A solid-state direct replacement relay assembly, and a method for installing and using it to replace the mechanical-style relays in the electrical cabinets of a locomotive. Solid-state relay components are substituted to upgrade locomotive relay systems, and to improve train controls. Normally solid-state relays cannot directly handle standard locomotive voltages without an external power supply that requires modification to the original train design and wiring. The solid-state relay assembly is coupled to a D.C./D.C. converter, which steps 75 volts down to approximately 5–32 volts, and is used to control the solid-state relay assembly. The use of the solid-state relay assembly device requires no modification to the existing electrical wiring system of any new or old locomotive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solid-state relays. More specifically, the invention is a solid-state relay device and a method for its installation in a locomotive electrical cabinet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid-state relay technology has been present 15 years approximately in the general industry in association with alternating current sources or low control side voltages, and the technology has been employed in computerized trains for purposes such as microprocessing, but only in association with relatively low control side voltages. However, solid-state relays have not been used to handle the high control side voltages found in the main electrical cabinets of locomotives in which standard locomotive voltage, such as 74 volts on the load side and the control side, is the norm. Solid-state relays have traditionally been operable at 5 to 32 volts on the control side. The problem is that solid-state technology is lagging behind for applications involving standard locomotive voltages. A DC to DC power converter employed with the present invention is a key feature that enables the use of solid state technology in a locomotive electrical system at standard locomotive voltages. Typically, the properties inherent in AC better lend themselves to solid-state technology, because AC creates a less harsh electrical environment, i.e., it is not as demanding on the components. Thus, AC is favored within the solid-state industry as a whole. DC to DC power conversion had been performed in the solid-state industry, but not with high voltages such as those found in a locomotive.
Most all locomotives typically use mechanical relays to switch power to various loads. These mechanical relays are typically housed in a compartment in the main electrical cabinet of the locomotive. The problem with mechanical relays is that they are subject to failure through mechanical wear and tear. The switch contacts become worn, pitted, or develop a coating of carbon, leading to arcing and other transient problems. Solid-state relays offer certain advantages over mechanical relays, including faster switching times, greater reliability, and longer service life. However, the mechanical relays in older locomotives cannot be replaced directly by solid-state relays, since the mechanical relays were designed to operate on the locomotive's standard 74-volt DC electrical system, whereas solid-state relays require a power supply between 5–32 volts. Until the present invention, replacing mechanical relays with solid-state relays would require an external 5–32 volt power supply, which requires additional cost, and which requires additional space, as it could not fit in the existing main electrical cabinet. The present invention offers a solution by offering a retrofit solid-state relay assembly which uses DC-DC converters to operate from the locomotive's existing 74 volt electrical system, the assembly being configured to replace the mechanical relays in the main electrical cabinet.
The related art describes various components of an electrical circuit suitable for operating locomotive switches, but none discloses the present invention. The related art will be discussed in the perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,285 issued to Robert J. Jenets et al. (Jenets hereinafter) on Jul. 16, 1996, describes a solid-state relay module suitable for accepting low-level digital signals from a digital computer, and for providing on/off control of heavy electrical loads. The relay and its methods are intended for electrically hostile environments, such that the relay may be exposed to spurious high voltages either on its input or on its load circuit. The relay and its methods are particularly intended for use in a locomotive throttle controller. The relay accepts low-level digital signals from a central processor computer in the throttle controller, and provides high power digital signals to the train lines that control the engine of the locomotive. The controlling signal for the Jenets' relay is a relatively low-voltage, low-power signal originating in a digital computer. Thus, the Jenets' device cannot be operated by standard locomotive voltages. Jenets' device is a transient voltage protection (snubber) circuit. It is essentially a solid-state relay device requiring a thyristor, but not a solid-state relay device in combination with a DC/DC power converter. Jenets' device is distinguishable for lacking the capability for operating on standard higher locomotive voltages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,166 issued to Colin D. Schauder on Sep. 13, 1994, describes a valve for rapidly switching high voltage at high currents. The valve is distinguishable for its limited single operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,056 issued to Michael S. Birkin on Apr. 16, 1974, describes a vehicle control system for a vehicle moving along a track way. Birkin does not describe the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,840 issued to Angel P. Bezos on May 21, 1991, describes an end-of-train emergency arming apparatus and method for its use. Bezos does not describe the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,878 issued to Kiyoaki Sasagawa et al. on Apr. 6, 1993, describes a drive circuit for a current sense Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. Sasagawa et al. do not describe the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,492 issued to Carlton B. Morgan et al. on Jun. 29, 1993, describes a cardiac defibrillator including an electronic energy transfer circuit. Morgan et al. do not describe the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,287 issued to David B. Cameron on Jan. 14, 1997, describes a high voltage solid-state relay. Cameron does not describe the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,218 issued to Andrew S. Kadah on Dec. 16, 1997, describes a solid state/electromechanical hybrid relay device. Kadah does not describe the present invention as claimed.
European Patent Application No. 0 246 064 A2, published on Nov. 11, 1987, for Benjamin Pless et al. describes a two-channel defibrillator device. Pless et al. do not describe the present invention as claimed.
European Patent Application No. 0 326 290 A1, published on Aug. 2, 1989, for Paul E. de Coriolis et al. describes a method and apparatus for applying an asymmetric biphasic exponential waveform counter-shock to the heart. The publication does not describe the present invention as claimed.
European Patent Application No. 0 546 666 A2, published on Jun. 16, 1993, for Carlton B. Morgan et al. describes an electronic energy transfer circuit for delivering a cardiac defibrillation pulse to a patient. Morgan et al. do not describe the present invention as claimed.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

Solid-state replacement for locomotive relay


A system and method in a computerized healthcare environment for determining whether one or more supply items are associated with one or more task items for a patient is provided. A patient identifier is received and patient data is accessed from the patient's electronic medical record. A scanned medical supply item identifier is received and data for the scanned supply item is accessed. The supply item data and patient data are utilized to determine whether one or more task items for the patient are associated with the scanned supply item.

Hospitals and other clinical facilities face the task of managing the effective delivery of health services and accounting for supplies in a healthcare environment. Certain commercially available supply management information systems exist which may permit hospital administrators to select, purchase and monitor supplies and material for various operations. However, those platforms suffer from disadvantages of various types. Cost recovery on a patient basis, for instance to attempt to assign costs of supplies consumed during procedures performed for the patient can be difficult. Billing departments may be left with no alternative other than simply averaging costs of supplies over all patients, or assigning that clinical consumption to other cost centers within the organization. This may lead to cost distortions for insurance payments and other purposes.
Furthermore, in the commercially available supply management information systems, clinical supply consumption may be tracked or monitored, but only at a department or facility-wide level. For instance, a director of a surgical unit may be able to review how many scalpels or stents his or her unit consumed last month. However, these systems only permit the administrator to view and manage clinical supplies only at the aggregate level, without associating supply consumption to specific patients. As such, clinical administrators are not able to leverage the use of supply items for a particular patient in inventory records.
These commercially available supply management information systems also lack the ability to associate supply items with treatment of a patient. For example, they do not provide the ability to associate supply items with tasks or orders to be performed or that have been performed for a patient.

Utilizing scanned supply information and a patient task list to document care


A trailer assembly to be drawn by a towing vehicle is provided. The trailer assembly includes a frame having a front end, a rear end, and a central axis. A tongue has one end attached to the frame front end, the other end of the tongue is adapted for removable attachment to a towing vehicle for drawing the trailer. A pair of steerable front wheels cooperate with the frame front end on opposite sides of the central axis. The front wheels are retained by front wheel supports which are pivotally attached to the frame about a steering axis. Each front wheel has an axis of rotation offset from its steering axis to allow self-steering of the front wheels. A pair of steerable rear wheels cooperate with the frame and are mounted by rear wheel supports. A steering mechanism connects the front wheels to the rear wheels so as to mutually steer the rear wheels when the front wheels self-steer in response to the trailer being drawn by the towing vehicle. The rear wheels steer in a direction opposite that of the front wheels. The trailer may drawn by the towing vehicle by direct attachement of the trailer front hitch to the towing vehicle, or by connection in a train of trailer assemblies.

