A fuel pump drive system is provided. A system for an engine driven by an engine crankshaft may include a first variable cam device including a first hydraulic actuator, and a second variable cam device including a second hydraulic actuator. The system may further include an intermediate power transfer mechanism coupled between the first variable cam device and the second variable cam device upstream, in a direction of power flow from the engine crankshaft, of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator. The system may further include an auxiliary device coupled to and driven by the intermediate power transfer mechanism. In this way, because the auxiliary device is driven via the intermediate power transfer mechanism and thus derives its power from upstream of the hydraulic actuator of the variable cam device, the actuator can be adjusted without having to overcome resistance torque of the auxiliary device.

Engines with direct fuel injection may use high pressure fuel pumps to provide sufficient fuel pressure to the injectors. In some examples, the high pressure fuel pump may be driven by a cam lobe on the engine camshaft. In some cases, such a fuel pump drive lobe may be integrated into the camshaft where the valve timing is being actively phased during engine operation.
The inventors of the present application have recognized a problem in such previous approaches in that the fuel pump is typically driven "downstream" (in terms of power flow) of hydraulic actuators used to actively adjust timing of the intake and exhaust cams. For example, in previous approaches, the fuel pump may be driven at a camshaft side of a variable cam timing (VCT) actuator, whereas the VCT actuator is driven at the crankshaft side of the actuator by the crankshaft, e.g., via a timing chain. In such situations, when adjusting the phasing of the VCT actuator, the actuator may have to work against significant resistance by the fuel pump. Therefore, actuating a high pressure fuel pump in such a manner may adversely affect transient control of the valve timing, for example, by significantly decreasing the shifting velocity of the VCT actuator. If the shift velocity becomes too low, the performance, emissions and fuel economy of the engine may be degraded.
In one example, some of the above issues may be addressed by a system for an engine driven by an engine crankshaft. Such a system may include a first variable cam device including a first hydraulic actuator, and a second variable cam device including a second hydraulic actuator. The system may further include an intermediate power transfer mechanism, such as a gear or drive shaft, coupled between the first variable cam device and the second variable cam device upstream, in a direction of power flow from the engine crankshaft, of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator. The system may further include an auxiliary device, such as a fuel pump, coupled to and driven by the intermediate power transfer mechanism.
In this way, the resistance torque of the fuel pump actuation may be located upstream of the first and second hydraulic actuators (e.g., at a sprocket side of the VCT actuators). As such, adjustment of the variable camshafts, for example variable cam timing, may be more accurately provided since adjustments to the camshaft are not required to overcome the fuel pump resistance torque.
Further, the fuel pump drive system may serve as a secondary timing drive coupling the housings of the first and second VCT devices, as well as the drive for the fuel pump. In the example of the drive shaft, it may rotationally couple a first and second camshaft in an overhead camshaft configuration, and thus a timing chain or belt between the two camshafts can be eliminated. Moreover, the claimed configuration can be packaged to fit between the intake and exhaust camshafts, where given the physical constraints of the configuration, a chain may not be suitable.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


A tread of rubber mix provided with a tread pattern formed by a plurality of elements in relief (1) defining grooves or incisions, this tread furthermore comprising at least one inserted element (3) arranged in a groove between two neighboring elements in relief, this inserted element having a contact face (31) intended to be in contact with the roadway and offset towards the inside of the tread relative to the contact faces of the neighboring elements, this inserted element (3) having lateral faces, some of said faces being provided with a plurality of connecting reliefs (6) of rubber mix making the inserted element (3) and at least one neighboring element (1) integral.

In the case of a tread pattern having grooves of circumferential orientation, it has been noted that for some conditions of use, breaks could appear at the bottom of the groove. This is the case, for example, during a manoeuvre of steering the tire passing over an obstacle or a relief object on the roadway, said relief object being inserted into a groove or alternatively upon mounting obstacles (for example, kerb) with or without steering forces exerted simultaneously on the tire. During this steering manoeuvre, the obstacle or the relief object tend to hinder said steering, and the result is an increase in stresses in the material constituting the tread in particular at the bottom of the grooves.
It is known, in order to avoid attack by various objects which enter the grooves, to arrange protuberances which are continuous or discontinuous in the direction of the groove close to the bottoms of the grooves in order to prevent the spread of said objects towards the inside of the tread (in particular as far as the reinforcement belt of the crown of the tire). During steering manoeuvres, these protuberances, which are of low height (less than 50% of the depth of the groove), are generally insufficient to prevent an obstacle from entering, at least in part, the groove at the exact moment of turning the wheel.
Another solution consists of very substantially increasing the height of these protuberances with the aim of limiting as much as possible, or even preventing, the insertion of an object into the groove during the steering manoeuvre. Document GB 903 389 discloses such a solution. Japanese document 2002/234313 discloses a tread pattern comprising in a groove a rib intended to reduce the wear of a tread, this rib being provided with a plurality of transverse extensions intended to bear against the walls of the ribs of the tread pattern.
These solutions, however, have some drawbacks, which the present invention attempts to overcome. Of these drawbacks, mention may be made of the risk of having cracks appear at the bottom of the grooves, between the reliefs or ribs and the facing walls of said grooves or the risk of having reliefs partially or fully torn away. Furthermore these reliefs or ribs are not completely effective in the case which is of concern here, namely the presence of an object in the groove hindering steering of the tire (that is to say, necessitating a greater steering force).

Tread pattern having at least one inserted element


An object of the present invention is to provide a fluorinated polymer of adequate molecular weight with excellent transparency in a wavelength range from visible to near infrared, and to also provide a method of producing such a polymer. The present invention provides a fluorinated polymer comprising a structure represented by a formula (1) as a structural unit,

Fluorinated polymers are known to have properties of water repellency, oil repellency and dirt prevention due to the presence of fluorine atoms. Furthermore, because fluorinated polymers display excellent transparency in a wavelength range from visible to near infrared, in recent years, with the development of optical communication systems, such fluorinated polymers have been investigated for potential use as the materials for a variety of optical communication components and optical devices. For example, an aromatic polyester with tetrafluorophthalic acid as a structural unit is disclosed in patent reference 1, and a fluorinated aromatic polyester carbonate resin is disclosed in patent reference 2. Furthermore, patent reference 3 discloses the use of a fluorinated polyimide resin as an optical waveguide.
Fluorinated polymers are produced by a condensation or an addition reaction of a nucleophile such as a diamine compound or a diol and a nucleophile target compound such as a carboxylic acid or an isocyanate, wherein at least one of the reactants is a fluorinated compound.
However, when an attempt is made to introduce fluorine using a fluorinated aromatic diamine or a fluorinated aromatic diol as the fluorinated compound, then in those cases where the amino group or the hydroxyl group is bonded directly to the aromatic ring, the nucleophilic reactivity of the nitrogen atom or the oxygen atom of the fluorinated aromatic diamine or the fluorinated aromatic diol decreases markedly due to the high electronegativity and high electron-withdrawing property of the fluorine atom. As a result, the reaction requires high temperatures and prolonged heating, and consequently problems such as coloring arise, and the molecular weight of the polymer does not increase sufficiently.    1. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho 63-172728    2. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 10-081738    3. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-292635
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluorinated polymer of adequate molecular weight with excellent transparency in a wavelength range from visible to near infrared. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing such a polymer.

Abstract: as well as a method of producing this polymer using a corresponding tetrafluoroxylylenediamine or a tetrafluoroxylylene glycol as a raw material.


Instrumentation for preparing a femur for implantation of a prothesis therein, the femur including a femoral shaft having a femoral canal therein defined by sidewalls, the prosthesis being constructed and arranged to be received within the femoral canal, the instrumentation including: at least one initial compactor instrument having a proximal portion and a distal broach portion, the broach portion being adapted to conform substantially to a proximal end of the femoral canal so as to compact bone in the sidewalls thereof without intentionally removing bone from the femoral canal; a second type of compactor instrument having a proximal portion and a distal broach portion, the secondary compactor instrument portion being constructed and arranged to conform substantially to the shape of the prosthesis so as to further compact bone in the sidewalls of the proximal end of the femoral canal such that the compacted sidewalls conform substantially to the shape of the prosthesis; and a final type of compactor instrument having a proximal portion and an elongated distal broach portion, the elongated broach portion being adapted to extend into the femoral canal and compact bone in sidewalls of the femoral canal at a location distal to previously compacted sidewalls of the proximal end of the femoral canal.

