lifetime from about 3000 hours to approximately 9.7 years.
However, connecting a rectifying diode in series with the tungsten filament of an incandescent lamp presents the drawback that the tungsten filament has a lower efficiency in terms of lumens per watt.
Another drawback of connecting a single rectifying diode in series with the filament of an incandescent lamp as taught in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,578 (Christopher F. Goad, Sr.) issued on Jan. 30, 1990, is that the incandescent lamp is no longer compatible with the traffic signal light monitoring control systems and with the high structure obstruction marking light alarm systems presently in operation. Indeed, a traffic signal light monitoring control system indicates proper operation of a traffic signal lamp upon detection of both positive and negative half-cycles of an AC current flowing through the tungsten filament of this lamp. In the same manner, a high structure obstruction marking light alarm system must detect both positive and negative half-cycles of an AC current flowing through the tungsten filament, otherwise an alarm indicating a faulty marking lamp is produced. Accordingly, to prevent the traffic signal light monitoring control systems and the high structure obstruction marking light alarm systems presently in operation to generate a false indication of a faulty lamp, they have to detect both positive and negative half-cycles of an AC current flowing through the tungsten filament. The rectifying diode of the incandescent lamp of Goad prevents one of the positive of negative half-cycles from being supplied to the traffic signal light monitoring control systems and the high structure obstruction marking light alarm systems.

Incandescent lamp having a lifetime extended by two rectifying diodes and a resistor


A topology map for a digital system is generated and displayed on a display device to indicate the various components which make up the system. The various components are indicated using icons each of which represent a respective one of the components. A user specifies a source device and a receive device by manipulating the corresponding icons so as to cause a data transfer between the source device and the receive device. The data transfer may include the transfer of video data, audio data, or both. In a preferred embodiment, the digital network corresponds to the IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard.

The components of a computer system are typically coupled to a common bus for communicating information to one another. Various bus architectures are known in the prior art, and each bus architecture operates according to a communications protocol that defines the manner in which data transfer between components is accomplished.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has promulgated a number of different bus architecture standards including IEEE standards document 1394, entitled Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus (hereinafter "IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard"). A typical serial bus having the IEEE 1394 standard architecture is comprised of a multiplicity of nodes that are interconnected via point-to-point links, such as cables, that each connect a single node of the serial bus to another node of the serial bus. Data packets are propagated throughout the serial bus using a number of point-to-point transactions, wherein a node that receives a packet from another node via a first point-to-point link retransmits the received packet via other point-to-point links. A tree network configuration and associated packet handling protocol ensures that each node receives every packet once. The serial bus of the IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard may be used as an alternate bus for the parallel backplane of a computer system, as a low cost peripheral bus, or as a bus bridge between architecturally compatible buses.
A communications protocol of the IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard specifies two primary types of bus access: asynchronous access and isochronous access. Asynchronous access may be either "fair" or "cycle master". Cycle master access is used by nodes that need the next available opportunity to transfer data. Isochronous access is used by nodes that require guaranteed bandwidth, for example, nodes transmitting video data. The transactions for each type of bus access are comprised of at least one "subaction", wherein a subaction is a complete one-way transfer operation.
In existing analog or digital networks, a user is not provided with a graphical presentation of information regarding the network, including the type of devices which make up the network, the manner in which the devices are interconnected connected and the signal flow which occurs between the various devices. Where the network in question is an analog audio/video system, a signal selector and complicated "spaghetti connections" are unavoidable when a user wishes to dub signals freely between the devices in the network.
It would, therefore, be desirable to have an apparatus and a method for displaying the topology of a network as part of a graphical user interface so as to provide a means for a user to operate and control the devices in the network.

Device control with topology map in a digital network


A pluggable architecture allows security and business logic plugins to be inserted into a security service hosted by a server, and to control access to one or more secured resources on that server, on another server within the security domain, or between security domains. The security service may act as a focal point for security enforcement, and access rights determination, and information used or determined within one login process can flow transparently and automatically to other login processes. Entitlements denote what a particular user may or may not do with a particular resource, in a particular context. Entitlements reflect not only the technical aspects of the secure environment (the permit or deny concept), but can be used to represent the business logic or functionality required by the server provider. In this way entitlements bridge the gap between a simple security platform, and a complex business policy platform.

