A docking device for a portable computer includes a body adapted to receive a portable computer. The body encloses a number of electronic components adapted to be connected to a portable computer via a number of signal lines. A connector is provided in the body which mechanically connects the number of signal lines within the body to a corresponding number of signal lines within the portable computer. The docking device also includes a signal connection means interposed between the portable computer and the electronic components for selectively electrically interconnecting the particular ones of the signal lines within the body to corresponding signal lines among the number of signal lines within the portable computer in response to an operating state of said portable computer. A preferred embodiment of the docking device further includes a control means for controlling the selective electrical interconnection of the particular ones of the number of signal lines by the signal connection means. In this preferred embodiment, the control means electrically interconnects the particular ones of the number of signal lines within the body to corresponding signal lines within the portable computer in response to an acknowledgment by the portable computer of a request by the control means to electrically interconnect the particular ones of the number of signal lines.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved method and system for data processing and in particular to a docking device to which a portable computer can be docked and a method for controlling the docking device. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved docking device for a portable computer and a method for controlling the docking device which enables the docking and undocking of the portable computer and the docking device when the portable computer is operating at either an ordinary or a reduced power level.
2. Description of the Related Art
A. Portable Computer PA0 B. Docking Device for a Portable Computer PA0 C. Docking of a Portable Computer With the Docking Device PA0 (1) If the docking of the portable computer with the docking device is attempted in an ordinary operation state or standby state (in other words, a power-on state), the power supply of the portable computer is forcibly shut down to prevent damage to the docking device hardware. PA0 (2) If docking is attempted in a suspend state, the docking device inhibits operation of the portable computer from being resumed after docking. In addition, the docking device issues a warning (usually a beep) to warn that such docking is not allowed (an operation error). PA0 (3) If the docking is tried in a power-off state, the usual operation is performed after the docking when the power is turned on (a normal docking operation).
With recent technological innovations, small and lightweight portable personal computers (or portable computers) have become widely available. With reference now to FIG. 17, there is illustrated an example of a conventional portable computer. As illustrated, a portable computer 1000 comprises a thin main body 1010, and a cover 1020 which is connected so as to be freely opened and closed with respect to the main body 1010. The cover 1020 has a pair of projections 1021 formed in the lower end thereof, whereby the cover 1020 is hinged-connected to the main body 1010. Within cover 1020, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 1022 is disposed as the display means of portable computer 1000. Further, on the top of the main body 1010, a keyboard 1011 is disposed as the input means of portable computer 1000.
Referring now to FIG. 18, the interior of the main body 1010 is depicted. The inside of the main body 1010, which is exposed by lifting keyboard 1011, is partitioned into a front section and a back section by a partition 1012. In the back section hidden by the partition 1012, the circuit board (not shown) of the computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, system bus, and the like is accommodated. In addition, in the space in front of the partition 1012, peripheral devices such as a floppy disk drive (FDD) pack 1013, hard disk drive (HDD) pack 1014, and a battery pack 1015 are received in an removable manner.
For portable computers such as portable computer 1000, retaining portability limits the external storage and communication units which can be built in the computer. Further, when a portable computer is used on a desk top, it is very cumbersome to separately connect various cables such as the printer cable, monitor cable, and communication cable and an AC adapter. In addition, because the size of the portable computer is small, the size and number of devices which can be accommodated are limited. Thus, a docking device for a portable computer, also called an "expansion unit" or a "docking station," which support additional capabilities of the portable computer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "docking device", whereas a portable computer to be connected and used is also simply referred to as a "host") has already been developed and is publicly available.
With reference to FIG. 19, there is illustrated a conventional docking device for a portable computer. Docking device 1100 comprises base body 1110 and a cover 1120. The base body 1110 has a support section 1111 on which the portable computer 1000 is mounted. On both sides of the support section 1111, guides 1112 are provided into which the portable computer is inserted. In the back of the support section 1110, a connector 1113 for connection of signals between the portable computer 1000 and docking device 1100 is provided. Referring now to FIG. 20, there is depicted an isometric view of the back of portable computer 1000. In the back of the main system body 1010, connector 1113 is provided for connection of signals between portable computer 1000 and the docking device 1100. As depicted in FIG. 21, portable computer 1000 slides across support section 1111 along the guides 1112 until portable computer 1000 and 1100 are docked by connection of connectors 1017 and 1113. Undocking is performed by following the foregoing procedure in reverse.
In addition to this application, for instance, in the Patent Application 3-273323, Patent Application No.3-294917, Patent Application No. 4-617, Patent Application No. 4-186411, Utility Model Application No. 3-119220, and Utility Model Application No. 3-127933, there are also described docking devices for a portable computer.
A docking device for a portable computer generally performs two major functions--port replication and bus expansion. The port replication function is achieved by providing an extension of the port signals of the portable computer in the docking device. That is, if the above-described various cables are previously connected to the individual ports of the docking device, the user can use a printer, monitor, etc., simply by docking the portable computer with the docking device, thereby eliminating the cumbersome work of separately connecting a cable for each device. In addition, the number of ports which are available on the docking device is usually larger than the number provide on the portable computer, consequently enabling more devices to be connected to the portable computer.
The bus expansion function is achieved by the docking device having an extension of the system bus of the portable computer. Since the portable computer is compact, the number of devices which can be directly connected to the system bus (for example, an ISA bus) is relatively small. Accordingly, by connecting desired devices to the system bus extension within the docking device, the portable computer can use additional devices. The devices can include, for example, an add-on HDD (for example, an IDE.sub.-- HDD), SCSI device, and a PCMCIA device. The SCSI device and PCMCIA device are devices which conform to the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) standard and Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association (PCMCIA) standard, respectively, (in brief, it is to be understood that IDE, PCMCIA, and SCSI are standards for connection of devices to an ISA bus), which are usually connected to the system bus through a SCSI controller and a PCMCIA controller. Accordingly, if the SCSI controller and the PCMCIA controller are provided on the system bus extension within the docking device, devices are easily added on. Thus, the main role of the docking device for a portable computer would be to supplement the functions of the portable computer which are insufficient because of its compact structure.
The connection of a docking device for a portable computer with a portable computer is usually performed by a single connector which includes all of the port signals, bus signals, control signals and the like, rather than by discrete connectors provided for the respective cables and devices. The reason for this is that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to manufacture a docking device which enabled mechanical alignment between a plurality of connectors and mechanical alignment between each pin of each connector. For example, in the above described Patent Application No. 4-291028, the docking station and the portable computer are docked utilizing a single connector formed by bundling all of the signals, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. Similarly, Patent Application No. 3-273323, Patent Application No. 3-294917, Patent Application No. 4-617, Patent Application No. 4-186411, Utility Model Application No. 3-119220, and Utility Model Application No. 3-127933, in accordance with the drawings attached to each specification, describe a docking device and a portable computer which are docked by a single connector.
If a docking device and a portable computer are mechanically connected by a single connector containing all of the required signals, as described above, several technical problems remain. One of the problems is to electrically connect both systems smoothly when the portable computer is in a power-on state or a power save mode such as suspend, in other words, an active state in which the power supply to the portable computer is not completely shut off.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the above description that the connector for connecting the portable computer and docking device includes signals having various characteristics. These signals can be classified into two categories. One category comprises port signals for connection to a keyboard, mouse and CRT, and the other category includes bus signals such as the system bus, PCMCIA control signal, IDE.sub.-- HDD control signal, and FDD signal. One criterion for such classification is that the port signals can be connected or disconnected even in a power-on state (namely an active state), whereas the bus signals cannot be connected or disconnected when active. The reason for this distinction is described below.
A port signal is usually communicated to the system bus through a device controller (for instance, a keyboard controller for the keyboard, and a video controller for CRT). These controllers, if simplified, consist of an interface circuit for communication with the system bus, and a driver circuit (driver) for activating the port signals on the local side, as shown in FIG. 22. The interface circuit is not always in an operative state, but is adapted to be operated only by signals from the local side. Consequently, the interface circuit effectively acts as a buffer, which prevents the noise generated at the time of port signal connection propagating to the system bus. In other words, the port signals can be connected or disconnected when active. On the other hand, the system bus includes bus signals which are always in an operative state (a state in which a signal is present), such as the data and clock lines. Accordingly, if active connection or disconnection of the system bus is attempted, the normal waveforms of the bus signals are disturbed, and, as a result, the hardware can be damaged, the system can shut down, or data in transmission can be corrupted, causing the system to crash. In addition, the IDE.sub.-- HDD control signal, PCMCIA control signal, FDD signal, and LCD panel control signal, cannot be connected or disconnected with power on since they always include a signal in an operative state and may conflict with existing resources within the host. Moreover, from a software perspective, the system configuration of the docking device may conflict with the resources already installed on the host, which would result in a malfunction. Thus, the active connection or disconnection of bus signals can create both hardware and software malfunctions.
Accordingly, in conventional systems, the docking of a portable computer and docking device is permitted only when the portable computer is powered off and the system is not installed. Even when operating in a power management mode which extends the operating time of the self-contained battery, the portable computer could not be docked with the docking device since the power is not completely shut off. In addition, in case a user attempted docking despite the portable computer being powered-on, many conventional systems include a fail safe for which the operations are described below and illustrated in Table 1.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ State of host before docking Operation in docking ______________________________________ Ordinary operation state or Forcibly shut down the power supply of Standby mode the host to prevent hardware damage to the equipment. Suspend mode After docking, inhibit the host from being resumed, and issue a warning (beep) to indicate disallowing of docking. Power off After docking, perform an ordinary operation with the power being turned on. ______________________________________
In summary, the portable computer and the docking device could not be smoothly docked when the portable computer was in a power-on state.
Incidentally, standby and suspend are part of the power management (PM) operations which have recently become available on portable computers. The standby mode is a mode in which the power is shut down only for particular devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), while the system bus remains active. The suspend mode is a mode in which the system bus is inactive and the power for components other than the main memory is shut down after the data necessary for resuming a task is saved in the main memory. To return from the suspend mode to the ordinary operation state is called resume. Such power management operations are performed, for instance, by a program called PM code (loaded into the memory when the system is initiated).
However, among the devices connected through the signal port having the capability of active connection or disconnection, there are some which the user desires to promptly use while the portable computer is in an operating state. For instance, a document of a program being edited on the portable computer may be printed at once by the printer connected to the docking device. Also, a coordinate input using the mouse connected to the docking device may be desired. Even in the event that an operation which the user desires to be immediately performed occurs, if the user must perform a lengthy procedure that requires temporarily turning off the power of the portable computer before making connection, the user may perceive that the docking device is difficult to use.

