A fuel tank and filler system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel tank, a filler pipe extending into the fuel tank, and a check valve comprising a collapsible, normally open tube secured around the outlet of the fuel filler pipe within the tank. Fuel entering the tank passes through the filler pipe and collapsible tube unimpeded. The collapsible tube has sufficient flexibility, however, to collapse upon itself in the event that fuel begins to flow outwardly through the filler pipe, thereby preventing fuel from leaving the tank through the filler pipe.

Automotive fuel system designers have used a variety of structures for preventing the backflow of fuel from fuel tank filler pipes. These devices are generally held closed by a spring, a counterweight, or, in the case of a duckbill device, the inherent stiffness of the material from which the device is constructed. Unfortunately, each of these devices introduce a restriction into the path of fuel moving through the filler pipe. And, such devices are costly and may be subject to functional problems such as sticking. There has been a marked need, therefore, for a simple, rugged device for preventing backflow of fuel through fuel tank filler pipes, while at the same time allowing higher fuel fill rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,933 discloses a duckbill type check valve for controlling backflow from the filling orifice of a fuel tank. The duckbill functions as a resilient valve which is normally closed, but which opens when pressure is created in the filler pipe by a column of fuel as well as by the insertion of a fuel nozzle. It has been found, however, that duckbills having sufficient rigidity to prevent backflow have the undesirable trait described above of limiting the flow of fluid into the tank such that rapid filling is not possible. A check valve according to the present invention obviates this problem of restricted flow capacity.
It is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a backflow preventing check valve which is normally open so that flow capacity in the filling direction is not restricted.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a check valve which closes at very low reverse flow rates.
It is an advantage of the present invention that fuel may easily be introduced into the tank below the liquid level. This minimizes the aeration of fuel within the tank, thereby minimizing the quantity of fuel vapor generated during filling.
According to the present invention, a fuel tank and filler system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel tank, a filler pipe extending into the fuel tank, and a check valve comprising a collapsible, normally open tube secured around the outlet of the fuel filler pipe within the tank, such that fuel entering the tank will pass through the filler pipe and then through the collapsible tube, with the collapsible tube having sufficient flexibility to collapse upon itself in the event that fuel begins to flow outwardly through the filler pipe. Fuel is thus prevented from leaving the tank through the filler pipe.

Check valve for internal combustion engine fuel tank filler pipe


An image processing apparatus is configured to include: illumination controlling section for controlling emission of light with a setting amount of light; region extracting section for independently extracting the image data of an object region indicating the object, and image data of a background region indicating background other than the object from reference image data out of two pieces of image data, respectively obtained at each change in an amount of the light from the illumination unit; filter processing section for applying a filtering process with the blurring effect to at least one piece of the image data of the object region and the background region, both extracted by the region extracting section; and combining section for generating combined image data of the reference image data with the image data subject to the filtering processing out of the image data of the object region and the background region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a method and a program for processing an image, and particularly relates to an image processing apparatus and a method and a program for processing an image capable of readily providing images with a blurring effect though an imaging apparatus with a deep depth of field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an imaging apparatus for shooting an object, silver-salt film cameras were popular. However, recently digital cameras rapidly become popularized (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Nos. 2003-209727, 2002-232779, and H10-21034).
As mentioned above, the digital still camera provides an image with the same image quality as the silver-salt film camera. Thus, many users desire to obtain by digital still camera images with various effects that were inherently obtained by the silver-salt film cameras. For example, three are many requests for readily obtaining image in which the object is enhanced by blurring the background. Hereinafter, the image in which the object is enhanced by blurring the background is referred to as an image with the blurring effect.
Conventionally, to obtain such an image with the blurring effect, it was said that the following conditions (1) and (2) were necessary.
(1) The camera has a shallow depth of field (a large-diameter lens or a large lens structure).
(2) The camera user is skilled in a special shooting technique.
In the shot image includes a region where an object is clearly photographed because the image is sharply focused and another region where the image is unclearly photographed because the near and far images are out of focus. The region where the image is clearly photographed corresponds to depth of field. The depth of filed is determined by a focal length and an F value of a lens, and a distance from a camera to an object. Further, generally, when a range where an image is clearly photographed is narrow, the depth of field is expressed as a shallow depth of field, and a wide range where an image is clearly photographed is expressed as a shallow depth of field.
In other words, conventionally, when a photographer (for example, a professional cameraman or the like) meeting the condition (2) shot an image with the silver-salt film camera satisfying the condition (1), an image with the blurring effect can be obtained.
However, the above-described condition (1) is inconsistent with a digital still camera's advantageous effect of high portability by miniaturization. Furthermore, the condition (2) is inconsistent with another digital still camera's advantageous effect of easy operation in shooting. Thus, it is difficult to obtain an image with the blurring effect through a simple user operation with the digital still camera of which depth of field is deep due to possession of the advantageous effect of high portability by miniaturization. In other words, there is a problem that it is currently impossible to satisfy the demand.
Here, obtaining an image having the blurring effect with the digital camera itself is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727. In this Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727, focal points at respective minute regions in the image within a focal length adjustment region from near to infinite distances are detected to extract the object by regarding the minute regions showing the same focal length as the same region. Next, a suitable focal point is set on the basis of the focal length for each region to shot the image by a plurality of times. At the last, combining a plurality of images obtained from the result of shooting a plurality of times produces an image in which an amount of blurring adjusted as desired. This technique above mentioned is disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727.
However, the technique disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application divides the region using difference in high frequency components occurring on extracting the region in accordance with the focus point, which requires the above-described condition (1). In other words, the technique disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727 is applicable to the digital cameras having a shallow depth of field. However, it is difficult to apply the technique disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727 to the digital still cameras having a deep depth of field with an advantageous effect of high portability due to miniaturization, namely, to the digital still cameras used by a lot of general users who does not meet the condition (2).
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. 2002-232779 and 10-210340 disclose only techniques distinguishing an object from the background from an image shot by a digital camera, but do not disclose and suggest the image with the blurring effect. Thus, it is difficult to solve the above-disclosed problem by the technologies disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. 2003-209727, 2002-232779, and 10-210340 (though these including the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-209727 are combined).
This invention is provided in consideration of the above-described situation to readily provide an image with the blurring effect even if an imaging apparatus with a deep depth of field is used.

Image processing apparatus, and program for processing image


Perfluoroalkyl substituted neopentyl alcohols can be reacted with substituted hydroxphenylalkanoic esters to form perfluoroalkyl containing hydroxyphenylalkanoic ester antioxidants. The perfluoroalkyl substituted hindered hydroxyphenyl alkanoates are stablizers which confer superior processing stability to polymers processed at elevated temperatures such as polypropylene, as well as protecting said polymers from thermal and oxidative degradation.

The invention relates to perfluoroalkyl substituted antioxidants and their use to impart exceptional antioxidant properties to polymeric substrate which subject to severe environmental conditions. Fluorochemical additives has demonstrated the unique ability to modify the surface properties of polymers by adsorption at the polymer/air interface even when used at very low levels. This has been demonstrated by measurements of reduced wettability and decreased friction. Adsorption may occur at the polymer/air interface during the formation of the polymer surface. There is also evidence that certain fluorinated additive molecules are sufficiently mobile in the solid polymer to reach and repair the surface by diffusion and selective adsorption. Thus, they have the unique ability to self-heal, i.e. the molecules from the interior of the polymer can migrate to and repair an additive deficient surface. Fluorochemicals can inherently retain these unique migrating properties while maintaining the high molecular weight necessary to minimize volatility. This application for fluorochemical antioxidants has not hitherto been described. Because of the high costs of fluorochemicals, the use level of the derived fluorochemical is an important consideration. It is anticipated that the subject fluorinated antioxidants will function as synergists and as minor additives in combination with standard antioxidants. Major use areas are fiber, films, high density polyethylene and automative plastics. Inexpensive butylated hydroxytoluenes are sufficient for many low temperature applications, but when polymers are processed and fabricated at elevated temperatures, less volatile high molecular weight additives which have a lower propensity to discolor are required. 2,4-bis(tert-butyl)-6-(heptafluoropropyl)-phenol has been reported in Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn, 57 (11), 3361 (1984). Said compound has not been suggested as an antioxidant and it would be much too volatile for use as a high temperature antioxidant in any event.

Perfluoroalkyl substituted hydroxyphenylalkanoic ester antioxidants and stabilized compositions


The present invention is concerned with the treatment of produced water, that may be obtained from a chemically enhanced oil recovery process using viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds. Said treatment comprises particularly the steps of obtaining a produced water, such as from an oil-water mixture recovered from an oil-bearing formation, wherein the produced water comprises the viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds; and, of directing the produced water to a specific filtration device, and subjecting the produced water to filtration, for obtaining a retentate stream and a permeate stream. Said process allows particularly obtaining a permeate comprising the viscosity-increasing polymeric compounds, said permeate being substantially free of suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil.

