Provided is a camera optical lens including first to fourth lenses. The camera optical lens satisfies: 0.10≤R1/R2≤0.20; 1.10≤R3/R4≤1.50; 5.50≤R5/R6≤6.50; and −6.50≤f2/f≤−4.50, where f denotes a focal length of the camera optical lens; f2 denotes a focal length of the second lens; R1 denotes a curvature radius of an object side surface of the first lens; R2 denotes a curvature radius of an image side surface of the first lens; R3 denotes a curvature radius of an object side surface of the second lens; R4 denotes a curvature radius of an image side surface of the second lens; R5 denotes a curvature radius of an object side surface of the third lens; and R6 denotes a curvature radius of an image side surface of the third lens. The camera optical lens has good optical performance while satisfying design requirements for ultra-thin, wide-angle lenses having large apertures.

With the emergence of smart phones in recent years, the demand for miniature camera optical lens is increasingly higher, but in general the photosensitive devices of camera optical lens are nothing more than Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) or Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Sensors (CMOS sensors). As the progress of the semiconductor manufacturing technology makes the pixel size of the photosensitive devices become smaller, plus the current development trend of electronic products towards better functions and thinner and smaller dimensions, miniature camera optical lenses with good imaging quality have become a mainstream in the market.
In order to obtain better imaging quality, the lens that is conventionally equipped in mobile phone cameras adopts a three-piece lens structure. However, with the development of technology and the increasingly diverse demands of users, the pixel area of photosensitive devices is becoming smaller and smaller and the requirement of the system on the imaging quality is increasingly higher, a four-piece lens structure gradually emerges in lens designs. Although the common four-piece lens has good optical performance, its settings on refractive power, lens spacing and lens shape still have some deficiencies, which result in that the lens structure cannot have a good optical performance while satisfying design requirements for ultra-thin, wide-angle lenses having large apertures.


An electronic device is described that includes a range indicator for conveying a range of travel until the electronic device ceases operation due to loss of power. In implementations, the electronic device includes a display device, a memory operable to store one or more modules, and at least one processor coupled to the display device and the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to cause display of navigation information at the display device. The navigation information includes a map graphic representing an area an aircraft is traversing. The navigation information also includes an end of use situation that represents a range of travel for the aircraft until the electronic device ceases operation due to a loss of power.

Integrated avionics systems replace mechanical and electro-mechanical instrument gauges historically used in aircraft with one or more electronic displays for displaying primary flight information such as attitude, altitude, heading, vertical speed, and so forth, to the pilot. Integrated avionics systems may include one or more primary flight displays (PFD) and one or more multifunction displays (MFD). A representative PFD displays primary flight and selected navigation information that is typically received from one or more sensor systems such as an attitude heading reference system (AHRS), an inertial navigation system (INS), one or more air data computers (ADC), and/or navigation sensors. A representative MFD displays information for navigation and for broad situational awareness such as navigation routes, flight plans, information about aids to navigation (including airports), moving maps, weather information, terrain and obstacle information, traffic information, engine and other aircraft systems information, and so forth.

Avionics navigation power range indicator


An integrating filter circuit having a reference potential source for supplying the integrating filter circuit with a prescribed reference potential, a transconductance circuit provided with a differential circuit, a variable current source couple to the differential circuit and output means coupled to the differential circuit for outputting an intermediate voltage of the outputs of the differential circuit, a common feedback loop with a comparison circuit coupled between the output means and the variable current source so as to stabilize the intermediate voltage in reference to a reference voltage supplied to the comparison circuit and capacitors coupled between the variable current source and the reference potential source.

Various integrating filter circuits suited for incorporation into IC devices have been developed. Conventionally, these integrating filter circuits have utilized an integrating circuit comprised of transconductance circuits and capacitors, and a feedback technique for causing a desired filtering characteristic.
In a physical embodiment of the integrating filter circuit the integrating characteristic usually deviates from an ideal integrating characteristic. Such a deviation largely affects the integrating filter characteristic of the circuit. Thus it has been tried to bring the integration characteristic of integrating circuits close to the ideal integration characteristic by operating the integrating circuits with a fully differential circuit configuration. In such a differential circuit configuration, a common feedback technique is required to stabilize a differential operation.
FIG. 1 shows an example of such conventional integrating filter circuit utilizing the fully differential circuit configuration and the common feedback technique.
In FIG. 1, a capacitor C1 is connected in a transconductance circuit 10 consisting of a differential circuit 10A formed by transistors Q1 and Q2. The emitters of the transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected together, and then the common emitter node connected to a current source I1. The bases of the transistors Q1 and Q2 are coupled to input terminals IN for receiving an input signal. The collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q2 thus operate as current output ends. The collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected not only to the collectors of transistors Q3 and Q4, but also to the bases of transistors Q6 and Q7. The transistors Q3, Q4, Q6 and Q7 construct a variable current source 10B as described later. The transistors Q6 and Q7 are arranged in an emitter-follower circuit configuration with current sources I2 and I3 connected to their emitters, respectively. The emitters of the transistors Q6 and Q7 are connected together through two series resistors R1 and R2 with a same resistance value.
The connecting node 10C of the resistors R1 and R2 is coupled to one input of a comparison circuit 20 comprised of transistors Q8 and Q9 which are arranged in a differential circuit configuration with a current source I4. For example, the voltage on the connecting node 10C, which represents an intermediate voltage Vi of the outputs of the differential circuit voltage, is applied to the base of the transistor Q8. The other input of the comparison circuit 20, i.e., the base of the other transistor Q9 is coupled to a source of the reference voltage Vref. Thus the intermediate voltage Vi of the outputs of the transconductance circuit 10 is compared with the reference voltage Vref at the comparison circuit 20.
A current resulted from the comparison in the comparison circuit 20 is applied to an integrating capacitor C2 which is connected to the collector of the transistor Q9. Thus an integrated voltage resulting from the integration by the integrating capacitor C2 is fed back to the transconductance circuit 10 through the transistors Q3 and Q4 of the variable current source 10B. As a result, the operating point of the transconductance circuit 10, i.e., the intermediate voltage Vi is stabilized by the common feedback operation via the connecting node 10C of the resistors R1 and R2 in the variable current source 10B, the comparison circuit 20 and the integrating capacitor C2.
The transfer function G(S) of the transconductance circuit 10 to collector voltage for this common feedback reference voltage Vref is expressed by the following Equation: ##EQU1##
In this Equation 1, gm1 and gm2 represent transconductances of the comparison circuit 20 consisting of the transistors Q8 and Q9 and the transconductance circuit 10 comprised of the transistors Q1 and Q2. .gamma..sub.0 also represents the parallel resistance of the output resistances of the transistors Q1 and Q3, or the transistors Q2 and Q4. S also represents a complex frequency.
As clearly seen from the above Equation 1, the transconductance circuit 10 is stable because the "pole" is in the left half field of S plane when the characteristic is represented on the polar coordinates. Further, as the capacitor C1 is connected between the collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q2, the capacitor C1 acts as equally as a circuit arrangement where two capacitors each having capacitance twice as the capacitance of the capacitor C1 are connected between the collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q2 and the ground potential source GND, respectively. Accordingly, the capacitor C1 have achieved a required capacitance for the transconductance circuit 10 with a small capacitor. Thus the circuit as shown in FIG. 1 is suited for fabricating on IC devices because IC devices are generally inadequate to fabricate thereon a large capacitor.
Thus, the integration filter circuit shown in FIG. 1 has such merits as it is stable and needed capacitance can be made small.
However, there still remains a large problem for implementing such transconductance circuit 10 on IC devices. That is, in physical IC devices parasitic capacitances inevitably exist around both ends of the capacitor C1 due to actual wiring conductors for coupling the capacitor C1 in the IC device. Therefore, when considering the parasitic capacitance Cp, the transfer function G(S) represented by the Equation 1 is changed to the following Equation: ##EQU2##
As seen from the Equation 2, the term of the parallel resistance .gamma..sub.0 is eliminated. This is because that the parallel resistance .gamma..sub.0, the complex frequency S and the parasitic capacitance Cp have a relation represented by following Equation: ##EQU3##
From the Equation 2, the gain G(j.omega.) becomes as follows: ##EQU4##
As easily seen from this Equation 4, the gain G(j.omega.) becomes not only infinite but also unstable when the .omega. is given by following Equation: EQU .omega.=[(gm1.multidot.gm2)/C2.multidot.Cp].sup.1/2 ( 5)
because the denominator of the Equation 4 becomes zero in the condition given by the Equation 5 and the gain G(j.omega.) shall go to infinity.
In the above case, if there exists a certain noise in the circuit, the noise is amplified so as to cause an abnormal oscillation in the circuit.
In other words, the reason for the circuit being unstable is due to that the denominator of Equation 2 has a quadratic form as to the complex frequency S. To prevent such an oscillation in the circuit, it is required that the integrating capacitor C2 is sufficiently large and further a resistor is connected to the integrating capacitor C2 in series. Therefore, even when the capacitor C1 could be made small, the integrating capacitor C2 still must be large. Thus devices implementing the conventional integrating filter circuit are difficult to reduced their size due to the problem of the requirement of the large capacitance for the integrating capacitor C2.
As described above, the conventional integrating filter circuit has such a defect that the common feedback operation becomes unstable by parasitic capacitances, and that the circuit is apt to oscillate. That is, when tried to prevent the defect, the merit of the reduction of the size of the capacitor C1 is hidden by the requirement of the large capacitance for the integrating capacitor C2.


