A method of sealing a toner opening port of a printer cartridge is provided for inserting a seal through a toner exit port leading to the toner opening port which is configured to be covered by a toner exit port plug. The seal has a seal frame and a first pull tab attached to the seal frame with a first adhesive, and a second pull tab attached to the seal frame with a second adhesive, the second adhesive being different from the first adhesive. The method further provides for detaching the second pull tab from the seal frame, allowing the first pull tab to cover the toner opening port, and applying pressure with a seal clamp to the seal thereby allowing the seal to attach to the printer cartridge.

Used printer cartridges of fax machines, copiers, inkjet printers, and laser printers are often remanufactured. The remanufacturing of printer cartridges may include cleaning, repairing damaged parts, replacing worn parts, and adding toner. Toner is usually added into the printer cartridge by pouring toner into a toner hopper, which defines a toner opening port. During or after remanufacturing, the toner opening port usually has to be sealed so that toner will not leak during shipment and anytime prior to the use of the cartridge.
Existing toner opening port sealing methods include using split seals and insertion seals. The use of split seals requires splitting a printer cartridge portions, such as the mag roller section and the toner hopper, so that the toner opening port can be accessed to install the split seal. The use of a split seal often involves more resources than the use of insertion seals, as time and labor need to be spent on splitting the cartridge and reassembling the split cartridge. Some re-manufacturers prefer the use of insertion seals.
Insertion seals do not require splitting of cartridges, and are typically installed in the cartridge by inserting them through toner exit ports. Toner exit ports are openings that are adjacent to the toner opening ports and that lead to the toner opening ports. In some cartridges, toner exit port plugs are used to cover and prevent toner leakage around the toner exit ports. At least one problem with the use of existing insertion seals is that when they are detached from the cartridge just before use, insertion seals pull along with them the toner exit port plugs. The toner exit port plugs get displaced, and toner is allowed to leak. A sealing method and seal that substantially maintain the position of the toner exit plug during seal removal are desired and are addressed by the present invention.

Methods for sealing toner opening ports of printer cartridges


A granular product dispenser for containing an original package and dispensing the contents thereof consisting of a package receiving portion, a base including a utility shelf, and a funnel portion having an oblique shape which permits dry granular material to readily flow freely without clogging at its discharge port. The funnel also includes baffles to further disperse the granular product, and a discharge port and gate valve assembly thereat wherein the shape of the discharge port and the opening of the gate valve are similar to the shape of the funnel mouth. Adaptors are also provided so that the unit may accomodate original packages of different sizes.

The invention relates to the art of dry product or granular dispensers, such as laundry detergent dispensers. Of particular concern is the efficacy with which such powders flow from such dispensers without clogging or stopping up the dispenser chute.
In that regard, this invention more particularly relates to free-flowing dry product dispensers.
Dry products, such as soap powders, are usually purchased in rigid container boxes. Small quantities of the dry product are taken from the container by various means, such as scoops for the large boxes, or are poured from the smaller boxes into other containers. Sometimes, it is rather inconvenient to handle the dry product in this manner, and consequently, a dispenser is often employed. The dispensers most often employed, for house-hold purposes, generally do not provide means for the user to visually observe the quantity of product remaining in the dispenser, and usually do not provide means to disperse the dry product which oftentimes will have previously solidified in its container because of moisture. Additionally, present dispenser devices are not readily adaptive to receive boxes of different sizes. Above all, there has been no consideration in prior art dispensing devices given to what optimum geometrical shape of the hopper renders the best flow characteristics for dry products.
One such prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,958, issued to Kaanehe on Oct. 3, 1967, wherein a soap box dispenser is disclosed most similar to the subject invention. Dispersion baffels for dry products are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,845,847, and 2,907,501, issued to Reuther and Laird, respectively. Neither of these inventions take into account static pressures produced by the weight of the granules about the discharge port, nor do they provide means whereby different size containers may be accomodated, if dispensing is to be performed from original packages.
In view of the foregoing, it is the primary objective of the invention to provide a dry product dispenser having free-flowing characteristics for granular material.
It is a second objective of the invention to provide a dispenser which can be adapted to receive rigid containers of various sizes.
It is a third objective of the invention to provide a dry product dispenser with window means to observe the quantity of dry product remaining within the dispenser.
Further objects of the invention will become more readily apparent upon review of the disclosure herein to follow.


Disclosed are methods and compositions for increasing the fuel efficiency of and/or advantageously modifying the emissions of an internal combustion engine. These preferred embodiments involve the addition of elemental selenium or a selenium-containing material to the fuel upon which the engine is operated.

The present invention relates generally to the field of internal combustion engines. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and compositions for increasing fuel efficiency and modifying emissions characteristics of internal combustion engines.
The internal combustion engine is unequaled in its primary applications as a portable power source. However, internal combustion engine use has been increasingly criticized largely because of polluting emissions and consumption of finite fuel sources. Consequently, much research has been directed to improving the efficiency (in terms of conserving fuels) and to reducing the production of undesirable emissions (in terms of protecting the environment) of the internal combustion engine. Interestingly, this research has indicated that engine efficiency and emissions abatement do not go hand in hand, but rather are in opposition. A breakthrough that would reverse this situation is still being sought.
Thus, despite extensive research efforts, there remains a need for methods and compositions for enhancing fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines as well as for advantageously modifying their emissions. The present invention addresses these needs.

Enhancing fuel efficiency and abating emissions of engines


A tool for holding tungsten electrodes for sharpening by an abrasive wheel has a generally cylindrical body with an axial bore at each end for receiving an electrode. The bores have different diameters for use with two sizes of electrodes. The bore is sized to provide a gap between the electrode and the wall of the bore so as to allow the electrode to rotate when held against the wheel. The tool enables the electrode to be held against the grinding wheel at an angle as required for producing a sharp point.

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is widely used for producing high quality welds for a variety of metals. One of the problems presented in TIG welding in the maintenance of a sharp point on the tungsten electrode used in this method of welding. Tungsten electrodes typically have a diameter such as 1/16 or 3/32 inch, and the end of the electrode which applies the energy is given a sharp point. Over time and use, the electrode constantly loses its pointed tip and may become contaminated with splattered material. This results in deterioration of the capacity of the electrode to confine the arc and electrical energy to the desired application site. Frequent sharpening of the tungsten electrode is therefore required.
Various methods and apparatus for sharpening welding electrodes are disclosed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,027, issued Dec. 23, 1986, to Lindburgh, discloses apparatus for mounting a tungsten electrode in acute relation to a cutting torch to enable sharpening by vaporizing away the electrode in the flame of the torch. This reference also discloses a prior approach to sharpening of tungsten electrodes by abrasive grinding, the electrode being chucked into a hand drill mounted to the apparatus relative to a grinding wheel. These methods require use of mounting fixtures that are inconvenient for use by welders on the work site. In practice, the expedient of sharpening the electrode tip by manually holding the electrode against the grinding wheel is frequently used. This presents difficulty in that the electrode quickly heats up and becomes hard and dangerous to hold. Rotation of the electrode as required to obtain a symmetrical point is also hard to control in this procedure. It is desired to provide a simple and convenient tool that will enable a welder to hold an electrode in position for being sharpened by an abrasive wheel with the electrode being allowed to rotate freely.


The present invention relates to a system for managing IFC versions by comparing two or more IFC files produced with a time interval therebetween so as to trace the alteration history, and to a method for managing the IFC file version thereof. A system for managing the IFC versions includes: a comparison target processing unit for acquiring first IFC file attribute information concerning a first IFC file and second IFC file attribute information concerning at least one second IFC file; a GUID comparison engine for comparing a first IFC file GUID set containing first IFC GUIDs with a second IFC file GUID set containing second IFC GUIDs; and a spatial object comparison engine for comparing a first IFC file spatial object information set containing first IFC file spatial objects with a second IFC file spatial object information set containing second IFC file spatial objects.