The present invention relates to implanting prosthesis devices, and, more particularly, to the preparation of the femur for implanting a prosthetic hip replacement device therein.
Bone disease and injuries to joints often make it necessary or desirable to replace a natural joint with an artificial prosthesis. One such replacement involves the fixation of a prosthetic hip joint to a proximal end of the femur. The femur contains a hollow intramedullary femoral canal running through a central axis thereof. When implanting the joint prosthesis into the femur, it is desirable to fix the prothesis to the femur in such a manner that the stem of the prosthesis lies along the central axis of the femur. In preparing the proximal end of the femur to receive the prosthesis, the femoral head is first removed, exposing the femoral canal. If the femoral canal is large enough to accommodate the prosthesis, the prosthesis is then inserted into the canal and fixed to the femur either by an interference fit or by cement fixation. In certain circumstances, the femoral canal is not wide enough to accommodate the prosthesis; thus, the canal is enlarged by drilling or the like to a size appropriate for receiving the stem of the prosthesis at the proximal end of the femur. The femur comprises hard cortical bone surrounding softer porous bone, which lines the femoral canal. Prior to and after drilling to open the femoral canal for insertion of the prosthesis therein, the density of the porous bone remains low at the wall of the femoral canal. Due to the low-density canal wall, fixation of the prosthesis to the femur may deteriorate over time.

Instrumentation for proximal femoral compaction broaching


An adjustable-frequency two-element bowtie antenna includes a support member on which first and second non-conductive hollow element support arms are mounted. Each support arm includes first and second opposing segments. The first and second segments of each element support arm include a first section extending outwardly from the support member, a curved transition section, and a second section extending in a direction towards and joining the second section of the other element support arm. The spacing between the first sections of each segment of each element support arm increase as a function of the distance from the support member. A length-adjustable conductive member is disposed in each element support arm. Length adjusters are coupled to the conductive members to configure the lengths of antenna elements. A connector may be provided to couple a transmission-line to a pair of the conductive members comprising a driven element.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of radio antennas, and to wide frequency coverage parasitic array antennas. More particularly, the present invention relates to adjustable antenna elements, and to antenna systems employing two such adjustable elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Antenna systems employing a single antenna having adjustable-length elements providing excellent performance over a wide frequency range are known in the art. Examples of such antenna systems are the antenna systems manufactured and sold as Steppir Antennas by Fluid Motion, Inc., of Issaquah, Wash., and include dipole, vertical, and yagi antennas.
A limiting factor in prior-art antennas is that, as the frequency of operation of the antenna becomes lower, the physical length of the antenna element must increase to allow it to resonate at the selected frequency. For example, in the case of a conventional yagi antenna having two or more elements extending outward from a boom support arm, element lengths of up to 70 feet are necessary for operation at frequencies in the 40-meter band (7.0 through 7.3 MHz). For operation in the 80 meter band (3.5 through 4.0 MHz) element lengths are up to 140 feet. Of course, elements such as loading coils can be used to shorten the physical lengths of the antenna elements, but they degrade the performance of the antenna.
Mechanical considerations for constructing such antennas become more complicated as the element lengths increase as the operating frequency decreases. Considerations such as mechanical stress and wind survivability make the design of such adjustable antenna systems more challenging when long element lengths are necessary. In addition, space considerations, rather than operating requirements, often dictate the maximum size of an antenna.

Adjustable-frequency two-element bowtie antenna


A pants-type disposable diaper (1) having a front body part (P), a back body part (Q) and a crotch part (R) positioned therebetween and formed in a pants shape, comprising an absorbent body (7) situated at least at the crotch part (R) and comprising a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core (10) disposed therebetween, and an exterior member (2) provided on an outer side of the absorbent body (7) and situated at least at the front body part (P) and the back body part (Q), wherein the exterior member (2) comprises an outer sheet (5) and an inner sheet (6) provided on a skin-facing side of the outer sheet (5), and the outer sheet (5) is made of a nonwoven fabric having a meltblown nonwoven layer and a printed part is provided to the skin-facing side of the outer sheet (5).

Conventionally, a pants-type disposable diaper formed in the pants shape having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings is widely known. The pants-type disposable diaper is configured such that, for example, an exterior member is provided on an outer side of an absorbent body comprising a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween, and the exterior member is formed so as to include a front body part and a back body part or further include a crotch part. Among such pants-type disposable diapers, those provided with design or the like which is visible from the outside of the diaper are known. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a pants-type disposable diaper in which the exterior member comprises an outer sheet and an inner sheet and design is applied on the outer side of the inner sheet. Patent Literature 2 discloses a pants-type disposable diaper in which the exterior member comprises an outer sheet, an inner sheet and an intermediate sheet disposed therebetween and the intermediate sheet is provided with a decorative element which is visible from the outer side of the exterior member. In such diapers, designability can be enhanced by the design or the decoration element, and therefore, psychological resistance of a diaper user can be reduced.


A label sensing mechanism for a printer mechanism is provided. The label sensing mechanism may comprise a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor disposed opposite one another, each of the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor may comprise an emitter and a detector. The first optical sensor and the second optical sensor may be positioned on either side of a paper path along which label liner bearing labels to be printed travels. The first optical sensor and the second optical sensor may be operable together or separately in order to detect label position, preprinted marks on the label liner, and preprinted marks on the labels. A method for sensing labels using such a label sensing mechanism and a printer having such a label sensing mechanism are also provided.

The present invention relates to the field of label printers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved label sensing mechanism, a corresponding label sensing method, and a printer mechanism with such a label sensing mechanism.
Label printers are used in a wide variety of applications, including but not limited to freshness labels for restaurants. A label printer may accept a label roll consisting of a continuous label liner on which labels to be printed are disposed in a spaced apart manner. A sensor is typically used to detect the position of the labels on the label liner in order to ensure that the text to be printed is correctly positioned on the label. For example, gaps between the labels on the label liner may be sensed to determine label position.
Further, certain types of label printers may use a label roll with preprinted marks. The preprinted marks may comprise evenly spaced-apart black dots, lines, or the like. The preprinted marks may denote print areas for the sticky labels, paper type, or location of adhesive for the labels. To accommodate the use of such label rolls, the sensor detects the presence of preprinted marks (e.g., lines or dots) on the paper roll. For example, where the preprinted marks denote a paper type, the sensor may detect the marks and provide a paper type signal to the controller. The controller, in response to the paper type signal indicating the presence of the marks, may at least one of decreases a print speed of the printer mechanism and increases an energy of the printer mechanism to better print on the sticky paper roll. Further, the preprinted marks may denote a print location, the location of the adhesive or the location of the label bearing the adhesive (which e.g., may be positioned between the preprinted marks). The preprinted marks may be provided on the label liner or on the labels themselves.
It would be advantageous to provide a sensing mechanism and method which can be used to accurately sense label position in various types of label rolls as well as sense the presence of preprinted marks on the label or label liner. It would be further advantageous to provide a label sensing mechanism operable in a number of different sensing modes to sense label position and preprinted markings on different types of label rolls.
The methods and apparatus of the present invention provide the foregoing and other advantages.

Label sensing mechanism with two optical sensors and different sensing modes for detecting label position, preprinted marks on label liners and preprinted marks on labels