A personal information protecting method of this invention protects personal information saved in a software program installed on a mobile terminal or in a module insertable into and removable from the mobile terminal. The software program installed on the mobile terminal or the module inserted in the mobile terminal is locked or unlocked depending on a state of the mobile terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal information protecting method and a mobile terminal for protecting personal information saved in a software program installed on a mobile terminal or in a module insertable into and removable from the mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of locking a portable phone based on a communications status between the portable phone and a small tag, which can be retained by the user, a method disclosed in Patent Publication No. 2931276 has been heretofore known, for example.
According to this method, a usage restriction cancellation unit in the portable phone receives a signal transmitted from a small identification signal transmission unit (tag), which is retained by the user. Then, when the Received Signal Strength Indicator is not less than a predetermined threshold value, making a phone conversation or communications with the portable phone is allowed. On the other hand, when the Received Signal Strength Indicator is not greater than the predetermined threshold value, making a phone conversation or communications with the portable phone is not allowed.
However, the target to be locked in the conventional method is limited merely to a phone conversation or communications function with a portable phone in which inserted is the usage restriction cancellation unit capable of receiving a signal transmitted from a certain tag.
Accordingly, when a user leaves a portable phone, the portable phone is locked. However, there is a problem that even though the portable phone is locked, when a third party removes a user identity module (UIM) from the portable phone, and then, inserts it into another phone, the third party can refer to personal information such as a phone list saved in the UIM. Furthermore, there is another problem that the third party can even make a phone conversation or communications by use of the phone number recorded in the UIM.
Moreover, there is still another problem that even though the phone conversation or communications function of such a portable phone is locked, the third party can browse information related to personal information such as images taken by a digital camera or the like in the portable phone.

Personal information protecting method and mobile terminal


The present invention relates to a process for producing a composition comprising an aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel, which process comprises: (i) providing a composition comprising a first hydrophobic medium and, disposed in the first hydrophobic medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel; (ii) disposing a volume of an aqueous composition comprising a hydrogel compound around the first volume of the first hydrogel; (iii) allowing the aqueous composition comprising the hydrogel compound to form a gel and thereby forming a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises the first volume of the first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel; and (iv) transferring the hydrogel object from the first hydrophobic medium to an aqueous medium and thereby producing the composition comprising the aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, the first volume of the first hydrogel. The invention further provides a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises a first volume of a first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel.

It has been demonstrated previously that patterned droplet networks containing thousands of pico-litre (pL) volume droplets can be formed in lipid-in-oil solution using a lab-made 3D droplet printer (Villar, G., Graham, A. D. & Bayley, H. A tissue-like printed material. Science 340, 48-52 (2013) and WO 2014/087175). As previous droplet structures were primarily fabricated within a bulk oil solution, they were susceptible to dehydration which can cause coalescence and loss of the original pattern. Use of hydration chambers can reduce such problems, as can keeping the structure at the dew point, but these methods are ultimately restrictive to experimentation and may limit application. Additionally, structures confined to bulk oil also have limited communication with the bulk phase. This has been partly circumvented through fabrication of structures such as multisomes (Villar, G., Heron, A. J. & Bayley, H. Formation of droplet networks that function in aqueous environments. Nat. Nanotechnol. 6, 803-8 (2011)), i.e. droplet networks made in a oil drop suspended in a bulk aqueous phase, which were shown to be responsive to changes in pH and could exchange molecules with the bulk phase. However, due to the production method, multisomes have restricted geometries which are currently limited to nested spheroids. Hence, there is a necessity to phase transfer hydrogel droplet networks to retain a complex architecture over time and for the exchange of molecules into the structure.
The inventors have specifically aimed to phase transfer volumes of hydrogels such as 3D patterned cell-laden droplet networks. Hydrogels were selected to provide mechanical strength but that could also act as a cellularised scaffold, allowing for the culture of cells disposed within into microtissues. Development of microtissues into biologically relevant structures is highly dependent on the spatial arrangement of different cell types. In particular, it is desirable to combine a high resolution printing methodology with scaffold-assisted phase transfer to synthesize tissue samples with emergent biological properties.
Existing methods describe the phase transfer of single droplets or droplet clusters (˜1-10) to give to giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV) (Pautot et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100, 10718-10721 (2003); Yamada et al, Langmuir 22, 9824-8 (2006); Walde et al, Chembiochem 11, 848-65 (2010); Abkarian et al, Soft Matter 7, 4610 (2011); Yanagisawa et al, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 11774-9 (2011); Ito et al, Soft Matter 9, 9539 (2013)) and multi-compartmentalised vesicles. This was demonstrated by passing structures through the interface of a two-phase column of lipid-in-oil solution above aqueous solution (Elani, et al, Chem. Sci. 4, 3332 (2013)). The GUV formation methods used a spinning column to impart centrifugal force to aid phase transfer. The multi-compartmentalised vesicles method used a gravity-mediated approach, reliant on increasing the internal droplet density relative to the bulk phases to encourage droplet settling. Despite previous efforts, however, it remains challenging to phase transfer larger networks of lipid-stabilised droplets because any fabricated structure needs to not only overcome the surface tension of the oil-aqueous interface but also be fully coated with external lipid (to form an aqueous droplet network with internal droplet-droplet bilayers and external droplet-bulk aqueous bilayers).
There are only two literature examples of droplet network phase transfer (Elani, et al, Chem. Sci. 4, 3332 (2013) and Elani et al, Nat. Commun. 5, 1-5 (2014)). In those cases, the authors phase transferred dense sucrose-based droplets through a two phase column interface. The limitations of that research are as follows: phase transferred species are short-lived (generally an hour maximum); only sucrose droplets were demonstrated (which is not an ideal environment for cells); droplets were of large volume (ø≥500 μm i.e. ≥65 nL); networks were simple (composed of 2-8 droplets); and phase transfer occurred only 43% or 80% of the time (depending on the solution).
It is therefore an object of the invention to develop a process which allows the phase transfer of high resolution volumes of hydrogel (which may be cargo-laden) without loss of pattern fidelity.

Phase transfer of a cargo laden scaffold


If there is considerable difference in volume between the color gamut of one image processing device and the color gamut of the other image processing device, high-rate compression occurs and changes chroma to a great degree, resulting in color unbalancing. For example, if an image of the leaves of a plant including shadows is transferred from an image input device to an image output device and reproduced, the shadows discolor and look dark brown. According to the invention, the color gamut of the first image processing device is rotated by a predetermined hue angle and compressed to fall within the color gamut of the second image processing device and color values in the former gamut are mapped to those in the later gamut. By color transformation based on the thus defined mapping, color transformation is executed. Thereby, second color image data determined by rotating the hue angle of first color image data can be obtained. In circumstances where a plurality of color gamuts are available on an image processing device, mapping is defined adaptively for each gamut, thereby finer adjustment can be performed. Consequently, color gamut mapping of the first and second image processing devices in a device-independent color space, wherein there is great difference between their color gamut volumes, can be corrected so that color unbalancing can be prevented even for different forms of color gamut that is the target gamut of color output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medium recording a color transformation lookup table, a printing apparatus, a printing method, a medium recording a printing program, and a medium recording a color transformation program.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Image processing devices such as displays and printers have their inherent color gamut; that is, the range of colors producible by the device. Different image processing devices usually have different volumes of color gamut. When handling even the same image, the color gamut of one image processing device is compressed to fall within the color gamut of the other image processing device, thereby the color image is expressed in the color gamut of the image output device. In common techniques for such compression, chroma contraction toward the lightness axis takes place in a Lab space, not actively causing hue change.
In color transformation according to the foregoing techniques, problems were posed which will be described blow.
If there is considerable difference in volume between the color gamut of one image processing device and the color gamut of the other image processing device, high-rate compression occurs and changes chroma to a great degree, resulting in color unbalancing. Due to the chroma change in certain hues, viewers might sense colors different from the inherent colors by color contrast. For example, the color gamut of an ink-jet printer using a CMYK ink set is characterized by quite lower chroma in the color region of the red hue to the green hue and in the low lightness range. If an image of the leaves of a plant including shadows presented on a display is printed with such printer, the dark green shadows cannot gain sufficient chroma and look dark brown by contrast with green in the surroundings.

Medium recording color transformation lookup table, printing apparatus, printing method, medium recording printing program, and medium recording color transformation program


An inverter is operated to eliminate hiss in the control of the speed of an induction motor using an inverter of variable frequency. The voltage is matched to the selected frequency to avoid such hiss and control of the voltage is effected by regulating spacing between the pulses outputted by the pilot unit to the gates of the MOSFETs or IGBTs forming the arms of the inverter.