Information sharing and exchange between application tools used in the construction industry are long-term objects of relevant researchers. To this end, Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), which is a standard data model, has been developed by Building Smart International and applied to practical applications. Building objects are defined by Building Information Modeling (BIM) to represent the real world in a virtual CAD environment, and BIM objects are converted into IFC object model instances. Consequently, BIM, which is based on IFC, may be defined as a new concept for exchanging BIM data between BIM platforms.
During the process of construction design, there may be multiple changes to an initial plan over time. Whenever any change occurs, the IFC file may be separately saved, and the saved IFC file may become a different version of the IFC file. The different versions of the IFC files may be visually displayed through software such as Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD, Digital Project, and the like.
Meanwhile, when there are different versions of IFC files, it is necessary to detect or control the changes in the IFC files. For the different versions of IFC files, conventional methods control the changes by indicating the versions in file names or by writing memos in the files used with Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD, Digital Project, and the like. When the versions are expressed in the file names, it is impossible to detect and compare information about the changes beyond the change in the version or the text information included in the file name. Also, when a user of an authoring tool, such as Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD, Digital Project, and the like, writes details about changes, such details may be omitted. Particularly, when multiple users collaborate using such tools, there is a high probability of omissions and mistakes (including miscommunication) in tracking the changes. Also, when the changes occur over multiple objects, it is difficult to directly extract, compare, and control the changes for each of the IFC versions. Furthermore, because the size of the IFC file is very large (the size ranges from dozens of megabytes to gigabytes and beyond) and the structure thereof is very complicated, visually tracking the changes in the IFC files is almost impossible.
On the other hand, IFC has an enormous number of objects. Accordingly, when changes are tracked based on each of the objects, extracting and comparing the changes for each of the IFC versions is very difficult and inefficient due to the IFC file size and the number of objects. Also, even if the object information (including the object attribute information) included in the IFC files is stored in a DB, version comparison targeting all the objects may cause a decline in both efficiency and speed due to the problem of a huge number of objects.

System for managing IFC version synchronized with BIM and method for managing IFC version thereof


A bobbin thread remainder detecting device for detecting an amount of remainder of a bobbin thread wound up around a bobbin for a sewing machine, in which a winding leading end portion of the bobbin in a winding direction reverse to a winding direction of another portion of the bobbin thread, comprises a bobbin rotating direction detecting unit, including light emitting and receiving elements, disposed in a vicinity of a bobbin case for detecting a rotating direction of the bobbin and a bobbin thread remainder detecting unit, including an electronic control circuit element, disposed in association with the rotating direction detecting unit for detecting the amount of the remainder of the bobbin thread in response to rotation of the bobbin in a particular direction as detected by the rotating detecting unit. The bobbin thread remainder detecting unit detects reducing the bobbin thread remainder wound up around the bobbin at a time when the rotating direction of the bobbin changes.

This invention relates to a device for detecting an amount of remainder of a bobbin thread wound up around a bobbin of a sewing machine particularly for detecting a state in which the remainder of the bobbin thread reduces to an amount less than a predetermined amount.
In prior art, there is known a bobbin thread remainder detecting device including a photo-detector disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open (KOKAI) Publication No. 61-180685, in which when a rotation of a rotating hook is stopped, a light is irradiated to the outer periphery of a bobbin shaft through a hole form on a bobbin case and a reflected light of the irradiation is detected by the photo-detector. The bobbin thread remainder detecting device discriminates whether or not the remainder of the thread is less in amount than the predetermined amount in response to a detection value generated by the photo-detector, and determines whether or not the bobbin should be exchanged when the discrimination is affirmative.
In U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 07/692,936, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,750 assigned to the assignee of the present application, a bobbin thread remainder detecting device which includes a light detector is disclosed. In the bobbin thread remainder detecting device, the light detector comprises a pair of light receiving elements, for receiving the reflected light from a bobbin shaft, disposed at different positions for the reason that if the reflected light is detected by only one light receiving element, the remainder of the bobbin thread may not be exactly detected because of reduction of a sensitivity due to adhesion of dust or oil to a light detecting portion of the light receiving element. In the arrangement of the paired light receiving elements, the bobbin thread remainder is detected in accordance with the ratio of the received light amounts of both the receiving elements, so that the bobbin thread remainder is detected without an effect of reduction of the sensitivity.
However, it is considered that, according to the bobbin thread remainder detecting device utilizing the light detector of the structure described above, bobbin threads to be wound up around the bobbin generally have various colors sizes, thicknesses, glosses and the like, and the reflected conditions of the light are significantly and minutely different in accordance with these features of the bobbin threads to be used. This may result in that the amount of the remainder of the bobbin thread calculated by the above mentioned method does not correspond to the really exact amount thereof, and in fact, in the experiments, there obtained the different results in the discrimination of the calculated results, made in accordance with the above mentioned method, as to whether or not the calculated bobbin thread remainder amount is less than the predetermined amount in spite of the fact that the same amounts of the bobbin threads in fact remained in different cases.
Furthermore, in the bobbin thread remainder detecting device described above, since the remainder is detected by detecting the mass of the bobbin thread wound up around the bobbin, the lengths of the actual bobbin thread remainders are different in dependency on the size or thickness of the bobbin thread when it is the discriminated that the bobbin thread remainder is less than the predetermined amount.

