A process for the offline deactivation of at least one single site catalyst comprising contacting said catalyst with a deactivating agent selected from an aprotic low molecular weight carbonyl group containing organic compound or an aprotic low molecular weight orthoester or an aprotic low molecular weight acetal compound.

Polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof with other α-olefins are typically produced in the presence of transition metal catalysts in olefin polymerisation processes. Main classes of olefin polymerisation catalysts are single site catalysts and Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
Olefin polymerisation catalysts based on one or more transition metals are known to be active chemical compounds. Many such catalysts are pyrophoric, igniting on contact with air and/or moisture, whereby the handling of the catalyst requires extra caution and strict safety rules. For several reasons, active catalysts sometimes need to be disposed of, i.e. handled as waste material. Such reasons include poor catalyst quality, non-consumed catalyst in the polymerisation process or remaining active catalyst residues in reactors. In order to safely dispose of the active catalyst, it needs to be deactivated before any disposal steps can be carried out. However, deactivating the catalyst in a safe, and quick manner without causing any new issues to arise, is demanding. For example, side-reactions and/or foam or gas formation are a serious risk during the deactivation process.
Many catalyst deactivation techniques are known. For example, treating with water allows the active catalyst to react with the treatment medium. However, such reactions might happen violently. Although resulting in basically inert catalyst substances, this kind of reaction is inherently dangerous, especially on an industrial scale. Also, such reactions between the catalyst and deactivation medium can form non-desired gases or foam formation. Alternatively, between some deactivation media and the catalyst, the reaction may happen slowly, and might even be incomplete. This means that the catalyst can remain active and in a hazardous condition even after a long time period. There remains a need therefore to find a new process for the deactivation of catalysts.
Passivation of the catalyst during polymerisation process in order to control the process and polymer features is sometimes needed, and is as such known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,750,095 describes a treatment method for passivation the interior surface of the polymerisation reactor to minimize the formation of the polymer coating on the surface.
US 2003/0054943 discloses a method in which a metallocene catalyst may be temporarily and/or reversibly passivated by contacting it with an effective amount of a passivating compound selected from the group of oxygen, oxygen-containing compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds. Activity of such temporarily and/or reversibly passivated catalysts (latent catalyst) is no more than 50% of the catalyst before passivation. The catalyst can be re-activated by activating it with an activator, e.g. with an alkylaluminium compound.
WO99/37691 discloses a particulate deactivator selected from a metal carbonate and a hydrotalcite, which is used to passivate halogen-containing Ziegler-Natta catalyst residues from a solution polymerization process. The deactivator is added to a post-reactor, preferably in the form of a suspension, and can be used in conjunction with a secondary soluble deactivator, such as an alcohol or a carbonylic acid.
WO94/26792 discloses a method for deactivating transition metal catalysts by heating the catalyst preferably in the absence of air i.e. in an environment which is substantially unreactive (inert) with the catalyst (e.g., a vacuum or nitrogen atmosphere). The heating should be conducted at or above a temperature sufficient to decompose or render less chemically active, the active chemical compounds of the catalyst, and/or place them in a state where they do not react violently or ignite upon contact with air and/or water. The heating step should also volatilize volatile compounds, such as solvents used in catalyst manufacture. According to the teaching of this application products driven off during heating may be vented to a flare, or some other means of safely disposing of the products well known to those in the relevant art. The solids remaining after heating are substantially unreactive, or if somewhat reactive, are disclosed to react safely with elemental oxygen and water vapor in air to further move them to a substantially unreactive state. The solids may then be disposed of safely.
EP630910 describes the use of Lewis Bases (including certain protic solvents) to reversibly control the activity of a metallocene catalyst during a polymerization process. The activity can be regained by adding excess aluminoxane to scavenge the Lewis Base.
The present invention describes the passivation (killing/deactivation) of a metallocene catalyst, typically in an oil slurry, which is either a waste catalyst or un-used catalyst. Addition of passivating agent does not take place during the polymerization.
Our process is irreversible. The activity of the passivated catalyst cannot be regained. In contrast to EP630910, we cannot use protic solvents due to gas evolution, which should be avoided to prevent foaming.
There are known therefore methods for deactivation of a catalyst during a polymerisation process. Also known are methods for the treatment of polymers in order to deactivate possible catalyst residues and methods for the treatment of a surface of a polymerisation reactor with a deactivator to deactivate any residual catalyst and minimize the formation of the polymer coating on the surface. Also known are methods for temporarily and reversibly passivating a catalyst.
The present invention is however about the deactivation of much more significant catalyst concentrations as our process is offline. At the end of a polymerization process, the catalyst is removed from the reactor and the catalyst needs to be deactivated offline. Unlike the lining of the reactor or the catalyst residues in a polymer, there might be significant concentrations of catalyst to be deactivated at this point. This poses a rather different problem from simply deactivating any residual impurity in a reactor or any residual impurity in a polymer mass. This is also a different problem from deactivation within a reactor where again catalyst concentrations are low as there are other reactants, diluent, solvent etc present. In particular, there is a problem of foaming. It also possible that some un-used catalyst, due to several reasons, like quality problems, is to be deactivated.
The routine laboratory method for passivating a catalyst waste uses IPA but the inventors found that the use of this compound cannot be upscaled due to evolution of methane gas, which results in a terrible foaming on an industrial scale resulting in an incomplete deactivation and operational problems associated with foaming.
There still remains need for an improved, effective and reliable method to deactivate such active catalysts, especially single site catalysts.
It has been surprisingly observed that passivation of a single site catalyst can be effected using an aprotic organic compound comprising an C═O group, or an orthoester or acetal compound. Using these compounds gas evolution and foaming was avoided (compared to using an alcohol) and the passivation reaction was fast and effective resulting in passivated waste material, the further handling of which can be carried out safely.
The present inventors have now found that certain organic compounds can be added to catalysts to passivate them without foaming or methane or other gas formation. Furthermore, the process of the invention occurs over a short period of time in a safe way. Short deactivation time is essential in semi- and full-scale production plants, where a need to deactivate even big amounts of catalysts might arise.


