A positioning system for use in radiosurgery including a frame rigidly attachable to a part of a patient, a positioner operative to move the frame together with the part of the patient rigidly attached thereto, in at least one of six degrees of freedom, sensing apparatus operative to measure position and orientation of the frame with reference to a center of rotation, a motion controller operative to control the position and the orientation of the frame relative to the center of rotation in a time domain according to a predetermined formula.

Stereotactic radiosurgery provides a dose of radiation in a target volume in a patient. The target is irradiated at a multiplicity of orientations with finely collimated beams.
The use of stereotactic radiosurgery to render tissue necrotic is well established and various systems are currently used for stereotactic radiosurgery. The prior art recognizes the need to confine radiation as much as possible to the target volume being treated. Generation of a desired dose pattern at the target volume is the objective of a treatment plan which takes into account limitations of the particular radiosurgical system used. Typical types include a Gamma Unit which utilizes a multiplicity of Cobalt-60 sources arranged on a spherical surface, a linear accelerator (LINAC) which utilizes a photon beam source mounted on a rotating gantry, and a stationary generator for a beam of charged particles. These radiosurgical systems, as well as associated methods, characteristics and performances are described in various publications, e.g., in Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Alexander E. et al., McGraw-Hill, 1993; and in Neurosurgery Clinics of North America, vol. 3, no. 1, Lunsford L. D. (editor), W. B. Saunders Co., Jan. 1992.
Treatment planning capabilities include a selection of a dose level to the target, a choice of collimators for beam shaping and a determination of beam orientations at which radiation is applied to the target volume. In order to reduce the dose deposited in healthy tissue outside the target volume, it is generally desirable to spread beam orientations over a wide range.
The prior art describes beam orientations of the Gamma Unit as being fixed relative to the stationary unit. The orientation of the beam with respect to the target may be determined only by selecting the initial elevation angle of the patient's head relative to the unit. Radiation intensities and exposure times of all unplugged beams are identical for all orientations. Dose patterns may be shaped only by the elimination of selected beams through plugging the corresponding collimators prior to treatment.
A typical implementation of LINAC scanning involves rotating the LINAC gantry about its horizontal axis which orthogonally intersects the beam and the target volume at an isocenter. Such rotation causes a beam of radiation to trace an arc on a sphere surrounding the target. A multiplicity of non co-planar arcs is produced by consecutive gantry rotations, each one associated with an increment of the azimuthal orientation of the patient. The number of arcs is typically between 4 and 11. The beam intensity for each arc stays constant throughout the continuous arc irradiation. The heavy rotating gantry is associated with added expense and reduced accuracy.
Another prior art implementation of LINAC beam scanning is by rotating the patient about a vertical axis which intersects the target and irradiating with a beam which is angled with respect to the axis. Each such rotation is geometrically equivalent to the beam forming a conical surface of radiation. Incrementing the beam slant angle between consecutive rotations produces a multiplicity of coaxial conical radiation surfaces having the target in the focus. Here too, the beam intensity for each conical scan stays constant throughout the irradiation.
Yet another prior art implementation of LINAC beam scanning is by simultaneous rotation of the LINAC gantry and of the patient turntable. The orthogonal axes of rotation intersect the radiation beam at an isocenter coinciding with the target. The rotational speed about each axis is constant. The beam intensity, however, remains constant throughout the continuous irradiation. The heavy rotating gantry is associated with added expense and reduced accuracy.
Charged particles stereotactic radiosurgery uses a different approach. Since the horizontal radiation beam is stationary, beam orientations are obtained by incrementing the azimuthal orientation of the patient as well as the roll angle of the patient about a longitudinal horizontal axis. The axes of rotation intersect the radiation beam orthogonally at an isocenter coinciding with the target. Irradiation is discrete (i.e. non-continuous) from a small number of orientations. Time consuming positioning of the patient is required for each such orientation, thus preventing the use of a large number of orientations.


A connection element (10), having a constant cross-section for sheet pile wall components such as sheet piles, features a claw profile (12) for engaging a head strip (44) of a sheet pile wall component (42). The claw profile (12) exhibits a claw-shaped lock (22) formed by two hook strips (18, 20) as well as an attachment profile (14) for engaging in a claw-shaped lock (46) of a sheet pile wall component (42). The attachment profile (14) exhibits a straight neck strip (32) and a head strip (34) of a greater cross-section at its free end. An additional head strip (38) for securing a claw-shaped lock (46) of a sheet pile wall component (42) is formed at the free end section (28) of at least one of the hook strips (20) of the claw profile (12).

The invention relates to a connection element with a constant cross-section for sheet pile wall components, such as sheet piles with a claw profile for engaging a head strip of a sheet pile wall component, whereby the claw profile exhibits a claw-shaped lock chamber formed by two hook strips, as well as an attachment profile for engaging in a claw-shaped lock of a sheet pile wall component, whereby the attachment profile exhibits a straight neck strip and a head strip of a greater cross-section provided at its free end. In addition, the invention relates to a sheet pile wall comprised of several sheet piles, where at least two of the sheet piles are connected to each other through a connection element of the type mentioned above.
A connection element of the type mentioned above is known from DE 203 19 175 U1 and from DE 20 2004 018 659 U1. This known connection element is used for connecting sheet pile wall components to each other, which are equipped with so-called ball-and-socket locks. This includes conventional Z- or U-sheet piles with ball-and-socket locks as well as T-beams and I-beams as described in DE 103 07 414 A1 that are provided with ball locks and/or socket locks at the free ends of their flanges. In this context, a ball lock refers to a lock that is formed in the shape of a head strip that stretches along the entire longitudinal edge of the sheet pile and has an oval cross-section. A socket lock refers to a lock with a claw-shaped cross-section in which the ball lock of a sheet pile wall component can engage.
Using the known connection elements, it is possible to couple sheet pile wall components to each other that run at different angles to each other. To this end, the connection element that exhibits a constant cross-section is provided with an attachment profile and a claw profile and in its length is adapted to the lengths of the respective sheet pile wall components that are to be connected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Connection element and a sheet pile wall with connection element therefor


A method and system for producing a subsea well includes installing a pump and a gas/liquid separator on a sea floor. The system flows well fluid up the well to the pump, boosting the pressure of the well fluid. The system flows the well fluid from the pump into the gas/liquid separator and separates gas from the well fluid. The stream of liquid flows up a flow line to a remote production facility. The stream of gas is injected back into the well at a selected depth to mix with the well fluid flowing up the well. The injection of gas creates a gas lift system that lightens the hydrostatic pressure of the well fluid in the well.

Subsea hydrocarbon wells in deep water initially have enough natural or reservoir pressure to flow the well fluids to a wellhead at the sea floor, plus up a riser or flow line to a processing facility at the sea surface. The reservoir pressure declines over time, and eventually becomes inadequate to lift the well fluid to the surface processing facility, which may be thousands of feet above the sea floor. Even though the well may have sufficient pressure to lift the column to the sea floor, it may have to be closed in unless some type of artificial lift is employed.
Well submersible pumps are commonly used in land-based wells to pump the well fluid to the wellhead when the reservoir pressure is inadequate. One type of submersible well pump is an electrical submersible pump (ESP), which normally employs a three-phase electrical motor to drive a centrifugal pump. In most installations, the ESP is supported on a string of production tubing extending into the well. ESPs are capable of not only lifting the column of well fluid to the wellhead, but if installed in a subsea well, also up a riser or flow line to a production facility. However, ESPs have to be pulled from the well from time to time for maintenance or replacement. In deep water, pulling an ESP from a subsea well is very expensive. Normally, a semi-submersible drilling rig is required to pull the production tubing and the ESP from a well. Consequently, operators are reluctant to install ESPs in deep water subsea wells.
Sea floor pumps have been proposed to boost the pressure of the well fluid flowing out of the wellhead. A sea floor pump lifts the column of well fluid from the sea floor to a production facility at the surface. However, sea floor pumps are also quite expensive if installed in deep water.
Both land-based and subsea wells have used a technique known as gas lift to enhance production of a well. In one technique, a gas lift mandrel will be secured in the production tubing. The gas lift mandrel has a port leading from the tubing annulus surrounding the production tubing to the interior of the production tubing. A check valve can be lowered on a wireline through the tubing and installed in the gas lift mandrel. The operator pumps compressed gas into the tubing annulus, which flows through the check valve into the column of well fluid in the production tubing. The injected gas lightens the column of well fluid in the tubing, facilitating flow to the well head. A drawback to subsea gas lift is the requirement for a gas source and compressor to inject the gas into the tubing annulus. In deep water, the gas source and compressor would likely need to be located on the sea floor. The cost may be too much for deep water offshore wells.

