A L0 cache is provided that includes a plurality of memory cells, full swing signal bit lines coupled to the plurality of memory cells to output full swing data signals, small signal global bit lines coupled to the full swing signal bit lines to provide small signal data signals, and an alignment device to align signals on the small signal global bit lines.

Computer systems may employ a multi-level hierarchy of memory. A relatively fast, expensive but limited-capacity memory may be provided at a highest level of the hierarchy and a relatively slower, lower cost (but higher-capacity) memory may be provided at the lowest level of the hierarchy. The hierarchy may include a small fast memory called a cache, either physically integrated within a processor or mounted physically close to the processor for speed. The computer system may employ separate instruction caches and data caches.
When executing an instruction that requires access to memory (e.g., read from memory or write to memory), a processor may access a cache in an attempt to satisfy the instruction. Of course, the cache may be implemented in a manner that allows the processor to access the cache in an efficient manner. That is, the cache may be implemented in a manner such that the processor is capable of accessing the cache (i.e., reading from the cache or writing to the cache) quickly so that the processor may execute instructions quickly. Caches have been configured in both on-chip and off-chip arrangements. On-chip caches have less latency, since they may be closer to the processor. However, since on-chip area is expensive, on-chip caches are typically smaller than off-chip caches. Off-chip caches may have longer latencies since they may be remotely located from the processor. However, such caches may be larger than on-chip caches.
Some systems have multiple caches, some small and some large. The smaller caches may be located on-chip, and the larger caches may be located off-chip. Typically, in multi-level cache designs, a first level of cache (i.e., an L0 cache) may be accessed first to determine whether a true cache hit for a memory access request is achieved. If a true cache hit is not achieved for the first level of cache, then a determination may be made for the second level of cache (i.e., an L1 cache), and so on, until the memory access request is satisfied by one of the levels of cache. If the requested address is not found in any of the cache levels, the processor may send a request to the system's main memory in an attempt to satisfy the request.


The present application relates generally to conductive compositions that are transparent to visible light and their use in various optical applications, such as ophthalmic products. Embodiments of the invention include transparent conductive ink compositions that comprise a conductive polymer and one or more of a lithium salt or a high boiling point solvent. Embodiments of the invention further include electro-active ophthalmic products, such as electro-active ophthalmic lenses, comprising one or more conductive structures (e.g., contacts, wires, and the like) that are at least partially composed of said transparent conductive ink compositions.

Optically transparent materials, which can also conduct electricity, can be used in a wide range of applications, including transparent electrodes. Transparent electrodes can be used in various devices, such as displays, light emitting diodes, solar cells, dynamic ophthalmic products, and the like. Such transparent electrodes can be made by coating a transparent substrate, e.g., a glass or plastic substrate, with a film containing a metal oxide, such as indium tin oxide (ITO). ITO presents several drawbacks, however. For example, its price is increasing due to the scarcity of indium. Further, ITO-containing films can be brittle and tend to suffer degradation of their conductivity when subjected to mechanical strain, which makes it difficult to incorporate ITO-containing transparent electrodes into products where flexibility is desirable. Moreover, in some instances, ITO-containing films can develop haze over time. Thus, there is a continued need for materials from which one can form transparent conductive structures and that can overcome one or more of the disadvantages associated with ITO-based materials.

Transparent conductive ink compositions and the use thereof in electro-active optical systems


A method for establishing a trust association includes receiving, by a server, a request to associate a web source with an account, the request having a link to the web source, and accessing, by the server, the web source in response to the request to associate. The method further includes locating, by the server and within the web source, a tag associated with the account, creating, by the server and in response to locating the tag within the web source, a trust association between the account and the web source, and providing, by the server, an indicating of the trust association for display in a user interface of a client device.

Users of the Internet can have any number of online identities, profiles, and presences. As a result, trusting a user's identity is difficult. As the Internet continues to grow, some segments of the Internet staunchly hold on to anonymity, while other segments are attempting to associate online information with one or more trustworthy identities, including real-world identities.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An acoustic sensor, such as a hydrophone, is deployable in a fluidic media having high temperature, high pressure, and/or potentially caustic chemicals. The hydrophone includes a housing filled with an internal fluid and containing a sensing mandrel. The sensing mandrel senses the acoustic pressure transmitted to the internal fluid through a diaphragm. The sensing mandrel preferably includes a polymer tubular mandrel having a coil of optical fiber wound and bonded to its outer surface. The sensing mandrel can be suspended within the housing instead of being rigidly attached thereto. To relieve pressure created by thermal expansion of the internal fluid, the flexible diaphragm, a filler member, a pressure compensator, or combinations thereof can be used. The filler member is mounted in the hydrophone and reduces the amount of internal fluid required in the housing. The compensator may be a bellows or a buffer tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a sensor for use in high pressure and high temperature applications, such as in an oil/gas well, and more particularly to a fiber optic based hydrophone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber optic based acoustic sensors, such as hydrophones, are known in the art for use in a number of applications involving the sensing of acoustic pressures in fluidic media (i.e., gas or liquid). Examples of prior art hydrophones are disclosed in the following U.S. patents which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,625,724; 5,317,544; 5,668,779; 5,363,342; and 5,394,377. A review of these references reveals the general structure of a fiber optic based hydrophone, which constitutes a winding of optical fiber or a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) wrapped around a compliant cylindrical mandrel. As is well known, when acoustic pressures in the fluidic media being measured impinge upon the mandrel, the mandrel will deform, thus perturbing the optical fiber. Optical detection of the change of the winding (e.g., by the use interferometric techniques), or optical detection of the Bragg reflection wavelength shift of the FBG, allows the impingent pressure to be quantified.
However, most prior art hydrophones are believed to be unsuitable for deployment in extremely harsh environments, such as those present within an oil or gas well. As one skilled in the art will understand, the downhole environment of an oil/gas well is characterized by extremely high pressures (e.g., 15 k psi) and temperatures (e.g., 150-250 Centigrade). Furthermore, the downhole environment also potentially contains caustic chemicals and bits of debris. The design of the above-referenced hydrophones would likely be damaged by deployment down an oil/gas well, as they disclose designs that would either collapse under the extreme pressures of the downhole environment, would be degraded by the high temperatures and chemicals that exist downhole, or would be damaged by debris that could potentially contact the exposed delicate windings of fiber optic cable present in some of these designs. Additionally, as some of these prior art designs rely on the use of non-compliant reference windings to supplement the compliant measurement windings, the extreme pressures present downhole could affect the reference windings, thus rendering the referencing scheme unreliable for downhole use. Furthermore, at least some of these designs are not suitably small in size for deployment down the well, e.g., within the annulus of the well between the production pipe and the well casing cemented to the borehole of the well.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an acoustic sensor and more specifically a fiber optic based hydrophone that is relatively small and is capable of operating at high temperatures and/or pressures, and that is not susceptible to caustic downhole chemicals.
(For further reference concerning hydrophone technology, the reader is referred to the following U.S. patent applications, which are incorporated herein by reference: Ser. No. 10/348,445, filed Jan. 21, 2003, and Ser. No. 10/393,170, filed Mar. 20, 2003).

High pressure and high temperature acoustic sensor


The present invention relates to hair colouring and hair bleaching compositions comprising a first component comprising at least one oxidizing agent and a C6 to C16 alkyl glucoside and a second component comprising an anionic surfactant and a fatty alcohol. The compositions surprisingly provide improved hair colourant and bleaching compositions which deliver lift, lightening and colour, whilst minimizing damage and which provide the required viscosity both pre and post mixing of the first and second components.

