A force sensor, for use in combination with an automated electronic defibrillator (AED), includes a first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is spaced apart from the first conductive layer such that no electrical communication occurs between the first and second conductive layers. An electrical communication device is provided for establishing electrical communication between the first and second conductive layers responsive to the application of a force to said electrical communication means. A method of prompting a rescuer in the application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a victim includes the steps of:                sensing a force applied by the rescuer to the victim's sternum;        sensing an interval between successive applications of force to the victim's sternum;        comparing the force applied by the rescuer to the victim's sternum to a standard of force known to effect resuscitation;        providing a prompt to the rescuer that prompts the rescuer to vary the force delivered to approximate the force that is known to effect resuscitation,        comparing the interval between successive applications of force to the victim's sternum to a standard interval known to effect resuscitation; and        providing a prompt to the rescuer that prompts the rescuer to vary the interval of force application to approximate the interval that is known to effect resuscitation.

CPR is a technique used by a rescuer in an emergency situation to get oxygen into a victims blood when that persons heart has stopped beating and/or they are not breathing spontaneously. When performing CPR the rescuer creates blood circulation in the victims body by periodically compressing the victims chest.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that the rescuer press down on the sternum with a force sufficient to depress it between 4 and 5 cm. The recommended rate for these periodic depressions is 100 times a minute (ILCOR Advisory Statement for Single-Rescuer Adult Basic Life Support). Chest compressions produce blood circulation as the result of a generalized increase in intrathoracic pressure and/or direct compression of the heart. The guidelines state "Blood circulated to the lungs by chest compressions will likely receive enough oxygen to maintain life when the compressions are accompanied by properly performed rescue breathing." A victim can be kept alive using CPR provided the rescuer(s) are able to continue delivering properly performed chest compressions and rescue breaths.
Administering chest compressions and rescue breaths is a very physically demanding task. The quality of chest compressions and rescue breaths delivered can degrade as rescuers become fatigued. When a rescuer is fatigued they may not realize that they are compressing the chest with inadequate force.
Administering CPR is a very physically demanding procedure which is performed under stressful (i.e. life and death) circumstances. Under these circumstances, the rescuer is given the difficult tasks of estimating the time between compression's, and the distance which the chest is being compressed. Much of the difficulty in estimating the distance which the chest is being compressed stems from the relative position of the rescuer and the victim. When performing chest compression's, the rescuer positions his or her shoulders directly above the victim's chest, and pushes straight down on the sternum. In this position, the rescuer's line of sight is straight down at the victim's chest. With this line of sight, the rescuer has no visual reference point to use as a basis for estimating the distance that he or she is compressing the chest.
For this reason, there is a need in the art for a practical device which provides the rescuer with feedback to indicate that the rescuer is using proper compression force and that the rate of compressions is correct. A device of this type will provide rescuers with coaching which will enable them to deliver chest compressions consistently and beneficently. To be practical, this device should be one which is already at the rescue scene so that the rescuer is not required to bring an additional piece of equipment to the scene.
Because AEDs are being widely deployed, they are often present at a rescue scene. Prior art AEDs are only capable of defibrillation. There is a need in the industry for an AED which is capable of aiding a rescuer in administering proper chest compressions to a victim.


A system includes a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices and a mobile device able to be connected wirelessly to the smart card reader and to control connections of the smart card reader.

Smart cards are personalized security devices, defined by the ISO7816 standard and its derivatives, as published by the International Organization for Standardization. A smart card may have a form factor of a credit card and may include a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may include a memory that can be programmed with security information (e.g., a private decryption key, a private signing key, biometrics, etc.) and may include a processor and/or dedicated logic, for example, dedicated decryption logic and/or dedicated signing logic. A smart card may include a connector for powering the semiconductor device and performing serial communication with an external device. Alternatively, smart card functionality may be embedded in a device having a different form factor and different communication protocol, for example a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device.
Access to security information stored on a smart card is controlled by the processor and/or dedicated logic on the smart card. A smart card reader communicates with the processor and/or dedicated logic in order to access the security information stored on the smart card. It may be prudent, therefore, to ensure that access to the smart card reader (with the smart card inserted therein) is controlled.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.

Controlling connectivity of a wireless smart card reader


A power divider includes an input port and a plurality of output ports. The power divider further includes a splitter fabricated from a plurality of discrete elements including at least one transformer having a ferrite core. The splitter has an input and a plurality of outputs. The power divider further includes a plurality of transmission lines fabricated on a printed circuit board. Each transmission line has a first end coupled to one of the outputs of the splitter and a second end coupled to one of the output ports, and includes a plurality of transmission line sections between the first end and the second end. The power divider further includes a plurality of balance resistors each having a first end connected between sections of one of the transmission lines, and having a second end connected between sections of another of the transmission lines.

Radio Frequency (RF) and microwave signals and components are employed in a variety of devices, including mobile communication devices such as mobile telephones and communication test equipment. One type of commonly employed RF component is a passive signal splitter or power divider which is may be used to split or divide an RF or microwave signal and provide the divided signal to two or more output ports. Passive signal splitters often can also be used as a signal combiner. Such devices are sometimes referred to as reciprocal devices. The terms "signal splitter," "signal combiner," "power splitter," and "power combiner" are sometimes used interchangeably with respect to such devices.
A number of different parameters are used to define the performance of a signal splitter. Among these parameters are insertion loss, port isolation, input impedance match (e.g., input return loss), and output impedance match (e.g., output return loss)—all of which can be characterized as a function of an operating frequency range. Other characteristics which are often important include size, component and manufacturing loss, repeatability, and reliability.
One application for such a signal splitter is in a test system which may be used to combine and/or split transmit and receive signals in the RF and microwave frequency bands. In some test systems, it may be desired or necessary to test signals over a wide range of frequencies. For example, in one particular system, it is desired to test signals over a frequency range extending from below VHF (e.g., 10 MHz), up to 6 GHz.
Lumped or discrete element signal splitters have been produced which can operate well at the lower end of this frequency range, but their performance degrades at higher frequencies (e.g., above 2.5 GHz). Meanwhile, Wilkinson power splitters have been produced which can operate well at the higher end of this frequency range, but their performance degrades at lower frequencies (e.g., below 400 MHz). Wilkinson splitters have practical size limitations and become very large below VHF frequencies.
What is needed, therefore, is a signal splitter that can provide acceptable performance characteristics over a very wide bandwidth.

Wideband signal splitter using combination of discrete transformers and wilkinson splitters


The present disclosure is directed to positioning a new item in search results that may additionally include previously-released items. Items in a search result may be ranked by popularity scores. In embodiments of the present disclosure, a new item may receive a popularity score boost to compensate for that item's relative lack of history in comparison to the previously-released items. Embodiments of the present disclosure utilize outside data sources to rank the items. Outside data sources may include social media, knowledge bases, and like platforms to leverage available outside data to complement internal data.

A search engine typically comprises software code that is implemented to search for information and return search results to a user that submitted a search query. A search engine may attempt to return results most relevant to the user's search query by processing potential search results in a ranking algorithm. Results may be transmitted to the user and displayed in a ranked list. Typically, one or more signals used by ranking algorithms may correspond to an item's past popularity. When a new item is introduced to the search engine database, there are no corresponding popularity signals and as a result, the search engine may be naturally biased against newer items.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure.


