Microbiological control is achieved by continuously and inexpensively dosing water in contact with biofilm, or that comes into contact with biofilm, using a highly effective biocide that provides very effective microbiocidal control of planktonic microorganisms and of biofilm species, even where the biofilm infestations have been in existence for long periods of time and thus have encased themselves in a substantial quantity of slimy defensive polysaccharide layers or films. In addition, the biocide used makes possible significant reduction in copper and/or iron surfaces in contact with the water as compared to N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin. Still other advantages are made possible by the described technology.

Persons using biocidal agents in the biocidal treatment of water customarily, if not universally, refer to "free chlorine" level as a measure of biocidal control. To achieve "free chlorine" levels in water treatment, solid materials are often preferred because of their high weight percent activity. N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) has been one of the most widely-used solid sources of "free chlorine" for water treatment. One of the features emphasized for BCDMH by suppliers of BCDMH is that in use, the combined chlorine from the biocide regenerates "free chlorine" by reaction with inactive bromide species formed during the water treatment operation. In other words, the chlorine atom in the initial N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin is said to be a precursor for additional "free chlorine" for sanitation purposes.
While effective, BCDMH does have certain heretofore-unrecognized drawbacks. For example, when used at conventional dosage levels in treating industrial water systems, the rate of corrosion of iron and copper surfaces in contact with the treated water is higher than desired. In addition, the rate of consumption of the BCDMH in treating the water for effective biocidal action is significantly higher than is desirable from the standpoint of the consumer. Further, during usage the amount of halogen residual in the treated water is lower than would be desired.
Further shortcomings of BCDMH are that in use, BCDMH hydrolyzes into HOBr and HOCl both of which register as "free chlorine" species in commonly-used standard test procedures. These methods for determining "free chlorine" levels in treated water, involve use of a reagent known as DPD (i.e., N,N′-diethyldiphenylenediamine) and a buffer, and the results of such analyses are commonly used, if not universally used, as the basis for determining the quantity of a halogen-containing microbiocidal agent to be used for water treatment. Heretofore, consumers of BCDMH have only been concerned with the level of "free chlorine" provided by a given quantity of that biocidal material. What has not been realized by such consumers is the amount of "total chlorine" being utilized in order to achieve the requisite "free chlorine" level. As a consequence, the consumer has not had available a yardstick by which to determine the true economic efficiency of using BCDMH as a biocidal agent in the treatment of water. To achieve optimum economic efficiency, the consumer should have available for use a biocidal agent in which the amount of "free chlorine" released into the water corresponds closely to the "total chlorine" content of the biocidal agent.
In the event a biocidal agent provides a relatively small amount of "free chlorine" in relation to its "total chlorine" content, it has been deemed necessary to utilize a relatively large amount of such agent in order to achieve microbiological control. This in turn means high levels of halogenated materials are released into the environment. If on the other hand, a biocidal agent could provide to the water an amount of "free chlorine" that closely corresponds to the "total chlorine" content of the biocidal agent, effective microbiological control could be realized by use of much smaller dosages and with consequent minimal adverse impact upon the environment.
Also, while reasonably effective as a microbiocide, BCDMH is not as effective against biofilms tested to date as would be desired. Biofilms are bacterial films which tenaciously adhere to surfaces in contact with water such as heat exchanger surfaces, conduit interiors, filters, and other processing equipment. These films are very undesirable because they can harbor dangerous pathogens, and cause damage to the surfaces to which they have become attached. Moreover, the bacteria form a slime layer of extra-cellular polysaccharide which affords protection to the bacteria and in addition constitute an effective barrier against penetration of biocidal agents used in an attempt to combat such bacteria. In situations where the water is prone to development of calcium carbonate scale, the presence of such gelatinous extra-cellular polysaccharides can result in the formation of layers of scale bonded to the substrate surface by the gelatinous polysaccharides. Polysaccharide films and films of scale bonded by means of polysaccharides can greatly interfere with the operation of heat exchangers by virtue of their insulating characteristics, and can markedly interfere with the functioning of filters and the flow of water through pipes and conduits by virtue of the clogging tendencies of such polysaccharide films.
It would therefore be of considerable advantage if these drawbacks could be avoided in actual practice.

Microbiological control in aqueous systems


An apparatus for making a hologram scale is comprised of a reference diffraction grating on which a light becomes incident and from or by which the incident light is emitted or reflected as a diffracted light, and a recording material, wherein at least two diffracted lights of the diffracted light are caused to interfere with each other as an object wave and a reference wave so as to form a hologram scale on the recording material. Further, an apparatus for making an assembled hologram scale, a hologram scale, an assembled hologram scale and a moving member having a hologram scale are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to apparatus for making a hologram scale and, more particularly, is directed to an apparatus for making a hologram scale, an apparatus for making an assembled hologram scale, a hologram, an assembled hologram scale and a moving member having a hologram scale for use with a numerical control (NC) machine tool, a precision length measuring machine or a high accuracy displacement measuring apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a laser scale formed by the combination of a semiconductor laser and a hologram scale has become popular as a displacement measuring apparatus of high precision because it provides high resolution and excellent stability.
A conventional hologram scale is constructed as, for example, shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a laser light source 1 which emits a laser light. The laser light emitted from the laser light source 1 is reflected by a mirror 2 and then split by a beam splitter 3. The thus split laser beams are respectively reflected by mirrors 4, 5 and introduced to beam expanders 6, 7 provided as large aperture magnifying optical systems, in which they are expanded to provide an object wave L.sub.0 and a reference wave L.sub.R as plane wave. The object wave L.sub.0 and reference wave L.sub.R are superimposed to produce an interference fringe 8. This interference fringe 8 is exposed on a recording material 9 as a hologram scale, thereby forming the hologram scale.
In the conventional apparatus for producing the hologram scale, however, the optical path of the laser light for making the interference fringe 8 is relatively long. There is then the problem that linearity and average grating pitch of the thus produced hologram scale fluctuate because of the change of ambient temperature or the change of environmental conditions, such as the flow of air or the like.
Particularly, when the recording material 9 shown in FIG. 1 is moved in the direction shown by an arrow A in FIG. 1 in order to produce a long hologram scale or the like, a lot of time is needed to produce the long hologram, which unavoidably produces nonlinear.
Further, since the dimension of the optical system is relatively large, there is then the problem that linearity fluctuates even because of a very small vibration of the optical system. Accordingly, the hologram scale recording apparatus must be designed so as to have an expensive earthquake-resistant structure. However, even when the hologram scale recording apparatus is arranged as the earthquake-resistant type, it is very difficult to construct the hologram scale of high accuracy.
Since a magnifying optical system having a large aperture is needed, the interference angle cannot be made constant without difficulty.
When the exposure and recording are carried out again by moving the recording material 9 shown in FIG. 1 in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1 after the interference fringe 8 is exposed once on the recording material 9 in order to construct the long hologram scale, that is, when a so-called continuous exposure and/or recording is carried out, it takes a lot of time to construct the hologram scale. Besides, since the interference fringe 8 is not stable, then it becomes very difficult to match the phases of the two interference fringes formed on the recording material 9 with high accuracy. As a consequence, there is then the problem that the long continuous hologram scale of high precision cannot be constructed without great difficulty.
As earlier noted, since the dimension of the optical system of the apparatus for making the long continuous hologram scale is increased relatively, the linearity of the hologram scale fluctuates even because of a very small vibration of the optical system. Accordingly, the conventional continuous hologram scale must be designed so as to have an expensive earthquake-resistant structure. Even when such expensive earthquake-resistant structure is employed, it is impossible to construct the long continuous hologram scale without difficulty.
Furthermore, it is proposed that the continuous recording is carried out while the phase is being observed by an interferometer unitarily formed with the recording material 9 which constructs the continuous hologram scale forming apparatus. In this case, however, the vibration on the recording material 9 and the vibration of the wave surfaces caused by the flow of air at the portion where the object wave L.sub.0 and the reference wave L.sub.R overlap each other are not the same in cycle and in phase, so that the continuous recording cannot be made properly.

Hologram scale, apparatus for making hologram scale, moving member having hologram scale assembled hologram scale and apparatus for making assembled hologram scale


Methods of grading tumors and prognosticating survival rates of cancer patients by determination of p27 expression levels in tissues samples from tumors are provided.

