An improved method and system for removing operating restrictions associated with a predetermined subscriber identity module (SIM) from a wireless device. A user is allowed to securely log onto a Web site that contains support information on subscription plans, billing, termination, penalties, and device-to-SIM unlocking. After satisfying any outstanding contract terms and payment of termination or device unlock fees, the user initiates a device-to-SIM unlock procedure. A client application on the wireless device securely transfers subscription, system, and SIM information to a device-to-SIM unlock system which uses the information to generate appropriate unlock codes. The unlock codes are then securely transferred to the client application, which processes them to remove operating restrictions associated with the predetermined SIM from the device and allow it to thereafter implement a plurality of SIMs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of subscriber identity modules (SIMs), and more particularly to removing SIM-based usage restrictions from an information handling system via a service portal.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Mobile wireless broadband networks such as wireless wide area networks (WWANs) are evolving to support higher data rates, reduced latency and more extensive roaming and coverage. As these networks become more capable, they become increasingly relevant to information handling system customers and thus to suppliers of notebook and personal digital assistant (PDA) type information handling systems. Known mobile wireless broadband networks exploit a separate Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), which is a chip-based, electronic identity card that resides in a wireless device and stores the user's network authentication and subscriber information. There are a plurality of different types of SIM cards, where the term SIM applies to all variations of SIM cards. One example of a SIM card is a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), which is used with wireless networks based on 3rd Generation Partnership (3GPP) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) telecommunications standards. Another example is a Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM). An advantage of an R-UIM is that it can be used interchangeably with Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) wireless networks. Another example is an internet protocol (IP) multimedia SIM (iSIM) used for multi-media enhanced 3GPP networks. Each SIM is uniquely identified by its International Circuit Card ID (ICCID) which is coupled to the subscriber's International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for identification. In addition, the SIM stores network state information such as its current Location Area Identity (LAI) to facilitate wireless connectivity and generation of call detail records for billing. As a result, the SIM is not only responsible for enabling and controlling a subscriber's access to a wireless network, but also as a unique reference for tracking their wireless usage for billing.
A SIM architecture is capable of extending the functionality of a wireless device through a specified programming application program interface (API) known as the SIM Toolkit (STK). By providing a means to read and write to the data store of the SIM, the STK enables the SIM to initiate commands to establish an interactive exchange between a network application and the user. The functionality of the STK also includes control of access to the network, communication services, application behavior, the user interface, menu management, and accessory management. In addition, the STK can be utilized to remotely change certain SIM parameters using Over-the-Air Activation (OAA) messages that have been defined for activation, provisioning and the download of roaming network lists. These OAA messages typically make use of a distinct Teleservice riding over the Short Message Service (SMS) bearer data service. It is also known for mobile phone reference platforms to provide support for application programming environments based on the Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) platform or the Qualcomm Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform, which enable multimedia capabilities.
Originally, SIM cards were intended to be removable so as to provide device independence and subscriber account portability by providing the means to logically decouple a subscription from a device. However, wireless carriers are now increasingly insisting on programmatically locking a particular device (e.g., a cellular phone or radio card) such that they only work with the SIMs they issue. This is typically done in an attempt to protect the carrier's cost of providing wireless devices at a discount as part of a service plan and to reduce account churn. Wireless carriers typically provide devices at a discount, and then make up the difference by requiring the customer to sign a multi-year contract promising to pay monthly service or to pay a penalty for early termination. Additionally, wireless carriers are increasingly considering and developing activation portals that are referred to as "walled gardens". With a walled garden activation portal, a pre-activated SIM card is provided with a wireless device to a customer. The pre-activated card provides limited access to a secure portal where a customer can select a subscription plan (e.g. monthly, pre-paid, session, etc.), enter billing information, and then complete final card activation. The activation portal then interacts with the carrier's network infrastructure back-end to convey account provisioning instructions through the previously described APIs to the SIM.
However, information handling system manufacturers are moving to embed WWAN radios in notebook and other portable information handling systems. Thus, device-to-SIM locking becomes increasingly problematic for customers (especially large corporate or relationship customers) who often insist on carrier flexibility and choice. It is therefore desirable for information handling system manufacturers to encourage wireless carriers to drop their SIM locking requirement or to alternatively provide a simple device-to-SIM unlocking solution. One known method of unlocking a wireless device is for the subscriber to bring it to the carrier's retail store or service center. A service technician can then connect a vendor-specific serial cable to the device and use a software application which generates a master code or network code key to unlock the device. Another method is for the unlock code to be provided by the carrier by over-the-air (OTA) transmission. However, these approaches present attendant issues to information handling system manufacturers, and particularly to information handling system manufacturers that provide remotely-built-to-order information handling systems. For example, if the information handling system is remotely-supplied, the customer may be required to call customer support. If so, then customer support would need to be able to unlock the device. However, the manufacturer may not have the ability to generate a network code key or they may be unable to obtain a master code from the incumbent carrier. Furthermore, providing customers with a generic unlock code poses many practical issues.

Subscriber identity module unlocking service portal


Geo-fence based alerts are provided in a wireless communications network. A first subscriber device (SD) in the wireless communications network determines its current location. The first SD detects a geo-fence trigger by determining, as a function of the determined current location and a stored geo-fence database, that it has either (i) crossed a geo-fence boundary into a first active geo-fence in the stored geo-fence database or (ii) is within the first active geo-fence and has not yet begun playing back an alert associated with the first active geo-fence. Responsively, the first SD identifies an alert associated with the first active geo-fence and begins playback of the alert associated with the first active geo-fence.