A repository of services, a system for building a repository of services, a method of building a repository of services, a software application that interfaces with a services repository and various other embodiments associated with the repository are disclosed. The method relates to a method of building a repository of services using a target services roadmap. The method comprises receiving from a user an identification of an implemented service and zero or more target services and mapping the implemented service to the zero or more target services. The target services and/or mapped implemented services are added to the repository.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to service oriented architecture (SOA) and more specifically to an abstract services repository and applications that interface with and utilize the repository.
2. Introduction
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is becoming a popular architecture for managing various services offered through a computer environment. Most organizations such as businesses or the government provide services to customers, clients, citizens, employees, or partners. As an example, bank tellers provide services to bank customers. Different tellers may offer different services, and some tellers may be specifically trained to provide certain types of services to the customer, such as account management, car loans, withdrawals or deposits and so forth. Several tellers may offer the same set of services to provide load balancing and high availability. What happens behind the counter does not matter to the customer, as long as the service is completed. Processing a complex transaction may require the customer to visit several tellers and therefore implement a business process flow.
Behind the counter are the information technology (IT) systems that automate the bank's services. The services are provided to the customer via the tellers. The services implemented by the IT systems must match and support the services provided by the tellers. A consistent approach to defining services on the IT systems that align with business functions and processes makes it easier for the IT systems to support the goals of the business and adapt more easily to providing the same service through humans, ATMs, and over the Web.
The same service provided by the tellers can be accessed from customers at the ATM, tellers on the office network, or Web users from their PCs. The services are designed and deployed to match the services that customers need. The implementation environments for the services do not matter in that the service is the focus. Two services can easily be combined to create another service, such as how the withdrawal and deposit service are composed into a transfer service.
The definition of software services aligns with the business services that a bank offers to ensure smooth business operations and to help realize strategic goals such as providing ATM and Web access to banking services in addition to providing them in the branch office.
More complex applications can be composed from services, such as processing a purchase order or an insurance claim. Deploying services in the context of an SOA makes it easier to compose services into simple or complex applications, which can also be utilized as services that can be accessed by humans and IT systems alike.
A service-oriented architecture is a style of design that guides all aspects of creating and using business services from conception to retirement. An SOA is also a way to define and implement an IT infrastructure to allow different applications to exchange data and participate in business processes, regardless of the operating systems or programming languages underlying those applications.
An SOA can be thought of as an approach to building IT systems in which the organizing principles are the functional services that IT systems expose to each other, or more abstractly, that functional domains within the enterprise expose to other functional domains. In contrast, earlier approaches to building IT systems tended to replicate the same functionality across different interfaces either within the same system or across different systems. They also did not adopt a common interoperability strategy that would enable an exposed service to be reused by all other endpoints. One characterization of the result of the traditional way of developing IT systems is an "accidental architecture," which is a gradual accretion of replicated system and application functionality interconnected with diverse middleware. An IT infrastructure that evolves into an accidental architecture misses the primary aim of architecture—which is to break down complicated problems into simple pieces and eliminate or reduce complexity to make construction and maintenance easy.
Businesses can obtain a competitive advantage by successfully implementing an SOA using a common interoperability strategy because there is more reuse of service functionality, less reinvention of the wheel and less need for testing, greater ability to compose solutions by aggregating existing services, and greater focus on and understanding of key enterprise services. These advantages enable them to react more quickly to changing business requirements than businesses who are still replicating service functionality on an as-needed basis, to the middleware and implementation preferences of the project de jour. These advantages also provide them with a better return on IT investments.
A common interoperability strategy work works across all execution environments within the enterprise is integral to successful SOA initiatives. It provides the ability to interconnect different execution environments, clearly separating the service interface from the execution technology, allowing IT departments to choose the best execution environment for each job and tying them together using a consistent architectural approach. Previous implementations of SOA were based on a single execution environment technology.
The idea of separating an interface from its implementation to create a software service definition has been well proven in J2EE, CORBA, COM, and DCE. But the ability to more cleanly and completely separate a service description from its execution environment is an additional feature of SOA. One way to do this is to compile implementation-agnostic interface description files into native interfaces by leveraging compilers developed for each native execution environment. Some highly interoperable technologies, such as Web Services are text based middlewares that lose performance in the conversion to binary execution environments. However, in many cases, the performance issue is less important than achieving interoperability. Other less universally interoperable technologies, such as CORBA, are binary middlewares that operate with very high performance. Typically, an interoperability strategy must support a number of middlewares to satisfy all use cases. Key is the ability for a service exposed according to the common interoperability strategy to be consumable by all endpoints within the enterprise. The greater separation of interface from execution environment in SOA facilitates the separation of work responsibilities as well. Separating the service function from its technology implementation means that businesses can think about and plan IT investments around the realization of operational business considerations, as represented by the service description, more so than the capabilities of any individual product or software technology chosen to execute the function. In this case, the service description becomes the definition of a reusable business function that all enterprise endpoints can consume.
The advantages of SOA are achievable if businesses stay focused on defining and developing reusable Concept-of-OneSM services. Concept-of-OnesSM, in this context, means that service functionality is generalized so that there is one service for each function, rather than multiple variations of the same function spread across an ever expanding ser of services. An important early step toward realizing the advantages of SOA is to define a target services roadmap that carefully organizes and plans out enterprise services to be developed. This strategic exercise is necessary to ensure that high-quality general-purpose and highly reusable services will be created, as opposed to highly customized one-off services that serve the needs of one tactical project only. This roadmap will evolve over time, but it is necessary to guide the execution of tactical teams building functionality for specific projects. With the guidance of the target services roadmap, implementation teams operating in parallel will gradually build out the target vision over time.
A significant value of SOA comes at the later stages of deployment, when such a large base of target services have been implemented, that new applications can be developed entirely, or almost entirely, by composing existing services. When new applications can be assembled out of a collection of existing, reusable services, the best value for effort can be realized.
There are benefits of reusing common business services such as customer name lookup, zip code validation, or credit checking. All services are abstract units of functionality accessed via an API of some sort. There are many levels of SOA starting at the highest interfaces supporting customer interfaces to the lowest interfaces between components in a single system (e.g., between the device driver and the operating system). Basically, every interface between two layers or components can be regarding as a SOA interface where one layer or component exposes services to the other (e.g., the device driver exposes a services layer to the operating system so that the operating system doesn't have to deal with the hardware directly. Similarly each integrated circuit chip exposes an API to assembler code executing in that environment so that the assembler code doesn't have to deal directly with the complexity within the integrated circuit chip itself). In a scope that is limited to a single system, which is built entirely with Java, a Java class (e.g., an EJB) may be a good way to realize an abstract service interface. What makes an architecture service oriented is the focus on abstract services, and more specifically, general-purpose units of functionality that are reusable by all endpoints within the scope of that architecture, and not the choice of implementation technology.
Using services not only reduces the amount of deployed code, but it also reduces the management, maintenance, and support burden by centralizing the deployed code and managing access to it.
An important aspect to a successful SOA is determining the correct design and function of the services in the reusable service library, which reflects the functional behavior of the architectural scope that SOA is being applied to. At the highest levels of the enterprise, SOA focuses on service functionality serving operational business processes. The successful definition and implementation of those SOA services ensures that operational business processes can be changed quickly and easily as external environmental changes cause an organization to adapt and evolve.
Some challenges to adoption of SOA include ensuring adequate staff training, creation of the target services roadmap, governance of services that are being implemented, and monitoring, management and reporting on how implemented services are being reused and are achieving the target.
Another challenge is managing short-term costs. Where legacy systems are involved, moving to an SOA target service may require additional incremental investment beyond the traditional alternative of tweaking the legacy service. This incremental investment typically generates a substantial return over time. Building a repository that can express the abstract SOA target, while capturing the implemented services and mapping them to the target is also costly and complex and is part of the SOA infrastructure that must be deployed. Without the SOA repository, different development teams working on different projects will end up producing similar versions of the same functional services. This is typical of past practice before SOA and adds to development cost, complexity and on-going maintenance while reducing developer productivity and efficiency. Beyond the need to enter newly implemented services into the repository, another challenge is getting pre-existing services, built before the SOA program came into being, into the repository of implemented services. Like newly implemented services these services must also be mapped to the SOA target. One of the needs in the art is an improved SOA repository that is capable of defining an abstract SOA target and mapping new and existing services to it at both the service an operation levels.
Another challenge is that some applications may need to be modified in order to participate in the SOA, specifically; their interfaces may need to be upgraded to conform to the SOA interoperability standards defined for that part of the architecture.
With respect to the interoperability standards, an attempt should be made to standardize the enterprise middleware to the maximum extent possible. Multiple enterprise middlewares carry significant costs. For example, if the interoperability standards are unclear, the same interface may need to be redeveloped in different middlewares according to the preferences of different clients. Cost is required to version, patch and maintain each middleware stack at each endpoint. Bridges, adapters and tunnels may also be required to interoperate between middleware domains. While it is desirable to have a single enterprise middleware, prevailing use cases may require the enterprise to adopt different middlewares under clearly specified circumstances (e.g., when messages over 1 Megabyte must be sent, when 10s of milliseconds is significant to middleware performance budgets or where transactional messaging must be used).
Web services usually satisfy the use cases presented by the majority of interfaces. With Web services, by compiling a WSDL interface description file to a native implementation using a Web Services toolkit. Toolkits are available for C/C++, CORBA, Java, Microsoft, MQ Series, TIBCO and other implementation environments. Due to the popularity and industry backing behind web services, packaged application vendors like Siebel and SAP often create their own Web Services interfaces. Web Services usually can't handle all the use cases presented by a complex enterprise and other technologies to complete the interoperability specification.
Many vendors have developed Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) repositories which describe web service implementations, but SOA is a much broader concept than web services implementation technology alone. UDDI repositories do not distinguish between an abstract services target and a concrete service implementation. An abstract service may need to be implemented in multiple middlewares but UDDI repositories can only support Web Services. Other vendors have reuse repositories for arbitrary assets (e.g., software code or engineering documentation) but they are not designed to address the needs of a service oriented architecture repository either.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art to further assist and promote the implementation of SOA is an improved tool that enables one define an abstract services target, record a concrete service implementation, map the implemented service to the target, and support service definitions irrespective of the middleware technology that they may be implemented in. Furthermore, what is needed in the art is an improved way of monitoring, managing and reporting on SOA services.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Software application implemented using services from a services repository generated using a target services roadmap


A COA substrate and its fabrication method as well as a display device are disclosed. The method includes steps of: forming a TFT (10) on a base substrate (1); forming a color film layer (6) pattern on the base substrate (1) having the TFT (10) formed thereon; forming a pattern which includes a color film via hole (5) on the color film layer (6) through a patterning process, the patterning process includes an ashing process; and forming a pattern comprising a pixel electrode (7) on the base substrate (1). The pixel electrode (7) is electrically connected to a drain electrode (12) of the TFT (10) by way of the color film via hole (5).

A Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) comprises a TFT array substrate, a color filter substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The color filter substrate is a principal component of the LCD and used for displaying color images. In early technologies for fabricating TFT-LCDs, a color film layer and a TFT functioning as a driving switch are respectively formed on two different substrates and disposed on different sides of the liquid crystal layer. However, such a configuration will make the aperture ratio of a display panel low, which will in turn affect the brightness and picture quality of the display panel. Recently, the market requirement on the aperture ratio and the brightness of the available display panels is increased, consequently, the manufacturers developed a Color filter on Arrays (COA) technology where the color filter layer is directly formed on the array substrate in response to the market requirement. That is, the color film layer is formed on the same and one substrate as the TFT, which not only increases the aperture ratio and the brightness of the display panel, but also avoids the problems caused by forming the color film layer and the TFT on different substrates.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a color filter array substrate (that is, a COA substrate) formed by the known COA technology comprises a plurality of pixel units defined by a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, each pixel unit comprises a TFT 10, a color film layer 6 and a pixel electrode 7, the color film layer 6 is typically made up of three color organic resin layers, i.e. Red, Green and Blue (R, G, B) organic resin layers; moreover, a resin planarized layer (not shown in the figure) is formed on surfaces of the organic resin layers. The pixel electrode 7 is electrically connected to the drain electrode 12 of the TFT by way of a color film via hole 5′.
With the ever increasing of the resolution of the LCDs, the size of the pixel units in the display panel is ever decreasing. For example, for a display with a resolution of 400 ppi, the size of the pixel unit is typically about 25 μm*25 μm. However, the variation amount in diameter of the color film via hole 5′ will be large if the color film via hole 5′ is formed through the exposing and developing processes by using a mask. Accordingly, the maximum diameter of the color film via hole 5′ becomes large. For example, while the diameter variation amount is about 8 μm, the maximum diameter of the color film via hole 5′ is about 25 μm, which severely affects the aperture ratio of the pixel unit.

COA substrate, method for fabricating the same and display device


Single-layer and multilayer imageable elements have a substrate and at least one imageable layer and can be used to prepare positive-working lithographic printing plates. The imageable elements also include a radiation absorbing compound and a solvent-resistant polymer binder comprising an —N(R)—C(═X)—N(R′)—S(═O)2— moiety that is attached to the polymer backbone, wherein X is O or S, R and R′ are independently hydrogen, halo, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. This solvent-resistant polymer binder is located in the imageable layer closest to the substrate and provides improved chemical resistance.

In conventional or "wet" lithographic printing, ink receptive regions, known as image areas, are generated on a hydrophilic surface. When the surface is moistened with water and ink is applied, the hydrophilic regions retain the water and repel the ink, and the ink receptive regions accept the ink and repel the water. The ink is transferred to the surface of a material upon which the image is to be reproduced. For example, the ink can be first transferred to an intermediate blanket that in turn is used to transfer the ink to the surface of the material upon which the image is to be reproduced.
Recent developments in the field of printing plate precursors concern the use of lasers or laser diodes for imaging. Laser exposure does not require conventional silver halide graphic arts films as intermediate information carriers (or "masks") since the lasers can be controlled directly by computers. High-performance lasers or laser-diodes that are used in commercially-available image-setters generally emit radiation having a wavelength of at least 700 nm, and thus the radiation-sensitive compositions are required to be sensitive in the near-infrared or infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, other useful radiation-sensitive compositions are designed for imaging with ultraviolet or visible radiation.
Imageable elements useful to prepare lithographic printing plates typically comprise an imageable layer applied over the hydrophilic surface of a substrate. The imageable layer includes one or more radiation-sensitive components that can be dispersed in a suitable binder. Alternatively, the radiation-sensitive component can also be the binder material. Following imaging, either the imaged regions or the non-imaged regions of the imageable layer are removed by a suitable developer, revealing the underlying hydrophilic surface of the substrate. If the imaged regions are removed, the element is considered as positive-working. If the non-imaged regions are removed, the element is considered as negative-working. In each instance, the regions of the imageable layer (that is, the image areas) that remain are ink-receptive, and the regions of the hydrophilic surface revealed by the developing process accept water and aqueous solutions (typically a fountain solution) and repel ink.
Imaging of the imageable element with ultraviolet and/or visible radiation is typically carried out through a mask that has clear and opaque regions. Imaging takes place in the regions under the clear regions of the mask but does not occur in the regions under the opaque mask regions. Use of a mask is time-consuming and has a number of significant disadvantages.
Direct digital imaging has obviated the need for imaging through a mask and is becoming increasingly important in the printing industry. Imageable elements for the preparation of lithographic printing plates have been developed for use with infrared lasers. Thermally imageable, multi-layer elements are described, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,311 (Shimazu et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,812 (Shimazu et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,055 (Shimazu et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,811 (Patel et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,669 (Savariar-Hauck et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,528,228 (Savariar-Hauck et al.), U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0067432 A1 (Kitson et al.).
Radiation-sensitive compositions and imageable elements have also been designed for imagewise exposure and/or development while on a printing press using fountain solutions and/or printing inks, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,882 (Pappas et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,994 (Huang et al.), U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0260050 (Munnelly et al.), and WO 2004/101280 (Munnelly et al.). These imageable elements typically comprise a single imageable layer on the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,464 (Kawauchi) describes positive-working photosensitive compositions containing a blend of phenolic resins and a copolymer derived from acrylic monomers with pendant sulfonamide groups. These compositions are used to prepare single-layer imageable elements.
Multilayer imageable elements containing sulfonamide polymers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,811 (Patel et al.) and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0081522 (Miyake et al.).
Copending and commonly assigned U.S. Ser. No. 11/337,778 (filed Jan. 23, 2006 by Saraiya, Kitson, Mikell, and Novoselova) describes multi-layer positive-working elements containing a resin with pendant sulfonamide groups in outer ink-receptive layers to reduce the formation of sludge in seasoned developer solutions.

Imageable members with improved chemical resistance


A print unit prints by ejecting fluid droplets from a plurality of nozzles while moving in a primary scanning direction relative to a print medium. An ejection inspection unit inspects fluid droplet ejection by a group of target nozzles, which are part of an ejection nozzle subset obtained by dividing the nozzles according to the number of nozzles required to form the smallest printing width in the secondary scanning direction. A control unit controls the print unit and the ejection inspection unit, and selects the group of target nozzles in the ejection nozzle subset and performs the ejection inspection each time a specific amount of printing is completed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fluid droplet ejection device capable of inspecting fluid ejection from a plurality of ejection nozzles, and to an ejection inspection method.
2. Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2008-195037 teaches a printing device that performs a fluid droplet ejection process to check if fluid droplets are ejected normally from the ejection nozzles before printing starts. During this ejection inspection the printer taught in JP-A-2008-195037 inspects ejection from each ejection nozzle in the nozzle surface of the printhead, and if an ejection problem is detected in some of the ejection nozzles, substitutes other ejection nozzles that are operating normally to eject the liquid that should be ejected from the ejection nozzles that are not operating normally. The printer then prints and performs a cleaning process after printing ends to suction ink from the ejection nozzles or wipe the nozzle surface, for example. As a result, the end of printing is not delayed even if an ejection problem is detected before printing starts because printing can proceed with good results even without first performing a time-consuming cleaning process.
A problem with this printer, however, is that the ejection inspection process takes a long time because fluid ejection is inspected for every nozzle of the printhead. The inspection time could conceivably be shortened by only inspecting a subset of the ejection nozzles in any one inspection operation. However, if there is an ejection problem in any of the nozzles that are not in the group of inspected nozzles, printing will proceed with some nozzles not ejecting properly, resulting in print defects.