Docking device for a portable computer and a method for docking a portable computer to the docking device


Tuning a radio oscillator frequency to a reference frequency is disclosed. A radio oscillator is set using a predetermined value loaded into an adjustment bit array. A highest selected bit is selected to be used in locating a final tuned value for the adjustment bit array. The final tuned value is determined by successively setting a selected bit starting with the highest selected bit in the adjustment bit array. And, the selected bit value in the final tuned value is determined using a measurement of the radio oscillator frequency and its relation to a reference frequency.

Digital electronic devices—for example, radios—use high frequency clocks to drive their electronic processing. In some cases, the high frequency is used to translate an incoming radio signal to a lower frequency signal or to demodulate an information carrying signal from a modulated higher frequency carrier. For stability, the high frequency clock is often locked to a reference clock at a lower frequency (e.g., a crystal oscillator). One common solution for synchronizing the divided high frequency clock and the crystal clock is to use a phase locked loop or frequency locked loop, either of which are persistently adjusting the high frequency clock to keep it synchronized to the crystal clock. However, the loops settle at a bandwidth that is about 1/10 the crystal clock frequency, which requires a long time to settle if a low frequency crystal oscillator is used, such as a 32.768 KHz watch crystal oscillator (and thus wastes power). It would be beneficial to have synchronization between the clocks without a long settling time so that power is conserved. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to have a synchronization method that may be disabled once the target frequency was reached to save power.


Prewetting yarn by applying a liquid spray to the yarn before applying size to the yarn. A yarn sheet comprising a plurality of yarns is moved past one or more sprayers for directing a spray of prewetting liquid to the surface of the yarn. The amount of prewetting liquid sprayed onto the yarn is determined by various yarn parameters, and is adjusted in response to the speed of the moving yarn sheet so that variations in speed do not affect the amount of prewetting liquid sprayed onto the yarn. The amount of time elapsing between spraying the yarn with prewetting liquid and applying size to the yarn may be varied, to adjust the time for the prewetting spray to penetrate the yarn.

This invention relates in general to sizing textile yarns, and relates in particular to an improved method and apparatus for prewetting yarns by applying a liquid spray to the yarn.
Size is applied to yarn to improve properties of the yarn prior to a weaving process. The primary properties of yarn improved by sizing are hairiness, breaking strength, resistance to abrasion, and lubrication. Sizing material typically consists of natural starches, synthetic polymers, and blends of the two with minor ingredients added.
It is known in the art that the sizing process for many types of yarn can be improved by wetting the yarn, e.g., with water, before applying size to the yarn. Prewetting the yarn removes oils and waxes from the yarn resulting in improved pickup of size when the yarn sheet, comprising a number of yarns aligned in substantially parallel relation, subsequently passes to a size bath in a vat known as a size box. The prewetting liquid also fills the central core of the yarn, displacing size that would otherwise fill the core in the subsequent application of size, so that the size is instead applied mainly to the surface of the yarn. Prewetting the yarn before applying size thus yields a significant reduction in the amount of sizing material required to size the yarn, and may also result in improved weaveability of the sized yarn. The nature of sizing processes and the resulting benefits are well known to those skilled in the art.
Yarn prewetting according to the prior art takes place by immersing the moving sheet of yarns in a prewet immersion box and then removing excess water by passing the yarn sheet through a squeeze roller assembly. The prewet immersion box and squeeze roller assembly are located a short distance upstream from the size box, so that the prewetted yarn sheet enters the size box after leaving the squeeze roller assembly. There the yarn sheet is immersed in a size bath and excess size is removed by a separate squeeze roller assembly. The construction and operation of such Prewetting apparatus and sizing apparatus are well-known in the art and need not be further detailed herein.
Stated in general terms, prewetting according to the present invention is accomplished by replacing the traditional immersion box-squeeze roll applicator with one or more liquid spray nozzles wetting the yarn prior to entry into the size applicator. The rate of prewet liquid applied to the yarn is determined by the rate of liquid flow through the spray nozzle. Retention of liquid sprayed onto the yarn may be enhanced by increasing the dwell time of the moving yarn between the prewet spray and immersion of the yarn in the size solution, so as to adjust the extent to which the Prewetting liquid penetrates the yarn before the size is applied.
Stated in somewhat greater detail, the amount of dwell time between applying the liquid spray and immersing the yarn in the size solution is adjusted, without increasing or reducing the forward speed of the yarn, by increasing or decreasing the distance between the liquid spray application and the immersion of the yarn in the size solution. In particular detail, this selective variation in distance is accomplished by passing the prewetted yarn over an adjustable roll, known as a sky roll, positioned on the yarn path between the prewet spray applicator and the size applicator. Moving the position of the sky roll thus increases or decreases that path, producing a corresponding change in the dwell time of the prewet yarn of the yarn speed itself.
The amount of liquid spray applied to the moving yarn may be adjusted without changing the forward speed of the yarn sheet. This adjustment allows applying a substantially constant predetermined amount of prewet liquid to the yarn, irrespective of changes in the forward speed of movement of the yarn through the prewet spray and the subsequent size applicator. In this manner, yarn prewetting can be preset by an operator, based on various parameters such as yarn size, the number of strands, and the amount of water pickup desired, and the amount of liquid spray applied to the moving yarn is thereafter automatically maintained independent of subsequent increases or decreases in the speed of the moving yarn sheet.
The amount of liquid spray being applied to the yarn may also be adjusted in response to the concentration of liquid size being applied to the prewetted yarn. This adjustment may be manual, or may be automated in response to the size concentration.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for prewetting yarn.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for prewetting yarn prior to applying size to the yarn.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for prewetting yarn without immersing the yarn in liquid.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for prewetting yarn with a substantially constant predetermined amount of liquid while varying the throughput of the yarn.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for prewetting yarn to a selectively variable extent independently of throughput speed of the yarn.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

Method and apparatus for prewetting yarn


An electronic device having an illumination circuit. The illumination circuit utilizes an AC current of an AC driving device to drive an illumination device such as an electroluminescent lamp and the remaining life of the AC driving device indicated by the brightness of illumination device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device having a driving circuit and more particularly to an electronic device having an illumination circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently electroluminescent lamps (EL) are employed in a wide variety of household appliances. ELs have the advantages of slim profile, low heat generation, low power consumption, and high fidelity color. For example, some video projectors employ ELs to emit light showing their company marks, to generate brand awareness.
In general, ELs require alternating current (AC) supplied by a power transformation device. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional video projector has an EL driving chip 300 and an EL 200. Using the EL driving chip 300 has some disadvantages. For example, the EL driving chip 300 is costly. Moreover, when used, the EL driving chip 300 requires an additional protection circuit or must be electrically isolated, to meet safety specifications.
Additionally, the maximum output voltage of the EL driving chip 300 is limited to 100 volts. The brightness of the EL is directly proportional to the output voltage of the EL. An EL can provide more brightness with a relatively higher voltage. As shown in FIG. 2, the brightness of the EL is enhanced when the output voltage supplied by the EL driving circuit is higher. Therefore, the brightness of the EL can be enhanced by increasing the output voltage of the EL driving circuit.
A video projector using an AC lamp comprises an AC lamp device having an AC lamp device and an AC driving unit (or a ballast). The ballast supplies a power higher than a hundred watts to drive the AC lamp. A small portion of the power can be utilized by an illumination display unit (for example, the EL), thereby reducing the cost of the video projector.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing a current of the AC lamp. As shown in FIG. 3, compared with the current required by the EL, the current of the AC lamp can be referred to as a stable AC current. If a portion of the AC current can be utilized to drive the EL indirectly, an additional current source is unnecessary, thereby reducing the cost thereof.
The present invention provides an effective solution for reducing down the cost of the EL driving chip 300 and to enhance the brightness of the EL.