A multiple circuit receptacle system (100) is disclosed. The receptacle system (100) includes a junction block (102) having an incoming female connector set (122) adapted to be engaged with a cable assembly (180) for supplying incoming power to the junction block (102). He junction block (102) also has a further female connector set (154), electrically coupled to the incoming female connector set (122), through which power is supplied from the cable assembly (180). The incoming power is in the form of four separate circuits, each circuit having hot, neutral and ground terminals. An electrical outlet receptacle block (160) includes a series of outlet receptacles (159) and connector sets (179, 181) selectively connectable to the further connector set (154) of the junction block (102). Connection of the receptacle block (160) to the junction block (102) in one of various spacial orientations provides for electrical power from any selected one of the multiple circuits to be presented at the outlet receptacles (159).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical power systems and, more particularly, to arrangements for electrically interconnecting outlet receptacle blocks so as to provide for a selected one of a plurality of power supply circuits.
2. Background Art
The use of computers, associated computer peripherals (e.g. printers and the like), copiers, facsimile machines, sophisticated telecommunications equipment and other electronic devices is continuing to rapidly increase in commercial, industrial and office environments. As a result, the importance of efficiently supplying power throughout these environments is also increasing. For example, the use of modular office systems, with multiple workstations and interior walls, has led to electrical systems relatively more sophisticated than conventional designs comprising receptacle mounts and electrical receptacles in stationary walls, with the receptacles energized from incoming power supplies extending through wall interiors. Such conventional and stationary wall-mounted systems were often located a substantial distance from the electrical devices to be energized and numerous electrical cords connecting the devices to the outlets would cause unsightly and sometimes dangerous entanglements. Thereafter, movable pluggable units having a number of receptacles on a common power source cord to be plugged into the conventional utility outlets were used. Again, however, such units resulted in unsightly and entangled arrays of electrical device cords.
With the growth of the use of electrical power in office systems, it became known to employ removable wall panels or the like, which defined modular workplace areas. Further, raceway areas were developed for use in the panels or other structures, for accommodating electrical wiring and electrical junction blocks near the locations to be energized. Typically, junction blocks were mounted within the raceway areas by attaching them with various types of structural arrangements. Outlet receptacle blocks having a number of receptacles were first formed as an integral part of the junction blocks. Thereafter, it became known to employ receptacles which were assembled as devices separate from the junction blocks, but were mechanically and electrically connectable to the junction blocks. During the past two decades, a substantial amount of research and development have been directed to raceways, junction blocks and receptacles, means for interconnection of the junction blocks and receptacles, and mounting of the junction blocks within the raceways.
One aspect of the increasing use of electrical power relates to circuit loads. Any particular electrical circuit is limited to carrying a finite power load. Previously, when electrical power was not used to the extent that it is today, a single electrical circuit interconnecting to an incoming power supply was typically sufficient to handle power requirements. Accordingly, wiring within stationary or movable walls could comprise only two (hot and neutral) or three (hot, neutral and ground) wires, with receptacle blocks having single (simplex) or double (duplex) receptacles typically wired directly to the incoming two or three wire circuit. However, today, it is advantageous to employ systems having an incoming power supply comprising multiple electrical circuits.
Further, however, having the availability of multiple circuits has led to other electrical wiring issues. For example, a number of junction blocks and outlet receptacle blocks may be assembled within several raceways of a modular system, with wiring and bus bars configured for interconnection of the outlet receptacles to a particular one of the available multiple circuits. However, over time, electrical power loads may change, resulting in load balance problems and the like. These changes may require circuit reconfigurations involving substantial rewiring and "changeout" of junction blocks, receptacles and other electrical components to other devices having different wire and bus bar configurations to accommodate circuit changeovers.
Various circuit arrangements have been utilized in the recent past in an attempt to provide circuit selection. For example, McCarthy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,328, issued Oct. 4, 1988, discloses an electrical power assembly for installation in a raceway of a wall panel, of a type commonly used in modular wall systems for constructing office and other work areas. The McCarthy configuration includes a power block having seven wires, representing three separate circuits, and several ports for receiving different outlet receptacle adapters or modules. Different modules are utilized to connect a power cord or the like to the different circuits of the power block. Each of the ports of the power block has seven terminals, corresponding to the seven wires, and each of several outlet receptacle modules has a uniquely positioned set of three terminals for engaging a predetermined set of three of the seven power block terminals. In this manner, different outlet receptacle modules provide electrical connections to different ones of the three separate circuits. A disadvantage of this prior art arrangement is that a separate supply of receptacle modules must be kept, and a receptacle module of proper type must be found each time a change is to be made to a different circuit arrangement. This presents a substantial inconvenience to the user and requires a separate stocking of these parts.
Byrne, U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,207, issued Feb. 11, 1992, presented a substantial advance with respect to circuit selection. The Byrne arrangement utilized a pair of adapter blocks, each arrangeable in two physical orientations. These blocks provided an interface between an electrical outlet receptacle block and four different electrical circuits of a power distribution block. Each of the adapter blocks included terminals on one end for engaging the receptacle block, including one terminal disposed on the centerline of the adapter and a pair of terminals disposed on opposing sides and equidistant from the centerline. Further, each adapter block included terminals on an opposite end for engagement with the power distribution block. The adapter block also included terminals disposed on opposite sides of the centerline and offset from the centerline by different distances. Each adapter block could be changed from one physical orientation to another by rotation about the centerline. One of the blocks, in a first physical orientation, connected a first positive terminal, a first neutral terminal and a ground terminal of the power distribution block to the outlet receptacle block. In a second orientation, connection was made to a second one of the positive terminals, a second one of the neutral terminals and a ground terminal of the power distribution block to the outlet receptacle block. Correspondingly, the second adapter block, in a first physical orientation, connected a third positive terminal, a third neutral terminal and a ground terminal of the power distribution block to the outlet receptacle block. In a second physical orientation, the second adapter block connected a fourth positive terminal, a fourth neutral terminal and a ground terminal of the power distribution block to the outlet receptacle block.
Wilson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,370, issued Jan. 4, 1983, discloses an outlet receptacle block having a ground terminal, a common terminal and three positive terminals for engaging corresponding terminals of a junction block. The ground and common terminals are connected to the ground and common receptacle output terminals for engagement with the prongs of a standard three-prong electrical cord. The receptacle block further includes a switch which selectively connects one of the three positive prongs to the positive receptacle outlet connector, internal to the outlet receptacle block.
In another prior art arrangement in Tillmann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,223, issued May 19, 1987, an outlet receptacle block is provided with a movable terminal to selectively engage one of three positive junction block terminals. The outlet receptacle block of this prior art arrangement includes a conducting shaft electrically connected to the positive outlet terminal of the outlet receptacle block and to the movable terminal. The movable terminal may be slid upwardly or downwardly to a desired position for engagement with one of three positive connector terminals of the junction block.
In yet another prior art arrangement in Wilson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,609, issued Nov. 1, 1998, an outlet receptacle block is provided with a pair of slideable terminals mounted on a carrier so as to provide for synchronous movement of two contacts. A junction block is provided with a ground terminal, three positive terminals and three common terminals, thereby defining three separate circuits with a common ground. The carrier on the outlet receptacle block may be positioned so that one of its terminals engages one of the positive terminals of the junction block, while the other engages the corresponding common terminal. A sliding electrical contact internal to the receptacle block provides contact between the moveable terminals and corresponding terminals for engagement with the prongs of a standard electrical cord.
With several of the above-mentioned prior art arrangements, an electrical switch contact between a moveable part and a stationary part is employed to connect the outlet terminals of the outlet receptacle block.
Byrne, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,431, issued Mar. 17, 1992, provided another substantial advance with an outlet receptacle block having rearrangeable terminals. In Byrne, an electrical outlet receptacle block comprises a housing and at least one flexible bus bar having one portion fixedly attached to the housing and electrically connected to one of the outlet receptacle terminals of the receptacle block. An end of the flexible bus bar is a moveable terminal end, which may be moved to at least two separate positions for selective alignment with different terminals of a junction block having at least two different circuits.
Byrne discloses one embodiment with an electrical junction block comprising eight terminals, with four positive terminals, two neutral terminals and two ground terminals. The outlet receptacle block is provided with three bus bars for connection to positive, neutral, and ground outlet terminals. The flexible bus bars may be selectively positioned to connect the ground outlet terminal to either of the two ground junction block terminals. In addition, the neutral outlet terminal can be connected to either of the two neutral junction block terminals, and the positive outlet terminal can be connect to any one of the four positive junction block terminals.
The outlet receptacle block can be provided with at least one manually operable control lever engaging the moveable end of at least one flexible bus bar. The housing of the receptacle outlet block is provided with an elongated slot on one surface for accommodating the control lever. The control lever can be disposed partially below the surface, with a protuberance extending through the slot. The protuberance is of a generally rectangular shape and fits snugly in the opening to prevent any significant rotation. The control lever, of which the protuberance is a part, is provided with an opening which engages a longitudinal section of a conductor bar. Movement of the control lever in the slot causes a bending in a portion of the control bar between the control lever and a fixed anchor point of the flexible bus bar internal to the receptacle outlet block housing. A terminal end portion of the bus bar extends beyond the control lever substantially perpendicular to an end wall of the receptacle block housing. This is provided for engagement with terminals of the junction block.


The present invention relates to a process for mineral oil extraction by means of Winsor type III microemulsion flooding, in which an aqueous surfactant formulation comprising at least three ionic surfactants which are different with regard to the alkyl moiety (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2— and are of the general formula (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2—O-(D)n-(B)m-(A)l-XYa−a/bMb+ is injected through injection boreholes into a mineral oil deposit, and crude oil is withdrawn from the deposit through production boreholes. The invention further relates to surfactant formulations of ionic surfactants of the general formula.