Device for detecting remainder of bobbin thread in sewing machine


A dental articulator apparatus and method of forming dental casts utilizing a dental articulator having pivotally connected upper and lower arms that each have a ball socket which receives a ball at the outer end of a respective model anchor, the opposed end of which is cast into a dental model. The model anchor ball is adjustably secured in the ball socket of the articulator arms by a set screw coupled with a rotatable magnetic extension rod that are installed, removed, advanced, and retracted as a unit and allow relative rotation between the set screw and the extension rod to facilitate fitting and positioning the ball in the socket when the set screw is loosened, and eliminate manually installing and positioning separate small shims and plungers that can be accidentally dropped and lost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device and method for a dental articulator for use with dental model casts, and, more specifically, to a dental articulator that is easily adjustable by the dental laboratory technician and/or dentist to align, as desired, the upper and lower dental model casts.
2. Background Art
Dental articulators, which hold and align together positive dental impressions, are well known in the prior art. Articulators are used to align the upper (maxilla) dental model with the lower (mandible) dental model, to simulate current or desired occlusion. By recreating the teeth and their occlusion (alignment) in model form, false teeth, caps and other dental prosthetics can be made in the precise size and shape necessary for the patient's mouth.
To create the dental models (casts), the dentist makes a negative impression of the patient's teeth. This impression may be a full mold (bilateral) or a partial quadrant mold (unilateral). The impression is obtained by filling a tray with thermoplastic material, and holding it against the patient's teeth and gums. After the thermoplastic material partially hardens (sets up), the tray is removed, leaving the negative impression of the teeth.
To form a positive impression of the teeth and their position, pourable hardenable stone, often called yellow stone, is poured into the negative impression. The positive impression is allowed to harden, and is then removed from the negative impression, forming a precise positive model of the teeth and their placement. The hard positive impression is then pressed into a forming mold containing new yellow stone. Forming molds, also known as "molds", "model formers", or "cast formers" are typically made of rubber or silicone, and are used to make the dental models. The yellow stone in the forming mold is in a flowable state and forms the base of the dental cast. The positive impression bonds with the new yellow stone base, excess yellow stone is scraped away, remaining yellow stone is allowed to harden, and the complete cast or dental model is now formed. This cast or dental model is then removed from the forming mold. The casts or models (upper and lower) are then attached to a dental articulator, which emulates the patient's jaw for aligning the upper and lower teeth/casts.
The prior art describes various devices and methods for fashioning and securing the dental cast base to the positive impression. Prior art also describes various devices and methods for securing the dental casts to a dental articulator.
Representative of the early prior art for dental cast bases are devices described in Tuccillo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,947, and Beckwith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,875. These patents utilize bases having female plastic snap receivers. The positive impressions are fabricated with male studs, which snap into the female snap receivers of the base. This requires precise alignment of each male stud to properly mate with the female receiver. Repeated use wears down the male stud, causing loose snapping with the female receiver, thus making the alignment loose.
An alternative base system is described in Cho, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,497, wherein a plastic base is adhered to a positive impression with a layer of stone material. The plastic base has a slot in which a disk is inserted and secured with a setscrew. The disk is attached to a stem having a ball at the other end, which connects to a reusable articulator. This system requires plastic bases that are relatively expensive, as is the non-disposable dental articulator.
The most common type of base system, however, is the type utilized in a series of patents issued to Huffman (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,533,323; 5,548,581; 4,734,033; and 4,842,242). These patents and several others utilize base forming molds. Soft stone material is placed into a (typically) rubber base forming mold having a continuous sidewall, a floor and an open top. A hard positive impression is pressed into the soft stone material, excess overflow material is scraped away, and the soft stone material allowed to harden, adhering to the positive impression. The base and positive impression combine to form the dental cast, which has a uniform appearance due to the similar stone used in both the base and positive impression.
A variety of prior art methods for affixing dental casts made by pressing positive impressions into base forming molds to dental articulators are known. Young, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,456, utilizes a cam clamp of the type used to secure automotive hoses. This hose clamp is wrapped around the base of the dental cast, and secured to a substantial dental articulator. Callne, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,203, utilizes a wire loop that clips into brackets integral with the top of the base. The wire loop is attached to a screw wheel adjustable dental articulator. Both systems require articulators that are difficult to use and are expensive.
The Huffman patents utilize a variety of means to secure the dental base/cast to an articulator. Huffman utilizes a disposable single-use plastic articulator having hinged articulator arms with socket balls that snap into retention sockets mounted to the dental cast base. The retention sockets may be inserted into the still soft stone (Huffman '323), which requires the "proficiency and expertise of the technician" to decide when to insert the mounting such that proper alignment and securement is achieved. Other Huffman methods involve slots formed in the base by a shelf protruding into the interior cavity of the base forming mold. When the forming mold is removed (peeled off), slots and/or channels remain, into which a ridge tab is inserted and glued. The ridge tab has a socket that accepts a socket ball of the single-use articulator. When the upper and lower casts are aligned, a drop of quick drying glue is placed on the socket ball, and held until set. Some of the limitations of the Huffman devices are: 1) the difficulty in positioning the upper and lower casts while gluing their socket joints; 2) inability to make adjustments after gluing the socket joints; 3) inability to make adjustments/corrections to the lateral and vertical placement of the ridge tabs after gluing; 4) difficulty in storing dental casts due to space taken by the non-removable articulator; and 5) expense associated with not being able to reuse articulators on different casts.
Braun et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,591 discloses an articulator for holding dental models. An upper mounting having a housing holds the upper jaw model and a lower mounting holds the lower jaw model and a cover is fastened to the housing of the upper mounting. The internal chamber of the housing holds a movable disk-shaped component which has a hinged socket extension that protrudes through a lower opening in the bottom of the housing and holds a ball to form a ball-and-socket joint. The ball has a threaded extension arm bolt that extends through an opening in the extension and has a mounting shoe fastened at the end thereof, which serves as the connection to the jaw model, which fits into the shoe. A shim is disposed in the internal chamber above the ball and has a concave contacting surface conforming to the surface of the ball. A threaded bolt extends through the cover above the shim and has a disk handle at its upper end. When the threaded bolt is turned, the front surface of the bolt pushes against the shim and presses it against the ball, causing the ball to be pressed against the internal wall of the extension and lock it into the desired position.
Cohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,097 discloses a dental articulator for hingably retaining a pair of dental castings which comprises a pair of attachment members, each adapted to engage one of the castings and a hinge unit including two pivotally interconnected retaining members, each adapted to pivotally engage one of the attachment members by means of at least one ball and socket which may be selectively and reversably immobilized. The hinge unit further includes a hinge connection which provides a pair of pivot axes disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship, so that each retaining member is oriented to pivot about one of the axes; the hinge unit further provides for the reversible separation of the retaining members. In some embodiments, the ball portion of the joint is located on the retaining member and the socket on the attachment member, and in others, the ball is on the attachment member and the socket on the retaining member. The ball joint may be selectively or reversably immobilized by means of a locking screw threadedly mounted in the socket which engages the ball.
Farrell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,829 discloses a dental articulator having a posterior articulating assembly, an anterior incisal support assembly and a mold assembly. The posterior articulating assembly includes a ball and socket joint and a pivot joint. The ball and socket joint has a socket member which is operably coupled to the pivot joint and a ball member which is operably coupled to a first teeth cast. A set screw is threadedly mounted in the socket member to frictionally engage and lock the ball member at a desired position. The pivot joint has a pivot member operably coupled to a support member for joining the pivotal joint to a second teeth cast. The anterior incisal support assembly has an incisal pin operably joined to the first teeth cast and an incisal plate, which cooperates with the incisal pin, joined to the second teeth cast. The mold assembly has a plurality of molds each having an aperture in each of an anterior and posterior portion of the mold and an associated alignment protrusion, in close proximity to the aperture, for aligning joining members, to be cast into the first and second teeth casts, for connecting the first and second teeth casts to the ball member and the support member.
Pacino, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,646 discloses a securable mounting for an articulator for dental casts for receiving a ball portion of the articulator. The mounting comprises a rear wall, a bottom wall and laterally spaced side walls with extensions that form a partial cup or socket. A rectangular tongue connected to the rear wall is adapted to be inserted into a groove of the dental cast, and the ball portion of an articulator arm assembly is received in the partial cup or socket and secured by a screw engaged in the bottom wall of the mounting.
My previous U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,969, discloses a dental articulator system including a device and method of forming dental casts having a posterior clip. The posterior clip has a line of holes that receive male bulbous protrusions on the backside of a clip plate. A shaft extends outwardly from the front side of the clip plate and has a ball at its outer end which is received in a socket of at least one articulator arm to form an adjustable ball and socket joint. The adjustable ball and socket joint is secured in place with a hand tightenable screw threadedly engaged in the socket which applies force to the ball impinging it against the inner wall of the socket. The ball has dimples on its exterior surface that engage resistance nibs on the interior surface of the socket to lock the ball in place.
My published patent application 2008/0050694 discloses an improvement to the dental articulator of my U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,969, wherein reusable articulator arms are attached by adjustable ball and socket joints to the dental cast base during the base formation process. The adjustable ball and socket joints are secured in place with a hand tightenable screw which applies force through a plunger to the ball, impinging the ball against the inner wall of the socket of the ball and socket joint. Gross and fine horizontal alignment and vertical alignment are accomplished by adjusting the orientation of the articulator arm ball and socket joint. It does not require the use of glue, and the articulator arms can be re-used and interchanged between different sets of casts.
Callne, U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,061 discloses a dental articulator for connecting first and second dental models which includes upper and lower arms hingedly connected at their rear ends by a hinge. Each arm front end is connected by a coupling to a dental model. Each coupling includes a ball connected at lateral sides to the arm front end which has truncated front and rear sides, a central bore therethrough, and a concave rear socket having a central bore therethrough, a model connector having a neck with a concave end and an anchor at the opposed end extending from opposed sides of the neck. A threaded fastener extends through the central bore joining the model connector and rear socket to the ball such that the rear socket and model connector are movable rotationally, up and down, and side to side on the ball to a selected position. Each model connector is inserted into a rear bore of a mold such that the neck is disposed in the bore and the anchor is in the interior space of the mold and becomes cast into the model after a plaster, typically a pourable hardenable stone is poured into the interior space of the mold and hardens. Upper and lower dental models each include a holder of an incisor spacing assembly co-cast into the base which hold an incisor pin for adjusting the vertical spacing between the fronts of the dental models.
Some of the problems with the ball mounting arrangement of the Callne Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,061, are that it requires several small parts that can become lost or misplaced, it is difficult to assemble the rear socket and the model connector onto the ball, and the amount of rotational movement is limited by the difference in diameters between the outside diameter of the bolt and the inside diameter of the bore through the ball.
One of the problems associated with dental articulators having articulator arms that are attached to the dental cast by adjustable ball and socket joints in which the ball is secured in place with a set screw threadedly mounted onto the socket is that the set screws are very small and are prone to being accidentally dropped and easily lost. Another problem with small set screw members is that their tip end has a very small surface area relative to the surface of the ball, thus, it is difficult to apply sufficient force to effectively frictionally engage the ball against the inner wall of the socket to prevent slippage, and they are prone to cause galling of the ball surface.
One of the problems associated with dental articulators which provide a shim or plunger between the set screw and the ball is that the shim or plunger is small and difficult to install and remove and can be accidentally dropped and easily lost. Another problem with the dental articulators which provide a shim or plunger between the set screw and the ball is that the shim or plunger is typically unsupported and can drop into the socket cavity making it difficult to install and properly position the ball in the socket.