With increasing automation of various processes, speed control of electrical induction motors has become of increasing interest. Asynchronous induction motors can vary in speed only upon variation of the frequency of the electronic power supplied to the motor. The electronic power is derived from the network at a fixed network frequency (usually 50 or 60 Hz) and is converted to a variable frequency alternating current in a so-called "inverter". The inverter generally converts the network alternating current into a direct current and, in turn, the direct current into an alternating current whose frequency can be controlled by controlling the conductivity timing of the power transistors of the inverter.
For an induction motor to be operated correctly, it is known that saturation of the magnetic core should be avoided under all supply conditions, but that the motor should be energized with the maximum magnetic flux short of saturation for optimum mechanical efficiency.
The voltage supplied to the motor cannot be maintained constant while the frequency is varied, but rather must increase approximately linearly with a linear increase in frequency and hence in speed. This relationship is due to the fact that electromotive counterforce (back EMF) generated by the motor which counteracts the applied supply voltage must, by reason of LENZ's Law, increase with the increased frequency. The magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit should be maintained constant. The magnetic flux is proportional to the applied voltage and inversely proportional to the frequency thereof. By varying the frequency, the speed of the rotating field can be regulated and the mechanical speed of the motor determined thereby.
An inverter capable of delivering the alternating supply voltage with variable frequency to an induction motor, comprises generally the aforementioned rectifier stage which can include a condenser or capacitor functioning as a filter for converting the alternating voltage of the supply network to direct current, power transistors which can be of the MOSFET (Metal oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) or IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) type in pairs in respective arms connected across the direct current terminals of the rectifier circuit and having outputs tapped between the power transistors of each arm to supply the electric motor.
Diodes can be provided for energy recovery and serve to protect the field effect transistors against reverse current flows and transients, i.e. transient voltage surges. A control circuit can be connected to the gates of the MOSFETs or IGBTs to trigger them in the corresponding sequence to energize the motor with alternating current, the frequency of such energization determining the motor speed. A piloting unit can be provided for responding to the control unit to produce the gate triggering signals for the power transistors and a power supply can be provided for these units, connected across the rectifier output terminals. With the appropriate sequence signals generated by the control unit and conditioned by the piloting unit, the MOSFETs or IGBTs can be rendered conductive in the appropriate sequence to provide a polyphase or monophase energization of the motor.
In the case of a three-phase system, utilizing, for example, a three-phase induction motor whose windings are connected in a delta (.DELTA.) connection, the signals can have square wave configuration with voltages passing between +Vat and -Vat with a phase displacement of 120.degree.. The three-phase inverter can have three arms of the type described and are triggered in 120.degree. out-of-phase relationship but operated at the same cadence or frequency determining the motor speed.
It has been proposed, in this regard, to vary the voltage as a function of the frequency by chopping the piloting signals, thereby resorting to a pulse width modulation of the trigger signals for the power transistors. In pulse width modulation (PWM) the widths of pulses applied to the gates can be varied.
In general, therefore, it can be said that it is possible to obtain various voltages at the outputs of the variable inverter connected to the motor by varying the number, width and intervals of the piloting pulses. The frequency of triggering of the power transistors for motor control purposes is usually between 1 and 16 Hz. Because of the time constant of the motor windings and the operation in a frequency range between 1 and 16 Hz, energization of the motor is within a range ready perceptible to the human ear. This fact and the fact that the magnetostriction phenomena in the magnetic domains of the motor causes the typical hissing which characterizes induction motors whose speeds are controlled by frequency variation.

Method of operating an inverter for powering an induction motor


A technique for increasing the strength of long wavelength infrared material, such as zinc sulfide and zinc selenide includes diffusing species which are applied to the materials as thin films into the zinc sulfide and zinc selenide material. Portions of the thin film material are thermally diffused to substantial depths of up to 100 microns below the depth of flaws formed in the body using one of two diffusion techniques. One diffusion technique uses hot isostatic pressure and the other uses a heat treatment carried out at or near ambient pressure in an inert atmosphere, such as argon or other suitable inert gas.

This invention relates generally to optical elements and more particularly to strengthening of optical elements.
As it is known in the art, optical imaging systems generally include one or more externally mounted optical elements which shield the remainder of the imaging system from an external environment. For example, with infrared airborne imaging systems, an IR transparent optical element, such as a window or dome, is generally mounted on the airborne system to isolate the remainder of the imaging system from exposure to humid, corrosive, and abrasive environments. Moreover, the element is also provided to isolate the remainder of the imaging system from a aerodynamic environment. Such elements often find applications on missiles, for example.
As system requirements for missile speed increase, the mechanical properties for domes and the like concomitantly increase.
Typically, materials which offer the best mechanical durability and optical performance for infrared imaging systems, in the long wavelength infrared imaging band between 8-12 microns, are limited to a relatively small number of materials. Suitable materials include Group II-VI materials, such as zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, mercury cadmium telluride, and cadmium telluride, Group III-V materials, such as gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, and Group IV materials, such as germanium. Moreover, certain ternary sulfides having the general chemical formula MLn.sub.2 S.sub.4 where M is a Group I cation, Ln is a lanthanide rare earth series cation, and S is the S.sup.-2 sulfide anion are also being used or developed for IR applications in the 8-12 micrometer band. While these ternary sulfide materials have improvements in durability over the aforementioned materials, generally these materials are also relatively susceptible to aerodynamic loading, for example. One feature common to all of the materials is that they are relatively brittle and have relatively low mechanical strengths. Nevertheless, these materials are the best currently available for applications in the 8-12 micron band, principally because they provide the greatest degree of optical transparency.
In particular, zinc sulfide and zinc selenide are the materials of choice for applications requiring transmission in the 8-12 micron band. Although these materials are relatively weak, they have sufficient strength and high enough transmittance characteristics to make them the preferred choice for many of the aforementioned applications. That is, considering optical, physical, and mechanical properties of the materials, zinc sulfide and zinc selenide are currently materials of choice.
Attempts have been made to improve the mechanical properties of these LWIR materials. Such attempts to improve the materials have included providing thick and thin film coatings and compressive coatings of various materials over the LWIR materials, as well as implanting of species into the materials. These procedures have met with some success increasing the strength of these materials by up to approximately 40% and increasing the apparent fracture toughness of these materials by approximately 20%.
It has long been theorized that the actual strength of these materials is limited to a fraction of the theoretical strength principally by material flaws lying at or near the surface of the optical material. These flaws, commonly referred to as the "Griffith" flaw, when they lie near the surface of the substrate are susceptible to propagation through the substrate by tensile components of surface stress waves incident on the surface of the material. Once the flaw starts to propagate, its continued propagation through the material will produce a large crack which leads to a reduction in optical transparency and with sufficient propagation, leads to a catastrophic failure of the element.

Method of strengthening an optical body by diffusion of material to the depth of structural flaws formed in such body


A key system including a key for use with a barrel lock having a rotating locking mechanism. The key includes a grip portion and a shank portion operatively attached to the grip portion. The shank portion includes at least one cam surface for rotatably engaging the rotating locking mechanism to permit rotation of the mechanism in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, but not the other direction, to lock the barrel lock.

Utility boxes, such as electric meter boxes, are typically secured to prevent unauthorized access to the meter. Many of such boxes are secured through the use of split ring that is placed directly around the meter and locked through the use of a barrel lock. Other utility boxes, referred to as "ringless" boxes, do not include a lockable meter ring. Ringless boxes are secured by securing a lock assembly containing a barrel lock on either a side wall or a bottom wall of the box.
A preferred type of barrel lock for use with the above-described utility boxes is known as a rotating disk barrel lock. These locks include multiple rotating combination disks that, when rotated into the proper position via a key, will open the lock. Known barrel locks include relatively complicated working surfaces on the rotating disks, and correspondingly complicated key surfaces, to obstruct attempts at picking the lock. An example of such a rotating disk barrel lock is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,631, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
To remove a key from known rotating disk barrel locks, the key must be rotated to a locked position. This rotates a cylinder of the lock to a locked position and scrambles the rotating disks in such a way that a lock keyway is formed allowing the key to be withdrawn.
In view of the above, known rotating disk barrel locks are delivered for installation in a locked state. As will be appreciated, in order to install these locks, they must be first unlocked with a key, installed in a split ring or a body of a ringless box lock, and then relocked.
As will be appreciated, this requires installers to carry a key capable of both locking and unlocking the barrel lock. These keys are relatively complex with intricate cam surfaces, expensive and, if lost or stolen, could potentially threaten the security of an entire utility system, which typically utilizes a single lock and key for a system. Moreover, the installation process is unnecessarily complicated by the fact that the barrel lock must first be unlocked prior to installation.
With the forgoing concerns in mind, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a key system for a rotating barrel lock that includes a master key, which allows the barrel lock to be delivered to installers in an unlocked state, and a simplified dummy key which allows the barrel lock to be locked but not unlocked thereby reducing costs and providing an increased level of security. It is also a general object of the present invention to provide a key system that will work with certain known barrel locks.