A radio access network (RAN) provides for radio communication links to be arranged within the network between a plurality of user terminals. Such user terminals may be mobile and may be known as 'mobile stations' or 'subscriber devices.' At least one other terminal, e.g. used in conjunction with subscriber devices, may be a fixed terminal, e.g. a base station, eNodeB, repeater, and/or access point. Such a RAN typically includes a system infrastructure that generally includes a network of various fixed terminals, which are in direct radio communication with the subscriber devices. Each of the fixed terminals operating in the RAN may have one or more transceivers which may, for example, serve subscriber devices in a given region or area, known as a 'cell' or 'site', by radio frequency (RF) communication. The subscriber devices that are in direct communication with a particular fixed terminal are said to be served by the fixed terminal. In one example, all radio communications to and from each subscriber device within the RAN are made via respective serving fixed terminals. Sites of neighboring fixed terminals may be offset from one another and may provide corresponding non-overlapping or partially or fully overlapping RF coverage areas.
RANs may operate according to an industry standard protocol such as, for example, an open media alliance (OMA) push to talk (PTT) over cellular (OMA-PoC) standard, a voice over IP (VoIP) standard, or a PTT over IP (PoIP) standard. Typically, protocols such as PoC, VoIP, and PoIP are implemented over broadband RANs including third generation and fourth generation networks such as third generation partnership project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks.
RANs may additionally or alternatively operate according to an industry standard land mobile radio (LMR) protocol such as, for example, the Project 25 (P25) standard defined by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), or other radio protocols, the TETRA standard defined by the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), the Digital Private Mobile Radio (dPMR) standard also defined by the ETSI, or the Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) standard also defined by the ETSI. Because these generally systems provide lower throughput than the broadband systems, they are sometimes designated narrowband RANs.
Communications in accordance with any one or more of these protocols or standards, or other protocols or standards, may take place over physical channels in accordance with one or more of a TDMA (time division multiple access), FDMA (frequency divisional multiple access), OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access), or CDMA (code division multiple access) protocols. Subscriber devices in RANs such as those set forth above send and receive data (such as encoded voice, audio, or audio/video streams) in accordance with the designated protocol.
OMA-PoC, in particular, enables familiar PTT and "instant on" features of traditional half duplex subscriber devices, but uses mobile subscriber devices operating over modern broadband telecommunications networks. Using PoC, wireless subscriber devices such as mobile telephones and notebook computers can function as PTT half-duplex subscriber devices for transmitting and receiving. Other types of PTT models and multimedia call models (MMCMs) are also available.
Floor control in an OMA-PoC session is generally maintained by a PTT server that controls communications between two or more wireless subscriber devices. When a user of one of the subscriber devices keys a PTT button, a request for permission to speak in the OMA-PoC session is transmitted from the user's subscriber device to the PTT server using, for example, a real-time transport protocol (RTP) message. If no other users are currently speaking in the PoC session, an acceptance message is transmitted back to the user's subscriber device and the user can then speak into a microphone of the device. Using standard compression/decompression (codec) techniques, the user's voice is digitized and transmitted using discrete auditory data packets (e.g., together which form an auditory data stream over time), such as according to RTP and internet protocols (IP), to the PTT server. The PTT server then transmits the auditory data packets to other users of the PoC session (e.g., to other subscriber devices in the group of subscriber devices or talk group to which the user is subscribed), using for example a unicast, point to multipoint, or broadcast communication technique.
Narrowband LMR systems, on the other hand, operate in either a conventional or trunked configuration. In either configuration, a plurality of subscriber devices is partitioned into separate groups of subscriber devices. In a conventional system, each subscriber device in a group is selected to a particular frequency for communications associated with that subscriber device's group. Thus, each group is served by one channel, and multiple groups may share the same single frequency (in which case, in some embodiments, group IDs may be present in the group data to distinguish between groups using the same shared frequency).
In contrast, a trunked radio system and its subscriber devices use a pool of traffic channels for virtually an unlimited number of groups of subscriber devices (e.g., talk groups). Thus, all groups are served by all channels. The trunked radio system works to take advantage of the probability that not all groups need a traffic channel for communication at the same time. When a member of a group requests a call on a control or rest channel on which all of the subscriber devices at a site idle awaiting new call notifications, in one embodiment, a call controller assigns a separate traffic channel for the requested group call, and all group members move from the assigned control or rest channel to the assigned traffic channel for the group call. In another embodiment, when a member of a group requests a call on a control or rest channel, the call controller may convert the control or rest channel on which the subscriber devices were idling to a traffic channel for the call, and instruct all subscriber devices that are not participating in the new call to move to a newly assigned control or rest channel selected from the pool of available channels. With a given number of channels, a much greater number of groups can be accommodated in a trunked system as compared with conventional radio systems.
Group calls may be made between wireless and/or wireline participants in accordance with either a narrowband or a broadband protocol or standard. Group members for group calls may be statically or dynamically defined. That is, in a first example, a user or administrator working on behalf of the user may indicate to the switching and/or radio network (perhaps at a call controller, PTT server, zone controller, or mobile management entity (MME), base station controller (BSC), mobile switching center (MSC), site controller, Push-to-Talk controller, or other network device) a list of participants of a group at the time of the call or in advance of the call. The group members (e.g., subscriber devices) could be provisioned in the network by the user or an agent, and then provided some form of group identity or identifier, for example. Then, at a future time, an originating user in a group may cause some signaling to be transmitted indicating that he or she wishes to establish a communication session (e.g., group call) with each of the pre-designated participants in the defined group. In another example, subscriber devices may dynamically affiliate with a group (and also disassociate with the group) perhaps based on user input, and the switching and/or radio network may track group membership and route new group calls according to the current group membership.
Many so-called "public safety" or other private or government wireless communication systems provide for group-based radio communications amongst a plurality of subscriber units. In certain situations, important alerts may need to be provided to the group or groups operating in a particular defined area. For example, at a mining site, events such as blasting operations impart unique alerting requirements on the wireless communication system and subscriber devices operating therein in preparation for, and perhaps during, a blasting operation. In other situations, a group or groups of subscriber devices may need to be alerted about events such as hazardous material leaks or weather alerts relative to a particular defined area. Other examples are possible as well.
Typical methods of signaling events such as blasting amongst subscriber units have historically relied upon an assignment of a separate RF channel over which predefined analog audio is mixed at the infrastructure and broadcast from the fixed terminal to the subscriber units, and played back at the subscriber units that are tuned to the separate RF channel, to indicate the respective event or hazard.
However, such typical methods provide a same alert (in this case, an alert tone) across a coverage area of an entire site, without an ability to selectively choose a particular alert based on the type of event or hazard, and/or to limit the alert to a particular area within a radio coverage cell of a base station broadcasting the alert. For example, a particular base station may provide wireless communications coverage over a 5 mile radius, but an alert may only be relevant to a one square mile area within the radio coverage cell. Furthermore, a relevant area may cross over two radio coverage cells of two adjacent base stations, in which case the alert may be broadcast over two large radio coverage cells when the alert is only relevant to a small sub-portion at the periphery of each radio coverage cell. Still further, common relevant areas may exist in multiple sub-portions of coverage areas, such as schools or parks. Other examples are possible as well.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for providing alerts, and more particularly, to providing geo-fence based alerts in a wireless communication system.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.


Disclosed is an ink composition consisting essentially of water, diethylene glycol-monobutyl ether, glycerol, an optional cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone component, a dye selected from the group consisting of dyes containing dansyl chromophores and dyes containing porphyrin chromophores, an optional biocide, and an optional polyalkylene oxide/bisphenol-A additive.

