A hole saw having a blade portion separable into two parts which when separated form a base portion and a tip portion. The base and the tip have correspondingly shaped apertures and lugs that co-operate together to hold the blade tip in place. A locking means further assists in ensuring that the blade tip remains locked to the base and includes a sliding latch that engages an aperture in the blade and the base and is itself locked in place to thereby lock the blade to the base. An intermediate portion also allows for the hole saw to drill through different depths.

Hole saws are a very widely used tool for many applications. Typically a hole saw includes a flat solid base that is locked by a drill, the base providing support for the hole saw. Some bases include multiple diameter grooves adapted to accommodate hole saws of different diameters. Typically these bases, with a plurality of concentric grooves, are of a diameter greater than the hole saw blade and as a result drilling depth is limited to the length of the hole saw body portion. This limitation restricts the possible uses of the hole saw and possible surfaces able to be drilled.
Other hole saws are single sized, overcoming the abovementioned problem of a larger diameter base but requiring the user to change the entire hole saw for each application. A user with a single sized hole saw needs to replace the hole saw for each surface being drilled as well as for each different diameter hole. The removal and installation of hole saw bodies for each new application or following the failure of a hole saw blade is troublesome, labour intensive, and time consuming.
Holes saw blades use different cutter materials and configurations to more effectively cut the surface being drilled. For example, serrated carbide tipped hole saws are generally used to drill harder and more abrasive surfaces than is possible with a regular steel blade. Some composite woods are more effectively cut with a different blade configuration and are best cut with a single tooth carbide tipped cutting element. Abrasive materials such as glass, ceramics, stone, asbestos and some plastic surfaces also require different cutting materials and configuration of the hole saw blade. A diamond or carbide grit encrusted blade is typically used in these applications. As each application may require a different hole saw blade configuration, the user is required to maintain an inventory of different hole saws for each surface to be drilled and each diameter of hole, inclusive of back up hole saw bodies in the event of blade failure. Such a large inventory is both cumbersome and expensive.
In addition where different depth holes need to be drilled the user has to have an extensive hole saw inventory with hole saws of different lengths that can drill through different depths. When the hole saw wears out the whole hole saw has to be replaced at great expense.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems and to provide the public with a useful alternative.

Hole saw with interchangeable cutting blades


A one man round hay bale lifter and transport device is disclosed for quick assembly and disassembly to a conventional trailer hitch mounted on a pick-up truck. The lifting and transport device includes an anchoring structure and a hay bale lifting and holding structure pivotally mounted on the anchoring structure. The rearward end of the anchoring structure includes a square tube for quick assembly with the square tube of the conventional trailer hitch. A ratchet binder is pivotally mounted on the anchoring structure at one end and on the hay bale lifting structure on the other end. By manually rotating the ratchet handle mounted on a threaded sleeve of the ratchet binder, the lifting structure is elevatable to a maximum angle of about 45.degree. with respect to the anchoring structure. A stop bar engages an edge of the anchoring structure to limit further elevation or lowering of the lifting structure. The lifting structure includes at its front end a pronged fork assembly for engaging and lifting the hay bale upon elevation of the lifting structure. Once a hay bale is elevated, the truck is driven to transport the hay bale to a desired location where the operation is reversed to drop off the transported hay bale.

Past developments in farming have increased the use of relatively large rolled bales of forage crops, such as hay. These round bales normally weigh between 800 and 1,500 pounds, and typically measure 4 to 5 feet in diameter and are 4 to 5 feet long. In some circumstances, the bales can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds or more and measure 6 feet in diameter and 5 to 7 feet in length. Therefore, the handling of hay in the form of round bales presents problems in moving the bales around from one location to another, such as for storage, feeding purposes and the like. The problems are exacerbated where a single person seeks to move the bales using a vehicle without hydraulic or auxiliary motor power, such as a conventional pick-up truck or similar vehicle equipped only with a standard trailer hitch.
Material handling forklift vehicles are well known, and there are numerous patents disclosing devices designed for manipulating and transporting the large round bales of forage crops, such as hay. For example, forklift devices have been devised for attachment to the hydraulic hitches of agricultural tractors and these devices have proven to be quite satisfactory for transporting bales for short distances. When it is desired to transport such bales over longer distances, tractors are not very practical because they do not travel at normal highway speeds. Consequently, various devices have been devised for lifting the large bales onto truck beds and the like for transporting to the final destination. For example, the following U.S. patents. disclose forklift and other type mechanisms for attachment to agricultural tractors and heavy trucks while utilizing the hydraulic systems to lift the bales from the ground: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,015,737, 4,015,739, 4,027,773, 4,099,629, 4,299,522, 4,674,933, 5,150,999, 5,178,505 and 5,290,133.
In addition, Bauer U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,768 discloses a hay tote having a specially designed hydraulically actuated truck bumper mounted on a conventional pick-up truck, with two rigid bumper sections and a rotatable center section having a pair of sockets for receiving bale piercing spears. Once the bale is loaded onto the spears, the hydraulic cylinder actuates the rotating part of the bumper to lift the bale. A similar hydraulically operated forklift type attachment for impaling, lifting and carrying large round hay bales is also disclosed in Lynch U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,786.
Thus, the prior lifting mechanisms either require additional manpower or connection to an auxiliary hydraulic or electric motor system, such as found on an agricultural tractor or the like. As such, these prior lifting and transporting mechanisms are not suitable for use by a single operator or on a conventional pick-up truck or the like, which does not have auxiliary hydraulic capability. Further, the prior art lifting and transporting mechanisms are all generally designed for permanent mounting on the tractor or other vehicle, and none contemplate a lifting and transporting assembly which can be quickly connected and disconnected from a conventional vehicle such as a truck or the like.

Round hay bale lifter and transport device


A method of making inosine-5'-monophosphate and its derivatives resistant to 5'-nucleotidase by chemically modifying inosine-5'-monophosphate to the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl, alkoxy and secondary amino compounds whereby inosine-5'-monophosphate biological activity is retained in vitro and extended to in vivo.