In natural mineral oil deposits, mineral oil is present in the cavities of porous reservoir rocks which are sealed toward the surface of the earth by impervious top layers. The cavities may be very fine cavities, capillaries, pores or the like. Fine pore necks may, for example, have a diameter of only about 1 μm. As well as mineral oil, including fractions of natural gas, a deposit comprises water with a greater or lesser salt content.
In mineral oil production, a distinction is generally drawn between primary, secondary and tertiary production. In primary production, the mineral oil flows, after commencement of drilling of the deposit, of its own accord through the borehole to the surface owing to the autogenous pressure of the deposit.
After primary production, secondary production is therefore used. In secondary production, in addition to the boreholes which serve for the production of the mineral oil, the so-called production bores, further boreholes are drilled into the mineral oil-bearing formation. Water is injected into the deposit through these so-called injection bores in order to maintain the pressure or to increase it again. As a result of the injection of the water, the mineral oil is forced slowly through the cavities into the formation, proceeding from the injection bore in the direction of the production bore. However, this only works for as long as the cavities are completely filled with oil and the more viscous oil is pushed onward by the water. As soon as the mobile water breaks through cavities, it flows on the path of least resistance from this time, i.e. through the channel formed, and no longer pushes the oil onward.
By means of primary and secondary production, generally only approx. 30 to 35% of the amount of mineral oil present in the deposit can be produced.
It is known that the mineral oil yield can be enhanced further by measures for tertiary oil production. A review of tertiary oil production can be found, for example, in "Journal of Petroleum Science of Engineering 19 (1998)", pages 265 to 280. Tertiary oil production includes, for example, thermal methods in which hot water or steam is injected into the deposit. This lowers the viscosity of the oil. The flow medium used may likewise be gases such as CO2 or nitrogen.
Tertiary mineral oil production also includes methods in which suitable chemicals are used as assistants for oil production. These can be used to influence the situation toward the end of the water flow and as a result also to produce mineral oil hitherto held firmly within the rock formation.
Viscous and capillary forces act on the mineral oil which is trapped in the pores of the deposit rock toward the end of the secondary production, the ratio of these two forces relative to one another being determined by the microscopic oil separation. By means of a dimensionless parameter, the so-called capillary number, the action of these forces is described. It is the ratio of the viscosity forces (velocity x viscosity of the forcing phase) to the capillary forces (interfacial tension between oil and water x wetting of the rock):
      N    c    =                    μ                                                  v                    σ                                                  cos                                                  θ              .
In this formula, μ is the viscosity of the fluid mobilizing mineral oil, ν is the Darcy velocity (flow per unit area), σ is the interfacial tension between liquid mobilizing mineral oil and mineral oil, and θ is the contact angle between mineral oil and the rock (C. Melrose, C. F. Brandner, J. Canadian Petr. Techn. 58, October-December, 1974). The higher the capillary number, the greater the mobilization of the oil and hence also the degree of oil removal.
It is known that the capillary number toward the end of secondary mineral oil production is in the region of about 10−6 and that it is necessary to increase the capillary number to about 10−3 to 10−2 in order to be able to mobilize additional mineral oil.
For this purpose, it is possible to conduct a particular form of the flooding method—what is known as Winsor type III microemulsion flooding. In Winsor type III microemulsion flooding, the injected surfactants should form a Winsor type III microemulsion with the water phase and oil phase present in the deposit. A Winsor type III microemulsion is not an emulsion with particularly small droplets, but rather a thermodynamically stable, liquid mixture of water, oil and surfactants. The three advantages thereof are that                a very low interfacial tension a between mineral oil and aqueous phase is thus achieved,        it generally has a very low viscosity and as a result is not trapped in a porous matrix,        it forms with even the smallest energy inputs and can remain stable over an infinitely long period (conventional emulsions, in contrast, require high shear forces which predominantly do not occur in the reservoir, and are merely kinetically stabilized).
The Winsor type III microemulsion is in an equilibrium with excess water and excess oil. Under these conditions of microemulsion formation, the surfactants cover the oil-water interface and lower the interfacial tension a more preferably to values of <10−2 mN/m (ultra-low interfacial tension). In order to achieve an optimal result, the proportion of the microemulsion in the water-microemulsion-oil system, with a defined amount of surfactant, should by its nature be at a maximum, since this allows lower interfacial tensions to be achieved.
In this manner, it is possible to alter the form of the oil droplets (interfacial tension between oil and water is lowered to such a degree that the smallest interface state is no longer favored and the spherical form is no longer preferred), and they can be forced through the capillary openings by the flooding water.
When all oil-water interfaces are covered with surfactant, in the presence of an excess amount of surfactant, the Winsor type III microemulsion forms. It thus constitutes a reservoir for surfactants which cause a very low interfacial tension between oil phase and water phase. By virtue of the Winsor type III microemulsion being of low viscosity, it also migrates through the porous deposit rock in the flooding process (emulsions, in contrast, can become trapped in the porous matrix and block deposits). When the Winsor type III microemulsion meets an oil-water interface as yet uncovered with surfactant, the surfactant from the microemulsion can significantly lower the interfacial tension of this new interface, and lead to mobilization of the oil (for example by deformation of the oil droplets).
The oil droplets can subsequently combine to a continuous oil bank. This has two advantages:
Firstly, as the continuous oil bank advances through new porous rock, the oil droplets present there can coalesce with the bank.
Moreover, the combination of the oil droplets to give an oil bank significantly reduces the oil-water interface and hence surfactant no longer required is released again. Thereafter, the surfactant released, as described above, can mobilize oil droplets remaining in the formation.
Winsor type III microemulsion flooding is consequently an exceptionally efficient process, and requires much less surfactant compared to an emulsion flooding process. In microemulsion flooding, the surfactants are typically optionally injected together with co-solvents and/or basic salts (optionally in the presence of chelating agents). Subsequently, a solution of thickened polymer is injected for mobility control. A further variant is the injection of a mixture of thickening polymer and surfactants, co-solvents and/or basic salts (optionally with chelating agent), and then a solution of thickening polymer for mobility control. These solutions should generally be clear in order to prevent blockages of the reservoir.
The requirements on surfactants for tertiary mineral oil production differ significantly from requirements on surfactants for other applications: suitable surfactants for tertiary oil production should reduce the interfacial tension between water and oil (typically approx. 20 mN/m) to particularly low values of less than 10−2 mN/m in order to enable sufficient mobilization of the mineral oil. This has to be done at the customary deposit temperatures of approx. 15° C. to 130° C. and in the presence of water of high salt contents, more particularly also in the presence of high proportions of calcium and/or magnesium ions; the surfactants thus also have to be soluble in deposit water with a high salt content.
To fulfill these requirements, there have already been frequent proposals of mixtures of surfactants, especially mixtures of anionic and nonionic surfactants.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,119,125 B1 describes a mixture of sulfated Guerbet alcohol alkoxylate and of low molecular weight sulfated alkyl alkoxylate in oil production. Particularly good emulsifying properties are attributed to the bimodal distribution. However, these emulsifying properties are of no great importance in Winsor type III microemulsion flooding. Too much surfactant would be required for the emulsification of oil, and the shear forces required are barely present in the flooding operation (apart from the region around the injector).
US-A 2008/217064 describes a drilling fluid solution comprising a nonionic surfactant—consisting of at least one branched alkyl ethoxylate and an end group-capped alkyl ethoxylate—and also a detergent builder and a viscosifier. The nonionic surfactant may be a C10 Guerbet alcohol ethoxylate.
US-A 2009/270281 describes the use of a surfactant mixture for mineral oil production, which comprises at least one surfactant having an alkyl radical of 12 to 30 carbon atoms and a branched cosurfactant having an alkyl radical of 6 to 11 carbon atoms. The degree of branching of the alkyl radical in the cosurfactant ranges from 1 to 2.5, and can thus comprise Guerbet alcohols of the 2-ethylhexyl or 2-propylheptyl type. The cosurfactants may be alcohol ethoxylates or anionically modified alcohol ethoxylates (e.g. alkyl ether sulfate).
The use parameters, for example type, concentration and mixing ratio of the surfactants used with respect to one another, are therefore adjusted by the person skilled in the art according to the conditions existing in a given oil formation (for example temperature and salt content).
As described above, mineral oil production is proportional to the capillary number. The lower the interfacial tension between oil and water, the higher it is. The higher the mean number of carbon atoms in the crude oil, the more difficult it is to achieve low interfacial tension. Suitable surfactants for low interfacial tensions are those which possess a long alkyl radical. The longer the alkyl radical, the better it is possible to reduce the interfacial tensions. However, the availability of such compounds is very limited.