The eukaryotic cell cycle is controlled by protein complexes composed of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). The regulatory function of cdks is achieved by phosphorylation of key substrates, such as the members of the retinoblastoma gene family. Activity of cdks is regulated by post-translational modification and by the association or dissociation with inhibitory subunits designated cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitors (CKIs). Two families of these inhibitors have been identified in mammalian cells. Members of each of the two families share a high percentage of sequence homology, in addition to their specificity of interaction with cdks. The first family, which includes p21 (also known as Cip1, Pic1, Sdi1, mda6 and Waf1), p27 (also known as Ick, Kip1 and Pic2) and p57 (also known as Kip2) preferentially inhibit cdk2. The second family, which includes p16 (also known as Ink4A, Mts1, Cdkn2 and Cdkn4i), p15 (also known as Ink4B and Mts2), p18 (also known as Ink4C and Ink6A) and p19/p20 (also known as Ink4D and Ink6B) preferentially bind to and inhibit cdk4 and cdk6. Results from several studies indicate CKIs to be the products of potential tumor-suppressor genes (MacLachlan et al. (1995) Crit. Rev. Eukaryotic Gene Expression 5:127-156).
p27 was first identified in complexes with cdk2/cyclin E in Transforming Growth Factor-.beta. (TGF-.beta.) arrested cells (Koff et al. (1991) Cell 66:1217-1228). p27 protein associates with cyclin E/cdk2 and Cyclin A/cdk2 complexes and inhibits their activities. It is a negative cell cycle regulator implicated in G1 phase arrest by TGF-.beta. cell contact, inhibition agents that increase the level of cyclic AMP, staurosporin, lovastatin, tamoxifen and rapamycin. Overexpression of p27 protein in mammalian cells induces a G1 block of the cell cycle (Polyak et al. (1994) Cell 79: 59-66; Toyoshima, T. and Hunter, T. (1994) Cell 78: 67-74). In addition, high levels of p27 have been found in quiescent cells thus suggesting a role for p27 in maintaining cells in G0 (Nourse et al. (1994) Nature 372:570-573). Levels of p27 decrease as cells reenter the cell cycle, mostly due to ubiquitin-proteosome dependent degradation (Pagano et al. (1995) Science 269:682-685). No structural alteration of p27 gene has been reported in human neoplasms to date (Bullrich et al. (1995) Cancer Research 55: 1199-1205; Cordon-Cardo, C. (1995) Am. J. Pathol. 147:1-16; Kawamat et al. (1995) Cancer Research 55:2266-2269; Pietenpol et al. (1995) Cancer Research 55:1206-1210; Ponce-Castaneda et al. (1995) Cancer Research 55:1211-1214; Stegmaier et al. (1996) Cancer Research 56:1413-1417). Thus, despite its potential role as a tumor suppressor, p27 gene does not appear to be mutated in human tumors.
However, recent evidence suggests an involvement of this CKI in neoplastic transformation. For example, p27 deficient mice have been shown to develop tumors of the pituitary gland with 100% of penetrance (Fero et al. (1996) Cell 85:733-774; Kiyokawa et al. (1996) Cell 85:721-732). In addition, p27 has been shown to be a target of the Adenovirus E1A (Mal et al. (1996) Nature 380:262-265). Further, HPV E7 oncoproteins have been shown to dissociate p27 from the cyclin/cdk complexes (Zerfass-Thome et al. (1996) Oncogene 2323-2330). p27 has also been implicated as a regulator of drug resistance in solid tumors and has been suggested as a target for development of antagonists which may be useful as chemosenstizers in conjunction with conventional anticancer therapy. St. Croix et al. (1996) Nature Medicine 2(11):1204-1210.
It has now been found that levels of p27 expression in tumor cells correlate with the degree of malignancy of the tumor and can be used in prognosticating overall survival time in cancer patients.

Determination of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P27 levels as a prognostic factor in cancer patients


A network monitoring system and method is provided for determining service quality over a packet switching network. In one embodiment, the system comprises a processor coupled to a local interface, a memory coupled to the local interface, and operating logic stored in the memory, the operating logic being executed by the processor. The operating logic includes network management logic which comprises logic to poll a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a number of transmit pattern identifiers, the transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network. The network management logic also comprises logic to poll a receive buffer in a receive probe for a number of receive pattern identifiers, the receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network. Finally, the network management logic includes logic to compare the transmit pattern identifiers with the receive pattern identifiers to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.

The present invention relates generally to data communications, and more particularly, to a system and method for the non-intrusive measurement of service quality over a communications network.
Historically, in the field of data communications, a modem, a data service unit (DSU), or a channel service unit (CSU) has been used to convey information from one location to another. Digital technology now enables modems and other communication devices, such as frame relay data service units (DSU""s) and frame relay access units (FRAU""s) to communicate large amounts of data at higher speeds. The communication scheme employed by these devices generally adheres to a model, known as the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Seven-Layer model. This model specifies the parameters and conditions under which information is formatted and transferred over a given communications network. A general background of the OSI seven-layer model follows.
In 1978, a framework of international standards for computer network architecture known as xe2x80x9cOSIxe2x80x9d (Open Systems Interconnect) was developed. The OSI reference model of network architecture consists of seven layers. From the lowest to the highest, the layers are: (1) the physical layer; (2) the datalink layer; (3) the network layer; (4) the transport layer; (5) the session layer; (6) the presentation layer; and (7) the application layer. Each layer uses the layer below it to provide a service to the layer above it. The lower layers are implemented by lower level protocols which define the electrical and physical standards, perform the byte ordering of the data, and govern the transmission, and error detection and correction of the bit stream. The higher layers are implemented by higher level protocols which deal with, inter alia, data formatting, terminal-to-computer dialogue, character sets, and sequencing of messages.
Layer 1, the physical layer, controls the direct host-to-host communication between the hardware of the end users"" data terminal equipment (e.g., a modem connected to a PC).
Layer 2, the datalink layer, generally fragments the data to prepare it to be sent on the physical layer, receives acknowledgment frames, performs error checking, and re-transmits frames which have been incorrectly received.
Layer 3, the network layer, generally controls the routing of packets of data from the sender to the receiver via the datalink layer, and it is used by the transport layer. An example of the network layer is the Internet Protocol (IP), which is the network layer for the TCP/IP protocol widely used on Ethernet networks. In contrast to the OSI seven-layer architecture, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol over Internet Protocol) is a five-layer architecture which generally consists of the network layer and the transport layer protocols.
Layer 4, the transport layer, determines how the network layer should be used to provide a point-to-point, virtual, error-free connection so that the end point devices send and receive uncorrupted messages in the correct order. This layer establishes and dissolves connections between hosts. It is used by the session layer. TCP is an example of the transport layer.
Layer 5, the session layer, uses the transport layer and is used by the presentation layer. The session layer establishes a connection between processes on different hosts. It handles the creation of sessions between hosts as well as security issues.
Layer 6, the presentation layer, attempts to minimize the noticeability of differences between hosts and performs functions such as text compression, and format and code conversion.
Layer 7, the application layer, is used by the presentation layer to provide the user with a localized representation of data which is independent of the format used on the network. The application layer is concerned with the user""s view of the network and generally deals with resource allocation, network transparency and problem partitioning.
The communications networks that operate within the OSI seven-layer model include a number of paths or links that are interconnected to route voice, video, and/or digital data (hereinafter, collectively referred to as xe2x80x9cdataxe2x80x9d) traffic from one location of the network to another. At each location, an interconnect node couples a plurality of source nodes and destination nodes to the network. In some cases, the sources and destinations are incorporated in a private line network that may include a series of offices connected together by leased-lines with switching facilities and transmission equipment owned and operated by the carrier or service provider and leased to the user. This type of network is conventionally referred to as a xe2x80x9ccircuit-switching networkxe2x80x9d. Accordingly, a source node of one office at one location of the network may transmit data to a destination node of a second office located at another location of the network through their respective switching facilities.
At any given location, a large number of source nodes may desire to communicate through their respective switching facilities, or interconnect node, to destination nodes at various other locations of the network. The data traffic from the various source nodes is first multiplexed through the source switching facility, and then demultiplexed at the destination switching facility, and finally delivered to the proper destination node. A variety of techniques for efficiently multiplexing data from multiple source nodes onto a single circuit of the network are presently employed in private line networks. For instance, time division multiplexing (TDM) affords each source node full access to the allotted bandwidth of the circuit for a small amount of time. The circuit is divided into defined time segments, with each segment corresponding to a specific source node, to provide for the transfer of data from those source nodes, when called upon, through the network.
Some data communications systems may employ other techniques, including packet switching networks. Implementations of packet switching networks include, for example, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks that use fixed size packets referred to as xe2x80x9ccellsxe2x80x9d, or Frame-Relay networks. Packet-switching networks, as opposed to circuit-switching networks, allow multiple users to share data network facilities and bandwidth, rather than providing a specific amount of dedicated bandwidth to each user, as in TDM. Instead, packet switches divide bandwidth into connectionless, virtual circuits. Virtual circuits can be permanent virtual circuits (PVC""s) or switched virtual circuits (SVC""s). As is known, virtual circuit bandwidth is consumed only when data is actually transmitted. Otherwise, the bandwidth is not used. In this way, packet-switching networks essentially mirror the operation of a statistical multiplexer (whereby multiple logical users share a single network access circuit). Frame relay generally operates within layer 2 (the data link layer) of the OSI model, and is an improvement over previous packet switching techniques, such as the industry standard X.25, in that frame relay requires significantly less overhead.
In frame relay networks, as in all communication networks, access to the network is provided by a network service provider. These service providers generally provide the communication and switching facilities over which the above-mentioned communication devices operate. Typically, an end user desirous of establishing a communications network, provisions the network services in the form of a public switched service network. An example of a public switched network is the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a public data network (PDN). These public networks typically sell network services, in the form of connectivity, to end users.
Typically a user of a public network will purchase a particular level of service from the network service provider. This level of service can be measured by, for example, network availability as a percentage of total time on the network, the amount of data actually delivered through the network compared to the amount of data attempted, or possibly the network latency, or the amount of time it takes for a particular communication to traverse the network.
One problem with current communication systems is that it is difficult for an end user to adequately determine whether the public network service provider is delivering the quality of service that the end user has contracted. This is because it is nearly impossible for an end user to adequately measure the level of service actually delivered by the public network.
In light of the foregoing, the present invention provides a system and method for nonintrusive measurement of service quality in a communications network that determines whether any data packet transmitted over a packet switching network has been dropped or has failed to reach its intended destination.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided that preferably comprises a processor coupled to a local interface, a memory coupled to the local interface, and operating logic stored in the memory, the operating logic being executed by the processor. The operating logic includes network management logic which comprises logic to poll a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a number of transmit pattern identifiers, the transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network. The network management logic also comprises logic to poll a receive buffer in a receive probe for a number of receive pattern identifiers, the receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network. Finally, the network management logic includes logic to compare the transmit pattern identifiers with the receive pattern identifiers to identify at least one dropped data packet from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.
In another embodiment, the present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for determining service quality over a packet switching network. In this regard, the method can be broadly summarized by the following steps: polling a transmit buffer in a transmit probe for a number of transmit pattern identifiers, the transmit pattern identifiers being generated from a stream of data packets at a transmit side of a packet switching network; polling a receive buffer in a receive probe for a number of receive pattern identifiers, the receive pattern identifiers being generated from the stream of data packets at a receive side of the packet switching network; and, comparing the transmit pattern identifiers with the receive pattern identifiers to identify whether any packets are dropped from the stream of data packets in the packet switching network.
The present invention may also be viewed as a network quality probe for generating a number of pattern identifiers for a number of data packets in a stream of data packets processed. In one embodiment, the network quality probe comprises a processor coupled to a local interface, a memory coupled to a local interface, probe logic stored on the memory and executed by the processor, the probe logic including logic to generate a pattern identifier for each of the data packets in the stream of data packets, and logic to store the pattern identifiers in a buffer.
The present invention provides an advantage in that the service quality of a virtual circuit over a packet switching network may be determined without altering the stream of data packets to be transmitted across the network itself.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention.

