A one-way bus bridge pair that transfers secure data in one direction, the bus bridge pair including a transmitting bus bridge, a receiving bus bridge, and a link. The link can connect the transmitting bus bridge and receiving bus bridge. The transmitting bus bridge may be arranged not to receive any data from the receiving bus bridge, and the receiving bus bridge may be arranged not to send any data to the transmitting bus bridge.

One-Way data communication transfer systems have been available for quite some time. Typically, they are used to securely transport data from one network domain to a second network domain using a one-way network transport. The typical "network layer" protocols that are utilized for one-way secure data are either User Datagram Protocol (UDP) over Ethernet or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional one-way data communication network.
In the one-way data communication transfer system illustrated in FIG. 1, two computing platforms 101 and 102 are connected to an unsecured (source) network 107 and a secure (destination) network 113. Source network 107 can be attached to workstation 109, server 111 and computing platform 101. Further, destination network 113 can be connected to workstation 117, server 115 and computing platform 102. Computing platforms 101 and 102 can be connected via a unidirectional data link 103. The unidirectional data link 103 can be implemented to ensure that data is only transferred in one direction such that it is physically impossible to transfer data of any kind in the reverse direction.
Traditionally, unidirectional data transfer systems will convert a file from its native format into data packets in order to transfer it across a one-way network. Once the data is transmitted across the one-way network, it must be reassembled on the receiving system in order to piece the file together back into its original format (prior to writing it to the native device it was intended to go). This makes it very difficult to pass non-file-based data and limits the flexibility of these traditional one-way transfer methods. Furthermore, processing (segmentation and reassembly) of these data packets is typically performed by a network interface card. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of conventional computing platforms 101 and 102. FIG. 2 shows that computing platform 101 has a network interface card 200 and computing platform 102 has a network interface card 210. Each of the network interface cards 200 and 210 interface with busses 208 and 218. Further, network interface card 200 includes an interface circuit/chip 204 and network interface card 210 includes an interface circuit/chip 214. The interface circuit/chip 204 and 214 process (segmentation and reassembly) data packets. Therefore, the overall system speed is lowered from the additional data overhead and additional processing employed from each of the network interface cards. Although network speeds are advancing, they are still not fast enough for certain applications and for higher volumes of data. There is currently no capability within the traditional network-based one-way transfer implementation to directly communicate cross-domain to a device on another computer.
While there are numerous vendors that have built customized fiber optic capable boards as well as utilized standard twisted-pair using media converters to achieve a unidirectional capability, these traditional methods will become obsolete as technology advances and the need for greater flexibility, higher speeds and greater capacity increases.


Apparatus for optically writing information on or reading information from a disc having tracks includes a carriage moveable in a radial direction relative to the disc tracks and at least first and second optical heads spaced and mounted on the carriage; the first and second optical heads being moveable with the carriage, and at least one of the heads being pivotally mounted; and the first head being adapted to write information on a track of the disc, the second head being adapted to read information and produce a signal representative of recorded data. The apparatus further includes a structure connected to the pivotally mounted head and adapted to pivot the optical head as the carriage is displaced in the radial direction so that both the first and second optical heads are spaced from each other but aligned on the same track within the tracking ability of the head, and an arrangement responsive to the read head signal to adjust operation of first head during writing to improve the recording of data.