Sea floor boost pump and gas lift system and method for producing a subsea well


In a database management system including a request reception server and a plurality of execution servers, each having a plug-in program module incorporated by a user, the request reception server analyzes a processing request from the user to determine whether or not the plurality of execution servers require currently unidentified input parameters when executing external functions in their plug-in modules, based on a definition information table created from descriptions of interface specifications for the plug-in program modules. When it is determined that the execution servers require such input parameters, an external function in the plug-in program module in the request reception server is executed to previously acquire the unidentified input parameters. The request reception server creates an execution processing procedure code, to be executed by the plurality of execution servers, assuming that the unidentified input parameters have already been inputted, and passes the execution processing procedure code together with the input parameters acquired by the request reception server to the plurality of execution servers.

The present invention relates to database management techniques, and more particularly to a database management system which is applicable to a parallel database management system having a function of executing a program module incorporated therein by a user.
The present invention utilizes the following three known techniques related to a database management system (hereinafter abbreviated as "DBMS") for managing a database (hereinafter abbreviated as "DB"):
(1) Parallel DB Processing; PA1 (2) SQL3; and PA1 (3) Object Relational DBMS. PA1 SELECT extract(contents, "abstract") PA1 FROM reports PA1 WHERE published.sub.-- date>`Oct. 15, 1996`
In the following, these three known techniques will be briefly described.
(1) Parallel DB Processing:
This is a method of parallelly executing database processing which satisfies a user's request using a plurality of processors for processing user's queries involving a large amount of data. An example of this method is described in JP-A-8-137910 (Reference 1). In the method of Reference 1, a processor receives a user's query, and a DBMS controls the executions of a plurality of engine processors (execution servers) such that a load is optimally distributed among the engine processors.
(2) SQL3:
SQL3 is a draft of a database language specification for which the International Standard Organization (ISO) is currently working for standardization. For example, according to "Information technology--Database languages--SQL--Part 2: SQL/Foundation" ISO/IEC JTCl/SC21 N10489 (Reference 2), SQL3 permits a description as follows:
______________________________________ CREATE TYPE sgmltex.sub.-- t ( text BLOB, 1 FUNCTION extract (sgmltext.sub.-- t, 2 VARCHAR) RETURNS BLOB LANGUAGE C 3 EXTERNAL NAME `p.sub.-- sgml.sub.-- extract`; ______________________________________
This description provides definition statements for an abstract data type (hereinafter abbreviated as "ADT"). 1 in the definition statements indicates that ADT sgmltext.sub.-- t is composed of a component of BLOB (Binary Large Object) type referenced by a name "text."
Also, 2 in the definition statements indicates that an ADT function extract() can be applied to data having an ADT sgmltext.sub.-- t type.
Further, 3 in the definition statements indicates that the ADT function extract() is related to an external function labelled p.sub.-- sgml.sub.-- extract described in C language.
The user can define his inherent data type using the ADT as described above, thereby realizing functions corresponding to data access, inheritance and so on by methods in a general object-oriented program language.
(3) Object Relational DBMS:
They say that a conventional relational DBMS (hereinafter abbreviated as "RDBMS") based on a relational data model is not suitable for handling data having a complicated structure such as multimedia data because it cannot provide close representations of such data and also implies other problems on performance. For this reason, an object relational DBMS (hereinafter abbreviated as "ORDBMS"), which introduces an object orientated concept into RDBMS, has been proposed as described in "Object Relational DBMSs" written by Michael Stonebraker, translated by Yoshinobu Ohta, and published by International Thompson Publishing Japan, August 1996 (Reference 3). Reference 3 mentions as a basic requirement of ORDBMS that ORDBMS should be capable of handling complicated objects. Reference 3 also mentions that the ORDBMS should be able to use the following user defined types and user defined functions:
______________________________________ create type phone.sub.-- t ( area varchar(3), 4 number varchar(7), 5 description varchar(20)); 6 ______________________________________
This description provides definition statements for a user defined complex type phone.sub.-- t. The definition statements indicate that the complex type phone.sub.-- t is composed of three components: a variable character string type element of three bytes or less referenced by a name "area" (4 in the definition statements); a variable character string type element of seven bytes or less referenced by a name "number" (5 in the definition statements); and a variable character string type element of 20 bytes or less referenced by a name "description" (6 in the definition statements).
An example of definition statements for a user defined function is shown in the following: EQU create function Northness-equal (point, point) returns Boolean with selfunc=selectivity.sub.-- comp external name '/usr/Northness.sub.-- equal' language C; 7
This description provides definition statements for a user defined function Northness.sub.-- equal(). 7 in the definition statements indicates that the user defined function Northness.sub.-- equal() is associated with an external function labelled /usr/Northness.sub.-- equal described in C language. As to an external function, Reference 3 describes that good ORDBMS should be able to dynamically link a user defined function so as not to consume an address space of DBMS for nothing until the user defined function is required. Such user defined type and user defined function can be used in correspondence to ADT and ADT function described by SQL3, respectively.

Parallel database management method and parallel database management system


A protecting member includes a pair of right-and-left brackets which extend obliquely downward and forward from front portions of a pair of right-and-left side frames and a stiffener which extends in a vehicle width direction below a bumper beam and attached to front ends of the pair of right-and-left brackets. The protecting member has a load/deformation characteristic including a first stage from a collision start, a second stage after the first stage, and a third stage after the second stage. Herein, the first stage is set so as to restrain the obstacle from coming in below a vehicle-body front portion, the second stage is set so as to absorb collision energy to restrain a local deformation of the obstacle, and the third stage is set so as to flick the obstacle up.

The present invention relates to a vehicle-body front structure of a vehicle.
An automotive vehicle, as a vehicle, comprises a pair of right-and-left side frames extending longitudinally at a vehicle-body front portion and a bumper beam extending in a vehicle width direction and attached to respective front ends of the pair of right-and-left side frames. Further, the automotive vehicle may be equipped with a protecting member including a stiffener (which may be called a lower bumper beam) extending in the vehicle width direction which is provided below the bumper beam in order that when a vehicle collides with a front obstacle, especially when a pedestrian's leg portion hits, the obstacle is restrained from coming in below the vehicle-body front portion. As the above-described protecting member, a structure which can effectively absorb collision energy (impact) in the collision with a properly short stroke is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-179139.
Herein, in a case in which the front obstacle is a pedestrian, the protecting member collides with the pedestrian's leg portion. In this case, preventing the obstacle from coming in below the vehicle-body front portion can be achieved by the protecting member itself. Further, restraining partial deformation of the obstacle (an injury of the leg portion, for example) may be provided by energy absorption through deformation of the protecting member. Particularly, the protecting member may collide with a lower portion of the pedestrian's leg portion (a portion below a knee), whereas a front end portion of an engine hood (a bonnet) of the vehicle collides with an upper portion of the leg portion above the knee, so that the collision energy (impact) may be properly absorbed through its dispersion at the upper and lower portions of the leg portion.
Meanwhile, in a vehicle, such as a sports car, in which the level of a front end of the engine hood (or a front end of a vehicle-body exterior member positioned in front of the engine hood) is considerably low, it may be difficult to absorb the collision energy at a higher level than the knee of the leg portion of the pedestrian as the obstacle, for example. Particularly, in a case in which the obstacle is the pedestrian, it may be preferable that the pedestrian be flicked up onto the engine hood after the collision.
According to the protecting member of the above-described patent document, however, it may be difficult to obtain both the energy absorption sufficient for the partial deformation restraint of the obstacle and the flicking-up of the obstacle by means of the protecting member only. Especially, since a load/deformation characteristic showing a relationship of a collision load and a deformation amount of the protecting member of the above-described patent document is configured such that the deformation amount increases substantially proportionally to an increase of the collision load, it may be difficult to satisfy both the sufficient energy absorption in the collision and the flicking-up of the obstacle by means of the protecting member only.


