The present invention relates to a method and system for multi-rate lattice vector quantization of a source vector x representing a frame from a source signal to be used, for example, in digital transmission and storage systems. The multi-rate lattice quantization encoding method comprises the steps of associating to x a lattice point y in a unbounded lattice Λ; verifying if y is included in a base codebook C derived from the lattice Λ; if it is the case then indexing y in C so as to yield quantization indices if not then extending the base codebook using, for example a Voronoi based extension method, yielding an extended codebook; associating to y a codevector c from the extended codebook, and indexing y in the extended codebook C. The extension technique allows to obtain higher bit rate codebooks from the base codebooks compared to quantization method and system from the prior art.

A classical prior-art technique for the coding of digital speech and audio signals is transform coding, whereby the signal to be encoded is divided in blocks of samples called frames, and where each frame is processed by a linear orthogonal transform, e.g. the discrete Fourier transform or the discrete cosine transform, to yield transform coefficients, which are then quantized.
FIG. 1 of the appended drawings shows a high-level framework for transform coding. In this framework, a transform T is applied in an encoder to an input frame giving transform coefficients. The transform coefficients are quantized with a quantizer Q to obtain an index or a set of indices for characterizing the quantized transform coefficients of the frame. The indices are in general encoded into binary codes which can be either stored in a binary form in a storage medium or transmitted over a communication channel. In a decoder, the binary codes received from the communication channel or retrieved from the storage medium are used to reconstruct the quantized transform coefficients with a decoder of the quantizer Q−1. The inverse transform T−1 is then applied to these quantized transform coefficients for reconstructing the synthesized frame.
In vector quantization (VQ), several samples or coefficients are blocked together in vectors, and each vector is approximated (quantized) with one entry of a codebook. The entry selected to quantize the input vector is typically the nearest neighbor in the codebook according to a distance criterion. Adding more entries in a codebook increases the bit rate and complexity but reduces the average distortion. The codebook entries are referred to as codevectors.
To adapt to the changing characteristics of a source, adaptive bit allocation is normally used. With adaptive bit allocation, different codebook sizes may be used to quantize a source vector. In transform coding, the number of bits allocated to a source vector typically depends on the energy of the vector relative to other vectors within the same frame, subject to a maximum number of available bits to quantize all the coefficients. FIGS. 2a and 2b detail the quantization blocks of the FIG. 1 in the general context of a multi-rate quantizer. This multi-rate quantizer uses several codebooks typically having different bit rates to quantize a source vector x. This source vector is typically obtained by applying a transform to the signal and taking all or a subset of the transform coefficients.
FIG. 2(a) depicts an encoder of the multi-rate quantizer, denoted by Q, that selects a codebook number n and a codevector index i to characterize a quantized representation y for the source vector x. The codebook number n specifies the codebook selected by the encoder while the index i identifies the selected codevector in this particular codebook. In general, an appropriate lossless coding technique can be applied to n and i in blocks En and Ei, respectively, to reduce the average bit rate of the coded codebook number nE and index iE prior to multiplexing (MUX) them for storage or transmission over a communication channel.
FIG. 2(b) shows decoding operations of the multi-rate quantizer. First, the binary codes nE and iE are demultiplexed (DEMUX) and their lossless codes are decoded in blocks Dn and Di, respectively. The retrieved codebook number n and index i are conducted to the decoder of the multi-rate quantizer, denoted by Q−1, that uses them to recover the quantized representation y of the source vector x. Different values of n usually result in different bit allocations, and equivalently different bit rates, for the index i. The codebook bit rate given in bits per dimension is defined as the ratio between the number of bits allocated to a source vector and the dimension of the source vector.
The codebook can be constructed using several approaches. A popular approach is to apply a training algorithm (e.g. the k-means algorithm) to optimize the codebook entries according to the source distribution. This approach yields an unstructured codebook, which typically has to be stored and searched exhaustively for each source vector to quantize. The limitations of this approach are thus its memory requirements and computational complexity, which increase exponentially with the codebook bit rate. These limitations are even amplified if a multi-rate quantization scheme is based on unstructured codebooks, because in general a specific codebook is used for each possible bit allocation.
An alternative is to use constrained or structured codebooks, which reduce the search complexity and in many cases the storage requirements.
Two instances of structured vector quantization will now be discussed in more detail: multi-stage and lattice vector quantization.
In multi-stage vector quantization, a source vector x is quantized with a first-stage codebook C1 into a codevector y1. To reduce the quantization error, the residual error e1=x−y1 of the first stage, which is the difference between the input vector x and the selected first-stage codevector y1, is then quantized with a second-stage codebook C2 into a codevector y2. This process may be iterated with subsequent stages up to the final stage, where the residual error en-1=x−yn-1 of the (n-1)th stage is quantized with an nth stage codebook Cn into a codevector yn.
When n stages are used (n≧2), the reconstruction can then be written as a sum of the codevectors y=y1+ . . . +yn, where yl is an entry of the lth stage codebook Cl for l=1, . . . , n. The overall bit rate is the sum of the bit rates of all n codebooks.
In lattice vector quantization, also termed lattice VQ or algebraic VQ for short, the codebook is formed by selecting a subset of lattice points in a given lattice.
A lattice is a linear structure in N dimensions where all points or vectors can be obtained by integer combinations of N basis vectors, that is, as a weighted sum of basis vectors with signed integer weights. FIG. 3 shows an example in two dimensions, where the basis vectors are v1 and v2. The lattice used in this example is well-known as the hexagonal lattice denoted by A2. All points marked with crosses in this figure can be obtained asy=k1v1+k2v2  (Eq. 1)where y is a lattice point, and k1 and k2 can be any integers. Note that FIG. 3 shows only a subset of the lattice, since the lattice itself extends to infinity. We can also write Eq. 1 in matrix form
                    y        =                              [                                          y                1                                                                                y                2                                      ]                    =                                                    [                                                      k                    1                                                                                k                    2                                                  ]                                                          [                                                                                v                        1                                                                                v                        2                                                                                ]                                      =                                          [                                                      k                    1                                                                                k                    2                                                  ]                                                          [                                                                                v                        11                                                                                v                        12                                                                                v                        21                                                                                v                        22                                                                                ]                                                                        (                  Eq          .                                                    2                )            where the basis vectors v1=[v11 v12] and v2=[v21 v22] form the rows of the generator matrix. A lattice vector is then obtained by taking an integer combination of these row vectors.
When a lattice is chosen to construct the quantization codebook, a subset of points is selected to obtain a codebook with a given (finite) number of bits. This is usually done by employing a technique called shaping. Shaping is performed by truncating the lattice according to a shaping boundary. The shaping boundary is typically centered at the origin but this does not have to be the case, and may be for instance rectangular, spherical, or pyramidal. FIG. 3 shows an example with a spherical shaping boundary.
The advantage of using a lattice is the existence of fast codebook search algorithms which can significantly reduce the complexity compared to unstructured codebooks in determining the nearest neighbor of a source vector x among all lattice points inside the codebook. There is also virtually no need to store the lattice points since they can be obtained from the generator matrix. The fast search algorithms generally involve rounding off to the nearest integer the elements of x subject to certain constraints such that the sum of all the rounded elements is even or odd, or equal to some integer in modulo arithmetic. Once the vector is quantized, that is, once the nearest lattice point inside the codebook is determined, usually a more complex operation consists of indexing the selected lattice point.
A particular class of fast lattice codebook search and indexing algorithms involves the concept of leaders, which is described in detail in the following references:                C. Lamblin and J.-P. Adoul. Algorithme de quantification vectorielle sphérique à partir du réseau de Gosset d'ordre 8. Ann. Télécommun., vol. 43, no. 3–4, pp. 172–186, 1988 (Lamblin, 1988);        J.-M. Moureaux, P. Loyer, and M. Antonini. Low-complexity indexing method for Zn and Dn lattice quantizers. IEEE Trans. Communications, vol. 46, no. 12, December 1998 (Moureaux, 1998); and in        P. Rault and C. Guillemot. Indexing algorithms for Zn, An, Dn, and Dn++ lattice vector quantizers. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 395–404, December 2001 (Rault, 2001).
A leader is a lattice point with components sorted, by convention, in descending order. An absolute leader is a leader with all non-negative components. A signed leader is a leader with signs on each component. Usually the lattice structure imposes constraints on the signs of a lattice point, and thus on the signs of a leader. The concept of leaders will be explained in more details hereinbelow.
A lattice often used in vector quantization is the Gosset lattice in dimension 8, denoted by RE8. Any 8-dimensional lattice point y in RE8 can be generated byy=[k1k2 . . . k8]GRE8  (Eq. 3)where k1, k2, . . . , k8 are signed integers and GRE8 is the generator matrix, defined as
                              G                      RE            g                          =                              [                                                            4                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                                              2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                                              1                                                  1                                                  1                                                  1                                                  1                                                  1                                                  1                                                  1                                                      ]                    =                      [                                                                                v                    1                                                                                v                    2                                                                                v                    3                                                                                v                    4                                                                                v                    5                                                                                v                    6                                                                                v                    7                                                                                v                    8                                                                        ]                                              (                  Eq          .                                                    4                )