For multihead drives, only one head can be placed on the carriage with the trajectory of the center of the objective lens constantly passing through the center of the disc when the carriage is traveling in the radial direction while accessing the same region of the disc. Relative to that head, any other head, if located on the same carriage, will have to be mounted with some offset. Therefore, positioning of these two heads normal to the same track becomes possible only at one radius of the disc. With a radially moving carriage, at any other radius each of the two heads will be reaching different tracks, and at most one head will be kept normal to the track. If, for instance, such a two-headed arrangement is used in a Direct Reading After Writing (DRAW) drive, direct reading after writing cannot be executed.
A similar two head arrangement is also used in some Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) optical drives where one head reads DVD discs while the required reading of CD discs is executed by the second head. The latter is located at some distance from the center of the carriage (which passes through the center of the disc) that changes the angular orientation of this head with respect to different tracks when the carriage is moving radially from the inner to the outer radii of the disc. Although such angular errors in reading CD discs can be somewhat compensated, the overall radial travel of the carriage must be increased to permit the CD head to reach all tracks of the disc. As a result, the carriage guiding elements together with the linear motor to drive the carriage must be elongated that represents a certain disadvantage of these drives.
In a separate case, as described in EP 727776-A1, information from different recording media is read by one head but equipped with two objective lenses. The latter are mounted on a turning plate included in the pin type fine focus/tracking actuator to permit each lens to be separately brought into the light path to read one or another recording media. The disadvantage of this design may be attributed to the fact that the actuator becomes substantially larger. The increase in moving mass also makes the lens driving motors less efficient. Additionally, since a large turning angle is required to bring each lens into its working position, the air gaps in each of the two focus motors become unbalanced resulting in a combined focus force displaced from the center of the active lens. As a consequence, dynamic behavior of the actuator becomes more complex.
In optical data recording, an optical source, typically a laser or laser diode, generates an incident write signal in the form of a radiation beam. The beam is applied to an optical medium to record data thereon as optically-detectable marks. The quality of recorded data in many optical recording systems is generally very sensitive to laser write power.
In most recording systems, however, optical recording power (ORP) may need to be adjusted during recording because this power varies with fluctuation of different parameters such as media sensitivity, defocus, tilt, substrate thickness, birefringence, scratches, and contamination on the laser-incident substrate surface. One technique for continuously maintaining the ORP involves monitoring a reflection of the write signal from the medium, known as the Mark Formation (MF) signal, while data is being recorded. Systems which monitor the MF signal are generally referred to as Direct Read During Write (DRDW) systems. The MF signal is also used to avoid the need to subsequently read the data after recording by analyzing the MF signal to determine whether or not a mark has been properly formed, or, in other words, whether the data has been properly recorded on the medium.
A technique to servo the laser write power on optical recording media during recording is disclosed, for example, in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,436,880 and 5,446,716, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Apparatus for generating a mark formation effectiveness signal (MFE) to verify data as it is recorded on an optical medium is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,466, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. As disclosed in this patent, the MFE signal estimates a normalized rate of change of the reflected write pulse as a mark is being formed to provide an indication of the quality of mark formation on the optical medium. A technique to generate an MFE signal to control laser write power during recording is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,660.
These DRDW systems suffer from the difficulty of monitoring mark formation during the write pulse due to considerations of dynamic range and write laser noise. Also, mark formation usually occurs during the cooling process after the thermal recording. The use of a trailing read spot for direct read after write (DRAW) offers a much higher quality mark formation monitoring. For a more complete discussion of DRAW, see Chapter 11 of Optical Recording, by Alan B. Marchant, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, New York, 1990.

Multihead optical disc drives with direct reading after writing operation


A method of indexing data in a multidimensional database includes creating a multidimensional logical access model, creating a multidimensional data storage model in which data is located in cells that are stored and retrieved in blocks, gathering data access information derived from one or more user queries of the database, and reorganizing one or more selected cells in the multidimensional data storage model based on the data access information to reduce the time taken to access the one or more selected cells in response to a user query of the database. A computerized apparatus in communication with a multidimensional database includes a program to perform the method. A computer readable medium contains instructions to cause a computer to perform the method.

