Transducer assembly for an offshore drilling riser, in an example, includes a spool for connecting into the riser and a protrusion extending around the side wall of the spool. A recess extends around the protrusion between upper and lower sloping surfaces. Upper transducer bores are spaced around the protrusion and extend from the upper sloping surface downward and inward into the spool bore and lower transducer bores extend from the lower sloping surface upward and inward into the spool bore. A base of a rigid non-metallic material is located in each of the transducer bores. A seal ring extends around a cylindrical exterior portion of each of the bases and one of the transducer bores. An acoustic transducer element is mounted to the outer end of each of the bases. The transducer assembly can detect drilling fluid and form sealing.

During offshore well drilling, the operator will employ a drilling riser between a subsea wellhead and the drilling platform. A blowout preventer (BOP) connects between the drilling riser and the subsea wellhead to control pressure encountered in the well. During drilling, a drill string extends through the drilling riser, BOP, and subsea wellhead into the well. The operator pumps drilling fluid down the drill string while rotating the drill bit. The drilling fluid returns up an annulus along with earth formation cuttings. Normally, the drilling fluid flows up the riser around the drill string.
At times, unexpected pressure can occur within the well, causing a pressure kick. If not controlled, the pressure kick could lead to a blowout. Various techniques are proposed for early detection of pressure kicks. One technique proposed would employ a flow meter near the subsea well housing to detect the flow rate of the drilling fluid flowing up the annulus around the drill string. The flow meter has to be able to withstand high pressure and temperature in a subsea location that may be thousands of feet from the drilling platform. Flow meter arrangements to monitor flow in a drilling riser near a subsea wellhead are not yet in common current use.
There are many types of flow meters generally. One type is an ultrasonic transducer that may be used to obtain velocity information of a fluid based on ultrasonic echography and Doppler theory. The transducer emits a pulsed ultrasonic wave into a fluid. Impurities and contaminations in the fluid reflect the wave, and the transducer receives the echo. Doppler theory allows for velocity calculation by a known formula.

Transducer assembly for offshore drilling riser


A multi-beam image forming apparatus includes a beam generating unit 101, an optical scanner 102, an image processing unit 103 for dividing image data into several areas in a primary scanning direction, and image writing units 106 and 107 for writing an image while switching multiple laser beams in accordance with each of the areas in the primary scanning direction in a printing region based on the divided image data, wherein the image processing unit 103 judges continuity of the image data when dividing the image data, so that the image processing unit 103 divides the image data at an image data portion having continuity and transmits the divided image data to the image writing units 106 and 107. The multi-beam image forming apparatus is provided as an apparatus in which scan positions can be aligned accurately both in the primary scanning direction and the secondary scanning direction and which is suitable for wide printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-beam image forming apparatus for forming an image based on image data transmitted from a host apparatus or the like. Particularly it relates to a multi-beam image forming apparatus suitable for wide printing of the image.
2. Description of the Background Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a laser printer, a digital copying machine, etc. forms an image on a sheet of paper by a method including the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to recorded information on a photoconductor by a laser beam output from a beam generating unit after electrostatically charging a surface of the photoconductor evenly; developing the electrostatic latent image with toner to form a toner image; transferring the toner image to a sheet of paper by using a transfer portion; and fixing the toner image by using a fixing portion.
As this type image forming apparatuses, there have been heretofore proposed various multi-beam image forming apparatuses using a polygon mirror for directing laser beams toward scan lines simultaneously to form an image. The multi-beam image forming apparatus has an advantage that an image can be formed at a high speed by use of a low-speed rotating polygon motor and a low-power semiconductor laser because an image corresponding to multiple scan lines can be formed by one surface of the polygon mirror.
Use of an ASIC as an image writing means for the image forming apparatus has become the mainstream with the recent advance of semiconductor manufacturing technology. Provision of the ASIC as a general-purpose ASIC to be used in various image forming apparatuses makes mass production and drastic cost-cutting possible.
On the other hand, there has been recently a demand for a laser beam high-definition image forming apparatus, for example, using a wide sheet of paper having a sheet size of more than 20 inches. In the case of 20 inches and 1200 dpi, 24000 dots are simply required as the number of image data in the primary scanning direction. If bit depth is taken into consideration, the number of image data increases to twice or three times. It has been necessary to design a product to use the background-art ASIC for forming such a wide image in accordance with the increase in the number of image data.
As such a wide image forming method, there is a method using the background-art ASIC effectively by dividing an image forming area into parts on a photoconductor. FIGS. 6A to 6C are schematic configuration views of optical scanners applied to the background-art image forming apparatus. In FIGS. 6A to 6C, the reference numeral 1 designates a beam generating unit; 2, a polygon mirror as a scanning unit; 3, an fθ lens; and 4, a drum-shaped photoconductor. Each of the optical scanners has at least one beam generating unit 1, at least one polygon mirror 2, and at least one fθ lens 3.
Each of the optical scanners shown in FIG. 6A and 6B has two beam generating units 1, and two polygon mirrors 2. The optical scanner shown in FIG. 6C has two beam generating units 1, and one polygon mirror 2.
The optical scanner shown in FIG. 6A is configured to rotate the two polygon mirrors 2 in the same direction so that laser beams output from the beam generating units 1 are scanned in the same direction. For this reason, scan positions of laser beams can hardly be aligned accurately in the primary scanning direction because the second scan start position needs to coincide with the first scan end position. There is another technical problem that scan positions of laser beams cannot be aligned in the secondary scanning direction unless rotations of the two polygon mirrors 2 are synchronized with each other.
As shown in FIG. 6B, the optical scanner described in JP-A-6-208066 is configured to rotate the two polygon mirrors 2 in opposite directions to scan laser beams from the center toward opposite ends. For this reason, scan positions of laser beams can be aligned easily in the primary scanning direction. There is however a technical problem that scan positions of laser beams cannot be aligned in the secondary scanning direction unless rotations of the two polygon mirrors 2 are synchronized with each other.
An optical scanner described in JP-A-8-72308 is configured to rotate two polygon mirrors 2 by one drive source to synchronize rotations of the two polygon mirrors 2 with each other. It is however practically difficult that the two polygon mirrors 2 requiring high-speed rotations are rotated simultaneously by one drive source.
As shown in FIG. 6C, another optical scanner described in JP-A-8-72308 is configured so that laser beams from two beam generating units 1 are made incident on different planes of polarization of one polygon mirror 2 and joined together in the primary scanning direction on the photoconductor 4. In this configuration, scan positions of laser beams can be aligned easily in the secondary scanning direction because only one polygon mirror 2 is provided. It is however difficult to accurately align scan positions of laser beams in the primary scanning direction because laser beams are scanned in the same direction so that the second scan start position need to coincide with the first scan end position.
In the aforementioned background-art configurations, it is technically difficult to align scan positions accurately though rotations of two polygon mirrors need to be synchronized with each other. Even when only one polygon mirror is provided, there is a technical problem that it is difficult to align scan positions accurately in the primary scanning direction because laser beams from two beam generating units are scanned in the same direction.