Process for producing mineral oil using surfactants based on a mixture of C32 Guerbet-, C34 Guerbet-, C36 Guerbet-containing alkyl alkoxylates


The object of this invention is to provide a method for improving the accuracy of measurements, distance measurements in particular, made using a laser interferometer (1, 2). The method according to this invention consists of determining the air temperature along the whole path of the laser beam (3) emitted by the laser interferometer by measuring the speed of sound (5) travelling the same path, and using the resulting value to calculate the air temperature dependent adjustment on the measured value, distance measurement values in particular.

The object of this invention is to provide a method for improving the accuracy of measurements, distance measurements in particular, made when using a laser interferometer.
When precise measuring accuracy is required, for example in the engineering industry, laser interferometers are used in distance measuring because they are more accurate than other methods. However, the accuracy of the laser interferometer depends on various factors, such as the dependency of the laser beam wavelength on the refractive index of the medium. Since distance measurements made using laser interferometers are based on the wavelength of light, it is essential to know the refractive index of the medium to obtain sufficiently accurate results. In practice, the medium in these measurements is air whose refractive index is a function of air pressure, temperature, humidity, and concentrations of gases such as carbon dioxide. Air temperature changes significantly due to the fast and constant movements of air masses caused by temperature differences between the various points in the measurement region and due to aerodynamic effects. Because of changes in air temperature, the integral transient temperature along the laser beam path of the laser interferometer cannot be accurately measured with the currently known thermometers used in laser interferometers.
In commercially available laser interferometer equipment, the refractive index of the air is determined by measuring the above quantities in air and then calculating their effects on the wavelength. For this purpose, the currently available equipment incorporate sensors to measure air temperature, pressure, and sometimes also humidity. Typically, there are one to three thermometers for air temperature measurement.
The air thermometers currently used in laser interferometers are based on the phenomenon that the sensor temperature becomes the same as the ambient air temperature. These thermometers only allow measuring of temperatures at single points adjacent to the laser beam path. These thermometers cannot measure temperatures at each point along the whole laser beam path, as is actually required. Another disadvantage is that, due to delays in the response times in the currently known temperature sensors of laser interferometers, the measurement results always lag behind the real instantaneous temperature at each measurement point. Consequently, these devices only allow measuring of integral temperature values at specific measurement points during a specific period of time; they do not allow measuring of constantly changing transient temperatures. Applying measurement methods which only allow measuring of temperature values at single points and with a long response time, and considering the resulting values as the integral instantaneous temperature along the whole laser beam path, results in an error which is the most significant among the error components affecting the accuracy of laser interferometer measurements.
The object of this invention is to provide a method and equipment which solve the problem above. In addition, this invention provides a method for correcting the laser interferometer measurement results, taking into account the transient changes in air temperature along the whole laser beam path.
The object of this invention can be achieved by using a method whose distinctive aspects are described in the claims.
The method according to this invention consists of determining the air temperature values along the whole laser beam path of the laser interferometer by measuring the speed of sound travelling the same path, and using the obtained value to calculate the correction depending on air temperature to the measured value, particularly to distance measurements. The expression xe2x80x98same pathxe2x80x99 means here that the soundwaves and laser light waves start from the same point or, in practice, from points near each other, and arrive at the same point or, in practice, at points near each other, and that these waves travel simultaneously. The correction to the laser interferometer measurement result, particularly to the distance measurement result, can be calculated from the air temperature value. This method gives an accurate picture of the transient air characteristics which affect the accuracy of the laser interferometer.
In an embodiment according to this invention, the speed of sound is measured using the value of length or distance measured simultaneously using a laser interferometer. When the method according to this invention is used, the accuracy of the measurements made using a laser interferometer improves considerably. The described method can be applied to commercially available laser interferometers without alterations or modifications and the equipment according to this invention can also be installed to them. In addition, the method and equipment are simple and inexpensive to implement, also the equipment is inexpensive to produce and to use.
This invention is based on the phenomenon that the refractive index of the medium (in practice, air) known from the wave theory of light, which affects the wavelength of the laser beam, and the speed of sound in air, known from the theory of acoustics, both depend on the same factors, namely air pressure, temperature, humidity, and concentration of carbon dioxide, and are thus comparable to each other in a known manner. A further advantage is that the soundwaves do not interfere with the laser light beam transmitted by the laser interferometer and it is possible for the soundwaves and the laser beam to travel the same path simultaneously. Thus, transient changes in air characteristics have the same effect on the soundwaves and the given laser beam. Since the relative effect of a change in air temperature, is over 1000 times stronger on the speed of sound in air than on the refractive index of air, it is possible to achieve very precise measurements.
The method according to this invention proposes that the determination of the correction to the length measurement result, which depends on the air temperature along the path of the laser beam and which is obtained with the laser interferometer, is based on the fact that when sound wave travels the same path as the laser beam through air, instantaneous air temperature at each point along the path affects the speed of sound wave. The time that the soundwave takes to travel through air is inversely proportional to the integral instantaneous temperature along the soundwave path. Besides air temperature, the speed of sound in air depends on other factors, the effect of which is tens or hundreds of times smaller than the effect of air temperature. These factors have a relatively uniform effect on the air conditions in the whole region, unlike air temperature which changes significantly from point to point and varies with time. These factors include air humidity, pressure and concentrations of different gases such as carbon dioxide.
A further advantage provided by the invention measurement method is that the response time is zero at each point of the laser beam path and measurement of the whole laser beam path only lasts the time that the soundwave takes to travel the path. This is the essential difference and overwhelming advantage in the principle of the proposed method compared to the slower air thermometers currently used in laser interferometers.
In a preferable embodiment of this invention, the sound transmitters and receivers are located in the laser interferometer or in its proximity so that the path and axis of the laser beam and soundwaves are as close to each other as possible and the soundwaves travel in parallel and symmetrically with respect to the laser beam. In this manner the measurement errors are reduced.

Method for improving the accuracy of measurements made using a laser interferometer


A method for applying an image onto a surface (or substrate) of most any material, including thermoplastic, thermoset plastic, metal, metal alloys, wood, cellulose material, polymer, synthetic fabric, natural fabric, glass, ceramic, and combinations thereof, includes the steps of preparing a substrate for application of an image, placing the transfer sheet onto the prepared substrate, applying heat to the substrate and image sufficient to sublimate the image, allowing the image to absorb into the prepared substrate, and then curing the imaged substrate. Multiple substrates may be individually imaged and joined, if desired. One or more of the substrates may be at least partially transparent (e.g., clear, transparent or translucent) such that portions of other images, substrates or objects placed behind the one or more substrates are at least partially visible through the one or more substrates.

Previously, to produce items having an image disposed on one or both sides of the item, using a plastic or other suitable material, required the use of different and multiple processes. For example, a sheet of material or fluid material from which an item was to be formed might be initially positioned within or directed into an injection or compression molding device in order to create detail or features required on at least one side of the item. Subsequently, the material sheet would then be positioned or run through a suitable second thermoforming device to complete the formation of the item from the material. The resulting thermoformed item might then be heat treated under vacuum conditions with a dye printing sheet to print a selected pre-drawn design or image onto a surface of the item.
However, these multi-step processes have a number of significant drawbacks. First, the added steps typically slow production time and increase production cost. Second, subjecting the item to repeated high-temperature steps can have a detrimental effect on the item. Additionally, such printing was traditionally applicable to a limited number of suitable materials, such as thermoplastics, metals, and the like with a smooth, non-textured surface.
As to the first point, to initially print the detailed design on an item, the process may require both a detail molding device and step, which can be either an injection molding step or a compression molding step, as well as a final thermoforming step (e.g., melting or sublimation techniques) used to create the final form for the item. Finally, the pre-drawn design needs to be imprinted to the item. The multiple steps and molding devices required for each step significantly increases the complexity of the process and the costs for producing the final item with an image or design printed thereon.
Of no less importance is the integrity of the final item. That is, when a sheet of material is positioned within the heat treatment device to finalize the transfer of the dye printing onto the item, often times the process results in a partial or complete deformation or destruction of the original detail from the initial thermoforming steps. That is, due to the repeated use of high-temperatures necessary to initiate transfer of the dye from a pre-printed film to one or both sides of the thermoformed item, the edges around the item may be unable to withstand such heat for the required duration of the transfer process. However, shortened heat transfer times would fail to ensure consistent transfer of the dye on the entire surface of the item. Thus, the resulting item may often be undesirable or unusable for its intended purpose due to the damage done to the thermoform details on the item.
Finally, the use of materials which are not traditionally suitable for printing, such as wood, rubber, cellulosic material, and the like, require attachment of labels, tags or other similar devices. Even thermoplastic materials with textured surfaces may present difficulties for printing operations.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a method for effectively transferring an image from a printing sheet to a surface of an item made from most any material and in a single heat transfer step.