Secondary immunodeficiencies are common in cancer, aging, autoimmunity, AIDS, and other viral and bacterial diseases. It has long been thought that treatment of these secondary immunodeficiencies would result in improved prognosis in these diseases. Despite much experimental effort, so far only levamisole and isoprinosine have been extensively licensed and employed clinically for such treatments. There is a need for more effective drugs of this type.
Immune function includes the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system as well as those aspects dependent on macrophages and granulocytes. The various aspects of immune function can be augmented or modified by various agents which can, in general, be referred to as immunopotentiators. Immunopotentiators, including drugs and biological substances, have been extensively employed in the prevention and treatment of human diseases.
However, recent work (Sad and Mosmann, 1994; Sieling et al., 1994; Chakkalath and Titus, 1994; Tripp et al., 1994; Bogdan et al., 1991; Fiorentino et al., 1989) suggests that improper stimulation of the immune response may actually facilitate the disease process. It appears in both murine and human models that the cytokine profile of immune response is regulated by which one of the subclasses of T helper (Th) cells, Th1 or Th2, is activated in response to the pathogens. Tht cells, in general, have a pattern of secreting IL-2, IFN-.gamma. and lymphotoxin, while the Th2 general secretion pattern is IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-13. The Th1 cell cytokine profiles are generally associated with disease resistance and Th2 cytokine profiles with progressive disease. In particular, it has been shown that for intracellular pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, Listeria monocytogenes and Leishmania major, the cytokine profile from Th1 cells is necessary to restrict the growth of the pathogens. Many factors determine which subset of T-cells is activated during the immune response and it appears that it is a combination of factors, including IL-12 from activated macrophages, that lead to a Th1 response. In these diseases, it would be useful to have a means of augmenting or stimulating the Th1 response. For example in leprosy, patients do not express the type 1 response, rather their lesions express the type 2 cytokines which are typical of humoral responses and immunosuppression of the cell mediated immunity needed for resistance to intracellular pathogens.
One class of immunopotentiators has been derived from purine structures such as inosine or hypoxanthine, e.g., isoprinosine (a synthetic drug complex composed of inosine and the p-acetamido-benzoate salt of N,N-dimethylamino-2-propanol in a molar ratio of 1:3; DIP salt). ##STR2## and NPT 15392 (9-erythro-2-hydroxy-3-nonyl-hypoxanthine) ##STR3## These compounds have been classified as "thymomimetic drugs" (Hadden, 1985) in that they stimulate the immune system by actions primarily on thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes, although they do act on other cells involved in immune responses. Isoprinosine is one example of a medically useful thymomimetic drug which is licensed for human use in a number of countries around the world. The action of isoprinosine in vitro is paralleled by inosine and potentiated by the complex with DIP salt (Hadden, 1978). The action of isoprinosine in vivo is not achieved with inosine or DIP salt alone (Wybran et al., 1982), suggesting to applicants that complex formation and protection of the inosine base is critical for in vivo activity.
The search for more immunologically active molecules of this type for clinical use has generated a considerable literature. U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,450 to Gordon discloses complexes formed by inosine and amino-alcohols which have pharmacological activity in combatting influenza or herpes virus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,794 to Hadden et al. discloses complexes of purine derivatives (9-(hydroxyalkyl) purines) with amino-alcohol salts of p-acetamidobenzoic acid which have immunomodulating and antiviral activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,909 to Hadden et al. discloses p-acetamidobenzoic acid salts of 9-(Hydroxyalkyl) purines useful as viricides, immunoregulators and anti-leukemia agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,726 to Giner-Sorolla et al. discloses esters (purine compounds) having immunomodulator, antiviral, antitumor and enzyme inhibitor activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,910 to Giner-Sorolla et al. discloses 9-(hydroxyalkyl) purines useful as immunopotentiators, viricides and antileukemic agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,919 to Giner-Sorolla et al. discloses purine derivatives which have immunomodulating, antiviral and antitumor activity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,510,144 and 4,387,226, to Giner-Sorolla et al., disclose dihydrothiazolo purine derivatives with immunomodulating activity.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Number 58-140100 discloses (heptamin-1-ol)-5'-adenosine-monophosphate. Saha et al. (1988) discloses its activity in potentiating the in vitro primary humoral immune response against a T cell-dependent antigen (sheep red blood cells) when present in the early phase of spleen cell culture. Saha et al. (1987) discloses the activity of HAA in augmenting anti-SRBC PFC activity and antibody titer values in ICR male mice. They also show the activity of HAA in increasing anti-SRBC PFC activity and antibody titer values in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Hadden et al. [1983] indicates that purines, particularly inosine-containing or inosine-like compounds, where examined, generally share the capacity to mimic thymic hormone action to induce precursor T-cell differentiation and to potentiate functional responses of mature T-cells, particularly the Th1 cells in response to infections of intracellular pathogens. One example of these molecules, transfer factor, was hypothesized to contain inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) in its more elaborate structure (Wilson and Fudenberg, 1984).
It would be useful to have available these immunomodulating/immunopotentiating compounds for use as discussed herein below.
Viral infections and intracellular bacterial pathogens are a major public health concern. In both these categories, the bacterial and viral pathogens avoid the host immune system because they grow within the host's cells. A cell-mediated immune (CMI) response by Th1 cells initiated by macrophages is the general mode of host defense or resistance against intracellular pathogens once infection has occurred. An effective antibody response in response to vaccination can confer immunity.
While treatment for the bacterial diseases via antibiotics is available, the increasing drug resistance of bacteria makes it necessary to look at other avenues for treatment. One way of treating infected individuals is to increase the effectiveness of their immune system. In these diseases, the presence of sensitized T lymphocytes and activated macrophages is the key factor in immunity. Therefore, effective treatments for these diseases must activate macrophages and sensitize the appropriate T lymphocytes (Ryan in Stites and Terr, pages 637-645 and Mills in Stites and Terr, pages 646-656).
Intracellular bacterial pathogens include Salmonella, Legionella, Listeria, Mycobacteria and Brucella. Salmonella species are members of the Enterobacteriaceae and cause a significant portion of enteric disease, including typhoid fever. The capsule of S. typhi has a surface capsular antigen and antibody against the capsular antigen is not protective. In fact, many carriers of typhoid have high levels of antibodies against the pathogen.
Studies of Legionella show that it is an obligate intracellular parasite of macrophages. Lisreria is gram-positive causing meningeal infections and sepsis in adults and a variety of infections in neonates. The primary role of defense against these pathogens has been shown to be T-lymphocyte associated macrophage activation. Studies of Bruceila associated disease have also shown that antibody does not confer protection and that activated macrophages produced by specifically sensitized T-lymphocytes do protect.
It would be useful to have effective drugs for these diseases that activate macrophages and sensitize the appropriate T lymphocytes to the pathogen.
In general, there are few or no effective anti-viral drugs and, therefore, protection from viral pathogens also remains a major public health goal. Vaccination remains the best source of protection in viral diseases. However, often vaccines do not confer immunity because of: (1) a poorly immunogenic viral antigen; (2) the lack of time between vaccination and exposure; or (3) the inability of the vaccinated individual to respond.
For example, influenza vaccines must constantly be updated as the virus undergoes antigenic variation. Often the most current vaccine is not available, or not in full production, prior to the start of the winter months, which are the peak epidemic months. Therefore, those receiving the vaccine may be exposed to the virus in the environment before antibody titers are available. Further, among patients at higher risk, i.e. elderly and young, there is often a reduced compliance until an epidemic starts. In addition, influenza strikes particularly hard in the young and elderly populations and also individuals with underlying cardiorespiratory disease. These particular groups often have a less vigorous immune response to the vaccine.
Influenza viral infection suppresses normal pulmonary antibacterial defenses so that patients recovering from influenza have a greatly increased risk of developing bacterial pneumonia. It appears that there is an impairment of alveolar macrophages or neutrophils during influenza viral infection.
Therefore, a means of enhancing the immune response to influenza viral infection or of enhancing resistance to bacterial pneumonia would be useful in treating this disease. One possible way of increasing the efficacy of treatment is by treating with substances possessing immunopotentiating properties (Hadden et al., 1976; Hadden, 1987).
Chronic hepatitis B infection is a major public health concern. The hepatitis B virus is the cause of acute and chronic hepatitis, as well as hepatic carcinoma. The acute disease is self-limiting while the chronic infection persists for the life of the host. Chronic carriers remain infectious for life. It is estimated that there are over 100 million carriers world wide.
There are no currently effective treatments for the disease. Prevention, via vaccination, remains the only solution. Vaccination for those at risk is critical (James et al., 1991; Mills, 1991). However, upon vaccination with hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), nearly 2% to 15% of those vaccinated have been found not to produce antibodies to the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (anti-HBs) and are thus not protected against this infection, in other words, they are nonresponders (Deinhardt, 1983). Various schemes of multiple administrations of the antigen preparation are recommended to induce intense immunity against hepatitis B (Grossman and Cohen, 1991). However, there is still a pool of nonresponders. Therefore, an alternative means of enhancing the immunogenicity of vaccine preparations against hepatitis B is needed to solve this important public health need.
People at high risk of infection are most frequently found among patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatment (Ferguson, 1990; Walz et al., 1989), those with HIV-infection and other immunocompromised patients (Hess et al., 1989). Those who come into contact with these groups and have not previously had contact with hepatitis B virus, face the highest risk of infection and, therefore, need rapid and maximal protection from the infection. This is particularly acute among health-care providers (Grossman and Cohen, 1991). Therefore, nonresponders to the currently available vaccine against hepatitis B in these groups are at even greater risk of infection.
It would be useful to be able to increase the efficacy of vaccination within the nonresponder groups. One possible way of increasing the efficacy of prophylaxis is the enhancement of the immunogenicity of available vaccines by using biologically active substances possessing adjuvant properties (Byars and Allison, 1989).
It is well known that adjuvants are able to stimulate antibody formation in response to heterologous antigens. Adjuvants are defined as compounds capable of potentiating an immune response and are, therefore, one class of immunopotentiators (Stites and Terr, 1991). Adjuvants are used to increase the immune response in vaccination (Seaman, 1991). For example, in vaccine preparations with hepatitis B, HBsAg is generally absorbed onto aluminum hydroxide to enhance the immunogenic effect in order to achieve a protective titer of anti-HBs (>10 IU/1) which prevents infections.
However, as stated above, there is a group of nonresponders who do not respond even to this augmented vaccine (Celis et al., 1987; Meuer et al., 1989). This lack of protective immunity by vaccination appears due, in part, to components of the immune response determined at the level of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) (Alper et al., 1989; Walker et al., 1981). It has been suggested that "non-responders" lack a dominant gene of the immune response in the MHC and, as a result, synthesis of anti-HBs occurs, at most, at low levels that can barely be detected by currently applied methods of detection (Thomson et al., 1977). Similarly, immune response genes associated with the murine major histocompatibility complex (H-2) have been shown to control cellular and humoral responses to determinants on numerous T-cell-dependent antigens, including HBsAg.
The results obtained in combined application of hepatitis B vaccine and various immunomodulators point to the expediency of this approach, since combination treatment can reduce the number of persons who either do not completely respond or respond with low levels of anti-HBs (Celis et al., 1987; Meuer et al., 1989). However, while the data are encouraging, there still exist persons who do not respond to these treatments and for whom it would be useful to have an adjuvant boosted hepatitis B vaccine which promotes rapid induction of maximal levels of specific antibodies and increase protection in the nonresponder population.
Hadden et al. (1983) indicates that purines, particularly inosine-containing or inosine-like compounds, where examined, generally share the capacity to mimic thymic hormone action to induce precursor T-cell differentiation and to potentiate functional responses of mature T-cells.
Isoprinosine has shown some efficacy in the treatment of lethal influenza challenge in mice; and, when administered with a subinfectious dose of virus, it prevented mortality on subsequent challenge with virus (Glasky, 1985). Isoprinosine is licensed in several countries for human use in influenza therapy based upon its clinical activity in man (Glasky, 1985). However, the half-life of isoprinosine in man is less than four hours; and, therefore, it is not very effective for in vivo treatments. Isoprinosine is rapidly hydrolyzed, thereby causing the short half-life in vivo. Inosine in vitro (Hadden, 1978) has similar properties to isoprinosine, but in vivo it is rapidly catabolized so that its half-life is even shorter than isoprinosine and thus it has no activity in vivo (Wybran et al., 1982). It would be useful to have more stable inosine-like compounds with greater immunopotentiating capabilities.

Method of making inosine monophosphate derivatives and immunopotentiating uses thereof


A method for inferring precise sensor attitude information in a tracking sensor system begins with storing at a first time a reference image in a memory associated with tracking sensor. Next, the method includes sensing at a second time a second image. The sensed image comprises a plurality of sensed feature locations. The method further includes determining the position of the tracking sensor at the second time relative to its position at the first time and then forming a correlation between the sensed feature locations and the predetermined feature locations as a function of the relative position. The method results in an estimation of a tracking sensor pose that is calculated as a function of the correlation. Because the method is primarily computational, implementation requires no new hardware in a tracking sensor system other than that which may be required to provide additional computational capacity.

Accurate determinations of sensor pose (i.e., sensor position and attitude) provide essential information for passive ranging methods in sensor systems using this type of range measurement technique. Passive ranging has important practical applications in covert terrain-following and terrain-avoidance methods and in certain missile systems uses. For example, sensors that track objects and images, such as those sensors that fire-and-forget missiles possess, require accurate estimates of sensor pose during target intercept and other operations where the missile sensor moves relative to a tracked object.
To determine the sensor pose, it is necessary to accurately determine the sensor attitude. Attitude determination, however, is an ill-conditioned problem. Most tracking sensors employ image correlation and comparison methods based on local statical distributions of pixel intensity for attitude determinations. For example, adaptive gate centroid trackers use a template to correlate images that the sensor systems keeps as a "reference" in memory for this purpose.
These and other methods for accurately determining sensor pose are important for passive ranging algorithms. Passive ranging algorithms, however, are sensitive to errors that exist during range calculations. Errors in passive range cacluations are in large part the result of two factors. The first factor is small errors that exist in correlating the sensed image to the reference image in the memory. The second factor is small error resulting from a decoupling that occurs between the sensor and the navigation system (e.g., an INS system) as the aircraft structure or platform containing the sensor flexes or changes shape.
Present sensor systems that perform passive ranging do not address the ill-conditioning that exists in the attitude determination problem. Thus, there is a need for a method that provides accurate attitude determination for the purpose of calculating sensor pose during passive ranging.
There is a need for a method to determine sensor attitude that overcomes the decoupling between the sensor and the navigation system that occurs as a result of aircraft or platform flexture.
Moreover, there is a need for a method and system that minimizes the effect of calculation errors that may exist during the correlation of a template or other reference in memory to the sensed image that the sensor detects.

Method of inferring sensor attitude through multi-feature tracking


Embodiments of systems, non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein, and computer-implemented methods are provided to enhance hydrocarbon reservoir simulation for a plurality of hydrocarbon reservoirs. According to embodiments, a plurality of fluid flow simulation runs in each of a plurality of hydrocarbon reservoirs are initiated. Then, each of a first set of one or more of the plurality of simulation runs are terminated while each of a second set of one or more of the plurality of simulation runs continue. Terminating each of the first set of simulation runs can increase processing availability within a collective limited and predetermined combined computing capacity of one or more processors to another one or more of the plurality of simulation runs being run. Consequently, terminating each of the first set of simulation runs can thereby reduce total hydrocarbon reservoir simulation run time.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to hydrocarbon reservoir production and, more specifically, to methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program stored therein to enhance hydrocarbon reservoir simulation for a plurality of hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Background of the Invention
Hydrocarbon reservoir simulation models may be constructed to provide information related to fluid flow and other features within real hydrocarbon reservoirs. Simulations of fluid flow, for example, may then be performed on the models. In some circumstances, multiple simulation runs may be performed on a single hydrocarbon reservoir simulation model. Among other advantages, performing multiple simulation runs may, for example, increase confidence in the results of the simulation runs and thereby increase the value of the results during analysis of the hydrocarbon reservoir. A simulation run is typically scheduled to run for one or more time steps—defined periods of time—as understood by those of skill in the art. Multiple simulation runs performed as part of the same project may sometimes be described collectively as a simulation study.
Hydrocarbon reservoir simulation may include both user interaction 51 and simulator action 52, as illustrated in FIG. 2a, for example. User interaction 51, for example, may include loading and investigating historical data related to the subject hydrocarbon reservoir 53. Historical data may include, for example, actual measured data related to the hydrocarbon reservoir, i.e., measurements and observations collected during exploration of and production from the hydrocarbon reservoir. Simulator action 52 may then take control of the hydrocarbon reservoir simulation process. For example, simulator action 52 may include starting a simulation run 54, outputting time step data 55 for a time step of the simulation run to produce time step data 56, and determining whether the time step was the last time step to be performed 57. If the time step was not the last time step to be performed 57, simulator action 52 may then include continuing the simulation run 58 for another time step and subsequently outputting time step data 55. If the time step was the last time step to be performed 57, however, simulator action 52 may then include wrapping up the simulation run 59 to produce output data 60. Simulator action may then include determining whether the simulator has more simulation runs (sometimes called "simulation cases" or "simulation jobs") to perform 61. If so, simulator action 52 may then include picking the next simulation run 62 then starting that simulation run 54. If the simulator does not have any more simulation runs to perform 61, it may complete the simulation process 63.
Hydrocarbon reservoir simulation may include at least two important types of simulations of fluid flow in a hydrocarbon reservoir: (1) history-matching simulations and (2) prediction (or predictive) simulations. History-matching simulations may serve to validate a model of the subject hydrocarbon reservoir by producing a variety of simulated hydrocarbon fluid flow data. That simulated hydrocarbon fluid flow data may then be compared to historical, observed data from the real hydrocarbon reservoir. That is, history-matching simulations may calibrate a hydrocarbon reservoir model to minimize any mismatch between the model and the reservoir and to build confidence in the model. Prediction simulations, on the other hand, may produce data related to predicted future hydrocarbon fluid flow. That is, engineers may use prediction simulations to answer questions of what will happen under different possible development scenarios. In some circumstances, prediction simulations may be part of an optimization problem, and a simulation engineer may perform multiple simulation runs with outcomes in a valid solution space to select the simulation run most closely aligned with a development goal. Multiple prediction simulation runs may therefore be used to fine tune development strategies to achieve objectives related to development of a hydrocarbon reservoir, for example. Higher quality hydrocarbon reservoir simulation models may be desirable because they may produce more accurate predictions. Notably, history-matching simulations may affect prediction simulations, though, because history-matching simulations may be used to improve the quality of a hydrocarbon reservoir simulation model later used for prediction simulations. Consequently, history matching may be an important part of hydrocarbon reservoir simulation.
Further, history matching is an optimization problem. One of the main objectives of history matching, for example, may be to validate a numerical hydrocarbon reservoir simulation model by minimizing the differences between the numerical solution—the simulator output—and field historical pressure, production, and injection data. This validation process may lead to better management and quantification of uncertainties in a simulation model. Ultimately, the history-matched numerical model may be used for prediction studies and hydrocarbon field development evaluations. FIG. 2b illustrates an example history-matching method according to the prior art. As illustrated in FIG. 2b, for example, a geological model 71 may be upscaled 72 to a simulation model 73. A fluid flow simulation 74 may then be performed. Using production data 75, whether an objective function has been met may be determined 76. An objective function of a simulation study may be the objective, i.e., the goal, of the study in terms of output. An objective function of a prediction study, for instance, may be to maximize oil production, in some circumstances. As another example, an objective function of a history-matching study may be to develop a hydrocarbon reservoir simulation model that closely approximates the characteristics of the real hydrocarbon reservoir it models. Consequently, an objective function may relate to the difference between simulation output data—output of a fluid flow simulation 74, i.e., fluid flow simulation results—and production data 75, for example. More specifically, an objective function may be used to determine whether an acceptable match has been reached between fluid flow simulation results and historical, observed data, i.e., actual measured data. Furthermore, a match may be determined based on some predefined acceptance criteria. An objective function determination may be "yes" when an acceptable match has been reached, e.g., when the difference between the output of a fluid flow simulation 74 and production data 75 is below a preselected level. Conversely, an objective function determination may be "no" when the difference between the output of a fluid flow simulation 74 and production data 75 is above a preselected level, for example. As depicted in FIG. 2b, for instance, if the objective function has been met 76, the method may stop 78. If the objective function has not been met 76, manual optimization 77 may occur and feed back into the simulation model 73.
In contrast to manual history-matching processes, Assisted History Matching (AHM) automates the optimization process using state-of-the-art, proven optimization algorithms. AHM is a class of simulation problems that allows reservoir simulation engineers to change many parameters simultaneously, automate processes, and be able to better document different history-matching scenarios. A history-matching process using AHM is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 2c. As illustrated in FIG. 2c, for example, a geological model 81 may be upscaled 82 to produce a simulation model 83. A fluid flow simulation 84 may then be performed on the simulation model 83. Then, using production data 85 as input, whether an objective function has been met may be determined 86. If the objective function has been met 86, the process may stop 88. If the objective function has not been met 86, an assisted optimization process 87 may begin and feed back into the geological model 81.