The present invention is directed to ink compositions and ink jet printing. More specifically, the present invention is directed to ink compositions for ink jet printers. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to an ink composition consisting essentially of water, diethylene glycol-monobutyl ether (butyl carbitol), glycerol, an optional cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone component, a dye selected from the group consisting of dyes containing dansyl chromophores and dyes containing porphyrin chromophores, an optional biocide, and an optional polyalkylene oxide additive.
Ink compositions, especially those for use with ink jet printers, must satisfy a number of conditions in order to achieve acceptable printing.
The ink composition should possess properties which permit it to be jetted appropriately from an ink jet printer. In ink jet printing, droplets of ink are expelled from nozzles onto a recording medium. The ink should form a meniscus at each nozzle prior to being expelled in the form of a droplet. After a droplet is expelled, additional ink surges to the nozzle to reform the meniscus. Important properties of the ink in this context include the ink's viscosity and surface tension.
Generally, adjustment of the viscosity of an ink composition can negatively affect the print quality and/or drying time of the ink. Such adjustment may result in excessive feathering or wicking along the paper fibers as a result of capillary action, and longer drying times at higher viscosity. Adjustments to the surface tension to improve a certain characteristic of the ink may adversely affect other characteristics thereof.
In many applications, fast drying inks are desired. The drying time of an image can limit both the speed and the architecture of an ink jet printer. Faster drying inks allow one to design a faster printer without constraining its architecture. The drying characteristics of the ink should not be such that it dries in the nozzle of the ink jet printer, thus clogging the nozzle. However, slow drying inks have limited use in printers requiring high throughput.
Printing different colored inks next to each other often results in intercolor bleeding with conventional inks. Thus, it would be desirable if inks could be formulated which dried instantaneously to minimize intercolor bleeding. Accordingly, fast drying inks are particularly desirable in conjunction with color ink jet printers.
Drying time and print quality of an ink may be affected by the material on which the ink is applied. For example, paper is often sized with sizing components for the purpose of retarding or preventing penetration of liquids into the structure. Sizing is commonly done by introducing a material to the pulp during the paper making operation. Paper may be sized internally or on the surface. Acid sizing chemicals, such as Mon size available from Monsanto Chemical Company, or alkaline sizing chemicals, such as Hercon-76 available from Hercules Company, are precipitated onto the fibers primarily for the purpose of controlling penetration of liquids into the final dry paper. This process is known as internal sizing. Surface sizing entails the application of dispersions of film-forming substances such as converted starches, gums, and modified polymers to previously formed paper. Surface sizing imparts strength to the paper, and thus high quality printing papers are often surface sized as well. These and other materials tend to affect adversely the manner in which a particular ink dries.
As used herein, the term "plain paper" represents all standard office and xerographic paper except for photographic and thermal paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,938 (Tomida et al.) discloses a recording liquid comprising a special host molecule with inclusion ability, a dye, a liquid medium, a dispersing agent, a surfactant, a viscosity controller, and a surface tension controller. The liquid medium may comprise water and/or organic solvent. Organic solvents include isopropyl alcohol and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The surfactant may comprise cationic, anionic, or nonionic surfactant. The viscosity controller may comprise polyvinyl alcohol, celluloses, water soluble resins, and the like. The surface tension controller may comprise diethanolamine, triethanol amines, and the like. A preferred viscosity at 25.degree. C. is 5 centipoise or less, more preferably 3 centipoise or less, with a surface tension of 35 to 65 dynes per centimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,515 (Koike et al.) discloses an ink composition comprising water, an organic solvent, a dye, surfactants, viscosity controllers, and surface tension controllers. The organic solvents may comprise alkyl alcohols, amides, ketones or ketoalcohols, ethers, alkylene glycols, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,316 (Schick et al.) discloses an ink composition comprising a homogeneous blend of water dispersible polyurethane, water dispersible polyester, and a solvent system containing water or water admixed with a cosolvent. The cosolvent may include diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol, n-propyl alcohol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol monopropyl ether, and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether. Water comprises at least about 90.0 weight percent of the solvent system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,997 (Hayes) discloses an ink composition for utilization in ink jet printing comprising an aqueous solution of a fluorescent pigment, a dye solubilizer, and butyl carbitol. The fluorescent pigment is a mixture of a dye and an organic resin. The butyl carbitol acts as a dye stabilizer and wetting agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,001 (Carumpalos et al.) discloses an ink composition comprising a laked alkali stable basic dye wherein the laking agent is dispersed in a liquid medium having butyl carbitol, water, a nonionic surfactant, and an amino alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,564 (Cross et al.) discloses an ink composition comprising water, dye, and glycol ether. The glycol ether may include butyl cellosolve (glycol monobutyl ether), butyl carbitol, and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,570 (Fujii et al.) discloses an aqueous ink component comprising a water-soluble dye, a polyhydric alcohol and/or an alkyl ether, water, and at least one water-soluble non-ionic surface active agent. The non-ionic surface active agent may comprise a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,549 (Okuzono et al.) discloses a wipe-erasable ink composition for a writing board. The ink composition comprises a dye, an organic solvent, and a non-ionic surface active agent. The nonionic surface active agent may include polyoxyethylene sorbitol monostearate, polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,877 (Seitz) discloses a printing ink composition comprising water, a non-volatile diluent, oil-containing microcapsules, a protective colloid blend, and a binder emulsion or alkali soluble resin. The non-volatile diluent may comprise methyl glucoside, dimethyl urea, sorbitol, erythritol, and polyoxyethylene polyols.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,852 (Knirsch et al.) discloses an ink composition comprising a dye in a mixture of water and glycol wetting agents. The dye may include solubilizing agents such as N-methyl pyrrolidone and derivatives thereof. A surface tension between 35 and 40 dynes per centimeter is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,139 (Troster) discloses water-soluble dyestuffs of the formula ##STR1## in which Y is oxygen or an imino group, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrogen, halogen or lower alkyl or lower alkoxy, n is 1 to 3, and Z is a cation. The dyestuffs are useful for fluorescent inks. The ink can also contain water miscible organic solvents such as glycerol or glycols and additives which are viscosity regulators and/or drying inhibitors, such as natural gums.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,694 (Mansukhani) discloses ink compositions suitable for ink jet printing by modulating the density of the applied jet by an electric field in accordance with the information to be recorded on metal, plastic, or paper surfaces, characterized by fluorescent properties in ultraviolet light, incorporating, in solution, a resin component, at least one solvent, proportioned to give the ink properties of heat and steam resistance, the inks being colorless in ordinary light and distinctly fluorescent in ultraviolet light so as to render them particularly suitable as a means for marking various materials whereby marking is normally invisible but easily detectable when subjected to ultraviolet illumination. The ink solvent may include aliphatic alcohol and other solvents which may be ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, glycols, glycol ethers, hydrocarbon, and lactones.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,593 (Zabiak et al.) discloses an aqueous jet printing ink composition which fluoresces under ultra violet radiation containing a water soluble fluorescent dye dissolved in the water base in an amount up to 2 percent by weight and a water soluble binder component dissolved in the water base in an amount to provide for a specific viscosity which does not exceed 20 centipoise and which preferably includes a fluorescent brightener alone or in combination with fluorescein or one of its salts. A humectant component may be added to the composition, which may include alkylene glycol and alkyl ethers of alkylene glycol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,131 (McDonough et al.) discloses inks wherein the ordinary mixed light color of the ink is a color substantially different than the fluorescent color of the ink. Methods of use include detection of at least the fluorescent wavelength of the ink or detection of both the ink colors when irradiated for fluorescence and by exposure to mixed light.
Japanese Patent document 63-165470 discloses an ink jet ink comprising a water-soluble dye, a mixture of a specific polyhyric alcohol and specific derivatives thereof, a specific surfactant, and water at specific ratios. The polyhydric alcohol derivative is selected from mono, di, and triethylene glycol alkyl ethers and mono, di, and triethylene glycol alcohol ether acetates, such as diethylene glycol monobutyl ether. The polyhydric alcohol is selected from nono, di, tri, and tetrapolyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol.
Japanese Abstract 93:134041t discloses water-based jet-printing inks which are fast drying and have good clogging resistance which contain water-soluble dye, a polyol derivative, and a surfactant. An example of an ink is diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, C.I. Acid Blue 22, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, sodium dehydroacetate, and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,252 (Banczak et al.) discloses an ink composition suitable for ink jet printing on metal surfaces, the ink incorporating, in solution, a colorant, a resin component, an alcohol-water solvent, and optionally an electrolyte, proportioned to give the ink properties of low surface tension, low viscosity, and low resistivity, all these properties, together with the pH of the composition, being controlled to give excellent workability and stability of the ink in ink jet printing operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,860 (Murakami et al.) discloses an aqueous ink composition comprising a specific dye in an amount of 0.5 to 6.0 weight percent, in which 20 percent or more of the total of the cations of the --SO.sub.3 X and --OX groups directly connected to the aromatic rings of the dye are replaced by the Li.sup.+ ion or a quaternary ammonium ion, a polyhydric alcohol in an amount of at least 10 weight percent, and water.
Japanese Patent Publication 63-165470 discloses an ink composed of (1) a water-soluble dye, (2) a mixture of (a) a polyhydric alcohol derivative selected from the group of (mono, di, tri) ethylene glycol alkyl ethers and (mono, di, tri) ethylene glycol alcohol ether acetates, such as diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and (b) a polyhydric alcohol selected from the group of (mono, di, tri, tetra, poly) ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol, (3) a surfactant exhibiting a specific surface tension, and (4) water, all in specified amounts. The ink is usable without causing clogging of an ejection nozzle and has excellent quick-dryability and roundness of the printed dot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,747 entitled "Ink Jet Ink Compositions Containing Desizing Agents," discloses an ink composition having a pH of about 5 to about 10 which contains a colorant, a liquid carrier, and less than about 5 percent by weight of a desizing agent. The desizing agent may be (1) poly(oxyalkylene) modified compounds of sorbitan esters, fatty amines, alkanol amides, castor oil, fatty acid, fatty alcohol; (2) hydrophilic poly(dialkyl-siloxanes); (3) fatty imidazolines; (4) fatty ester modified compounds of phosphate, sorbitan, glycerol, poly(ethylene glycol), sulfosuccinic acid, sulfonic acid, alkyl amine; (5) quaternary alkosulfate compounds; (6) poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers; (7) poly(alkylene glycol); or (8) mixtures thereof.
Although known compositions and processes are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for improved ink compositions. In addition, a need remains for ink compositions exhibiting fast drying times and good print quality. There is also a need for fast drying ink compositions exhibiting high frequency responses. Further, a need exists for ink compositions exhibiting acceptable water fastness properties. Additionally, there is a need for ink compositions suitable for thermal ink jet printing processes which exhibit acceptable latency properties. A need also remains for ink compositions which are substantially colorless under ordinary viewing conditions which enable generation of concealed images. In addition, there is a need for ink compositions and printing processes that enable generation of images which are substantially colorless but detectable when exposed to radiation outside of the visible wavelength range. Further, there is a need for ink compositions that are invisible to the human eye under normal viewing conditions but readable by a sensor, such as an infrared detector or a fluorescence detector, or by the human eye under special viewing conditions such as illumination of the image with ultraviolet light. Additionally, there is a need for ink compositions that can provide a means for placing coded information on a document. There is also a need for ink compositions which exhibit rapid drying times on plain paper. In addition, there is a need for ink compositions which are suitable for annotating xerographic copies with markings not visible to the naked eye via a thermal ink jet printing process.

Colorless fast-drying ink compositions for printing concealed images detectable by fluorescence


A method and system for constructing an evolving ontology database. The method includes: receiving a plurality of data entries; calculating semantic similarity scores between any two of the data entries; clustering the data entries into a multiple current themes based on the semantic similarity scores; selecting, new concepts from the current themes by comparing the current themes with a plurality of previous themes prepared using previous data entries; and updating the evolving ontology database using the new concepts. The semantic score between any two of the data entries are calculated by: semantic similarity score=Πi=0nsieΣj=0kwj×f j, where si is weight of features sources, fj is a feature similarity between the two of the data entries, wj is a weight of fj, and j, k and n are positive integers.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Computer-mediated communication is becoming the most convenient and important way of sharing and exchanging information nowadays in the society. People can directly submit their feedbacks to a particular merchant or manufacturer, and conduct online research before making many of their traditional consumer purchase decisions by reading other user's reviews. However, it's hard to utilize the large volume and diverse user-generated content on the web efficiently by simply checking a single review score or a number of positive or negative reviews.
Therefore, an unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

System and method for building an evolving ontology from user-generated content

Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co., Ltd.