A method for correcting write strategy data of an optical disc may include setting initial values, measuring and storing the width of a generated write enable signal, and calculating an offset correction value. The initial values may include a data write rate, a number of write strategy data, a maximum number of steps of a time parameter to be applied to the write strategy data, step sizes of the steps in the time parameter, and a generated modulated signal. A write enable signal may be generated whenever the time parameter is varied by a step size, and a width thereof may be measured and stored. The offset correction may be determined by calculating an offset correction value corresponding to a difference between the stored width of the write enable signal and a predetermined value of the write enable signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of writing data on an optical disc. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of correcting write strategy data by reflecting the electrical characteristics of each of a plurality of optical disc drives, and an optical disc drive performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
To correctly write data on an optical disc, the optical disc manufacturer should be known. This is because the optimum conditions for writing data on the optical disc depend on the optical disc manufacturer, who records the optimum conditions on a portion of the optical disc tracks. Data describing the optimum conditions are referred to as write strategy data. Accordingly, an optical write device used to write data on optical discs stores optimum write strategy data for every type of optical disc and writes data on optical discs using the optimum write strategy data in conjunction with the optimum conditions on the optical disc. Optical disc types may include compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs).
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional optical disc drive 100 of an optical write device. Referring to FIG. 1, the optical disc drive 100 may include an encoder 130, a write strategy block 140, a memory 150, a laser diode drive integrated circuit (IC) 160, and an analog front end (AFE) 170. An optical disc 110 and a host 120 are also illustrated for convenience of explanation.
The encoder 130 may receive data to be written on an optical disc 110 from the host 120, e.g., a personal computer, may eight-to-fourteen modulate (EFM) the received data, and may output the EFM data (EFM signal). The write strategy block 140 may output two write enable signals WE1 and WE2 using the EFM data and write strategy data TD1, TD2 and TD3 of the optical disc 110, stored in the memory 150. The write strategy data TD1, TD2 and TD3 are time parameters used to generate the two write enable signals WE1 and WE2. While three write strategy data TD1, TD2 and TD3 are shown in FIG. 1, more than three write strategy data may be used to generate more than two write enable signals. The time parameters are information representing when the two write enable signals WE1 and WE2 may be shifted to a logic high level or a logic low level, thus representing the relationship between the EFM data and the two write enable signals WE1 and WE2. This will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The laser diode drive IC 160 may control a laser diode (see FIG. 2) using two current sources DAC1 and DAC2 provided by the AFE 170, and the two write enable signals WE1 and WE2.
FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship between the write strategy block 140, the laser diode drive IC 160 and a laser diode 210. The write strategy block 140 may generate the two write enable signals WE1 and WE2 using the signal EFM having information representing that effective data exists for a time 4T and the write strategy data TD1, TD2 and TD3 received from the memory 150. Here, T corresponds to one cycle of a system clock signal, and the time 4T is arbitrarily selected for convenience of explanation.
The first write enable signal WE1 may be generated using two write strategy data TD1 and TD2. The first write strategy data TD1 may correspond to a time period after the EFM signal is enabled, i.e., when the EFM signal goes from a logic low level to a logic high level. The second write strategy data TD2 may correspond to a time after the start of the fourth period of the time 4T in which the effective data of the EFM signal is disabled, but before the EFM signal is disabled. That is, the first write enable signal WE1 may go from a logic low level to a logic high level after the first write strategy data TD1, and may go from a logic high level to a logic low level after the second write strategy data TD2.
The second write enable signal WE2 may be enabled while the first write enable signal WE1 is enabled, i.e., while the first write enable signal WE1 maintains a logic high level. The third write strategy data TD3 may correspond to a time period during which the second write enable signal WE2 is enabled. While FIG. 2 shows that the enabled period of the second write enable signal WE2 corresponds to the front part of the enabled period of the first write enable signal WE1, the positions of the enabled periods of the first and second write enable signals may be changed using different write strategy data.
The laser diode drive IC 160 may include a first switch SW1, a first resistor R1, a second switch SW2 and a second resistor R2. The first switch SW1 may provide a current supplied from the first current source DAC1 to a first terminal of the first resistor R1 in response to the first write enable signal WE1. The first resistor R1 damps the current supplied from the first current source DAC1, and may provide the damped current to the laser diode 210, which is connected to a second terminal of the first resistor. The second switch SW2 may provide a current supplied from the second current source DAC2 to a first terminal of the second resistor R2 in response to the second write enable signal WE2. The second resistor R2 damps the current supplied from the second current source DAC2, and may provide the damped current to the laser diode 210, which is connected to a second terminal of the second resistor. However, the first and second resistors R1 and R2 may be omitted from the laser diode drive IC 160, such that outputs of the current sources are not damped.
In a period during which the first and second write enable signals WE1 and WE2 are simultaneously enabled, the laser diode 210 may be over-driven. Thus, the length and/or width of pits generated on the optical disc may vary, resulting in jitter.
As described above, even if write strategy data of every kind of optical disc manufactured by different manufacturers is stored, appropriately selected and used, not all problems that may arise when writing on an optical disc are solved.
The plurality of functional blocks 130, 140, 150, 160 and 170 shown in FIG. 1 may be part of a semiconductor device manufactured in a single chip or a system on chip (SOC). When semiconductor devices are mass-produced, they may have different electrical characteristics even when they are manufactured according the same specification. Furthermore, even if semiconductor device chips are produced from the same wafer, they may have electrical characteristics, even though they are considered normal if they conform to a particular specification.
For at least the above and other reasons, the same mass-produced optical disc drives may have different specifications. Accordingly, even when the same write strategy data is applied to optical discs manufactured by the same manufacturer, there may be differences between pits recorded on the optical discs due to the different specifications of the optical disc drives. This is because write strategy data is applied to optical discs without considering different specifications of individual optical disc drives.
That is, when write enable signals are generated using write strategy data and EFM signals corresponding to respective optical disc manufacturers, the write enable signals may vary for different optical disc drives. Accordingly, even when the same data is written on a plurality of optical discs manufactured by the same manufacturer using a plurality of optical disc drives manufactured by the same manufacturer, deviations may occur between data written on different optical discs.

Method for correcting write strategy data of an optical disc and optical disc drive using the same


The belt buddy is a body-mountable electric cord carrier for securing power cords close to a user's body. The carrier includes a mounting member, and an adjustable loop extending from the lower end of the mounting member. The mounting member is a plastic or metal hook. A fastener is connected to the lower end of the mounting member and the adjustable loop, which is a single piece of fabric doubled back on itself, is connected to the fastener. The arrangement allows for the adjustable loop to swivel freely around the lower end of the mounting member. The carrier may also be a unitary structure of metal or plastic material.

The present invention relates to body-carried devices for securing power cords close to a user's body.
Portable tools, vacuum cleaners and other hand-operated lawn and household equipment generally rely on electric cords for delivering electric current to the tools from wall-mounted sockets. As the operator and the tool move around the work area, the cord becomes entangled with the tool, the workpiece and other objects in the work area, and the operator often loses sight of the path of the cord. Those occurrences result in aggravating delays and may result in the severing of cords. Needs exist for cord holders that prevent the cord from becoming entangled with the tool, the workpiece or the operator.