Over the years the term "security" as applied to server technology, and particularly to e-commerce servers, has expanded to cover several aspects of a secure environment. The original definition of the term has always envisaged a mechanism for validating a particular user's (or client's) identity, and preventing that user from retrieving, viewing, or otherwise accessing, information on the server which they are not allowed to access.
FIG. 1 shows a typical example of a security mechanism commonly used today. Clients 102, 104 access a secured resource such as an application server 106 via a number of protocols; including for example http (hypertext transfer protocol) 110 and IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB protocol) 112. The access requests are filtered through a security layer 108 which determines, typically based on a set of hardwired rules, whether to allow or disallow the requested access. The security layer may be a component of the protected resource (eg. the application server itself) or may operate as a separate entity (for example as part of a firewall system or device).
With current systems little or no attempt is made to analyze the nature of the access request, the type of client, or the type of protected resource. As such, security is often thought of as a simple "permit or deny" mechanism, designed in such a way as to understand the protected resources provided by the server, and to adhere to a predefined set of rules governing a user's or a client's access rights to those resources. There is little or no understanding of the manner in which the request is made, or the environmental setting in which a particular user may make a request to access a resource, and the security mechanism does not lend itself to easy modification of the rules to reflect new changes in business policy regarding security.
Attempts have been made to develop the concept of security and particularly server security to include information that reflects a user's particular environment, and the manner in which a request to access a particular secure resource is phrased. Similarly, attempts have been made to provide security mechanisms that can be easily modified to reflect changes in business policy, security policy, and access rights. These methods still typically require an application programmer to be responsible for assembling a set of business policy queries together and asking the question, "is this OK?—is this access acceptable according to the security rules?" What is needed is a mechanism to make this process all inclusive so that the programmer does not have to understand the business semantics and the business policy rules in order to be able to develop programs and applications that ask security related business policy questions.
Recently, a new set of requirements concerning the securing of resources has emerged from discussions with application server customers and system integrators. These new requirements are expressed in terms of security from the point of view of an application instead of infrastructure. A key differentiation within these new requirements is the existence of business policy enforcement. The enforcement of business policy is typically described in terms of actions that a user is "entitled" to perform based on the role in which they are acting and the context of the business request. Customers and system integrators are frustrated with the fact that they are required to embed code that enforces business policy within applications. Embedding this type of logic creates deployment problems, in that the application must be modified, tested, and re-deployed each time the business policies are changed. Given the rate at which business policy changes, the current requirements for modification and re-deployment are unacceptable.
Customers and system integrators would ideally like to have these new authorization capabilities universally applied across the different types of execution and resource containers, including for example those for Enterprise Java Bean (EJB), Web Applications (Servlet, JSP), as well as other types of business and resource containers. Role-based access control (RBAC) is becoming one of the primary form of authorization requested by customers and system integrators. The trend in use of roles allows organizational identity to be used as an abstract form of identity when making authorization decisions. The use of roles provides a mechanism to reduce both the cost and errors in the administration of application security since it simplifies the amount of administration.
The Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) defines a declarative form of role-based access control. However, because it is based on a declarative scheme, the association of roles to principals is static. In addition, the current Java 2 Enterprise Edition specification provides no means by which the context of a business request, such as the parameters of the request or the identity of the target, can be taken into account when determining the roles to be associated with a given principal. Consequently, application developers are required to implement business policy rules within the application to compute dynamic roles associations in order to support concepts like "owner".
Customers and system integrators nowadays demand a richer set of authorization capabilities than those provided with the permission-based security defined by Java 2 security and the role-based access control defined in Java 2 Enterprise Edition. The foundation of the requirements for this richer level of authorization can be found in the intersection of classical authorization mechanisms, such as Access Control Lists, and business policy enforcement; and include the ability to take the context of the business request into consideration when making an authorization decision. The request context may include the identity of the target object, the value of the parameter of the request, and potentially environmental information such as the network or IP address of the initiating client.
The lack of a single mechanism through which to integration these new authorization capabilities, regardless of execution or resource container type, is a point of frustration with customers and system integrators. The Service Provider Interface (SPI) is the mechanism used by several application servers, including the WebLogic Server product from BEA Systems, Inc., San Jose, Calif., to allow integration with external authorization providers. This SPI realm has a number of limitations that limit it's ability to be used as a successful means to integrate 3rd-party authorization mechanisms, or new authorization capabilities being required by customers and system integrators.
One of the largest limitations with the current "realm" SPI is scope of enforcement. Currently, the enforcement scope of the realm mechanism does not cover resources such as Enterprise Java Bean and Web Applications. In particular, the realm is focused on RMI style resources such as JMS destinations, entries in JNDI, and servlets at a course-grained level. While the realm could conceivably be updated to hold the definition of the authorization policies required to support protection of such resources, it is the other limitations that ultimately make the realm an unrealistic mechanism to address all the authorization requirements.
The second limitation of the current realm SPI is point of enforcement. The current realm mechanism does not allow the point at which the decision is made to allow access to a protected resource to exist within the realm itself. Instead, the point of enforcement is within the application server itself. Because of this approach, the current realm is defined to support only a permission-based authorization mechanism where the realm simply acts as a database of Access Control Lists. The complexities of providing a Java 2 Policy object that can also support the Java 2 sandbox rules is unacceptable to most vendors.
Yet another limitation is the Enforcement Mechanism Support of the current realm SPI. As with the point of enforcement, the enforcement mechanisms allowed by the current realm SPI are limited to those based on permission-based authorization mechanisms. This is counter to the capabilities of the leading 3rd-party authorization providers, the integration of which is being requested by customers and systems integrators on a daily basis.
Together, these limitations constrain the types of authorization providers that can be integrated with an enterprise application server without minimizing the value proposition of the provider. There remains no current capability to obtain the context of the request in order to provide the rich authorization requested.
JAVA, JAVA TWO ENTERPRISE EDITION (J2EE), and ENTERPRISE JAVABEANS (EJB) are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. WEBLOGIC is a trademark of BEA Systems, Inc.