JD.com American Technologies Corporation


A Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer device having a proof mass flexibly attached to a substrate. The device includes one or more sense capacitors formed between the proof mass and the substrate, one or more torque capacitors formed between the proof mass and the substrate, and an isolation device that electrically isolates cathodes of the sense capacitors from cathodes of the torque capacitors on the proof mass.

Accelerometer mechanisms currently used in common guidance have a common electrical node known as the "mech node". When these mechanisms are used with High Performance Accelerometer ("HPA") style electronics (see FIG. 1), the "mech node" serves as the connection to a front-end trans-impedance amplifier. Current from sense capacitors (CSGR, CSGL) flows through the trans-impedance amplifier feedback capacitance and is detected by the system as proportional to gravity (g-input). However, the desired current from the sense capacitors includes noise as produced by the current from the torque capacitors (CTG). Any imbalance associated with the torque capacitances will result in undesired torque current injected through the trans-impedance amplifier feedback capacitance. The larger the imbalance, the larger the noise will be relative to the sense capacitor signal.
Therefore, there exists a need to remove noise in an HPA device.

Systems and methods for isolation of torque and sense capacitors of an accelerometer


A security system with a processor that receives information from multiple sources. The system is illustrated by a network of inspection machines at multiple locations in an airport, such as at check-in desks. These machines provide data to the processor for threat detection processing. The processor provides a central control and data integration point. Centralized control may be used to readily adapt threat detection programs and data integration may allow more accurate or more thorough threat determinations to be made. Moreover, centralized processing of computation intensive operations, such as image reconstruction, may provide for more efficient processor utilization throughout the system, providing a lower total processing cost. Additionally, centralized processing allows for human decision makers to be readily integrated into the system.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to a security system and more specifically to a computing architecture of a security system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Security systems are widely used. Such systems are used to guard against the risk that contraband will be brought into a certain area. For example, such systems are often used at airports to ensure that passengers do not carry weapons or explosives onto airplanes. Such systems may also be used to screen luggage or cargo to ensure that contraband is not brought onto the airplane in checked baggage or in cargo.
Security systems have traditionally included inspection machines at security check points. Each inspection machine often includes a data acquisition system and a processing system. The data acquisition system may, for example, be an x-ray system that forms images of an item under inspection with x-ray or other penetrating radiation (referred to herein generally as "x-rays"). The data acquisition system collects raw data indicating the extent to which the item under inspection has interacted with the x-rays, such as by measuring with an array of detectors the intensity of the x-rays passing through the item.
Often, an inspection system generates a large amount of data for each item under inspection. The detector outputs are provided to the processing system that converts the raw data from the outputs of the detectors to a representation of the item under inspection. This format is often called an "image" because the traditional use of the information is to generate a display that provides the representation visually for a human operator. However, the image may also be processed by a computer to make threat assessments or may be partially processed to present information to a human in a form that allows the human to more readily make an assessment of whether the item under inspection contains contraband or other threats.
The amount of data generated by an inspection machine may be significant. Some systems gather data on x-rays passing through many regions of the item under inspection from different angles. This data can be processed, through a process sometimes referred to as computed tomographic reconstruction, to form a multi-dimensional representation of the item or portions of the item under inspection. Substantial computation is often required to form such reconstructions. Accordingly, many inspection machines include large and complex processors to perform the analysis of the raw data.
Alternative system architectures have been proposed. Examples may be found in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/116,693 to McClelland et al., entitled Remote Baggage Screening System, Software and Method; 10/116,714 to McClelland et al., entitled Remote Baggage Screening System, Software and Method; 10/116,718, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,879 to McClelland et al., entitled Remote Baggage Screening System, Software and Method; and 10/262,550, to Chan et al., entitled Remote Data Access. The assignee of those patents makes available products called Remote Access Bridge and Remote Access Server.
Nonetheless, it would be desirable to provide further improvements in security systems.

Security system with distributed computing

L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems, Inc.


The present invention is directed to a method of preventing or treating a gastrointestinal condition in a subject, that includes administering one or more branched chain fatty acid to the subject under conditions effective to prevent or treat the gastrointestinal condition in the subject. In general, branched chain fatty acids, in accordance with the present invention, may be non-esterified fatty acids or covalently linked to a lipid, including wax esters, sterol esters, triacylglycerols, or any other lipid-related molecular species, natural or artificial. The branched chain fatty acid can be a C11 to C26 branched chain fatty acid and mixtures thereof.

Branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) are mostly saturated fatty acids (SFA) with one or more methyl branches on the carbon chain. BCFA are synthesized mainly by the skin and have long been known to be a major component of vernix caseosa (10-20% dry weight) (Nicolaides et al, "Skin Lipids. 3. Fatty Chains in Skin Lipids. The Use of Vernix Caseosa to Differentiate between Endogenous and Exogenous Components in Human Skin Surface Lipid," J Am Oil Chem Soc 42:702-707 (1965)). Among terrestrial animals, vernix is unique to humans, and is not found in other land mammals, including other primates (Pickens et al., "Characterization of Vernix Caseosa: Water Content, Morphology, and Elemental Analysis," J Invest Dermatol 115:875-881 (2000)). Vernix is made of sebum and fetal corneocytes (Nicolaides et al., "Skin Lipids. 3. Fatty Chains in Skin Lipids. The Use of Vernix Caseosa to Differentiate between Endogenous and Exogenous Components in Human Skin Surface Lipid," J Am Oil Chem Soc 42:702-707 (1965) and Narendran et al., "Interaction between Pulmonary Surfactant and Vernix: A Potential Mechanism for Induction of Amniotic Fluid Turbidity," Pediatr Res 48:120-124 (2000)) and is produced by fetal skin starting at 24 weeks gestational age and continuing until term birth (Moore et al., "Fetal Cocaine Exposure: Analysis of Vernix Caseosa," J Anal Toxicol 20:509-511 (1996)). During the third trimester vernix sloughs off as particulates that become suspended in amniotic fluid (Narendran et al., "Interaction between Pulmonary Surfactant and Vernix: A Potential Mechanism for Induction of Amniotic Fluid Turbidity," Pediatr Res 48:120-124 (2000) and Yoshio et al., "Antimicrobial Polypeptides of Human Vernix Caseosa and Amniotic Fluid: Implications for Newborn Innate Defense," Pediatr Res 53:211-216 (2003)), possibly aided by lung surfactant phospholipids that also enter the amniotic fluid. The fetus normally swallows amniotic fluid in amounts approaching 500 ml at the end of gestation (Miettinen et al., "Gas-liquid Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric Studies on Sterols in Vernix Caseosa, Amniotic Fluid and Meconium," Acta Chem Scand 22:2603-2612 (1968) and Sherman et al., "Fetal Swallowing: Correlation of Electromyography and Esophageal Fluid Flow," Am J Physiol 258:R1386-1394 (1990)) and with it vernix. Thus, the late term fetal gut is normally exposed to vernix and its BCFA, increasingly so as parturition approaches.
Vernix dry matter is composed of approximately equal amounts of protein and lipids (Pickens et al., "Characterization of Vernix Caseosa: Water Content, Morphology, and Elemental Analysis," J Invest Dermatol 115:875-881 (2000) and Hoeger et al., "Epidermal Barrier Lipids in Human Vernix Caseosa: Corresponding Ceramide Pattern in Vernix and Fetal Skin," Br J Dermatol 146:194-201 (2002)). Lipid fractions in vernix have been comprehensively characterized (Nicolaides et al., "The Fatty Acids of Wax Esters and Sterol Esters from Vernix Caseosa and from Human Skin Surface Lipid," Lipids 7:506-517 (1972); Rissmann et al., "New Insights into Ultrastructure, Lipid Composition and Organization of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 126:1823-1833 (2006) and Kaerkkaeinen et al., "Lipids of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 44:333-338 (1965)) and shown to be 25-30% sterol esters (SE), 18-36% triglycerides (TAG), 12-16% wax esters (WE), 9% squalene, 5% ceramides, and low levels of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) fraction was also detected by some (Rissmann et al., "New Insights into Ultrastructure, Lipid Composition and Organization of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 126:1823-1833 (2006) and Tollin et al., "Vernix Caseosa as a Multi-component Defence System Based on Polypeptides, Lipids and Their Interactions," Cell Mol Life Sci 62:2390-2399 (2005)) but not by others (Nazzaro-Porro et al., "Effects of Aging on Fatty Acids in Skin Surface Lipids," J Invest Dermatol 73:112-117 (1979)). BCFA are found in all acyl-carrying lipid classes, WE (16-53%) and SE (27-62%) (Nicolaides et al., "The Fatty Acids of Wax Esters and Sterol Esters from Vernix Caseosa and from Human Skin Surface Lipid," Lipids 7:506-517 (1972); Rissmann et al., "New Insights into Ultrastructure, Lipid Composition and Organization of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 126:1823-1833 (2006); Kaerkkaeinen et al., "Lipids of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 44:333-338 (1965) and Nazzaro-Porro et al., "Effects of Aging on Fatty Acids in Skin Surface Lipids," J Invest Dermatol 73:112-117 (1979)), as well as in the TAG (18-21%) and NEFA (21%) fractions (Rissmann et al., "New Insights into Ultrastructure, Lipid Composition and Organization of Vernix Caseosa," J Invest Dermatol 126:1823-1833 (2006)).
Apart from skin (Nicolaides et al., "Skin Lipids. 3. Fatty Chains in Skin Lipids. The Use of Vernix Caseosa to Differentiate between Endogenous and Exogenous Components in Human Skin Surface Lipid," J Am Oil Chem Soc 42:702-707 (1965); Nicolaides et al., "The Fatty Acids of Wax Esters and Sterol Esters from Vernix Caseosa and from Human Skin Surface Lipid," Lipids 7:506-517 (1972) and Nicolaides et al., "Skin Lipids: Their Biochemical Uniqueness," Science 186:19-26 (1974)), BCFA are at very low levels in internal tissue (Nicolaides et al., "Skin Lipids: Their Biochemical Uniqueness," Science 186:19-26 (1974)), but are also found in human milk (Jensen et al., "Handbook of Milk Composition," Academic Press Inc., San Diego, (1995); Egge et al., "Minor Constituents of Human Milk. IV. Analysis of the Branched Chain Fatty Acids," Chem Phys Lipids 8:42-55 (1972) and Gibson et al., "Fatty Acid Composition of Human Colostrum and Mature Breast Milk," Am J Clin Nutr 34:252-257 (1981)) at concentrations as high as 1.5% w/w of total fatty acids (FA). This level is comparable to and in some cases greater than that of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) in the same milk. For instance, a 1981 publication reported the concentration of anteiso 17:0 in Australian women's colostrum to be 0.45% w/w of total FA, exceeding the concentrations of DHA (0.32% w/w) and ARA (0.4% w/w) (Gibson et al., "Fatty Acid Composition of Human Colostrum and Mature Breast Milk," Am J Clin Nutr 34:252-257 (1981)).
Meconium, the newborn's first fecal pass, first appears in the fetal GI tract at around 12 weeks of gestational age, and is normally passed after birth (Ahanya et al., "Meconium Passage In Utero: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Management," Obstet Gynecol Surv 60:45-56 (2005); Gareri et al., "Drugs of Abuse Testing in Meconium," Clin Chim Acta 366:101-111 (2006); and Ostrea et al., "Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters in Meconium: Are They Biomarkers of Fetal Alcohol Exposure and Effect?" Alcohol Clin Exp Res 30:1152-1159 (2006)). It consists of amniotic fluid residue, skin and gastrointestinal (GI) epithelial cells, GI secretions and enzymes, lipids, sugars, proteins, cholesterol, sterols, bile acid and salts (Ahanya et al., "Meconium Passage In Utero: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Management," Obstet Gynecol Surv 60:45-56 (2005); Gareri et al., "Drugs of Abuse Testing in Meconium," Clin Chim Acta 366:101-111 (2006); Buchanan et al., "Chemical Comparison of Normal Meconium and Meconium from a Patient with Meconium Ileus," Pediatrics 9:304-310 (1952); and Righetti et al., "Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Meconium Composition in Newborns," J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 36:498-501 (2003)). Meconium contains 12% dry weight lipid (Buchanan et al., "Chemical Comparison of Normal Meconium and Meconium from a Patient with Meconium Ileus," Pediatrics 9:304-310 (1952)), and there is only one unconfirmed study reporting BCFA in meconium (Terasaka et al., "Free Fatty Acids of Human Meconium," Biol Neonate 50:16-20 (1986)). There are no studies linking BCFA composition of vernix and meconium in the same infants.
It was hypothesized that vernix BCFA of term newborns would survive the alimentary canal and be found in meconium. The test of this hypothesis led to characterizing the relative BCFA profiles of vernix and meconium to establish the degree to which the profile is altered by the sterile fetal gut in utero.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the deficiencies in the art.

Branched chain fatty acids for prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disorders


A balloon member includes a plurality of partition walls coextensive within the balloon to divide the balloon into equal quadrants to accommodate safe descent and enhance inflation of at least a plurality of the quadrants during a leakage of air from the balloon.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to balloon structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved safety balloon apparatus arranged to divide the balloon structure into a plurality of pneumatic chambers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Balloon structure of various types have been utilized throughout the prior art, wherein the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,534,927; 3,945,591; 4,865,266; 3,679,155; and 4,836,471 are indicative of examples of the prior art structure, wherein the instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art, wherein during leakage of air to impart buoyancy to the balloon, the instant invention partitions the balloon into four individual pneumatic chambers symmetrically oriented about the balloon's axis to enhance the maintaining of buoyancy to accommodate ease of descent of the balloon and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A device receives location information associated with a user of a user device. The location information includes location coordinates associated with the user device over time, and includes errors introduced by one or more location methods used to determine the location information. The device calculates a radius of a geo-location pattern based on the location information, where the geo-location pattern identifies a geographical area encompassing one or more of the location coordinates of the user device. The device calculates center coordinates of the geo-location pattern based on the location information, and determines the geo-location pattern based on the calculated radius and the calculated center coordinates. The device outputs or stores the geo-location pattern.

Geo-location may include an identification of a geographical location of an object, such as a radar device, a mobile device, or an Internet-connected computer, associated with a user. Many web services and applications may require that a user's geo-location be captured and analyzed. For example, if a user is utilizing an application on a mobile device to obtain directions to a particular location, the application may require the geo-location of the mobile device in order to provide accurate directions. As more and more users utilize mobile devices (e.g., smart phones), geo-location has become a more important factor in identifying such users. For example, identifying a user's geo-location has become a factor used to authenticate a user and prevent potential fraud.
Geo-location may be defined as a pair of real numbers (e.g., x, y) that may be interpreted as latitude (x) and longitude (y). Thus, a number pair (x,y) may represent a unique point on the surface of the Earth. If measured in degrees, the latitude (x) may range from negative ninety degrees (−90°) to ninety degrees (90°), and the longitude (y) may range from negative one-hundred and eighty degrees (−180°) to one-hundred and eighty degrees (180°).
Currently, multiple techniques may be used to obtain a user's current location, such as for example, looking up an Internet protocol (IP) address of a computing device, obtaining global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of a mobile device, performing cell tower triangulation of a mobile device, etc. At a given point in time, such techniques may provide a user's geo-location, but may also introduce errors into the user's geo-location. For example, assume that (x0,y0) are the exact location coordinates of a user at a particular time (t), but that the techniques provide (x,y) as the location coordinates of the user. Further, assume that the exact location coordinates (x0,y0) do not match the location coordinates (x,y). In such an example, an error (or an inaccuracy) may be defined as a distance between the exact location coordinates (x0,y0) and the location coordinates (x,y). Furthermore, different techniques introduce different errors into the user's geo-location. For example, GPS coordinates of a mobile device may be accurate within 9.144 meters, and cell tower triangulation of a mobile device may be accurate within 0.804 kilometers. Geo-location errors may also be introduced by a user's location, meteorological conditions, devices utilized by the user, etc.


The current measurement apparatus comprises a Rogowski coil 20 comprising a wire or conductor which forms a coil 22 and returns through the coil 22 as a central conductor. The coil 22 and the central conductor are formed from a single conductor or wire and, therefore, no electrical join (for example, a solder join or crimp) is required at the end of the Rogowski coil. The wire 28 used to form the coil 22 and the central conductor 24 is insulated prior to forming the Rogowski coil. The insulated coating 30 provides better insulation between individual coils and also helps to provide a more even spacing between the coils.