A preset recording method through service linking according to movement from a first broadcasting area to a second broadcasting area in a terrestrial DMB terminal is provided. A preset recording for a predetermined broadcast program is checked to see if a current time is equal to a recording start time based on the specified preset recording; if so, extracting service linking information for the predetermined broadcast program; displaying that the DMB terminal has moved from the first broadcasting service area for the preset recording when the extracted service linking information corresponds to hard linking information, and recording a broadcasting program according to the hard linking information; and if they correspond, displaying that the DMB terminal has moved from the first broadcasting service area for the preset recording, and providing a list of broadcasting programs according to the soft linking information to enable a user to reset a preset recording function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) service, and more particularly to a preset recording method using an electronic program guide (EPG).
2. Description of the Related Art
DMB, which is an abbreviation of "Digital Multimedia Broadcasting", is a service that provides various digital multimedia signals, such as voice and image, to a portable receiver or a receiver in a vehicle. Such DMB is classified into satellite DMB and terrestrial DMB, according to its transmission means. The satellite DMB provides program data to DMB terminals across a whole country by using a satellite radio, and the terrestrial DMB provides broadcasts by utilizing air-wave VHF channel Nos. 12 and 8.
Although the satellite DMB service and the terrestrial DMB service are individually provided at present, it is expected that both satellite DMB service and terrestrial DMB service will be provided through one combined DMB terminal in the future. In addition, such a combined DMB terminal is expected to perform even the general functions of a mobile communication terminal.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for providing services to a DMB terminal.
A DMB terminal 100 is individually connected to a terrestrial DMB system 12, a satellite DMB system 13, and a mobile communication system 11 for supporting wireless data communication, such as a wireless broadband Internet (WiBro), so as to receive each service.
When receiving each DMB broadcast service from the terrestrial DMB system 12 and satellite DMB system 13, the DMB terminal 100 receives electronic program guides (EPGs) which are information about programs broadcasted by each broadcasting system.
Such EPGs are independently provided depending on each broadcast service.
Generally, the DMB terminal 100, which receives DMB broadcasts, includes a function of receiving and a function of outputting DMB broadcasts has and also includes a function of selecting and a function of recording a specific broadcast as requested by the user. There is an "instant recording" method for recording a broadcast by pressing a recording button while the user is receiving the broadcast, and a "preset (reserved) recording" method for recording a specific broadcast which is desired by the user and is received through a specific frequency at a preset time.
According to a procedure for setting up these recording functions, the instant recording is restricted to recording a broadcast which the user is currently viewing, and the preset recording requires selecting a separate menu and inputting information about a program to be recorded. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method for setting up recording which can be easily applied by users.
In addition, according to the preset recording method, since provided DMB broadcasts differ according to country areas and the DMB terminal 100 is mobile, an ensemble of available broadcast programming may change due to movement of the terminal even though the terminal has been preset to record a specific broadcast received through a specific frequency at a preset time. Then, a different DMB broadcast may be recorded, instead of a specific DMB program preset by a user through a preset recording function of the DMB. An ensemble is a time, frequency and other identifying information regarding a specific broadcast programming and is
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a case in which a DMB terminal moves from one area to a different area, with the conventional preset recording function enabled.
In detail, FIG. 2 illustrates a case where a terrestrial DMB terminal 200-1 located in a first broadcasting area 21 moves to a second broadcasting area 22 (see reference numeral 200-2) in a state wherein a preset recording function has been specified for a specific broadcast program of KBS, a video service included in an ensemble 1 of the first broadcasting area 21.
For example, when the DMB terminal is preset to 9:00 AM in CITY A (i.e., first broadcasting area) to record a KBS program to be broadcast at 6:00 PM, and then the DMB terminal moves to CITY B (i.e., a second broadcasting area) at 5:00 PM, it becomes impossible to record the KBS program preset by the user because the DMB terminal cannot receive the preset program in CITY B.
Particularly, in the case of the terrestrial DMB, since the preset specification for a given broadcast can differ depending on broadcasting areas, there is a problem in that a preset recording may be performed which is contrary to the user's intention, when the broadcasting area in which a preset recording was specified differs from the broadcasting area in which the preset recording occurs. That is, there is a problem in that a broadcast different from that preset by the user may be recorded, or no broadcast is recorded at all.
Therefore, it is necessary to develop a function which modifies an already specified preset recording to reflect the broadcasting location of the DMB terminal when the DMB terminal moves from one terrestrial DMB broadcasting area to a different terrestrial DMB broadcasting area.

Preset recording method through service linking in DMB terminal


An implantable medical device (“IMD”) as described herein includes adjustable power characteristics such as variable transmitter output power and variable receiver front end gain. These power characteristics are adjusted based upon the intended or actual implant depth of the IMD. The IMD may process an IMD implant depth value (provided by an external IMD programming device) to generate power scaling instructions or control signals that are interpreted by the IMD transmitter and/or the IMD receiver. Such adjustability enables the IMD to satisfy minimum telemetry requirements in a manner that does not waste power, thus extending the IMD battery life.

IMDs are used to treat patients suffering from a variety of conditions. Examples of IMDs involving cardiac devices are implantable pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators ("ICDs"). Such electronic medical devices generally monitor the electrical activity of the heart and provide electrical stimulation to one or more of the heart chambers when necessary. For example, pacemakers provide appropriate electrical stimulation pulses at a controlled rate to selected chambers of the heart in order to control rate and/or correct the arrhythmias.
ICDs also detect arrhythmias and provide appropriate electrical stimulation pulses to selected chambers of the heart to correct an abnormal heart rate. In contrast to pacemakers, however, an ICD can also provide pulses that are much stronger and less frequent, where such pulses are generally designed to correct fibrillation, which is a rapid, unsynchronized quivering of one or more heart chambers, and severe tachycardias, during which the heartbeats are very fast but coordinated. To correct such arrhythmias, ICDs deliver low, moderate, or high-energy therapy pulses to the heart.
Generally, IMDs include on-board memory in which telemetered signals can be stored for later retrieval and analysis. Typically, the telemetered signals provide patient physiologic and cardiac information. This information is generally recorded on a per heartbeat, binned average basis, or derived basis, and involve, for example, atrial electrical activity, ventricular electrical activity, minute ventilation, patient activity score, cardiac output score, mixed venous oxygen score, cardiovascular pressure measures, time of day, and any interventions and the relative success of such interventions. Telemetered signals can also be stored in a broader class of monitors and therapeutic devices for other areas of medicine, including metabolism, endocrinology, hematology, neurology, muscular disorders, gastroenterology, urology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, orthopedics, and similar medical subspecialties.
Generally, upon detecting arrhythmias and, when necessary, providing corresponding therapies to correct such arrhythmias, IMDs store the telemetered signals over a set period of time (usually before, during, and after the occurrence of such arrhythmic event). Current practice in the art involves the use of an external communication unit, e.g., an external programmer, for non-invasive communication with IMDs via uplink and downlink communication channels associated with the communication device. In accordance with conventional medical device programming systems, a programming head can be used for facilitating two-way communication between IMDs and the external communication device. In many known IMD systems, the programming head can be positioned on the patient's body over the IMD side such that the programming head can send wireless signals to, and receive wireless signals from, the IMD in accordance with common practice in the art.
Implementation and operation of most, if not all, RF communication systems for IMDs and external communication devices involves a balancing or compromising of certain countervailing considerations, relating to such interrelated operational parameters as data transmission rate, transmission range, IMD power consumption and battery life, among numerous others. Such operational parameters are often interrelated in the sense that the adjustment of one operating parameter may permit or require the adjustment of one or more other operating parameters even while predetermined system performance goals and/or requirements continue to be met and predetermined limitations imposed upon operational parameter adjustment are adhered to. For example, to meet a minimum transmission range, the transmitter output power of an IMD must provide telemetry signals having sufficient energy.
Conventional IMDs are limited in that they typically operate with fixed power characteristics. Moreover, power characteristics of IMDs are usually set with the assumption that the IMD will be implanted at a relatively deep implant depth beneath the patient's skin, such as six or more centimeters. Consequently, when implanted at relatively shallow depths, such IMDs will transmit telemetry signals using more power than is necessary, resulting in wasted transmitter output power and decreased battery life.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an IMD equipped with variable power characteristics that can be adjusted in response to an intended, desired, or actual IMD implant depth. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Variable implantable medical device power characteristics based upon implant depth