Over the years, there has been a great deal of effort to develop trailers that accurately track behind a towing vehicle. In many industrial applications, pulling a train of trailers behind a towing vehicle to distribute parts throughout a large plant is common. It is quite important for the trailers to track accurately behind the towing vehicle in order to prevent the trailers from colliding with obstacles, particularly when the train of trailers is long. To achieve accurate trailer tracking, many trailer manufacturers have gone to a four-wheel steered trailer. The wheels are steered in response to tongue rotation. Typically, a system of steering linkages, and in some instances a combination of steering linkages and cable arrangements are employed to interconnect the wheels and the tongue. An example of an existing tracking trailer is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,726 assigned to the assignee of the present invention which is incorporated herein by reference.
A primary disadvantage associated with existing trailer assemblies is the fact that the steering linkages and cable arrangements necessary for construction of a tongue to wheel connection increase the number of moving parts on the trailer, and increase the overall cost to manufacture the trailer.


The present invention relates to a flat panel X-ray detector, which comprises a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate; a photoelectric detecting layer, which is disposed on and electrically connected with the TFT substrate, wherein the photoelectric detecting layer comprises a plurality of photoelectric detecting units and a plurality of light absorption units, and the light absorption unit is disposed between spaces adjacent to the photoelectric detecting unit; a Scintillation layer, which is disposed on the photoelectric detecting layer; and a reflective layer, which is disposed on the Scintillation layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray flat panel detector, wherein the times of light reflection therein can be reduced and the accuracy of image detection can be improved by modifying the internal structure thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
X-ray flat panel detector is a device that detects X-ray digital images, which can be applied to general digital radiography (DR) and digital mammography In comparison to screen-film detector system and computed radiography (CR), digital radiography (DR) has the advantages of improved image quality, simple operating procedures, and direct digital imaging.
The indirect X-ray flat panel detector is operated sequentially by converting X-rays into visible light signals through a Scintillation layer (Scintillator), converting the visible light signals into electrical signals via a photoelectric detecting layer and a thin film transistor layer, and then converting the electrical signals into a digital image. Since the photoelectric detecting layer is formed by arranging the photoelectric detecting units into an array, the metal wires of the thin film transistors may be observed from the gaps between adjacent photoelectric detecting units. From a top-view of the photoelectric detecting layer, it is estimated that about 65% of the observed area is arranged by the photoelectric detecting units, and about 25% thereof is arranged by the metal wires of the thin film transistors. When the visible light signals converted by the Scintillation layer diverge to the metal wires, the visible light signals are reflected by the metal wires and reflected back to the photoelectric detecting layer through a reflective layer. However, the accuracy of the detected image may be decreased due to extreme light shifts when the converted visible light signals are reflected too many times.
Accordingly, in order to improve the sharpness and the accuracy of the detected images, it is desirable to develop an X-ray flat panel detector which can reduce the times of reflection of visible light in the Scintillation layer.


A power capacitor (7) is described for use in an RF power delivery system. The power capacitor comprises at least two RF electrodes (18, 19) separated by a capacitor dielectric (17) comprising a solid paraelectric dielectric material whose relative permittivity is controllable by varying a DC bias voltage applied across the dielectric (17) at DC bias electrodes (10, 26, 28). Composite capacitor configurations, an RF power system and a method of controlling the power capacitor are also described.

RF power applications may comprise for example supplying RF power at high voltage and/or high current to a device such as a plasma chamber. Plasma chambers are used in industrial processes such as surface treatment of materials or plasma etching in semiconductor fabrication processes. The plasma is typically produced and maintained by an electric current alternating at an RF frequency, which excites and ionises the rarified source gas used in the plasma chamber. Alternatively, instead of using such a rarified gas, as is common in many industrial applications, radio-frequency plasma excitation for industrial applications is also possible at or above atmospheric pressure.
From the point of view of the RF power generator, the plasma chamber presents a load impedance which may vary greatly and quickly. It is important that the output impedance of the RF power generator be closely matched to the rapidly-changing load impedance of the plasma chamber, in order to avoid damaging reflections of power back into the output circuitry of the RF power generator, which can occur when the impedances are mismatched. Separate impedance matching devices (so-called "matchboxes") are commonly used which match the load impedance of the plasma chamber to the output impedance of the RF power generator. In the case of a rapidly-varying load impedance, the matchbox must be capable of dynamically matching the impedance accordingly. In other cases, in which the load impedance remains relatively constant, the matchbox is simply to provide a similarly constant impedance matching function.
Matchboxes comprise reactive components, such as capacitors, which must be capable of handling the high power (high voltage and/or high current) delivered via the matchbox to the load (eg plasma chamber). In the case of impedance matching, such high-power capacitors may be required to have a variable reactance (capacitance). Capacitance values of such capacitors may be, for example 50 pF to 1 nF or more, and the maximum speed of variation of such a variable capacitor may be a limiting factor for the speed of variation of the impedance matching provided by the matchbox.
RF power generators and other devices may also comprise such high-power reactive components, variable and/or fixed, for example in their output stages. The output impedance of commercial RF power generators is commonly standardised to 50 ohms. An adjustable capacitance integrated in the generator circuit could be used to stabilize very rapidly the output stage during a temporary impedance mismatch condition.

Variable power capacitor for RF power applications


The coercivity of a magnetic recording medium is increased without any substantial change in magnetic remanence by depositing a fresh non-magnetic sub-underlayer on an underlayer or composite underlayer comprising a plurality of sub-underlayers, and immediately depositing a magnetic layer on the fresh sub-underlayer. In an embodiment of the present invention, a fresh chromium sub-underlayer having a thickness of about 55 .ANG. to about 135 .ANG. is sputter deposited on a chromium underlayer in the magnetic layer deposition chamber, and a cobalt magnetic layer deposited on and within 1.2 seconds after depositing the fresh sub-underlayer.

Thin film magnetic recording disks and disk drives are conventionally employed for storing large amounts of data in magnetizable form. Data are written onto and read from a rapidly rotating recording disk by means of a magnetic head transducer assembly that flies closely over the surface of the disk. The escalating requirements for high areal recording density and increasingly smaller disk drives impose increasingly demanding requirements on thin film magnetic recording media in terms of coercivity, coercivity squareness, medium noise and narrow track recording performance. The requirements for efficiency and high productivity impose additional demands for minimizing downtime of production equipment. Considerable effort has been spent in recent years to produce magnetic recording media having higher recording densities and satisfying such demanding requirements, particularly for longitudinal recording.
A conventional longitudinal recording medium is depicted in FIG. 1 and comprises a substrate 10, typically an aluminum (Al)-alloy, such as an aluminum-magnesium (Al--Mg)-alloy, plated with a layer of amorphous nickel-phosphorous (NiP) . Alternative substrates include glass, glass-ceramic materials and graphite. Substrate 10 typically contains sequentially deposited on each side thereof a chromium (Cr) or Cr-alloy underlayer 11, 11', a cobalt (Co)-base alloy magnetic layer 12, 12', a protective carbon overcoat 13, 13' and a lubricant topcoat 14, 14'. Cr underlayer 11, 11' can be applied as a composite comprising a plurality of sub-underlayers 11A, 11B, 11C, 11A', 11B', 11C'. Cr underlayer 11, 11', Co-base alloy magnetic layer 12, 12' and protective carbon overcoat 13, 13' are typically deposited by sputtering techniques performed in an apparatus containing sequential deposition chambers. A conventional Al-alloy substrate is provided with a NiP plating, primarily to increase the hardness of the Al substrate, serving as a suitable surface to provide a texture, which is substantially reproduced on the disk surface.
In recent years, considerable effort has been expended to achieve high areal recording density. Among the recognized significant factors affecting recording density are magnetic remanence (Mr) , coercivity (Hc), coercivity squareness (S*), signal/noise ratio, and flying height, which is the distance at which a read/write head floats above the spinning disk. Prior approaches to achieve increased areal recording density for longitudinal recording involve the use of dual magnetic layers and multilayer media. For example, Teng et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,796 discloses a magnetic recording medium comprising dual magnetic layers separated by an intermediate non-magnetic layer of Cr having a thickness of about 5 .ANG. to about 25 .ANG.. Lal et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,012 discloses a magnetic recording medium comprising a gradient magnetic layer interposed between two magnetic layers. Furusawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,548, disclose a magnetic recording medium comprising a plurality of chromium underlayers which exhibit a bow-like columnar structure, thereby enabling low modulation independent of the surface texture. In accordance with the disclosure of Furusawa et al., at least 2 layers, preferably 3 layers, of chromium are deposited each at a thickness of about 50-200 nm.
It is, of course, highly desirable to provide a magnetic recording medium with high coercivity and S*, and high signal-to-noise ratio. The various magnetic layers conventionally employed to produce magnetic recording media, typically Co or Co-alloys, exhibit differing properties such as different signal-to-noise ratios, coercivities and other magnetic properties. For example, certain cobalt alloys, such as cobalt-chromium-tantalum (Co--Cr--Ta) alloys, exhibit a superior signal-to-noise ratio vis-a-vis Co-alloys containing Cr and platinum (Pt) . However, the coercivity of Co--Cr--Ta alloys is undesirably low. It is possible to enhance the coercivity of magnetic alloys, such as Co--Cr--Ta alloys, by increasing the deposition temperature. However, high temperature deposition adversely affects various substrate materials, as by inducing crystallization of NiP. High temperature deposition also causes deformation of a texture provided on a substrate, such as protrusions formed by laser texturing.
There exists a need for a magnetic recording medium having a high signal-to-noise ratio, high S*, and high coercivity, and for a productive, efficient technique which enables the coercivity of a magnetic recording medium to be increased without resort to high temperature deposition of the magnetic layer and without substantially affecting the Mrt.

