A delivery system for use with a prosthetic heart valve having a stent frame to which a valve structure is attached includes a shaft assembly including a distal end, an intermediate portion, and a first coupling structure disposed near the distal end and configured to be coupled to a distal end of the prosthetic heart valve via a first tether. A sheath assembly defines a lumen sized to slidably receive the shaft assembly. The delivery system is configured to transition from a loaded state in which the sheath assembly encompasses the prosthetic heart valve to a deployed state in which the sheath assembly is withdrawn from the prosthetic heart valve. The first coupling structure is configured to be manipulated in a first direction to provide a controlled expansion or contraction of the distal end of the prosthetic heart valve.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for percutaneous implantation of a heart valve prosthesis. More particularly, it relates to delivery systems and methods for transcatheter implantation of a stented prosthetic heart valve.
Heart valves, such as the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves, are sometimes damaged by disease or by aging, resulting in problems with the proper functioning of the valve. Heart valve problems generally take one of two forms: stenosis in which a valve does not open completely or the opening is too small, resulting in restricted blood flow; or insufficiency in which blood leaks backward across a valve when it should be closed.
Heart valve replacement has become a routine surgical procedure for patients suffering from valve regurgitation or stenotic calcification of the leaflets. Conventionally, the vast majority of valve replacements entail full stenotomy in placing the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. Traditional open surgery inflicts significant patient trauma and discomfort, requires extensive recuperation times, and may result in fife-threatening complications.
To address these concerns, within the last decade, efforts have been made to perform cardiac valve replacements using minimally-invasive techniques. In these methods, laparoscopic instruments are employed to make small openings through the patient's ribs to provide access to the heart. While considerable effort has been devoted to such techniques, widespread acceptance has been limited by the clinician's ability to access only certain regions of the heart using laparoscopic instruments.
Still other efforts have been focused upon percutaneous transcatheter (or transluminal) delivery of replacement cardiac valves to solve the problems presented by traditional open surgery and minimally-invasive surgical methods. In such methods, a valve prosthesis is compacted for delivery in a catheter and then advanced, for example through an opening in the femoral artery and through the descending aorta to the heart, where the prosthesis is then deployed in the valve annulus (e.g., the aortic valve annulus).
Various types and configurations of prosthetic heart valves are used in percutaneous valve procedures to replace diseased natural human heart valves. The actual shape and configuration of any particular prosthetic heart valve is dependent to some extent upon the valve being replaced (i.e., mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, or pulmonary valve). In general, prosthetic heart valve designs attempt to replicate the function of the valve being replaced and thus will include valve leaflet-like structures used with either bioprostheses or mechanical heart valve prostheses. If bioprostheses are selected, the replacement valves may include a valved vein segment or pericardial manufactured tissue valve that is mounted in some manner within an expandable stent frame to make a valved stent. In order to prepare such a valve for percutaneous implantation, one type of valved stent can be initially provided in an expanded or uncrimped condition, then crimped or compressed around a balloon portion of a catheter until it is close to the diameter of the catheter. In other percutaneous implantation systems, the stent frame of the valved stent can be made of a self-expanding material. With these systems, the valved stent is crimped down to a desired size and held in that compressed state with a sheath, for example. Retracting the sheath from this valved stent allows the stent to expand to a larger diameter, such as when the valved stent is in a desired position within a patient. With either of these types of percutaneous stent delivery systems, conventional sewing of the prosthetic heart valve to the patient's native tissue is typically not necessary.
It is imperative that the stented heart valve prosthesis be accurately located relative to the native annulus prior to full deployment from the catheter. Successful implantation requires that the transcatheter prosthetic heart valve intimately lodge and seal against the native annulus. A self-expanding transcatheter heart valve must have a high radial force when expanding to properly anchor itself in the anatomy of the heart. If the prosthetic is incorrectly positioned relative to the native annulus, serious complications can result as the deployed device will leak and even may dislodge from the implantation site. Greatly complicating this effort is the fact that once the heart valve prosthesis (e.g., a self-deploying stent) is deployed from the catheter, it is exceedingly difficult to re-collapse or "recapture" the prosthetic with conventional delivery tools (e.g., an outer sheath or catheter). This same concern does not arise in the context of other vascular stents; with these procedures, if the target site was "missed," another stent is simply deployed to "make-up" the difference. In short, recapturing a deployed or partially deployed stent-based device is unique to transcatheter heart valves.
While imaging technology can be employed as part of the implantation procedure to assist a clinician in better evaluating a location of the transcatheter prosthetic heart valve immediately prior to deployment, in many instances, this evaluation alone is insufficient. Instead, clinicians desire the ability to partially deploy the prosthesis and then evaluate a position relative to the native annulus prior to full deployment. While in theory the "re-capturing" of a partially deployed stented prosthetic heart valve is straight forward, in actual practice, the constraints presented by the implantation site and the stented heart valve itself render the technique exceedingly difficult.
In light of the above, although there have been advances in percutaneous valve replacement techniques and devices, there is a continued desired to provide different delivery systems for delivering and repositioning cardiac replacement valves, and in particular self-expanding stented prosthetic heart valves, to an implantation site in a minimally invasive and percutaneous manner. There is also a continuing desire to be able to provide a more controlled deployment of replacement valves, and to be able to reposition and/or retract the valves once they have been deployed or partially deployed in order to ensure optimal placement of the valves within the patient.

Transcatheter prosthetic heart valve delivery system and method with controlled expansion of prosthetic heart valve


A sensor output correction circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive an input voltage corresponding to a sensor output of a sensor and a reference voltage that are selectively input to the analog-to-digital converter; and an arithmetic unit configured to correct output data, which is output from the analog-to-digital converter when the input voltage is input to the analog-to-digital converter, based on an output value that is output from the analog-to-digital converter when the reference voltage is input to the analog-to-digital converter. The arithmetic unit includes a multiply adder and a non-restoring divider.

1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of this disclosure relates to a sensor output correction circuit, a sensor output correction device, and a sensor output correction method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-020681, for example, discloses an output correction device for correcting sensor outputs. In the disclosed output correction device, values for correcting pixel values output from an image sensor are defined in a table for respective pixels.
With the related-art technology, however, the size of the table used to correct sensor outputs increases as the desired correction accuracy increases. Accordingly, when the memory capacity is limited, the size of the table is limited and the accuracy of correcting sensor outputs is also limited.

Sensor output correction circuit, sensor output correction device, and sensor output correction method


A method of manufacturing a ram blowout preventer including analyzing a first model of a ram blowout preventer, identifying regions of high stress concentrations in the first model at a selected loading condition, constructing the ram blowout preventer, and selectively reinforcing the regions of high stress concentration corresponding to the manufactured ram blowout preventer. Other embodiments include a method to reinforce an irregular pressure vessel, including analyzing the irregular pressure vessel, identifying regions of high stress concentration in the irregular pressure vessel, and selectively reinforcing the regions of high stress concentration. Other embodiments include a ram blowout preventer having a body, a vertical bore through the body, a horizontal through the body intersecting the vertical bore, two ram assemblies disposed in the horizontal bore on opposite sides of the body, wherein the ram assemblies are adapted for controlled lateral movement to and from the vertical bore, and wherein a portion of the body is selectively reinforced.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to irregular pressure vessels used in the oil and gas industry. Specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of manufacturing or reinforcing blowout preventers.
2. Background
Well control is an important aspect of oil and gas exploration. When drilling a well, for example, safety devices must be put in place to prevent injury to personnel and damage to equipment resulting from unexpected events associated with the drilling activities.
The process of drilling wells involves penetrating a variety of subsurface geologic structures, or "layers." Occasionally, a wellbore will penetrate a layer having a formation pressure substantially higher than the pressure maintained in the wellbore. When this occurs, the well is said to have "taken a kick." The pressure increase associated with the kick is generally produced by an influx of formation fluids (which may be a liquid, a gas, or a combination thereof) into the wellbore. The relatively high pressure kick tends to propagate from a point of entry in the wellbore uphole (from a high pressure region to a low pressure region). If the kick is allowed to reach the surface, drilling fluid, well tools, and other drilling structures may be blown out of the wellbore. Such "blowouts" may result in catastrophic destruction of the drilling equipment (including, for example, the drilling rig) and substantially injure or result in the death of rig personnel.
Because of the risk of blowouts, devices known as blowout preventers are installed above the wellhead at the surface or on the sea floor in deep water drilling arrangements to effectively seal a wellbore until active measures can be taken to control the kick. Blowout preventers may be activated so that kicks are adequately controlled and "circulated out" of the system. There are several types of blowout preventers, the most common of which are ram blowout preventers and annular blowout preventers (including spherical blowout preventers).
Annular blowout preventers typically use large, annular, rubber or elastomeric seals having metal inserts, which are referred to as "packing units." The packing units may be activated within a blowout preventer to encapsulate drill pipe and well tools to completely seal an "annulus" between the pipe or tool and a wellbore. In situations where no drill pipe or well tools are present within the bore of the packing unit, the packing unit may be compressed such that its bore is entirely closed. Typically, packing units seal about a drill pipe, in which the packing unit may be quickly compressed, either manually or by machine, to result in a seal thereabout, preventing well pressure from causing a blowout. Examples of annular blowout preventers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,609,836 and 5,819,013, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. An example of a spherical blowout preventer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,721, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Ram blowout preventers typically have a body and at least one pair of horizontally opposed bonnets. The bonnets are generally secured to the body about their circumference with, for example, bolts. Alternatively, bonnets may be secured to the body with a hinge and bolts so that the bonnet may be rotated to the side for maintenance access. Interior of each bonnet is a piston actuated ram. The rams may be either pipe rams (which, when activated, move to engage and surround drill pipe and well tools to seal the wellbore), shear rams (which, when activated, move to engage and physically shear any drill pipe or well tools in the wellbore), or blind rams (which, when activated, seal the bore like a gate valve). The rams are typically located opposite of each other and, whether pipe rams, shear rams, or blind rams, the rams typically seal against one another proximate a center of the wellbore in order to completely seal the wellbore.
The rams are generally constructed of steel and fitted with elastomeric components on the sealing surfaces. The ram blocks are available in a variety of configurations allowing them to seal a wellbore. Pipe rams typically have a circular cutout in the middle that corresponds to the diameter of the pipe in the hole to seal the well when the pipe is in the hole; however, these pipe rams effectively seal only a limited range of pipe diameters. Variable-bore rams are designed to seal a wider range of pipe diameters. The various ram blocks may also be changed within the blowout preventers, allowing well operators to optimize the blowout preventer configuration for the particular hole section or operation in progress. Examples of ram type blowout preventers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,247, 6,244,560, 5,897,094, 5,655,745, and 4,647,002, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIG. 1 presents a cross-section of an embodiment of a ram blowout preventer, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,002. A blowout preventer housing body 104 may have a vertical bore 102 in which a tubular member 100 (e.g., drill pipe or oil tools) may be inserted. Housing body 104 may have one or more horizontal bores 106, 108 (two horizontal bores in a dual ram blowout preventer configuration, as illustrated). In horizontal bore 106 are ram blocks 60, shown in cross-section, each having a top seal 10 and a packing element 24. As illustrated, ram blocks 60 are in the open position. When ram blocks 60 are closed, top seal 10 acts to seal about the upper surface of horizontal bore 106 while packing element 24 inwardly seals about tubular member 100 as shown in second horizontal bore 108.
Ram blowout preventers are currently manufactured for various bore size ranges, and typically have a working pressure range from 2,000 to 15,000 psi. For example, a ram blowout preventer rated for operation at 15,000 psi may be manufactured with a base material, such as a low-alloy steel having a minimum material yield strength of 85,000 psi throughout the section thickness of the body. This minimum yield strength is necessary to prevent plastic deformation or failure of the body during both the hydro test pressure at 150% of the working pressure range (22,500 psi internal water test pressure) and during the 15,000 psi maximum internal operating pressure. The yield strength (85,000 psi) of these 15,000 psi rated ram blowout preventer bodies have been determined to be comfortably above the minimum requirements necessary for the pressure rating.
However, it may be desired to use ram blowout preventers at high pressure, high temperature conditions (above 15,000 psi and greater than 250° F.). Particularly, ram blowout preventers rated at working pressures of 20,000 psi, 25,000 psi, and higher and working temperatures of up to 350° F. or higher, may be desired. Such blowout preventers would need to meet the design criteria for metallic oil and gas field components, such as those requirements established by NACE International (formerly the National Association of Corrosion Engineers) and the European Federation of Corrosion for the performance of metals when exposed to various environmental compositions, pH, temperatures, and H2S partial pressures (including NACE MR0175, NACE TM0177, and NACE TM0284).
Alloys currently used as a base material to manufacture ram blowout preventers may not perform adequately at the higher pressures, subjecting the ram blowout preventer to plastic deformation or failure of the body. One method to produce blowout preventers with the desired high pressure rating could include manufacturing a ram blowout preventer from a higher strength base material, such as a solid high strength corrosion resistant alloy forging. However, such high strength corrosion resistant alloys are typically available only in ingots of 30,000 pounds or less, whereas approximately 100,000 pounds or more may be required to manufacture a dual cavity ram blowout preventer body. More importantly, manufacture of a blowout preventer body with such a base material may be cost prohibitive as such high-strength corrosion resistant alloys are much more expensive than low-alloy steel and are not as easily machinable as their lower strength counterparts.
Accordingly, there exists a need for high pressure, high temperature ram blowout preventers. Additionally, there exists a need for an economical means to manufacture the blowout preventers rated for operation at higher pressures and temperatures.

Reinforcement of irregular pressure vessels


A monitor and bracket system allows for the secure placement of the monitor within a vehicle. The monitor is slid onto a bracket attached to the top of the interior of the vehicle or to an overhead luggage compartment within the vehicle. The monitor is for allowing passengers to view pre-recorded programs, such as movies or tour guide information. Once the monitor is slide into the bracket, a back portion is attached to the back of the monitor to prevent the monitor from sliding out of the bracket. A lock on the back portion of the monitor is used to engage a bolt with a notch in the top of the monitor. In this way, the monitor may not be removed from the bracket unless the lock turned to remove the bolt from the notch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to monitor brackets for attaching a monitor within a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention pertains to those monitors and monitor brackets which utilize a lock to prevent the theft of the monitor from the vehicle once the monitor bracket is securely attached to the vehicle and the monitor is slide into the bracket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,281 issued Feb. 24, 1970 to Leon G. Wilde discloses modular enclosures for mounting laboratory equipment such as a voltmeter or oscilloscope.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,018 discloses a display module which is removable from the electric instrument it is associated with.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


In a preferred embodiment, a battery including a plurality of series connected battery cells rolled into a cylindrical form. Each of the battery cells includes a thin flexible rectangular anode closely spaced apart from a thin flexible cathode. The plurality of series connected battery cells are placed on a flexible carrier sheet which is tightly wound into the cylindrical form.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to batteries generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel battery that is compact, lightweight, has high power per unit volume, and is especially useful as a seawater battery.
2. Background Art
Seawater batteries are that class of batteries that employ, as the electrolyte therein, seawater in which they are deployed. Such batteries find use in a number of underwater applications, for example, in powering sonobuoys.
Conventional seawater batteries are usually rectilinear in shape with rectangular plates and barriers, the planes of the plates and barriers being vertical. This configuration is disadvantageous in that seawater batteries are typically employed in cylindrical containing structures, particularly for military ocean deployed devices, and the rectilinear shape is volumetrically inefficient.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a seawater battery that is volumetrically efficient.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a seawater battery that is economically and easily manufactured.
An additional object of the invention is to provide such a battery that efficiently controls shunt currents between cells, increasing the battery's performance capability.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.

Compact, cylindrical, multi-cell seawater battery


The present disclosure relates to systems, non-transitory computer-readable media, and methods for predicting and prefetching relevant thumbnails from remote servers to client devices based on a dynamic determination of file display criteria. For example, a thumbnail prefetching system utilizes previous thumbnail requests to predict a file directory sort order and determine thumbnails the operating system at the client device will next request. The thumbnail prefetching system can then prefetch the thumbnails prior to the operating system at the client device making thumbnail requests for the files. Thus, when the operating system does request thumbnails for the pertinent files, the thumbnail prefetching system can provide the thumbnails efficiently and quickly while leaving thumbnails for other (unrequested) files stored at the remote server (and not downloaded to the client device).

Recent advancements in computing devices and networking technology have led to a variety of innovations in synchronizing digital content items for users across client devices. For example, conventional remote-based content management systems can store a primary copy of digital content items for users in a cloud-based environment and store secondary copies locally on client devices. Many client devices, particularly modern mobile devices, however, are unable to locally store full copies of digital content items, such as all of a user's photos, videos, documents, programs, and other files due to memory constraints. To handle the issue, some remote-based content management systems enable client devices to locally store partial copies of digital content items (e.g., shell files that do not include preview icons or other data regarding the digital content items). A partial copy of a digital content item (or simply "partial content item") provides metadata for the digital content item that enables a client device to show the existence of the digital content item on the client device. Indeed, partial content items appear as digital content items while being a fraction of the size, due to the data associated with partial content items not being stored on the client device, but on a remote server.
Despite the advantages of providing and managing partial content items on local client devices, the conventional remote-based content management systems mentioned above continue to suffer from a number of limitations in relation to accuracy, efficiency, and functionality. To illustrate, many remote-based content management systems provide generic preview icons (e.g., thumbnails) that fail to provide an accurate indication of content items stored on a client device. Indeed, most client devices provide graphical user interfaces that display a graphical representation of file contents. However, because partial content items do not include data stored on the client device, conventional remote-based content management systems cannot generate corresponding thumbnails. Rather, the client device displays generic icons, which can confuse users and lead to inaccurate selections of digital content items.
Some recent remote-based content management systems have introduced client-side interfaces that provide thumbnails to client devices upon request for the partial content items. These systems, however, suffer from significant deficiencies in efficiency and time. For example, upon receiving a request for a thumbnail for a partial content item, remote-based content management systems retrieve the thumbnail from the remote server (i.e., a server that stores the full digital content item). This exchange between the client device and the remote server, however, takes multiple seconds due to network latency. Further, because most client devices are programmed to serially request thumbnails for partial content items, providing multiple thumbnails to the client device can takes minutes, as each subsequent request waits for the completion of the previous request. This process inefficiently wastes computing resources and time as each request requires network overhead and causes latency in exchange for a single thumbnail.
These efficiency problems are exacerbated by the rigidity of remote-based content management systems. For instance, conventional remote-based content management systems do not have access to content items displayed in a particular folder (as this information is managed and retained by the operating system of the client device). Accordingly, the remote-based content management systems mentioned above are inflexible in that they cannot identify the partial content items actually displayed in a folder until the client device individually requests each missing thumbnail.
Thus, there are several disadvantages with regard to conventional and recent remote-based content management systems.

Prefetching digital thumbnails from remote servers to client devices based on a dynamic determination of file display criteria


A method of producing a pack of smoking articles includes providing a pre-assembled pack of smoking articles comprising an inner pack having a flexible sheet in which a group of smoking articles is wrapped or enclosed and a re-closable flap movable between a closed position preventing access to the smoking articles and an open position for accessing the smoking articles, and an outer pack comprising a container which holds and substantially encompasses the inner pack, the outer pack having a lid in a closed position preventing access to the inner pack; creating a space or gap between the lid of the outer pack and the inner pack; and attaching the re-closable flap of the inner pack to the lid of the outer pack via and/or through the space or gap. An apparatus for producing a pack of smoking articles per the above method is also provided.

The present invention concerns packaging of smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and the like, which for the sake of brevity and clarity, will simply be referred to herein as "smoking articles". In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging smoking articles, and to a pack of smoking articles produced by such a method and apparatus.
It is known to overwrap packs of smoking articles to seal them from exposure to the environment to limit both ingress and egress of moisture, and to preserve or maintain flavour. A known manner of preserving the contents of a pack of smoking articles is to overwrap the pack in cellophane. This results in a sealed pack with a longer shelf life. After removing the cellophane to open the pack, however, the smoking articles are exposed to the environment and the same issues relating to moisture and flavour still arise, especially in hot and dry or humid environments.
In an attempt to address these issues, rigid packs have been proposed in which the smoking articles are wrapped with an airtight material which has an extraction opening that is closed by a reusable cover flap to provide access to the smoking articles. The cover flap may be repeatedly secured to close the extraction opening; for example, via a tacky adhesive provided on the cover flap and/or around the extraction opening.
Two types of such packs are known. In a first type, the consumer firstly needs to open the pack lid to gain access to the wrapped bundle of smoking articles, and secondly, to open the cover flap to gain access to the smoking articles. To reclose the pack, the consumer then needs to close the cover flap, and thereafter to close the lid. Such a pack is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,676 A.
In a more recent, second type, the cover flap is permanently attached to the lid of the pack such that when the consumer opens a lid of the pack, the cover flap moves in unison with the lid and provides access to the smoking articles. To close the pack, closure of the lid causes the cover flap to cover the extraction opening without the consumer having to manually position the cover flap back over it. Such a pack is known from, for example, EP 2 155 568 B1.
Although there is an industry trend towards the more recent second type of pack, some consumers prefer packs which allow then to close the cover flap over the extraction opening manually. Accordingly, there is demand for both pack types and these may co-exist in the market.
To date, the production of such packs has required a significant investment in packaging production line equipment. That is, in markets where the production of both types of packs is desired, packaging production line equipment for each type of pack is necessary, which also has a significant impact on the area required (i.e. footprint) at the factory.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for packaging smoking articles of the type having a re-closable flap that moves together or in unison with the pack's lid.

Method and apparatus for packaging smoking articles


An air-conditioning apparatus includes a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a fan disposed in the housing, and a bell mouth through which a fluid flowing from the air inlet to the air outlet passes in association with rotation of the fan. The bell mouth includes curved part having a curved sectional shape in a fluid flow direction and a vibration-damping element disposed on at least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the curved part. The vibration-damping element is disposed at a position corresponding to a node of vibration of the bell mouth.

For example, as described in Patent Literature 1, there has been a method for reducing noise in a centrifugal air-sending device. To reduce noise of, for example, vibration resulting from rotation of a fan, this method includes reducing a frequency that contributes to noise by providing a resonant space in proximity to an air inlet of a bell mouth.
Furthermore, as described in Patent Literature 2, there has been an air-conditioning-apparatus outdoor unit including a bell mouth having ribs (strengthening ribs 53) arranged at predetermined positions on a rear surface of the bell mouth to reduce vibration of the bell mouth caused by a fluid flowing through the bell mouth.


In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus configured to receive a location update reject message and to determine whether a radio resource connection release message is issued in connection with the location update reject message. The apparatus is further configured to, responsive to a determination that a radio resource connection release message is issued in connection with the location update reject message, initiate an attach procedure using a new radio resource connection, and responsive to a determination that no radio resource connection release message is issued in connection with the location update reject message, to initiate an attach procedure using an existing radio resource connection.

A cellular communications network typically comprises a plurality of individual cells. A cell is typically controlled by a base station, which may be connected to a backbone network by a wire-line connection. The backbone network may connect base stations to each other, to base station controllers or to core network nodes. Base stations communicate with mobile stations within cell coverage areas of their cells using a wireless radio interface. A base station may control more than one cell.
When a mobile terminal moves around in a coverage area of a cellular network, it may change attachment from one cell to another, a process known as a handover. Should the mobile terminal require services of the network, such as internet access or mobile telephony, it may be configured to contact the cell it is attached to. Should the mobile terminal on the other hand be an endpoint of an incoming communication, the network may be furnished with a database indicating which cell the mobile terminal is attached to, so that the incoming communication can be routed from the network side to the correct cell. The database may be updated each time the mobile terminal changes attachment from one cell to another.
In some networks, instead of recording in the database which cell each mobile terminal is attached to, the network may be sectioned into areas each comprising a plurality of cells. In these networks, the database may store for each mobile terminal an identity of such an area, such that the area comprises the cell the mobile terminal is attached to. Such areas may generally be referred to as location areas, wherein specific technologies may employ alternative terminology such as routing area or tracking area.
When a mobile terminal is an endpoint of an incoming communication, such as for example a phone call, the network may be configured to refer to the database to determine, which location area comprises the cell the mobile terminal is attached to. The network may then signal to each cell comprised in the location area, that there is an incoming communication to the mobile terminal.

Method and apparatus for management of cellular connections


A design apparatus for designing a processor re-configurable for an application, includes an analysis unit that analyzes the content of a program to be executed by the processor; a hardware extension unit that searches the program for a part of the program allowing hardware extension in accordance with the analysis results by the analysis unit and generates hardware extension information for the searched part; an extended instruction definition unit that searches the program for a part allowing use of an extended instruction in accordance with the analysis results by the analysis unit and generates definition of an extended instruction for the searched part; and a performance estimation unit that estimates whether or not the performance of the processor satisfies a target performance using at least one of the hardware extension information generated by the hardware extension unit and the definition of the extended instruction generated by the extended instruction definition unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a design apparatus for a processor re-configurable for a target application, a design method for the same, and a library optimization method for the same. It particularly relates to a technique for automating extending hardware and defining extended instructions in a configurable-processor design phase.
2. Description of the Related Art
To design system LSIs such as the SoC (system on chip) in which a re-configurable processor capable of being added application-specific instructions is embedded, designers must design a source program for an algorithm to be used in a to-be-developed application system using a high level language such as C language and then carry out a high-level system simulation verifying whether or not a desired performance has been attained. If those verification results have not satisfied that desired performance, bottlenecks are then searched and identified. And an additionally extended instruction (user-defined instruction) is then defined, a region needing to be replaced with that extended instruction and/or a region needing to be replaced with specific hardware is selected, the present source program is re-written, and the system simulation is then carried out again, verifying whether or not that desired performance has been attained.
As a means to facilitate such series of operations, an apparatus that establishes a verification environment and a development tool (see Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-230065) and an apparatus that aids a performance evaluation operation in the initial phase of an operation for distinguishing hardware sections from software sections (see Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-57188), for example, are disclosed.
However, since most of the conventional operations for defining extended instructions, making a specification for an instruction set and selecting a source program region to be replaced with an extended instruction and/or a region to be replaced with specific hardware based on the analysis results, or related operations are manually carried out on a trial and error basis, those operations take a long time and a lot of work.
Moreover, since there are many selectable, extended-instruction definition methods and extending methods including usage of extended instructions and specific hardware, finding an optimal definition method and an extending method therefrom requires verification of each method, which takes a very long time and a lot of work.
Furthermore, there is a problem with the conventional verification method of carrying out system simulation and verifying whether or not a desired performance has been attained. Particularly, since conventional analysis of a program-based operation is made based on the execution count for each source program function and execution count for each instruction, comprehensive judgment cannot be made. This is because the analysis based on each function merely allows rough analysis of the operation while the analysis based on each instruction loses the relationship between adjacent instructions.
Furthermore, there are no tools for automatically generating an extended instruction set that is newly defined by a user, which may be useful to run a source program.
Yet furthermore, even though the source program may be optimized using a newly defined, extended instruction, libraries to be used to compile the source program cannot be optimized.

Program segment searching for extension instruction determination to design a processor that meets performance goal


A high speed computer processor system has a high speed interface for a graphics processor. A preferred embodiment combines a PowerPC microprocessor called the Giga-Processor Ultralite (GPUL) 110 from International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) with a high speed interface on a multi-chip module.

1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to computer systems, and more specifically relates to a computer system architecture.
2. Background Art
Computer processors and computer systems are constantly evolving and improving. Ever faster computer processor systems are needed in the computer gaming industry to provide continued improvement in gaming performance. The PowerPC microprocessor is produced by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). A newer and faster version of the PowerPC is known as the Giga-Processor Ultralite (GPUL). The GPUL processor core from International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is also called the IBM PowerPC 970FX RISC microprocessor. The GPUL provides high performance processing by manipulating data in 64-bit chunks and accelerating compute-intensive workloads like multimedia and graphics through specialized circuitry known as a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) unit.
The computer gaming industry has a need for a high speed processor such as the GPUL with a high speed interface that can readily interface with a graphics processor. Without a higher speed interface connection the computer gaming industry will not be able to continue to offer continuing quality improvements to the computer gaming experience.

Computer system architecture for a processor connected to a high speed bus transceiver


A pressure measuring glow plug includes: a housing in which a heating pin for igniting a combustion mixture of an internal combustion engine and a pressure measuring unit for recording a combustion chamber pressure of the internal combustion engine are situated. The heating pin has a glow current contact for an electric heating element. At the end of the heating pin facing away from the combustion chamber, a pressure transmitting element is fastened, which transmits the combustion chamber pressure acting on the heating pin to the pressure measuring unit. The pressure transmitting element is sleeve-shaped and forms an accommodation space for the glow current contact of the heating element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure measuring glow plug for use in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a pressure measuring glow plug is known from published German patent application document DE 102006008351 A1, in which, in a housing, a heating pin, for igniting a combustion mixture of an internal combustion engine, and a pressure measuring unit, having a pressure sensor for recording a combustion chamber pressure of the internal combustion engine, are situated. The heating pin is exposed to the combustion chamber pressure and, as pressure transducer, it transfers the combustion chamber pressure to the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being prestressed, by a tensioning sleeve, between the heating pin, acting as pressure transducer, and a supporting element having a spring tension of a flexible diaphragm. The tensioning sleeve is connected to the housing, in this context. The heating pin has a glow current contact for an electric heating element accommodated in the heating pin, the glow current contact being contacted to a glow current line. The glow current line is guided through the pressure sensor to a connecting contact on the housing.


A system and method for merging of multiple encoded audio and video streams into a single program in the transport stream enables playback of any audio stream with any video stream. This is accomplished by first locking the frequency of audio and video input streams for a plurality of different programs to a source clock, independently encoding each program with its own PCR and PTS into a program stream, multiplexing the program streams into a transport stream, and then synchronizing the PCR and PTS of the program streams to a declared master PCR.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the transmission of entertainment programming, and more specifically to the merging of multiple encoded audio and video streams into a single program in the transport stream to enable playback of any audio stream with any video stream.
2. Description of the Related Art
Television programs are distributed to viewers by a variety of broadcasting methods. These methods include traditional analog broadcast television (National Television Systems Committee or "NTSC" standard), the digital broadcast television "Advanced Television Systems Committee" or "ATSC" standard), cable television (both analog and digital), satellite broadcasting (both analog and digital), as well as other methods. These methods allow audio and video streams for television programming to be encoded multiplexed into a transport stream that is transmitted over a common transmission medium.
As shown in FIG. 1, the "headend" 10 of a satellite broadcast system 12 includes among other functions a traffic & scheduling center 14, a satellite broadcast center 16 and a conditional access management center (CAMC) 18. The broadcast center encodes, encrypts and multiplexes programming content, either stored or from live feeds 20, into a packetized transport stream 22 that is uplinked to satellites 24 via an antenna 26.
To view a television program on a TV 28, a subscriber may have to subscribe to a service package offered by a pay-TV service/transmission provider such as a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) operator (e.g., DIRECTV) or a cable company. Such a pay-TV service provider may require a subscriber to utilize an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) 30 that enables the descrambling or decryption of the transmission downloaded from an antenna 32. The IRD may be configured to allow the viewing of one or more particular channels, programs, etc. based on a subscriber's payment or subscription.
As shown in FIG. 2, a typical MPEG packet 40 in the transport stream is of a fixed length, 188 bytes for standard DVB, of which the first 4 bytes contain header information 42 and the remainder is payload 44. The header includes among other things a sync byte "0x47", a payload_unit_start flag, the program ID (PID), and an adaptation_field_control flag. The PID is a number. The program guide defines what (audio, video, conditional access table, etc.) is on a given PID. If the adaptation_field_control flags are set, the packet contains an adaptation field and may contain a program clock reference (PCR) for the associated data stream. Traditionally, the PCR appears on the video stream but may appear on both audio and video or on a separate PID. If the payload_unit_start flag is high, the packet contains a PES header, which may contain a presentation time stamp (PTS). Each program including a video stream and/or one or more audio streams has an associated PCR that establishes its clock. The PTS is included in both the audio and video streams and tells the IRD at what time relative to the PCR to play the stream. The PES header may also include a decoder time stamp (DTS) that suggests when the decoder should start decoding to achieve the PTS. For complete description of the packet structure and transport stream see ISO/IEC 13818-1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the 1st generation MPEG encoders 50 utilized by DirecTV and produced by Compression Labs, Inc. (CLI) took synchronized audio/video (A/V) inputs 52 from various sources such that all sources had exactly the same frequency. Frame synchronization was typically accomplished by feeding a reference signal 54 along with the A/V inputs 52 to a frame synchronizer 56. Thereafter each program was encoded and multiplexed together. The Mux 58 had one 27 MHz MPEG clock reference 59 locked to a reference input video through either the sync pulses in analog video or a serial digital video in. A counter in clock reference 59 derived the PCR for each encoded codestream from that one clock. As a result, all of the programs were in sync with both the "frame" and "clock". However, because CLI's common MPEG clock approach required that all the inputs be synchronized and all the encoders are collocated with the Mux in a card cage it was not well accepted by customers and the approach was abandoned by the industry.
Current generation manufacturers such as Divicom, Thomson, and Motorola now produce MPEG Encoder/Program Mux boxes 60 that operate independently of one another as shown in FIG. 4 to encode a video and one or more audio inputs. Each box includes a separate MPEG clock reference 61 that is locked to the input video to generate a multiplexed program stream 62 with unique PCR and PTS time stamps. A counter simply counts tics of the clock reference to generate the time stamps. The PCR has an "epoch" or beginning of time where the counter is set to zero and then rolls over some time later, e.g. every 36 hours. The counters in different encoder boxes will have different epochs, and thus will not be encoder synchronized. A provider can use distinct encoder boxes for different (non-synced) sources of programming and a Mux 64 to multiplex the program streams together into the transport stream 22. A transport stream in which the programs are referenced off of different and independent PCRs supports normal "channel surfing" and does not have the constraints associated with frame and clock synchronization.

Merging of multiple encoded audio-video streams into one program with source clock frequency locked and encoder clock synchronized


A method is proposed for the control and regulation of a drive system of a motor vehicle having one electronic transmission control for an automatic transmission and connected therewith an electronic engine control for a prime mover. In a coasting operation of the drive system, during a change over of a transmission element from an open to a closed or a slipping state during a coupling procedure of the transmission or a regulation procedure of the transmission element, rotatory masses of the engine are regulated and accelerated under control so that a vehicle deceleration is less than a presettable tolerance value.

The invention concerns a method for control and regulation of the drive system of a motor vehicle.
Drive systems known from the practice each comprise a prime mover and a mechanical or automatic transmission situated between the prime mover and the output of a motor vehicle. The drive system usually has an electronic control system to make available the most comfortable possible mode of operation of the drive system to the driver which, together with other control units, comprises an electronic transmission control, such as for an automatic transmission, and connected therewith an electronic engine control for a prime mover via adequate interfaces.
The function of electronic transmission controls of automatic transmissions is to unburden the driver and, in so doing, select an optimal ratio for the existing driving situation in regard to consumption, performance and comfort. The electronic transmission control mainly carries out the selection of the most favorable gear and the control of the shifting cycle, the selection being performed according to different parameters. One such parameter for this is constituted by the engine torque which, in the control systems known from the practice, can be directly relayed to the electronic transmission control and used for gear selection. Alternatively to this, the torque can be separately determined also from other measured values fed to the engine, such as the throttle valve position or the air mass. The driving situation, the kind of gear change and the road speed are further taken into account when effecting the pressure control of the clutches of the transmission and their adaptation to the torque to be transmitted. In this manner, the control system engages with good shifting comfort the appropriate gear according to the transmission output rotational speed and the engine load optionally under self-adaptive accommodation to the driving style of a driver and existing traffic situation.
In gear shifts, that is, in a gear change or change over from a neutral position to a certain ratio of the transmission, distinction is made according to the existing operating point in coasting or braking shifts, the same as in load shifts. As load shifts are designated here all shifts in a power flow from the prime mover to the output of a motor vehicle while braking or coasting shifts designate all shifts where the input results from the potential or kinetic energy of the vehicle going from the output of the vehicle toward the engine.
However, in the already known drive systems, a control of a gear shift in the coasting operation often proves uncomfortable, especially since when initiating a shift at high road speeds in the coasting operation, an engine rotational speed is lower than a transmission rotational speed and a restoration of the power flow of the drive train of the drive system results in a not inconsiderable deceleration of the vehicle. The deceleration of the vehicle is caused by the need of kinetic energy for acceleration of the rotatory masses of engine and transmission.
Besides, in the coasting operation there occurs over an engaging clutch a consideration loading of the clutch due to the high acceleration of the rotatory masses of the engine, since to prevent damages to comfort, the admissible vehicle deceleration that appears is limited and the limitation is adjusted by a prolongation of the gridding time of the engaging clutch.
The problem on which this invention is based is to provide a method for control and regulation of a drive system of a motor vehicle having an electronic transmission control for an automatic transmission with which method a vehicle deceleration in the coasting operation can be limited during a gear shift and at the same time a load of the clutch can be considerably reduced.
With the inventive method, in which the rotatory masses of the engine are regulated and/or accelerated under control to limit a deceleration of the vehicle in a coasting operation of the drive system, the acceleration energy needed can be advantageously applied by the engine itself.
By the inventive positive engagement of the engine, it is also possible during a change over of a transmission element from an open to a closed or a slipping state in a coupling operation of the transmission and/or a regulation operation of the transmission element in the coasting operation, to advantageously adjust an applicable curve of the vehicle deceleration wherein the vehicle deceleration can be retained approximately below a presettable tolerance value to implement a very comfortable shifting behavior.
By virtue of the inventive regulated and/or controlled acceleration of the rotatory masses of the engine during the coupling procedure of the transmission or the regulating procedure of the transmission element, additionally there results the possibility of implementing an applicable deceleration increase in such a manner that a driver with otherwise great shifting comfort perceives the deceleration as feedback of the vehicle and a power flow of the drive system or of the drive train is again produced between an output of the vehicle and the engine.
By virtue of the regulated and/or controlled accelerations of the rotatory masses of the engine in the coasting operation during a coupling procedure of the transmission, there further results the advantage that coupling procedures in the coasting operation can be carried outing a large rotational speed range, especially even at high rotational speeds of the output, without reduction of the driving comfort.
One other advantage is that a coupling procedure of the transmission or a regulating procedure of the transmission element also means no reduction of the driving safety, since a jack-knifing of the vehicle resulting from too great a deceleration of the speed can be eliminated by a uniform, especially limited, deceleration of the vehicle even in special programs such as a winter drive program.
The expression xe2x80x9ctransmission elementxe2x80x9d used here stands for a shiftable clutch which to produce or increase the power flow in the drive system is closed, brought to a slipping state or opened. By the expression xe2x80x9ctransmission elementxe2x80x9d is further to be understood also a regulated lock-up clutch of a converter of an automatic transmission which likewise is changed over from open to closed or slipping state according to the existing operating situation of the drive system.
Taking into consideration this interpretation of the expression xe2x80x9ctransmission elementxe2x80x9d, there further results the advantage that with the inventive method much shorter shifting times with simultaneous increased driving comfort can be implemented during coupling or gear initiation, the same as during a regulation procedure of the lock-up clutch.

Method for controlling a vehicle drive system


A system for controlled delivery of a predetermined volume of an additive (e.g., a liquid, solid, etc.) to a vacuum sealed container is provided and includes a delivery device that includes a housing having a chamber defined therein for holding the predetermined volume of additive and a piston or the like that is axially moveable within the chamber. The system includes a connector that is detachably connected to or formed as integral part of the delivery device. The connector has a hollow piercing element for piercing through a stopper of the vacuum sealed container. The attached apparatus and connector are mated with the vacuum sealed tube for delivering the additive such that the piercing element pierces through the stopper and one end of the element is in fluid communication with an interior of the container causing the chamber in the apparatus to be exposed to the vacuum resulting in the predetermined volume of additive being drawn from chamber through the connector and into the container without releasing a vacuum seal that exists between the stopper and container.

Physicians commonly require blood samples to analyze blood constituents to facilitate the diagnosis of certain diseases and to monitor and follow the effects of treatments on a variety of parameters. In the past, blood samples were routinely drawn from patient's veins using needles and syringes; however, recently, blood samples are more commonly collected using a system of tubes that retains a vacuum and draws a specified amount of blood into them when connected to an intravenous line. The vacuum is maintained within the tube by the means of rubber stopper or the like. A needle attached to a syringe or another retaining device can be pushed through the rubber stopper to allow the vacuum to draw a blood sample into the tube. The vacuum not only assists in drawing the blood sample into the tube but helps retain the stopper in the tube for safe transport of the blood sample to a laboratory or other facility.
One commercially available vacuum sealed tube system that has found widespread use is available under the trade name BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tube from Becton Dickinson of Franklin Lakes, N.J. These tubes are plastic tubes and may or may not contain, in the interior thereof, an additive, often an anticoagulant that needs to be mixed with the blood sample. The type of additive that is within the tube is identified by the color and/or color pattern on the rubber stopper. Thus, for any given analytic test, the correct tube is selected that contains the desired additive. A chart is available to confirm that the additive contained in the tube is proper for the desired laboratory use as well as to determine the number of inversions that is necessary to mix the blood sample with the additive. The general process is that (1) the tube with the correct additive is selected; (2) the correct amount of blood is drawn into the tube which allows the vacuum in the tube to be nearly exhausted; and (3) the tube is inverted the number of times dictated on the mixing chart for proper mixing of the blood sample and additive. It will be appreciated that the BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tube is merely one exemplary type of vacuum sealed container that is suitable for use with the present invention and that there are a number of other types of vacuum sealed tubes that can be used with the present invention.
In terms of blood sampling techniques, the practice of removing the rubber stopper and releasing the vacuum, filling the tube with blood and replacing the stopper is highly discouraged since the vacuum is lost, the stopper may not remain in place and blood may disperse from the tube resulting in contamination. In addition, practice guidelines within hospitals, clinics and offices require that the stopper not be removed to place additional fluid or reactants into the tube.
However, there are a number of shortcomings with this practice and with the conventional vacuum sealed tube system blood collection techniques and equipment. More specifically, there are some applications that involve collecting samples that require a different stabilizing or diluting agent. Unfortunately, the construction of the above vacuum sealed container and the existing blood collection protocol do not permit or accommodate such need and as a result, there is a need for a system that permits collection of samples to measure the level of certain drugs in the blood where such application requires the introduction of a stabilizing agent in some cases. Under existing protocol concerning removal of the stopper, this type of application is not possible.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device that overcomes these disadvantages and permits a defined amount of fluid or other reactant material, such as a powder or gel, to be introduced into a vacuum sealed tube without releasing the vacuum.

Controlled additive/reactant delivery system


A method and device disclosed herein controls the movement of media sheets within an image forming device using a pick mechanism that contacts and moves a media sheet from an input area into a media path. One embodiment controls the rotational speed of the pick mechanism based on a filtered combination of a pick mechanism signal and an encoder signal. An encoder roller positioned to contact the media sheets in the input area senses the movement of the media sheet to generate the encoder signal.

The present application is directed to devices for moving media sheets within an image forming device and, more specifically, to devices for staging and moving the media sheets to prevent print defects.
An image forming device, such as a color laser printer, facsimile machine, copier, all-in-one device, etc, transfers toner from a photoconductive member to a media sheet. The device may include a double transfer system with the toner initially transferred from a photoconductive member to an intermediate member at a first transfer location, and then from the intermediate member to the media sheet at a second transfer location. The device may also include a direct transfer system with the toner directly transferred from the photoconductive member to a media sheet. In both cases, a media sheet is moved along a media path to intercept and receive the toner image.
The media sheet should be accurately moved along the media path to receive the toner image. If the media sheet arrives before the toner image, the toner image may be transferred to the media sheet at a position that is too low or partially off the bottom of the sheet. Conversely, if the media sheet arrives after the toner image, the toner image may be transferred at a position that is too high or partially off the top of the sheet.
The media path may be configured to increase and decrease the speed of the media sheet and thus affect the timing of the media sheet. However, the amount of correction may be limited and large corrections may not be possible. Inherent with this concept is that a shorter media path offers less opportunity for correction. Many image forming devices include short media paths in an effort to reduce the overall size of the device.

Smart pick control algorithm for an image forming device


An electrical connector includes a housing (3) with a base (4) having a slot(5); a plurality of contact elements (103, 105) provided in the slot; a pair of fixed members (21) extending laterally from opposite ends of the base; a pair of movable members (23) extending from the fixed members and having L-shaped cross-section foot areas; and a pair of fixing members (9) attached to the fixed members and having a first controlling section (301) to control outward movement of the movable members and a second controlling section (303) to control inward movement of the movable members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors to which daughter boards are connected by rotating the daughter boards to a lock position parallel to the mother boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a demand for electrical connectors which occupy small areas on mother boards and provide large areas on daughter boards to mount many IC components, etc. Also, there is a demand for a low-profile electrical connectors for miniaturization of equipment.
Electrical connectors to which daughter boards are inserted obliquely and rotated downwardly to a lock position parallel to mother boards have been used to minimize the areas occupied by the electrical connectors. The electrical connectors are secured to the mother boards by the surface mounting technique.
An electrical connector of this type has a base with a slot into which a daughter board is inserted, and a pair of lock mechanisms to lock opposite side edges of the daughter board. A plurality of contact elements are provided in the slot for contact with the pads of the daughter board. The lock mechanisms have a movable section with a hook portion and a fixed section to protect the movable section and hold the daughter board.
One of the ways that the area of the mother board occupied by the electrical connector is minimized is to minimize the area of the lock mechanisms. In order to achieve this object, the lock mechanisms have been made from metal because it withstands large stress with small footage area. However, it is difficult to integrate the metal lock mechanisms with the plastic base. In addition, the lack of accurate assembling gives rise to unstable contact between the electrical connector and the daughter board.
In another conventional model, a metal armor is added to the movable section. However, the armor added to the movable section increases the area of a mother board occupied by the movable section, reducing the mounting area.
In order to increase the area of a daughter board on which IC components, etc. are mounted, it is desirable to minimize the area occupied by the lock mechanism on the daughter board. One of the conventional lock mechanisms is molded integrally with the connector body of an electrical connector, but the fixed section is provided outside the movable section which holds the daughter board so that the lock mechanism occupies a large area on the daughter board.
In order to provide a low-profile electrical connector, it is necessary to reduce the height of contact elements. To meet the requirement, it is necessary to reduce the height of contact elements while keeping the resilience of the contact elements.
One of the types of contact element is the so-called "stamped terminal." The stamped terminal is made by only stamping a metal sheet. The stamped terminal has a fixing section exposed to the mother board so that no or few circuit patterns are provided on the exposed area. In addition, the exposed area is soldered to the mother board, the terminal is so rigid that the insertion and removal force of a daughter board is very high while the amount of movement of the terminal is small. Moreover, the tolerance in thickness of daughter boards is too small to make daughter boards.
In order to receive a daughter board, the lock mechanisms must be flexible and, especially, the movable section must be resilient to withstand the opening movement. The conventional lock mechanisms are frequently broken by excessive movement and, therefore, there is a demand for a more reliable lock mechanism.


Embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for detecting topics in social media data. More particularly, the systems and methods can extract a concept hierarchy from a set of data, wherein the concept hierarchy comprises a plurality of layers. Further, the systems and methods can train topic models based on the content in each of the layers. Still further, the systems and methods can select the most appropriate topic model for social media data by balancing the complexity of the model and the accuracy of the topic detection result. Moreover, the systems and methods can use the most appropriate topic model to detect topics in social media data.

Social media is becoming increasingly prevalent with the advent of new technologies, advances in communication channels, and other factors. Social media platforms and websites, such as FACEBOOK® social networking service, TWITTER® social networking service, and others, attract users to post and share messages for a variety of purposes, including daily conversation, sharing uniform resource locators (URLs) and other data, among other uses. Companies, individuals, and other entities may desire to detect topics described in social media data, for the purpose of discovering "trending topics," tracking online users interests, understanding users' complaints or mentions about a product or service, or other purposes. For example when a company launches a marketing campaign for a newly-released product, the company may desire to investigate whether the product or service is relevant to the trending topics recently discussed on social media, or whether the product or service might be desired by selected users.
Existing topic detection methodologies are generally based on probabilistic language models, such as Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (PLSA) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). However, these analyses assume that a single document contains rich information, which is not applicable to some forms of social media. For example, a "tweet" from the TWITTER® social networking service is limited to 140 characters. In addition, the detected topics by probabilistic methods are difficult to interpret in a human-understandable way, in part because the methods can only identify a set of "key" terms associated with a set of numerical values to indicate how important the terms are for each detected topic. An additional concern of topic detection in social media is the issue of scalability. More particularly, a large volume of tweets and other data postings are posted on various social networking websites and platforms every day in an order of hundreds of millions.
Therefore, it may be desirable to have systems and methods for detecting topics in social media. In particular, it may be desirable to have systems and methods for leveraging available data to construct topic models and interpret generated results in a human-understandable way.

Systems and methods for scalable topic detection in social media


A method for controlling the access of a User Equipment (UE) to a public land mobile network (PLMN), the PLMN providing at least a service, the PLMN having at least one network cell, a control channel being broadcast within the network cell, includes: transmitting a barring factor information to the UE on the broadcast control channel within the network cell; transmitting a barring scaling information to the UE on a control channel independently of the barring factor information; and realizing, based on a combination of the barring factor information and the barring scaling information, an access control to the service with regard to the UE by deciding whether a specific access request of the UE to the service is accepted or rejected. The barring scaling information is individually assigned to the UE on a per-UE basis and the barring scaling information is defined by the PLMN for selectively controlling access of each UE to the PLMN.

In cellular mobile systems like GSM (but also its successors) the access by a mobile to the network is normally performed via a shared resource medium, called Random Access Channel (RACH). In case the UE initiates a voice call, it first contacts the mobile network via the RACH and typically gets subsequently a Traffic Channel allocated to be used for carrying the voice call. In UMTS the initial phase is similar and the terminal, or user equipment (UE), gets a so-called Dedicated Channel (DCH) assigned to carry the voice call.
In order to prevent UEs from accessing an overloaded cell the concept of Access Classes was invented when GSM was specified [3GPP TS 22.011]. This concept was also applied for UMTS. For this concept each SIM card is assigned to a so-called "Access Class" which is configured by the operator into the SIM card initially. 10 Access Classes are defined for ordinary users [3GPP TS 22.011] and are normally equally distributed to the population of SIM cards. Besides these Access Classes (AC) ranging from 0 to 9, a specific AC 10 is defined for Emergency Calls and 5 specific ACs for operator and other purposes. AC 10 is not assigned to a SIM card, but used by a terminal when placing an emergency call. AC 11 to 15 are assigned additionally to 1 Access Class out of 0 to 9 based on operators policies. Details can be found in [3GPP TS 22.011].
In order to prevent access to a cellular basestation in certain situations (i.e. overload situations) it is possible to bar access to the network by blocking RACH access attempts using Access Class Barring—for UMTS system this principle is described in [3GPP TS 25.331]. A bitmap of 16 bit ranging from 0 to 15 is indicated on the Broadcast Control Channel of the UMTS cell. In case a specific portion (out of 0 to 9) or defined ACs 10 to 15 should be disallowed for access, the appropriate bit is set to "access barred".
Based on the equal distribution of AC between 0 and 9 it is possible to randomly block access to the cell in 10% steps (10% per individual AC between 0 and 9). As the assignment of ACs to SIM cards is randomly and also the distribution of terminals in given cell is randomly, it is currently with prior art only possible to block a certain percentage of access attempts randomly, without considering the subscription profile or the application requirements. As this was not a problem in former days where mobile networks were mainly used for placing voice calls, it is now required to enable a finer control over the access barring in case of load situation, due to the wide variety of different services and subscriptions in cellular networks.
When Enhanced-UTRAN (also known as "LTE") was being defined, the concept of access class barring was changed from a discrete assignment of Access Classes to SIM cards and a new concept for determining if access to a cell is applicable has been introduced. Details are defined, e.g., in [3GPP TS.36.331v9.2.0], paragraph 6.3.1, in relation to SystemInformationBlock Type 2. By doing this, the explicit relationship between AC barring and Access Class assignment to a particular UE is removed. Instead of equally distributed AC between 0 . . . 9, an Access Barring Factor (ABF) concept has been defined, where the Access Probability can be defined in finer than 10% steps and the barring only applies in case the UE will really initiate an access toward the network.
As can be seen in the current state of the art above, Access Barring Info is provided in E-UTRAN System Information Block Type 2 with the Information Element (IE) ac-BarringInfo. The struct consists of ac-BarringForEmergency, ac-BarringForMO-Signalling and ac-BarringForMO-Data. The first relates to AC 10 barring for Emergency Calls and can be set to "allowed" or "not allowed" (Boolean). The second applies specifically for establishment of signalling connections and was first introduced with the standardisation of E-UTRAN due to the fact that Access Barring for Mobile Originated Data might be applicable with a high likelihood and thus without separation also access for signalling connection would be prevented, resulting in the fact that a UE would also not be reachable in certain situations. The latter applies for Mobile Originated Data in E-UTRAN—which means any user data transmission originating from the terminal as E-UTRAN only support a Packet Service Domain. Hence it also applies for voice services using a Voice over IP (VoIP) data bearer.
As can be seen from the state of art, besides a separation between Emergency Calls, MO-Signalling and MO-Data, no further distinction for Access Class barring is applicable.
With the advent of smartphones—thus a wide range of applications with totally different traffic characteristics—as well as with the new field of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, characteristics of access attempts to a cellular network have been completely changed. In contrast to former GSM systems, where placing voice calls by a human being was the main use case of mobile usage, now applications start to access and leave the cellular system much more frequently and thus new means of controlling the access to shared cellular resources—like, e.g., the Random Access Channel—of a cellular system are required. Especially two situations need to be considered by a solution to improve the state of the art:
First, the access to a shared medium does not require human interaction anymore—i.e. if placing a voice call would have failed a couple of times, the user simply would give up, while applications simply continue to try to access if no further preventing means are implemented.
Second, with the growing number of M2M devices, a huge amount of terminal devices in a given cell might request access to the shared resources simultaneously (e.g. to report a status every full hour or when a huge amount of M2M devices moves through the network and performs a location area update).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and program for cell barring in a cellular network


A gas turbine engine includes a nacelle, and a bypass flow path in a bypass duct within the nacelle of the turbofan engine. A fan section includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along the bypass flow path. A fan shaft drives a fan that has fan blades and the fan rotates about a central longitudinal axis of the turbofan engine. A speed reduction device includes an epicyclic gear system. A turbine section is connected to the fan section through the speed reduction device and the turbine section rotates about the central longitudinal axis. A first fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is located axially forward of the speed reduction device. A second fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is located axially aft of the speed reduction device. A first outer race of the first fan bearing is fixed relative to the fan hub.

A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-energy exhaust gas flow. The high-energy exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
A speed reduction device such as an epicyclical gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine. In such engine architectures, a shaft driven by one of the turbine sections provides an input to the epicyclical gear assembly that drives the fan section at a reduced speed such that both the turbine section and the fan section can rotate at closer to optimal speeds.
The epicyclical gear assembly includes bearings that support rotation of gears. Loads incurred during operation can disrupt a desired relative alignment between gears and therefore the gear assembly may be supported on structures designed to accommodate such loads.
Although geared architectures improve propulsive efficiency, they present different challenges that can reduce any efficiency gains. Accordingly, turbine engine manufacturers continue to seek further improvements to engine performance including improvements to thermal, transfer and propulsive efficiencies.

Geared turbofan with integral front support and carrier


A solid thermoplastic filler-filled surfacing material having a deep semi-translucent appearance, in the form of a thin, rigid sheet contains 19-25% polymethyl methacrylate, 19-25% styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, 5-20% styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, and 30-60% finely divided filler of barium sulfate, kaolin, basic aluminum oxalate and/or wollastonite.

Surfacing materials of various types have been known for many years, including high pressure decorative laminates and low pressure laminates. The former are formed of a plurality of thermoset resin impregnated paper sheets, the core sheets being impregnated with phenolic resin and the surface sheet or sheets being impregnated with melamine resin. These products have achieved great popularity and success over the years and have been long used as countertops, tabletops, wall coverings, etc.
Low pressure laminates are usually based on thermoset melamine resin impregnated facing sheets, with backing substrates formed of a wide variety of materials. Low pressure laminates are also used as wall panelling, and simulating wood in the manufacture of lower cost furniture, etc., and do not possess all of the admirable qualities of high pressure decorative laminate.
More recently, products of the CORIAN.RTM. and FOUNTAINHEAD.RTM. type have entered the marketplace and these have achieved wide acceptance as countertops and the like in kitchens and bathrooms in particular. Some of these materials, hereinafter generically referred to as "solid surfacing material", were originally designed to simulate stone products such as marble and granite, but now come in a wide variety of patterns. These solid surfacing materials are normally formed in thick slabs of thermoset acrylic or thermoset polyester, filled with various fillers including ATH, ground stone, etc. These products have a deep semi-translucent.sup.1 and lustrous appearance and are highly desired among designers and consumers, but on the other hand are very expensive, indeed usually more expensive than natural marble and granite. FNT .sup.1 What is meant by "deep semi-translucent" is that these products, while opaque to the passage of light therethrough, can nevertheless be seen into to an extent, and give the appearance of three-dimensional depth.
Solid thermoset surfacing materials of this type are normally formed in thick slabs, and so material costs are high on an area-of-coverage basis. Moreover, fabrication into products and installation of products based on these solid surfacing materials, including kitchen and bathroom countertops, involve a considerable amount of skilled manual labor, which further drives up the costs of these products on an installed basis.
More recently, General Electric has entered the marketplace with a product called NUVEL.TM. which is believed to be an extruded thermoplastic product containing a thermoplastic polyester, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate and/or polybutylene terephthalate, and a polycarbonate, filled with barium sulfate. We are aware of a General Electric patent in the name of Fisher et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,734, which discloses a molding material which is a blend of polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate, filled with 30-85%, based on the total weight, of barium sulfate, said to have special utility for the injection molding of articles such as tableware including dishes, bowls or mugs; billiard balls, poker chips, paper weights, wall or floor tiles and the like, and which also may be used to mold circuit boards or panels. The composition is said to produce molded objects having a smooth and glossy surface, a ceramic-like feel and appearance, superior stain resistance, opacity to x-rays, freedom from warpage, excellent creep resistance, a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a high heat distortion temperature.
DE 2 024 940, published Dec. 2, 1971, discloses a blend of thermoplastic molding materials so as to cast a clear lens of high transparency. The resultant lens material, said to be useful in the lighting sector, for household optical purposes, or for the production of household vessels, is also said to have good heat resistance in addition to a high degree of transparency. The polymers to be blended are styrene-maleic acid anhydride copolymers and methyl methacrylate polymers. Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers can be added to the molding materials to increase pourability for casting.
There is still a need for an improved, lower-cost, thermoplastic sheet for use as a surfacing material which can replace solid surfacing materials of the FOUNTAINHEAD.RTM. and CORIAN.RTM. type in at least some of their environments, and which has a deep semi-translucent appearance similar to such solid surfacing material and a comparable surface hardness.


A feed screw including a screw shaft, a nut meshed with the screw shaft and a plurality of rolling members inserted between the screw shaft and the nut, wherein a solid film of a fluorine-containing polyurethane polymer is formed on any portions in rolling/sliding contact. The molecules of this solid film have urethane bonds, and form a three-dimensional reticular structure. Therefore, the film is unlikely to separate, peel off or wear. Accordingly, the feed screw produces less dust, improves lubricating property and thus elongates its life.

As the aforementioned environment, for example, a transporting system, etc., which is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing plant, may be exemplified, however, under such environment, if a grease will be used as lubricant for the driving screw, an inconvenient drawback, such as a deterioration of the lubricating property or contamination in the operational environment, may be caused according to an evaporation of an oily component from the grease.
Under such circumstances, hitherto, at least either part in moving faces of screw stem and nut, or surface of ball, is conventionally coated with a solid lubricant, such as soft metal, which includes gold, silver, lead, copper, etc., carbon, and molybdenum bisulfide in a form of film.
In the case of using the coating film made of the above mentioned solid lubricant, a dusting caused by a slight slipping of the lubricant film due to rolling and sliding motion of the ball, may be reduced to a lower level, compared with the case where grease is used, however, in which case said level is still in considerably inadequate level, particularly under the clean environment. In particular, under heavier load condition, a dusting amount is remarkably increased.
Besides these, the present invention has been carried out in coating solid lubricant, in which fluoride resin is mixed with a binder, onto at least one of sliding face between screw stem and nut, and a surface of the ball. In this case, a dusting amount may be significantly reduced compared with the above discussed conventional case.
However, even in said coating film above, dusting due to wear, other than spalling and falling of the lubricant, is remarkably increased under the relatively heavy axial load condition, resulting in shortening of the dusting life. Furthermore, if spalling and falling of the lubricating film are occurring, a lubricating function at rolling and sliding sites may be deteriorated, thereby causing trouble with respect to the operable life, such as being liable of causing adhesion due to contact between metallic parts, and accelerating abrasive wear, as well, whereas, in the environment wherein corrosive gas is present, each constitutional element, which causes spalling and falling of the lubricating film, may be attacked.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide suppressing dusting and improving in lubricating property of the driving screw, resulting in prolonging life thereof.

Driving screw and a method for forming lubricating film thereon


A filter element sensor module having a housing, a sidewall of the housing including a recessed portion. The sensor module including a sensor assembly being provided within the housing about a sensor port interface being provided at one end of the housing. The sensor module also including processing circuitry being configured to receive signals from the sensor assembly and communication module, the communication module being configured to transmit one or more sensed parameters from the sensor assembly.

When using large motorized machinery, and particularly in the field of vehicles in extreme conditions, it is of particular advantage to ensure that air being utilized in their respective engines or motors be clean so as to avoid damaging the machine. It is well understood that these machines operate in an optimal fashion when the filter elements are regularly replaced or cleaned, and changing or cleaning the filter element prematurely, while ensuring smooth operation can result in unnecessary downtime, excess cost due to replacement cost, or damage to the filter element during unnecessary cleaning operations. Further, in particular environments, it can often require almost-constant supervision in order to determine precisely when a particular filter element needs replacement or cleaning. Changing a filter element too often result in extra downtime, damage to filter elements, and overall costs. Likewise, not changing at appropriate intervals can lead to damage.
While conventional filter elements typically have guidelines for when a filter element should be replaced, such as a particular timeline, these guidelines may or may not reflect actual filter element state or particle load depending on a wide variety of potential operating conditions. One of the intended benefits of the present application seeks to optimize filter element cleaning and replacement, while reducing unnecessary downtime.

Filter element sensor module having processing and wireless communication capabilities