A method and system for routing service calls made from lines resold to a competitive service provider includes advanced intelligent network and standard switching functionality. The call may be made into an AIN service switching point (60) or a non-AIN switch (62-64). All calls are routed to an AIN hub (190), such as a service switching point, via a trunk group. The AIN or non-AIN switch may access a line class code table (160-164) to determine the proper routing information. Calls made from resold lines are routed to the AIN hub (190). Once the call is routed to the AIN hub, a trigger (187) provisioned on the AIN hub and assigned to the incoming trunk group causes the hub to suspend the call and launch a query to a service control point (200). The query includes the directory number of the resold calling line and the originally dialed number. The SCP (670) accesses a data-base (675) containing directory numbers for resold lines and identifiers for competitive service providers. Once the carrier is located, additional tables may be accessed to determine the routing information specified by the carrier for handling the call. The routing information is transmitted by the SCP (670) back to the SSP (610). The SSP (610) then routes the call to the specified location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method and system for routing telephone service calls, including directory information, operator-assistance, and service repair calls made from resold lines. More particularly, this invention is directed to a method and system that routes service calls from resold lines using hybrid advanced intelligent network and switching functionality.
2. Background
The current telecommunications market includes a group of incumbent local exchange carriers ("ILECs") that own switching infrastructures and possess intelligent network capabilities. Each ILEC provides local telephone service for a particular geographic region of the country. This group of ILECs has existed for many years, and only recently have smaller carriers attempted to enter the market to establish a foothold. To enter the market, a carrier would be required to create its own switching infrastructure and intelligent network capabilities. Such a project would require the carrier to construct new telephone lines and cables, route those lines to each desired home, and create the necessary switching functionality. Clearly, this effort would cost millions, perhaps billions, of dollars for each emerging carrier.
Pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC has mandated certain "interconnection" requirements to make it easier for new carriers to enter a local telecommunications market. In FCC Report & Order in the matter of Local Competition, docket 96-98 released Aug. 8, 1996, the FCC required ILECs to "unbundle" certain elements of their existing telecommunications network. "Unbundling" is a regulatory requirement providing competitive local exchange carriers ("CLECs") or other service providers the ability to separately lease discrete functional components of an ILEC's network to provide service. An unbundled local loop, for example, is an ILEC-provided transmission path between, and including, the customer network interface (e.g., the jack) located at the end-customer's premises and the central office loop termination located in the ILEC's central office building. As another example, an unbundled port provides a service provider with local switching functionality, separate from the local loop, on an ILEC's switch as an alternative to providing a stand-alone switch. Numerous components may be unbundled, including the local loop, switch ports, and Advanced Intelligent Network ("AIN") triggers. If the loop and the port are rented to a service provider, however, the entire line is considered "resold."
In a resale environment, end customers on resold lines may still obtain certain services, such as operator-assisted service, directory information service ("411" and LNPA-555-1212, where "LNPA" is the Local Numbering Plan Area (i.e., the area code)), repair service ("611"), LNPA-555-1212 calls, and 976/900 number blocking, for example. Although the line has been resold, the customer remains connected to the ILEC's switch. Thus, when a resold customer dials 411 or 611, she will be connected to the ILEC's directory assistance operator or repair service operator, respectively. The customer will receive a bill from the service provider that owns the resold line. This scenario is often undesirable for the service provider. The service provider would prefer the option of having such calls be routed to its own operators who can provide a specific type of service.
To allow service providers to select their own locations for handling service calls, certain ILECs have incorporated methods within their network to identify individual lines as being resold. The use of line class codes is one such method for identifying resold lines. A line class code is a code within the ILEC's end office switch that is used to index a routing profile for a particular class of service. Each class of service, including various configurations of residential and business services, is assigned a line class code. The switch uses the line class code to determine the proper routing for the call. Each time a new service provider is introduced, a new set of line class codes corresponding to the existing line class codes may be assigned. This solution is not entirely feasible because a new line class code must be assigned potentially for every class of service and for every carrier. Moreover, the line class codes must be replicated in every switch. While ILECs have taken measures to prevent running out of line class codes, these codes are still considered limited resources.
Alternatively, ELECs may add new software directly to the switch to determine the proper routing for service calls made on resold lines. This would require modifying each switch in the ILEC's network. Switch vendors, however, have indicated that the capability to implement such modifications is years away and would be prohibitively expensive. In addition, making routing modifications in every switch would be very time-consuming.
The use of a pure advanced intelligent network ("AIN") method is a third option for ILECs. In an AIN environment, network nodes work autonomously and make decisions on routing and call handling without human intervention. Databases are often used to store information on how certain calls should be routed, or how calls should be handled. AIN triggers are also used to instruct various nodes on where to route calls and/or how to handle such calls. Unfortunately, the pure AIN solution has drawbacks. First, all of the ILEC's switches may not be AINN-compatible, thus making a complete AIN solution impossible. Second, all calls do not automatically cause an AIN trigger to fire. Thus, certain nodes would not detect certain calls as having been made from a resold line. As a result, such call would not be properly routed to the service provider's desired location.

Method and system for routing service calls made from resold lines

AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc.


A temporary and disposable cover for an electrical box. The cover includes a faceplate, side walls, and flexible tabs projecting inwardly from the side walls. When placed upon an electrical box with a permanent cover, the indents seat behind the sidewalls of the permanent cover and hold the temporary cover thereon. While seated upon the electrical box, the temporary cover protects the permanent cover and the forward portion of the electrical box from spatter, overruns, or any other misdirected applications of stucco mud to the surface surrounding the electrical box. After the stucco has cured, the temporary cover is disposed of. The temporary cover is capable of being manufacture at a low cost per unit, thereby permitting it to be disposed of after the stucco has been cured.

Buildings are commonly covered with stucco, especially in hot areas such as the Southeastern and Southwestern areas of the United States. Typically the building framework is first erected. Electrical services are then typically installed to the framework so that each receptacle, light fixture, and other electrical device can be mounted securely to an exposed stud or beam. Electrical wiring is then completed to each device and a substrate installed to cover the framework. Stucco is then typically spread over the substrate to provide a pleasing finished surface for the building.
Unfortunately, stucco frequently sticks to items other than the intended substrate, such as the electrical boxes that have been mounted in the substrate. Thus, during the application of stucco to the substrate, the installer must slow down and take care not to get stucco on the exposed portion of the electrical box. Many outdoor electrical boxes include a permanent cover to protect the electrical device installed within from weather such as snow or rain. Stucco installers then, as a result of spreading mud around the electrical box, frequently create spatter or overruns that contaminate the exposed portions of the electrical box or the permanent cover. Once the stucco cures, the spatter or overrun is not easily removed and this leads to an unsightly electrical box installation.
Some stucco installers apply masking tape around the outer portion of the electrical box to limit the portions of the box exposed to the stucco mud. This is not entirely satisfactory as it slows down the job and it is difficult to properly cover the entire permanent cover and exposed portions of the electrical box. Additional time is lost when the installer must later return and remove all of the tape from the electrical box and from the permanent cover.
What is needed therefore is a device to temporarily cover an electrical box and its permanent cover. The device should be capable of being manufactured at a low cost per unit, as it will be temporary and disposed of after the stucco wall has cured. The device should also be easy to install and easy to remove from the electrical box.