There is a growing need for sophisticated information analysis amongst businesses as they become increasingly reliant upon their ability to analyse and synthesise business information from their information systems.
Most businesses collect data which has more than two dimensions, so it is not conveniently displayed in the form of a spreadsheet for basic analysis. Therefore, a commercial entity may have a number of different products or services which are sold through a number of different outlets in different geographical regions over time. Analysis of this data may involve calculations across a number of dimensions, for example calculating the number of units of each product sold over a selected time period through a selected number of outlets. It is also highly desirable to perform analysis of such data "on line" so that the results are based on current data. This analysis is usually referred to as On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP).
The problems associated with OLAP are well known to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. However, a brief outline is provided below to assist understanding of the background to the invention.
If the data to be analysed has three dimensions, then this may be conveniently visually represented in a cube. For example, in FIG. 1 the quantity of products referred to as Widget 1 and Widget 2 sold in the years 2001 and 2002 at locations X and Y is illustrated.
Each item of data, being a scalar value representative of the number of products sold, is provided in a cell within the cube, and the cell is addressed by the dimensions along the axis of the cube. For example, the cell 101 of FIG. 1 is located at (2002, location Y, Widget 1) and returns a value of 1, being representative of 1 unit of Widget 1 being sold at location Y in 2002.
The example illustrated in FIG. 1 is very simple. In reality, financial data that a business may wish to analyse will often have at least four dimensions and possibly up to 20 or more dimensions. This can make analysis extremely complex. To begin with it must be appreciated that as the dimensions increase, or are subdivided, then the number of cells increases dramatically. In the example of FIG. 1 if the time dimension is split into months, so as to provide a total of 24 months, and there are ten different products (rather than two) which are sold at twenty different locations (rather than two), then there will be 4,800 cells. If we add another dimension such as the colour of each product sold, there being say five different colours, then the number of cells becomes 24,000. Similarly, there will typically be other dimensions, and these will make the number of cells increase again.
In performing any analysis, the data content of many of the cells needs to be selectively accessed to perform a calculation in response to a user query so that the result of the query may be reported. Therefore, an index is required for any multi dimensional database to enable cells to be located, read and returned for calculation purposes.
In practical applications, such as financial data analysis, many of the cells may contain null values, i.e. contain no data. These cells will often relate to certain combinations of dimensions that vary depending on the business entity that the database is attempting to model. Therefore in practice there are many regions within the multidimensional model which are sparsely populated by data and other areas which are densely populated by data. In the sparsely populated areas, data is inefficiently stored, but in order to preserve the integrity of the model, cell locations are still provided for even though those cells may be null cells.
Therefore, there are two significant problems with multi dimensional databases. One is the sheer size of the storage space that needs to be allocated. The other is speed of access. Quite apart from performing the required calculations, access in the desired cells in the vast array of data can add significantly to the time taken to process a query. Therefore, having an index and data storage system which will lead to the efficient storage of data and quickly return data from selected cell locations without requiring intensive reading operations is highly advantageous.
OLAP products are generally split into two different archetypes: Multidimensional OLAP (MOLAP) and Relational OLAP (ROLAP). ROLAP systems use a relational database to store the multidimensional data in unstructured tables. MOLAP systems use a multidimensional database and current MOLAP implementations store the data so that it is tightly bound to the multidimensional logical structure. This approach provides high performance when data is accessed in the same way that the structure is organised. However it lacks the flexibility to adapt to different types of access than those that were foreseen at the time the logical structure was defined.
Additionally, existing MOLAP systems typically need to be taken offline to modify the multidimensional logical structure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved methods, apparatus or systems for multi dimensional database indexing or data access which at least partially overcome one or more problems of known systems, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Further objects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only.
DefinitionsCell:A location in a multidimensional database. A cell is atuple of members.Dimension:A set of hierarchically related members.Grid:A 2 dimensional representation of a multidimensionalspace. A single cell on a grid represents a single cell ofdata in multidimensional space. The rows and columnsof a grid represent members of a dimension.Dimensions not appearing in either row or column of agrid are fixed to a single (offsheet) member.Member:A unique position on a dimension that includes in itselfor points to data.OLAP:On-Line Analytical Processing. A category ofapplications and technologies that allow the collection,storage, manipulation and investigation ofmultidimensional data.OLAP Server:An application that provides OLAP functionality over amultidimensional database.Outline:The set of all dimensions in a multidimensionaldatabase.
Throughout this specification, data in the multidimensional database has been referred to by reference to members and cells. However, this terminology is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to any particular data format in a multidimensional database.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense, that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

Method and apparatus for accessing multidimensional data


This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for preparing Bi-213 to be integrated in a radioimmunocojugate for human therapeutic use. According to the invention the method comprises the sequence of steps as follows: a) an ampoule 5 containing colloid-free actinium-225, obtained from drying an actinium nitrate solution, is loaded into a container 20 provided with radiation panels 21; b) a dissolving medium is poured into the ampoule 5; c) the solution obtained in the ampoule is transferred into an ion exchange column 6; d) an elution medium is circulated through the column 6; e) the eluate containing eluted Bi-213 is pumped towards a vial 10 for quantification and quality control.

The present invention refers to a method and an apparatus for preparing Bi-213 to be integrated into a medicament (radioimmunoconjugate) for a human therapeutic use.
The document EP 0 585 986 describes such a method and apparatus. Bi-213 is generated by decay of Ac-225. Due to the short half life the therapeutic use of Bi-213 requires either the administration of Bi-213 to a patient in a nuclear material processing plant or the handling of 10 to 50 mCi of Ac-225 in a hospital. Handling of such amounts of Ac-225 without particular protection would cause the radiation exposure limits (2 xcexcSv/h) and finger dose at contact to be exceeded (contact dose is about 15 rem/h), and is not allowed while a 50 mCi generator represents about 108 Bq of Ac-225, whereas only 5xc2x7103Bq is allowed to be handled without protection.
The present invention therefore proposes a method and an apparatus which allows the preparation of Bi-213 as a medicament in a hospital, thereby respecting all rules for radioprotection and improving the performance of the Bi-213 elution.
The method according to the invention is defined in the appended claim 1, and the apparatus for implementing this method is defined in claim 5.

Method and apparatus for preparing Bi-213 for human therapeutic use


A method can include receiving an initiation command to initiate an operational mode of a touchpad; responsive to the initiation command, initiating the operational mode and rendering a graphic to a display (e.g., where the graphic includes a touchpad field and a control field); receiving input via the touchpad and mapping the input to the graphic; receiving additional input and associating the additional input with a control of the graphic; and executing the control of the control field of the graphic (e.g., to perform an action that acts upon the input mapped to the graphic). Various other devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Touchpads find use with a variety of systems such as notebook (or laptop) computers, netbooks, etc. As an example, consider a notebook computer that includes a display mounted in one portion and a keyboard and a touchpad mounted in another portion where the two portions are connected, for example, via a hinge. While such a system may include a separate mouse as a pointing device, inclusion of a touchpad provides for more compactness and portability of the notebook computer. As described herein, various technologies, techniques, etc. provide one or more touchpad operational modes.


The disclosed is provided with a composite material device, comprising a substrate, a plurality of pores provided on the substrate, and a plurality of metal particles adhered onto inner walls of the pores, the metal particles having a particle size of from 1 to 200 nm, wherein the plurality of metal particles have at least x different particle sizes d. The composite material device of the present discloser has a high light absorption rate and a broad light absorption wavelength range.

Light absorbers are useful in a broad range of applications including light/thermal detection, solar energy conversion, and infrared imaging. The light absorbance of the light absorbers and the range of the absorption spectrum are essential factors for deciding the performances of the light absorbers. Ideal light absorbers have a high light absorbance rate in a broad wavelength range, and in other word, in the broad spectral range, the light absorbers have low light transmittance and low light reflectance.
There are many light absorbers, particularly nano-plasmonic absorbers, in the related art. For example, there are light absorbers having a metal meta-surface structure and light absorbers having a cone structure. The spectra of light that can be absorbed by the light absorbers are broadened, owing to a composite resonance mode. A plasmonic absorber based on a crossed trapezoid grating array can achieve an light absorption rate of 71% at a wavelength ranging from 400 to 700 nm. A metallic light absorber having an ultra-sharp convex metal grooves is demonstrated to have an absorption efficiency of 96% in light spectra ranging from 450 to 850 nm. In addition, refractory materials, for example titanium nitride or vanadium dioxide, are also applied in light absorbers.
Most light absorbers in the related art are fabricated by a top-down method such as a focused ion beam or an electron-beam lithography. However, high cost of these method limits the fabrication throughput of the light absorbers and reduces their possibility to be widely applied. Meanwhile, light absorbers in the related art further have the defects of a narrow absorption spectral range and a low light absorption rate.
Utilizing optical energy to directly evaporate sea water in order to achieve the desalination of sea water is a low-cost and environmentally friendly method. However, conventional devices and methods for desalinating sea water by evaporation have a series of deficiencies such as low energy conversion efficiency, low repeatability and high production costs.


A control system for a wireless power transfer (WPT) system includes current sampling modules, voltage sampling modules, a logic conversion circuit, and a controller area network (CAN) communication module that are all connected to a microprocessor module; the current sampling module is connected to the logic conversion circuit through a signal isolation circuit, the logic conversion circuit is connected to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) module, the PWM module is connected to an inverter circuit or a DC/DC converter, and the current sampling module and the voltage sampling module are connected to a primary side or a secondary side of the WPT system; transmitter coils on the primary side are spaced apart on the road, a receiver coil on the secondary side is disposed on a chassis of an electric vehicle, and the transmitter coil includes a double rectangular coil, a ferrite core surface, and a shielding aluminum plate.

In recent years, the WPT technology for electric vehicles has received growing attention. A wireless charging system does not contain exposed ports, requires no manual operation, does not occupy ground space, and supports charging in static and traveling states. Therefore, compared with wired charging, the wireless charging mode has the advantages of safe operation, intelligent charging, flexible configuration, and is expected to reduce the battery pack size and vehicle mass of electric vehicles and reduce energy consumption.
However, the WPT system has a complex topology. In the application, a controller needs to provide high-frequency pulse-width modulation (PWM) signals for the WPT system, and drive an inverter circuit to generate high-frequency alternating current (AC) voltages. Meanwhile, corresponding voltage and current signals need to be collected. Each set of voltage and current sampling circuits performs step-down and current limiting on the voltage and current signals through a plurality of resistors, performs filtering through capacitors, and then outputs an analog voltage signal into a signal input terminal of a microprocessor module. The microprocessor module then processes the input signal, and uploads it to a host computer through a controller area network (CAN) communication module to display voltage and current values on a display interface. Then a user can check the voltage and current data and obtain corresponding system operation data.
In the existing control system, a step-down resistor and a capacitor are directly used to sample a power supply, and a resistance sampling signal is likely to be interfered with by high-frequency noise in a main circuit, which may lead to low sampling accuracy and affect correctness of subsequent data detection. Moreover, a software-based protection mechanism is used in the system, which has a problem of untimely protection and cannot ensure stable operation of the system.
In addition, the existing wireless charging technology can be classified into "rail type" and "segmented type". The "rail type" layout ensures stable power transmission for an electric vehicle within a range of rails. However, centrally supplying power to coils within the rail range increases system losses and causes severe electromagnetic leakage. In a "segmented type" layout, transmitter coils are arranged at intervals in the vehicle driving direction. A separate power supply method is adopted to supply power only to the coils directly below the vehicle body during normal operation. Such segmented power supply method can reduce system losses and effectively reduce electromagnetic leakage. However, a coupling coefficient between the transmitter and receiver coils changes rapidly in a wide range, greatly reducing transmission power and efficiency of the system. The wide-range change of the coupling coefficient also leads to huge fluctuations in the transmission power of the system, reducing reliability of the system.

Control system for wireless power transfer system


A linear cable engine (LCE) uniquely grips a cable so as to avoid damage to the protective/insulative sheath thereon during retrieval and deployment. The LCE includes a design which encompasses the cable and actually applies pressure radially to the cable. This allows for the application of much higher force as the cable is in a state of hydrostatic stress resulting in a higher allowable tension on the cable. Deformable polymeric gripping elements are mounted to the outer surface of the driving mechanism. Each of the gripping elements, which may be an elastomeric block or annular tire-shaped member, has a profiled surface effective to embrace the cable and is identical in shape and construction, one or another. The elements have an indention capable of matching one or more given cable radii and a hollow or gel filled cross-section which may contain strategically placed stiffeners.

This invention relates to devices for retrieving and deploying lengths of cable, particularly to devices for manipulating umbilical cables which serve as controls or tethers for underwater devices, and most particularly to linear cable engines which are designed for gripping an umbilical cable during transport without damaging the cable by providing a gripping mechanism which encompasses the cable and applies pressure radially thereto.
Linear cable engines (LCE), as referred to herein are not engines, but rather refer to a linear winch or tensioning device for cable. Rather than spooling the cable up on a drum as a conventional winch does, a LCE allows the cable to pass through in a straight line and continue on to another device or alternatively deployed overboard.
There are generally two types of LCE in use today: multi-tire and track.
The multi-tire system consists of a series of vertically mounted truck tire/wheel combinations, all of which are powered with hydraulic motors. Each pair roll on one another with the cable passing between them passing the cable to the next pair. These matched pairs are mounted on a long frame and the number of tire pairs is determined by the desired tension.
The track system consists of a pair of rubber or polymeric tracks mounted similarly to the tire system. These tracks are also hydraulically powered as the multi-tire system. Some manufacturers of the track systems will have a semicircular indention in the track to accommodate the cross section of the cable being handled. Either of these systems are used to lift the product cable from a holding tank on the cable lay ship and feed it overboard if no installation tension is needed. If the product cable requires back tension or the recovery of a previously laid cable is required, the LCE provides back tension for a capstan winch (better known as a cable drum engine). The cable lay ships carry all this equipment as they must be prepared for any type of circumstance as well as many types of product cable.
The Multi-tire LCE was the first concept to gain wide industry acceptance. One of the main problems with this system is that it takes up valuable deck space as many pairs of tires are required to develop the tensions required. Additionally, this system does not guide the cable well thus alignment is very critical. Furthermore, multi-tire LCEs often strip the protective sheath from the product cable in times of high tension requirements. Such systems are a maintenance problem as there are many hydraulic motors along with their corresponding plumbing necessary, they are difficult to keep xe2x80x9cin tunexe2x80x9d as there are many pairs that must stay in time to xe2x80x9cshare the loadxe2x80x9d .
With regard to Track type LCEs, these systems improve upon the multi-tire systems in that they better utilize deck space, are typically capable of applying higher tensions, utilize less hydraulic motors and require less plumbing for a given tension rating, are less susceptible to alignment problems as the tracks have a wider contact surface, can be produced with a groove aligned in the cable travel direction adding to the available xe2x80x9ccable gripxe2x80x9d, and are used sub-sea in combination with the latest technology sea plows. This system also suffers, however, in that it often strips the protective sheath from the product cable in times of high tension requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,251 discloses a cable pulling/feeding apparatus having a fixed base, a cable pulling/feeding unit inclusive of a drive/brake unit for pulling or feeding a cable, a load detecting sensor, and structure for determining a load applied to the drive/brake unit in response to a signal to pull or feed the cable. The patent fails to apply radial pressure to the cable, as instantly disclosedxe2x80x94see particularly FIG. 4.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,353 discloses a cable tensioner having a pair of elongated platforms in side-by-side relationship for driving the cable. Belts, formed from a high friction material are designed with a groove therein to match the diameter of the cable. This patent, although applying pressure about the cable""s circumference, does so by pressing the two gripping halves together, and thus also fails to disclose a gripping element which utilizes radially applied pressure to evenly grip the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,248 provides an apparatus for pulling on a line. A drive pulley with a circumferential groove is provided and a loop of the line is held therein. A radial cable gripping element is not disclosed in the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,759,105 provides a die for laying wire rope and wire rope strands. The die elements on opposing chains come together to provide a gripping force. Again, this device fails to teach a gripping element which generates radial pressure upon the wire/cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,300 teaches a device for transporting conduit in a well drilling environment wherein pairs of clamps are brought together as they are articulated on shackles which are attached to endless chains. The clamps grip the conduit and urge it along in the direction of rotation of the endless chains. The device fails to teach a gripping element which generates even radial pressure upon the wire/cable.
What is lacking in the prior art is a cable umbilical gripping device having a gripping element which utilizes radially applied pressure to evenly grip the cable. In a particularly preferred embodiment the gripping device includes a deformable polymeric gripping element which aids in applying even gripping and transfer of tension to the cable. The ability to provide even tension upon the cable as a result of deformation of the polymeric or gel-filled blocks significantly reduces cable wear and damage.
The instant invention teaches an LCE which uniquely grips a cable, e.g. a marine umbilical cable, so as to avoid damage to the protective/insulative sheath thereon. The LCE as described in the instant invention includes either a track or tire type LCE having a design which encompasses the cable and actually applies pressure radially to the cable. This allows for the application of much higher force as the cable is in a state of hydrostatic stress resulting in a higher allowable tension on the cable.
The currently available designs either use a flat track or an indented track. While the indented track increases the contact surface to the cable, it, like the flat track, only applies pressure to the cable in one direction. This limits the amount of force that can be applied before internal damage occurs in the cable due to Poisson""s effect.
In accordance with the instant invention, the tracks are modified from a smooth continuous belt to a smooth or segmented continuous belt, a chain, or the like conveying means containing polymeric blocks attached to the outer surface. Each block is identical in shape and construction. The blocks have a semi-circular indention that matches a given cable radius and a hollow (air-filled) cross-section or deformable media filled, e.g. a gel-filled cross-section with optional strategically placed stiffeners. When the cable is squeezed between the two tracks, the sidewalls of the block are pulled towards the cable creating a horizontal loading.
The benefit achieved by the instant LCE is that the LCE can be used at higher tensions for a given cable or less LCE""s can be used for a given tension resulting in less required deck space. Both of these are due to the fact that a better grip on the cable will allow better transfer of tension to the cable and raise the tension at which damage might occur.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to teach an LCE wherein the tracks are modified to contain polymeric blocks bolted to the outer surface of the track; each block being identical in shape and construction.
It is an additional objective of the instant invention to teach a tire type LCE wherein the circumferential surface of the tire is modified to present an elastomeric profiled surface effective to embrace the cable.
It is a further objective of the instant invention to teach a modified LCE wherein the blocks have a semi-circular indention that matches a given cable radius and a hollow cross-section or deformable media-filled cross-section which may further contain strategically placed stiffeners.
It is yet another objective of the instant invention to teach an LCE and method for its use, which can be used at relatively higher tensions, compared to prior art LCEs, for a given cable, or less LCE""s can be used for a given tension resulting in less required deck space; due to the fact that a better grip on the cable will allow better transfer of tension to the cable and raise the tension at which damage might occur.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.


Lithographic plate compositions and a method for their production have been discovered that are especially useful in conjunction with digitally controlled lasers to directly construct printable images on lithographic plates. The plates comprise a substrate and an ablatable polymeric coating on the substrate where the ablatable, imageable coating is prepared by in situ or solution polymerization of conjugated monomers deposited on the plate by vapor deposition or in solution. Examples of such monomers are thiophene, pyrrole and aniline.

Lithography and offset printing methods have long been combined in a compatible marriage of great convenience for the printing industry for economical, high speed, high quality image duplication in small runs and large. Known art available to the industry for image transfer to a lithographic plate is voluminous but dominated by the photographic process wherein a hydrophilic plate is treated with a photosensitive coating, exposed via a film image and developed to produce a printable, oleophilic image on the plate.
While preparing lithographic plates by photographic image transfer is relatively efficient and efficacious, it is a multi-step, indirect process of constrained flexibility. Typically, a photographically presensitized (PS) plate is prepared from a hydrophilic surface-treated aluminum. A positive or negative film image of an original hard copy is prepared and the PS plate exposed to the film image, developed, washed and made ready for print operations. Any desired changes in the film image must be made by first changing the original hard copy and repeating the photographic process; hence, the constrained flexibility. As sophisticated and useful as it is to prepare plates by photographic image transfer, the need for a lithographic plate fabricating process that obviates the above problems associated with the photographic process has long been recognized.
Clearly, it would be highly beneficial to the printing industry to directly produce a quality printable image on a plate without proceeding through a multi-step photographic process. It would also be highly efficacious if a process were developed whereby changes could be made in an original image in some predetermined manner without incurring the need to correct hard copy and repeat the photography, particularly if those changes could be made "on line". Consistent with these goals, artisans in the field of lithographic plate production have recently come to bend their efforts toward the development of a means to integrate digitally controlled image-making technology, i.e., the ubiquitous PC computer of todays world, with a means to directly convey the digital image onto a lithographic plate that will be usable for large production runs (100,000 or more copies).
Image forming by digital computer aided design of graphical material or text is well known. Electronically derived images of words or graphics presented on the CRT of a digital computer system can be edited and converted to final hard copy by direct printing with impact printers, laser printers or ink jet printers. This manner of printing or producing hard copy is extremely flexible and useful when print runs of no more than a few thousand are required but the print process is not feasible for large runs measured in the tens or hundreds of thousands of pieces. For large runs, printing by lithographic plate is still the preferred process with such plates prepared by the process of photographic image transfer.
It is known that digitized image information can be used in plate making wherein a film is made to express the image according to the image digitization and an image is formed on the plate by exposure and development. While this method augments flexibility by permitting editing of a digitized image, the method does not overcome the problems associated with the photographic image transfer method of plate fabrication.
Recently, fabrication of lithographic plates by ink jet techniques has been proposed to affect the utilization of digitally controlled lithographic plate-making. One such technique is disclosed in Japanese patent application, Kokai 62-25081. This application describes the use of an ink jet system for applying an oleophilic liquid to form an image on the hydrophilic aluminum surface of a lithographic plate. Ink jet technology, however, is in its infancy with respect to commercial lithography. Present ink jet techniques cannot produce large or commercially acceptable offset plates.