Electronic device with illumination circuit and EL device utilizing the same


An aircraft having a memory loaded with geolocation data corresponding to restricted airspace boundaries and an autonomous system for rerouting the aircraft outside of the restricted airspace boundaries as the aircraft approaches to within a predetermined distance of the restricted airspace.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for operating manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. In particular, the invention provides computerized methods for preventing the unauthorized use of manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
On Sep. 11th, 2001 terrorists commandeered passenger aircraft and flew them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. At present there are no automatic means to prevent manned aircraft from flying into restricted airspace such as areas around government buildings and high value terrorist targets such as the World Trade Center etc. The prior art has focused only on preventing aircraft from hitting terrain such as mountain ranges using GPS based geofencing type techniques. However, no prior art has been located that extends geofencing techniques to include real-time airspace restrictions such as those activated by the Department of Homeland Security's Yellow, Orange and Red based threat warning system. What is needed is a system and method that autonomously prevents unauthorized aircraft from entering restricted airspace based upon real-time and/or near real-time geolocation data corresponding to restricted airspace boundaries.
Moreover, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are predominately used in military applications. However, many civilian commercial applications are currently being identified and prolific use of unmanned aerial vehicles for civilian commercial applications is envisioned. While it is likely that the physical size of most civilian UAVs will be relatively small, within the range of radio control model airplanes, a security concern pertaining to unauthorized use of UAVs has come to the forefront, due to the threat of global terrorism. In particular, the concern is that an unauthorized person or group could weaponize a UAV by adding a warhead payload. The warhead could be chemical, biological or explosive, including explosive radiological.
The fear is that an unauthorized person or group would program a UAV's navigation system with navigation waypoints to target a civilian population or military asset. What is needed is a way to prevent unauthorized use of a UAV.

System and methods for preventing the unauthorized use of aircraft


A sealed compressor includes a centrifugal impeller above a rotor to synchronously rotate. A refrigerant rises through a rotor air hole, flows in an upper space, and flows out from a discharge pipe. The centrifugal impeller includes an oil separation plate on the rotor, and plural vanes standing on the oil separation plate, and forms inter-vane flow passages between adjacent vanes, and a vane inner flow passage that guides refrigerant from the rotor air hole to inner entrances of the inter-vane flow passages. Outer exits of the inter-vane flow passages are disposed along an entire circumference, and refrigerant increased in pressure while passing through the inter-vane flow passages flows out from the outer exits to the upper space. The oil separation plate closes a short-circuit passage through which the refrigerant directly flows from the vane inner flow passages to the discharge pipe without passing through the inter-vane flow passages.

As a refrigerant compressor used in a vapor compression refrigeration cycle apparatus (a heat pump apparatus or a refrigeration cycle apparatus), a refrigerant compressor has hitherto been used in which the rotating force of a motor is transmitted to a compression mechanism via a drive shaft so as to compress a refrigerant gas. In such a refrigerant compressor, the refrigerant gas compressed by the compression mechanism is discharged into a sealed container, moves through a motor gas flow passage from a lower space to an upper space with respect to the motor, and is then discharged to a refrigerant circuit outside the sealed container. At this time, lubricant oil supplied to the compression mechanism is discharged out of the sealed container while mixing with the refrigerant gas. Conventionally, when the amount of discharged oil to be carried to the refrigerant circuit increases, the performance of a heat exchanger deteriorates, or when the amount of oil stored in the sealed container decreases, compressor efficiency is reduced due to an increase in leakage of the compressed gas. Further, the reliability deteriorates due to lubrication failure of the compressor.
In recent years, size reduction of refrigerant compressors and conversion of the refrigerant used to an alternative refrigerant with little environment load (including natural refrigerants) have accelerated, and there has been a demand to sophisticate the technique of oil separation in the sealed container. On the other hand, the flow states of the refrigerant and lubricant oil during high-speed rotation of the motor in the sealed container and the mechanism of oil separation are considerably complicated, and it is not easy to make an experiment for observing the high-pressure interior of the sealed container. Hence, there are many unidentified details and many unsolved technical problems.
In a high-pressure shell scroll compressor described in Patent Literature 1, a refrigerant drawn by suction by a compression mechanism disposed in the inner upper part of a sealed container is compressed, is temporarily lowered to an oil reservoir at the bottom of the sealed container, and is then lifted from a lower space to an upper space with respect to a motor through a motor gas flow passage, and a high-pressure gas is discharged from a compressor discharge pipe. The high-pressure shell scroll compressor described in Patent Literature 1 includes a fan provided above a motor rotor, and partition plates attached to a motor stator and the motor rotor. The refrigerant and lubricant oil are separated by the centrifugal force generated upon rotation of the fan, and the pressure resistance of the flow in a gap between the partition plates. This prevents the lubricant oil remaining to be separated from the refrigerant from directly flowing into the discharge pipe, that is, prevents the lubricant oil from flowing out of the sealed container.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an oil separation device for a sealed electric compressor including an electrically driven element stored in the inner upper part of a sealed container, a compression element to be driven by the electrically driven element, an oil separation plate opposed to an upper end ring of a rotor of the electrically driven element with a predetermined space between them, and stirring vanes planted on the oil separation plate. In the sealed electric compressor, the stirring vanes are planted only on the lower surface of the oil separation plate.
The effect of the oil separation devices disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 (the fan and the partition plates in Patent Literature 1, and the oil separation plate and the stirring vanes in Patent Literature 2) for improving the oil separation state in the compressor sealed container is confirmed generally.
Further, it has recently become possible to visualize the flow states of the refrigerant and lubricant oil in the compressor sealed container by utilizing the three-dimensional fluid simulation technique that has made remarkable advance, and new findings have been obtained. For example, Patent Literature 3 discloses a refrigerant compressor in which, by utilizing an increase in head pressure occurring near a leading end portion, in the rotational direction, of an upper balance weight fixed to the upper end of a rotor in a motor provided in a sealed container, an oil return flow passage is formed from the portion near the leading end portion toward the lower end, and high-concentration lubricant oil exposed around the rotor is returned to the lower side of the motor to prevent oil loss.
Usually, a rotor of a DC brushless motor used in the existing compressor has a structure shaped like a circular cylinder in which circular steel sheets are stacked and the upper and lower surfaces of the stack are clamped between metal flat plates. An upper balance weight is accessorily provided on the upper side of an upper end of the rotor, and a lower balance weight is accessorily provided on the lower end of the rotor.

Sealed compressor and vapor compression refrigeration cycle apparatus including the sealed compressor