System and method for non-intrusive measurement of service quality in a communications network


In a drive-slip control system (ASR) for a motor vehicle with rear-axle drive, operating on the principle of retarding again a driven vehicle wheel having a tendency to spin by activating its wheel brake, the rear-axle differential is provided with a locking device which, as the difference in the propulsive torques which can be transmitted via the driven vehicle wheels, between the latter and the roadway increases, develops an increasing degree of locking. The locking device is constructed using multi-plate clutches, which provide a frictional, limited-slip coupling between the driving ring gears and the cage of the differential on which the differential bevel gears of the differential are also mounted. In addition, the multi-plate clutches can be applied hydraulically, controlled being exercised via a solenoid valve.

The present invention relates to a drive-slip control system (ASR) for a motor vehicle in which a differential is provided for transmitting the engine output torque or gearbox output torque to two driven vehicle wheels. The ASR operates on the principle of retarding again a vehicle wheel having a tendency to spin and driven via the differential by actuating its wheel brake and, if a deceleration of both driven vehicle wheels becomes necessary, of reducing the engine output torque, e.g. by intervention in at least one of the ignition, the fuel supply, and throttle-valve position alteration.
A drive-slip control system is shown in German Offenlegungsschrift Nos. 1,806,671; German Offenlegungsschrift 3,127,302; DE 36 15 638 A1; and DE 38 10 449 A1. It is further more also known, as can be seen in DE 33 19 152 C2, to provide additional brakes, configured, for example, as multiplate brakes, for the driven vehicle wheels. The brakes form a structural unit with the differential but act on the driving side shafts. These known control system operating, at least in the initial phase of a situation requiring drive-slip control, with braking intervention have the disadvantage that, in cases in which the one driven vehicle wheel is rolling on an area of roadway which has a high coefficient of adhesion (.mu.) between the roadway and this wheel but the other driven vehicle wheel is rolling on an area of roadway which has a very low coefficient of adhesion, a considerable proportion of the driving torque provided by the engine via the gearbox has, as it were, to be dissipated to ensure that propulsive torque can be transmitted via the vehicle wheel which is more capable of transmission. The result of this is that, in the case of vehicles with a relatively low-powered engine, i.e. vehicles with an engine power of less than 70 kW, the weight of which is about 10000 N to 12000 N, their climbing ability in the above mentioned ".mu. split" conditions is no longer sufficient to allow negotiation of relatively steep gradients of, for example 20%. Hitherto, it has therefore only been possible to implement drive-slip control systems of the type mentioned at the outset on vehicles in the higher performance categories.
The use of lockable differentials with a controllable degree of locking for drive-slip control is shown in DE 35 28 389 A1; DE 37 08 063 A1; and DE 38 28 656 A1. It is possible with these differentials to compensate speed and hence also slip difference between the driven vehicle wheels, although it must then be possible, for the purpose of slip limitation, to adjust in a controlled manner the driving torque coupled into the drive train in terms of the absolute amount.
In order in this way to be able to implement an ASR which guarantees a sufficient dynamic stability of the vehicle, very high degrees of locking of the differential must be inputted, and this leads to considerable structural complexity as regards the locking elements which, in typical design, are in the form of friction clutches. Furthermore, a rapid torque reduction in the drive train must be possible but a torque reduction by altering the position of the throttle valve or the fuel feed, for example, would be too slow for a large number of situations because of the inertia of the engine and the drive train as a whole. Additional actuating devices are therefore required, e.g. a disc brake acting on the input shaft of the differential, or an actuator by which the engine clutch can be disengaged.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a drive-slip control system which is of simple overall construction and imparts good traction behavior, in particular good climbing ability, even in the case of lower performance vehicles.
This object is achieved according to the present invention by providing the differential with at least one locking device which develops, as the difference in the propulsive torques which can be transmitted via the driven vehicle wheels between the latter and the roadway increases, an increasing degree of locking which is, however, limited to a value of around 40% relative to the maximum amount.
By virtue of the constructional features of the present invention, namely, that the differential is provided with a locking device which, as the difference in the propulsive torques which can be transmitted via the driven vehicle wheels, between the latter and the roadway increases, develops an increasing degree of locking, but is limited as regards the maximum amount, it is ensured that only a markedly reduced part of the engine output torque is braked away by a braking intervention which may still be required because, due to the at least partial locking of the differential, a considerably higher proportion of the driving torque provided by the engine via the gearbox remains available, depending on the degree of locking which can be developed by the differential.
From the energy point of view, this is essentially due to the fact that no matter how the locking device is implemented, the amount of driving power which must be braked away to build up the degree of locking within the differential only corresponds to a torque difference, in contrast to a conventional drive-slip control system, in which, due to the braking intervention at the vehicle wheel with the tendency to spin, up to half of the driving torque provided by the engine has to be dissipated.
In order to achieve the required locking effect in the differential, at least one friction clutch is provided to bring about a frictional coupling of one of the driving ring gears or of one of the differential bevel gears of the differential to the cage on which these gears are rotatably mounted.
According to another feature of the drive-slip control system of the present invention, friction clutches are assigned individually to each of the side shafts of the driving axle. The friction clutches result in, as it were, an automatically operating locking device for which no control structure at all is required.
Alternatively or in combination with the foregoing features, electrohydraulic control elements are provided and are actuatable via solenoid valves which are controlled by output signals of an electronic control unit to produce control signals by processing output signals of wheel-speed sensors. The wheel speed sensor output signals, in their level or frequency, contain the information on the dynamic behavior at least of the driven vehicle wheels.
Likewise, as an alternative to or in combination with the above-described configurations of the drive-slip control system shear elements for the locking elements can be provided for the locking elements and filled with dilatant fluid, which likewise respond automatically and do not require any control apparatus.
Finally, another feature of the present invention is a configuration of the drive-slip control system which can be implemented at particularly low cost, for vehicles which are equipped with an anti-lock brake system which operates on the rear axle, i.e. the axle of the driven vehicle wheels, with common brake-pressure control.


A glove holder to attach firefighter's glove to their uniform to help prevent their loss, and to provide for easy access of the gloves in case of emergency.