The Rogowski Coil was invented by Chattock in the 1880's (Chattock A. P. On a magnetic potentiometer Philos Mag., 1887 pp 94-96). It is a flexible solenoid with a co-axial return conductor and is used in non-intrusive manner to sense the magnetic field generated by a current carrying conductor by encircling said conductor. The output of the Rogowski Coil is a voltage proportional to the derivative or rate of change of the current being measured. Means need to be provided to integrate this voltage output to create a voltage output proportional to the current being measured.
Based on Ampere's theorem, if a solenoid of length 1 having N turns of area A, and a pitch of n=N/1, encircles the current carrying conductor perpendicularly with a radius R=1/2π centred around said conductor, the magnetic field B at the centre of each turn is given by B=μ0i(t)/(2πR). Provided that A<<R2 the flux per turn is AB(t) which leads to the familiar equation for the output of a Rogowski coil being e(t)=−Nd(AB(t)/dt=−μ0nAdi(t)/dt.
The Rogowski coil only integrates the rate of change of flux density B correctly if the coil layout is closed.
Any deviation from this closed loop results in an incomplete line integral, as defined by Ampere's Theorem, and therefore, a degraded accuracy in measurement of the current.
The present state of the art flexible Rogowski coils tend to use butt joins given the nature of the loop closing coupling designs resulting in erroneous measurements. However, other joint designs are also used e.g., right angle joints and parallel joints. By winding extra turns at the butt joint interface improvements to accuracy are possible.
Industrial International Safety Standards e.g., IEC 61010 prescribe minimum creepage and clearance distances which further exacerbate the situation with regard to measurement performance.
The wire contained in a Rogowski coil is generally provided with an insulated covering or coating. Functional insulation for safety purposes as described in safety standards (e.g. EN61010-1:2001 Clause 6.9.1) comprise that the following shall not be used as insulation for safety purposes; (1) materials which can be easily damaged (e.g. physically damaged) for example lacquer, enamels, oxides, anodic films, and (2) non-impregnated hygrospic materials (for example preferably the wire is provided with functional insulation for safety purposes and preferably as described in appropriate safety standards).
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome at least one problem associated with the prior art whether referred to herein or otherwise.


A gabion deployment system comprising: a container for retaining a gabion and a gabion of the folding type comprising hingedly attached, connected side walls and cross-members such that it can be folded for storage and deployed for use; a retaining means associated with the container for retaining the gabion in the container; and at least one releasable attaching, connecting or retentive engaging means for attaching, connecting or retentively engaging at least one part of the gabion to the retaining means; wherein the at least one releasable attaching, connecting or retentively engaging means is adapted to attach, connect or retentively engage a part of the gabion to the retaining means when the gabion is folded but to release the gabion from the retaining means when the gabion is deployed.

Gabions are generally structures of the type which comprise side wall panels, end panels and partition panels which connect the wall panels, and all the panels are usually rectangular and may be pivotally attached, connected together so that the structure can be moved between an expanded (or deployed) condition for use and a collapsed (or folded) condition for storage and transport. In the deployed condition, the structure is elongated and the panels define a row of cavities extending in the length direction of the structure, each cavity being defined by side panels and partition panels, apart from the end cavities which are defined by side panels, partition panels and end panels. These cavities can be filled with ballast or building materials so that the structure turns into a robust wall which can be used for defenses for flooding, for military equipment and personnel, and for shoring of hillsides and river banks and the like, or simply as a property or other boundary. They can be used side-by-side, end-to-end or in superimposed relationship, depending upon the use to which they are to be put.
In the folded condition, the structure is basically flat and the partition and end panels lie in parallel planes, whilst the side panels of each side are folded one relative to another in zig-zag or concertina fashion, so that the plan footprint of the collapsed structure is rectangular.
It is to be mentioned that when reference is made to "rectangular" herein, square, which is one form of rectangle, is specifically to be included.
An example of a structure of the type set forth is illustrated in European Patent No. 0 466 726 B 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, and an accompanying description is also included in that patent.
Gabions have been used throughout the world for many different uses, and often in situations where rapid deployment (to prevent flooding, or protect against hostile forces, for example) is necessary. One advantage of the pivotally attached, connected multi-compartmental gabions described in EP-B-0466726 is that they can be easily and quickly erected, and can be filled with readily available and inexpensive material, especially in those embodiments, as described in said European Patent, where the panels are of mesh and have a lining material of geo textile to prevent particles of the filling material from falling through the holes of the mesh. This mesh and lining material construction is the preferred form for the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this particular form.
Heretofore, gabions have been supplied on pallets and in stacks, often wrapped in shrink wrap plastics material. Whilst this has been satisfactory and will we believe continue to be satisfactory especially for smaller sizes of gabion, with the larger gabions, the removal of the shrink wrapping, and the removal of the gabion from the pallet takes time, and in emergency situations, time is of the essence, and the more time which can be saved in erecting defense walls, the better.


A reflection type projector is disclosed by which efficiency of the use of light can be increased using a birefringent prism. A reflection type projector includes a light source for emitting light, a first and second imaging mechanism for forming an image from the rays emitted from the light source and reflecting the formed image, a projection lens unit for magnifying the image formed by the first and second imaging mechanism and projecting the magnified image onto a screen, first and second prisms, disposed opposite each other along the optical path of the light, for separating an incident light into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray and changing a proceeding path of the light such that the ordinary and extraordinary rays have different optical paths, and first and second phase delay plates, disposed along the optical path of the light between the first and second birefringent prisms and the first and second imaging means, for delaying the phase of the incident ray to change property of polarization thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reflection type projector, and more particularly, to a reflection type projector employing birefringent prisms to increase the efficiency of the use of light.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projector is generally known as an apparatus for projecting an image formed by an image forming means using an additional illuminating apparatus.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional reflection type projector. The conventional reflection type projector includes a light source 10 for emitting light, a color wheel 20 for selectively transmitting a predetermined color of an incident light, such as a red, green, or blue color, a scrambler 30 for mixing rays of the incident beam having different degrees of intensity into a uniform beam, a focusing lens 32, a collimating lens 34, a polarization beam splitter (PBS) 40 for changing the proceeding path of an incident beam, a display device 50 for forming an image by selectively reflecting the incident beam, and a projection lens unit 60 for projecting the incident beam onto a screen (not shown).
The light source 10 is comprised of a lamp 11 for generating rays of light, such as a metal haloid lamp or a xenon arc lamp, and a reflecting mirror 13 for reflecting light emitted from the lamp 11 in a proceeding path. The color wheel 20 is installed along the optical path of the light between the light source 10 and the scrambler 30 and can be rotated by a driving motor 21. Red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color filters 22 are arranged on equal areas of the color wheel 20, respectively. The color wheel 20 rotates corresponding to a response speed of a displaying device. Any one of R, G and B of the color wheel 20 is positioned to coincide with the optical path of the light.
The scrambler 30 mixes the incident beam by diffusely reflecting the same such that the rays of the incident beam are changed into rays of uniform light intensity. The focusing lens 32 focuses and diverges the beam having passed through the scrambler 30 such that the diameter of the beam transmitted is enlarged. The collimating lens 34 changes the diverging beam into a parallel beam.
The polarization beam splitter 40 is disposed along the optical path of the light between the collimating lens 34 and the display device 50 and changes a proceeding path of the incident beam by selectively transmitting or reflecting the incident beam at a mirror surface 41 according to a polarization component thereof. That is, the light traveling from the side of the light source 10 is selectively transmitted or reflected depending on whether the polarization component of the beam is a P-polarized beam or an S-polarized beam.
FIG. 1 shows an example in which the beam passing through the polarization beam splitter 40 is used as an effective light. A ferroelectic liquid crystal display (FLCD) of a two dimensional array structure exhibiting a superior response speed is employed as the display device 50. The display device 50 has a plurality of reflection areas of a two dimensional array structure. The reflection areas, each being independently driven, together form an image by modulating polarization directions of the rays of the incident beam.
The beam incident on the display device 50 is reflected again and reenters the polarization beam splitter 40. Here, the beam reentering the polarization beam splitter 40 has a polarization direction which is changed by 90.degree. by the display device 50. Then, the beam is totally reflected by the mirror surface 41 of the polarization beam splitter 40 and proceeds toward the projection lens unit 60. The beam is projected onto the screen via the projection lens unit 60.
However, in the conventional reflection type projector, since a beam of one polarization direction of an incident beam, which is dichotomized depending on the polarization direction thereof, is used as an effective light, efficiency of use of the light is reduced. Also, the reduced light-use efficiency becomes a hindrance in realizing a reflection type projector requiring high brightness.


An internal combustion engine has a cylinder and an exhaust-gas turbocharger comprising a compressor arranged in an intake system and a turbine arranged in an exhaust-gas discharge system. Various lines are provided for conducting gases including 1) a bypass line branching off from the inlet system downstream of the compressor so as to form an inlet-side junction, and 2) a recirculation line branching off from the exhaust-gas discharge system upstream of the turbine so as to form an outlet-side junction which opens into the bypass line. A first control element at the outlet-side junction adjusts an exhaust-gas quantity conducted through the recirculation line. A second control element at the inlet-side junction has a first position that separates the bypass line from the cylinder and connects the intake line to the cylinder, and a second position that separates the intake line from the cylinder and connects the bypass line to the cylinder.