Magnetic recording medium with improved coercivity


A keylock cover for an electronic system housing such as a computer system housing. The keylock cover is movably coupled to the housing to move between an open position where the keylock is exposed, to a closed position where the keylock is hidden from view. The keylock cover may be secured in a closed position with a push-push latch mounted in the housing. The keylock cover may include a key retainer that retains a key that is compatible with the keylock to the keylock cover. Computer system identification information such as vender names or product names can be located on the outer side of the keylock cover. In one example, the keylock cover is movably coupled to a bezel of the electronic system housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to electronic system housings and more specifically to keylock covers for electronic system housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are information handling electronic systems which can be designed to give independent computing power to one user or a plurality of users. Computer systems may be found in many forms including, for example, mainframes, minicomputers, workstations, servers, personal computers, internet terminals, notebooks, and embedded systems. Computer systems include desk top, floor standing, rack mounted, or portable versions. A typical computer system includes at least one system processor, associated memory and control logic, and a number of peripheral devices that provide input and output for the system. Such peripheral devices may include display monitors, keyboards, mouse-type input devices, floppy and hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, network capability cards, terminal devices, modems, televisions, sound devices, voice recognition devices, electronic pen devices, and mass storage devices such as tape drives, CD-R drives, or DVDs.
An electronic system housing may include a door for providing access to the interior of the electronic system housing and to other components or switches of the electronic system. For example, with some computer system servers, access to the drives of the server is controlled via a door located on a front panel. Furthermore, placing the drives behind a closed door keeps the drives hidden from view from the front. For some servers, hiding these components behind a closed door conveys an image that the server needs no human intervention. Keylocks have been used to lock the doors in a closed position to prevent physical access to the drives and other computer system components for security and safety purposes. As part of the xe2x80x9cno human interventionxe2x80x9d image and for other reasons, it may desirable to xe2x80x9chidexe2x80x9d the keylock from normal viewing.
It has been known to position a keylock behind a door that covers hard disk drives or other peripheral devices from the front. Such a keylock has been used to lock the hard disk drives to the housing. Also, it has been known to cover control knobs on a computer system monitor via a door that is secured in a closed position with a push-push latch.
Providing an electronic system housing with a keylock cover allows a keylock of an electronic system housing to be hid from view when the keylock cover is in a closed position. Hiding the keylock with a keylock cover provides the computer system with a xe2x80x9cno human interventionxe2x80x9d image. Providing a push-push latch to secure the keylock cover in a closed position advantageously provides a simplified mechanism for opening and closing the keylock cover to obtain access to the keylock. In addition, a key retainer can be fixably coupled to the keylock cover to retain the key. Also, the keylock cover may include computer system identification information located on the front side of the keylock cover.
In one aspect of the invention, a computer system includes a computer system housing having a bezel and a keylock mounted in the bezel. The keylock is for locking an access door of the bezel in a closed position. The computer system also includes a keylock cover movably coupled to the bezel and movable with respect to the outer panel between an open position where the keylock is uncovered by the keylock cover and a closed position where the keylock is covered by the keylock cover.
In another aspect, the invention includes an apparatus for covering a keylock of an electronic system housing. The apparatus includes a keylock cover having an extension. The keylock cover is movably coupled to a housing. The keylock cover is movable with respect to a keylock between an open position where the keylock is uncovered by the keylock cover to a closed position where the keylock is covered by the keylock cover. The apparatus also includes a push-push latch coupled to the housing and configured to receive the extension to secure the keylock cover in a closed position.
In another aspect, the invention includes an apparatus for covering a keylock of an electronic system housing. The apparatus includes a keylock cover movable with respect to a keylock between an open position where a keylock is uncovered by the keylock cover to a closed position where the keylock is covered by the keylock cover. The apparatus also includes a key retainer configured to receive a key to retain the key to the keylock cover. The key retainer is fixably coupled to the keylock cover.
In another aspect of the invention, a computer system includes a computer system housing having an outer panel, a keylock coupled to the computer system housing, and a keylock cover having an extension. The keylock cover is movably coupled to the outer panel and movable with respect to the outer panel between an open position where the keylock is uncovered by the keylock cover and a closed position where the keylock is covered by the keylock cover. The computer system also includes a push-push latch fixably coupled to the outer panel. The push-push latch is configured to receive the extension to secure the keylock cover in a closed position.
In another aspect of the invention, a computer system includes a computer system housing including an outer panel and a keylock coupled to the computer system housing. The computer system also includes a keylock cover movably coupled to the outer panel and movable with respect to the outer panel between an open position where a keylock is uncovered by the keylock cover and a closed position where the keylock is covered by the keylock cover. The computer system further includes a key retainer configured to receive a key to retain the key to the keylock cover. The key retainer is fixably coupled to the keylock cover.


A composite connector includes an insulating base, an S/PDIF connector and a Display port connector. The insulating base is formed with a first accommodating trough and a second accommodating trough adjacent to the first accommodating trough. The S/PDIF connector is partially accommodated in the first accommodating trough. The Display port connector is accommodated in the second accommodating trough. The first accommodating trough and the second accommodating trough are arranged vertically. The present composite connector has an effect of saving space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite connector, and in particular to a composite connector used in an electronic device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently, when a computer host and an electronic device are to be connected electrically, in addition to a Universal Serial Bus (referred to as "USB" hereinafter) connector, the manufacturers in this field continuously propose alternative connectors that have better transmission performance or are capable of transmitting audio/video signals directly with reduced volume, thereby facilitating its usage, such as High Definition Multimedia (referred to as "HDMI" hereinafter) connector, Displayport connector, Micro-USB connector, S/PDIF connector and the like.
However, in practice, the above-mentioned connectors have a common problem that each kind of connectors occupies too much space on the back surface of the computer host. Each connecting port on the back surface of the computer host is secured to a main board. Conductive terminals within a connecting port are electrically connected to the main board. Unfortunately, the space above the connecting port secured to the main board is not used efficiently.
Various kinds of connectors are developed recently. The back surface of the computer host has to be provided with each kind of connectors for a corresponding electronic device. Therefore, it is an important issue to use the space on the back surface of the computer host and arrange various kinds of connectors in a limited space.


A mechanism to support remote mirroring of storage devices by data storage systems in a one-to-many switched environment. Each data storage system includes a disk director that is adapted to control at least one device group that is supported in a mirrored configuration with a corresponding device group controlled by one of the other data storage systems. For each device group and corresponding device group, there are first ports associated with the device group and second ports associated with the corresponding device group. A switch element is adapted to connect one of the first ports to at least one of the second ports so that data may be exchanged between the ports for each device group and corresponding device group. The disk director selects which first port is to be connected to which second port via the switch element in the establishment of a logical link. Thus, each port connected to the switch is capable of achieving multiple connections to multiple destinations for increased connectivity, redundancy and performance (load balance) without additional hardware.