An image of a symbol or other indicium of origin or authenticity is encrypted, and printed on the item or a label in superposition with a color mask. In a preferred embodiment, an intermediate parallax record is formed of a series of images of a symbol or other indicium, each differing from the preceding one by a predetermined amount of parallax (i.e. change of viewing angle.) A multiple exposure of the series of intermediate parallax record images is made through a lenticular screen to create the encrypted image of the indicium. The lenticular screen and the medium on which the multiple exposure is made are moved relative to each other between exposures. The encrypted image and the superimposed color mask are then printed as a composite image to produce an unintelligible criss-cross of colored lines. When viewed through a lenticular screen which matches that used to create the encrypted image, the original indicium is revealed in clear form.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to anti-counterfeiting, and more particularly to the use of lenticular optics and color masking to create tamper-evident indicia of origin on a document or other object. The invention is useful in a wide variety of applications including authenticating the origin of branded merchandise or identification cards such as driver's licenses or security passes, and preventing forgery of signatures on checks or credit cards by verification of the signature.
2. The Prior Art
In the field of optics, a lenticular array is an arrangement of closely spaced lens elements (or lenticules) capable of creating composite images. Such arrays, consisting of semi-spherical or semi-cylindrical lens elements, have been known and used for many years.
For example, screens formed of semi-cylindrical lenticules are used to produce animated and three dimensional displays. Examples of such applications may be found in Rice U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,429; Stewart, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,154; Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,296; and others.
It is also known that by photographing an object through a lenticular array, an image can be produced in which the original subject is incomprehensible to the unaided eye. However, if the resulting photograph is viewed through another lenticular array like that used to create the photograph, the original appearance of the object can be revealed. This has led to development of signature verification systems for bank checks, credit cards and the like. In such systems, a specimen of a signature is encrypted and printed on a document, and the encrypted signature is later decrypted and compared visually with the purported signature of the bearer to verify that the two match.
There are numerous patents directed to this application of lenticular optics. A representative, but by no means exhaustive sampling of these patents include Brumley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,625; Alasia, U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,565; Ungerman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,902; Alasia, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,654 and Mayer, Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,626.
Such prior art systems all suffer, to one degree or another, from several disadvantages. For example, use of some of these is limited by the fact that a counterfeiter may be able to produce an encrypted image of a bogus signature which is indistinguishable from the encrypted image of a valid signature.
Also, none of these systems can be used for authentication of the origin of an item since a skilled operator using a high quality graphic arts camera may be able to create indistinguishable duplicates of the encrypted image which may be applied to counterfeit articles.
Further, the prior art systems tend to limit the degree of reduction or enlargement between the original and encrypted images. This precludes use of some systems for signature verification as it may not be possible for the specimen signature to be written in a sufficiently small size for reproduction.
Obviously, there are other prior art anti-counterfeiting techniques which do not employ lenticular technology. Among these are computer aided design systems which seek to duplicate the classical skills of the engraver. These are used for the production of currency, financial instruments, and the like. Typical of these are the Aesthedes.TM. series of design workstations produced by BARCO Graphics of Gent, Belgium. Such systems can be used to produce complex designs which are hard, but not always impossible to duplicate or copy electrooptically using ultra high resolution scanners and precision film recorders. Moreover, such equipment is very expensive and complex, and can not be used in check verification systems.

Anti-counterfeiting process using lenticular optics and color masking


A safety switch includes a spring-biased locking pin which is displaceable axially inside a switch housing by a lifting magnet against the biasing force of the spring to switch a switching element between a blocking position and a release position, and a retention magnet which holds the locking pin in the release position when the lifting magnet is de-energized.

The present invention generally relates to a safety switch, and in particular to a safety switch of a type having a spring-biased locking pin which can be displaced axially inside a switch housing by a lifting magnet in opposition to the biasing force of the spring into a position for releasing a switching element.
Various designs of safety switches with lifting magnets are known in the art. In general, the safety switch of this type is forced into the off-position when an actuating element is pulled out, whereby a compression spring which acts on the locking pin pushes the locking pin into a blocking position. The switching element which is typically constructed in the form of a switch wheel can be released by energizing the lifting magnet so that the armature thereof is displaced against the bias force of the compression spring to thereby move the locking pin into the release position.
In conventional safety switches, the lifting magnet is energized, i.e. current flows through the windings of the lifting magnet, until the locking pin moves again into the blocking position. The lifting magnet must be so dimensioned as to be able to generate the lifting force required to unlatch the locking pin. The lifting force, however, is significantly greater, typically about forty times greater, than the holding force required to retain the locking pin in the release position. A drawback of conventional safety switches is their substantial power consumption, and the significant heat build-up as a consequence of the high current flow.

Hans Bernstein Spezialfabrik fur Schaltkontakte


A preswirler of a gas turbine engine includes an outer ring. The outer ring includes an outer flange with a plurality of first holes, and an outer cylindrical portion extending from the outer flange. The preswirler also includes an inner ring. The inner ring includes an inner flange spaced apart from the outer flange. The inner ring also includes an inner cylindrical portion located within the outer cylindrical portion and a back portion extending from the inner flange to the inner cylindrical portion. The inner ring further includes a plurality of second holes.

Gas turbine engines include compressor, combustor, and turbine sections. Portions of a gas turbine engine are subject to high temperatures. In particular, the first stage of the turbine section is subject to such high temperatures that the first stage is cooled by air directed through internal cooling passages from the compressor. In one such passage, air is directed through the diaphragm of a gas turbine engine and into the preswirler. An uncontrolled loss or leakage of air may lead to a loss of efficiency and improper cooling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,978, to W. Baran, Jr., discloses a manifold structure for supplying cooling air to a turbine rotor of a gas turbine engine. The manifold is secured to the engine frame by a plurality of axially extending mounting bolts passing through corresponding mounting holes disposed in a thickened boss region of the manifold flow dividers.

Preswirler configured for improved sealing


Disclosed herein are a method and a corresponding apparatus that provides a tethering alert if the apparatus is tethering data. In one example, a method for providing a tethering alert by an apparatus having a first network communication interface and a second network communication interface is disclosed. The method includes i) receiving incoming data via one of the first network communication interface and the second network communication interface, ii) sending outgoing data via the other of the first network communication interface and the second network communication interface, iii) making a determination that there is a threshold similarity between the incoming data and the outgoing data, and iv) responsive to making the determination, the apparatus providing a tethering alert indicating that the apparatus is tethering data.

Wireless communication devices (WCD), such as mobile phones and tablets have become increasingly popular in recent years. For a user, a WCD may offer a variety of services including those provided by software applications such as media players and personal information managers. WCDs may also be Internet-enabled, which allows them to provide Internet-based services such as email, web browsing, and media streaming. Internet-connectivity may be provided to a WCD through a variety of means, including for example, through a wireless network.
One example of a wireless network that may provide Internet-connectivity to a WCD is a wireless local-area network (WLAN). In this arrangement, the WCD may include a WLAN interface (including a WLAN antenna) that connects with a wireless access point (WAP) of the WLAN such that the WCD may exchange data with the WLAN. The connection is made using a protocol that is common to both the WCD and the WAP (e.g., one of the many WI-FI protocols defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)). The WLAN may also connect with the Internet via a modem, thereby providing Internet-connectivity to the WCD.
WLANs typically extend over a generally localized area. For example, the IEEE's most recently adopted WI-FI protocol, 801.11n, specifies an indoor range of up to approximately 230 feet, an outdoor range of up to approximately 820 feet, and data connection speeds of up to 150 Megabits per second (though actual ranges and speeds are likely to be less due to factors such as environmental conditions and hardware limitations). WLANs are often password protected or utilize other security measures to ensure that only authorized WCDs may connect with them. For these and other reasons, WLANs are commonly used in residential, business, and consumer-focused commercial environments (e.g., coffee shops and airports) to provide Internet-connectivity to WCDs.
Another example of a wireless network that may provide Internet-connectivity to a WCD is a wireless wide-area network (WWAN). WWANs operate in a manner similar to WLANs, but WWANs typically provide coverage over a relatively larger area. A WWAN typically includes multiple base stations that are dispersed across an area (e.g., a city). Each base station radiates to define a cell, including one or more cell sectors in which WCDs can operate. A WCD may include a WWAN interface (including a WWAN antenna) that may connect with one or more of the base stations. This connection uses a protocol that is common to both the WCD and the base station, examples of which include code-division multiple access (CDMA), Evolution Data Optimization (EV-DO), Global System for Mobile (GSM), WiMax (IEEE 802.16), and Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocols.
The WWAN may also connect, via a network infrastructure, with the Internet or another transport network. With this arrangement, the WWAN may provide Internet-connectivity to the WCD via the network infrastructure. Network infrastructure may include for example, a base station controller, a switch (e.g., a mobile switching center), and/or a gateway (e.g., one that communicates with a packet-switched network).
Since a WWAN typically includes several base stations dispersed across an area, WWANs often provide expansive geographical coverage of Internet-connectivity for WCDs. While data connection speeds provided by WWANs have been relatively slow for many years (e.g., as compared to WLAN speeds), recent advances have allowed for greatly increased WWAN data connection speeds.
Internet-connectivity provided via a WWAN is typically managed by a WWAN provider (sometimes referred to as a cellular carrier) and is often provided to consumers in connection with a "data plan." For example, a data plan may provide a user with a monthly allotment of data (i.e., that a given WCD may exchange with the Internet via the WWAN) for a monthly fee. In many instances, these data plans are specific to a particular WCD such that a user may need to obtain a separate data plan for each separate WCD that needs Internet-connectivity. However, a feature known as "tethering" may allow one WCD to provide an Internet connection to other WCDs.

Method and apparatus for generating a tethering alert based on a threshold similarity between incoming data and outgoing data


A radially expandable intravascular medical device is disclosed. The device typically includes two members. The first member is an outer tube-shaped sheath which is radially expandable by being formed from elastic material or other means and having relatively low column strength. The second member is an inner portion extending throughout the outer tube. This inner portion includes a slit to allow it to expand radially as well. Using the structure diagnostic, therapeutic, or other desired objects may be conveyed through the device yet still enable the device to have a smaller cross-sectional area throughout most of its length than the object conveyed therethrough.