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, at the outlet side at least one exhaust line for discharging the exhaust gases via an exhaust-gas discharge system, and at the inlet side at least one intake line for supplying charge air via an intake system, which internal combustion engine is equipped with                at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger comprising a compressor arranged in the intake system and a turbine arranged in the exhaust-gas discharge system,        a bypass line for bypassing the at least one cylinder, which bypass line branches off from the intake system downstream of the compressor so as to form an inlet-side junction and opens into the exhaust-gas discharge system downstream of the turbine, and        at least one exhaust-gas recirculation arrangement which comprises a recirculation line which branches off from the exhaust-gas discharge system upstream of the turbine so as to form an outlet-side junction and which opens into the bypass line.
Within the context of the present invention, the at least one exhaust line is to be regarded as belonging to the exhaust-gas discharge system, and the at least one intake line is to be regarded as belonging to the intake system.
The invention also relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine of the stated type which has a liquid-type cooling arrangement, in which a cooling device which is operated with coolant and which is connected to the liquid-type cooling arrangement of the internal combustion engine is provided in the recirculation line of the at least one exhaust-gas recirculation arrangement.
Within the context of the present invention, the expression "internal combustion engine" encompasses diesel engines and spark-ignition engines and also hybrid internal combustion engines which operate with a hybrid combustion process.
In the development of internal combustion engines, it is basically sought to minimize fuel consumption and reduce pollutant emissions. In the prior art, various measures are implemented to achieve said aims. With regard to the pollutant problem, the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions is of high relevance, in particular in the case of diesel engines. Since the formation of nitrogen oxides requires not only an excess of air but rather also high temperatures, one concept for reducing the nitrogen oxide emissions consists in reducing the combustion temperatures. Here, exhaust-gas recirculation, that is to say the recirculation of exhaust gas from the exhaust-gas discharge system into the intake system, is expedient in achieving this aim, wherein it is possible for the nitrogen oxide emissions to be considerably reduced with increasing exhaust-gas recirculation rate. The exhaust-gas recirculation rate xEGR is determined as follows:xEGR=mEGR/(mEGR+mFresh air)where mEGR denotes the mass of recirculated exhaust gas and mFresh air denotes the fresh air which is supplied, having previously been compressed by means of a compressor, to the at least one cylinder. Within the context of the present invention, therefore, the charge air may also comprise recirculated exhaust gas aside from the fresh air.
To obtain a considerable reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, high exhaust-gas recirculation rates are required which may be of the order of magnitude of xEGR≈60% to 70%. According to the prior art, to adjust the exhaust-gas quantity to be recirculated (i.e., the recirculation rate), a control element, also referred to as an EGR valve, is provided in the recirculation line. Exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) may also be utilized for reducing the emissions of unburned hydrocarbons.
The exhaust-gas recirculation arrangement provided is a so-called high-pressure EGR arrangement in which the exhaust gas is extracted from the exhaust-gas discharge system upstream of the turbine and is introduced into the intake system, or into a bypass line which is or can be connected to the intake system, downstream of the compressor.
The internal combustion engine to which the preferred embodiment of present invention relates is equipped not only with at least one exhaust-gas recirculation arrangement but rather also with at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger which comprises a compressor arranged in the intake system and a turbine arranged in the exhaust-gas discharge system. During the operation of an internal combustion engine with exhaust-gas turbocharging and with the simultaneous use of a high-pressure EGR arrangement, there is a basic conflict which consists in that the exhaust gas extracted upstream of the turbine for the purpose of recirculation is by definition not conducted through the turbine, and is thus not available for generating a charge pressure on the inlet side. In the event of an increase in the exhaust-gas recirculation rate, the exhaust-gas flow introduced into the turbine simultaneously decreases. The reduced exhaust-gas mass flow through the turbine leads to a lower turbine pressure ratio, as a result of which the charge pressure ratio also falls, which equates to a smaller compressor mass flow. Aside from the decreasing charge pressure, additional problems may arise in the operation of the compressor with regard to the surge limit of the compressor.
The exhaust-gas quantity conducted through the recirculation line of the EGR arrangement and the exhaust-gas quantity conducted through the turbine are only two examples of fluid flows which, during the operation of an internal combustion engine, must be measured and adjusted by means of control elements.
The turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger is often designed as a wastegate turbine with a small turbine cross section, in order to improve the torque characteristic of the internal combustion engine at low rotational speeds. If the exhaust-gas mass flow exceeds a critical value, then, by opening a control element, a part of the exhaust-gas flow is, within the course of the so-called exhaust-gas blow-off, conducted via a bypass line past the turbine or the turbine impeller. The blown-off exhaust gas is another example of a fluid flow which must be adjusted and controlled by means of a control element.
Further examples of fluid flows which must be adjusted, that is to say controlled, arise if the internal combustion engine is equipped with a secondary air injection facility or a liquid-type cooling arrangement in which the cylinder head or cylinder block is provided with coolant-conducting ducts. Since it is not the aim and the purpose of a liquid-type cooling arrangement to extract the greatest possible amount of heat from the internal combustion engine under all operating conditions, it is sought, by means of control elements, to implement control of the coolant flows and thus of the liquid-type cooling arrangement according to demand, which control also makes allowance for the operating modes of the internal combustion engine in which it is more advantageous to extract less heat or as little heat as possible from the internal combustion engine, and if appropriate to introduce heat into the internal combustion engine.
The above statements make it clear that a multiplicity of fluid flows must be adjusted and controlled by means of control elements during the operation of an internal combustion engine. For this reason, concepts are required which arrange the fluid-conducting lines in an advantageous manner and which keep the number of control elements required as low as possible.

Controlling fresh air and exhaust gas flow in turbocharged internal combustion engine


A foreign substance prevention unit use with an electro-photographic printer is installed over a waste toner injection hole such that it closes the waste toner injection hole when a photosensitive medium is separated from a main body of the electro-photographic printer, and opens the waste toner injection hole when the photosensitive medium is installed in the main body of the electro-photographic printer. The foreign substance prevention unit is formed of an elastic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an electro-photographic printer, and more particularly, to an electro-photographic printer having a foreign substance prevention unit, which prevents foreign substances from accidentally going into a waste toner transfer unit of the electro-photographic printer via a waste toner injection hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus forms an image on a piece of paper by forming a latent electrostatic image on a photosensitive medium using a light scanning device, transferring the latent electrostatic image onto a printing medium using toner particles to form a toner image, and fusing the toner image onto the printing medium.
Such an image forming apparatus obtains a desired image by transferring a toner image onto the printing medium using a potential difference between the photosensitive medium and an image transfer unit. However, the toner image is not completely transferred from the photosensitive medium to the image transfer unit or from the image transfer unit onto the printing medium, thus leaving some of the toner particles used to form the toner image behind on the photosensitive medium or in the image transfer unit. This residual toner is called waste toner. The waste toner is removed from the photosensitive medium or the image transfer unit by using a cleaning apparatus and then stored in a waste toner container.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a cleaning apparatus 11 and a waste toner injection hole 31 of a conventional electro-photographic printer, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the waste toner injection hole 31 of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning apparatus 11 is installed at one side of a photosensitive medium 10 and removes toner residues (waste toner) from a surface of the photosensitive medium 10. The photosensitive medium 10 and the cleaning apparatus 11 can be assembled into one device, which can be installed in or separated from a main body of the conventional electro-photographic printer. When installed in the main body of the conventional elector-photographic printer together with the photosensitive medium 10, the cleaning apparatus 11 is connected to a duct 30 through a waste toner injection hole 31 of a duct 30, which is installed in the main body of the conventional electro-photographic printer. Accordingly, the waste toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive medium 10 by the cleaning apparatus is injected into the waste toner injection hole 31. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 20 denotes a bracket installed in the main body of the conventional electro-photographic printer.
When the device, into which the photosensitive medium 10 and the cleaning apparatus 11 are assembled, is separated from the main body of the conventional electro-photographic printer, the waste toner injection hole 31 is exposed to an outside of the printer 30, so that foreign substances may accidentally go into the duct 30 via the waste toner injection hole 31 due to a user's carelessness.
A transfer unit (not shown) is provided in the duct 30 for efficiently transferring the waste toner, which is injected into the duct 30 via the waste toner injection hole 31. Accordingly, if the foreign substances go into the duct 30 via the waste toner injection hole 31, it may adversely affect an operation of the transfer unit, thereby hindering the transfer unit in smoothly transferring the waste toner injected into the duct 30.
The above-described problem may cause a malfunction of the conventional electro-photographic printer, which requires an entire waste toner transfer unit of the conventional electro-photographic printer to be replaced with a new one or requires the conventional electro-photographic printer to be taken apart and then fixed. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an apparatus for preventing the foreign substances from accidentally going into the duct 30 via the waste toner injection hole 31.