Method for sublimating an image onto a substrate


A high performance cold plate cooling device including multiple, relatively thin plates, each having patterns formed thereon that, as arranged within the device, cause turbulence in a fluid passing within the cooling device. Adjacent plates within the cooling device are arranged such that fluid channels within their patterns are arranged crosswise. One or more barriers extending at least a portion of the length of the device separate the crosswise channels into two or more flow sections and increase uniformity of thermal performance over the active plate area. Manufacturing of the device includes stacking the plates in an alternating fashion such that the channels within the pattern of each plate are crosswise with respect to the channels in the pattern of an adjacent plate and adjacent barrier walls abut. A method of manufacturing a cooling device is also provided.

The present invention relates generally to a cooling apparatus and more specifically to a design for a contact cooling device operable to introduce turbulence into a cooling fluid for improved cooling characteristics.
As it is generally known, overheating of various types of electronic components may result in their failure or destruction. The need for effective heat removal techniques in this area is accordingly a basic problem. Various types of systems have been designed to cool electronic components in order to increase the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of those components. In some existing systems, fluid has been passed through cold plates or heat sinks in order to transfer heat away from devices or components to be cooled. While such existing systems have sometimes been effective in certain applications, there is an ongoing need to provide improved thermal transfer characteristics in such devices.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a cooling device that provides improvements in thermal transfer characteristics over previous systems that have used fluid flows to facilitate cooling of attached or proximate electronic devices.

Method of manufacturing a contact cooling device


An image generating apparatus of the present invention includes a pixel calculation circuit for performing a calculation by using two sets of image data, wherein the pixel calculation circuit performs a calculation for a motion compensation processing procedure by using pixel data of a reference image and pixel data of a differential image in the case where the motion compensation processing procedure is performed, and performs a calculation for a texture mapping processing procedure by using pixel data of a mapping image and pixel data in a polygon in the case where the texture mapping processing procedure is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image generating apparatus for generating computer graphics (hereinafter, referred to as "CG") and expanding a high efficient coded digital moving picture (hereinafter, referred to as "compressed moving picture expansion"). More specifically, the present invention relates to an image generating apparatus capable of both generating CG in real time by texture mapping and expanding a high efficiency coded digital moving picture by using inter-frame motion compensation, a moving picture expansion mapping apparatus using the image generating apparatus, and a multimedia apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in order to generate CGs to be displayed on a CRT display and the like in home TV game equipment, personal computers and work stations, a method for mapping previously provided image data (hereinafter, referred to as a "texture image") to a polygonal region (hereinafter, referred to as a "polygon"), that is, a "texture mapping method" is employed. With the texture mapping method, even when a complex three-dimensional stereoscopic shape is approximately drawn with a small number of polygons, a relatively high quality image can be advantageously obtained.
On the other hand, in order to display moving picture data on a CRT display and the like in personal computers or audio-visual devices, a method for displaying previously compressed moving picture data in real time while displaying the moving picture data is desired. By using the compressed moving picture data, both the capacitance of a storage medium and the amount of transmitted data can be reduced.
In order to effectively compress the moving picture data, a method is used for coding only the differential data of the image data over a plurality of frames, that is, a so-called inter-frame prediction coding is employed. The inter-frame prediction coding includes "forward prediction coding", "backward prediction coding" and "bidirectional prediction coding". These methods use respectively different combinations of images to obtain the differential data.
In a sequence of input images, an image to be compressed is referred to as an "input image", an image input prior to the input image is referred to as a "past image", and an image input after the input image is referred to as a "future image". In the forward prediction coding, the differential data between the input image and the past image is coded. In the backward prediction coding, the differential data between the input image and the future image is coded. In the bidirectional prediction coding, the differential data is coded by using the past image and the future image. Hereinafter, the past image and the future image are collectively referred to as a reference image.
Furthermore, a motion compression processing procedure is performed in order to increase compressibility. In the motion compression processing procedure, a difference at the same position in the image is calculated in order to obtain the differential data. Simultaneously, an input image is divided into image blocks having the same size (for example, 16.times.16 pixels), and the position at which the difference becomes minimum is obtained for each block while horizontally and vertically shifting the position within a corresponding reference image. Then, the block position, at which the minimum difference is established, and the differential data are coded. In this method, in order to obtain the maximum compressibility, the coding is performed while suitably selecting any one of a "forward prediction", "backward prediction" and "bidirectional prediction", or "no prediction" type of motion prediction code. In some cases, the position of the reference image block is obtained not only with one pixel precision, but also with half-pixel precision.
Recently, in the texture mapping method, a method using a compression coded moving picture as a previously prepared texture image, that is, a method for mapping an expanded moving picture on a polygon has been employed. An example of a conventional image generating apparatus for realizing this texture mapping method is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-162165.
The method disclosed in the above patent publication provides an image processing procedure method in which a moving picture can be used as a texture image instead of a conventionally used static image such as a geometrical pattern, a photograph or a handwritten drawing. As a result, CG images of great variety now can be generated. The conventional image generating apparatus includes: data reproduction means for reproducing the compressed moving picture data from an information storage medium; image data expansion means for expanding the compressed moving picture data reproduced from the data reproduction means; and image synthesis means for receiving the expanded image data from the image data expansion means via a bus line and for synthesizing the image data.
With the configuration of the aforementioned conventional example, however, the following problems arise.
First, the configuration of a conventional image generating apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 27. In FIG. 27, a system bus 2401 serves as a medium for the transmission of data between blocks. A CPU 2402 controls the entire system. A main memory 2403 stores programs and data. An image expansion circuit 2404 decompresses the compressed moving picture data. A CD-ROM decoder 2405 reproduces the data from a CD-ROM 2409 serving as an information storage medium for the image data for the image data or the like. An image synthesis circuit 2406 synthesizes the expanded moving picture data by a texture mapping processing procedure and stores the data to a frame memory 2410. A coordinate transform circuit 2407 obtains coordinates for image synthesis. A DMA controller 2408 transforms the data on the system bus. A frame memory 2410 provides a work memory for image synthesis. A DA converter 2412 performs DA conversion on a signal for displaying the result of image synthesis.
Next, the operation of the image generating apparatus will be described. The compressed moving picture data stored in the CD-ROM 2409 is read out by the CD-ROM decoder 2405 and reproduced. The reproduced compressed moving picture data is transferred to the image expansion circuit 2404 via the system bus 2401. The image expansion circuit 2404 decompresses the compressed moving picture data. The expanded moving picture data is transmitted to the image synthesis circuit 2406 via the system bus 2401. At the same time, coordinates of a plotted image are obtained through the CPU 2402 and the coordinate transform circuit 2407, and are specified to the image synthesis circuit 2406 via the system bus 2401. The image synthesis circuit 2406 synthesizes the moving picture data through texture mapping and the synthesized data is transmitted from the image expansion circuit 2404 onto the coordinates on the frame memory 2410 as directed by the CPU 2402. The synthesized image in the frame memory 2410 is read out by the image synthesis circuit 2406, and is then transmitted to the DA converter 2412. The digital signal is converted by the DA converter 2412 to an analog signal, and an analog signal is output.
FIG. 40 shows an inner configuration of the image expansion circuit 2404 shown in FIG. 27. Hereinafter, the operation of motion compensation processing procedure will be described with reference to FIG. 40.
The compressed moving picture data read out from a CD-ROM decoder is input to the image expansion circuit 2404 via the system bus 2401, as a unit of an image block consisting of 16.times.16 pixels, for example. The compressed image block data input to the image expansion circuit 2404 through a local bus 3014 is first transformed to an orthogonal transform coefficient image 3002 by a variable-length inverse coding circuit 3001. Subsequently, the orthogonal transform coefficient image 3002 is transformed into a differential image block by an orthogonal transform circuit 3003, said orthogonal transform coefficient image 3002 is in turn stored in a differential image memory 3004. The compressed image block data to be input to the image expansion circuit 2404 includes not only a differential image component but also motion compensation data required for decoding the image block. The motion compensation data corresponds to data indicating the type of motion prediction (i.e., any one of "forward prediction", "backward prediction", "bidirectional prediction" and "no prediction coding") used to code the image block, and the data indicating the type of the position of a reference image block used for the prediction. Based on the contents of the motion compensation data, the motion compensation processing procedure is subsequently performed in a motion compensation circuit 3013. The image block at the position corresponding to the data indicating the position of the reference image block is read out from a reference image memory 3012 via image reading circuits 3007 and 3008. For example, in the case where the image block to be transformed is a block coded by forward prediction, an image block read out from a past image memory 3005 is selected by an average/selection circuit 3009, and is input to an addition circuit 3010. The addition circuit 3010 adds the past image block data and the differential image block data, and the result is written to a generated image memory 3011. In the case where the image block to be transformed is an image block coded by backward prediction, an image block read out from a future image memory 3006 is selected and added to a differential image block. In the case where the image block to be transformed is an image block coded by bidirectional prediction, the average/selection circuit 3009 takes an average of the image block read out from the past image memory 3005 and the image block read out from the future image memory 3006 for each pixel. The result is transmitted to the addition circuit 3010 which adds the result to a differential image block. The result of the addition is stored in the generated image memory 3011. In the case where the data indicating the position of the reference image block is given with half-pixel precision, the image block reading circuits 3007 and 3008 have a reading function corresponding to half-pixel precision, for example, a function of reading out an image block while calculating an average of adjacent two pixels. The expanded moving picture data stored in the generated image memory 3011 is transmitted to the image synthesis circuit 2406 via the system bus 2401. The contents of the generated image memory 3011 are also transmitted to the past image memory 3005 or the future image memory 3006 in the reference image memory 3012 so as to be used for subsequent moving picture expansion. The inner configuration of the conventional image expansion circuit and the operation of motion compensation processing procedure are as described above.
Next, the operation of conventional texture mapping processing procedure performed in the image synthesis circuit 2406 and the frame memory 2410 shown in FIG. 27 will be described with reference to FIG. 41.
The moving picture data transmitted to the image synthesis circuit 2406 is temporarily stored in the frame memory 2410 as texture image data 3101 in the case where the image synthesis circuit 2406 performs the texture mapping operation. Then, the texture image 3101 is read out and transformed by the image synthesis circuit 2406, and is stored (mapped) in the region of a generated image 3102. One pixel 3104 in the texture image 3101 is input to a first multiplication circuit 3107 in the texture mapping circuit 3106. Simultaneously, a pixel 3105 in the generated image region 3102, to which the pixel 3104 is mapped, is input to a second multiplication circuit 3108. The first multiplication circuit 3107 multiplies the pixel 3104 by a multiplier .alpha. (where .alpha. is a numerical value equal to or larger than 0 and equal to or smaller than 1), while the second multiplication circuit 3108 multiplies the pixel 3105 by a multiplier (1-.alpha.). The results of these multiplications are input to an addition circuit 3109, which adds the input values. The result of the addition is stored at the position of the pixel 3105 in the generated image 3102. By sequentially performing the aforementioned operation for all of the pixels in the texture image, the texture mapping processing procedure of an original image in the generated image (which is generally a background image) and a texture image along with semi-transparent synthesis can be realized. The operation of texture mapping processing procedure performed in a conventional image synthesis circuit is as described above.
In the image generating apparatus having the configuration as described above, the compressed moving picture data is transmitted to the image expansion circuit 2404 via the system bus 2401 so as to decompress the moving picture. Then, the expanded moving picture data is transmitted to the image synthesis circuit 2406 via the system bus 2401. The amount of expanded moving picture data is generally extremely large (in the case of a moving picture including 320.times.240 pixels, about 7 MB/second), and therefore applies a large load on the data transmission ability of the system bus 2401. In addition, in the case where the moving picture is compressed with high efficiency, the inter-frame motion prediction technique is often used. In order to decompress the moving picture compressed based on this technique, it is necessary for the image generating apparatus to include the frame memory. More specifically, if the image expansion circuit 2404 and the image synthesis circuit 2406 are separately provided, a frame memory for image expansion processing procedure and the frame memory 2410 for plotting the image should be also separately provided. Moreover, since the image expansion circuit 2404 and the image synthesis circuit 2406 are connected to each other via the system bus 2401, control such as timing control of the data transmission is complicated. As a result, the system configuration will be complicated.
As described above, the conventional image generator has a number of problems.