This invention relates to medical devices and in particular to tubular medical devices or tubular components of medical devices that are used to convey diagnostic/therapeutic instruments into the confines of the human body. This invention further relates to tubular components or channels of medical devices that function to accommodate guidewires.
Tubular devices and tubular components of devices are often used in the practice of medicine to conduct or convey fluids, medications, blood products and/or diagnostic/therapeutic instruments into the confines of the human body. The use of these tubular structures enables: (1) the introduction of said items through the tissue planes of the body and (2) the delivery of said items to specific locations within the body. Our invention has particular application to the construction of tubular medical devices and tubular components of medical devices that are used to convey diagnostic/therapeutic instruments and/or guidewires into the human body.
A guiding catheter is an example of a tubular medical instrument delivery device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,613 describes a coronary guiding catheter. Coronary guiding catheters are used to: (1) conduct interventional catheters into the coronary vasculature and (2) stabilize the proximal aspects of said interventional catheters.
A percutaneous intravascular sheath is another example of a tubular medical instrument delivery device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,378 describes a percutaneous intravascular sheath. Percutaneous intravascular sheaths are used to conduct interventional catheters through the tissue planes of the skin and convey said catheters into the confines of the vasculature.
A guidewire channel is an example of a tubular component of a medical device. Guidewire channels are particularly commonplace among devices that are designed for percutaneous introduction. The presence of said channels enables the introduction of said devices over the course of guidewires. This feature enhances the safety and efficiency with which these devices can be advanced within the confines of the body.
An angioscopy catheter is an example of a diagnostic device that contains a guidewire channel European Patent Application No. EP 0289021 describes a guidewire-directed angioscopy catheter. An atherectomy catheter is another example of a therapeutic device that contains a guidewire channel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,186 describes a guidewire-directed atherectomy catheter.
Our invention enables the construction of tubular medical devices and tubular components of medical devices with lower profiles and superior performance characteristics relative to the prior art. The advantages of our invention can be appreciated by reviewing its application to the construction of guiding catheters, percutaneous sheaths and guidewire channels. For clarity, these three applications will be discussed separately. Although the balance of this discussion will focus on these applications, it is understood that the scope of our invention is not limited to the construction of the particular devices described herein.

Radially-expandable tubular elements for use in the construction of medical devices


A Christmas tree decoration organizer including a box having a bottom and upwardly extending opposing sides and end walls, terminating in a rim. A plurality of ornament hangers having opposing ends are removably coupled within the box, suspended above the bottom for receiving and supporting a plurality of hanging ornaments. A bulk storage space for storing outermost decorations of a Christmas tree is defined by the bottom, lower portions of the opposing sides and the end walls, and the plurality of ornament hangers. An ornament tray is positioned within the box and supported above the plurality of ornament hangers for receiving and holding a plurality of Christmas tree ornaments. A separator panel is removably positioned covering the ornament tray and defining a light compartment thereabove. A cover is removable placed over the rim, closing the box.

It can be appreciated that Christmas decoration holders and containers have been in use for years. Typically, Christmas decoration holders are comprised of ornament storage boxes, ornament chests, ornament boxes with drawers, and light boxes for storage of Christmas lights only. The main problem with conventional Christmas decoration holders are they do not provide storage of Christmas items in a logical manner for use when decorating a tree. Another problem with conventional Christmas decoration holders is they do not provide sturdy hardware which is removable to store Christmas items in a compact arrangement. Conventional Christmas decoration holders do not provide storage for the entire collection of ornaments and other Christmas items placed or used on a single Christmas tree.
While conventional storage containers may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they have been developed, they are not as suitable for the organization of Christmas items in a sequential order for decorating a tree. Also, another problem is they do not provide storage for a large variety of all Christmas items placed or used on a Christmas tree. In these respects, the Christmas organizer according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of the organization of Christmas items in a sequential order for decorating a tree.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Christmas organizer that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a Christmas organizer for the organization of Christmas items in a sequential order for decorating.
And another object is to provide a Christmas organizer that organizes items in sequential/logical order, to decorate a Christmas tree.
Still another object is to provide a Christmas organizer that uses generally rigid nonpermanent hardware to hang ornaments.
Yet another object is to provide a Christmas organizer that stores the entire collection of decorations for a single Christmas tree.


The invention concerns a valve arrangement (1) with a high-pressure connection (P), a low-pressure connection (T), at least one control valve (2 to 5), which is accommodated in a control valve module and has at least one working connection (A, B) for a hydraulic consumer (7 to 10), and a safety valve (6), which is accommodated in a safety valve module, and which releases or blocks a passage between the high-pressure connection (P) and the control valves (2 to 5), the control valve module (2 to 5) and the safety valve module (6) being connected to one component group. It is endeavoured to provide a valve arrangement with a high safety level. For this purpose, it is ensured that each control valve (2 to 5, 2′ to 5′) has an error detection device (19), that the safety valve module (6) has a safety switch device (21) and that the component group has a connection (20) between the safety switch device (21) and the error detection device (19).

Certain valve arrangements are known from the company brochure Sauer-Danfoss "PVSK module with integrated diverter valve and P-disconned function", edition November 2002.
With machines and devices performing hydraulic functions, usually several consumers are present, each being controlled by a control valve. For example, in connection with a crane, there are several cylinders, which lift different sections of a jib, a rotary motor, with which the jib can be turned, and, if required, a further hydraulic function, with which a grab mounted at the end of the jib can be activated. Similar conditions exist with other devices with hydraulic functions, for example mobile working platforms, diggers, etc.
In this connection, the control valves are connected to a component group, which is supplied with pressurised hydraulic fluid via the high-pressure connection. The control valves can, for example, be proportional valves, which permits the flow of a predetermined volume flow of hydraulic fluid to the working connection and thus to the consumer in dependence of the position of a valve element.
The safety requirements in connection with the safety of devices and machines provided with hydraulic functions are relatively high. Particularly, it is endeavoured to avoid that people are hurt, when errors occur.
From the brochure mentioned above, it is therefore known to combine the control valves with a safety valve. This safety valve interrupts the supply of hydraulic fluid to the control valves, when no supply is desired. For example, the safety valve can be operated in such a manner that the control valves are cut off from the supply, when a vehicle, which is provided with the hydraulic functions, drives in a street. When, for example, this vehicle is equipped with a mobile crane, it is under no circumstances permitted to operate this crane during the drive.


The present invention provides a bicycle front derailleur comprising: a movable member including an inner and outer guide plates opposed to each other to define a guide space through which a chain runs; the movable member being moved laterally of a bicycle for shifting the chain. For a purpose of preventing the chain from being caught or damaged by a chain entering edge of the movable member, a following techincal measure is employed: The movable member is provided with catch preventive measure for preventing the chain from being caught by the cain entering edge of the movable member when the chain enters the guide space between the inner and outer guide plates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bicycle front derailleur. More specifically the present invention relates to a bicycle front derailleur wherein a chain will not be caught by a chain entering edge of a movable member when the chain is oscillated wildly in an upward direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional bicycle derailleur comprises, a shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, a base member 4 fixed at a lower portion of a seat pipe 2 by mounting means such as a mounting band 3, a shift link mechanism 5 such as a pantograph mechanism, a movable member 6 supported by the shift link mechianism 5. The movable member 6 connects inner and outer guide plates 7 and 8 opposed to each other at a predetermined spacing. The movable member can be moved laterally of a bicycle by the shift link mechianism 5.
In this type of front derailleur, when a chain C is to be shifted from a smaller-diameter sprocket which is placed inward laterally of a bicycle to a greater-diameter sprocket which is placed outward laterally of the bicycle, a control lever is operated. The control lever action is transmitted, via a control cable T which includes an inner cable t1 and an outer sheath t2, to the shift link mechanism 5, which shifts the inner and outer guide plates 7, 8 outward laterally of the bicycle, causing an inner face 9 of the inner guide plate 7 to press the chain C outwardly to force a portion of the chain C to engage the greater-diameter sprocket adjacent to the sprocket presently engaged by the chain C. As the greater-diameter sprocket turns, the chain C is completely shifted to that greater-diameter sprocket.
On the other hand, to shift the chain C from an outward-located greater-diameter sprocket to an inward-located smaller-diameter sprocket, the shift link mechanism 5 is caused to move the pair of guide plates 7, 8 inward laterally of the bicycle. This causes an inner face 9 of the outer guide plate 8 to press the running chain C inwardly, forcing the chain C to move from the present sprocket down to the adjacent smaller-diameter sprocket.
As shown in FIG. 15, the chain C comprises alternating pairs of inner link plates 12 and outer link plates 13, and rollers R. Each of the rollers connect a pair of the inner link plates 12 opposed to each other at a predetermined spacing to an adjacent pair of the outer link plates 13 opposed to each other at a predetermined spacing. The chain C engages the sprocket in such a manner that spaces formed by each opposed pair of the inner link plates 12 and the outer link plates 13 are filled by teeth of a sprocket (not shown), whereas the rollers fit in spaces formed between the teeth of the sprocket. With this constitution, the chain C has different dimensions in its width, i.e. one represented by a distance between an opposed pair of the inner link plates, and another represented by a distance between an opposed pair of the outer link plates, with resulting step portions formed by a thickness of the outer link plate at areas where an outer link plate overlaps an adjacent inner link plate.
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 13 through 15, the movable member 6, which connects the inner and outer guide plates 7, 8, is often made integrally with the inner and outer guide plate 7, 8 by punching and pressing a thin plate of metal.
This type of conventional movable member 6 formed by punching and pressing methods is, as shown in FIG. 14, formed with a connecting portion 23 at its top portion, which integrally connects the pair of guide plates 7, 8 with a predetermined space therebetween, whereas a chain entering edge 14 of the movable member 6 is left as punched, with a cut plane 14a, without further machining. As a result, as shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 13 through 15, the chain is apt to be caught by the chain entering edge 14 at one of the step portions formed by the outer link plate 13.
Particularly, when a bicycle is running down on a steep hill of a rugged road condition, pedalling operation is sometimes stopped momentarily, leaving the chain C under no tension during that moment. This allows the chain C to be oscillated wildly in a vertical direction, sometimes with a portion of the chain C being whipped wildly upward so that an edge portion of the chain's outer link plate 13 rides on the chain entering edge 14 of the movable member 6, and is caught by it.
When the pedalling is resumed to tension the chain C, with the portion thereof still remain caught by the movable member, the chain C pulls the movable member 6, which is very likely to cause damage to the entire front derailleur.
In addition, the cut plane 14a of the the inner and outer guide plates 7, 8, which is part of the chain entering edge 14 is left as punched as mentioned hereinabove and therefore, is very sharp. As a result, the chain C may be damaged when it hits or contacts the cut plate 14a.