A medical record processor and method include a voice processor for receiving unprompted and unstructured free dictation, for processing the dictation, and for generating voice data comprising a plurality of terms therefrom. A key term comparator identifies a key medical term in the generated voice data by comparing each term in the generated voice data with a plurality of key medical terms. The identified key medical terms are separated from non-key medical terms in the generated voice data, and a non-key medical term is eliminated from the generated voice data. The identified key medical term is matched with a patient condition, and additional data are extracted from a knowledge database on the patient condition. A draft medical record is generated that includes the identified key medical term and the additional data.

This invention is related to the medical office automation industry and more particularly to the field of forming medical records in the medical industry.
Over the years, various office automation equipment has been developed for providing offices with automatic systems for dictation, transcription, word processing, financial analysis, and other office functions which could be automated. This office automation equipment generally applied to all types of offices including sales, financial, legal, insurance, research, medical and various service or other business offices. Each type of office or general field of the office, however, often has their own constraints and problems for office automation equipment. The medical field, for example, has attempted to automate the diagnosis of a patient""s illness based upon a patient""s symptoms and then often recommended a corresponding patient treatment. Examples of such systems can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,354 by Potter et al. titled xe2x80x9cMethod And Apparatus For Automated Medical Diagnosis Using Decision Tree Analysis,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,822 by Dormond et al. titled xe2x80x9cComputer System And Method For Suggesting Treatments For Physical Trauma,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,872,122 and 5,005,143 by Atlschuler et al. and each titled xe2x80x9cInteractive Statistical System And Method For Predicting Expert Decisions,xe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,220 by Diamond et al. xe2x80x9cDecision Support System And Method For Diagnosis Consultation In Laboratory Hematopathology.xe2x80x9d Although such systems can have a role in medical office and hospital automation, such systems are often limited to a research location, e.g., using a knowledge base which correlates patient symptoms to diagnosis of an illness and/or recommendations of a treatment, for only selective uses. In other words, the physician or other medical personnel remain the primary patient contact and interface, and diagnosis and treatment decisions usually remain substantially in the hands of the physician.
Because the physician or other medical personnel, e.g., nurses, nurse assistants, technicians, remain the primary patient contact and primary decision maker, the physician or other medical personnel are also primarily responsible for creating the medical record or history of a patient such as the creating or forming of a progress note or narrative description during a patient encounter. These medical records often become more and more critical to an office, hospital, or other organization, e.g., the medical records representing a complete record of a patient""s health care administered by a physician, other medical personnel, or the facility in general. Accordingly, attempts have been made over the years to automate the medical history taking process. Examples of such attempts can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,881 by Haessler et al. titled xe2x80x9cSystem And Technique For Automated Medical History Taking,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,439 by Jachmann et al. titled xe2x80x9cRecords Management System Having Dictation/Transcription Capability,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,075 by Bergeron et al. titled xe2x80x9cVoice Processing System With Editable Voice Files,xe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,341 by Whalen titled xe2x80x9cComputerized File Maintenance System For Managing Medical Records Including Narrative Reports.xe2x80x9d
Some of these automated medical record forming systems, for example, require that a user enter information about a patient into selected fields so that the medical record is formed by question and answer prompts or data entry into what is essentially a form, e.g., based upon a limited set of predetermined answers to a prompted question. Others of these systems merely allow transcribed files to be accessed again or allow portions of files which are similar to not need repetition. Such systems, however, provide little utility for a physician directly and require that the physician adapt to some style, format, language usage, or other constraints of the automated system and provide little or no freedom for the physician""s own style. Additionally, such systems often require additional personnel to transcribe, enter and manage the forms and require personnel training and learning of the particular format used by the system. Others of these automated medical record forming and management systems often record and transcribe dictation for entry into a computer or data base which then can create, update, and manage medical records. Some of these systems allow a physician to dictate but require a transcriber to extract pertinent sections from the dictated report for entry into the computer in predefined categories. Accordingly, these systems also require additional personnel to transcribe dictation, enter and manage the forms, and to be trained and learn the particular format used by the system.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention advantageously provides an apparatus and method for forming a medical record which does not require a separate transcriptionist for transcribing a dictated medical record. The present invention also advantageously provides an apparatus and method for forming a medical record which allows a physician or other medical personnel to freely dictate medical data related to a medical record so that the resulting product will be a medical record in either a selected or predetermined format. The present invention additionally advantageously provides an apparatus and method for forming a medical record which recognizes free, unprompted, and unstructured speech from a physician or other medical personnel and responsively translates the speech into a structured medical record format which is either selected by the user or predetermined by the user or system. The present invention also additionally provides an apparatus and method for forming a medical record which recognizes key medical words or terms in the free, unprompted, and unstructured dictation so that relationships can be made between the medical terms, other related medical terms, a patient""s conditions, and potential treatments to thereby form at least a draft medical record therefrom. The present invention further advantageously provides a medical record which is structured or formed from a relationship between medical terms used by a physician or other medical personnel and other related medical terms, patient conditions, and potential treatments. The present invention still further advantageously provides a medical record which is formed by free, unprompted, and unstructured dictation by a physician or other medical personnel by recognizing key medical words or terms in the dictation to thereby form a medical record based upon either a selected or predetermined format.
More particularly, a medical record forming and storing apparatus is provided which preferably includes voice inputting means, e.g., preferably provided by a voice recorder, for inputting the unprompted and unstructured free dictation of at least one medical personnel such as a physician, voice processing means, e.g., preferably provided by a voice processor, responsive to the voice inputting means for processing the recorded voice from the voice inputting means and generating voice data therefrom, and key term recognizing means, e.g., preferably provided by a key term recognizer, responsive to the voice processing means for recognizing key medical terms freely dictated by the at least one medical personnel. The apparatus also preferably includes medical term matching means, e.g., preferably provided by a medical term matcher, responsive to the key term recognizing means for matching medical terms used by the at least one medical personnel at least with patient conditions and/or treatments. The medical term matching means preferably includes a knowledge database relating patient conditions with patient treatments of the conditions so that the knowledge base assists in further describing at least the actual condition and/or treatment of the patient by adding additional data, e.g., a more complete description, to a medical form which is or will be created. The apparatus can further include medical record creating means, e.g., preferably provided by a medical record creator, responsive to the medical term matching means for creating an actual patient medical record therefrom.