An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of vibration members configured to vibrate a regulating member that regulates a developer layer thickness on a developer bearing member, and a control unit that can execute a vibration mode which vibrates the plurality of vibration members during different periods so that the plurality of vibration members do not vibrate simultaneously when an image is not being formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image using an electrophotographic method. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a multifunction peripheral including the aforementioned plurality of functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method generally includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 1 as an image bearing member as illustrated in FIG. 1. In such an image forming apparatus, a charger 2 uniformly charges a surface of the photosensitive member 1, and an exposure device 3 exposes the charged photosensitive member 1 according to image information. Consequently, an electrostatic image is formed on the photosensitive member 1. The electrostatic image is then visualized by toner in a developer using a developing device 4 and thus becomes a toner image. A transfer device 5 transfers the visualized toner image to a recording material S, and a fixing device 6 fuses and fixes the toner image on the recording material S by applying heat and pressing force.
After the above-described transferring process is performed, a cleaning device 7 removes residual toner on the photosensitive member 1. Further, a neutralization device 8 removes any remaining charge on the photosensitive member 1 to prepare for the next image forming process.
The developing device 4 can use a two-component developer including non-magnetic toner particles (toner) and magnetic carrier particles (carrier). Since the two-component developer does not have to include a magnetic substance in the toner, a favorable color can be acquired. Consequently, the two-component developer is widely-used particularly in a color image forming apparatus.
An example of a general configuration of the developing device 4 using a two-component developer is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the developing device 4 includes a developer container 41 that contains the developer. The developer container 41 is divided into a developing chamber (developer conveyance path) 41a and an agitating chamber (developer conveyance path) 41b by a partition wall 41c that is extended in a perpendicular direction.
A first developer convey agitating member 42 and a second developer convey agitating member 43 are formed in the developing chamber 41a and the agitating chamber 41b respectively. Further, transferring portions (developer conveyance paths) 41d and 41e are formed at edges of the partition wall 41c in a longitudinal direction to allow the developer to pass between the developing chamber 41a and the agitating member 41b. The first and second developer convey agitating members 42 and 43 agitate and convey the developer, so that the developer is circulated inside the developer container 41. A developing sleeve 44 as a developer bearing member is rotatably disposed at a position facing the photosensitive member 1. A magnet 45 as a magnetic field generation unit is fixedly disposed inside the developing sleeve 44.
The magnet 45 in the developing device 4 includes 3 or more poles. The developer agitated by the first developer convey agitating member 42 is attracted by a magnetic force of a convey magnetic pole N2 (lift pole) for lifting the developer. The developer is then conveyed to a developer reservoir portion 48 by rotation of the developing sleeve 44. The amount of the developer is regulated by a developer back member 47. Further, the developer is sufficiently attracted by a convey magnetic pole (cut pole) S2 having a predetermined magnetic flux density or more to stably attract an amount of developer, and conveyed while forming a magnetic brush.
A regulating blade 46 that regulates a layer thickness of the developer cuts the tip of the magnetic brush to make a developer amount appropriate. The convey magnetic pole N1 then conveys the developer to a position facing the photosensitive member 1, and the developer is supplied for development in a developing pole S1. At the position facing the photosensitive member 1, only the toner is transferred to an electrostatic image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 1 by a developing bias applied on the developing sleeve 44. As a result, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member 1 according to the electrostatic image.
In the above-described image forming apparatus, if a foreign substance is caught between the developing sleeve 44 and the regulating blade 46, a developer coat becomes thin in the region where the foreign substance is caught. Consequently, the density of the developer becomes thin.
To solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-231645 discusses a method of removing the foreign substance that is caught between the developing sleeve 44 and the regulating blade 46 by installing a member that vibrates the regulating blade 46 itself.
However, a problem arises in a case where the method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-231645 is applied to an image forming apparatus which includes a plurality of developing devices that each develops images on a plurality of drums. That is, if the vibration member which vibrates the regulating blade of each developing device is simultaneously vibrated, noises produced due to vibration can be overlapped, so that very loud noise is generated.


In a trunking-port network environment, a ticket assigner and a ticket distributor are included in a packet switch load balance device together to achieve an output load balance during the transmission process of packet switching. The ticket assigner assigns one of the tickets to a packet received by a logical port, and the ticket distributor determines which one of the physical output ports to transmit the packet according to the assigned ticket. In the transmission process, a load monitor dynamically adjusts the ticket distribution scheme used for the ticket distributor, and thus the load balance is optimized.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a packet switching load balance device and method, more particularly, to a device and method with balanced output loads used in a trunking-port network environment. During distributing packets through a switching system, the load balance of the output is achieved by using a ticket distribution mechanism and a ticket assignment mechanism.
2. Related Art
As the Internet becomes more popular and the users increase rapidly, to increase the bandwidth for allowing heavier network traffic, two or more transmission ports are often trunked together. However, merely increasing the bandwidth without a good mechanism for uniform distribution, the transmission flows may still jam at a particular transmission port. Therefore, it is highly desirable to build up an effective management mechanism for fully utilizing the existing bandwidth.
Generally speaking, the network traffic is closely related to the data types, peak time flows, and the number of users. The packet switching technology can effectively improve the network efficiency. In the Internet, data have to be exchanged through a plurality of network nodes to the destination. FIG. 1 shows a trunking port network transmission system architecture.
When an upper-layer user 1 wants to send out data, the data are separated into several packets. That is, the data are partitioned first before being sent out and then recombined after all of them are received. These packets are assigned their routes through a switching system 2 and transmitted to the Internet 4 via several aggregated links 3. As far as the system architecture is concerned, it is mainly several transmission ports trunked together. For the physical layer in the seven-level network structure of an OSIRM (Open System Interconnect Reference Model), these transmission ports are physically independent. For an upper-layer user/application, however, only one logical port is seen. This logical port is part of the switching system, corresponding to two or more than two physical output ports. The upper-layer user sends the packets to the logical port. The driver decides how to distribute the data flow received from the upper-layer in order to further send out the received packets through different physical output ports, so as to achieve the load-balancing.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional network data transmission structure. When an upper-layer user 1 wants to send out data, the packets are passed by an operating system 7 down to a logical port 8. The logical port 8 determines which physical output port 9 for each packet transmission.
According to the prior art, when the upper-layer user transmits packets, the physical output port for each packet is determined by the last bit of its source address. However, prior art easily causes transmission load unbalance in the system. In particular, when the same upper-layer users want to transmit a huge amount of data, the data are partitioned into many packets having the same source address. Therefore, all these packets are assigned the same physical output port, resulting in load unbalance in the system.

Load balance device and method for packet switching


Swimming flipper comprising a blade and a shoe constituted by two distinct and separable elements provided with a mutual disengageable restrained joint coupling for performing an automatic rigid step-in engagement following approach from above downwardly of the shoe relative to the blade according to a translation movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blade, or following a translation-rotation movement.

The present invention is related to swimming flippers comprising a blade of flexible and relatively rigid material, and a shoe of relatively soft and elastically extensible material associated to one end of the blade.
In the swimming flippers presently produced the shoe, be it either formed with a complete shape or open rearwardly and provided with a strap (for the rear holding of the foot and for the length adjustment of the housing thereof), is rigid with the blade, or in any case is permanently assembled thereto by means of mechanical systems allowing assembly and disassembly of the two parts only with the aid of suitable tools, and in any case not when the shoe is worn on the user's foot.
For the manufacturing of flippers of the above-referenced type, long since discontinued the production methods consisted of the simultaneously moulding in a single mould of curable rubbers of different hardness. The manufacture technology has by now been consolidated, comprising initially the injection moulding of the blade, employing a rigid and flexible thermoplastic material having a low melting point, normally E.V.A. (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) or rigid polyurethane or other polymers. Thereafter, on the rear end of the blade so formed the shoe is overmoulded, for which is normally employed a thermoplastic rubber having chemical affinity with the thermoplastic material of the blade and a higher melting temperature, so that it can be welded to the blade due to a chemical-thermal effect.
A technology more frequently adopted for specialized uses of the flipper (agonistic flipper-swimming, deep sea diving) consists of a moulded shoe of generally natural rubber, sometimes a thermoplastic rubber, and a blade of rigid and flexible material coupled and fixed therebetween by means of mechanical systems, normally by screws. This type of connection, which can be disconnected only with the aid of proper tools, also leads to flippers which, both from the point of view of the user and during operation, must be considered as "monolithic", even if uncoupling of the two parts is allowed for the purpose of replacement.
These monolithic flippers have several drawbacks, summarized in the following.
a) Firstly, the monolithic flippers involve several difficulties and inconveniences in connection with wearing and removing, for which the user is obliged to intervene manually, frequently with both hands, either for inserting or for withdrawing the foot relative to the flipper. It is also to be considered that, in case of use for scuba diving, these operations are performed by the completely dressed diver, i.e. wearing a diving suit, weights, breathing apparatus, diving jacket, with precarious equilibrium conditions, on the sea shore or within the waves of the water line, on the deck of a rolling boat or below the ramp of the boat itself. On the other hand the flipper must be worn and removed when going in and out the water, since walking on flippers is almost impossible and anyway dangerous.
b) In the case of rearwardly open shoes provided with a strap for the back holding of the foot, the obstacle determined both by the shoe length, and by the tails of the strap projecting laterally, as well as by the large buckles for connecting and adjusting the strap, originates an appreciable hydrodynamic resistance which limits in use the efficiency of the flipper motion. As far as the length of the rearwardly open shoes is concerned, same is due to the fact that such shoes are not worn on the bare foot or possibly on a thin protective socking, but on an ankle-boot made of neoprene or similar materials, having a rubber anti-slip sole, which is per se particularly thick. This ankle-boot accomplishes both the ambulation function, and the thermal protection task: use thereof is normally widespread, but involves relevant problems of hydrodynamics and of connection solidity between foot and flipper.
In more remote times, when the moulding technologies and the available materials did not enable overmoulding a relatively soft material (that of the shoe) on a relatively rigid material (that of the blade), in order to obtain sufficiently differentiated characteristics of rigidity or elasticity, not obtainable with a monolithic structure of the flipper, it had been proposed to manufacture the shoe and the blade as distinct elements, assembled to each other mechanically with mutual restrained-joint systems.
Examples of these solutions are disclosed in Italian patents n. 709845, n. 799797 and n. 801541.
These solutions contemplated lateral members of mutual fitting, placed on the sides of the shoe and of the blade, adapted to be fixedly joined with each other and to be disassembled by means of approaching and, respectively, departing the two parts along a direction parallel to the plane of the blade, i.e. in a forward-rearward direction. These operations involved the application of a huge thrust force (or of a traction force, respectively), with a relevant manual effort, normally with the aid of suitable tools, and not without engagement and disengagement difficulties of the parts for the mutual restrained-joint.
Such solutions, which evidently did solve the problem of making the shoe and the blade by different materials, were only directed to the manufacturers, certainly not to the users. Actually:
a) the separation and union of the two flipper components would have required for the user still more uncomfortable, difficult and hard wearing and removing operations with respect to the monolithic flippers, and thus not practicable;
b) these flippers did not afford any advantage connection with the hydrodynamic friction: on the contrary, the restrained joint members did increase the plan width thereof;
c) such flippers didn't lead to the achievement of any advantages either with respect to the solidity of connection between foot and blade: the shoe was normally loose and slack, and moreover the blade was fitted only in the forward half of the shoe, thus allowing under effort a foot flexion which strained the leg and considerably reduced the swimming efficiency.