A composite structure is disclosed that includes a support wafer and a layered structure on the support wafer. The layered structure includes at least one layer of a monocrystalline material and at least one layer of a dielectric material. In addition, the layered structure materials and the thickness of each layer are chosen such that the thermal impedance between ambient temperature and 600° K of the composite structure is a value that is no greater than about 1.3 times the thermal impedance of a monocrystalline bulk SiC wafer having the same dimensions as the composite structure. The composite structure provides sufficient heat dissipation properties for manufacturing optical, electronic, or optoelectronic components.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a composite structure suitable for use in optical, optoelectronic or electronic applications. The structure includes a support wafer and a layered structure having at least one layer made of a material chosen from among monocrystalline materials. The composite structure is capable of dissipating heat caused by the operation of optical, electrical, or optoelectrical components.
2. Background Art
Dissipation of heat released by components in a useful layer becomes a critical problem when the operating frequencies of these components and/or their degree of miniaturization increases For example, in a CMOS application, the miniaturization of components and a reduced thickness useful layer exacerbates heat dissipation problems, particularly in cases wherein the useful layers are more or less thermally separated from a support substrate on which they were formed. In particular, CMOS components made as SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator), SiGeOI (SiGe-On-Insulator), GeOI (Ge-On-Insulator) or SGOI (Si/SiGe-On-Insulator) structures can be problematic as the temperature rises (which causes disturbances in the behavior of components). This is due to the fact that the oxide layer (which typically forms the insulating layer for these structures) forms a thermal barrier between a substrate and the useful layer. This type of SOI, SiGeOI, SGOI, GeOI structure may be fabricated by using a SMART-CUT® process, as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0053477.
Components operating at a high power frequency (typically more than 900 MHz) can also cause temperature increases that could disturb or even damage them. To overcome this disadvantage, useful layers are typically made of a nitride semiconductor material with better charge carrying properties (high saturation rate of carriers at high voltage, high breakdown voltage, etc.) than materials such as AsGa. Such useful layers are used for High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) type components. To form such nitride semiconductor-based layers, growth supports made of monocrystalline bulk SiC, bulk <111> Si, or bulk sapphire (Al2O3) are used, for which the lattice parameters are very similar to the lattice parameters of monocrystalline bulk <100> silicon. However, the thermal impedance properties of <111> Si and sapphire are still too high for some high power frequency applications that require greater dissipation of released heat, and although monocrystalline bulk SiC is generally used as a reference material concerning heat dissipation, this material is currently still too expensive to be practical.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,796 and U.S. Published application no. 2003/0064735 disclose composite structures made by bonding thin layers to support wafers. The support wafers are made of polycrystalline materials chosen for their thermal, electrical conductivity and thermal expansion properties (such as polycrystalline SiC substrates). A bonding layer made of a dielectric material is included that functions to improve the bond between the thin layer and the support wafer and to encourage the appearance of possible compliance phenomena. However, the materials and dimensions of the different layers and support wafers, and the methods of manufacturing the structure, are chosen to satisfy physical specifications such as thermal conduction, electrical conduction and thermal expansion. In order to satisfy these various specifications, a structure is chosen as a compromise solution, and it cannot give complete satisfaction. Therefore, the described composite structures are not optimized for high power frequency applications that require strong thermal dissipation properties.

Composite structure with high heat dissipation

S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies S.A.


A nonlinear optical conversion device includes a nonlinear crystal having entrance and exit surfaces allowing input and output laser beams to propagate in the phase-matching plane for a desired nonlinear generation process. The nonlinear generation process involves a nonlinear interaction in the nonlinear crystal and resultant conversion of power in one or two input beams into power in the output beam. The nonlinear crystal is characterized by absorption and resultant modification of the crystal properties by the power in the output beam, the modification with the potential for reducing the efficiency of the nonlinear process in the crystal, and the nonlinear process involving critical phase-matching in the nonlinear crystal in which the powers in the output beam and input beam or beams propagate in different directions through the process of Poynting vector walk-off. The input beam or beams are of a sufficiently small beam dimension in the phase-matching plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength conversion method that converts the wavelength of a coherent light beam or beams using a nonlinear optical wavelength conversion element, the main object thereof being to improve the conversion efficiency for the case where some of the power involved is absorbed in the conversion element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that lasers and nonlinear optics can be used in combination to produce coherent radiation at other wavelengths than the fundamental wavelengths produced by the lasers. One example is harmonic generation, where the new wavelengths are an integer division of the fundamental wavelengths. Another example is sum-frequency generation, where the new wavelength is equivalent to the sum of the frequencies (speed of light/wavelength) of two lasers. A further example is difference-frequency generation, where the new wavelength is equivalent to the difference of the frequencies of two lasers. It is also possible to have cascaded systems where the nonlinear-generated beam or beams drives another nonlinear-generation scheme. Such nonlinear optics can include nonlinear crystals in which the conversion of wavelengths occurs. For example, crystals with symmetries that lack a center of inversion can effectively generate a wavelength that is half the laser wavelength, a process known as second-harmonic generation, since they can produce output that is proportional to the square of the electric field of the laser beam inside the crystal. This so-called second-order nonlinearity can also be used for sum-or difference-frequency generation. We refer to the laser beam or beams (or beams that result from another nonlinear-generation process) as the input beam or beams and the resultant nonlinear-generated beam as the output beam.
In order to obtain efficient harmonic, sum- or difference-frequency generation in a nonlinear crystal, it is necessary to arrange the electric fields of the input and output beams to be in phase with each other as they propagate in the crystal. If they are, the power of the output beam can grow along the length of the crystal and lead to efficient conversion of energy from that of the input beam or beams, provided that the intensity (power/unit area) of the beam or beams is sufficiently high. If the beams do not stay perfectly in phase, the power in the output beam can convert back into power in the input beam or beams, and the efficiency (output beam power/input beam or beams power) is reduced, in the worst case to no conversion at all. The process of keeping the beams in phase is commonly referred to as phase-matching.
In crystals, phase-matching can be accomplished, for example, for beams all propagating along the same direction, if the refractive indices for all wavelengths involved are the same. However, the refractive indices are in general a function of wavelength. Throughout the near-infrared, visible and ultraviolet (UV) wavelength regions, most crystals (for a given polarization and propagation direction in the crystal) exhibit normal dispersion, an increase in refractive index with decreasing wavelength. Thus, phase-matching can only be achieved through the use of birefringent crystals in which the refractive indices are also a function of the polarization of the beam and the direction of propagation in the crystal. By the appropriate choice of polarization and beam propagation direction in the crystal for the input beam or beams and output beam, it is possible in many nonlinear crystals to obtain phase-matching. In the case in which the all the beams propagate along one of the principal axes of the crystal, the process on non-critical phase-matching is said to occur. In all other cases, the process is referred to as critical phase-matching.
It is well known that the refractive indices in crystals in general change with changes in crystal temperature. This can be used to advantage in nonlinear optical systems, since the temperature can often be adjusted to achieve exact phase-matching. However, the change of refraction with temperature can also present a practical problem. If the nonlinear crystal is adjusted for exact phase-matching at one temperature, the nonlinear conversion efficiency will drop if the temperature varies, by an amount that depends on the particular characteristics of the crystal.
Nonlinear crystals absorb some of the power from the input beam or beams and from the output beam. The absorption can be due to several processes, including absorption from electronic or vibrational transitions inherent in the crystal, absorption from impurities or defects in the crystal, nonlinear effects such as two-photon absorption and more complex phenomena such as absorption from transient crystal defects, or color centers, created by the input or output beams. Absorption has one direct effect, the reduction in the power of the output beam. There is a second, indirect effect that often is more significant. The absorbed power leads to heating in the nonlinear crystal, and the subsequent change in the crystal temperature can result in a loss of perfect phase-matching, reducing the power in the output beam. Even when the absorption is small enough to cause only a minor direct loss of output power, the indirect effect of heating and subsequent loss of exact phase-matching can cause a drastic reduction in output power. If the temperature rise was uniform through the volume of the nonlinear crystal, the crystal orientation could be adjusted to compensate, or the crystal temperature could be adjusted through means of external heaters or chillers. In practice, the dynamical nature of the heating can make compensation for heating difficult to implement. The problem is particularly challenging when the output power is responsible for creating the heating. Also, the heating is generally not uniform throughout the volume of the crystal, due to the nature of the absorption and the spatial variation of the power in the laser and output beams. Thus, correction for the heating effect is generally incapable of eliminating all the reduction in output power.
One other effect that can reduce nonlinear power is some crystals is photo-refraction. In this effect, the laser or nonlinear-generated beams create defects in the nonlinear crystal that have electrical charge. The resultant electric field produced in the material changes the refractive index through the electro-optic effect, and that can lead to destruction of perfect phase-matching. As with heating, the effect is difficult to correct because of non-uniformities in the input or output beams and the resultant non-uniformities in the photo-refraction effect in the crystal.
The recognition of the effect of heating in the nonlinear crystal has led to several techniques to compensate for it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,159 issued Apr. 19, 1977 to Hon et al. describes a method using an electric field to control the refractive indices of a nonlinear crystal and compensate for the effects of heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,899 issued Jan. 1, 1980 to Liu shows a device where the temperature of the nonlinear crystal is monitored electronically, and through control electronics and a voltage-controlled tuning element, the wavelength of the laser driving nonlinear crystal is adjusted to maintain phase-matching as the crystal temperature changes due to heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,718 issued to Mohatt et al. teaches a crystal heater design that establishes a gradient in temperature along the length of the nonlinear crystal, in part to compensate for non-uniform heating from the second-harmonic output beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,547 B2 issued to Ikeda et al. describes a temperature control method for a nonlinear crystal that adjusts the crystal temperature to correct for changes in the average power of the input beam.
A book chapter by Hon (D. Hon, "High average power, efficient second harmonic generation," Chapter B2 in Laser Handbook, Volume 3, Ed. M. L. Stitch, North-Holland Pub. Co., Amsterdam, N.Y., 1979) describes a number of techniques to generate high second-harmonic powers in the presence of nonlinear crystal heating.
However, all the techniques attempt to correct for the heating effects after they occur in the crystal and do not generally address means to reduce the effects in the crystal itself. Since the techniques discussed 1) add more complexity to the overall nonlinear conversion system and 2) are in general not fully effective in eliminating the reduction in nonlinear conversion there is a need for other means to reduce heating and other deleterious effects in nonlinear crystals.