Fluid droplet ejection device and ejection inspection method


A fan jet nozzle for use with an ultra high pressure liquid-phase cleaning media for use in a deflashing apparatus includes a nozzle tip, which is made of a super hard material such as diamond, and is secured inside a nozzle holder through sintering. Upper and lower nozzle bores above and beneath the nozzle tip are processed to converge and communicate with each other inside the nozzle tip, resulting in a center nozzle hole having an elliptical shape. One of the upper and lower nozzle bores is processed into a circular cone shape, and the other one of the upper and lower nozzle bores is processed to have an arched longitudinal sectional shape and a cross sectional shape wherein its width increases toward a center thereof and decreases toward both sides thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fan jet nozzle for use with an ultra high pressure liquid-phase cleaning media, which is used as an essential component of a deflashing apparatus for removing flashings during the manufacture of semiconductors, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of fan type nozzles, which have been conventionally used, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,758, U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,607, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,624.
Among the above enumerated patents, in case of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,758 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,607, their nozzles are composed entirely of a super hard alloy, and are formed with an arched cross groove or wedge-shaped notch for forming a nozzle bore. The super hard alloy and the above mentioned particular shape of the nozzle bore, however, cause a disadvantage in that only a relatively thin amount of material remains around the nozzle bore after processing. As a result, if a discharge pressure increases, the disclosed nozzles tend to be easily worn and damaged at their nozzle bores, thereby suffering from a shortening in lifespan thereof, and making it difficult for the nozzles to endure an ultra high discharge pressure required to remove flashings during the manufacture of semiconductors.
In case of said another patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,624, the disclosed nozzle is fabricated by individually processing a nozzle tip and a nozzle holder for the formation of a nozzle bore, and then fixedly attaching them to each other with an adhesive. Such a fabrication manner, however, is unsuitable for mass production due to difficulty in control of tolerances of interactive respective components during manufacturing. Further, since a joint region between the nozzle tip and nozzle holder is vulnerable to external shock, and the nozzle tip is wholly exposed to the outside, there is a risk of damage to the nozzle by carelessness in handling. Furthermore, as a result of processing the nozzle tip to have an elongated transverse slot penetrating therethrough, a relatively thin amount of material remains around the nozzle bore after processing, resulting in a structural vulnerability in the nozzle tip itself.

Fan jet nozzle for use with ultra high pressure liquid phase cleaning media for use in deflashing apparatus


The present invention is directed to a non-transitory machine readable storage medium containing program instructions for displaying digital content while preventing image capture, the non-transitory machine readable storage medium configured to generating a mask to superimpose upon a display object with the mask including one or more transparent portions and one or more opaque portions that blocks the display object therebeneath from viewing; and moving the one or more transparent portions of the mask incrementally to expose various portions of the display object in sequence. The display object may be image, text, video, or any combination thereof. The one or more transparent portions of the mask may have a linear shape extending along a first direction and may move in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Alternatively, the one or more transparent portions of the mask may have a sector-shaped opening that rotates to expose the display object.

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for preventing image or photographic capture of an object or image by placing a moving mask in front thereof.
An owner of an object for viewing, such as an art item, a holographic display, or an image on a digital device, may desire to prevent unauthorized image or photographic capture of the object or image by viewers that use camera, screen capture on digital devices, and other capture means.
Information relevant to attempts to address this problem can be found in China Patent Application No. CN 201310186530, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 20140218402 and 20140218403. However, each one of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: special hardware requirement, inefficient algorithm that may be slow or burden the computational capacity, and limiting only to screen capture prevention on digital devices.
For example, China Patent Application No. CN 201310186530 describes a method for preventing screen capture on digital devices. The disclosed method divides a screen into two categories that correspond to non-protected area and protected area with the protected area placed in a special protected processor display memory that does not allow screen capture. This method disadvantageously requires digital devices, such as cell phones and computers, to equip with the special protected display memory, which would undesirably increase the cost of digital devices.
U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 20140218402 and 20140218402 describe a screen-capture prevention method in which an image for viewing on digital devices is divided into a plurality of subimages, which are then displayed in rapid succession to recreate the original image. This method and algorithm thereof may be inefficient and may burden the computational power of digital devices, especially hand held devices, such as cell phone, that have limited computational capacity, as shall be discussed in more detail below.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a system and method for preventing image capture that does not require special hardware and that can be implemented in hand held devices which have limited computational capacity.

System and method for preventing image capture


An optical substrate possesses a structured surface that enhances luminance or brightness and reduces chatter phenomenon. A structured surface is provided, in which some of the valleys (low valleys) are coplanar to the surface of the underlying support layer and other valleys (high valleys) are not coplanar on the support layer. The low valleys have bottom thickness that is substantially smaller than that of the high valleys. The distance from the valleys to the support layer remains substantially similar for a first number of adjacent valleys, but is substantially zero for a second number of adjacent valleys after every n-th adjacent valleys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical substrates having a structured surface, particularly to optical substrates for brightness enhancement, and more particularly to brightness enhancement substrates for use in flat panel displays having a planar light source.
2. Description of Related Art
Flat panel display technology is commonly used in television displays, computer displays, and handheld electronics (e.g., cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc.). Liquid crystal display (LCD) is a type of flat panel display, which deploys a liquid crystal (LC) module having an array of pixels to render an image. In backlight LCDs, brightness enhancement films use prismatic structures to direct light along the viewing axes (i.e., normal to the display), which enhances the brightness of the light viewed by the user of the display and which allows the system to use less power to create a desired level of on-axis illumination.
Heretofore, brightness enhancement films were provided with parallel prismatic grooves, lenticular lenses or pyramids on the light emitting surface of the films, which change the angle of the film/air interface for light rays exiting the films and cause light incident obliquely at the other surface of the films to be redistributed in a direction more normal to the exit surface of the films. The brightness enhancement films have a light input surface that is smooth, through which light enters from the backlight module.
Heretofore brightness enhancement films are made up of two layers, including a support base layer and a structured layer. FIG. 1 depicts a sectional structure representative of prior art brightness enhancement films. The brightness enhancement film 100 includes a base layer 102 made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a structured layer 104 of prism structures made of acrylic, which function to redirecting light. The adhesion between these two layers is important to the integrity, reliability and performance of the brightness enhancement film 100. The integrity of the adhesion is affected by environmental conditions, such as moisture and heat. For example, when the brightness enhancement film 100 is subject to moisture and high temperature, the structured layer 104 could separate from the base layer 102, which separation between the layer would result in artifacts in the display image, such as undesirable bright lines in the display image.
The structured surface of brightness enhancement film 100 is formed after bonding a layer of materials (e.g., an acrylic layer) to the base layer 102 prior to forming the prism structures in the acrylic layer to form the structured layer 104. The prism structures in the structured layer 104 may be formed using a number of process techniques, including micromachining using hard tools to form master molds or the like for the prism structures. The hard tools may be very small diamond tools mounted on CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines (e.g. turning, milling and ruling/shaping machines), such as known STS (Slow Tool Servo) and FTS (Fast Tool Servo). U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,286, for instance, discloses one of the applications of the FTS for making grooves on an optical film by using a thread cutting method. The tool is mounted onto the machine, to create longitudinal prisms in a plane. The mold may be used to form the structured layer through hot embossing a substrate, and/or through the addition of an ultraviolet curing or thermal setting materials in which the structures are formed.
As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom of the valleys 106 of the prisms in the structured layer 104 is not at the surface of the base layer, but spaced at a distance d from the contacting surface of the base layer by acrylic material. It has been found that the bottom thickness d plays an important role in maintaining integrity of the adhesion. In the past, the bottom thickness d range between 0.3 to 3 micrometers. In order to obtain the bottom thickness, several parameters must be controlled, e.g., during the curing process to form the structured surface. For example, nip roll pressure, acrylic resin temperature, line speed, etc. are some of the factors to be taken into consideration. However, it is challenging to control a consistent bottom thickness d. Alignment errors could be introduced by the mechanical system used to form the structured surface. For example, dynamic mechanical alignment errors from the master roll and curing machine are on an order comparable or larger than the bottom thickness d. As a result, those factors would introduce some unwanted cosmetic defects such as 'chatter' and/or non-uniformity of the brightness enhancement film. The results in a phenomenon that is easily seen for existing brightness enhancement films, in which repeated dark shades/lines are seen from light from the planar light source transmitted through the brightness enhancement film.
What is needed is an optical substrate that provides a surface structure that both enhances brightness and reduces chatter phenomenon.

Luminance enhancement optical substrates with anti-chatter structures


The present invention includes a circuit having an input section that is operated from an operating voltage which is lower than a supply voltage of the circuit. The operating voltage is established so that the operating voltage minus the voltage of a high level TTL signal is less than an upper level threshold voltage of the input section. The circuit couples the output of the input section to the supply voltage thereby increasing the voltage on the output of the input section to a voltage greater than the operating voltage. In addition, the circuit enables a current source during a portion of a low-to-high transition on an output of the circuit. The current source provides high current drive during the portion of the transition. Since the current source is only enabled during the portion of the transition, static power dissipation is minimized.