In one embodiment, fiber assemblies are provided. The fiber assemblies may have a first fiber and a second fiber. The first fiber may have at least one core having a length and first and second ends. The second end may have a first connector. The second fiber may have at least one core having a length and first and second ends. The second end may have a second connector having at least one magnet. The first connector may be engaged to the second connector, and the at least one magnet may be operated to engage the first connector to the second connector.

Fiber optic systems allow signals to be transmitted using light as the signal transmission means, and such fiber optic systems may be used in computer systems to aid in data and signal transmission. The fiber optic systems may be used to provide interconnection between boards, and the fiber optic system may be used to provide fiber to fiber connections as needed. Fiber optic connections and methods of forming fiber optic connections exist in the art. However, it is desirable to provide additional optical connections and methods of forming optical connections.

Optical connections and methods of forming optical connections

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A sealing apparatus for connecting two adjacent panels includes a releasable connection for quickly releasing forming rollers of the sealing apparatus. The apparatus includes drive shafts for driving the seaming rollers. At least one of the drive shafts has a spline portion and an engagement portion proximate a distal end thereof. A hub member has a complimentary spline portion engagable with the spline portion of the drive shaft, with a seaming roller fixedly connected to the hub member. And, a spring biased hub clip has an engagement portion that is releasably engagable with the engagement portion of the drive shaft to releasably hold the drive shaft to the hub member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the attachment of forming rolls and the like to seaming machines, for seaming metal panels, and the like. The invention is particularly applicable to seaming machines and is particularly useful for the attachment of metal forming rolls to shafts of a seaming machine.
2. Background and Prior Art
Various types of connectors are known in the art for attaching roll formers to seaming machines. These known connectors, however, have a number of deficiencies and specific features that make them undesirable in certain situations.
In known seaming machines, two corrugated panels are typically seamed together with roll formers that are passed along a seam for seaming. After the seamer completes one pass across a seam from a first side to a second side of the panel, the user has one of two options. First, the seamer can be carried back to the first side proximate the beginning of the previous seam and a second seam can be started; or second, the roll former can be switched on the seaming machine and the new seam can be seamed in the opposite direction from the previous seam, i.e., starting from the second side of the panels. When the seamer operator reaches the end of the second seam, the rolls can then be switched again, preparing the seamer for another pass.
Although switching the seamer rolls takes some time, switching the seamer rolls can still save time, and thus be advantageous, by allowing the operator to seam in both directions of the building. Otherwise, the operator has to carry the seamer to the opposite side of the building to continue seaming. The problem with the latter option is that the operator must physically carry the seamer back to the other side of the building. This reduces efficiency, wastes time and unduly burdens the operator.

Apparatus for releasably connecting roll formers to a seaming machine


A method for producing hydrocarbons in a subterranean well useful for observing properties of one or more subterranean zones, includes the steps of: (a) installing a lower straddle packer in a vertical well section below a junction with a lateral well section; (b) installing an upper straddle packer in a vertical well section above the junction with the lateral well section; (c) conveying hydrocarbons from the lateral well section to the surface with a tubing; (d) observing pressure information in at least one zone with a pressure gauge located in the vertical well section below the lower straddle packer; and (e) obtaining information in the at least one zone with logging equipment run through the tubing. A sidetrack window may be installed in the tubing between the lower straddle packer and the upper straddle packer for providing access to the lateral well section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to subterranean wells for the production of oil and gas or other fluids. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for a providing a single well for simultaneously producing and observing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monitoring pressure and saturation in a producing reservoir is critical for proper reservoir management, and it is being accomplished throughout the industry in a variety of ways. In offshore fields, wells are drilled from expensive platforms with limited number of drilling slots. Therefore, dedicating a slot for observation only instead of production is costly.
A common practice is to drill a vertical well across multiple zones and perforate the target zone for production and pressure monitoring purposes. At the same time, it is possible to intervene rig-less and run saturation logs across all zones or run production logging across the perforated zone. Inconveniently, this practice has several setbacks. For example, continuous pressure measurement is not possible. Producing the well will cause the pressure immediately around the well bore to drop, and therefore the pressure readings will not be representative of the general area around the well. Getting a representative pressure reading requires shutting-in the well for few days until pressure stabilizes. Shutting-in the well will cause losing potential production and thus revenue.
Another disadvantage of current methods is that production and pressure monitoring have to be in the same reservoir. If production from another zone/reservoir is desired, two reservoirs have to be perforated, isolated with straddle packers and completed with duel completion. Doing so will restrict running logs since the reservoirs will be behind both a tubing and a casing string which will hinder logs from reading the formation. In addition, vertical wells have low production rates compared to horizontal producers so it would be advantageous to have a production well that is horizontal.
From the foregoing, a need has arisen to design a method and apparatus that enables continuous pressure measurement, production and pressure monitoring from separate reservoirs, and production from an accessible horizontal lateral.

Dual purpose observation and production well


An identification system for identifying and validating selected components of a communication system and methods for manufacturing and using same. The communication system includes a host system that is configured to couple with one or more target systems. When the host system is coupled with a selected target system, the communication system can enter an identification mode wherein the selected target system can provide identification data to the host system. The identification data includes information regarding at least one target system characteristic associated with the selected target system such that the host system can attempt to identify the selected target system based at least in part upon the target system characteristics. Once the selected target system has been identified, the communication system likewise can at least partially reconfigure the host system, as necessary, such that the host system can be compatible with the selected target system.

Reconfigurable logic circuits, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and non-reconfigurable logic circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), have many applications, including use in prototypes as well as end-products, and advantageously provide immediate, full-speed operation in prototype or pre-production form. The ability to debug such logic circuits in a real environment is very desirable.
Design verification systems, such as accelerators, simulators, and/or emulators, traditionally are used to provide emulation environments for developing logic circuits, including reconfigurable logic circuits and non-reconfigurable logic circuits. Such design verification systems include connector systems that, by their nature, are used with many different system configurations. For example, each system configuration can require different types of cable assemblies and/or subsystems to be coupled with the connector systems of the design verification systems. Each cable assembly and subsystem must be identified and/or verified to inhibit incorrect system configurations that can damage the design verification system, the cables, and the devices.
The connector systems of some commercially-available design verification systems are keyed to inhibit improper connection between the design verification systems and the cable assemblies and/or subsystems. Thereby, only one selected type of functional cable assembly typically is permitted to couple with each connector system. Other design verification systems include connector systems with dedicated identification pins for enabling selected specific functions. Since system users frequently are responsible for specifying the permitted usages of such connector systems, however, these design verification systems typically do not include any provisions for guaranteeing that the identification pins have been properly configured.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an improved design verification system that overcomes the aforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of currently-available design verification systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for identifying target systems