The invention relates to data storage systems, and in particular, to data storage systems with remote data mirroring capability.
Given the importance of the availability of information, several techniques have been developed for providing enhanced reliability and availability of data stored in a data storage system. Once such technique is data mirroring. In a "mirrored" system, the data stored on one data storage system is replicated on another data storage system. Thus, if one or more storage devices on one of the data storage systems fails, or a catastrophic system failure should occur, the data is readily available in the form of a mirrored copy from the mirrored data storage system.
Devices on a data storage system (or source) that are mirrored on the same remote, data storage system (or target) are referred to as a device group. Likewise, devices on the target that serve or mirror devices on the same source are referred to as a device group. Device groups are used, for example, to insure the consistency of blocks of data too large to be stored in a single area, during planned or unplanned interruptions such as link failures or planned back-ups. Device groups typically span a number of physical and logical volumes, and, in some instances, as when data striping is used, several device groups may be mapped to different portions of a physical or logical volume.
Typically, the source and target device groups are arranged as pairs on any two systems and each source/target device group pair is connected by two dedicated links (e.g., ESCON or Fibre Channel links), one for supporting writes during data backup operations and reads during data recovery operations, and the other for redundancy. Thus, a redundant arrangement of N data storage systems in which each data storage system is capable of supporting a mirrored configuration involving each of the N−1 other remote data storage systems requires N*(N−1) physical links, or an average of 2*(N−1) physical links per system. This link requirement becomes impractical when N>3, as the number of ports on the data storage system is limited.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Remote mirroring in a switched environment


A crane monitoring system and method is characterized by a plurality of sensors mounted to a crane which communicate data to an on-board control unit. The control unit is characterized by having xe2x80x9cblack boxxe2x80x9d functionality. A tip switch is mounted in parallel relation to the vertical portion of a hoist cable below the boom tip. The control unit processes and stores input data from the sensors which will indicate unsafe crane conditions, defined as alarm events such as dragging and extrication events. Each stored event has a time and date stamp. Upon detection of an alarm event, the control unit logs data from the sensors into a non-volatile memory, along with the data from a period of time prior to the alarm event. Data is stored continuously until the alarm event clears. Additional data is stored for a period of time after the conclusion of the alarm event. This results in a discrete event log residing on the non-volatile memory which can subsequently be accessed by authorized personnel for analysis and identification of the crane operator who caused the alarm event.

The present invention is generally directed to the detection and retrospective analysis of the critical events associated with non-compliant or dangerous operations carried out by operators of cranes. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system and method for automatically collecting, processing and storing data representative of crane operating conditions causing such non-compliant or dangerous operations, for later retrieval and analysis.
Lifting and positioning of heavy objects is one of the basic tasks in construction. A wide variety of types of cranes, derricks and other hoisting equipment, both mobile and permanently installed, are used to carry out specific lifting and positioning operations. In the past, safe crane operations depended on operator training, good maintenance, effective planning, and supervision. Safety is considered to be among the most critical issues involved in the success of any lift operation. However, crane accidents still occur. Such accidents often involve serious personal injury or death and costly destruction of property, as well as costly damage to the crane itself such as crane boom bending and turret drive gear failure.
Studies have shown that crane operators often expose cranes to frequent uncharacteristic loading conditions, such as the dragging of waste buckets and the extrication or extraction of piles, tree stumps and lodged debris. The culpability of crane operators is often attributed to lack of sufficient information regarding crane capacities, poor planning or miscalculations regarding anticipated load conditions, poor decision-making during crane operation, and simply carelessness. Dragging and extrication events constitute overload conditions and can cause several types of failure modes and resulting damage, such as the creation of grooves on sheave pulleys, plastic deformation and even complete failure of the boom, and breakage of gear teeth in the turret drive. Grooving and gear teeth breakage are directly related to hoist cable load vectors with significant components off the normal axis and are induced during the dragging of loads. Boom deformation and failure can result from overloading the boom by exceeding safe loading capacities for the different boom angles and boom extensions specified by capacity charts provided by crane manufacturers. Deformation can also result from the cumulative effect of static and dynamic forces that occur during the abrupt extrication events.
In order to assist the crane operator and secure the crane from damages, overload protection systems based on hydraulic pressure limits are provided as standard in many new cranes. These overload protection systems, however, do not secure the crane against dragging or extrication events. In addition, operators often choose to ignore the warning signals from the protection system and consequently operate cranes at dangerous hydraulic pressure levels.
Presently, no adequate means exist for detecting the occurrence of hazardous dragging and extrication events or for recording such events. Accordingly, a need exists for a crane monitoring system capable of detecting such events, providing an audible warning to the crane operator of detected event, and automatically storing electronic data descriptive of the actual event for later analysis by skilled investigators.
The crane monitoring system and method according the present invention can generally be characterized by a plurality of sensors mounted to a crane which communicate data to an on-board control unit. The control unit is characterized by having xe2x80x9cblack boxxe2x80x9d functionality. In general, the control unit processes and stores input data which will indicate either normal or unsafe crane conditions. Unsafe crane conditions are defined as alarm events such as dragging and extrication events. Each stored event has a time and date stamp indicating the time at which the event occurred and the time when the event is cleared. The control unit stores the latest event in a record format until the device memory is filled. The control unit rolls over the data after the memory is filled, erasing the oldest record in order to store the most recent record.
The input data from sensors is digitized and stored continuously. The processing circuitry of the control unit compares the input data to a predetermined set of parameters to detect whether an alarm event has occurred. Upon detection of an alarm condition, a horn output is activated. The control unit then logs data from the sensors into a non-volatile memory, along with the data from a period of time such as ten seconds prior to the alarm. Data is stored continuously until the alarm event clears and then, for a period of time such as thirty seconds, additional data is stored after the conclusion of the alarm event. This results in a discrete event log residing on the non-volatile memory which can subsequently be accessed by authorized personnel for analysis and identification of the crane operator who caused the alarm event. The event log can be downloaded to a PC in comma delimited format so that it can be used by any common spreadsheet program.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for monitoring critical operations of a crane, and for safely and automatically storing records of alarm events arising from such operations the method comprises the following steps. A plurality of input channels are provided, over which crane condition signals can be transferred from sensors mounted to a crane. Each crane condition signal is generated by one of the sensors, and includes a value representative of a specific measurement or condition of the crane during operation thereof. A data set is continuously sampled at a predetermined sampling rate during operation of the crane by communicating with the input channels. Each sampled data set includes the value detected for each crane condition signal at the time of sampling, and also includes time and date information corresponding to the respective time and date of sampling. Given the significant transfer speed of electrical signals and the processing speed of modem digital processing devices, the time of sampling substantially corresponds to the time at which the crane condition occurred.
Each data set sampled is stored into a non-volatile memory device. For each data set sampled, the values of the crane condition signals are compared to a set of predetermined safe operating parameters to determine whether an alarm event has occurred. The alarm event is defined when one or more of the values of the sampled crane condition signals falls outside a corresponding one or more of the safe operating parameters. If an alarm event has occurred, the values of the crane condition signals are compared to the safe operating parameters to determine whether the alarm event has ceased. The cessation of the alarm event is defined when one or more of the values of the sampled crane condition signals falls back inside a corresponding one or more of the safe operating parameters. If an alarm event has occurred, an event log is generated for the alarm event by storing, into a separately addressed location of the non-volatile memory device, all data sets sampled over a period of event history. The period of event history is defined as starting at a predetermined number of seconds prior to the occurrence of the alarm event and ending at a predetermined number of seconds after the cessation of the alarm event.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method of crane monitoring includes mounting the plurality of sensors to a crane, and securely mounting a control unit to the crane. Control circuitry is provided within the control unit. The plurality of input channels are provided to establish communication from the sensors to the control circuitry. The control circuitry is programmed to perform the crane monitoring and data storage functions described hereinabove, including sampling the data set, storing the data set into the non-volatile memory, detecting the occurrence of an alarm event, and generating an event log by storing all data sets sampled over the period of event history.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a crane monitoring system is provided. The crane monitoring system comprises a plurality of sensors as described hereinabove, operatively mounted to a crane and adapted to monitor a plurality of operating conditions of the crane. A crane monitoring control unit is securely mounted to the crane. A non-volatile memory unit is operatively disposed within the control unit and communicates with the digital processing circuitry. The digital processing circuitry is adapted to execute a set of crane monitoring instructions. The instructions include continuously sampling the data, writing the sampled data set into the non-volatile memory, comparing the crane condition signals to a set of predetermined safe operating parameters, detecting the occurrence and subsequent cessation of an alarm event, generating a discrete event log, and writing the event log into the non-volatile memory.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a crane equipped with a crane data acquisition system is provided. The crane comprises a crane support section including a plurality of operative crane components mounted thereto. The crane components include a hydraulically actuated turret assembly rotatable about a vertical axis, and a boom assembly pivotably mounted to the turret assembly and rotatable about a horizontal axis. The boom assembly includes a boom tip disposed at a distal end of the boom assembly. The crane components also include a hydraulically actuated main lift cylinder pivotably interconnected between the crane support section and the boom assembly, a winch assembly, and a cable windable about a drum within winch assembly. The cable extends along the length of the boom assembly and downwardly toward the ground below the boom tip. The crane also includes a crane operator section adapted for use by a crane operator.
A plurality of sensors are operatively mounted to a crane and adapted to monitor a plurality of operating conditions of the crane. Each sensor is operative to generate an electrical crane condition signal representative of one of the monitored crane operating conditions, and to send the crane condition signal over a communication line. The sensors include a tip switch mounted proximate to the boom tip and suspended therefrom in parallel relation to the cable. The tip switch is adapted to detect whether the cable is operating at an excessive angle of inclination. In addition, a pair of main lift cylinder pressure transducers are operatively mounted to the main lift cylinder and adapted to measure hydraulic pressure variations experienced by the main lift cylinder. A pair of turret drive pressure transducers are operatively mounted to the turret assembly and adapted to measure hydraulic pressure developed by the turret assembly during respective left and right rotations of the turret assembly. An accelerometer is operatively mounted to the boom assembly and adapted to measure accelerations and decelerations experienced by the boom assembly.
The crane further comprises a crane monitoring control unit securably mounted to the crane operator section, and which communicates with the plurality of sensors. The crane monitoring control unit includes digital processing circuitry for sampling and processing the crane condition signals, identifying the occurrence of an unsafe crane condition based on a comparison of the crane condition signals against predetermined safe operating parameters, and generating and storing an event log indicative of crane operations causing the unsafe crane condition. The event log includes all crane condition signals sampled over a period of time starting at a predetermined number of seconds preceding the occurrence of the unsafe crane condition and ending at a predetermined number of seconds after a conclusion of the unsafe crane condition.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for monitoring the conditions under which a crane is operating.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for detecting an alarm event during which crane operating conditions have exceeded specified limits.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for creating an event log containing sensor data and other information describing the circumstances surrounding a crane operating conditions alarm event, and storing the event log for later retrieval and analysis by a device or devices external to the system.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated hereinabove, other objects will become evident as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings as best described hereinbelow.