The present invention relates, in general, to electrical circuits, and more particularly, to a novel electrical circuit having low static power dissipation and high output current.
In the past, a variety of circuit configurations have been utilized to provide complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits which are capable of accepting transistor-transistor logic (TTL) voltage levels. The semiconductor industry has also combined CMOS with bipolar to form BICMOS circuits having TTL compatible inputs. One notable disadvantage of most, if not all, such prior circuits is the amount of power dissipated by the circuits' input stage. The voltage value of a TTL signal generally varies over a large range, and often drops to a level that is insufficient to disable the prior circuits' input transistors. When this occurs, excessive power is dissipated in the form of leakage current flowing through these input transistors.
In addition, the prior circuits generally have a small output current that limits the circuits' switching speed. In some cases, these prior circuits have utilized bipolar output transistors to provide increased output current. The bipolar output transistors generally consume power when the circuit is in a static (non-switching) condition, thus, resulting in high static power dissipation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a circuit that has an input which operates with a TTL input signal, that has low static power dissipation, and that has a large output current.


The invention relates to an opening arrangement for single-use disposable packages (1) of the type which are manufactured from a continuous material web or a material sheet. The packaging material consists of a core of paper or paperboard to which are laminated different layers of thermoplastics and possibly a barrier layer, normally consisting of aluminium foil.. The opening arrangement includes a hole (2) made in the packaging material and at least covered by the inside layer or layers of the packaging material, a perforation line (3) which extends at least from one side of the hole (2), and an outer penetration device (4) applied on the outside of the packaging container (1). One end of the penetration device (4) is designed as a hook (11).. The penetration device (4) is intended to be broken free from the packaging container (1) and, with the tip (20) of the hook-shaped portion (12), the layers covering the hole (2) are penetrated. The penetration device (4) is thereafter pulled along the perforation line (3) thereby opening a large part of the packaging container side (5, 8 or 10).

Single-use disposable packages may be manufactured from a continuous material web or from a material sheet, the packaging material consisting of a laminate with a core of paper or paperboard to which are laminated different layers of thermoplastic and possibly also aluminium foil (Alifoil). These packages are common for liquid foods such as milk and fruit juices, but in recent times considerable interest has been focused on being able to pack foods of a higher viscosity such as, for example, puddings, creams and the like in packages of this type.
The packaging containers are formed and filled direct in a filling machine, in that the packaging material web is formed into a tube which is longitudinally joint sealed. The tube is filled with the contemplated contents and is then transversely sealed across the filled tube to form individual packaging container blanks. The blanks are separated from the tube and finally formed into finished, parallelepipedic packaging containers. The finished packaging container is often provided with some form of opening arrangement for affording convenient access to its contents.
Foods with a relatively solid consistency naturally require completely different opening arrangements than liquid foods which are intended to be poured from the package. For highly viscous products, the need is often to be able to open a larger part of the package in order by such means to get at the contents of the package more easily


A biocidal material comprises an organic biocide immobilized on a polymeric support characterized in that the support is water-insoluble and the biocide is covalently bound to the support by a hydrolytically stable covalent linkage. The material can be used for inhibiting bacterial growth in an aqueous medium e.g. the wash water of a photoprocessing system. The material can be housed in a flow-through container.

Bacterial growth occurs in many systems in which aqueous media such as water, aqueous solutions and aqueous dispersions are employed.
For example, significant biofouling can occur in many areas of photoprocessing systems and, in particular, where low flow rate washes and water recycling is used. The problem may be overcome by adding biocides to the wash water tanks when bacterial biofilm formation becomes evident visually. However at this point the biocides are not particularly effective because the bacteria have attached to surfaces to form biofilms which have built up in layers. Hence, any biocide in solution can only reach the outer biofilm layer and not the inner layers of the biofilm. Furthermore, widespread use of such biocides is not desirable because they are relatively expensive and toxic chemicals which require specialised disposal to protect the environment.
Alternative methods of inhibiting bacterial growth in aqueous media involve the gradual release of a biocide through interaction with water e.g. by leaching.
GB-A-2 223 662 describes a coating composition for seeds which comprises an organic biocide chemically bound to a polymer by a hydrolytically unstable bond. The polymer gradually hydrolyses giving controlled release of the organic biocide.
Problem to be solved by the Invention
A problem associated with the prior art methods and materials for inhibiting bacterial growth in aqueous media is that biocide is released in the media.
Furthermore, there is a need for a method and materials in which the biocide is only used on demand when the bacteria are present.
Methods and materials which reduce the exposure of operators to toxic biocides are also sought.

Material and method for inhibiting bacterial growth in an aqueous medium


A system includes a plurality of smart outlets and a backend system in wireless communication with the smart outlets. The smart outlets are configured to provide electrical power from an electrical system to respective power loads, and configured to measure power consumption characteristics thereof the respective power loads. The power consumption characteristics may include real power, apparent power or a combination thereof consumed by the respective power loads. The backend system may be configured to wirelessly receive the power consumption characteristics from the smart outlets for analysis in accordance with a power distribution schedule of the electrical system, and wirelessly transmit a command signal to one or more of the smart outlets in various instances response to the analysis. This command signal may instruct the respective one or more smart outlets to shed or restore power to respective power loads from the electrical system.

Complex systems, such as aircraft, incorporate many devices that consume electrical power. A challenge is presented when a system may be supported by a power source capable of supplying a maximum amount of power and, at certain points during system operation, the devices may require more than the maximum amount of available power. Some devices may only require power at certain times. Unfortunately, many devices that may only require power intermittently or periodically may seek to consume power at the same time that other devices also require power, thereby resulting in an aggregate power demand in excess of an available supply.
Conventionally, when the demand for power exceeds the available supply, some devices seeking power may not be provided power and some devices currently being provided power may be cut off. Devices may be assigned priority so that devices that may be considered important may not be shut down or may be among the last to be shut down. For example, among aircraft systems, environmental control systems may be accorded a higher priority than galley appliances or on-board entertainment systems. As a result, when the demand for power exceeds the available supply of power, the galley appliances and on-board entertainment systems may be shut down before the environmental control systems may be shut down.
In a number of systems, many devices to which power may be supplied are nonlinear devices (capacitive and inductive) that simultaneously consume both real and reactive power. These include many consumer electronics such as cameras, portable music players (e.g., MP3 players), mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, laptop computers and the like. Addressing these devices may be even more challenging in that the number of such devices consuming power may constantly changes. Conventional power distribution systems may be responsive to present demands, but lack real-time power consumption characteristics from loads such as these to provide efficient energy production.
Therefore, it may be desirable to have a system and method that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.