1. Field of the Invention
A glove holder, more specifically, a glove holder for attaching to protective outer clothing of a firefighter's uniform.
2. Background Information
Firefighter's need good gloves for protection. The gloves should be readily available with the rest of their uniform, such as boots, coat, and helmet, for fast access in case of an emergency. Gloves are more easily lost or misplaced than the other parts of the firefighter's uniform. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device that would secure the gloves when not in use to another part of the firefighter's uniform, such as the outer surface of the firefighter's protective coat. That way, grabbing the coat would mean the gloves are attached to the outside of the coat and in plain sight. If one or both gloves was missing, one would know right away.
A suitable glove holder would be constructed from National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)-approved material such as: NOMEX.RTM., KEVLAR.RTM., leather, PBI, other suitable material, or combinations of the same. Further, it would be adjustable to hold large, medium or small size gloves securely to the outer surface of an article of the firefighter's uniform, such as the firefighter's protective coat.
Devices heretofore have not been available which combine a glove holder attachable to the outer surface of a firefighter's protective garment made from fireproof material, which size is adjustable to secure gloves of various sizes


An optical element of an embodiment includes an optical element made of a material transparent to light, the optical element including: a back surface facing the front surface; and a connection surface. The front surface includes a recessed surface in a region facing the connection surface. The recessed surface has a point closest to the connection surface as a closest point, and has a first singular point other than the closest point.

A cost of a solar cell per light-concentration area may be reduced by a combination of the solar cell and a cheap light concentrator. The light concentrator is one of optical elements. A device in which the light concentrator and the solar cell are combined is called a light-collecting type solar cell. Further, given the restriction of installation space and weight, the light concentrator is desirably as thin as possible.
As a technology that realizes the above, there is a light concentrator called Refraction (R), refleXtion (X), and total Internal reflection (I) (RXI) type light concentrator. This light concentrator has a characteristic of being extremely thinner than a conventional compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) type light concentrator.
The above light concentrator has been described about a solar cell. However, a lighting emitting diode (LED) is arranged in a place where the solar cell is arranged, and the device can be used as an LED illumination collimator lens. This is realized by reversibility of rays (the device is established if the ray direction is reversed). That is, the solar cell is replaced with the LED, and the ray direction is reversed, similar discussion to the case of the solar cell can be made. Therefore, hereinafter, the solar cell and the LED are called connection elements to be connected to the optical element (the light concentrator or the collimator lens). Further, a device in which the out element and the connection element are combined is called non-imaging type optical device.


A system and method of operating a gas fuel valve control circuit are disclosed. The gas valve control circuit includes a gas valve assembly configured to control a flow of a fuel gas to a load and a switch assembly including a switch in each leg of a plurality of legs of a power supply to the gas valve assembly. The switch assembly is configured to supply power and a return to the gas valve assembly in a first position and to open the plurality of legs of the power supply to the gas valve assembly in a second position. The switch assembly is configured to indicate a position of the switch assembly.

Water heaters typically include a manual gas shut off valve or an electrical switch that disconnects the gas valve from electrical power. Powered vent water heaters have typically used a master on/off switch to switch all power to the appliance off. If the valve has a system level switch that effectively stops operation of the water heater when off and disconnects power from the gas valve coil, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can eliminate the master switch from their assembly. Powered vent water heaters have a large inductive fan load, for example about 2 amps at 120 volts, due to the powered draft inducer. If a gas valve switch only switches the gas valve off and the control system remains energized, the control system may indicate errors to an operator when the control system attempts to light-off the water heater. This would be confusing to the operator who, by the position of the gas valve switch, thinks the water heater is shutdown. An improved control system is needed.
This background section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Gas valve control system for a water heater


Memory data for a virtual machine can be stored in a swap file, which is comprised of storage blocks. A defragmentation procedure can be performed on a thin swap file while the virtual machine is still running. The described defragmentation procedure traversing a page frame space of the virtual machine, identifying candidate page frames, relocating the swapped page, and updating the page frame. Resulting unused storage blocks are released to the storage system. A data structure for aiding the defragmentation process is also described.

Virtual machines (VMs) consume memory and other hardware resources, which are allocated to a VM when the virtual machine is powered on. Powering on a VM includes a number of steps, all of which are to be completed before the VM is considered to have been powered on. As part of the power-on process, a sufficient amount of memory may be allocated to the VM such that the VM will not be terminated due to an insufficient memory reservation in hardware. A sufficient memory reservation may include both a reservation of physical random access memory (RAM) and swap space on a persistent storage device, such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive.
Memory allocation may utilize a "thick swap" strategy, in which a hypervisor creates a swap space with an initial size equal to a minimum amount of the virtual memory space to be backed by physical memory (RAM and/or persistent storage) and grows the swap space to the virtual memory space size before declaring that a VM has been powered on. If the hypervisor fails to create the swap space and grow the swap space to the virtual memory space size (which may not occur for many minutes), the hypervisor can declare that the VM has failed to boot and release any resources acquired during the power-on operations. Using a thick swap strategy, storage blocks to be swapped into and out of a memory space are guaranteed while the VM operates. In another strategy, known as a "thin swap" strategy, a hypervisor creates a swap space with an initial size equal to a minimum amount of the virtual memory space to be backed by physical memory and declares that a VM has been powered on. In some cases, the hypervisor may fail to acquire storage blocks when memory pages are swapped into the swap space. When such a failure occurs, operation of a VM may be abruptly terminated. While a "thin swap" strategy may result in a VM being powered on more rapidly, a "thin swap" strategy may not provide for reliable operation of a VM.

Swap file defragmentation in a hypervisor


An adjustable elastomer torsion device includes a base member aligned in partially nested relation with a resilient elastomer (e.g. rubber or urethane resin) torsion member; parts of the base member and the torsion member overlap each other and an extension portion of the torsion member projects beyond the base member. The base member and the torsion member are interlocked, where they overlap each other, to prevent relative twisting between them, but the interlock does not interfere with twisting of the torsion member extension. An adjustment mechanism provides for adjustment of the positions of the base and torsion members relative to each other to vary the length of the extension portion of the torsion member over a given displacement length and thereby adjust the elastomeric, resilient torsional restoration force (torsional resistance) of the device within a predetermined force range. In some versions, the base member is a resilient elastomer, so that some twisting occurs in the base member; in others the base member does not twist preceptibly.

Torsion springs have been utilized in a number of different applications; many of those springs have used rubber, urethane, or other elastomeric materials to achieve the action of a torsional spring or a rotary spring. One such device that utilizes rubber is described in Ballard U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,335. A somewhat more sophisticated elastomer torsion spring is disclosed in Kramer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,920. Specific applications for torsion springs are quite numerous; among others, they include vehicle shock absorbers, gate closers, and biasing devices, often called tensioners, for conveyor belt scrapers. Some can be set in increments to supply a given torsional force; such devices include the conveyor belt scraper biasing devices (tensioners) disclosed in Gordon U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,036 and Swinderman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,434. Another incrementally adjustable conveyor belt scraper tensioner, which uses a metal coil spring, is described in Mort U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,402. A continuously adjustable rotary bias device, suitable for use as a tensioner in a conveyor belt scraper, that uses a resilient elastomer member for the desired spring action, is described in Gordon U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,305.
A somewhat different torsion spring arrangement, particularly intended for use with a swinging hinged gate, is disclosed in Floehr U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,536. The Floehr device includes a means for adjustment of the spring force. Another torsional gate closer, employing a pre-stressed torsion bar, is described in Romberg U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,687.
Most known elastomer torsion spring devices, particularly those referred to above, have had provision for quite limited adjustment of the torsional restoration force of the device. The device of Gordon U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,305 adjusts a preset bias exerted by a tubular torsion spring having a fixed rate, but the actual torsional force or spring rate, per se, is not adjusted. For some applications this kind of adjustment may be inadequate; an elastomer torsion device in which the restoration force itself (torsional resistance) is adjustable over a broad range is more desirable.


This invention relates to an improved process for the coproduction of a volatile component with normal purity and ultra high purity from a stream containing other heavier components and contaminated with lighter impurities which are more volatile than the volatile component. The improvement resides in removing a stream of the volatile component which is substantially free of the lighter impurities and then introducing the stream stripped of impurities to a second distillation column for fractionation. The second distillation column is equipped with a rectification section wherein the stream is rectified and the volatile component obtained in ultra high purity as an overhead. The volatile component with normal purity is obtained from the first distillation column as an overhead.