Image generating apparatus with pixel calculation circuit including texture mapping and motion compensation

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


After sending M consecutive DUP ACKs, M generally being three, the TCP receiver generates DUP ACKs every N packets, with N greater than one, with the eventually transmitted DUP ACK containing SACK information. After receiving the third DUP ACK the TCP transmitter uses the positive acknowledgements provided in the SACK information in the TCP header to inflate the congestion window. With the reduced DUP ACKs from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter, the impact of TCP DUP ACKs on the data rate from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter is substantially reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to network transmission using the TCP protocol.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage area network (SAN) may be implemented as a high-speed, special purpose network that interconnects different kinds of data storage devices with associated data servers on behalf of a large network of users. Typically, a storage area network includes high performance switches as part of the overall network of computing resources for an enterprise. The storage area network is usually clustered in close geographical proximity to other computing resources, such as mainframe computers, but may also extend to remote locations for backup and archival storage using wide area network carrier technologies. Fibre Channel networking is typically used in SANs although other communications technologies may also be employed, including Ethernet and IP-based storage networking standards (e.g., iSCSI, FCIP (Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol), etc.).
As used herein, the term "Fibre Channel" refers to the Fibre Channel (FC) family of standards (developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)) and other related and draft standards. In general, Fibre Channel defines a transmission medium based on a high speed communications interface for the transfer of large amounts of data via connections between varieties of hardware devices.
FC standards have defined limited allowable distances between FC switch elements. Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP) refers to mechanisms that allow the interconnection of islands of FC SANs over IP-based (internet protocol-based) networks to form a unified SAN in a single FC fabric, thereby extending the allowable distances between FC switch elements to those allowable over an IP network. For example, FCIP relies on IP-based network services to provide the connectivity between the SAN islands over local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs). Accordingly, using FCIP, a single FC fabric can connect physically remote FC sites allowing remote disk access, tape backup, and live mirroring.
In an FCIP implementation, FC traffic is carried over an IP network through a logical FCIP tunnel. Each FCIP entity on either side of the IP network works at the session layer of the OSI model. The FC frames from the FC SANs are encapsulated in IP packets and transmission control protocol (TCP) segments and transported in accordance with the TCP layer in one or more TCP sessions. For example, an FCIP tunnel is created over the IP network and a TCP session is opened in the FCIP tunnel.
One common problem in TCP/IP networks is packet loss. Each packet must be acknowledged. Usually this is done sequentially as the packets arrive, but in certain cases packets may be lost or corrupted and following packets received correctly.
For a TCP connection, a TCP packet can either encompass application data or it is a TCP header only packet. For optimal bandwidth utilization, ideally each TCP packet should send application data if available.
Packet loss on the network would cause reception of out of order frames at the TCP receiver. Each out of order packet received on the receiver will generate a TCP header only packet (called Duplicate Acknowledgement or DUP ACK) to inform the transmitter about the loss. The TCP transmitter, on receiving 3 DUP ACKS, will do retransmit of the lost packet and enter fast recovery. In fast recovery, the DUP ACKs received are used to inflate the congestion window. The DUP ACKs going from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter do not encompass any application data, however they still consume the bandwidth/rate for that connection.
The bandwidth delay product (i.e. # of inflight bytes/TCP packets) for a high latency connection is very high. In a high latency environment, the number of duplicate ACKs going from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter will be very high and will last for an RTT (round trip transit) time. This can substantially impact the rate of application data from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter while the DUP ACKs last. If the network from the TCP transmitter to the TCP receiver side is experiencing loss for an extended period of time, it will greatly reduce the application data rate from the TCP receiver to the TCP transmitter.
This may eventually cause bandwidth sensitive traffic to timeout.

Bandwidth optimization using coalesced DUP ACKs


In order to accomplish a color adjustment capable of determining a color at a high degree of freedom, a variety of color expressions and corresponding input instructions are correlated to reflect the instruction of a color change by a certain expression upon another expression. In order to accomplish a color change considering the changes in the ambience, moreover, each vector of an object color, a light source color, a color texture, an ambient color and an input bias is decided to determine the separated component values of the former three vectors of a picture element value so that the changed color of the picture element value may be determined after the vector change from the separated component values and the changed vectors.