The row vectors v1, v2, . . . , v8 are the basis vectors of the lattice. It can be readily checked that the inverse of the generator matrix GRE8 is
                              G                      RE            g                                -            1                          =                              1            4                                          [                                                            1                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                  0                                                                                -                    1                                                                    0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  0                                                  2                                                  0                                                                              5                                                                      -                    2                                                                                -                    2                                                                                -                    2                                                                                -                    2                                                                                -                    2                                                                                -                    2                                                                    4                                                      ]                                              (                  Eq          .                                                    5                )
This inverse matrix is useful to retrieve the basis expansion of y:[k1k2 . . . k8]=yG−1RE8  (Eq. 6)
It is well-known that lattices consist of an infinite set of embedded spheres on which lie all lattice points. These spheres are often referred to as shells. Lattice points on a sphere in RE8 can be generated from one or several leaders by permutation of their signed components. All permutations of a leader's components are lattice points with the same norm, and thus they fall on the same lattice shell. Leaders are therefore useful to enumerate concisely the shells of a lattice. Indeed, lattice points located on shells close to the origin can be obtained from a very small number of leaders. Only absolute leaders and sign constraints are required to generate all lattice points on a shell.
To design a RE8 codebook, a finite subset of lattice points may be selected by exploiting the intrinsic geometry of the lattice, especially its shell structure. As described in (Lamblin, 1988), the lth shell of RE8 has a radius √{square root over (8l)} where l is a non-negative integer. High radius shells comprise more lattice points than lower radius shells. It is possible to enumerate all points on a given shell using absolute and signed leaders, noting that there is a fixed number of leaders on a shell and that all other lattice points on the shell are obtained by permutations of the signed leader components, with some restrictions on the signs.
In spherical lattice VQ, it is sufficient to reorder in decreasing order the components of x and then perform a nearest-neighbor search among the leaders defining the codebook to determine the nearest neighbor of a source vector x among all lattice points in the codebook. The index of the closest leader and the permutation index obtained indirectly from the ordering operation on x are then sent to the decoder, which can reconstruct the quantized analog of x from this information. Consequently, the concept of leaders allows a convenient indexing strategy, where a lattice point can be described by a cardinality offset referring to a signed leader and a permutation index referring to the relative index of a permutation of the signed leader.
Based on the shell structure of a lattice, and on the enumeration of the lattice in terms of absolute and signed leaders, it is possible to construct a codebook by retaining only the lower radius shells, and possibly completing the codebook with a few additional leaders of higher radius shells. We refer to this kind of lattice codebook generation as near-spherical lattice shaping. This approach is used in M. Xie and J.-P. Adoul, Embedded algebraic vector quantization (EAVQ) with application to wideband audio coding, IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP), Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A, vol. 1, pp. 240–243, 1996 (Xie, 1996).
For RE8, the absolute leaders in shells of radius 0 and √8 are shown below.
Absolute leader for the shell of radius 0                [0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0]
Absolute leaders for the shell of radius √8                [2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0] and [1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1]
A more complete listing for low-radius shells, for the specific case of RE8, can be found in Lamblin (1988).
For lattice quantization to be used in transform coding with adaptive bit allocation, it is desirable to construct multi-rate lattice codebooks. A possible solution consists of exploiting the enumeration of a lattice in terms of leaders In a similar way as in Xie (1996). As explained in Xie, a multi-rate leader-based lattice quantizer may be designed with for instance:                embedded algebraic codebooks, whereby lower-rate codebooks are subsets of higher-rate codebooks, or        nested algebraic codebooks, whereby the multi-rate codebooks do not overlap but are complementary in a similar fashion as a nest of Russian dolls.
In the specific case of Xie, multi-rate lattice quantization uses six of codebooks named Q0, Q1, Q2, . . . , Q5, where the last five codebooks are embedded, i.e. Q1⊂Q2⊂ . . . ⊂Q5. These codebooks are essentially derived from an 8-dimensional lattice RE8. Following the notations of Xie, Qn refers to the nth RE8 codebook. The bit allocation of codebook Qn is 4n bits corresponding to 24n entries. The codebook bit rate being defined as the ratio between the number of bits allocated to a source vector and the dimension of the source vector, and in RE8 quantization, the dimension of the source vector being 8, the codebook bit rate of Qn is 4n/8=n/2 bits per dimension.
With the technique of Xie, the codebook bit rate cannot exceed 5/2 bits per dimension. Due to this limitation, a procedure must be applied to saturate outliers. An outlier is defined as a point x in space that has the nearest neighbor y in the lattice RE8 which is not in one of the multi-rate codebooks Qn. In Xie, such points are scaled down by a factor g>1 until x/g is no more an outlier. Apparently the use of g may result in large quantization errors. This problem is fixed in Xie (1996) by normalizing the source vector prior to multi-rate lattice quantization.
There are disadvantages and limitations in the multi-rate quantization technique of Xie, including:                1. Outlier saturation is usually a computation burden. Further, saturation may degrade significantly the quantization performance (hence quality) in the case of large outliers.        2. The technique handles outliers with saturation and does not allow to allocate more than 20 bits per 8-dimensional vector. This may be a disadvantage in transform coding, since high-energy vectors (which are more likely to be outliers) shall be normally quantized with a small distortion to maximize quality, implying it shall be possible to use a codebook with enough bits allocated to a specific vector.        3. The codebooks Q2, Q3, Q4 and Q5 of 8, 12, 16 and 20 bits are specified with 3, 8, 23 and 73 absolute leaders, respectively. Since storage requirements and search complexity are closely related to the number of absolute leaders, the complexity of these lattice codebooks explodes with increasing codebook bit rate.        4. The performance of embedded codebooks is slightly worse than that of non-overlapping (i.e. nested) codebooks.
Another kind of lattice shaping, as opposed to near-spherical shaping, is Voronoi shaping, which is described in J. H. Conway and N. J. A. Sloane, A fast encoding method for lattice codes and quantizers, IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. IT-29, no. 6, pp. 820–824, November 1983 (Conway, 1983). It relies on the concept of Voronoi region described for instance in A. Gersho and R. M. Gray, Vector Quantization and Signal Compression, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992 (Gersho, 1992). In the specific case of a lattice codebook, a Voronoi region is the region of space where all points in N-dimensional space are closer to a given lattice point than any other point in the lattice. Each lattice point has an associated closed Voronoi region that includes also the border points equidistant to neighboring lattice points. In a given lattice, all Voronoi regions have the same shape, that is, they are congruent. This is not the case for an unstructured codebook.
A Voronoi codebook is a subset of a lattice such that all points of the codebook fall into a region of space with same shape as the Voronoi region of the lattice, appropriately scaled up and translated. To be more precise, a Voronoi codebook V(r) derived from the lattice Λ in dimension N is defined asV(r)=Λ∩(2rVΛ(0)+a)  (Eq. 7)where r is is a non-negative integer parameter defined later in more detail, VΛ(0) is the Voronoi region of Λ around the origin, and a an appropriate N-dimensional offset vector. Equation 7 is interpreted as follows: "the Voronoi codebook V(r) is defined as all points of the lattice Λ included in the region of N-dimensional space inside a scaled-up and translated Voronoi region VΛ(0), with the scaling factor m=2r and the offset vector a". With such a definition, the codebook bit rate of V(r) is r bits per dimension. The role of a is to fix ties, that is, to prevent any lattice point to fall on the shaping region 2rVΛ(0)+a.
FIG. 4 illustrates Voronoi coding, Voronoi regions, and tiling of Voronoi regions in the two-dimensional hexagonal lattice A2. The point o refers to the origin. Both points o and z fall inside the same boundary marked with dashed lines. This boundary is actually a Voronoi region of A2 scaled by m=2 and slightly translated to the right to avoid lattice points on the region boundary. There are in total 4 lattice points marked with three dots (•) and a plus (+) sign within the boundary comprising o and z. More generally each such a region contains mN points. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the same pattern, a Voronoi region of A2 scaled by m=2, is duplicated several times. This process is called tiling. For instance, the points o′ and z′ can be seen as equivalent to o and z, respectively, with respect to tiling. The point z′ may be written as z′=o′+z where o′ is a point of 2A2. The points of 2A2 are shown with plus signs in FIG. 4. More generally, the whole lattice can be generated by tiling all possible translations of a Voronoi codebook by points of the lattice scaled by m.
As described in D. Mukherjee and S. K. Mitra, Vector set-partitioning with successive refinement Voronoi lattice VQ for embedded wavelet image coding, Proc. ICIP, Part I, Chicago, Ill., October 1998, pp. 107–111 (Mukherjee, 1998), Voronoi coding can be used to extend lattice quantization by successive refinements. The multi-stage technique of Mukherjee produces multi-rate quantization with finer granular descriptions after each refinement. This technique, which could be used for multi-rate quantization in transform coding, has several limitations:                1. The quantization step is decreased after each successive refinement, and therefore it cannot deal efficiently with large outliers. Indeed, if a large outlier occurs in the first stage, the successive stages cannot reduce efficiently the resulting error, because they are designed to reduce granular noise only. The performance of the first stage is therefore critical.        2. The property of successive refinements implies constraints on the successive quantization steps. This limits the quantization performance.