The permanent alteration of the colour of keratinous fibres, in particular human hair, by the application of hair dyes is well known. In order to provide the consumer with the hair colour and the intensity of colour desired, a very complex chemical process is utilized. Permanent hair dyeing formulations typically comprise oxidative hair dye precursors, which can diffuse into the hair through the cuticle and into the cortex where they can then react with each other and suitable oxidising agents to form the end dye molecules. Due to the larger size of these resultant molecules they are unable to readily diffuse out of the hair during subsequent washing with water and/or detergents; hence delivering a consumer-desired permanency of colour. This reaction typically takes place in an aggressive environment at approximately pH 10 in the presence of an alkalizing agent and in the presence of an oxidizing agent. Moreover, the consumer repeats this process regularly in order to maintain the desired hair colour and shade and the intensity of colour and to ensure continual, even coverage of the hair including coverage of new hair growth.
The manufacturer of such products is also required to work within a large number of constraints. Since these products are being placed in direct contact with the consumers' skin, the potential exists for accidental contact with the eye or for ingestion (for example), which can occur during the dyeing process. Therefore, the formulation must meet rigorous safety requirements and not induce any allergic reactions. In addition to meeting these requirements, the products must also be optically and olfactory pleasing to the consumer. In particular, the products also need to meet certain physical parameters in order to ensure that the product can be easily applied to the hair by the consumer to provide the desired effect, without unintentional staining of the consumers' clothes, skin particularly along the hair line or other objects.
The manufacturer is also required to provide the hair colouring consumer a large range of different resulting colours. Some consumers may just wish to enhance the natural colour of the hair, whilst others may wish to cover grey or completely alter the hair colour to a different natural appearing hair colour or a 'synthetic' appearing hair colour. Consequently, the manufacturer may provide well over twenty different formulations, of varying colours and shades, to address the range of consumer specific needs. These formulations have to be individually formulated and are typically complex formulae containing a mixture of different dye compounds. As a result the manufacture of such product ranges can be costly and complex.
However, despite the fact that commercial hair dyeing products have been available for many years, the products still exhibit a number of consumer-related deficiencies.
Typically permanent hair dye products will contain an alkali, typically a source of ammonia. This serves the purpose of swelling the hair allowing the entry of the dye precursor molecules into the hair and also improves the lightening effect of the oxidising agent, which is typically hydrogen peroxide. However, ammonia is also volatile and its associated odour is extremely unpleasant to the consumers' of such products, particularly as these hair dye products are used in close proximity to the nasal region. Hence, it would be highly desirable to provide an oxidative hair colouring and/or bleaching composition, which delivers the consumer required lightening level and colour, but which has reduced or eliminated the detectable ammonia odour.
In fact another deficiency area in current hair colouring products is the provision of hair colouring products which deliver the required hair lightening effect. Delivering the required level of lightening is particularly important in order to provide the full range of colour shades demanded by the consumer, especially for blonde shades and grey coverage. Such products pose particular difficulties to the manufacturer, as they usually require the use of high levels of oxidising agent and ammonia in order to deliver the required lightening effect. However, in additional to the problems associated with the presence of high levels of ammonia in these products, as discussed herein above, the presence of these high levels of ammonia and/or oxidizing agent also affect the condition of the hair and may in some cases induce mild skin irritation on the scalp. In particular, the hydrophilicity of the hair surface is increased during the colouring process, which alters the sensory perception of the hair and its overall manageability during, immediately after colouring and during the subsequent wash and styling cycles until the next colourant application. Hence, it would also be highly desirable to provide an oxidative hair colouring and/or bleaching composition which delivers the required lightening and/or colour without unnecessary hair damage and or scalp irritation.
Moreover, in order to provide a product which the consumer can easily apply to the hair without dripping onto the skin, clothes or bathroom or salon surfaces, hair colourant products must be designed such that the applied composition has a certain required viscosity. This is either achieved by providing the dye composition (tint) and the oxidizing composition (developer) as so called thin-thin type liquid formulations which are thickened upon mixing, or, where at least one of the components, either the dye composition or the oxidizing composition, preferably the dye composition, is provided as a thickened formulation which thickens the total composition upon mixing or alternatively both dye and oxidizing compositions are thick prior to mixing (i.e. thick-thick-thick systems). These thickened compositions can be achieved by the use of a gel network system which provides the desired thickness to either the dye composition or the oxidizing composition or both compositions. Furthermore, such gel networks are highly desirable as they also provide additional benefits of a cream like texture, conditioner like feel and appearance, smooth rinse and improved hair feel. Such thickened gel network systems are described for example in WO2007/102119 and EP1878469. Amongst various surfactants which can be used to provide gel network systems, the preferred surfactants will ensure maximum compatibility with the variety of dyes, oxidizing agents, conditioning materials and so forth typically present in such compositions. Such surfactants may include for example alkyl ether phosphates as described in EP1669105.
Thin-thick-thick type systems are particularly desirable for certain retail markets as they facilitate easy mixing of the developer and tint components by the consumer prior to use in comparison to thick-thick-thick type systems. Such thin-thick-thick systems are typically provided with a thin oxidising component (developer) and a thick dye component (tint). The thin developer component also needs to meet a further number of requirements in addition to the ability to enable efficient mixing with the thick tint component such as peroxide stability and ensuring the desired rheology of the mixed composition is achieved and maintained.
A known means to achieve these needs is by the use of anionic surfactants in the developer composition, in particular sodium lauryl sulphate. However, whilst stable to peroxide and providing the desired rheology profile before and after mixing, these materials are not desirable as they are also known to cause skin irritation in certain circumstances. Alternative systems based upon non-ionic surfactant in particular ethoxylated non-ionic's do not however exhibit long term stability, when in contact with hydrogen peroxide, particularly at elevated temperatures which the products may be exposed to in transit or, storage or distribution in hot climates. Furthermore these products also do not maintain a constant rheology upon mixing with the tint, so that the viscosity increases over time and may result in the consumer being unable to readily squeeze the composition out of the container which typically is provided with a narrow tip.
The aforementioned problems are particularly severe when polymers such as associative polymers are also present in the developer composition. Associative polymers are often desirable in thin-thick-thick systems and are preferably incorporated into the developer composition in order to achieve preferred mixed viscosity upon mixing with the gel network containing tints. The resulting viscosity is often too high unless an anionic surfactant as described above is used. If the level of such a surfactant is reduced due to for example poor stability an unacceptable rheology rise will result.
Hence it would be desirable to provide the consumer with a hair colorant product, which in addition to delivering the required lightening, colour deposition, has the required rheology and viscosity prior and after mixing such that it can be readily utilised by consumers and does not raise any skin irritation. It would also be desirable to provide a composition which has a gel network structure so as to deliver the associated cream like texture of such systems.
It has now been surprisingly found that oxidative hair colouring compositions comprising a developer component comprising at least one oxidizing agent, a C6 to C16 alkyl glucoside in combination with a tint component comprising an anionic surfactant selected from C8-30 alkyl phosphate, alkyl ether phosphates or mixtures thereof and a C14-C30 fatty alcohol can provide the desired pre and post mixing rheology requirements and preferably does not raise any skin irritation.

Thickened hair colourant and bleaching compositions


A proximity fuze (proximity fuse) comprising an ultra wideband (UWB) radar transmitter, a UWB radar receiver, an antenna, a timing system, and a signal processor. One embodiment includes an antenna with an annular conical radiation pattern. In another embodiment, a trigger delay is produced that is related to target detection range. In a further embodiment, multiple range shells are utilized to further discriminate target characteristics including velocity. A method is disclosed that utilizes target range, velocity, signal amplitude, and radar signal phase to identify the target and trigger the detonation. A proximity fuze system having a long storage life is disclosed comprising a proximity fuze element powered by a turbine generator and internal gas source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of radar detection systems, more particularly to the field of radio wave based proximity fuzes including logic means. 342/68 or 102/215
2. Background of the Invention
A proximity fuze is an explosive ignition device used in bombs, artillery shells, and mines. The fuze senses when a target is close enough to be optimally damaged or destroyed by the weapon's warhead.
An example mission for a helicopter fired missile which includes a proximity fuze is to engage a small team of terrorists who possess a Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) weapon (e.g. Red Eye, Stinger or SA-7) and intend to shoot down a commercial airliner. The missile is first aimed and then fired from the helicopter. Upon firing, the proximity fuze circuit is powered and enabled (armed). The missile may be guided or unguided during flight. Upon detecting signals indicating a proximal target, the fuze detonates the missile warhead. In such a missile, the proximity fuze may be designed in conjunction with the missile warhead to yield maximum effectiveness over a range of scenarios. In some scenarios the fuze may be required to ignore close encounters with terrain, buildings, or vegetation and yet reliably detonate proximal to the intended target.
Proximity fuzes can and have been based on acoustic, optical and radio frequency techniques. Acoustic is mostly applicable to torpedoes or mines. Optical techniques have issues with rain, smoke, and black targets and the like. Conventional radio frequency techniques include Doppler radar and radar amplitude signals. In addition, proximity fuzes have been based on conventional range gated radar. Conventional radio frequency and radar approaches are limited, however, for close range triggering in clutter environments because of difficulty achieving clutter rejection. Also, narrow band techniques are easily jammed by a small amount of RF power in band. Interference and jamming requirements must be considered in the design to avoid significant performance degradation in the field after substantial investment to deploy the weapon system.
Small missiles present an especially challenging set of systems requirements. Small missiles typically should detonate very close to the target within the lethality range of the small warhead, thus requiring close range precision fuzing. Missile flight may originate close to the ground or just above tree top and travel over or beside buildings or trees or ridges before arriving at the target area. In the target area, nearby structures or ground may need to be ignored while detecting the target and detonating at an appropriate range. Conventional RF techniques lack the resolution to achieve required performance in these complex engagements, especially in a very small package consuming a small amount of power.
Further system requirements include a long shelf life for the system including the power source. Small missiles are manufactured in large quantity and stored for twenty or more years where it is impractical to provide periodic maintenance including battery replacement.
Thus there is a need for an improved small size, long shelf life proximity fuze with short range precision fuzing capable of employing multiple target detection and discrimination methods for maximum effectiveness in complex engagements.