System and method for server security and entitlement processing


A zipper pull attachment includes a flexible ring having a hole sized to fit snugly around a button on jeans. A base is attached to the ring and configured to be used as a grip. A support cord is attached to the base opposite the ring. The support cord forms a loop and is sized to fit through and attach to an eye of a zipper pull tab. In another embodiment, the zipper pull attachment includes a fastener expansion cord that is attached to the base.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zipper restraining device which holds a zipper open to a preselected elevation and alternately provides an option for a flexible fastener expansion in conjunction with that zipper support.
2. The Relevant Technology
The past inventions may be categorized into different categories. The first is a device that provides a lock for a zipper that won't allow the zipper to be opened by accident if it was not locked properly, or if it for some reason became unlocked because it was lifted up, releasing the lock. These devices gave the wearer total security that the zipper was at all times held in place and would never be an embarrassment to the wearer of the garment (pants or jeans or other garments) due to an open zipper.
Another category of devices may include a device that allows the wearer to have an expandable fly which allows for an increase in girth or waist size of the wearer. This is especially useful for a woman who desires to wear her normal garment during her term of a pregnancy. This device would allow the woman to wear her designer jeans, for example, through the majority of her pregnancy. The other use for these devices would be for either gender to be able to continue wearing their garments through the various stages of weight gain or subsequent loss. One can imagine the amount of savings involved by allowing this flexibility.
Looking in detail at the devices categorized under the zipper locking type, one can find the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,769, Hasp Lock, Zipper and Cover Assemble for Portfolio. This is a zipper support that is designed for a portfolio/briefcase. It is made of metal, incorporates two magnets to grasp the zipper and the closure device to hold the zipper closed. It also provides for a combination locking mechanism and a covering over the device to hide it from view.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,363, Zipper Securing Ring. This device is a sheet metal device that is in a teardrop shape. The top or wider part of the teardrop has a hole in it that allows the device to fit over the garment button, thereby holding it in place behind the garment button. The opposite end of the teardrop device has a hook that one may slip into the eye of the zipper pull tab 40. The device therefore, when in place will not allow the zipper to move in relation to the button on the waist of the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,985 Zipper Securing Device. This is a device, similar to the above teardrop design, in that it is made up of a "C" shaped sheet metal piece that fits behind, and is supported by the garment waist button and attached to the "C" is a hook which, again attaches to the eye of the zipper pull tab 40. The main difference between patent '363 and '985 is that '985 is easier to slip under the garment button, due to the opening of the "C" as opposed to the entire circle that has to pass over the garment button.
Each of these devices, however, are lacking in various aspects. For example, the existing devices do not provide total secure capture of the zipper. The hook that feeds into the eye of the zipper pull tab 40 may become dislodged if there is any upward pressure on the zipper pull tab. The "C" button attachment may become dislodged with upward and sideways pressure. It is not a guaranteed fastening device, as was the case with the hook that fastens to the eye of the zipper.
The existing zipper securing devices do not offer any flexibility, or movement of the fastening device. If flexibility was provided and the hook was allowed to move slightly, stress may be relieved, allowing the zipper to have a longer life. With the zipper unlocked and only held in place by the zipper support, there could be a large amount of pressure against the zipper trying to force it to open. If flexibility were provided in the design, it would allow forces on the zipper to be reduced as more pressure is applied trying to open the zipper.
Looking in detail at the devices categorized under the fastener expansion type, one can find the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,184, Expanded Waistband Structure for Garments. This device offers a triangular shaped insertion pie shaped piece of fabric. It is meant to provide a privacy panel in jeans when the jeans or garment has an open zipper. With the zipper open, the waist band of the pant or garment is expanded in the area that is most needed to provide for expansion. This expansion would occur for either a woman who needs a wider girth due to pregnancy, or someone who requires more girth due to expanded waist size. This insert is provided with button holes in the two tapered sides of the triangular expansion insert. The jeans or garment may then have buttons attached to each side of the zipper where these buttons correlate with the button holes in the triangular expansion insert.
The problem with this design is that the buttons will need to be moved each time there is a need to allow for further growth. The panel is inflexible fabric and therefore provides no room for growth of the wearer. It does provide a solid panel that will hide the undergarments of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,356, Waistxpander. This is a flexible strap device that on one end attaches to the button on the waist of the jeans or garment and the other end of the device attaches to the hole in the jeans or garment by means of a button attached to the flexible strap. The disadvantage with this is that the zipper is not controlled or captured and the zipper will eventually fall to the bottom of the zipper's travel, thereby exposing the undergarments and not providing adequate support along the length of the zipper. It is adjustable for size of the strap, but the zipper will always have the ability to fall to the bottom of its travel.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0049834 A1, Sleeve for Clothing Coverage and Support. This device is fabricated from expandable fabric and is made in the shape of a cylinder that wraps around the waist. The wearer steps into or slides the expandable fabric over the head and then pulls the expandable fabric over their waist, with approximately half of the fabric above the waist and half below the waist. The upper half of the material above the waist is then tucked into the inside of the jeans or garment. Therefore half of the fabric is on the outside of the jeans and half is on the inside of the jeans. This expandable fabric is wide enough so that both the inner material and outer material covers the open zipper area of the jeans or garment. The two layers of the flexible and expandable material therefore attempt to secure the jeans by means of friction between the expandable fabric and the jeans themselves.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0256216 A1, Women's Maternity and Non-Maternity Suspenders. This invention comprises a single suspender on each side of the wearer. Each suspender attaches with a clasp to both the underside of a bra and to the waist band of the jeans, thereby affording a vertical support for jeans for women.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0172769 A1. Separate Cylindrical Detachable Waistband Device Used To Temporarily Convert the Use of Regular Clothes Into Maternity Use. This device is similar to U.S. Patent App. No. 2004/0049834 A1 in that there is the expandable fabric around the waist, but in this case it is only one layer and rests on top of the jeans. It has a more secure method of holding up the jeans in relation to the expandable fabric, in that there are supports added on the inside of the expandable fabric which attach to the belt of the jeans, thereby providing a positive attachment to the jeans, in lieu of friction as in the prior art mentioned above.
In sum it may be said that the expandable fastener expansion devises mentioned above endeavor to provide a mechanism to hold unzippered jeans up. Some of them cover the open zipper area with fabric, others do not. Some of the devices provide firm upward support, such as the one that attaches to the underside of a woman's bra and to a lesser degree, the support tied to a belt on the jeans from an expandable fabric. None of these devices attempt to hold up the zipper at the same time as supporting the jeans, or while covering the open zipper area. The jeans would tend to look baggy if the zipper were not zipped up as far as possible, especially during the early stages of pregnancy, or in the case of a person who has gained some weight and wants to get further use out of his, or her jeans or other garment.
One can see a need for a device that not only provides support at the waist, but also supports the zipper in whatever elevation can be obtained. By holding the zipper in the maximum position of tightness, one can visualize how this would allow the wearer of the pants, jeans, or other garment to be able to maintain a good look with a proper fit that maintains the most flattering effect. This will be achieved by assuring that there is a proper tightness of the pants, or jeans in relation to the shape, or changing shape of the wearer. There are many modern designs of jeans that, when purchased, are purposely tight fitting. Just the smallest amount of Thanksgiving dinner, etc, would preclude a person from wearing those now too tight designer jeans. Therefore there is a distinct need for a device that allows both modest, or, especially in the case of a pregnant woman, more robust adjustment of the jeans or garment. In all cases, it is very desirable to be able to maintain a firm fit as much as possible, but allow the flexibility for comfort to be achieved.
There is a great desire to maintain comfort with a look of tight fit or well-fitting garments. One can see this in the new designer jeans where the designer jean look is provided with a flexible material that tends to expand and contract as necessary, allowing comfort to the wearer. Another example is golf jeans that are provided with an expandable girth, or waist band.