Wavelength conversion method with improved conversion efficiency


A virtual memory management apparatus and method to execute virtual machines in a multi-processor and multi-memory environment are provided. The virtual memory management apparatus includes a virtual system memory manager configured to allocate a virtual system memory to a virtual machine. The virtual memory management apparatus further includes a virtual swap device map storage configured to store location information of virtual swap devices that are able to be allocated to the virtual machine. The virtual memory management apparatus further includes a virtual swap device manager configured to allocate a virtual swap device to the virtual machine with reference to a virtual swap device map.

1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus and method for virtual memory management to execute virtual machines in a multi-processor and multi-memory environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods in which a plurality of processors access a memory include Uniform Memory Access (UMA) and Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA). In the UMA, a plurality of processors access a memory through a bus and at a same memory access speed. However, as more processors access the memory, more bottleneck results, which leads to deterioration of memory access performance.
In the NUMA, a plurality of processors have their own internal memories, respectively, and the internal memories are connected to each other through a network such that each processor can access the internal memories (that is, external memories with respect to the processor) of other processors as well as its own internal memory. Each processor may access a memory at a different memory access speed based on a location of the memory. In other words, a processor may take a longer time to access an external memory than to access its own internal memory, which may deteriorate memory access performance.
Further, in order to execute a plurality of UMA-based virtual machines (VMs) in a NUMA environment, a virtual machine monitor (VMM) that virtualizes the NUMA environment into a UMA environment is needed. For the virtualization, several methods have been proposed: a method of replicating data being frequently accessed in internal memories of processors, a method of migrating data being frequently accessed to an internal memory of a processor in which access is made, and a method of migrating a task with data being frequently accessed to another processor. However, since these methods require replication, migration, or task migration, respectively, performance overhead may occur. Accordingly, there are difficulties in ensuring memory access performance of application programs, and particularly, in guaranteeing a quality of service (QoS) of tasks requiring frequent memory accesses.

Apparatus and method for managing virtual memory


An automated testing system and method for evaluating voice processing systems is provided. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a plurality of voice command inputs and a plurality of expected responses associated with the voice command inputs. A text-to-speech engine is applied to the voice command inputs to generate test command audio files. The test command audio files are provided to a testing apparatus in communication with a voice processing system. A generated response output from the voice processing system is obtained for each of the test command audio files. The generated response is captured from the testing apparatus using a sensor to detect audio and/or visual information. The obtained generated response is compared to an expected response from the plurality of expected responses for each of the test command audio files. Based on the comparison, a test result is provided for each of the voice command inputs.

A growing number of vendors are offering products that include artificially intelligent voice processing systems using Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms. Generally, these products are configured to accept an audio command, either directly from a device's microphone or via an application programming interface (API) that receives a digitized recording of a user's voice. These recorded utterances are then converted to text, the intent of these utterances are determined, and the voice processing system responds with the intent or a designated response/action.
Modern products implementing NLP typically do not require voice training before use and can generally support a wide range of speed characteristics. Examples of voice processing systems include Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, IBM's Watson, and other personal assistants and/or products incorporating NLP algorithms.
Voice-based search queries are the fastest-growing mobile search type. Forecasts estimate that half of all searches will be performed via voice by 2020. In the United States alone, 67 million voice-assisted devices will be in use by 2019. As a result of this growth, as well as advances in newly developed artificial intelligence technologies, significant expansion in the market for NLP software solutions is expected over the next few years.

Automated voice processing testing system and method


A collapsible modular display tower assembly has a three-dimensional, collapsible display panel structure having two opposing pairs of pivotally-connective links with upper and lower ends arranged to form four side faces when erect. A plurality of upper and lower hub assemblies are pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the links of adjacent side faces. Four vertically-oriented expansible support and attachment braces are provided with each brace being connected to one pair of the vertically-aligned upper and lower hub assemblies. The braces permit the attachment of graphic representations and display accessories to the tower assembly. Releasable hub-connecting means in the form of male and female connectors are provided on the upper and lower hub assemblies for releasably interlocking a multiplicity of display panel structures into a vertical display tower.

This invention relates to collapsible, self-supporting structures, and more particularly to a collapsible modular display tower assembly for the four-sided displaying of graphic representations and for the attaching of display accessories upon any of the four sides.
Collapsible self-supporting structures typically have a network of support rods or links which are pivotally joined together in a scissors-like arrangement. While some rods or links are intermediately joined for pivotal movement, other links are pivotally joined together at their ends by hub assemblies for movement between a collapsed, compact position for storage or transportation and an open or erect condition in which the desired structural shape is attained. Dome, panel or arch-shaped structures of this type are known.
Collapsible display panel or wall structures of the type having planar or arcuate face surfaces are commercially available and quite useful for trade shows and the like. Often the collapsible display panel structures are typically covered by a sheet of material adapted for either covering the front of the panel structure or displaying a graphic representation. The portable structures may then be used to form the backdrop of a trade show booth. These structures require a complex maze of interconnected pivots and links forming arcuate structures and surfaces rather than planar surfaces or structures. The complex enlarged panel structures do have some other drawbacks in that they are generally light in weight and lack in any vertical supportive strength.
There is a need for a collapsible modular display tower assembly that occupies little square footage on the ground or floor at a trade show. Such a tower assembly should be planar and modular in that multiple structures could be vertically arranged to form a tower and to create a four-sided display structure. Such a structure should be able to bear substantial weight for displaying graphic representations and supporting display accessories to vertical heights heretofore not known.

Collapsible modular display tower assembly


A system for monitoring a fiber-reinforced composite component in production or in service. The system includes a composite component having reinforcing fibers which are encompassed by a matrix material; at least one optical fiber arranged to extend in a continuous path over a monitoring area of the composite component for contact with the matrix material; a signal generator configured to transmit an optical signal along the at least one optical fiber; and a detector device configured to detect scattering, and in particular backscattering, of the optical signal transmitted along the at least one optical fiber.

Efforts are being made in aircraft construction to employ components on an increasing scale that consist completely or at least partly of fiber-reinforced composite materials, e.g., carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), as structural or load-bearing components. For example, DE 10 2007 062 111 A1 describes a transverse-member structure consisting of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, which serves to support individual panels of an aircraft floor system for separating a passenger cabin from a cargo compartment arranged below the passenger cabin. Furthermore, it is known from DE 10 2007 062 111 A1 to employ components fabricated in a sandwich construction (i.e., with a core and outer (e.g., top and bottom) layers consisting of a fiber-reinforced plastic material applied to the core) as floor panels or ceiling panels in an aircraft.
For the purpose of producing components from fiber-reinforced composite materials, the reinforcing fibers are usually first introduced into a molding tool. Subsequently, the fibers are impregnated with the matrix material (e.g., polymer) which is typically provided in liquid form. Finally, curing of the matrix material is effected by appropriate control of temperature and/or pressure. Known methods for producing components from fiber-reinforced composite materials include injection methods, wherein the liquid matrix material is injected into a closed molding tool under elevated pressure of over 6 bar. Furthermore, infusion methods are known, wherein the reinforcing fibers are inserted into an open molding tool and are normally covered with a semipermeable membrane that is pervious to gases but impervious to the matrix material. The semipermeable membrane is covered by a gas-impervious film, so that an under-pressure can be applied between the semipermeable membrane and the gas-impervious film and, as a result, liquid matrix material can be drawn or sucked into the molding tool.
Irrespective of whether an injection method or an infusion method is employed for producing a component from a fiber-reinforced composite material, the control of the flow of matrix material into and through the molding tool is of crucial importance for the quality of the component. Thus, in the case of production of the component by an infusion method with an open molding tool, the flow of the matrix material is ordinarily monitored by means of a CCD camera. In the case of production of the component by an injection method with a closed molding tool, on the other hand, visual monitoring of the flow of matrix material is not possible, so sensors such as, for example ultrasonic sensors, line sensors that operate capacitively, temperature sensors and/or pressure sensors are employed. Generally, however, these sensor-based measuring systems do not provide continuous data on the actual advance of the front of matrix material in real time as the sensors only detect changes in the corresponding physical quantities at discrete locations.