System and method for triggering an explosive device


The invention relates to an electronic control device for regulating the voltage across a high-side load, especially for regulating a fan in a motor vehicle, with a control voltage (V1) which is referenced to system ground and which is mirrored to the positive high-side supply voltage, wherein the control voltage (V1) is supplied to the base of a first transistor (Q1) operated in common-emitter connection, which transistor (Q1) has, in the emitter circuit, a first resistor (R1) and, in the collector circuit, a second resistor (R2) and, in series with the latter, the base-emitter diode of a second transistor (Q2). Compensation for temperature effects of the base-emitter voltage of the first transistor is performed by the base-emitter path of a second transistor of the same conductivity type in series with the first transistor.

The invention relates to an electronic device for regulating the voltage across a high-side load, especially for regulating a fan in a motor vehicle.
Such control devices are generally known through their use in motor vehicles.
There is known through JP 01302409 AA or DE 2708021 C3 an electronic control device in which a control voltage referenced to the positive high-side supply voltage is used as the command variable for the regulation.
An important fundamental function of the control device is to regulate the motor voltage in dependence on a control signal. That control signal may be an analogue control voltage, an analogue control current or a digital signal. Control devices for fans in accordance with the teaching of the prior art convert control currents and digital control signals internally into a control voltage, so that in principle there is always a control circuit that regulates the motor voltage as a function of a control voltage.
Known linear control devices for fans use in general the circuit topology illustrated in FIG. 2. A vehicle battery V2 provides the power supply for the entire arrangement. V1 provides the control voltage. Umot is the motor voltage. An operational amplifier U1A sets its output voltage and hence the gate-source voltage of the MOS transistor M1 in such a way that U+ is approximately equal to U−. The arrangement may be described by suitable equations. If R1/R2=R3/R4 is selected, the following relationship is obtained for control voltage V1 and motor voltage Umot:
      U    mot    =            V      1        ·                  R        2                    R        1
An important requirement to be met by a control device for a fan is the correction of on-board voltage fluctuations. Umot should be independent of V2. That applies only when R1/R2=R3/R4. The behaviour of the control device shown in FIG. 2 is therefore dependent on the matching tolerance of the voltage dividers R1/R2 and R3/R4 in the case of on-board voltage fluctuations dV2.
Assuming ideal components and ideal matching tolerance R1/R2=R3/R4, the relationship Umot=f(V1) is determined only by the resistance ratio R1/R2. Umot is largely independent of V2. The operational amplifier corrects on-board voltage fluctuations. In standby operation, V1=0. The current consumption Ib of the arrangement is in this case described as closed-circuit current and should be as low as possible so as not to discharge the battery V2.
In the case where V1=0, Umot=0 and hence also Id=0 (modern mosfets have very small is cut-off currents). Accordingly, Ib=I1+I2+I3. I3 can be kept at a very low level by the use of an ultra-low-power opamp.
If it is desired for reasons of costs to dispense with encapsulation of the controller electronics, then the use of high-resistance resistors is problematic. Condensation and the associated contamination on the printed circuit board surface, which occur in the vehicle, lead to tracking currents which affect the functioning of circuits dimensioned to be of high-impedance. R1 to R4 cannot, therefore, be made to be high-resistance to an arbitrarily high degree. Thus, I1 and I2 load the battery in standby operation.
The problem underlying the invention is to develop a control device that permits relatively low-resistance resistors to be used even in the case of low closed-circuit current consumption, while compensating for thermal effects on the command variable.

Electronic device for regulating the voltage across a high-side load

SITRONIC Ges. fuer elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co. KG


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a search method, a device, and a storage medium. The method includes: identifying, by an AR technology, a target object to be searched, and acquiring search information of the target object, transmitting a search request to a server according to the search information, receiving a search result of the target object returned by the server. The method provided in the embodiments can quickly obtain an accurate search result and improves user experience.

With the popularization of computers and the development of information engineering, obtaining information from the Internet has become an important way for people's daily life and work. The Internet has now become a platform with increasingly abundant resources, and the entire Internet has gradually become a resource storage space with a large amount of information.
Currently, when a user conducts a search on a terminal device, the user usually inputs a keyword in a search input box of a search engine, and the search engine detects multiple search results corresponding to the keyword and presents them to the user.
However, the above solution makes the search results completely dependent on the keyword. If the keyword input by the user is not accurate enough, not only the search efficiency is low, but also the search results may be inaccurate, resulting in a poor user experience.

Search method, device and storage medium


A portable or moveable carport is described. The carport as described herein is able to be quickly and easily set up and taken down while still shielding a vehicle from rain, snow and sun—the primary destroyers of automotive paint, body and interiors. The structure has at least four vertical legs supporting an A-frame roof structure. The vertical legs are anchored under the vehicle's four tires with adjustable plates which can be driven onto once the structure is assembled.

An automobile, boat, or other vehicle is a sizable investment to most consumers. Collector cars are a popular investment, but many owners do not have expensive garages, carports or other storage means readily available to protect their vehicles from the elements. Fabric and plastic car covers are available, but car covers that are not breathable or let moisture through, can cause severe damage to a vehicle's finish if water is trapped under the cover. Good breathable car covers are expensive and can still chafe the car's finish, and also allow water or dust to penetrate. Additionally, car covers are unwieldy, tend to wear out quickly and can be damaged by UV radiation or adverse weather. As a solution, heavy carports are available, but they suffer from the need to be attached to the ground via lag bolts, ropes, or other mechanical means to make them at least semi-permanent. Portable shelters are usually complicated in design, are susceptible to collapse due to their lightweight structure, and most importantly, difficult to manufacture. As a result, these protective portable devices have not received any commercial success.


Operating power (207 and/or 209) is wirelessly transmitted (101) within a movable barrier operator system (200) to at least one remote peripheral device (204) to thereby provide at least a portion of the remote peripheral device's instantaneous power consumption requirements. By these teachings, this remote peripheral device and the movable barrier operator for the movable barrier operator system are able to transmit information there between separate and apart from such wireless transmission of operating power. Such an exchange might comprise, for example, one or more separate wireless transmissions that are distinct and separate from the wireless power transmissions.

Movable barrier operator systems of various kinds are known in the art. Some systems provide automated (and/or remote) control with respect to movement of a movable barrier (such as, but not limited to, a single-piece or segmented garage door, a sliding or pivoting gate, a pivoting guard arm, rolling shutters, and the like). Such control systems generally serve to provide some point of control with respect to a mechanism that itself governs, in some fashion, access to some further destination (such as, but not limited to, a garage or other parking area, a business area, a recreation or exercise area, and so forth).
Such systems often include a movable barrier operator that facilitates such control. In addition, in many cases, such systems also include one or more remote peripheral devices. Examples include, but are not limited to, wall-mounted remote actuation switches, so-called keyless entry interfaces, biometric entry interfaces, one or more obstacle detectors (including, but not limited to, contact based as well as light beam based detectors), auxiliary lighting, and so forth. In most cases, such remote peripheral devices either have an internal discrete portable power source (such as one or more batteries) and/or are dependent upon an external source of power.
In the case of the latter, such remote peripheral devices are usually coupled to the aforementioned movable barrier operator (via, for example, electrical conductors such as wire or cable). In this case, in many instances, these electrical conductors also serve to convey information between such components. To illustrate, a pair of conductive wires often serve to both provide power from a movable barrier operator to an obstacle detector and to serve as a bearer medium by which the obstacle detector can provide obstacle detection information to the movable barrier operator.
Such an approach serves well for many application purposes. There are instances and application settings, however, when such an approach leaves something to be desired. In some cases, providing such electrical conductors can comprise a time-consuming task and/or may present esthetic concerns regarding appearance of the installed system.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Method and apparatus to facilitate providing power to remote peripheral devices for use with a movable barrier operator system