Method and system for multi-rate lattice vector quantization of a signal


A conveyor belt device wherein a detectable coating, such as in the form of a thin film, overlies selected portions of a conveyor belt substrate surface. Suitable detectable coatings include materials that are inductive, conductive, magnetic, reflective, fluorescent and color-indicating or a combination thereof. Also disclosed are associated or corresponding conveyor belt assemblies and methods of making.

This invention relates generally to conveyor belts and, more particularly, to conveyor belts having a thin film sensor-activating coating.
Conveyor systems have long been utilized in various manufacture and production applications. Conveyor systems, such as incorporating one or more conveyor belts, commonly make use of various mechanisms to activate or trigger certain actions to be performed by equipment associated with the conveyor belt. Such actions include, but are not limited to, sorting, labeling, counting, indexing, and packaging, for example. Common or typical activating or triggering mechanisms employed in such applications can include: a product on the conveyor belt, a tray or other mechanical means attached to the conveyor belt, or a mechanism associated with the pulley system associated with the conveyor belt, for example.
It is known to either sense the presence of a product or item or to sense one or more features or characteristics, such as color, metal content, magnetic content or conductivity, for example, of a product or item being transported or conveyed via a conveyor belt. It is also known to use metal rods and proofing, forming and molding trays attached to a conveyor belt surface or comprising the conveyor belt surface for the purpose of actuating or triggering an action by the equipment associated with the conveyor belt.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,919, issued 3 Aug. 1993 and whose disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses the use of detectable means, such as in the form of metal tabs or strips, attached at predetermined spacings along the surface of a conveyor belt. In accordance with one specifically disclosed embodiment, metal strips of cold rolled steel of 0.005 inches thickness by 0.50 inches wide by 2.50 inches long are attached to a conveyor belt by affixing a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated fiberglass belt material patch to the belt surrounding each of the metal strips.
Unfortunately, the attachment of a metal-containing pouch to a PTFE coated fiberglass belt surface presents various problems and complications and is subject to various limitations. First, PTFE coated fiberglass belts typically range in thickness from about 0.008 inches to 0.014 inches (depending on the fabric style). Thus, the addition of a pouch and a metal tab or strip held therein can significantly alter the thickness of the conveyor belt device in the vicinity of the metal strips. For example, devices commercially available from Lawrence Equipment, Inc., the assignee identified on U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,919, and which devices included conveyor belts with such pouches and detectable metal strips, have been analyzed and the dimensions thereof have been measured. In particular, such commercially available devices have been found to contain such metal strips formed of stainless steel and measuring 0.007 inches thick by 0.25 inches wide by 1.75 inches long. Thus, the inclusion of such a pouch and metal strip brings total thickness at the pouch to approximately 0.028 inches and 0.040 inches, respectively, or approximately 4 times the thickness of an original 0.008 inch thick belt surface. As will be appreciated, the inclusion of such metal strips constitutes a significant difference in thickness that can present problems and complications as the belt rides over pulleys, such as resulting in the distortion of the conveyor belt, and in some cases, belt ripping and tracking issues.
Second, due at least in part to the large variation in thickness in the vicinity of the metal strips, such belts must typically be run with the pouches and associated metal strips on the inside of the conveyor belt so it does not distort the products being pressed on the belt surface. Additionally, since such pouches are joined or attached to the belt, the pouches themselves as well as the attachment to the belt are susceptible to grease and oil such as present in products or items conveyed on the belt and such as may be pressed thereagainst. Moreover, if one were to operate the belt with the pouches and associated metal strips on the outside of the conveyor belt, such grease and oil could undesirably act to saturate the pouch such as to result in the pouch delaminating from the surface of the conveyor belt.
Third, such pouch and metal strip-including conveyor belts can be very time consuming to prepare or manufacture. For example, such pouch and metal strip including conveyor belts typically require or involve, in some selected order, appropriately cutting the material pouches and the metal strips, respectively, to desired sizes and shapes; appropriately measuring and marking the belt to indicate the locations for the steel strips and pouches; appropriately attaching the material pouches to the belt surface and appropriately placing the steel strips on the belt. The time required for such belt preparation or manufacture can typically amount to 30 minutes or more per belt.
Finally, this patent specifically mentions the use of cold rolled steel metal strips. Rolled steel is rigid, and when cut, has sharp corners or edges. Conveyor belts such as formed of fiberglass coated with PTFE, as in this patent, are susceptible to tearing under pressure. It will be appreciated that a conveyor operating with a belt having such pouches on the inside of the belt, can be more prone to stresses such as resulting the metal strip containing pouch running over a pulley in the conveyor assembly and such as may result in such metal strip being undesirably pushed through either the surface of the belt or the pouch.
In view of the above, there is a need and a demand for improvements in conveyor belt devices such as to facilitate or otherwise improve the incorporation or use of such conveyor belt devices in conjunction with associated equipment or machinery. In particular, there is a need and a demand for a conveyor belt device and associated combinations which include or incorporate a sensor-activating material in a form that is effective and yet does not unduly hinder the conveyor or the operation of the conveyor and associated equipment.

Conveyor belts with thin film sensor-activating coating


A stun gun with an extendable electric shock distance has a high voltage electric arc generator and a conductive liquid supplier. The high voltage electric arc generator generates a high voltage electric arc. A conductive liquid fills with inside the conductive liquid supplier. When the conductive liquid is spurted from the conductive liquid supplier, the conductive liquid is passing through the high voltage electric arc. Since the conductive liquid has conductance, the conductive liquid spurted from the stun gun is able to extend an electric shock distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a stun gun, and more particularly to a stun gun that can extend an electric shock distance.
2. Description of the Related Art
In view of public security concern, more and more people bring a stun gun to protect them from harm. A conventional stun gun has two electrodes at one end of the stun gun. A transformer and a battery are configured inside the stun gun. A distance between the two electrodes is very small. The transformer is used to raise an output voltage of the battery to output to one of the electrodes. Since the distance between two electrodes is very short, a high-voltage electric arc is generated between the two electrodes. With the high-voltage electric arc to direct contact a human body, the electric shock effect can be achieved.
However, the above-mentioned stun gun can only provide the electric shock effect by closing to touch a person.
In order to improve this disadvantage, another stun gun is available in the market that can extend the electric shock distance. A main design of the stun gun is to configure a steel wire between the two electrodes. When the stun gun is conductive, the steel wire is also conductive. A user can extend the electric shock distance by waving the steel wire. Nevertheless, a waving direction of the steel wire is not easy to control and even may harm oneself if the steel wire touches self's body.