Systems, methods, and computer medium to enhance hydrocarbon reservoir simulation


[Object] To automatically distinguish whether an occupant is at home or not and to control an operating state of a management system of a house more simply.

These days, home security systems are coming into wide use; in the home security system, burdens such as new equipment investment and installation work, for example the need to install a human sensor using infrared light or the like, are imposed. Hence, technologies to create a home security system simply are being developed.
For example, Patent Literature 1 below proposes a technology in which electrical devices having a function of wireless communication are used, and an electrical device having a function of wireless communication and existing in a house is registered in advance; and in a case where a home security system is in a warning standby mode and a response signal concerning wireless communication is emitted from an unregistered electrical device, the home security system is transitioned to a warning mode.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Abstract: [Solution] An information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a radio wave information learning section configured to record a plurality of pieces of radio wave information detected in a house and learn radio wave information of a plurality of terminals supposed to be in the house on a basis of the recorded radio wave information; and a control section configured to compare newly detected radio wave information and the radio wave information of the plurality of terminals supposed to be in the house based on a result of the learning, and perform processing for changing an operating state of a system that manages the house in a case where none of the plurality of terminals supposed to be in the house were detected for a prescribed time or more.


A content addressable memory (CAM) (30) and a method of using it to sequentially match tags stored in the CAM to a target tag. The CAM (30) has a tag memory (20) comprised of tag cells (10, 10a) and also has a data cache. Each tag cell (10, 10a) is structured like a conventional RAM cell for storing a bit of data but also has a multiplexing switch (16) at its output. The multiplexing switch (16) applies a signal representing the tag cell's contents to a readline (15). A tag compare circuit (25) external to tag memory (20). On each readline, tag compare circuit (25) compares a bit from each cell (10, 10a) in a selected column to a bit of the target address. This cycle is repeated for all bits of the target address and successive columns of the tag memory unless terminated by a mismatch for all cells (10, 10a) in a column. The tag compare circuit (25) has logic circuitry that maintains a "hit" output signal.

"Content-addressable memories" (CAMS) are used in memory cache systems. They perform a matching process that determines whether the cache contains data needed elsewhere in the system, such as data requested a processor.
With a general purpose computer that uses a CAM, as with all cache systems, when a processor identifies the data it needs, the CAM must check its memory to determine if the identified data is located in the CAM. In other words, it determines whether the data is a cache entry or whether it is stored only in main (non-cache) memory. With the CAM approach, this checking process is performed. by storing "tags", each of which may be part of the address of each cache entry, in the CAM. The CAM compares each tag to a "target tag" issued by the processor. If there is a match, the data is located in the CAM. If not, the data is fetched from main memory.
Conventional CAMs simultaneously compare the target tag to every bit of all tags. They accomplish this comparison by using special tag memory cells ("tag cells"). Each tag cell is like a conventional RAM cell, with an associated bitline and wordline and data storage components, but also has a comparator. The comparator compares a signal on a bitline to the cell's contents and places the result on a readline. The comparators of all cells in the CAM are turned on at once so that each cell may perform its comparison at the same time as all other cells.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art CAM 100 that has a comparator (switches 107 and 108) for each tag cell 102. Bitlines 101 carry consecutive bits of the target tag (and the complementary bits) simultaneously to the cells 102. Each bit of the target tag is compared to the contents of the cells 102 as indicated by the state of a pair of inverters 104. Each row of cells 102 has an associated matchline 103, which is precharged to Vcc. Switches 105 are activated by wordlines 106. A pair of series-connected switching transistors 107 and 108 are controlled by the output of each inverter 104. Switching transistors 107 and 108 connect matchline 103 to ground and must both be activated to discharge matchline 103. This discharge will occur only when the cell contents do not match the target tag bit on the bitline. Thus, for each row, the matchline 103 goes low when there is a mismatch. If the matchline of any row remains at Vcc, a match on that row is indicated. An OR gate (not shown) may be used to provide a global hit signal from the CAM 100.
This conventional method of configuring and simultaneously comparing contents of tag cells of a CAM is costly in terms of die area and the resulting current spike in the power supply. For CAMs that store a large number of entries, such as those used in packet communication systems, the current spikes can cause problems.

Sequentially comparing content addressable memory


A radio frequency (RF) transceiver includes a transmit chain that transmits a transmit signal to an antenna and a receive chain that generates a receive signal from the antenna, wherein the receive chain includes a duplexer and the transmit chain is free of a duplexer. By removing the duplexer from the transmit chain, power losses incurred by the duplexer may be reduced and preferably eliminated from the transmit chain. More specifically, an RF transceiver includes a circulator having first, second and third circulator ports, that circulates power from the first circulator port to the second circulator port, to the third circulator port and then to the first circulator port. An amplifier is coupled to the first circulator port and amplifies a transmit signal. An antenna is coupled to the second circulator port. A duplexer is coupled to the third circulator port and generates a receive signal. Accordingly, the combination of a circulator in the transmit chain and a duplexer in the receive chain can reduce the power losses in the transmit chain. Noise may be reduced by replacing the amplifier with first and second amplifiers and a bandpass filter. The first amplifier is coupled to the transmit signal and the second amplifier is coupled to the first circulator port. By providing a bandpass filter between the first and second amplifiers, lower noise may be obtained while still maintaining the same gain.

This invention relates to radio frequency (RF) communication systems, and more specifically to RF transceivers for RF communication systems.
Radio frequency communication systems are being widely used for wireless communications. As is well known to those having skill in the art, radio frequency communication systems include wireless communication terminals that communicate with one another and with wire telephone systems. Radio frequency communication systems include analog and digital cellular telephone systems, and satellite telephone systems. Wireless communications terminals include analog and digital cellular terminals, satellite terminals and multiple mode cellular/satellite terminals. These wireless communications terminals may be simple wireless radiotelephones. However, more sophisticated personal communications systems (PCS), that provide functions in addition to those of a telephone, such as facsimile, data communications, data processing, word processing and other personal communications systems functions are also included.
Wireless communication terminals continue to undergo miniaturization. At the same time, higher performance and longer battery life are also generally desirable. Accordingly, there continues to be a need for improved designs of RF transceivers that are used in wireless communication terminals. As is well known to those having skill in the art, a transceiver generally includes a transmitter and receiver to transmit communications via an antenna and to receive the communications from the antenna. The antenna may include multiple antenna elements.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional RF transceiver. As shown in FIG. 1, the RF transceiver 100 receives a transmit signal F0 from a transmit circuit of a wireless communication terminal and transmits this signal to antenna 208. A received signal from antenna 208 is also provided to a receive circuit.
As also shown in FIG. 1, the transceiver includes an amplifier 202, an isolator 204 and a duplexer 206. As is well known to those having skill in the art, an isolator 204 is a device that permits radio frequency energy to pass in one direction indicated by the arrow in Block 204, while providing high isolation to reflected energy in the reverse direction. As is also known to those having skill in the art, an isolator may be produced using a microwave circulator with one port terminated in the characteristic impedance. Accordingly, ports 1 and 2 of isolator 204 couple amplifier 202 to transmit port (Tx) of duplexer 206. Port 3 of isolator 204 is terminated by a characteristic impedance R.
Duplexer 206 couples the transmit port Tx and receive port Rx to antenna 208 via antenna port Ant. As is well known to those having skill in the art, a duplexer is a radio frequency device that isolates a receiver from a transmitter while allowing them to share a common antenna. A duplexer generally includes a transmit filter and a receive filter that are coupled to an antenna input. The design of a conventional transceiver 100 and of individual blocks 202, 204, 206 and 208 are well known to those having skill in art and need not be described further herein.
The transmitter portion of a transceiver is often a large power consumer in a wireless communication terminal due to the need to transmit RF communications with sufficient power to be received properly. Moreover, the RF transmitter may degrade performance of the wireless communication terminal due to the introduction of noise in the transmitted signal. Accordingly, there continues to be a need for improved RF transceivers, and more specifically RF transmitters therefor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved radio frequency (RF) transceivers and wireless communication terminals including the same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide RF transceivers and wireless communication terminals that can operate with reduced power and can produce lower noise.
These and other objects are provided according to the present invention, by an RF transceiver that includes a transmit chain that transmits a transmit signal to an antenna and a receive chain that generates a receive signal from the antenna, wherein the receive chain includes a duplexer and the transmit chain is free of a duplexer. By removing the duplexer from the transmit chain, power losses incurred by the duplexer may be reduced and preferably eliminated from the transmit chain.
More specifically, an RF transceiver according to the present invention comprises a circulator including first, second and third circulator ports, that circulates power from the first circulator port to the second circulator port, to the third circulator port and then to the first circulator port. A transmit signal is coupled to the first circulator port, preferably via at least one amplifier. An antenna is coupled to the second circulator port. A duplexer is coupled to the third circulator port and generates a receive signal. Accordingly, the combination of a circulator in the transmit chain and a duplexer in the receive chain can reduce the power losses in the transmit chain.
According to another aspect of the present invention, noise may be reduced by replacing the amplifier with first and second amplifiers and a bandpass filter therebetween. The first amplifier is coupled to the transmit signal and the second amplifier is coupled to the first circulator port of the circulator. By providing a bandpass filter between the first and second amplifiers, lower noise may be obtained while still maintaining the same gain.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the duplexer includes an antenna port, a transmit port and a receive port. The third circulator port is coupled to the antenna port, and the receive port accepts the receive signal. An impedance matching resistor is coupled to the transmit port in order to dissipate power that is reflected from the antenna.
Radio frequency transceivers according to the present invention may be used in a wireless communication terminal that includes a transmit circuit, a receive circuit, a user interface and a controller that is coupled to the user interface, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit. The RF transceiver includes an amplifier that is coupled between the transmit circuit and the first circulator port, an antenna that is coupled to the second circulator port, and a duplexer that is coupled between the third circulator port and the receive circuit. Accordingly, high gain, low noise transceivers may be provided.

Low noise radio frequency transceivers including circulators


Rechargeable electric air-freshener for vehicles, of a type which is placed in a lighter holder of these vehicles includes a case, a lid for closing the case, each provided with openings for the perfuming vapor from an aromatic substance, which may be recharged and which, by means of temperature, releases aromatic essences it contains, situated inside the case, two metal bands on sides of the case to hold the case in position, one permitting connection to one electrical pole, a button at a rear portion of the case, a spring inside the case for the other pole, an integrated printed heated electrical circuit in the case, and an external button with four positions for activating the electrical circuit, the external button including an LED visible behind the lid and a switch, which activates a sound alarm to advise of a need to recharge the aromatic substance.

The present patent refers to a rechargeable electric air-freshener for cars, of the type which are activated electrically by being positioned inside the lighter located in the control deck or, in some vehicles, in an additional connection with similar features. The advantage of this rechargeable electric lighter, which distinguishes it from those which are currently in use, is the fact that it may be switched on and switched off, thus stopping the emission of the odour, with the aid of a simple electrical device endowed with an incorporated external activation button.
The use of devices which emit pleasant odours inside the car with the intention of masking the bad smells that may arise in a closed compartment is nothing new, for relatively uncomplicated devices supplied with solids which sublimate on contact with the atmosphere have been used for many years, both in cars and in houses and places of work.
A further advance in this sector was made with the appearance of devices supplied with liquid or solid odorants, the evaporation of which was produced by being electrically heated once positioned in the place of the car lighter in such a way that, when the user inserted it into the correct position, the resistor contained within the device was activated when its poles came into contact with the electrical terminals located inside the lighter case for the purposes of the latter""s activation.
The rechargeable electric air-freshener for cars, which constitutes the basis of the herein invention, belongs to this latter type. The main features which distinguish it from those currently in use are the greater robustness of its construction, which makes it more reliable, and the fact that it contains a small integrated printed and heated circuit, activated by an external button with four positions, which enables it to be switched on and off and, in the intermediate positions, to produce a greater or lesser intensity of perfume. This is not possible with the existing devices, which have to be removed from the lighter holder and have a place found for their storage, if it is not desired that they emit an aroma. Apart from being bothersome and complicated, given the small amount of room available inside the car for storing things, it is then difficult to find again, for it cannot always be put away in the same place.
Thus it is that the claimed device is set inside a case with a lid endowed with openings for the aroma to come out of. Its measurements permit it to be lodged in the car lighter holder or additional connection, and it is equipped with a contact button in its rear and two metal bands on its sides to hold it in place, one of which establishes the electrical contact, all which enables a perfect connection with the lighter""s electrical terminals and permits the activation of the integrated printed and heated electrical circuit which it contains. The latter comes complete with an LED and a switch visible behind the lid for activating a sound alarm indicating how long the odorant will last. The fixed LED indicates functions by means of coloured and intermittent light, to give visual warning of the need to recharge the odorant substance.
In order to make this explanation clearer, a sheet of non-restrictive drawings is attached to the herein specification showing, for the purposes of illustration, an example of the embodiment of a rechargeable electric air-freshener for cars, in accordance with the principles of the claim.

Rechargeable electric air-freshener for cars


There is provided an electrical connector especially suitable for a condenser microphone, which connector is, though being small in size, provided with an electromagnetic wave shielding unit that is capable of easily being installed in the connector and is equivalent to an EMI core. The electrical connector includes a cylindrical connector housing 10; a connector element 20; and a connection cable 30, and is configured so that the connector element 20 is supported on one end side of the connector housing 10, and the connection cable is drawn into the connector housing 10 through a cable insertion part 10b on the other end side of the connector housing 10 and thereby connected electrically to the connector element 20. In this electrical connector, a magnetic fluid 62, and a permanent magnet 61 for magnetically attracting the magnetic fluid 62 are housed in an excess space between the connector element 20 and the cable insertion part 10b in the connector housing 10.

A microphone excluding a wireless microphone is used by being connected to the sound reproducing equipment side via a connection cable (microphone cable). A condenser microphone is usually supplied with electric power from a phantom power source via a microphone cable. As the microphone cable, a balanced two-core shield covered cable is used.
The condenser microphone is provided with a three-pin type output connector specified in EIAJ RC-5236 "Latch Lock Type Round Connector for Acoustic Equipment".
If the condenser microphone is used in an environment in which extraneous electromagnetic waves are present, a high-frequency current caused by the electromagnetic waves intrudes into a microphone case through the microphone cable and the output connector, and is detected by an impedance converter consisting of a field effect transistor (FET). In some cases, noise of an audio frequency level may be produced.
With the rapid spread of cell phones, chances of using a cell phone in the vicinity of a microphone have increased. The cell phone emits considerably strong electromagnetic waves (for example, in the range of several centimeters to several tens centimeters, the field strength thereof reaches several ten thousand times of the field strength developed in the city by commercial electric waves). Therefore, in the field of microphone, taking countermeasures against noise caused by electromagnetic waves emitted from cell phones is an urgent necessity.
As the countermeasures against noise of this kind, a method in which an EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) core is used has been known. In the case where the EMI core is of a ring shape, the microphone is used by winding a part of the microphone cable on the EMI core several turns.
Also, a clamp type is also available in which, for example, a prismatic EMI core is halved, and the microphone cable is installed by inserting a part of the microphone cable therein. In any case, since the EMI core is large in size, the installation of the EMI core on the microphone cable is unfavorable in terms of appearance.
Apart from the above-described configurations, a method is also available in which ferrite beads are installed on signal cables in a connector as described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H10-208818). However, in the case where the connector is small in size, and there is no room in the internal space, the ferrite beads cannot be installed in the connector.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector especially suitable for a condenser microphone, which connector is, though being small in size, provided with electromagnetic wave shielding means that is capable of easily being installed in the connector and is equivalent to an EMI core.

Electrical connector and method for manufacturing a condenser microphone


Provided is a method of collecting advertisement exposure data of a game video, and more particularly, to a method of collecting advertisement exposure data of a game video, in which data on advertisements that are actually exposed to a user from among advertisements applied to a game video, is collected.

With the growing number of game users, advertisement is also increasingly applied game videos.
Whether advertisement objects that are arranged with game objects in a three-dimensional virtual space are to be displayed on a game terminal or not is determined based on a location or a direction in which or a passage along which a user moves inside a virtual space by controlling the game terminal.
That is, even though a plurality of advertisement objects are arranged in a virtual game space, which advertisement object is to be displayed on a display device of a game terminal is determined by how a game user manipulates the game terminal. According to circumstances, a predetermined game object may not be exposed to the user's game terminal at all even though the game object is arranged in a virtual space of a game. On the other hand, a user may display an advertisement object that is of the user's interest, on a display device of a game terminal and view the advertisement object for a long period of time compared to other game objects.
As described above, when data on advertisements that are actually exposed via a game terminal of a user from among advertisements applied to a game video is collected, various services may be provided based on the data. For example, advertising fees may be charged to advertisers for only those advertisements that are actually exposed to the user.
Accordingly, a method of collecting data on whether advertisements applied to a game play video are actually exposed to a user is required.

Method of collecting advertisement exposure data of game video

Abstract: According to the method of collecting advertisement exposure data of a game video, data on advertisements that are actually exposed to a user when the user plays, by using a game terminal, a game, to which advertisement objects are applied, may be effectively collected from among game objects applied to a virtual space of the game.


A digital magazine server identifies content items for recommendation to a user based on content items with which the user previously interacted. Based on key phrases and terms in content items with which the user previously interacted, topics are associated with the content items and used to generate a vector for each content item. The vectors are used to generate clusters including one or more content items. A characteristic vector is generated for each cluster based on the vectors generated for content items within a cluster. Candidate content items are retrieved and topics included in the candidate content items are used along with the characteristic vectors to determine a measure of similarity between candidate content items and various clusters. Candidate content items with at least a threshold measure of similarity to a cluster are selected for presentation to the user.

This invention generally relates to recommending content to a user of a digital magazine server, and more specifically to recommending content to a user based on content with which a user previously interacted.
An increasing amount of content is provided to users through digital distribution channels. While this allows users to more easily access a range of content, the increased amount of available content often makes it difficult for a user to identify content most likely to be of interest to the user. Various techniques to recommend content to users based on the user's interactions with content presented by an online system, such as a website or a social networking system. However, the large volume of content items maintained by various online systems makes it challenging for an online system to identify content items to analyze for recommendation to a user and to recommend content items to the user.

Recommending magazines to users of a digital magazine server


An ankle brace for a person. The brace basically comprises an elongate medial support member, an elongate lateral support member, four releasably securable straps for the support members, and a footpiece. Each of the support members is a semi-rigid plate configured to extend along and generally conform to the shape of a respective side of the leg of the wearer from a point just below the malleolus to a point substantially thereabove. Foam pads are provided on the support members to absorb shock and conform closely to the wearer's leg. The footpiece is also a semi-rigid member and comprises a base portion having a medial side and a lateral side and a pair of upstanding members projecting therefrom pivotally connected to respective ones of the support members adjacent the malleoli. The base portion includes a pad thereon and generally conforms to the bottom of the wearer's foot. A metatarsal pad is provided on the footpiece. The support members are connected to each other by the four straps. These straps extends through associated holes in the support members on the anterior side thereof and on the posterior side thereof to enable precise adjustment of the ankle brace. An elastic strap is arranged to be wrapped about the ankle brace in a "FIG. 8" configuration.

The present invention generally relates to orthopedic devices and more particularly to ankle braces for protecting the ankle from inversion or eversion, while allowing near normal plantoflexion and dorsiflexion during use.
As is known a person's ankle may move in four different ways, namely, plantoflexion, dorsiflexion, inversion, and eversion. Dorsiflexion and plantoflexion constitute the up-down movement of the foot which normally occur during walking or running. Inversion and eversion are the inward and outward turning, respectively, of the ankle and are a frequent cause of ankle injury.
Various patents disclose braces for use on the ankle of a person to provide various benefits, e.g., support and/or to protect the ankle and/or promote the healing of an injured ankle, while enabling dorsiflexion and plantoflexion. Examples of such braces are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,489 (Johnson, Jr.), 4,510,927 (Peters), 4,934,355 (Porcelli), 4,938,777 (Mason et al.), 4,966,134 (Brewer), and 5,031,607 (Peters). While the aforementioned devices may be generally suitable for their intended purposes they nevertheless appear to leave something to be desired from one or more of the following standpoints, adequacy of support and/or stabilization provided, ability to permit normal plantoflexion and dorsiflexion during use, ease of application, comfort, and simplicity of construction.
Accordingly, a need exists for an ankle brace which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.


A centralized self optimizing network and policy server is configured to control congestion within at least one cell in a wireless network by coordinating application of radio frequency congestion control mechanisms affecting all users within the cell and application of core network congestion control mechanisms associated with individual users within the cell.

Self optimizing network (SON) features for controlling network congestion are generally supported in a distributed fashion (in the base stations) or in a centralized system associated with the Radio Access Network (RAN). On the other hand, congestion control techniques such as video optimization, heavy user throttling, etc. are executed by systems associated with the mobile core network. These solutions are sometimes referred to as policy based functions, and generally take subscriber information and operator policies into account when attempting to mitigate network congestion.
Conventionally, SON features and policy based functions are independent of each other. The independence of these congestion control techniques can have undesired consequences, such as over-compensation and/or instability.

Methods for congestion control in wireless networks


An occupant protection device includes a multidirectional airbag that inflates and deploys from a state housed in a headrest on receipt of supplied gas. The multidirectional airbag is configured as an integral bag body to surround a head of a seated occupant with a front deployment section and a pair of left and right lateral deployment sections. The front deployment section includes a front inflating portion that deploys to a seat forward direction of the head of the seated occupant and of at least one of a shoulder or chest of the seated occupant. Each of the pair of left and right lateral deployment sections includes a lateral inflating portion that is connected to the front deployment section and inflates and deploys alongside the head of the seated occupant.

Airbag devices are known in which gas from an inflator is supplied through a gas supply pipe fixed to a seatback to a bag attached to the gas supply pipe, and the bag is inflated so as to surround an occupant from the front and the side in a collision (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-344044). Airbag devices are also known in which head airbags protrude out from left and right end portions of a seat headrest in a forward direction, and join up in front of the head of an occupant, and an auxiliary head airbag protrudes out in a forward direction from a central portion of the seat headrest and joins up with the pair of head airbags (see Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 2013-018378).


In a previous storage apparatus, differential JNLs are reflected in order of the sequential numbers, to the data volumes thereof. If a first storage apparatus is suspended, it is determined which is newer: the sequential number which the journal recently reflected in a second storage apparatus or the sequential number reflected in a third storage apparatus. In the newer storage apparatus having the newer sequential number, it is determined whether one or more JNLs from the journal having the sequential number next to the sequential number which is not determined to be the newer to the journal having the sequential number determined to be the newer exist, or not. If the result of the determination is positive, from the newer storage apparatus to the previous storage apparatus which is not the newer of the second and the third storage apparatuses, one or more differential JNLs are copied.

Remote copy which is the data copy between the first and the second storage apparatuses is known. The types of remote copy are, for example, synchronous remote copy and asynchronous remote copy. If the first storage apparatus receives a write request from a host and if synchronous remote copy is adopted, after the data complying with the write request is transferred from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus, a write completion response is transmitted to the host apparatus while, if asynchronous remote copy is adopted, even if the data complying with the write request is not transferred from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus, the write completion response is transmitted to the host apparatus.
In a remote copy system to which asynchronous remote copy is adopted (hereinafter referred to as an asynchronous remote copy system), for example, the first storage apparatus, as well as a first DVOL (a logical volume in which the data is stored), comprises a first JVOL (a logical volume in which a journal (hereinafter referred to as a JNL) is stored). Similarly, the second storage apparatus comprises a second JVOL as well as a second DVOL. The first storage apparatus, if receiving a write request, stores the data complying with the write request in the first DVOL and, at the same time, stores the JNL of the data in the first JVOL. The first storage apparatus transfers the JNL in the first JVOL to the second storage apparatus, and the second storage apparatus writes the JNL from the first storage apparatus to the second JVOL. After that, the second storage apparatus writes the data which the JNL in the second JVOL comprises to the second DVOL. By this method, the data written to the first DVOL is considered to have been copied to the second DVOL.
In the Patent Literature 1, an asynchronous remote copy system in the multi-target method is disclosed. In the multi-target method, for one copy source, multiple copy destinations exist. As more specifically described, in the Patent Literature 1, for example, the items below are disclosed.                A first storage apparatus, a second storage apparatus, and a third storage apparatus exist.        The first storage apparatus is the copy source, and the second and third storage apparatuses are the copy destinations from the first storage apparatus.        A first host apparatus is connected to the first storage apparatus, a second host apparatus is connected to the second storage apparatus, and a third host apparatus is connected to the third storage apparatus.        The first storage apparatus comprises a first DVOL, a first first JVOL, and a second first JVOL.        The second storage apparatus comprises a second DVOL and a second JVOL.        The first and the second DVOLs are paired. The first DVOL is the primary DVOL and the second DVOL is the secondary DVOL.        The third storage apparatus comprises a third DVOL and a third JVOL.        The first and the third DVOLs are paired. The first DVOL is the primary DVOL and the third DVOL is the secondary DVOL.        The first host apparatus writes the data to the first DVOL.        The first storage apparatus writes the JNL of the data written to the first DVOL to both the first first JVOL and the second first JVOL. The JNLs, as well as the input/output target data of the host apparatus, include update numbers.        The JNL in the first first JVOL is copied to the second JVOL.        The second storage apparatus, among one or more JNLs in the second JVOL which are not reflected, reflects the JNL comprising the oldest update number in the second DVOL (writes the data which the JNL comprises to the second DVOL).        The JNL in the second first JVOL is copied to the third JVOL.        The third storage apparatus, among one or more JNLs in the third JVOL which are not reflected, reflects the JNL comprising the oldest update number in the third DVOL (writes the data which the JNL comprises to the third DVOL).
Furthermore, according to the Patent Literature 1, if a failure occurs in the first storage apparatus, the second storage apparatus becomes the copy source and the third storage apparatus becomes the copy destination.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Asynchronous remote copy system and storage control method


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a paging method, a core network device, a base station, and user equipment. The method includes: determining, by the core network device, reference frame information when the core network device determines that a synchronization occasion arrives, where the reference frame information includes a radio frame number; and sending, by the core network device, the reference frame information to a base station in a paging area, so that the base station synchronizes a radio frame in the base station according to the reference frame information. The embodiments of the present invention can reduce problems that UE cannot listen for a paging message.

Machine-to-machine (M2M) information and data exchange between machines over a wireless network, and is an important direction for next-stage development of mobile communications. The M2M is widely applied to many fields that include intelligent transportation, a building control system, a smart home control system, a video surveillance system, industrial monitoring, and the like.
In an M2M system, when downlink data in a core network needs to be sent to user equipment (UE), a core network device starts a paging timer and sends, to each base station in a paging area, a paging message that carries a UE identifier (ID). When receiving the paging message, the base station in the paging area calculates, according to the UE identifier carried in the paging message, a nearest paging occasion (PO), at an air interface, of the UE corresponding to the UE identifier, and sends, when the PO arrives, the paging message to the UE corresponding to the UE identifier. The UE corresponding to the UE identifier initiates a random access process after receiving the paging message, to establish a connection to the base station and the core network. The downlink data is sent to the UE over the core network after the UE accesses the network. A paging moment depends on a paging super frame (PSF) and the PO.
To save power of the UE in an idle state, an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) mechanism is introduced into the M2M system. The UE in the idle state listens on a paging channel in an eDRX manner. That is, the UE listens on the paging channel only when a paging moment of each eDRX active period arrives. If no paging message is obtained by listening, the UE enters a sleep state and wakes up when a next paging moment arrives to listen on the paging channel. In this way, power consumption of the UE is reduced. Specifically, the UE maintains a UE-specific eDRX cycle, and the UE reports the eDRX cycle to the core network device by using a NAS message or in another manner. When delivering a paging message, the core network device adds information such as the eDRX cycle and the UE identifier to the paging message, and delivers the paging message to a base station. The base station calculates a paging super frame (PSF) and a PO of the UE according to the information, and sends the paging message at a paging moment that is indicated by the PSF and the PO. The UE calculates the PSF and the PO according to information such as the eDRX cycle of the UE and the UE identifier, and receives the paging message at the paging moment that is indicated by the PSF and the PO. The PSF and the PO that are calculated by the UE need to be the same as the PSF and the PO that are calculated by each base station. The PSF is a super frame that has a PO, and the PO is a frame that is in the paging super frame and that has a paging message.
The inventors find that the existing paging method has the following problems: In consideration of mobility of the UE, if the UE in the idle state moves between different cells, the UE may perform cell reselection before a paging moment of a current cell arrives, a new cell is reselected, and a paging moment of the new cell has passed when reselection is completed. Therefore, the UE misses the paging moment of the current cell, and also misses the paging moment of the new cell. After cell reselection, the UE can receive the paging message only when a paging moment of a next eDRX cycle arrives. In the M2M system, the eDRX cycle is as long as one or more hours. After the new cell is reselected, the UE may need to wait almost one eDRX cycle before the next paging moment arrives. Due to the relatively long time wait, the UE is very likely to perform cell reselection again in this period of time, and also misses an oncoming paging moment of the current cell. After a new cell is reselected, the UE may also miss a paging moment of the new cell, and so on. If the UE keeps moving, cell reselection may occur continually during the wait. Consequently, the UE repeatedly fails to obtain a paging moment, and cannot receive the paging message.

Determining reference frame information in a telecommunication network


Remote controls of the type in which a push-pull blade extends through a tubular sheath and is supported on its opposite sides by rolling elements held spaced from one another by cage strips are improved by providing openings in the push-pull blade to capture the rolling elements and thus obviate the cage strips. A feature of the improvement is that the openings in the blade are dimensioned to permit the rolling elements on opposite sides of the blade to be in rolling contact with each other.

This invention relates to tubular remote controls in which a push-pull blade is movable lengthwise in the tubular member of the control while the blade is supported on each of its opposite sides by a series of spaced rolling elements.
Illustrative of such a remote control is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,990 to Ellinger wherein the bearing balls of each of two series are held spaced along the push-pull blade by a cage strip. U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,251 to Parsons reveals an intricate ball-cage strip and a costly machine for making the ball-cage strip. U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,313 to Young shows a simplified ball-cage strip.
Obviously, the two cage strips on opposite sides of the push-pull blade add to the cost and weight of the remote control. Furthermore, the cage strips occupy space and thus make it necessary to have a tubular sheath with a diameter larger than would be required if the cage strips were not present. Thus, the remote control has a sheath or conduit of larger diameter, weight and cost than would be the case if the two cage strips were eliminated.
Moreover, inasmuch as both cage strips move each time the push-pull blade is moved, the remote control has three movable elongate members each of which is susceptible to wear, damage and malfunction from reciprocating the push-pull blade over a long period of time. Clearly, a remote control in which the push-pull blade is the sole movable elongate member is highly desirable.
Accordingly, the object of this invention is to eliminate the two cage strips in a remote control by providing the push-pull blade with openings spaced along its length which are dimensioned to hold rolling elements on opposite sides of the blade in rolling contact with each other.