The present invention is a technique for producing silicon-on-insulator MOS transistors by damascene patterning of source-drain regions in a thin film of amorphous silicon deposited on a layer of oxide grown on a silicon wafer, where the oxide has previously been etched with a pattern of trenches. In addition, the technique provides for the amorphous layer to contact the underlying silicon substrate through multiple small oxide openings; where these openings have been previously filled with amorphous silicon, planarized and annealed at high temperature to form single crystal silicon; and where subsequent transistor channel regions will align to these filled openings. After patterning, the wafer is annealed in a second high temperature cycle, where the regions of amorphous silicon in contact with the single crystal silicon in the openings will convert into single crystal silicon suitable for transistor channel regions.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for producing planar silicon-on-insulator MOS transistors by damascene patterning of a thin film of amorphous silicon deposited on a layer of oxide on a silicon wafer, followed by high temperature annealing to form single crystal MOS channel regions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The primary advantage of using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates, rather than using bulk silicon, for forming MOS transistors has long been recognized as being that of reduced stray capacitance. This allows, of course, higher operating frequencies to be obtained. SOI has other advantages such as better packing density, borderless contacts, latch-up freedom, and radiation hardness.
A thin film of crystalline silicon epitaxially deposited on a polished single crystal aluminum oxide substrate (SOS) was the first composite material to be used for SOI. However, since the crystal properties of aluminum oxide do not perfectly match those of silicon there has always been the problem of reduced yield due to defects in the silicon film.
In recent years SOI circuits have been made by forming a thin film of crystalline silicon on silicon dioxide, where the oxide has been grown on a silicon support wafer. This has enabled the production of silicon films with much lower defect densities because the support wafer physical properties, such as thermal expansion coefficient, match those of the silicon film. Currently SOI refers to silicon-on-oxide, which will be our convention.
There are a few different methods for producing SOI substrates, such as wafer bonding or high current oxygen implantation. All of these methods are rather difficult because the silicon film has to be single crystal, and for best performance of the finished circuit, the film should be very thin (less than approximately 1000 Angstroms).
Another difficulty with current SOI is that the MOS transistor body connections are typically left floating for efficiency of chip layout. This can sometimes cause problems. For example, excess charge can remain in a transistor floating body region when attempting to turn a transistor off, which can slow down circuit operation. This problem can be solved by implanting just the right amount of recombination centers in the film; however, this is difficult to control, because too many centers will degrade the mobility of the film.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a simplified method for producing SOI substrates; and to provide a technique for electrically connecting MOS body regions to well defined voltages without incurring any layout area penalty; and to maintain the high density layout capability of current SOI.

Double damascene pattering of silcon-on-insulator transistors


Methods for manufacturing strain sensors on turbine components include providing a turbine component comprising an exterior surface, and, depositing a ceramic material onto a portion of the exterior surface to form a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to strain sensors and, more specifically, to methods for producing ceramic strain sensors on turbine components for high temperature applications.
In gas turbine engines, such as aircraft engines for example, air is drawn into the front of the engine, compressed by a shaft-mounted rotary-type compressor, and mixed with fuel. The mixture is burned, and the hot exhaust gases are passed through a turbine mounted on a shaft. The flow of gas turns the turbine, which turns the shaft and drives the compressor and fan. The hot exhaust gases flow from the back of the engine, driving it and the aircraft forward.
During operation of gas turbine engines, the temperatures of combustion gases may exceed 3,000° F., considerably higher than the melting temperatures of the metal parts of the engine which are in contact with these gases. Operation of these engines at gas temperatures that are above the metal part melting temperatures may depend in part one or more protective coatings and/or on supplying a cooling air to the outer surfaces of the metal parts through various methods. The metal parts of these engines that are particularly subject to high temperatures, and thus require particular attention with respect to cooling, are the metal parts forming combustors and parts located aft of the combustor.
Moreover, the turbine components may experience stress and/or strain from various forces over its operational lifecycle. While various tools may be utilized to measure imparted stress and strain in relatively standard environments, the turbine components in turbine engines may experience hotter and/or more corrosive working conditions that may be unsuitable for such measurement tools.
Accordingly, alternative strain sensors and methods for producing ceramic strain sensors on turbine components would be welcome in the art.

Methods for producing strain sensors on turbine components


The present invention relates to the transferring of information on the Internet, comprising: means (40) for storing information, corresponding to information provided at an Internet content provider (60), at respective alternative addresses of said storing means; means (20) for intercepting an information request from an Internet user directed to an Internet content provider; means for determining whether or not the intercepted request is directed to an information content provider having an associated alternative address on said storing means (40); and means for directing the request to said alternative address if such an alternate address exists.

Over the last few years, Internet has developed into the fastest growing means of communication and is predicted to be the main system for distributing information in the future. The Internet has become increasingly popular and the number of users is growing at a magnificent rate.
However, the popularity of the Internet, and especially the use of the Internet application World Wide Web, is putting the net under enormous capacity pressure. Traffic on the Internet doubles about every three months, with no signs of slowing down. This kind of exponential growth will eventually slow down, but several factors indicate that it is still far from any slowdown in growth.
Today, only a small fraction, about 3 to 5 percent, of all PCs have access to the Internet. It is believed that most of those who have made and will make the investment in a PC will eventually want access to the Internet. Furthermore, communication speeds between the user and the Internet infrastructure is increasing rapidly. The transition from 14.4 kbit/s modems to 28.8 kbit/s is just being completed as manufactures announce new modems at 56 kbit/s. Other technologies such as ISDN (128 kbit/s), Cable TV modems (500-10,000 kbit/s) and xDSL (2,000 to 25,000 kbit/s) are emerging. Moreover, manufacturers of household electronics are launching low costs devices to give Internet World Wide Web access through television sets, telephones, etc.
These and other factors are all contributing in making it increasingly difficult to access information on the Internet, since the system is basically being overloaded. This problem is a fact both in USA and Europe, but it is even more serious when passing information between USA and Europe. The transatlantic transmission capacity is too small to cope with the exploding Internet use.
Basically, there exists two conventional solutions to this problem. A first solution is to add more bandwidth and switching capacity, which is being done, but which carries huge costs and also faces significant technical problems. A second solution is to use so called "caching" or "mirroring" techniques. The meaning of these definitions is somewhat undefined and is also in some cases somewhat overlapping. However, "caching" basically means to keep track of the Internet traffic and to keep copies of the most frequently accessed World Wide Web files at a location closer to the user. Similarly, "mirroring" basically means to keep copies of specific World Wide Web files in a mirror server, independent of the access frequencies.
These second solutions hence involve the providing of a local copy of a World Wide Web Site of interest. For example, a copy of CNN's USA-based homepage may be provided in a cache or a mirror at a European "proxy" location, whereby European Internet users may access the CNN homepage without having to use the transatlantic communication link, thereby both attaining quicker access and at the same time lowering the load on the transatlantic link.
However, caching and mirroring also raises several technical problems. For example, current research show that to be most efficient, the cache must be near the original information source. Caching is always more efficient closer to the information content provider server then closer to the user. The problem is that, depending on the popularity of each site, the actual location of the most popular original information providers keep moving around. A cache would therefore need to be very big to be efficient.
Another problem is that the user must specify a location for the copies of the original content information, it being a cache or a mirror. Such a location is called a "proxy" and can be specified in all commonly used softwares for web access. This user interaction is difficult to obtain, given the increasing diversity of web users.
Furthermore, if the proxy is very large, as is needed to provide for a large amount of content with ever changing popularity, it will also, for economical reasons, need to cater for very many users. The proxy itself will then become a bottleneck, and access times may thus increase. Consequently, there exists a problem with the limited scaleability of the proxy technique.