Crane monitoring and data retrieval systems and method


Wavelet transformation is carried out on an original image signal, and the original image signal is thereby decomposed into image signals, each being of one of a plurality of different frequency bands. The degree of importance of each of different portions of the image is then determined from one of the image signals or from the original image signal. Labeling processing is carried out on the image signal, from which the degree of importance of each of different portions of the image was determined, in accordance with the determined degree of importance of each of different portions of the image. The image signals are quantized in accordance with the results of the labeling processing such that a larger number of bits may be allocated to each of picture elements in a portion of the image determined as having a higher degree of importance. The quantized image signals are then encoded. The original image signal is thus compressed with a high compressibility such that the image quality of the important portion of the original image may not be lost.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for compressing an image signal. This invention particularly relates to a method for compressing an image signal, wherein wavelet transformation is utilized and a high signal compressibility is thereby obtained. This invention also relates to a method for reconstructing an image signal, wherein an original image signal is reconstructed from an image signal having been compressed with the method for compressing an image signal in accordance with the present invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Image signals representing continuous tone images, such as television signals, are composed of enormous amounts of information, and a broad-band transmission line is required for transmission of the image signals. Such image signals involve much redundancy, and various attempts have been made to compress the image signals by restricting the redundancy. Also, in recent years, recording of continuous tone images on optical disks, magnetic disks, or the like, has been generally put into practice. In such cases, image signal compression is generally carried out for the purpose of efficiently recording the image signals on a recording medium.
As one of the methods for compressing an image signal, a compressing processing method utilizing prediction encoding has heretofore been employed. Specifically, in cases where an image signal is to be stored or transmitted, the image signal is subjected to compression processing based on prediction encoding, and the amount of the image signal is thereby reduced. The compressed image signal is then stored or transmitted. When the image which is represented by the image signal is to be reproduced, the compressed image signal is subjected to decoding processing and is thereby decompressed. Thereafter, a visible image is reproduced from the decompressed image signal.
Also, as one of the methods for compressing an image signal, a method utilizing vector quantization has heretofore been used. The method comprises the steps of (i) dividing a two-dimensional image signal into blocks, each of which comprises the image signal components representing K number of picture elements adjacent to one another in the image, (ii) selecting a vector, which corresponds with the minimum distortion to the set of the image signal components in each of the blocks, from a code book composed of a plurality of vectors, which are different from one another and prepared in advance by defining K number of vector elements, and (iii) encoding the information, which represents the selected vector, in association with the block.
Since the image signal components in the block as described above have high correlation to one another, the image signal components in each block can be represented very accurately by one of a comparatively small number of vectors prepared in advance. Therefore, instead of the actual image signal being transmitted or recorded, transmission or recording of the image signal can be carried out by transmitting or recording the codes representing the vectors. In this manner, signal compression can be achieved. By way of example, the amount of the image signal components, which represent 64 picture elements in a continuous tone image having 256 levels (=8 bits) of density scale, is 8.times.64=512 bits. In such cases, the image signal components representing the 64 picture elements may be grouped as a single block, and the image signal components in the block may be represented by a vector, which is composed of 64 vector elements. Also, a code book including 256 such vectors may be prepared. In such cases, the amount of the information per block becomes equal to the amount of the information required to discriminate between the vectors, i.e. 8 bits. Consequently, in such cases, the amount of the signal can be compressed to 8/(8.times.64)=1/64.
The image signal is compressed in the manner described above, and the compressed image signal is recorded or transmitted. Thereafter, the vector elements of each of the vectors, which are represented by the vector discriminating information, are taken as reconstructing information for each of the blocks, and the original image is reproduced by using the reconstructing information.
One approach to improvement of the compressibility in the image signal compression by prediction encoding is to decrease the bit resolution (density resolution) of the image signal, i.e. to carry out quantization processing for quantizing the image signal more coarsely, in addition to prediction encoding processing.
Therefore, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,029, the applicant proposed a method for compressing an image signal with interpolation encoding, wherein the prediction encoding technique and the quantization technique are combined with each other. With the proposed method, image signal components of an image signal are classified into main components, which have been sampled at appropriate sampling intervals, and interpolated components other than the main components. The interpolated components are then subjected to interpolation prediction encoding processing based on the main components, i.e. the values of the interpolated components are predicted with the interpolation prediction from the main components. Thereafter, prediction errors between the predicted values and the actual values of the interpolated components are encoded into variable length codes, such as Huffman codes (i.e. are converted into codes, the lengths of which vary for different values of the prediction errors). In this manner, the image signal is compressed.
During the compression of an image signal, the image signal compressibility should be as high as possible. However, it is technically difficult to increase the compressibility markedly during the interpolation encoding. Therefore, in order for a high compressibility to be achieved, it is considered that component number decreasing processing, which results in a coarse spatial resolution, and the interpolation encoding be combined with each other.
Therefore, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,489, the applicant proposed a method for compressing an image signal, wherein the interpolation encoding and the component number decreasing processing are combined with each other, and wherein a high compressibility is achieved while good image quality is being kept.
As a method for processing an image signal, the so-called "wavelet transformation method" has heretofore been proposed.
How the wavelet transformation is carried out will be described hereinbelow.
The wavelet transformation has recently been developed as a frequency analysis method and has heretofore been applied to stereo pattern matching, signal compression, and the like. The wavelet transformation is described in, for example, "Wavelets and Signal Processing," by Olivier Rioul and Martin Vetterli, IEEE SP Magazine, pp. 14-38, October 1991; and "Zero-Crossings of a Wavelet Transform," by Stephane Mallat, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 1019-1033, July 1991.
With the wavelet transformation, a signal is transformed into frequency signals, each being of one of a plurality of different frequency bands, by utilizing a function h, which is shown in FIG. 7, as a basic function and in accordance with the formula ##EQU1## wherein f(t): the signal having an arbitrary wave form,
W(a,b); the wavelet transformation of f(t), ##EQU2## a: the degree of contraction of the function, b: the amount of movement in the horizontal axis direction. PA1 i) carrying out wavelet transformation on the original image signal, the original image signal being thereby decomposed into image signals, each being of one of a plurality of different frequency bands, PA1 ii) determining the degree of importance of each of different portions of the image from one of the image signals or from the original image signal, PA1 iii) carrying out labeling processing on the image signal, from which the degree of importance of each of different portions of the image was determined, in accordance with the determined degree of importance of each of different portions of the image, PA1 iv) quantizing the image signals in accordance with the results of the labeling processing such that a larger number of bits may be allocated to each of picture elements in a portion of the image determined as having a higher degree of importance, and PA1 v) encoding the image signals, which have thus been quantized. PA1 i) decoding the image signals, which have been encoded with a method for compressing an image signal in accordance with the present invention, and PA1 ii) carrying out inverse wavelet transformation on the image signals, which have thus been decoded.
Therefore, the problems with regard to a false oscillation, which occurs with Fourier transformation, do not occur. Specifically, when filtering processing is carried out by changing the period and the degree of contraction of the function h and moving the function h on an original signal, frequency signals, each of which is adapted to one of desired frequencies ranging from a fine frequency to a coarse frequency. By way of example, FIG. 8 shows signals, which are obtained by carrying out the wavelet transformation on an original signal Sorg and then carrying out inverse wavelet transformation for each of frequency bands. FIG. 9 shows signals, which are obtained by carrying out Fourier transformation on the original signal Sorg and then carrying out inverse Fourier transformation for each of the frequency bands. As will be understood from FIGS. 8 and 9, the wavelet transformation has the advantage over the Fourier transformation in that a frequency signal of a frequency band corresponding to the oscillation of the original signal Sorg can be obtained. Specifically, with the Fourier transformation, an oscillation occurs in a part B' of a frequency band 7, which corresponds to a part B of the original signal Sorg. However, with the wavelet transformation, as in the original signal Sorg, no oscillation occurs in a part A' of a frequency band W7, which corresponds to a part A of the original signal Sorg.
Also, a method for compressing an image signal by utilizing the wavelet transformation has been proposed in, for example, "Image Coding Using Wavelet Transform" by Marc Antonini, et al., IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 205-220, April 1992.
With the proposed method, wavelet transformation is carried out on an original image signal representing an image, and the original image signal is thereby transformed into image signals, each being of one of a plurality of different frequency bands. Thereafter, vector quantization is carried out on each of the image signals such that a small number of bits per picture element may be allocated to an image signal of a high frequency band, which image signal carries much noise, and a large number of bits per picture element may be allocated to an image signal of a low frequency band, which image signal carries the information representing the major object. In this manner, the original image signal is compressed. With the proposed method, the compressibility of the original image signal can be kept high. Also, the original image can be restored perfectly by carrying out inverse wavelet transformation on the compressed image signal.
However, with the aforesaid method for compressing an image signal by utilizing the wavelet transformation, it is necessary for the image signal to be compressed by vector quantization. Therefore, if the compressibility is increased even further, there will be the risk that the image quality of the original image is lost. Thus there is a limit in the increase in the compressibility of the image signal.