An ice skate comprising a blade and a blade holder. The blade holder providing decreasing, non rigid, and/or no lateral support in a rearward region of the blade so that it may facilitate increased or freer flexibility of the blade and improved maneuverability. The blade is rigidly laterally supported at a front end section of the blade holder and preferably also at a back end section of the blade holder so that it may facilitate efficient transfer of force between the skater and the blade. One or more non-rigid support members may be employed to control, absorb and/or cushion the flexing of the blade. The ice skate may be tuned to reflect the desired performance requirements of the individual skater and/or use.

The field of the present invention is ice skates.
The following U.S. patents are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,148, 5,456,495, 5,383,674, 5,332,242, 5,318,310, 5,248,156, 4,826,183, 4,773,658, 4,453,727, 4,218,069, 4,150,837, 4,088,335, 4,085,944, 4,074,909, 4,071,938, 4,053,168, and 3,934,892, and U.S. Patent Nos. Des. 254,201, and 249,973.
In conventional ice skate assemblies such as those disclosed in the aforementioned referenced patents and those manufactured and sold by Canstar Sports Group, Inc. under the trademark TUUK, a molded plastic blade holder, which is designed to be attached to or integral with a skate boot, has a longitudinal slot or groove in which an ice skate blade is snugly received. The blade holder, either separately or in combination with a reinforcement member of greater rigidity, is designed to be in direct contact with the sides of the blade and, thereby, provides lateral support along the full longitudinal length of the blade. Greater support is typically provided toward the front and rear of the blade and less support in an around the center of the blade. The center sections are generally designed to provide increasing or non-varying lateral support to an underlying portion of the blade located generally behind the ball of the foot and increasing or non-varying as it extends toward the heel.
In operation, the support provided by the blade holder functions to inhibit the blade from freely flexing in the lateral direction along its longitudinal axis and twisting around its longitudinal axis. While conventional blade holders provide a certain degree of lateral and torsional support to the blade they nonetheless are capable of being twisted, flexed, and/or bent by the forces placed on them by the blade. Such deformations while perhaps beneficial in some circumstances may be detrimental to the efficient transfer of force between the skater and the skate blade and to the maneuverability of the skater.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved ice skate that can efficiently transfer force so as to facilitate rapid acceleration and deceleration and yet achieve the desired maneuverability.


According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.

Conventionally, there has been known an image recording apparatus provided with a cartridge in which ink is stored, a sub tank connected to a recording head, and a liquid flow passage and a gas flow passage which connects the cartridge and the sub tank. The cartridge is disposed vertically above the sub tank. The liquid flow passage and the gas flow passage connect the cartridge and the sub tank in the vertical direction. The liquid flow passage and the gas flow passage are opened to the lower surface of the cartridge and the upper surface of the sub tank, respectively. Further, an air introduction opening is provided on an upper wall of the sub tank such that the air introduction opening penetrates the upper wall, and gas is supplied to the gas flow passage from the air introduction opening through the inside of the sub tank.

Image recording apparatus comprising liquid supplying device having tank and cartridge


An apparatus for keeping a slotted tubular liner in axial alignment with a seamer head through which it is passing adjusts the spatial position of the seamer head in response to inputs from liner centerline sensors. The seamer head is mounted on a seamer head carrier that is vertically movable relative to a seamer head frame, which in turn is horizontally movable relative to a base structure. A programmable logic controller is programmed to continually poll the liner centerline sensors to determine the position of the seamer head relative to the liner, and to instruct vertical and horizontal axis positioners to move the seamer head as necessary to make the seamer head's rotational axis substantially coincident with the centerline of the liner as the liner passes through the seamer head.