Remote control having push-pull blade with captive rolling elements


In addition to an optional game service in accordance with a designation made by a player, a compulsory game service not directly related to the designation by the player can be provided. A game service provision device is configured so as to perform the steps of receiving a game service request from a player (S101), transmitting a game service designation request to said player in response to said game service request (S104), receiving a game service designation transmitted from said player in response to said game service designation request for designating at least one of a plurality of game services (S105), transmitting the game service designated by said game service designation to said player as an optional game service (S106), and transmitting to said player a compulsory game service selected from said plurality of game services based on predetermined basic information associated with said player at a predetermined probability instead of said game service designation request when said game service request is received (S106-S108).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for providing game services. The present invention more particularly relates to a game service provision device and method capable of selectively providing an optional game service as designated by a player and a compulsory game service not directly related to a designation made by the player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Quiz game devices using a computer system successively present question images to a player, determine whether an answer to each question input by the player with use of operation keys is correct or not, shows the determination to the player, and evaluates the player""s result.
Some of these quiz game devices allow players to select the category of a question when, for example, the game is started or the like. In such a quiz game device, when a player designates and inputs the category of a question using operation keys, images of questions in that category are successively presented to the player. The quiz game device of this type makes it possible for a player to enjoy the category they are good at or the category they like.
However, such a quiz game device also has a drawback that it is possible for players to select only the questions in their favorite category. Therefore, if the categories selected by players are excessively concentrated, interesting questions in an unselected category cannot be provided to players.
The above-described problems are not peculiar to the quiz game device allowing selection of a question category, but are generally observed with game service provision devices selecting a game service to be actually provided to a player from a plurality of game services as designated by the player, such as a driving game device allowing selection of a driving course and a fighting game device allowing selection of an enemy character.
The present invention has been conceived in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a game service provision device and method capable of providing a compulsory game service which is not directly related to a designation made by a player in addition to an optional game service in accordance with the designation by the player.
In order to solve the above-described problems, a game service provision device of the present invention includes means for receiving a game service request from a player, means for transmitting a game service designation request to said player in response to said game service request, means for receiving a game service designation transmitted from said player in response to said game service designation request for designating at least one of a plurality of game services, means for transmitting the game service designated by said game service designation to said player as an optional game service, and means for transmitting to said player a compulsory game service selected from said plurality of game services based on predetermined basic information associated with said player on a predetermined condition instead of said game service designation request when said game service request is received.
A game service provision method of the present invention includes the steps of receiving a game service request from a player, transmitting a game service designation request to said player in response to said game service request, receiving a game service designation transmitted from said player in response to said game service designation request for designating at least one of said plurality of game services, transmitting the game service designated by said game service designation to said player as an optional game service, transmitting a compulsory game service selected from said plurality of game services based on predetermined basic information associated with said player on a predetermined condition instead of said game service designation request when said game service request is received.
According to the present invention, when a game service request is received from a player, a game service designation request is transmitted in response to the game service request. In response to such a designation request, a game service designation transmitted from the player is received. The game service designation designates at least one of a plurality of game services. The game service designated by this game service designation is transmitted to the player as an optional game service. On the other hand, according to the present invention, a compulsory game service is returned to the player at a predetermined probability instead of the game service designation request when a game service request is received from the player. Thus, a compulsory game service is provided to the player instead of requesting a game service designation. The compulsory game service is selected from a plurality of game services based on predetermined basic information associated with the player. The predetermined basic information can be produced, for example, based on the content of communication heretofore exchanged with each player. In this manner, a compulsory game service not directly related to a designation made by a player can be provided to the player in addition to an optional game service provided in accordance with the designation by the player, enhancing excitement of the game service provided by the game service provision device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the present device further includes means for storing provision amount information indicating, for each game service, an amount of the game service provided to said player as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and means for selecting said compulsory game service from said plurality of game services based on said provision amount information. The provision amount information indicates, for example, the time period for which the game service is provided, the number of times the game service is provided, or the number of elements provided to the player when the game service is composed of respective service elements (such as respective questions in the quiz game service). According to the present invention, a compulsory game service can be selected in accordance with the amount of the game service has been provided to a player, so that a game process, such as selecting a game service which has been provided to the player only in a small amount as a compulsory game service, can be achieved.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the present device further includes means for storing result information indicating, for each game service, a result of the game service provided to said player as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and means for selecting said compulsory game service from said plurality of game services based on said result information. Thus, a compulsory game service can be selected for each player in accordance with the result of the game service, and therefore a game process, such as selecting a game service in which the player has not been played well as a compulsory game service, can be achieved.
A game service provision device according to the present invention is a game service provision device for selectively providing each of a plurality of players with an optional game service or a compulsory game service, comprising an optional game service selection means for acquiring a game service designation from said player and selecting a game service corresponding to said game service designation from a plurality of game services as said optional game service, basic information storage means for storing predetermined basic information in association with each of said plurality of players, and compulsory game service selection means for selecting said compulsory game service to be provided to each of said plurality of players from said plurality of game services based on said predetermined basic information.
Further, a game service provision method according to the present invention is a game service provision method for selectively providing a player with an optional game service or a compulsory game service, comprising acquiring a game service designation from said player and selecting a game service corresponding to said game service designation from a plurality of game services as said optional game service, storing and renewing basic information in association with said player, and selecting said compulsory game service to be provided to said player from said plurality of game services based on said basic information.
According to the present invention, an optional game service or a compulsory game service is selectively provided to each player. The optional game service is one of a plurality of game services that corresponds to a game service designation acquired from a player. On the other hand, the compulsory game service is a game service selected based on predetermined basic information associated with each player. Thus, the compulsory game service not directly related to a designation made by a player can be provided in addition to the optional game service in accordance with the designation by the player, enhancing excitement of the game service provided by the game service provision device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, said optional game service or compulsory game service is selected so that said compulsory game service is provided at a smaller probability than said optional game service. As a result, the compulsory game service can be unexpectedly provided to players, further enhancing excitement and amusement of the game.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, said predetermined basic information is produced based on the content of communication heretofore exchanged with each of said plurality of players. Consequently, a compulsory game service based on the content of the past communication with each player can be provided to the player.
For example, said basic information storage means may store designated game service information identifying the game service already designated as said optional game service by each player in association with each of said plurality of players as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and said compulsory game service selection means may select, for each of said plurality of players, a game service not yet designated by the player as said compulsory game service to be provided to the player from said plurality of game services based on said designated service information associated with the player. As a result, the game service not yet designated by the player can be compulsorily provided to the player.
Further, for example, said basic information storage means may store provided game service information identifying, for each player, the game service already provided to the player as said optional or compulsory game service in association with each of said plurality of players as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and said compulsory game service selection means may select, for each of said plurality of players, a game service not yet provided to the player as said compulsory game service to be provided to the player from said plurality of services based on said provided game service information associated with the player. As a result, the game service not yet provided to the player can be compulsorily provided to the player.
Further, for example, said basic information storage means may store designation times information indicating, for each game service, the number of times each player has designated the game service as said optional game service in association with each of said plurality of players as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and said compulsory game service selection means may select said compulsory game service to be provided to each of said plurality of players from said plurality of game services based on said designation times information associated with the player. Thus, the compulsory game service based on the past designation times can be provided to the player. As a result, the game service which, for example, has been designated less frequently can be provided to the player as a compulsory game service.
Further, for example, said basic information storage means may store provision amount information indicating, for each game service, an amount of the game service which has been provided to each player as said optional or compulsory game service in association with each of said plurality of players as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and said compulsory game service selection means may select said compulsory game service to be provided to each of said plurality of players from said plurality of game services based on said provision amount information associated with the player. The provision amount information indicates, for example, the time period for which the game service is provided, the number of times the game service is provided, or the number of elements provided to the player when a game service is composed of respective service elements (such as respective questions in the quiz game service). Consequently, the compulsory game service can be selected in accordance with the amount of the game service provided to the player, so that a game process, such as selecting a game service which has been provided to the player only in a small amount as the compulsory game service, can be achieved.
Alternatively, for example, said basic information storage means may store result information of the game service already provided to each player as said optional or compulsory game service in association with each of said plurality of players as at least part of said predetermined basic information, and said compulsory game service selection means may select said compulsory game service to be provided to each of said plurality of players from said plurality of game services based on said result information associated with the player. As a result, the compulsory game service can be selected in accordance with each player""s result of the game service, so that a game process, such as selecting a game service in which the player has not been playing well as a compulsory game service, can be achieved.

Game service provision device and method


Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, relatively immediate feedback may be provided for out of range signals. Embodiments may include, subsequent to an edit of at least a portion of one or more received signals, compositing the one or more received signals to provide a composited signal including an edited portion corresponding to the edit. Embodiments may also include analyzing the composited signal to determine whether the edited portion of the composited signal exceeds a predefined range. Embodiments may also include generating an error indication in response to determining that the edited portion of the composited signal exceeds the predefined range. The compositing, the analyzing and the generating are completed during a time period less than a total playing time of the composited signal.

Some processes for editing video and/or audio compilations may be inefficient. A user may have to view and/or review an entire composited group to determine if audio and/or video signals are out of a predefined range.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, if considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding and/or analogous elements.


An assembly for centering components with respect to an axis of rotation of a torque converter during installation of the torque converter on a transmission input shaft, the assembly including a cover for receiving a torsional input, a piston housed within the cover, a damper housed within the cover, the damper including a damper cover plate and a damper flange, wherein the piston, the damper cover plate, or the damper flange includes an extension, wherein the extension is operatively arranged for providing a centering function of the piston, the damper cover plate, or the damper flange by limiting a maximum radial distance a second axis of the piston, the damper cover plate, or the damper flange can become misaligned from the axis of rotation of the torque converter.

Torque converters are well known in the art. During assembly of a torque converter, typically the components are first preassembled before being installed on a transmission input shaft. That is, for example, a first half or portion of the torque converter cover is laid so that the engine side faces downward, forming a dish for receiving the other components. For example, the piston, damper components, turbine shell, stator, pump shell/cover, etc., are laid into the first cover portion, such that the common axis of the components is arranged in a generally vertical direction. The pump shell/cover is connected to the first cover portion, typically by welding, for sealing the preassembly. After all of the necessary components are housed within the cover, the entire preassembly is rotated ninety degrees so that the central axis of the torque converter preassembly is arranged horizontally. The preassembly is then installed on an input shaft for a transmission by sliding the preassembly onto the input shaft in the horizontal (and axial) direction. However, due to the force of gravity, some of the internal components of the torque converter drop or shift in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation of the torque converter, such that some components become misaligned with respect to the axis of rotation. Accordingly, when sliding the torque converter preassembly on the input shaft, the input shaft may bump into components instead of sliding through a central bore therein. This can significantly increase the difficulty and time required to assemble a torque converter in an automobile, because the input shaft and torque converter components need to be manually manipulated by a factory worker in order to fully install the torque converter preassembly on the input shaft, instead of being installed automatically by an assembly robot, for example.

Torque converter assembly centering features