The alcohol ignition interlock system and method has a transdermal blood alcohol concentration blood alcohol concentration reader in combination with a vehicle ignition interlock circuit that prevents an intoxicated person from operating a vehicle. The blood alcohol concentration reader utilizes a sensor that continuously measures very low levels of transdermal alcohol mounted on the steering wheel of the vehicle beneath a porous cover. The readings are communicated to a microprocessor-controlled control unit and ignition interlock circuitry that either enables or disables start-up of the vehicle, as well as continued operation thereof. Not only does the system prevent an intoxicated person from starting the vehicle, but should the system detect the driver's subsequent intoxicated state while in operation of the vehicle, the driver is given a period of time and distance in which to pull off the road prior to the ignition system being disabled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle safety devices, and more particularly to an alcohol ignition interlock system and method by which a driver under the influence of alcohol is prevented from operating his or her vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The rapid distribution and high solubility of alcohol impairs the central nervous system even in low concentrations. Impairment includes diminution of attention, judgment and control, sensory-motor control, and efficiency in finer performance tests. According to published information, the American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of impairment for all people to be 0.04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0.04 grams/210 liters of breath) Higher concentrations, greater than 0.35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0.35 grams/210 liters of breath) for example, can lead to coma and death.
The operation of vehicles by persons under the influence of alcohol is a major safety problem in the United States and many other countries. Despite growing public awareness and government concern, statistics continue to show that a high percentage of automobile accidents causing serious bodily injury involve a driver operating under the influence of alcohol.
In order to address this problem, various attempts have been made to develop devices that prevent inebriated persons from operating their vehicles. Typically these devices monitor the blood alcohol content of an individual to determine the ability of an individual to safely operate a vehicle. The result of this test provides an input to an unsupervised interlock device that either enables or disables operation of the vehicle, normally through the ignition system.
Technological advances have resulted in the invention of breath analyzer systems for gathering information about the blood alcohol concentration level of a person that has consumed alcohol. Exemplars of breath alcohol analyzer patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,810 and 4,996,161. The '810 patent teaches comparing a reference BAC threshold to the breath sample from an individual, while the '161 patent teaches a system for breath alcohol testing of unsupervised individuals. Patents teaching interlocking a vehicle's ignition based on breath analyzer results include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,333, 4,901,058, 4,926,164, 5,020,628, and 5,426,415.
An example of a commercially available alcohol breath analyzer and vehicle interlock system is a device known as "Smart Start" manufactured by Smart Start, Inc. of Irving, Tex., which is wired into a vehicle's ignition system. To start a vehicle, a driver must first blow into a handheld apparatus that measures breath alcohol levels. If the driver's measured breath alcohol is below the allowed limit, the vehicle starts. If the interlock device detects a higher amount of alcohol, the vehicle won't start. The interlock device is also configured to record a vehicle's operation—including driving logs, disconnection and tampering.
Other systems currently available include Ignition Interlock's LIFESAFER® and Guardian Interlock System's GUARDIAN INTERLOCK®. These devices include a handheld breath-alcohol analyzer and a data logger that records vehicle activities and test results and the time and date at which each took place. With either of these devices, a driver must pass a breath test by blowing into the device before starting the vehicle. Unless the driver passes the test, the vehicle will not start. The units also conduct tests at random intervals once the vehicle has been started to deter the driver from drinking after engine start and continuing to drive while intoxicated.
Other technologies, aside from the breath analyzers, have been combined with automobile interlock systems to prevent an intoxicated person from starting a vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,349, issued to Steinberg in 1998, includes a non-invasive reader of a person's blood alcohol concentration in combination with ignition interlock circuitry to prevent operation of a vehicle by an intoxicated person. The non-invasive BAC reader utilizes optical spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation to detect alcohol levels in blood. The sensor is preferably dash mounted and requires the driver to insert his or her finger into the device, and depending upon the result of the test, the operator may be instructed to wait or to find a non-impaired operator.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,908, issued to Edmonds, III et al. in May 2001, discloses a vehicle interlock device that includes both a blood alcohol detector that measures intensities of wavelengths of light emerging from a finger inserted into the sensor device, as well as a fingerprint scanner, which compares the fingerprint of the user to a prestored image of the fingerprint of the principal driver of the vehicle. Although acceptable for testing a driver at the time of starting the vehicle, the '349 patent is not applicable to continuous BAC testing after engine startup.
Although these aforementioned devices are a good start towards keeping impaired drivers off the road, they fail in several regards. Whether the BAC sensor is a breath analyzer or an optical spectroscopic reader, they all require some positive action by the driver, thereby limiting it to discontinuous operation, once at engine startup, and then randomly during operation of the vehicle.
A technology that offers an alternative approach to non-invasive detection of BAC, as well as continuous BAC testing, is based upon the knowledge that alcohol is eliminated from the body by two mechanisms: metabolism and excretion. Metabolism accounts for greater than 90% of ingested alcohol and occurs principally in the liver. The remaining 10% of ingested alcohol is excreted, unchanged, wherever water is removed from the body, including breath, urine, perspiration, and saliva. The excreted alcohol is significant because it can be measured and correlated to a person's BAC.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,661, issued to Swette et al. in 1999, discloses an electrochemical sensor that continuously measures very low concentrations of ethanol vapor at the surface of the skin, as well as skin properties, such as temperature and ionic conductance. Similarly, Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor® (SCRAM®), manufactured by Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc., is a non-invasive alcohol-detection system that automatically tests for blood alcohol content (BAC) by monitoring transdermal alcohol present in insensible perspiration, which is the constant, unnoticeable excretion of sweat through the skin. SCRAM® measures the concentration of ethanol (a byproduct of alcohol consumption) in perspiration, in order to determine a person's BAC.
BAC testing devices are but one embodiment of a larger group of sensing devices for controlling access to equipment and physical facilities based upon personal biometrics. U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,950, issued to Osten et al. in February 1998, discloses such a system that employs the combination of a unique, inherently specific biometric, of which BAC may be such a metric, for authentication of an individual who is not incapacitated.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed, nor teach the combination of transdermal alcohol concentration testing sensor with a vehicle interlock system to continuously monitor a drivers BAC level. Thus, an alcohol ignition interlock system and method for continually measuring transdermal blood alcohol concentration and solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Alcohol ignition interlock system and method


A flooring system including horizontal metal framing members, for example, C-joists, U-joists, open web joists, HAMBRO or other metal frame systems that support a reinforced, lightweight, dimensionally stable SCP panel. The flooring system is non-combustible, water durable, mold and rot resistant, termite resistant and is capable of resisting shear loads equal to or exceeding shear loads provided by plywood or oriented strand board panels. The panels employ one or more layers of a continuous phase resulting from the curing of an aqueous mixture of inorganic binder, for example, calcium sulfate alpha hemihydrate, hydraulic cement, an active pozzolan and lime. The continuous phase is reinforced with glass fibers and contains lightweight filler particles, for example, ceramic microspheres.