Technological advances in directional drilling within the oil industry have enabled wells to be completed with long horizontal sections extending into subsurface formations. Such long horizontal wellbores, often more than 1,000 meters long, permit fluids to be injected into or produced from a more extensive portion of a subsurface formation than would be possible using vertical wells, with commensurately greater recovery of petroleum fluids than from vertical wells. The horizontal sections of such wells are often completed with slotted steel tubulars (alternatively referred to as slotted liners) that function as screens or filters permitting flow of injected or produced fluids across the tubular wall while excluding the passage of solids.
For a slotted liner to function effectively as both a filter and a structural member in fine-grained reservoirs, and to be sufficiently rugged to endure installation handling loads, the slotted liner design is driven by three somewhat competing needs. To ensure adequate solid particle exclusion, the slot width must be on the order of the smaller sand grain sizes expected to be encountered in the formation. This is generally true even where fluids are injected out of the liner into the formation, because the effective radial stress in the sand tends to force sand grains into the well bore, even though fluids are flowing out. For reservoirs comprising very fine-grained material, slots narrower than 0.15 mm in width may be required. However, small slot widths tend to increase flow loss; therefore, a larger number of slots are needed per unit of contacted reservoir area to maintain flow capacity, while the liner must accommodate the larger number of slots without unacceptable loss of structural capacity.
The petroleum industry also recognises advantages, for production applications in particular, of slots that have a "keystone" shape in cross-section; i.e., with the flow channel through the wall of the tubular liner diverging (widening) from the external entry point to the internal exit point. This geometry reduces the tendency for sand grains to lodge or bridge in the slot, which could cause the slot to plug and restrict flow.
The required or desired width of the slots in a slotted tubular liner is commonly less than the slot width that can be formed using conventional rotary saw blades or other slot-forming technologies. Therefore, it is commonly necessary or desirable to narrow the width of the slots in slotted liners after initial formation of the slots. It is known to do this by applying pressure at or along the edges of the slots to plastically deform and displace material adjacent to the slot edges to narrow the slot width. The term "seaming", as used in this patent document, is to be understood as denoting or referring to the process or method of narrowing the width of slots in a slotted tubular liner by this means (i.e., application of pressure to induce plastic deformation resulting in reduction of the slot width). Similarly, the terms "seamer" and "seamer head", as used in this patent document, refer to apparatus used for purposes of seaming.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 (Slack), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, teaches methods and apparatus for seaming slotted tubular liners. In accordance with certain embodiments taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957, these methods and apparatus provide at least one rigid contoured forming tool with means for applying a concentrated and largely radial load against the inside or outside cylindrical surface of a slotted metal tubular liner. The radial load thus applied at a given location on the contacted surface creates a localized zone of concentrated stress within the tubular material, which stress is sufficient to cause a significant zone of plastic deformation when the contact location is near the edge of a slot. Means are also provided for simultaneously displacing the forming tool or tools with respect to the tubular along path lines creating a typically helical sweep pattern over the cylindrical surface of the tubular. The sweep pattern is configured such that the extended zone of plastic deformation created as the forming tool passes each point on the path line covers an area sufficient to intersect the edges of all slots intended to be narrowed in width.
In accordance with methods taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957, the paths followed by the displacement of the forming tool or tools, as they follow the sweep pattern, traverse the edges of the slots a sufficient number of times and at sufficiently close intervals while maintaining sufficient contact force to plastically form the edges of all slots intersected along the slots' full lengths. The plastic deformation thus caused at the edges of the slots tends to narrow the width between opposing longitudinal edges of the slots in the contacted surface of the slotted metal tubular. Otherwise stated, the area affected by the extended zone of localized plastic flow, as the forming tool(s) move over the inside or outside surface of the slotted tubular liner, is sufficient to more than completely cover the edges of all slots to be narrowed by plastic deformation. The area swept by the forming tools need not be continuous over the entire surface of the slotted tubular liner, but optimally will include the area of influence from path lines occurring at at least two separate locations for each slot narrowed.
The steps in these methods firstly include providing a slotted tubular liner in which the slots:                extend through the tubular wall;        have longitudinal peripheral edges;        are preferably of approximately equal length;        typically have parallel slot walls (such as will result from cutting slots with a rotating saw blade); and        are preferably arranged in rows of circumferentially-distributed slots, with adjacent rows of slots being separated by unslotted intervals or rings;effectively forming a structure in which the material segments between slots act as short longitudinal beams spanning between unslotted intervals. Sub-lengths of the tubular liner having groups of one or more rows of slots are referred to as slotted intervals.
These methods also call for the steps of providing at least one and preferably multiple contoured rigid forming tools, preferably in the form of contoured rollers, and applying pressure to a local area on the exterior surface of the tubular by means of the rigid contoured forming tools, beginning at one end of a slotted interval. At the same time, the forming tools are moved over the surface of the tubular in a tight and preferably helical sweep pattern, progressing along the length of the tubular so as to cover each slotted interval in turn. The contoured forming tool shape, the radial load exerted by the forming tools against the tubular surface, the pitch of the helical path, and the number of passes of the forming tools (i.e., the number of times the above-described operation is repeated) are all adjusted so as to result in sufficient deformation of the edges of the slots along their length to uniformly narrow each slot to a desired width.
The methods and apparatus taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 can also be used to narrow the width of slots in a slotted tubular as measured at the interior surface of the tubular. This is achieved by using steps substantially as described above for narrowing slots at the exterior surface, except that the rigid forming tools are configured to apply pressure to the interior surface of the slotted tubular. This causes the width of each slot to be narrowed along its interior edges creating an inverse keystone flow-channel shape, which shape is desirable for injection applications (i.e., where a fluid is being injected outward from the tubular into a surrounding subsurface formation).
As outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957, the geometry of the generally keystone channel shape created by forming the edges of slots may be further characterized in terms of the rate at which the slot width increases with depth from the contacted surface edges, i.e., its divergence rate (or the angle of the slot wall). It will be generally appreciated that slots having a lower divergence rate can be expected to plug more easily than slots with a higher divergence rate for the same reason that the keystone shape is preferred over parallel wall slots. However, if the divergence rate is very high, the formed edges will have less material supporting them and therefore will be more susceptible to material loss through erosion or corrosion. In applications where this material loss causes a significant increase in slot width, the ability to screen to the desired particle size may be compromised.
For this reason, U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 also teaches methods for narrowing the width of slots in slotted metal tubulars by both forming the slot edges as described above and also to control the slot divergence rate or depth to which the slot is narrowed. These objectives can be achieved by manipulating the forming tool shape according to criteria set out in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957.
The methods and apparatus taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 have proven to be very effective, and large quantities of slotted tubulars are seamed every year using such methods and apparatus. However, production efficiency using methods and apparatus in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 can be hampered by the common problem of tubulars having a longitudinal bend or "bowing", typically resulting from factors such as differential cooling of longitudinal weldment areas during the manufacture of the tubulars. Such bends typically are not very dramatic, and not significant enough to cause problems with during installation or service when the tubulars are being used to make up drill strings or casing strings or as liners in horizontal wells. However, even slight longitudinal bowing can cause difficulties when present in a slotted tubular being seamed by a rotating seamer head of the type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957.
The seamer head in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,957 rotates about a rotational axis that is effectively fixed in space, given that the seamer head forms part of an apparatus that typically is stationary. In the ideal case, a length of slotted liner passing through the seamer head would be perfectly straight, such that its centroidal axis (i.e., centerline) would coincide with the rotational axis of the seamer head as it passes through the seamer head. In that idealized scenario, the pressures or forces exerted against the surface of the slotted tubular by all of the forming tools of the seamer head would be substantially uniform, thus promoting predictably uniform narrowing of the slots in the tubular.
However, if the centerline of the slotted liner deviates from concentricity with the rotational axis of the seamer due to an inherent longitudinal bend in the tubular, the pressures and forces exerted by the forming tools will vary, thus resulting in undesirable variations in slot width after seaming, or else entailing additional and intermittent steps to adjust the seaming equipment, or to adjust the means for supporting the non-rotating liner as it passes through the seamer (or, in some embodiments, as the seamer moves over the liner), such that the liner centerline is kept generally coincident with the rotational axis of the seamer head to facilitate acceptable quality control with respect to seamed slot width.
Although such adjustment steps may be helpful to address longitudinal bends in slotted liners that need to be run through a rotating seamer head, they decrease seaming efficiency and increase the cost of producing accurately-seamed slotted liners. Restricting seaming operations to slotted tubular liners having perfectly straight centroidal axes would be impractical and unrealistic. For these reasons, there is a need for improvements to seaming methods and apparatus that will allow longitudinally-bowed slotted liners to be seamed as effectively and efficiently as unbowed liners.

