A docking station structure is used to operatively connect a notebook computer to desktop computer peripheral devices. The docking station has an internal receiving chamber into which the portable computer may be manually inserted, an electrical connector positioned within the receiving chamber, a travel plate movably carried within the receiving chamber, a motorized drive system operative to drive the travel plate toward and away from the electrical connector, and a latch structure carried by the travel plate for movement therewith. With the travel plate in a wait position thereof, the portable computer is rearwardly inserted into the receiving chamber. In response to such insertion, the latch structure automatically locks the computer to the travel plate, and the drive system rearwardly moves the travel plate to mate the electrical connector with a corresponding connector on the computer, thereby operatively linking the computer to the peripheral devices. To remove the computer, the drive system is operated to forwardly move the drive plate and the computer to an ejection position in which the computer and docking station electrical connector structures are disconnected from one another, and the computer is unlocked from the travel plate. Upon insertion of the computer into the docking station opposite side portions of the computer are slidingly received in docking station track indentations operative to maintain the computer in a precisely aligned relationship with the docking station electrical connector during driven movement of the computer.

The present invention relates generally to computer apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a motorized docking structure used to releasably receive a notebook computer and operably connect it to desktop computer peripheral equipment such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Portable, battery-powered notebook computers have become increasingly popular over the last several years due to their light weight and small size that permit them to be easily hand-carried in an ordinary briefcase and used by business travelers in cramped spaces, such as on airline seat back trays, lacking electrical plug-in facilities. The modern notebook computer typically has incorporated therein both hard and floppy disc drives, a monitor screen built into its lid portion, and a keyboard built into its main body portion. It is thus a fully self-contained computer able to be conveniently used, for at least short periods of time, in situations and locations in which the use of a much larger desktop computer is simply not feasible.
As is well known, however, even state-of-the-art notebook computers have certain limitations and disadvantages, arising from their otherwise desirable diminutive sizes, compared to their much larger desktop computer counterparts. For example, the compact keyboard of a notebook computer is often considerably less comfortable to use for extended periods of time compared to the more spacious separate keyboards normally provided with desktop computers.
Additionally, to reduce the space requirements for the typical notebook computer keyboard, many of its keys, that would have but a single function on a desktop computer keyboard, are provided with multiple functions which can be confusing to a user switching back and forth between desktop and notebook computers. Moreover, compared to its desktop computer counterpart, the notebook computer monitor typically does not provide its viewer with as sharp a display image. After an extended computing session, this reduction in display clarity can cause the computer user to experience at least some degree of eye strain. Another disadvantage of portable computers is that, due to their small size, they typically do not provide access for expansion cards such as, for example, network, sound, graphics accelerator and multi-media cards which desktop computer units are conventionally configured to receive.
Because of these shortcomings inherent in notebook computers, it is a common practice for their owners to also purchase a desktop computer system for home or office use. A typical scenario for these two-computer owners, after returning home after using their notebook computer on a business trip, is to transfer their files, data, spreadsheets and the like from their notebook computer to their desktop computer and continue working on the initiated project or projects using the larger and more comfortable desktop peripheral equipment such as the external monitor, keyboard and mouse.
The task of effecting this data transfer from a notebook computer to the desktop computer (and vice versa in preparation for a subsequent road trip) is not a particularly convenient one for the computer user. It is typically accomplished by the often time consuming method of (1) inserting a floppy disc into the notebook computer, (2) copying a portion of the data from the notebook computer hard drive onto the inserted floppy disc, (3) removing the floppy disc from the notebook computer, (4) inserting the removed floppy disc into the desktop computer, (5) copying the data from the floppy disc onto the hard drive of the desktop computer, and then (6) repeating steps (1) through (5), as necessary, until all of the desired data is transferred from the notebook computer to the desktop computer.
Alternatively, various software is available for use in a notebook computer to download data therefrom to a desktop computer through a cable interconnected between the serial ports on the notebook and desktop computers. This procedure, while somewhat more convenient than laboriously shuffling floppy discs back and forth between the two computers, has other disadvantages. For example, it requires the additional purchase and installation of the transfer software which occupies space in the notebook hard drive--space which is often at a premium in the relatively small hard drives typically provided in notebook computers.
Moreover, each time data is to be transferred from the notebook computer to the desktop computer, a cable must be interconnected between the two computers and subsequently disconnected. This can be a rather awkward task since the serial port on a desktop computer is typically located on its back side in the midst of a jumble of other cables.
In addition to the inconvenience of these conventional methods of transferring data back and forth between notebook and desktop computers there is, of course, the considerable expense entailed in purchasing two complete computer systems to provide both the compactness and portability of a notebook computer and the greater capacity and use comfort of a desktop computer. Some of this expense may be avoided by purchasing (in addition to the notebook computer) only desktop computer peripheral equipment--such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse and external hard drive--for home or office use.
When the user works at his home or office station he connects the notebook computer to the desktop computer peripheral equipment, using the necessary interconnect cables, to fashion a hybrid computer system utilizing the notebook computer CPU in conjunction with the desktop computer peripheral devices. While this alternative approach is less expensive than purchasing two complete computer systems, it is highly inconvenient due to the number of cables that must be connected between the notebook computer and the desktop peripherals, to "construct" the hybrid system, and later be disconnected to free the notebook computer for travel use. Additionally, the jumble of interconnect cables sprawling across the desk or table area creates a decidedly disorderly and unattractive work station.
In response to these problems and inconveniences, interconnect structures commonly referred to as "docking stations" have been previously proposed. A docking station is basically a housing structure, considerably larger than a notebook computer and designed to be left in place on a home or office desktop, to which the notebook computer may be removably connected by releasably interengaging mating plug and socket portions fixedly secured to the notebook computer and the associated docking station.
The docking station is typically connected to external desktop peripheral devices, such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse, that remain in place on the desktop work station. Disposed within the docking station housing are various components that serve to operatively connect the notebook computer to these desktop peripheral devices when the notebook computer is plugged into the docking station. However, the docking station is not provided with a central processing unit. Instead, when the notebook computer is "docked" in this manner, its central processing unit is utilized in the resulting desktop computer work station and the desktop keyboard, monitor and mouse are used in any subsequent desktop computing tasks. After these tasks are completed, the notebook computer can simply be unplugged from the docking station and carried away for use of the removed notebook computer in its usual self-contained mode.
Compared to the previous necessity of purchasing a complete desktop computer system in addition to a notebook computer, the use of this docking station concept provides several distinct advantages. For example, since the docking station is not furnished with its own central processing unit (using, in place thereof, the notebook computer CPU) the overall cost of providing both portable and home or office-based computer work stations is substantially reduced.
Additionally, the previous inconvenience of transferring data from the notebook computer to the desktop system is essentially eliminated since the requisite notebook/desktop computer interface for this data transfer is achieved simply by plugging the notebook computer into the docking station (which may have an internal hard drive or be connected to an external hard drive) without the need for switching floppy discs back and forth or using an external interconnection cable. Moreover, from a connection convenience standpoint, the use of the plug-in docking station is clearly preferable to laboriously connecting the notebook computer directly to desktop peripheral devices using several separate interconnect cables.
Despite their cost reduction and convenience advantages, previously proposed docking stations have tended to have certain problems associated therewith relating to their physical connection to the associated notebook computer. For example, since the relatively small plug-in interface between the docking station and the notebook computer must effect a multitude of electrical connections between the internal operating components in the notebook computer and the docking station housing, mating high density pin connector structures (one on the notebook computer and one on the docking station) are typically used to provide the plug-in computer/docking station mechanical interconnection.
A typical method of creating this interconnection is to place the notebook computer on the docking station, with the mating pin connectors in a facing, spaced apart relationship with one another, and then manually pushing the notebook computer toward the docking station connector pin structure to create the plug-in connection. The need to precisely align the facing connectors, coupled with the high mating force requirement associated with these high density pin connectors, typically requires that this manual connection task be carefully and precisely performed to avoid potential damage to the connector pin structures. The same care must be exercised, and a considerable amount of manual force exerted, in disconnecting the notebook computer from the docking station to avoid connector pin damage.
Manual latching mechanisms have been proposed to exert a mechanically advantaged connection force on the notebook computer and to hold the docked computer in place on the expansion chassis. These latching systems are typically operated by placing the notebook computer on the docking station in a spaced relationship with the docking station connector structure and then pivoting a latch structure against the computer to drive its connector pin structure into mating engagement with the docking station connector pin structure. While this reduces the manual mating force that needs to be exerted, connector pin structure alignment problems can still arise if care is not exercised. Additionally, a high manual force is still required to subsequently unplug the notebook computer from the docking station.
Another problem typically associated with conventional manually operable docking station systems is that is possible to dock the portable computer while the computer is on and the docking station is off, or vice versa. This creates, in either situation, a voltage mismatch between the mating computer and docking station electrical connector structures that can damage the input buffers in the computer or docking station as the case may be.
It can be seen from the foregoing that it would be desirable to provide a portable computer/expansion chassis docking system having improved computer docking and undocking apparatus and methods. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a system.