Interior residential and light commercial flooring systems commonly include plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) nailed to a wooden frame. OSB consists of pieces of wood glued together. However, costs of lumber and labor required for installing wooden floors and framing components have risen with time. Wooden floors and framing components are also susceptible to water damage, fire damage, insect damage and rotting. Additional problems specifically associated with wooden floor joists include stability and quality.
Typical floor construction methods include installing "header" members (rim joists) on the top of support walls that may be fabricated from, for example, concrete blocks, wood or metal studs. In wood frame construction, the header members typically comprise wood beams that are supported on edge on the wall. Other wood beam members, commonly referred to as joists, are used to span from wall to wall between the headers and are usually connected to the headers by nails. The joists are typically arranged parallel to each other with 8″, 16″ or 24″ between their respective centers, depending upon the load characteristics that the floor must accommodate. A sheathing material such as plywood or OSB is then fastened to the upper edges of the joists using nails, screws or other mechanical fasteners to form the floor surface. To prevent the joists from twisting or moving laterally, small pieces of wood, known as blocking pieces, are commonly nailed between adjacent joists to form, in many instances, X-shaped braces between the joists. Insulation is sometimes installed between the joists and sheathing, drywall, plasterboard, etc. is then applied to the bottom of the joists to form a ceiling for the space located under the floor joist system. When connecting the joists to their respective headers, the carpenter must first measure and mark the headers to establish the desired joist spacing. After the headers are installed, the joists must be properly nailed to the headers by a carpenter. If the carpenter has access to the opposite side of the header from which the joist is to be installed, the nails are hammered through the header into the end of the respective joist. If, however, the carpenter cannot access the opposite side of the header, nails must be inserted at an angle (commonly referred to as "toe-nailing") through the joist and into the header. Care must be taken to avoid inadvertently splitting the joist and to ensure that the nails extend through the joist and into the header a sufficient distance. Such attachment process can be time consuming and may require the use of skilled labor which can also lead to increase construction costs. If toe-nailing is not structurally acceptable, another piece, called a joist hanger is added which also increases labor and material costs.
Framing in metal, both when building out commercial spaces as well as residential structures, is becoming more and more common. Probably the best known and most prevalent method of framing in metal involves the use of metal channeling, typically rolled from sheet steel and sometimes aluminum. These metal framing members or studs, often used to erect and reinforce commercial and residential structures, are channels having a substantially C-shaped cross section with a broad web (base) and narrow flanges (sides) of uniform height. To enhance the stud or framing member's strength and rigidity, the edges of the flanges of the C-channel component are bent over to form lips parallel to the plane of the C-channel base to form the C-shaped component.
The outside dimensions of the metal framing members and studs, and the weight or gauge of the member or stud, vary. Typically the members are fabricated to be approximately 4 inches wide by 2 inches deep, corresponding thereby to the width and depth of wood framing and stud members, in which case the lips may extend ¼ to ½ inch from the sides of the studs. Fourteen to 20 gauge metal may be used for light gauge, residential construction and commercial wall construction. Heavier metal gauges are used in some residential and commercial framing and particularly in multiple story commercial construction.
There has developed a variety of methods for connecting and securing metal frames and wall studs. At the most basic level, metal studs are inserted into and secured within metal tracks by drilling, screwing, or welding from the outside wall of the track into an adjoining metal stud. Similarly, commercially available devices for interconnecting metal framing members, as for example tie brackets, shear connectors and plate connectors, typically use screws and bolts applied from the outside of the track or stud member inwards.
Metal studs and framing members have been modified to include saw or punch slots, tabs and brackets intended to facilitate the interconnection of these studs and framing member to adjoining studs and framing members and/or to cross-bars and other non-framing members that serve to reinforce the studs and framing members. Known connectors, including bracket, plate and tie connectors, presently used to tie together and interconnect metal studs, are generally drilled and screwed on site.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,407 discloses, a system for interconnecting metal framing members, tracks and studs by way of a variety of connectors and tracks. The connectors are specially configured and designed to fit within and interlock with the framing members, tracks and studs. The connectors serve to secure one member, track or stud to another member, track or stud, by fasteners applied from within the connector outwards into the non-surface aspects of the member, track or stud. The tracks are specially configured to utilize the novel connectors of the present invention to interconnect with other tracks or studs using fasteners applied from both the inside out, and the outside in, in three dimensions, while still leaving the surface aspects of tracks and studs free of fastener heads or other protrusions. It employs traditional C-channel shaped framing members or studs, made of sheet steel or aluminum. According to the system, the C-channel members comprise many or all framing components for commercial and residential construction as, for example, wall studs, tracks, headers, hips, floor joists, ceiling joists, roof trusses, fascia, stud blocking, etc. The framing members or studs are tied together by a collection of more than twenty-eight structurally related metal connectors specially configured and grooved to interlock within the familiar C-channel framing member. These connectors are secured to the studs using fasteners, typically self-tapping screws, inserted from within the connectors, through the connectors, and outward into the adjoining member or stud. Its system for interconnecting metal framing members, tracks and studs that can employ a member or stud of uniform dimension and that results in a frame having a smooth, continuous outer surface, devoid of protruding fasteners heads. This includes a system of interconnecting metal framing members in which fasteners are applied from the inside of the members outward, allowing the members to be secured by workers working entirely from within the building. The metal framing members, tracks and studs are interconnected in at least two, and often three, dimensions for additional strength and durability. Its connectors for interconnecting metal framing members and studs interlock within the framing members, tracks and studs that can be screwed and secured safely on site, without significant risk that the connector will be grabbed and spun by a powered drill or bit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,538 discloses a structural framing member with a C-shaped cross section comprising of a main planar surface and two planar side walls at right angles. The side walls present an inwardly turned lip formed substantially parallel to the base. The capacity of the metal framing joist sections is increased by embossing longitudinal stiffeners perpendicular to the top and bottom side walls, with a minimum depth of 0.01″ (0.025 cm), continuous along the face of the main planar surface for the full length of the section. By bridging these longitudinal stiffeners with, but not limiting to, diagonal embossed stiffeners, a series of adjoining geometric shapes between longitudinal chords has been created to increase the rigidity of the web via adjoining geometric stiffeners which will carry the load by axial deformation rather than pure shear deformation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,964 to Daudet et al, incorporated herein by reference, discloses floor joists and floor header systems made of metal. The system may include a joist rim that has at least one attachment tab integrally formed therein to facilitate attachment of a joist to the joist rim. Reinforcing ribs are preferably provided adjacent the attachment tabs for providing desired structural integrity to the attachment tab connection. The system may also include a C-shaped joist that has a plurality of oval-shaped openings to enable components such as ducts, wires, piping, etc. to pass there through. The joists may also be provided with a plurality of mounting holes that are adapted to accommodate wire retainer members for supporting insulation between respective joists. The system may also include preformed blocking members that are sized to extend between adjacent joists and be attached thereto to provide lateral support to the joists.
It is known to place plywood or OSB on cold formed, light gauge steel C-joists or steel open web bar joists. However, plywood and OSB are combustible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,487 to Tonyan et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a reinforced, lightweight, dimensionally stable structural cement panel (SCP) capable of resisting shear loads when fastened to framing equal to or exceeding shear loads provided by plywood or oriented strand board panels. The panels employ a core of a continuous phase resulting from the curing of an aqueous mixture of calcium sulfate alpha hemihydrate, hydraulic cement, an active pozzolan and lime, the continuous phase being reinforced with alkali-resistant glass fibers and containing ceramic microspheres, or a blend of ceramic and polymer microspheres, or being formed from an aqueous mixture having a weight ratio of water-to-reactive powder of 0.6/1 to 0.7/1 or a combination thereof. At least one outer surface of the panels may include a cured continuous phase reinforced with glass fibers and containing sufficient polymer spheres to improve nailability or made with a water-to-reactive powders ratio to provide an effect similar to polymer spheres, or a combination thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,815 to Bonen, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, also discloses formulations useful for SCP panels.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/666,294, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a multi-layer process for producing structural cementitious panels (SCP's or SCP panels), and SCP's produced by such a process. After one of an initial deposition of loosely distributed, chopped fibers or a layer of slurry upon a moving web, fibers are deposited upon the slurry layer. An embedment device mixes the recently deposited fibers into the slurry, after which additional layers of slurry, then chopped fibers are added, followed by more embedment. The process is repeated for each layer of the board, as desired.
For use in construction, SCP panels should meet building code standards for shear resistance, load capacity, water-induced expansion and resistance to combustion, as measured by recognized tests, such as ASTM E72, ASTM 661, and ASTM C 1185 or equivalent, as applied to structural plywood sheets. SCP panels are also tested under ASTM E-136 for non-combustibility-plywood does not meet this test.
The SCP panel should be capable of being cut with the circular saws used to cut wood.
The SCP panel should be dimensionally stable when exposed to water, i.e., it should expand as little as possible, preferably less than 0.1% as measured by ASTM C 1185.
The SCP panel should provide a bondable substrate for exterior finish systems.
The SCP panel should be non-combustible as determined by ASTM E136.
After curing for 28 days, the flexural strength of a 0.75 inch (19. mm) thick SCP panel having a dry density of 65 to 90 lb/ft3 (1041 kg/m3) after being soaked in water for 48 hours should be at least 1000 psi (7 MPa), e.g. at least 1300 psi (9 MPa) preferably at least 1650 psi (11.4 MPa), more preferably at least 1700 psi (11.7 MPa), as measured by ASTM C 947. The panel should retain at least 75% of its dry strength.
In heavier commercial construction it is also common to form a floor by a "level pan" technique including laying steel I-beams or steel joists, e.g., open web bar joists, horizontally and then supporting a pan on the I-beams or joists and filling the pan with cement. Typically the pan has a corrugated bottom surface. However, this is expensive and time consuming.
There is a need for an economical, easy to assemble, durable and non-combustible total framing and flooring system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-combustible reinforced cementitious lightweight panels and metal frame system for flooring


An electronic ballast (200) includes a rectifier circuit (20), a clamp inductor (44), an electronic switch (62), a control circuit (60) for driving the electronic switch (62), an energy storage capacitor (34), a first diode (38), a second diode (50), a clamping capacitor (58), and an output circuit (80). In a preferred embodiment, the rectifier circuit (20) includes a full-wave diode bridge (22) and a high frequency filter capacitor (24), and the output circuit (80) has a resonant inductor (82), a resonant capacitor (92), and a DC blocking capacitor (98). The ballast (200) provides power factor correction, low in-rush current, and high frequency power for fluorescent lamps, but requires only a single electronic switch (62) and a single clamp inductor (44).

Traditional magnetic coil ballasts possess a number of operational disadvantages, such as poor energy efficiency and high visible flicker. Electronic ballasts overcome many of the shortcomings of magnetic ballasts, but at a considerably higher monetary cost.
A common type of electronic ballast includes a rectifier circuit, a switching converter for providing power factor correction, a high frequency inverter, and an output circuit. Such a ballast provides a high frequency current for driving the lamps with minimal visible flicker and is far superior to magnetic ballasts with regard to energy efficiency and power factor correction. On the other hand, such a ballast typically requires three or more power transistor switches, in addition to a large number of other components, of which electrolytic capacitors and magnetic components such as inductors and transformers are typically the most costly and the most difficult to manufacture. Due to its complexity and high component count, the resulting ballast is not economically competitive with relatively low cost magnetic ballasts.
In addition to the drawback of cost, several types of electronic ballasts also possess the important disadvantage of significant in-rush current. In-rush current, which is an inherent characteristic of many electronic circuits which have a large bulk capacitance, is a transient pulse of current that is generated when power is first applied to the circuit. The amplitude of the in-rush current pulse is maximized when power is first applied to the circuit at the peak of the AC line voltage cycle. The peak value of the high current pulse drawn by the circuit from the AC line source in such a case is customarily referred to as the peak in-rush current.
Excessive in-rush current is highly undesirable, having been associated with nuisance tripping of circuit breakers as well as degradation and welding of switch contacts on AC line-side equipment such as relays and occupancy sensors. An additional disadvantage of high in-rush current is the resulting design requirement of high surge current ratings for those circuit components through which the in-rush pulse flows.
Further, many electronic ballasts include one or more energy storage capacitors, and contain a switching converter in which the voltage across the energy storage capacitor(s) appreciably exceeds the peak value of the AC line voltage. Due to several operational and performance requirements, the energy storage capacitors must have a relatively large capacitance value which, when combined with the need for a relatively high voltage rating, dictates the use of electrolytic capacitors. Since the monetary cost and physical size of an electrolytic capacitor increases with the arithmetic product of its capacitance and its voltage rating, a substantial reduction in the material cost and physical size of the ballast can be realized by developing a ballast having a converter stage with a significantly lower voltage across the energy storage capacitor(s).
Thus, a need exists for an electronic ballast circuit that rivals the low monetary cost and low in-rush current of magnetic ballasts, but that retains at least some of the key advantages, such as high energy efficiency and negligible visible flicker, of more costly electronic ballasts. Since magnetic components, power transistor switches, and electrolytic capacitors are among the largest and most expensive parts used in electronic ballasts, and thus detract greatly from the goals of low material and manufacturing cost, significant impetus exists for developing new ballasts in which the number, complexity, and cost of such components is reduced or minimized.
It is therefore apparent that an electronic ballast which provides energy efficient, low flicker, high frequency powering of fluorescent lamps, which has low in-rush current, and which requires fewer and less costly components than existing electronic ballasts, would constitute a considerable improvement over the prior art.

Single switch electronic ballast with low in-rush current


A product having a metal strip and a central longitudinal axis. The strip has two or more strip parts, each having a common radius of curvature defining a helix having an angle being offset from one another in the direction of the axis. A cross section of the strip parts causes them to be interlocked together throughout their lengths to define a flexible metal tube. The outside diameter of the tube is between ⅜″ and 1⅜″ and the helix angle of each strip part is between eight and thirty degrees.

It is well known to wrap a single strip of metal around a cable to define a flexible tube that shields the cable. It is also known, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,440,273, incorporated herein by reference, to wrap two strips of metal around a cable to define a flexible metal tube that shields the cable; advantages of this approach include doubling rates of production at equivalent rates of rotation.


The disclosed computer-implemented method for injecting drivers into computing systems during restore operations may include (1) identifying a restore operation directed to restoring a system volume on a computing system, (2) locating, at least in part by examining a hardware configuration of the computing system being restored, at least one driver utilized by the hardware configuration, (3) representing the system volume as an image to a deployment image servicing and management application, and (4) causing the deployment image servicing and management application to inject the driver into the computing system as part of the restore operation. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Computing devices may be configured with a wide and ever-growing variety of hardware and/or connected to a plethora of peripherals. These hardware devices and peripherals are typically managed by scripts known as device drivers and may not be usable without the correct driver. Each piece of hardware or peripheral may have its own driver, which may be customized or tailored for each operating system the hardware may be connected to. Even virtual devices may use drivers to interact with operating systems.
Early systems for installing drivers often required users to have access to physical media, such as a compact disk, that came with the hardware. More modern systems may automatically inject drivers into the operating system during device installation. However, drivers may be lost during computing system crashes or may not be available from their original sources if a computing environment is restored onto different hardware than the computing environment was originally generated on.
Traditional systems for restoring system volumes typically involve injecting drivers into an offline version of a volume after the volume has been restored. However, these systems often use specific code that is tailored to the hardware configuration and/or operating system of the device in question, increasing the difficulty and complexity of maintaining proper driver configurations. Vendors of an operating system also often change which registry keys are updated upon driver injection, requiring the applications that inject these drivers to be rewritten each time.
In some traditional systems, Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) applications may be used to inject drivers before the volume is deployed to a target device. However, anticipating the future hardware configurations of computing systems that have not yet been deployed may be very difficult, making it unlikely that the correct combination of drivers may be installed in advance. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for injecting drivers into to-be-restored volumes.

Systems and methods for injecting drivers into computing systems during restore operations


Compositions and methods for avidin or protein having affinity for biotin immobilized on an inert support material, e.g., agarose, are disclosed. The compositions have high activity levels for binding biotin and may include a bulking agent, e.g., maltose, and a protectant to maintain the stability and integrity of the composition during lyophilization and terminal sterilization processes. The compositions have applicability in any instance where avidin agarose and/or the avidin/biotin technology are useful. In particular, the present compositions are useful in an enzyme capture system to prepare fibrin monomers useful for fibrin sealants.

The avidin-biotin affinity-based technology has found wide applicability in numerous fields of biology and biotechnology since the pioneering work by Dr. Edward Bayer and Dr. Meier Wilchek in the 1970's. The affinity constant between avidin and biotin is remarkably high and is not significantly lessened when biotin is coupled to a wide variety of biomolecules. This affinity is substantially maintained even when derivatized forms of the biotin are employed and numerous chemistries have been identified for coupling biomolecules to biotin with minimal or negligible loss in the activity or other desired characteristics of the biomolecule. Originally applied to purification and localization procedures for biologically active macromolecules, avidin-biotin technology today has widespread use in medical diagnostics. Newer applications which continue to be developed include affinity targeting, cell cytometry, blotting technology, drug delivery, hybridoma technology, human stem cell selection and reinfusion as well as several approaches to enzyme capture. In some applications, avidin is immobilized onto an inert material over which a solution containing biotinylated biomolecules is passed. The affinity of the biotin for the avidin provides for the separation of the biomolecule from the solution. A review of the biotin-avidin technology can be found in Applications of Avidin-Biotin Technology to Affinity-Based Separation, Bayer, et al., J. of Chromatography, 1990, pgs. 3-11.
EP 592242 describes a novel fibrin sealant based on fibrin monomer as opposed to the traditional fibrinogen-based sealants and involves subjecting fibrinogen to a thrombin-like enzyme which is preferably removed after such treatment. EP 592242 describes that the enzyme capture and removal can be accomplished by using biotinylated batroxobin which can be recaptured with an avidin material. The fibrin monomer sealant described in EP 592242 is advantageously completely autologous. Since autologous fibrin sealants can not a-ways be prepared in advance, autologous processes which provide such sealants in short periods of time (i.e., less than one hour or preferably less than 30 minutes) from the patients' own blood provide a great advantage over current techniques and products. The steed with which such autologous processes can be carried out is dependent to a large degree on the activity of the biotin-and avidin-based reagents. Commercially available immobilized avidin typically contains about 200 to 400 biotin binding units (BBU) of activity (where 1BBU will bind 1 .mu.g of .alpha.-biotin) per gram of lyophilized powder (e.g., avidin on acrylic beads from Sigma) or about 20 to 50 BBU per milliliter of slurry or gel (e.g., avidin on agarose available from Sigma and Pierce).
Also, the above fibrin monomer technology and other biological applications would benefit from more convenient forms of avidin-and biotin-based reagents. For example, the processing necessary to prepare such compositions can have an adverse effect on the activity levels since many of the coupling/immobilization techniques involve materials which can significantly reduce these activities. Additionally, systems which reduce or eliminate leaching of avidin or of the avidin-biotin complexes would be advantageous in many applications. Further, many biological applications would be greatly enhanced by the availability of high activity avidin compositions which could be lyophilized and further, terminally sterilized while maintaining stability. Clearly, avidin compositions having higher avidin activity levels with greater stability, especially in freeze dried powder forms capable of withstanding terminal sterilization, e.g., gamma irradiation, would be an advance in the art.

Stable composition of immobilized protein having affinity for biotin


The present invention provides novel broad spectrum antiseptic compounds that further have properties that allow them to be coated/impregnated into polymer surfaces. Methods for coating these antiseptic compounds onto medical devices especially in-dwelling medical devices to prevent the growth of pathogens in such devices and hence, to prevent infection to patients via such devices are provided. The invention also provides antiseptics that are useful as general surface disinfectants and sterilizers, fluid disinfectants and biocide preservatives.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of preventing infections. More particularly it provides novel broad spectrum antiseptic compositions that further have properties that allow them to be coated/impregnated into polymer surfaces or used as antiseptics in different applications. The invention provides methods for coating these antiseptic compositions onto medical devices such as catheters, tubes, stents and sutures, to prevent the growth of pathogens in such devices and hence, to prevent infection to patients via such devices. In addition, the invention provides novel antiseptics that could be used in disinfecting and sterilizing organic and inorganic surfaces, water and other fluids.
2. Description of Related Art
Most nosocomial infections are caused by the contamination of medical devices resulting in serious hospital-acquired infections. Nosocomial pneumonias are the second most common nosocomial infections, and are associated with the highest attributable mortality and morbidity. Recent data have shown that at least 300,000 episodes of nosocomial pneumonia occur annually in the United States (Official Statement, American Thoracic Society). The attributable mortality of this infection is 33%-50%, hence, around 100,000 patients die annually because of nosocomial pneumonia (CDC, 1993; Leu et al., 1989). The risk of nosocomial pneumonia increases 6- to 20-fold from the use of mechanical ventilation (Official Statement, American Thoracic Society).
The endotracheal tube is considered a common vehicle for colonization/contamination leading to nosocomial pneumonia. The endotracheal tube connects the oropharyngeal environment with the sterile bronchoalveolar space, significantly increasing the risk of nosocomial pneumonia. Endotracheal tubes are typically constructed of polyvinylchloride, which is known to be very difficult to impregnate with antiseptic or antimicrobial agents. Thus, there are no endotracheal tubes that are impregnated with antibiotics or antiseptics currently in use.
Another leading cause of serious nosocomial infections is bloodstream infections. The primary contributors to nosocomial bloodstream infections are vascular catheters. It is estimated that around 400,000 vascular catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) occur annually in the United States (Raad, 1998). The attributable mortality of these infections in the intensive care unit (ICU) was estimated in JAMA in 1994 to be 25% (Reiselman et al., 1994). Hence, these infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. These catheters are mostly polyurethane short-term catheters used in the ICU and long-term silicone catheters used in cancer/AIDS patients.
The most frequent causes of nosocomial infections are urinary tract infections (UTI), contributing to 34% of all nosocomial infections (Klempner et al., 1998). Nosocomial UTI are usually associated with contamination of urinary catheters. In addition, nosocomial surgical wound infections are common complications of surgical procedures, particularly in cancer and immunocompromised patients with devitalized tissue and decreased immunity. Surgical wound infections contribute to 17% of all nosocomial infections (Platt and Bucknall, 1988). Many surgical wound infections are associated with the contamination of sutures.
Antibiotics are strictly antibacterial agents that are usually used in treatment of systemic or bloodstream infections and are given through oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, or intramuscular routes to achieve systemic bloodstream levels. Examples include penicillin, cephalosporins, vancomycin, minocycline, and rifampin.
Antiseptics on the other hand, are antimicrobial agents often with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi or viurses. These agents are used on the skin and external mucosal surfaces usually because of limitations related to absorption, penetration or systemic toxicity. These agents are not used in the treatment of bloodstream infections. Examples include chlorhexidine and povidone iodine.
Antibiotics and antiseptics have been used to impregnate vascular catheters. The concern with the use of antibiotics has been that resistance might develop to antibiotics, preventing their use therapeutically and systemically in hospitalized patients. Furthermore, the durability of the existing antiseptics has been limited. For example, the use of chlorhexidine/silver sulfadiazine on polyurethane surfaces has had limited effectiveness. Moreover, chlorhexidine/silver sulfadiazine impregnating the surface of vascular catheters resulted in limited activity against gram-negative bacilli, such as Pseudomonas.
What is needed is an effective antiseptic having broad spectrum activity against resistant staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida species, to be used in conjunction with indwelling devices that will inhibit or prevent the nosocomial infections typically associated with the use of these indwelling devices. It would be further desirable to develop devices impregnated with the antiseptic to enhance the resistance to infection. For example, the creation of antiseptic-impregnated catheters would prevent organisms from adhering or migrating on catheter surfaces.

Antiseptic derivatives with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity for the impregnation of surfaces

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure is disposed on the scribe line of a wafer and is around the chip area of the wafer. The semiconductor structure includes a plurality of dielectric layers sequentially disposed on the scribe line and a plurality of metal patterns disposed in each dielectric layer. The metal patterns disposed in each dielectric layer extend to the next underlying dielectric layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor structure and a fabricating method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor structure and a fabricating method thereof, which prevents the chip from cracking.
2. Description of Related Art
The integrate circuit (IC) devices have almost been applied everywhere along with the quick developments of the semiconductor manufacture. However, the fabrication processes of integrate circuit devices are very complicated, basically including four main stages: integrate circuit design, wafer fabrication, wafer testing and wafer packaging. In general, about hundreds of different process steps are required for the fabrication of the IC devices and the whole procedure may need one or two months to complete.
In order to achieve mass production and cost reduction, the diameter of the wafer has been evolved to 12 inches from the early 4 inches or 5 inches. Accordingly, more clips can be made simultaneously on one wafer. In the process of fabricating integrate circuits, many patterns for inspection or testing are generally formed on the scribe lines of the wafer. The patterns include, for example, alignment marks, inspecting/measuring patterns, testing patterns for electrical properties and product codes, etc. However, during the packaging processes, the wafer will be sliced into chips through cutting the scribe lines of the wafer.
Usually, there are a plurality of parallel horizontal scribe lines and a plurality of parallel vertical scribe lines in one silicon wafer. After the devices on the wafer are completed, the wafer is sliced by scribing along the scribe line on the wafer using a diamond blade to obtain a plurality of chips. Since material layers of different materials are formed covering the wafer, the material layers disposed on the scribe line may be damaged or cracked when the wafer is scribed.
Particularly, the above damages are near the corners of the chip. That is, the damages at the crosses of the scribe lines are the most serious because the stress focuses on the crosses of the scribe lines. Moreover, even after packaging, the external influences, i.e., the temperature changes, may result in the extension of cracks or delamination. Usually, delamination is likely to occur in the interfaces of the low-k dielectric material layer and other layers. It is because the adhesion between the low-k dielectric material layer and other dielectric layers or metal layers is usually not good. Accordingly, the performance of the device may be degraded or the lifetime may be reduced, thus increasing the costs of packaging processes and lowering the reliability of devices.

Semiconductor structure and fabricating method thereof


The shifting of the parting line between split molds due to mold clamping force is prevented. A blow mold device (11) wherein a pair of split molds forming a blow cavity (12) are a set of molds, and a plurality of such sets are attached in parallel to mold-attaching plates (15, 16) with a clearance defined between adjacent sets. One split mold (13) is attached by bolts (17) inserted in bolt holes (23) in the form of loose holes in the mold-attaching plate (15) in such a manner as to allow relative lateral shifting of the split mold (13) and mold-attaching plate (15). The other split mold (14) is fixedly attached to the mold-attaching plate (16) by locating pins (18) and bolts (17). A joint is installed that integrally connects the two split molds to their parting surface and that is composed of a taper pin (19) and a socket (21) for preventing the shifting of the parting line.

In an ordinary blow mold device, as shown in FIG. 6, split molds 1a, 1b where a blow cavity 2 is formed in the parting face are served as a set of molds, a blow mold device 1 is composed of a plurality of sets thereof by arranging in parallel on mold-attaching plates 3, 3 by a locating pin 4 and a bolt 5 spacing with a clearance between the plural sets, and the blow mold device is attached by making the mold-attaching plates 3, 3 into contact with the opposed faces of movable platens 6, 7 inside and outside a mold clamping apparatus.
The inside movable platen 6 has a plunger 8 coupled to the back center, and an outside movable platen 7 has rods 9, 9 coupled to both sides passing through the inside movable platen 6, so that both of the aforementioned movable platens 6, 7 move simultaneously facing to each other, and the mold close of the blow mold 1 is executed in the middle between the platens, allowing the mold to open, close, and clamping by hydraulically operating the plunger 8 and rods 9, 9 simultaneously.
In such mold clamping apparatus, mold clamping force by the plunger 8 acts on the central section of the inside movable platen 6 as pressing force, while mold clamping force by the rods 9, 9 comes to acts on both sides of the outside movable platen 7 as tensile force. Consequently, the distribution of opposed mold clamping forces is differently applied on both platens, and both movable platens 6, 7 are deflected inwardly (chain line direction) and bent backward.
According to this deflection, the aforementioned mold-attaching plates 3, 3 also finish up by deflecting similarly; however, as there is a space between adjacent molds for split molds 1a, 1b, the split mold la where the mold-attaching plate 3 is attached on the outside movable platen 6 finishes up by tilting inward, and on the contrary, the split mold 1b where the mold-attaching plate 3 is attached on the outside movable platen 7 finishes up by tilting outward. The shift due to this inclination in the opposite directions increases gradually from the central section to both sides, and in the split molds 1a, 1b places at both sides, as shown enlarged in the drawing, it becomes a considerable shifting of the parting line PL, and finishes up by creating a longitudinal shoulder on the side of the blow cavity 2.
If an injection molded preform (not shown) is pinched by the neck and inserted in the blow cavity 2 of such state, stretch blow molded full in the cavity, the trace of the parting line is transferred on the middle of the side body section of a molded product therein, and left there as a considerably protruded stripe. The parting line mark on the body is undesirable for labeling or others processes, and is rejected as defective for the packaging container of contents of high added value.


A video cassette recorder having a program reserving function for easily reserving a program by coloring in a desired time and date using a black marker and a program board is disclosed. For the programming method, a program board including sections for date (day) and time of da is provided on a VCR, so that anyone can easily execute a program recording function by merely coloring in the appointed starting time, ending time and date of a program with the marker.