The present invention relates to a color adjusting method to be implemented in a computer equipped with a full-color display and, more particularly, to a color changing method which is suited for sales presentations of commodities, appearance simulations of buildings or color designs for industrial products by using a function for simulating the changes in the object colors of natural images due to ambient changes such as the weather of the actual world or the time or changes in the object colors in an identical ambience.
When a color image is to be displayed in a full-color CRT by the color adjusting method of the prior art, the display colors are determined to indicate the three primary color components, i.e., red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors. In the prior art, the values of the RGB are sometimes inputted manually and directly by the operator, but it is difficult for the operator to discriminate the correspondences between the RGB components and the actual color. In the full-color natural image editor (which is known under the trade name of "CANVAS") of ADS Corporation, for example, there are used as the expression of the color not only the RGB components but also the hue (H), saturation (S) and value (V) of the color, and a sample color set is prepared for selections so that the color may be adjusted as if it were mixed on the palette of paints.
The method of the prior art for changing the colors of a color image is exemplified by either a color change (i.e., the characteristic evaluations of a variety of HIS color models according to the lecture of Japanese Photo Survey Association made by Fukue in October, 1986, which will be referred to as "Reference 1") by HSV, HSI or HSL level or a color change (i.e., O plus E No. 110, Full Color Image Processor SHAIP and Its Application made in January, 1989, which will be referred to as "Reference 2") for setting the color conversion by using a look-up table.
The method of changing the colors of the picture element values of a color image in the three-dimensional three-primary color space having plotted the picture element values is exemplified by the method (which will be referred to as "Reference 3") of changing the colors of the individual picture elements by presuming a plurality of color vector in the three-primary color space to determine the separated components of the color vector of the plotted individual picture element values and by changing the color vector thereby to use both separated components and the changed color vector like the present invention in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-237172.
According to this method, as shown in FIG. 25, in the three-dimensional color space, the three primary color components of the individual picture elements in a target color region of a color image are assumed be located in a plane which is composed of a black (i.e., origin), an object color vector Cb and a source color vector Cs. With this assumption, the individual picture elements are separated into the components of the above-specified two vectors and are used as the intermediate coordinates of the two-dimensional individual picture elements, and the color region is then changed into a desired color by calculating the changed three primary color components from the intermediate coordinate values, the light source color vector Cs and a second object color vector Cb' newly obtained. So long as the aforementioned assumption holds, this method is enabled by separating the light source color and the object color to change the object color of an image having a reflection although this has been difficult according to the preceding color changing methods. Since the reflected light appears as a component for the light source color vector of each picture element value in the three-primary color space whereas the remaining lights appear as the components for the object color vector, the color of the image having the reflection can be changed by changing the object color vector.
Although not the process for changing the color of an object, there is another color image processing method (as disclosed in International Journal of Computer Vision No. 1, Vol. 2 (1988.6) by G. J. Klinker, which will be referred to as "Reference 4") using the separated components of the color vector of each picture element value plotted by presuming a plurality of color vectors. In this Reference 4, G. J. Klinker et al. have accomplished the following examinations: 1 Under such a special photographic circumstances in which only one point source exerts influences as a light source for an object, a colored glossy object (made of plastics) is photographed by a CCD camera. Then, the experiments are accomplished by analyzing the three-primary color space plotted with the picture element values of the color image obtained. 2 In accordance with the distribution of the picture element values, the object color vector and the light source color vector are extracted from the dense state of the picture element values. This method has determined that the individual picture element values of a common object region are distributed inside of and in the vicinity of the parallelogram defined by the aforementioned two vectors. 3 G. J. Klinker et al. have proposed that, in case the individual picture elements value in the common object region are approximated as the points in the parallelogram of the two vectors, their positions in the parallelogram are characteristic values depending upon only the positions of the picture elements in the object region. 4 Thus, they have succeeded in eliminating the high-light components from the color image by separating the individual picture element values of the common object region into the aforementioned two vector components to eliminate the specular reflection components (i.e., the source color vector components).
However, the prior art thus far described has the following problems:
(1) In the color adjusting case: There is considerable gap between the numerical values of the color data and the adjusted actual color no matter which of the RGB or HSV might be used for expressions. Certain devices have been known in the prior art for facilitating the correspondence with the perceived color not by inputting the numerical values of the RGB or HSV but by inputting the coordinates in the region in which certain characteristic amounts smoothly change in dependence upon the positions. However, the color mixing belongs to the additive color mixing (in which the three primary colors are mixed into white) and is different from the familiar color mixing of pigments, i.e., the substractive color mixing (in which the three primary colors are mixed into black). This mixing makes it remarkably difficult to adjust a desired color merely by instructing and synthesizing the components.
Certain methods of the prior art present sample colors. Since all of these sample colors are to be displayed one time, the intrinsic three-dimensional structure of the RGB is confined in the two dimensions so that the order of the sample colors is not natural. Moreover, the number of the sample colors is short for reminding the number (0 to 255 for each of the RGB, i.e., 16,770,000) to be displayed on the CRT.
In case, on the other hand, the aforementioned color adjusting method is used for the color changing simulations, the color obtained as a result of the adjustment is used merely on the spot but may have to be stored for another use if an excellent color is adjusted. In this case, moreover, conveniences are not obtained unless a brief description is attached to the color.
The color changing simulations have a problem that calculations are extensive and take a long time.
(2) In the color changing case: In the prior art, the method of the Reference 3 is superior to the other methods of the prior art in the naturality of the color changes but has the following problems:
The first problem is that the method is insufficient for applications to a general color image. The method of the Reference 3 has assumed that the three primary color components of the individual picture elements in a target color region are located on the plane, which is defined by the black color, the object color vector and the light source color vector, in the three-primary color space. This assumption has been made on the image which is taken under remarkably special circumstances. This assumption can be applied to the image, which has been objected by using a circuit for changing the color of an image inputted by a scanner or a color camera in accordance with the shadow obtained by a TV (monochromatic) camera, but not to a general image. In the general color image, the color of an object region in an image is not exhibited only by the influences of the color and amount of a main light source, but the color obtained by the influences of the light (e.g., blue light) of a substance (e.g., sky) existing around the object is also added to the color of the object. When the image is to be photographed or inputted by an image input device, its characteristic color is added to the real color. In the three-primary color space having plotted the picture element values, the linear summation of the color due to the influence of a light, which is emitted from a substance existing around the aforementioned object, and the color obtained by the photographic input device appears as a vector joining the start point of the object color vector and the origin (i.e., black). In the general color image, therefore, it is difficult for each picture element to be approximated by a color in a plane which is defined by the three colors, i.e., black, the object color vector and the light source color vector.
The second problem is that a color change in high fidelity to an original image cannot be accomplished. Assuming that each picture element value be a point in a two-dimensional plane defined by the object color vector and the light source color vector, according to the method of the Reference 3, the color change is accomplished by calculating the components of said vectors for each picture element and by using the calculated component and the vector after the change of the object color vector. However, the real picture element value is distributed not only in said two-dimensional plane but in the vicinity of the same. The distance between the picture element value existing in that vicinity and said plane raises causes not only noises but also the local subtle color texture of the object region and is not eliminated but desirably left. Since the information of the texture of that object region are lost by said method, it is impossible to accomplish the color changes in high fidelity to the original image.
The third problem is the susceptibility to the influences of the light source color. According to the Reference 3, the vector appearing as the randomly scattered components in the three-primary color space, in which the individual picture element values are plotted, are used as the object color so that the color change is accomplished for said object color. Since, however, this object color is subjected to the influences of a light source, disadvantageous or unnatural color change of the object region of the color image is caused, when a design is to be made by the color changing function for the color of an industrial product, which matches the landscape in case the product is placed in the natural ambience. In case a light source color is apart to some extent from the white color for the photography of an image taken from a product having an existing product color when a new color for the product is to be designed (in the landscape of a sunset glow, for example, the sky is red so that the light source color is also red), the product takes the color of the light source. If the candidate color, if any, of a product is used as the color of the object region changed, it does not match the background landscape (i.e., the landscape of the sunset glow in the aforementioned example) but becomes unnatural. If the product of said candidate color is actually placed in said ambience, the product fails to look in said candidate color (in the aforementioned case, a white product takes the red color).
The fourth problem is that the light source color and amount cannot be changed.
The fifth problem is that it is impossible to change the color which is established by the influences of the light coming from an object surrounding the target.

Method for changing color of displayed images by use of color components


A variable adaptive projector system for motor vehicles comprises a positioning mechanism for variation the positions of the basic shield (3) and the wet road shield (4) of the projector lighting unit between the defined positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a variable adaptive projector system for motor vehicles, and, more particularly, to a structure designed to vary the positions of shields inside the projector lighting unit in order to change the spatial distribution of light on the road. The shields in projector lighting unit can be placed in four defined positions for generating four different beam patterns: a wet road beam function for bad weather; a low beam function (passing beam); a high beam function (driving beam); and a motorway beam function for highway driving.
2. Related Technology
In order to generate low beam light and high beam light, the prior art headlamps have typically been equipped with either separate lighting units or combined lighting units utilizing two-filament light sources. Another possibility for combining low beam and high beam light involves a mechanism installed inside the lighting unit and providing for movement of an optical element, such as a shield, a light source, part of a reflector or the whole reflector itself.
For motorway and wet road (rain or bad weather) beam function, the additional lighting units are needed. The main disadvantages of these additional lighting units consist in higher demands required by the installation of these units in the headlamp, the additional light sources required, the higher power requirements and the higher costs.