Temporary and disposable electrical box cover


The portable printer includes a housing having a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls, and a top wall defining a compartment having an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The top wall has an anterior section, a middle section and a rear section. The anterior section is pivotally connected to the middle section of the top wall and covers the anterior portion of the compartment, and a posterior lid is pivotally connected to the middle section of the top wall and covers the posterior portion of the compartment. A print head assembly, a primary feed mechanism and circuitry are disposed within the housing in order to feed a print medium through the printer and apply ink to the medium. A rechargeable battery may be connected to the circuitry.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing apparatus and, in particular, to a portable printer for producing print media for portable computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advances in portable computers, and communication technologies have lead to an increase in mobility. With this increase in mobility, there is a need to quickly print out documents from portable computers, such as laptop computers, wherever the user is located. For example, the user may be at a location where there is limited working space or at a location where there is no access to an external power source for operating the portable printer. Some portable printers are too bulky or heavy for carrying with the laptop computer. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a portable printer that is lightweight, battery-operated, uses limited working space, and is conveniently available to print documents from a laptop computer wherever the user is located.
Thus, a portable printer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


An improved modular telephone-style jack featuring a guidance system positioned on the lower outer wall so that the guidance system maintains the position of the surface mount solder tails of the contacts of the jack in a controlled fashion. The guidance system consists of a series of substantially linear, parallel ridges which extend outward from the outer wall so that the peak of each ridge is in contact with or immediately adjacent the upper surface of a printed circuit board. The peak of each ridge extends along the upper surface of the printed circuit board for a length that is greater than the length of the solder tail to provide alignment of each solder tail with its corresponding solder paste connection area. Each ridge prevents any solder tail from pivoting such that it could accidentally make contact with either neighboring solder tail. Each ridge further prevents the distance separating neighboring contacts from being reduced to such a small distance that solder could bridge across both contacts. This substantially reduces the risk of an electrical short between two separate signal paths which would render the soldered board unusable with a resultant high scrap cost with the loss of all soldered components. The peak of each ridge further serves to prevent migration and wicking of the solder paste for two separate circuits from joining to each other, thereby shorting the electrical connection between the two separate signal paths. This condition would also render the board unusable. The combination of features of the guidance system allows the solder tails to be formed so that no portion of the solder tail extends beyond the rear wall of the jack. This reverse gull wing configuration of the solder tail provides significant protection of the solder tails as a result of being located entirely under the lower wall of the jack so that the solder tails are not exposed to bending or twisting as normally occurs with j type or gull wing type solder tails or with other solder tail types which extend beyond the main rear wall of the jack.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, is directed toward a surface mount modular telephone-style jack which has protected, automatically aligned solder tails.
2. Description of Related Art
Telephone-style modular jacks are widely used in the computer networking and communications industries for interconnection of computers, modems, printers, and similar electronic equipment.
The demand for smaller packaging and more automated manufacturing has required the industry to increasingly use more surface mount components and the associated higher temperature board soldering processes in order to reduce the cost of an assembled printed circuit board and to improve the yield of electrically good circuit boards.
Two manufacturing processes which are increasingly used are IR and vapor phase soldering. In both processes, a metallic mask is used which contains cutouts of various shapes and sizes so that a paste of solder can be silk screened onto the circuit board surface. The cutouts correspond to locations of interconnections, either to solder tails of surface mount components or connectors or to metallic traces which form the electrical paths within a multi-layer circuit board. During the soldering process, the temperature of the chamber that the circuit boards pass through is of a sufficiently high temperature so that the solder paste on the board is increased to liquefy the solder. This allows the solder to wick onto any metallic surface in contact with the solder paste, forming an electrical connection which is typically referred to as a solder filet.
The IR soldering process uses radiant heat to heat both the surface mount components as well as the solder paste so that the solder tails are heated to a specific high temperature such that the liquefied solder is drawn to the solder tails, a process called wicking. The vapor phase soldering process heats a gaseous material which transfers the heat to each component as well as the solder paste, liquefying the solder paste in a similar manner to that described for IR soldering. As the circuit board passes from the highest temperature reflow chamber to a lower temperature, the solder solidifies. This produces solder filets.
Surface mount connectors typically use one of several configurations of solder tails to provide a means of forming an electrical connection from the printed circuit board to the contacts of the connector. One configuration is called a "J" tail, in which the solderable end of the contact is formed into the shape of the letter J. The curved bottom of the J is positioned such that the lowest point of the curved bottom is below the upper surface of the circuit board when the connector is fully seated on the circuit board. This would normally mean that the connector could not mount and grip the circuit board as the lowest solder tail point would meet and engage against the upper surface of the board, preventing the connector from being seated against the circuit board. However, the free end of the curve is not restrained, thereby allowing the curved surface to flex when engaging a rigid surface. By this flexing capability, the curve of the J, once the connector has been seated to the board, applies a force against the solder paste which resides on the surface of the circuit board. This applied force causes the curve of the J to press down against the circuit board and thereby remain fully within the solder paste, so that when the solder of the paste liquefies and wicks onto the solder tail, the lower part of the curve is surrounded by solder to produce a gas-tight solder joint. This is necessary to make a reliable electrical connection between the contact solder tail and the metal circuit of the circuit board. The gull wing is another widely used configuration for a solder tail of an electrical contact within a component. The gull wing has the approximate shape of the letter "L", in which the foot of the L extends away from the component body. The foot may optionally angle slightly downward to make contact with the solder paste on the printed circuit board surface.
The gull wing style of solder tail is a rigid shape which does not flex, so that the foot resides in the solder paste due to the effect of surface tension, which keeps the foot in its position relatively constant to the paste. This style of solder tail is used primarily for integrated circuits (IC's) because they have low weight. The low weight of IC's allows the solder paste to exert a substantial hold on the component to retain the alignment of the gull wing's foot in alignment with the corresponding solder paste trace on the printed circuit board, which results in the solder wicking around the foot of the gull wing to produce a gas-tight connection to each solder tail.
One newer solder tail design is a variation of the gull wing to attempt to overcome the difficulties of the prior art solder tails when used with connectors. This newer solder tail can be described as a sweeping "L" because of its shape and its profile which resembles a sweep elbow. The vertical portion of the L is reduced in length so that this portion is shorter than the sweep and the foot taken together. The sweep typically has a contained angle greater than ninety degrees so that the foot of the solder tail angles down toward the printed circuit board. As the sweep is curved in its shape, it has an inherent spring quality so that it can maintain the foot in constant engagement with the solder paste on the printed circuit board. Because of the spring properties, the foot is held in the solder paste so that during solder reflow, the solder flows around the tip of the foot and forms a gas-tight connection to the solder tail foot.
This design, while providing an improvement over prior art designs, still has two major deficiencies of previous solder tail designs. In all prior art designs, a portion of the solder tail extends beyond the rear wall of the connector. This extended portion is beyond the protective boundary of the connector housing, and is exposed to possible mechanical damage or alteration of alignment from its original alignment. Damage or misalignment could occur during packaging of the connectors, or during stacking or handling during shipment or warehousing, during removal of the connectors from their packaging containers, or during pickup and handling by automated pick and place equipment.
Due to the close spacing of components and the density of connections on surface mount printed circuit boards, alignment of solder tails to solder paste is critical and has very low margin for error. Even a slight misalignment of the solder tails can easily result in a high resistance, incomplete connection, or a failed, non-electrical connection, or in a bridged connection between two adjacent solder tails from solder that bridges over to both tails. The fully assembled printed circuit board that is produced is now defective because of the connector and it must be scrapped.
Another deficiency is the absence of a means of controlling the alignment of the solder tails to maintain a high degree of alignment accuracy. The yield of defect free printed circuit boards is in direct proportion to the relative alignment of a solder tail to its corresponding solder paste pattern on the printed circuit board. As previously described, the density of traces on the printed circuit board is becoming greater with less clearance space between each such trace and therefore less tolerance is available for aligning a solder tail.
Various approaches have been used to try and overcome these deficiencies in the designs of surface mount connectors, such as is taught in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,992,052 and 5,413,491, the disclosure of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,491 contains two rows of contacts, in which each contact is comprised of a mating portion designed to engage a square post mateable, and a solder tail portion in the configuration of a gull wing. The foot of each gull wing portion is angled slightly downward to engage into the solder paste and against the surface of the printed circuit board when the connector is fully seated against the printed circuit board. The foot of each gull wing projects out beyond the side wall of the connector body that retains the contact so that the free end of the foot is exposed to external damage.
A primary objective of U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,052 is to provide an improved gull wing type of contact which utilizes an angled transition portion from the start of the foot of the "L" to a point more than half the length of the foot. The solder portion of the foot is less than the angled portion and is aligned at an angle from the angled portion such that the solder portion is substantially parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board. The angled transition portion provides spring pressure engagement through the solder portion by holding the solder portion against the surface of the printed circuit board and within the solder paste.
While the recent prior art makes some improvements toward addressing the problem of providing precise alignment of each solder tail to the solder paste pattern that corresponds to each solder tail, and provides for some additional spring engagement of each solder tail to its corresponding solder paste area, it remains deficient in providing the high precision of alignment of the solder tail to its corresponding solder paste, and in protecting the solder tails from possible alignment or mechanical damage.


