A method for performing patient specific analysis of disease relevant changes of a disease in an anatomical structure of interest is provided. The method comprises determining a percentage of the anatomical structure that is encompassed by a diseased tissue region using a patient specific healthy tissue model. The method then comprises determining the amount or spatial distribution or a combination thereof of tissue volume variation due to the disease in the anatomical structure based on the percentage of the anatomical structure encompassed by the diseased tissue region and an estimated original amount of tissue.

The invention relates generally to a method and system for processing medical image data to aid in the detection and diagnosis of disease. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system for processing medical image data to perform patient specific analysis of disease relevant changes in diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death in the United States and other countries. COPD has two main disease processes, namely, tissue destruction (emphysema) and airway inflammation (chronic bronchitis). At present, there is no known treatment that can reverse the progress of the disease. At best, the progress of the disease can only be halted. Thus, there is a premium placed on its early disease diagnosis and treatment. With early diagnosis and effective treatment, a patient's quality of life can be improved.
COPD is identified based on symptoms including coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath (dyspnea). COPD includes a number of respiratory diseases, the most prominent of which are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD affects large airways, small airways and parenchyma in patients. Diseases are typically caused by smoking and air pollution, and are linked to genetic predisposition causing alpha-anti-elastase deficiency.
Emphysema, or airspace destruction, is the most prominent feature of parenchymal change in COPD patients. Emphysema is the result of the loss of elastic recoil of lung tissue. There are four types of emphysema: centrilobular, panlobular or panacinar, distal acinar or paraseptal, and irregular. The first two types contribute to the majority of emphysematous COPD. The classification is based on the anatomical distribution of airspace destruction within a lobule, which is a cluster of acini. Currently, emphysema can be classified only through post mortem examination. Emphysema is typically diagnosed by gross physiological responses, medical imaging and post mortem anatomical inspection.
An X-ray chest radiograph system is the more commonly used diagnostic tool for the purpose of detecting lung disease in humans. Lung diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer are also detectable in Computed Tomography (CT). However, CT systems generally provide over 80 separate images for a single CT scan thereby providing a considerable amount of information to a radiologist for use in interpreting the images and detecting suspect regions that may indicate disease.
The use of high resolution CT image data is a promising technique for diagnosing diseases of the lung. However, in diseases such as emphysema, it is difficult for a radiologist to classify the extent of disease progression by only looking at the CT images since one of the more prominent disease indicators of emphysema is degradation of the alveoli and other tissue changes of the lung, which are currently difficult to measure from CT image data.
Some known diagnosis techniques have attempted to use simple CT images to attempt to quantify emphysema. Some of these techniques include using feature-based analysis, CT metrics such as density masks, AMFM and fractal analysis. However, the above techniques are not based on an underlying model of the disease and the reliability of the results obtained with these techniques can be affected by variable scan parameters and scanner calibration as well as other disease pathologies. In addition, known techniques do not provide estimates of the rate or location of tissue destruction, are not based on "patient specific statistics", and typically only provide evidence of the progression of the disease for a patient based on population statistics.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and system for measuring disease relevant tissue changes in medical images to enable the diagnosis and tracking of various forms of COPD. Also, what is needed is a method and system for performing "patient specific analysis" of disease relevant changes of diseases such as COPD.

Method and system for performing patient specific analysis of disease relevant changes of a disease in an anatomical structure


Device for guiding an element in an orifice in a wall of a turbomachine combustion chamber, including a ring and a bush, the ring being traversed axially by the element and including an external annular rim guided transversely in an internal annular channel of the bush, the ring and the bush delimiting around the element a cylindrical annular passage opening into the chamber, air circulation being provided in the ring and/or in the bush and distributed about their axis so as to establish an air circulation in the cylindrical passage from the outside of the combustion chamber toward the inside.

The present invention relates to a device for guiding an element, such as a spark igniter or a starting injector, extending in an orifice in a wall of a turbomachine combustion chamber.
An annular turbomachine combustion chamber is delimited by coaxial axisymmetric walls which extend one inside the other and which are connected at their upstream ends by an annular chamber endwall comprising air supply orifices and fuel feed means.
The external wall of the chamber comprises, in the vicinity of its upstream end, at least one passage orifice for a spark igniter intended to initiate the combustion of the fuel/air mixture in the chamber. In certain cases, starting injectors, independent of the aforementioned fuel feed means, are likewise mounted in orifices in the external wall and distributed about the axis of the chamber, in order to improve initiation of the combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the chamber, one of these injectors being situated in the vicinity of the or of each spark igniter.
During operation of the turbomachine, the internal and external walls of the combustion chamber expand thermally and are subjected to considerable vibrations, which leads to relative displacements between the external wall of the chamber and the elements (igniters and starting injectors) which are mounted in orifices in this wall and which are supported by an external casing of the combustion chamber.
To compensate for these relative displacements, use is made of devices for guiding these elements which each comprise a ring and a bush which are substantially coaxial and mounted one inside the other, the ring being intended to be traversed axially by the element and comprising an external annular rim guided transversely in an internal annular channel of the bush which is intended to be fastened to the edge of the orifice in the external wall of the chamber.
The ring and the bush delimit around the element a cylindrical annular passage opening into the chamber and inside which can penetrate small quantities of air/fuel mixture which, after a certain time, result in the formation of coke between the device and the element and may therefore interfere with the guidance of the element by the device. Furthermore, the formation of coke may promote the creation of hot points that can weaken the device and the element. Finally, the deposition of coke on a spark igniter may disturb the ignition of the air/fuel mixture.


A floatation attachment system may include a floatation attachment device configured to be attached to an object. The floatation attachment device may include a floatation material configured to provide buoyancy to the object it attaches and an attachment surface configured to directly attach the object. The floatation material may include a material that expands or generates gas upon contact with water. The system may include a dispenser such as a sheet of pre-cut floatation attachment devices or for manual cutting for customized shapes and sizes. In one instance, the system includes a tape roll dispenser for dispensing floatation attachment devices from a roll.

Personal items are often carried or used near bodies of water where they are at risk of falling into the water and being ruined or lost to the watery abyss. Current solutions include key floats that couple to keys via a key ring, floating sunglasses straps that couple between temple tips of ear pieces and wrap around the back of a wearer's head, and floatation housings for phones. These solutions are bulky and obtrusive. What is needed are improved solutions to prevent items such as cell phones, keys, jewelry, and sunglasses from sinking when dropped into a body of water.


A light control system having a full range of dimming for smart-glass by providing an interface between an off-the-shelf dimmer and a electrochromic glass device is disclosed herein. The light control system or electrochromic glass control device acts as an interface that converts an asymmetric alternating current (AC) power signal from the dimmer device into a symmetric, amplitude controlled AC output signal for controlling the tint of the smart-glass device. The electrochromic glass control device includes a powerline interface circuit that receives the asymmetric AC power signal from the dimmer. A controller connects to the powerline interface circuit to generate a control signal responsive to the asymmetric AC power signal. Connecting between the dimmer and the controller, an output stage generates the symmetrical AC output signal responsive to the control signal to control the electrochromic glass device.

The twenty-first century has been marked by growing integration of technology within commercial buildings and residential homes. Smart homes of this new millennium have independent networks controlling various systems including communications, entertainment, lighting, heating, and security. More homes today are built with expansive great rooms, combination media rooms, cathedral ceilings, large architectural windows and other features that affect the distribution of both natural and electric light. Of particular interest to many architects, developers and builders is chromogenics. Chromogenics is the process by which 'smart' windows automatically change from light to dark in response to an environmental condition or in response to an applied voltage, altering the amount of light permitted into a room.
There are several technologies for smart-window applications which may be categorized into two separate categories. The first is "passive" where no electrical charge is needed to alter the amount of light permitted to radiate through the glass. Smart-glass that falls into this category reacts to environmental conditions, wherein the opacity of the glass is altered. Thermotropics and photochromics fall into this category. Thermotropics respond to environmental heating conditions and photocromics darkens in direct response to sunlight. While these technologies are cost efficient, they may not be the most practical applications for smart-glass in commercial or residential buildings.
The second category is "active" where the user controls the opacity of the glass. This category requires an electrical charge to change opacity of the smart-glass. Specifically, these technologies are liquid crystal, suspended particle devices, electrochromics, and reflective hybrids. Liquid crystals respond to an electrical charge by aligning perpendicular to the charged surface, allowing light to pass. When the electrical charge is absent, these liquid crystals become randomly oriented. The disadvantage of liquid crystals is that there are no intermediate light settings, wherein the smart-glass remains either clear or opaque.
Another technology used in a smart-window application utilizes small light-absorbing microscopic particles known as suspended particle devices (SPD). These particles line up in straight lines perpendicular to the conductive layer, enabling light to pass through the smart-glass. Once the voltage is removed, these particles move back into a random pattern. The disadvantage of SPD technology is that the smart-glass must be continually charged in order for the windows to appear transparent. This solution is not the most cost efficient.
Reflective hybrids, however, reflect light as oppose to absorbing light as with the SPD. This type of smart-glass includes a layer of nickel-magnesium alloy sandwiched between two glass panels which may be controlled to switch back and forth between a transparent and reflective state. This type of smart-glass is controlled by a low voltage or injection of hydrogen or oxygen gases.
The most practical and safe technology for smart-glass applications is electrochromic glass. Electrochromic windows darken when a voltage is applied and are transparent when the voltage is removed. Specifically, within electrochromic glass, an electrochromic film layer is applied to an ion conductor which layers on top of an ion storage layer. These three layers are sandwiched between two panels of glass or plastic each coated with a conductive oxide. A control device manually or automatically controls the voltage applied to the conductive oxide. When energized by an electrical current, a chemical reaction begins within the electrochromic film that makes the film change color. The chemical reaction is oxidation reaction wherein molecules of a compound loose an electron. Ions in the sandwiched electrochromic layers enable the material to change from opaque to transparent. The ions allow the electrochromic glass to absorb light. Thus, specifically, when a voltage is applied to the conductive oxide layers formed on the panels of glass, the voltage drives the ions from the ion storage layer through the ion conducting layer and into the electrochromic layer. This reaction effectively enables the electrochromic layer to function as a light valve by changing color when energized by this voltage. As a result, the electrochromic layer becomes opaque and blocks light by darkening when a voltage is applied to the conductive coating on the panels of glass. When the amount of voltage is decreased, the ions are driven out of the electrochromic layer into the ion storage layer. When the ions leave the electrochromic layer, the window lightens and regains its transparency. Once the voltage is removed, the film changes back to a translucent film, effectively allowing the light to pass from one glass panel to the next. An electrochromic smart window only requires electricity to generate the chemical reaction, whereby the window maintains its color without having constant application of a voltage.
More particularly, switchable glazings, more commonly referred to as "E-Glass", is an emerging category of glass structures having an electrochromic glass that use an electrical voltage to modify the amount of light passing through the glass by adjusting the opacity of the glass. Switchable glazings have applicability for a growing number of product applications including windows, interior partitions, skylights, appliances, instruments, advertising signage and more. In addition, switchable glazings can be used to control light glare and heat entering an office or a home. Interest in switchable glazing technology is influenced by many factors, including a growing movement to offer energy-efficient building solutions, and the emerging desire by users to maintain greater control over their working and living environments.
In particular, smart-glass allows a designer to design a multipurpose room for optimal home theater lighting without incorporating automatic blinds or curtains. Moreover, the glass helps maintain room temperature. Manufacturers also claim acoustic benefits, such as noise reduction, and improved air quality from smart-glass. Specifically, using EGlass, one is able to control the amount of sun entering a room without having to adjust the window-shades. In addition, one is able to obtain privacy without closing the curtains. EGlass eliminates the requirement for mechanical shades, blinds and other window coverings and opens up many design possibilities, particularly for odd shaped and hard-to-reach windows and skylights. A line of revolutionary windows, doors skylights and interior partitions, EGlass products electronically tint, shade and give privacy with the touch of a button.
To provide the feature of dimming the opacity within the smart-glass, one approach may be desirable to adjust the tint using a standard off-the-shelf light dimmer to adjust the voltage applied to the smart-glass. However, the characteristics of a typical dimmer are not directly compatible with the electrical characteristics of a smart-glass device. Several different lighting controls from various sources, including Lutron, have been used to offer discrete dimming of the glass but not full range continuous dimming. Thus, at the present, there are no current products that can offer a full range of dimming for the smart-glass.
A need exists for a lighting control that offers a full range of dimming for smart-glass.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.


For steering a drill bit, a trajectory control sub has a lower part adjustable relative to the upper part to produce an axial bend to angularly offset the drill bit so that drilling proceeds along a curved path. Adjustable stabilizer blades are mounted on the sub and are movable between extended positions and retracted positions. An actuator is provided which selectively maintains the drill bit in axial alignment with the section of borehole being drilled, and which is actuable to move the blades into their retracted positions and subsequently, with the blades in their retracted positions, to effect tilting of the lower part relative to the upper part to produce the axial bend leading to tilting of the drill bit.

This invention relates to the steering of a drill bit at the end of a drill string within a borehole to permit drilling of the borehole along a deviated path.
It is known to drill a section of borehole along a deviated path with respect to the vertical by use of a downhole trajectory control device which causes the drill bit located at the end of the drill string to be tilted to permit drilling at an inclined angle with respect to the immediately preceding section of the borehole. Such a trajectory control device may be constituted by a bent sub or a bent motor housing which may be installed in the bottomhole assembly close to the drill bit so as to angularly offset the drill bit so that, when the drill string is maintained at a required angular orientation, rotation of the drill bit by a downhole motor results in drilling along a curved path.
Conventionally, when drilling is to be initiated along a deviated path, the drill string is withdrawn from the borehole to enable a bottomhole assembly incorporating a bent sub or bent motor housing to be fitted to the end of the drill string before the drill string is again introduced into the borehole. However such tripping of the drill string may result in a substantial loss of drilling time.
It is also known to make use of a trajectory control device, such as a variable angle bent sub, which is adapted to permit the curvature of the section of deviated borehole being drilled, that is the so-called "build rate", to be varied without requiring the drill string to be withdrawn from the borehole to change the bottomhole assembly. Such a variable angle bent sub is disclosed in GB 1494273 and is controllable from the surface to vary the angle of the bend in the sub.
It is also known to make use of a trajectory control device in the form of a variable stabilizer, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4821817, in which equiangularly distributed stabilizer blades, which normally engage the borehole wall in order to centre the drill string within the borehole, are retractable in order to permit the drilling angle of the drill bit to be changed. Control of such a trajectory control device may be effected by operation of the mud pump at the surface to change the flow rate of the drilling mud which is pumped down the borehole to lubricate the drill bit and bring the drilling cuttings to the surface.
However these various trajectory control devices suffer from a number of disadvantages in use, either because they are difficult to control and do not operate satisfactorily in the field, or because they suffer from inherent limitations in use. Thus, for example, the use of a bent motor housing suffers from the disadvantage that, in order to drill a relatively straight section of borehole with a bottomhole assembly including such a bent motor housing, it is necessary to simultaneously rotate the drill string and actuate the downhole motor, and this results in eccentric rotation of the drill bit producing a section of borehole (of, it is believed, helical shape) of a greater internal diameter than is usual, thus increasing bit wear, producing higher static and dynamic stresses in the bottomhole assembly and increasing drill string rotating torque and axial drag.
In this specification terms such as "upper", "lower" and "bottom" are used for convenience to denote parts which have such an orientation in the drill string when the drill string extends substantially vertically downwardly in a borehole. However it will be understood that these parts may have a different orientation when the bottomhole assembly is in a section of borehole which deviates substantially from the vertical, and which may even be substantially horizontal.
It is an object of the invention to provide novel means for steering the drill bit which overcomes many of the disadvantages of known trajectory control devices.


The invention relates to a leakage treatment member (50) and an exhaust aftertreatment unit (40) configured to be sealingly arranged in a fluid passage (30) of an exhaust aftertreatment system for treating exhaust from an internal combustion engine, said exhaust aftertreatment unit (40) comprising an exhaust aftertreatment element (42) confined by an outer wall (44) of said exhaust aftertreatment unit, said leakage treatment member being configured to be arranged between:—an inner perimeter (32) of the fluid passage of the exhaust aftertreatment system, and—the outer wall of the exhaust aftertreatment unit, the leakage treatment member comprising an exhaust aftertreatment component for aftertreatment of any leakage of exhaust gases past said aftertreatment unit in said fluid passage.

Exhaust aftertreatment systems, e.g., on trucks and busses are arranged to reduce emissions of soot particles and nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the exhaust gases from internal combustion engines.
Numerous designs of exhaust aftertreatment systems are available. Exhaust aftertreatment systems may comprise, for example, a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) unit for oxidising gas emissions like hydrocarbon (HC) and/or carbon monoxide (CO) and/or Nitric Oxide (NO), a diesel particulate filter (DPF) unit to remove particles from the exhaust, and/or a Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) unit to remove NOx, e.g. by reducing NOx to nitrogen (N2)+Oxygen (O2) from the exhaust gases. When an SCR unit is present, the exhaust aftertreatment system may further comprise an arrangement for addition of urea and/or ammonia to the exhaust, and/or an ammonia slip catalyst (ASC).
One known design of an exhaust aftertreatment system involves a diesel particulate filter (DPF) being arranged in a steel sleeve, which in turn is arranged in a fluid passage for exhaust gases coming from the internal combustion engine. The DPF and sleeve arrangement allows for the removal and replacement of the unit. The steel sleeve carrying the diesel particular filter (DPF) is sealingly arranged in the fluid passage to ensure that the exhaust gas flow from the engine passes through the DPF and does not pass around the outside of the sleeve.
For example, US 2005 0056008 A1 relates to a diesel particulate removing apparatus made up of an outer cylinder being attached, in an embedded manner, to an exhaust gas path of a diesel engine and having apertures on sides of flow-in and flow-out of diesel exhaust gas and two or more filter units being housed in the outer cylinder to collect or to collect and burn particulates contained in the diesel exhaust gas to remove them.
There is a continuous need to improve the function of exhaust aftertreatment arrangements, so as to reduce the environmental impact of the exhaust gases, and so as to continuously meet harder legislation in the field.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Exhaust aftertreatment unit for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine


Systems and methods of analyzing the distribution of weight of animals, including a base member, a plurality of sensor regions connected to the base member to respectively receive feet of the animal when the animal is standing, each sensor region having a plurality of sensors to generate signals indicative of weight applied by each foot to a respective sensor region, at least a portion of the sensors being located between the base member and the sensor regions and spaced apart proximate perimeter portions of each sensor region, and a control unit to generate an output indicative of the weight applied by each foot to the respective sensor regions based on an aggregation of the generated signals.

It is often desirable to analyze the stance of four legged animals such as dogs in order to detect and treat problems of stability and/or lameness caused by paw, leg, or other ailments. Attempts have been made in the field of veterinary medicine to measure the forces and timing of forces applied to the legs or hoofs of four-legged animals such as horses and other animals. This type of information is not only helpful for determining the stress applied to a hoof, but may also be used as a diagnostic tool to analyze gait, stride, lameness and other symptoms which occur as a result of an animal's natural motion. Furthermore, this data can be especially useful in the treatment of animals in order to prevent the development of undesirable ambulatory mechanics if the hoof or leg injuries are left undetected and untreated.

Systems and methods of analyzing stance of animals


A lock bolt extendible and retractable by movement of a power transmission assembly driven by an actuator and having a cam thereon which cams against the lock bolt to retract the lock bolt and unlock the steering column. In some embodiments, the cam has a curved surface with varying distance from the axis of rotation of the cam or pivot to improved lock bolt motion. The cam can have a gradual ramp surface to extract a lock bolt even in binding conditions of the lock bolt.

Numerous devices and methods exist for locking a vehicle steering column from movement or for otherwise rendering the steering structure of a vehicle unusable. Most commonly, such devices and methods prevent the steering column from being rotated to steer the vehicle. The vehicle can be a car, van, truck, motorcycle, bus, or all-terrain vehicle having a number of wheels, a boat with one or more rudders, a snowmobile with skis, any vehicle having one or more tracks, and the like. A steering column lock used in any such vehicle is typically employed to prevent vehicle theft or unauthorized use.
A popular and well-known mechanism for locking a steering column is a lock bolt that is directly or indirectly releasably engagable with the steering column. Such engagement can be by removable insertion of the lock bolt into a groove, a notch, teeth, or other aperture or feature in the steering column or in a gear, plate, or other element connected to the steering column. Also, the lock bolt can be spring-biased into a locking position in a number of different manners. A mechanism is normally provided for retracting the lock bolt from the steering column (whether against spring-loaded force or otherwise) for vehicle operation. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the mechanism can retract the lock bolt in response to user insertion and turning of a key or in response to one or more signals from a control system coupled to an actuator driving the mechanism.
A familiar problem with many conventional steering column locks is the ability of the lock bolt to be retracted from its locked position while torque is exerted upon the steering column. Such a force can bind the lock bolt to prevent or resist retraction of the lock bolt from its locked position, and can present retraction problems regardless of whether the lock bolt is retracted by mechanical force from turning a key or by an actuator driving the lock bolt as described above. For example, after the lock bolt has been extended to a locked position into a groove, notch, or other aperture as described above, a turning force from the front wheels can bind the lock bolt in this position. In many cases, the user must turn the steering wheel to release the binding force upon the lock bolt in order to turn the ignition key, retract the lock bolt, and thereby unlock the steering column.
While lock bolt binding is not necessarily a critical design flaw in conventional manually-actuated steering column locks, it can present greater problems in newer steering column locks that are not mechanically connected to an ignition lock cylinder for actuation thereby. For example, with the introduction in recent years of vehicle security systems in which a steering column lock is locked and unlocked by an electronic controller connected to one or more steering column lock actuators, there is little need to locate a vehicle's ignition control (e.g., switch, button, and the like) adjacent to the steering column lock. The ignition control can be directly or indirectly connected to the steering column lock by wiring alone, and therefore can be located almost anywhere in the vehicle. Also, in some cases the steering column lock need not necessarily be responsive to the ignition control of the vehicle, but can instead be responsive to a lock controller operable independently of the vehicle's ignition control. However, without the ability of a user to mechanically manipulate the lock bolt as in most older steering column lock designs described above, reliable lock bolt disengagement can be a significant problem, particularly when the lock bolt is subjected to binding forces.
In light of the problems and limitations of conventional steering column locks, new steering column lock designs would be welcome in the art.

Steering column lock apparatus and method


A gripper assembly of the invention for a baking pan stacking and unstacking device includes a pick-up bar and at least one holding assembly carried on the pick-up bar. In one embodiment of the invention, the gripper assembly includes a first holding assembly having a first finger element pivotally mounted on the pick-up bar. A second holding assembly is provided having a second finger element pivotally mounted on the pick-up bar. A mechanical linkage is pivotally connected to the first and second finger elements such that pivotal movement of the first finger element causes pivotal movement of the second finger element. In another embodiment of the inventions the gripper assembly includes one pivotal holding assembly and one reciprocally movable holding assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to stacking and unstacking devices and, more particularly, to a device for stacking and unstacking baking pans using a gripper assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the baking industry, empty baking pans are generally stored in single stacks on movable pan trucks or at designated locations on the floor of the bakery. The baking pans are typically rectangular and have a number of individual baking forms located in the pan. A stacker machine stacks the pans in a single, vertical stack. This stack can then be transported to a new location near the oven by moving the pan truck on which the pans are stacked or by a conventional automatic storage and retrieval system. At the new location, a separate unstacker machine unstacks the stacked pans, one at a time. The unstacker machine picks up the top pan from the stack of pans and transports this pan onto a conveyor leading to the bakery processing system. As the pan moves through the bakery processing system, the material to be baked is introduced into the pan and the filed pan is moved to the oven for baking. When baking is completed, the baking pan is typically moved from the oven by a conveyor and another stacker machine removes the baking pans one at a time from the conveyor and stacks the pans in a single column.
These single stack stacker and unstacker machines have certain disadvantages. For example, these machines generally stack or unstack the baking pans in a single, vertical stack or column. Further, these machines must be preset by an operator for a particular pan size and must be reset if the pan size used in the baking process changes. Additionally, these known stacker and unstacker machines typically use a magnetic pick-up device to magnetically lift the top pan of the stack and transport it to its destination. These magnetic pick-up devices can damage the baking surface of the pan. Further, these magnetic pick-up devices are prone to picking up two or more pans, particularly if the adjacent upper pans happen to be stuck together. In addition, since only a single stack of pans is transported to or from a particular location, the stacker and unstacker machines must operate at a relatively high speed in order to continually move the necessary number of pans, one at a time, to or from the designated stack. This greatly increases the wear and tear on the stacker and unstacker machines.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for stacking and unstacking a plurality of pans, each from a separate pan stack. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which picks up the pans without damaging the baking surface of the pans and which easily adapts for use with a wide variety of pan sizes. It is also an object of the invention to provide a bakery processing system utilizing the stacking and unstacking device of the present invention to provide for smooth and efficient pan stacking, unstacking and transport in the bakery processing system.


The present invention relates to a current multiplier primarily in the field of power conversion. The invention relates to a controlled current multiplier with a resonant winding to assist with, for example, power conversion. In particular, but not solely, the invention may broadly consist in a current multiplier comprising: a primary winding associated with a power source; a secondary winding associated with a load; a resonant winding associated with a capacitance; and a control means for controlling an output of the secondary winding to the load, the control means associated with the primary or resonant winding. This allows, for instance, control of the high current output to be placed on a low current winding.

In the instrumentation of power electronics circuits a device of considerable use is the prior art current transformer shown in FIG. 1. Here a core with high relative permeability is wound with a secondary winding N2 to measure the current in a wire with current I1 intersecting the core. In practice a single turn winding is almost always used for I1 but a multi-turn winding is used for the output current I2. The technique is useful as the output current from N2 is a scaled wide-bandwidth isolated low-voltage copy of I1. The multi-turn winding usually extends all around the core to get the maximum possible usable flux in the core with minimal leakage flux. So if N2 is 100 for a single turn primary then I2 will be the primary current I1 divided by 100, assuming that the burden (Load resistor) on N2 is relatively small—typically 5 Ohms. These transformers are well known and widely used for instrumentation purposes but they are not suited to power conversion applications because the cores are typically minimal and cannot support high voltage windings.
In power electronics applications there is a need for apparatus that can convert from one current to another with small high current windings, and different transformer ratios—100:1 is clearly not suitable for all applications. There is also a need for apparatus that can work at high frequencies with different, easily changed, turns-ratios and high power levels. This need cannot be addressed by present current transformer technology


A failsafe actuator is provided for returning an actuator driven element to a failsafe position in case of a failure condition. The actuator includes a drive assembly for driving a plunger from a first plunger position to a second plunger position. The actuator additionally includes a stored energy element for driving the plunger from the second plunger position to the first plunger position on the occurrence of the failure condition, wherein the actuator driven element is responsive to the plunger such that the actuator drive element is driven to the failsafe position when the plunger is driven to the first position.

Vehicles, especially four wheel drive and off-road vehicles, may be equipped with a vehicle suspension system which includes a stabilizer bar or stabilizer bars (one for the front and one for the rear). Generally, a stabilizer bar includes a torsion bar that links two wheels together so they act in unison at high speed. For example, the stabilizer bar enhances drivability on smooth road surfaces by resisting instability as a vehicle changes lanes. On the other hand, the same high rigidity imparted by the stabilizer bar may degrade traction and independent wheel articulation on rough off-road surfaces. In addition, the high rigidity of the stabilizer bar may cause the traction of the left side and right side wheels to differ significantly causing differential transmission of driving torque which may further degrade road handling characteristics on rough road surfaces. Therefore, a stabilizer bar disconnect system driven by an actuator may be used to deactivate the stabilizer bar when driving on rough road conditions.
However, if failures such as external actuator electrical or internal actuator electrical failures occur, the actuator may become stuck in an "off-road" position with the stabilizer bar deactivated. This "off-road" position is undesirable for most smooth road driving conditions. Hence, reduced drivability could lead to a greater likelihood of accidents such as rollovers on smooth road conditions until the failure problem is repaired.
Accordingly, there is a need for an actuator with a failsafe mechanism for controlling an actuator driven element, particularly a stabilizer bar mechanism in a vehicle, which permits return of the actuator driven element to a more safe default position in case of a failure condition such as an external or internal electrical failure.


Disclosed embodiments provide methods and systems to capture, persist, and access a real-time audio stream and metadata associated with a radio broadcast. The real-time audio stream is captured on an audio capture device comprising a real-time clock. The audio is associated with the points in time it is captured with time markers. In embodiments, the audio is encoded for transmission with the time markers to a remote server. After being captured, encoded, and associated with time markers, the audio is transmitted to a remote server for archiving. Client devices are used to provide access to archived content. Clients request portions of the real-time audio stream from the remote server, and identify the portions they are requesting by including in their request either real-time bounds, or other information which is associated on the remote server with real-time bounds, such as content descriptor types.

There are over 15,000 radio stations in the United States. This includes over 4,000 AM stations, and over 11,000 FM stations. These stations provide content to millions of people each day, at home, work, and in vehicles during commutes and other travelling. Thus, radio continues to reach consumers of media content on a daily basis. Radio delivers content such as news, music, sports, and other content, and continues to be an important source of information for many. Thus, radio is an effective medium for advertising. Recent estimates put the value of the radio advertising industry in excess of 17 billion dollars. Thus, radio is important as both a content delivery mechanism, as well as an advertisement mechanism. It is therefore desirable to have improvements in monitoring of radio broadcasts.

System and method for capturing and accessing real-time audio and associated metadata


A process for simultaneously activating two or more portions of a web in different directions. The process involves feeding a web into an apparatus that includes a pair of intermeshing activation rolls having three dimensional surface features configured to simultaneously activate different portions a web in different directions. The three dimensional surface features are arranged in discrete regions on the rolls such that at least two of the regions provide different directions of activation. The rolls include one or more buffer regions positioned between the discrete regions on the roll that provide different directions of activation.

Various articles, including disposable diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles, feminine hygiene products, and the like utilize elastic or elastic-like materials to improve the conformability and/or fit of the article. However, the relatively high costs typically associated with some elastic materials may make their use in such articles undesirable. In addition, certain elastic materials may not provide suitable softness, smoothness, strength, etc. when incorporated into a wearable article. As a result, nonwoven fabrics, especially inexpensive polymer-based nonwoven fabrics, have found increasing popularity for use in disposable absorbent articles. Nonwoven fabrics are typically formed as webs, batts, mats, or sheets of fiber networks, and are sometimes referred to generally as "nonwoven webs." An obstacle to the use of nonwoven webs in elastic textile articles has been the relatively inelastic nature of nonwoven webs formed from extensible but inelastic fibers. Therefore, laminates formed by joining a low-force stretch elastic material to one or more layers of extensible nonwoven material are typically used to reduce or even eliminate at least some of these undesirable features. In these constructions, the elastic layer may provide the elastic stretch needed for fit and comfort, while the outer nonwoven layers provide the aesthetics necessary to make the laminate feel cloth-like. However, since the nonwoven is typically not elastic, it may still offer undesirable resistance to the extensibility of the low-force stretch elastic material (i.e., "lock up" the stretch properties of the elastic material).
One way to limit the amount of lock up caused by an inelastic material such as an extensible nonwoven, when it is laminated to an elastic material, is to activate the laminate. Activation, or incremental stretching as it is sometimes referred to, involves permanently stretching or elongating a web or portions of a web in one or more directions. As the web is stretched, some of the fibers, inter-fiber bonds, and/or intra-fiber bonds are believed to be broken. The breaking of the fibers and/or bonds of the nonwoven web may result in increased elasticity and/or softness in the web, at least to the degree of elongation. Known processes for activating an extensible material typically involve passing the material through one or more pairs of activation rolls. The activation rolls generally have three-dimensional surface features (e.g., teeth and grooves, peaks and channels, or corrugations), which are configured to operatively engage one another. The three-dimensional surface features on the rolls are typically complementary (i.e., fit together in an intermeshing fashion) such that the rolls are sometimes referred to as being a "matched" or "mated" pair. As the web passes through the matched pair of activation rolls, it is subjected to relatively high localized mechanical stress from the intermeshing three-dimensional surface features. Most, if not all, of the fiber/bond breaking takes place in these areas of high localized mechanical stress. Upon successful completion of the activation process, the activated web may exhibit an increase in length in one or more dimensions depending on the direction of activation.
In one known process for activating a material, a web is first fed through a pair of matched activation rolls that have raised portions extending in the "axial direction" of the rolls (i.e., parallel to the axis of rotation of the rolls) to activate the material in a first direction. The axially extending raised portions of the rolls intermesh in a manner similar to the way the teeth of two gears typically intermesh. The rolls may be positioned such that the intermeshing teeth do not substantially contact one another in order to avoid damaging the teeth and/or roll. As the web passes through the pair of rolls, it is activated in the direction of travel of the material, sometimes referred to as the machine-direction ("MD"). In some instances, a matched pair of rolls may include surface features that resemble a line of alternating discs of larger and smaller diameters, sometimes referred to as a ring-rolling configuration. Ring-rolling is typically used to activate a web in the direction orthogonal to the machine direction, also referred to as the cross-direction ("CD"). In some instances, the nonactivated web may be bonded to an unstrained elastic material to form a laminate material. The laminate may subsequently be subjected to an activation process to form a "zero-strain" stretch laminate. Examples of methods of activating webs and/or methods of making elastic laminates that include activated materials may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,963 to Kamfe, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,563 to Sisson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,407 to Ness; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,741 to Sabee; U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,679 to Buell, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,214 to Anderson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,793 to Buell, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,458 to Buell, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,289 to Buell, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,555 to Bodaghi, et al.; PCT Publication Nos. WO00/029199 to Jameson, et al.; WO03/072338 to McAmish, et al.; WO05/110748 to McCormack et al.; and WO08/067,463 to Middlesworth, et al.; and U.S. Publication No. 20080224351 to Curro et al. While known processes may be suitable for activating a material in one direction, it may be desirable in certain applications to activate a material in more than one direction.
Another method for providing some elasticity to a substantially inelastic, extensible material is sometimes referred to as "SELFing," which means Structural Elastic-Like Film. SELFing is similar to activation in that the material is stretched between intermeshing teeth. However, in SELFing, the teeth do not run continuously along the length of the activation area and instead are discrete along the length, leaving narrow bands of nonactivated material. In the activated areas, the material deforms permanently, while in the unactivated areas, there is substantially no permanent deformation. When a SELFed material is stretched, the material typically exhibits elastic properties.
One known method for activating a web in two directions is to pass the web through a first pair of rolls that activate the web in a first direction, and then subsequently pass the web through a second (or more) pairs of rolls to activate the web in a second (or more) direction. A problem with adding additional pairs of rolls is that it may increase the cost and complexity of a manufacturing operation. In addition, adding more pairs of rolls generally means more space is required on the manufacturing line to accommodate the additional rolls. Additionally, if the different areas of the web that are to have different directions of activation are relatively close to one another (e.g., less than 20 mm apart) it is possible that due to process tracking variability, a small portion of the web may get activated twice, once in each of two directions. This double activation may put excessive strain on the web locally, resulting in pin holes, or in extreme cases, even tears in the laminate. Thus, in at least some manufacturing processes, the additional cost, complexity and/or space requirements may make the use of additional pairs of activation rolls undesirable.
Another known method for activating a web in two directions is to pass the web through a stamping operation that uses a pair of matched plates to activate portions of a web placed between the plates. The plates may include three-dimensional surface features and are typically arranged as a complementary pair of plates with an upper plate and a lower plate. One of the plates, typically the upper plate, is moved by a piston or other means toward the other plate until the three-dimensional surface features of the plates intermesh to provide the desired depth of engagement and corresponding level of activation. The three-dimensional surface features of the plates may be configured to provide activation in multiple directions and/or to different portions of a web. However, stamping operations tend to be slower than operations that employ a roll due to the reciprocating nature of a press. In addition, the precise control required for a proper depth of engagement and strain rate may slow the process even further and/or require expensive equipment and/or complex processes. In at least some commercial industries, especially those industries where a high output of products may be required for the industry to be commercially successful (e.g., the disposable diaper industry), a stamping operation may not be a commercially desirable or even commercially viable option for activating a web at high speeds.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for activating different regions of a web in different directions with a single pair of rolls without causing undesirable damage to the web.


In one embodiment of the present invention, a "returnless" fuel delivery system for a motor vehicle includes a fuel pressure regulator located in the fuel tank and a fuel pressure damper located at the fuel rail on the vehicle's engine. The fuel return line from the fuel rail to the fuel tank, a conventional feature in fuel delivery systems, is eliminated. Fuel delivery systems according to the present invention can provide very precise fuel delivery at a highly competitive system cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fuel delivery systems for motor vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the continuing effort to reduce evaporative emissions from motor vehicles, "returnless" fuel systems are seen as a promising way to do so. A conventional fuel system has a fuel line connecting a fuel pump with a fuel rail on the engine of the motor vehicle. Connected to the fuel rail are one or more fuel injectors. A second fuel line runs from a bypass fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail to the fuel tank of the motor vehicle to return unused fuel to the fuel tank. This fuel that returns to the fuel tank has often been heated by the heat of the engine, by exhaust heat and by heat from the underbody of the vehicle. One disadvantageous result from an emissions standpoint is the accumulation of fuel vapor in the fuel tank due to the return of heated fuel.
Returnless fuel systems eliminate the fuel line which returns fuel from the fuel rail to the fuel tank. Instead, the fuel system is designed to supply the proper amount of fuel to the fuel rail, so there is no excess.
One proposed returnless fuel system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,344, issued to Tuckey et al. In this system, the speed of a fuel pump motor is controlled in accordance with feedback from a fuel pressure sensor. Although such a system may generally be effective, alternative systems may be more economical than an electronic system. Further, other systems may be able to respond more quickly to transient conditions than a system which operates based on controlling the speed of a fuel pump.


An optic fiber cable landing indicator includes a housing; a landing head receptive to an optic fiber cable plug and translatable within the housing; and an electronics module at the housing and responsive to movement of the landing head to initiate a signal readable at a remote location confirming landing of the optic fiber cable and method to confirm fiber optic landing.

In the hydrocarbon industry, running optic fiber cables into a wellbore is becoming a more common occurrence. In some instances, optic fiber cables are appended to tools prior to being run in the hole, however, there are also means for running optic fibers down the wellbore after tools are prepositioned. In such instances, fibers or cables are run down into the hole and then connected in one way or another in the downhole environment. Improvements to all such connection means are always well received by the industry.

Optical fiber landing indicator with distributed temperature sensor calibration


The present disclosure considers a system and method that can predict soil compaction and machine-specific productivity rate across multiple soil conditions without requiring site-specific samples and multi-variable lab testing. The method and system disclosed here can utilize predictive algorithms combined with a soils database to predict soil response to compaction energy across a range of soil moistures for the range of compaction machines available to predict compaction performance.

Calculating the time and resources necessary to reach a desired compaction density may be beneficial for earthworks compaction projects for numerous reasons, including but not limited to for utilization during the bidding process for earthworks compaction projects in addition to further applications in relation to the planning, management, and completion of earthworks compaction projects. In addition to further characteristics, fast and reliable systems and methods for determining the effort necessary to compact a soil region to the requested density may be valuable.
Many currently available methods and systems for forecasting compaction performance rely on performing soil compaction response measurements on soils from the specific site to be compacted. These soil compaction response measurements may be conducted in a laboratory, wherein specific sample may be tested at multiple compaction energies and moisture content levels to create a multivariable output of compaction result due to energy input at varying moisture. These laboratory results may then be compared to field response for a compaction machine operating on the same site specific soil to forecast the machine performance capability across the range of soil moisture. Such methods and systems for forecasting compaction performance are site specific, which may thus require extra time for taking sample and sending them to the laboratory in addition to multi-variable tab testing for each sample. The required extra time and resources which may characterize many currently available compaction forecasting methods and systems may present drawbacks and limitations for the planning, management, and completion of earthworks compaction projects, and particularly during the bidding and soil analysis process.
EP 0761886A1 to (the '886 patent) to Froumentin discloses a method and machine where a compacting machine is linked to a computer that provides the geographical coordinates that guides the compacting machine's path, the number of passes to made over each point by the compacting machine, and the speed at which the compacting machine will travel. The '886 relies upon site specific data and the method and the machine disclosed in the '886 are not predictive. Therefore, while the method and machine disclosed in the '886 patent may make the compacting more efficient it cannot predict the effort necessary to reach a desired soil density.
The present disclosure is directed to mitigating or eliminating one or more of the drawbacks discussed above.

Robust system and method for forecasting soil compaction performance


A method and apparatus for reducing a ratio of peak power to average power of multi-carrier signals are provided. The apparatus and method include the steps of: after modulating the multi-carrier signals respectively, summing the modulated signals to form a combination signal; computing and searching on at least one of the carriers based on the combination signal to obtain the resultant compensation signal; and summing the resultant compensation signal with the combination signal from the combiner to produce a compensated signal. The method and apparatus effectively reduce the ratio of peak power to average power of the multi-carrier signals.

In a digital communication system, more particularly, in a mobile communication system, looking for a high modulation method with excellent performance under a given channel condition is always an important task. For a radio frequency unit of a digital intermediate frequency transmitter, when modulation signals are maintained on a relatively constant voltage level, a radio frequency amplifier generally operates with the best efficiency. However, large power peaks of the modulation signals often cause the operation of a radio frequency amplifier with lower efficiency and worse linearity. Therefore, it is desired that in a radio frequency amplifier, the ratio of peak power to average power of modulation signals approximates to as 1 or Decibel of 0 db as possible. A digital intermediate frequency transmitter of a multi-carrier system is shown in FIG. 1, wherein digital multi-carrier signals are modulated by a baseband unit. After passing through an up-converter, the multi-carrier signals are inputted into a radio frequency unit via a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). If the ratio of peak power to average power of the multi-carrier signals is not limited requisitely by the multi-carrier system, the maximum power of the radio frequency amplifier in the radio frequency unit will be significantly larger than the average power in order to ensure no signal distortion and in order to prevent the spectrum spreading from occurring. This causes not only wasting of power at a radio frequency unit but also significant trouble in designing a radio frequency unit.
Currently, in a multi-carrier modulation method, several carriers are modulated in parallel by using several data streams. Combined signals of multi-carrier modulation of multi-user are formed at base stations. A digital intermediate transmitter is typically shared by the base stations, rather than having one transmitter for one carrier, to reduce cost.
However, the biggest disadvantage of the multi-carrier modulation method is that the combined signals have very high ratio of peak power to average power, that is, the maximum power of a radio frequency amplifier in a radio frequency unit is significantly larger than the average power. Typically, to prevent distortion and reduce the spectrum spreading, a large linear dynamic range of a radio frequency amplifier is required for amplifying the combined signals, which force the designers to use an amplifier with a large linear range, whereby the peak power is significantly larger than the average power of the combined signals. This significantly increases the cost of the multi-carrier system. Thus, under the premise of not decreasing the other performance specifications, a ratio of peak power to average power of the combined signals should be decreased as much as possible, and making the signals as having constant envelope or approximately constant envelope as possible is an objective of the designers.
An out-of-band compensation method has been proposed to improve the ratio of peak power to average power of the signals. The out-of-band compensation method is a method of producing a certain out-of-band compensation signal based on input signals, and adding the original signals with the compensation signal to obtain a combination signal that has an approximately constant envelope, or to obtain a reduced ratio of peak power to average power of the signals. It is desired that the power of the compensation signal and an error signal rate of the system are as small as possible, and that the combination signal also satisfies the requirements of communication system protocols. Because the compensation signal is added out-of-band, the effect on the original signals is small.
However, one of the disadvantages of the out-of-band compensation method is that when a large amount of compensations are required, the computation of a compensation signal is complicated and tedious. Also, sometimes a real time computation may be impossible. As a result, the ratio of peak power to average power of the signals may not be improved by the out-of-band compensation method. When the compensation is small, the improvement of the ratio of peak power to average power is limited. Thus, the out-of-band compensation method does not function well.
Another proposed method is a probabilistic waveform clipping method. The principle of this waveform clipping method is that when the amplitude of a signal is above a certain threshold, the amplitude of the signal is set to the threshold, and when the amplitude of a signal does not exceed this threshold, the amplitude of the signal does not change. Although reducing the peak power of the signals to a threshold level or below may help satisfy the requirement of the ratio of peak power to average power, the strength of the signals tends to be weak after the waveform clipping process. Also, the in-band noise will be increased which would affect the transmission of the signals accordingly. In order to increase an amplitude threshold of the waveform clipping, it is required that the power be increased significantly whereby the cost, the energy source, and the requirements on the other aspects of the system will also be increased. Thus, the application of the waveform clipping method is not practical.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for reducing the ratio of peak power to average power of multi-carrier signals. The method and apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present invention not only ensure the signal quality, but also reduce the signal noise.

Method and apparatus for reducing ratio of peak power to average power of multi-carrier signals


In a cable network, embodiments detect and remediate a non-responsive customer premise equipment (CPE) device in a customer's premise with minimal or no interaction with a customer. Embodiments may detect and remediate a non-responsive CPE device without rebooting the non-responsive CPE device or the associated cable modem. Embodiments include troubleshooting a data link layer (e.g., Open System Interconnection (OSI) layer 2, or media access control (MAC) layer) and a network layer (e.g., OSI layer 3, or Internet layer) between a service operator network and the non-responsive CPE device. Embodiments include a guided integration and a proactive integration method, computer program product, and system to reduce and/or eliminate the need for a customer service representative to reboot a cable modem, and/or for a customer to reboot a non-responsive CPE device resulting in a fast and less disruptive service experience for the customer.

Field
Embodiments generally relate to cable networks and more specifically to non-responsive customer premises equipment (CPE) in cable networks.
Background Art
Being able to troubleshoot a non-responsive Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) device associated with a cable modem is a critical capability for cable service operations. Unfortunately, the determination and correction of a non-responsive CPE device is an intrusive, disruptive, and time consuming process.

System and method for the detection and remediation of non-responsive customer premises equipment


A test output compaction architecture and method that takes advantage of a response shaper in order to minimize masking of faults during compaction. A response shaper is inserted between a plurality of scan chains and an output compactor. The response shaper receives output responses from scan chains and reshapes the output responses in a manner that minimizes masking of faults by the output compactor.

The present invention is related to testing of logic circuit designs and, in particular, to compaction of test response data.
Testing of complicated digital logic circuits requires the analysis of a large amount of test response data. A variety of output compaction techniques have been devised for reducing the size of test response data stored in test memory. Most output compaction techniques use combinational circuits, predominantly built of exclusive-OR (XOR) networks, to reduce the number of scan channels that will be observed by automatic test equipment (ATE) during test applications. Unfortunately, such XOR-based output compactors disadvantageously can have decreased fault coverage caused by the masking of errors during a shift cycle. If there are an even number of scan flip-flops that drive the same XOR tree and are scanned out at the same shift cycle, then the errors are masked out and cannot be observed by the ATE. Likewise, a circuit under test (CUT) may produce unknown values during a simulation step that is required to compute output responses of the CUT to the applied stimuli. If an error is captured in a scan flip-flop that is scanned out at the same shift cycle as another scan flip-flop whose value is unknown and the two scan flip-flops drive the same XOR network, then the error again cannot be observed. A variety of sophisticated output compactors, implemented with complex arrays of XOR gates, have been devised to avoid error masking issues. See, e.g., S. Mitra and K. S. Kim, "X-Compact: An Efficient Response Compaction Technique for Test Cost Reduction," IEEE International Test Conference Proceedings, pp. 311-20 (October 2002); J. Rajski, K. Tyszer, C. Wang, S. M. Reddy, "Convolutional Compaction of Test Responses," IEEE International Test Conference Proceedings, pp. 745-54 (September/October 2003); C. Wang, S. M. Reddy, I. Pomeranz, J. Rajski, J. Tyszer, "On Compacting Test Response Data Containing Unknown Values," IEEE International Conference on Computer Aided Design, pp. 855-62 (November 2003). See FIG. 1A. Unfortunately, even such sophisticated output compactors, which use more XOR gates than a simple XOR tree, cannot avoid masking an even number of errors greater than two in a single shift cycle.
Synopsys's XDBIST has an output compactor that avoids the masking of errors by using a multiplexer instead of an XOR network to select scan chains that scan out errors. See P. Wohl, J. A. Waicukauski, S. Patel, "Scalable Selector Architecture for X-Tolerant Deterministic BIST," IEEE 41st Design Automation Conference, pp. 934-939 (June 2004). See FIG. 1B. Although it can handle unknown values better than prior art XOR network-based output compactors, XBDIST's output compactor can only achieve a limited compression ratio and also requires additional test data to control the multiplexer and a special dedicated automatic test pattern generator (ATPG) that is compatible with the output compactor.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved test response compaction which can minimize issues such as the masking of faults.

Test output compaction using response shaper


A structurally reinforced snowboard comprising upper and lower reinforcing components positioned at upper and lower surface regions of the snowboard. The upper and lower reinforcing components have reinforcing strip portions which are vertically aligned with one another. In one preferred configuration, these extend along. end side portions of the board and converge toward an intermediate location. In other configurations, these cross with one another. The arrangement improves torsional stiffness of the board, while permitting the desired flexural stiffness profile to be obtained.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to snowboards, and more particularly to snowboards having specially designed structural components which are strategically shaped and positioned to provide improved functional characteristics of the snowboards.
b) Background Art
Snowboards have become increasingly popular on the ski slopes as an option in addition to snow skiing. Snowboards have much in common with snow skis with regard to the basic functions of traveling over the snow surface, executing turns, etc. Yet snowboards have design requirements specific to snowboards.
Like snow skis, snowboards have their own criteria relative to proper flexural and torsional characteristics. Also, snowboards, like snow skis have desired operating characteristics, such as edge hold, easy turn initiation, stability out of the turn, overall stability and dampness (i.e. desirable damping characteristics). There have been various attempts in the prior art to manipulate or modify the designs to obtain certain specific design characteristics. For example, some snowboard flex profiles are manipulated longitudinally by differentiating the core thickness profile from tip to tail. This can make the board softer in the nose and progressively stiffer in the tail in some cases.
It is an object of the present invention to provide selectively and strategically shaped and positioned structural components as part of the snowboard structure to provide a desired balance of operating characteristics, such as those discussed above.
The structurally reinforced.snowboard of the present invention enables the snowboard to have the desired flexural stiffness distribution, while enabling the snowboard to have improved resistance to torsional deformation.
This snowboard comprises a main snowboard structure having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The main snowboard structure comprises:
i) a main forward portion having a front end portion;
ii) a main rear portion having a rear end portion;
iii) an intermediate portion between said front portion and rear portion, said intermediate portion having foot engaging locations thereon;
iv) side edge portions on opposite sides of the main snowboard structure;
v) a core portion extending along a substantial length of the snowboard;
vi) upper and lower surface portions extending along upper and lower surface regions of said snowboard and positioned above and below said core portion.
The reinforcing structure of the snowboard comprises upper and lower reinforcing components located at the upper and lower regions of the main snowboard structure. Each of the reinforcement components comprises at least two reinforcing strips at least in part on opposite sides of the snowboard. Each reinforcing strip has a first outer end portion and a second inner end portion. The outer end portion is located relatively nearer to a related end portion and related side portion of the main snowboard structure, and the second inner end of each strip is located further from the related end portion and the related side portion. Thus the two outer ends of the two reinforcing strips are positioned further from one another and the two inner end portions are positioned closer to one another.
The first and second reinforcing components co-act so that when the snowboard is in a curved turning configuration, improved resistance to torsional deformation is provided. In one configuration, the outer end portions are interconnected by a connecting strip portion proximate to a related end portion of the main snowboard structure. In a specific configuration, the connecting strip portion extends in a curved configuration where the connecting strip portion extends from the outer end portions of the strips toward the related end of the main snowboard structure. More specifically, the related end portion the snowboard has a rounded perimeter configuration and the connecting reinforcing strip extends adjacent to a rounded edge of the end portion of the main snowboard structure.
At least substantial strip portions of the upper and lower components are vertically and laterally aligned with one another so as to be able to co-act with portions of the main snowboard structure located therebetween.
The core portion of the snowboard is tapered in a manner that the vertical thickness of the core portion diminishes from the intermediate portion to the front and rear end portions. The vertically aligned strip portions of the upper and lower reinforcing components have at least in part substantial alignment components so that the spacing distance between the upper and lower aligned strip portions diminishes in a direction toward a related end portion of the snowboard.
In one preferred configuration, each of the two reinforcing strips has a first strip portion closer to a related end portion of the main snowboard structure and extends substantially parallel and adjacent to related side edge portions, and a second strip portion extends from an end of the first strip portion in a more diagonal direction toward a central location. In one arrangement, the second portions of the two reinforcing strips extend into the intermediate portion of the main snowboard structure. In one arrangement these reinforcing strips from the forward and rear portions of the snowboard interconnect and in another configuration they are spaced from one another.
In another arrangement, each of the two reinforcing strips extends from related side edge portions and cross one another to extend to a location adjacent to the opposite side edge portion. In one such arrangement, the two crossing reinforcing strips extend substantially the entire length of the main snowboard structure.
In another arrangement, the crossing reinforcing strips each have at least one portion of each connecting strip being connected to one another through a connecting strip portion. In this specific arrangement, the connecting strip portion extends transversely across the main snowboard structure.
In the preferred configuration, there is a first set of reinforcing components at the front end of the snowboard and a second set of reinforcing components at the rear end of the snowboard.

Snowboard with selectively added structural components


Payment transactions using a payment infrastructure are efficiently combined with e-merchandise transactions using an e-merchandise infrastructure, while allowing each infrastructure to concentrate on its primary function. An electronic payment device configured according to the payment infrastructure is interrogated by a payment module (also configured according to the payment infrastructure) of a first terminal to obtain financial data. Electronic merchandise-related information is generated by an electronic merchandise module (configured according to the electronic merchandise infrastructure) of the first terminal, and such information is transferred to the electronic payment device within a transaction conducted in accordance with the financial data and the payment infrastructure.

Typically, payment transactions and delivery of electronic merchandise (also known as "e-merchandise"; the terms are used interchangeably herein) are handled by separate infrastructures. For example, a payment transaction may be conducted using a payment card or other payment device, together with an infrastructure that handles only the payment. Similarly, delivery of e-merchandise (for example, electronic tickets, tokens, digital credentials, movies, music, loyalty points, benefit coupons, vouchers, data, a cryptographic key or "unlock" code, and similar non-physical items) is handled by a separate, perhaps complimentary, infrastructure which may invoke the payment infrastructure in order to charge for the goods as a separate process.
Netherlands Patent Application No. NL9301902, published Jun. 1, 1995, of Nederland PTT, discloses a method for the acquisition of the right to a specific facility by means of a smart card. The acquisition of the right is performed via a terminal and a control system. The right to the facility can be an access or a usage right. A smart card or other registration device is used to aid the access. The smart card is used not only to pay for the required facility, but as a registration and validation means to replace paper tickets. Thus, the same smart card can be used for the purchase of the right to a future facility, for the payment thereof, and for the subsequent use of the facilities, that is, the exercise of the purchased right.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,084 of Stanford et al., issued Apr. 23, 2002, describes card charging systems. A host ticket facility is operable by both credit cards usable at a card read/write device and concessionary payment cards usable at a contactless card reader, and a security and transaction device located between the card readers and the host facility stores in separate storage devices full fares and concessionary fares which the host facility is able to calculate. A card charging system is described, having one or more card readers and a security and transaction device connected between the card readers and a host facility for transmitting information back to a clearing center. U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,038 of Stanford et al., issued Jun. 11, 2002, appears to be similar to the Stanford et al. '084 reference just described.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,477 of Hohle et al., issued Aug. 8, 2000, discloses methods and apparatus for a travel-related multi-function smart card. In one embodiment, the smart card system includes a card holder identification application and various additional applications useful in particular travel contexts, for example, airline, hotel, rental car and payment-related applications. Memory space and security features within specific applications provide partnering organizations, such as airlines, hotel chains, and rental car agencies, the ability to construct custom and secure file structures.
United States Patent Publication No. 2006/049258 of Piikivi, published Mar. 9, 2006, discloses a wireless communication device providing a contactless interface for a smart card reader. A wireless terminal including a smart card application host, such as a contact smart card or the terminal or a terminal security component, and including a terminal interface, and also including a smart card router that enables RF communication with a contactless card reader in a ticketing system is provided. The smart card application host does not contain a contactless interface. The smart card router includes an RF antenna, separate from and external to the smart card application host, as well as a modulator/demodulator and a card access module and router for routing communication traffic arriving via the RF antenna to either the smart card application host or to the terminal interface, based on information included in the arriving communication traffic.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0147907 of Ross, published Oct. 10, 2002, is directed to a system for authorizing transactions using specially formatted smart cards. The transaction system includes the use of a fixed data structure that allows multiple point-of-sale systems to recognize and access a transaction card regardless of upper-level user interfaces. The smart card includes a memory with a defined data file structure, and the data file structure includes at least one read-only field, at least one encrypted read/write field, and at least one non-encrypted read/write field. The smart card can be utilized in a transaction system and the smart card authorization device interacts with a defined data file structure provided on the smart card.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0018660 of Sehr, published Aug. 30, 2001, is directed to an electronic ticketing system and methods utilizing multi-service visitor cards. A plurality of entities are encompassed, such as an event organizer, admission center, service providers and a visitor population, so as to automatically compile, issue, utilize and process ticketing cards for the admission to leisure and entertainment events, and for other card-based entitlements. The portable ticketing cards are realized by smart credit and/or debit card technology and have the ability to store in the card a computerized ticket template or electronic credit points, or to deduct from the card a monetary value or award points previously loaded onto the card. Biometrics identification of card holders, as well as cryptographic certification of card data and database information, can optionally be encoded into the cards, and can be verified and validated at various point-of-service locations upon presentation of the card for admission and for other services.
Prior art techniques inefficiently employ separate and unlinked payment and e-merchandise (e.g., ticketing) infrastructures and transactions.
It would be desirable to overcome the deficiencies of prior art techniques.

Apparatus and method for integrated payment and electronic merchandise transfer


An enhanced application switched telephone network and a method of completing calls using the network are described. In the enhanced application switched telephone network, every switching office is connected to at least one enhanced ISUP voice-grade trunk. A link set and a route set associated with the enhanced trunk route common channel signaling messages associated with calls directed to the enhanced trunk(s) to a call control node. The call control node is thereby enabled to exercise control over those calls. The advantages include point of origin call control, enhanced application service development, rapid service, deployment and significantly more efficient use of PSTN facilities.

The present invention generally relates to telephone network architectures and, in particular, to an enhanced application telephone network architecture in which xe2x80x9cenhancedxe2x80x9d voice grade trunks are ubiquitously provisioned to route selected calls through call control nodes enabled to selectively exercise control over those calls.
Use of the telephone as a social and business instrument has exponentially grown over the past 100 years. The widespread acceptance of the telephone and its uses have spurred industry to create many innovations to facilitate call completion and enhance telephone services. Today""s telephone user community is sophisticated in the use of telecommunications equipment and demands faster connections, more services and better integration with computer applications to assist in streamlining their business operations.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) as evolved to a highly automated computer-controlled switched network which permits callers to place calls to practically anywhere in the world. In this document, use of the term PSTN is intended to refer to any intelligent switched telephone network.
Advanced Intelligent Networks (AIN) now play a significant role in call routing in the PSTN and number portability will dramatically increase database control of initial call routing. In AIN, standardized xe2x80x9ctriggersxe2x80x9d in the network switching nodes permit call requests to trigger database queries for seeking call routing information. After call routing information is returned from a queried database, the call is connected through the network using standard call processing procedures.
Although the AIN is a high-speed multifaceted network which provides a vast array of automated telephone services, service development in the AIN is channelled by the AIN call model. In the AIN, new service development is accomplished using Service Creation Environments to create service logic programs that are executed by Intelligent Service Control Points (ISCPs), which are databases that respond to switch queries initiated by the AIN triggers. In the AIN call model the opportunities for initiating routing decisions are essentially limited to the trigger points embedded in the network call processing logic. Although the services offered in the PSTN are constantly being expanded and enhanced, new services are now routinely developed within the context of the AIN call model.
One disadvantage of the AIN call model is that many calls are routinely completed through the network only to be blocked or re-routed to a new termination. Popular services such as call screening and call forwarding work in this way. Consequently, congested network circuits are unnecessarily reserved for calls that are never completed to the dialed number, or redundant circuits are used to complete calls forwarded to a termination at another switching office.
The computer communications industry and the telecommunications industries are beginning to merge, but there has always been a measure of difficulty with the integration of the two. The PSTN has been perceived by those in computer communications as a closed architecture, encouraging computer vendors to displace the PSTN by creating overlay networks which avoid capitalizing on any more than core PSTN functionality.
Call routing using an overlay network requires many additional connections to the PSTN for both access and egress. Besides, routing within the PSTN from overlay networks often leaves connections established in nodes that are redundant to the call path. In overlay networks where there are limited connection points to the PSTN, calls can be routed over significant distances even though a call may complete on a network switching node where it originated. To address this problem, the telephone industry has endorsed the solution of release link trunk functionality for subsequent routing or rerouting of calls. The release link trunk functionality can reside in either the PSTN or in an overlay network, but the release link feature can only reside within a network switching node. The release link feature permits data messaging, usually SS7 ISUP messaging, to release a call back to the call set-up point, where rerouting can be performed to redirect the call. This feature is in wide use in the telecommunications industry today. Although the release link feature resolves some of the problems associated with redundant connections in the call path, the fact that it is a switching node resident is a significant drawback. Switch development and differences in proprietary protocols limit the use and availability of release link features.
In order to overcome the drawback, the applicant""s co-pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/939,909 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY ROUTING CALLS IN AN INTELLEGENT NETWORK, and filed on Sep. 29, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method and apparatus for dynamically re-routing calls through the network without disconnection of the calling party in response to any predefined criteria. The re-routing is achieved using standard common channel signaling messages formulated at a call control node which is a virtual node in the switching plane and a physical node in the signaling plane of the network. A Virtual Switch Point (VSP) or Intelligent Signaling Transfer Point (ISTP) is used as the call control node and the calls are routed to the VSP or ISTP using dedicated trunk groups which may be loop-back ISUP trunks or inter-switch ISUP trunks. The calls are routed to the dedicated trunk groups using standard routing translation tables and methods.
The method and apparatus disclosed in the applicant""s co-pending United States patent application provides a new level of flexibility in call routing control that permits the rapid introduction of new services. However, in order to capitalize on the full potential of this new facility, it must be ubiquitously available in the network. Consequently, there exists a need for a switched telephone network which enables point of origin control for selected calls, enhanced application development and, if resources permit, point of origin control for all inter-switch calls.
It is an object of the invention to provide an enhanced application switched telephone network and a method of handling selected calls associated with services provided in the network which enables point of origin control of the selected calls.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for controlling selected calls associated with special services provided in the enhanced application switched telephone network to alleviate congestion on network facilities.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an enhanced application network in which regular calls may be overflowed to enhanced trunks when regular trunks are all busy.
It is another object of the invention to provide an enhanced application network in which special service calls are selectively controlled by call control nodes in the network.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an enhanced application network in which call control nodes cooperate with intelligent peripherals to provide enhanced application services.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an enhanced application network in which all high usage trunk groups are enhanced trunk groups associated with call control nodes.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an enhanced application network in which all trunk groups interconnecting local switching offices and tandem switching offices are enhanced trunk groups associated with call control nodes.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an enhanced application telephone network having switching offices connected by trunk groups and enabled to communicate over a common channel signaling network to exchange call control messages for calls handled by the trunk groups, comprising:
a call control node connected to the common channel signaling network and configured as a virtual node in a switching plane of the enhanced application telephone network; and
at least one enhanced trunk for handling selected calls connected to each local switching office, the call control node being a virtual switching node logically located between opposite ends of the enhanced trunk so that common channel signaling messages related to the selected calls are delivered to the call control node, and the call control node is thereby enabled to exercise control over the selected calls.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling a selected call associated with special services provided in a switched telephone network wherein a caller dials a predetermined sequence of digits for one of the selected calls, comprising steps of:
routing the selected call from an originating switching office that serves the caller to a trunk member that is connected to the originating switching office, the trunk member logically terminating at a call control node that is connected to a common channel signaling is network of the switched telephone network;
receiving at the call control node a common channel signaling message from the originating switching office, the common channel signaling message being related to the selected call;
determining at the call control node if the selected call is associated with a special service using information in the common channel signaling message;
if the selected call is associated with a special service, determining a call treatment option for the call, else forwarding the common channel, signaling message to a switching office associated with an opposite end of the trunk member; and
controlling the selected call associated with the special service using at least one common channel signaling message sent to a switching office connected to an end of the trunk member.
In the enhanced application telephone network call control nodes are advantageously enabled to exercise control of selected calls before the calls are routed through the network. As a result, the proportion of call processing in the PSTN related to blocked or failed call attempts is significantly reduced. Redundant circuits used to route selected calls to an enhanced trunk for control by a call control node are also eliminated. Therefore, the telephone network operates more efficiently and congestion in the network is reduced. Moreover, the enhanced application network enables the provision of an unknown number of new services, as well as a more intelligent provision of known services in the network.
In the enhanced application network every local switching office is provided with at least one enhanced trunk. An enhanced trunk is a regular voice-grade ISUP trunk having an associated link set and route set that directs common channel signaling messages to a call control node when a call is routed to the enhanced trunk. The call control node is therefore enabled to exercise control over the call before the call is progressed beyond the local switching office. Call treatment and service enablement is limited only by applications deployed on the call control node. Service enablement is further enhanced by providing the call control node with a data interface that permits communication with intelligent peripherals, application servers or other service resources directly or indirectly integrated into the enhanced application telephone network Computer telephony integration is thereby enabled without network overlays or redundant circuit use.
In a fully developed enhanced application network all outbound trunks from each local switching office are enhanced trunks. Translation tables and call routing decisions in the local switching offices are therefore simplified and exclusion tables at the call control nodes enable rapid call processing to permit regular calls to be passed through the call control node without appreciable delay.
Traditionally, IP integration in telephone switches has been accomplished using separate data channels into each telephone exchange. Most switch vendors now provide an IP data connection that permits some level of call control. This approach requires a separate OSS system and procedure to control t he overlay data network. The present invention capitalizes on existing signalling (specifically SS7) and uses that existing SS7 network to perform control functions. An OSS system is not required because SS7 has one of the most comprehensive OSS systems available in the PSTN.