Stun gun with an extendable electric shock distance


Medical devices made at least in part of amorphous metals or alloys are provided. Certain embodiments include filters, stents, guidewires, snares, and coils comprised of amorphous metal. Methods of forming the medical devices, including methods of shape setting amorphous metals or alloys into components of medical devices are also provided. Methods of using amorphous metal medical devices are also provided.

1. Field
This invention relates to medical devices, and, more particularly to internally deployed medical devices which can be used in naturally occurring or surgically created lumens, passageways, cavities, defects, holes, tissues, or other regions of the body. Such internally deployed devices include stents, embolic protection devices, guide wires, snares, catheters, neurovascular coils, septal defect closure devices, atrial appendage closure devices, staples, clips, etc. This invention also pertains to methods of manufacturing such medical devices and methods of using such medical devices.
2. Description of the Related Technology
The human body has many systems that include lumens in performing their function. The primary example is the vascular system, which transmits blood throughout the body through blood vessels having lumens. The body's breathing system, digestive system, reproductive system, nervous system and even skeletal system also have major or minor components comprised of lumens.
Almost since the beginning of surgery, surgeons have used the body's lumenal systems in medically treating the body. In some instances, the purpose of the surgery is to protect or repair the lumenal system itself. For instance, stents are commonly used to reinforce or hold open a blood vessel. In other instances, the surgical procedure uses the lumenal system to navigate through the body. In all instances in which surgical procedures are lumenally performed, the size of the lumen to some extent establishes the relative size of the medical devices being implanted or used during the surgery.
Internally deployed medical devices have been devised in a wide range of materials. Traditional metals such as stainless steel, originally used for a wide range of internally deployed medical devices, have been replaced in certain instances with other alloys, such as nitinol, ELGILOY, cobalt chrome alloys, tantalum, magnesium alloys, and other metals. In other instances, metal materials have been supplanted with polymeric, bio-polymeric, ceramic or bio-ceramic materials. These less traditional materials provide a variety of advantages. In some instances, materials such as nitinol are used due to their superelastic characteristics, and for their ability to be shape-set to a predetermined shape. Internally deployed implants can be bioabsorbable in whole or in part, or can release drugs or other active agents over time. Generally speaking, designers of internally deployed medical devices design new devices by considering materials which have already been used and approved in existing internally deployed devices. While internally deployed medical devices have greatly improved over the years, in part due to their improving designs and materials of construction, there is an ongoing opportunity for further improvement by using new materials and designs appropriate to the new materials.
Separate from the medical device field, many new materials are introduced to manufacturers. One type of such new material is amorphous metal or metal glasses. Amorphous metals are metals which have been transformed from an amorphous, molten state to a solid state at a speed or under conditions which prevent a crystalline atomic structure from evolving during the solidification process. Through work done at the California Institute of Technology ("Caltech"), the theoretical and actual physical existence of amorphous metals has been known since the 1960's. Still, actual implementation has been limited by the cooling speed necessary, which was only obtainable in samples having a thickness on the order of 100 microns or less. More recently, work done at Caltech and through companies such as Amorphous Technologies International (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Liquidmetal Technologies (Lake Forest, Calif.) has expanded the applicability of amorphous metals. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,344 and 5,368,659, incorporated by reference, first disclose beryllium alloys which form metallic glass upon cooling below the glass transition temperature at a rate appreciably less than 1,000,000° C./sec. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,618,359, 5,735,975 and 5,803,996, incorporated by reference, disclose alloys of titanium, zirconium and/or hafnium which form metallic glass upon cooling below the glass transition temperature at a rate appreciably less than 1,000° C./sec. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,653,500, 5,976,274 and 6,325,868, incorporated by reference, disclose iron-based amorphous metal materials. U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,363, incorporated by reference, discloses alloys which form metallic glass upon cooling below the glass transition temperature at a rate appreciably less than 500° C./sec.
As there is currently a need to improve upon the medical devices formed from more traditional materials, it has been discovered that the physical properties of amorphous metal may be beneficial when used in internally deployed medical devices.

Medical devices with amorphous metals, and methods therefor


A cutter apparatus includes a housing, multiple tools mechanically coupled to the housing, at least one of the tools including a cutting device, and a slider and lock wheel mechanically coupled to the housing and configured to selectively release only one of the tools at a time from being secured within the housing.

A variety of cutting devices with retractable blades are known. Additionally, devices with multiple blades or other tools are known. However, many such devices include cumbersome mechanisms for extending and/or retracting the blades or other tools. Moreover, in the case of devices with multiple blades or other tools, a potential safety hazard may be presented when more than one of the blades or other tools are extended at the same time.
It would be useful to be able to provide a cutter apparatus which addresses one or more of the above concerns.


A vascular stent assembly includes at least a first and a second strut, each including a thickness and a depth. The assembly includes a pair of end radii, with each of the first and second struts extending from one of the pair of end radii. A thickness of at least one of the first and second struts includes a tapering profile extending from one of the end radii to another of the end radii, the tapering profile following a continuously increasing or decreasing function through at least half a length of the at least one strut.

The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, claiming approximately 24% of all deaths. Coronary artery disease is a condition where coronary arteries narrow due to fatty plaque build up, reducing the blood flow to the heart which can lead to heart failure and death. A minimally invasive procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) including balloon and stent angioplasty has been developed to treat coronary artery disease.
There are two major complications associated with PCI: restenosis (renarrowing) and thrombosis (blood clots). Restenosis is caused by a combination of early elastic recoil, negative remodeling, and neointimal formation. Early elastic recoil occurs immediately, and is due to the elastic properties of the arteries. Late lumen loss in balloon angioplasty is caused by neointima formation (tissue in-growth) and negative remodeling (arterial shrinking). In stent angioplasty, a cylindrical scaffold wire mesh (stent) typically made of stainless steel is implanted in the artery to prevent restenosis. These stents prevent elastic recoil and negative remodeling, however, neointimal formation can still lead to restenosis.
Stents have proven to reduce the rates of restenosis more than angioplasty alone. Drug-eluting stents have further reduced restenosis rates, but there is a concern for their ability to prevent late-term thrombosis. New stent materials that can improve these two complications associated with existing coronary stents will be advantageous in stent development.


A process, and the product thereof, for making a composite vessel having at least one closed end, the process including the steps of: fabricating a thermoplastic liner for the vessel; overlaying onto the liner a layer of commingled fiber and thermoplastic material to obtain a composite intermediate structure; pressing and heating the composite intermediate structure to effect at least partial consolidation in apparatus which includes upper and lower silicon rubber bags, the bags having dimensions such that, during operation, their facing peripheral regions abut to encompass the composite intermediate structure; then placing the composite intermediate structure in a mold; heating the composite intermediate structure in the mold while applying a force, such as internal gas pressure, tending to urge the composite intermediate structure against and into the shape of the interior walls of the mold until the thermoplastic liner and the overlaid layer fully consolidate; cooling the mold and composite vessel until the composite vessel is solidified; and removing the formed composite vessel from the mold. The commingled fiber and thermoplastic material may either be wound onto the liner or laid on the liner in the form of fabric woven from the fiber and threads of the thermoplastic material.