A metallic mold for casting a vehicle wheel having openings in a periphery of a disk portion of the wheel comprises a first mold for forming that external side of the wheel which faces an outside of a vehicle when mounted thereon and a second mold for forming an internal side of the wheel. The first mold has those projections for forming the openings which abut the second mold. A high-hardness coating material is coated by electric discharge coating on at least those base portions of the projections which extend diametrically inwards of the wheel, among outer surfaces of the projections. A coating of a mold coating agent is formed on portions of sharp draft in the projections. The coating has a three-layer construction comprising an under coat coated with a mold coating agent consisting essentially of ceramics, a middle coat coated with a mold coating agent consisting essentially of a mixture of boron nitride with ceramics, and a top coat coated with a mold coating agent consisting essentially of titania.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metallic mold for casting a vehicle wheel having openings in the periphery of a disk portion thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 151344/1990, there is conventionally known a metallic mold which comprises a lower mold, an upper mold and split molds for enclosing the lower and upper molds and in which molten aluminum is filled into a cavity inside the metallic mold by utilizing a gas pressure such as a pneumatic pressure or the like to cast a vehicle wheel by low pressure die casting. In this mold, it is presumed that an external surface which faces the outside when the wheel is actually mounted on a vehicle is formed by the lower mold, that an internal surface of the wheel is formed by the upper mold, and that an outer periphery of a rim portion of the wheel is formed by the split molds, respectively. In order to prevent the external surface of the wheel from giving rise to defects by shrinkage cavities or the like, it is so arranged that the lower mold is water-cooled so that the molten aluminum is solidified from the side of the lower mold, i.e., from the side of the external surface of the wheel.
In addition, it is known, in order to improve the releasing or parting property of the molds and the fluidity of the molten material, to coat the forming surface of each of the molds with a mold coating agent consisting of ceramics.
In case where projections which are used for forming openings and which abut the upper mold are provided on the lower mold in order to form openings such as wind openings which are indented inwards from the external surface in the periphery of the disk portion of the wheel, if the upper mold is cooled later than the lower mold so that the molten material is solidified from the side of the lower mold, the projections trying to be displaced diametrically inwards of the wheel through the shrinkage of the lower mold due to cooling thereof are restricted in their displacement by the upper mold which abuts the projections. As a result, those base portions of the projections which extend diametrically inwards are scratched by the shrinking molten material that shrinks due to solidification, and the mold coating agent of those portions is likely to be peeled off. This results in an increased coating frequency of the mold coating agent and a consequent poor productivity.


A putter assembly and the method of converting a putter assembly between a practice configuration and a regulation play configuration. The putter assembly has a shaft. A putter head is attached to the shaft. The putter head has a striking surface for striking a golf ball. A connection receptacle is disposed on the striking surface of the putter head. A training rod is provided that has a predetermined weight. A plug is also provided that has a weight generally equal to that of the rod. Either the rod or the plug can be attached to the connection receptacle in the putter head. When the rod is attached, the putter is configured for use in training, wherein the rod provides a reference guide during putting. When the rod is removed and the plug is set in place, the putter is ready for regulation play.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to the structure of putters that are used in playing the game of golf. More particularly, the present invention is directed toward golf putters with secondary visual and/or tactile aids that can be used in developing a proper putting swing.
2. Description of Related Art
In the game of golf, the object of the game is to get a golf ball into a distant golf hole with as few strikes with a golf club as possible. In golf, the hole is positioned on a green of finely manicured grass. When a golf ball lands on the green, it is most commonly struck toward the hole with a putter. A putter is a golf club that has a generally flat striking surface. Thus, when a golf ball is struck with the putter, the golf ball tends to roll forward on the green rather than fly up into the air.
The prior art is replete with many different designs for putters and putter heads. In this collection of designs, there exist many golf putters that have features that are intended to help a golfer practice proper putting techniques.
When a golfer putts, the golfer wants to strike the golf ball flush in the center of the putter, without having the putter experience any lateral movement relative the ball. That is, the head of the putter should only be traveling in the exact direction the golfer wants the golf ball to travel when the putter strikes the golf ball. In order to consistently putt in this manner, a golfer must practice his putting and his golf swing with the putter.
In the prior art, golf putters have been created that contain guide rods. The guide rods extend from the golf putter and provide a visual and/or tactile reference guide that can be used to practice putting. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,313, to Finley, entitled Golf Putter With Foldable Aiming Device, a putter is shown having a rod that extends behind the face of the putter at a perpendicular. The rod provides a visual alignment tool to a golfer practicing putting. By aligning the rod with the golf ball and keeping the rod in alignment with the golf ball throughout the putter's swing, a person can train himself/herself to properly swing the putter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,761, to Palotsee, entitled Golf Putter With Aligning Device, another putter is shown that uses a rod as a visual aid. In this patent, the rod extends out in front of the putter's face and passes over the top of a golf ball as the putter strikes the golf ball. Again, the rod provides a visual alignment tool to a person practicing putting. By aligning the rod with the golf ball and keeping the rod in alignment with the golf ball throughout the putter's swing, a golfer can train themselves to properly swing the putter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,695, to Wolk, entitled Apparatus For Training A Golfer To Properly Putt A Golf Ball, yet another putter design is shown that uses rods. In the Wolk design, two parallel rods extend from the front of the putter's face. The rods provide both a visual indicator and a tactile indicator for a golfer. If a golfer swings straight, the rods travel straight and the golf ball strikes the putter's face without touching the rods. If a golf swing is not straight, the rods will not travel straight and the rods will strike the golf ball.
Although the use of rods is very effective in providing a visual indicator for putting straight, the use of such rods is not allowed under current USPGA rules. Thus, such putters are useful for practicing putting, but they cannot be used during an official round of golf. Consequently, a golfer using such a practice putter must have a practice putter and a different game putter. Good golfers strive for consistency. To achieve consistency in putting, most serious golfers practice putting with the same putter they use during regulation play. In this manner, golfers become accustomed to their putter and can use their putter in a consistent manner. This need for consistency has made many specialty training putters unpopular, even though many golfers could benefit from the use of such practice putters.
A need therefore exists for a golf putter that can be selectively converted between a practice putter and a regulation putter without varying the characteristics of the putter. In this manner, golfers can use the same putter both in training and during regulation play, thereby improving consistency. This need is met by the present invention as it is described and claimed below.