Foreign substance prevention unit to protect electro-photographic printer from foreign substances


A method of overcoming the problems of measuring the exhaust flow during pulsating and reversing flow by placing a “box” in series within a few feet of the connecting pipe to serve as a filter. The box is constructed with soft expandable sides, so it can expand with the pressure pulsations and then contract, creating a very smooth flow that can be measured with a measuring device at the exit of the flow from the box.

The measurement of automobile exhaust flow poses many problems. At high flows the gas temperature is high, reaching up to 1200° F. for high speed, high load conditions. At idle, the temperature is lower, but the flow pulsates, and in some cases actually reverses between the gas out flow bursts. This condition is more pronounced for four cylinder engines. In addition, the dew point of the exhaust gas is in the order of 150 to 170° F. In emission measurements, where it is necessary that the chemical composition of the exhaust gas not be changed, it is necessary for the measurement devices to be heated to above the gas dew point.
The pulsating nature of the exhaust at idle conditions poses the most severe problems to current measurement systems. To understand the nature of this flow, consider the automobile engine. After the cylinder fires, the exhaust valve opens and the piston expels the gas. Then the valve closes; however, the inertia of the flowing gas continues to push the gas out the tail pipe, while creating a vacuum in the exhaust manifold. As the force of the vacuum overcomes that of the gas inertia, the flow reverses, pulling some gas back into the exhaust manifold and, under certain conditions, may pull outside air back into the tail pipe. As the engine speed increases, the exhaust valve openings occur closer together and eventually overcome the time constant of the exhaust system. Engine manufacturers make use of this effect to increase low end torque by "tuning the exhaust ports". Obviously, this effect is more pronounced for 4 cylinder engines than for 6 or 8 cylinder engines.
The majority of the measuring systems use unidirectional flow measurement devices. Since many of these devices sense pressure changes across a orifice or nozzle, the outputs of which are proportional to the square of the gas flow rate, pulsating unidirectional flow alone can cause errors, since the average pressure is not proportional to the square of the average gas flow. Other devices which do not have the non-linearity of the differential pressure can be used, but if there is flow reversal during the exhaust cycle, these devices measure the outgoing flow, then measure it a second time when the reversed gas exits for the second time. Typical errors due to this problem can run as high as 40 to 50%. Examples of this type of meter and its performance under idle conditions are described in the following paragraphs.
One gas flow sensor is the Vortex meter which consists of a non-streamlined strut held in the flow stream. As the flow passes this strut, vortices are formed and are shed behind the strut. Downstream a short distance is an ultrasonic beam, which intercepts the vortices as they pass. Descriptions of this measuring technique are contained in Joy et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,375, Joy U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,349, Joy et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,299, Joy et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,309, and in the Society of Automotive Engineers publication "Vortex flowmeter applications to automobile engine control", R. D. Joy, 1975.
This type of sensor produces a sine wave type output, with the frequency of the sine wave being linearly proportional to the volumetric flow rate of the gas and independent of the gas composition. An example of the sensor output under steady flow is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.
However, under pulsating exhaust flow of a 2.0 liter four cylinder engine, the sensor output is shown in FIG. 2. The engine was running at about 750 RPM, and with two cylinder firings per revolution, there would be about 25 exhaust bursts per second. The scale on the second plot runs from 0 to 80 milliseconds, so the two bursts represent two exhaust valve openings. In between the two bursts are some indication of reverse flow occurring. Counting the zero crossings shown in this figure indicates a flow rate of about 30 cubic feet per minute (CFM). However, it was known that the actual exhaust rate should be between 5 and 10 CFM.
In the past, a common practice to measure the low flow was to run the exhaust flow through one or two barrels, which, combined with the flow resistance in the connecting pipes, created a smoothing filter. With this technique, the measurement device is placed at the exit of the last barrel, where the flow is smooth and continuous. While this approach can be used to measure the low speed exhaust rate, it has the disadvantages of imposing a time lag of several seconds on the flow, which prevents measurement of rapid flow changes. Also, because the barrels and connecting pipes were difficult to heat, condensation occurred, changing the chemical analysis of the gas, which analysis is required under EPA vehicle certification. Consequently, the automobile industry was forced to collect the exhaust gas in large plastic bags, and, to prevent condensation, to add dry air of a known amount to lower the dew point of the mixture below ambient temperatures.
While this has worked for several years, it has become difficult to handle because the added dry air in many cases is now more "dirty" than the exhaust gas emitted by the engine. The industry is now developing a "clean air system" to remove the hydrocarbons and nitrous oxide compounds.
The test method preferred by both the automobile industry and the EPA is to directly measure the exhaust flow rate without allowing condensation, and withdrawing a small gas sample proportional to the flow rate for analysis. Then, using a dynamometer, the engine is put through a simulated driving cycle containing a number of rapid accelerations, which must be followed by the exhaust flow device. There is therefore a need for an improved technique for measuring automobile exhaust flow.


A multi-functional table and chair device has a base, two opposite chair sets mounted on the base, and an adjustable table. Each chair set has at least one chair, and each chair has a supporting bracket, a seat, a backrest and a footrest. The adjustable table is mounted on the base between the chair sets and has a bottom bracket, an elevation mechanism and a table board. When the backrest of one chair is pivoted backward and the footrest is unfolded, the chair is changed into a deck chair. When the footrests of two opposite chairs of the chair sets are pivoted upward and unfolded to be horizontal and the adjustable table is raised to hold the footrests, the two opposite chairs and the adjustable table form a bed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table and chair device, and more particularly to a multi-functional table and chair device that allows different users to carry out different activities such as sitting, lying, resting and dining.
2. Description of Related Art
Passengers in public transports such as trains, high speed rail trains, metro trains or airplanes often sit for a long time and even needs to dine and sleep on seats. Therefore comfortableness and additional functions that a seat can provide to a passenger are important.
Each of conventional chairs of public transports usually has a footrest and armrests to allow a passenger to rest his/her feet or arms thereon. The chairs are arranged tandem and each chair has a folding table mounted pivotally on a rear thereof so that a passenger sitting on a rear chair is able to fold downward the folding table on the front chair for 90 degrees to dine or read on the folding table. However, the footrest is inclined when extended out instead of being horizontal so that the passenger is not allowed to lie down flatly and comfortably sleep. Furthermore, the table cannot be adjusted and held in different levels, which does not suit for different passengers.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a multi-functional table and chair device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


Performance level selection is carried out by calculating a plurality of performance requests using a plurality of performance request calculating algorithms, combining those different performance requests to form a global performance request and then selecting a performance level in dependence upon the global performance level request. The performance request calculating algorithms can be arranged in a hierarchy with their performance requests evaluated in a sequence starting from the least dominant position in the hierarchy and moving through to the most dominant position in the hierarchy. Commands may accompany each performance level request to specify how it should be combined with other performance level requests.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the selection of a performance level to be used by a data processing system capable of operating at a plurality of different performance levels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide data processing systems capable of operating at a plurality of different performance levels. Typically, a relatively low performance and low power consumption performance level will be used when maximum processing performance is not required whereas when processing intensive operations are being performed, then a higher performance level will be selected at the expense of consuming more power.
As an example of the type of processing systems capable of operating at different performance levels, the processors produced by Intel Corporation incorporating their SpeedStep technology operate in a high power, high speed mode as well as one or more lower power low speed modes. Switching between these performance levels is typically carried out in dependence upon sensed external parameters, such as whether or not the system is connected to a mains power supply or a battery power supply.
It is also known to provide more dynamic performance level management based upon the dynamically determined processing demands placed upon the data processing system. An example of such an approach is the LongRun software control of processor clock speed applied in the processors produced by Transmeta. Such software attempts to reduce the processor clock frequency and accordingly the power consumed when the processing demands being placed upon the processor are light and increase the clock frequency to obtain high performance when the processing demands are greater.
A problem with this approach is that in order to ensure that the power saving techniques do not interfere with the usability of the system, the software tends to make safe assumptions regarding the desired performance level and to run the system at a higher average performance level than is truly required. This wastes power. In addition, the algorithm used will tend to be suited to some types of processing activity but not others and this will further render the performance level control inaccurate.

Performance level selection in a data processing system using a plurality of performance request calculating algorithms