This invention relates to the art of fabricating pressure vessels and, more particularly, to improved methods for fabricating composite pressure vessels and to composite pressure vessels made in accordance with the improved methods.
Pressure vessels, such as hot water heaters, boilers, pressurized gas tanks and the like, have traditionally been fabricated from metal such as steel. However, in recent years, the use of composite pressure vessels has become more prevalent. These composite pressure vessels have typically been fabricated by a filament winding process which utilizes thermoset plastic resins such as epoxies, polyesters and vinylesters. Briefly, this technology is the process of impregnating dry fibers, such as fiberglass strands, with catalyzed resin prior to application to a mandrel. Preimpregnated fibers (xe2x80x9cprepregxe2x80x9d) may also be used. The mandrel and applied composite are then cured, at ambient temperature or with heat, to set-up the laminate and obtain a hard resin and fiber laminate shell. This shell is either removed from the mandrel or the mandrel itself becomes part of the finished product. Although the specific product application determines the exact function of the resin, in all cases, in all cases it serves as the support structure for keeping the continuous fiber strands in position.
The thermoset resins used in these processes can be categorized as of the low temperature commodity type which are characterized by their relative ease of use, low cost and availability. These resins have long served to meet the performance requirements of a wide range of pressure vessel products. However, these resin systems have well known drawbacks which may include their limited temperature capabilities, unsatisfactory finished product aesthetics, lack of extended durability, lack of appropriateness for recycling and manufacturing related issues such as downtime due to clean-up and material handling costs. Further, there are environmental concerns arising from worker exposure to vapor, overspray, emissions, etc. encountered during the fabrication processes. Some engineered thermoset resins improve performance through higher temperature capability, but unacceptable material costs are associated with them.
In addition, because of the materials and processes employed, composite pressure vessels prepared according to the prior art processes inherently have residual and significant internal stresses which, along with certain temperature sensitive incompatibilities of the materials, limit the pressure and temperature ranges in which the pressure vessels find use.
Thus, increasing performance demands, environmental issues, manufacturing issues and new market opportunities have emphasized the limitations of the use of thermoset resins in the manufacture of composite pressure vessels. Composite pressure vessels with higher temperature and pressure capabilities, improved appearance and greater durability and impact resistant characteristics and which, as to fabrication, are more environmentally-friendly, more cost effective and present fewer manufacturing issues, are accordingly highly desirable.
Therefore, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a process for fabricating composite pressure vessels which achieves improvement in all these areas requires a fundamentally different philosophy. It is to the provision of such a fundamentally improved process, and to pressure vessels made by such process that the present invention is directed and by which the following characteristics are obtained: improved contact at higher temperatures between the fiber and resin, better control over reinforcement/matrix ratio, scrap materials which can be effectively recycled, diminished regulation issues caused by emissions, higher processing speeds for the winding (or other overlaying mode) and curing steps, potential labor savings due to less material handling, floor space reduction, adaptability to automation, a safer environment for employees, simplification of processing lines and of material storage and handling, faster changeover times, faster startups, lower training costs, lower energy costs, etc. Therefore, pressure vessels fabricated according to the process are substantially stress relieved and exhibit improved performance over the prior art pressure vessels in that, inter alia, they can withstand higher pressures and temperatures, are more impact resistant and also have a significantly better finish.
It is therefore a broad object of this invention to provide an improved process for fabricating a composite pressure vessel.
It is more particular an object of this invention to provide such an improved process which enjoys advantages including, as opposed to prior art processes of fabricating composite pressure vessels: better control over reinforcement/matrix ratio, scrap materials which can be effectively recycled, diminished regulation issues caused by emissions, higher processing speeds for the winding (or alternatives to winding) and curing steps, substantial labor savings due to less material handling, floor space reduction, susceptibility to automation, a safer environment for employees, simplification of processing lines and of material storage and handling, faster changeover times, faster startups, lower training costs, lower energy costs, etc.
In another aspect, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for fabricating composite pressure vessels which, in use, enjoys long term performance at least as good as that of traditional pressure vessels.
In yet another aspect, it is an object of this invention to provide high quality composite pressure vessels fabricated according to new processes.
In still yet another aspect, it is an object of this invention to provide high quality composite pressure vessels which have improved durability, impact resistance and corrosion resistance as well as higher temperature and pressure handling characteristics and which also have good machinability attributes and can therefore readily be welded, cut, drilled, threaded, stamped or the like as may be desired to produce a high quality finished product.
Briefly, these and other objects of the invention are achieved by a process for fabricating a composite vessel which includes: A) fabricating a thermoplastic liner for the vessel; B) overlaying onto the thermoplastic liner a commingled layer of fiber (such as fiberglass) and a thermoplastic material to obtain a composite intermediate structure; C) pressing and heating the composite intermediate structure to effect at least partial consolidation of the components thereof in apparatus which includes an upper silicon rubber bag and a lower silicon rubber bag, the bags having dimensions such that, when in operative pressing and heating mutual positions, their facing peripheral regions abut to substantially encompass the composite intermediate structure; D) placing the at least partially consolidated composite intermediate structure in a mold; E) heating the composite intermediate structure in the mold while applying at least one force, such as internal gas pressure, thereto tending to urge the composite intermediate structure against and into the shape of the interior walls of the mold; F) continuing step E) until the thermoplastic liner and the overlaid layer fully consolidate to form a composite vessel; G) cooling the mold and composite vessel until the composite vessel is solidified; and H) removing the formed composite vessel from the mold. The commingled fiber and thermoplastic material may either be wound onto the liner or laid on the liner in the form of fabric woven from the fiber and threads of the thermoplastic material.
In a variant embodiment of the invention; the process for making a composite vessel includes the steps of: A) fabricating a thermoplastic preform including a layer comprising commingled fiber and thermoplastic material; B) pressing and heating the preform to effect consolidation of the components thereof in pressing and heating apparatus which includes: 1) an inner membrane disposed on a first side of the thermoplastic preform; 2) an outer membrane disposed on a second side of the thermoplastic preform; 3) a vacuum source and conduit for evacuating the space between the inner and outer membranes to thereby apply force to the preform; 4) an inner shaped contact heater placed in contact with said inner membrane to apply consolidating heat to the first side of the preform; and 5) an outer shaped contact heater placed in contact with said outer membrane to apply consolidating heat to the second side of the preform; C) after the preform has become fluid, placing the inner and outer membranes and the fluid consolidated preform disposed therebetween in a cold mold; D) applying at least one force to the fluid consolidated preform to urge the walls thereof against said inner and outer membranes and into the shape of the interior walls of the mold to form a composite vessel; and E) removing the formed composite vessel from the mold.

Method for fabricating composite pressure vessels and products fabricated by the method


An easy to apply dermal delivery system embodying an apparatus and a method for relieving the localized discomfort caused by footwear is provided. The delivery system may include a generally planar base, adhesive layer and delivery apparatus. The base forms a basic recess on one side, whereby the non-recessed portion provides a basic framework along the periphery thereof. The adhesive layer overlaid the recessed-side of a similarly shaped base forms an adhesive recess and an adhesive framework. The delivery apparatus may be sized and shaped to substantially fill the adhesive recess and be substantially flush with a top side of the adhesive framework. The delivery apparatus may include a film, housing and/or impregnated with a plurality of anesthetic components, wherein the film is adapted for dermal delivery of the plurality of anesthetic components, while the adhesive framework removably attaches the delivery system to a user.

The present invention relates to pain relief and, more particularly, to an easy to apply dermal delivery system embodying an apparatus and a method for relieving the localized discomfort caused by footwear.
Currently there are a number of solutions for discomfort caused by the shape, size and material of footwear, typically fashionable shoes, such as high heels, wedge shoes and the like. Usually such discomfort is localized at impingement locations, where the footwear presses against that portion of wearer's foot. Currently, however, there are no truly effective solutions for such localized discomfort. Some of the current devices, such as insoles and inserts, are bulky, contributing to additional pressure at the impingement locations, in addition to being unflattering when used with the usual suspects of fashionable shoes. Another current solution is topical sprays. Unfortunately, being aerosol-based or the like, such sprays are ineffective for targeted delivery to impingement locations; moreover, such sprays require frequent re-application because of their evanescent nature. Yet another current solution is the application of bandage or mole skin, which merely acts as a barrier but does not delivery relief to the ongoing pain nor allows the wearer to extend the length of time the fashionable shoe can be worn pain-free.
As can be seen, there is a need for an easy to apply dermal delivery system embodying an apparatus and a method for relieving the localized discomfort caused by footwear.