It is an object of the invention to improve the utility of an electromagnetic absorber system which is disposed in a suspension system of a vehicle and which generates a damping force by a generation force of a motor. The electromagnetic absorber system 18 is equipped with high-speed-motion responding means, thereby obviating an insufficiency of the damping force and a deterioration of the controllability in a high-speed stroke motion. More specifically, a hydraulic absorber 64 is provided in combination with the electromagnetic absorber system such that the hydraulic absorber 64 operates in the high-speed motion in which an electromotive force of the motor 68 exceeds a power source voltage Further, two motors having mutually different T-N characteristics are provided, and the two motors are selectively operated depending upon a stroke speed. Further, a variable resistor is interposed between the motor and the power source, and a resistance value of the variable resistor is increased in the high-speed motion to realize a decrease in a time constant of the motor, etc. Moreover, to cope with a large extent of unevenness of a road surface, an active stroke motion is performed by a drive force of the motor, thereby preventing the high-speed motion from being performed.

A conventional suspension system for a vehicle is equipped with a so-called hydraulic shock absorber by which is generated a damping force with respect to a motion of the wheel and the vehicle body toward and away from each other. Because such a motion can be considered to be a stroke motion of the wheel relative to the vehicle body, the motion will be hereinafter referred to as "stroke motion" where appropriate. Recently, in place of such a hydraulic damping-force generating device, there has been proposed a suspension system equipped with a damping-force generating device as disclosed in the following Patent Document, namely, a device configured to generate a damping force that depends on a generation force generated by an electromagnetic motor. Such a suspension system is a so-called electromagnetic suspension system (hereinafter abbreviated as "electromagnetic suspension" where appropriate). The electromagnetic suspension is configured to appropriately control the magnitude of the damping force by controlling the generation force of the electromagnetic motor. That is, the electromagnetic suspension is installed on the vehicle while utilizing good controllability of the electromagnetic suspension, thereby improving the ride comfort of the vehicle, the steering stability, and so on.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-8-197931

Damping force generation system and vehicle suspension system constructed by including the same


A solid (i.e., heterogeneous) catalyst useful for preparing an alkylene glycol from the corresponding alkylene oxide as well as a process for the catalytic hydration of an alkylene oxide to an alkylene glycol utilizing such a catalyst are provided. The catalyst of the present invention is based on an ion exchange resin including polystyrene crosslinked with from about 2 to about 10 weight (wt.) % divinyl benzene. The ion exchange resin further includes quaternary ammonium groups or quaternary phosphonium groups. The process includes reacting water and an alkylene oxide in at least one reactor under conditions to form an alkylene glycol, wherein the at least one reactor includes a catalyst based on an ion exchange resin that includes polystyrene crosslinked with from about 2 to about 10 weight (wt.) % divinyl benzene.

Alkylene glycols, such as monoalkylene glycols, are of continued commercial interest and the demand for the same has increased. For example, monoalkylene glycols are used in anti-freeze compositions, as solvents and as base materials in the production of polyalkylene terephthalates, e.g., for fibers and bottles.
Alkylene glycols are typically prepared from their corresponding alkylene oxide utilizing a liquid phase hydrolysis process. In commercial production, the hydrolysis reaction is performed without a catalyst by adding a large excess of water, e.g., 15 to 30 moles of water per mole of alkylene oxide. The prior art hydrolysis reaction is a nucleophilic substitution reaction, in which ring opening of the alkylene oxide occurs and water serves as the nucleophile.
Because initially formed monoalkylene glycol also acts as a nucleophile, a mixture of monoalkylene glycol, dialkylene glycol and higher alkylene glycols is typically formed. In order to increase the selectivity to monoalkylene glycol, it is necessary to suppress the secondary reaction between the primary product and the alkylene oxide, which competes with the hydrolysis of the alkylene oxide.
One effective technique for suppressing the secondary reaction is to increase the amount of water present in the reaction mixture. Although this prior art technique improves the selectivity towards the production of the monoalkylene glycol, it creates a problem in that large amounts of water have to be removed. Removing such additional water increases production costs because such a removal process is energy intensive and requires large-scale evaporation/distillation facilities.
A number of prior art publications show that higher selectivity to monoalkylene glycols can be achieved if the reactions are conducted using heterogeneous catalytic processes, such as, for example, with catalysts based on an ion exchange resin as disclosed in EP-A-156,449 (metalate-containing anion exchange resins); JP-A-57-139026 (anion-exchange resin in the halogen form); Russian Patent Nos. 2062726 and 2001901 (anion exchange resin in the bicarbonate form); WO 95/20559 (anion exchange resin); and WO 97/33850 (anion exchange resin).
Despite all of the advances made in the catalytic hydrolysis of alkylene oxides, there is a continued need for providing a new and improved catalytic hydration (e.g., hydrolysis) process for producing monoalkylene glycol from the corresponding alkylene oxides. In particular, there is a need for providing a solid (i.e., heterogeneous) catalyst that is used in such catalytic hydration reactions such that the heterogeneous catalyst employed provides improved conversion and/or selectivity.

Solid catalyst useful for converting an alkylene oxide to an alkylene glycol

SD Lizenzverwertungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG


Integrated echo cancellers in a telecommunications system are tested using a test apparatus connected to the main communications trunk where a large number of individual signals are multiplexed together. The signals are de-multiplexed in the test apparatus and specific amounts of echo delay, echo magnitude, and line delay can be introduced for any selected signals within the group on the trunk. The signals are then re-multiplexed and returned to the trunk in a direction back toward the echo canceller.

The present invention relates in general to testing echo cancellers in telecommunication systems, and, more specifically, to individually testing echo cancellers for individual subscriber terminals without directly connecting to individual echo cancellers.
Due to impedance mismatches in transmission line terminations and due to transmission delays within telephone systems, electrical signal reflections (i.e., echoes) can be inadvertently created in telephone transmissions. To avoid a degradation in the voice or data signals, echo cancellers are typically deployed in central offices for each individual subscriber line connection (an individual line often being referred to as a DS-0). Echo cancellers most often use digital signal processing and are typically integrated within communication system components such as the codecs that interface between an analog terminal and a public telephone network.
As telecommunications networks increase in size and complexity, the importance of accurate and timely testing of existing and new equipment becomes great. In order to provide competitively priced service, however, the costs of testing and maintenance need to be kept low. The amount and types of test equipment, set-up times, and test procedures used by conventional echo canceller testing have resulted in high costs and slow performance. In a typical prior art procedure, for example, each DS-0 has been separately broken-out physically at a D Bank with media simulators and digital cross-connects being connected to each. Such a process has a long set-up time and is labor intensive.
Prior test equipment and methods have also been limited with respect to the types of tests and test signals that could be generated. Thus, there has continued to be a lack of flexibility in echo canceller testing, with test equipment having to be specifically designed for narrowly defined tests.