A fluid quick connector includes first and second coupled housings having aligned bores. A biased shut off valve is mounted in the first housing and has a seal end normally biased into a fluid flow blocking position; but movable away from the seal upon contact with an end form inserted into the bores to a fluid flow enabling position. The first and second housings interact at an adjustable axial interface formed of mating threads to vary the insertion distance of the endform into the first housing after the endform is latched in the first and second housings by a retainer carried in the second housing, to regulate the fluid flow through the quick connector.

The present invention relates, in general, to fluid quick connectors which couple fluid connector components and, more particularly, to fluid quick connectors with means operative to check the flow of fluid therethrough under certain operating conditions.
Snap-fit or quick connectors are employed in a wide range of applications, particularly, for joining fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial application. Such quick connectors utilize retainers or locking elements for securing one connector component, such as a tubular conduit, within a complimentary bore of another connector component or housing. Such retainers are typically of either the axially-displaceable or radially-displaceable type. The terms "axially-displaceable" or "radially-displaceable" are taken relative to the axial bore through another component.
In a typical quick connector with an axially displaceable, retainer, the retainer is mounted within a bore in a housing of one connector component of housing. The retainer has a plurality of radially and angularly extending legs which extend inwardly toward the axial center line of the bore in the housing. A tube or conduit to be sealingly mounted in the bore in the housing includes a radially upset portion or flange which abuts an inner peripheral surface of the retainer legs. Seal and spacer members as well as a bearing or top hat are typically mounted in the bore ahead of the retainer to form a seal between the housing and the tube when the tube is lockingly engaged with the retainer legs in the housing.
Radially displaceable retainers are also known in which the retainer is radially displaceable through aligned bores or apertures formed transversely to the main throughbore in the housing. The radially displaceable retainer is typically provided with a pair of depending legs which are sized and positioned to slip behind the radially upset portion or flange on the tube only when the tube or conduit is fully seated in the bore in the housing. This ensures a positive locking engagement of the tube with the housing as well as providing an indication that the tube is fully seated since the radially displaceable retainer can be fully inserted into the housing only when the tube has been fully inserted into the bore in the housing.
Regardless of the type of retainer, the housing portion of a fluid connector typically includes an elongated stem having one or more annular barbs spaced from a first end. The barbs provide secure engagement with a tube or conduit which is forced over the barbs to connect the housing with one end of the conduit.
It is desirable in fluid handling conduits and fluid quick connectors to ensure that the connectors have their mating portions properly coupled together. A faulty connector enables an associated host system to leak fluid. This can be particularly disadvantageous when the system is under pressure.
In fluid quick connectors, it is important that the two mating portions of the connector are properly coupled when one portion is inserted into the other portion to establish the fluid connection therebetween while seal elements fluidically seal the coupled portions together.
It is known to provide a one-way, shut-off valve in the connector housing which is normally biased to a fluid blocking position until the tubular component is fully inserted into and coupled to the housing. Only at this fully inserted, sealed position does the tubular component move the valve to an open or flow enabling position to enable fluid to flow through the connector.
However, such previously known quick connect fluid couplings with shut-off valves have all switched fluid flow between full off and full on, with the quantity of fluid flow through the quick connector being determined solely by the diameter of the connector portions.
In many fluid handling applications, it would be desirable to have a quick connector with a one way shut-off valve which ensures that the connector components are fully coupled and sealed before flow is enabled; while at the same time providing adjustability in the quantity of fluid flow after the check valve has been moved to a flow enabling position.

Fluid quick connect with adjustable flow control valve


The semiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention allows evaluation of input/output terminal dependency of noise characteristic at the time of data output, it has a normal operation mode and a test mode, and includes a plurality of output buffers and selecting means for selectively activating at least one output buffer among the plurality of output buffers in the test mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having a circuit for evaluating noise characteristic at the time of data output.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 11 shows circuit configuration of output buffers 11, 13 and 15 of a conventional semiconductor memory device, and FIG. 12 shows a concept of a pattern layout of the output buffers.
As shown in FIG. 11, the output buffer is activated when an output control signal xcfx86 activated and at a high (H) level is input to NAND circuits 4 and 6.
In a semiconductor memory device having a plurality of input/output terminals 2 such as shown in FIG. 12, all output buffers are activated in normal operation, and data is output from every input/output terminal 2.
Here, N channel MOS transistors TN1 included in respective output buffers 11, 13 and 15 are connected together to one Vcc line 1 as shown in FIG. 12, and therefore in a so-called multi-bit product having a large number of input/output terminals 2, there is a problem of considerable noise generated at the power supply voltage Vcc at the time of data output. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the influence of noise. In that case, what input/output terminal is susceptible to noise generation at the time of data output must be inspected. In the conventional semiconductor memory device, however, there is not any circuit provided for inspecting output terminal dependency of noise at the time of data output.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device which is capable of evaluating noise characteristic generated at the time of data output.
The object of the present invention is attained by providing a semiconductor memory device having a normal operation mode and a test mode, including a plurality of output buffers and selecting means for selecting and activating at least one output buffer of said plurality of output buffers in response to an external signal in the test mode.
A main advantage of the present invention is that it is possible to evaluate input/output terminal dependency of the noise generated at the time of data output, as an output buffer is selectively activated among a plurality output buffers in the test mode.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A sample collection substrate of aerogel and/or xerogel materials bound to a support structure is used as a solid phase microextraction (SPME) device. The xerogels and aerogels may be organic or inorganic and doped with metals or other compounds to target specific chemical analytes. The support structure is typically formed of a glass fiber or a metal wire (stainless steel or kovar). The devices are made by applying gel solution to the support structures and drying the solution to form aerogel or xerogel. Aerogel particles may be attached to the wet layer before drying to increase sample collection surface area. These devices are robust, stable in fields of high radiation, and highly effective at collecting gas and liquid samples while maintaining superior mechanical and thermal stability during routine use. Aerogel SPME devices are advantageous for use in GC/MS analyses due to their lack of interfering background and tolerance of GC thermal cycling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to xerogel and aerogel substrates as sample collection media, and more particularly to a solid phase microextraction device using these substrates.
2. Description of Related Art
Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) is an analytical chemical isolation technique to extract trace compounds from the air or liquid samples with high efficiency. The extraction device typically uses fused silica (glass) fibers coated with an absorbing polymer (e.g., siloxanes, silanes, silicone). Glass is used to match the thermal expansion of the fiber coating under extreme temperature conditions. The coated glass fiber is capable of extracting organic and organo-metallic compounds from the air and liquid samples. Currently, the coated glass fiber (˜1 cm long) is glued to a metal wire (˜300 μm) supported inside a hollow needle that can be inserted into the hot injection port of a gas chromatograph (GC) or GC mass spectrometer (GC-MS). U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,206 to Pawliszyn describes a method and device for carrying out solid phase microextraction.
This conventional technique is problematic because the glass fiber tip is fragile and can be easily broken off when used in the field or laboratory. The polymer coating has a limited lifetime and can peel away following repeated collections and analyses under the high thermal cycle stress at the GC injection port or after exposure to high field radiation. The manufacturing of the SPME assembly also requires the time-consuming process of gluing the glass fiber to the wire support. The engineering difficulties encountered in the current glass fiber design result in a high cost per unit.
Another disadvantage of the current SPME techniques is the time required extracting the sample by the coated fibers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,228 to Koehler et al. provides a device that vibrates the fiber during extraction to shorten adsorption time. However, this approach requires additional hardware incorporated into the conventional SPME syringe.
A need exists for an improved SPME assembly that addresses the deficiencies of the prior art. The present invention circumvents the above-mentioned problems and provides a more robust, highly selective, rapidly adsorbing SPME assembly that effectively extracts samples from gas or liquid samples.

Method for preparing a solid phase microextraction device using aerogel

The Regents of the University of California


A mandrel is utilized to support a roll of material. The mandrel includes a retaining element, which can be placed on an inner circumference of a roll of material, and at least one carrier element which transmits a torque between the mandrel and the material roll. The carrier element can be engaged with the roll of material in a non-positive manner.

Mandrels for use in seating rolls of material, in particular for seating paper rolls, are generally known in the paper and printing industry. Such mandrels are employed at the roll changers of web-fed rotary printing presses to rotatably seat or support the rolls of material, from which the paper to be imprinted is drawn off, during operation of the web-fed rotary printing press. A so-called flying roll change is often performed at such roll changers. In this connection, a flying roll change means that gluing of a leading end of a fresh roll, to a tensioned web of an exhausting paper web, can be performed while the tensioned, exhausting paper web continues its running off. Only fractions of seconds are available for performing such a flying roll change, during which time the tension, tensile stress and shearing strain must be exactly maintained.
To be able to perform a flying roll change, the fresh paper web roll must be accelerated in such a way that its circumferential speed corresponds exactly to the linear speed of the paper web which is running off. The torque required for accelerating the fresh roll of the web of material is transmitted to that roll by appropriately suitable drive systems. In this connection, so-called belt-drive systems are known, for example, wherein drive belts are brought into contact with the circumference of the fresh roll. These belt-drive systems accelerate the fresh roll by the use of an appropriate frictional connection between the belts and the roll outer surface. Moreover, so-called cardan drives are known, wherein the required drive torque is transmitted to receiver elements, which receiver elements come into contact with the roll of material on both of its sides.
A mandrel is known, for example, from EP 0 453 800 B1. With this mandrel, radially drivable, spreading cheeks are provided at the receiver element which cheeks, after the receiver element has been arranged in a core of the roll of material, can be moved apart to make a frictional connection between the roll of material and the mandrel. It is not inconceivable, in connection with such mandrels with radially spreading cheeks that, because of the high inherent weight of the roll and thus because of the resultant high moments of acceleration, the roll of material will slide over, or with respect to the clamping cheeks during roll acceleration or braking. This undesirable slippage can cause irregularities in the movement progress of the roll. Furthermore, the interior surface of the core of the roll of material can be damaged by such a sliding of the spreading cheeks with respect to the core, so that a secure fastening of the roll of material on the mandrel is no longer provided.
DD 82615 describes a clamping device for winding tubes. Several clamping pins, with knife-like cutting edges, are pressed into the winding tube.
DE 28 32 361 A1, DE 21 00 746 A, DE-PS 972 578, GB 2 293 225 A and DE 73 17 470 U all disclose mandrels with engagement elements which engage the web of material by positive contact.


A nuclear reactor of boiling water type has a reactor core including a plurality of vertical fuel assemblies (30, 30a) of substantially square cross section arranged in a lattice, with each fuel assembly included in two rows of fuel assemblies, perpendicular to each other and separated by intermediate water gaps (27a, 27b). Each fuel assembly comprises two vertical perpendicular sides, each side facing a water gap which has a larger width than a water gap toward which the opposite two vertical perpendicular sides face. After an operating cycle for the reactor of at least two years, the majority of the fuel assemblies used during the completed operating cycle, which are located in an edge zone (25) furthest out in the core, are turned 180 degrees around the vertical center line of the respective fuel assembly, and the turned fuel assemblies are used for a following operating cycle of the reactor.

The present invention relates to a method for operation of a nuclear reactor of boiling water type with a reactor core comprising a plurality of vertical fuel assemblies of substantially square cross section, arranged in a lattice with each fuel assembly included in two rows of fuel assemblies, perpendicular to each other and separated by intermediate water gaps, and wherein each one of two vertical sides of a fuel assembly, which are perpendicular to each other, is facing towards a water gap which has a larger width than the water gap towards which its opposite vertical side is facing. Each fuel assembly contains a plurality of vertically arranged fuel rods. The core also contains a large number of control rods, which may each comprise four vertically arranged blades provided with a neutron absorber, which blades form a perpendicular cross and which are adapted to be insertable into the wide water gaps between the fuel assemblies but not into the narrow water gaps.
When the burnup in a reactor of the above-mentioned kind has progressed so far that the smallest acceptable core reactivity margin has been attained, a partial recharge is carried out. By balancing in a suitable way how much fuel that is to be replaced as well as the enrichment of the replacement fuel, an excess reactivity is obtained which permits a certain energy output until the next refuelling. During the partial recharge, one-fifth of the fuel, for example, can be replaced every operating year (or any other suitable operating cycle) as from the end of the second operating year. This means that the fuel in the exemplified case remains in the core for five years during steady state, but that part of the fuel which is replaced during the initial stage is used for a shorter period of time.
Refuelling is performed in such a way that fuel assemblies are withdrawn from the core and fuel assemblies with fresh fuel, usually after appropriate relocation of remaining fuel assemblies within the core, are inserted into the empty spaces arising. The relocation of fuel assemblies is carried out in order to achieve optimum power distribution within the reactor core and optimum reactivity.
In reactors of the kind stated, the enrichment distribution in the fuel assemblies is normally uneven. High enrichments, that is, fuel rods with a high content of fissile material, are placed along the narrow water gap, where the moderation is poorest and low enrichments, that is, fuel rods with a low content of fissile material, along the wider water gap, where the moderation is good. This is necessary for the performance with respect to the thermal margins to be good when the fuel assembly is relatively fresh and has a high power. By thermal margins are meant in this case primarily margins with respect to dryout, that is, with respect to powers where there is a risk of water films breaking down on fuel rods in the fuel assembly, and margins with respect to powers where there is a risk that the linear power density of the fuel rods gives rise to damage on the cladding which surrounds the nuclear fuel material as a consequence of the occurrence of swelling of the nuclear fuel material.