Significant portions of known oil reserves are bound in formations requiring enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques for effective and efficient extraction. Such reserves exist in previously untapped fields as well as in fields where traditional oil recovery has reached a practical limit.
Among EOR techniques are steam-driven recovery methods, and non steam-driven recovery methods. Steam-driven approaches include the Steam-Assisted Gravity Discharge (SAGD) technique. Non steam-driven approaches include for example water flooding and chemical flooding.
Water flooding comprises sweeping oil from oil-bearing formations by injecting large volumes of water into the formations and extracting the resulting oil-water mixture topside for processing. Generally, even after such water flooding techniques have been used on a field, at least 40% of the Original Oil In Place (OOIP) remains in the formation.
Chemical flooding has been found useful in extracting additional oil after other techniques have reached their practical limits as well as in virgin fields. Practical limits are often based on limited water supply. While chemical flooding utilizes water, the chemical treatments reduce water requirements, while increasing oil recovery. Chemical flooding techniques include for example polymer flooding.
Polymer flooding comprises using specific polymers, particularly for enhancing recovery by viscosity adjustment. Additional chemicals can be used, such as surfactants, (co)solvents, alkaline compounds, and/or stabilizing compounds. While these chemicals may be used separately in aqueous solutions, considerable experience has developed in using them in combination in aqueous solutions. Such combination treatments are sometimes referred as Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) or Surfactant-Polymer (SP) treatments. For some fields, such treatments have been observed to result in an additional 15% to 30% extraction of the OOIP in the formation on top of water flooding.
Different polymer techniques have been developed for injection into subterranean oil fields. It is known e.g. from WO 2010/133258 an aqueous solution comprising anionic or amphoteric water soluble polymer and stabilizing agent for preventing the chemical degradation once the polymer is introduced into the injection fluid.
When extracting oil using water flooding or chemical flooding techniques, there is the need for treating the oil-water mixture extracted from the oil-bearing formations. Such treatment processes aim first at separating the oil from the water. Such treatment processes also aim at treating the produced water before being disposed of, and/or before reinjection into the injection well as injection water.
Different oil-water mixture treatment techniques have been developed.
It is known e.g. from WO2014/151641, a method for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation and treating produced water containing an anti-scalant compound. Said method particularly comprises the step of directing the produced water through a ceramic membrane to remove oil from the produced water, and for obtaining a permeate stream and a retentate stream. Prior the membrane filtration step, said method comprises several steps, including recovering an oil-water mixture, separating oil from the oil-water mixture, deactivating the anti-scalant compound, optionally precipitating and settling solids.
It is also known e.g. from WO2014/151242, a process for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation. Said method particularly comprises the step of directing the produced water to a ceramic membrane, for obtaining a permeate stream as well as a retentate having suspended solids, hardness compounds, free oil and emulsified oil. Prior the membrane filtration step, said method comprises recovering an oil-water mixture, separating oil from the oil-water mixture, optionally carrying out an ion exchange filtration. After the membrane filtration step, said method comprises chemically treating the permeate stream, optionally mixing a polymeric compound with the permeate stream, optionally mixing an alkali compound with the permeate stream, optionally mixing a surfactant compound with the permeate stream, optionally carrying out an ion exchange filtration on the permeate stream, and injecting the permeate stream into the oil-bearing formation.
Different types of ceramic membranes are known in the art. It is known e.g. ceramic membrane technologies from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,611,931 and 6,767,455.
It is known techniques for recovering and treating oil-water mixtures, and produced water obtained from it. The treatment of the produced water usually shows to be challenging, particularly considering the high viscosity of the produced water. Up to now, the techniques for treating the produced waters, obtained from chemically enhanced oil recovery processes, have not shown sufficiently satisfactory. Particularly, it is not known so far conventional treatment processes for treating the produced water obtained from those processes relying on the use of viscosity-increasing polymers. Indeed, known processes have shown limited efficacy, if not at all, for separating water (in the permeate) from suspended solids, free oil, grease and emulsified oil (in the concentrate), while allowing the recycling of the polymers. Such processes do not usually allow obtaining a permeate, comprising the polymer. As a consequence, such processes do not usually allow recycling most of the polymer comprised into the produced water, for subsequent reinjection into the oil-bearing formation.
Similar challenges are faced in other technical fields, wherein there is the need for extracting fluid with a viscosity of 5 cp or more from water. For example, similar challenges are faced when there is the need for extracting biopolymers from biomass.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Treatment of produced water, particularly obtained from a chemically enhanced oil recovery process using viscosity-increasing polymers

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support


Methods, devices, and computer program products for controlling wireless network connection access are described. The device includes a processor for executing instructions, and multiple network adapters for operatively connecting to multiple networks. The device includes a wireless network connection monitoring application for controlling access to the multiple networks via the processor, and the monitoring application is configured to monitor the multiple network adapters. The device also includes a monitor file that has permissions for services to communicate on the multiple networks, and the monitoring application allows or denies access to the multiple networks via the plurality of network adapters based on the permissions for the services in the monitor file.

Exemplary embodiments relate generally to controlling wireless network connection access and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling wireless network connection access in response to services attempting to access the wireless network connection.
There exist wireless networks mat charge users on a per byte basis. As "pay by the byte" wireless solutions become more prevalent and device management needs continue to grow (meaning bandwidth requirements will also grow), the ability to discriminate services that are required to run over given connection will be a growing need as well. There is a need in the art for a technique for controlling which services access wireless connections in order to reduce charges incurred on, for example, a pay-per-byte connection.

Methods, devices, and computer program products for controlling wireless connection access


A system for efficient routing of an (OAM) frame in an Ethernet switch receives an OAM frame at a first port; building a first classification key dependent on an OAM frame header; classifies in a context of the first port to create a first classification; resolves action dependent on the first classification; modifies the first classification key to create a second classification key; classifies the frame in a context of the second port to create a second classification; sends the second classification key to an OAM engine coupled to the Ethernet switch for modification into a third classification key; receives the third classification key from the OAM engine; modifies the third classification key into a final classification key; modifies the header of the OAM frame with the final classification key; and sends the modified OAM frame to a switching fabric of the Ethernet switch.