A method and apparatus for providing single instance restoration of data files is provided. In one embodiment, a method for using a signature database to provide a single instance data restoration solution includes processing a restore request for a data file, wherein the data file is associated with a signature and examining a signature database using the signature to identify at least one locally available data file having at least one signature that matches the signature associated with the data file.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to backup and restoration techniques and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing single instance restoration of data files.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical computing environment, an organization may employ a number of technologies to store, secure and/or recover mission critical data. For example, the organization may employ one or more data protection systems to backup and recover the mission critical data after a disaster or data corruption. As another example, the organization may employ one or more security systems to detect and/or mitigate network-based threats, such as viruses, intrusions, SPAM and/or the like. Furthermore, the organization may employ one or more data leakage prevention technologies at a content filter (e.g., at a network gateway, mail server and/or the like) to monitor and control data communications between computing devices within the organization and another computing device.
In the typical computing environment, various data files (e.g., such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, structural designs and/or the like) are stored at one or more computers (i.e., clients). Sometimes, the various data files are backed up to one or more storage devices (e.g., a tape drive, a hard disk drive and/or the like) on a regular basis. Generally, backups may be performed to protect the data files that store important, critical information. As such, the data files are restored as and when required. Data file restoration ensures uninterrupted productivity for the typical computing environment.
Currently, Single Instance Storage (SIS) techniques are utilized to reduce network bandwidth consumption during a backup and/or restore process for the data files. Generally, a signature (e.g., a hash value, a parity bit, a checksum bit and/or the like) is computed and stored for each of the backed up data files. The signatures are leveraged during data file restoration of the one or more data files. However, a certain data file may have the same signature as one or more data files that are already available locally. As such, multiple copies of the certain data file are restored.
For example, a user may communicate a restore request to a file server for a file A.TXT due to a failure, accidental deletion and/or data corruption. Such a file may be stored on the file server or locally at a client computer. In response, the file server proceeds to service the restore request and communicates the file A.TXT across the data network. As a result, available network bandwidth capacity is wasted because a server copy of the file A.TXT was used to service the restore request instead of a local copy.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for providing single instance restoration of data files.

Method and apparatus for providing single instance restoration of data files


Proposed is a method for a terminal to decode a signal. In particular, the method for a terminal to decode a signal comprises: a step for demodulating a first low density parity check (LDPC)-coded signal; and a step for decoding a second signal obtained from the first demodulated signal through a trained neural network. The second signal is obtained by using: an output sequence generated on the basis of the trained neural network; and a log likelihood ratio (LLR) sequence of the first signal.

Next-generation mobile communication systems beyond 4G assume multipoint cooperative communication, where multiple transmitters and receivers exchange information in a network composed thereof, to maximize information transfer rates and avoid communication shaded areas. According to information theory, in such a communication environment, flexible information transmission over multipoint channels formed in the network may not only increase the transfer rate but also reach the total network channel capacity, compared to when all information is over point-to-point channels. However, it is difficult to design codes capable of achieving the network channel capacity in practical terms, which has not been solved yet. That is, the code design is one of the important challenges to be solved. Thus, it is expected that turbo codes or low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes optimized for point-to-point channels will be still used in communication systems in the near future such as 5G.
Meanwhile, LDPC code is characterized in being capable of high parallelism with good error correction performance. In addition, owing to such advantages as provision of high data throughput, facilitation of hardware implementation, and the like LDPC has been commercialized in standards such as DVB-T2, WLAN and NR. Generally, if the design of an LDPC code parity check matrix intends to provide good waterfall performance, high degree variable nodes (VNs), degree-2 VNs & degree-1 VNs, and punctured VNs should be included. In addition, as a decoder of LDPC code, an iterative decoder based on Belief Propagation (BP) such as sum product algorithm, min-sum algorithm, etc. is used. The iterative decoder is a low-complexity decoder having linear complexity.
The iterative decoder is known as an optimal decoder that approaches maximum-likelihood from the asymptotic perspective like a case that a codeword length is infinite. Yet, in a practical system that has a finite codeword length, it is a suboptimal decoder that is not optimal. Namely, a cycle exists in a parity check matrix used for a sequence having a finite codeword length, and such a cycle causes dependency to a message in iterative decoding. Consequently, the shorter a codeword length becomes, the worse the performance loss gets. Due to this reason, NR has adopted polar code as a channel coding scheme of a control channel instead of LDPC code.

Method for decoding low density parity check (LDPC)-coded signal, and terminal therefor


A resistivity sub including a resistivity sensor forms part of a bottom hole drilling assembly. The sensor is maintained at a substantially fixed offset from the wall of a borehole during drilling operations by, for example, a stabilizer. In WBM, galvanic sensors may be used, with or without commonly used focusing methods, for obtaining a resistivity image of the borehole wall. In OBM, capacitive coupling may be used. The apparatus is capable of using other types of sensors, such as induction, MPR, shielded dipole, quadrupole, and GPR sensors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to well logging. In particular, the present invention is an apparatus and method for imaging of subsurface formations using electrical methods.
2. Background of the Art
Birdwell (U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,658) teaches the use of a focused electrode for determination of the resistivity of subsurface formations. A survey current is emitted from a central survey electrode into adjacent earth formations. This survey current is focused into a relatively narrow beam of current outwardly from the borehole by use of a focusing current emitted from nearby focusing electrodes located adjacent the survey electrode and on either side thereof. Ajam et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,387) discloses an apparatus wherein simultaneous logs may be made at different lateral distances through a formation from a borehole by guard electrode systems located on a sonde which is lowered into the borehole by a logging cable. A single oscillator controls the frequency of two formation currents flowing through the formation at the desired different lateral depths from the borehole. The armor of the logging cable acts as the current return for one of the guard electrode systems, and a cable electrode in a cable electrode assembly immediately above the logging sonde acts as the current return for the second guard electrode system. Two embodiments are also disclosed for measuring reference voltages between electrodes in the cable electrode assembly and the guard electrode systems
Techniques for investigating the earth formation with arrays of measuring electrodes have been proposed. See, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,969 to Baker, Canadian Pat. No. 685,727 to Mann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,623 to Gianzero, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,686 to Dory et al.. The Baker patent proposed a plurality of electrodes, each of which was formed of buttons which are electrically joined by flexible wires with buttons and wires embedded in the surface of a collapsible tube. The Mann patent proposes an array of small electrode buttons either mounted on a tool or a pad and each of which introduces in sequence a separately measurable survey current for an electrical investigation of the earth formation. The electrode buttons are placed in a horizontal plane with circumferential spacings between electrodes and a device for sequentially exciting and measuring a survey current from the electrodes is described.
The Gianzero patent discloses tool mounted pads, each with a plurality of small measure electrodes from which individually measurable survey currents are injected toward the wall of the borehole. The measure electrodes are arranged in an array in which the measure electrodes are so placed at intervals along at least a circumferential direction (about the borehole axis) as to inject survey currents into the borehole wall segments which overlap with each other to a predetermined extent as the tool is moved along the borehole. The measure electrodes are made small to enable a detailed electrical investigation over a circumferentially contiguous segment of the borehole so as to obtain indications of the stratigraphy of the formation near the borehole wall as well as fractures and their orientations. In one technique, a spatially closed loop array of measure electrodes is provided around a central electrode with the array used to detect the spatial pattern of electrical energy injected by the central electrode. In another embodiment, a linear array of measure electrodes is provided to inject a flow of current into the formation over a circumferentially effectively contiguous segment of the borehole. Discrete portions of the flow of current are separably measurable so as to obtain a plurality of survey signals representative of the current density from the array and from which a detailed electrical picture of a circumferentially continuous segment of the borehole wall can be derived as the tool is moved along the borehole. In another form of an array of measure electrodes, they are arranged in a closed loop, such as a circle, to enable direct measurements of orientations of resistivity of anomalies
The Dory patent discloses the use of an acoustic sensor in combination with pad mounted electrodes, the use of the acoustic sensors making it possible to fill in the gaps in the image obtained by using pad mounted electrodes due to the fact that in large diameter boreholes, the pads will necessarily not provide a complete coverage of the borehole.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/836,980of Evans et al ("the Evans '980 application"), the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference, discloses a device suitable for resistivity imaging with water based mud (WBM) and oil based mud (OBM). The device disclosed in the Evans '980 application is basically a wireline logging device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,321 to Evans discloses a modification of the Evans '374 application that is adapted for use in measurement while drilling (MWD) applications. Both of the Evans' applications have pad mounted electrodes that are in contact with the earth formation.
Another device that could be used for MWD resistivity measurements is the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,793 to Thompson et al. In Thompson, the drill bit may be driven by a downhole drilling motor. The motor may be on a rotating drillstring or on coiled tubing. The sensors for measuring the parameters of interest could be rotating with the drill bit. Alternatively, the sensors could have one of several configurations. In one configuration, the sensors are mounted on a substantially non-rotating sleeve; in another configuration, the sensors are mounted on pads that could be rotating or non-rotating, the pads being hydraulically or mechanically actuated to make contact with the borehole wall; in yet another configuration, the sensors are mounted on substantially non-rotating rib-steering devices used to control the direction of the downhole drilling tool. In any of these arrangements, the downhole assembly is provided with sensors that make measurements of the parameters of interest. The assembly is provided with magnetic and inertial sensors to provide information on the orientation of the measurement sensors. A telemetry system sends information downhole about the depth of the drilling assembly. A microprocessor downhole combines the depth and azimuth information with the measurements made by the rotating sensors, uses redundancy in the data to improve S/N ratio, compresses the data and sends it uphole by a telemetry system.
The devices of Evans and of Thompson when used for resistivity imaging suffer from one significant drawback. Being contact devices, there is considerable wear on the sensors. The Evans devices comprise a plurality of sensing electrodes and are relatively bulky. The Thompson device is best suited for use with a slowly rotating sleeve. With a slowly rotating sleeve, it may not be possible to get a full 360° image of the borehole.
It would be desirable to have a resistivity imaging apparatus and method for providing MWD images of earth formations. Such a device should preferably be operable with OBM and WBM. It is also preferable that the device should be relatively simple and not be subject to undue wear and tear in MWD operations. The present invention satisfies this need.