Motorized portable computer/expansion chassis docking system


A display device and a backlight module thereof are provided. The display device further includes a display panel having a display area. The backlight module is disposed under the display panel and includes a light source holder, a light source, and a light guide plate. The light source holder has a sidewall, a top plate, and a bottom plate, wherein the bottom plate partially overlaps the display area of the display device. The light guide plate is disposed corresponding to the display area of the display device and has one end located in an opening between the top plate and the bottom plate. A thermal isolating layer is interposed between the light guide plate and a portion of the bottom plate which corresponds to the display area. The perpendicular distance between the light guide plate and the portion of the bottom plate overlapping the thermal isolating layer is greater than a perpendicular distance between the light guide plate and the other portion of the bottom plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight module and a display device having the same, and more particularly, to a backlight module with a thermal isolating layer and a display device having the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The demand for liquid crystal display (LCD) significantly increases due to advantages of thinner thickness, lighter weight, portability, and low radiation in comparison with the CRT display. One of the main components of the liquid crystal display is the backlight module. With the progress of LCD manufacture technology, the backlight module is developed to be thinner thickness, higher brightness, and lower cost. In order to maintain the competition ability of LCD in the future market, lots of efforts spend on developing or designing a backlight module of better performance.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional liquid crystal display device and a backlight module thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD panel 10 is disposed over the backlight module 30 and a frame 15 surrounds the display panel 10. For an edge-type backlight module, the backlight module 30 includes a holder 31, a light bar 32, and a light guide plate 33. The holder 31 includes a sidewall 51, a top plate 53, and a bottom plate 55. The top plate 53 and the bottom plate 55 respectively extend from the upper end and the lower end of the sidewall 51 to form a space. The light bar 32 consists of a printed circuit board and light emitting diodes. As shown in FIG. 1, the light bar 32 is positioned in the space defined by the holder 31. One end of the light guide plate 33 extends and is clamped between the top plate 53 and the bottom plate 55 of the holder 31. Light emitted from the light bar 32 can enter the light guide plate 33 through this end.
In the case of using the light bar 32 as the light source, the heat dissipation effect significantly affects the lifetime of the light emitting diodes. In order to improve the heat dissipation of the light emitting diode, in the design of FIG. 1, the length of the bottom plate 55 of the holder 31 is increased along the light guide plate 33. By increasing the area of the bottom plate 55, the heat dissipation effect of the bottom plate 55 is enhanced. However, in such a design, since the bottom plate 55 extends into the projection range of the display area 11 of the display panel 10, the heat is conducted to the display area 11 of the display panel 10 through the light guide plate 33 during heat dissipation by the bottom plate 55. Liquid crystal molecules are injected into the display area 11 of the display panel 10. When the liquid crystal molecules are influenced by the heat dissipated from the bottom plate 55, resulting in incomplete twist. Such incomplete twist causes leakage of light when the display area 11 is at dark state, and therefore inadvertently affects the overall performance of the liquid crystal display device.

Display device and backlight module with thermal isolating layer


Engine stratifier apparatus is described, for use with piston internal combustion engines, to create stratified air fuel vapor mixtures within the engine combustion chamber. A fuel rich air fuel vapor mixture is created within a separate chamber, and then displaced into the engine combustion chamber, where it mixes with air and contained therein. The consequently leaner air fuel vapor mixture is spark ignited following mixing, and burning takes place. Very lean overall air fuel ratios can be used since a stratified mixture is created. Hence intake air throttling is unnecessary and thus engine efficiency is improved. The essential absence of liquid fuel during burning in the engine combustion chamber, largely prevents the formation of soot, and thus reduces undesirable exhaust smoke.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the fields of air fuel mixture stratifiers and igniters for internal combustion engines of the piston and cylinder type, wherein a jet of air fuel mixture can be used to create a stratified principal air fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Hesselman engine combustion process, and the more recent Texaco combustion process, are examples of early prior art air fuel mixture stratifiers, which created a stratified principal air fuel mixture in the engine combustion chamber. Descriptions of examples of these prior art mixture stratifier schemes are presented in the following references:
(i) "A High Power Spark-Ignition Fuel Injection Engine," Trans. SAE, Vol. 35, p. 431, 1934; PA1 (ii) "The Elimination of Combustion Knock-Texaco Combustion Process," SAE Quarterly Trans., Vol. 5, p. 26, 1951; PA1 (iii) "The Elimination of Combustion Knock," E. Barber, J. Malin, J. Mikita, Jour. of the Franklin Institute, Vol. 241, p. 275, April 1946;
In these prior art Texaco combustion processes, a jet of liquid fuel was injected into the engine combustion chamber, near the end of the compression stroke. The air inside the engine cylinder was set into rotary motion during intake, by use of shrouded intake valves, or specially oriented intake ports and manifolds. The liquid fuel spray was carried by the rotating air into which it was injected, toward a spark igniter. When this stratified air fuel mixture reached the spark, evaporated portions of the fuel, diffused into the surrounding air, were ignited by the spark, and a burning zone was thus created. The heat generated in this burning zone, evaporated those fuel portions unevaporated at the time of spark ignition and subsequent interdiffusion of air and thusly evaporated fuel maintained the burning zone, until most of the injected liquid fuel was burned. This burning process somewhat resembles that of a conventional liquid fueled oil burner, except that it is carried out intermittently and at high pressure.
Since air fuel vapor mixture is burned very shortly after being created, time is not available for expiration of the compression ignition delay period, which leads to engine knock. Thus one principal advantage of the Texaco combustion process was that high engine compression ratio, and hence high engine efficiency, could be achieved while using fuels of low octane number, and hence low knock resistance. Such low octane number fuels are generally of lower cost than high octane number fuels.
Engine torque was adjusted, for this Texaco combustion process, by proportionally adjusting the liquid fuel quantity injected into the engine cylinder, using fuel injection pumps and nozzles very similar to diesel engine injection pumps and nozzles. Since a stratified mixture was used, the air quantity inside the engine cylinder did not require adjustment, and an intake manifold throttle valve was not used. In consequence, the engine efficiency losses due to intake air throttling were avoided. Hence another principal advantage of the Texaco combustion process, was that high engine efficiency could be obtained at low engine torque since the usual throttling and consequent pumping power loss was avoided.
Liquid fuel, unevaporated at the start of burning, becomes surrounded by very hot burned gases, essentially devoid of oxygen. Rapid evaporation of liquid followed, but in the absence of oxygen, this evaporated fuel produced a high yield of soot particles, in a manner similar to soot production in diesel engines. Appreciable portions of this soot survives to exhaust to create an undesirable exhaust soot emission.
The injected liquid fuel volume, being much smaller than the air volume needed for burning, it is difficult to distribute the liquid spray particles uniformly throughout the cylinder air mass. In consequence the available cylinder air mass is incompletely utilized for burning. For this reason a larger engine displacement is needed, resulting in increased engine weight and cost than for a comparable conventional gasoline engine.
The liquid fuel is injected at high pressure, and the fuel injector must withstand subsequent peak combustion pressures and high heat transfer rates which follow. The fuel injection equipment is thus essentially similar to that used with conventional diesel engines and is expensive.
These then are the principal disadvantages of the Texaco combustion process; that exhaust soot is emitted, that a larger engine displacement is needed, and that expensive fuel injection equipment is required. It would be desirable to have available an engine system capable of realizing the knock suppression and reduced pumping friction loss characteristics of this Texaco combustion system, but possessing reduced soot emissions, better air utilization, and lower cost fuel injection apparatus.


A surveying type target has a precisely located aperture that achieves tolerances, within +/−0.0005 inch, in the assembly and usage of a retro-reflective photogrammetry target for use with close range industrial photogrammetry. The dot the target may also be refurbished and reconditioned in the field under all weather conditions. This target has a precisely machined ring that fits into a precisely machined socket of a body to eliminate assembly irregularities. This target precisely locates the ring upon the body forming a finished target with a known centerline and height location within +/−0.0005 inch tolerance.

This invention relates generally to a target for retro-reflective photogrammetry that provides for critical detection of light from the strobe of a close range industrial photogrammetry camera, and more specifically to a precisely machined aperture ring and cooperating socket that defines a target assembly that provides for precise area and location of the target to within +/−0.0005 inch or less.
Targets with closely located mask overlays, used in photogrammetry and automated theodolite systems, have been available for years in the prior art. Generally, of more current usage, the Global Positioning System, or GPS, is used indoors as a method to precisely set various industrial devices and industrial equipment, including machinery and for close tolerance industrial surveying, as used in manufacturing and assembly operations. Normally, infrared targets without a mask overlay have tolerances within several thousandths of an inch, which may be insufficient to obtain the precision required in a machining operation, in the manufacturing of parts in particular industries, or in industrial surveying. Additionally, laser projection systems emit a laser beam along a line that represents the position of an edge used in a step of manufacturing, such as the position of a composite lay up sheet.
For reference, retro-reflective photo targets, with a mask overlay have had countless design adaptations to enhance precision for the various settings and component features that are measured using close range industrial photogrammetry. These adaptations may include straight holes, threaded holes, surfaces, edges, slots and the like. The prior art frequently obtains tolerances as close as +/−0.0.005 inch. In achieving such tolerances, an adhesive masked overlay is located and inspected with a high degree of precision in the controlled environment of a factory. The factory provides the special tooling and fixtures, inspection masters and equipment, and the trained and highly skilled people that operate the tooling and conduct the inspections. Though tight tolerances are achieved, much skill, equipment, and time are expended in doing so.
Currently, most targets, for the photogrammetric methods and systems, generally use a 3M® type tape material that has small glass beads coated onto its top surface, with a reflective coating on the back side of the beads, and integral with the tape. When the strobe light from the photogrammetric camera fires, it causes the glass beads on the tape to reflect the light and thereby creates spots of light that appear on a photograph. The spots are then measured for three-dimensional locations in the X, Y and Z axes. Other targets, as used in photogrammetry, serve as reference points, without achieving a critical X, Y and Z location. These types of targets may be simply an adhesive strip upon a machine or item to be surveyed. Over time and with usage in field conditions, the retro-reflective tape wears or becomes damaged and its reflectivity diminishes. Diminished tape requires replacement. Much like initial assembly of a target, the tape and any overlays, upon close tolerance hard body targets, are replaced by highly skilled staff at a factory location. Replacing the tape and any overlays on critical targeting in the field jeopardizes the tolerances of any targets.
However, many targets require critical dimensions and are mounted upon a close tolerance steel body that supports the target, generally called hard body targets. The intention is for the retro-reflective target to be located precisely in three dimensions on the body which in turn usually represents an X, Y and Z value of the machine or item being positioned or surveyed. The 3M® retro-reflective material is adhered to a tape product of a known definite thickness, the material being covered with small glass beads of approximately 0.003 inch diameter. This material has a granular appearance similar to that of grit on sandpaper. However, in many inspection and quality control steps and operations, the tolerance of the target dot location must be +/−0.0005 inch or less. As a result, the components of the standard materials without a mask overlay make it impossible to meet the tolerances required.
Other prior art includes products stating a high precision of the target location but only on the centerline of the shank of the target to within 0.001 inch on concentricity or 0.0005 inch on centerline. The height tolerance for the target is 0.005 inch which does not meet the needs of industry. The present invention has a tolerance much tighter than the prior art.
To accomplish the final close tolerance that complies with job requirements, some industries use a mask overlay that is critically located in two directions, and a third critical location is the surface of the 3M® material that adheres to the tape and compensates for the thickness of the material used. The final application of the mask overlay produces an area of reflectivity that is controlled by size, roundness, crispness, clarity and critical location in relation to the target body.
As can be seen in the prior art and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,005, to Hubbs, obtaining greater precision through the usage of a mask overlay, applied over a target, and a mask that may have a reflective member applied under it, can attain precise locations, generally within +/−0.0005 inch tolerance or less. This occurs through the use of a mask that has a finite aperture that allows the entrance of the light from the camera strobe therethrough, and adds precision to the establishment of the X, Y and Z axes when such a surveying instrument, applying photogrammetry, is used.
The present invention uses a precisely machined ring that fits in a slip fit relationship into a precisely machined socket. The socket has an inside circular portion for retro-reflective tape over which fits the machined ring. The resulting target apparent through the ring achieves a tolerance of +/−0.0005 inch along centerline, for concentricity, and for height offset.
The goal of this invention is to produce a retro-reflective photogrammetry target that represents X, Y, Z values within a tolerance of +/−0.0005 where the target can be refurbished in field conditions. The present invention reaches this goal by using a ring and a cooperating socket that frame retro-reflective tape upon a target at precise tolerances. The ring shapes and locates the target precisely to a very critical location. The current design consists of multiple components, most having close tolerance assembly features. The difficulty of manufacturing multiple components with very close tolerances is that variations or tolerances stack up, or accumulate, during assembly of a target which jeopardizes the goal of a final target at a location within a 0.0005 inch or less tolerance. Further, the replacement of retro-reflective tape requires skilled labor and equipment in a factory setting unlike the prompt repairs often demanded in the field.

Refurbishable retro-reflective photogrammetric target


A labor and delivery outfit designed to provide function, comfort and dignity, comprises: a sleeveless, wrap shirt having an upper portion with nursing flaps, lower portions extending from the flaps, a back having straps, lower portions defining an opening therebetween; a built-in, supporting, nursing bra with nursing cups, releasable fasteners for covering the nursing cups, and, a wrap skirt having an elastic waist, a built-in pregnancy panel, and, a rear zipper. Releasable fasteners are provided for fastening the rear lower portions to the upper portion of the shirt, thereby providing access to the spine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to women's clothing and, in particular, to an outfit to be worn by a woman at the time of labor and delivery of an infant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, little attention has been paid to the clothing worn by women while laboring and delivering an infant, to provide comfort, function and dignity. Some prior art examples may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 818,351; 974,981; 4,759,083; 4,964,173; 5,062,159; 5,133,086; 5,913,407; Des. 336,968; and, 6,792,622. Very little attention is paid to gowns specifically designed for use by pregnant women who are in labor and giving birth. Some are too long, cumbersome, open in the back and provide no breast support.


A storage control system judges whether the data pattern of data exchanged with a higher-level device (hereafter “data”) conforms to one or a plurality of write-excluded data patterns comprised in write-excluded data pattern information prepared in advance. If a negative judgment result is obtained, the storage control subsystem stores the data in a logical device formed on a disk storage device. If, on the other hand, a positive judgment result is obtained, the storage control subsystem erases the data without storing in a logical device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage control system connected to a higher-level device and to a method of control of this system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In for example a storage system for basic operations handling large amounts of data, a host computer (hereafter simply "host") manages data using a separately configured storage control subsystem. This storage control subsystem may for example also be called a storage control system, and is a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Inexpensive Disks) configured with numerous disk storage devices arranged in an array.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 11-224164, a disk subsystem is disclosed having a reduced logical volume and normal logical volume, which manages cache memory using an LRU method (LRU methods are discussed in the paragraph following the next), and which, by changing the position for addition of LRU data columns for data in the reduced logical volume and the position of data in the normal logical volume, is able to cause data of the reduced logical volume to remain a long time in the cache memory.
However, there exist storage control systems in which, among a plurality of logical storage devices (hereafter abbreviated to "logical devices" or "LDEVs") prepared from one or a plurality of disk storage devices, one storage unit, comprising one or more LDEVs, is provided to the higher-level device as an LU (logical unit). In such a storage control system, for example, an LU pair may be formed in which one LU is a primary LU and another LU is a secondary LU, and un-updated data in the primary LU copied to the secondary LU (that is, a so-called snapshot is created).
For example, the storage capacities of both LUs comprised in the LU pair are the same. Hence if the storage capacity of the primary LU is large, the storage capacity of the secondary LU must also be large. In general in a storage control system, the same storage capacity as the LU size provided to the higher-level device is allocated from disk storage devices. However, in general the storage capacity actually used by a higher-level device is only a small portion of the storage capacity actually allocated, and in some cases most of the secured storage capacity is idle. When formatting an LU, data of size equal to the LU storage capacity is output from the host terminal, and the data is written to the entire LU.

Storage control system and method that reduces consumption of logical device storage capacity


A lid holder for use in centrifuge systems, particularly suited for rotor lids. A lid holder including a lid support and a lid receiving end for holding a centrifuge rotor lid on a centrifuge that may not have a hinged door. A method for securing a centrifuge rotor lid to a centrifuge that may not have a hinged door.

A centrifuge instrument is a device by which liquid samples may be subjected to centrifugal forces. The sample is placed in a container such as a test tube, which is then carried within a device known as a centrifuge rotor. The rotor is mounted to a rotatable drive shaft that is connected to a source of motive energy. The rotor may have a lid that is secured in place on the rotor by a locking screw, which passes through the lid and is secured to the rotor or the drive shaft. The lid improves the aerodynamics, of the rotor, decreasing the air resistance and noise generated when the rotor is spun. In some instances, the lid forms a seal with the rotor body preventing leakage from the rotor should sample leak from its container during operation. A sealed rotor also facilitates operation in a centrifuge with an evacuated chamber.
Centrifuges currently employed in laboratories are generally operated by manual controls using various settings and procedures. A rotor control may be used to select a specific size or type of rotor to be used in the centrifuge. Typically, there is a wide selection of rotors compatible for use with a given centrifuge. A speed control is used to select the desired speed for the customer's protocol. The speed selected and the geometric configuration of the rotor used, specifically the radius, cooperate to expose the sample to centrifugal force. The centrifugal force on the sample is compared with the force that the earth's gravity would have on the sample, called the Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF). Alternatively, a RCF control can be used to directly set the desired RCF. A timer and temperature control are also frequently used to set the time of the protocol and control the sample temperature during the run. There are conventional power switches to manually turn the centrifuges on or off as needed.
Centrifuges commonly have a door that must be opened to access the rotor and its contents or samples and must be closed to operate the centrifuge. The rotor is secured to a drive shaft in the centrifuge and holds the liquid samples to be subjected to the centrifugal force created as the rotor is rotated by the drive shaft.
It is desirable to have a rotor lid holder to hold the rotor lid when it is removed from the rotor to load and unload samples. Typical centrifuges have minimal flat space on which to rest the lid during sample loading and unloading. Even where there is sufficient space on the centrifuge or where available bench space is located near by, the lid is not held in place and is susceptible to becoming dislodged and potentially damaged. As shown in FIG. 6, current rotor lid holder devices 50 are generally located on the underside of the centrifuge door. Therefore, rotor lid holder devices presently require the centrifuge door to be opened in order to utilize the holder apparatus. The door is usually hinged with the lid holder located underneath and integral to the door. Additionally, current lid holders may only be compatible with a single size of rotor lid. The rotor control panel and displays are set apart from the lid holder in the current design.
This configuration of a rotor lid holder device cannot be used on horizontally retracting centrifuge doors.
Present rotor lid holder devices are posts that mate with the rotor lid so that the lid may be attached to the post on the underside of the centrifuge door. Therefore, only rotor lids with a certain sized and designed screw hole will properly mate with the post.
Accordingly, a centrifuge rotor lid holder device and method for securing a rotor lid to a centrifuge that may have a retracting centrifuge door are desired.
Additionally, a centrifuge rotor lid holder device and method for securing a variety of rotor lid configurations and sizes to a centrifuge are also desired.

Thermo Electron Laboratory Equipment LLC


A method and system are provided for measuring a characteristic of a lens. By directing light to a lens, and receiving reflected light from a opposite end faces of the lens on an image plane, a determination from the focused spots on the image plane can be made as to a characteristic of the lens, such as its focal length.

This invention relates generally to lenses, and more particularly relates to the measurement of a characteristic such as the focal length of a rod lens.
The precision of optical devices is directly related to the precision of the components used in the manufacture of such devices. For example, rod lenses, such as graded-index lenses are often used in the manufacture of optical devices and are often used within the devices themselves. These lenses are relatively inexpensive, compact, and useful as components in optical filters, and various other devices for coupling light from optical fibres, to components wherein a beam must be collimated. The typical configuration is a series arrangement of optical fibre, lens, component, lens, optical fibre, such that light exiting an optical fibre is collimated by the lens, the collimated beam propagates through the component, the collimated beam exiting the component is then focused, and is coupled back into an optical fibre. Hence there are instances when a lens of exactly a quarter pitch, i.e. a collimating lens is required, and, there are instances where graded-index lenses of other than a quarter pitch are required. For example some designs require a 0.23 pitch or a 0.26 pitch lens. The difficulty is that highly accurate methods of measuring the pitch or gradient of a graded-index lens are not commercially available. A method of measuring one or more lenses simply and at a reasonable cost, with precision of up to xc2x10.0002 for pitch and xc2x10.0002 mmxe2x88x921 for Root A would be desirable. Currently, suppliers of lenses profess to provide accuracy of xc2x10.0005 mmxe2x88x921 for Root A.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a system and method for measuring lens Root A with accuracy up to xc2x10.0002 mmxe2x88x921.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a measurement system that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use that will provide a relatively high degree of accuracy for measuring focal length of a graded-index lens.
In accordance with this invention there is provided, a method of determining a characteristic of a graded-index lens comprising the steps of:
receiving light from two end faces of a graded-index lens within a distant light receiving/detection region;
locating a first focus spot from light received from one of the two end faces; locating a second focus spot from the other of the two end faces of the lens;
and determining a characteristic of the graded-index lens from a distance traversed to locate the two focus spots.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention there is provided, an optical system for measuring a characteristic of a lens related to its focal length or its gradient, comprising:
means for temporarily holding the lens during testing thereof;
a light source for irradiating the lens;
a beam splitter for directing light that has been received from the lens to an image plane;
means for relatively moving the lens and the image plane to vary a distance therebetween; and,
means for determining the varied distance.

Method and system for measurement of a characteristic of lens


A method for producing aluminum hydroxide includes a step of elevating a temperature of a slurry of aluminum hydroxide suspended in a sodium aluminate solution from 70° C. or lower to 85° C. or higher, and a step of applying a centrifugal force to the slurry. The aluminum hydroxide constituting the slurry is obtained beforehand through the Bayer's process.

Conventionally, aluminum hydroxide has been employed as filler for fulfilling various functions in rubber/plastics. For example, aluminum hydroxide is added, as a flame retardant, to thermoplastic resins, rubber or epoxy resins, and is added, as color-controlling filler, to thermosetting resins, such as unsaturated polyester resins and acrylic resins.
When aluminum hydroxide is employed as a flame retardant, flame retardation performance is enhanced as the amount of aluminum hydroxide is increased. However, addition of a large amount of aluminum hydroxide elevates the torque required for kneading and the molding temperature, thereby causing problematic foaming due to dehydration of a portion of aluminum hydroxide. When aluminum hydroxide is added to thermosetting resins, an increase in the amount of the added aluminum hydroxide reduces material costs, but material strength problematically decreases.
In order to prevent decrease in material strength, particle size is desirably reduced to be as small as possible. Although aluminum hydroxide particles having a small particle size can be yielded through precipitation, addition of a large amount of such small particles serving as filler is difficult, since aluminum hydroxide forms agglomerated secondary particles, which are formed through agglomeration of a large number of primary particles, and exhibits considerably high absorption of oil. Accordingly, aluminum hydroxide particles having a particle size of approximately 50 to 150 μm are pulverized by means of a ball mill or other pulverizer to thereby form approximately primary particles, which are generally employed as filler.
However, pulverizing the particles to a predetermined particle size through a pulverization technique requires a large amount of energy. In addition, aluminum hydroxide primary particles yielded through pulverization are caused to break, thereby causing roughening of particle surfaces, chipping of the particles, etc. As a result, the BET specific surface area of the resultant powder increases. Thus, such powder has poor compatibility with resin and increases the viscosity of the resin containing the powder, failing to attain high-density incorporation of the powder. When the powder is added to a thermosetting resin, the curing time of the resin is prolonged.
On the basis of these tendencies, aluminum hydroxide ideal for serving as filler is thought to have a small surface roughness, i.e., a small BET specific surface area, and to form separate, individual particles.
JP-B HEI 5-4336 discloses a method for disintegrating agglomerated secondary particles by application of strong centrifugal force by means of a continuous screw decanter without breaking the corresponding primary particles, thereby preventing roughening of surfaces of the primary particles. However, the above method is limited to applications of a specific raw material. That is, the method cannot be applied to a wide range of materials.
JP-B SHO 62-9256 discloses a method for producing single-crystalline or roundish aluminum hydroxide particles by bringing a temperature-elevated Bayer extract into contact with solid aluminum hydroxide. However, the above method has drawbacks in that it requires a long period of contact time and that dissolution of aluminum hydroxide during contact is promoted, thereby deteriorating production efficiency.
JP-A HEI 9-208740 discloses a method for reducing the BET specific surface area of aluminum hydroxide particles by pulverizing in advance agglomerated aluminum hydroxide secondary particles by means of a dry-impact pulverizer, adding the pulverized product into a sodium aluminate solution having a predetermined alkaline concentration to thereby form a slurry, and elevating the temperature of the slurry to thereby dissolve the particle surfaces. However, the method also has a drawback in that aluminum hydroxide has to be filtered and dried in order to effect dry pulverization performed in advance, thereby prolonging production steps and elevating production costs.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide aluminum hydroxide ideal for serving as filler, the aluminum hydroxide having a small BET specific surface area over a wide particle size range and forming separate, individual particles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for effectively producing the aluminum hydroxide.
In view of the foregoing, the present inventors have carried out extensive studies in order to attain the above objects, and have found that ideal aluminum hydroxide having a small specific surface area suitable for serving as filler and forming separate, individual particles can be produced through a combination of a first step of elevating the temperature of a slurry under predetermined conditions, which slurry is yielded by suspending aluminum hydroxide in a specific sodium aluminate solution, and a second step of applying a centrifugal force to the slurry to thereby form a sediment having an elevated solid content and disintegrate agglomerated secondary particles. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Aluminum hydroxide and production process thereof


The present invention relates to three-dimensional video processing apparatus and method using MPEG-4 object descriptor information and structures. The three-dimensional video processing apparatus and method that can support a three-dimensional video service smoothly to thereby provide a sense of reality and a cubic effect in an MPEG-4-based system by suggesting a three-dimensional video object descriptor structure and providing to a client an object descriptor, which includes information on kind of three-dimensional video, number of viewpoints, number of media streams and a plurality of display methods; and a method thereof.

In the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4, information representing an object is transmitted through a plurality of elementary streams (ESs). The relationship between the elementary streams and structural information of a link are transmitted by using object descriptors defined in the MPEG-4.
Generally, it requires Initial Object Descriptor (IOD), Binary Format for Scene (BIFS), object descriptors and media data to form a scene based on the MPEG-4.
The initial object descriptor is information that needs to be transmitted first in order to form the MPEG-4 scene. It describes a profile and level of each medium and it includes elementary stream descriptor for a BIFS stream and an object descriptor stream.
The object descriptor is a set of elementary stream descriptors that describe information on each media data forming a scene, and it provides a connection between an elementary stream and a scene description. Also, the BIFS stream is information that represents a spatial/temporal position and activity of video or audio objects that form a scene.
Since the MPEG-4 object descriptors are defined with a focus on the process of two-dimensional video at present, they provides a two-dimensional display service of a low sense of reality and a low cubic effect. Also, due to the rapidly increasing researches and attention on the three-dimensional video, three-dimensional video is used in many application areas, e.g., sports broadcasting, advertisement, education, medical services, and games. However, a structure of an object descriptor that includes the newly requested information such as the kind of three-dimensional video and a display method while maintaining compatibility with the MPEG-4 object descriptor is not introduced.
In short, the three-dimensional video is widely used in various application areas due to the development of computers and communication technology. Since the three-dimensional video can provide more vivid sense of reality and wide view range, compared to the conventional two-dimensional video, it can make a user enjoy video in a desired view point and a desired display method. However, the current MPEG-4 still focuses on processing the two-dimensional video, text data and computer graphics (CG), it cannot provide a service for processing three-dimensional real-picture video inputted through a camera. Consequently, the current MPEG-4 has a problem that it cannot overcome the limit in the transmission and display of three-dimensional video.

Apparatus and method for processing 3d video based on MPEG-4 object descriptor information

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention is directed to a game apparatus adapted for executing game performed by plural teams, and is adapted to acquire bio-information of players of the game by biosensors (31), (32), . . . (3n) to allow bio-information to be associated with players of the game. In a control unit (10), bio-information caused to be associated with respective players are analyzed to judge, by the analysis result thus obtained, teams to which respective players belong. The judged team classification result is notified to the players to thereby eliminate troublesomeness of operation such as team designation by players, thus permitting the players to sufficiently enjoy amusement of the fighting game.

As a game provided by video game machine for business and video game machine for home, there is fighting game in which game is performed by plural teams. As a system of providing fighting game of this kind, there exist various forms thereof. Namely, there are instances where the system is constructed by single game machine. There are instances where the system is caused to be of configuration in which plural game machines are connected to each other. Further, there are instances where plural game machines and game server unit are connected by network.
Meanwhile, in the fighting game of this kind, game players (hereinafter simply referred to as player) conventionally determine teams or groups to which they belong to perform game. Namely, it is general to perform classification or division of players into teams (hereinafter simply referred to as team classification) in the state where the wills of the players are respected.
For example, in the Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 1997-155063 publication, there is disclosed a game system comprising an entry unit in which player selects, prior to start of game, an arbitrary team from plural teams to make an entry with respect to the game.
Meanwhile, in the case where wills of the players are respected as previously described at the time of performing team classification or grouping of players of the fighting game, there are instances where there may exist, to much degree, e.g., difference between fighting abilities (powers) of respective teams so that amusement as game is lost.
Moreover, when the number of participating players is increased, since it is necessary that respective players are required to perform entry operations, it takes much time in team classification.
Further, when persons who are not familiar with each other participate in the fighting game through the network, in the case where players are caused to designate teams by entry operation through the entry unit as described above, players cannot recognize criterion for choosing the team. Accordingly, it cannot be said that wills of the players are respected. As a result, the entry operation becomes wasteful. Thus, players rather feel the entry operation to be troublesome.

Game machine and method for grouping players into teams participating matchup game


A non-traditional topology of a superconductive electric motor or generator increases the air gap flux density by reducing stray flux and concentrating lines of flux within the air gap. An electric motor or generator utilizing the invention will include three components: a rotating armature, a permanent magnet stator and a shielding sleeve. The shielding sleeve of the motor is a hollow cylinder that fits between the armature and the stator, and is configured to cool a plurality of high-temperature superconductors within it to a temperature below their critical temperatures. These superconductors are placed at an optimized position to redirect flux and promote greater efficiency.

Electric motor construction that was developed in the 1800s uses a fixed placement of magnetic fields to initiate an electromotive force (EMF). An increase of electrical current induces a larger or stronger magnetic field causing a greater electromotive force at a higher and less efficient consumption rate. Therefore, a motor supplied with increased electrical current is limited to a particular RPM peak by a back EMF.
High temperature superconductors have been used to design electric motors due to their high current density and low DC losses. Such motors require cryogenic cooling systems to keep the temperature of the superconductors from rising too high.
A large portion of the electromagnetic energy lost by an electric motor is due to hysteresis and eddy currents. Hysteresis loss refers to the amount of electro-magnetic energy absorbed by ferrous metal when its magnetization is changed by the application of an alternating magnetic field. Eddy currents are currents unintentionally induced in conductive motor components by the fields in the motor. These currents produce magnetic fields opposite of those that operate the motor, and thus act as a form of magnetic drag on the motor. Thus, there is a need for an electric motor that decreases the energy losses due to these issues and provides increased efficiency.

Superconductive electro-magnetic device for use within a direct current motor or generator


A method and a device are described for obtaining power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by a primary electrical current, in which a core of magnetic material and a conductive solenoid wound about the core are positioned in a position remote from the conductor to obtain a secondary current in the solenoid from a magnetic field flux generated in the solenoid by the conductor, core and solenoid. The conductive solenoid is connected to the consuming appliance by a circuit adapted to convert the secondary current into a power intended to supply the consuming appliance through a related voltage and output current.

The description below refers, as a preferred embodiment, to a method for extracting power used in a power transmission line, and to a device for obtaining power for a consuming appliance that is intended to be mounted on a supporting structure for a power transmission line, in particular for example on a pylon of a distribution network for medium-, high- and very-high-voltage electricity (MV, HV or HHV).
However, the invention should be understood to be viable and applicable to any system in which there is at least one conductor traversed by an alternating electrical current, the references to power transmission lines not being limiting.
In recent years, the need has arisen to draw electrical power for consuming appliances from conductors traversed by a current, in particular in relation to power transmission lines.
Indeed, the need to provide electricity distribution networks with electronic monitoring and control equipment has increased significantly in recent years, both on account of safety requirements and the need to obtain measured electrical parameters within the network (smart networks). In general, the aforementioned control equipment includes a power supply module able to generate the electrical power (in particular electrical current) required to power the control equipment.
A known device for obtaining power to supply a consuming appliance (hereinafter referred to more simply using the term "power supply module") is described in Italian patent IT 1 391 387.
WO 2010/005324 and WO 99/26329 describe inductively coupled power transfer systems designed to operate in the vicinity of a magnetic field generated by a controlled primary circuit. WO 2010/005324 includes resistive means such as MOS transistors used in linear mode to limit the electrical power to the load, which are subject to disadvantageous power dissipation and therefore offer low overall system efficiency. WO 99/26329 includes means for limiting the power for saturation of a magnetic core induced by the flow of a direct current, which are also subject to power dissipation and offer low overall efficiency.

Method and device for obtaining power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by an alternating electrical current


A part-to-part joint structure for fixing a first eyeglasses part to rotate relative to a second eyeglasses part in a pair of eyeglasses is provided comprising: (a) a ring-like piece having a joint extension integrally formed thereto for fixing to the first eyeglasses part; (b) a hammer head-like projection integrally connected to the second eyeglasses part to be press-fitted in the ring-like piece; and (c) an annular bush of a flexible material, the annular bush being so sized that the annular bush may be press-fitted in the ring-like piece, and the hammer head-like projection may be press-fitted in the annular bush, thereby fixing the second eyeglasses part rotatably to the first eyeglasses part, wherein at least one of the ring-like piece and the annular bush has a horizontal slot made therein for permitting the second eyeglasses part to rotate in a limited range, relative to the first eyeglasses part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-to-temple joint structure for fixing a temple rotatably to each lens in a pair of eyeglasses.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional lens-to-temple joint structure as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model 60-70825 uses a lens-fastening piece having a hinge-half soldered thereto and a temple-fastening piece having a counter hinge-half soldered thereto, and the temple is rotatably fixed to the lens by coupling the hinge-half of the lens-fastening piece to the counter hinge-half of the temple-fastening piece.
The defects of such conventional lens-to-temple joint structure are: the temples are liable to lose the pleasing tightness in folding the temples relative to the front of the frame in a pair of eyeglasses, thus permitting the temples to rotate loosely relative to the front of the frame; and the soldering space which is occupied by the hinge-half of the lens-fastening or temple-fastening piece is too large to permit these pieces to be soldered at an increased efficiency, and accordingly the manufacturing efficiency is lowered.
In case of a pair of rimless glasses using fine temples the hinge-halves must be reduced in size accordingly, and the so small-sized hinge-halves are difficult to be produced, and are fragile because of their thinness.

Lens-to-temple joint structure for a pair of eyeglasses


A portable computer includes a central processing unit, a monitor unit laying on and pivoted to the central processing unit, and a hard disk drive unit fitted in the storage chamber of the central processing unit. The storage chamber has a bottom wall and a side wall assembly which has two locking holes. The hard disk drive unit includes a housing, two insertion elements mounted movably in the housing, a rotary actuating unit mounted pivotally on the central processing unit, and a spring unit which biases the insertion elements to extend from the housing to engage within the locking holes of the storage chamber so as to retain the hard disk drive unit in the storage chamber. When the rotary actuating unit is turned upward, the insertion elements retract into the housing, thereby enabling the hard disk drive unit to be removed from the central processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable computer which has a hard disk drive mounted therein, more particularly to a removable hard disk drive unit for a portable computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional hard disk drive consists of a disk cartridge (3) and a housing (4). The disk cartridge (3) includes a magnetic head, a spindle motor and an actuator, which are not shown. A printed circuit (not shown) is disposed in the housing (4). The disk cartridge (3) further includes a resilient projection (30) engaged within the hole (40) of the housing (4) so as to retain the disk cartridge (3) in the housing (4) in such a manner that the connector (31) is coupled with the connector (41) of the housing (4). When the disk cartridge (3) is removed from or inserted into the housing (4), the interengaging surfaces thereof wear inevitably, thereby causing the eventual separation of the cartridge (3) from the housing (4) after a long period of usage. Furthermore, in order to withdraw the disk cartridge (3) from the housing (4), a large amount of pull force must be applied to the disk cartridge (3) so as to overcome the spring force of the resilient projection (30).
Referring to FIG. 2, another conventional hard disk drive consists of a disk cartridge (5) and a housing (6). The connector (50) of the disk cartridge (5) is coupled with the connector (60) of the housing (6). The disk cartridge (5) includes two resilient projections (51) extending from two opposite side walls thereof to engage within two retaining holes (61) of the housing (6). When the disk cartridge (5) is removed from or placed into the housing (6), the interengaging surfaces of the connectors (50, 60) easily wear. Furthermore, in order to remove the disk cartridge (5) from the housing (6), it is necessary for the operator to exert on the disk cartridge (5) a pull force which is large enough to overcome the spring force of the resilient projections (51).
Another hard disk drive unit has been screwed to a portable computer which has a central processing unit and a monitor unit laying on and mounted pivotally on the central processing unit. The screwing and unscrewing process is time-consuming, when the hard disk drive unit is removed from or placed into the portable computer.

Portable computer having a hard disk drive mounted therein


A non-invasive method for measuring the velocity of a fluid surface flowing in a predetermined direction in a channel or flume 10 includes the steps of generating a microwave frequency electrical signal adapted to reflect from the fluid surface; spacing the generation of the electrical signal from the fluid surface; directing the signal along a line toward the fluid surface and opposite the predetermined direction and at an angle of between 30.degree. and 40.degree. to the fluid surface; detecting the signal reflected from the fluid surface; and determining from the directed and reflected signal the Doppler frequency shift therebetween as a measure of the velocity of the fluid surface.

Conventional fluid flow measurement devices such as described in U.S. Pat Nos. 4,397,194; 4,217,777; 4,202,211; and 3,498,290 use ultrasonic techniques for measuring fluid flow. The 4,397,194 patent discloses an ultrasonic flow meter wherein an acoustic pulse is transmitted by one transducer and propagated to the fluid at an angle to the longitudinal flow axis and received by another transducer. The time delay difference between the upstream and downstream transit times which depends on full velocity was determined to provide a flow rate reading.
The 4,217,777 patent discloses a sonic detector having a head which is positionable at different distances from the base of a channel and provides data signals corresponding to the transit time for sonic signals between the top of the liquid in the head, which signals are variable with the level of the liquid in the channel. A liquid velocity detector provides data signals which vary with the velocity of the liquid flowing through an area in the channel.
The 4,202,211 patent discloses a non-invasive system for measuring liquid flow through channels. The system utilizes an ultrasonic Doppler velocity detector which is positionable in a space below the channel and provides data signals which vary with the velocity of the liquid flow through an area in the channel. The system also utilizes a unit which responds to the variable data signals and the constant data signals to provide an output representing the flow through the channel in terms of the product of the area of the cross-sectional profile of the channel through which the fluid is flowing and the velocity of the fluid.
The 3,498,290 patent discloses a volumetric blood flow meter in which a first transducer locates and measures the diameter of a vessel and a second transducer determines the velocity of blood in the vessel by Doppler frequency shift techniques. This flow meter measures volumetric blood flow in an undisturbed vessel of a patient from the surfaces of his body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,482 discloses the use of sonic signals for measuring the flow rate and liquid level of a fluid flowing in a channel. An echo location system operates to detect returns of reflected sonic signals from the surface of the liquid in a channel during successive transmission cycles.
Another, more accurate, technique for measuring fluid flow is accomplished through the invasive use of microwave radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,736 discloses a method of using microwave radiation and Doppler frequency shift techniques to measure fluid flow. This is accomplished by generating a microwave frequency electrical signal, passing the signal to an aerial for radiation into the fluid, detecting the radiated signal after reflection by the fluid, determining from the radiated and reflected signals the Doppler frequency shift in between as a measure of the fluid flow rate. This type of monitoring is done through obtrusive contact with the fluid.
Although the use of microwave radiation is useful as an accurate measurement tool, the invasive nature of the method and equipment makes its use for contaminant-laden fluids, such as circulating machine tool coolant, undesirable. Such equipment becomes rapidly coated with contaminant and the accuracy of the measurements is eliminated.

Method for measuring fluid velocity by measuring the Doppler frequency shift or microwave signals


A laser surgical method for performing a corneal incision while maintaining iris exposure below a predetermined exposure limit includes: determining an initial iris exposure based on an initial treatment scan, determining whether the initial iris exposure is less than the predetermined exposure limit; generating a revised treatment scan comprising one or more treatment scan modifying elements when the initial iris exposure is greater than the predetermined exposure limit, and scanning the focal zone of a pulsed laser beam according to the revised treatment scan, thereby performing the corneal incision, wherein the one or more treatment scan modifying elements causes the iris exposure to be smaller than the predetermined exposure limit.

Laser ophthalmic surgery systems are well known and can be used to make incisions in various ocular tissues, including the cornea. In laser surgical systems, the energy that can be used to make cuts is limited by the amount of light that can be safely exposure to non-target tissues. Melanin in the iris is also much more absorptive of ultraviolet radiation. As a result, use of shorter wavelength for laser surgery can result in higher absorption, which can give rise to localized heating in the iris while incising the cornea. Excessive exposure can lead to photokeratitus, or drug laser interaction damage.
Scanning a laser over the cornea for the purpose of making corneal incisions can result in incident light reaching the iris as illustrated in FIG. 22, thus exposing iris tissue to the emission the from the light source. While retinal safety limits are well established and useful for application to scanning laser systems, the threshold for iris damage from these systems is not well described or understood. As such, there is a need for laser ophthalmic surgical systems which provide for safe iris exposures even when the focal spot of surgical light source is focused on non-iris tissue.

Methods and systems for laser ophthalmic surgery that provide for iris exposures below a predetermined exposure limit


A fuzzy-logic based overload control for packet switches wherein a distribution curve is developed regarding the overload possibility versus receive packet stream processing rate. The transmit packet stream is measured and a processing rate of the receive packet stream is measured. An overload possibility value is manipulated according to the measured bursts of the transmit packet stream and a location on the distribution curve of the measured processing rate. Packets are dropped from the transmit stream if the overload possibility value is above a threshold.

This invention relates generally to the field of packet switching and, more specifically, to packet switch overload control when real-time measurement of buffer occupancy is not possible.
Communication transmission technology has evolved from analog voice and data circuits to 64 kbps pulse code modulated (PCM) encoded voice and data circuits to packetized voice and data. In fact, much of today""s communication traffic is transmitted in the form of packets. In packet transmission, the voice stream or the data is broken into predetermined amounts of data (called xe2x80x9ccontentxe2x80x9d in the art), encapsulated with protocol data and transmitted through the packet network, which includes traversing one or more packet gateways or packet switches. The content is then reassembled at the destination and delivered to the end user.
As packet traffic increases, the possibility of overload in the packet gateways and switches increases dramatically. In a typical packet switch, packets are moved from one buffer (a xe2x80x9creceivexe2x80x9d buffer) to one of a plurality of xe2x80x9ctransmitxe2x80x9d buffers. The buffer size is engineered to be a function of the load, the packet traffic statistics (such as packet sizes) and expected capacity of the output channel.
It is known, however, that transmission of packet data is xe2x80x9cburstyxe2x80x9d in nature. That is, packets do not arrive in a nice, orderly manner; packets arrive in bunches and the arrival period is often fractal in nature. As a result, it is possible for the transmit buffer, the receive buffer, or both, to overflow. Such overflow causes delay in delivery of the packets, which, in the case of data, results in lost packets and generally requires packet retransmission. In the case of packetized voice, such overflow causes voice quality degradation. Buffer overflow is generally called xe2x80x9coverloadxe2x80x9d.
One common method to monitor whether a packet switch is in overload is to count the number of packets queued in the transmit buffer. In many cases, however, it is not possible to count the number of queued packets because of the implementation of the buffer (i.e., the buffer is implemented inside of custom hardware). Usually, the only known factor is whether the buffer is empty or non-empty. Another common method to ameliorate overload is to give one packet stream priority over the others by giving or assigning one stream a higher priority and the other(s) a lower priority. For example, packetized voice is usually assigned a higher priority over packetized data to ensure timely delivery of the delay-sensitive voice packets. However, a priority system may cause the one or more lower priority streams to overflow when the higher priority stream is particularly bursty. As stated above, such overflow cannot be detected. Therefore, a problem in the art is that a packet switch may be in overload without the possibility of detection.
This problem is solved and a technical advance is achieved in the art by a system and method that implements fuzzy-logic based overload detection and correction for a packet gateway. According to a method of this invention, a distribution curve is developed regarding the packet switch""s load at a desired maximum packet rate. According to further aspects of the invention, a determination is made if a first packet stream is excessively bursty. Further, the processing rates of all packet streams are measured. An overload possibility value is manipulated according to the burstyness of the first packet stream and a position on the distribution curve that the processing rates maps to. If the overload possibility value is above a threshold, then an overload condition is deemed to exist and packets are dropped from the transmit stream. This non-deterministic overload control runs at least once during the processing of the receive packet stream. Further, a transmit counter guarantees that the fuzzy-logic overload control runs during extended bursts.

Fuzzy-logic based overload detection and correction for packet gateways


The angular contact roller bearing has an outer bearing ring, an inner bearing ring, a plurality of ball rollers arranged between the rings, and a bearing cage. The ball rollers in the two adjacent rows have pressure angle axes extending parallel to one another and are arranged directly one next to the other with their side faces point toward one another. Adjacent ball rollers in the two rows are arranged on a common rotational axis. The ball rollers have diameters and widths which are dimensioned in such a way that envelope cones which form tangents with all the ball rollers at their diameters are arranged with their cone tips precisely at the intersection point of the common rotational axes of the bearing longitudinal axis.

It is generally known to a person skilled in the art in the field of rolling bearing technology that shafts or hubs with axial and radial torque loading are usually supported by means of angular contact rolling bearings which, on account of the high loading, are generally formed as two tapered-roller bearings which are inclined with respect to one another and pre-stressed in the axial direction. Said tapered-roller bearings are formed with a large pressure angle in the case of high axial forces and ensure a high level of stiffness of the supported shaft. For optimum bearing kinematics, said tapered-roller bearings are designed structurally such that the longitudinal axis of the tapered rollers is arranged fundamentally at right angles to the respective pressure angle axis, and the cone angle of the tapered rollers and the angle of inclination of the raceways in the bearing rings are dimensioned such that a conical envelope which encompasses the tapered rollers is arranged with its cone tip precisely on that point of the bearing longitudinal axis at which the tapered-roller longitudinal axis also intersects the bearing longitudinal axis. This has the effect that both the tapered rollers and also their raceways are subjected to uniform loading over their entire width.
However, since tapered-roller bearings of said type experience sliding friction between the end surface of the tapered rollers and the guide surface of the bearing rim on account of their preload, as a result of which sliding friction wear occurs on the tapered rollers and on the bearing rim, it has been proposed in DE 198 39 481 A1 to replace the tapered-roller bearings with two-row tandem angular contact ball bearings which can be loaded from one side and which are inclined in an O-arrangement with respect to one another. Said tandem angular contact ball bearings are composed substantially of an outer bearing ring and an inner bearing ring and of a plurality of bearing balls which are arranged between the bearing rings and which are arranged in two rows with different pitch circle diameters adjacent to one another and offset in height and which are held at uniform intervals with respect to one another in the circumferential direction by means of two separate bearing cages for each row. The inner side of the outer bearing ring is formed here with two adjacent groove-shaped raceways which are arranged on common pressure angle axes with two likewise adjacent groove-shaped raceways in the outer side of the inner bearing ring. In each case one row of the bearing balls rolls with their running surfaces on said raceways, with the bearing balls of the row with the larger pitch circle diameter having a greater diameter than the bearing balls of the row with the smaller pitch circle diameter. By using tandem angular contact ball bearings of said type instead of tapered-roller bearings, it is intended here to obtain a significantly reduced friction torque on account of the now eliminated sliding friction between the bearing balls and the raceway shoulders, as a result of which the wear and the temperature of the bearing are reduced and its efficiency is improved.
Such a replacement of tapered-roller bearings with double-row tandem angular contact ball bearings has nevertheless proven to be disadvantageous in practice because said tandem angular contact ball bearings require an increased axial installation space on account of the raceways for the bearing balls being arranged adjacent to one another and on account of the large diameter of the bearing balls in relation to tapered-roller bearings in order to obtain the required load rating. Furthermore, if it is necessary for a tandem angular contact ball bearing of said type to have an even higher load rating than a tapered-roller bearing, complex alterations to the bearing seats are therefore necessary which disadvantageously increase the production costs of the respective component. Furthermore, double-row tandem angular contact ball bearings of said type also entail increased production and material expenditure in relation to tapered-roller bearings during bearing production not least on account of the necessary use of two bearing cages, and therefore the production costs of said double-row tandem angular contact ball bearings are likewise increased. Tandem angular contact ball bearings of said type have also proven to be sub-optimal with regard to bearing kinematics, since the large bearing balls of the two rows which are used result in a conical envelope, which makes contact at a tangent with their diameters, whose cone tip deviates considerably from the point of intersection of the transverse axis, which is at right angles to the pressure angle axis, of two adjacent balls with the bearing longitudinal axis.
To avoid said disadvantages, it has therefore been proposed by the German patent application with the file reference 10 2005 014 556.6, which was not yet published on the filing date of the present patent application, in a double-row angular contact rolling bearing, for the rolling bodies of each row to be formed not as bearing balls but rather as spherical rollers with in each case two side surfaces which are flattened symmetrically from a spherical basic shape and which are arranged parallel to one another, and for two rows with different pitch circle diameters to be arranged adjacent to one another and offset in height, similarly to tandem angular contact ball bearings. Here, the spherical rollers of the row on the larger pitch circle again have, in their spherical basic shape, a larger diameter than the spherical rollers of the row on the smaller pitch circle, and the spherical rollers of the two rows roll with their running surfaces in each case two adjacent groove-shaped raceways in the outer bearing ring and in the inner bearing ring. Here, the raceways of the spherical rollers have pressure angle axes running parallel to one another and are arranged so as to adjoin one another in such a way that the in each case adjacent spherical rollers of each row are arranged directly adjacent to one another with their side surfaces which point toward one another, and guide one another. By using spherical rollers as rolling bodies, it is the intention to distinguish an angular contact rolling bearing of said type from multi-row angular contact ball bearings primarily by a minimized axial and radial installation space, and by an identical or increased load capacity and by the possibility of using a single-part bearing cage for the two rows, while maintaining similar production costs.
However, it has proven to be disadvantageous that the proposed spherical-roller bearing is likewise not yet of optimal design with regard to bearing kinematics, since, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 2 of the patent application, the common transverse axis of in each case two adjacent spherical rollers does not run at right angles to the pressure angle axes of the spherical rollers. A conical envelope which makes contact at a tangent with the two spherical roller diameters would therefore duly lie with its cone tip on the bearing longitudinal axis but would nevertheless deviate horizontally to a considerable extent from the point of intersection of a transverse axis, which runs at right angles to the pressure angle axis, of the two spherical rollers with the bearing longitudinal axis. Here, the oblique alignment of the actual transverse axis of the two adjacent spherical rollers causes those side surfaces of the spherical rollers which point toward one another, and the rotational axes of the spherical rollers, to have a radial offset with respect to one another, as a result of which the spherical rollers do not roll synchronously with respect to one another during bearing operation. This firstly results in friction between the individual spherical roller pairs, and secondly, the bearing cage, as it guides the spherical rollers, is subjected to such a high loading that increased heat is generated and the rolling bodies and bearing cage are subjected to increased wear, and the bearing therefore fails prematurely.

Angular contact roller bearings, in particular multi-row ball roller bearings


The apparatus and method for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation (100) of the present invention comprises a sensing component (102) for obtaining and collecting data indicative of the surface or dimensions of the joint or tissue. The sensing component (102) comprises various components for obtaining measurements of the cardinal signs of inflammation. Preferably the sensing component (102) includes a device for detecting swelling (104), a color analyzing device (108), a temperature measuring device (110), a pain or tenderness detection device (112), an archival and retrieval device (114), and a display device (116). In operation a patient is placed in position for examination of the joint or tissue area measurements are taken of one or more of the cardinal signs of inflammation at the joint or tissue area, the measurements are automatically stored in a archival storage and retrieval device (114), and from the measurements an inflammation score is derived which can be compared against a baseline.

Most people by age 50 develop some degree of arthritis. Usually, this takes the form of degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis that eventually afflicts nearly everyone by the time they are 65 years old. Another form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, affects approximately 1% of the population with a prevalence that approaches 2% of males and 5% of females by age 65. When lupus, gout, infectious processes, metabolic processes, toxins, cancers, and the more than 100 other types of arthritis are added to these numbers, nearly everyone, if they live long enough, will suffer joint pain and arthritis. The ultimate prevalence of joint diseases is further increased by fractures, athletic injuries, neuromuscular disorders, and congenital deformities.
Common to all of the various forms of joint diseases is the presence of inflammation. All forms of inflammation, from any cause, are characterized by five cardinal signs or manifestations comprising redness, swelling, heat, pain, and the loss of function of the involved tissue. The presence of inflammation in the involved joint or tissue indicates the presence of injury or disease, while the amount of inflammation in the injured, deformed, or arthritic joint or tissue is directly proportional to the amount of damage or disease in that joint and is inversely proportional to the degree of healing in the same joint. Accordingly, the physician or surgeon treating such musculoskeletal problems is constantly trying to detect any inflammation, and, if present, to assess the degree of this inflammation in order to determine whether disease or injury is occurring, how much disease or damage is present, and whether the problem is progressing or healing.
Various methods and equipment have been developed for assessing the presence or absence of inflammation in joints and other tissues. Such methods and equipment include performing a physical examination of the involved tissue; blood tests, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein level; radiographic tests; such as plain X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and research procedures, such as thermography.
In performing a physical examination, the physician begins the method of assessing the presence or absence of inflammation by asking such questions as which joints or tissue areas are causing pain, how much pain is present and how often is the pain present. The physician will then perform a physical examination to determine if there is any redness, warmth, swelling, or stiffness in these areas, and to see if the patient is experiencing any limitation or loss of function. This method of questioning and physical examination of the patient, however, does not reliably establish the presence of inflammation. For example redness over an area of pain could he a result of an overlying skin rash rather than inflammation or stiffness may be a result of a nearby muscle spasm as opposed to inflammation. Further, this method results in an assessment that is only crudely and inconsistently quantifiable. For example, the physician might ask, "If zero equals no pain and your pain level was a 10 out of 10 when you were first treated, at what level is your pain currently?" Such clinometric scales are generally inconsistent and results will vary depending, among other factors, on the manner in which the questions were asked, the physician asking the questions and the day and time the patient was questioned. Accordingly, such assessments are highly subjective and ultimately have no definite correlation with the actual degree of inflammation.
In addition to determining the presence of inflammation, the physical examination may also provides some indication of the presence and degree of inflammation. The physician or surgeon, for example, may gently squeeze or palpate the involved joint or tissue to detect swelling, warmth, or tenderness. Even if the physician detects some amount of joint or tissue swelling by palpation, there is no precise and reproducible way of determining whether the swelling represents newly inflamed tissue or just residual thickened and scarred tissue from previous, now quiescent inflammation. Detection of skin warmth is useful but cannot be quantified by simple palpation. The determination of tenderness is also useful but it only inconsistently correlates with actual inflammation. For example, the joint or tissue could be tender secondary to conditions that are not related to inflammation, such as poor circulation, diabetic-related or other causes of local nerve damage, foreign bodies, and other causes. The degree of tenderness is often assessed using a clinometric scale and has the same drawbacks as previous mentioned. The range of motion of a joint or muscle represents that tissue's functional state. Typically, the method of measuring the range of motion of a joint or muscle involves holding a plastic protractor next to the joint while the patient tries to move the joint or muscle in question. Unfortunately, problems of accuracy and reproducibility arise due to placement and stability of the protractor. It has been found that results of testing will vary even between tests performed by the same examiner on the same patient.
The method of performing blood tests to assess the presence and degree of inflammation typically involves testing of erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein levels. Unfortunately, such tests are nonspecific and indicate changes taking place throughout the patient's body rather than to inflammatory changes taking place in localized areas, such as a knee or finger. Further, the results of the blood tests are uniformly subject to a wide variety of physical conditions and ailments that are not related to inflammation. For example, the blood count in a patient having significant arthritis or other forms of inflammatory disease may show elevations of the white blood cells or of other blood cells called "platelets." However, the White cell count can be elevated due to many conditions such as leukemia, allergies, drug reactions, and numerous illnesses that have little or no relationship with inflammation. Similarly, the platelet count may be increased by noninflammatory conditions such as an iron deficiency or cancer. In addition, in many inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, such cell counts typically show no elevation.
In the performance of another type of blood test commonly employed to detect inflammation, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the patient's anticoagulated blood sample is placed in a vertical glass or plastic capillary tube. After sitting for one hour, the height of the column of red blood cells that have settled to the bottom of the tube is measured. In general, the taller the column of red cells, the more inflammation exists in the patient's body. Unfortunately, this method has numerous problems. Similarly to the white blood cell and platelet tests mentioned above, the ESR may not show any elevation, eaten in the presence of clearly clinically detectable inflammation. This lack of elevation, or in some cases elevated levels not caused by inflammation, may be due to various conditions including anemia, sickled blood cells, bone marrow cancers, and diabetic kidney disease. Further, as with blood count tests, such methods only indicate the possibility of inflammation and reflect a systemic rather than a local situation.
Another blood test used in detecting inflammation involves the measurement of a patient's C-reactive protein level (CRP). Like the other blood tests used for detecting inflammation, CRP suffers from the lack of sensitivity, lack of specificity and numerous confounding factors.
As a result of the numerous difficulties associated with the various methods of assessing inflammation using blood tests and since these methods do not include measurement of the five above-mentioned markers of inflammation, such methods are indirect at best and only useful in obtaining adjuncts for detecting and quantifying inflammation.
Methods for detecting inflammation using plain radiographs, such as plain X-rays, have proved to be inadequate It has been found that if a patient has swelling capable of being shown in a X-ray, the swelling level would also be clinically evident on physical examination thereby rendering a X-ray unnecessary. In addition, any shadowy outline of a soft tissue bulge around a bone or joint indicating possible inflammation would be extremely nonspecific and may be produced by conditions that are unrelated to inflammation, such as obesity.
Methods using computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are performed occasionally to observe swelling in various tissues. Such methods, however, are relatively expensive, may be insensitive to very mild degrees of inflammation, and generally do not detect forms of inflammation that involve only minimal or no swelling. Additionally, the CT scan uses ionizing radiation. Further, an MRI cannot be used for individuals having pacemakers or metallic implants located near the subject area. Another problem with using CT and MRI scans is the difficulty of interpreting the results of the scans making them unsuitable for routine outpatient testing in a typical medical office or clinic.
Methods of detecting inflammation using thermography or infrared photography have been used to try to detect inflammation. Unfortunately, however, thermography is relatively insensitive to mild degrees of inflammation, it cannot detect any of the signs of inflammation except warmth, it is difficult to reproduce due to changes in regional blood flow, for example caused by emotional states, and it is relatively expensive and technically difficult, requiring the patient to be unclothed and placed in a climate-controlled room where ambient temperature and humidity are assiduously constant and stabilized.
Accordingly, a need exists for a relatively inexpensive, reliable, reproducible, easy to use or perform, noninvasive method and apparatus for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation that may be used in medical offices, clinics, sports and training facilities, and the like.

Apparatus and method for the detection and quantification of joint and tissue inflammation