Most data networks implement routing protocols derived from standard bodies such as IEEE, IETF and ITU. Although these protocols are effective, they are complex and define many discrete steps for processing an Ethernet frame/IP packet by a router. Once received, classification, action resolution, header modification, etc. occurs several times to a single Ethernet frame before it finally leaves the router and is transmitted to the next network element. Such protocols are resource intensive and can influence network performance, such as latency. These protocols are implemented either in software or in high logic block count FPGAs or resource intensive ASICs. It would be ideal to determine a method of implementing routing protocols that overcomes some of the problems found in the prior art.
In the following description, the term Ethernet switch also refers to a router, bridge and any other Ethernet device with more than one port that has the capability to receive an Ethernet packet on one port and transmitting it on another port.
Shown in FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a data network 120 comprising two Ethernet switches 100 and 102, in communication one with the other via data network 120. Ethernet switches 100 and 102 comprise in this example n communication interfaces, also known as ports, 101.1, 101.2, . . . 101.n and 103.1, 103.2, . . . 103.n respectively. In this particular example, network 120 is configured such that port 101.2 of Ethernet switch 100 is coupled to port 103.1 of Ethernet switch 102. Operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) features supported by network equipment is used as a means for fault detection and equipment testing. In this example, a test set 104 is coupled to port 101.1 and transmits Ethernet frames comprising OAM messages for turning on OAM features supported by the Ethernet switches 100, 102. For simplification, Ethernet frames comprising OAM messages are referred to herein generically as OAM frames.
The data path 105 shows the path of OAM frames transmitted by test set 104 for performing a terminal loopback on Ethernet switch 102 port #2 103.2. The path 105 of an OAM frame is as follows: received by port 101.1, then to port 101.2 for transmission into the network 120 to be received by port 103.1 and sent to port 103.2 for processing as a loopback OAM which then turns around the OAM frame back to port 103.1. The OAM frame is transmitted via the network 120 to Ethernet switch 100 and received by 101.2, routed to 101.1 to be transmitted back to the test set 104.
Referring to FIG. 2, shown is a simplified block diagram of Ethernet switch 102 and the path 105 of the OAM frame. Each port 103.1, 103.2 . . . 103.n has a transmitter (Tx) 116.1, 116.2, . . . 116.n, 116.1, 116.2, . . . 116.n and receiver (Rx) 114.1, 114.2, . . . 114-n pair for transmitting data to, and receiving data from the network 120. The ports may comprise optical transmitters and receivers. Alternatively, the ports may comprise electrical transmitters and receivers. Each port also comprises a MAC layer function 201.1, 201.2 . . . 201.n, and input function 203.1, 203.2 . . . 203.n and an output function 213.1, 213.2 . . . 213.n.
The OAM frame is processed by each functional block along the path 105. In this example, the OAM frame is received by a receiver 114.1 of port 103.1 and sent for processing at the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer 201.1 which implements standard MAC receive (RX) and transmit processing (TX).
The MAC layer 201.1 transmits the OAM frame to an input function 203.1. The input function 203.1 processes the frame and sends it to the destination port output function 213.2. The output function 213.2 identifies the frame as an OAM frame and transmits it to the OAM engine 205 via a switching fabric 204. If the OAM frame is a terminal loopback request for port 2 103.2, the OAM engine 205 transmits the OAM frame to port #2 input function 203.2 via the switching fabric 204. The input function 203.2 performs the required processing for an OAM loopback frame. The OAM frame is then switched by the switching fabric 204 to the output function of port #1 213.1, and sends back to output function 213.1 of port #1 103.1 via the input function 203.2 then the switching fabric 204 and the OAM engine. The OAM frame is then transmitted back onto path 105 to test set 104 (not shown).
In this example, a terminal OAM loopback requires that the OAM frame is transmitted to OAM engine 205 twice and through the switching fabric 204 four times, consuming the limited bandwidth and impacting capacity or requiring costly overdesign.
Referring to FIG. 3, shown is a simplified block diagram of a prior art input function 203.1, 203.2 . . . 203.n processing of an OAM frame. The OAM frame is received from the MAC 201.1 and stored in in temporary frame buffer 304. Block 300 extracts the OAM frame header to build a classification key by filling key structure fields such as MAC source and destination addresses, ITU-T Y.1731, TPID, VID, Ethertype, IP source and destination addresses, etc. Block 302 classifies the OAM frame and resolves the action that should be performed, for example, based on user configuration of the switch or a classification map. Block 303 modifies the originally received frame stored in temporary frame buffer 304 based on the classification and action resolution of 302. In this example, the frame is an OAM frame and the OAM frame is modified such that when it is received by the switch fabric 204 it is routed to OAM engine 205. As block 203.1 is on an ingress port, the processing of the OAM frame within 203.1 is done in the context of an ingress port.
Referring to FIG. 4, shown is a simplified block diagram of the prior art output function 213.1, 213.2 . . . 213.n processing the OAM frame transmitted from the OAM engine 205, through switching fabric 204. The OAM frame is received from the switching fabric 204 and stored in in temporary frame buffer 308. Block 305 extracts the OAM frame header to build a classification key by filling key structure fields such as MAC source and destination addresses, ITU-T Y.1731, TPID, VID, Ethertype, IP source and destination addresses, etc. Block 306 classifies the OAM frame and resolves the action that should be performed based on the user configuration of the switch. Block 307 modifies the originally received frame stored in temporary frame buffer 308 based on the classification and action resolution of block 306.

Providing efficient routing of an operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) frame received at a port of an ethernet switch


A film cooling hole for a turbine airfoil. the first embodiment is a film cooling hole aligned with the stream-wise direction of the hot gas flow over the hole and includes a metering section followed by a diffuser section. The diffuser section includes a left side wall and a right side wall both having a curvature facing outward and at about the same radius of curvature. The diffuser section also includes a top side wall and a bottom side wall which both have a curvature in the stream-wise direction, and in which the radius of curvature of the top side wall is greater than the radius of curvature of the bottom side wall. A second embodiment is a film cooling hole offset from the stream-wise direction of flow and includes the four walls with a curvature, but in which the left side wall has a greater radius of curvature than the right side wall due to the stream-wise offset of the hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air cooled turbine airfoils, and more specifically to a film cooling hole for the airfoils.
2. Description of the Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
In a gas turbine engine, a turbine comprises a number of stages of stator vanes and rotor blades used to convert the energy from a hot gas flow into mechanical energy used to drive the rotor shaft. The efficiency of the engine can be increased by passing a higher temperature gas flow into the turbine. However, the highest temperature allowable is dependent on the material properties of the first stage airfoils (vanes and blades) and the amount of cooling provided. Once the material properties have been established, higher temperatures can be used if adequate cooling of the airfoils is provided.
Current airfoil cooling designs make use of internal convection and impingement cooling, and film cooling of the external airfoil surfaces that are exposed to the high temperature gas flow. Film cooling provides a blanket of cooling air over the airfoil surface that—in theory—prevents the hot gas flow from making contact with the airfoil surface. One major objective of a turbine airfoil designer is to maximize the effect of the cooling air while minimizing the usage of the cooling air in order to increase the efficiency of the engine, since the pressurized cooling air used for cooling the airfoils is bled of from the compressor of the engine. The bled off cooling air becomes wasted work.
Prior art film holes pass straight through the airfoil wall at a constant diameter and exit at an angle to the airfoil surface. Some of the cooling air is consequently ejected directly into the mainstream hot gas flow and causing turbulence, coolant dilution and a loss of downstream film effectiveness. Also, the hole breakout in the stream-wise elliptical shape will induce stress problems in a blade application. FIG. 1 summarizes this particular film hole design.
FIG. 2 shows a standard 10×10×10 stream-wise three dimension diffusion hole of the prior art. This type of film cooling hole comprises a constant cross section flow area at the entrance region for the purpose of metering the cooling flow. Downstream from the constant diameter section, the cooling hole is diffused into three directions. However, there is no diffusion in the upstream corner of the film cooling hole in the stream-wise direction as indicated by the top surface of the film hole in FIG. 2b. During engine operation, hot gas frequently becomes entrained into the upper corner (hot gas injection zone 12) and causes shear mixing with the cooling air. As a result, a reduction of film cooling effectiveness for the film hole occurs. In addition, internal flow separation 13 occurs within the diffusion hole at the junction between the constant cross section area and the diffusion region as shown in FIG. 3.


A method for BIOS code for detecting and grouping memory devices connected to one or more memory channels, comprising reading characteristics of a memory device and if the characteristics have not been previously read, then programming device ID and group ID registers based upon a device counter and a group counter, respectively. The method further includes steps for properly incrementing the device and group counters so that additional memory devices on the channel may be read and grouped.

To increase system memory performance in computers, memory devices with interleaved banks of memory cells can be employed. For example, Rambus Inc. provides technology for an integrated memory device, the Direct RDRAM.TM. (Rambus dynamic random access memory), employing interleaved banks of memory cells, along with a protocol for connecting a number of such memory devices to a memory channel, called a Direct Rambus.TM. Channel or Direct RDRAM.TM. Channel. A plurality of such memory devices are provided in a module, called the Direct Rambus.TM. RIMM module (Rambus in-line memory module), which may contain one or more Direct Rambus.TM. Channels. Direct Rambus.TM. and Direct RDRAM.TM. are trademarks of Rambus Inc., Mountain View, Calif.
It can be desirable for a memory system to comprise RDRAMs with varying characteristics. During boot-up of a computer system, the BIOS (basic input output system) code needs to determine how much memory is available for use. For Direct RDRAMs, their addresses need to be programmed, and the memory controller needs to provide efficient memory accesses to the various Direct RDRAM devices.

Single and multiple channel memory detection and sizing


A time-to-contact estimate determination system is disclosed for generating an estimate as to the time-to-contact of a vehicle moving along a roadway with an obstacle. The time-to-contact estimate determination system comprises an image receiver and a processor. The image receiver is configured to receive image information relating to a series of at least two images recorded as the vehicle moves along a roadway. The processor is configured to process the image information received by the image receiver to generate a time-to-contact estimate of the vehicle with the obstacle.

Accurate estimation of the time-to-contact between a vehicle and obstacles is an important component in autonomous driving and computer vision-based driving assistance. Using computer vision techniques to provide assistance while driving, instead of mechanical sensors, allows for the use of the information that is recorded for use in estimating vehicle movement to also be used in estimating ego-motion identifying lanes and the like, without the need for calibration between sensors as would be necessary with mechanical sensors. This can reduce the cost of the arrangements provided to provide time-to-contact estimates and maintenance that may be required therefor.

System and method for detecting obstacles to vehicle motion and determining time to contact therewith using sequences of images


Parallel plane rotation hinge for a portable device. The hinge includes a pin defining a rotational axis and a cam having an inner cam track and an outer cam track. A bushing is rotationally fixed and axially slidable with respect to the pin, and includes inner and outer followers for respectively rotationally engaging the inner and outer cam tracks. A biasing member is disposed about the pin to bias the bushing against the cam.