Method for operation of a boiling water nuclear reactor


A highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion and an application thereof are provided. A mixture is firstly provided, which includes a graphite material and an organic solvent. And then, the mixture is subjected to a peeling process at high temperature and high pressure, thereby obtaining the highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion. The highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion contains 75% or more of a single-layered graphene.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing graphene. More particularly, the present invention relates a method of producing a highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion.
2. Description of Related Art
With technological advances, lighter and thinner electrical products are developed with technological advances for satisfying the requirements of customers.
For satisfying those technological requirements, graphene and its application become more and more important. Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon material and it has a sheet structure with six-ring hive-like crystals. In graphene, carbon atoms are formed to a two dimension carbon material that has single atomic layers with sp2 covalent bond, and the graphene has a better carrier mobility, hardness, thermal conductivity, current loading ability and specific surface area. Thus, the graphene is used to produce technical product of the new generation.
The conventional methods of producing the graphene are described as following methods (1) to (4). (1) The graphene is easily and quickly obtained by peeling mechanically a graphite material. (2) The graphene is formed on nickel sheet or copper sheet by a chemical vapor deposition method or an epitaxy growth method introduced with hydrocarbon gas sources that are thermally decomposed. (3) The graphene is grown on an insulator substrate. (4) Graphene oxide, which is formed by intercalation with an acidic organic solvent, is reduced to the graphene.
However, the graphene can be obtained quickly by the aforementioned method (1), the graphene has single-layered and multi-layered structure, and the graphene is merely made in a little-scale production. Moreover, the uniformity and thickness of the graphene are hardly controlled by the method (2), so the resulted graphene has low quality. Furthermore, the cost of the method (3) is too expensive, and the method (3) is only available to produce the graphene with a small area. In addition, a reaction time of the method (4) is too long, and the resulted graphene often has structural defects, thereby lowering the quality of the graphene.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method of producing a highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion and an application thereof, for improving the deficiencies of the conventional method of producing the highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion and the application thereof.

Method of producing highly dispersed graphene organic dispersion and application thereof


A vehicle ramp for raising a vehicle wheel having an incline component and a separate but interlockable elevated wheel support component. The incline component can be removed while the vehicle wheel is resting on the corresponding elevated wheel support component. The elevated wheel support component has an adjustable chock. In addition to a rear stop on an end, a chock with a raised section helps keep the vehicle wheel from rolling off the top horizontal surface. The removal of the incline component while the vehicle rests on the elevated wheel support component is accomplished with an interlocking member that does not extend the entire height of the interlocking sides of the primary components. Hand grips or handles can be formed in recesses of the sides of each component.

The present disclosure relates to vehicle ramps having an interlockable incline component and an elevated wheel support component. More particularly, the disclosure relates to plastic ramps having interlockable components wherein the incline component can be removed while the vehicle wheel is resting on the corresponding elevated wheel support component having an adjustable chock.
Vehicle ramps are used to support wheels of a vehicle elevated above a ramp support surface, such as paved ground, to provide easier access to the underside of the vehicle. Typically, vehicle ramps are used in pairs in conjunction with each wheel on the same axle of a vehicle. Ramps for raising vehicles to be serviced are generally portable. Such ramps are preferably easy to assemble and disassemble to reduce the amount of space for storage. As an alternative to metal ramps, plastic ramps are available that are relatively light-weight, yet strong.
Plastic ramps upon which a vehicle can be rolled or driven to elevate the vehicle are known in the art. An injection-molded plastic ramp with interlockable components using a pin and groove arrangement is known. The undersides of the primary interlockable components have been made with polygonal patterns to handle the stress and spread the load from the weight of a vehicle across a wider area of the ground. One component has a portion substantially parallel to, but elevated above, the ramp support surface, such as the ground. A second component includes an incline for the vehicle to roll up to reach on the elevated portion.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/739,782 for "Portable Car Ramp," which was published on Jun. 23, 2005 as Publication No. 2005/0132511, discloses a portable car ramp with two major components: an inclined wheel run 20 and an elevated wheel run 50, with a specific unitary friction pad 37. These structural components 20 and 50 each have thereon respective generally planar bottom edges 23 and 53. Cooperating pin and groove formations 22 and 52, angled generally normal to the bottom edges of the respective components, are operable with limited clearances there between to telescope and to interlock the components together against movement in the direction of the elevated wheel run. The interlocking cooperating pins extend the height of the inner side "precluding attempted component disassembly when in use." Pads fixed to the second component bottom edge increase resistance against ramp sliding along the supporting surface, particularly with the wheel supported on the inclined wheel run.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,715 discloses a unitary vehicle service ramp having an external structure including a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a front. The front includes a surface sloping toward a top surface. The ramp has an internal structure forming a honeycomb pattern of supporting walls extending between said rear wall, side walls and front with a system of interlocking members serving as support members with individual members running longitudinally and transversely.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,555 discloses a platform section that attaches and separates from an incline, which may have a mat. Other prior art patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,269,036 and 5,427,209, have abutment plates and/or stops on each end.


A mobile device (10) includes a wireless network adapter (13) for communication with a wireless access network (24), and further includes a memory (23) in the mobile device for securely storing at least one pseudo-identification (IDp) of a mobile device user in conjunction with an actual identification (ID1) of the mobile device user. The mobile device further includes a mobile device identity manager (22), coupled to the memory, for transmitting ID1 from the mobile device to a trusted wireless access network for associating ID1 with a location of the mobile device (12), and for transmitting IDp from the mobile device to an untrusted wireless access network for associating IDp with a location of the mobile device (18).

A location service architecture in advanced mobile communication networks, e.g., second generation (2G), 2.5G and 3G mobile networks such as those known as the Global System for Mobile Communication, General Packet Radio System and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (GSM/GPRS/UMTS) networks, is currently being defined and developed. However, the effort to define the location service architecture in the wireless local area network (WLAN) area is just beginning.
A problem that can be foreseen is that an unsecured location service system is vulnerable to unauthorized access to obtain a mobile user's location information. The Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of a mobile terminal, and its current attached wireless access network, can reveal a considerable amount of location information about the mobile terminal. In addition, an unencrypted and clear transmission of a mobile user's naming information exposes the identity of the mobile user to the outside world. Any or all of these factors may cause the location information of a mobile user to become available to unauthorized parties.
While many mobile users appreciate the convenience and the inherent value of location-based services (e.g., emergency rescue, child monitoring, etc.), a concern exists that their location information may be subject to unauthorized access and possibly undesirable exploitation. It is therefore important to define and develop end-to-end, comprehensive solutions to protect the privacy of the mobile user's location information.
There are several location privacy threats. In general, the location privacy problem can be viewed requiring an identification of what mechanisms can reveal the mobile user's location information. The identity disclosure mechanisms can include the mobile user's IP routing information, an unsecured location service system, the mobile user's location-based service provider, the user's mobile operator location server and the presence of the mobile user's identity on the network.
Of the foregoing location disclosure mechanisms, the mobile user's identity protection is of the most concern to the teachings of this invention.
In the existing location service-based techniques it is assumed that the location server in the wireless access network can always be trusted. Therefore, the full identity information of the mobile user is presented to the location server.
While in some wireless networks (such as UMTS) the location server is trusted, there are an increasing number of wireless access networks (e.g., hot spot wireless LAN) in which the location server is "non-trusted", and the combined identity information and location information in the non-trusted location server may be revealed to the other parties without mobile user's consent. Such disclosure may be done by the non-trusted location server, or by other parties having unauthorized access to data stored in the location server.
In the hot spot wireless networks in particular it is quite easy for the location server to have knowledge of the location information of the mobile device. For example, the mere fact that the mobile device is connected to an access point is sufficient to pinpoint its location quite accurately, due to the knowledge of the location of the access point and the short range of such connections.
A prior art approach, known as a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) in GSM/UMTS, was designed for wireless networks having a trusted location server, and thus offer no protection for the mobile user's location privacy when connecting to a wireless access network having a non-trusted location server. The TMSI only protects the mobile user's identity on the air link between the mobile terminal and the location server. The location server in GSM/UMTS is assumed, however, to be trusted, and has the knowledge of the actual identity of the mobile user (in the form of the International Mobile Subscriber Identity, or IMSI). Thus, the use of the TMSI in GSM/UMTS does not protect the mobile user's location privacy from the non-trusted location server.
A publication that describes the TMSI is: 3GPP TS 23.003, "Third Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Core Network; Numbering, addressing and identification (Release 5)", www.3gpp.org.
Prior to this invention, no satisfactory solution existed for adequately protecting the privacy of the mobile user's network identity and, hence, the mobile user's location information.

Mobile user location privacy solution based on the use of multiple identities