Axial alignment apparatus and method for maintaining concentricity between a slotted tubular and a seamer head


A method for controlling an electric motor. A desired speed is identified for the electric motor during operation of the electric motor. A voltage is identified to cause the electric motor to turn at the desired speed. The voltage is applied to the electric motor and actively controlled during operation of the electric motor.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electric motor systems and, in particular, to controlling electric motor systems. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the operation of an electric motor in an electric motor system.
2. Background
An electric motor is a device that converts electrical power into mechanical power. Electric motors are used for various applications. These applications include fans, pumps, tools, disk drives, drills, and other types of devices that may be found in these and other types of platforms.
An electric brushless motor is a commonly used type of electric motor. With electric brushless motors, a controller is configured to change the current in windings in the electric motor. In particular, the current is switched at a frequency that changes the amplitude of the current applied to the windings in phases in a manner that causes the motor to turn. The switching of the current is performed using switches in the form of transistors.
Parameters such as torque and speed may be controlled in an electric motor. These parameters may be controlled by altering the duty cycle. The duty cycle is the percent of time that an object spends in an active state as a fraction of the total time that is considered. With respect to electric motors, the duty cycle may be defined as the ratio between the pulse and the period of a rectangular wave form.
For example, a duty cycle of 0 percent may be no torque. The duty cycle of 100 percent may be a maximum torque that can be generated by the electric motor. The efficiency of the motor is highest when the duty cycle is 100 percent.
However, when the duty cycle is 100 percent, the controllability of the electric motor is reduced. In particular, the control of maintaining the speed of the motor a particular number of revolutions per minute (RPM) may be limited. For example, if the desired operation of the electric motor is a speed of 6000 RPM, a duty cycle of 100 percent may be used to operate the electric motor at the speed of 6000 RPMs in this example.
However, increasing the speed beyond 6000 RPMs is not possible when the duty cycle is already 100 percent. Further, if the load applied to the motor reduces the speed below 6000 RPMs, the speed cannot be returned to 6000 RPMs by increasing the duty cycle since the duty cycle is already at 100 percent. As a result, the controllability of the electric motor is not as great as desired when the duty cycle is 100 percent.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

Active voltage controller for an electric motor


According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for transferring a large amount of stored data includes storing the large amount of data on a plurality of RAID's in a storage area network in a first location, each of the RAID's having one or more disk packs, receiving a request for a portion of the stored data from a second location downloading the requested stored data at the first location to at least one disk pack, and sending the disk pack to the data requester at the second location, whereby the data requester can start using the data substantially immediately upon receipt.