The present invention relates generally to portable devices. The present invention relates more particularly to hinges for portable devices.
Portable devices with hinged connections provide many advantages and are popular. Flip-style portable devices, for example, are a very popular form for handsets and personal digital assistants. Generally, in flip-style devices, one part may be considered a main part and the other part a flip part. A hinged connection provides controlled relative movement between the flip part and the main part. In the traditional flip-style connections, a flip part and main part are connected at a hinge axis that is generally in the plane of one or both of the flip part and the main part (or in a plane parallel to one of the flip part and the main part). This creates a clamshell-style open and close feature.
Flip-style devices form a convenient shape, and such devices have proven to be aesthetically pleasing to a large segment of the consumer market. When closed, flip-style devices provide a small device footprint, making the storage of the device in a pocket, on a clip, in a holder, in a briefcase, in a purse, or a drawer, etc., very convenient.
A hinge used to form a hinged connection in a portable device is in a very demanding environment. Operational cycles are high frequency, meaning that users of hinged portable devices open and close the device frequently. In the example of a flip phone, a user commonly opens and closes the device with each use of the device. A hinge should also provide a smooth and controlled operation, and should be biased to remain in respective open and closed positions. There is considerable interest, however, in keeping the hinge as simple and as inexpensive as possible.


The polyesters of this invention are derived from a Diels-Alder cyclopolymerization of a photochemically generated bisdiene with dienophiles, such as di(acrylates), tri(acrylates), di(methacrylates), tri(methacrylates) and mixtures thereof with mono(methacrylates) or mono(acrylate) end-caps. Irradiation of one or more diketones produces two distinct hydroxy o-quinodimethane (photoenol) intermediates. These intermediates are trapped via a Diels-Alder cycloaddition with appropriate dienophiles, e.g., di(acrylates) to give the corresponding in polyesters quantitative yields. When di(acrylates), tri(acrylates) and di and tri(methacrylates) or mixtures thereof with monoacrylate end-caps are used as the dienophile, the resulting polyesters have glass transition temperatures (Tg) as high as 200xc2x0 C. Polyesters films can be prepared by ultraviolet irradiation of high solids content varnishes of the monomers in a small amount of solvent, e.g., cyclohexanone, dimethyl formamide, N-methylpyrollidone and the like. These polyesters, i.e. polyesters are characterized as having high glass transition temperatures, good mechanical properties and improved processing in the manufacture of composites, adhesives, electronic materials and films.

1. Field of the Invention
Polymers having high-temperature characteristics are required to improve the performance and to reduce the weight of industrial materials in electronic devices, aeronautical equipment and some machinery. The polyamides and polyesters are polymers known to have the required mechanical strength, dimensional stability, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and electrical insulation properties in addition to high-temperature resistance.
The preparation of high performance polymers, however, requires cure temperatures in excess of 200xc2x0 C. This leads to high tooling costs, high processing costs, and processing induced thermal stresses that can compromise component durability. The process of this invention allows the curing of high performance polyimides and polyesters at or near room temperature. This invention enables the cure of high performance polyimides and polyesters at or near room temperature by using ultraviolet light or some other radiation sources, such as electron beams rather than heat to provide the cure energy. Specifically, this invention relates to the Diels-Alder cyclopolymerization of a photochemically generated diene with dienophiles, such as di(acrylates), tri(acrylates), di(methacrylates), tri(methacrylates), and mixtures thereof with monoacrylates. Irradiation of aromatic diketones produces two distinct hydroxy o-quinodimethane (photoenol) intermediates. The intermediates are trapped via a Diels-Alder cycloaddition with appropriate dienophiles, e.g. di(acrylates) and/or tri(acrylates) to give the corresponding polyesters in quantitative yields. When acrylates such as di(acrylate) or di(methacrylate) are used as the bisdienophile, the resulting polyesters of this invention were found to have glass transition temperatures, (Tg), as high as 200xc2x0 C.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The preparation of high performance polymers such as the polyimides and polyesters are typically prepared by condensation reactions. In the case of polyimides, the reaction involves diamines and dianhydrides or dianhydride derivatives e.g., the diester of tetracarboxylic acids. This process suffers from several problems in that aromatic diamines are toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic. Safe handling and disposal of these material requires the implementation of costly engineering controls. Further, processing of condensation reaction systems also can be a problem, since this chemistry leads to low molecular weight by-products, e.g., water and alcohols. Evolution of these by-products and high processing temperatures lead to voids and defects in the polymer and composites prepared with these polymers.
Some of these processing problems can be overcome, however, by combining addition chemistry with condensation chemistry, as is the case for PMR-15 polyimides. With this approach, low molecular weight oligomers (short chain polymers) are prepared by the condensation of diamines with dianhydrides or their derivatives and a suitable endcapping group. The endcaps undergo a cross-linking reaction at high temperatures (typically in excess of 300xc2x0 C.) to provide a polymer network having good solvent resistance and high temperature performance. Prior to cross-linking, however, the imide oligomers are somewhat fluid and volatile condensation by-products can be removed from the polymer. While this approach overcomes some of the processing difficulties, it requires higher processing temperatures and monomer toxicity is still a concern.
It is known in the prior art that Diels-Alder polymerization reactions have been used to prepare high performance polymers such as the polyimides and polyacrylates. Typical Diels-Alder reactions used to obtain polyimides have involved the reaction of a bismaleimide with a suitable bisdiene such as a bisfuran. Other Diels-Alder reactions use a bisdiene precursor, such as a bis(benzocyclobutane), that forms the bisdiene upon heating to temperatures of 250xc2x0 C. or higher. Using these Diels-Alder cyclopolymerization reactions overcome the health and safety problems associated with other methods of preparing polyimides, since these reactions do not involve the use of aromatic amines as one of the reactants. However, these methods still require high cure and processing temperatures, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,827; 5,322,924; 4,739,030 and the Annual Reviews in Materials Science, 1998, 28, 599-630 by M. A. Meador.
In the case of polyesters, these systems are generally prepared by a polycondensation process involving the reaction of diols and diacids or diesters producing water or alcohol as byproduct. Unsaturated polyesters are similarly prepared with the exception that the diacids are unsaturated. It is known also that ethylenically unsaturated compounds, and in particular acrylate derivatives, can be polymerized by irradiation with ultraviolet light in the presence of a photoinitiating system. The photoinitiating system includes a diaryl ketone photoinitiator and a coinitiator, i.e. a molecule that serves as a hydrogen donor. The coinitiators are typically alcohols, or ethers which have available hydrogens attached to carbon atoms adjacent to heteroatoms.
The unique feature of this invention is that the process employs energy from ultraviolet light, rather than heat to form the polymers. While other radiation curable polymers have been developed, these methods employ either free radical or cationic-based polymerization chemistries. The present invention utilizes photochemically generated dienes (not free radicals or carbocations) and standard Diels-Alder cycloaddition chemistry in the polymerization process.
More specifically, this invention relates to polyesters i.e. polyacrylates and to the method of preparing these polymers derived from the photochemical cyclopolymerization of stoichiometric amounts of at least one aromatic diketone having the formula:
wherein Ar is the same or a different aromatic or substituted aromatic radical e.g., a lower alkyl substitutent and R is the same or a different radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aromatic radicals, substituted aromatic radicals, lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, O2CR1 and xe2x80x94OR2 radicals where R1 and R2 are the same or different organic radicals selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons e.g. 1 to 4 carbons, aryl and substituted aryl radicals and x in the diketone formula is selected from the group consisting of nil, oxygen, sulfur, xe2x80x94Cxe2x95x90O, xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, ether radicals, aryl radicals and substituted aryl radicals with at least one dienophile selected from the group consisting of di(acrylates), tri(acrylates), di(methacrylates), tri(methacrylates) and mixtures of monoacrylates or mono(methacrylates) with the di(methacrylates), tri(methacrylates), di(acrylates) and/or tri(acrylates) wherein the monoacrylates range from 0 to about 25 molar percent of the mixture to obtain polyacrylates having glass transition temperatures (Tg) as high as 200xc2x0 C., high thermal-oxidative stability and decomposition-stability temperatures ranging up to about 300xc2x0 C.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to employ energy from ultraviolet light rather than heat to obtain polyesters having glass transition temperatures as high as 200xc2x0 C.
It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method of preparing polyesters at ambient temperatures by using radiant energy to photochemically cyclopolymerize aromatic diketones and one or more acrylic dienophiles.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of preparing radiation curable polyesters that do not have the health risk associated with conventional methods.
It is a further object of this invention to provide polyesters and a novel process of preparing cured polyesters by using radiation energy at ambient temperatures to obtain acrylic polymers derived from the polymerization of at least one aromatic diketone and acrylic dienophiles without using free radical or cationic polymerization methods.
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a further and more detailed description of the invention as follows:
This invention enables the curing of high performance polymers at or near room temperature by using ultraviolet light (or some other radiation sources, such as electron beams) rather than heat to provide the cure energy. In general, the invention involves the Diels-Alder cyclopolymerization of photochemically generated bisdienes with acrylic dienophiles. The general chemistry is described in Scheme 1, for a representative polyimide and polyacrylate. The irradiation of the aromatic diketone produces two distinct hydroxy o-quinodimethane (photoenol) intermediates. These intermediates are trapped via a Diels-Alder cycloaddition with appropriate dienophiles, e.g., di(acrylate), added prior to irradiation, to give the corresponding polymers in quantitative yields. When di(acrylates) or tri(acrylates) are used as the dienophile, the resulting polyesters have glass transition temperatures, (Tg) as high as 200xc2x0 C. depending upon the structures of the diketone and acrylates. Recent lab work has demonstrated that good polyacrylate films can be prepared by ultra-violet radiation of high solids content varnishes of the appropriate monomers in a small amount of various solvents, e.g. cyclohexanone, dimethyl formamide, N-methylpyrollidone and the like.
The general chemistry for the preparation of either the polyesters or polyimides from Diels-Alder trapping of photochemically generated bisdiene intermediates is shown (Schemel) as follows:
For purpose of this invention, the other diketones used in preparing the polyacrylates, as in Scheme 1, include the following seven aromatic diketones:
wherein Ar is the same or a different aromatic or substituted aromatic radical e.g. lower alkyl substitutents and R is the same or a different radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aromatic radicals, substituted aromatic radicals, lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, O2CR1 and xe2x80x94OR2 radicals wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, e.g. 1 to 4 carbons, aryl and substituted aryl radicals, and X in the diketone formulae is selected from the group consisting of nil, oxygen, sulfur, xe2x80x94Cxe2x95x90O, CH2, primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, aromatic radicals, substituted aromatic radicals, primary, secondary or tertiary ethers, poly(ethers), esters, poly(esters) and poly(aryls), having the formula:
wherein n has the value of 1 or 2, and X in the poly(aryl) formulae is a lower alkyl substitutent or nil.
The bisacrylates and bis(methacrylates) have a formulae selected from the group consisting of:
wherein X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, Cxe2x95x90O, SO2, CH2, nil, ether radicals, poly(ether) radicals, ester radicals, polyester radicals, aromatic and poly(aromatic) radicals; and R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons; and R2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl(primary, secondary, or tertiary) radicals, ether radicals, poly(ether) radicals, ester radicals, and poly(ester radicals).
In addition to di(acrylates) and tri(acrylates), any of the di(methacrylates) or tri(methacrylates) can be used as the dienophile either alone or as a mixture with the tri(acrylates) and di(acrylates) in any molar ratio and further with the monoacrylates or mono(methacrylates) wherein the end-cap monoacrylates range from 0 to about 25 molar percent of the mixture. Structures of these tri(acrylic) dienophiles include, for example, the following:
wherein R in the tri(acrylic) dienophiles is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and CH3 and X is selected from the group consisting of nil, oxygen, xe2x80x94CH2, and xe2x80x94Cxe2x95x90O radicals.
Examples of the end-cap monoacrylates and methacrylates, known in the art include monomers, such as acrylic and methacrylic acids, and the amides, esters, and salts thereof. Specific mono(acrylic) monomers include, for example, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, butylacrylate, hydroxy ethylacrylate, hydroxy propylacrylate, the glycol acrylates, e.g. hexamethylene glycol dimethacrylate, allyl methacrylate, diallyl methacrylate, and the epoxy acrylates, e.g. glycidyl methacrylate and the like.
More specifically, the polyesters of this invention are derived from the photochemical cyclopolymerization at ambient temperatures of approximately stoichiometric amounts of at least one
(a) aromatic diketone selected from the group consisting of
wherein Ar is the same or a different aromatic or substituted aromatic radical e.g. lower alkyl substitutents and R is the same or a different radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aromatic radicals, e.g. substituted aromatic radicals, lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, O2CR1 and xe2x80x94OR2 radicals wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons e.g. 1 to 4 carbons and aryl and substituted aryl radicals, and X in the diketone formulae is selected from the group consisting of nil, oxygen, sulfur, xe2x80x94Cxe2x95x90O, xe2x80x94CH2, alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, ether or poly(ether) radicals, ester or poly(ester) radicals, and aryl or poly(aryl) radicals with at least one
(b) dienophile selected from the group consisting of di(acrylates), tri(acrylates), di- and tri(methacrylates) and mixtures of di(acrylates) and/or tri(acrylates) and/or di- and tri(methacrylates) with monoacrylates in molecular ratios of 0 to about 25 molar percent of the mixture to obtain polyacrylates having glass transition temperatures (Tg) ranging up to about 200xc2x0 C., high thermal-oxidative stability and decomposition-stability temperatures ranging up to about 300xc2x0 C.
Preferably, the polyesters of this invention are derived by a process of photochemically cyclopolymerizing with ultra-violet light at ambient temperatures approximately stoichiometric amounts of an
(a) aromatic diketone having the formula:
wherein Ar is the same or a different aromatic or substituted aromatic radical and R is the same or different radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aromatic radicals, lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, O2CR1 and xe2x80x94OR2 radicals wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl radicals of 1 to 8 carbons, and aryl radicals, and
(b) at least one acrylic dienophile selected from the group consisting of di(acrylates), tri(acrylates), di(methacrylates), tri(methacrylates) and mixtures thereof in any molar ratio with 0 to about 25 molar percent of at least one end-cap monoacrylate or mono(methacrylate).
The following examples illustrate the novel process of obtaining polyesters and polyimides by photochemically cyclopolymerizing diketones and dienophils at ambient temperatures.