Advanced energy monitoring and control in a complex system


Systems and methods for routing communications to a platform service are provided. A message including payload data is received. The information in the payload data of the message is examined in order to determine the type of message. The message is then relayed to an appropriate platform service based on the type of message. Some embodiments assign numbers to the packets that make up the message.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network appliance for managing a variety of software and network services, such as access method and load balancing services. Various aspects of the present invention are particularly applicable to a network appliance that cooperates with other network appliances to provide multiple software and network services with high reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the last decade, the use of electronic computer networks has exploded. Electronic computer networks may be found in businesses, schools, hospitals, and even residences. With these networks, two or more computing devices communicate together to exchange packets of data according to one or more standard protocols, such as the TCP/IP protocols. Usually, one computer, often referred to as a "client," requests that a second computer perform a service. In response, the second computer, often referred to as a "server," performs the service and communicates the resulting data back to the first computer. Some computer networks may also include one or more switches, for providing connectivity between one or more clients and one or more servers.
Larger networks may include additional components to manage communications between clients and servers. For example, a large network having multiple servers may include one or more load balancers, to route client communications among the server computers. A load balancer may direct a client communication to a server based upon the workload of other servers in the network, or to ensure that a communication carrying data affiliated with a specific server is properly directed to that server. If a network performs a vital purpose, the network may duplicate one or more components for redundancy, in the event that a component fails.
FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a conventional communication network 101. More particularly, the network 101 may be employed to provide a client computer with secure access through a public network 103, such as the Internet, to a private network or "Intranet" 105. As seen in this FIG., the communication network 101 includes a first group of switches 107, a group of load balancers 109, a second group of switches 111, a group of access servers 113, and a third group of switches 115. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the networks 101, 103 and 105 also will include one or more routers (not shown) for routing communications between the networks to a specified network address.
To use the communication network 101, a client computer transmits a communication through the Internet 103 to a switch 107. The illustrated network 101 includes two switches 107, but other implementations of the network 101 may include only a single switch 107 or three or more switches 107 as desired, depending upon the amount of redundancy desired in the network. The switch 107 receiving the communication delivers it to a load balancer 109. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the load balancer 109 is a computing device that directs incoming communications to an access server 113 through a switch 111. For example, if a communication is new, the load balancer 109 may route the communication to the access server 113 that is currently handling the fewest communications. Alternately, the load balancer 109 may employ a "round robin" process to assign each new communication to the next access server 113 in an ordered list. If, however, the communication includes data that is affiliated with a particular access server 113, as will be explained in more detail below, then the load balancer 109 may route the communication to that particular access server 113.
The access server 113 provides one or more platform services, including at least one access method service for securely accessing the Intranet 105. For example, the access server 113A may provide an extranet Web service (EW), which allows a client computer to securely access the Intranet 105 through a browser using an encryption technique such as, for example, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technique. The access server 113A may also provide a node management (NM) service and a repository service for storing information, such as local authentication information like user names, passwords, and digital certificates. The repository service may also be used to store user personal profile information, such as user names, single sign-on credentials for intranet servers, bookmarks and the like. The repository service may be, e.g., a directory employing the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).
The access server 113A may also provide a distributed cache service which shares and replicates useful data among multiple access servers 113. The access server 113B may then alternately provide a virtual private network (VPN) service, which allows a client computer to act as a node of the Intranet 105 using an encryption technique such as, for example, the SSL encryption technique. The access server 113B may additionally provide a node management service and a repository service like the access server 113A.
Once a communication from a client computer has been decrypted and processed by an access server 113, it is then routed back through a switch 111 to a load balancer 109. The load balancer 109 directs the communication through a switch 115 to the Intranet 105. When a computer in the Intranet 105 responds to the communication from a client, the process is reversed to encrypt the outgoing response and transmit it to the client computer back through the Internet 103.
In the network 101, both the extranet Web service of the access server 113A and the virtual private network service of the access server 113B will generate an encryption "session" for related communications from a client computer. An encryption session, such as an SSL session, allows each client communication and reply associated with the session to be processed using encryption key information. A client computer could be required to authenticate itself for each domain, software service or network device it needs to access. Using authentication management software, a client computer may also authenticate itself only once per encryption session, i.e., during the initial communication, and the network access system may cache the authentication information for the session. The client computer can then include an identifier for the session in subsequent communications, rather than having to repeatedly submit its authentication information.
The network 101 may also employ the session identifier to accurately route a communication to the access server hosting the associated encryption session. More particularly, a communication from a client computer may include a virtual Internet protocol address or "VIP" address. This type of address is not associated with a particular computing device, but may instead be translated by a network address translation (NAT) process into one or more actual Internet protocol addresses for particular computing devices. When a load balancer 109 receives a communication, it checks the communication for a session identifier. If the communication includes a session identifier, then the load balancer 109 uses a lookup table to associate that session identifier with the actual Internet protocol address for the access server 113 hosting the corresponding encryption session. The load balancer 109 can then execute a network address translation that translates the virtual Internet protocol address into the actual Internet protocol address for the access server 113 hosting the session. If the communication does not include a session identifier, then the load balancer 109 will route the communication to any appropriate access server 113 based upon its load balancing algorithm.
While two load balancers 109 are illustrated in the communication network 101, only one load balancer 109 typically will operate at any time. More particularly, incoming communications may also employ a virtual media control access (MAC) address to access the network 101. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the routers in the networks 101 and 105 will map an Internet protocol address to a media access control address associated with the hardware of a particular device using the address resolution protocol (ARP). The switches 107 and 115 will then passively map a media access control address to a switch port. Accordingly, the load balancer 109 which is acting as the primary load balancer 109 will associate itself with both the virtual Internet protocol address and the virtual media access control address. If the primary load balancer 109 fails, then the secondary load balancer 109 will associate itself with the virtual Internet protocol address and the virtual media access control address, ensuring that subsequent communications are routed to it and thereby taking over the load balancing responsibilities from the primary load balancer 109.
Because the primary load balancer 109 is responsible for directing incoming communications to the access servers 113, the primary load balancer 109 monitors the status of other components in the network 101. For example, the primary load balancer 109 may employ an interface monitoring service, which determines when a network pathway, such as an interface or switch port, fails. Thus, if the interface monitoring service determines that a network pathway to an access server 113 has failed, then the load balancer 109 will not direct client communications to that access server 113. The primary load balancer 109 may also employ a service monitoring service that determines when a service provided by the access servers 113 fails. If the service monitoring service determines that a particular service provided by an access server 113 has failed (e.g., a VPN service), then the load balancer 109 will avoid directing any communications requiring the failed service to that access server 113. The load balancer 109 may, however, still route other types of communications to that access server 113 if its other services (e.g., the repository service) have not failed.
While this arrangement has been successfully employed in a variety of networks, it has a number of disadvantages. For example, each component and each interface and connection between the different components the network 101 represents a point in the network 101 that can really fail. Thus, a single load balancer 109 has five points at which it functionality can fail. First, the load balancer 109 can itself fail. Second, the interface or connection of the load balancer with a switch 111 can fail. Third, a switch 111 can fail. Fourth, the interface or connection of the load balancer with a switch 115 can fail, and fifth, a switch 115 can fail.
In addition to the high number of failure points, the network 101 requires a great deal of effort from a network administrator or other person responsible for maintaining it. Each separate component must be installed, set up, assigned a network address, and maintained. Still further, the network 101 is very expensive.
For example, a single load balancer may cost several thousands of dollars. Having only a primary and a secondary (or backup) load balancer 109 can significantly add to the price of the network 101, and having additional backup load balancers 109 will further increase the price of the network 101.

Routing of communications to one or more processors performing one or more services according to a load balancing function


A compressor device, more particularly a two-stage compressor device (1), consists of a low-pressure compressor (4), a first compartment (7) of a cooling part (6) connected to the low-pressure compressor (4) by a first flexible connector (21), a high-pressure compressor (5) which is connected to the exit (11) of the first compartment (7), a second compartment (8) of the cooling part (6) which is connected to high-pressure compressor (5) by a second flexible connector (22), and a conduit (15) which is connected to the exit of the second compartment (8) for the discharge of the compressed gas. Flexible connections (21-22) are situated at opposite sides of a compression part (3) formed by the low-pressure compressor (4) and the high-pressure compressor (5), such that flexible connectors (21-22) extend substantially opposite each other. The arrangement of flexible connectors (21-22) in compressor device (1) avoids the transmission of movements and vibrations from compression part (3) to cooling part (6).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compressor device for vibration-free displacement of gases, air or liquid from a moving part of the compressor to a motion-free part of the compressor, such that no transmission of movements or vibrations to the motion-free part of this device occurs.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is known to cool gases during their compression. Known compressor devices thus consist of a compression part and a cooling part.
In order to avoid damage to the generally very sensitive cooling part construction caused by the heavy vibrations generated in the compression part, it is known to place the compression part, which includes at least the compressors and possibly their driving motors, upon rubber blocks and to provide a flexible connection between the compression part and the cooling part. The cooling part is itself mounted fixedly.
In a two-stage compressor device, it is also known to direct a gas, compressed in a low-pressure stage, via a first flexible connection to a first compartment of a cooling part. The gas discharged from this first compartment is supplied to a high-pressure stage. The gas, compressed in the high-pressure stage, is then directed via a second flexible connection to a second compartment of the cooling part. The gas cooled in this second compartment is finally discharged for usage.
In a known embodiment, two flexible connections in the form of bellows are connected between flanges attached, on one hand, at the compression part and, on the other hand, at the cooling part. These flanges are connected to each other by means of tension rods.
This known embodiment has the disadvantage of only allowing for a two-dimensional displacement of the compression part, placed upon rubber blocks, with respect to the cooling part. Furthermore, the tension rods transmit vibrations from the compression part to the cooling part.

Compressor device with vibration isolator

Atlas Copco Airpower, naamloze vennootschap


A method and apparatus for cycle-based simulation of a transparent latch includes classifying a phase of the transparent latch, classifying a phase of an input to the transparent latch, and classifying a phase of a simulation cycle. The transparent latch is simulated as a cycle-based simulation element based on the phase of the transparent latch, the phase of the input to the transparent latch, and the phase of the simulation cycle.