Variable adaptive projector system for motor vehicles


A method and apparatus for completing a priority call to a wireless border switch. A priority or preemption request is transmitted as part of the signaling messages used to set up a call. A border switch is a switch which is used in conjunction with the switch indicated by the last-seen pointer from an HLR entry for the called terminal to page a called station. The switch indicated by the last-seen pointer transmits the priority request to a border switch, to indicate that the call should be given priority treatment. Further, preemption service for calls terminating on a wireless station can be provided. Advantageously, priority and preemption treatment can be provided for calls originated by wireless or landline stations and terminating on mobile station destinations that are served by a border switch; preemption or priority service can be provided for calls to a wireless station originated from a landline station; and preemption service can be provided for calls to a wireless station from a wireless station.

Wireless priority service is a service for giving priority to critical wireless station originated calls and critical calls terminated on wireless stations (originated by either wireless or wireline stations). On origination, the priority service is invoked by a wireless caller dialing a wireless priority service feature code (e.g., *272). The authority of the wireless caller to place such a call is checked and if that caller has the authority the wireless priority service (WPS) feature indication is passed along with the call. In accordance with the prior art, routing for the call is accomplished by first routing the call to the home switch of the terminating party (referred to as the in-call switch). That home switch queries the home location register (HLR) to find a last-seen pointer to identify the mobile switching center in which the called party had most recently registered. If this last-seen pointer is the same as the in-call switch then the call is routed directly to the destination mobile station and, if the call has a priority indicator, then, if there are no radio resources available, the call is placed in a preferred queue so that the call is given preference over other calls competing for the same radio resources. Other calls can be completed but will have a lower priority access to the radio resources. If the last-seen pointer points to a different switch then a request is sent to the last-seen switch, the request including the mobile station identifier, and the last-seen switch returns a Temporary Local Directory Number (TLDN) to the in-call switch. The call is then routed from the in-call switch using the TLDN, to the last-seen switch, referred to as the anchor switch.
If the anchor switch pages the mobile station and fails to receive a response, the anchor switch sends a request to a group of neighboring switches called border switches to page the mobile station.
Applicants have found a number of problems with the present arrangement with respect to the completion of high priority calls to wireless stations.

Wireless priority service for intersystem call delivery


A membrane having a multiplicity of openings therethrough which are sized and shaped to utilize the random motion of molecules of gas to produce gas flow through the membrane predominantly in one direction. Such a membrane can be used in power systems, gas separation systems and other systems which utilize fluid flow.

It is well known to produce fluid flow by various mechanical devices such as fans and pumps. It is also well known that fluid flow can be produced by causing temperature or pressure changes in a fluid as by heating a fluid or gas to cause circulation of the fluid or circulation of the vapors created by the heating process. Heating of air and water by the sun for example produces fluid flow in the atmosphere and bodies of water. Most systems for producing fluid flow require the application of external energy or power such as electricity, heat, animal power, or other energy sources. It is also known that fluids can be moved through a porous membrane by osmosis, which requires no external energy, and by reverse osmosis which requires the application of pressure.
It is also known that gases consist of large numbers of molecules that are in continuous random motion. As used herein, molecule designates that smallest particle of any gas, which with some gases consists of combined atoms or in other uncombined atoms. The continuous random motion of the molecules of gas results in many collisions of the molecules. These collisions occur quite frequently for a gas at atmospheric pressure, about 3.times.109 per sec for each molecule of air. Because of these collisions, the direction of motion of a gas molecule is constantly changing. The diffusion of a molecule from one point to another consists of many short, straight-line segments as collisions buffet them around in random directions. Diffusion is faster for light molecules than for heavy ones. The average distance traveled by a molecule between collisions is known as the "mean free path". The higher the density of a gas, the smaller the mean free path. This means that the more molecules there are in a given volume, the shorter the average distance traveled between collisions. The term "diffusion" refers to the spread of a substance throughout a space or throughout a second substance. For example, the molecules of a perfume diffuse through a room.
The rate at which a gas is able o escape through a tiny hole depends on the molecular mass of the gas. The process of escape is known as "effusion".
It is further known that lighter atoms or molecules of gas have a higher average speed than heavier molecules. Thus, it is known that atoms of a lighter gas are with a higher average speed will pass through a hole more rapidly than will molecules of a heavier gas. This phenomenon has been used to separate gases of different weights by passing such gases through porous barriers or membranes.
The continuous zigzag motion of particles in a colloidal suspension is known as "Brownian movement". The motion is caused by impact of the molecules of the liquid upon the colloidal particles. Similarly, the Brownian movement in gases involves constant motion of dust particles as a result of uneven bombardment by air molecules. This invention utilizes a Brownian type movement in fluids.
There are many uses for apparatus that cause fluid flow including heating and cooling systems, power generation systems, fluid transfer systems among others.
There is a need for a system for causing fluid flow that uses little or no external energy to thereby minimize the cost of producing the fluid flow.
There is also a need for systems for improving the efficiency of separating gases of various molecular weights.

Method and apparatus for producing fluid flow


The present invention relates to a reduced fat, readyto-eat cereal ingredients, said cereal comprising: a base component and a coating component thereon, said base component comprising from about 30 parts to about 90 parts by weight cereal flakes and from 0 parts to about 10 parts by weight milk solids; said coating component comprising from about 5 parts to about 60 parts by weight sugar, from about 1 part to about 10 parts by weight water-soluble dietary fiber composition, from about 1/2 part to about 5 parts by weight of a sugar solution, and sufficient water to make the coating component liquid. The present invention further comprises a process for preparing such a reduced fat, ready-to-eat cereal.

Many ready-to-eat cereals have been developed and sold in recent years. These cereals all have different types of additives which provide for prevention of staling and prevention of oxidation, as well as preservation of the product. Few cereals have been developed which are substantially free of these additives and preservatives. Likewise, few cereals have been developed which have not been subjected to substantial types of processing which significantly alters the product. The few ready-to-eat cereal products that have been developed which are prepared from natural ingredients and are subjected to minimal processing are desirable products. In addition, these ready-to-eat cereal products would be even more desirable if they contained reduced fat levels.
However, in such cereals, fat is typically added in the form of oil, which serves to keep the cereal product tender and helps to extend the cereal's bowl life in milk. When the oil is not added, or is replaced with water and sugar syrup, the resulting cereal becomes extremely hard and brittle and is not accepted as well by consumers. In the present invention, however, when the water-soluble dietary fiber of the present invention is added to such cereal products as a replacement for such oils, it has been surprisingly found that a reduced fat, ready-to-eat cereal product, preferably prepared from natural ingredients, can be prepared without any of the aforementioned undesirable effects.


A steering wheel cover with driver alert system is an apparatus that attaches to a vehicle's steering wheel. The apparatus utilizes a driver alert system to detect when a driver is falling asleep while operating a vehicle and signal an alarm. The driver alert system accomplishes this by monitoring a driver's grip on the steering wheel. When a driver's grip loosens, the driver alert system signals an alarm to wake the driver. The steering wheel cover with integrated driver alert system is fitted to an existing vehicle's steering wheel with minimal if any modifications and utilizes an external power source to charge the apparatus when the vehicle is not in use.

Presently, there are many drivers on the road who drive long shifts or drive during late night hours. These conditions are prone to causing fatigue in a driver. Fatigue causes a driver to feel tired and exhausted while they are operating a vehicle. Prolonged instances of fatigue can lead to a driver losing attention, becoming distracted, or falling asleep while operating their vehicle. It is well known that drivers who have fallen asleep while operating their vehicle pose a serious threat to themselves as well as other motorists. Annually, there are thousands of deadly vehicle collisions caused by tired and inattentive drivers. Although driving related fatigue can be avoided by taking breaks between long driving intervals and driving during day time hours, some drivers are bound by deadlines or other restrictions to drive in fatigue prone conditions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that attaches to a vehicle's steering wheel. The apparatus utilizes a driver alert system to detect and signal an alarm when a driver is falling asleep while operating a vehicle. The driver alert system accomplishes this by monitoring a driver's grip on the steering wheel. When a driver's grip loosens, the driver alert system signals an alarm to wake the driver. The steering wheel cover with integrated driver alert system is fitted to a vehicle's steering wheel with minimal if any modifications and utilizes an external power source to charge the apparatus when the vehicle is not in use.

Steering wheel cover with driver alert system