The present invention relates to a video cassette recorder (hereinafter referred to as a "VCR") having a program reserving function, and particularly to a VCR having a program reserving function, wherein a program board formed with tracks capable of reserving an appointed time and date of a program is installed on the front plate of a VCR.
Having a programmed recording function using a timer, a conventional VCR reserves a program by receiving input data, such as the date, time and channel of the desired program according to a user's instructions, and carried out in spite of his absence.
However, a first-time user of such a VCR must refer to the manual when the above reserved programming is desired, because the conventional method is difficult in operation and requires the entry of many function keys. Thus, it may take an extremely long time for the user to reserve the recording of a program. Various current appliances are produced having so-called "easy operation" and many functions, thus it is desirable for VCR programmed recording functions to fulfill the above aim of easy operation.
In order to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantage, a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,081 wherein programmed data to be input next to current input data is noticed, thereby receiving the programmed data according to a given order, and a programmed recording method using a menu-type on-screen display is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,713. However, the methods according to these patents are in actuality difficult in operation and often result in incorrect operation.
Also, a programmed recording method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,205 to give a specific code to a broadcast program using a remote-control code and receive only this specific code. However, this method is inconvenient in that a remote-controller which is used only for programmed recording is required.

Video cassette recorder having a program reserving function involving a user-colorable opaque mark


A system and method are directed to managing text input. An image of a virtual keyboard is displayed to a user. The user enters text by using the virtual keyboard image and an input device, such as a pointing device. The image is repeatedly altered, such as by position, size, angle, or shape. One technique includes altering the image after each selection of a virtual key is made. One aspect of the invention includes determining sensitive input fields within a page and facilitating the use of the virtual keyboard for those fields. The invention can be used to improve security when the possibility of keyboard sniffers exists.

Computers employ a variety of mechanisms for allowing a user to enter text and commands. A standard keyboard is one such mechanism. A pointing device, such as a mouse, can also be used to enter computer input. A "sniffers" is software, hardware, or a combination thereof that can be used to detect what is being entered via a computer keyboard. In some situations, a sniffer can present a security problem, where a user does not want a third party to detect what the user is entering via the keyboard or other input device.

System and method for providing computer input


A method of die casting spheroidal graphite cast iron able to prevent formation of chill crystals to allow the crystallization of fine spheroidal graphite and simultaneously prevent the formation of internal defects, including the steps of preparing a die formed with a heat insulation layer at inside walls of a cavity, filling molten metal having a composition of the spheroidal graphite cast iron through a runner into the cavity, closing the runner so as to seal the cavity right before the molten metal in the cavity starts to solidify, and allowing the molten metal to solidify by the action of the inside pressure caused by crystallization of the spheroidal graphite in the sealed cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of die casting spheroidal graphite cast iron.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spheroidal graphite cast iron is also called "ductile cast iron" and "nodular cast iron" and contains graphite in a spheroidal form, so is remarkably higher in strength and ductility compared with another cast iron with no spheroidal graphite and features a higher strength and toughness comparable with cast steel.
In the past, spheroidal graphite cast iron had been cast by sand molds, but due to the gradual cooling of the molten metal, the crystallized spheroidal graphite became coarse and there were limits to improvement of the mechanical properties. Further, castings made by sand molds are limited in the accuracy of their shape and dimensions.
It has therefore been demanded to obtain spheroidal graphite cast iron products improved in mechanical properties or accuracy of shape and dimensions exceeding the limits due to such sand mold casting. To meet with this demand, experiments have been conducted on die casting spheroidal graphite cast iron. If using die casting, a far faster cooling rate can be obtained compared with sand mold casting, so the spheroidal graphite finely crystallizes and the cast structure as a whole also becomes finer, so it is possible to improve the strength and ductility and also improve the accuracy of shape and dimensions.
With die casting, however, formation of chill crystals (rapidly cooled structure made of cementite) was unavoidable due to the fast cooling rate. If chill crystals are formed, the hardness of the casting becomes higher, but the toughness ends up being deteriorated and in the final analysis excellent mechanical properties cannot be obtained by die casting. Therefore, for example, as shown by the method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-288716, post-treatment such as heat treating the casting to break down the cementite forming the chill crystals into ferrite and carbon etc. has been necessary.
Another important point has been that in the conventional method, there has been the major problem that formation of internal defects such as shrinkage cavities was unavoidable both when using sand molds or dies and therefore the fatigue strength declined. In general, castings are prevented from the formation of shrinkage cavities by more slowly solidifying the feeder than the product section and supplementing molten metal from the feeder to the product section.
Here, since cast iron expands in volume due to graphite crystallization at the time of solidification, the method has been proposed of constraining this expansion of volume to cause the generation of internal pressure in the cavity and using this internal pressure to prevent the formation of shrinkage cavities. Specifically, the strength of the sand mold has been increased or the sand mold backed up by a die (back metal shell) to constrain expansion of volume.
However, in these methods, since a feeder is used, the expansion of volume by the crystallization of graphite ends up being eased by the flow of molten metal to the not yet solidified feeder, so in fact not that much of an effect of generation of internal pressure due to the constraint of expansion is obtained. Further, with the back metal shell method, formation of the sand mold is difficult and the sand mold layer has to be made thicker, so cannot be effectively backed up by a die. The sand mold part ends up moving so again a sufficient effect of generation of internal pressure due to the constraint of expansion cannot be obtained.
On the other hand, as a non-feeder design, the product section and gate have been optimized in shape, but no measure has been taken to prevent the formation of casting defects by constraining the expansion of volume.

Method of die casting spheroidal graphite cast iron


A multilayer inductor is provided with a coil part including a coiled conductor and lead conductors, an outer sheath part covering the coil part and having an electrical isolation, and external electrodes electrically connected to the respective lead conductors. The lead conductors are located at both ends of the coiled conductor and have a width identical with that of the coiled conductor. The outer sheath part has two first side faces parallel to the axial direction of the coiled conductor and not adjacent to each other, and a second side face intersecting with the axial direction of the coiled conductor. Each external electrode has a first electrode portion formed throughout a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the coiled conductor on the first side face. Each external electrode is not substantially formed on the second side face.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coil component.
2. Related Background Art
An example of the known coil components of this type is the one as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-305111 , which comprises a coil part including a coiled conductor, and lead conductors located at both ends of the coiled conductor, an outer sheath part covering the coil part, and a plurality of external electrodes electrically connected to the respective lead conductors.
The coil component described in Laid-Open No. 2002-305111 is a multilayer inductor. In this multilayer inductor, electrically insulating layers and conductor patterns are alternately stacked and ends of the respective conductor patterns are successively connected to form a coil (coiled conductor) superimposed in the stack direction in an electric insulator body (outer sheath part). The ends of the coil are connected through the lead conductors to the external electrodes at both ends of a chip. The external electrodes are formed only on a mounting surface parallel to the axial direction of the coil. An end of each lead conductors is exposed in the mounting surface and in a chip side face, and the exposed conductor in the chip side face is connected through a beltlike (ribbonlike) electrode to the associated external electrode. When viewed from the axial direction of the coil, the width of the lead conductors is wider than the width of the coiled conductor.


Provided is a plated steel sheet applicable for various purposes as in construction materials, household electric appliances, automobiles, etc. and, more particularly, to a hot dip plated steel sheet having excellent corrosion resistance and workability and a manufacturing method therefor.

A process of plating a steel sheet in a continuous hot-dip galvanizing process can not only lower manufacturing costs compared to processes such as electroplating, dry plating, and the like, but also can ensure excellent quality, such that a scope of use thereof as a material for construction, ships, home appliances, automobile interior and exterior panels, and the like is expanding.
Meanwhile, in recent years, due to a rapid increase in the price of raw materials containing zinc, to replace an existing zinc plated steel sheet, a development of a new plating system having a small amount of plating but excellent corrosion resistance is actively progressing.
In this regard, an alloy plated steel sheet having excellent corrosion resistance even with a small amount of adhesion by adding aluminum and magnesium to the existing zinc-based plating has been emerging.
A zinc-aluminum-magnesium-based plating bath has lower wettability with steel sheets and wider solidification zones than a zinc-based plating, such that a technology for controlling cooling after plating is important.
Conventionally, when aluminum and magnesium structure that are susceptible to oxidation develop on a surface of the steel sheet, a zinc-aluminum-magnesium-based alloy-plated steel sheet (Patent Documents 1 and 2), developed mainly in Japan is subjected to discoloration due to non-uniform oxidation, such that the surface darkens over time, significantly reducing the surface quality. In order to improve this problem, there is a method of adding a high-quality alloy element to a plating bath, but there are disadvantages that cause problems such as an increase in costs and an increase in side reaction products of the plating bath.
A zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy plated steel sheet (Patent Document 3), which is recently developed mainly in Europe, is set as a final target for application to automobiles, and there is a problem that a total amount of aluminum and magnesium added is less than that of a zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy plated steel sheet developed in Japan, so that sufficient corrosion resistance may not be secured.    (Patent Document 1) Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-140615    (Patent Document 2) Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-104154    (Patent Document 3) European Patent Publication 1621645 A1

Hot dip plated steel sheet having excellent corrosion resistance and workability


Apparatus and methods are described herein for optimizing an object search. A communications device may be configured to initiate a request for a data set. The communications device may transmit its current location to a server, for example, which may return a data set including data representing each of one or more objects that may be located within a first search area proximate to the current location of the communications device. The communications device may then perform a search for an object of interest by comparing the data representing each of the one or more objects in the data set to data representing the object of interest.