Polyesters by photochemical cyclopolymerization

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A commercially viable method of making disilacyclohexadiene polymers with surpassed thermal stability is made possible by using the dialkali metal salt of the diol of disilacyclohexadiene as the starting material for polymerization. The structure of the new alkali metal compound and a method of preparing it are disclosed. Uses for the new compound are also described.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a composition of matter and a method of preparing it. More precisely, this invention involves the chemistry of organo-silicon compounds and a new compound of this class. Specifically, this invention reveals the compound 1,4-dimethyl-1,4-disilacyclohexadiene-1,4-di(alkali metal silanoate) and a method of making it. This compound is useful as a starting material in the manufacture of silicon containing polymers, which are particularly well suited for use in high temperature applications such as insulators, adhesives, potting agents, and composite materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
The silicone rubber industry is based on a chemical process called the direct process, wherein methyl chloride is reacted with elemental silicon to produce mixed methylchlorosilanes. The monosilicon methylchlorosilanes are then used to produce conventional silicone rubbers. The direct process produces a byproduct known as direct process residue which consists of methylchlorosilanes having multiple silicon atoms. These higher methylchlorosilanes can be processed chemically to monosilanes to increase the yield of the direct process, or they can be used as the starting material to make other organosilicon compounds.
The fraction of direct process residue that boils in the range 150.degree.-160.degree. C. is a source of methylchlorodisilanes. A method for isolating 1,2-dimethyltetrachlorodisilane from this fraction and then converting it to 1,2-dimethyltetramethoxydisilane has been reported by Watanabe et al in the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 128 (1977) 173-175. Watanabe's technique involves two steps. The disilane fraction is first chlorinated with dry hydrogen chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride to convert the unwanted trimethyltrichlorodisilane into dimethyltetrachlorodisilane. The dimethyltetrachlorodisilane is next purified by distillation and then treated with methylorthoformate to replace the chlorine atoms with methoxy groups. The result is 1,2-dimethyltetramethoxydisilane. The 1,2-dimethyltetramethoxydisilane resulting from Watanabe's technique can be converted into 1,4-dimethyl-1,4-dimethoxy-1,4-disilacyclohexadiene by the method disclosed in Atwell's U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,018. Atwell's method consists in part of reacting a substituted tetramethoxy disilane precursor with an acetylene at elevated temperature to produce a compound with the disilacyclohexadiene ring structure. Atwell's patent claims a broad class of disilacyclohexadienes with various functional groups attached to the silicon atoms in the ring. Hydrolyzable groups are specifically claimed and multiple examples are given of these substituent groups. Hydrolyzable functional groups on the silicon atoms of the ring lend themselves to further chemical reactions, most notably polymerizations.
Example 7 in Atwell's patent shows a polymer made by exposing a dihydroxy substituted disilacyclohexadiene ring compound to acid catalyzed condensation polymerization. This is a standard polymerization technique wherein water is eliminated from two hydroxyl groups, allowing an oxygen atom to bridge together two monomer molecules. The process continues until many monomers are connected. The resulting polymer, 1,4-dimethyl-2,3,5,6-tetraphenyl- 1,4-polydisilacyclohexadienol, is the only known disilacyclohexadiene ring polymer in the prior art. This polymer is reported to have a melting point ranging from 10.degree. C. to 320.degree. C. Such a range of melting points indicates that the polymer is not an elastomer and that it has a very broad molecular weight distribution. Moreover, complete melting at 320.degree. C. indicates that the thermal properties are substantially inferior to other well known polymers, including many commercial polysilanes and polysiloxanes.
Disilacyclohexadiene ring polymers must be commercially viable to be truly useful. The diphenylacetylene used in the synthesis of Atwell's ring polymer is expensive and relatively rare. The applicants therefore chose to use ordinary, inexpensive acetylene gas to synthesize the disilacyclohexadiene ring structure. The result is a ring without substituent groups at the 2,3,5,6 positions. The chemistry of this "naked ring" is different than that of a ring with bulky phenyl groups attached to it. For this reason the diol of the unsubstituted ring could not be isolated. Attempts to do so led to uncontrolled polymerization and useless gooey masses. A new approach to condensation polymerization would be needed to allow unsubstituted disilacyclohexadiene to polymerize in a controlled way.
While the diol of unsubstituted disilacyclohexadiene ring proved to be very difficult to isolate, isolating the dialkali metal salt of the diol proved to be straightforward. Moreover, the dialkali metal salt can be made without first making the diol. The dialkali metal salt was found to behave like a base in the presence of acids, forming the alkali metal-acid salt and ring diol. The ring diol thus formed immediately polymerized in a controlled manner. The use of a alkali metal salt as a polymer precursor is an unconventional technique that in this case solved an otherwise intractable problem. The process can be understood as acid-base condensation polymerization, and the dialkali metal salt of the diol of disilacyclohexadiene makes it possible.
This invention provides a starting material capable of forming disilacyclohexadiene ring polymers and elastomers with outstanding thermal stability, superior to any previously known polymer. The new compound, 1,4-dimethyl-1,4-disilacyclohexadiene-1,4-di(alkali metal silanoate), is derived from one of Atwell's compounds and is able to readily enter acid-base condensation polymerizations under acidic conditions. The new compound is made from inexpensive materials, providing the potential for commercial manufacture. Both homo and copolymers have been made and tested which utilize this starting material (See copending applications by the applicants Ser. No. 08/070,031, titled Oxodimethyldisilacyclohexadiene Homopolymers, filed May 28, 1993; and, Ser. No. 08/074,097 titled Oxodimethyldisilacyclohexadiene-Siloxane Co-polymers, filed Jun. 7, 1993).