As used herein, the term free dictation means the unstructured and unprompted dictation of the at least one medical personnel, e.g., a physician. By unstructured and unprompted, it is recognized that words, sentences, and paragraphs have structure which often prompts additional structure such as a limited set of predetermined answers to a prompted question. Nevertheless, this is not the intent of the meaning of unstructured and unprompted. Rather, medical personnel such as physicians are allowed to freely dictate words, terms, sentences, phrases, paragraphs, and other language structure without the necessity of using only selected words, terms, phrases, paragraphs, and other structure required by the system into which the physician or other medical personnel dictates or speaks. In other words, the dictation does not have to be within a given format required by the medical record forming system outside of normal language usage by the speaking or speech of the medical personnel and is preferably not based upon a limited set of predetermined answers to a prompted question.
By advantageously using or keying off of key medical terms used by a physician or other medical personnel such as in free, unprompted, and unstructured dictation, the apparatus and method provide freedom for the physician to talk, speak, and dictate according to the physician""s personal preferences, style, language, vocabulary, tone, and other desires when forming a medical record. Non-key medical terms or other unrecognized words, for example, can advantageously be discarded or stored for future reference. The physician, for example, does not have to fit within the constraints or format requirements of the system which receives the dictation and forms the medical record therefrom. Because the free dictation is the preferred format and key medical terms are recognized by the apparatus, additional personnel to transcribe the physician""s dictation are not needed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the key term recognizing means, for example, can include key medical term storing means for storing a plurality of key medical terms, comparing means responsive to the key medical term storing means for comparing the voice data with key medical terms within the key medical term storing means, and separating means responsive to the comparing means for separating the key medical terms from the non-key medical terms.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the medical record creating means, for example, can advantageously include draft record generating means for generating a draft medical record related to the at least one medical personnel""s dictation for review by the at least one medical personnel, record revising means responsive to the at least one medical personnel for revising the draft medical record, and record accepting means responsive to the at least one medical personnel for accepting the draft medical record.
According to still further aspects of the present invention a medical recording forming and storing apparatus preferably includes a voice input device for inputting dictation of at least one medical personnel, a voice processor responsive to the voice input device for processing the inputted voice and generating voice data therefrom, a key term recognizer responsive to the voice processor for recognizing key medical terms dictated by the at least one medical personnel. The key term recognizer preferably includes a key medical term database for storing a plurality of key medical terms therein. The apparatus also preferably includes a medical term matcher responsive to the key word recognizer for matching recognized key medical terms used by the at least one medical personnel with patient conditions and/or treatments to thereby add additional data thereto.
The present invention also advantageously provides a medical record having a selected format. The medical record preferably includes a plurality of primary key medical terms responsively generated by the voice of at least one medical personnel and arranged in the selected format. The primary key medical terms are preferably generated by the free, unprompted, and unstructured dictation of the at least one medical personnel and preferably include at least patient conditions and treatments. The medical record also includes additional secondary text responsively generated by the presence of the primary key medical terms and arranged in the selected format. The additional secondary text preferably at least includes medical terms describing patient conditions and/or treatments related to the plurality of primary key medical terms describing patient conditions and/or treatments but not being a subset of the plurality of primary key medical terms.
The present invention yet further provides methods of forming a medical record. A method of forming medical records preferably includes generating a plurality of key medical terms, recognizing the plurality of key medical terms responsive to a key medical term database having a plurality of key medical terms stored therein, matching recognized key medical terms used by the at least one medical personnel with known patient conditions and treatments stored in a knowledge database which relates patient conditions with patient treatments of the conditions so that the knowledge base assists in further describing at least the actual condition and/or treatment of the patient by adding additional data thereto, and creating an actual patient medical record responsive to the matched recognized key medical terms.
Another method of forming medical records according to the present invention preferably includes inputting unprompted and unstructured free dictation of at least one medical personnel, processing the inputted voice to thereby generate voice data therefrom, recognizing key medical terms freely dictated by the at least one medical personnel responsive to a key medical term database having a plurality of key medical terms stored therein, matching recognized key medical terms used by the at least one medical personnel with known patient conditions and/or treatments to thereby add additional data thereto, and creating an actual patient medical record therefrom.
Yet another method of forming medical records according to the present invention preferably includes inputting dictation of at least one medical personnel, processing the recorded voice to thereby generate voice data therefrom, recognizing key medical terms dictated by the at least one medical personnel responsive to a key medical term database having a plurality of key medical terms stored therein, and matching recognized key medical terms used by the at least one medical personnel with known patient conditions and/or treatments to thereby add additional data thereto.
By providing a knowledge database, or other knowledge storage medium which at least includes patient conditions and/or also preferably patient treatments or potential treatments related to a corresponding patient condition, the present invention advantageously provides an apparatus and method of forming a medical record which adds additional text which are also preferably related to the same patient conditions and/or treatments to the existing medical terms to provide a more complete record or a record according to either a selected or predetermined format to thereby further describe additional data or information desired to be in a medical record. This feature, for example, can advantageously allow a physician or other medical personnel to dictate as desired and yet have some assurance that the first draft of the medical record will be fairly complete. The physician, for example, can then revise the medical record. By reference to the same knowledge database for checking on the impact of the revised or additional terms provided by the physician with the terms added from the knowledge database, the apparatus can then provide a revised medical record. Such revisions advantageously can be repeated until the medical record is acceptable to the physician.

Medical record forming and storing apparatus and medical record and method related to same