An automated glass cooler entrance door assembly for an opening in a walk-in cooler comprising at least one fixed, stationary side door that defines a walkway about the opening for ingress and egress into the cooler, at least one opposing sliding door operatively suspended from a concealed drive mechanism above the opening to slide sideways from a closed position across the opening to close-off the cooler to and from an opened position overlapping the fixed stationary side door to allow customer ingress and egress to the cooler via the walkway through the opening and each of the doors comprising heated glass that is electrically connected to electrical power to heat the same.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automated glass cooler entrance doors. More particularly, this invention relates to walk-in commercial refrigeration coolers having entrance glass doors.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, display refrigerators and freezers are commonly used in retail stores such as grocery and convenience stores for refrigerating merchandise such as beverages behind glass doors allowing the discriminating shopper to view the merchandise while shopping. Once the selection is made, the shopper may then open the glass door, reach-in and remove the product from the refrigerator or freezer.
Another method to merchandise cold beverages allows the customer to walk into the cooler to make a product selection. Walk-in coolers require the doors to be full-view glass not only for customer appeal but also to allow store personnel to monitor the interior of the cooler to prevent shoplifting.
Hinged manual glass entrance doors that swing open are generally available throughout the industry. Manual swing doors are undesirable, however, because the customer is preferably carrying a large amount of product such as a case of beer and cannot conveniently open the doors to exit the cooler. Hence, it is now commonplace for walk-in coolers to be fitted with automatic sliding glass doors that automatically open and close as a customer approaches the doors from the outside during ingress and, conversely, to also automatically open and close during customer egress. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,525,659 and 6,225,904, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, teach the use of motion and presence sensors to sense the ingress or egress of a customer and to control the energization, acceleration and deceleration of the sliding doors during opening and closing.
It is well recognized that conventional storefront automated entrance doors cannot be used for cooler entrance doors because the temperature difference between the store and the cooler is so significant that condensation forms exteriorly on the doors and on the sliding glass door drive components located inside the header above the doors. Not only does condensation present an unsightly appearance to the customer, it also presents a safety hazard to customers as the condensation puddles on the floor and leads to premature failure of the internal drive mechanism.
More particularly, it is recognized that storefront automated entrance doors perform satisfactorily for store entrance because generally there is little temperature difference from one side of the door to the other. A double set of automated doors, including an airlock, may even be employed in northern climates. During winter months, the indoor relative humidity is relatively low, thereby reducing the amount of condensation and allowing the use of the automated doors. However, using a double set of automated entrance doors for a walk-in cooler requires too much valuable floor space and is cost prohibitive. Even if a double set of doors are used, condensation would nevertheless form on the doors and drive mechanism during higher relative humidity conditions in summer.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the commercial walk-in cooler art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a way to employ automated doors for walk-in coolers in such a manner that condensation on the doors and drive mechanism is minimized.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Automated glass entrance door assembly for walk-in coolers

Commercial Refrigerator Door Company, Inc.


Delay locked loop circuits are provided that include a delay locked loop that generates a delay locked loop output signal and a jitter suppressor. The jitter suppressor may comprise a delay circuit that receives the delay locked loop output signal and generates one or more delayed versions of the delay locked loop output signal and a phase interpolator that receives the delay locked loop output signal and the one or more delayed versions of the delay locked loop output signal. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the delay circuit may comprise a plurality of serially connected delay cells. Each of these delay cells may delay signals input thereto for at time equal to one clock period of an external clock signal that is input to the delay locked loop.

Delay locked loop circuits are circuits that may be used to generate an internal clock signal that has a phase that leads a reference clock signal by a predetermined time. Internal clock signals are often used in semiconductor integrated circuits which operate in synchronization with an external clock signal and have a relatively high degree of integration such as, for example, Rambus DRAM (RDRAM) and Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) circuits.
More specifically, in many conventional semiconductor circuits, an external clock signal is input to a clock buffer through an input pin to generate an internal clock signal. A data output buffer outputs data to an external circuit in synchronization with the internal clock signal. The internal clock signal is delayed from the external clock signal by a predetermined time in the clock buffer. The output data from the data output buffer is also delayed from the internal clock signal by a predetermined time. As a result, the output data may be output after a long delay time with respect to the external clock signal such that the output data access time (tAC) becomes long.
In order to reduce the output data access time (tAC), a delay locked loop may be used to generate the internal clock signal such that the phase of the internal clock signal leads the phase of the external clock signal by a predetermined time. Use of such an internal clock signal may allow the output data to be output without delay with respect to the external clock signal. In other words, the delay locked loop receives the external clock signal and generates an internal clock signal that has a phase that leads the external clock signal by a predetermined time. The internal clock signal may be used as a clock signal of each part of the circuit, such as the data output buffer.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional delay locked loop circuit 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional delay locked loop includes a phase detector 11, a charge pump 12, and a voltage controlled delay line 13.

Jitter suppressing delay locked loop circuits and related methods


The invention provides an imaging system for the detection and sorting of objects in a work space. The invention uses a modulated electromagnetic signal and then filters each received signal. The received modulated signals by an array of photosites are used to create an image of an object.

Optical imagers that are used for sortation and inspection illuminate the objects to be inspected (work pieces) with one or more emitters or radiant energy sources. The work pieces reflect or transmit the light to one or more receivers, which detect the combined results of the reflected and transformed emissions. From the received signal, certain features are imaged and based on the image, a decision is made for each and every work piece about how it should be processed or sorted. The image is displayed on a visible monitor and the decisions are communicated to an actuator for realization. For example, in bulk material benefication, high grade work pieces are optically sensed and sorted out from those of lower grade. The information gathered by the sensor is typically used as a control input for an industrial process.
The descriptive features extracted from the work pieces are selected according to the nature of the work pieces, the differences between work pieces and non-work pieces, and the needs of the process. For example, when inspecting metal parts for the presence of contaminative rust, the sorter optics are set to be sensitive to the characteristic spectral signature of hematite. For sorting glass cutlet during recycling, visible color is the discriminatory feature and the optics are tuned to the visible spectrum. Optical tuning is well known and is commonly done through a judicious selection of emitters, optical filters, and receivers. A popular light source is the light emitting diode (LED), because of its stable and relatively narrow spectrum and its capacity for modulation.
In the prior art, there are physical and technological limitations that limit capacity for adaptation and usefulness. Emitters are available with only a limited number of spectral configurations, and their spectrum often does not adequately meet the requirements of the application. Also, the temporal response of many emitters is sluggish, restricting systems to continuous or unacceptably slow operation. For example, no technology exists for arbitrarily modulating an ultraviolet light source. Receiver insensitivity is also a common problem, especially in noisy environments and when high speed operation is required. Another limitation of the prior art is that the high level of radiated light creates problematical side effects in the operating environment. For example, photosensitive work pieces such as predeveloped photographic film and electronic photo-etched boards are permanently damaged when struck by light. The high levels of emitted radiation also require high operating currents to be supplied, reducing the life of the emitters and limiting portability.

Electro-optic apparatus for imaging objects


A semiconductor die assembly includes a substantially planar lead frame including a die paddle and a plurality of lead fingers, a first semiconductor die secured by an active surface thereof to the die paddle, a second semiconductor die secured by a backside thereof to the die paddle, wire bonds extending from the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die to lead fingers of the plurality, and an encapsulant extending over the first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die, the die paddle, the wire bonds and portions of the lead fingers. A method of fabricating the semiconductor die assembly and an electronic system incorporating the semiconductor die assembly are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a thin, two die semiconductor package and method of fabrication thereof.
2. State of the Art
Semiconductor dice are usually packaged to provide a protective structure therefor and to facilitate mechanical and electrical connection thereof to a higher-level assembly, such as a carrier substrate in the form of, for example, a module board or a motherboard. A conventional approach to packaging one or more semiconductor dice is to secure the die or dice to a metal lead frame, wire bond the die bond pads to lead fingers of the lead frame, and encapsulate the resulting assembly with a transfer-molded, silicon-filled thermoplastic polymer with lead fingers of the lead frame extending to the exterior of the molded package. A wide variety of such packages have been developed over the years.
One significant consideration in encapsulation of die assemblies has always been the reliability of the encapsulated assembly. Voids in the encapsulant volume may lead to environmental contamination and failure of the package, or even rupture thereof under high temperature service. Mismatches in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the die, the metal lead frame and the encapsulant contribute to internal stresses which can jeopardize package integrity. Further, substantial mismatches in the volume of encapsulant on opposing sides of a lead frame lead to unbalanced stresses within the package as the encapsulant cools to a solid state after molding, resulting in a tendency of the package to "bow" to one side under bending stress and enhancing the potential for stress cracking as well as delamination of the encapsulant from lead fingers extending therethrough.
The potential for the above-noted problems may be aggravated when multiple semiconductor dice are packaged together. For example, when two semiconductor dice are to be packaged in a transfer molded casing, placing both dice on the same side of a lead frame die paddle may, again, exacerbate stresses within the package, due to the unbalanced masses of encapsulant as well as CTE mismatch among the package components.
One conventional approach to avoid this problem is to back-bond each of the two semiconductor dice to the lead frame paddle to provide symmetry on both sides of the lead frame. However, this requires inverting the lead frame paddle for mounting and wire bonding of the second die. Another approach to packaging multiple dice involves the use of a downset lead frame die paddle to facilitate central placement of stacked dice facing in the same direction (active surface up) for ease of wire bonding within the package, but this requires an additional step in deforming the lead frame and the use of differently sized dice to provide access to the bond pads of each die. Yet another packaging approach includes placing two semiconductor dice facing in the same direction (active surface up) on opposing sides of a lead frame, the lower die having a central row of bond pads and the upper die having peripheral bond pads. However, this requires the use of a standoff element under the upper die to provide adequate clearance for the wire bond loops connecting the lower die to the lead frame, thus demanding the use of two differently configured dice and an extra assembly step to place the standoff element, and results in an undesirably thick package.
It would be desirable to provide a lead frame-based, transfer molded package configuration for two semiconductor dice which may incorporate two identically sized dice having the same or similar bond pad arrangements thereon, wherein wire bonding may be effected without inversion of the assembly, and which results in a thin, substantially symmetrical package.