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A process for treating glaucoma whereby the treatment can be accomplished by the use of medication or by surgery, or both, in order to control or prevent the occurrence of glaucoma. The optic nerve is aligned within and between two distinct pressurized spaces and within the dural sheath, the intraocular space and the intracranial space having an intraocular pressure (IOP) and an intracranial pressure (ICP), respectively. Medicine can be administered to raise the intracranial pressure in order to reach a desirable lower translaminar pressure difference across these two pressurized spaces which are separated by the lamina cribrosa in order to treat glaucoma. An alternate closely related mode of the treatment process is the implanting of a shunt substantially between the intraocular space and the intracranial space in order to beneficially equalize pressure differentials across the intraocular space and the intracranial space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is used in the field of medicine and, more particularly, can be used in ophthalmology as a process for the treatment of glaucoma.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, is an optic neuropathy associated with damage to the optic nerve and visual field loss. The damage caused to the optic nerve by glaucoma is generally accepted to be irreversible. The exact causes and mechanisms that cause glaucoma are substantially heretofore unknown; however, high intraocular pressure is the most important risk factor in the manifestation of glaucoma. One known treatment for glaucoma is lowering the intraocular pressure either by surgery or by the use of medications. The surgical approach has numerous complications and often both surgery and/or medications fail to lower the intraocular pressure adequately.


An all-optical converter (10) for converting an intensity-modulated optical signal into an optical signal modulated to the DPSK format, includes a first input (152a) for a first intensity-modulated optical signal (12), a differential encoding module (100) adapted to perform a differential encoding between the first signal (12) and a second optical signal synchronous with the first signal (12), a device adapted to modulate (200) the phase of an optical signal (16) according to the differential encoding performed by the differential encoding module (100), and an output (162c) of the device adapted to modulate (200) delivering an optical signal modulated to the DPSK format (14).

The invention concerns an all-optical converter for converting an intensity-modulated optical signal into an optical signal modulated to the DPSK format. It finds an application in the field of optical transmissions.
Intensity modulation by On/Off Keying or OOK is known. In this case, a pulse represents a "1" and an absence of pulse represents a "0".
Differential phase shift modulation (Differential Phase Shift Keying or DPSK) is known. In the DPSK format, the information is transported in the phase difference between two adjacent pulses.
Transmission to the DPSK format is advantageous since the sensitivity is better. In addition in optical mode, it is easy to analyse the phase difference between two signals.
There currently exist, in the field of optical transmissions, converters that convert an amplitude-coded binary electrical signal into an optical signal coded to the DPSK format. These converters combine electronic elements and optical elements.
The electronic part of the converter comprises an exclusive-OR (XOR) electronic logic gate. The electronic signal that represents the information arrives modulated in amplitude at the first input of the logic gate. The output of the logic gate is connected to the second input of the logic gate with a delay of one bit time with respect to the first input.
In a particular case, an optical signal serving as a carrier is sent into an optoelectronic modulator, for example of the Mach-Zender type. This modulator is controlled by the electrical signal issuing from the output of the logic gate and effects a modulation so that a state of the electrical signal equal to "1" is associated with a phase difference of .pi. of the optical signal.
These converters, which combine electronics and optics, are very expensive for frequencies above 20 GHz and are non-existent for frequencies above 40 GHz.
The problem is therefore to produce an all-optical converter for converting an intensity-modulated optical signal into an optical signal modulated to the DPSK format.
The invention is not limited to certain frequencies and can apply to the entire spectrum.
Hereinafter 2 to 2 or 50:50 couplers will be referred to as 3 dB couplers.
Hereinafter it will be said that an output of a component is not connected if the signal that is delivered on this output is entirely absorbed, not interfering with the signals upstream or downstream. It will be said that an input of a component is not supplied if the amplitude of the signal that it receives is zero.
One object of the present invention is to propose a converter that does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.


A resonant power converter includes a DC power source 1, a pair of MOS-PETs 1 and 2 which are connected in series to the DC power source, a transformer Tr1 which is arranged at the subsequent stage of the MOS-FETs 1 and 2 and includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, a capacitor C4 is arranged in parallel with the secondary coil of the transformer Tr1 so that series resonance occurs between the leakage inductance of the transformer Tr1 and the capacitor C4. A current doubler rectifier circuit may be arranged in the subsequent stage of the capacitor C4. Further, a pair of switching elements for synchronous rectification may be provided in the subsequent stage of the capacitor C4 so that these switching elements are driven by drive signals responsive to a voltage generated across the resonance capacitor C4.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a DC power converter (DC power supply), and more particularly to a resonant power converter which is capable of performing zero voltage switching (ZVS) with reduced noise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a 5 to 10 volt DC power converter is required to operate the semiconductor integrated circuits used in electrical and electronic equipment such as personal computers and AV equipment. In the prior art, as for such DC power converters, power converters using a switching regulator are employed. Such DC power converter using the switching regulator can be formed into a compact size rather than other types of DC power converters using series regulators and shunt regulators and the like. Further, such DC power converters have advantages in that power loss is small and energy conversion efficiency is high. Recently, in order to achieve even greater reductions in power loss, resonant switching converters which are capable of zero voltage switching (ZVS) have been proposed and put to practical use.
In this connection. FIG. 16 is a schematic view of the structure of a prior art resonant power converter which is formed into a full bridge type. As shown in the drawing, this resonant power converter 20 is equipped with a D power source E21, a bridge circuit composed of four MOS-FETs 21 to 24, and a transformer Tr21 which is arranged at the output side of such bridge circuit. In this structure, one end of a primary coil (winding) L21 of the transformer Tr21 is connected to the junction between the MOS-FETs 23, 24, and the other end thereof is connected to the junction between of the MOS-FETs 21, 22 via a resonance capacitor C21 and a resonance coil L24.
Further, the both ends of a secondary coil (winding) L22 of the transformer Tr21 are respectively connected to the anodes of diodes D21, D22, and the cathodes of the diodes D21, D22 are connected to a center tap of the secondary coil L22 via a choke coil L23 and a capacitor C22. Further, both ends of the capacitor C22 form output terminals for connection to a load RL.
In this arrangement, the MOS-PETs 21 to 24 are driven by drive pulses having roughly the same resonance frequency as the resonance circuit constituted from the resonance capacitor C21, the resonance coil L24 and the primary coil L21 of the transformer Tr21 so that alternate switching between a state in which the MOS-FETs 21, 24 are turned on and a state in which the MOS-FETs 22, 23 are turned on is carried out to generate a resonance current in the primary coil L21 of the transformer Tr21. With this result, the resonance current induces a current in the secondary coil L22 of the transformer T21, and therefore a regulated output voltage Vo is generated across the ends of the capacitor C22. Further, because the resonance current flows with a substantially sinusoidal waveform, zero voltage switching can be carried out, and this makes it possible to greatly reduce switching loss and generation of noise.
However, in the prior art resonant power converter, since the resonance caused between the resonance capacitor C21 and resonance coil L24 and the primary coil L21 of the transformer Tr21 is utilized, there is a problem in that the energizing current for the transformer Tr21 becomes too large, which results in large energy loss and an increased size of the transformer Tr21. Further, there is another problem in that this arrangement requires to have the center tap in the secondary coil L2 of the transformer Tr21, which results in complicated structure of the transformer Tr21.
In addition, in the prior art resonant power converter, since the diodes D21, D22 are used as the rectifying means, a large voltage drop occurs in these elements. Therefore, when such a power converter is configured into a large current and low voltage type power converter which is aL trend of the current power converters, the energy loss caused in the diodes becomes considerably large, which results in the factors that cause increased heat generation and decreased conversion efficiency of the circuit of the power converter. Namely, the prior art circuit configuration involves a problem which can not be applied to large current and low voltage type power converters.
The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the prior art described above, and therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a resonant power converter which does not need to provide a center tap in a transformer and has high energy conversion efficiency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a resonant power converter utilizing synchronous rectification which can reduce energy loss in the rectifying means to improve energy conversion efficiency of the power converter.
In order to achieve these objects, the present invention is directed to a resonant power converter. The resonant power converter comprises an input power source provided in the primary side; switching means connected to the input power source: a resonant transformer having a primary coil and a second coil; and a resonance capacitor which is provided in the secondary aide and is connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the resonant transformer so that series resonance occurs it a current flowing through the secondary side of the power converter.
In the resonant power converter described above, because a resonance current flows between the resonance capacitor arranged on the secondary side of the resonant transformer and the leakage inductances of the resonant transformer, a resonance current will not flow through the primary coil of the transformer, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the excitation current of the transformer.
Further, because zero voltage switching can be carried out, it becomes possible to reduce power loss. Furthermore, because the switching timing of the primary side is not synchronized with the switching timing of the secondary side, the switching noise generated at the primary side and the switching noise generated at the secondary side are not superposed with each other, and this makes it possible to diffuse noise.
In the present invention, it is preferred that the resonant transformer is constructed from an ideal transformer and a resonant coil arranged in the primary side of the ideal transformer, so that the series resonance occurs between the resonant coil and the resonance capacitor.
Further, it is also preferred that the resonant transformer has a leakage inductance, and the series resonance of the current occurs between the leakage inductance and the resonance capacitor.
In the present invention, it is also preferred that the resonant power converter further comprises a current doubler circuit for making the current flowing through the secondary side double, said current doubler circuit being provided in the secondary side and coupled to the both ends of the resonance capacitor. In this case, it is preferred that the current doubler circuit includes a pair of circuits each having a rectifying means and an inductance, in which these circuits are connected in parallel with each other so that a junction between the rectifying means and inductance of one circuit and a junction between the rectifying means and the inductances are respectively connected to the both ends of the secondary coil of the transformer.
In the present invention, it is particularly preferred that the resonant power converter further comprises means for performing synchronous rectification for the current flowing the secondary side, said means including switching elements for synchronous rectification provided in the secondary side so as to be driven by drive signals responsive to the voltage generated across the resonance capacitor and having a sinusoidal waveform. In this case, it is preferred that said switching means includes a pair of switching elements, and these switching elements are driven by the drive signals.
According to this arrangement, since the voltage signal in the form of sinusoidal wave generated across the resonance capacitor is used to drive the switching elements for synchronous rectification to rectify the current flowing through the secondary side of the circuit, a voltage drop can be drastically reduced as compared with the conventional circuit using diodes and thereby it is possible to improve the energy conversion efficiency of the power converter remarkably. Further, there is no need to provide a separate drive circuit for driving the switching elements, the circuit configuration can be made simple and therefore manufacturing cost can be lowered.
In this arrangement, it is preferred that the resonant power converter further comprises a pair of auxiliary coils which are connected to the both ends of the secondary coil, respectively, and the drive signals are obtained from the opposite ends of the respective auxiliary coils which are not connected to the secondary coil. This makes it possible to amplify the drive signals generated at the resonance capacitor.
Further, it is also possible to further comprises waveform processing means for producing pulse waves by processing and shaping the voltage drive signals to be supplied to the switching elements. In this waveform processing means, the voltage drive signals in the form of sinusoidal wave are compared with a predetermined reference value to produce the plus signals.
Moreover, it is also preferred that the resonant transformer is composed of an ideal transformer and a resonant coil connected to the primary coil of the transformer, so that the series resonance occurs between the resonant coil and the resonance capacitor.
In the arrangements described above, a MOS-FET is preferably used as each of the switching elements.
These and other objects, structure and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the appended drawings.


A multi-purpose hand tool comprises first and second body members pivotally connected for movement between an open and a closed position. The body members include handle portions, and define first and second opposed cutting sections positioned between the pivotal connection and the handle portions. A bit retainer extends from the second body member and is adapted to receive a plurality of different tool bits. A clip is provided on one of the body members for retaining the various tool bits. The multi-purpose hand tool also includes a hammer section extending from the second body member perpendicular to the first body member, thereby defining a square. A plurality of apertures corresponding to a plurality of standard wire gage sizes, as well as a plurality of sharpened apertures for stripping differently sized wires are also defined by the first and second body members. The multi-purpose hand tool further includes a crimping tool, wire cutter and wire stripper.

An electrician usually carries his tools to a job site in either a tool box or in a tool belt, both of which can be heavy and cumbersome. Often, the area where the electrician must work is not readily accessible, and the electrician must work off of a ladder or in a crawl space thereby requiring the tool box or belt to be left in an unhandy location. Since several tools are typically needed to complete a given job, the electrician may have to make several trips up and down the ladder, or into and out of the crawl space to retrieve the tools required. This increases the time needed to complete the job, and adds to the fatigue and risk of injury to the electrician.
One means by which the number of tools needed for a given job can be reduced, and thereby the number of trips required to and from the tool box minimized, is to employ tools that are capable of aiding in the performance of several different tasks. However, known multi-purpose tools do not incorporate many features needed by the electrician. For example, the cable used to wire houses or buildings typically consists of three or four wires covered by a heavy polymeric, typically vinyl, sheath. Due to the relatively large thickness of both the cable and its sheath, larger cutters and cable slitters are required to cut and strip the cable. Known multi-purpose tools do not incorporate such cutters and slitters.
In addition, electricians and maintenance personnel are often called upon to perform tasks which require skills in other disciplines, such as carpentry or metal working. These other disciplines each require that the craftsman carry additional tools thereby exacerbating the previously described difficulties.
Based on the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose hand tool incorporating the tools most commonly used by an electrician.
It is an additional object of the present invention to supply such a tool capable of effectively working with cable of large diameter or thickness.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose tool capable of being used to perform tasks in multiple disciplines.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.


A communication device comprises a key input section for inputting a mail document and a control section for selecting from a plurality of images stored in a ROM a stamp image or a postcard image specific to an area corresponding to a CS-ID obtained through a position registration process carried out with the nearest cell station CS and for attaching the selected image to the created mail document for transmission.

The present invention relates to a communication device such as a PHS terminal which provides not only a function for communicating mail documents but also a function for communicating information specific to the current position, as well as a communication system using such a communication device.
Recent digital cellular telephones and PHS (Personal Handyphone System: second-generation codeless telephone system) terminals can transmit not only voices but also mail documents or handwritten images. In creating and transmitting mail documents, addition of information specific to the current position of the terminal (for example, an image representing a scene peculiar to that region) makes the mail document appear attractive to please the receiver.
However, whether the image attached to the mail document is manually created or selected from a plurality of prepared images, the creation or selection of the attached image requires much time and labor even if the mail document is simple. This disadvantageously dampens the sender's mood to transmit the mail document easily.

Communication device and communication system


Non-gelled polymeric polyols are prepared by the acid catalyzed copolymerization of water, tetrahydrofuran and multifunctional epoxy resins. The polyols can be cured with OH reactive crosslinkers such as amino resins and polyisocyanates to yield thermosetting coatings with useful properties.