The distillation separation of streams such as air and natural gas streams which are contaminated with lighter impurities is well known. Typically, an overhead containing the volatile component contaminated with lighter impurities and a bottom fraction comprising the heavy component is obtained. Technology advancements in many industrial fields have required products of higher purity than are normally obtained in the conventional distillation processes. The attainment of higher purity products has required further processing and distillation to effect removal of the lighter impurities from the volatile component. Due to these additional process steps substantial amounts of energy or additional equipment or both to achieve a higher level of purity of the volatile component is required. Ultra high purity product for example is required in the area of semiconductors and integrated circuits. Even though such technologies require ultra high purity product, sometimes the volumes required are not sufficient to support a plant dedicated to ultra high purity operation. Other technologies applications may not require the elaborate processing necessary to produce the ultra high purity product. Those technologies cannot afford the cost factor associated with the processing of stream required to produce ultra high purity components. Accordingly, there is substantial interest in the distillation field, and particularly in the cryogenic field, to produce a component of one purity and the same component in ultra high purity. In that way, larger units can be built and the products distributed to the respective technologies. Representative art showing the distillation of streams and the separation of components therein into fractions are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,917 discloses a single column process for the production of nitrogen and oxygen. In that process, air is freed of its impurities and cooled to its dew point temperature and introduced into a single column for separation into its components. An oxygen-rich heavy stream is removed from the bottom of the column and removed as a product. A nitrogen-rich fraction is removed from the top of the column. A portion is condensed against oxygen-rich heavy stream in a boiler/condenser wherein a portion is returned as reflux to the single column and a portion removed as product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,382 discloses a conventional dual column process for the separation of air into its components which includes a side arm column for the recovery of argon. In that process, air is introduced to a high pressure column wherein a nitrogen-rich fraction is generated at the top of the column and an oxygen-rich fraction is generated at the bottom of the column. A portion of the oxygen-rich fraction and nitrogen-rich overhead fraction is introduced to a low pressure column wherein further fractionation is effected. A nitrogen-rich overhead is recovered as product from the low pressure column and oxygen, either in liquid or gaseous form, is recovered from the bottom of the low pressure column. An argon stream is obtained by removing an argon-rich side stream from the low pressure column and fractionating in a side arm column wherein argon is removed as an overhead fraction and oxygen is removed as a bottom fraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,321 discloses a process for the production of ultra high purity nitrogen by the cryogenic distillation of an air stream. As in the above references, an oxygen-rich stream is generated at the bottom of a distillation column, and a nitrogen-rich stream is generated as an overhead in the column.
In contrast to the processes described in the aforementioned patents, a portion of the nitrogen overhead is condensed in a boiler/condenser wherein the impurities in the overhead are removed as a lighter impurity. The condensate from this boiler/condenser is then let down in pressure and vaporized in the same boiler/condenser to provide a high purity nitrogen product stream which has lower concentration of lighter impurities. Clearly, the disadvantage of this system is that the high purity nitrogen product is at a pressure which is lower than the distillation column pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,173 discloses a process for producing ultra high purity oxygen from an air stream. In the process, as with other cryogenic distillation processes for the separation of air, an oxygen-rich bottoms fraction and a nitrogen-rich overhead fraction is produced from the distillation column. An oxygen-containing stream essentially free of heavy components is charged to a second fractionation column wherein the oxygen is stripped of volatile impurities and an ultra high purity liquid oxygen fraction is obtained.

Coproduction of a normal purity and ultra high purity volatile component from a multi-component stream


A doorknob indicating system includes an exterior doorknob disposed on an interior side of a door, an interior doorknob disposed on an exterior side of the door, an LED on an escutcheon of said exterior doorknob, a user interface on an escutcheon of said interior doorknob, a source of electrical power, and a controller. The LED, the user interface, and the source of electrical power are operatively connected to the controller. The controller is programmed to illuminate the LED for one or more determined time intervals based upon an input received by the user interface.

There exist doorknob or door lock status indicators. Examples of such prior devices are described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,741 and U.S. Published Application Number 2006/0227000, the entirety of each is incorporated herein by reference. While the devices heretofore fulfill their respects objectives, there exists a need for a new doorknob indicating system.


Disclosed is a display apparatus includes a display panel which includes display devices; a micro lens group located above a light-emitting side of the display panel, and the micro lens group includes micro lens devices, and the micro lens devices are disposed to correspond to the display devices, respectively, and distances between centers of the micro lens devices and centers of the corresponding display devices are gradually increased along a direction from a center position to an edge position of the display panel. Further, a liquid lens disposed on a side of the micro lens group away from the display panel, and the liquid lens is configured for realizing multi-layer display of a suspension image by changing a phase of incident light.

With development of sciences and technologies and improvement of people's living standards, requirements for display apparatuses are not only limited to simply transmitting two-dimensional planar information, instead, the display apparatuses are expected to provide three-dimensional image information that is more realistic and stereoscopic, and can achieve more physical and psychological depth clues.
At present, common three-dimensional display apparatuses generally adopt a parallax-type three-dimensional display principle in which left and right views are separated by a cylindrical lens array or a grating array so as to enter left and right eyes of an observer, respectively, thereby producing stereoscopic perception by binocular parallax. However, because such manner can only reflect parallax information, and aggregation and convergence information is difficult to match, the user would experience fatigue, dizziness, nausea and vomiting when viewing above parallax-type naked eye three-dimensional display images for a long time. In addition, the three-dimensional display image presented in this manner does not change as the observer moves his eyes, so that a range of a viewing angle is small and it is difficult to be accepted in the market.
A suspension display technology belongs to a type of integrated imaging, and is a true three-dimensional autostereoscopic display technology based on micro lens array. This technology can achieve the suspension display of an image, increase the viewing angle of the three-dimensional display, and is comfortable to observe without a fatigue, thereby enhancing use experience of the observer. However, in the prior art, for a suspension display apparatus with a definite structure, height of the displayed suspension image is constant, and hence multi-layer displays for the suspension image may not be realized, which in fact limits an application of the suspension display to a certain extent.

Display apparatus with a multi-level display comprising a display panel having a plurality of display devices that correspond with a plurality of microlens devices

SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A cordless telephone employed in a public telephone system provides mobility and service at reasonable cost to users of portable communications equipment. The system includes a plurality of base units which are accessible by a plurality of similarly configured cordless telephones. Each one of these base units is assigned and operates on one of multiple frequency channels and each one of the cordless telephones is capable of establishing a communications link with each one of these base units. Once a cordless telephone establishes communications with a base unit within its reception range, other cordless telephones within this reception range are precluded from establishing communications with this base unit or monitoring or otherwise interfering with communications between the cordless telephone and this base unit while the communications link is established therebetween.

1. Technical Field PA1 2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention relates to cordless telephones and more particularly to a cordless telephone arranged for deployment in a public telephone system.
Telephone communications in public areas has traditionally been limited to a person using a public telephone where he or she could make either charge calls, pay calls or credit card calls. The mobility of the user has thus been limited to the immediate surroundings of the public telephone, as determined by the length of the telephone handset cord. One alternative to this limited mobility in telephone or two-way voice communications is to utilize a portable cellular telephone. With such a telephone, the user is able to freely move about while engaging in voice communications with a called party. Cellular telephones and cellular telephone service are fairly expensive to date, however. Cellular telephones are designed to be employed in a system which requires, among other things, a considerable investment in switching gear for transferring calls. Because of costs considerations, therefore, portable cellular telephones are unattractive to many potential users of portable communications equipment.
Another alternative to the public telephone that provides mobility in two-way voice communications in public areas is the new Telepoint System that has been provided for use in Europe. This system employs time-division duplex transmissions between a portable telephone and a base unit for providing cordless telephone communications. Like the cellular telephone, this telephone and its associated system is costly due to system requirements and the necessary circuit complexity required in the telephone for operation in such a system.
While the foregoing systems provide mobility in two-way voice communications in public areas, it is desirable to have a cordless telephone suitable for operation in a system that is not unduly complicated or expensive to implement in order to provide both mobility and service at reasonable cost for users of portable communications equipment.


A sintered silicon carbide product having improved fracture toughness contains from 1% to 80% by weight of (a) a uniformly dispersed, nonagglomerated, high metal content silicide of iron, nickel, cobalt or molybdenum in which the metal/silicon ratio is equal to or greater than 1. The silicon carbide starting material can be alpha-phase, beta-phase or a mixture of the two.

Silicon carbide powders are not sinterable when they are in a pure form. Previously, boron or boron carbide and carbon were added in order to densify silicon carbide. Usually, the beta phase of silicon carbide is used as the starting material, with transformation into the alpha phase occurring as the densification process continues. Regardless of the starting material, the resulting ceramic has low fracture toughness values of approximately 4 MPa .sqroot.m. This low fracture toughness value for monolithic silicon carbide limits its usage.
It is known that crack propagation in silicon carbide can be minimized by the inclusion of a dispersed phase, which provides a mechanism for energy diffusion. For example, J. J. Petrovic and R. E. Honnell, "MoSi.sub.2 Particle Reinforced-SiC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 Matrix Composites", J. Mat. Sci. Lett. 9 (1990) 1083-1084, disclose mixing SiC and molybdenum disilicide to improve the high temperature mechanical properties of the SiC composite. However, the molybdenum disilicide particles inhibit densification to less than 90% and the dispersion of the molybdenum disilicide is poor with large agglomerations visible in the microstructure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,972 (Kodoma et al.) discloses a SiC matrix containing carbide phases of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum and tungsten having an average particle size of 30-150 microns. The sintered product has high strength and toughness.