A superconducting coil apparatus comprises a cryostat, a superconducting coil body contained in a cryostat and including a surface portion of an epoxy resin layer, and an interposing member interposed between the resin layer of the superconducting coil body and the cryostat and including a block with a through-hole, a thermal barrier member and a friction-reducing member interposed between the block and the heat barrier member. The thickness of that portion of the surface portion of the superconducting coil body, which contacts the interposing member, is set in a range of 0.4 mm to 3.5 mm, and the thickness of the other portion of the surface portion is set to less than 0.4 mm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a superconducting coil apparatus, such as a levitating force supplying superconducting on-board coil apparatus for a magnetically levitating train, and a method of manufacturing the coil apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of superconducting coil apparatus comprises a cryostat having a racetrack-shaped container, a racetrack-shaped resin-impregnated superconducting coil body contained in the container, and a plurality of members (fixing members) interposed between the superconducting coil body and the cryostat and having a function of allowing a coolant to flow between the superconducting coil body and the inner surface of the cryostat and a function of fixing the superconducting coil body within the cryostat.
By virtue of the fixing members, a very-low-temperature coolant (typically, helium) is let to flow through the space defined by the inner surfaces of the cryostat and the peripheral surfaces of the superconducting coil body and the superconducting coil body is cooled below the superconducting critical temperature.
This type of superconducting coil apparatus is manufactured in the following manner. A superconducting coil body is obtained by solidifying a superconducting coil bundle with a resin. The superconducting coil bundle is obtained by subjecting a superconducting wire or insulating material to predetermined processing. Specifically, the superconducting wire, which is obtained by coating a superconducting core with copper or other stabilizing material, is wound a necessary number of times in a racetrack shape with thin insulating layers interposed, thus forming the superconducting coil bundle. The superconducting coil bundle is impregnated with epoxy resin. By hardening the resultant structure, a composite superconducting coil body is obtained.
The superconducting coil body is contained in a racetrack-shaped space of a cryostat. Thereafter, a plurality of members (fixing members) are interposed between the superconducting coil body and the cryostat. The fixing members has a function of allowing a coolant to flow between the superconducting coil body and the cryostat and a function of fixing the superconducting coil body within the cryostat.
The above-described conventional superconducting coil apparatus has the following problem. In the conventional apparatus, a resin layer of uniform thickness is formed on the surface portion of the superconducting coil body. A part of the resin layer contacts the fixing member, and most the rest contacts the coolant. When the superconducting coil body is energized, electromagnetic force acts on the coil body so as to make the coil body circular. The fixing members and the superconducting coil body tend to be displaced from each other by the electromagnetic force. In this case, even if the degree of displacement is about several-tens of .mu.m, frictional heat occurs at an interface between the fixing members and the coil body. At very low temperatures such as at liquid helium temperature, the specific heat of substances is extremely low. Thus, the generated frictional heat tends to be conducted to the superconducting wire adjacent the resin layer of the surface portion. If the temperature of the superconducting wire is raised to a normal conducting transition temperature by the frictional heat, a quench occurs. In order to prevent frictional heat from being easily transmitted to the superconducting wire, it is necessary to thicken the resin layer constituting the surface portion, thereby increasing the heat resistance and dispersing the heat widely. On the other hand, when the superconducting coil body is energized or deenergized or when the coil body is mounted on a magnetically levitated train, an eddy current loss and hysteresis loss occur and consequently heat occurs in the superconducting coil body. It is necessary to quickly transmit the internally generated heat to the coolant via the resin layer constituting the surface portion. If the temperature of the superconducting wire is raised to the normal conducting transition temperature by the internal heat, a quench occurs. In order to quickly transmit the internal heat, it is necessary to make the resin layer thin and sufficiently reduce the heat resistance of the resin layer.
As can be seen from the above, in order to prevent the quench due to frictional heat, it is necessary to thicken, as much as possible, the resin layer constituting the surface portion. In addition, in order to prevent the quench due to internally generated heat, it is necessary to make the resin layer thin as much as possible. It is therefore necessary to meet these contradictory requirements. In the conventional superconducting coil, the resin layer constituting the surface portion of the superconducting coil body is made to have a uniform thickness. If one requirement is met, the other is not met; both requirements cannot be met.

Superconducting coil apparatus and method of manufacturing the same


A fracturing/gravel packing tool system with dual flow capabilities. A method of treating a well includes the steps of: flowing a fluid into the well through a work string while simultaneously flowing another fluid into the well through an annulus; and directing each of the fluids to the exterior of a well screen in the well. A well treatment system includes a slurry and a fluid flowed into a well. The slurry has an initial density, but the fluid is mixed with the slurry in the well, thereby causing the slurry to have a reduced density in the well. Another method of treating a well includes the steps of: installing a gravel packing assembly including a well screen in the well; flowing a slurry and a fluid into the well; mixing the slurry with the fluid, thereby reducing a density of the slurry in the well; and flowing the reduced density slurry about an exterior of the well screen.

The present invention relates generally to operations performed and equipment utilized in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a fracturing/gravel packing tool system with dual flow capabilities.
In conventional fracturing and gravel packing operations, a slurry is typically mixed to a desired density at the surface and then pumped into a well via a work string. Several factors limit the rate at which the slurry can be pumped through the work string. Among these factors are resistance to flow through the work string and erosion of the work string and other equipment.
In the past, such limitations have been dealt with by increasing the size of the work string to reduce flow resistance, and increasing the erosion resistance of the equipment. However, these solutions have been only partially successful. For example, in smaller casing sizes it may not be possible to substantially increase the size of the work string.
Furthermore, where the work string is thousands of feet long, changes in the slurry density cannot be quickly made to cope with unexpected circumstances, uncertainty in reservoir characteristics, or to enable selective fracturing of layers. Instead, changes in slurry density are made at the surface and the existing slurry already in the work string must be displaced before the changed density slurry reaches the formation.
Therefore, it may be seen that improvements are needed in well treatment systems and methods. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide such improvements.

Fracturing/gravel packing tool system with dual flow capabilities


The present invention relates to a series of novel silicone alkoxylated esters which have terminal carboxyl groups that form salt complexes with certain amid containing cationic compounds to form very mild conditioning products suited for personal care applications like shampoos, body wash, hand wash and bath products.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a series of novel silicone alkoxylated esters which have terminal carboxyl groups that form salt complexes with certain amid containing cationic compounds to form very mild conditioning products suited for personal care applications like shampoos, body wash, hand wash and bath products.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been a long felt need for a shampoo product that provides conditioning and softening properties when applied to the hair, and is at the same time mild to the hair, skin and eyes. This is most important in the area of baby shampoo, where tearing is an additional concern.
The classical way to get conditioning is to incorporate cationic compounds into the shampoo. These products provide acceptable softness and anti-static properties when applied to the hair, and a good after feel when applied to the skin, but are aggressive to the skin and eye, allowing for their use at low levels in general use products, and not at all in baby and sensitive skin products. Included in this group are compounds like stearyl dimethyl benzyl alkonium chloride and cetyl tri-methyl ammonium chloride. There have been few products mild enough to use in sensitive skin products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,625, incorporated herein by reference, issued March 1994 to O""Lenick et al describes a class of carboxy substituted silicone compounds useful as raw materials in the practice of the current invention. It is by proper selection of the compounds of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,625 and the cationic amido compound that the products of the present invention are prepared.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,544, issued Feb. 2, 1971, to Haulska et al likewise discloses carboxy substituted silicone polymers. These polymers are also useful as raw materials in the preparation of the compounds of the present invention.
It is the object of the present invention to provide novel silicone fatty amido quat compounds having outstanding conditioning properties at low concentrations and at the same time are very mild to the skin and eye.
These compounds are substantive to the surface of hair and have increased solubility in fatty materials including mineral oil, fatty triglycerides and traditional fatty quaternary ammonium compounds. It needs to be clearly understood that with the introduction of silicone into the molecule and with the formation of a complex (a salt) the resulting conditioning complex has unique properties.
Traditionally, one would think of a conditioner as having a water-loving (hydrophilic) group and a water-hating (hydrophilic)group. We have learned this approach, while simplistic is not accurate. The water-hating (hydrophobic) group is insoluble in water, but can be either a silicone or oil soluble group, or in a preferred case both.
In order to make the compounds of the current invention, we consider the molecule as having a water loving (hydrophilic group) an oil loving (oleophilic group) and silicone loving (siliphilic group) in the molecule. The group opposites then are three, hydrophobic (water hating), oleophobic (oil hating), siliphobic (silicone hating). Consequently, hydrophobic (water hating) materials can be either oleophilic or siliphilic. oleophobic (oil hating) materials may be either hydrophilic or siliphilic. Siliphobic (silicone hating) materials may be either oleophilic or hydrophilic. Only by balancing the product and having a cationic charge on it, can the desired improved conditioning be achieved.
The present invention relates to complexes of novel silicone alkoxylated esters, which contain carboxyl groups that are combined with specific arnido quats to form the desired conditioning products.
The present invention is also directed toward a process for conditioning hair, which comprises contacting the hair with and effective conditioning amount of the compounds of the present invention. The effective conditioning concentration ranges from 0.01 to 25% by weight of the compound.

Alkoxylated silicone carboxylatexe2x80x94amido cationic complexes used in personal care applications


The instant invention is a method of using certain analogs of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid in pain therapy.