Two die semiconductor assembly and system including same


A non-constrained total joint prosthetic replacement device for metatarso-phalangeal joint. A first component comprises a convex-bearing surface and a rearwardly projecting stem configured to be received in the resected metatarsal bony shaft, and a second component includes a concave-bearing surface and a stem configured to be received within the resected phalangeal bony shaft. A non-bearing intermediate land offsets the convex-bearing surface of the first component from the stem, allowing a full range of anatomical motion notwithstanding the presence of bony overgrowth.

In general, prostheses for replacing defective natural joints between bony shafts are well known. One example of a total joint replacement for the metatarsal phalangeal joint of the foot employs a collared hinge with opposing integral stems, all formed of silicone. To install such a device, an incision is made and the metatarsal and phalangeal bones exposed and resected. Axial channels are formed in the intramedullary canals of the proximal phalanx and metatarsal. The stems are then disposed in the channels, the collars seated against the ends of the bones, and the incision closed. An example of such a silicone hinge replacement is the Sutter Hinged Great Toe Joint Implant, marketed by Sutter Biomedical, Inc.
Non-constrained total joint replacement systems are also known. In the context of the metatarsophalangeal joint, such systems typically include separate metatarsal and phalangeal components configured to be disposed on the ends of the respective resected bony shafts and maintained in place by the soft tissue surrounding the bones.
One type of such non-constrained system employs a metatarsal component including a cap with a rearwardly projecting stem. The stem is received in a channel formed in the intramedullary canal of the metatarsal, and the cap, in effect, covers the end of the metatarsal head, wrapping around the sides of the metatarsal. Resection of the metatarsal in a plurality of planes (i.e., faceting themetatarsal head) is typically required for disposition of the metatarsal cap. The phalangeal component comprises a disc-shaped base with a curved bearing surface and a rearwardly projecting stem. The metatarsal component is typically formed of biocompatible metal, and the phalangeal portion formed of polyethylene or of polyethylene backed with metal.
Other non-constrained systems employ a metatarsal component comprising a domed head with a rearwardly projecting rectangular cross-section stem. The head includes a convex, part-spherical bearing surface extending to the periphery of the metatarsal component and defining the maximum transverse dimension of the metatarsal component. No portion of the metatarsal component extends transversely beyond the bearing surface. The phalangeal component includes a concave part-spherical bearing surface and a rearwardly projecting stem of generally rectangular cross-section. The radii of the respective bearing surfaces are equal. However, the surface area of the convex bearing surface on the metatarsal component is noticeably larger than the surface area of the concave bearing surface on the phalangeal component. The metatarsal component is formed of a substantially physiologically inert metal, such as orthochrome, and the phalangeal component formed of polyethylene. When implanted, the stems of the metatarsal and phalangeal components are received in respective channels formed in the medullary channels of the bones.
Such prior art devices, when implanted, dispose the convex bearing surface immediately and contiguously adjacent to the bone. The present inventors have found that this tends to limit the range of permitted motion in the joint, and renders the system susceptible to bony overgrowth. Such bony overgrowth tends to further limit the permissible range of motion in the joint. Further, various of such prior art systems employ a metatarsal component having a concave part-spherical rear surface. The metatarsal head is craterized to form a recess to receive the metatarsal component so that the edge of the bearing surface abuts metatarsal bone. Such an arrangement is not only particularly susceptible to bony overgrowth, but tends to initiate a periosteal reaction that promotes bony overgrowth. In addition, during extremes of flexion and extension, the phalangeal component tends to ride off of the metatarsal component onto part of the actual articular surface of the metatarsal head. The polyethylene component thus tends to articulate with already deceased cartilage, often exacerbating a diseased condition and breaking down the actual articular surface of the metatarsal head in the vicinity of the metatarsal component.
Examples of prior art non-constrained systems are the "Total Toe System" marketed by Biomet, Inc. and the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,296 issued May 29, 1979 to Johnson, et al.


A method for eliciting an immune response by contacting a mucosal surface utilizing a composition including an antigen, a NOD agonist, and a mucoadhesive, wherein the NOD agonist is N-Acetyl-muramyl-L-Alanyl-D-Glutamin-n-butyl-ester (“Murabutide”).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vaccines. More particularly, it concerns compositions of antigens and adjuvants, and methods of their use. In specific embodiments, the invention concerns compositions comprising virus-like particle ("VLF") antigens and Murabutide.
2. Description of Related Art
Virus-like particles ("VLPs") typically consist of assembled protein subunits of a pathogenic virus that are capable of inducing an anti-viral (protective or therapeutic) immune response when administered to a subject, but are devoid of some or all of the nucleic acids necessary for viral replication. Thus, VLPs embody the best features of immunization with live or attenuated viruses, namely the induction of a relevant immune response, but lack the potential for causing disease because of the inability of the VLP to replicate in the subject.
There are many examples of VLPs and VLP-vaccine technology, and the use of VLPs as a vaccine platform finds particular value in mucosal immunization against viral pathogens. Examples of target diseases that can be treated by VLP immunization (prophylactically), or which might be ameliorated in terms of severity by VLP treatment after viral infection (therapeutically) include influenza ("flu") virus, hepatitis viruses, caliciviruses and essentially any virus whose capsid subunits can assemble into stable VLP after production.
While the immunogenicity and potential clinical benefit of VLPs have been demonstrated, as with any vaccine antigen, VLP immunogenicity might not always be sufficiently strong to mount a protective response—that is, an immune response might be induced by vaccination with a VLP antigen, but the strength, type and/or duration of the response might not be sufficiently robust to fend off disease upon a subject's exposure to the viral pathogen. Adjuvants are often used in conjunction with vaccine antigens to correct the inherent deficiencies of weak antigens. Adjuvants include molecules in many chemical and biological categories, with equally diverse modes of action. Modes of action of adjuvants include immunomodulation, antigen presentation enhancement, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) induction, antigen targeting promotion, and depot generation. Examples of vaccine adjuvants include those that trap the antigen in a depot, such as alum, and enable immune system cells to sample and process the adjuvant over time, with an enhanced immune potentiating effect. Cytokines (cellular and immune regulatory molecules), such as granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), have been used to cause a local inflammatory reaction to enhance exposure of immune cells to the antigen and to enhance the magnitude and duration of the immune response.
Presentation of a vaccine antigen, including VLP, through mucosal exposure (e.g. nasal, pulmonary, oral, vaginal) can lead to the development of mucosal immune protective effects, such that when a subject is exposed to a viral pathogen that gains entry through a mucosal surface the subject can be protected by this mode of vaccination. As summarized above, mucosal vaccination through exposure to an antigen by itself might not lead to protective immunity, and adjuvants can be used to overcome this deficiency. However, the field of mucosal vaccination is relatively new, unlike the more typical routes of intramuscular and subcutaneous vaccine administration, for which typical adjuvants include those that form a depot such as alum or enhance local inflammatory effects, such as cytokines. Consequently, there is a great need for new appropriate, safe and effective mucosal vaccine adjuvants. The present invention addresses this challenge with technology for adjuvanting (potentiating) the immune response to antigens, such as VLPs.

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS FOR AND ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY


In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, an additive gas is mixed with an etching gas to reduce a fluorine ratio of the etching gas. The etching gas having a reduced fluorine rate is utilized in the process for etching a nitride layer formed on an oxide layer to prevent the oxide layer formed below the nitride layer from being etched along with the nitride layer. The method comprises primarily etching an exposed charge storage layer using an etching gas; and secondarily etching the charge storage layer using the etching gas under a condition that a ratio of fluorine contained in the etching gas utilized in the secondary etching step is less than a ratio of fluorine contained in the etching gas utilized in the primary etching step. Thus, the tunnel insulating layer formed below the charge storage layer is not damaged when the charge storage layer is patterned.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device which can minimize damage to an oxide layer when a nitride layer formed on the oxide layer is etched.
In semiconductor devices, a non-volatile memory device may include a charge storage layer formed of an insulating layer (for example, a nitride layer) instead of a polysilicon layer which is a conductive layer.
The non-volatile memory device in which the charge storage layer is formed of a conductive layer has a disadvantage that if there is a fine defect on a floating gate, a retention time of charges becomes significantly lowered. However, in the non-volatile memory device in which an insulating layer such as a nitride layer is formed as the charge storage layer, there is an advantage that process defects are relatively reduced due to a property of the nitride layer.
In addition, in the non-volatile memory device in which the charge storage layer is formed of a conductive layer, since a tunnel insulating layer having a thickness of approximately 70 Å or more is formed below a floating gate, there is a limit in realizing a low voltage operation and a high speed operation of the semiconductor device. In the non-volatile memory device in which an insulating layer acts as the charge storage layer, however, it is possible to make a thickness of a direct tunneling insulating layer formed below the charge storage layer become smaller. Thus, the memory device may operate at a low voltage and low power with a high speed.
In general, when the non-volatile memory device in which an insulating layer is utilized as the charge storage layer, an isolation layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate by a shallow trench isolation (STI) process, and an oxide layer as the direct tunneling insulating layer, a nitride layer as the charge storage layer for storing electric charge therein, an oxide layer as the charge blocking layer and a conductive layer as a gate electrode layer are then formed on the semiconductor substrate including the isolation layer. Subsequently, an etching process for forming a gate pattern is performed to form a gate constituting the memory cell.
As described above, however, since the direct tunneling insulating layer has an extremely small thickness, if the exposed direct tunneling insulating layer is etched together with the charge storage layer during an etching process for the charge storage layer, an active region of the semiconductor substrate is directly exposed so that the active region may be damaged. As a result, an operational characteristic of the non-volatile memory device may be adversely affected.
In the process for fabricating the semiconductor device, after forming a gate on a gate insulating layer, a gate spacer can be formed on a side wall of the gate for protecting the gate. In general, an insulating layer, for example, a nitride layer having a thickness sufficient for maintaining a step of the gate, is formed on the semiconductor substrate including the gate. An anisotropic etching process for the nitride layer is then performed to form the gate spacer. However, during the etching process for the nitride layer, the exposed gate insulating layer can be etched together with the nitride layer. In this case, the active region of the semiconductor substrate is also directly exposed so that the active region may be damaged. Due to a damage of the active region, a characteristic of the non-volatile memory device can be lowered.

Method of fabricating a semiconductor device


A repair sleeve carrier for transporting a repair liner into a conduit to the location of damage or leakage for repairing the conduit from the inside, the sleeve carrier having a segmented flex tubing and a bladder with ends attached to the flex tubing and an unattached middle portion forming a cavity between the middle portion of the bladder and the flex tubing with an air passage to the cavity, the sleeve carrier having an air supply connect or that connects to an air supply to provide pressurized air to the cavity through the passage to inflate the bladder.

This invention relates to an improved carrier for installing a repair liner at the location of a damaged or leaking portion of conduit, typically a gravity flow sewer line or a service line. When an underground pipe leaks or is damaged, it is extremely expensive to excavate and externally repair or replace a segment of the pipe line. In many situations, the pipe line can be internally repaired at a great savings in cost and time.
The improved point repair sleeve carrier of this invention is designed to transport a repair liner wrapped around a bladder portion of the carrier to the point of repair, wherein the bladder is inflated and the liner in the form of a circumferential sleeve is pressed against the wall of the conduit.
Techniques in repairing larger concrete pipe with a cementicious composition, by packing ejected composition against the inside wall of the pipe at the location to be repaired using an inflatable bladder device, have been applied to repairs using a repair liner. The repair liner is typically a durable fabric material, such as a carbon or polyester fiberglass composite, impregnated with a thermo-setting polymer resin that cures in place. The sleeve carrier is similar to a repair packer and has an expandable bladder for forcing the repair material against the inner wall of a conduit. The resin impregnated liner is wrapped around an elongated expandable bladder as a sleeve. Since the sleeve must conform to the inner wall of the pipe that has a larger diameter than the deflated carrier bladder, the liner must be folded or overlapped when installed on the bladder. The expanded sleeve must also be released from the carrier bladder when the bladder is deflated and the carrier withdrawn from the pipe. When cured, the liner forms a structural repair that in many instances is stronger than the original conduit.
Various methods have been devised to retain the liner on the carrier to minimize dislodging the liner when the carrier is drawn through the pipe to the location of the repair. In Walsh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,136, issued Feb. 1, 2000, an improved system is described for attaching a liner to an inflatable carrier using Velcro® straps to minimize dislocation of the liner. Other methods, such as the use of disposable twist ties, may be used to secure the liner to the carrier. The liner is wrapped as a sleeve on the carrier bladder and is nevertheless subject to dislodgment by contact of the leading edge of the sleeve with the walls of the pipe, particularly when encountering joints or laterals.
In addition to methods for temporarily securing a liner to the carrier to prevent dislocation of the liner, improvements to the design of the carrier can also minimize the potential for dislodging the liner during installation.
Adding a guide flange or wheeled carriage to at least the lead end of the carrier elevates the carrier end and reduces snagging of the lead edge of the wrapped liner sleeve. Attempts to stiffen the elongated carrier reduce the ability of the carrier to flex or bend when attempting to insert the carrier into a horizontal pipe through a vertical manhole have been problematic. The carrier frequently must be inserted through a vertical manhole into a horizontal pipe and therefore requires that the carrier be flexible during initial installation.
The improved point repair sleeve carrier 10 of this invention solves many of the problems and difficulties in installing a releasable liner wrapped on an expandable bladder of a supporting carrier.

Point repair sleeve carrier for conduits


In an electronic communication system, relevance levels of an incoming or outgoing message for presenting it to an interlocutor is measured without having to actually interact with the interlocutor, by a method comprising the steps of extracting from the message, a flow of digital signals pertaining to transmission/reception context features, to content of the message and/or to other interlocutors with the interlocutor; weighting probabilistically the digital signals by means of indicators of relative and interrelated frequencies of occurrences of the same digital signals extracted from previous messages; from the results of the above steps, auto-generating a Bayesian network that allows the interlocutor to obtain a probabilistic prediction on the attractiveness of sent/received signals or messages, or find most probably interested interlocutors for a given information or message, each node of the Bayesian network being associated with a signal.

The present invention relates generally to electronic communication between individuals or interlocutors, through the automated support of machines and, more particularly, to a method and system that facilitate use of existing equipments for communication between interlocutors.
The constant purpose of technology is to progress for reducing of the burden imposed by the real world on the life of human beings. Modern equipments of communication like telephones, mobile phones or computers with the Internet, offers many easy ways of communication. The other side of the coin is the overabundance of messages easy transmitted and not always good targeted. This possible overabundance of messages, sometimes undesired, can generate new burdens for which solutions were already searched in background art.
DE 10114649 discloses a method allowing to set a filter in a messages database to let incoming messages be disabled or transmitted to a mobile or conventional telephone in function of their source. The human being still has the burden of determining undesired sources and to manually set the filter. The method requires initially comparing incoming subscriber directory numbers.
US2003/0050988 discloses e-mail system providing filtering methodology on a per-domain basis. Known interfaces like Sendmail Mail Filter API allowing third party software to validate and modify messages as they pass through the mail transport system, predetermined rules are applied on incoming messages for permitting or not a connection. The problem is that rules based on, for example a great number of messages from the domain are not necessary relevant about the interest of one or many messages in the flow for the receiver.
US2003/0012348 discloses a method and system for filter based message processing in a unified messaging system. A Unified message server centralises messages from different sources. The Unified message server can compute not only text but also voice with a voice recognition system. The user can request that messages from a particular source or regarding a specific subject are discarded, rather than stored for later retrieval. The user still has the burden to built the profile, the static form of which at a given time, not necessary being adapted to an incoming message of a non foreseen kind.
US2003/0050981 discloses a method, apparatus, and program to forward and verify multiple digital signatures in electronic mail. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly or a mail server may discard it. Such systems only work in a context of specific kind of messages and not for any kind of message.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,700 discloses an electronic mail distribution system for integrated electronic communication. Options are used to define a set of rules to be applied to inbound and outbound messages so that messages are sent and received in accordance with the preferences of the senders and receivers. The predefined rules of the set of rules, are not adapted to situation which is not foreseen and doesn't necessarily reflect a potential interest of the interlocutor for a message of exception.
US2002/0159575 discloses a method and system for filtering notification of e-mail messages. The system includes a user interface that permits subscribers to populate filter lists with e-mail message attributes. A notification system selectively notifies therewith subscribers of incoming e-mail messages based on the contents of the contents of their respective filter lists. The problem is that a potential interlocutor who could be interested by a message, would be not notified when not subscribing before. Similar system and method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,810.
US2002/0147988 discloses a method and apparatus for notifying users of filtered e-mail using a set top box. A user specifies filtering criteria which then detects the arrival of an e-mail fulfilling the specified criteria, and notifies the user accordingly. The user has no knowledge of a potential interesting message outside of the filtering criteria previously specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,932 discloses a system and method for filtering unsolicited electronic mail messages using data matching and heuristic processing. At least one heuristic process is provided to determine whether the electronic mail message may be of interest to the user. An heuristic is based on a set of rules activated when data of the header don't specifically match with an associated predetermined field. An activated rule searches for example in the field "FROM" if the domain of the source instead of the source itself is assured to be junk-free. To be junk-free doesn't necessarily means that the message is of potential interest for the receiver. It is still boring to specify a great number of rules which by nature, will be not appropriate for any unforeseen case.
GB 2366164 discloses servers having filter data stored therein for selecting messages to be forwarded to user stations in dependence on filter criteria specified by the users. Hereto, the burden of the user remains, induced by a priori specification of the criteria which, even in great number, could always be incomplete, simply because the user may have some difficulties to forecast the interest of the content of a message without having read it before.
WO 01/97089 discloses a secure forwarding system. After processing in a filter layer, a received message from a sender and further retrieving recipient delivery preferences, the received message is forwarded or not to the intended recipient. The system needs to provide a filter unit in the filter layer for supporting a particular messaging format. Because it needs to know the intended recipient to retrieve recipient delivery preferences, the system will not transmit a message to a non intended recipient who could have interest in the message.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,215 discloses a method and system for filter based message processing in a unified messaging system. A mechanism enable a user to filter certain message attributes such as the identification of the sender, recipient or the subject header or the message type. The content of the message per se cannot constitute an attribute because it cannot be predicted as a whole by nature when containing information.
US2002/0116463 synthesises well the general orientation of the state of the art, that is to filter unwanted messages. Application of rules is based upon the preponderance of predetermined words within an e-mail message. The problem is that a message with predetermined words can be interesting for the recipient. Some content of an identified suspect message is transmitted to the recipient who has to decide if the message is really unwanted. New words may be added to the base to complete the predetermination of the rules. The user is still called on services of filtering process, inducing a burden for him. A message without predetermined words will not be filtered, even when not necessarily unwanted, the message is without interest for the recipient.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,709 discloses e-mail filters and method thereof. It is necessary to let a user compile or be provided with character strings which a user would not wish to receive, for a first filter. It is further necessary to let a user compile or be provided with character strings which a user would wish to receive, for a second filter. The user has to review results of rejection. The user may wish less contribution to the process.
The state of the art provides not a full satisfaction for solving a known technical problem in the domain of machine-to-machine, machine-to-human, and/or interpersonal communication. In communication between individuals through electronic media, it is impossible for individuals to really determine their interest in an incoming message before they have got knowledge or read this message. Likewise, it is impossible for an individual to know if a stimulus, a signal or a message is interesting for another individual before this message, signal or stimulus is acknowledged, acquired or read by the receiver.
This problem implies that individuals, machines or organizations may receive signals, stimuli or messages they are not interested in. Inversely, individuals, machines or organizations may send stimuli, signals or messages that are not interesting for their receivers.
Another known problem in the technical domain of communication is the impossibility for an individual or a group of individuals (e.g. an organization) to know in advance if they would have a propensity or a will to communicate with another individual. This known problem is known as the learning curve of communication. In order to know if another individual would be interesting to interact with, a person has to experience and actually communicate with this other person. This problem in interpersonal communications increases the risk of unwanted interactions, and diminishes the propensity to communicate to unknown individuals.
The invention supplies to individuals the probability level of their own interest in an incoming signal, stimulus or message, before they get actual knowledge of its contents. It also supplies to individuals the names of potential receivers for a stimulus, message, text or content that they possess and are willing to share, without knowing who, in the population of people they interact with, will be interested in them.
Another problem, which is critical to the industry, is that individuals may have to process a lot of stimuli in order to build their own knowledge of the interest they have in potential interlocutors and/or signals, stimuli or messages. This problem creates information overload and bottlenecks at the individual and organizational level. People spend a lot of time building their appreciation of the interest of interaction of other individuals. They also spend a lot of time searching for people who have stimuli, signals, information or messages that could be interesting for them. The experience of individuals in this matter is built ex-post, that is to say that this learning is postdictive (learnt after having had the experience of the interaction). On the contrary, if it were possible, individuals would greatly benefit from a predictive learning of the propensity of their interlocutors to communicate with them.
Likewise, when individuals possess or generate information or messages, so to express or share their knowledge, they have to rely on their learning curve, tacit knowledge, experience or intuition to determine who might be interested in their production, or the message, stimulus, signal, content they possess. The likeliness of this information or knowledge not being of great interest for the chosen interlocutors is not null. Consequently, knowledge is not transmitted to the adequate people in organizations, and may never reach them. There might be individuals who are interested in this stimulus, message, chunk of knowledge, but who are unknown to the sender or creator of this knowledge.
To date, the problem for the industry is that a machine cannot generate this predictive knowledge of the mutual or asymmetric propensity to communicate between individuals automatically. The industry is forced to ask individuals to discriminate manually the people or the messages that are not welcome. Likewise, the problem to date for the industry is that a machine cannot generate the names of the potential receivers who might be interested in a message or chunk of knowledge as well.
Existing technical solutions and answers to this problem require a human intervention, either from the interlocutor (here after, the "communicator") or by the organization managing the communication system (hereafter, the "operator"). Previous technical solutions to this problem were therefore based on the following technical processes and characteristics where the communicator was asked to define manually, by checking a list, or by integrating the data by himself in a man-machine interface, the list of words, chunks of text, or list of persons he or she did not want to interact with. This technology is known as filtering. The problem is however persistent because people who can be unwanted can still send a very interesting message and vice-versa, people who are welcome to communicate may sometimes send very unwanted or uninteresting message. Hence, filtering technologies that require the brutal discrimination of senders or text are not to date optimal solutions.
Other patented processes proposed to generate a set of rules, based on the analysis of the behavior of the communicator. These previous technical solutions such as the one disclosed in FR 2830642, were mostly based on the order of reading emails, interpreted as a hierarchical prioritization by the communicator. Previous technical solutions also automatically record and observe how people were opening, closing, displacing, destroying, the speed of reading their incoming messages, and were generating rules about the behavior of the communicator. Previous technical solutions are relying on "pre-defined" actions and explicit communication models that were under surveillance as to generate rules concerning the behavior of the communicator. The types of action (speed of reaction, length of feedback, speed of destruction of incoming unwanted messages, etc.) are used in previous technical solutions to learn what interlocutors or content the communicator was more likely to discriminate. However, previous technical solutions are not capable to exhaustively and simultaneously address the combination of content, context and individuals. Also, previous technical solutions are relying on pre-conceived assumptions on the communication between individuals. For example, previous technical solutions could declare that an interlocutor was not welcome because his or her messages were read very quickly and displaced or destroyed very soon after they were received. Yet, studies have shown that individuals in the working place who receive romantic messages from their love partners tend to destroy them very quickly for the protection of their privacy. Previous technological solutions based on rules generation would have declared these incoming messages and senders are very unwanted.
Other previous technical solutions are based on "collaborative filtering". People preferences for a content are recorded when they consult a content or receive/emit a message. Correlations are built between people and content, and a feedback can be given to any individual under the form: "people who have chosen this content also appreciated these other contents". Collaborative filtering can be applied to contents, objects or individuals. Technical solutions that try to match people according to their interest are also using collaborative filtering technologies. Collaborative filtering cannot, however, take a chunk of knowledge, information or a stimulus, and find the one person who is the most probably interest in reading this message, and does not solve the above technical problem of the industry.
An object of the invention is to solve the general problem of matching individuals and contents, under the form of any stimulus that can be transformed in a digital or electronic form.
Another object of the invention is to support and accompany interpersonal communications the domain of life support systems.
A more precise object of the invention is to provide individuals with technical means allowing them to predict their interest and/or propensity to reply to incoming signal, stimulus or message without even reading or get knowledge of it, and reversibly, to predict who would be interested in a message, or would have a propensity to communicate with them, without even getting in touch, or knowing these potential interlocutors.

Method and system for measuring interest levels of digital messages


A cover assembly (10) is provided and includes a flexible fabric cover (21) within which a plurality of elongate, hollow thermal transfer fluid profiles (12) is positioned. Each of the profiles includes an arcuate outer surface (13) adapted to conform with an exterior of a fluid conduit (20). The cover assembly may be fastened circumferentially about a fluid conduit to position and maintain the profiles in thermal contact therewith.

There are a wide variety of applications where heated or cooled fluid is delivered over a length of conduit Typical industrial applications include fluid coatings or adhesives that are applied at specific assembly or processing stations in a plant. The fluid may be stored in an area remote from the one or more dispensing stations. However, it is often advantageous to control the temperature of the fluid, whether to lower the viscosity to facilitate fluid transfer or to maintain a desired temperature at the point of application, as a matter of application process efficiency. It is generally preferred to perform the bulk temperature control at the point of introducing the fluid into the system, particularly where there are multiple application points. During delivery of the fluid to the application station, a change in fluid temperature will result if the ambient temperature varies from the initial control temperature. The temperature gradient increases as the difference between the ambient temperature and control temperature increases, and as the length of the conduit increases.
Other fluid delivery systems require the routing of fluid conduits carrying ambient temperature fluids through relatively cold or hot environments. For example, pipes carrying room temperature water through an outside environment may freeze up if the ambient temperature drops significantly below the freezing point of water. The pipes must then be heated, melting internal ice to restore flow until the ambient temperatures rise sufficiently. It is well known to insulate such pipes with a variety of insulating wraps or foams, however, in severe conditions such measures are often insufficient to prevent freezing of the liquid passing through the pipe.
Accordingly, in many fluid delivery systems it is desirable to actively reduce temperature variation along the conduit or even adjust the temperature along the conduit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,907 to Dunning et al. shows an example of one such system, whereby installation of a heat exchanger to an existing system without disassembly is possible. This design represents a substantial improvement over many earlier methods which required cutting, welding, or similar processes to install a coaxial heat exchanging system. Unless installed at the time of system construction, prior methods required separating the pipe to be heated, draining and purging the pipe, then sliding a larger section of pipe over the subject pipe. The exterior pipe could be used to circulate fluid past the interior pipe in a coaxial relationship. Once this was done, however, both the exterior pipe and the internal, subject pipe had to be welded or otherwise sealed, a time-intensive, potentially dangerous and costly prospect. The multiple sealing points further presented an added risk of leaks (in either the heated system or the exterior heating pipe) that can foul or damage the system and require downtime for maintenance. Because water is typically used as the heating fluid, corrosion tends to cause leaks whereby material can pass into the water stream or water can pass into the material in the inner pipe, having dire consequences.
For example, in systems where hot urethane material is transferred through a pipe, the accidental introduction of even a small quantity of water can cause solidification of the material within the entire system, ruining much of the equipment. Furthermore, many such systems utilize flammable, caustic or otherwise dangerous materials in their operation, often creating significant disposal and safety issues. Moreover, the systems must often be cleaned with toxic or flammable materials to prepare the system for reintroduction of fluid material.
In light of the above concerns, it is desirable to reduce material usage and labor. Further, obviating the need to drain and cut into an existing system would provide a significant improvement in safety.


For the production of a composite glass powder of any particle size from a fine particle size, multi-component mixture of a low-melting glass powder, fillers, and additives, the fine particle size, multicomponent mixture is sintered for 10-60 minutes at a temperature at which the base glass has a viscosity of 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.6.5 dPas, and the resultant sintered cake is ground to a powder of the desired particle size. If the multicomponent mixture comprises components decomposable with the release of gas, e.g., copper carbonate, the latter are decomposed prior to sintering at a temperature below the sintering temperature. The resultant composite glass powder containing copper oxide can be used for coating varistors.

For coating electric and electronic components, e.g., varistors, composite glass powders are used which, suspended in a suitable liquid, are applied in a layer to the component by spraying with a spray gun or by other suitable processes; and the resultant component is subjected to glaze baking to form a solid firmly bound to the component, e.g., ZnO ceramic in varistors. Composite glass powders are used, since the required mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties of the coating often cannot be achieved with a pure glass powder.
Composite glass powders generally comprise approximately 60-70% by weight of a base glass, especially a lead borate glass; approximately 15-20% by weight of at least one filler to match the expansion coefficient; 5-13% by weight of a compound for achieving specific electrical properties of the coating; and approximately 7-13% by weight of SiO.sub.2 for improving the flow behavior. The base glass forms a solid coating, incorporating the other components therein.
The filler, added in an amount of 15-20% by weight, matches the expansion coefficient of the coating to that of the base. Suitable fillers are, e.g., .beta.-eucryptite, cordierite, mullite, zirconium silicate or other refractory materials, lead titanate, and willemite, as well as materials designated as a "solid solution", such as, e.g., SnO.sub.2 --TiO.sub.2. The fillers can be produced naturally or synthetically. Especially preferred are .beta.-eucryptite and cordierite.
The mixture further contains 5-13% by weight of a compound with which certain electrical properties, e.g., current-voltage characteristics, can be adjusted. Such compounds include, for example, copper carbonate, copper oxide, chromium oxide, silver carbonate, bismuth oxide, magnesium oxide, and manganese oxide.
Especially advantageous is the use of copper carbonate, since the latter decomposes during the coating process under normal operating temperatures to a copper oxide having a very large specific surface; therefore, the resultant oxide can be readily incorporated in the base glass.
As another additive, the composite glass powder also generally contains 7-13% by weight of SiO.sub.2 for improving flow behavior. The SiO.sub.2 can be present in the composite glass powder in the form of quartz powder, as well as in the form of pyrogenic silicic acid.
The base glass powder, as well as the fillers and additives, are present in the composite glass powder in a very fine particle size. The fillers, which are added to match the coefficient of expansion of the coating to the object to be coated, in general to lower the expansion coefficient, normally have a substantially different expansion coefficient from that of the base glass. If the fillers have an excessively large particle size, microcracks in the glazing layer can form, resulting in deterioration of the mechanical and electrical properties of the layer. The fillers used for matching the expansion coefficient, therefore, normally have an average particle size of less than 15 .mu.m. Also, the base glass present in the composite glass powder normally has an average particle size of 4-15 .mu.m, especially a particle size of 6-12 .mu.m; otherwise, the particulate glass is not suitable for uniform incorporation of fillers and additives.
The compounds used for modifying the electrical properties, as well as the SiO.sub.2 added for improving flow behavior, are intended to react during glazing with the base glass, i.e., to be at least partially dissolved in the base glass. The smaller the particle size and the larger the specific surface area of these components, the less the time required for dissolution. Thus, the slower the reaction of these additives with the base glass powder, the finer the additives must be. Silicon dioxide powders dissolve comparatively well so that an average particle size of a maximum of 10 .mu.m can be used. Other additives, such as, e.g., the compounds used for adjusting the electrical properties, especially CuO, may be used only with a maximum average particle size of 4 .mu.m because of their poor solubility in the base glass. Thus, it is further preferred if these slightly soluble additives are added not as oxides, but in the form of compounds which are decomposable below the glazing temperature. During decomposition, such compounds result in very reactive powders having a large specific surface, which greatly contributes to improved solubility of the additives into the base. It is here to be noted that the addition of additives for improving or modifying the electrical properties during the melting step used for the production of the base glass is, in general, not possible, since such an addition results in the separation and crystallization of the base glass.
The decomposable compounds added to the powder in order to modify the electrical properties of the composite are decomposed by heating during the glaze baking step. However, this heating reaction requires time; thus, during the glaze baking step, the product either has to be heated very slowly or a pause in the heating at the decomposition temperature must be employed, thereby extending the baking process. Prolonging the baking process results not only in long cycle times, but can also reduce the quality of the components to be coated.
Another drawback of known composite glass powders is that they must be mixed with a significantly large amount, e.g., 35-40%, of suspension medium, e.g., water, because of the fineness of the base glass powder and additives so as to produce an easily processable, e.g., sprayable, slip. This relatively high proportion of suspension medium results in serious drawbacks. In the drying of the layer applied by spraying, immersion, or other suitable process, a substantial drying shrinkage occurs, and associated therewith is the great danger of crack formation, which results in defective coatings. Further, it is not possible with slips which contain a high proportion of suspension medium to apply sufficiently thick layers, since the layers tend to run.

Production of composite glass powder of any desired particle size from a particulate multicomponent mixture