Embodiments of the present invention relate to a process for purifying silicon by removing one or both of phosphorus and boron.

Solar cells are currently utilized as an energy source by converting sunlight to electrical energy. Silicon is used almost exclusively as the semiconductor material in such photovoltaic cells. A significant limitation currently on the use of solar cells has to do with the cost of purifying silicon to solar grade. In view of current energy demands and supply limitations, there is an enormous need for a more cost efficient way of purifying metallurgical grade silicon (or any other silicon having higher impurities than solar grade) to solar grade silicon. U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,848 "Boron Removal in Silicon Purification" discloses the removal of boron from silicon through treatment of molten aluminum-silicon with a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium or zirconium and gas injection. U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,849 "Phosphorous Removal in Silicon Purification" discloses the removal of phosphorous by bubbling a chlorine containing gas through the molten aluminum-silicon bath.

Method for removing phosphorous and boron from aluminium silicon alloy for use in purifying silicon


The invention is directed to improved processes for preparing Tiotropium bromide.

Tiotropium bromide, (1α,2β,4β,5α,7β)-7-[(hydroxydi-2-thienylacetyl)oxy]-9,9-dimethyl-3-oxa-9-azoniatricyclo[22.214.171.124]nonane bromide or 6β,7β-epoxy-3β-hydroxy-8-methyl-1αH,5αH-tropanium bromide, di-2-thienylglycolate, has the following chemical structure:
It is an anticholinergic drug with specificity for muscarinic receptors. As a bronchodilator it provides therapeutic benefit in the treatment of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This active pharmaceutical ingredient is administered by inhalation, and is available commercially as SPIRIVA® HandiHaler®.
Tiotropium bromide was first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,163 where it was synthesized via N-demethyl tiotropium of formula III,
which was obtained by a reaction of methyl di(2-thienyl)glycolate of formula I and Scopine of formula II using sodium metal in melt or sodium methoxide in melt. Because of the dangerous reaction conditions, this method is not suitable for industrial scale preparation. The quaternization of N-demethyl-tiotropium is then carried out in a mixture of acetonitrile and methylene chloride using methyl bromide as a quaternizing agent. The process is illustrated in the following scheme:
The product was then crystallized from a mixture of acetone and methanol.
Also described in the prior art is the preparation of Scopine HCl, which was first disclosed in GB 1469781, wherein it was prepared by reduction of scopolamine using sodium borohydride, followed by addition of HCl to the reaction mixture, a process illustrated by the following scheme:
This salt of scopine can be used as a precursor for scopine base, however a process to remove inorganic salts from the desired product is not reported.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,486,321 and 6,506,900 disclose a synthesis of Tiotropium and analogues via tropenol derivatives by introducing an additional epoxidation step, as described by the following scheme.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,154, refers to formal approaches by stating "These processes known in the art may also be used to prepare the compounds of formula 1.
However, these methods of synthesis are more complex procedures involving a number of synthetic steps." Therefore a different synthetic approach was developed, where the coupling is carried out using scopine methobromide rather than scopine, but details, including the yield, of this coupling reaction are not reported.

United States Patent Publication No 2006/0047120 describes yet another approach, coupling scopine methobromide with trimethylsilyl-protected sodium dithienyl glycolate which is obtained in situ.

This application, provides that this approach was developed to improve the prior art synthesis for Tiotropium bromide.
Hence, an improved process to prepare Tiotropium bromide is needed.

Process for the preparation of tiotropium bromide


Of the many methods provided, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a method comprising: placing a drill-in fluid in a subterranean formation, the drill-in fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, a viscosifier, a relative permeability modifier fluid loss control additive, and a degradable bridging agent comprising a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole; and forming a self-degrading filter cake comprising the bridging agent upon a surface within the formation whereby fluid loss through the self-degrading filter cake is reduced.

The present invention relates to fluid loss control for drill-in fluids for use in subterranean formations, and more particularly to fluid loss control for drill-in fluids and filter cakes comprising degradable bridging agents, and to methods of using such fluids in subterranean drilling operations.
Many oil and gas wells in unconsolidated or poorly consolidated sandstone formations are completed "open hole," meaning that the well bores do not contain casing or liners. Although this type of completion allows the produced fluids to flow directly into the well bore, it suffers the disadvantage that the sandface is unsupported and may collapse. Also, selective treatments or remedial operations within the reservoir section may be more difficult.
Unconsolidated or poorly consolidated formations generally are high permeability production intervals and are drilled with specialized fluids referred to in the art as "drill-in fluids." A drill-in fluid generally comprises two components: particulate solids (e.g., for bridging on the pore throats of the sandstone of the formation); and polymeric components (e.g., for providing viscosity and fluid loss control). Under pressurized downhole conditions, the drill-in fluid may form a filter cake that comprises an acid-soluble portion (e.g., calcium carbonate bridging solids) and a polymeric portion on the face of a portion of the subterranean formation. In most instances, once formed, the integrity of the filter cake should be maintained to provide the necessary fluid loss control and hole stability for subsequent operations. A common subsequent treatment is a gravel pack sand control operation that involves running a screen into the open hole interval, and pumping a gravel pack fluid comprising gravel into the annulus between the screen and open hole to form a gravel pack.
Generally, at some point after the gravel pack is placed, it is desirable to remove the filter cake from the formation face as it may act as an impediment to the production of desirable fluids from the formation. However, degrading the filter cake may be difficult since the screen and gravel pack tend to prevent the components designed to degrade the filter cake from interacting with it. Degrading the filter cake may be even more difficult, considering that the degradation is generally best when it is uniformly accomplished along what may be thousands of feet of open hole. Thus, because the gravel and gravel pack carrier fluid contact the filter cake uniformly across the entire interval, placing components with the gravel pack that are capable of ultimately degrading the filter cake would be desirable if such degradation could be delayed long enough to ensure that the placement of the gravel pack treatment is not jeopardized or high fluid loss rates are not incurred until the completion equipment is installed.
To degrade the acid-soluble particulate portion of the drill-in fluid filter cake, acids or delayed-release acid systems may be used. A common type of delayed-release acid system comprises acid precursors that slowly hydrolyze to form acids that may ultimately degrade the acid-soluble portion of the filter cake. These delayed-release acid systems, however, can be problematic if they degrade the acid-soluble component of the filter cake too slowly or too quickly. Removal of only 1% to 2% of the bridging solids in the filter cake can result in a significant loss of fluid to the surrounding formation. If a delayed-release acid system is designed not to dissolve more than 1% or 2% of the acid-soluble portion of the filter cake in a chosen period of time (e.g., a 12-hour period), then total removal may take days, if not weeks. This is undesirable. On the other hand, if a delayed-release acid system is designed to totally degrade the acid-soluble portion within an acceptable "total cleanup time" (e.g., 24 to 48 hours), it is likely to cause hole instability and potential fluid loss problems during gravel pack placement. To control such fast-acting delayed-release acid systems, buffers (which are mixtures of weak acids and their conjugate bases) may be considered to achieve a delayed interaction of the acid with the acid-soluble portion of the filter cake for a desired time period. However, such buffer systems have met with little success when used with these delayed-release acid systems, inter alia, because the esters may undergo acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis at pHs much below or above 7. Also, conventional buffers may suffer when exposed to components, such as calcium carbonate, in the filter cake and, as a result, the acid component of the buffer may be quickly consumed.
Oxidizers have been used to degrade the polymeric portions of filter cakes within desired delay and total cleanup times. Since these oxidizers are not able to degrade the acid-soluble portion of a filter cake, the usefulness of such oxidizer systems generally is limited to cases where the bridging particles that comprise the particulate portion of the filter cake are small enough to flow back through the screen.
High permeability sandstone can be problematic for drill-in fluids because of fluid loss into the formation. Fluid loss is undesirable as it results in more fluid needing to be pumped, which increases expense. Moreover, the fluid that leaks off into the formation can cause damage to the formation, which may decrease permeability and/or productivity.


A method and apparatus for improving medical ultrasound images employs data-dependent filtering. A quantity, called the coherence factor, is calculated for each pixel in the image. The coherence factor is defined to be the ratio of two quantities: the amplitude of the receive signals summed coherently and the amplitude of the receive signals summed incoherently. The coherence data is stored in buffer memory and is optionally spatially filtered and mapped. The amplitude data is concurrently acquired and stored in buffer memory. The system can be selectively operated to display the coherence information alone, the amplitude information alone, or a combination of the coherence and amplitude information.

A conventional ultrasound imaging system comprises an array of ultrasonic transducer elements which are used to transmit an ultrasound beam and then receive the reflected beam from the object being studied. Such scanning comprises a series of measurements in which the steered ultrasonic wave is transmitted, the system switches to receive mode after a short time interval, and the reflected ultrasonic wave is received and stored. Typically, transmission and reception are steered in the same direction during each measurement to acquire data from a series of points along an acoustic beam or scan line. The receiver is dynamically focused at a succession of ranges along the scan line as the reflected ultrasonic waves are received.
For ultrasound imaging, the array typically has a multiplicity of transducer elements arranged in one or more rows and driven with separate voltages. By selecting the time delay (or phase) and amplitude of the applied voltages, the individual transducer elements in a given row can be controlled to produce ultrasonic waves which combine to form a net ultrasonic wave that travels along a preferred vector direction and is focused at a selected point along the beam. Multiple firings may be used to acquire data representing the same anatomical information. The beamforming parameters of each of the firings may be varied to provide a change in maximum focus or otherwise change the content of the received data for each firing, e.g., by transmitting successive beams along the same scan line with the focal point of each beam being shifted relative to the focal point of the previous beam. By changing the time delay and amplitude of the applied voltages, the beam with its focal point can be moved in a plane to scan the object.
The same principles apply when the transducer probe is employed to receive the reflected sound in a receive mode. The voltages produced at the receiving transducer elements are summed so that the net signal is indicative of the ultrasound reflected from a single focal point in the object. As with the transmission mode, this focused reception of the ultrasonic energy is achieved by imparting separate time delays (and/or phase shifts) and gains to the signal from each receiving transducer element. The output signals of the beamformer channels are then coherently summed to form a respective pixel intensity value for each point of focus, corresponding to a sample volume in the object region or volume of interest. These pixel intensity values are log-compressed, scan-converted and then displayed as an image of the anatomy being scanned.
Tissue types and anatomical features are most easily differentiated in an ultrasound image when they differ in image brightness. Image brightness on conventional medical ultrasound imaging systems is a function of the receive beamformed signal amplitude, i.e., after coherent summation of the delayed receive signals on each transducer element. More precisely, the logarithm of the beamformed signal amplitude is displayed, with user-adjustable gain and contrast, and, if desired, a choice of a handful of grayscale mapping tables.
A human kidney usually appears in an ultrasound image as a darkish, ellipsoidal region (corresponding to the renal cortex) with a bright, irregularly shaped interior (the medulla). One criterion used by sonographers to evaluate ultrasound image quality is the contrast (i.e., the displayed difference in brightness) between the renal cortex and the medulla. This can be artificially increased by adjusting the grayscale maps manually after the fact, but this approach is of little practical value. Much more desirable would be the identification of another tissue contrast mechanism which could be used in addition to the receive amplitude to distinguish tissue types.

Method and apparatus for coherence filtering of ultrasound images


An innovative shaped memory insole with re-adjustable supporting pads, an insole structure that can be tailor made on the spot, and thereafter can be repeatedly reshaped through a processes of non-destructive structural re-adjustment and free of glue to do re-assembly, using a design of re-adjustable structural supporting pads and a shape memory insole to meet the needs of different foot pressures on the user, thereby alleviating pain to the user's feet, providing stability to the user's ankles and improving the balance of the lower limbs.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an innovative shape memory insole structure with re-adjustable support pads, in particular an insole structure that can be tailor-made on the spot, and thereafter, the configured insole can be repeatedly reshaped through the process of non-destructive structural re-adjustment and free of glue to do re-assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to textbooks on physical therapy, more than 80% of people have suffered from foot problems. To address such problems, gait analysis can be conducted by measuring the foot pressures on patient's foot. The results of the evaluation can be used to design biomechanical insoles to suit our feet.
The foot contains 28 bones, the 7 tarsal and 5 metatarsal bones to form three arches, which include the medial and lateral longitudinal arches and the transverse arch. These three arches can provide supportive strength to stance and absorb the impact force to foot. Foot disorders or sustained irregular walking posture can result the excessive loosening or tightening of foot muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones joints. It will cause the abnormal development of foot arches, fatigue, injury, and inflammation, and also have a negative effect on the knees, pelvis, spine, and shoulders. The main function of the tailor-made insole lies in the design of the insole's structural support providing proper support to the three arches and increasing the contact surface area between the insole and the foot, thus reducing peak pressure off.
However, after wearing a conventional tailor-made insole for a period of time, the soft tissue of foot sometimes changes to fit the structure of the insole. Therefore, when you wear a tailor-made insole, you need regular follow-up examinations and adjustments of the insole. Conventional tailor-made insoles can not be easily adjusted after their shapes are fixed. In case its structural support needs to be adjusted, it can be time and cost consuming, as this would require ordering the production of a new one.
Besides, a conventional insole is only a foot-shaped flat pad, using foam materials to support stance force to the feet and absorb impact force. However, because it lacks proper structural support or shock-absorbing capability for the insole, it cannot meet the requirements of people with irregular foot pressure, nor satisfy the customer's requirements for comfort and health to their feet.
In view of the above areas that need improvement in order to satisfy the requirements of people with irregular foot pressure and improve walking comfort and health, the present inventor has conducted repeated research and experiments, and has come up with a structure with innovative performance.
For better understanding of the structure, approach, objectives, and spirit of the present invention, please refer to the following description and drawings.

Innovative shaped memory insole structure with re-adjustable supporting pads


Apparatus and a process for supplying recirculated exhaust gases to incoming air to a piston-type internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a duct (2) for incoming air and a feed pipe (1) for exhaust gases and is especially well characterized in that the feed pipe (1) opens out into an outlet section (3) having at least one outlet (4) for the supply of the exhaust gases, which outlet section constitutes an outlet path (a) extended in the longitudinal direction of the duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for supplying recirculated exhaust gases to incoming air of a piston-type internal combustion engines; for example, Otto and diesel engines.
2. Background
Exhaust gas recirculation, also referred to by the abbreviation EGR, is known in association with internal combustion engines as a common method for beneficially influencing fuel combustion. EGR implies that a part of the total exhaust-gas flow out of the engine is recirculated, and this recirculated part-flow is introduced back into the inlet side of the engine where it is mixed with incoming air prior to entering the engine cylinders. In this way, it is possible to reduce the quantity of nitrous oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gases released into the environment. This technology has been used for a relatively long time in association with otto-type engines, but interest in the process in relation to diesel engines has also grown. The technology has especially been used in vehicle applications in which the environmental requirements are relatively stringent; but with generally increasing environmental demands, interest in EGR technology is also increasing within shipping and industrial applications, for example.
The share of exhaust gas in the air/exhaust-gas mixture that is supplied to the engine cylinders has to be precisely controlled, since too small an exhaust-gas component normally produces an increased NOx production and too large an exhaust-gas component can cause a heavy increase in sooting. In order to achieve low NOx and soot emissions, it is not only important that the total exhaust-gas component be optimized, but also that the exhaust-gas component be equally large in all of the cylinders. In terms of engine wear, for example at the pistons, piston rings, linings and bearings it is important that the exhaust-gas component be the same in all cylinders. In order to obtain this even distribution of the exhaust-gas component to the various cylinders, it is important that the recirculated flow of exhaust gases be suitably mixed into the incoming air.
For simplicity's sake, in the continuation of this description the notation "EGR-flow" shall be used in a number of places for the recirculated part-flow of the total exhaust-gas flow of the engine. In addition, "EGR-pulse" denotes a pulse in the part-flow and "exhaust-gas pulse" a pulse in the total exhaust-gas flow, unless otherwise evident from the context.
Each time the exhaust valves of the cylinders are opened, a pressure pulse is created in the exhaust system resulting in an increase in the EGR-flow. In a standard internal combustion engine of the four-stroke type, the exhaust valve of the cylinder is opened every other engine revolution. Therefore, in a six-cylinder engine, for example, there are three exhaust-gas pulses per engine revolution. If the exhaust-gas branches are divided to serve three cylinders each and the EGR-flow is taken from both the exhaust-gas branches, an EGR-flow with three pulses per engine revolution is consequently obtained. If the EGR-flow is taken from one of these branches, three EGR-pulses are instead obtained for every two engine revolutions from the same engine. Depending on the engine design, the EGR system can be variously configured and the number of EGR-pulses per engine revolution can thus be lower than the total number of exhaust-gas pulses per engine revolution. The important thing, from a mixing technology viewpoint, is that the EGR-flow that is to be mixed with incoming air should be a pulse flow.
If the pulse-shaped EGR-flow is supplied to incoming air without any special mixing measures, the EGR-flow will be mixed poorly into the air resulting in the air containing "clouds" or pockets of exhaust gas. The exhaust-gas component in the air/exhaust-gas mixture (gas mixture) that is supplied to a particular cylinder will then depend on how the gas mixture outside the cylinder happens to be composed at the moment when the induction valve of the cylinder is opened. Even if the share of exhaust gases in the gas mixture, viewed in total for the entire engine, is of the desired proportion, it is very likely that the share in the various cylinders will be either too low or too high.
Usually the EGR-flow is recirculated to incoming air by a small feed pipe being connected in a known manner to the induction air duct, for example to the induction pipe directly before branch-off to the cylinders. A known method for reducing the effect of the above-mentioned "cloud" formation is to produce turbulent flows at or after the connection by, for example, using a system of small guide plates, also referred to as "turbulators," or by using various types of venturi devices. Such venturi devices utilize an underpressure in the air and can be configured, for example, such that the feed pipe is connected to a narrowed section of the air duct in which an increased airflow velocity results in a lower static pressure. In JP 200000896, an example is shown of a known technology in which turbulators are used and U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,204 discloses a number of different venturi devices. Venturi devices are known for producing a relatively good mixture of each individual exhaust-gas pulse in the incoming air. The effect of the pulsing of the EGR-flow remains, however, since the "clouds" of exhaust gas in the air/exhaust-gas mixture are well separated in the flow direction of the air current. This means that the share or proportion of exhaust gas in the gas mixture that is sucked into the various cylinders can still vary considerably and cause the problems discussed above. Apart from this drawback, many venturi devices are far too bulky to be suitable for utilization, for example, in cramped engine compartments of heavy vehicles; and moreover, such devices are relatively expensive to produce.