The present invention is the use of analogs of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in pain therapy, as the compounds exhibit analgesic/antihyperalgesic action. Advantages of the use of the compounds includes the finding that repeated use does not lead to tolerance nor is there a cross-tolerance between morphine and the compounds.
The compounds of the invention are known agents useful in antiseizure therapy for central nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, Huntington's chorea, cerebral ischemia, Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia, and spasticity. It has also been suggested that the compounds can be used as antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics. See WO 92/09560 (U.S. Ser. No. 618,692 filed Nov. 27, 1990) and WP 93/23383 (U.S. Ser. No. 886,080 filed May 20, 1992).

Isobutylgaba and its derivatives for the treatment of pain


Technologies are described herein for an illumination device and a corresponding fixture device. The illumination device includes a luminary module for the emission of light and an identification circuit containing identifying data, while the fixture device includes a driver module for supplying power to the illumination device and a controller module. When the illumination device is connected to the fixture device, the controller module communicates with the identification circuit of the illumination device to retrieve the identifying data and causes the driver module to supply the appropriate power to the luminary module of the illumination device.

Rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns has increased the need for energy management technologies and techniques. A major source of energy usage in industrial, commercial, and residential settings is electric lighting. Alternative lighting devices may be utilized along with associated illumination and energy management systems to provide more efficient lighting, lower energy usage, monitoring and load management, and other related benefits and features. Alternative lighting devices based on solid-state luminary devices or other low wattage illumination technology may provide lower overall costs and longer replacement cycles of up to 30,000 hours or more.
However, these types of alternative lighting devices may have a higher up-front cost than traditional lighting. Moreover, it may be desirable to control which lighting devices are allowed to be used in a particular illumination system, both for ensuring compatibility and quality of the devices used in the system, as well as for providing a licensing enforcement mechanism for manufactures producing compatible devices. The rapid pace of development in this area, coupled with the longer replacement cycles may also create a situation wherein, when replacement is necessary for one of these devices, the capabilities and specifications of compatible lighting devices may have changed from the original version. In addition, the high up-front cost coupled with the longer replacement cycles may create a secondary market for these types of lighting devices.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.


Di (2-Aryl Hydrazonopropanal) arene derivatives are provided. The compounds exhibit high levels of toxicity against e.g. human colon cancer cells and are used to treat cancer.

The American Cancer Society has reported that cancer is the second leading cause of death and is expected to surpass cardiovascular disease in a few years [1]. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most malignant cancers diagnosed in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and requires different staging criteria, adjuvant treatment and operative methods. CRC metastases result in a significant number of cancer related deaths. The molecular mechanisms underlying this complex, multi-step pathway have not been completely elucidated [2]. With the rapid development of resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic agents, the high toxicity of existing drugs and the significant number of side effects associated therewith, there is a need to discover more effective chemotherapeutic agents.
Chemotherapy is crucial for CRC and may be used during a treatment course at different stages including after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells, or cancer cells that may have escaped from the main tumor and metastasized to other parts of human body. Metastatic cells may not be detected in imaging tests due to their small size. This type of therapy is referred to as adjuvant chemotherapy and the intention is to lower the chance that the cancer will recur. Many chemotherapeutic agents are already used in this stage including fluorouracil (5-FU), Leucovorin (Wellcovorin), irinotecan (Camptosar), and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin). Most adjuvant chemotherapy treatment schedules last for about six to eight months. However, chemotherapy can damage healthy cells along with cancer cells and cause serious side effects such as tiredness (fatigue), nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping, low white blood cell count, mouth sores (mucositis), bone marrow failure and peripheral neuropathy [5]. Also, sometimes chemotherapy may be used with radiation before surgery to shrink the cancer and facilitate tumor removal. This type of therapy is called "neoadjuvant chemotherapy". Also, in case of metastasis in which cancer has already spread to other organs, chemotherapy is used to reduce problem of tumors, but this is typically an advanced case in which no cure is expected, but the chemotherapy helps patients to feel better and live longer [5].
Cytotoxic compounds that exhibit anti-cancer and anti-metastatic efficacy towards CRC include natural products such as curcumin, which is the active ingredient of turmeric. It is a highly pleiotropic molecule that inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in cancer cells. Conjugating curcumin to a biodegradable polymer, poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid), overcomes the photo instability of curcumin. The curcumin-PLGA conjugate efficiently inhibits cell proliferation and cell survival of human colon carcinoma cells (HL116) when compared to native curcumin. Additionally, curcumin conjugated with PLGA shows improved cellular uptake and exhibits controlled release at physiological pH when compared to native curcumin. The curcumin PLGA conjugate efficiently activates the cascade of caspases and promotes intrinsic apoptotic signaling [6].
Unfortunately, such natural compounds still have low therapeutic index. Therefore, the exploration of synthetic compounds for use as cytotoxic agents is important and many reports deal with this issue. For example, two novel series of dimeric 3,5-bis(arylidene)-4-piperidones 1 and 2 have been prepared as cytotoxic agents [7]. These compounds demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against HCT16 and HT29 colon cancer cell lines, exhibiting IC50 values in the low micromolar to nanomolar range. Both compounds were more potent than the reference drug 5-fluorouracil which is used in treating colon cancer [7].
Tangeda and Garlapati introduced pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyrimidines with heteroaryl substitutions at the 5th position through a sulfur linker, and the compounds exhibited cytotoxic effect towards HCT116 colon cancer cells. Compounds 3 and 4, with nitrobenzimidazole and pyrimidyl heterocycles attached at 5th position, were the most potent of all with IC50 values of 17.6 mM [8].
Nunes et al. introduced a library of 23 spiropyrazoline oxindoles that show antiproliferative activity towards HCT116 cancer cells [9], and most of this library showed good antiproliferative activity.
The synthesis and cytotoxicity of a series of substituted 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline derivatives has also been reported. The cytotoxic activity of all the compounds was evaluated against HCT116 colon cancer cells and a HEY ovarian cancer cell line that is naturally resistant to cisplatin. Nine of the tested compounds showed significant cytotoxicity in all cell lines at 10 mM [10]. A structure/activity relationship study for a series of twenty-five substituted 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline derivatives revealed that the substitution of the hydrogen at position-3 with a lipophilic n-butyl group reduced anti-cancer activity, whereas the introduction of a bulky aromatic group as substituent at position-2 of the quinazoline ring was favorable for cell inhibitory activity [10].
Chemotherapeutic agents play a crucial role in the treatment of CRC. However, the agents with the highest activity also harm normal cells (they are not selective for cancer cells) and cause serious unwanted side effects. There is a need to provide potent novel anti-cancer agents which are more selective for cancer cells and thus have fewer side effects.

Di(2-aryl hydrozonopropanal) arene derivatives


An environment servo type clean metal casting mold has a casting mold body with an ingate. The casting mold body includes a cold bottom mold plate and a peripheral mold plate that is connected with the cold bottom plate. The peripheral mold plate is provided with a vertical temperature break servo device. The temperature of the vertical temperature abrupt servo device contacting with the cooling metal varies in the vertical direction, hence the liquid metal has rapid heat emission, crystallization and solidification.

It is well known in the art that after ordinary mold casting, in the upper partial central position of the casted ingot, there exists a V-shape region enriching of segregates and inclusions. The segregates and inclusions in this area are hard to be removed because of being located in the upper central portion, which will affect the quality of the metal generated and is detrimental to metal containing few segregations and inclusions when being rolled out. What's more, the metal bound with the segregates and inclusions cannot be easily separated from impurities, thereby affecting the improvement of the metal yield.
Currently, most of metal ingots in the world are still casted in this way, and thus a lot of metal cannot be achieved with a high quality and cannot be used effectively and fully, which cause much energy wasting.
In order to achieve clean metal, a secondary melting refining procedure, such as electroslag remelting is needed. This causes a great wasting of manpower and resource. Additionally, a great pressure is also imposed on the environment.
This does not meet the development requirements of energy saving and environmental protection, which is the great loss of the metal smelting industry.
In addition, electroslag remelting secondary melting refining procedure requires a great deal of electrical energy, meanwhile, low efficiency also restricts the large scale industrial production. What's worse, the slag material contains large amount of calcium fluoride which will pollute environment, so a de-dust and de-fluorine device must be provided. And the electric arc could seriously damage the crystallizer. A crystallizer casting mold in the manner of electroslag furnace remelting can only refine scores of furnace of steel, which increases the cost of production.
Recently, there exists a clean metal ingot mold. The process for cooling of the bottom mold plate is accelerated in the form of water-cooling. All of the peripheral mold plate or part thereof is water-cooled. The heat preservation dead head portion and the heat preservation portion of the peripheral mold plate keeps at a high temperature to ensure its directional solidification. During the process of directional solidification, the directional crystallization start from the water-cooled mold plate to the high temperature mold plate. The inclusions and segregates were driven to the direction of uncrystallized region in the process of forming crystals. The liquid metal near the high temperature mold plate becomes solidification at last because of being far away from low-temperature. Most of the inclusions and segregates in the liquid metal are enriched in the region that contacts the high temperature mold plate, so the alloy segregations and inclusions can be easily removed with flame or other processing methods, thus achieving the purpose of transferring, removing segregations and inclusions from the liquid metal and getting purified ingot.
However, since the directional solidification is very susceptive to the surroundings, if the portion that does not need to be solidified is exposed to low temperature, it will inevitably solidify preferentially. This will affect not only the movement direction of the alloy segregations, inclusions, but also the comprehensive generation of columnar crystals in the process of directional solidification, which is not favoring to improve the crystal quality and product quality.