Silicon carbide ceramics containing a dispersed high metal content silicide phase


An ECU is used for a Stirling engine that is provided with a starter that drives an output shaft of the Stirling engine. The ECU includes a control portion that commences an engine-starting drive of the starter within a phase interval, during which the torque of the Stirling engine that varies according to phase of the output shaft is relatively small. The phase interval is an interval during which the torque of the Stirling engine is less than or equal to the torque obtained when the compression begins. The phase at which the driving of the starter is commenced is set to the phase at which the torque of the Stirling engine becomes smaller than the torque obtained when the compression begins.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control apparatus and control method for a Stirling engine and, more particularly, to a control apparatus and control method for starting a Stirling engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Technologies related to the starting of a Stirling engine are disclosed in, for example. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 62-247160 (JP 62-247160 A) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-301102 (JP 2004-301102 A). As technologies considered to be relevant to the invention, technologies related to the starting of an engine are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-255548 (JP 2010-255548 A), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-360661 (JP 2004-360661 A), and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-147068 (JP 6-147068 A).
If the maximum torque that can be produced by a Stirling engine is smaller than the torque needed to start the engine, it is impossible to start the Stirling engine by itself. Therefore, the starting of a Stirling engine is assisted by using a starter that drives an output shaft of the Stirling engine. However, if the driving of the starter is commenced without any special arrangement, a case can occur where large compression force acts on a piston, depending on the phase of the output shaft in some cases. Then, there arises a need to produce an engine-starting torque that is large enough to start engine even in such a case, by using the starter. This leads to an increase in the size and weight of the starter. In addition, increased cost may also result.

Control apparatus and control method for stirling engine


The invention provides an oriented article, for example, a yarn, tape or filaments made from a three component polymer blend.

Historically, ethylene polymers used for oriented films, fibers, monofilaments, and tapes typically were unimodal polyethylenes having a high density, e.g., above 0.945 gm/cm3.
More recently, bimodal or multimodal blends of specific ethylene polymers have been proposed for film and fiber applications, with a variety of different component compositions and physical properties. For example, EP 696300 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,549 (Chum et al.) teach the manufacture of films and fibers from blends of one or more homogeneously branched ethylene polymers with one or more heterogeneously branched ethylene polymers. Those blends can be prepared in situ (e.g., in a multiple-reactor polymerization process) or by blending separately polymerized ethylene polymers. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,045 (Kolthammer et al.) teaches such blends can be made in situ in a multi-stage polymerization process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,617 (Maugans et al.) teaches the use of various multimodal blends of specific ethylene polymers (such as metallocene-catalyzed homogeneous ethylene copolymers having a density<0.90 gm/cm3, with a Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed heterogeneous ethylene polymer having a density of 0.935 to 0.955 gm/cm3) can improve the bonding performance of the films or fibers or rotomolded articles made from such blends.
EP 898586 (Jacobson et al.) teaches the manufacture of films and other fabricated articles from a broad range of blends made from (a) certain metallocene-catalyzed ethylene copolymers having a narrow molecular-weight distribution and a unique comonomer-content distribution, and (b) one or more other ethylene-based polymers, such as Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polymers and/or metallocene-catalyzed linear or substantially linear ethylene polymers.
EP 1378592 (Slootweg et al.) and WO 2008/098905 (Buriani et al.) teach certain bimodal polymeric blends for use in the production of synthetic fibers for artificial turf, in which the blends comprise a first polyethylene or polypropylene component and a second, metallocene-catalyzed plastomer component (such as a metallocene or single-site catalyzed polyolefin).
WO2006/053709 (Lambert et al.) teaches drawn tapes and fibers made from blends of one component having a density of 0.91 to 0.95 gm/cm3, and a second component having a density>0.955 gm/cm3. EP 1833907 (Lambert et al.) teaches the manufacture of tapes, films and artificial turf from bicomponent blends of Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed components—one having a density of 0.92 to 0.94 gm/cm3, and the other having a density of 0.937 to 0.972 gm/cm3.
EP 1972703 (Van Pardon et al.) teaches the manufacture of films, tapes and monofilaments with blends (having an overall density of 0.915 to 0.938) made from a Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed components, one called znLLDPE and the other called znPE. Similarly, EP1972704 (Van Pardon et al.) teaches the manufacture of films, tapes and monofilaments with blends made from metallocene-catalyzed components, one called mLLDPE and the other called mPE, one of which may have a density from 0.900 to 0.930 gm/cm3, and the other having a density from 0.930 to 0.980 gm/cm3. These patents also discuss an optional "prepolymer" component, for the description of which both patents refer to WO9618662.
WO90/03414 (Stehling et al.) teaches various bimodal and trimodal blends of linear ethylene polymers having very narrow molecular weight and composition distributions. The blend components may have a variety of densities, such as in the ranges of 0.85 to 0.90 gm/cm3, from 0.900 to 0.915 gm/cm3, from 0.915 to 0.940 gm/cm3, and above 0.940 gm/cm3.
Additional polymer compositions, films and/or coatings are described in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,028, and International Publication Nos. WO 2006/091310, WO 2004/026955 and WO 1998/21276.
Unfortunately, the performance of the incumbent ethylene polymers has been unsatisfactory in certain oriented article applications, such as artificial turf. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) at densities below about 0.925 gm/cm3, when extruded into oriented tapes or fibers, typically exhibit high shrinkage values, such as 10 percent or greater. That shrinkage often results in performance problems for the end-use of such tapes, such as the monofilament fibers for artificial turf applications, where thermally induced elastic-memory results in curling and/or twisting of the fibers. This shrinkage problem is exacerbated when a metallocene-catalyzed, elastomeric ethylene polymer is blended with the LLDPE for the purpose of improving the elastic recovery (or resiliency) of the fibers.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to develop polymers which can be formed into oriented articles having a highly desired combination and balance of properties (e.g., lower shrinkage and therefore, higher dimensional stability and lower elastic-memory effects, while also maintaining or improving tenacity and residual elongation) compared to incumbent ethylene-based polymers.
We have invented certain multimodal ethylene polymer compositions that unexpectedly improve the shrinkage performance, as well as improving the tenacity and residual elongation performance of oriented articles made from those compositions.

Ethylene polymer blends and oriented articles with improved shrink resistance


The present invention is directed to compounds of formula (I),

Molecular chaperones play important roles in cellular function by ensuring proper folding of proteins upon synthesis as well as their refolding under conditions of denaturing stress. By regulating the balance between protein synthesis and degradation, molecular chaperones are a significant part of the cellular response to stress. In addition, by regulating the proper folding of various cellular proteins, chaperones play an important role in regulating cellular functions such as cell proliferation and apoptosis. (See, e.g. Jolly, et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 92: 1564-1572 (2000)). Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a class of chaperones that accumulate in the cell in response to various environmental stresses, such as heat shock, oxidative stress, or the presence of alcohols or heavy metals. In addition to their role in protecting the cell from such environmental stresses, HSPs may also play a significant role as chaperones for a variety of cellular proteins under stress-free conditions. Members of the HSP family are classified according to their molecular weight (e.g. HSP-27, HSP-70, and HSP-90). Evidence of differential expression of HSPs in various stages of tumor progression suggests HSPs play a role in cancer. (See, e.g. Martin, et al., Cancer Res. 60:2232-2238 (2000)).
HSP-90 is a homodimer with ATPase activity and functions in a series of complex interactions with a variety of substrate proteins (Young, et al., J. Cell Biol. 154: 267-273 (2001)). HSP-90 is unique with regard to other chaperones, however, since most of its known substrate proteins are signal transduction proteins. Thus, HSP-90 plays an essential role in regulating cellular signal transduction networks. (See, e.g. Xu, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 90:7074-7078 (1993)). In particular, substrate proteins of HSP-90 include many mutated or over-expressed proteins implicated in cancer such as p53, Bcr-Abl kinase, Raf-1 kinase, Akt kinase, Npm-Alk kinase p185ErbB2 transmembrane kinase, Cdk4, Cdk6, Wee1 (a cell cycle-dependent kinase), HER2/Neu (ErbB2), and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Thus inhibition of HSP-90 results in selective degradation of these important signaling proteins involved in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell cycle regulation (Holstein, et al., Cancer Res. 61:4003-4009 (2001)). Accordingly, HSP-90 is an attractive therapeutic target because of the important roles played by these signaling proteins in disease states involving abnormal cell growth, such as cancer. It is thus desirable to discover and develop new inhibitors of HSP-90 activity that can provide a therapeutic benefit to patients suffering from disease states related to abnormal cell growth such as cancer.