Apparatus for supply of recirculated exhaust gas


A concrete component has a concrete matrix (49) and at least one non-metal reinforcing element (50), which can be shaped and at least one reinforcing part (29). The at least one reinforcing part (29) has a plurality of reinforcing threads (34) or reinforcing yarn arranged in a plastic matrix of a plastic (K). The plastic (K) is designed to be reversibly cross-linked. The cross-links can be released by heating the plastic (K) and reestablished by cooling the plastic back down. Thus, it is possible to produce and store a reinforcing element in completely hardened form as a standard element. In one application, the produced reinforcing element can be reshaped into the desired shape by releasing the cross-links in one or more locations, reshaping the reinforcing element, and then hardening the reinforcing element again by reestablishing the cross-links.

Reinforcements for plastics are known today and are already used in many ways in plastic construction. Such reinforcements must meet various requirements. In particular, they are intended to increase the mechanical strength of composite parts (tensile strength, tensile stiffness, crack bridging). The reinforcing elements must not only impart strength, but rather must also allow shaping of the composite material together with the plastic matrix, for example in the construction of boats, airplanes, bicycles, etc. DE 10 2011 087 226 A1 describes a pseudo-thermoplastic, self-crosslinking composite material that can be used for plastic construction and that has a plastic matrix made from a reversibly cross-linked plastic.
Reinforcements for strengthening structures made of mineral binders have different requirements than a composite material for plastic components. They must be resistant to the media used in the mineral concrete component, in particular to alkaline substances. Furthermore, they must be permanently heat-resistant to temperatures up to 80° C. Finally, such reinforcements should be simple and economical to produce and it should be simple to handle them on the construction site. Especially at construction sites, it is necessary that persons that have little or no knowledge of the art be able to create a concrete component in a simple way and to do so without defects.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,085 B2 describes a reinforcing bar for concrete structures. The reinforcing bar is made from a composite material of a depolymerizable and repolymerizable thermoplastic resin and longitudinally oriented reinforcing fibers. This is intended to achieve low viscosity during processing. The structure of the reinforcing bar is intended to allow it to be put into any different shape. During depolymerization and repolymerization, the polymer chains are broken up or reassembled, respectively, in the extension direction. This allows the thermoplastic reinforcing bar to be made more shapeable by heating, put into the desired shape, and then hardened again by cooling. After the plastic cools off, it remains a thermoplast.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,903 A describes another reinforcing element. It consists of reinforcing fibers that are integrated into a resin. The reinforcing element has multiple flanges that project away from a core, producing a shape with a cross-shaped or star-shaped cross section. In the core, a slot is formed at the location where the reinforcing element is supposed to be bent, so that a flange that is supposed to be curved at the bending point is separated from the core. This allows bending of the reinforcing element, which would otherwise be hindered by the structure with a cross-shaped or star-shaped cross section.
In practice, the plastic matrices used for such composite material reinforcements are mainly thermosetting resins, for example epoxy resin, vinyl ester resin, or polyester resin. Up to now, thermoplastic resins have not been used in practice, since the long-term operating temperatures are too low. In addition, thermoplasts have a tendency to creep, and therefore can reduce the strength of the concrete component. On the other hand, high-temperature thermoplasts are expensive, and some must be processed at very high temperatures, which additionally increases the costs. Moreover, the quality of the bond with the embedded fibers is problematic when thermoplasts are used. There are only a few fibers—that is, roving types with a sizing agent—that ensure a sufficiently good bond for the thermoplastic plastic matrix.
Most reinforcements, especially steel reinforcements at construction sites, are prefabricated. This relates above all to shear reinforcements and starter bars. In order to be able to produce completely steel-free concrete components from composite material reinforcements, it is necessary to provide not only planar, flat reinforcing meshes or straight reinforcing bars, but rather also two-dimensional or three-dimensional bar-shaped or mesh-shaped reinforcing elements that are curved or bent. Today this is accomplished by adapting the composite material reinforcement elements to the specific use during production, producing them ready to be installed, and installing them at the construction site, especially by casting a concrete component. If the composite material has completely hardened, after that the prefabricated reinforcing element can no longer be reshaped. Adaptation, for example in order still to compensate for manufacturing tolerances on the construction site is no longer possible with these prefabricated reinforcing elements. Alternatively, in a not yet completely hardened, partly cross-linked state—which is called "stage B" or also prepreg—although the reinforcing elements made of composite material are still shapeable, they are storable only to a limited extent. The reason why is that even when such prepregs are stored in a cooled state, they continue to react and age. Moreover, cooled storage takes a lot of effort and is expensive.
If prepregs are supposed to be reshaped into a three-dimensional curved and/or bent shape, they are laid over a corresponding mold or laid into a mold and hardened. The reinforcing fibers are not pretensioned and can form waves, at least in places, depending on the shape. This can in turn reduce the tensile strength or tensile stiffness of the reinforcing element.
Due to the mentioned disadvantages relating to the material, the sometimes very high material prices, and the complicated reshaping, concrete components with non-metal reinforcements have not become widely accepted up to now. This gilt, although the problem of corrosion of steel-reinforced concrete components does lead to high maintenance costs and sometimes a lack of durability, such as, e.g., in the area of bridge construction, and therefore there is a great need for concrete components with non-metal reinforcements that are reasonably cost-effective.
Therefore, the goal of this invention can be considered to be to create a concrete component with a reinforcing element that at least partly solves the above problems and in particular ensures this by improved handling with high technical capability.

Concrete component having a reinforcing element, method for producing same, method for bending a reinforcing bar of a reinforcing element, and bending device


Provided is a method and system for manufacturing a nano-plate. The method includes depositing two or more types of film around a central core to form a plurality of film layers, each film layer being of a different type than its adjacent layers. Next, the deposited film layers are sectioned to expose a patterned surface. Finally, the patterned surface is then planarized and selectively etched to form a relief pattern which can be used as an imprint stamp.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of imprint lithography.
2. Related Art
A conventional imprint mask used in nano-imprint technology is generally a quartz or hard surface plate that has been patterned and manufactured using an electron-beam (E-beam) lithography or ion beam lithography pattern writing system. After the required pattern has been written and an image developed in a layer of a resist, the pattern is transferred into the quartz or hard surface using an etch process. A shallow topography is formed in the quartz or hard surface that can be impressed into a plastic medium to give a pattern transfer.
Using the conventional imprint mask manufacturing process, there is a resolution cost issue associated with writing 1× structures less than 30 nanometers (nm) wide. That is, it takes a very long time per square inch to manufacture the mask. Even worse, the manufactured mask may have a severely restricted useful life and it is very difficult to define the 1× imprint masks, even using E-beam technology. This is especially true for patterns having circular symmetry that can be used for imprinting, for example, data tracks onto a data storage disk.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and system for developing a nano-plate for imprint lithography that overcomes the manufacturing challenges associated with traditional imprint masks;

Method and system for making a nano-plate for imprint lithography


Disclosed are systems and methods for performing soft tissue repair by delivering a suture through the soft tissue and underlying bone at two or more fixation points that can be spaced apart from each other and connected by the suture on the surface of the soft tissue. The two or more fixation points and the suture connected there between can be a continuous strand of suture, which can form a stitching assembly that can provide sufficient fixation in the bone and minimize disruption to the soft tissue and bone. In an example, the suture can be delivered into the bone using one or more implants that can catch the suture to drive the suture through the tissue and into the bone. The one or more implants can include structural features to aid in securing the suture to the implant. In an example, the suture can include structural features or be formed of a material to aid in fixation of the suture in the bone.

Damage to soft tissue, such as one or more tears in the soft tissue, can be common for humans, particularly athletes. Successful repair or reattachment of the soft tissue to the bone can be important, particularly in sports medicine.
Some devices used for soft tissue repair may involve fixation only to the soft tissue and not fixation to both the soft tissue and underlying bone. Other designs can include an anchor that can penetrate into the bone, but those designs may commonly involve drilling to pre-form the hole for the anchor and may involve a plurality of manual steps. One of the challenges can include disruption of the bone during drilling and delivery of the anchor. In designs using sutures, tensioning may be difficult to control.

Methods and systems for stitching soft tissue to bone