To increase microprocessor performance, the number of circuit elements and clock frequencies used by microprocessors, often referred to as "CPUs", have increased. Also, as the number of circuits in a CPU has increased, the number of parallel operations has risen. Examples of efforts to create more parallel operations include increased pipeline depth and an increase in the number of functional units in super-scalar and very-long-instruction-word architectures. As CPU performance continues to increase, the result has been a larger number of circuits switching at faster rates. Thus, from a design perspective, important considerations, such as the time needed to complete a simulation and the time needed to debug a CPU, must be taken into account.
As new CPU designs include more circuit elements, often operating at increased frequencies, the time required to simulate a CPU increases. Due to the increased time for simulation, the number of and breadth of tests, often referred to as "test coverage", decreases. The result has been an increase in the number of logic errors that escape detection before the CPU is manufactured.
After a CPU prototype is initially manufactured and failure modes are uncovered, the time required to determine the failure mechanisms is generally increasing due to the increased CPU complexity. Failure modes may be the result of logic errors or poor manufacturability of one or more circuit elements. Circuit simulation helps determine the existence of a logic error. If a logic error does not exist, the manufacturability of a circuit element may be the root cause. Even after a failure mechanism is discovered and a solution is proposed, the time required to satisfactorily determine that the proposed solution fixes the error and does not generate any new errors has increased. Circuit simulation is key to the design and debug of increasingly complex and faster CPUs.
CPU simulation may be performed at a "switch level". Switch level simulations typically include active circuit elements, for example transistors, and passive circuit elements that may include, for example, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. A switch level circuit simulator know in the art is SPICE, which is an acronym for Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis. SPICE typically models each element using an equation or lookup table. SPICE can accurately model the voltage and/or current of each circuit element across time.
CPU simulation may also be performed at a "behavioral level". Behavioral level simulations typically use a hardware description language (HDL) that determine the functionality of a single circuit element or group of circuit elements. A behavioral level simulation language known in the art is Verilog, which is a standard language published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, N.J. Verilog uses a high level programming language to describe the relationship between the input and output of one or more circuit elements. Verilog describes on what conditions the outputs should be modified and what effect the inputs have. Verilog programs may also be used for logic simulations at the "register transfer level" (RTL).
HDL languages, such as Verilog, are designed for the efficient representation of hardware designs. Verilog has support for handling signals of arbitrary widths; not only for defining and using an arbitrary width signal, but for treating any sub-field of such a signal as a signal in its own right.
HDL simulations may be event driven or cycle-based. Event driven simulations propagate a change in state from one set of circuit elements to another. Event driven simulators may record relative timing information of the change in state so that timing and functional correctness may be verified. Cycle-based HDL simulations also simulate a change in state from one set of circuit elements to another. Cycle-based HDL simulations, however, evaluate the state of the system once at the end of each clock cycle. While specific intra-cycle timing information is not available, simulation speed is improved. Discrete component evaluations and re-evaluations are typically unnecessary upon the occurrence of every event.
Cycle-based simulations operate by evaluating the state of the circuit elements on clock transitions. State information is maintained from one cycle to the next by a state device. One example of a state device is a flip-flop. A flip-flop modifies its output to equal its input on a clock transition, for example, a low to high clock transition. Flip-flops are often connected to combinatorial logic. The combinatorial logic modifies the output from several flip-flops and creates a new input into another flip-flop. This sequential arrangement of flip-flop to combinatorial logic to flip-flop allows computations to occur and be temporarily stored within a single clock cycle. This arrangement also allows multiple combinatorial logic blocks to operate in parallel.
The behavior of flip-flops coupled with combinatorial logic is ideal for cycle-based simulation because a change in state may only propagate to the next flip-flop. The flip-flop will propagate the change in state only on the next clock transition. Cycle-based simulation records a change in state only on a clock transition, which corresponds to the time a flip-flop modifies the state of the simulation.
In FIG. 1a, for example, flip-flops (52, 54) update their respective outputs (57, 59) with their respective inputs, IN 1 (51) and IN 2 (53), when a low to high transition occurs on CLK (55). This change is drawn in a timing diagram in FIG. 1b. Outputs (57, 59) are inputs to a combinatorial logic cone (56). The combinatorial logic cone (56) is representative of any combination of combinatorial logic elements. Combinatorial logic elements include, but are not limited to, any elements that provide Boolean logic functionality. The cone structure refers to an arrangement where more inputs exist than outputs, hence a "cone" structure. In this example, the combinatorial logic cone (56) may respond to one or both of the inputs. A combinatorial logic cone output (61) is designed to arrive at flip-flop (58) before the CLK (55) transitions from high to low. The high to low transition of CLK (55) causes flip-flop (58) to update flip-flop output OUT 3 (63) with the combinatorial logic cone output (61) as drawn in the timing diagram in FIG. 1b.
A clock transition on which a change in the state of the system occurs is defined as a "phase". In FIG. 1a, the low to high transition of CLK (55), is referred to as phase A. The high to low transition of CLK (55) is referred to as phase B. Any logical element that may change state due to the transition of an associated clock is referred to by the phase of the clock transition. For example, flip-flops (52, 54) and respective outputs (57, 59) change when CLK (55) transitions from low to high; therefore, they are classified as phase A. All inputs to combinatorial logic cone (56) are from phase A; therefore, the combinatorial logic cone output (61) is classified as phase A. Flip-flop (58) and output (63) change when CLK (55) transitions from high to low; therefore, they are classified as phase B.
The behavior of flip-flops is ideal for cycle-based simulation because a change in state may only occur on a clock transition. Other types of latches, for example a transparent latch, may change its output so long as a clock input signal to the transparent latch remains at an active level. Cycle-based simulators are not typically arranged to simulate a transparent latch.

Method and apparatus for simulating transparent latches


In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having an adapter to communicate according to a personal computer (PC) protocol and a second protocol. A first interface coupled to the adapter is to perform address translation and ordering of transactions received from upstream of the adapter. The first interface is coupled in turn via one or more physical units to heterogeneous resources, each of which includes an intellectual property (IP) core and a shim, where the shim is to implement a header of the PC protocol for the IP core to enable its incorporation into the apparatus without modification. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Certain semiconductor architectures such as advanced extensible interface (AXI) and open core protocol (OCP)-based architectures are modular and allow for rapid proliferation by quickly adding or deleting intellectual property (IP) blocks from an existing design. Though these IP blocks (also referred to as IPs) offer a rich set of functionality, they cannot be used in a personal computer (PC) system, as they lack some key features required for peripheral component interconnect (PCI) compatibility. For example, these IPs operate at fixed addresses, precluding plug-and-play; there is no mechanism for discovery and enumeration; PCI-style ordering is not implemented; and PCI-style power management features are missing.
For peripheral devices for use in PC-compatible systems, interconnect specifications mix the transaction level with the physical level for the interfaces. Indeed, since these specifications cover external, physical devices, both of these levels need to be defined. However, for system on a chip (SoC) systems, mixing the transactional level with the physical level of the interface definition limits reuse of components as silicon processes change. Some external, non-PC-compatible systems have adopted transactional-level interfaces for their IP components. However, these systems cannot be made PC-compatible because various features are missing in their interfaces that are needed for PC compatibility.

Providing a peripheral component interconnect (PCI)-compatible transaction level protocol for a system on a chip (SoC)


Systems and methods for efficient delivery of infrequent small data are provided. A system for providing communication infrequent small Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to/from a UE includes an Access Node (AN); a session management functions node; and a User Plane (UP) functions entity. The session management functions node receives a session setup request and selects the UP functions entity and a tunnel identifier associated with the UE. In case of an IP PDU session type, trigger an establishment of a UP. The UP functions entity creates a UE context for the UE; stores the UE context for the UE; completes an establishment in a Control Plane (CP); and provides the AN with uplink tunnel information. The AN stores the UE context and transmits a session setup response to the UE. In this way, an improved ratio of the signalling/user data relation may be obtained for devices sending infrequent small data.

Machine Type Communication (MTC) where unattended wireless devices send their data over the Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular network has been addressed in the art. In "Efficient Small Data Access for Machine-Type Communications in LTE," Sergey Andreev et al., IEEE ICC 2013—Next-Generation Networking Symposium, page 3569, 2013 methods are disclosed for accomplishing MTC deployments that feature a very large number of devices, whereas the data from a particular device may be infrequent and small. The paper suggests a contention-based LTE transmission mechanism, neither based on the default Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) based scheme, nor the alternative Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) based scheme. It constitutes a simple implementation that has a fewer number of LTE signalling messages and is intended to provide better usage of network resources and lower power consumption for MTC devices.
Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Report (TR) 23.799 V0.5.0 (2016-05) Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Study on Architecture for Next Generation System describes a system architecture for the next generation mobile networks. The new architecture supports at least the new Radio Access Technologies (RATs), the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), non-3GPP accesses and minimizes access dependencies.

Efficient delivery method and apparatuses for infrequent small data