2-amino pyrimidine compounds as potent HSP-90 inhibitors

Abstract: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, their synthesis, and their use as HSP-90 inhibitors.


A low-corner frequency high pass filter circuit (10) includes an operational amplifier (12). The operational amplifier (12) has an inverting input (14) and a non-inverting input (24). A series capacitor (26) has a first end connected to the non-inverting input (24) of the operational amplifier (12). A second end of the series capacitor (26) is connected to an input signal (28). A low gain amplifier (30) has an input connected to an output (22) of the operational amplifier (12) and has an output (32) connected to the non-inverting input (24) of the operational amplifier (12). The low gain amplifier (30) performs the function of large value resistor.

The present invention relates generally to the field of solid state integrated filter circuits and more particularly to a low-corner frequency high pass filter circuit in an integrated circuit.
In order to build a high pass filter with a pole at very low frequencies it is necessary to have large a resistance and capacitance in the circuit. In integrated circuits it is extremely difficult to build large capacitors and resistors. In addition, it is expensive to build large value resistors and capacitors which require a lot of die area, as cost is proportional to die area.
The cost issue and other challenges might be better understood with an example. A typical high-pass filter might require a corner frequency of 100 Hz, which in a discrete implementation might use a 160 kiloOhm resistor and a 10 nanoFarad capacitor. If this was implemented in an integrated circuit, the parameters that might be typical are 1k ohm per 10 micrometers2 of area for an xe2x80x9cn-wellxe2x80x9d resistor, and 0.1 femtoFarad per micrometer2 for a metal-to-metal capacitor. Thus, this RC filter would require approximately 100 mm2 of die area, which is extremely large for an IC, and very expensive. In an attempt to reduce the die area, one might make the resistor larger and the capacitor smaller. However, the large resistor causes offset problems. If the resistor is raised to 16 megOhms, and the capacitor reduced to 100 picoFarads, then the die area required is approximately 2.6 mm2, which is still very large. Even worse though, is the fact that circuit offsets become very difficult. The 16 megOhm resistor must not be loaded by a small impedance of the circuit following this low-pass. If it is loaded even by a 1600 megOhm resistor, then there will be a 1% error; but such a high load impedance is extremely challenging, and nearly impossible. If there is a tiny leakage current of only 10 nanoAmps through the 16 megOhm resistor, then the result is 160 milliVolts of offset, which is much larger than many important analog signals in ICs.
This example shows the fundamental problems of creating a long time constant high-pass filter on an integrated circuit. Usually at least 2 problems occur: 1) a large use of die area is required, or 2) large offset voltage errors are introduced.
Thus there exists a need for a low-corner frequency high pass filter circuit that does not require large die areas, and that is capable of not introducing significant voltage offset errors.

Integrated low-corner frequency high pass filter circuit


Apparatus with direct initiation of a confined secondary explosive by energy delivered by a fiber optic from a laser source is achieved in a generally cup-shaped housing into which the fiber optic end extends a distance sufficient to penetrate the secondary explosive containing chamber by a significant amount. The chamber is constructed so as to provide minimum "heat sinking" or heat energy drain into the conducting materials of the chamber thereby to materially reduce the required input energy for initiation to the secondary explosive.

In order to more fully understand the nature of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that high explosive materials can be classified into two major groups: initiating or primary explosives, and non-initiating or secondary explosives. The present invention is specifically directed to the initiation of secondary explosives, which materials include PETN (pentaerythritotetranitrate), RDX (cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, and HMX (cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine) and any other of that explosive class which may or may not be blended with a material to improve its sensitivity to initiation by laser energy. The direct initiation of secondary explosives by laser energy transmitted through a fiber optic has heretofore required high laser energy levels to effect highly reliable initiation thereby requiring larger and more expensive laser light sources while limiting the range of application and use of such devices. PCT publication W088/07170 shows an optic detonator wherein fiber optics are used for igniting a mixture of gases such as hydrogen and chlorine; U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,037 is typical of initiation devices using primary explosives with fiber optics in physical contact with or imbedded in the consumable material so as to create a self-consumable initiator; hence U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,037 is silent as to the utilization of any teaching relating to secondary explosives. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,937, the utilization of a light initiated explosive is clearly disclosed, but the inventor states that the explosive 13 is a pyrotechnic and the explosive device 11 is of no particular concern to the designer. The above listed prior art fails to disclose low energy fiber optic initiation of a secondary explosive.
A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relations of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments and are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention are employed.
It is a primary object of this invention to permit laser initiation through fiber optics of secondary explosives with an improved structure requiring significantly lower laser energy;
It is another object of this invention to provide an economical, easily fabricated laser initiation secondary explosive containing structure that provides high reliability of initiation.
Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in more detail hereinafter.


Electronic equipment, such as a word processor or personal computer, is capable of preventing a battery from being overcharged. When no information is entered to the equipment via keys for a specified period of time, such as ten minutes or longer, in a state in which an AC adaptor is electrically connected to an adaptor connecting terminal, a transistor TR1 is turned on to start the charging of the battery. The battery is continuously charged until another period of time, such as six hours, elapses from the time of the initiation of its charging. When six hours have elapsed, the transistor TR1 is turned off to stop the supply of a charging current to the battery. As a result, the battery has been fully charged and a switching device is turned off, whereby the supply of electric power to a control unit and a load is stopped.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment, such as a word processor or personal computer, and more specifically to electronic equipment having an automatic power-off function for cutting off electric power when data is not input from a keyboard or the like for a given period of time.

Electronic equipment having automatic power-off function


System and methods for discharging a battery system in a vehicle are presented. In certain embodiments, a battery system included in a vehicle may include a high voltage cell stack and at least one access point configured to selectively couple the high voltage cell stack with a discharging system connector associated with a discharging system. The at least one access point may include a receptacle configured to receive the discharging system connector and selectively couple the discharging system connector across the high voltage cell stack to allow for electrical energy to be discharged from the cell stack to an external discharging system.

Passenger vehicles often include electric batteries for operating features of a vehicle's electrical and drivetrain systems. For example, vehicles commonly include a 12V lead-acid automotive battery configured to supply electric energy to vehicle starter systems (e.g., a starter motor), lighting systems, and/or ignition systems. In electric, fuel cell ("FC"), and/or hybrid vehicles, a high voltage ("HV") battery system (e.g., a 360 V HV battery system) may be used to power electric drivetrain components of the vehicle (e.g., electric drive motors and the like). For example, an HV rechargeable energy storage system ("RESS") included in a vehicle may be used to power electric drivetrain components of the vehicle.
Following an impact event (e.g., a vehicle collision), it may be desirable to discharge high voltage energy from a vehicle battery system. Similarly, it may be desirable to discharge high voltage energy from a vehicle battery system prior to performing certain maintenance and/or repair operations on the vehicle. Discharging high voltage energy in such scenarios may help prevent electric shock due to unintentional discharge. In conventional systems, however, accessing a vehicle battery system to perform discharging operations may be difficult. For example, a conventional battery system may be difficult to access following an impact event (e.g., due to damage to the vehicle) or during vehicle maintenance and/or repair.

Vehicle battery discharge systems and methods using field access points


A system for determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction includes a control computer operable to control fueling of an internal combustion engine and an auxiliary computer coupled thereto, wherein the auxiliary computer forms part of an operator interface unit. The control computer is operable to broadcast current fuel usage information in a number of fuel usage categories, and the auxiliary computer is operable to accumulate such fuel usage information within each jurisdiction traveled by the vehicle. In one embodiment, a GPS receiver provides the auxiliary computer with information relating to a current vehicle jurisdiction, and in an alternate embodiment, an auxiliary switch is provided wherein manual actuation of the auxiliary switch indicates entrance into a new jurisdiction. In either case, the auxiliary computer is operable to accumulate information relating to the total fuel used in a number of fuel usage categories, for each jurisdiction traveled by the vehicle, whereby this information is particularly useful in subsequently computing state fuel tax data.