An apparatus provides synchronization for page replacement control in a paged, virtual memory environment in which either the CPU or the I/O devices may pin and unpin pages to control their replacement by the paging supervisor. Pinning and unpinning of pages by the I/O devices occurs independently of pinning and unpinning performed by the CPU. Synchronization is achieved by means of a virtual address translation mechanism which is common to the CPU and the I/O devices. The virtual address translation mechanism includes a primary directory having entries for each page in main storage, with each entry containing a field in which the pinning and unpinning operations by the CPU and the I/O devices are registered. In particular, this field is a counter which is incremented when a page is pinned by either the CPU or an I/O device and decremented when a page is unpinned.. Each page directory entry also includes a field for indicating that references to the page corresponding to a given page directory entry are invalid. When it is determined that a particular page is no longer in use and is eligible for replacement, the page directory entry is set to indicate that further references to the page are invalid. When an I/O device gives up a buffer page, that page is unpinned. Buffer pages newly acquired by the I/O device are pinned when they are acquired by the device and have become available in main storage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data processing systems employing virtual memory partitioned into pages, and, more specifically, to synchronizing apparatus for page replacement control where the central processing unit (CPU) and the input-output (I/O) devices share a common address translation mechanism, including a primary page directory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a computer system employing virtual memory, any reference to data or instructions which do not reside in main storage causes a fixed size block of data or instructions (called a page) to be moved from the secondary storage into the main storage. In order to make room for the new page in main storage, some other page may have to be moved back to the secondary storage. The algorithm used to select which page is moved back is called the replacement algorithm. Typically, a "least-recently-used" algorithm is used to govern movement of pages from main to secondary storage. That is, pages which have not recently been referenced are replaced first. Although the present discussion only concerns page movement between two storage levels, main and secondary storage, the basic concept of the invention is applicable to storage hierarchies with several levels (e.g., cache, main storage, disk, library). In such multi-level systems, if a page is not used for an extended period of time, it will migrate through the storage hierarchy to the slowest level.
The least-recently-used algorithm is acceptable for most paging situations. The most recently used data is contained in high-speed, main storage ready for immediate access, while less frequently used data resides in secondary, slower speed storage. Situations arise, however, in which certain data and instructions on certain pages must be available for immediate access in main storage independent of the usage history of the pages. Access to these pages may be required as a result of a reference made by either the CPU or by an I/O device. For example, data buffers for certain high speed I/O devices must be located in main storage. If part of a buffer must be fetched from slower speed storage after a data transfer has been started, the result could be to "overrun" the device, by a failure to provide the necessary buffer in time for part of the data transfer. As a second example, representative of a CPU requirement rather than an I/O device requirement, certain routines, called deadline-time processing routines, must execute within a set period of time in order to avoid some catastrophic result. Process control operations are typical of this type or routine. For these routines, the delay caused by fetching a page from secondary storage can be intolerable. In still other cases, it is desirable from either a performance or functional viewpoint to have certain high priority instruction routines or data always available in main storage.
There are several known techniques for insuring the presence of or "pinning" a page of data or instructions in main storage. The usual technique used to accomplish this is to reserve an area in main storage for those pages which cannot be permitted to migrate to secondary storage. Any attempt to replace a page pinned in this reserved storage is blocked. This approach works well as long as the reserved area is neither large nor has a dynamically changing size requirement. In a multi-tasking environment with a large number of tasks, the pages which must be pinned in main storage change, depending upon which tasks are executing. To provide an area large enough to contain all of the pages for all of the tasks would soon consume the entire main storage. Thus, some mechanism is needed to dynamically control which pages are to be pinned and to identify when a page can be unpinned. One arrangement for dynamic control of pinning and unpinning of pages which appears in the prior art is found in "Minimizing Input/Output Page Pinning In a Virtual Storage Data Processor" by J. K. Boggs, Jr., in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 19, No. 1, June 1976.
This arrangement employs special virtual address translation hardware for each I/O channel and permits each I/O channel to pin only, while unpinning must be performed by the operating system. Accordingly, cost and efficiency disadvantages may be present in some applications. Another arrangement, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,706 issued to Borchsenius, permits the I/O channel to both pin and unpin pages. In this arrangement a special channel look-aside buffer is used, and the zero/non-zero status of a page use counter is transmitted to memory to notify the CPU of the pinning. Extra channel hardware is required, and address translation means are duplicated. Arrangements allowing a CPU to pin and unpin pages are also known; however, the known arrangements operate in an environment in which page pinning by I/O devices does not occur.

Synchronizing mechanism for page replacement control


A cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with a cylinder head block which bounds a cooling water space, is closed at the top by a cylinder head cover plate and has tubular chambers extending in the direction of the cylinder axis to accommodate a spark plug, an injection nozzle or an injection nozzle with precombustion chamber. A camshaft space is located above the cover plate with devices for valve control, and a bearing pedestal to accommodate at least one camshaft is provided in the camshaft space. The bearing locations for the camshaft are covered by bearing covers. In order to reduce the manufacturing requirements and, furthermore, to minimize the noise radiation caused by the cylinder head side walls, a split plane formed between the cylinder head block and the bearing pedestal extends at the level of the upper chamber edge.

The invention relates to a cylinder head for multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, and more particularly, to a cylinder head with a cylinder head block bounding a cooling water space, and closed at the top by a cylinder head cover plate. The block has tubular chambers extending in the direction of the cylinder axis to accommodate a spark plug and injection nozzle or an injection nozzle with precombustion chamber. A camshaft space is located above the cover plate with devices for valve control. A bearing pedestal to accommodate at least one camshaft and separate from the cylinder head block is provided in the camshaft space, and the bearing locations for the camshaft are covered by bearing covers.
DE-PS 39 40 845 shows a cylinder head consisting of a cylinder head block and, placed thereon, a bearing pedestal for accommodating camshafts and the associated bearing covers. The bearing pedestal is carried on a flange formed by the side and end walls of the cylinder head block and on a support column located between the individual cylinder sections in the central longitudinal plane of the cylinder head. The flange formed by the upper termination of the side and end walls simultaneously acts as the support for a rocker cover which closes off the camshaft space. A tubular chamber extending in the direction of the cylinder axis is provided in the cylinder head block to accommodate a spark plug or an injection nozzle which emerges into the camshaft space above the cylinder head cover plate.
A disadvantage of the configuration of the split plane between the cylinder head block and the bearing pedestal at the level of the upper termination of the cylinder head side walls and cylinder head end walls above the termination of the tubular chamber is that, during the manufacture of the cylinder head block, the surfaces of the split plane and the termination of the chamber have to be machined in separate operations. This fact lengthens the machining time and makes manufacture more expensive.
A further disadvantage in the known cylinder head arrangement resides in the fact that, because the bearing pedestal is carried on the side and end walls, the walls extending between the bearing pedestal and the cylinder head cover are excited to vibration and therefore increase the noise radiated from the internal combustion engine.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a cylinder head which reduces the manufacturing requirements. A further object of the present invention is to minimize the noise radiation caused by the cylinder head side walls.
These objects have been achieved in accordance with the present invention, by forming a split plane between the cylinder head block and the bearing pedestal, with the split plane extending at the level of the upper edge of the chamber.
On the basis of the known cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with tubular chambers extending in the direction of the cylinder axis in the cylinder head block, the bearing pedestal located in the camshaft space above the cover plate of the cylinder head block is placed, according to the present invention, such that the split plane between the cylinder head block and the bearing pedestal extends at the level of the upper edge of the tubular chamber. This ensures that all the support surfaces on the bottom of the bearing pedestal and all the corresponding support surfaces in the cylinder head block are located in one plane and can therefore be machined in one operation. Reclamping of the parts or movement of the tool into a different plane becomes unnecessary. The manufacturing requirements are thus reduced and the machining time shortened. Because of the movement of the split plane, as described, vibrations caused by the cam drive are introduced directly into the cylinder head block and no longer via the cylinder head end walls and cylinder head side walls. The noise radiation emerging from these walls is reduced.
In one currently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder head end walls and cylinder head side walls extend beyond the above-mentioned split plane as far as a plane underneath the split plane formed between the bearing pedestal and the bearing covers. Because the bearing cover split plane is located above the side walls, machining of the bearing bores for the camshafts can be undertaken with the bearing pedestal fitted.

Cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine


A method of and system for handing variable sized loads by transferring the loads between a storage base and a transport base by engaging a portion of at least one engagement member, e.g. a suction cup, with an engagement surface on a side or end of a load, and displacing the engagement member to thereby pull a load onto the transport base for transport by the transport base or to push a load from the transport base onto the storage base. The engagement surface has a size at least equal to that of the portion of the engagement member. The system includes a system for determining load position and size.