Epoxy resins are commercially important materials that are used extensively to make thermosetting products for use in coatings, adhesives, composites, and many other applications. The largest volume of epoxy resins utilized in commerce are those based upon the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-F (DGEBF), epoxy novolac resins, and those based upon the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA). Of these, the bisphenol-A based products are utilized in much larger volumes than the other products.
Bisphenol-A derived epoxy resins are essentially linear polymers available in a wide range of molecular weights, represented generically by the following chemical structure:
where n represents the average number of repeat units in the polymer. The low end of the range of available molecular weight products are made by reaction of bisphenol-A with excess epichlorohydrin, followed by treatment with base. They are referred to by those who work in the industry as liquid epoxy resin, DGEBA, or BADGE, even though most of the commercial products are not pure DGEBA but often have a value of n of about 0.15 or slightly higher. Higher molecular weight epoxy resins (greater than about 400 Daltons) are commercially prepared by the so-called "advancement process" which is the, reaction of excess DGEBA with bisphenol-A, where the ratio of DGEBA to bisphenol-A is used to control the final average molecular weight.
Because high molecular weight epoxy resins are prepared by the reaction of DGEBA and bisphenol-A, such resins prepared using current commercial processes have relatively high levels of residual bisphenol-A and DGEBA in the final products. Unfortunately, these compounds are of concern with regard to their human health effects and pseudo-estrogenic activity. This is particularly true in the industry for coatings for food and beverage can interiors, where epoxy resins are currently utilized in large volumes for coatings that are crosslinked with amino resins and other OH-reactive crosslinking agents. Thus, there is a strong need to develop coatings with properties similar to those obtained from crosslinked epoxy resins, but without such high levels of residual DGEBA and bisphenol-A, which can be extracted into the contents of the can and thus become a component of the human diet.
Epoxy resins contain epoxide rings at the chain ends, and (with the exception of pure DGEBA) secondary hydroxyl groups spaced along the polymer backbone. Both of these functional groups can be utilized to cure the epoxy resin. For example, multifunctional amines, mercaptans, and carboxylic acids are utilized to crosslink through the epoxide ring. Amino resins such as melamine-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins, and polyisocyanates are utilized to crosslink through the hydroxyl groups. Finally, resins such as resoles crosslink through both the hydroxyl and epoxide functional groups. For most purposes, epoxy resins that are crosslinked via the epoxide end groups have epoxy equivalent weights (EEW) of at most about 800, and frequently far less than this. On the other hand, when crosslinked through hydroxyl groups, higher molecular weight epoxy resins are generally preferred, and very low molecular weight epoxy resins such as pure DGEBA which lack OH groups cannot be utilized at all in such a thermosetting system.
Despite the fact that epoxy resins can be crosslinked with amino resins and the like through the secondary hydroxyl groups on the resin backbone, it is generally found that significantly higher temperatures and/or bake times are required than are necessary with other polyols utilized in coatings, such as acrylic polyols and polyester polyols. It is thought that the relatively hindered environment of the OH groups on the epoxy resin is responsible for this effect. Obviously, this is usually a significant drawback to the utilization of epoxy resins in such coatings, since higher oven temperatures and/or bake times lead to higher production costs.
The cationic or acid-catalyzed polymerization (or homopolymerization) of multifunctional epoxy resins to yield gelled or crosslinked final products is a well-known process of significant commercial importance. Lewis acids are most commonly employed, but appropriate Brønsted acids can also be utilized. For example, C. A. May (Ed.), Epoxy Resins Chemistry and Technology, Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 1988, reports (p. 495) that Lidarik et. al. (Polymer Sci. USSR, 1984, 5, 859) polymerized glycidyl ethers with complexes of antimony pentachloride, boron trifluoride, and perchloric acid. Additional examples are reported in May. In addition, the photoinitiated cationic polymerization of epoxy resins is well-known, and also of commercial importance. As reviewed in May (pp. 496–498), cationic photoinitiators are materials that upon photolysis generate strong Brønsted acids, which serve as the true catalyst for the epoxide polymerization.
Lidarik et. al. (ibid.) prepared gelled products by the acid catalyzed polymerization of epoxy resins in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions, and obtained evidence that THF-derived products were incorporated into the network.
The copolymerization of water with monofunctional epoxide compounds has been known for some time. For example, R. W. Lenz, Organic Chemistry of Synthetic High Polymers, Interscience Publishers: New York, 1967, pp. 531–546, reviews the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers including epoxides, and notes that C. Matignon, et.al. (Bull. Soc. Chim., 1, 1308 (1934)) studied the effect of water content on the oligomer distributions obtained from the acid-catalyzed hydration of ethylene oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,583 B1 discloses compositions of emulsified polymeric polyols prepared by a method comprising the acid catalyzed, non-reversible polymerization of lower molecular weight epoxy resins in an aqueous emulsified state. Coating compositions are prepared from the emulsified polymeric polyols crosslinked with various crosslinking agents.
U.S. application Ser. No. 10/062,924, filed 31 Jan. 2002 discloses the preparation of polymeric polyols by the acid-catalyzed solution copolymerization of epoxy resins and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,427 discloses oil-in-water emulsions of polyepoxide resins and their heat cure with various curing agents, including acid acting curing agents.

Acid catalyzed copolymerization of water, tetrahydrofuran and multifunctional epoxides and uses thereof


An improved method and system for edge adaptive interpolation. The method uses a “9×2” window to detect the edge direction with post-processing to remove any artifacts due to the possible false edge detection, and a hierarchical scheme is employed to reduce the computation required. The method detects if there is edge existing along the current pixel. If there is no edge, then the edge detection output will be 90 degrees (the interpolation will be performed along the vertical direction). If an edge does exist, the method determines whether the edge direction falls within a first or second direction group. Once the edge direction is assigned to a particular group (e.g., 0–90 degrees or 90–180 degrees), the edge direction will be detected among five (5) possible directions. To further improve the edge detection precision, and also to remove the possibility of false edge direction detection, a post-processing technique may be applied to the edge direction signal. After the edge signal post-processing, the edge direction information is then passed to an edge adaptive interpolation block to perform the interpolation along the edge direction detected. Still another post-processing technique may be applied to the edge adaptive interpolated signal to further remove the possible noise due to an incorrect edge direction detection.

Interlaced scanning schemes have been widely adopted in current display monitor systems, including television systems. In a typical interlaced system, the sequence of video fields alternates between odd fields (e.g., fields containing odd numbered lines) and even fields (e.g., fields containing even numbered lines). A conventional display monitor receiving the sequence of fields reproduces each video field in the sequence. Each field is displayed on the display screen, such as a television. For example, first an odd field is displayed, using the odd-numbered scan lines, and then an even field is displayed using the even-numbered scan lines, and so on.
There many disadvantages to this type of interlace system, such as edge flicker, line flicker and line crawling. Furthermore, as the demand of using large screen displays increases, these problems have become more critical. An interlace to non-interlace conversion is a very good solution to remove such problems.
An interlace to non-interlace conversion involves generating a missing line between two adjacent lines in an interlaced signal. Motion adaptive interlace to non-interlace conversion is widely used in current available interlace to non-interlace converters. In such converters, every pixel is classified as a motion or static pixel. For each static pixel, field insertion is executed to generate the missing pixel since there is no motion between consecutive fields. The same vertical resolution will be kept for the static portion of the picture. For each motion pixel, intra-field interpolation is executed to generate the missing pixel.
Normally, most converters only utilize vertical interpolation for the intra-field interpolation. There is no motion effect for the motion portion of the picture. However, jagged edges may result for image objects having diagonal edges. Jagged edges resulting from interpolation are a visually annoying defect, and can sometimes occur to a degree worse than that on an interlaced display. Processing a display signal using edge-adaptive interpolation can eliminate or reduce jagged edge defects that can result from the motion adaptive interlace-to-progressive conversion of prior art systems. An edge adaptive interpolation will solve this problem by performing the interpolation along the edge direction.
In order to perform interpolation along an edge direction, the manner of detecting the edge direction that passes through the missing pixel is important. Edge adaptive interpolation along an image object's edge involves correctly determining the direction of an edge passing through a missing pixel (a pixel that will be generated to form the interpolated line between existing adjacent lines in the interlace signal being converted). Previous methods have utilized various "window" sizes to detect the possible edge directions. For example, some systems utilize a "3×2" window around a missing pixel, which allows only three (3) possible directions to be detected. Other methods have used as large as a "7×2" window which provides seven (7) possible directions to be detected. One example of such a method is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/154,628, entitled "Method and System for Edge-Adaptive Interpolation for Interlace-to-Progressive Concern," which is assigned to the present assignee and which is fully and completely incorporated herein by reference. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the computation required for a "7×2" window is much higher than that for a "3×2" window. That is, the larger the window size, the more computation power needed. Additionally, with a larger window size, there exists a greater possibility of false edge direction detection. Once a false edge direction has occurred, a visually annoying dot may appear on the interpolated picture.
As a result, some prior edge adaptive interpolation methods only employ a "3×2" window to minimize the computation power and also the possibility of false detection. But with a "3×2" window, the interpolation can vary only along 45 degree, 90 degree and 135 degree directions. The result will exhibit aliasing, i.e., most of the edge will still appear jagged. Methods utilizing a "7×2" window provide some improvement over convention "3×2" systems. However, even these improved methods perform detection based around a single pixel or point, without efficiently utilizing neighboring information that can increase the accuracy of the detection process.
The present invention provides an improvement over these prior edge adaptive interpolation methods and systems. Particularly, the present invention provides an improved system and method, which utilizes a "9×2" window around a pixel, along with information from neighboring pixels to provide edge-adaptive interpolation.

Method and system for advanced edge-adaptive interpolation for interlace-to-progressive conversion