The present invention relates generally to systems for determining fuel usage for fuel tax computation purposes, and more specifically to such systems operable to automatically track fuel usage within a definable jurisdiction.
In the commercial trucking industry, it is desirable to track data associated with vehicle travel within a definable jurisdiction. Such data may include distance traveled, time of travel, fuel used, etc. Not only is such data valuable to commercial fleet owners/operators in tracking vehicle performance, at least some of this data is necessary for properly allocating vehicle operating information among the various jurisdictions (i.e., states, regions, counties, etc.) traveled. Properly allocated vehicle operating information may then be used for determining state fuel tax, DOT location for status changes, route recording, and the like.
Heretofore, it has been known to automatically track mileage traveled within a state for fuel tax computation purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,528 to Haendel et al. discloses one such system including a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a truck odometer, a memory containing state boundaries, a processor and a recording device. The Haendel et al. system is operable to determine the state in which the vehicle is traveling by comparing current GPS coordinates with stored coordinates of state boundaries. When the vehicle enters a new state, the processor is operable to automatically record a state identifier along with the odometer mileage. Upon trip completion, the recorded information may be downloaded and processed to determine the mileage traveled within each state. Fuel tax may then be allocated among the various states in accordance with the mileage data.
While the Haendel et al. system provides a useful system for accurately determining mileage traveled within each state, it has certain drawbacks associated therewith, particularly when used for computing fuel tax information. For example, while the distance traveled within any state may accurately reflect road use, it is not a reliable predictor of fuel usage. Fuel usage is actually a function of many factors including, but not limited to, vehicle size/engine rating, vehicle/engine operating characteristics, vehicle operator tendencies, distance traveled, road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and the like. A system operable to determine only distance traveled within a jurisdiction therefore cannot accurately and reliably estimate fuel usage during travel. Moreover, emissions regulations within some jurisdictions may require an accurate determination of fuel used during idling conditions, and the Haendel et al. system includes no provisions for making such a determination.
What is therefore needed is a system for accurately determining fuel usage within a definable jurisdiction. Ideally, such a system should be operable to differentiate at least between fuel used during driving and fuel used during idling conditions.
The foregoing shortcomings of the prior art are addressed by the present invention. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a system for determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction comprises means for determining a jurisdiction of a vehicle carrying an internal combustion engine, means responsive to fueling signals for supplying fuel to the engine, means for producing the fueling signals and for producing fueling values corresponding to fuel quantities associated with the fueling signals, and means for continually accumulating the fueling values while the vehicle is within the jurisdiction to thereby determine a total fuel quantity used by the engine within the jurisdiction.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system for determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction comprises a fuel system responsive to fueling signals to supply fuel to an internal combustion engine, a control computer producing the fueling signals and broadcasting fueling values corresponding to fuel quantities associated with the fueling signals, and a driver interface module including means for determining a jurisdiction of a vehicle carrying the internal combustion engine and an auxiliary computer receiving the fueling values broadcast by the control computer, the auxiliary computer continually accumulating the fueling values as long as the vehicle is within the jurisdiction to thereby determine a total fuel quantity used by the engine within the jurisdiction.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction comprising the steps of determining a jurisdiction of a vehicle carrying an internal combustion engine, recording a fueling value corresponding to a current quantity of fuel used by the engine, and monitoring vehicle location and continually accumulating the fueling value as long as the vehicle is located within the jurisdiction to thereby determine a total amount of fuel used by the engine within the jurisdiction.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for determining fuel usage within any jurisdiction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system operable to distinguish fuel used within any jurisdiction according to vehicle/engine operational mode.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for determining fuel usage within any jurisdiction via, in part, fueling messages broadcast by a vehicle/engine control computer onto a J1587 or J1939 datalink.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment.

System for determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction


A mattress display is provided. The mattress display includes a base frame built of angle bars for supporting a mattress. A handle mounted to the base frame facilitates manipulation via wheels mounted to the frame. Signage can be mounted to the handle.

Mattresses are displayed for retail sale in a number of different environments. While not limited thereto, one commercial setting where mattresses are sold is in warehouse stores wherein pallet racks are typically used to both store and display merchandise. Often times, products may be arranged or tucked under pallet racks on the floor. A problem with this approach is that the product, such as a mattress, may not be readily accessible for proper consumer evaluation. Having products stick out into the aisles is also undesirable as that can impede consumer shopping and restocking activities. In this and other retail environments, there is a desire for improved retail display solutions such as for mattresses.


A mechanism for switching from one operating function to another upon stoppage of tape movement, including a switching wheel which is driven continuously during operation and actuates a switching member, and a connecting member which moves in the same given direction for releasing a cassette and for reversing a direction of tape travel. A tape stoppage detection means controls the position of the switching member with respect to the switching wheel. The connecting member is latched in a position corresponding to movement of the head mounting plate toward the cassette, and is unlatched either by the switching member upon tape stoppage, or depression of a stop button to permit the head mounting plate to return to a withdrawn position away from the cassette.

The invention relates to a function control mechanism for a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus for switching from one operating function to another, and more particularly to such an apparatus which comprises a head-mounting plate which can be moved towards the cassette, and a switching mechanism which comprises
a switching wheel which is driven continuously during operation of the apparatus and which actuates a switching member,
a detection means, which is coupled to at least one winding spindle and which controls the position of the switching member on the switching wheel during tape transport,
a guideway on the switching wheel, which actuates the switching member during tape stoppage, and
a connecting member which is always moved in the same direction by the switching member for switching the apparatus to another operating function.
Such a switching device is disclosed in German offenlegungsschrift No. 25 24 219. In this device the switching mechanism actuates a connecting member in the form of a latching slide, the switching member. The connecting member only serves to release the push-button mechanism of the apparatus. In this way the switching mechanism can only stop the drive mechanism when the tape is stationary, the head-mounting plate being moved away from the cassette upon release of the push button. However, upon switching on the switching mechanism is not capable of moving the head-mounting plate towards the cassette and thereby putting the apparatus into operation again.

Magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus with improved function switching mechanism


A method and apparatus are provided for inspecting glass containers for checks. The container finish is illuminated from the exterior and light reflected from a check is detected by the apparatus. In one embodiment, the glass container finish is inspected for horizontal and related diagonal checks and, in another, the glass container finish is inspected for vertical and related diagonal checks. The checks redirect the normal beam of light and thereby permit the reflected light to be delivered to a detector which converts the received light into a corresponding electrical signal which is compared to a standard in order to determine whether the container should be rejected. The method eliminates incorrect inspection results due to reflection of light caused by threads, lugs, mold seams, takeout beads and the sealing surface of the container mouth. The vertical and horizontal embodiments may be combined into a single system which inspects for vertical, horizontal and diagonal checks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and associated apparatus for inspecting glass containers for checks and, more specifically, it relates to inspection of glass containers for horizontal checks, vertical checks and diagonal checks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the molding of glass containers, such as bottles, for example, checks can be formed in the process. Checks are generally considered to be cracks or other structural weaknesses which may, in some instances, be caused by inadvertent rapid cooling. Other checks may result from folds in the glass that are not hot enough to flow together inside the mold. Checks may also occur during the annealing process which generally takes place immediately after molding. Generally, when checks occur, they tend to occur repeatedly in the same location and orientation on the containers. Also, mold conditions may change even in a minor way and result in new checks appearing.
Checks can cause breakage of glass bottles during storage, filling, shipment, further storage and use. Also, cracks, chips and sharp edges which can result from checks can cause injury to persons handling the bottles or pouring the contents or drinking therefrom.
It has been known to provide check detectors that rely on optical means to identify checks. As checks are abrupt changes in direction in the surface of the glass, they can be detected as bright glints of light from the facets of their irregular surfaces. One of the problems with existing optical systems is that threads, mold seams, takeout rings and sealing surfaces also have corners which can easily be confused for checks.
One known form of check detector is marketed under the trade designation "Powers Check Detector" by Emhart Powers of Elmira, N.Y. It employs the concept of using very localized lighting and detector field of view in order to avoid problems created by threads, mold seams, takeout rings and sealing surfaces. A problem presented by this approach is that the check must first be identified by human visual inspection and then a narrow beam of light and narrow field of view detector positioned so as to reflect light from the check into the detector when the bottle is rotated in the field of view. This type of detection device generally consists of a lens with a single detector such as a silicon photodiode at the focus. Precise positioning of the light source and detector are required so as to avoid receipt of glints from other features of the bottle during rotation. This tends to be a time-consuming process and must be repeated for each check found in the containers. As a result, the container molding system and related equipment is out of service while the operator sets up the detectors. As new checks develop, they will not be detected by the machine until the operator notices them and sets up another light source-detector pair. This not only requires human intervention, but substantially reduces the reliability of the molding operation.
It has also been known to employ machines which purport to inspect the entire container and detect checks with "smart" optics. Such machines have been made available commercially under the trade designation AFCD by Precision Co., Ltd. of Japan. These systems employ computer programs to examine the entire surface of the finish and attempt to distinguish threads and other intentionally provided configurations from undesired checks. A plurality of lights and detectors provide a number of combinations of light-detector pairs. The computer is said to recognize the combinations of glints that are characteristics of threads and other intentionally placed shapes and differentiate them from check glints. Relative rotation is established between a rotating container which may be a bottle under the inspection head or rotation of the inspection head with respect to a stationary bottle.
In spite of the foregoing known systems, there remains a very real and substantial need for a method and associated apparatus which will rapidly and effectively monitor glass container finishes for checks having various orientations.

Method and apparatus for inspecting glass containers for checks