System for monitoring flow of a matrix material in a molding tool using a scattering optical signal transmitted along at least one optical fiber during production of a component


A method, system and program code are provided to implement a wireless network having a plurality of devices in which one of the devices coordinates wireless communications between the devices. The method and system evaluates device parameters of one or more of the plurality of devices, the device parameters including at least available power source characteristics for a device; and determines a coordinator from the plurality of devices based on at least the available power source characteristics, such as an available power source capacity, for the one or more of the plurality of devices, the coordinator adapted to coordinate wireless communications between the devices in the wireless network.

Short range wireless systems typically involve devices that have a communications range of one hundred meters or less. To provide communications over long distances, these short range systems often interface with other networks. For example, short range networks may interface with cellular networks, wireline telecommunications networks, and the Internet.
Wireless piconets, also referred to as personal area networks (PANs) typically operate in unlicensed portions of the radio spectrum, usually either in the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band or the 5 GHz Unlicensed-National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) band. Examples of wireless piconet technology include the Bluetooth standard and the IEEE 802.15.3 standard.
Bluetooth defines a short-range radio network, originally intended as a cable replacement. It can be used to create ad hoc networks of up to eight devices, where one device is referred to as a master device. The other devices are referred to as slave devices. The slave devices can communicate with the master device and with each other via the master device. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Specification Of The Bluetooth System, Volumes 1 and 2, Core and Profiles: Version 1.1, Feb. 22, 2001, describes the principles of Bluetooth device operation and communication protocols. Bluetooth devices operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band reserved for general use by Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications. These devices are designed to find other Bluetooth devices within their communications range and to discover what services they offer.
IEEE 802.15.3 defines a framework for devices to communicate at high data rates (e.g., 55 Mbps) at short ranges across ad hoc networks. Currently, an IEEE 802.15.3 piconet may support a large number of devices, such as 250. These devices share frequency channels by employing time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission and Carrier Sensing Multiple Access (CSMA) techniques. IEEE 802.15.3 piconets include a device known as a piconet controller or coordinator (PNC) and one or more other devices (referred to as DEVs).
The PNC is a device that controls piconet resources. In particular, the PNC performs functions, such as controlling the basic timing for the piconet, and regulating the admission of devices into the piconet. In addition, the PNC manages quality of service (QoS) and security aspects of the piconet. To perform these functions, the PNC typically cannot enter an "idle" or "sleep" mode. Thus, the PNC consumes more power than the other devices in the piconet. Therefore, it is desirable to assign the PNC role to devices having a good battery condition, or even a fixed power supply.
Multiple devices may join and leave the piconet during its existence. Likewise, different devices may assume the PNC role at various times. The process in which the PNC role is transferred between a first device and a second device is referred to herein as PNC handover. IEEE 802.15.3 provides for PNC handover through the use of a PNC handover command, which is issued for various reasons. However, these reasons do not currently include the status of a battery, but only information on the availability of a fixed power supply. In an ad hoc network, none of the devices may have a fixed power supply. The knowledge of battery levels in such a network could be used for balancing power consumption. The inability to determine the battery level in such a network may also cause a device with low battery power (that otherwise appears as a good PNC candidate) to be unable to reject the PNC role because of its low battery power, and run out of power after the PNC role is transferred to it. Accordingly, techniques are needed for taking available power source capacity of devices into consideration during PNC handover processes.
In addition to the short-range networking techniques described above, ultra wideband (UWB) techniques have become an attractive solution for short-range wireless communications because they allow for devices to exchange information at relatively high data rates. Current FCC regulations permit UWB transmissions for communications purposes in the frequency band between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz. However, for such transmissions, the spectral density has to be under −41.3 dBm/MHz and the utilized bandwidth has to be higher than 500 MHz.
There are many UWB transmission techniques that can fulfill these requirements. A common and practical UWB technique is called impulse radio (IR). In IR, data is transmitted by employing short baseband pulses that are separated in time by gaps. Thus, IR does not use a carrier signal. These gaps makes IR much more immune to multipath propagation problems than conventional continuous wave radios. RF gating is a particular type of IR in which the impulse is a gated RF pulse. This gated pulse is a sine wave masked in the time domain with a certain pulse shape.
IR transmission facilitates a relatively simple transmitter design, which basically requires a pulse generator and an antenna. This design does not necessarily require a power amplifier, because transmission power requirements are low. In addition, this design does not generally require modulation components such as voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) and mixers, because the impulses are baseband signals.
In general, IR receiver designs are more complex than their corresponding transmitter designs. However, these designs are much simpler than conventional receiver designs because they typically do not employ intermediate frequency (IF) signals or filters. However, to fulfill spectral requirements, IR impulses have to be very short in duration (e.g., a couple of nanoseconds). This requirement places stringent timing demands on receiver timing accuracy. The fulfillment of these demands can also provide IR receivers with accurate time resolution and positioning capabilities.

Method and system for power-based control of an ad hoc wireless communications network


Technologies pertaining to conversion of declarative statements written in a domain-specific language to data that is playable by a rich interactive narrative (RIN) player are described herein. A web browser can be configured to support a RIN player. Source code of a web page includes an indication that the RIN player is to be invoked, declarative statements written in the domain-specific language, and data that identifies a network-accessible location of a converter. The converter is configured to convert declarative statements in the domain-specific language to RIN data that is playable by the RIN player. Thus, a developer of a web page can utilize declarative statements in the domain-specific language to cause a RIN to be included in a web page.

The linear, narrative method of conveying information has a long history that continues to this day. This method generally entails presenting information in a sequential manner. Verbal storytelling, classroom lectures, novels, text books, magazines, journals, slide presentations, movies, documentaries, how-to videos, online articles, and blogs, are but a few examples of linear narratives. However, narratives are not the only way information is currently conveyed. There is also interactive exploration.
Interactive exploration is often used for visualization of complex data. This method generally entails presenting information in an organized, often hierarchical manner, which allows a user to intelligently search through the data. Browsable maps in 2D and 3D are an example where interactive mapping software enables users to explore a vast space with customizable data layers and views. Another example is a photosynth which enables exploration of collections of images embedded in a re-created 3D space. Yet another example is the so-called pivot control that enables a visually rich, interactive exploration of large collections of items by "pivoting" on selected dimensions or facets. These examples represent just a small number of the many interactive exploration schemes that exist today—and it is anticipated there will be many more developed in the future.
Conventionally, however, media rich interactive experiences on a webpage are implemented as one-off websites that utilize customized and complex code. This is because popular presentation layers are quite low level, including but not limited to HTML and other multimedia platforms that are employed to add information, video, and interactivity to webpages. Accordingly, to present a media rich experience on a web page to an end user, a designer of such web page must use non-trivial client and server-side code, or utilize relatively simple embeddings (such as embedding a video player in a web page). This issue can be mitigated by having a common server-side infrastructure, as well ask client-side libraries, such that rich content can be populated from data-driven sources (such as advertisement data). This, however, requires specialized coding on the server, which is generally not problematic for high profile sites that have a significant amount of financial resources, but is not feasible for web pages that are not generated by developers with significant resources. Further, even when customized server-side code is employed, the scope (type) of automatically generated rich media that can be displayed is relatively limited to slideshows or simple media lists, which reflects the complexity of generating rich media experiences.

Conversion of declarative statements into a rich interactive narrative


An apparatus and method are specialized in utilizing a three-dimensional(3-D) time-dependent image data, which is obtained by dynamic scanning in devices such as an X-ray computed tomography device. The dynamic scanning is carried out at a fixed slice layer in a patient body at a certain time interval. When an line-selecting line is set in a 2-D scanned image, a part of the 3-D time-dependent image data, displayed on the TV monitor, the data corresponding to the designated line in the 3-D time-dependent image data can be converted into a 2-D time-dependent image data by an image data conversion unit. The 2-D time-dependent image data is displayed on the monitor and it appears as degrees of density on the screen and shows dynamical image changing with the scanning time. Moreover, when profile-selecting line is designated in the 2-D time-dependent image, a profile forming unit forms a profile data concerning image data values at an axis designated by the profile-selecting line. The profile data is visualized as a time curve on the monitor, and offers a quantitative analysis.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for displaying medical images of a sliced tissue in the body of a patient, and more particularly, relates to the apparatus and method for displaying modified forms of time-dependent image data obtained by dynamic scanning at the sliced tissue.
In conventional medical diagnoses, medical examinations using imaging methods such as X-ray computed tomography(CT), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), and nuclear medicine(NM) have been frequently carried out to obtain time-dependent image data at a lesion of a patient, the image data permitting a clearer understanding of diseases.
In examinations by the X-ray CT, for instance, a dynamic study has been widely known for detecting the time-dependent image data. The dynamic study is an up-to-date manner, in which the flow of contrast medium can be observed as a substitute for time-dependent information showing motion of blood vessels or organs after a bolus-injection of the medium into a lesion.
The dynamic study with the X-ray CT apparatus first includes a plurality of scanning processes. These scanning processes are carried out at a fixed slice position in the patient is body at a certain time interval after a single injection of contrast medium therein. A slicing tissue will be set to be parallel to the X-Y plane when the longitudinal axis of a patient is aligned with the Z axis of a Cartesian coordinate system. The scanning collects a plurality of two-dimensional (2-D) image data throughout the sliced tissue. Next, a region of interest(ROI) is designated by an operator at a desired position or an area(e.g., round-shaped or rectangular-shaped) on a display screen showing a sliced 2-D image. The area of the ROI is normally set to be rather small in order to maintain high accuracy for observation. A processor of the apparatus, then, calculates a mean value of the CT values within the each area corresponding to the ROI through all scanned 2-D image data. Finally, a profile(i.e., time-density curve) of the mean values is formed and visualized on the screen.
The dynamic study is able to show a profile about CT values qualitatively, but the profile covers only the area of the designated ROI. Then, for inspecting a generality of a doubtful lesion, if it is required to display the time-dependent profile or information with a longer or wider scope in comparison with the above narrow ROI, the operator has to repeat the above-described dynamic study with relocating the ROI. As a result, a diagnosis for one patient requires frequently cumbersome operations.