Many entities, such as the military and large corporations, often have a need for vast amounts of data. In addition, these vast amounts of data sometimes need to be transported to another location. For example, a military base may switch locations and have a need for imagery data of the new location. The new imagery data is downloaded onto 8 mm tapes and shipped to the new location. The 8 mm tapes are then downloaded to storage devices at the new location, which oftentimes takes days to complete because of the storage capacity needed for the new information. This wastes considerable time and, needless to say, very important time.
Another example is when a large corporation has a storage area network storing vast amounts of data in one location and this data needs to be moved to another location. The storage area network is disassembled and shipped in pieces to the new location for reassembly. This also wastes considerable time and money.

System and method for transferring large amounts of stored data


A system and method for processing virtual machine instructions which supports the software trap methodology. An application programming interface (API) prescribes additional functionality for software traps that remove the processing of recursive virtual machine instructions from virtual machine hardware and instead process recursive virtual machine instructions using software. The additional functionality includes the configuration of a context for processing recursive virtual machine instructions, which enables the virtual machine instructions to access CPU registers to retrieve and modify the values of variables as required, the release of the configured context when processing of recursive virtual machine instructions is completed, and the return of control to a virtual machine for processing non-recursive virtual machine instructions.

Computer programming languages are used to create applications consisting of human-readable source code that represents instructions for a computer to perform. Before a computer can follow the instructions however, the source code must be translated into computer-readable binary machine code.
A programming language such as C, C++, or COBOL typically uses a compiler to generate assembly language from the source code, and then to translate the assembly language into machine language which is converted to machine code. Thus, the final translation of the source code occurs before runtime. Different computers require different machine languages, so a program written in C++ for example, can only run on the specific hardware platform for which the program was written.
Interpreted programming languages are designed to create applications with source code that will run on multiple hardware platforms. Java™ is an interpreted programming language that accomplishes platform independence by generating source code that is converted before runtime to an intermediate language known as "bytecode" or "virtual machine language." At runtime, the bytecode is translated into platform-appropriate machine code via interpreter software, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,865. To interpret each bytecode, interpreter software performs a "fetch, decode, and dispatch" (FDD) series of operations. For each bytecode instruction the interpreter software contains a corresponding execution program expressed in native central processing unit (CPU) instructions. The interpreter software causes the CPU to fetch or read a virtual machine instruction from memory, to decode the CPU address of the execution program for the bytecode instruction, and to dispatch by transferring control of the CPU to that execution program. The interpretation process can be time-consuming.
As disclosed in PCT Patent Application No. WO9918484 adding a preprocessor (a virtual machine interpreter (VMI)) between a memory and a CPU improves the processing of virtual machine instructions. In essence, the virtual machine is not a physical structure, but rather is a self-contained operating environment that interprets bytecode for the hardware platform by selecting the corresponding native machine language instructions that are stored within the VM or in the CPU. The native instructions are then supplied to and consecutively executed in the CPU of the hardware platform. A typical virtual machine requires 20–60 cycles of processing time per bytecode (depending on the quality and complexity of the bytecode) to perform an FDD series of operations.
Further reductions in processing time can be achieved by implementing a hardware accelerator as disclosed in PCT Patent Application Nos. WO9918484 and WO9918486. First, a VMI reads (fetches) a bytecode from memory. Next, the VMI looks up a number of properties of (decodes) the fetched bytecode. One of the properties accessed by the VMI indicates whether the bytecode is simple or complex, which determines whether the VMI can translate the bytecode in hardware. The VMI translates simple Java™ bytecodes into a specialized and optimized sequence of native CPU instructions, which are then fetched and executed by the CPU. While the CPU is executing an instruction, the VMI fetches and translates the next bytecode into CPU instructions. The VMI can process simple bytecodes in 1–4 cycles. If its properties indicate that a bytecode is complex, the VMI generates a generic sequence of native CPU instructions, thereby implementing a "software trap" that directs the complex bytecode to software for interpretation and execution. Upon encountering a complex bytecode, a VMI issues machine code instructions to the CPU that cause the execution of the corresponding native function, i.e. a machine code subroutine residing in the CPU. In response, the CPU interrupts the execution of native instructions generated by the VMI as a result of previous bytecode translations and executes the native function called for by the complex bytecode. The VMI waits to detect renewed fetching from its output buffer and then resumes translation of the sequence of bytecodes. Although it accesses existing native functions rather than translating complex bytecodes instruction by instruction, the VMI reduces the effect of FDD time to almost 0 cycles, because VMI processing of each software trap (5–20 cycles) occurs concurrently with CPU execution of another bytecode.
While interpreting a sequence of bytecodes, a virtual machine may encounter a complex bytecode that is "recursive." A challenge arises in executing recursive bytecodes (RBCs) because each RBC calls for a native function that eventually results in a method call (i.e., the VMI is reactivated for another sequence of Java bytecodes). Thus, to decode the bytecodes from the other sequence, the native function called for by the RBC must access the values of variables stored in CPU registers. Native functions commonly (but do not always) include standard sets of instructions, hereinafter referred to as "preambles" and "postambles." The standard preamble is designed to save the content of some or all CPU registers before a subroutine is executed. Some of the content that is saved concerns the values of variables (such as a stack pointer and the return address for reactivating the virtual machine) that may need to be modified during the execution of the native function. However, these variables will not normally be accessible within the native function intended by the RBC because the RBC method call is defined in source code of the programming language, rather than in the machine code that is required to access CPU registers. Furthermore, because the RBC method call cannot access the CPU registers, the standard subroutine postamble cannot write the value of variables that have been modified by the RBC method call back into the CPU registers. In other words, the subroutine called for by a recursive bytecode may not be executed properly because the RBC subroutine cannot access variables stored in CPU registers, either due to a lack of context-setting (no preamble or postambles) or due to an association of incompatible context-setting with the native function called. It is possible to address this challenge by implementing hand-coded software that generates assembly language to write and modify the values of variables for RBC subroutines, however this approach requires a complicated development effort.
There is a need for a system of interpreting programming languages that accurately and efficiently executes instructions intended by recursive bytecodes, while having greater ease of implementation.

Software support for virtual machine interpreter (VMI) acceleration hardware


There is disclosed a zoom lens system including, in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and further including an aperture stop S disposed between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a space between the lens units is changed, the first lens unit includes a single lens having a negative refractive power, a reflective optical element having a reflective surface which reflects an optical path and a sub unit having a positive refractive power, and the zoom lens system satisfies predetermined conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens system including a reflective surface which reflects an optical path and an image pickup apparatus including the zoom lens system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a zoom lens system preferable for use together with an electronic image pickup device such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS type image sensor, a zoom lens system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-302576 is known. This zoom lens system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power. A prism having a reflective surface which reflects an optical path is arranged in the first lens unit to thin the zoom lens system in a thickness direction. The reflective surface is disposed in the first lens unit and a negative lens is disposed on the object side of the first lens unit, so that an angle of view is easily secured and the reflective surface is easily miniaturized.

Zoom lens system including reflective surface which reflects optical path and image pickup apparatus including the system


A new cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata named ‘Bombshell’ that is characterized by its panicles that are nearly rounded in shape, its abundance of sterile flowers with sepals that are elliptic in shape and emerge white with a pink eye and changing to rosy pink as they mature, its free blooming habit from mid summer to fall, and its compact growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Bombshell'. 'Bombshell' represents a new panicle hydrangea, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use.
'Bombshell' was discovered by the Inventor in his nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands in May of 2003. 'Bombshell' arose as a naturally occurring branch mutation on Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' (not patented) that was growing in a container.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July of 2003. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in five successive generations.


An in-vehicle gaming system may be played by a driver alone, or simultaneously or individually by a driver and/or one or more other users. The in-vehicle gaming system may be activated or controlled by, for example, touch, voice, or gesture. Gameplay is dynamically adjusted based at least in part on environmental factors such that the driver is not distracted from driving the vehicle. Game content is generated based at least in part on environmental factors and user data.

In-vehicle entertainment has traditionally been provided by the radio. The driver and, if present, passengers in the vehicle usually select a radio station, and then passively listen to the audio, be it music or talk. Other audio entertainment is also available, including cassette tapes, CDs, audiobooks, portable electronic music players. In each case, the vehicle occupants passively consume the content presented to them aurally.
More recently, in-vehicle entertainment systems provide the opportunity for vehicle passengers to watch video, such as movies or TV programs, on embedded in-vehicle displays. Such an option is not typically available to the driver of the vehicle due to the likelihood of distraction. And again, such entertainment options consist of the vehicle occupants passively consuming the content of the movie or TV program.
More advanced entertainment systems may include gaming consoles or computers. These systems give the vehicle passengers the opportunity to engage in, for example, video games while traveling to a destination. Again, however, such systems are not typically available to the driver of the vehicle because of the concern that such a game system could be distracting to the driver.


A factor, other than an external factor, having an influence on a state change of a system can be correctly identified even when an external factor having a strong correlation with the state change of the system exists. In an analysis system 1, an external factor identification unit 310 identifies a first explanatory time series among a plurality of explanatory time series. A differential time series generation unit 340 generates a difference time series between a value of an objective time series and a prediction value of the objective time series calculated based on a value of the first explanatory time series. An effect degree calculation unit 420 calculates, based on second explanatory time series among the plurality of explanatory time series and the difference time series, an influence degree of each of the second explanatory time series on a value change of the difference time series.

As a technique of analyzing a state of a system, a statistical technique such as a regression analysis is widely used. In such a statistical technique, a relation between an objective variable relating to an index of a system and an explanatory variable other than the objective variable among variables relating to a state of the system is clarified, and an explanatory variable having a strong influence on a value change of the objective variable is identified.
For example, when a system being an analysis target is a system including a manufacturing process of a thing, an influence factor having an influence on quality of a manufactured product is identified by applying a statistical technique to observation values of various items of the system being acquired by a sensor. In this case, a multivariate analysis is performed in which an item representing quality is defined as an objective variable, and a plurality of other items are defined as explanatory variables. A user can learn a degree of influence of each explanatory variable (i.e., an influence degree of each explanatory variable) on a value change of the objective variable, based on a contribution ratio of each explanatory variable, a degree of association, and the like that are calculated by the multivariate analysis.
As a technology using such a multivariate analysis, PTL 1 describes a method that segments data, based on nominal scale data included in an explanatory variable, and identifies an influence factor by a multivariate analysis for each segment.
PTL 2 describes a technology of performing, in order to clarify appropriate preprocessing to be performed for an explanatory time series being an analysis target, a factor analysis by use of a feature time series acquired from the explanatory time series. The technology of PTL 2 calculates an influence degree of a feature time series on a value change of an objective time series, and calculates an influence degree of an explanatory time series on the value change of the objective time series, based on the influence degree of the feature time series.
As a related technology, PTL 3 describes a technology of generating an approximation formula of temperature and a water level of a tank, and detecting leakage by use of a difference between a water level predicted from the approximation formula and an actually measured water level. NPL 1 describes that an influence degree of an explanatory variable can be estimated with high accuracy by a method called an L1 regularized logistic regression, when an objective variable is a discrete value. NPL 2 describes a random forest classifier constituting a classifier by using a plurality of decision trees.

Analysis system, analysis method, and recording medium