Environment servo type clean metal casting mold

NANYANG XINGZHI PATENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICE CO., LTD


A method, apparatus, article of manufacture and data structure for automating the processing of scan data files generated by a digital scanner are presented, in which an operator selects at the scanner console one of a set of preprogrammed scan job types and starts it. Then, a scan data file is automatically synthesized from the scan data generated in the scanning process and meta data that identify the selected scan job type. The synthesized scan data file is transmitted to a server that recognizes the meta data and processes the file further in accordance with the scan job type identified in the meta data. Scan job types can be created by users and downloaded to the scanner and the server.

With the advent of digital technology, more and more documents are generated in digital form, which facilitates easy methods of handling, processing, archiving, etc., even for huge numbers of documents. However, there are still many documents available in physical form (also known as hard copy) only, and these can only be processed in digital systems after they have been converted into digital form (also known as soft copy) by scanning in a digital scanner. Such a digital scanner may be connected to a network, so that it has access to a workstation or a bulk storage device for storing the scan data file there.
In recent times, bulk scanning services have developed, that offer scanning and archiving of large collections of documents, such as complete "paper" archives. In such services, it is important that the actual scanning procedure is fast and simple, such that large numbers of different documents can be processed in a short time.
Several methods of automating the storage or further processing of scan data files have already been proposed.
For instance, published European Patent Application, Publication No. EP-A 0 757 311, discloses a scanner that has means for connecting to a computer network to which a plurality of computers are connected. The scanner has access to the file structure of the computers and the operator of the scanner can in this way select a specific directory for the storage of a scan file. When a large number of documents must be scanned and stored in different directories, logging in to many different directories or computers slows down the scanning process.
Published European Patent Application, Publication No. EP-A 0 756 414, discloses a network system including a scanner and a file server. The file server manages a file structure of dedicated directories, including personal directories of office workers and directories connected to a specific service, such as for copying or facsimile transmission. In use, an operator keys in a code number assigned to one of the directories, and starts the scan process. The scanner then connects to the specific directory in the server, performs the scan and stores the scan data in that directory. In the case of a functionally-connected directory, the scan data are then automatically routed to the connected service. Also, personally preferred scan process settings can be stored in advance in the personal directory of an operator. Upon scanning, the settings are read and imported from the relevant personal directory.
A disadvantage of this system is that a network connection must be made to the file server before a scan session can be started, because routing to any further handling in the server is essentially performed in the scanner. In other words, the infrastructure of the data generation (the scanner) and that of the data processing (the file server) are interwoven, which may give rise to unexpected interactions and prevents a clear separation of responsibilities.


A method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a lead frame based thermally enhanced package (9) with exposed heat spreader lid array (96) designed to be optimized for compression mold encapsulation of an integrated circuit die (94) by including a perimeter reservoir regions (97r) in each heat spreader lid (96) for movement of mold compound (98) displaced during the mold compression process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrated circuit packages and a method of manufacturing same. In one aspect, the present invention relates to an integrated circuit package having an exposed lid heat spreader.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the density and complexity of integrated circuit devices increases and the size of such devices shrinks, significant challenges are posed in the design and packaging of these devices. One challenge is to provide a thermal path within the package to conduct heat away from the integrated circuit die, where conventional approaches for removing heat generated within the package typically use individual metal lids or heat spreaders that are separately applied to individual packaged units and then encapsulated with molding compound. The use of individual lids is not efficient for the manufacture of multiple integrated circuits in terms of the separate application requirements for separate heat spreaders and also in forcing the use of a larger body size to allow room beyond the edge of the lid for saw singulation. Further, such packages typically have a relatively high thermal resistance between the die junction surface and the heat spreader, especially when mold compound is formed therebetween. Such conventional approaches also present packaging reliability challenges caused by overheating resulting from poor thermal transfer from the integrated circuit die.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved integrated circuit chip package and manufacture method that addresses various problems in the art that have been discovered by the above-named inventors where various limitations and disadvantages of conventional solutions and technologies will become apparent to one of skill in the art after reviewing the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings and detailed description which follow, though it should be understood that this description of the related art section is not intended to serve as an admission that the described subject matter is prior art.

Thermally enhanced package with lid heat spreader


The present invention provides a burner combustion method for supplying and combusting an oxidant stream and a fuel stream, wherein the oxidant stream is composed of a primary oxidant stream jetted from around the periphery of the fuel stream or from a position near the fuel stream, and a plurality of secondary oxidant streams, and by periodically changing the flow rate of at least one of the primary oxidant stream and the plurality of secondary oxidant streams, and also causing a periodic change in the oxygen concentration within the oxidant stream, causing a periodic change in the oxygen ratio which is calculated by dividing the supplied amount of oxygen, supplied by the oxidant stream, by the theoretically required amount of oxygen, and providing a difference between the periodic changes in the oxygen concentration and the oxygen ratio, the combustion state adopts a periodic oscillating state.

In recent years, as considerable attention has been focused on environmental issues facing the earth, the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) has been identified as one important issue, and is an issue requiring urgent attention. Among methods of reducing NOx, technology for inhibiting generation of NOx is very important, and techniques such as exhaust gas recirculation, lean burn combustion, thick and thin fuel combustion, and staged combustion are already known, and are being widely employed in industrial applications through to consumer applications. Although NOx countermeasures have progressed to some degree through application of low NOx combustors that apply these techniques, more effective methods of further reducing NOx are still being sought.
Among methods that aim to address the issues described above, one example of a method of reducing NOx that is the subject of ongoing research and development is a method of performing a type of timed thick and thin fuel combustion in which the flow rates of the fuel and the oxidant are changed periodically (hereafter referred to as "forced oscillating combustion") (see Patent Documents 1 to 6).
In this method, by oscillating control of the supply flow rate of either the fuel or the oxidant, or both the fuel and the oxidant, the stoichiometric ratio of the combustion flame is altered to generate alternating fuel-rich combustion and fuel-lean combustion, thereby achieving a reduction in the emission of NOx.
Further, Patent Document 7 discloses a method of reducing NOx that utilizes a pulsed combustion in which the oxidant is enriched using pure oxygen, so-called "forced oscillating combustion", as well as an apparatus for implementing this method.
Furthermore, Patent Documents 8 to 14 disclose so-called staged combustion methods in which the fuel and/or the oxidant are jetted into the furnace or combustion chamber in multiple stages, and also mention many effects of low NOx methods.


The present disclosure provides technical solutions for improving facial image capturing, recognition, and authentication, including: collecting a face image in response to a facial scan instruction (e.g., for facial recognition) using a camera of a mobile terminal; calculating a measure of image brightness (e.g., a luminance value) of the collected face image; enhancing, when a value of the measure of image brightness of the collected face image is less than a first preset threshold, luminance of light that is emitted from a display of the mobile terminal to a target luminance value, and re-collecting a face image using the camera of the mobile terminal and calculating a corresponding value of the measure of image brightness for the re-collected face image; and performing, when the value of the measure of image brightness of the re-collected face image falls within a preset value range, facial recognition based on the re-collected face image.

With rapid development of electronic technologies and the Internet, particularly the mobile Internet, functions of an electronic device, particularly an intelligent mobile device, become more powerful. A user may install various application programs on the electronic device based on requirements, to complete various transactions. For example, an application program installed on the electronic device is used to implement an image recognition process.
Currently, in the field of image recognition technologies, biometric recognition technologies such as fingerprint, face, and iris recognition technologies have been widely applied to many fields in the mobile life. In these biometric features, compared with face image recognition, fingerprint recognition and iris recognition have a higher requirement on hardware of an electronic device. Therefore, application of the face image recognition is relatively wider. For example, when a sensitive operation is performed on a security center of the electronic device, for example, changing a password, paying money, or changing a payment limit, the face image recognition needs to be performed to authenticate a user identity. It may be learned that a success rate of the face image recognition is directly related to usage experience of the user. However, there is still no effective solution in a related technology to improve the success rate of the face image recognition.

Facial image processing method, terminal, and data storage medium

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED