A combination toilet bar composition is described that contains soap, both amphoteric, and synthetic anionic surfactants in a specified ratio and a blend of hydrophobic emollients including a hydrocarbon with a titer of less than about 50 C. The toilet bar provides mild cleansing, moisturization, and creamy lather during use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet bar suitable for moisturizing and cleansing the human body, such as the skin and hair. In particular, it relates to a toilet bar composition that is mild to the skin and which also has a creamy lather.
2. The Related Art
Combination toilet bars are well known. However, the majority of them are very irritating to the skin due to the fact that they are soap based, have low levels of moisturizers, or some combination thereof. Many prior art combination bars have been produced by using a co-surfactant along with some amount of free fatty acid to achieve a certain degree of mildness. The milder co-surfactants typically used along with the fatty acids provide a milder bar with creamy lather. Such co-surfactants typically used in combination bars are mainly sodium cocoyl isethionate, alfa olefin sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate or a similar type of synthetic surface active agent(s). The fatty acids often used as superfatting agents are mainly coco fatty acids or stearic/palmitic fatty acids. The fatty acids in combination bars or even superfatted bars have traditionally been used to generate the delta phase for improvement in lather and mush properties. In superfatted bars, the superfatting agents that have proven especially effective are low titer fatty acids which although not wishing to be bound by this theory, are believed to form the delta phase by their interaction with stearate/palmitate soaps.
It has been surprisingly found that a specific surfactant blend can be used as a co-surfactant along with a superfating mixture of both low and high titer fatty components in the inventive combination bar. At least one of the components of the co-surfactant mix is an amphoteric surfactant(s). The ratio of the non soap (synthetic) anionic to amphoteric surfactants can vary from 1:5 to 5:1 and the preferred total level of the cosurfactants is from 2–5%. The preferred anionic surfactant is selected from the group of C8–18 alkyl sulfo methyl ester or any of the C8–18 alkyl sulfate or sulfonate group of surfactants. Further, surprisingly it has been found that a mixture of emollients that are a combination of two or more of C8–18 alkyl fatty acids, fatty esters, fatty alcohols, triglycerides or hydrocarbons is more effective especially when a hydrocarbon with a titer less than 50 C is employed. In this case some of the fatty acid components can have titer as high as 70–80 C while the other emollient components can be having titer as low as 1–2 C.

Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.


A percutaneous electrical therapy system with electrode position maintenance. In one embodiment, the system includes a control unit; an electrode electrically connectable to the control unit, the electrode having a sharp point at a distal end adapted to be inserted into a patient""s tissue; and an inserted electrode holding mechanism adapted to hold the electrode in place after insertion of the sharp point of the electrode into the patient""s tissue. In another embodiment, a method of providing electrical therapy can include inserting an electrode into a patient; using an inserted electrode holding mechanism to hold the inserted electrode in place in the patient; and applying an electrical signal to the electrode from a control unit.

This invention relates generally to percutaneous electrical therapy systems for medical use. In particular, the invention relates to a holding mechanism for holding a percutaneous electrode in place after insertion.
Electrical therapy has long been used in medicine to treat pain and other conditions. For example, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) systems deliver electrical energy through electrode patches placed on the surface of a patient""s skin to treat pain in tissue beneath and around the location of the patches. The efficacy of TENS systems in alleviating pain is questionable at best, however.
More recently, a technique in which electrodes are placed through the patient""s skin into the target tissue has been proposed. Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapy (xe2x80x9cPNTxe2x80x9d) (also sometimes called Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation or xe2x80x9cPENSxe2x80x9d) using percutaneously placed electrodes achieves significantly better pain relief results than TENS treatments using skin surface electrodes. This therapy is described in Ghoname et al., xe2x80x9cPercutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Low Back Pain,xe2x80x9d JAMA 281:818-23 (1999); Ghoname et al., xe2x80x9cThe Effect of Stimulus Frequency on the Analgesic Response to Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain,xe2x80x9d Anesth. Analg. 88:841-6 (1999); Ahmed et al., xe2x80x9cPercutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS): A Complementary Therapy for the Management of Pain Secondary to Bony Metastasis,xe2x80x9d Clinical Journal of Pain 14:320-3 (1998); and Ahmed et al., xe2x80x9cPercutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation: An Alternative to Antiviral Drugs for Herpes Zoster,xe2x80x9d Anesth. Analg. 87:911-4 (1998). The contents of these references are incorporated herein by reference.
Thus far, PNT practitioners have used percutaneously placed acupuncture needles attached to waveform generators via cables and alligator clips to deliver the therapy to the patient. This arrangement and design of electrodes and generator is far from optimal. For example, percutaneously placed electrodes can move or back out of position in response, e.g., to muscle contractions in the patient or a pulling force from an attached electrical cable. The position of the electrode""s point can affect the efficacy of the treatment. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a holding mechanism for percutaneous electrodes.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a percutaneous electrical therapy system having electrodes and electrode assemblies that are safe, efficacious, inexpensive and easy to use.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments.
The invention is a percutaneous electrical therapy system with electrode position maintenance. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a control unit; an electrode electrically connectable to the control unit, the electrode having a sharp point at a distal end adapted to be inserted into a patient""s tissue; and an inserted electrode holding mechanism adapted to hold the electrode in place after insertion of the sharp point of the electrode into the patient""s tissue. The inserted electrode holding mechanism may include an electrode handle attached to the electrode and adapted to be exterior to the patient""s tissue after insertion of the sharp point into the patient""s tissue.
The inserted electrode holding mechanism may also include a holding element adapted to be attached to the patient and to the electrode, such as a patch adapted to mechanically interact with at least a portion of the electrode. In some embodiments, the patch may have an aperture, with the inserted electrode holding mechanism also having an electrode handle attached to the electrode and adapted to mechanically interact with the patch aperture. The system may also include an introducer adapted to insert the electrode through the patch aperture and to cause the electrode handle and the patch aperture to mechanically interact.
In some embodiments, the system includes an electrode assembly of which the inserted electrode holding mechanism is a part, the electrode and the holding element, the electrode assembly being operable to insert the electrode into the patient""s tissue and being adapted to attach to the patient. The electrode assembly may have a movable actuator adapted to move the electrode from an uninserted position to an inserted position, with the inserted electrode holding mechanism including an actuator holding mechanism adapted to hold the actuator in place when the electrode is in its inserted position. The system may also have an actuator tool adapted to move the actuator and the electrode from the uninserted position to the inserted position. The actuator tool may be further adapted to move the actuator and the electrode from the inserted position to the uninserted position.
The system may include a conductor connecting the electrode and the control unit, wherein the inserted electrode holding mechanism is further adapted to provide strain relief to the electrode.
The invention is also a method of providing electrical therapy, the method including the steps of inserting an electrode into a patient; using an inserted electrode holding mechanism to hold the inserted electrode in place in the patient; and applying an electrical signal to the electrode from a control unit. In some embodiments, the inserted electrode holding mechanism has a holding element, with the method further including the step of attaching the holding element to the patient. The holding element may be a patch, with the using step including the step of mechanically interacting at least a portion of the electrode with the patch. The holding element may also be a housing, the inserting step including the step of moving the electrode within the housing. The inserting step may also include the step of moving an actuator within the housing, with the using step including the step of mechanically interacting the actuator with the housing to hold the inserted electrode in place in the patient.
The invention is described in further detail below with reference to the drawings.

Percutaneous electrical therapy system with electrode position maintenance


A system and method for improving properties of a metal strip during rolling between rotating upper and lower work rolls in a mill stand, for reducing work roll edge wear, for improving distribution of thermal expansion of the work roll during rolling, for reducing required rolling torque for achieving a particular strip thickness reduction, and for increasing the tonnage of rolled strip between roll changes, by continuously shifting the rotating work rolls during rolling to impart a spiral motion to the work rolls, and by online grinding, heat rehardening and cooling of the work rolls outside the mill stand.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the rolling of elongated metal sheet and strip workpieces (hereinafter "strip") in a rolling mill stand having at least one set of upper and lower work rolls and wherein, during rolling, the work rolls are rotated around their respective longitudinal axes and, at the same time, are continuously shifted along those axes. Online work roll grinding, rehardening and cooling are performed outside the mill stand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional rolling mills, the work rolls are engaged in circular motion in respect to the rolled strip. During such rolling, the deformation in the roll bite (the vertical spacing between the work rolls) is basically two-dimensional. This is due to the frictional forces acting in the roll axial direction between the work rolls and the rolled product. In such conventional rolling process, the tonnage of product rolled between work roll changes is limited due to roll wear, roll marks, and deterioration of the roll surfaces due to fire cracks and banding. In order to reduce such roll problems, and/or to aid in strip profile and shape control during rolling, axial work roll shifting has been commonly used. Prior art patents exemplifying work roll shifting include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,116 (work roll shifting and bending); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,864,836; 4,898,014; 4,934,166; 4,955,221; 5,640,866 (roll shifting and bending), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,398 (roll shifting and crossing). U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,266 shows a checkless roll support mechanism by means of which the work rolls may be balanced, bent in the upstream or downstream horizontal direction or vertically upwardly or downwardly, crossed or off-set.
The equipment for carrying out such conventional rolling also may be provided with online roll grinders inside the mill housing, between the drive side and the operator side of the rolling mill. Such roll grinders operate in a hostile, high temperature, corrosive environment and, consequently, do not provide accurate roll grinding. Conventionally ground work rolls are lubricated and cooled, but the amount and quality of lubricant/coolant fluid is not optimum for grinding, but rather for cooling only. Moreover, to grind the work rolls properly, it is necessary to know accurately the position of the grinding tool. In conventional grinding, inside the mill housing, the environment is a poor one for such accurate measurements. Still further, the work roll thermal crown fluctuates so that the dimensions of the work rolls change--further interfering with accurate grinding.

Continuous spiral motion system for rolling mills


A method for generating text using a computer system. The method includes selecting a model for generating a text that is based on a decision tree with nodes having one buckets or elements that include a conditional element and a sentence element or a pointer to a child node. The method includes processing a set of raw data selected for the particular model and then determining values of model variables. Evaluation of the model is performed to identify a set of the sentence elements to include in the text. The evaluating includes processing the conditional element of the buckets and when the conditional element is satisfied including the bucket's sentence element in the set of identified sentence elements. The method continues with combining the identified sentence elements to generate the text. The combining is completed based on concatenation rules provided in or linked to each node.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for using computers and software for generating text and documents, and more particularly, to a computer-based method and system for generating sentences and paragraphs based on collected raw data, one or more user inputs, and a processing engine that builds a text or document in real time using a text model that includes a decision tree. The engine uses the raw data and the decision tree, both of which were selected based on the user input, to automatically select appropriate predefined sentence elements for the text being built and combines the selected sentence elements based on a set of connector rules provided in the text model and in an order defined by the text model.
2. Relevant Background.
Today, the world looks to the Internet and web-based information and news services to obtain all or a large percentage of their daily news and to perform research on numerous topics. Most of these people demand that the information provided by the web-based services be fresh, with updates provided on a very frequent basis. For example, in the financial industry, users want to know the current status of the stock and commodities markets and a particular stock or commodity, not what occurred yesterday or even a few hours ago. Likewise, sports enthusiasts want to follow the action of games and tournaments in real time as if they were watching or listening to the game live. Similarly, weather reports are expected to be tailored to a particular activity and geographic area and to provide more up-to-date information than is provided by newspapers. There are many other examples of users obtaining information online over the Internet, but a common theme is that users expect and demand that the information be current or at least fresher than information provided in printed sources.
An advantage that printed sources provide over many online sources is that a writer has taken the time to process a volume of information, such as stock exchange data, has condensed the data into a useful amount, and importantly, has written sentences or text that can easily be read and understood by a reader of the printed source. To provide a similar service, online services in some cases have resorted to providing teams of writers whose task is to quickly digest incoming data and provide text, but this solution has proven to be unworkable in most cases and typically results in a significant delay. More and more, online services are attempting to provide information in real time by having a computer and associated software applications generate text and charts or other graphics based on collected and processed raw data. The computer-generated text needs to be updated on an ongoing or periodic basis as the raw data, such as weather information or the status of an athletic event, is rapidly changing. To date, a number of approaches of generating text with computers and software have been implemented, but none have fully addressed the demands of the online information industry for providing real-time text that is useful to readers or subscribers and that effectively simulates text written by a human writer in a time-sensitive manner.
A common text updating approach used by online information services is to provide fill-in-the-blanks text in which the blanks are updated based on processed current data. In these services, a form sentence or paragraph is provided in which one or more words are changed based on current information. However, the majority of the text is repeated regardless of the current information or the content of the user request, and the repeated text may be irrelevant and even misleading to the reader. For example, a user may request stock market or trading information by inputting a stock name or symbol. The online service uses a software application that retrieves at least some current market data and information on the stock and returns text to the user. The returned text typically includes one or two sentences that are provided for any input stock such as "The market is up/down today" which is generated by selecting the word "up" or the word "down" based on the retrieved data. The application may further provide another sentence that states "The XXX stock is at $20" with the "XXX" being provided from the user input and the "$20" being provided from processed current data. Further, a number of sentences or paragraphs may be included in the returned text that are generic to the market, i.e., not updated for the stock input, or that are specific to the stock but not currently updated, i.e., written by a human some time prior to the user request and input. For example, "Stock analysts rank this stock a buy" with this repeated text being provided regardless of current conditions. In some cases, data is provided in raw form without descriptive text, such as financial ratios and values and graphs, which are difficult for average users to read or understand. The resulting text of these fill-in-the-blank systems is generally rather basic and typically is stilted or otherwise readily recognizable as being machine generated. Often, such machine-generated text provides information that is not useful to the user because it is not specific to the user's input (such as a particular stock), is too simplistic (such as simply providing a stock price or whether the stock is up or down), and is locked to a single format or sentence construction with only small portions or single words being updated based on current information.
A large number of computer-based text generators have been developed in other industries, but generally, these text generators are limited to processing a pre-existing, source text to generate an output or target text and do not process current data to create a new, up-to-date text. For example, many translation systems that are computer-based have been developed, such as software applications that utilize word mapping or natural language processing techniques. These systems have been developed for translating text prepared in one language, i.e., the source document or text, into text produced in a second language, i.e., the output or target document or text. These computer-based systems generally are dictionary-based and attempt to comply with the many syntax and grammar rules present in the source and target languages to produce a target text that properly conveys the meaning of the source text. The use of computers for translation of written texts has proven difficult to implement because the rules of sentence construction, varying grammar rules, and even varying geographic lexicons of the source language are quite numerous and complex and directly effect the quality of the finished product or text. Generally, these translator tools attempt to map each word in a source document to a word in the output document while verifying that syntax and other rules of text construction have been satisfied. While providing a useful tool for generating text in a particular language, these translator and summarizing tools are not useful for creating up-to-date text for online information services from raw data or without a source document.
Hence, there remains a need for methods and systems for generating human-readable text in a timely manner from collected raw data, such as financial, weather, sports, or other content-specific information. Preferably, such methods and systems would create the text based on user input so as to create input-specific text from the collected and processed raw data. The created text also preferably would be less stilted than existing fill-in-the-blank products to provide more readable text that is much closer to human editorial text, which reads fluidly. Further, such methods and systems preferably would provide multiple models for constructing the text to limit the amount of superfluous or irrelevant information that is included in the text, and in some cases, the user may be able to select a particular model. The methods and systems preferably would act automatically to generate text without operator intervention and would be relatively easy to implement, update, and maintain.

Text generator with an automated decision tree for creating text based on changing input data


A split sprocket with quick locking mechanisms is made of non-metallic components. The split sprocket is coupled to a shaft element by removable wedge members disposed between the sprocket's half members. Key members, in conjunction with set screws, secure the wedge members and prevent the sprocket's half members from tilting about the shaft element. The wedge members maintain a uniform pitch diameter of the sprocket's teeth by preventing contact between the half sprocket members.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to sprockets, and more particularly to split sprockets with quick locking mechanisms for use in a corrosive environment.
2. Discussion of The Related Art
Sprockets are commonly mounted on shaft elements of conveyor systems which are exposed to a variety of environments. Sprockets utilized in destructive conditions, such as in a waste water treatment system's corrosive environment, require periodic maintenance and must be readily removable from the shaft elements upon which they are incorporated. It is well known to use split sprockets in order to facilitate sprocket removal from shaft elements. Examples of split sprockets in the patent literature include U.S. Pat. No. 1,359,822 to Misener, U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,570 to Bocchino, U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,101 to Harriman, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,974 to Wiegand et al.
Split sprockets used in a corrosive environment often require the use of complex locking mechanisms, commonly made of expensive stainless steel hardware, for attaching two sprocket half members to a shaft element. Unfortunately, such prior art locking mechanisms increase a sprocket's weight and manufacturing costs, and the sprocket's half members are susceptible to corrosion which inhibits their removal from a shaft element. In addition, the complexity of these locking mechanisms reduces the efficiency at which a split sprocket can be assembled combination of factors reduces the split sprocket's efficiency and increases maintenance costs.
Thus, it would be desirable to produce a split sprocket with reduced weight and increased immunity to the effects from exposure to corrosive environments. Further, it would be desirable to provide a split sprocket with a locking mechanism which eliminates the need for expensive hardware, reduces manufacturing costs, and facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the split sprocket to and from a shaft element.

Split sprocket with quick locking mechanism


A method renders a 3D model of a graphics object wherein the model includes discrete zero-dimensional points. A first opaque polygon is centered on each point, and the polygon is rendered to obtain depth values of a depth image in a z-buffer. A second polygon is centered on each point. The second polygons are adapted to associated object space EWA resampling filters, and the adapted second polygons are rendered as an image according to the depth values in the depth image.

Point-based surface models define a surface of a 3D graphics object by a set of sample points. Point-based rendering generates a continuous image of the discrete sampled surface points. The points on the surface are commonly called surface elements or "surfers" to indicate their affinity with picture elements (pixels) and volume elements (voxels).
A point-based representation has advantages for graphics models with complex topologies in rendering applications where connectivity information is not required or available, or for fusion of data from multiple sources, see for example, Levoy et al., "The Use of Points as Display Primitives," Technical Report TR 85-022, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Computer Science, 1985, Zwicker et al., "Surface Splatting," SIGGRAPH 2001 Proceedings, pp. 371–378, 2001, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,396,496 issued to Pfister et al. on May 28, 2002 "Method for modeling graphical objects represented as surface elements," incorporated herein by reference.
Point-based models can be acquired directly using 3D scanning techniques, or by conversion from polygon models with textures, see Levoy et al., "The Digital Michelangelo Project: 3D Scanning of Large Statues," SIGGRAPH 2000 Proceedings, pp. 131–144, 2000, and Pfister et al., "Surfels: Surface Elements as Rendering Primitives," SIGGRAPH 2000 Proceedings, pp. 335–342, 2000.
Most prior art point-based rendering methods have focused on efficiency and speed. Some of those methods use OpenGL and hardware acceleration to achieve interactive rendering performances of two to five million points per second, see Rusinkiewicz et al., "QSplat: A Multiresolution Point Rendering System for Large Meshes, SIGGRAPH 2000 Proceedings, pp. 343–352, 2000, and Stamminger et al., "Interactive Sampling and Rendering for Complex and Procedural Geometry," Proceedings of the 12th Eurographics Workshop on Rendering, pp. 151–162, 2001.
However, none of those techniques supports anti-aliasing for models with complex surface textures. Recently, Zwicker et al. described elliptical weighted average (EWA) surface splatting, see Zwicker et al. "Surface Splatting," SIGGRAPH 2001 Proceedings, pp. 371–378, 2001, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/842,737 "Rendering Discrete Sample Points Projected to a Screen Space with a Continuous Resampling Filter," filed by Zwicker et al., on Apr. 26, 2001, incorporated herein by reference.
Those methods uses anisotropic texture filtering and an image-space formulation of an EWA texture filter adapted for irregular point samples, see Greene et al., "Creating Raster Omnimax Images from Multiple Perspective Views Using the Elliptical Weighted Average Filter," IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications, 6(6):21–27, 1986, and Heckbert, "Fundamentals of Texture Mapping and Image Warping," Master's Thesis, University of California at Berkeley, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1989.
However, a software implementation of EWA surface splatting only achieves a rendering performance of up to about 250,000 points per second.
Polygon and point primitives can also be combined into efficient rendering systems that select one or the other based on image space projection criteria, see Chen et al., "POP: A Hybrid Point and Polygon Rendering System for Large Data," Proceedings of IEEE Visualization, pp. 45–52, 2001, and Cohen et al., "Hybrid Simplification: Combining Multi-Resolution Polygon and Point Rendering," Proceedings of IEEE Visualization, pp. 37–44, 2001. Both of those systems make use of graphics hardware to achieve real-time performance for reasonably complex models. However, neither system handles surface textures, and the introduction of connectivity information further diminishes the advantages of pure point-sampled models.
Image Space EWA Splatting
In the image space EWA splatting framework as described by Zwicker et al., objects are represented by a set of irregularly spaced points {Pk} in three dimensional object space without connectivity information, in contrast with polygon or triangle models which do contain adjacency or connectivity information.
Each zero-dimensional point is associated with a location, a surface normal, a radially symmetric basis function rk, and scalar coefficients wrk, wgk, wbk that represent continuous functions for red, green, and blue color components. The basis functions rk are reconstruction filters defined on locally parameterized domains. Hence, the functions define a continuous texture function on the model's surface as represented by the discrete points.
FIG. 1 shows a local parameterization 101 from 3D object space 102 to 2D image space 103. The color of a neighborhood of any point Q 104 with local coordinates u is evaluated by accumulating the basis functions rk 105 yielding a continuous texture function fc(u) as the weighted sum
                                                        f              c                                                  (              u              )                                =                                    ∑                              k                ∈                N                                                                                w                k                                                                            r                  k                                                                  (                                      u                    -                                          u                      k                                                        )                                                                    ,                            (        1        )            where uk is the local coordinate of each point Pk.
In the ideal resampling framework described by Heckbert et al., rendering the texture function fc(u) yields a continuous output function gc(x) in image space that respects the Nyquist criterion of the output pixel grid. Thus, aliasing artifacts are avoided. The rendering process includes the following steps.
First, the texture function fc(u) is warped to image space using a local affine mapping of the perspective projection at each point. Then the continuous image space signal is band-limited by convolving it with a prefilter h, yielding the output function gc(x), where x are image space coordinates. After rearranging the mathematical expressions, the output function can be expressed as a weighted sum of image space resampling filters ρk x:ρk(x)=(r′k{circle around (x)}h) (x−mk(uk)).  (3)where
                                                        g              c                                                  (              x              )                                =                                    ∑                              k                ∈                N                                                                                w                k                                                                            ρ                  k                                                                  (                  x                  )                                                                    ,                            (        2        )
Here, the resampling filter ρkx is written as a convolution of a warped basis function rk(x)=rk(x)(m−1(x), and the pre-filter h(x).
To simplify the evaluation of ρk at each point uk, a local affine approximation                x=mk(u) of the projective mapping x=m(u) from the local surface parameterization to image space is used. The local affine approximation mk ismk(u)=xk+Jk·(u−uk),  (4)
 given by the Taylor expansion of m at uk, truncated at the linear term:
where xk=m(uk) and the Jacobian
      J    k    =                              ∂          m                          ∂          u                                  (                  u          k                )              ∈                  ℝ                  2          ×          2                    .
In the EWA framework, elliptical Gaussians are selected as basis functions rk and as pre-filters h because of their unique properties. Gaussians are closed under affine mappings and convolution. Hence, the resampling filter ρk can be expressed as an elliptical Gaussian, as described below. A 2D elliptical Gaussian Gv (x) with variance matrix VεR2×2 is defined as
                    G        V                          (        x        )              =                  1                              2                        π                    |          V                                |                          1              2                                                        ⅇ                              -                          1              2                                                      x            T                                          V                          -              1                                          x                      ,
where |V| is the determinant of V. The variance matrices of the basis functions rk and the low-pass filter h are defined with Vkk and Vh, hence rk=GVkr and h=GVh, respectively.
Note that a typical choice for the variance of the low-pass filter is the identity matrix I. By substituting the Gaussian basis function and prefilter in Equation (3), a Gaussian resampling filter
                                                        ρ              k                                                  (              x              )                                =                                    1                              |                                  J                  k                                      -                    1                                                  |                                                                                G                                                                            J                      λ                                                                                V                      λ                      r                                                                                J                      λ                      T                                                        +                  I                                                                          (                                  x                  -                                                            m                      k                                                                                (                                              u                        k                                            )                                                                      )                                                    ,                            (        5        )
can be obtained, which is called an image space EWA resampling filter, for additional details see Zwicker et al.
Image space filters are suitable for software implementations. However, hardware graphics engines cannot determine such filters directly in image space. Hence the rendering performance is severely degraded, e.g., by an order of magnitude or more, as indicated above.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a rendering system that interactively renders complex point-based models with arbitrary surface textures at a highest possible quality. The rendering system should take advantage of advances in PC graphics hardware, namely, the ever increasing performance of graphic processing units (GPUs), and programmable shading. The system should also provide anisotropic texture filtering.

Object space EWA splatting of point-based 3D models

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


The invention relates to a method of controlling operation of an ICE arrangement (1), comprising acquiring (100) a first signal indicative of a required torque; acquiring (102) a second signal indicative of a temperature (T) of an EATS (23); and when the second signal indicates that the temperature (T) of the EATS (23) is lower than a predefined first threshold temperature (T1): determining (108; 118) an amount of second fuel (17) needed to deliver the required torque; supplying the amount of second fuel (17); controlling (112; 122) an inlet valve (19) to allow flow of a second fuel-air mix into the cylinder (3); injecting first fuel (13) into the cylinder (3) when the second fuel-air mix is compressed by the piston (9), resulting in flame propagation ignition of the second fuel-air mix; and controlling (116; 126) and outlet valve (21) to allow flow of exhaust from the cylinder (3) during an exhaust stroke (ES) of the piston (9).

The attraction of diesel engines for heavy vehicles, due to the high efficiency and higher torque at low speeds presented by diesel engines, is well known. As emission control requirements on heavy vehicle diesel engines get stricter with time, efforts have been made to reduce emissions. Such efforts have generally been successful, at least during normal operation of the engine, through the provision of sophisticated exhaust after treatment systems (EATS), which may for example include a so-called diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), a diesel particulate filter (DPF), and a selective catalyst reduction (SCR) stage etc.
For optimal performance, the EATS should operate at an elevated temperature, at which a catalytic converter comprised in the EATS has reached so-called light-off, where the catalytic converter achieves at least 50% conversion of, for example, nitrous oxides. Depending on the particular configuration of the EATS, the above-mentioned elevated temperature may be as high as 200° C. or higher. To reduce emissions in connection with engine start, it would therefore be desirable to reduce the time needed to heat the EATS to its optimal operating temperature.

Internal combustion engine arrangement and method of controlling operation thereof


A coater for applying coating material to a moving strip of metal or other substrate. The coater comprises at least one dispenser unit and preferably a pair of dispenser units disposed about the moving strip of substrate. Each dispenser unit is adapted to be in communication with a supply of coating material and to apply coating material to a side of the moving strip. Each dispenser unit comprises a receptacle, a coating discharger strip received within the receptacle having an applicator surface for applying coating material to the respective side of the moving strip, a retainer member received within the receptacle for securing the discharge strip within the receptacle, and an anti-wicking member associated with the retainer member for hindering wicking of coating material away from the applicator surface of the coating discharger strip. Each dispenser unit desirably also includes at least one adjustable retainer stem associated with a respective retainer member for adjustably positioning the respective retainer member within a respective receptacle to secure the coating discharger strip to the receptacle for applying coating material to the respective side of the strip.

The present invention relates to a coating apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for applying coating material to a strip of metal or other substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser unit for a coater apparatus for applying liquid coating material to a strip of metal or other substrate.
Coating apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,604,300, 5,549,752, 5,985,028, and 6,013,312. These references are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Currently, numerous methods exist for applying a coating or thin film of material to a strip of metal or other material. One conventional method of coating a continuous strip of substrates to submerse the strip in a bath of the coating material. This can be accomplished by pulling the substrate through the bath of coating material, and then wiping off any excess coating material. This method has many drawbacks. One drawback to this method is the difficulty to control the amount of coating material applied to each side of the strip. Another drawback is the inability to apply different coating materials to each side of the strip. Also, this method often wastes a certain amount of the coating material during the wiping step.
Another known method of applying a coating or thin film of material to a strip of substrate is to employ a spray coater or atomizer. In such a method, the coating material is electrostatically disposed on the strip. A spray coater in accordance with this method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,202.
Other known types of coating methods include passing the strip of substrate through various applicators which deposit a thin film onto the strip with or without electrostatic assistance. The applicators can be either stationary members or rotable members. One example of such a coating apparatus, which uses a pair of oppositely-disposed applicators, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,752 to Hahn et al. The Hahn patent discloses passing a continuous strip of material between a pair of oppositely disposed applicators for applying a thin film thereto. In one embodiment, two stationary wicks directly contact the sides of the continuous strip of material to apply a coating to both sides of the sheet material. In another embodiment, the wicks apply the coating material to two feed rolls which contact the sides of the strip to apply a thin film of coating material thereto. One drawback to this type of coating apparatus is that it lacks the ability to adjust the amount of coating material being supplied to various sections of the applicators.
Other examples of prior coating apparatuses and methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,985,028 to Cornell et al.; 4,601,918 to Zaman et al; 4,604,300 to Keys et al.; 4,712,507 to Helling; and 4,995,934 to Janatka.
There is a need to provide a coating apparatus that increases efficiency and reduces waste. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coater for a coater apparatus that includes a dispenser unit having a coating discharger strip for dispensing coating material that can be replaced quickly and easily. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a coater wherein the dispenser unit includes an anti-wicking member for increasing efficiency and decreasing waste.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention provides a coater for applying coating material to a moving strip of metal or other substrate. The coater comprises at least one dispenser unit, and preferably a pair of dispenser units disposed about the moving strip of substrate. Each dispenser unit is adapted to be in communication with a supply of coating material and to apply coating material to a side of the moving strip. Each dispenser unit comprises a receptacle, a coating discharger strip received within the receptacle having an applicator surface for applying coating material to the respective side of the moving strip, a retainer member received within the receptacle for securing the discharge strip within the receptacle, and an anti-wicking member associated with the retainer member for hindering wicking of coating material away from the applicator surface of the coating discharger strip. Each dispenser unit desirably also includes at least one adjustable element associated with the retainer member for adjustably positioning the retainer member within the receptacle to secure the coating discharger strip to the receptacle for applying coating material to the side of the strip.


An electrical surge arrester comprises a stack of varistors (10) separated by conductive spacers (12), the respective faces of the varistors and the spacers being bonded for electrical and physical contact, and the outer surfaces of the stack having an insulating coating (14). The varistors have different cross-sectional size from the spacers, the elements of larger size thereby providing the `sheds` of the arrester.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical surge arresters, or diverters, and more particularly but not solely to electrical surge arresters for use in electrical power generation, transmission and distribution systems to protect such systems against power surges caused, for example, by lightning, and against over-voltages caused, for example, by switching operations.
2. State of the Art
Electrical surge arresters or diverters are well known for protecting equipment such as electrical power distribution systems and are generally connected in parallel with the equipment to be protected. A typical surge arrester provides a high or infinite impedance during normal system voltages in order to minimize steady-state losses. During surges, the arrester provides a low impedance in order to limit the voltage, and dissipates or stores the energy in the surge without damage to itself. After the passage of the surge, the arrester returns to open-circuit conditions.
A widely-used surge arrester comprises a plurality of non-linear voltage-dependent resistors contained within the bore of an externally shedded glazed porcelain insulator housing. The resistors are generally separated by discharging or spark gaps. During normal operating conditions the arrester has an infinitely high resistance so as to minimize steady-state losses of the equipment. However, in the event of a surge, the resistance of the arrester is substantially reduced such that the voltage is limited to acceptable levels to prevent damage to associated equipment, whilst the power follow current is sufficiently restricted to a level that can be cleared by the spark gaps.
The surge arrester described above is generally effective. However, under certain circumstances, the porcelain insulator housing may shatter, thereby scattering high temperature fragments, which is clearly dangerous.
Another type of electrical surge arrester, developed in order to overcome the problems associated with the arrester described above, consists of a unitary structural core comprising alternately stacked metal oxide varistor blocks and aluminium alloy heat-sink/spacer blocks. The opposed electrode surfaces of the individual varistor blocks are formed with metallised aluminium contacts and their sides are coated with an insulating material. The electrode surfaces of respective blocks are held in face-to-face physical and electrical contact by means of a silver loaded epoxy. The stack of blocks is coated with a glass-reinforced plastics shell and the whole assembly is encased in a heat-shrink or polymeric sleeve formed with alternating sections of greater and lesser diameter to provide `sheds` for `creepage`. In order to ensure that the interface between the heat-shrink sleeve and the glass-reinforced shell around the core is void-free, a mastic sealant is used within the heat-shrink sleeve. Finally, stainless steel end caps are provided at either end of the core as terminations. The surge arrester thus described operates in a similar manner to the type having a porcelain insulator housing, but has the added advantage that it has a non-explosive failure mode. It is relatively light, but is strong, resistant to damage and is unaffected by atmospheric pollutants or moisture ingress.
However, the latter surge arrester is of relatively complex construction and is expensive to manufacture. Another disadvantage of such a surge arrester is that, because the amount of energy dissipated by the device is dependent upon the size and number of varistor blocks, the device is often relatively large in order to accommodate particular applications. Further, air or moisture may become trapped between the glass-reinforced shell and the polymeric sleeve during manufacture, which may result in undesirable ionization effects.


A novel method of calculating and enforcing user traffic parameters on an ATM network is disclosed. The method of the present invention provides very accurate calculation results for the amount of bandwidth consumed by an application. The method can be utilized to limit both the average traffic rate and the maximum burst rate of an application. The disclosed method achieves high efficiency by requiring minimal intervention from a processor and by requiring only additions and subtractions with no multiplications or divisions for its core operations.

Currently, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks are becoming more and more commonplace in environments that require high speed data networking and switching facilities. ATM's small cell size of 53 bytes facilitates very fast hardware switch fabrics. ATM is suitable for fast switching of any type data source such as data, video, audio, etc.
For an application to transmit data onto an ATM network it is required to segment that data into 53 byte cells. This may be done in either hardware or in software, in the case of slower communication lines. In many instances, end users of the ATM network maintain contractual agreements with the ATM service provider. Typically, as part of these contractual agreements, applications are expected to be restricted in the average rate (i.e., speed) of data that may be generated and transmitted. In addition, applications may be allocated a certain number of cells that may be transmitted at a higher (e.g., burst) rate.
The average data rate allocated by any network should not exceed its operating capacity. The maximum burst rate is required in order to put a limit on the amount of bandwidth consumed by applications that may exceed this capacity. Another parameter critical to an application's configuration is the variance or delay between successive cells. This is called the cell delay variance (CDV). The CDV is a measure of the changes in delay experienced by other applications sharing the same ATM line. The CDV is required since multiple connections on the same line compete against each other for bandwidth. If one application is allowed to burst for a long period of time, it may starve other applications for bandwidth until it completes its transmission. For many types of applications (e.g., voice) it is critical that the longest delay between transmission slots be known. The longest delay can be guaranteed only if the maximum burst of each application is limited to a known value.
Since ATM data traffic is transmitted in 53 byte cells, which at ATM data rates is a relatively very short time, traffic pattern calculations (i.e., usage and burst) need to be very efficient. For example, at a data rate of only 2 Mbps, traffic pattern calculations must be made approximately every 220 microseconds, which is the time for the transmission of a single cell. At much higher data rates, such as 155 Mbps and 625 Mbps, the time for traffic pattern calculations decreases substantially.
Proposed algorithms for enforcing transmission rates are based on what is called a leaky bucket algorithm. Using this algorithm, data is stored in a buffer and the buffer is depleted at given time intervals. Most implementations of this algorithm require the controller that is managing the process to check the buffer at very close time intervals that are based on the time taken to transmit a single cell. It also requires the controller to calculate the precise time at which the next cell will be transmitted over the connection and only allow the cell to be transmitted at that particular time. Carrying out this requirement often involves numerous calculations which include multiplications and divisions. These are time consuming to carry out, especially in the case, for example, when bandwidth is not evenly divided. For example, one application connection may have 17% of the total bandwidth allocated to it and another application connection may have 23% allocated, etc. Calculating the precise time for next cell transmission in either case will require multiplication and division of the cell time interval.

Method for limiting the transmission of data generated by a data source


Methods for exterminating pests using compositions comprising at least one protease enzyme. A detergent component may also be utilized in such compositions.

Pesticides are commonly used in a multitude of settings, from homes, schools, and offices to manufacturing plants, cargo containers, and agricultural contexts. Most pesticides are generally insect or arachnid nervous system toxicants, inhibiting or overpotentiating synapse-synapse and/or neuro-muscular junction transmission, many acting specifically as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
Representative examples of pesticides include: 1) chlorinated phenyl and cyclodiene compounds such as DDT, chlordane, heptachlor, and aldrin and dieldrin; 2) the carbamate esters carbaryl, carbofuran, aldicarb, and baygon; 3) organic thiophosphate esters such as diazinon, malathion, parathion, and dicapthon; and 4) the synthetic pyrethroids allethrin, permethrin, resmethrin, and fenvalerate.
These and other pesticides present risks to human health. Although the rate of post-application degradation may vary widely, almost all pesticides present some direct risk to human health through residual toxicity, i.e. direct human contact with pesticide residues remaining after treatment, whether through inhalation of volatile toxic vapors, skin contact and transdermal absorption, or ingestion. In addition, many pesticides present indirect risks to human health in the form of environmental pollution, most notably pollution with persistent, halide-substituted organics, which accumulate in the fat stores of food fish and other animals. These problems have led to complete bans on the use of some pesticides—e.g., DDT, chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin, and dieldrin—while the continued use of the remaining pesticides has produced a new problem: the increasing development of widespread resistance to pesticides.
This resistance yields two results: 1) quick post-treatment reoccupation, by the same or a similar insect or arachnid, of the pesticidally-cleared area; and 2) the need and cost of continually engineering new pesticides (e.g., synthetic pyrethroids were developed because of resistance to the less toxic first generation pyrethrins). New pesticide production takes time and the new pesticides that result are almost universally more expensive than those they replace. In this context, traditional pesticides are applied on a regular, and typically increasing, basis. For example, many schools have come to be sprayed monthly or even biweekly, and with increasing quantities of pesticides to combat endemic roach re-infestations, often to no avail. This intensifies the problem of residual toxicity to people, especially to children who, as a result, may suffer headaches, grogginess, nausea, dizziness, irritability, frenetic behavior, and an impaired readiness to learn.
Because of these effects, it has been recognized that totally new approaches must be discovered and implemented in order to effectively control invertebrate pests without destroying human health and the environment. One such approach is "integrated pest management" ("IPM").
Integrated pest management utilizes a variety of ecological strategies by taking advantage of pest behaviors and natural enemies, such as parasites, predators, and/or diseases. Examples of such strategies include the use of commercially available supplies of ladybugs to treat aphid infestations, the release of sterile males into populations of pests to decrease their genetic potential, the trapping or bait-poisoning of pests responding to a pheromone attractant, the application of juvenizing hormones to pests, and the release of spores of pest-pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis.
Usually a variety of these techniques must be used together since few result in broad-spectrum pest control. However, their use alone takes a significant investment of time, labor, and attention in order to attain a threshold level of pest control: pest populations must be monitored and recorded, occupants may be required to improve their housekeeping habits, and structural problems such as cracks and gaps must be identified and repaired. In addition, it is often necessary to quickly combat acute infestations, requiring treatment with traditional pesticides in the short term, in order to readily establish the long-term controls of IPM. Moreover, many of the ecological strategies have limited applicability in indoor environments such as offices and classrooms. Therefore, there is a need for a quick-acting, effective, residually non-toxic method for combating insect, arachnid, and other pests, which may be used as a replacement for traditional pesticide treatments and as a supplement to the arsenal of currently available IPM techniques.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An image reading apparatus which can improve the operability in making various settings required for direct transmission of read image data to services on the Internet. The image reading apparatus is connected to at least one external service, which provides at least one service for image data output from the image reading apparatus via a network. Personalized service list information for personalizing the service is acquired so that the operator can use the service. A setting screen, a setting procedure, and contents of setting for the operator are personalized according to the acquired service list information. Various settings based on the setting screen, setting procedure, and contents of setting personalized for the operator are transmitted via the network to the external service, together with the image data.

Conventionally, to use e.g. a printing service on the Internet, the user accesses a site providing the service provided as a Web server on the Internet via a Web browser of a PC (personal computer). On this occasion, if an original to be printed is electronic data, it is possible to transmit the electronic data as it is to the Web server, but if an original to be printed is sheet data, it is necessary to read the sheet original using an image reading apparatus, bring electronic data obtained by reading the original to the user's PC, and then access the Web server through the user's PC to transmit the read electronic data.
According to the above conventional method, however, it is troublesome to carry out at least two operations: an operation of reading a sheet original using the image reading apparatus, and bringing image data obtained by reading the original to a user's PC, and an operation of transmitting the image data from the user's PC to a Web server.
Further, if an image reading apparatus and a PC are connected to each other on a network, the movement of the image data on the network places a burden on the network, and also a long transmission time and a long waiting time for the user are required.
To solve the above problems, it can be envisaged that read image data is directly transmitted from the image reading apparatus to a service on the Internet, but this raises the following problem.
In the case where a plurality of users share a single image reading apparatus, they have to operate an operating screen of the image reading apparatus, but the operating screen is inferior in operability in image data transmission to a user's PC. Specifically, the operating screen of the image reading apparatus is smaller than the operating screen of a PC, and is not provided with a keyboard, a mouse, and the like unlike a PC, and hence the operating screen of the image reading apparatus is inferior in operability in making various settings relating to services on the Internet as compared with a PC.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus and a personalizing method which can improve the operability in making various settings required for direct transmission of read image data to services on the Internet, a program for implementing the personalizing method, and a storage medium storing the program.

Image reading apparatus, personalizing method, program, and storage medium


An improved adhesive composition having increased insulative properties is provided. The adhesive composition having improved insulative properties includes a starch component; an alkaline component; sodium tetraborate; water; and a plurality of expandable microspheres. Products having improved insulation capabilities and methods of making the products having improved insulation capabilities are also provided. The present adhesive and products including the adhesive is environmentally friendly.

Paper board, including corrugated paper board, is commonly used to provide insulation for various products, including paper cups. Traditionally, corrugated paper board is prepared by first forming a corrugated element, or "medium", by passing a cellulosic sheet between corrugating rolls forming a substantially sinusoidal or serpentine cross-section in the sheet. The tips of the sinusoidal portion are referred to as flutes. An adhesive is commonly applied to the tips of the flutes, and a noncorrugated or planar cellulosic liner is applied against the adhesive coated flutes of the corrugated elements as the corrugated sheet passes between a corrugating roll and a pressure roll. A resulting paper product having the corrugating medium on one side and the planar liner on another side is called a single-faced web. The single-faced element may be used as is in certain applications as a liner or buffer material within a container. In some products, the adhesive is also applied to the flute tips of the single-faced web and a second liner sheet is subsequently applied to the fluted medium in a "double faced" operation. The second liner sheet is exposed to conditions of heat and pressure during its contact with the adhesive. In practice, the sheet of corrugated cardboard most frequently encountered has two plane sides placed on each side of the corrugated medium. Depending on the specific strength desired, a sheet of corrugated board may also be provided with a more complex structure, such as two corrugated mediums and three plane surfaces, two outer ones and one inner one separating the two corrugated medium.
Starch-based adhesives are most commonly used in the corrugating process due to their desirable adhesive properties, low cost and ease of preparation. The most fundamental starch corrugating adhesive, commonly referred to as a "Stein-Hall" formulation, is an alkaline adhesive that is comprised of raw, ungelatinized starch suspended in an aqueous dispersion of cooked starch. The adhesive is produced by gelatinizing starch in water with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) to yield a primary mix of gelatinized or cooked carrier, which is then slowly added to a secondary mix of raw (ungelatinized) starch, borax and water to produce the fully formulated adhesive. In conventional corrugating processes, the adhesive is applied to the tips of the fluted paper medium or single-faced board, whereupon the application of heat and pressure causes the raw starch to gelatinize, resulting in an instantaneous increase in viscosity and formation of the adhesive bond.
While typical adhesives are sufficient to adhere the various layers of the insulating paper together, these adhesives do not act as insulation themselves. Thus, in typical situations, there is required at least two layers of paper (the liner and the medium), and in many situations three layers are required (two liners and the medium). To achieve proper insulation, typical insulating products require the medium to have a fairly high amplitude in its wave pattern, requiring more paper to be used in formation of the medium. These typical formulations result in a tremendous amount of paper to be used for the product, which not only adds cost to the production but also is not environmentally sound.
The present invention seeks to improve insulating papers, through the use of an adhesive composition that adds insulative properties to the product. In addition, the adhesive and the products made therefrom are made from natural components and are environmentally conscious. The present invention provides an environmentally sound insulating adhesive that provides sufficient adhesion to the product upon which it is being applied.


An on-chip silicon-based optical coupler used to guide light from an optical fiber to a waveguide. The incoming wave is confined vertically by stacks of graded index materials. In the lateral direction, a linear taper formed by etched holes or trenches confines the wave.

The invention relates to the field of optical couplers, and in particular to optical couplers that couple light between optical fiber and on-chip optical waveguides.
Integrated Optical Circuits (IOCs) have been under development for a number of years. The designers of these circuits seek to integrate several optical functions on a single semiconductor chip. IOCs generally include waveguides formed from several layers of material. For example, in a two-dimensional planar waveguide, a core layer is sandwiched between two layers of clad material.
There is a need to couple light from optical fibers to these on-chip waveguides and vice versa. However, there are a number of other factors that complicate such coupling. First, IOCs are typically high index-contrast systems so as to provide stronger light confinement in smaller dimensions, while optical fibers are low index-contrast systems. That is, there is a much larger refractive index difference between a waveguide's core and cladding than between a fiber's core and cladding. Second, there is a mode diameter mismatch between fibers and waveguides. For example, a fiber may have a core diameter of 8–10 μm, while a single-mode waveguide core may have a width of 0.6–2 μm and thickness of 0.6–2.0 μm. Lastly, there is a mode shape mismatch. Fiber typically maintains a circular mode field, while waveguides typically maintain an elliptical mode field. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, if a fiber is directly butt-coupled to a waveguide, high power losses occur. In FIG. 1 the fiber is directly butt-coupled to the waveguide at z=4 μm.
Some common fiber-to-chip coupling schemes have arisen in an attempt to overcome such losses. To confine light in the vertical dimension, prior schemes have used GRIN lenses on the fiber-side or high silica graded index stacks on-chip. For example, Shiraishi et al in "Spot size reducer for standard SMF utilizing a graded-index fiber tip," 11th International Conference Optical Communications- Vol. 1, No. 97- pp 50–3, has demonstrated that a tip with a square-law index profile can be used as a spot size reducer. In this paper, the authors reported a method to reduce the single-mode fiber spot size to 5 μm that uses a quarter-pitch length of a graded-index fiber (GIF).
On the chip side, a planar GRIN lens on silica has been fabricated as described by Beltrami et al in "Planar graded-index (GRIN) PECVD lens," Electronics Letters-14th 96- Vol. 32; No. 6, pp 549–50. In this paper, the author varies n around 1.44 by adjusting the F doping (CF4 flow in oxide PECVD). The periodic refocusing effect of the parabolic profile is demonstrated. Use of doping to achieve the profile, however, prevents an index of refraction higher than 1.46.
To confine light in the lateral dimension, a laterally tapered waveguide has been used to couple from a photonic device to a single-mode fiber. However, a direct tapered structure has not been used for coupling from a single-mode fiber to a waveguide since there is no practical way to vertically taper an on-chip structure to provide vertical confinement. A lateral taper alone still results in high-coupling loss. One way to solve the problem is a tapered rib waveguide used in conjunction with a much bigger mesa waveguide underneath, as shown by Smith et al in "Reduced coupling loss using a tapered-rib adiabatic-following fiber coupler" IEEE Photonics Technology Letters Vol. 8, No. 8, August 96- pp 1052–4. Light is injected in the mesa, coupling up due to higher n and the tapered ridge. This device still has a size on the millimeter order.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieve or fulfills the purposes of the invention.

Vertically and laterally confined 3D optical coupler


A combination memorial and columbarium having a headstone, and an above ground base supporting the headstone. In an embodiment of the invention, one deceased person is interred in the earth ahead of the headstone, and the cremated remains of another deceased are secured in a chamber disposed in the headstone or the above-ground base. In an embodiment, at least two chambers are individually formed in an interior portion of the headstone. Each chamber has an opening providing access to the chamber and at least one of the chambers is adapted to securely hold the cremated remains of a deceased person or previously living being. Another chamber is adapted to securely and, in a sterile environment, hold the DNA material of one or more deceased individuals or previously living beings. In an embodiment, each chamber is further adapted to hold a container for securely enclosing the cremated remains of DNA of a deceased person. The chambers can either be in the headstone or the above ground base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to memorial park monuments, and more particularly to a memorial monument comprising a combined burial headstone and base, where either the headstone or the base includes a columbarium compartment adapted to hold an urn, tube or other container-like structure encasing the cremated remains of a deceased person, or other formerly living creature. The present invention further includes an additional container-like structure adapted to hold the DNA material of a deceased. The combination of the present invention contemplates that at least one person will be interred in the ground ahead of the monument, while the remains of another deceased person or formerly living creature are maintained in the urn or tube.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem that arises when one or more family members desire to be buried through interment, while other family members desire to be cremated, and all family members desire to lie in their eternal rest in the same plot of land. The present invention also provides an option to have DNA material of a deceased person or other previously living being readily available inside the monument to avoid having to exhume a body after death to obtain a sample of DNA material.
2. Prior Art
Previously, grave monuments have been created for the purpose of a headstone marking the location of an individual interred in the earth ahead of the monument, with recessed or cut-out portions in the monument to display items such as flowers, photographs, memorabilia of the deceased, and even video displays describing salient features of the life of the deceased.
In addition, columbaria of various constructions provide a resting place for urns holding the cremated remains of a deceased loved one. These columbaria normally combine shelves in vertical extending walls forming niches for placement of many cremation urns, indoors or outdoors, some having glass covers over the niches so the urn may be viewed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,124,143 to Long discloses a transparent monument for use as a headstone, having a transparent casting or plate disposed in an opening in the monument. The casting or plate has identifying indicia applied thereto. There is no teaching in the Long patent of lodging the cremated remains of an individual in the monument structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,710 to Barry discloses a customized memorial structure comprising recessed portions formed in the front wall of the monument. The Barry patent indicates that these recesses could be used to contain items such as molded figures, sports objects, and pet likenesses. There is no teaching in the Barry patent that the monument can be constructed to commemorate the lives of two individuals, one cremated whose remains are lodged in the monument, and one who chose earthen interment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,292 to Kawa discloses a cremains container that extends above the ground to provide a grave marker identifying the cremated individual. The cremains container can also hold memorabilia of the deceased. In the Kawa patent, the marker only identifies the single cremated remains. This patent does not teach a monument for identifying the deceased individuals, one whose cremated remains are disposed in the monument, and the other whose remains were interred in the earth.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D89,766 to Hull discloses a burial monument with a compartment for removably holding a portrait and vases. There is no disclosure in the Hull reference that the monument comprises structure to securely house the cremated remains of one individual who is identified on the monument, and to identify a second individual who chose earthen interment with the monument holding the cremated remains also functioning as a headstone identifying the second individual.
French Patent No. 91, 11567 discloses a process for cutting a core or cores from a tombstone or tombstone slab, cutting discs from the core, hollowing the core, and creating urns from the core with the discs used to cap the urns. French Patent No. 91, 11567 does not appear to disclose a headstone that is supported by the base above ground, and a base that seals openings to a chamber individually formed in the headstone. Additionally, there is no disclosure in the French patent of two chambers or urns in an inner portion of the headstone, one of which is adapted to hold the DNA material of a previously living being, the other adapted to hold the cremated remains of a previously living being.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,721 to Forbes discloses a marker and cremated remains holder base that is placed underground. Forbes does not disclose a separate headstone and a base, the base supporting the headstone, a chamber in the headstone, the chamber having an opening communicating with the bottom of a headstone, and the base sealing the opening when the headstone is supported by the base. Additionally, Forbes does not disclose two chambers or urns in an inner portion of the headstone, one of which is adapted to hold the DNA material of a previously living being, the other adapted to hold the cremated remains of a previously living being.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,703 to Mattis discloses a burial monument and memorabilia storage compartment mounted on a base. Again, Mattis does not disclose a chamber or urn in the headstone, the chamber having an opening communicating with the bottom of a headstone, and the base sealing the opening when the headstone is supported by the base. Mattis also does not disclose two chambers or urns in an inner portion of the headstone, one of which is adapted to hold the DNA material of a previously living being, the other adapted to hold the cremated remains of a previously living being.
As a review of the prior art reveals, headstones which also provide an option to hold the DNA material of a deceased individual in combination with the cremated remains of the same or another individual, are not found nor suggested in the prior art.


A hinge resistively holds an orientation between first and second members. The hinge has an elongated shaft with a head mating with a bore in the first member. A key is rotatably disposed on an axel portion of the shaft and has a tab mating with a slot in the second member. A friction ring is disposed on the shaft adjacent the key, and keyed to rotated with the shaft. The friction ring and the key have opposing bearing surfaces to hold their relative position by friction. One of the friction ring and the key can have a dimple while the other has a detent. A spring is carried by the shaft and biases the key and the friction ring together.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a friction hinge. More particularly, the present invention relates to a friction hinge for a keyboard folio for a tablet computer.
Related Art
Laptop computers can have a keyboard pivotally coupled to a screen by a hinge. Similarly, folios for tablet computers can include a hinge. Such hinges can be subject to force and abuse, and can become a failure point.

Friction resistance hinge with auto-lock

ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc.


In a piston pump (1) having a differential piston (12) positioned in a cylindrical housing (11) and translationally drivable, a first pressure chamber (13) of the differential piston (12) is connectable to a second pressure chamber (14) via a check valve (16) inserted into a connecting line (15), and to a storage reservoir (2) via an inlet valve (23). The differential piston (12) is provided with a dipping piston (41) attached to a piston rod (31). In addition, a pass-through (32) of the piston rod (31) from the first pressure chamber (13) is closed fluid-tight by seals (34), and a transport line (22) is positioned laterally offset from or concentric to the piston rod (31) in the vicinity of the pass-through (32) of the latter.

In a piston pump of this type manufactured by J. Wagner GmbH, Markdorf, Germany, under the designation HC 12000G, there is an inlet valve upline from the differential piston having a ball as its valve gate, which is opened during a suction motion of the differential piston, so that the medium to be processed is drawn into the first pressure chamber. At the same time, the medium located in the second pressure chamber is fed to the implement, and the second pressure chamber is filled again by medium flowing from the first pressure chamber. Thus continuous transport is provided during both displacement motions of the differential piston.
Although operating pressures up to 230 bar can be produced with this piston pump, the inlet valve sometimes does not close the first pressure chamber reliably during a displacement motion in the direction of the inlet valve, so that medium is pushed back into the storage reservoir. But it is particularly disadvantageous that when viscous media are processed, the first pressure chamber is often not completely filled during an intake stroke. As a result, the flow to the implement is not constant, and brief interruptions occur, so that the delivery flow may possibly break off and/or layers of varying thickness may be applied. Air pockets may also form in the medium, which have an undesirable effect on the processing of the medium.


A power control latch which is connected to an electronic device having first and second parts which are movable relative to each other between a first position and a second position. The power control latch includes first and second electrically conductive members and a nonconductive member. The first and second electrically conductive members are connected to the first part of the electronic device and the nonconductive member is connected to, and extends outwardly from, the second part. When the first and second parts of the electronic device are in the first position, the first and second electrically conductive members are electrically connected to conduct power. When the first and second parts of the electronic device are in the second position, the nonconductive member extends between the first and second conductive members and prevents electrical connection therebetween.

Split keyboards for computer terminals, in which a conventional keyboard is divided into a plurality of cooperating sections with keys, are known and are desirable for many reasons. The cooperating sections of the keyboard can be folded relative to each other to occupy a small space for storage, such as with a laptop or palmtop computer, and can be relatively positioned to provide comfort to a user during operation of the keyboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,728 to Goldstein and U.S. Patent Application No. (Not Yet Assigned) to Kurokawa et al., Attorney Docket No. 8194-116 and filed Sep. 15, 1997, both disclose split keyboards having mutually detachable or pivotable keyboard sections.
Conventional keyboards can include a power control key which toggles On/Off the flow of power in the keyboard to electrical circuitry, such as to circuits for wireless communication with a computer, or to an attached computer. Accidental actuation of the power key is particularly troublesome for wireless split keyboards which tend to be moved about while stored and where a battery provides a limited power supply life for keyboard circuitry, such as for wireless communication circuitry. Power control keys have been recessed in the keyboard to minimize any accidental actuation of power.


Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for secure offline transmission of a plurality of data segments from a sending device to one or more receiving devices. The sending device and the one or more receiving devices may communicate via an offline local network. A secure, encrypted container may be created at the receiving device to temporarily cache the received data segments one at a time and the encrypted storage container prevents access by one or more applications of the receiving device to data stored therein based on storage instructions from the sending device. The encrypted container may be configured to store the data segments such that less than all of the data segments are stored at the receiving device at any one time.

Users of computing devices often desire to share content or data with computing devices of other users. For example, a user of a mobile device may take a photo of a group of friends and want to share that picture with the other people in the photo. In another example, speakers may wish to share the contents of a display of a computing device to other computing devices while giving a speech. Typically, sharing content or data between computing devices uses the Internet or other online networks that include safeguards such as firewalls and encryption to ensure that the shared content is secure during transmission. In offline environments, sharing of data or content may occur from device-to-device through file sharing applications that transmit the data from a sending device to a receiving device.


An optical obstructing sensing system is described. Control signals are optically transmitted across the obstruction sensing area thereby obviating the need for a physical connection between the array of emitters and receivers which define the obstruction sensing area. Optical commands control the scanning functions of the obstruction sensing array. The optical conditions in the obstruction sensing area are analysed by means of optical beams transmitted from one side of the obstruction sensing area to the other. In this manner, corrections for ambient light, obstruction sensing array geometry, and spurious signals may be accounted for and inappropriate compensation made. The invention further describes an obstruction sensing method where the decision as to whether an obstruction is present in the sensing area depends on the optical environment, geometry of the obstruction sensing area and intervening obstructions. These factors are taken into account in deciding whether a valid obstruction event is detected. The invention may find particular application in elevator doors, industrial machinery or similar applications.

In the prior art, it has been recognised that an effective method of detecting an object intruding into or through a specified area is by monitoring an array of light beams spanning that area. Such an arrangement of optical paths as are known in the art can be created by the sequential activation of pairs of infra-red transmitters and receivers. Sequential high speed scanning of the infra-red transmitters and receivers effectively creates a screen of beams. In the event that an obstruction breaks one of more beams, an intrusion condition is sensed and appropriate action can be taken. In the case of elevator doors, such an obstruction event would normally activate a relay which halts or reverses the movement of the door.
Such elevator door sensing systems must be able to detect the presence of passengers or obstacles between the doors at all door positions and numerous systems have been proposed to achieve this.
Many systems known in the art use infra-red transmitters and sensors to establish the screen of beams in the area between the lift doors. Systems such as these can be prone to interference from ambient light impinging on the sensors. This results in spurious noise signals which can render the door obstruction detection system inoperative leading to inconvenience to lift passengers.
It is well known in the art to strobe the emitter/receiver array thereby creating a `screen` or `wall` of optical paths in the area between the doors. However, this requires communication across the door gap so that triggering or detector selection pulses may be communicated from a controller to the components of the emitter/detector array. This is conventionally achieved by means of a physical electrical connection between the doors, such as a cable. By necessity, this type of mechanical arrangement is usually movable as it is attached between the door units or a single door and slamming post. Any such connection is therefore prone to wear from repeated open/close cycles of the elevator doors.
Also, many prior art detection techniques operate by merely detecting either the absence or presence of an optical signal and triggering the door-opening mechanism accordingly. This does not allow for the possibility for small or variable signals being valid optical signals (ie.; those corresponding to an unbroken beam) and therefore such detection systems can produce unnecessary obstruction triggering events. Variable signals can be the result of aging of optical emitters and detectors, deterioration of the optical properties of the mounting construction and variations in the ambient optical conditions in the obstruction detection area.
In situations where the elevator doors are close, ie.; just prior to closure, the light beam intensity in the obstruction detection area may be sufficiently high that a hand or a similar obstruction will not break the light beam and no door obstruction event will be triggered. Human flesh does not attenuate high intensity infra-red wavelengths completely, therefore this effect is particularly significant if infra-red transmitters are used.
Another difficulty is that an obstruction which is close to a reflective surface in the detection area, can produce an optical signal resulting in spurious detection signals. Such a reflective surface might be the sill of the car door. It is therefore desirable to be able to distinguish between reflection, low intensity signals, and direct signals.


A Cr/Tm/Er-doped, yttrium- or lutetium-garnet host material crystal for a solid-state laser, wherein about 3 to about 8 atomic percent of the yttrium or lutetium, respectively, crystallographic sites are occupied by Tm.sup.3+ ions, about 7 to about 22 atomic percent of the yttrium or lutetium, respectively, crystallographic sites are occupied by Er.sup.3+ ions, and about 0.6 to about 1.6 atomic percent of the octahedral sites of the garnet structure are occupied by Cr.sup.3+ ions, which crystal lases under the influence of a pumping means at a wavelength of no more than about 2.7.mu..

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laser compositions which significantly increase the efficiency of chromium/thulium/erbium-doped garnet lasers and permits improved output at lower wavelengths than previously known for this type of laser.
2. Prior Art
Chromiumlthulium/erbium("CTE")-doped garnet lasers are known in the art and have found utility in a variety of applications. Similarly, the existence of numerous Er.sup.3+ energy state transitions is well known. In particular, previous workers in the art have learned that lasing at an IR frequency of 2.95.mu. involves the transition .sup.4 I.sub.11/2 to .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 and Stark levels X.sub.2 to Y.sub.7. This transition results in reasonably efficient laser action at room temperature when the erbium concentration in the garnet host, preferably YAG, exceeds about 30% of the yttrium sites. However, while the 2.96.mu. wavelength laser is an excellent tool for medicine and various other applications related to the oxygen-hydrogen bond stretching vibration of water molecules, it has one very serious shortcoming: it cannot be efficiently transferred via common silica fiber. It is advantageous for practical use of lasers to deliver the laser beam via an optical fiber. Most common optical fibers are made from silica, or phosphate glass compounds, but their performance is limited to a maximum wavelength of about 2.8.mu.. The laser beam with wavelength of 2.95.mu. must therefore be delivered via sapphire or fluoride fibers, which are not yet perfected and are more costly. A laser operating at about 2.7.mu., preferably at room temperature, with sufficient power would offer numerous benefits for most medical applications, as well as the many related applications.

2.7 .mu.M laser crystalline material utilizing multiple-channel optical pumping