Motor as used herein refers non-exclusively to electric, hydraulic and pneumatic motors and the like, and their associated hardware, including conventionally known control hardware, as employed in known manner in the appropriate art, and can be employed in the alternative.
Cylinder as used herein refers non-exclusively to pneumatic and hydraulic actuating cylinders and the like, and their associated hardware, including conventionally known control hardware, as employed in a known manner in the appropriate art, and can be employed in the alternative. Further, this term is also applied to other mechanical means of linear displacement such as rack and pinion systems, linear motors and the like, and others systems conventionally known in the art for effecting controlled linear displacement, and can be used in the alternative.
Conveyor as used herein refers non-exclusively to belt-type conveyor systems, driven-roller conveyor systems and chain-type conveyor systems, and others systems commonly used in place of the above, and their associated hardware, as employed in a known manner in the appropriate art, and can be employed in the alternative.
Present practice in load handling in warehouses with shelves for example, is to use load handling equipment by which the load is moved onto a shelf or other storage base, or taken away therefrom, by means of telescopic forks which are pushed beneath the load or by belt or chain conveyors which are inserted beneath the load. Forks or conveyors entering under the load have the disadvantage that the shelves have to be made unnecessarily high because empty spaces must be left between the shelves and the load to allow for the load handling. Another drawback is slow operation owing to unnecessary motions, because the fork or conveyor must enter beneath the load prior to any load handling operation and, finally, the fork or conveyor has to be withdrawn from beneath the load.
Also at the present time, equipment is used in load handling which grips a rib or equivalent means provided on an end face or a side of the load. Unnecessary motions are thereby avoided, since the load handling equipment need not enter beneath the load. There is, however, the drawback that the manufacture of, for example, crates or containers employed for this purpose is inconvenient owing to the provision of the ribs or equivalent means on the exterior of the crates or containers. Moreover, the protruding ribs or equivalent means are an impediment to the stacking of the crates or containers upon each other when empty.
European Patent 0 116,126 discloses an electromagnetic gripping system that is deployed from a standby position located below the conveyor system. This system has a disadvantage in that the height of the gripping means above the conveyor system is limited and non-adjustable. A further disadvantage is that any small parts that may fall from a container being handled by the system has a chance of falling into the working mechanism of the device thereby causing damage and down-time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,804 teaches a load handling mechanism designed for use in gravity feed storage systems and employs a unidirectional overhead gripping means requiring rotation of the entire mounting means in order to address both sides of a corridor. In addition, the overhead mounting system limits by its design the width of load that can be handled by the conveyor system.


A controlled deflection roll is disclosed comprising a stationary support and a rotatable hydraulically supported roll shell. There is also provided heating of the hydraulic liquid which is infed to the controlled deflection roll by a pump device. The pressure line of the pump device is connected by means of a heat exchanger with a return flow line. Connected after the heat exchanger is a cooling device having a temperature regulator. In the pressure line there is arranged following the heat exchanger a heating device. The return flow line is connected by means of an overflow valve with a container for hydraulic medium which is fed to a heating device for the controlled deflection roll.

The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a heated controlled deflection roll comprising a stationary support and a roll shell mounted to be rotatable about such stationary support. Further, there is provided at least one pressure or support element serving for supporting the roll shell and which is connected with the pressure line of a pump device for infeeding hydraulic pressurized fluid medium, which, in turn, is connected with a return flow line for the medium.
Such type controlled deflection roll--also known in the art as roll with bending or sag compensation--is known, for instance, from Swiss Pat. No. 577,598. In accordance with the teachings of this prior art patent the heated hydraulic medium, for instance oil, is pressurized by a pump so that it has the requisite pressure, and thereafter is delivered to the pressure or support element or a number of pressure or support elements. Such type device is however only suitable for use with low pressures or temperatures. At higher pressures and temperatures it is difficult, with the pumps which are available, to bring the hot oil, having a temperature up to 300.degree. C. and more, to the desired pressure.


Disclosed are: a mobile device, in particular a mobile Passive Keyless Entry, PKE, key device, and an associated method for providing 3D field values of a magnetic field H; an evaluation device for use in a PKE system having a Mobile device and an associated method for determining the direction of a magnetic field vector H=(x, y, z), which is present locally at a position of a 3D antenna of the mobile device; and a PKE system having a PKE base structure, to which preferably the mobile device is associated and which has at least a first base structure antenna, which is operable to emit the, particularly low frequency, magnetic field, the mobile PKE device and the evaluation unit. The mobile device and the associated method are characterized by providing, in addition to providing a first, second and third value vx, vx, and vx indicative of the local X-component x, Y-component y, and Z-component x of the magnetic field vector H, a sum value vS indicative of the sum |S|=|x+y+z| of the local X-, Y-, and Z-components of the magnetic field vector H. The evaluation device and the associated method are characterized by providing the vector V yielded as a vector, which has the direction of the magnetic field vector H, and may be capable to discriminate, if a one-dimensional Relay Station Attack has occurred or if a regular wireless connection has been established between the PKE base structure and the associated mobile device.