Apparatus and method of displaying medical images of sliced tissue


Provided are a stretchable non-woven fabric including crimped fibers, satisfying the following formula: (σ65−σ55)/(σ30−σ20)≥2.5, when a stress σ (N/50 mm) at a strain ε of 20%, 30%, 55% and 65% in a stress-strain curve by a tensile test for at least one direction in a plane direction, is referred to as σ20, σ30, σ55 and σ65, respectively, and a bandage including the non-woven fabric. The non-woven fabric and the bandage lead small deterioration in stretching performance when used repeatedly, and can be excellent in repetition durability.

A bandage is used not only for directly protecting an application part such as an affected part by being wound around the application part, or for fixing other protecting members (such as gauze) to the application part, but also for stopping bleeding or promoting blood flow to alleviate an edema in a wounded part by a pressurizing force when a bandage is wound with the help of its stretchability. Stretchable bandages are expected for application to a pressure therapy in which treatment is made by pressurizing an affected part, and a typical example of such application is treating or ameliorating a varicose vein of lower extremities.
As a stretchable bandage, a non-woven fabric can be used. By forming a non-woven fabric of crimped fibers that are crimped in coiled forms, and giving an internal structure in which neighboring or crossing crimped fibers are intermingled at crimped coil parts thereof, it is possible to impart stretchability to the non-woven fabric, and it is possible to give a pressurizing force when the non-woven fabric is wound. The non-woven fabric formed of crimped fibers is disclosed, for example, in National Patent Publication No. 2006-507417 (PTD 1), International Publication No. 2008/015972 (PTD 2), and International Publication No. 2012/070556 (PTD 3).

Stretchable non-woven fabric having excellent repetition durability


A scanning head for reading bar code symbols includes a laser source producing a beam which is scanned across a symbol to be read by a moving mirror arrangement, and a photodetector responsive to a light reflected from the symbol. The signal from the photodetector is digitized and decoded to recover bar code data. A transmitter and receiver are located in the scanning head for communication with a central computer, and a battery is included in the head as a power supply, so that the scanning head need not be connected by a cable to a terminal. A controller immediately and automatically turns off the light source and scan when an evaluation of the signal indicates that a bar code is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to laser scanning systems for scanning, reading and/or analyzing bar code symbols and, more particularly, to a light-weight, easy-to-manipulate, non-arm-and-wrist-fatiguing, hand-held, narrow-bodied, single-and twin-windowed, laser scanning head supportable entirely by a user throughout the reading of the symbols. Still more particularly, this invention relates to an arrangement for, and method of, controlling a scanning system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many industries, particularly the grocery and food processing industry, have begun to designate their products with a unique bar code symbol consisting of a series of lines and spaces of varying widths. Various bar code readers and laser scanning systems have been developed to decode the symbol pattern to a multiple digit representation for check-out and inventory purposes.
Aside from the conventional contact-type and non-contact-type wand or pen bar code readers, true laser scanners, such as point-of-sale or deck scanners of the moving-beam or fixed beam type, have been built into stationary counters. However, these deck scanners are large, massive, stationary installations. Some symbol-bearing objects are too heavy, or too big, or too inconvenient to be brought to the stationary scanning installation. Some objects may be stationary themselves.
In order to provide a mobile scanning system, semi-portable laser scanning heads, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,798, were designed to permit the user to bring the scanning head to the object. However, such semi-portable heads weighed over three pounds, had to be partially supported by the object itself, and were too heavy and somewhat difficult to readily manipulate, particularly for those assembly-line applications where a user was routinely required to repetitively manipulate the semi-portable head many times per minute, every hour and on a daily basis.
More modern miniature laser scanners weighing on the order of two and one-half pounds, such as described in U.S. Ser. No. 125,768 filed Feb. 29, 1980, entitled "Portable Laser Scanning System and Scanning Methods," and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, have recently been proposed to provide a more truly portable laser scanning head which is supportable entirely by the user during the reading of the bar code symbols. Although generally satisfactory for its intended purpose, this fully portable head had a rather large case width due to the fact that the laser beam generated within the head was required to be swept over a wide field of view across the bar code symbol, which is located in the vicinity of a reference place located exteriorly of the housing. The swept laser beam, which was accommodated entirely in the wide-bodied head, therefore, required a great deal of "dead" space within the head. This "dead" space caused the case width to be unnecessarily large, and undesirably added to the overall size and weight of the head, thereby detracting somewhat from its features of ease of manipulation and full portability.

Bar code scanner with RF coupling to base terminal and automatic turn-off upon decode