Apparatus and method for resistivity measurements during rotational drilling


A key switch includes a rectangular key cap having a unitary, hollow, rectangular plunger inserted into a rectangular hole on a key base and pressed to squeeze a rubber tone causing a conductor to electrically connect a contact on the printed circuit board of a keyboard, wherein the rectangular plunger has four circular rails on the four corners thereof along its length respectively inserted in four circular grooves on the rectangular guide slot of the key base for stable movement, and two smoothly curved, hooked spring plates releasably hooked with two opposite hooked portions on the key base for positioning.

The present invention relates to a key switch consisted of a key cap, a key base and a rubber tone in which the key cap has a unitary, hollow, rectangular plunger inserted into a hole on the key base and pressed to squeeze the rubber tone in producing a respective pulse signal.
FIG. 1 illustrates a key switch according to the prior art, which is generally comprised of a key cap (1a), a rectangular plunger (2a), a key base (3a), and a rubber tone (4a). Pressing the key cap (1a) causes the rectangular plunger (2a) to slide downwards in a rectangular hole on the key base (3a), and therefore the rubber tone (4a) is squeezed to drive a conductor to contact a contact on the printed circuit board below. Because the key cap (1a), the rectangular plunger (2a), the key base (3a) and the rubber tone (4a) are separately made, the assembly process of this structure of key switch is complicated, and the total height of this structure of key switch can not be greatly reduced. Because the rectangular plunger (2a) has four sides respectively closely attached to the inside surface of the key base (3a), moving the rectangular plunger (2a) in the rectangular hole on the key base (3a) causes a great frictional force to occur. Furthermore, the outward bottom flange (21a) of the rectangular plunger (2) will be forced to strike against the inward top flange (31a) of the key base (3a) in producing a big noise as the rectangular plunger (2a) is moved back to its original position by the rubber tone (4a).


A device for use in intravenous feeding comprises a reservoir of an intravenous fluid and an intravenous tube connected at one end to the reservoir, the tube being provided on an inner surface with a layer of a water-soluble biocompatible material visible through a wall of the tube. In use, an intravenous fluid is flushed through the tube or tube assembly until the water-soluble biocompatible layer dissolves and is no longer visible. Upon the dissolution of that layer into the intravenous fluid flowing through the tube assembly, a free end of the tube assembly is connected to a patient, while the tube assembly is maintained filled with the intravenous fluid.

This invention relates to a method and an associated device for use in intravenous feeding to improve the safety of the intravenous procedures. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and device for preventing the feeding of air intravenously to a patient.
In the feeding of fluids intravenously to a patient, care is usually taken to ensure that no air bubbles are present in the intravenous line prior to connection thereof to the patient. To remove air bubbles from the intravenous feed line, the line is flushed with the intravenous fluid or solution.
Despite the care that is normally taken to clear intravenous tubes of air bubbles, sometimes an intravenous line is not flushed for a sufficiently long period to ensure that all the air has been removed.