This application relates generally to object searching, and more particularly to communications device based object searching using location.
As the use of mobile devices for everyday tasks, including shopping, increases, developers are deploying high quality shopping applications to support shoppers while shopping. For example, a user may wish to retrieve additional information about an object of interest via a communications device, such as a mobile communications device. In a typical object search method, the communications device can transmit a search request to a remote device, such as a server, and the remote device can perform the search and return the desired information to the communications device. Performing such a search locally, on the communications device, is typically not feasible due to the potentially large amounts of data required for completing a search. That is, due to limited resources available on typical mobile communications devices, it is not feasible to store the large amounts of data used in object searching.

Method and apparatus for optimized object searching


Methods are provided for fabricating plated through hole conductive core substrate which eliminate the secondary step of producing a through hole in the dielectric material plugging the core through hole. In one embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention, a two-step lamination process is provided. One side of the conductive core is provided with a dielectric laminate, a portion of which flows into and coats the core through hole wall. Excess dielectric material flows out of the core through hole preventing plugging. Similarly, the other side of the conductive core is provided with a dielectric laminate, a portion of which flows into the core through hole completing the coating of the core through hole wall forming a dielectric liner. The dielectric liner insulates the conductive core through hole wall from a conductive layer deposited onto the dielectric liner forming a plated through hole.

Conductive core substrates used for printed circuits have dielectric layers which electrically insulates individual printed circuit conductors from a central conductive core. Among the advantages of such conductive core substrates are temperature equalization, ground plane shielding, dimensional stability, elimination of warp, and high structural strength. Conductive core substrates have been used wherein the conductive core is used to transfer heat out of an electronic package or as part of the electrical circuit, such as to carry ground voltage. The conductive core is also used to control in-plane expansion that is necessary for the surface mounting of leadless microelectronic packages.
The construction of conductive core substrates is rather difficult, especially when plated through holes (PTH) are required in order to connect both sides of the conductive core substrate electrically, such as in the case of a via-in-via conductive core substrate. A plated through hole is a through hole wherein the through hole wall has a coating or lining of conductive material. The conductive lining electrically bridges conductors on one side of the through hole with conductors on the other side the through hole. The PTH's must be electrically isolated from the conductive core to prevent shorting, which complicates manufacturing. Therefore, such conductive core substrates are not widely used and are now substituted by more expensive solutions.
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating one of the current methods used to fabricate a conductive core substrate. The method comprises providing a conductive core in the form of a thin sheet of conductive material 102. The conductive core is provided with one or more core through holes (CTH) 104, such as in a process using mechanical drilling, chemical etching, laser drilling, or punching. Dielectric material is laminated on both sides of the conductive core 106. The dielectric material consists of sheets of epoxy prepreg material, which, during the curing step, the epoxy resin flows to completely fill the CTH's forming dielectric plugs therein 108. A secondary mechanical process is used to provide a dielectric through hole (DTH) centered on the dielectric plug in the CTH 110. The DTH is smaller in diameter than the CTH, which leaves a layer of the dielectric material lining the CTH wall. Electroless copper (Cu) is deposited on the now dielectric-covered conductive core, including the DTH walls 112, followed by a heavier electroplating of Cu 114. This produces a plated through hole (PTH) that is electrically isolated from the conductive core by the layer of dielectric material lining the CTH. The electrical circuit is then fabricated on the conductive layer on each side by conventional processing.
The drilling of the conductive core and the dielectric plugs to produce CTH's and DTH's, respectively, is commonly done using a laser. Mechanical drilling is not suitable for producing through holes smaller than about 150 μm. Mechanical drilling is thus appropriate only for large-diameter through holes and larger pitches (spacing between through holes).
Current manufacturing yields for conductive core substrates are poor. Also, the costs associated with double drilling, and the problems associated with maintaining tolerances during the double drilling steps, are high. Therefore, conductive core substrates have not found wide acceptance in industry, but have been used for critical applications such as for temperature equalization in avionics where conventional cooling systems are too bulky and ineffective.
For example, to produce a PTH with a finished diameter of 1 mm, a 1.15 mm diameter DTH must be drilled in the dielectric plug to allow for copper plating to a minimum thickness of 0.05 mm on the DTH wall. Also, the dielectric layer on the CTH wall must have a minimum thickness of 0.25 mm to prevent the dielectric plug from being torn out of the CTH during the second drilling operation. In addition, allowance must be made for cumulative registration errors in the first and second drilling operations by adding another 0.08 to 0.13 mm to the diameter of the CTH. Thus, to produce a finished PTH with a diameter of 1 mm, the CTH must be drilled to a diameter of 1.73 mm to 1.78 mm. When CTH's are drilled on 2.54 mm centers, the double drilling operation leaves a web of core material between adjacent CTH's having a width of 0.76 mm to 0.81 mm. The CTH to CTH distance cannot be made smaller than 2.54 mm because the first CTH must be so much larger than the PTH. This makes it difficult to increase the component packaging density.
A method is needed to address the problem of the high cost associated with the secondary step of laser drilling of the dielectric plugs in the CTH's. This step is a time-consuming process requiring 15–20 laser pulses per CTH. This step accounts for an estimated 5–7% of the total substrate cost. The method needs to address the alignment issues associated with laser drilling the CTH's and DTH's. Alignment issues require that the CTH's and DTH's be sized larger and spaced further apart than one would need for a more accurate process. Further, issues of scalability and migration to finer PTH pitches, which are limited by current methods, needs to be addressed. Additionally, the method should be applicable to electrically conductive organic core material, such as resin/graphite based materials.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a significant need in the art for methods that address these issues.