Modern comfort cars, which are currently on the market, may be equipped with a Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) system. In such a PKE system, approaching a car with an associated PKE key is enough to unlock the car, without the need to press a button that may be provided on the key. In PKE systems, the car (as an example of a base structure) incorporates a PKE base structure device, which is operable to act as a transponder and to interrogate the PKE key, which is operable to act as a mobile device (key, or key fob) and which may be associated to the base structure device. In PKE systems, the PKE base structure device uses low frequency radio (LF) electromagnetic fields, with 125 kHz being a typically value of the carrier frequency of the electromagnetic field, for interrogating the mobile device (i.e. the key).
A car incorporating a PKE base station device for providing a PKE service (or PKE functionality) is just one example of a use of a PKE system. Another use of a PKE system may be employed in a building as a PKE base structure device, where access to the building can be gained when approaching a door of the building with an associated door key as the mobile device.
PKE systems can be exploited with a so-called Relay Station Attack (RSA). A RSA simply extends the range of the radio signals that a car (as an example of a PKE base structure device) and its key (as the mobile device) exchange by using a relay device. The final goal of the RSA is to unlock the car with a key that is located out of the car's interrogation range, and to steal the car content and potentially the whole car.
An example embodiment of an RSA is illustrated in FIG. 3. A vehicle or car 112, as an example of a PKE base structure 110, which services PKE, incorporates a PKE base structure device, which comprises at least two base structure antennae 114 and 116. The second base structure antenna 116 is typically arranged in the PKE base structure 110 at a location that is different than the location of the first base structure antenna 114.
A relay system 300, which is operable to make an RSA, may be composed of two nodes 310, 320, i.e. a receiving node 310 and a transmitting node 320. The receiving node 310 comprises a receiving node receiving antenna 312, which simply reads the radio signal (i.e. the low frequency electromagnetic field) next to PKE base structure device 110 (for example the car) within the interrogation range of the PKE base structure device 110, and a receiving node relay antenna 314, which communicates the radio signal to the transmitting node. Both, the receiving node receiving antenna 312 and the receiving node relay antenna 314 may be combined in one single antenna. Correspondingly, in FIG. 3, the receiving node receiving antenna 312 and the receiving node relay antenna 314 are depicted as one single antenna referenced by the numerals 312, 314. The transmitting node 320 comprises a transmitting node relay antenna 322, which receives the radio signal communicated by the receiving node relay antenna 314, and a transmitting node transmitting antenna 324, which transmits the signal as-is to a mobile device (for example the car key 121). The transmission content is generally not sniffed, modified nor forged. Both, the transmission node relay antenna 322 and the transmission node transmitting antenna 324 may be combined in one single antenna. Correspondingly, in FIG. 3, the transmission node relay antenna 322 and the transmission node transmitting antenna 324 are depicted as one single antenna referenced by the numerals 322, 324. A result of the use of the relay system 300 is an extension of the range of the interrogating radio signal between the two devices (i.e. the PKE base structure and the mobile device) in one direction. Also bidirectional relaying may be performed between the PKE base structure device 110 and the mobile device 120.
One specific type of RSA is called unidimensional (1D). In this type of attack the radio signal is measured by the receiving node receiving antenna 312 provided on the receiving node 310 and transmitted by only one antenna, namely the receiving node relay antenna 314, to the transmitting node 320. Therefore, no matter what is the original magnetic field looks like (length, direction and sense of the field vector) at the point, where the receiving node 310 is located, the transmission node transmission antenna 324 will always create a field, which has the same shape (direction and sense of the field vector) and which may be variable only in the field strength (length of the field vector).
The latter characteristics of a 1D RSA, viz. that the relay antenna of the receiving node and the transmitting node antenna of the transmitting antenna each will always create a relay field, which has the same direction and sense of the radio field vector at the point of detection, is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 by way of the two parallel arrows, which point from left to right starting at the receiving node antenna (the non-referenced left one antenna in FIG. 3) and pointing to the transmitting node antenna (the non-referenced right one antenna in FIG. 3), and by way of the other two parallel arrows, which point from transmitting node antenna to the 3D antenna 122 of the mobile device 120.
By contrast, in the PKE system 100, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 and in which no RSA attack is being performed, the first base structure antenna 114 emits a first radio field (or first electromagnetic field (not referenced in FIG. 1)), a portion of which propagates in the direction towards the mobile device 120, such that it arrives at a 3D antenna 122 of the mobile device 120 with a first angle of arrival and has a first magnetic field vector H1 (not referenced in FIG. 1). The second base structure antenna 116 emits a second radio field (or second electromagnetic field (not referenced in FIG. 1)), a portion of which propagates in the direction towards the mobile device 120, such that it arrives at a 3D antenna 122 of the mobile device 120 with a second angle of arrival and has a second magnetic field vector H2 (not referenced in FIG. 1). The second angle of arrival differs from the first angle of arrival by an angle of arrival difference, which is greater than a definable threshold angle, the size of which depends on the distance between the first and the second base structure antennae 114 and 116 and the interrogation range of the base structure device 110, i.e. the range of the low frequency electromagnetic field as emitted from a base structure antenna 114 or 116, within which range the emitted electromagnetic field can be clearly detected.
Consequent to the angle of arrival difference experienced at the point of the sensing 3D antenna 122 of the mobile device 120 in FIG. 1, the first and the second magnetic field vectors H1 and H2 enclose an angle α=∠(H1, H2), which is greater than a definable threshold angle αt, the size of which also depends on the distance between the first and the second base structure antennae 114 and 116 and the interrogation range of the base structure device 110.
Accordingly, one approach to determining, whether a RSA is being performed, is to measure the first and the second magnetic field vectors H1 and H2, i.e. the lengths, the directions and the senses of the first and the second magnetic field vectors H1 and H2, to determine the angle between the first and the second magnetic field vectors H1 and H2, and to compare the determined angle α=∠(H1, H2) to the defined threshold angle αt. On this basis, it can be determined that a one-dimensional Relay Station Attack (RSA) has occurred, if the determined angle α is equal to or smaller than the threshold angle αt, i.e. α≤αt. By contrast, it can be determined that a regular wireless connection, without intermediate of a RSA system, has been established between the PKE base structure (110) and the associated mobile device (120), if the determined angle α is greater than the threshold angle αt, i.e. α>αt.
DE 10 2011 079 421 A1 discloses a PKE system and method for authentication of access to a car and/or authentication for starting the car, involving the use of mobile device acting as a mobile identification provider with respect to an associated car. At least two antennae, which are arranged in the car at a mutual distance to each other, transmit independently in time respective electromagnetic signals. The spatial components of the field vectors (and hence the field vectors including the lengths, directions and senses) of the electromagnetic fields emitted from the first and at least a second antennae in the car are measured by the mobile identification provider, wherein the spatial components are defined with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system, which is in a fixed spatial relation (or posture) to the mobile identification provider. Then, the measured spatial components of the two measured field vectors are combined and interrelated, in order to check the degree of parallelism of the two respective field vectors. The mobile identification provider is determined to be recognized properly, if the degree of parallelism is below a predetermined threshold value.
The Applicant of the initial filing of the present patent application is marketing mobile devices for use in PKE systems, which are designed to measure the magnitude of the magnetic field vector, i.e. the length of the field vector, which is sensed locally at the position of the mobile device. These known industry solutions from the Applicant comprise a family of PKE keys, which were not designed for sign detection of the vector components. These PKE keys operate by measuring the X, Y and Z components of the field sequentially with one electronic measurement chain. The resulting value for each component is the maximum magnitude of that component in absolute value, i.e. without the sign of that component. The vectors measured by such a PKE key may be denoted {right arrow over (m1)} and {right arrow over (m2)}. They resemble a projection of the real magnetic field vectors  (herein also designated H1) and  (herein also designated H2) in the positive octant of the R3 space:{right arrow over (m1)}=(max |x1|,max |y1|,max |z1|){right arrow over (m2)}=(max |x2|,max |y2|,max |z2|)
A vector measured in a PKE system involving such a PKE key has a known maximum magnitude, which is the amplitude of the magnetic field, but an unknown direction and sense. By not knowing the real directions of the measured vectors {right arrow over (m1)} and {right arrow over (m2)} with such a PKE mobile device, such as the known industry solutions from the Applicant comprising a family of PKE keys, which were not designed for sign detection of the vector components, it is not possible to measure the real angle α between the real magnetic fields  and . Hence, such PKE mobile devices, as marketed hitherto, cannot be used to discriminate and/or recognize a 1D RSA, and cannot be used as a 1D RSA countermeasure.

Mobile device, base structure, system and method for recovery of 3D parameters of low frequency magnetic field vectors


A water filtering apparatus includes a filter unit, a container and a support member. The filter unit includes three filters which perform different filtering functions. One of the filters, which includes a filter membrane, has a flow control valve at the bottom thereof. The container has a connecting member which permits the filter unit to be connected to the container and an open and close member which is closed only when the container is separated from the remainder of the apparatus for purposes of transportation.

As a result of pollution brought about by industrial development, the contamination of water sources has reached a very serious level. Even though tap water supplied to homes is usually sterilized and filtered at a main water supply area, the tap water from the faucet can still contain a significant amount of contaminants. Thus, it is oftentimes undesirable to use the tap water directly from the faucet. It can be appreciated, therefore, that a need exists for improving the quality and cleanliness of tap water.
Moreover, due to the water pollution found in many rivers, it can be difficult to obtain purified water out in the field. Thus, there also exists a need for obtaining purified water out in the field.
To address the foregoing needs, a filtering apparatus was developed to produce purified water at home or in the field. Such a typical filtering apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,253. The filtering apparatus disclosed therein includes a reservoir for storing untreated water and a container including a pump for pumping water from the bottom of the reservoir. An outlet is provided and is connected to the inlet of a filter device located within the container. A filter device having an integral outlet spout for discharging the filtered water over the upper edge of the container is also provided. The filter device has two different charcoal filters disposed therein.
Such an apparatus is disadvantageous in that power must always be applied to the pump in order to pump untreated water into the filter device. Moreover, the volume of the apparatus is restricted when the apparatus is used with the pump in the field. Further, the aforementioned apparatus is problematic in that it is difficult to filter out microscopic bacteria and virus when only charcoal is employed in the filter device.