A shaped video having an input key control signal associated therewith is processed by carrying out a first operation on the input key control signal to provide a first processed signal, carrying out a second operation on the first processed signal to provide a second processed signal, and combining the shaped video signal and the second processed signal to provide an output video signal. One of the first and second operations comprises translation. In this manner, a simulated shadow is added to the shaped video signal.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for processing a shaped video signal that represents an object to add a simulated shadow.
A common video effect performed using a video production switcher involves displaying alphanumeric characters against a selected background scene. For example, the characters might represent the title of a news program and the background scene might be a still image of an event of current interest.
Generally, the production switcher receives a full screen digital foreground video signal representing the title characters in a field of a selected color, typically a saturated blue, and a digital key control signal that has a value of zero for all points of the video field that are outside the boundaries of the title characters, a value of one for points that are inside the boundary of a character, and a value between zero and one in transition regions at the edges of characters. The key control signal is similar to a video signal containing no hue or saturation information and having a high contrast, i.e. a video signal representing a white object in a black field. The key control signal defines the region of the field that is occupied by the title characters represented by the foreground video signal. If the foreground video signal and a background video signal are linearly mixed to form an output signal, with the contribution of the foreground signal to the output signal being directly proportional to the value of the key control signal, the key control signal determines opacity of the title characters in the composite image represented by the output signal. The foreground video signal is multiplied by the key control signal to provide a so-called shaped foreground video signal. Since a value of zero in current digital video standards represents black (after a black level offset has been subtracted),the shaped video signal represents the characters in a black field. The production switcher also receives a full field background video signal representing the selected background scene, and the background video signal and the shaped foreground video signal are applied to a mixer, which multiplies the background signal by the complement of the key control signal and additively combines the result with the shaped foreground video signal, resulting in a montage signal representing the characters against the background scene.
The result of the operation described in the preceding paragraph is generally a video signal that represents a flat image having no depth information, as if the characters had been simply painted on a screen bearing the background scene. However, an image that is generally more visually pleasing can be obtained by processing the signals so that the characters appear to cast a shadow on the background scene, whereby an impression of three-dimensional depth is imparted to the viewer. The existence of the shadow implies to the viewer that the characters are spaced from the background image and that they are illuminated, and the position of the shadow relative to the characters conveys information about the position of the imagined light source.
It is known to create this shadow effect by using a digital picture manipulator with both primary and secondary key channel memories. The key control signal, which defines the geometric region occupied by, e.g., title characters, is written into both key channel memories and the shaped foreground video signal representing the characters is written into a video channel memory. The contents of the video channel memory and the primary key channel memory are read out using the same address signal, and concurrently the contents of the secondary key channel memory are read out using an address signal that is offset, horizontally and vertically, from the address signal used to read the primary key channel memory. Accordingly, the output of the secondary key channel memory defines the same geometric shape as the output of the primary key channel memory but the shape defined by the output of the secondary key channel memory is offset slightly from the shape defined by the output of the primary key channel memory. The output of the secondary key channel memory is multiplied by a shadow density factor to provide a shadow signal, and the background video signal is multiplied by the complement of (one minus) the shadow signal to provide a modified background signal. In the modified background signal, the brightness of the background scene is reduced within the area occupied by the geometric shape defined by the output of the secondary key channel memory. The modified background signal is then combined with the output of the video channel memory, and the dimmed area of the background then appears to be a shadow cast on the background by the characters.
This method of adding shadow information is subject to disadvantage, in that it requires two key channel memories as well as a video channel memory. Further, use of a digital picture manipulator simply for addition of shadows does not make good use of the capabilities of such device, which can be used for a wide range of video effects, including those that require rotation about arbitrary axes. In a digital picture manipulator having a single key channel memory, shadows can be created by alternating key memory samples for use as both the key control signal and the shadow signal, but this technique is undesirable because it results in degradation of both the foreground image information and the shadow information.

Method of and apparatus for processing a shaped video signal to add a simulated shadow


A molded illuminating device (12) comprising a housing (14) molded into any desired shape and form. A facility (16) within the housing (14) is for illuminating the housing (14). A structure (18) is for attaching the housing (14) to an article (20) that requires illumination for a novelty effect and safety visibility.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to light transmitting systems and more specifically it relates to a molded illuminating device. The molded illuminating device consists of a light source in a housing with tiny reflective particles to increase illumination when activated. The device can be molded into various shapes and attached to different types of articles that require illumination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous light transmitting systems have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,205,350 to Roszkowski et al.; 3,400,263 to Yakim; 5,419,061 to Barrocas; 5,508,899 to McCormick; 5,436,817 to Wotton et al. and 5,567,037 to Ferber all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A resorbable silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite that finds utility for drug delivery. The bioactive composite is loaded with a pharmaceutical composition and releases a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition for periods of up the 28 days.

Silica-based bioactive glasses and calcium phosphate ceramics have long been known to serve as synthetic materials useful in the promotion of bone formation in repairing bone fractures and the like. These materials are considered bioactive because they bond to bone and enhance bone tissue formation with a variable degree of success.
An estimated 11 million people in the United States have at least one medical device implant. Two types of implants, fixation devices (usually fracture fixation) and artificial joints are used in orthopedic treatments and oral and maxillofacial procedures. Approximately 80% of the fracture fixation requires adjuvant grafting. Among the joint replacement procedures an increasing number are revision surgeries with their adjuvant need for bone grafting.
Current approaches to difficult bone repair problems include utilization of autografts, allografts and synthetic grafts. Although at present auto graft material is preferentially used, there is limitation in its use, including donor site morbidity, limited donor bone supply, anatomical and structural problems and elevated levels of resorption during healing. The use of allografts has a disadvantage of eliciting an immunalogical response due to genetic differences and the risk of reducing transmissible diseases. Considerable attention has been directed to the use of synthetic materials for bone graft, most notably hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate and bioactive glass. The synthetic graft material is also used to form coatings on implants, such as pins and the like, to promote attachment of new bone growth to the implement. In addition, these materials are also used as fillers in biopoloymer composites and drug delivery vehicles.

Silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite for improved synthetic graft resorbability and tissue regeneration


The binary, on-or-off commands for a binary scan-line-oriented display are obtained by half-toning through the use of a dither matrix of the clustered-dot variety. But in "tiling" the display surface with the replicated dither matrix, successive columns of the dither matrices are offset from each other, in the direction transverse to the scan direction, by a fraction of the cluster-row spacing. This reduces the banding artifacts that otherwise result from non-uniform scan-line spacing.

Many display devices, such as laser printers and ink-jet printers, form their displays in a raster-scan manner: the ink dispenser or laser beam scans from left to right and/or right to left in successive rows on the display medium. In this way, it renders an image that at some point has been represented in a raster-scan format as discrete picture-element ("pixel") values. This representation, as well as processing employed to command the display device to render it, are based on the assumption of a regular pixel spacing: the row-to-row spacing is assumed to be uniform. But it is difficult to cause reality to match this ideal so closely that imperfections are not detectable, so one must either exercise great care and suffer the attendant expense in order to achieve the required uniformity or tolerate the artifacts that result from failure to do so.
One of the undesirable visual artifacts of this lack of uniformity is a type of banding that is sometimes seen in regions where the display device is attempting to render a uniform gray or other color level. Instead of the uniform color, the non-uniform scan-line spacing ends up causing bands of lighter and darker regions. This typically results from interaction of the non-uniform line spacing with the half-toning process that the printer or similar display device uses to render shades of gray. At any given pixel, devices such as ink-jet and laser printers are typically capable only of on-and off operation: they either deposit a dot of the imaging agent in the pixel or not. In a monochrome printer, for instance, a given pixel is only black or white; there is no shade of gray.
In order to render gray-scale values, printers rely instead on duty cycle. In regions that are intended to be darker, more pixels receive dots. In lighter regions, fewer do. One way of achieving this result is to have groups of dots form clusters, which are larger or smaller in accordance with the intended gray level to be rendered. The effect is quite similar to that of the traditional photoengraving half-tone screen. Non-uniform spacing can make clusters formed by different row sequences differ in size and thereby cause unintended variations in displayed color. These variations tend to form undesirable visible bands.
One can avoid this effect by employing different half-toning techniques, such as distributed-dot dithering, in which the "turned-on" pixels are not clustered together. Because clusters generally do not form, non-uniform scan-line spacing does not change cluster size, so the non-uniform line spacing is less evident. But this method relies to a certain extent on the display device's ability to display isolated pixels, and certain types of display devices are limited in this respect.

Banding noise reduction for clustered-dot dither