Safety method and device for intravenous feed systems


A floating license enforcement method and system which enables an authorized user to accumulate time-based usage credit while a software application is in use under a valid license. In the event of a license system fault, the application remains accessible to the user, while consuming the usage credit which was previously accumulated. This allows the user access to the application while the license system fault is being corrected. If the license system fault is corrected before all of the accumulated usage credit is consumed, the application remains accessible to the user under the valid license and resumes accumulating usage credit. Therefore, the invention allows the authorized user to consume its accrued usage credit to bridge the time between when a license system fault occurs and when the fault is corrected, thereby protecting the rights of the user. At the same time, the invention prevents excessive unauthorized use of the application, thereby protecting the rights of the software vendor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer software licensing, and more particularly to the management and enforcement of floating licenses of computer applications.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many computer software applications are subject to electronic software licenses which determine a user""s right to use the particular application. An electronic software license serves the dual purpose of: 1) allowing access to the software by the licensed user; and 2) allowing the software vendor to control how much the application is used and to ensure that only authorized users have access to the application.
In the case of a network computer system, there may be many users with potential access to the application. In this case, the software license must be able to grant access to authorized users who require access, while preventing access by unauthorized users.
There are three licensing models commonly used: node-lock licenses; concurrent floating licenses; and usage-based licenses. Each model is discussed below in greater detail.
A node-lock license is the simplest of the three models, and also the most inflexible. A node-lock license is tied to a particular host by information that is unique to that host. This information (by which the license is tied to the particular host) often includes the host""s ethernet address or the serial number of one of the host""s hard drives. The licensed application cannot be moved to another host without contacting the software vendor and acquiring another node-lock license for the new host. Due to the relative simplicity of the node-lock license, license system failures rarely occur. Due to the inflexibility of the node-lock license, there is no leniency in enforcing the license. Either the host has a license, and therefore access to the application, or it does not.
A concurrent floating license, on the other hand, is much more flexible and at the same time much more complex. With a concurrent floating license, any host connected to the network can request a license. The increased complexity of the concurrent floating license means that the acquisition of a licensed application can be hindered, either by faults related to the additional processes involved in the acquisition of the license or by any network faults that may occur. If any of these faults occur while the license is being requested, the user may not be granted a license. In such a case, the application determines whether, in this situation, the failed license acquisition requires a denial of service to the user or if the application is allowed to be used without the required license. The software vendor typically programs the software to determine in what circumstances access will be granted or denied.
A usage-based license differs from the node-lock license and the concurrent floating license in that it does not license a software application as a whole. The usage-based license monitors the amount that the licensed application is actually used and presents the user with a bill at regular intervals. Usage-based licenses record the amount of usage and generally report the usage to a central billing system. Network and license system faults do not pose an obstacle to the user of the application since access to the application is always granted. However, this type of licensing poses problems for the software vendor who must control use of the application.
The type of license used may be extremely important, especially when the application is a xe2x80x9cmission-criticalxe2x80x9d application. A mission-critical application is indispensable to the user, such that any downtime of the application is not tolerable. An example of a mission-critical application is a network management system. A network management system (NMS) is responsible for monitoring an organization""s computer network and diagnosing the origin of any faults that may occur in the network. Such a network is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a network management server 300 which monitors and controls a number of interconnected network devices D. Since many organizations depend on computer networks to transact business, and/or for research and development, the accessibility of the network is critical to the survival of the organization. A failure to access the NMS, such as during a license system fault, could be catastrophic to the organization. Therefore, the NMS must always be accessible to the network manager, even in the event of a license system failure.
Enforcement of concurrent floating licenses is conventionally done according to two different enforcement strategies commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cstrict enforcementxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cabsolute leniencyxe2x80x9d. Strict enforcement means that, at any time, if the concurrent floating license fails, the user is denied access to the software application. As discussed above, in the case of a critical application where access to the software application is essential to the welfare of the user""s business, strict enforcement is unacceptable as downtime (due to a licensing system fault) is intolerable.
Absolute leniency allows the user access to the software application during periods of license system fault. Absolute leniency has the potential to allow a software vendor to grant access during software or network faults, but deny access when the amount of authorized licenses is exceeded. However, it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine if a license system fault is one where the user should be granted leniency (access), or if the license system fault is due to overuse of the software application license.
While uninterrupted accessibility of a licensed critical application is crucial to the user, the software vendor who licenses the application has an interest in policing use of the application to insure against unauthorized users. Absolute leniency is unacceptable to the software vendor because it is impossible to control the number of users who have access. Such leniency defeats the purpose of a license, which is to control unauthorized use of the software application.
Therefore, to protect the rights of both the user and the vendor in the case of a license system fault, a compromise between strict enforcement and absolute leniency is desired. Such a compromise should provide leniency to allow mission-critical applications to continue operating until the license system fault is corrected. At the same time, the software vendor""s interest in protecting its software from unauthorized use must be addressed.
According to the invention, a system is provided which solves the problems discussed above. The system enables a licensed user to accumulate time-based usage credit while a critical application is in use under a license. In the event of a license system fault, the application remains accessible to the user, while consuming the usage credit which was previously accumulated. This allows the user access to the application while the license system fault is being corrected. If the license system fault is corrected before all of the accumulated usage credit is consumed, the application remains accessible to the user under the license and the user resumes accumulating usage credit. If the license system fault is not corrected before all of the accumulated usage credit is consumed, the application is terminated. Therefore, the present invention allows the authorized user to consume its accumulated usage credit to bridge the time between when a license system fault occurs and when the fault is corrected, thereby protecting the rights of the user. At the same time, the invention prevents any unlicensed users from accessing the application during license system faults, thereby protecting the rights of the vendor.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of enforcing a floating license of a computer software application is provided, the method including the steps of accumulating credit while using the application under a first condition and consuming the accumulated credit while using the application under a second condition different than the first condition. The first condition comprises use of the application when the license is valid, and the second condition comprises use of the application when the license is invalid, such as during a license system fault. During the accumulating step, credit is accumulated at a predetermined accumulation rate. During the consuming step, the accumulated credit is consumed at a predetermined consumption rate. The consumption rate is adjustable within a first range when the application is in use, and adjustable within a second range when the application is not in use.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for managing the enforcement of a floating license of a computer application is provided, the method including the steps of accumulating usage credit while the application is being used while the floating license is valid, and consuming the usage credit at a first rate while the application is being used while the floating license is invalid.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a system for managing the enforcement of a floating license for a computer application is provided. The system includes a device for accumulating usage credit while the application is being used while the floating license is valid, and a device for consuming the usage credit while the application is being used while the floating license is invalid.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a computer program product comprises a computer-readable medium having a computer program logic thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to manage the enforcement of a license of a software application. The product includes means for providing a finite grace period to operate the software application when the license is invalid, wherein the length of the finite grace period is proportional to the length of operation of the software application while the license is valid. The product further comprises means for terminating the software application when the finite grace period expires.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a system is provided for managing leniency in the enforcement of a floating license for a computer application, the system including an accumulation device which accumulates usage credit while the application is being used while said floating license is valid, a consumption device which consumes the usage credit while the application is used while the floating license is invalid and a controller which controls operation of the accumulation device and the consumption device.
These and other features of the present invention will be more particularly understood from the following detailed description.

Method and system for enforcing floating licenses


A transmission unit mounted on the machine base of an office automation machine and covered with a cover and controlled to turn a document feeding control roller through a first driven gear set and/or a thermal paper letting-off control roller through a second driven gear set, including motor, a drive gear turned by the motor, a gear transmission mechanism which includes a first planet gear, a second planet gear, and a sector gear respectively turned by the drive gear to turn the first driven gear set and/or the second driven gear set, and a memory transmission setting mechanism which includes an electromagnetic valve, and a reciprocating rod reciprocated by the electromagnetic valve and having a front notch at a front end thereof, the front notch of the reciprocating rod being forced into engagement with the gear shaft of the first planet gear to disengage the first planet gear from the first driven gear set when the fax machine is set at the memory transmission mode.

The present invention relates to fax machines, and relates more particularly to the single-motor transmission unit of a fax machine which prevents the gears from being jammed, permits jammed paper to be conveniently pulled out of the machine, and allows the fax machine to execute the memory transmission mode.
The transmission unit of a single motor type fax machine comprises a first roller and a second roller. The first roller and the second roller are simultaneously rotated to advance the thermal paper during the copy or receiving mode. When at the transmission mode, only the first roller is rotated to feed document. After the copy or receiving mode, the thermal paper is cut automatically or manually. When the thermal paper is cut off, the leading end of the rest thermal paper extends over the thermal printing head which cannot be used for printing. This structure of single motor type fax machine cannot execute the memory transmission mode as a dual-motor type fax machine. Furthermore, because the gears for power transmission from the motor to the first roller are maintained connected when a paper is jammed in the transmission unit, it is difficult to pull the jammed paper out of the transmission unit of the fax machine.

Single-motor type transmission unit of an office machine


A device for a clamping bolt comprising a shaft for interconnection of a first body and a second body, wherein the first body is provided with a first bore and the second body is provided with a second bore, the clamping bolt extending within the bores, and wherein the clamping bolt is provided with an internally conical first clamping sleeve which is located, at least partially, within the first bore, and wherein the first clamping sleeve, by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, is structured so as to be able to be clamped against the first body, and wherein the clamping bolt is provided with an internally conical second clamping sleeve which is located, at least partially, within the second bore, and which is structured so as to be able to be clamped against the second body by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, the first clamping sleeve encircling the second clamping sleeve.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a clamping bolt. More particularly, it concerns a clamping bolt comprising a shaft for interconnection of a first body and a second body, wherein the first body is provided with a first bore and the second body is provided with a second bore, the clamping bolt extending within the bores, and wherein the clamping bolt is provided with an internally conical first clamping sleeve which is located, at least partially, within the first bore, and wherein the first clamping sleeve, by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, is structured so as to be able to be clamped against the first body. The clamping bolt is provided with a second internally conical clamping sleeve which is located, at least partially, within the second bore, and which is structured so as to be able to be clamped against the second body by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, the first clamping sleeve encircling the second clamping sleeve.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interconnection of bodies by means of a shaft is well-known from machine design, among other things. A typical embodiment comprises two plate portions with an intermediate body, for example in the form of a piston rod attachment of a hydraulic cylinder. Typically, the shaft extending within the bores in the plate portions and the intermediate body is provided with means for preventing the shaft from rotating within the bores.
Over time, due to wear and tear, it may be found that the bores increase in diameter and thus develop an inappropriately large clearance relative to the shaft. It is known to provide the shaft with a clamping sleeve for each of the plate portions, wherein each clamping sleeve, by moving it in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, is structured so as to be able to accommodate said diameter increase within its respective bore.
However, prior art shafts are not formed so as to be able to be clamped against the intermediate body.