Improved battery separators are disclosed herein for use in flooded lead-acid batteries, and in particular enhanced flooded lead-acid batteries. The improved separators disclosed herein provide for enhanced electrolyte mixing and substantially reduced acid stratification. The improved flooded lead-acid batteries may be advantageously employed in applications in which the battery remains in a partial state of charge, for instance in start/stop vehicle systems. Also, improved lead-acid batteries, such as flooded lead-acid batteries, improved systems that include a lead-acid battery and a battery separator, improved battery separators, improved vehicles including such systems, and/or methods of manufacture and/or use may be provided.

In order to reduce fuel consumption and generation of tail pipe emissions, auto manufacturers have implemented varying degrees of electrical hybridization. One form of Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is sometimes referred as the "Micro HEV" or "micro-hybrid." In such Micro HEVs or similar vehicles, an automobile may have an idle start/stop (ISS) function in which the engine may shut off at various points during idle start/stop and/or regenerative braking. Although this increases the fuel economy of the vehicle, it also increases strain on the battery, which must power auxiliary devices (such as air conditioning, media players and the like) while the vehicle is not in motion.
Conventional vehicles (such as automobiles without start/stop capability) may use conventional flooded lead-acid batteries such as starting lighting ignition (SLI) lead-acid batteries. Because the engine never shuts off during use, power is only drawn from the battery when the engine is cranked. As such, the battery typically exists in a state of overcharge, not in a partial state of charge. For example, such a conventional flooded lead-acid battery may exist in a state of charge that is greater than 95% charged, greater than 96%, greater than 97%, greater than 98%, greater than 99%, or even greater than 100% charged, as it is often in a state of overcharge. At overcharge, gas bubbles (for example hydrogen gas bubbles) are generated within the conventional lead-acid battery, and these circulating gas bubbles serve to mix the liquid electrolyte (the acid) within the battery.
Start/stop vehicles, on the other hand, continuously draw power from the battery, which is therefore constantly in a state of partial charge. At partial charge, gas bubbles are not generated, and the internal mixing of the electrolyte is substantially reduced, leading to acid stratification within the battery. Thus, acid stratification is a problem within start/stop flooded lead-acid batteries and various enhanced flooded batteries, whereas acid stratification simply was not a problem for more conventional or traditional flooded lead-acid batteries, which operated in a state of overcharge or total (or close-to-total) charge.
Acid stratification is a term for the process in which denser sulfuric acid is concentrated at the bottom of the battery, leading to a corresponding higher water concentration at the top of the battery. Acid stratification is undesirable within a flooded lead-acid battery, such as an enhanced flooded lead-acid battery or a start/stop flooded lead-acid battery. The reduced levels of acid at the top of the electrode may inhibit uniformity and charge acceptance within the battery system and may increase the variation of internal resistance from top to bottom along the height of the battery. Increased acid levels at the bottom of the battery artificially raise the voltage of the battery, which can interfere with battery management systems, possibly sending unintended/erroneous state of health signals to a battery management system. Overall, acid stratification causes higher resistance along parts of the battery, which may lead to electrode issues and/or shorter battery life. Given that start/stop batteries and/or other enhanced flooded lead-acid batteries are expected to become more and more prevalent with hybrid and fully electric vehicles to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, solutions for reducing acid stratification and/or for improving acid mixing are greatly needed.
In some instances, acid stratification can be avoided using VRLA (valve regulated lead-acid) technology where the acid is immobilized by either a gelled electrolyte and/or by an absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery separator system. In contrast to the freely-fluid electrolyte in flooded lead-acid batteries, in VRLA AGM batteries, the electrolyte is absorbed on a fiber or fibrous material, such as a glass fiber mat, a polymeric fiber mat, a gelled electrolyte, and so forth. However, VRLA AGM battery systems are substantially more expensive to manufacture than flooded battery systems. VRLA AGM technology in some instances, may be more sensitive to overcharging, may dry out in high heat, may experience a gradual decline in capacity, and may have a lower specific energy. Similarly, in some instances, gel VRLA technology may have higher internal resistance and may have reduced charge acceptance.
Thus, there is a need to further develop enhanced flooded lead-acid batteries, such as enhanced flooded start/stop batteries, that do not undergo acid stratification while in use and/or that exhibit reduced or significantly reduced levels of acid stratification while in use. There is a need for improved enhanced flooded lead-acid batteries with improved uniformity and performance in comparison to what has been previously available, and with performance capability that rivals, or even exceeds, what may be found in certain VRLA AGM batteries.

Lead-acid battery separators with improved performance and batteries and vehicles with the same and related methods


A water producing system which is provided with a semi-permeable membrane treatment process A100 to produce membrane permeate A3 and concentrate A, a semi-permeable membrane treatment processB200 which is equipped with a treatment target water B branching means for branching treatment target water B2 into two or more to produce a membrane B5 and concentrate B6, and a semi-permeable membrane treatment process C300 which is equipped with a first water mixing means for mixing one of the treatment target water B with at least part of the concentrate A, and subjects the mixed water to the semi-permeable membrane treatment to produce membrane permeate C7 and concentrate C8, thereby producing fresh water from a plurality of kinds of raw water which differ in osmotic pressure.

In recent years, technologies relating to a separation membrane are being developed, and with characteristics such as space-saving, energy-saving, and filtrate water quality improvement, the technologies are widely used for various purposes such as water treatment. For example, a microfiltration membrane (MF membrane) and an ultrafiltration membrane (UF membrane) are applied to a water cleaning process for producing industrial water or tap water from river water, groundwater, or treated sewage, and applied to pre-treatment and a membrane bioreactor in a seawater desalination reverse osmosis membrane treatment step. A nanofiltration membrane (NF membrane) and a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) are applied to removal of ions, seawater desalination, and a wastewater reclamation process.
Currently, as a method for reclaiming sewage/drainage, for example, there is a method of performing treatment called a "membrane bioreactor (Membrane Bioreactor; MBR)" in which sewage or industrial drainage which has conventionally been treated by an activated sludge process is treated by the MF/UF membrane directly immersed in an activated sludge tank, and performing filtration with the NF/RO membrane installed at the later stage to obtain pure water as product water.
As a system for producing fresh water from seawater or brackish water, there is a technology in which pre-treatment by sand filtration which is a conventional water clarification technology is carried out, and thereafter filtration is carried out with the NF/RO membrane. In addition, there is a method in which seawater or brackish water is pre-treated using the MF/UF membrane as described above, and filtration is carried out with the NF/RO membrane. With this system, since seawater cannot be desalted by the pre-treatment, desalination entirely depends on the treatment with the NF/RO membrane at the later stage.
With the NF/RO membrane separation method, supply pressure being higher than osmotic pressure is desired. Thus, pressure must be applied when supplying raw water to the NF/RO membrane with a pump called a "booster pump". That is, as a salt concentration of raw water supplied to the NF/RO membrane is higher, the osmotic pressure becomes higher. Thus, it becomes necessary to apply higher pressure with the booster pump, and more energy for allowing the booster pump to operate becomes necessary.
Therefore, in a water producing plant, only one of a sewage/wastewater reclamation process and a seawater desalination process is performed in general. However, in recent years, a membrane treatment system integrating a sewage high-level treatment process and the seawater desalination process has been developed (Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2). According to this technology, after sewage is treated by the MBR, fresh water is produced using an RO membrane, and concentrate produced as a by-product at the time of separation of the RO membrane is mixed with seawater. Thus, a salt concentration in the supplied seawater is lowered, and hence the specification of the booster pump in an operation of RO membrane separation used in seawater desalination can more be simplified than in the conventional manner. Therefore, the system becomes further energy-saving.
In such an integrated membrane treatment system using plural kinds of raw water, for example, sewage/drainage and seawater from different supply sources are used as raw water. Thus, feed water quantities thereof are sometimes largely changed from time to time. In particular, sewage/drainage is easily changed due to a human activity time, a plant operation time, or the like. When the respective feed water quantities of raw water are changed, a mixing ratio between the RO membrane concentrate produced as a by-product from a sewage treatment line and seawater is changed. Thus, the salt concentration (osmotic pressure) in seawater to be supplied to the RO membrane on the side of a seawater treatment line is changed.
In a case where although a necessary product water quantity is determined, a sewage/drainage quantity is largely changed, and the product water quantity is ensured by a seawater intake quantity, the salt concentration after mixing is sometimes largely changed. Thus, there is a need for installing a booster pump capable of responding to high pressure to low pressure on the side of the seawater treatment line. When a booster pump having large capacity is controlled and operated by an inverter or the like, efficiency is interior at the time of low pressure, so that an energy-saving effect is decreased. When the mixing ratio of seawater is too high, an effect of diluting the sewage RO membrane concentrate relative to seawater is decreased, and the salt concentration is not really lowered. Thus, there is a problem that an advantage of the integrated membrane treatment system is almost lost. Further, in a case of a fixed mixing ratio, when the feed water quantity of sewage/drainage is decreased, the sewage RO membrane concentrate is unavoidably reduced. Thus, mixing seawater is also reduced, and the feed water to the RO membrane on the side of the seawater treatment line is reduced. Therefore, there is also a problem that the necessary product water quantity cannot be obtained.
In each plant of a sewage plant and other plants, an inflow quantity of sewage and a discharge quantity of drainage are generally determined. In a case where such sewage and drainage are taken as raw water and a collection rate and a mixing ratio of an RO membrane process are uniformly determined, the product water quantity of the system is naturally decided, and the quantity does not always match with user needs. In a case where the sewage/drainage quantity is small but the necessary product water quantity is large, in the system of Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2, a concentrate quantity of the sewage/drainage RO membrane process is decreased, and when the seawater intake quantity is increased at a designing stage, there is a problem that an energy-saving effect is small in the system.
Meanwhile, as an example that the sewage high-level treatment and the seawater desalination are performed in one water producing plant, there is a known method of supplying sewage/drainage in a case where sewage/drainage having a lower salt concentration than seawater or brackish water exists as feed water, or supplying seawater or brackish water in a case where sewage/drainage cannot be supplied due to the dry season, stoppage of the plant, or the like (Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 3). According to this technology, sewage/drainage is used as feed water. Thus, the technology is more energy-saving than the seawater desalination using only seawater or only brackish water, and a fixed flow rate of product water can be surely obtained.
In a system in which sewage/drainage is switched with raw water having a different salt concentration (osmotic pressure) such as sewage/drainage and seawater or brackish water to perform filtration with the same RO membrane as in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 3, the system is often chosen in accordance with the sewage/drainage quantity which is an already determined water quantity.
In recent years, seawater desalination with a reverse osmosis membrane is adopted in a drought-prone region such as the Middle East, and there are a number of large-sized reverse osmosis membrane plants whose water production quantity exceeds 100 thousand m3/d. It is predicted that a necessary water production quantity will be increased and large-sized reverse osmosis membrane plants will be increased in the future.
An enough sewage/drainage quantity can be ensured when a plant is constructed near a large-sized sewage plant and a large plant. However, it is difficult to ensure a large sewage/drainage quantity in a small sewage plant, diversified type sewage plants, and small and middle plants. Therefore, there is a problem that the system of Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 3 cannot cope with a size increase of the system in a case where the necessary water production quantity is large or the sewage/drainage quantity is small.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Water producing system and operation method therefor


A device for connecting optical fibers, the device being of the type comprising a ferrule possessing a capillary channel of section that is substantially complementary to the optical fibers to be connected and that is suitable for receiving the respective ends of two optical fibers, wherein the device further includes a body overmolded on the ferrule and defining two entry cones centered on the capillary channel and opening out respectively into the two axial ends of the capillary channel.

Various connection devices comprising a ferrule with a capillary channel have already been proposed.
Document FR-A-2 657 865, for example, describes an optical fiber connection endpiece that includes a capillary channel together with an entry cone formed by machining in each endpiece. To connect two optical fibers together, they are placed in respective ones of the above-mentioned endpieces, with engagement of the fibers in the endpieces being facilitated by the entry cones. Thereafter, the optical fibers are secured in their respective endpieces by means of a polymerizable adhesive, and the two endpieces are assembled together and brought into alignment in a complementary sleeve.
Variant endpieces having capillary channels associated with entry cones suitable for receiving respective optical fibers are described in Documents WO-A-87 01464 and JP-A-58 9116, for example.
Those known optical fiber connection devices, each comprising two ferrules associated with respective optical fibers do not give full satisfaction.
In particular, the alignment of the two ferrules in a complementary sleeve is not always sufficiently accurate to obtain satisfactory alignment of the fibers, and as a result non-negligible losses occur in the coupling of light energy.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,328 describes another variant of a ferrule, made by molding, e.g. using epoxy resin, and including a capillary channel that is provided at both ends with an entry cone. A single ferrule can thus receive respective ends of two optical fibers. That technique avoids any need to subsequently align two ferrules each receiving one fiber.
Nevertheless, the technique described in Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,328 does not give full satisfaction, either. When a ferrule is made by molding, it is not always possible to obtain a satisfactory capillary channel, i.e. a capillary channel having sufficient dimensional accuracy to obtain satisfactory alignment of the fibers.
Document EP-A-0 272 112 describes an optical fiber connector that comprises a ferrule and a heat-shrink cover that contains a sealant. The sealant is confined on the ferrule 2 when the cover 8 is shrunk. However, in that system, where the confinement material is pressed against the ferrule by the heat-shrink cover, it is not possible to define very accurate entry cones for the optical fibers, i.e. entry cones that coincide exactly with the capillary channel of the ferrule.
The main object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art.

Overmolded ferrule for connecting fibers and a method for preparing the same


A printed image can be redundantly encoded by printing a visible image using a colorant with a luminance that contrasts with that of the output sheet and printing a redundant image using a colorant with a luminance that varies only slightly from that of the output sheet. Accordingly, the visible image can be easily read by a user while the redundant image is substantially invisible to the human eye at normal-reading distances, yet capable of being captured by a conventional digital scanner. In one aspect, redundantly encoded images may be printed on a white background, with visible images printed in black text and redundant images printed in blue in content regions of the visible image and in yellow in its background regions.

It is often useful to recover the image that was originally printed on a hardcopy document later became altered or damaged. For example, it is often difficult to recreate information that is printed on financial, legal, medical and government, but it is essential that those who rely upon these types of information to know that the information they receive is accurate and complete. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a way to view the original version of an image that is presented on a printed document, to confirm it accuracy and when necessary, to recover data from a document that has been damaged.
Known image processing methods use "glyphs," i.e., graphical indicia that are used to encode digital information, to print duplicated versions of a digital image on a single document. Unfortunately, glyphs are highly visible and thus, they often detract from the visual appearance of the document. Magnetic inks, gloss marks and other substances that are much less visible are also available, but the costs of providing the equipment that is required to capture the data often renders the use of those substances impractical.
Available software programs can highlight changes in electronic versions of a modified image for comparison purposes. Those programs cannot, however, identify and highlight changes that are made to printed data. It is also relatively easy to deliver editing history with electronically stored documents. Unfortunately that information is lost when the document is printed, even if the hardcopy document is scanned and the image is returned to electronic storage.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to be able to redundantly encode image data on a hardcopy document, to do so without altering the visual appearance of the document and to enable the redundant versions of the image to maintain their association as the hardcopy document is digitally captured, processed and printed.

Encoding invisible electronic information in a printed document


A photoreceptor comprising a charge transport layer doped with a polyarylate polymer is provided. A charge transport layer is doped with about 0.1 to about 10.0% by weight, solids basis, of a polyarylate polymer, such as for example Ardel. Charge transport layers doped with a polyarylate polymer exhibit improved electrical performance in terms of lower Vr and VBG values.

The present disclosure relates, in various embodiments thereof, to charge transport layer compositions and photoconductive imaging members comprising such compositions. In particular, the present disclosure relates to charge transport layers comprising a binder, a charge transport material, and a doping agent. The doping agent is a polyarylate material.
In the art of electrophotography, an electrophotographic imaging member or plate comprising a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is imaged by first uniformly electrostatically charging the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The plate is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, for example light, which selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic toner particles, for example from a developer composition, on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible toner image can be transferred to a suitable receiving member such as paper. This imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable photosensitive members.
Electrophotographic imaging members are usually multilayered photoreceptors that comprise a substrate support, an electrically conductive layer, an optional hole blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer, and optional protective or overcoating layer(s). The imaging members can take several forms, including flexible belts, rigid drums, etc. For most multilayered flexible photoreceptor belts, an anti-curl layer is usually employed on the back side of the substrate support, opposite to the side carrying the electrically active layers, to achieve the desired photoreceptor flatness.
One type of multi-layered photoreceptor that has been employed as a belt in electrophotographic imaging systems comprises a substrate, a conductive layer, a charge blocking layer, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer. The charge transport layer often comprises an activating charge transport molecule dispersed or dissolved in a polymeric film forming binder. Generally, the polymeric film forming binder in the transport layer is electrically inactive by itself and becomes electrically active when it contains the activating molecule. The expression "electrically active" means that the material is capable of supporting the injection of photogenerated charge carriers from the material in the charge generating layer and is capable of allowing the transport of these charge carriers through the electrically active layer in order to discharge a surface charge on the active layer. The multi-layered type of photoreceptor may also comprise additional layers such as an anti-curl backing layer, required when layers possess different coefficient of thermal expansion values, an adhesive layer, and an overcoating layer. Commercial high quality photoreceptors have been produced which utilize an anti-curl coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990 discloses a layered photoreceptor having a separate charge generating (photogenerating) layer (CGL) and charge transport layer (CTL). The charge generating layer is capable of photogenerating holes and injecting the photogenerated holes into the charge transport layer. The photogenerating layer utilized in multilayered photoreceptors includes, for example, inorganic photoconductive particles or organic photoconductive particles dispersed in a film forming polymeric binder. Inorganic or organic photoconductive materials may be formed as a continuous, homogeneous photogenerating layer.
Examples of photosensitive members having at least two electrically operative layers including a charge generating layer and diamine containing transport layer are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,265,990, 4,233,384, 4,306,008, 4,299,897 and 4,439,507. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein in their entirety.
As more advanced, complex, highly sophisticated, electrophotographic copiers, duplicators and printers are developed, greater demands are placed on the photoreceptor to meet stringent requirements for the production of high quality images. Along these lines, many photoreceptor systems have stringent requirements on the electrical properties of the photoreceptor, such as, for example, the background potential (VBG) and residual potential (Vr).
Variations in the electrical properties of a photoconductive element result in unacceptable variance in residual potential (Vr), and background potential (VBG). VBG is defined as the potential in the background or light struck areas of a photoconductive element after exposure to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation such as light. Unpredictable variations in VBG can adversely affect copy quality, especially in complex, high volume, high speed copiers, duplicators and printers which by their very nature require photoconductive element properties to meet precise narrow operating windows. Consequently, photoconductive elements that have poor VBG characteristics are also unacceptable or require expensive and sophisticated control systems or trained repair persons to alter machine operating parameters. Inadequate compensation of VBG variations can cause copies to appear too light or too dark. In addition, such variations in VBG properties preclude optimization of VBG properties.
Vr is defined as the remaining surface potential after full discharge from white light exposures in excess of 200 ergs-cm2. Vr and VBG impact photoreceptor development efficiency and thereby impact image quality. Relatively low Vr and VBG are desired for optimal photoreceptor performance.
Control of Vr, and VBG of photoconductive elements is important not only initially but through the entire cycling life of the photoconductive element. During the electrophotographic process, the photoconductive element is subjected to a series of charge and illumination steps which often produce changes in the electric and optical properties of the photoconductive element. These changes are called fatigue. Fatigue causes the operating characteristics to vary during the life of the photoconductive elements and is undesirable in actual commercial usage.
A common factor which produces variable Vr and VBG in photoconductive elements is the small, uncontrollable variation in acidic or basic chemical impurities in the system. Additives to the photoconductive element's layer or layers may reduce or eliminate the effects of impurities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,682 describes a monomeric or polymeric nonvolatile basic amine incorporated in a charge transport layer to eliminate the fatigue effect of acids. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,518, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses addition of an aromatic amine compound and a protonic acid or Lewis acid in a charge transport layer to control Vr, dark development potential (VDDP) and VBG.
Another known treatment of photoconductive elements to control acidic or basic variations affecting Vr, VDDP and VBG involves doping the photoconductive element with other acids and bases. For example, a variance in Vr, VDDP and VBG may be controlled by the addition of trifluoroacetic acid to the transport layer in amounts ranging from about 0.1 to 100 ppm. However, the actual amount varies and must be determined by frequent measurement during the manufacturing process of the electrical behavior of the device. The dopant content is readjusted to compensate for the quantity of acid necessary to achieve the desired electrical specifications. This acid doping procedure is tedious, time-consuming and difficult to predictably control. Additionally, while the use of acids to dope the charge transport layer is known to lower Vr and/or VBG, these lower potentials are reduced at the expense of dark decay.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,166 discloses a wear resistant charge transport layer comprising at least a polycarbonate polymer binder having a number average molecular weight of not less than 35,000, at least one charge transport material, polytetrafluoroethylene particle aggregates having an average size of less than about 1.5 microns and a fluorine-containing polymeric surfactant dispersed in a solvent mixture of at least tetrahydrofuran and toluene. The dispersion forms a uniform stable material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,111 discloses adding hydrophobic silica to such a composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,276 describes photoreceptors that incorporate a dopant in one or both of the charge generation layer or the charge transport layer. The dopant includes organic molecules containing basic electron donor or proton acceptor groups. Preferred dopants include aliphatic and aromatic amines, triethanolamine, n-dodecylamine, n-hexadecylamine, tetramethyl guanidine, 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane, 3-aminopropyltrihydroxysilane and its oligomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,741 describes a process for controlling variations in electrical characteristics of a electrophotographic imaging device by eliminating the effect of acidic and basic impurities in a photoconductive element. The process includes coating a substrate with a first dispersion to form a charge generating layer, and then coating with a second dispersion to form a charge transport layer, wherein at least one of the first or second dispersions includes a solution of weak acid or weak base and the conjugate salt of weak acid or weak base in an amount effective to reduce variations in dark development potential and background potential characteristics of an imaging device.
It is still desirable to provide a charge transport layer composition that offers improved photoreceptor performance. Along these lines, it is desirable to provide a charge transport layer composition that allows for increased photoreceptor sensitivity via improved electrical properties. It is desirable to provide a charge transport layer composition for a photoreceptor that reduces at least one of the Vr and VBG. It is also desirable to provide a charge transport layer composition for a photoreceptor that reduces at least one of the Vr and VBG and lowers the dark decay of the photoreceptor.


Securing encrypted virtual hard disks may include a variety of processes. In one example, a virtual hard disk is created for a user and encrypted with a volume key, and the volume key placed in an administrator header. The administrator header may be encrypted with a protection key, the protection key created from a user identifier corresponding to the user, a volume identifier corresponding to the virtual hard disk, and two cryptographic secrets. The protection key may then destroyed after encrypting the administrator header and therefore, might never leave the encryption engine. The two cryptographic secrets may be stored in separate storage locations, one accessible to the user and the other accessible to administrators. Accordingly, the protection key might never transmitted or can be intercepted, and no single entity may be compromised to gain access to all of the information needed to recreate the protection key.

Many enterprises permit associates to bring their personal laptop or computer to work and use that laptop as their company computer, use personal computers at home while working on corporate information, or allow contractors to use personal computers in their work in lieu of a company machine. In some cases, having an employee or contractor use their personal computer for work-related computing may result in employees and contractors storing sensitive company documents and application information to their generally unsecure personal computers. Memory on a personal laptop is typically unmanaged and it may be difficult to enforce security policies when a user is not logged into a company network. Furthermore, in some examples, laptop computers may be more easily stolen or hacked than corporate computers protected by security policies and firewalls.
One solution to this problem includes providing users with encrypted virtual hard disks that may be mounted as if they were physical disks. The user may use a password, known only to them, that allows them to decrypt the disk and mount it for use. Corporate data may be stored to the encrypted volume, preventing access by malicious third parties. While this adds security, there may still exist some risks. For example, the corporate enterprise, who may actually own the data, may be unable to access the encrypted disk without the user's password. This may be particularly relevant where the encrypted virtual hard disk is stored on a cloud service, such as the DROPBOX web-based file hosting service operated by DROPBOX, INC. of San Francisco, Calif., or in other instances where the enterprise may want to recover data without requiring the user or contractor's cooperation. Second, if the user forgets their password, an administrator may not be able to recover the encrypted data. While the enterprise may store user passwords in a central database, allowing them to decrypt the image in case the user forgets their password, this requires transmission of passwords over a network where they may be intercepted, thereby significantly compromising security.
Thus, systems and methods are needed to secure encrypted virtual hard disks and centrally manage encryption keys.


A wagon for carrying a lifting cradle having a wagon chassis and at least one pivotable body mounted to pivot about an axis for pivoting and guides for receiving at least one lifting cradle. Components for locking the lifting cradle to the chassis include a shaft fixed to the chassis and disposed along the vertical axis for pivoting, two attachment arms disposed on either side of a longitudinal plane of symmetry and mounted on the shaft to pivot between an unlocking configuration and a locking configuration, the arms including noses projecting laterally each adapted, in the locking configuration, to engage between two substantially transverse sides of a housing provided on the side beams of the lifting cradle and, in the unlocked configuration, to be outside the housings. Elements to control and guide the movement of the arms and to block the arms in the locked configuration are attached to the arms.

The invention relates to a wagon for carrying a lifting cradle and particularly to the manner of locking in position a load provided with such a lifting cradle, for example a skip, platform, container or the like, on a wagon equipped with pivoting loading structures.
In order to allow movement of a load provided with a lifting cradle between a lorry equipped with a loading/unloading arm and a wagon, it is known to provide on the wagon a rectangular horizontal body connected to the wagon by an articulation having a vertical axis located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the wagon and in the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the body, near one of the ends of the body.
In order to load or unload a lifting cradle on the wagon the body must be pivoted laterally to the side where the lorry is located until the body is aligned with the chassis of the lorry. The transfer of the load between the body and the lorry is then performed by maneuvering the loading/unloading arm of the lorry.
If required, conventional means are employed to ensure the compatibility of the height of the chassis of the lorry and of the body.
It should be recalled that the term "lifting cradle" refers to the interfacing elements required to allow the loading/unloading of a load by means of a loading/unloading arm. A lifting cradle principally includes two longitudinal beams, each having at one end a vertical extension at the top of which a holding bar or ring is provided which is adapted to become engaged with the lifting hook of a loading/unloading arm. To this lifting cradle (which is sometimes called a cradle skeleton) is fixed in practice by welding, bolting or the like, the load support proper (plate, box, etc.).
When a lifting cradle is loaded onto a pivotable body from a lorry, the body is brought into alignment with the wagon and the problem which arises is then to lock it in position.
For this purpose it has been arranged to fix to the ends of the longitudinal beams of the body, near which the articulation is mounted, U-shaped stops adapted to receive and arrest rear rollers mounted conventionally on the rear end of the longitudinal beams of the lifting cradle. These stops are adapted to resist unwanted longitudinal forces or forces directed vertically upwards. When the body is brought into alignment with the wagon, the front ends of the longitudinal beams of the lifting cradle (to which the aforementioned vertical extension is fixed) are brought opposite stopping elements fixed to the wagon. In a first embodiment these stopping elements are fixed buffers adapted to resist any longitudinal sliding of the lifting cradle in their direction without any possibility of arresting them if unintended lifting forces occur. In a second embodiment these stopping elements are hooks which become engaged with lateral projections provided at the front of the lifting cradle which are adapted to resist unintended longitudinal or lifting forces.
It is pointed out that the French and European safety standards generally require that the different aforementioned stopping elements must withstand, in the case of accidental collisions, accelerations which may be as large as 4 g.
Despite their merits the aforementioned solutions to the problem have various disadvantages, including in particular the following. When shocks due to stopping are applied to the U-shaped stops provided on the longitudinal beams of the body, all the unwanted forces pass through the intermediary of the body, with consequent risks of damage to the body and to the body/wagon articulation. The sets of stops can only be used for one length of lifting cradle, which means that different wagons must be provided for each type of lifting cradle. Further, it is not possible to load lifting cradles onto the bodies from above.
The object of the invention is to alleviate the aforementioned disadvantages by making it possible to hold, on the body of a wagon, lifting cradles having different lengths, with the wagon directly absorbing the unwanted longitudinal forces in both directions and any lifting forces which might be accidentally applied to the lifting cradles or to the load to which they are fixed, while allowing loading of the lifting cradles from above, without requiring any substantial modifications to the standard geometry of the lifting cradles and with the possibility of adapting existing lifting cradles.

Wagon for carrying a lifting cradle and a cradle therefor


This invention relates to a hybrid AC/DC power source for aircraft power generation and aircraft engine starting. The power source employs an induction motor/generator and a converter for converting high frequency AC power into separate DC and low frequency AC power for use by aircraft electrical systems. The subject invention contemplates the provision of a driver for the motor/generator comprising a circuit for providing excitation to the motor/generator when it is operating as a generator, the circuit also converting AC power produced by the generator into the high frequency AC power for use by the converter. The converter comprises a first rectifier which produces the DC power and a second rectifier and an inverter which together produce the low frequency AC power. The generator produces uncontrolled frequency AC power. Bidirectional switches operate within the circuit to invert DC excitation power to produce power for the AC excitation and to rectify output of the generator into DC. The generator can function as an induction motor to provide motive power to start the aircraft engine. Either external DC power can provide power to the induction motor via the circuit or external AC power can provide power to the induction motor via the circuit.

An induction motor/generator is an extremely durable and reliable energy conversion apparatus. Because of these attributes, manufacturers of aircraft electrical power systems have strived for years to make the induction motor/generator a part of an overall hybrid electrical power generating and aircraft engine starting system. A myriad of problems have stood in the way of accomplishing this feat, however. Specifically, since an induction generator requires excitation from an external source in order to function, provision of excitation has been a problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,737, which issued on May 8, 1984 to Cronin, is directed to a solution for providing excitation for an induction generator used in an aircraft electrical power system. Cronin is directed to a combination induction generator/synchronous generator power system. The power system includes an induction generator and a tandem generator enclosed in a single housing. The tandem generator includes a tandem synchronous generator which optionally excites the induction generator or provides power to the aircraft systems upon activation of a three-phase contactor. The tandem generator also includes a tandem synchronous generator which produces, via a phase controlled rectifier bridge, 270 volt DC power for the aircraft systems.
Apparently, Cronin addresses a two level system whereby a synchronous generator is employed when aircraft electrical loads are relatively minor. When aircraft electrical loads are larger, the synchronous generator is used as an exciter for an induction generator, which then supplies power to the larger loads. If DC output is desired, it is taken directly from a second synchronous generator.
As Cronin reveals, it is desirable to provide aircraft systems which are capable of producing both AC and DC. Cronin uses separate generators to produce AC and DC because an integrated system (one which employs a single generator as a source for both AC and DC power) has traditionally been subject to distortion due to AC and DC interaction.
In a similar vein is an apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,873, which issued on Aug. 4, 1987 to Glennon, directed to a hybrid generating system comprising an AC power generating section driven by a prime mover for generating AC output power and a DC power generating section independent of the AC power generating section, also driven by the prime mover for generating the DC output power. Each of the AC and DC power generating sections includes a permanent magnet generator. Glennon teaches full separation of AC and DC power sources, because, in the past, DC power provided by integrated systems has had less than desirable reliability. AC power produced by such integrated systems has been distorted because of rectification of a part of the AC power to produce the DC power. Such integrated hybrid systems have suffered from reduced efficiency.
In a related case, U.S Pat. No. 3,267,353, which issued on Aug. 16, 1966 to Franklin, is directed to a duplex generator system and more particularly to such a system for providing independently regulated alternating current and direct current output. Franklin notes that it has not been found practical in the past to utilize a single regulated alternating current source and rectify and regulate a portion of the power to provide a direct current source, since rectification of a part of the power results in substantial distortion in the alternating current wave shape. Franklin asserts that two completely separate generating systems would provide the independently regulated sources without wave shape distortion, but obviously such separate systems would be more expensive than a single combined magnetic structure.
Along similar lines, U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,743, which issued on May 18, 1982 to Glennon, and is commonly assigned with the subject invention, is directed to an electrical aircraft engine start and generating system for use in an aircraft having an engine driven torque converter coupled to an alternator which provides AC power for conversion to DC and AC power. This system includes a reversible AC to DC converter controllably electrically coupled to the alternator and a controller unit to provide DC power in a generating mode. The reversible AC to DC converter is capable of receiving externally supplied DC power to be converted to AC power to drive the alternator as a motor in start mode. A DC to AC converter is controllably electrically coupled to the controller unit and to the DC power output during the generating mode. The reversible DC to AC converter in the start mode is mutually controllably electrically coupled to the externally supplied DC power. The controller unit and the alternator cooperate to provide a controlled AC power output to be delivered to the alternator to bring the alternator operating as a motor up to operating speed, whereupon the reversible DC to AC converter responds to the external DC power and is electrically coupled to the alternator to drive the alternator as a motor to deliver rotary power through the torque converter to start the aircraft engine.
The subject invention differs from that disclosed in Glennon in two material respects. First, Glennon employs a constant speed drive between a variable speed aircraft engine and the alternator/motor. The constant speed drive drives the alternator/motor at a constant speed. Because the alternator/motor is driven in a constant speed, a high frequency AC link between the alternator/motor and the hybrid AC/DC converter is not needed. Second, Glennon is directed to use of a synchronous alternator/motor, wherein a more rugged and dependable induction motor/generator is used in the subject invention. In essence, the subject invention represents an evolutionary step over the invention found in Glennon.
Recent improvements in computer controlled solid state power conversion systems have allowed advances to occur in power conversion which now make an induction generator an appropriate source of power for an integrated hybrid AC/DC aircraft electrical power system. An integrated system employing an induction generator as its power source would enjoy benefits from vastly increased simplicity, reliability and ruggedness of the generator and would allow multiple forms of electrical energy to be derived from the system without requiring duplication of elements therein.
Accordingly, subject invention is the first to employ an induction generator as the heart of an integrated hybrid AC/DC electrical power generating system. Further, the subject invention employs the induction generator as a motor to allow starting of an aircraft engine by either an external AC and DC power source.

Induction machine based hybrid aircraft engine starting/generating power system


A protective circuit for connecting contacts of monolithic integrated circuits, particularly CMOS input/output stages. The protective circuit has a four-layer device (ta, ts) with a defined switching threshold in the area of each connecting contact (A) and a low-resistivity current path (sa) from the connecting contact (A) to a supply terminal (VSS, VDD). The protective circuit also contains devices (zw2, z5) which prevent or provide a bypass for any undesired flow of current (i3, i4) between at least parts of the four-layer device and triggerable circuit regions (W2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective circuit for protecting connecting contacts of monolithic integrated circuits from electrostatic discharges, particularly of input/output stages implemented in CMOS technology.
The invention further relates to a method of protecting monolithic integrated circuits from ESD pulses wherein the electrostatic charges in the areas of the connecting contacts are neutralized by means of resistive and sink devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention comprises resistive and sink devices for protecting connecting contacts of monolithic integrated circuits from electrostatic discharges. "Electrostatic discharges" as used herein means impulse currents caused by electrostatic discharge pulses (hereinafter ESD pulses). However, the protection also extends to steady-state currents which are supplied to the respective connecting contacts which may cause undesirable, thyristor-like conduction known as "latch-up".
The ESD pulse may, in the worst case, lead to breakdown between at least two semiconductor regions, forming a shorting channel which causes the circuit to cease functioning. The thin gate oxide of MOS transistors is particularly vulnerable. Another, frequent consequence of the ESD pulse is that it induces latch-up in certain semiconductor structures, whereby a short circuit is developed in the crystal shorting the supply lines that may result in a malfunction due to local overheating. This latch-up condition, as stated above, may also be initiated by a steady-state overload current supplied to the connecting contact, particularly in CMOS input/output stages. The wells required in CMOS technology, particularly in the complementary output-transistor pair, possibly also together with other subcircuits, represent thyristor-like circuit structures interconnected via the substrate which can be put into a latch-up condition and which will remain in this condition until the input current falls below the holding current.
To protect the connecting contacts from being destroyed by ESD pulses, resistive and sink devices are commonly provided which limit the overload voltages to low values, thus neutralizing the ESD pulses within the contact area as far as possible. Use is made of sink diodes, for example, which are normally operated in the reverse direction and exhibit a drainage effect both in their forward direction and in their breakdown direction. However, the breakdown threshold varies widely depending on the process technology used, and is hardly suited to reliably protecting all functional units associated with the respective connecting contacts. In MOS circuits, the n-channel output transistors are particularly vulnerable to breakdown.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention as claimed to provide a circuit and a method for reliably protecting all connecting contacts of monolithic integrated circuits from ESD pulses which can be adapted to different technological parameters predominantly by proper circuit layout, with the integrated circuit being in a power-off or power-on condition.

Protective circuit for protecting contacts of monolithic integrated circuits by preventing parasitic latch up with other integrated circuit elements


The present invention provides techniques for adapting the portion of the frequency spectrum allocated to Land Mobile Radio (LMR) for use as downbanded cellular channels. These downbanded cellular channels can be employed, for example, either to supplement a cellular operator's system capacity or as a stand alone cellular-style system which can provide complementary geographic coverage which may, for example, bridge existing Cellular systems. According to a first aspect of the present invention, the conventional channelization of the LMR spectrum is redefined in a manner which provides significant advantages. More specifically, for every six originally specified, 25 KHz LMR channels, five new 30 KHz DBC channels are specified. In this way, complete compatibility with cellular systems, e.g,. allowing roaming between cellular and DBC systems, is achieved according to the present invention.

The present invention relates generally to radiocommunication systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for increasing the capacity and/or coverage area of cellular-type communication systems.
The rapid growth of cellular communication systems has compelled designers to search for ways in which system capacity can be increased without reducing communication quality beyond consumer tolerance thresholds. One way in which increased capacity can be provided is by increasing the efficiency in which the available Cellular spectrum is used, e.g., by changing from analog to digital communication techniques. In North America, this change was implemented by transitioning from the analog AMPS system to a digital system (D-AMPS) which was standardized as IS-54B and later as IS-136. Other technological improvements, such as the implementation of Time Division Multiple Access instead of Frequency Division Multiple Access, have also increased Cellular system capacity.
Even with the implementation of more spectrally efficient technologies, the capacity of cellular communication systems continues to be a concern. Another way in which the capacity of Cellular communications system can be increased is to provide additional spectrum. For example, the FCC originally allocated two blocks of frequencies (i.e., 825-845 MHz (uplink) and 870-890 MHz (downlink)) for Cellular band service in the United States. In 1987, the FCC allocated an additional 5 MHz to each block to increase Cellular systems' capacity. The current Cellular bandwidth allocation in the United States, complete with channel numbering, is illustrated in the tables shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Therein, FIG. 1B shows how the transmitter center frequencies can be determined for each channel described in FIG. 1A. Of course, this solution has natural limits since the usable frequency spectrum is finite and other, existing system types already own portions of the usable spectrum.
For example, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems are allocated frequency blocks which are contiguous with those of the Cellular band, i.e., 806-824 MHz (uplink) and 851-869 (downlink). The conventional channel assignments for the LMR spectrum are illustrated in the tables of FIGS. 2A and 2B. LMR systems are transmission trunked systems that are commonly used to provide radio communication service between individual units of a particular organization. For example, police departments use a version of LMR (commonly referred to as public service trunked (PST) systems) to communicate between patrol cars and headquarters. Unlike Cellular systems, however, LMR systems have historically been implemented as large independent sites serviced by one (or a few) transmitting base stations, rather than over a wide geographical area serviced by many transmitting base stations as in Cellular systems. At each LMR site, an operator can be allocated a portion of the LMR spectrum within which a fixed frequency pair is selected for use as a control channel while all of the other frequencies can be used for traffic.
In 1994, the FCC announced that the frequency spectrums which have been allocated for LMR, Cellular and Personal Communications Systems (PCS) would be uniformly regulated, such that an operator can use frequencies within the joint bandwidth in any desired manner. Coupled with other regulatory changes, for example those which allow LMR spectrum to be licensed on a wide-area basis rather than a site-by-site basis, it has now become realistic to consider using LMR frequencies in non-conventional ways, e.g., using cellular communication techniques. This usage of the LMR spectrum is termed herein "downbanded cellular (DBC)".
To implement DBC systems which are highly cellular compatible, several challenges must first be addressed. For example, conventional LMR systems operating in the United States have 25 KHz channel widths, whereas Cellular systems operating in accordance with IS-54B have 30 KHz channel widths. Other issues, such as adjacent channel interference, are also a concern.


A seat track assembly comprises a lower track assembly comprising first and second lower tracks laterally spaced from and aligned generally parallel with one another. Each lower track has a bottom wall and left and right side walls which cooperate with the bottom wall to define a central channel running the length of the lower track. The left and right side walls each have flanges bent over and away from the central channel. An upper track assembly operatively engages the lower track assembly. The upper track assembly comprises first and second upper tracks carried by corresponding first and second lower tracks, allowing the upper track assembly to slide in forward and rearward directions. An elongate upper J-hook is rigidly attached to each upper track, preferably at a top wall of each upper track. An elongate lower J-hook is rigidly attached to each lower track, preferably at a bottom wall of each track. Each upper J-hook slides freely past a corresponding lower J-hook in a normal condition, and each upper J-hook is received by a corresponding lower J-hook to limit vertical dislocation of the upper track assembly from the lower track assembly. The seat track assembly can be used, for example, on a seat anchored to a motor vehicle with spring-biased attachment hooks.

Seat track assemblies are commonly used for forward and rearward comfort adjustment of seat assemblies, particularly seat assemblies affixed in motor vehicles. Such seat assemblies normally have a seat base and a seat back, with the seat back pivotably connected to the seat base by a recliner. The seat base is commonly mounted over a pair of upper seat tracks which are slidable over a pair of lower seat tracks. Each upper track is releasably secured to its corresponding lower track by a latch mechanism operable by a release lever, "towel bar" or other well known device. Such seat track assemblies used in motor vehicles are typically attached to a floor pan and optionally to side pillars so that each lower track and other componentry rigidly attached to each lower track are fixed with respect to the motor vehicle, and the upper tracks and the componentry mounted to them (that is, the seat cushion, etc.,) are adjustable to a range of fore-and-aft positions.
The upper and lower tracks are vertically interlocked, often with a reduced friction interface between them for ease of fore-and-aft position adjustment, such that the seat cannot be easily vertically dislocated from the lower tracks. Greater vertical dislocation forces may be experienced, however, than the interlocking tracks can withstand without unacceptable levels of permanent deformation or other damage. This is especially true for seat assemblies in which a seat belt system is mounted directly to the seat assembly, known as "all-belts-to-seat" designs, rather than to the side pillars or to the floor pan. U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,132, issued to Griswold et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,348 issued to Johnson illustrate the known approach of employing exterior mounted J-hooks to anchor a seat cushion frame to the lower track sub-assembly against upward dislocation forces. In the normal operation, upper and lower J-hooks are free to slide past one another during comfort adjustment of the upper track with respect to the lower tracks. In the event of high vertical dislocation forces, however, the seat cushion frame would lift only until the upper J-hook contacts its fixed counterpart. Thus, the J-hook arrangement enables the vehicle seat to withstand vertical dislocation forces beyond the level which can be withstood by the more lightly designed interlocking seat tracks.
While such known J-hook arrangements are useful in withstanding excessive vertical dislocation forces, they tend to be relatively expensive and bulky. This is particularly undesirable in seat track assemblies used in motor vehicles where interior space is at a premium and there is continuous pressure to reduce costs.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seat track assembly with enhanced resistance to vertical dislocation forces which is of low cost and reduced size. Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure and detailed description of various preferred embodiments.

Seat track assembly with enhanced vertical dislocation resistance


A method and a device for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography in which an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein is provided. At least one objective part is replaceably accommodated in the objective. Immediately prior to installation in the objective, the replaceable objective part is cleaned outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. Immediately after cleaning, the replaceable objective is installed in the objective without contact with the normal ambient atmosphere.

The present divisional application relates to a method for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography.
Modern lenses in lithography increasingly have replaceable or exchangeable elements, such as replaceable or exchangeable lenses, filters, diaphragms and the like. US 2006/0176460 A1 describes, for example, an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography system having optical elements, such as mirrors and the like, which are individually selectable for use, wherein the optical elements are not replaced, in the sense of being moved into and out of the objective, but rather are exchanged only in the form of a rotatable turret. However, this imposes a very high space requirement.
WO 2006/069755 A1 describes, in contrast, a replaceable optical element of an objective module of a lithography system, which can be completely removed from the objective, wherein a proposal is made to avoid contamination of the objective room by providing a load-lock chamber.
When parts located in the highly clean, gas-flushed or evacuated objective interior are replaced, there is a problem that the process of replacement can introduce impurities into the objective. In addition to contamination via the gas room during the replacement, contaminants adhering to the replaceable components can be introduced into the objective, said contaminants subsequently capable of leading to a deterioration of the objective characteristics. Possible contaminants in this context are particularly hydrocarbons, water deposits and other particles.
The hydrocarbons, which are mostly present in the form of monolayers on the surface of the replacement parts, mostly do not become detached until irradiation with the objective light used for imaging, for example, UV laser light. Accordingly, unless further cleaning takes place, this means that hydrocarbons are present in the objective and can then enter into chemical reactions at undesirable regions, and so lead to deposits on the optical elements. As a result, the imaging properties of the objective are impaired.
Similar considerations apply to monolayers of water, which are also present on replacement parts that are exposed to the ambient atmosphere. In the normally extremely dry environment within the objective, the water monolayers desorb or evaporate and are then also in the objective, as a result of which ozone, which is highly reactive, can form due to UV light. The water molecules, too, can then enter into reactions, for example, with hydrocarbons that are also present in the objective interior or with other components in the objective interior, such that, due to the monolayers of water as well, deposits can form on the surfaces of the optical elements, especially salts. To prevent imaging damage, US 2006/0001854 A1 accordingly proposes the provision of optical elements having several usable areas in the objective, such that, following contamination of one area, a different, clean area can be moved into the beam, while the contaminated area can be cleaned.
JP 11288870 A proposes exchanging contaminated areas and subsequent cleaning of the contaminated areas for a protective device between the projection objective and the wafer of a lithography system.
A further problem of replaceable components of the optical system of a lithography system is that particles adhering to the replacement parts can become detached from the replacement parts and precipitate on the surfaces of the optical elements, a fact which also impairs the imaging properties.
These problems have so far been counteracted by cleaning the replaced objective parts or the objective interior with cleaning gas for an adequate length of time. As a result, the desorbed or evaporated water monolayers or the hydrocarbons or residual parts thereof which have been transferred into the gas phase during illumination are driven out of the objective, such that the corresponding negative deposits are avoided.
However, this approach has the disadvantage that, first, the contaminants are introduced into the objective interior and there is a risk that, on account of the subsequent cleaning, said contaminants are not completely removed from the objective interior, such that, for example, a device according to US 2006/0001854 A1 is required. Furthermore, this approach means that the objective is inoperable for a long period because, during this time, cleaning takes place after the corresponding parts of the objective have been replaced.
Accordingly, the proposed solution was to avoid contamination of replaceable objective parts by preventing the parts for installation into the objective from being exposed to the ambient atmosphere after production and cleaning. This means, however, that the entire transport chain from storage to transport right into the objective must be carried out in a correspondingly clean atmosphere, a fact which represents considerable outlay. Moreover, there is a risk that, in storage, tiny amounts of contaminants in the sealed atmosphere around the replaceable objective part will in turn lead to deposits.


Each pixel includes: a first wiring for allowing a current to flow to an organic EL element; a first TFT element, provided in series to the organic EL element so as to be positioned in a path for allowing the current to flow from the first wiring, which has a control terminal for controlling conductance of the first TFT element; a second TFT element, provided in series to the organic EL element and the first TFT element so as to be positioned in the path, which has a control terminal for allowing/disallowing conduction; a capacitor which applies a voltage corresponding to stored electric charge to the control terminal of the first TFT element as a control voltage for controlling the conductance of the first TFT element; a third TFT element, provided in a path for supplying the electric charge to the capacitor, which has a control terminal for allowing/disallowing conduction, said third TFT element causing the capacitor to store the electric charge by disallowing conduction; a second wiring which applies a control voltage to the control terminal of the second TFT element; and a third wiring which applies a control voltage to the control terminal of the third TFT element. Thus, it is possible to enlarge an area of a transparent electrode.

Recently, an organic EL display and an FED display have been being studied and developed. Particularly, the organic EL display attracts attentions as a display used in a portable device, such as a cellular phone and PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), which can emit light at a lower voltage and with lower power consumption.
As to the organic EL display, a simple matrix type was introduced into the market, but an active matrix type will be mainly sold in the future. An organic EL active element can be realized by using an amorphous silicon TFT, but there is a tendency to use a smaller TFT, such as a monocrystal silicon TFT, a polysilicon TFT, and a CG (Continuous Grain) silicon TFT, which can be formed with a driving circuit at the same time and can drive the organic EL (that is, mobility of the TFT is high). Particularly, a low temperature polysilicon TFT and a CG silicon TFT which can be formed on a glass substrate are preferably used as materials for a direct view display.
As referred to in "Active Matrix Addressing of Polymer Light Emitting Diode Using Low Temperature Poly Silicon TFTs", AM-LCD 2000 pp 249-252 (hereinafter, referred to as Document 1) and the like, a pixel circuit of the active matrix type organic EL using the low temperature polysilicon or the CG silicon basically includes two TFT elements Qa and Qb, a capacitor Ca, and an organic EL element E1a as shown in FIG. 13.
That is, the driving TFT element Qb is disposed in series with the organic EL element ELa between a power source wiring Vref and a power source terminal Vcom, and the capacitor Ca is disposed between a gate terminal and a source terminal of the driving TFT element Qb, and the source terminal is connected to the power source wiring Vref. Further, a gate terminal of the selecting TFT element Qa is connected to a gate wiring Gi, and a source/drain terminal is disposed so as to connect a source wiring Sj to the gate terminal of the driving TFT element Qb. A voltage is inputted from the source wiring Sj to the capacitor Ca under such condition that the selecting TFT element Qa conducts (ON state). As a result, conductance of the driving TFT element Qb is controlled, so that a current flowing to the organic EL element ELa is controlled, thereby controlling luminance of the pixel. Thereafter, a potential of the capacitor Ca is maintained under such condition that the selecting TFT element Qa does not conduct (OFF state), so that the conduction state of the driving TFT element Qb is maintained, thereby keeping the luminance of the pixel.
The luminance of the organic EL element is in proportion to a value of the current flowing to the organic EL element, so that the foregoing arrangement raises such a problem that: when an applied voltage/current property of the organic EL element ELa varies, the value of the current flowing to the organic EL element ELa varies.
FIG. 14 shows a pixel circuit arrangement shown in "Active Matrix PolyLED Displays", IDW 00 pp 235-238 (hereinafter, referred to as Document 2). In the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 14, a switching TFT element Qc is disposed between the driving TFT element Qb and the organic EL element ELa, and the selecting TFT element Qa is disposed between (i) a connection point of the driving TFT element Qb and the switching TFT element Qc and (ii) the source wiring Sj, and a switching TFT element Qd is disposed between the selecting TFT element Qa and the capacitor Ca. A gate terminal of the selecting TFT element Qa and gate terminals of the switching TFT elements Qc and Qd are connected to a gate wiring Gi.
In this arrangement, the selecting TFT element Qa and the switching TFT element Qd are turned ON under such condition that the switching TFT element Qc is turned OFF, so that a current flows from the power source wiring Vref to the source wiring Sj. An amount of the current is controlled by a current source of a source driving circuit (not shown), so that a gate voltage of the driving TFT element Qb is set so that a current whose amount has been determined by the source driving circuit flows to the driving TFT element Qb regardless of a threshold value voltage/mobility of the driving TFT element Qb. Further, the switching TFT element Qc is turned ON under such condition that the selecting TFT element Qa and the switching TFT element Qd are turned OFF, so that the capacitor Ca's potential at this time is maintained, thereby controlling the driving TFT element Qb so as to flow a predetermined amount of the current to the organic EL element ELa.
Further, FIG. 15 shows a pixel circuit arrangement shown in Japanese National Publication of Translated Patent No. 514320/2002 (Tokuhyo 2002-514320)(Publication date: May 14, 2002) (International Publication Number: WO 98/48403) (hereinafter, referred to as Document 3). In the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 15, a switching TFT element Qg is disposed between the driving TFT element Qb and the power source wiring Vref, and a switching TFT element Qf is disposed between the driving TFT element Qb and the source wiring Sj, and a selecting TFT element Qe is disposed between the organic EL element ELa and the capacitor Ca. Gate terminals of the switching TFT elements Qf and Qg and a gate terminal of the selecting TFT element Qe are connected to the gate wiring Gi.
In this arrangement, the selecting TFT element Qe and the switching TFT element Qf are turned ON under such condition that the switching TFT element Qg is turned OFF, so that a current flows from the source wiring Sj to the organic EL element ELa. An mount of the current is controlled by a current driving circuit Pj of the source driving circuit (not shown), so that a gate terminal voltage of the driving TFT element Qb is set so that a current whose amount has been determined by the source driving circuit flows to the driving TFT element Qb regardless of a threshold value voltage/mobility of the driving TFT element Qb. Further, the switching TFT element Qg is turned ON under such condition that the switching TFT element Qf and the selecting TFT element Qe are turned OFF, so that the capacitor Ca's potential at this time is maintained, thereby controlling the driving TFT element Qb so as to allow a predetermined amount of the current to flow to the organic EL element ELa.
Note that, an arrangement of the CG silicon TFT is mentioned in "4.0-in. TFT-OLED Displays and a Novel Digital Driving Method (Semiconductor Energy Research Institute)" (hereinafter, referred to as Document 4) of SID'00 Digest pp. 924-927, and the like. Further, the CG silicon TFT process is mentioned in "Continuous Grain Silicon Technology and Its Applications for Active Matrix Display (Semiconductor Energy Research Institute)" (hereinafter, referred to as Document 5) of AM-LCD 2000 pp. 25-28, and the like. Further, the arrangement of the organic EL element is mentioned in "Polymer Light-Emitting Diodes for use in Flat Panel Display" (hereinafter, referred to as Document 6) of AM-LCD '01 pp 211-214, and the like.
However, in Documents 2 and 3, the driving TFT element Qb which functions as an active element for driving the organic EL element ELa by supplying a current having a predetermined value via the source wiring Sj during a selection period is arranged so that a gate terminal potential of the driving TFT element Qb is set, so that a value of a current flowing to the organic EL element ELa is determined on the basis of the current whose value has been determined. Thus, even when the applied voltage/current property of the organic EL element ELa varies, the value of the current flowing to the organic EL element ELa does not vary, which brings about such advantage that the luminance hardly varies.
However, the pixel circuit arrangement in Documents 2 and 3 is a 4-TFT pixel circuit arrangement in which a single organic EL element requires a capacitor, four TFT elements, a power source wiring, a source wiring, and a gate wiring. Thus, in the 4-TFT pixel circuit arrangement, an area occupied by the capacitor and the TFT elements is increased, so that an area occupied by a transparent electrode such as ITO for forming the organic EL element (that is, an anode area) is reduced. Particularly, minimum values of a TFT element size and a wiring width are determined on the basis of a process rule. Thus, even when the pixel size is reduced, it is impossible to make the TFT element size and the wiring width smaller.
Therefore, in a case of manufacturing a high definition panel of not less than 100 ppi, the 4-TFT pixel circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 14 or FIG. 15 causes the area occupied by the transparent electrode to be not more than half of the area of a 2-TFT pixel circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 13.
Further, a power source voltage preferably used to obtain a predetermined luminance varies depending on respective dots of RGB, so that it is desirable to prepare the power source wirings Vref different from each other corresponding to respective colors of RGB. In this case, the respective colors of RGB are disposed along the power source wirings Vref, and as shown in FIG. 16, a pixel circuit Aij is divided into three portions by the power source wirings Vref, so that the dots of RGB are formed. However, also the source wirings Sj are formed in parallel to the power source wirings Vref, so that wirings which exist in the pixel circuit Aij include: three power source wirings Vref, three source wirings Sj, and a gate wiring Gi.
As a result, a display device having the pixel circuit shown in FIG. 14 or FIG. 15 is such that: as shown in FIG. 16, besides a TFT area 7 and an area of the gate wiring Gi, there is a pixel area (RGB dots 9, 10, and 11 constitute a single pixel) which cannot be used to emit light due to the source wirings Sj, and the pixel area is so large that: pixel length×(source wiring width Y [μm]+process blank P [μm]×3. Here, pixel length=length of dots of RGB=width×[μm] of each dot of RGB×3. As a result, the foregoing arrangement raises such a problem that: an ITO area 8, that is, an area for forming the transparent electrode is made extremely small.


A method for pneumatic threading in a two-for-one twisting spindle having a double hollow mandrel. The method comprising seizing the initial portion of wound yarn from a bobbin positioned on the lower hollow mandrel in the spindle basket and feeding a sufficient length of it through the upper hollow mandrel to enable it to be then placed alongside the initial wound yarn portion unwound from the bobbin mounted on the upper hollow mandrel. The two initial yarn portions are then held jointly and rested on the mouth of the upper hollow mandrel, on which a head connected to a compressed air source is placed and pressed, in order to achieve pneumatic yarn threading.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved method for pneumatic threading in a two-for-one twister using a spindle of the double hollow mandrel type.
The invention relates particularly to a two-for-one twisting spindle in which the two yarn bobbins are each mounted on their own hollow mandrel with the yarns unwinding upwards, each yarn unwinding from its own bobbin to directly enter its own hollow mandrel without being conveyed, during its travel, into the space surrounding the other bobbin, all as described and claimed in European Pat.Appln.public. No. 0 417 850 in the name of the present applicant.
2 Description of the Related Art
The yarn braking device, which has long been known (two expansion half-capsules) is located in that portion of the central duct comprising the stationary part of the lower mandrel of the twisting spindle. Both yarns to be twisted together to form the twisted yarn pass through said lower hollow mandrel. Said yarns can be of any composition or structure, and will be known in the ensuing description and claims simply as yarns or twisted yarns, the terms being used interchangeably and including all filaments or filament assemblies or fibers, both natural and artificial. In two-for-one twisting, various types of spindles are known, and it is also known that threading the yarn through the central bore of the hollow mandrel is always a problem, as the operation is difficult and laborious. Numerous methods for simplifying this operation have been studied for the various types of twisting spindles. The present applicant has also filed various patent applications on this subject. In this respect, in the case of two-for-one twisters with a single central hollow mandrel automatic pneumatic threading is already well known, in contrast to spindles with a split central mandrel, in which replacing the empty bobbins with full bobbins, or re-starting the twisting process after an interruption for yarn breakage currently involves very costly and laborious operations of poor reliability. The applicant has therefore evolved and tried an improved method of extreme reliability for pneumatic threading in a spindle comprising a double central hollow mandrel for twisting together two yarns unwound from two overlying feed bobbins.
The improved method of the present invention has the following essential advantages:
it enables a two-for-one twisting spindle with a split central hollow mandrel to benefit from a method providing extremely reliable pneumatic threading each time the twisting process is to be restarted;
it allows rational automation of costly low-reliability operations, leading to a twisted yarn at lower operating cost;
it allows rapid and simple bobbin replacement.

Method for pneumatic threading in a twister with a double hollow mandrel spindle


A firewall that may be used in a power integrated network having a plurality of computer systems is powered by the power integrated network. To that end, the firewall includes an input module that receives data addressed to a given computer system in the power integrated network, a security module for determining if the data received at the input module can be forwarded tot he given computer system, and a power module to power both the input module and the security module. The power module receives its power from the power integrated network.

Local area networks (e.g., intranets and other local networks) commonly require some level of security to prevent data access by unauthorized people. Such unauthorized people often are referred to as "hackers." Absent some security measure, a hacker can access a local area network without permission by the administrator of the network. For example, a hacker can illicitly copy secret data from such a network, or reconfigure such a network to malfunction.
Various security measures often are taken to prevent access by a hacker. Among those measures is use of a "firewall." As known in the art, a firewall is a hardware and/or software device that controls access to a given network. For example, a firewall may intercept all data received from a larger network (e.g., the Internet), and determine which data can pass through it to the network that it is protecting. Data access can be permitted based upon a variety of preconfigured policies, such as the type of transport protocol used by received data, or the origin of the data. A firewall thus acts as a filter to prevent unauthorized data from being transmitted to and/or being removed from its protected network.
Although useful in many instances, the security provided by a firewall can be breached. In such case, all computer systems in such protected networks consequently can be susceptible to being accessed and/or tampered with by a hacker.


The present invention provides a cavity examination method of a paved road which can examine cavities which are present under the paved road such as the asphalt-paved road in a reduced length of time. By collecting data of the structural conditions of areas under the paved road while traveling on the road by a pavement structure examination vehicle mounted with underground radar means, and scrutinizing according to the above results around the place which may contain a cavity by a pushcart type underground radar means, the cavity examination method of the present invention specifies presence and a planar extent of the cavity. If a cavity is actually detected, a hole with a small diameter is bored in the place and its inner circumferential wall is photographed by a camera to confirm the conditions of the cavity and the area under the pavement by a visual inspection in order to grasp the three dimensional conditions of the cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an examination method for cavities under paved roads. The method of the present invention can examine cavities under paved roads such as an asphalt-paved road, a concrete-paved road and an airport runway effectively and precisely.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, subsidences of roads often occur in urban areas. Accidents caused by the subsidence are reported to responsible parties which has resulted in the recognition of the necessity of investigating for the presence of a cavity or cavities under the paved road.
However, it is not realistic to dig up all paved roads of an extensive distance for investigating underground conditions thereof, from the viewpoint of time, expenditure and traffic.
By using nondestructive cavity examination means based on an electromagnetic wave examination method, it is possible to investigate road structures without large-scale construction such as digging up of the road.
However, it is not practical, judging from examination speed, to use a pushcart type electromagnetic wave underground radar means of the conventional type. In addition, it is difficult to confirm the place detected from the results of the investigation due to troubles such as collapse of the ground caused by vibrations generated by a drive source for the cutting operation specified in the confirmation method.

Method for locating and examining cavities under paved roads


Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention train a real-time health-monitor for a computer-based system while simultaneously monitoring the health of the system. A plurality of signals that each describe an operating condition of a subject data processing system are monitored in real-time. It is determined whether there is a problem with the subject data processing system by comparing at least one of the monitored signals to a corresponding at least one signal in a known signal dataset. The known signal dataset includes a signal value for at least one signal that describes an operating condition of one of a plurality of subject data processing systems. A new signal dataset having an entry for each monitored signal and a corresponding signal value is prepared simultaneously with monitoring the plurality of signals and determining whether there is a problem.

Fault detection in data processing systems typically requires costly on-line monitoring and expertise. Conventional approaches to identifying faults, such as combining event correlation and threshold-based rules, have proven inadequate in a variety of safety-critical industries with complex, heterogeneous subsystem inputs, such as those found in enterprise computing. Although these typical enterprise systems may be rich in instrumentation for acquiring diagnostic data to be used in identifying faults, the acquired data is typically complex, non-uniform, and difficult to correlate.
Conventional approaches have somewhat improved their results by coupling real-time health monitoring of system performance metrics with a fault management architecture and the use of pattern recognition to correlate potential faults with the performance metrics. The effectiveness of these approaches are grated, however, by the quality of the information available from instrumentation. It has become necessary to be able to capture unambiguous diagnostic information that can quickly pinpoint the source of the defects in hardware or software. If systems have too little event monitoring, then when problems occur, services organization engineers may be unable to quickly identify the source of the problems. This can lead to increased customer downtime, impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty to the services organization. One approach to address this real-time health monitoring issue has been to monitor numerous time series relating to performance, throughput, and physical operating conditions, and to couple these telemetry signals with a data-driven pattern recognition system to proactively identify problematic discrepancies in system performance parameters and direct service personal more efficiently.
In one conventional approach, a health-monitoring module uses a statistical pattern recognition technique to monitor telemetry signals from which it learns the patterns of interactions among all the available signals when the system is behaving normally. This is called a training mode. The health-monitoring module is then put in a surveillance mode, and can detect with sensitivity the incipience or onset of anomalous patterns, degraded performance, or faulty sensors.
It has been conventionally desirable that the signals collected during the training period meet two conventional criteria:
Conventional Training Criteria 1: The training signals should be acquired when the system is new or can otherwise be certified to be operating with no degradation in any of the monitored sensors, components, or subsystems. If the health-monitoring module is trained with data from a system already containing degradation in one or more signals, it conventionally will not be able to recognize the degradation in those signals when it is subsequently placed in the surveillance mode.
Conventional Training Criteria 2: The training signals should encompass the full dynamic range of the system under surveillance. For example, if a health-monitoring module uses pattern recognition to monitor a mechanical machine, one would typically want to collect training signals while the machine is operating from 0 to 100% of its operating range. For a machine such as an automobile engine, one would typically want to collect training signals while the engine is at idle, and while the engine is under conditions of acceleration and deceleration through the expected range of speed the vehicle will subsequently use, including a range of up- and down-hill grades expected to be encountered. Similarly, for a computer server, one typically wants to collect training signals during a weekend or other minimal-load time, during one or more busy afternoons, and with a mixture of running applications to ensure that the server's input/output channels, memory utilization, and processing units see a broad range of utilization.
The practical effect of Conventional Training Criterion 2 is that several days worth of training data should be acquired before placing the health-monitoring module into its surveillance mode. Conventional Training Criterion 1 is easy to meet for a brand new system that has just been thoroughly evaluated in factory quality control testing; however, Conventional Training Criterion 1 becomes more difficult to satisfy for vintage systems. In this case, it is typically necessary to have services organization engineers check out all subsystems thoroughly after any configuration modification that would require re-training.
It is therefore desirable to provide a real-time health-monitoring system that can train on an already-implemented system without the system having to be checked out prior to the training. It is further desirable to perform accurate real-time health-monitoring of the system during the training.

Nearest neighbor approach for improved training of real-time health monitors for data processing systems


A speech recognition driven system provides a speech model based on a biometric signature. Initially, the speech recognition driven system receives a biometric signature from a user of the system. Based upon the received biometric signature, the system selects a speech model. The selected speech model is utilized to determine whether a voice input provided by the user corresponds to a speech selectable task that is recognized by the speech recognition driven system. When the voice input provided by the user corresponds to the speech selectable task, the system causes the speech selectable task to be performed. In one embodiment, the biometric signature is an image of the user""s face. When face recognition technology is implemented, the image of the user""s face is utilized to select a speech model.

The present invention is directed to speech recognition, and more specifically to a speech recognition driven system with selectable speech models.
A number of biometric signatures have been utilized to identify a particular individual. For example, fingerprint, retina, iris, face and voice recognition technologies have utilized pattern recognition techniques to uniquely identify a particular individual. Face and voice recognition systems are particularly attractive as they are normally unobtrusive and are passive (i.e., they do not require electromagnetic illumination of the subject of interest). A number of face recognition systems are currently available (e.g., products are offered by Visionics, Viisage and Miros). Further, some vendors offer products that utilize multiple biometric signatures to uniquely identify a particular individual. For example, Dialog Communication Systems (DCS AG) has developed BioID(trademark) (a multimodal identification system that uses face, voice and lip movement to uniquely identify an individual).
As is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art, speech recognition is a field in computer science that deals with designing computer systems that can recognize spoken words. A number of speech recognition systems are currently available (e.g., products are offered by IBM, Dragon Systems, Learnout and Hauspie and Philips). Most of these systems modify a speech model, based on a user""s input, to enhance accuracy of the system. Traditionally, speech recognition systems have only been used in a few specialized situations due to their cost and limited functionality. For example, such systems have been implemented when a user is unable to use a keyboard to enter data because the user""s hands were disabled. Instead of typing commands, the user spoke into a microphone.
However, as the costs of these systems has continued to decrease and the performance of these systems has continued to increase, speech recognition systems are being used in a wider variety of applications (as an alternative to keyboards or other user interfaces). For example, speech actuated control systems have been implemented in motor vehicles to control various accessories within the motor vehicles.
A typical speech recognition system, that is implemented in a motor vehicle, includes voice processing circuitry and memory for storing data that represents command words (that are employed to control various vehicle accessories). In a typical system, a microprocessor is utilized to compare the user provided data (i.e., voice input) to stored speech models; to determine if a word match has occurred and provide a corresponding control output signal in such an event. The microprocessor has also normally controlled a plurality of motor vehicle accessories, e.g., a cellular telephone and a radio. Such systems have advantageously allowed a driver of the motor vehicle to maintain vigilance while driving the vehicle.
Acceptance of speech recognition as a primary interface for any multi-user system (e.g., an automobile), is dependent upon the recognition accuracy of the system. As mentioned above, a method for increasing speech recognition accuracy has been to implement systems, which adapt to a speaker. This has entailed storing a continuously updated version of a speech model for each word or subword in a given vocabulary. In this manner, the system adjusts to the speaking pattern of a given individual, thus increasing the probability for correct recognition. Unfortunately, such systems generally cannot be utilized by multiple users (unless the multiple users have nearly identical speech patterns).
As such, a system that provides multiple adaptable user specific speech models is desirable.
The present invention is directed to a method and system that provides a speech model based on a biometric signature. Initially, the speech recognition driven system receives a biometric signature from the user of the system. Based upon the received biometric signature, the system selects a speech model. The selected speech model is utilized to determine whether a voice input, provided by the user, corresponds to a speech selectable task that is recognized by the speech recognition driven system. When the voice input corresponds to the speech selectable task, the system causes the speech selectable task to be performed. In one embodiment, the biometric signature is an image of the user""s face. When face recognition technology is implemented, the image of the user""s face is utilized to select a speech model. In another embodiment, the system uses a default speech model when the system fails to recognize the biometric signature. In yet another embodiment, the system creates a new speech model when the system fails to recognize the biometric signature. In a different embodiment, the selected speech model is updated such that the system adapts to the speech pattern of the user. An advantage of the present invention is that when an individualized speech model is selected, the error rate of the speech recognition driven system is generally reduced.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.

Speech recognition driven system with selectable speech models