A method and a server acting as a Home Agent are provided for packet switched data transmission between a first mobile node and a correspondent mobile node in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of mobile networks. Each of the first mobile node and the correspondent mobile node are allocated to respective home networks, and a network server is provided as a home agent to each mobile node, respectively. Then, data packets are routed from the first mobile node to the correspondent mobile node, over a first data tunnel from the first mobile node to any first one of the home agents and over a second data tunnel from said first one of the home agents to the correspondent mobile node without passing the respective other home agent.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to mobile communications systems. More specifically, it relates to location privacy and route optimization for mobile communication based on the Mobile Internet Protocol (Mobile IP) or similar protocols.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention is described for the example of the Mobile Internet protocol Version 6 (Mobile IPv6). It is, however, also applicable to other protocols defining equivalent entities corresponding to the described entities of the Mobile IP.
Mobile IPv6 currently defines two modes of operation: bi-directional tunnelling and route optimization. While the former mode requires all data packets to be routed over the home agent of the sending mobile node, the latter utilizes the direct path between mobile node and correspondent.
If a Mobile Node (MN) moves between subnets, it must change its IP address to a topologically correct one. The reason is the hierarchical routing structure of the Internet, i.e. the IP addresses do not only serve identification purposes, but also contain location information. However, since connections on higher layers such as TCP are defined with the IP addresses (and port) of the communicating nodes, the connection breaks if one of the nodes changes its IP address, e.g. due to movement.
Mobile IPv6 [D. Johnson, C. Perkins, J. Arkko, "Mobility Support in IPv6", IETF RFC 3775, June 2004] is a layer 3 mobility protocol that enables Mobile Nodes (MNs) to move between subnets in a transparent manner for higher layers, i.e. without breaking higher layer connections. To this end, a MN uses two IP addresses: a Care-of-Address (CoA) and a Home Address (HoA). The MN's higher layers use the HoA for communication with the Correspondent Node (CN). This address does not change and serves the purpose of identification of the MN. Topologically, it belongs to the Home Network (HN) of the MN. In contrast, the CoA changes on every movement resulting in a subnet change and is used as the locator for the routing infrastructure. Topologically, it belongs to the network the MN is currently visiting. One out of a set of Home Agents (HA) located on the home link maintains a mapping of the MN's CoA to MN's HoA and redirects incoming traffic for the MN to its current location. Fur the purpose of redundancy and load balancing, a set of HAs may be used instead of a single HA.
Mobile IPv6 currently defines two modes of operation: bi-directional tunnelling and route optimization. If bi-directional tunnelling is used, data packets sent by the CN and addressed to the HoA of the MN are intercepted by the HA in the home network and tunnelled to the CoA of the MN. Data packets sent by the MN are reverse tunnelled to the HA which decapsulates the packets and sends them to the CN. For this operation, only the HA must be informed about the CoA of the MN. Therefore, the MN sends Binding Update (BU) messages to the HA. These messages are sent over an IPsec security association and thus are authenticated. Since the CN is not aware of the CoA of the MN, it cannot derive the location of the MN and thus location privacy is provided. However, if the MN is far away from the home network and the CN is close to the MN, the communication path is unnecessarily long, resulting in inefficient routing and high packet delays.
Note that different types of location privacy can be distinguished. The one this invention aims at is hiding the MN's location (and thus CoA) to the CN. Other types are hiding the location to eavesdroppers or preventing tracking of the MN's location.
The route optimization mode can prevent the described inefficiency by using the direct path between CN and MN. Therefore, the MN sends BU messages to the CN, which then is able to directly tunnel packets to the MN (actually, a type 2 routing header is used instead of an IP-in-IP tunnel). Of course, the CN has to support Mobile IPv6 route optimization. To authenticate the BU message, the MN and the CN perform a so-called return routability procedure, which tests the reachability of the MN at the HoA and CoA and generates a shared session key. However, since the CN learns the CoA of the MN by means of the BU message, it can derive its location, i.e. location privacy is not provided.
A mechanism that provides both location privacy and route optimization is certainly desirable, since interactive applications such as VoIP require short packet delays. Various approaches can be used to achieve this goal, some of them designed for other purposes. However, all of them introduce new infrastructure components (or require changes to existing components) in the visited networks. If the current visited network does not provide such components, location privacy and route optimization is not available, meaning that privacy-protected interactive communication may not be possible. A global deployment of such new components, i.e. in each access network, may take long time or may even never be accomplished. Other solutions only provide location privacy in one direction, i.e. location information is revealed only to at least one of the nodes if both communication partners are mobile. Some other solutions have scalability issues when deployed in large scale. A solution is desired that does not require the introduction of new or modified components in the visited network, works also when both communication partners are mobile and does scale well with respect to deployment. This invention describes such a solution.
Approaches that introduce new infrastructure components are Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIP), Access Router Encapsulation Caches (AREC), Optimized Route Caches (ORC), Global Home Agent to Home Agent Protocol (GlobalHAHA), WO03041358, WO2004010668 and US2005041675. These approaches are briefly described in the following.
HMIP [Hesham Soliman, Claude Catelluccia, Karim El Malki, Ludovic Bellier, "Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 mobility management (HMIPv6)", IETF Internet Draft draft-ietf-mipshop-hmipv6-04.txt, December 2004] was developed to reduce the latency and signalling overhead occurring due to BU messages sent to a HA (potentially being far away). Therefore, a local mobility handling is proposed by introducing a hierarchy of Mobility Anchor Points (MAP) in the visited network. The MN only needs to register its CoA with the local MAP. An additional CoA, the so-called Regional CoA (RCoA), is obtained from the MAP's subnet and used by the MAP to hide the MN's mobility within the MAP's region from the HA (or the CN in case of route optimization). Since the HA or the CN still knows the RCoA, full location privacy support is not given. However, because the geographical region that can be derived from the RCoA is larger than the region that can be derived from the actual CoA, this can be regarded as limited location privacy support.
AREC [WO2004055993] [G. Krishnamurthi, H. Chaskar, R. Siren, "Providing End-to-End Location Privacy in IP-based Mobile Communication", IEEE WCNC, March 2004] requires modifications in every Access Router (AR) of every visited network. Assuming that binding information is provided to the current ARs of the CN and MN, respectively, data packets can be tunnelled between both ARs without involvement of an HA, the CN or the MN. This way, the direct, i.e. shortest, route between MN and CN is used and location privacy is supported. A very similar approach is presented in WO2004010668.
ORC [Ryuji Wakikawa, "Optimized Route Cache Protocol (ORC)", Internet Draft draft-wakikawa-nemo-orc-01.txt, October 2004] was developed for route optimization in mobile networks (NEMO) and requires modifications to edge routers of visited networks, including the provision of binding information. The MN tunnels data packets to the edge router of the CN's current network (assuming that the CN is mobile) and the CN can tunnel data packets to the edge router of the MN's current visited network. To be able to tunnel the packets to the edge routers, each node needs to know the IP address of the correspondent edge router, which again reveals location information about the correspondent MN.
GlobalHAHA [P. Thubert, R. Wakikawa, V. Devarapalli, "Global HA to HA protocol", IETF Internet Draft draft-thubert-nemo-global-haha-00, October 2004] distributes HAs in the Internet that are usually bound to the home link by letting multiple HAs advertise routes to the home network prefix from different topological locations. A MN can bind to the closest HA, which serves as proxy HA, resulting in an optimized route. Location privacy is given if bi-directional tunnelling is used. However, if every visited network advertise routes to all other networks (all being home networks for some MNs), routing scalability issues may arise, since the address hierarchy is not given anymore. Also, the distributed home network must manually be configured as such. An secure on-demand configuration is not supported.
In WO03041358 so-called Location Privacy Agents (LPA) and Location Privacy Servers (LPS) are introduced in every network. The MN sends a location privacy request message to its LPA, which then selects an LPA that is close to the CN. The address of this LPA is then given to the MN, which then sends a BU message to this LPA. Hence, the approach is similar to the ORC approach: since the LPA is close to CN's network, it knows the location of CN to some extend, which breaks location privacy support if the CN is mobile.
In US2005041675 and WO2004043010 location privacy is achieved by cryptographically modified prefixes of IP addresses. Since the prefix is usually used by a router to route IP packets, this approach requires the modification of all routers in the Internet.
In WO03044626, multicast addresses are used as CoA. Since they do not include any location information, location privacy support is given even in route optimization mode. However, this solution does not scale with the number of MNs, since a large-scale deployment would result in a flat routing in the Internet.

Optimized reverse tunnelling for packet switched mobile communication systems


A reel finger for use on a harvesting header for an agricultural machine includes an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end. The elongate member has a retaining member located at the proximal end. A plate member is connected to the elongate member with the distal end of the elongate member extending beyond the plate member. The plate member has a continuous smooth front surface for engaging a crop in a direction of crop engagement that covers a portion of the elongate member not extending beyond the plate member. The plate member has a back surface opposite to the front surface.

An agricultural harvester such as a combine includes a harvesting header and a feeder housing which remove the crop material from the field, gather the crop material and transport the crop material to a separator of the combine. In the case of thinner stemmed crops such as soybeans, wheat, etc. which may be cut with a cutter bar assembly carrying a plurality of knife sections, the header may also be known as a cutting platform. Such a harvesting header includes a rotating reel having a plurality of reel fingers that push the crop into the header, and more particularly, into and over the cutter bar assembly. Under some field conditions, a typical reel finger tends to catch and retain the crop, which results in crop wrapping around the reel.

Reel finger for use on a harvesting header for an agricultural machine


A user I/F unit 200 transmits an instruction given by a user to an access management unit 100 and displays data on a monitor 76. The access management unit 100 transfers requirements to a communication control unit 300 and a data management unit 400 in response to the instruction from the user, transfers data from a communications host to the data management unit 400, and outputs data from a database 410 to the user I/F unit 200. The data management unit 400 writes data into the database 410 and reads storage data from the database 410 in response to the requirement from the access management unit 100. Data transmitted from the communications host are sorted out according to communication services and stored in the database 410. The communication control unit 300 translates the requirement from the access management unit 100 to a menu number representing each communication service available from the communications host or a command and sends the translated requirement to a communication I/F unit 500. This structure enables input data to be sorted out and stored without any overlap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communications terminal connected to a server, in which specific data are stored, via a network, and a data-update monitor server connected to a server, in which specific data are stored, via a network for monitoring update of the specific data and transferring information obtained as the result of monitor to a client, as well as to an information distribution system for sending information obtained as the result of monitoring update of data to every object on a list. The present invention also pertains to a method of obtaining information, a method of transferring requirements, and a method of monitoring a data update, as well as to a recording medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been an abrupt increase in number of users of value-added communications services, such as personal computer communications services. A general procedure for participating in such a communications service gains an access to a server (communications host) from a communications terminal. Data transmission between the communications terminal and the communications host enables the communications terminal to participate in the communications service supplied by the communications host.
Some of the conventional communications terminals used for this purpose have a function of recording a series of text data (logs) previously transmitted through communication, as well as a function of sending and receiving data to and from the communications host.
The conventional communications terminal, however, simply records the logs. The user should accordingly read the recorded logs all over again in order to find a desired piece of data. The record of such logs increases on every communication of the communications terminal with the communications hqst. It is very difficult for the user to find a desired piece of data among a large number of logs.
A communications terminal proposed to solve this problem has a function of cutting and sorting out the recorded logs after the end of communication. The function of cutting and sorting out the recorded logs given to the communications terminal enables the user to find a desired piece of data relatively readily. In case that data received in a current access are identical with the data transmitted from the communications host in a previous access, however, any proposed communications terminal records the same data twice. Even if the communications terminal has the function of cutting and sorting out the recorded logs, the identical data still exist in the sorted-out logs. This increases wasteful record of data. Overlap of the same data also makes it difficult for the user to find a desired piece of data.

Data-update monitoring in communications network