The present invention is phthalocyanine compounds with peripheral siloxane substitution, as well as methods for making these compounds and various uses thereof, having the basic structure:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new compounds that are a combination of covalently linked phthalocyanine and linear siloxane polymeric structures having a unique and novel combination of optical and rheological properties which are useful in protective eye wear, nonlinear optical devices and for optical data storage applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Previously developed phthalocyanine materials have not possessed the handling and processing characteristics of a single-component fluid coupled with an optical transparency, nonlinear optical absorption and refraction, chemical stability and moisture resistance. These are desirable characteristics for use as thin films in nonlinear optical and optical recording applications. Known methods for preparing phthalocyanines as thin films include vacuum deposition (sublimation, molecular beam, laser desorption), spraying or casting of a fine suspension or solution, Langmuir-Blodgett transfer, mechanical abrasion, and dispersion in a binder. The transparent thin film is a highly desirable physical form for these materials as it allows utilization of the chromophore in optical applications such as optical limiting and optical recording media which typically involve as material response to irradiation with a laser.
The deposition method, optical quality, and stability of a phthalocyanine film are determined by the molecular structure and properties of the material. Without peripheral substituents, phthalocyanine compounds are microcrystalline and relatively insoluble. Thin film preparation by vacuum deposition or high pressure abrasive techniques must frequently be accompanied by high temperatures. The microcrystalline character and the presence of different crystalline polymorphs contribute to optical scattering. These effects diminish the transparency of the phthalocyanine film. Temperature variation and exposure to chemical vapors (including water) causes conversions between different crystalline forms further diminishing the quality of the film. (See M. S. Mindorff and D. E. Brodie, Can. J. Phys., 59, 249 (1981); F. Iwatsu, T. Kobayashi and N. Uyeda, J. Phys. Chem.,84, 3223 (1980); F. W. Karasek and J. C. Decius, J. Am. Chem. Soc.,74, 4716 (1952))
When peripheral substituents are bonded to the phthalocyanine, molecular packing efficiency and crystallinity are reduced, and the resultant materials may be soluble in a variety of solvents. Film forming techniques involving the use of solvents, such as simple evaporation methods and Langmuir-Blodgett transfer techniques, are feasible processing methods. However, many peripherally substituted phthalocyanines do not form films of good transparent optical quality. The peripheral groups need to be large in size and preferably of mixed isomer substitution to be effective. While crystalline packing is hindered by the presence of peripheral substituents, there are strong attractive van der Waal forces at work between the planar faces of phthalocyanine rings which result in the constituent molecules aggregating into ordered domains. These domains, if large enough, cause optical scattering which strongly deteriorates the transparency and optical quality of thin films. (See T. Kobayashi, in Crystals: Growth Properties and Applications, N. Karl, editor, Springer-Verlag, New York, Vol 13 (1991) pp. 1-63; A. Yamashita and T. Hayashi, Adv. Mater., 8, 791 (1996)).
The interaction between adjacent phthalocyanine rings in an aggregate also results in a strong electronic perturbation of the molecular structure and a broadening of its absorption in the visible spectrum. This interaction in many cases detracts from the sought after nonlinear optical properties. (See S. R. Flom, J. S. Shirk, J. R. Lindle, F. J. Bartoli, Z. H. Kafafi, R. G. S. Pong and A. W. Snow, in Materials Res. Soc. Proc., Vol. 247, (1992) pp 271-276).
Control of phthalocyanine aggregation is important first to reduce the ordered domain size below a threshold where optical scattering occurs and second to reduce the pertubation of the phthalocyanine electronic structure to a level where spectral broadening and excited state lifetime shortening do not seriously diminish the nonlinear optical absorption of the phthalocyanine chromophore. The former is critical since optical transparency is required for a device of the current invention to function. For sufficient control of optical scattering, the ordered molecular domain size must be smaller than the light wavelength of application interest (usually in the 350 to 1500 nm range). The latter is less critical, but significant improvement in nonlinear optical properties can be realized if aggregation can be reduced to dimer formation or less.
Aggregation can be totally eliminated by blocking the co-facial approach of phthalocyanine rings by axial substitution onto metal ions complexed in the phthalocyanine cavity. (See N. B. McKeown, J. Mater. Chem., 10, 1979 (2000); M. Brewis, G. J. Clarkson, V. Goddard, M. Helliwell, A. M. Holder and N. B. McKeown, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 37, 1092 (1998); A. R. Kane, J. F. Sullivan, D. H. Kenny and M. E. Kenney, Inorg. Chem., 9, 1445 (1970)). However, this approach is limited to a small number of tetravalent octahedrally coordinating metals such as silicon. For reasons discussed below, the nonlinear optical properties of this small group of metallophthalocyanines are not particularly useful. (See H. S. Nalwa and J. S. Shirk, in Phthalocyanines: Properties and Applications, C. C. Leznoff and A. B. P. Lever, editors, VCH Publishers, Inc., New York (1996) Ch. 3).
Another approach to aggregation control is to utilize very large peripheral substituent groups that hinder the co-facial approach of phthalocyanine rings. Classes of such peripheral substituents are flexible oligomers (see D. Guillon, P. Weber, A. Skoulios, C. Piechocki and J. Simon, Molec. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 130, 223 (1985); P. G. Schouten, J. M. Warman, M. P. Dehaas, C. F. van Nostrum, G. H. Gelineck, R. J. M. Nolte, M. J. Copvyn, J. W. Zwikker, M. K. Engel, M. Hannack, Y. H. Chang and W. T. Ford, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 116, 6880 (1994)), dendrimers (see M. Kimura, K. Nakada, Y., Chem. Comm., 1997, 1215; M. Brewis, B. M. Hassan, H. Li, S. Makhseed, N. B. McKeown and N. Thompson, J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanines, 4, 460 (2000); M. Brewis, M. Helliwell, N. B. McKeown, S. Reynolds and A Shawcross, Tetrahedron Lett.,42, 813 (2000)), and capping groups (see D. D. Dominguez, A. W. Snow, J. S. Shirk and R. G. S. Pong, J. Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, 5, 582 (2001)). Examples of these three types of peripheral groups have had limited success in reducing aggregation. In many cases where the large peripheral groups have significant structural symmetry and uniformity of size, liquid crystal formation with its consequent optical scattering has resulted. (See N. B. McKeown, Phthalocyanine Materials: Synthesis, Structure and Function, Cambridge University Press, Edinburgh (1998) pp. 62-86). The liquid crystallinity has been avoided by utilizing peripheral groups with irregular symmetry combined with hydrogen bonding functional groups (see R. D. George and A. W. Snow, Chem. Mater., 6, 1587 (1994)) or using a polydispersity of peripheral group chain lengths (see A. W. Snow, J. S. Shirk and R. G. S. Pong, J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanines, 4, 518 (2000)). In the former case an epoxy-amine chemistry was utilized and a non-birefringent organic glass was obtained, while in the latter case polyethylene oxide chemistry was employed and an isotropic liquid was obtained. The organic glass or liquid has very favorable melt processing characteristics.
Another requirement on the nature of the peripheral group is that it must be chemically inert toward the metal ions complexed in the phthalocyanine cavity. Many of the metal ions that instill very useful nonlinear optical properties to the phthalocyanine chromophore are moderately labile and may be removed from the phthalocyanine cavity by competing complexing agents. This is particularly true of the heavy metal ions. In previous work with phthalocyanine compounds having polyethylene oxide peripheral groups, it was found that the ethylene oxide structure was a strong enough competitor in complexing with a lead ion and remove it from the phthalocyanine cavity (E. M. Maya, A. W. Snow, J. S. Shirk, S. R. Flom, R. G. S. Pong and G. L. Roberts, xe2x80x9cSilicone Substituted Phthalocyanines for Optical Limiting Applicationsxe2x80x9d presented at 221st National American Chemical Society Meeting, San Diego, Calif., Apr. 5, 2001). To be useful for the current invention, the peripheral groups must not behave in this manner.
Regarding specific instances of tethering a siloxane group to a peripheral site of a phthalocyanine compound, only one example is known (U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,744). In this instance, the siloxane group is a tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylalkyl structure which is connected through an alkylsulfamide linkage to the phthalocyanine periphery. This material is claimed to be compatible with cross-linked silicone polymers for the purpose of acting as a dye or a pigment. This tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylalkyl structure is compact (highly branched with short-chains) and nonlinear. A compound with these characteristics does not form useful transparent thin films. Conversely, the present invention teaches linear polysiloxane structures. This linear quality is a critical feature in thin film processing and nonlinear optical property enhancement.
Finally, the nonlinear optical properties of phthalocyanine materials are strongly dependent on the identity of the species complexed within its cavity. While this species may range from two protons to a wide variety of transition and main group metal ions, phthalocyanines with complexed heavy metal ions such as tin, bismuth, mercury, indium, tellurium, and particularly lead display the strongest nonlinear optical properties (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,326; H. S. Nalwa and J. S. Shirk, in Phthalocyanines: Properties and Applications, Vol. 4, C. C. Leznoff and A. B. P. Lever, editors, VCH Publishers, Inc., New York (1996) Ch. 3). In the divalent state, these metal ions do not coordinate to axial ligands. Thus, such ligands cannot be utilized to block aggregation. Many of these metal ions are labile and can be easily displaced by competing chelating structures. This problem is particularly acute with the polyethylene oxide structure where the oxygen sites in this polymer chain coordinate with the metal ion resulting in its consequent removal from the phthalocyanine cavity and diminishment of nonlinear optical properties.
Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a modified phthalocyanine that forms a transparent film of high optical quality, free of scattering from solid or liquid crystalline domains.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a phthalocyanine material that has been modified so that it is processable as an isotropic liquid or glass. Such processing includes: filling confined very small spaces (0.01 to 100 micron) by capillary action; mechanically producing a film by shearing between two flat surfaces; and casting a film by solvent evaporation.
A further objective of the present invention is to produce phthalocyanine films that display large nonlinear optical absorptions suitable for use in optical limiting applications.
A further objective of the present invention is to produce phthalocyanine films that have a large nonlinear thermal refraction to complement the nonlinear photochemistry in optical limiting applications.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a phthalocyanine material that has been modified so that it is useful in the following applications: as a protective element in an optical limiting component of direct view optical goggles, periscopes, gun sights, and binoculars; as the active element in laser intensity control and passive laser intensity noise reduction devices; as an optical switching element in an optical communications circuit; and as a component in compact disks, DVD""s, optical cache memories, and holographic memories.
These and other objectives of the present invention are accomplished through covalent bonding of siloxane oligomer structures of appropriate number, chain length and size distribution to connecting sites at the periphery of the phthalocyanine ring structure and by complexation of appropriate heavy metal ions in the phthalocyanine cavity.

Phthalocyanines with peripheral siloxane substitution

Abstract: wherein

Abstract: xe2x80x94Wxe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94Z are peripheral groups comprising individual W, X, Y, and Z subgroups;

Abstract: W is a linkage represented by the formula: xe2x80x94Dxe2x80x94(R1)0,1xe2x80x94, where D=S or O;

Abstract: X is: xe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94, n=2 to 8;

Abstract: Y is a siloxane chain;

Abstract: Z is an aryl or alkyl terminal cap;

Abstract: M is two protons or a metal ion;

Abstract: and forms a transparent film of high optical quality with large nonlinear absorption and thermal refraction, free of scattering from solid or liquid crystalline domains making them highly suitable for use as the active component in thin films, protective eye wear, and optical data storage applications.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


In one embodiment of this invention, identical communicating node elements are constructed and placed throughout a power delivery network. Each of these node elements supplies features and options that facilitate peer-to-peer communications, data and service aggregation, propagated interfaces and distributed computational power. The network of interacting node elements, built with a common architecture, gives the power delivery network advanced capabilities for utilities and customers. These advanced capabilities include self-healing, highly secure communications, real-time interactions between any devices, and so on.

There is considerable interest today in an advanced power delivery system that would embed sophisticated networking and information communicating and processing components within the power distribution grid. With such a system, it would be possible to control power usage in heretofore unrealized ways, to implement a power distribution network that:                Is self-healing,        Is secure,        Provides for market based pricing features,        Supports a wide variety of different local and remote power generation systems,        Has advanced data communications features for end customers,        Interacts with consumer power-consumption devices, and        Facilitates real time and other interactions between any elements
While the uses of such an advanced power delivery system are many, such an advanced power delivery system would create a highly advantageous environment in which to deploy smart appliances that:                Can communicate with one another peer-to-peer,        Can form part of a distributed computing infrastructure,        Can propagate their control interface to another entity, allowing heretofore unrealized remote control and system integration via proxy,        Can communicate over the internet, and        Can participate in sophisticated, real-time control schemes.
Until now, however, such advanced power delivery systems have not been practical due to the lack of sophisticated architecture that would support the above capabilities and features. The present invention provides such an architecture through the use of a highly flexible Node Element that may be configured to meet the needs of each specific application, spanning the power generation point to the final consumption points.

Atomic self-healing architecture in an electric power network