Lasers and their amenability to digital control have stimulated a substantial effort in the development of laser-based imaging systems. Early examples utilized lasers to etch away material from a plate blank to form an intaglio or letterpress pattern. See., e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,506,779: 4,347,785. This approach was later extended to production of lithographic plates, e.g., by removal of a hydrophilic surface to reveal an oleophilic underlayers. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,094. These systems generally require high-power lasers which are expensive and slow.
A second approach to laser imaging involves the use of thermal-transfer materials as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,945,318: 3,962,513: 3,964,389: and 4,395,946. With these systems, a polymer sheet transparent to the radiation emitted by the laser is coated with a transferable material. During operation the transfer side of this construction is brought into contact with an acceptor sheet, and the transfer material is selectively irradiated through the transparent layer. Irradiation causes the transfer material to adhere preferentially to the acceptor sheet. The transfer and acceptor materials exhibit different affinities for fountain solution and/or ink, so that removal of the transparent layer together with unirradiated transfer material leaves a suitably imaged, finished plate. Typically, the transfer material is oleophilic and the acceptor material hydrophilic. Plates produced with transfer-type systems tend to exhibit short useful lifetimes due to the limited amount of material that can effectively be transferred. In addition, because the transfer process involves melting and resolidification of material, image quality tends to be visibly poorer than that obtainable with other methods.
Lasers have also be used to expose a photosensitive blank for traditional chemical processing as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,506,779: 4,020,762. In an alternative to this approach, a laser has been employed to selectively remove, in an imagewise pattern, an opaque coating that overlies a photosensitive plate blank. The plate is then exposed to a source of radiation with the unremoved material acting as a mask that prevents radiation from reaching underlying portions of the plate as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,168. Either of these imaging techniques requires the cumbersome chemical processing associated with traditional, non-digital platemaking.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,737, 5,353,705 and 5,351,617 also describe lithographic printing plates suitable for digitally controlled imaging by means of laser devices. Here, laser output ablates one or more plate layers, resulting in an imagewise pattern of features on the plate. Laser output passes through at least one discreet layer and imagewise ablates one or more underlying layer. The image features produced exhibit an affinity for ink or an ink-abhesive fluid the differs from that of unexposed areas. The ablatable material used in these patents to describe the image is deposited as an intractable, infusible, IR absorptive conductive polymer under an IR transparent polymer film. As a consequence, the process of preparing the plate is complicated and the image produced by the ablated polymer on the plate does not yield sharp and distinct printed copy.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a lithographic plate suitable for image formation using a digitally controlled laser beam to ablate a conjugated polymer film.
A further objective of the invention is to provide a process for the production of the foregoing plate and film by in-situ polymerization of a suitable monomer on the plate to provide the ablatable coating.

Laser imageable lithographic printing plates


A hopper configuration comprises a hopper tray configured to receive a material from a source. The hopper configuration also comprises a conveyance mechanism configured to transport the received material from the hopper tray. The hopper configuration also comprises a first bar pivotably coupled to the hopper tray at a first point and also pivotably coupled to the conveyance mechanism at a second connection point. The hopper configuration further comprises a second bar pivotably coupled to the hopper tray at a third connection point and also pivotably coupled to the conveyance mechanism at a fourth connection point. Each of the connection points comprises a pivot point that substantially limits movement of the first and second bar to movement in a rotational direction.

An agriculture commodity cart, or any other agricultural or other vehicle may comprise one or more tanks that carry a variety of products. An agricultural cart may also have conveyor mounted somewhere along the cart for transferring agricultural product, for example, between transport vehicles and storage vessels. It may be more convenient to mount a conveyor on the cart directly, rather than on a transport vehicle, or maneuver a portable conveyor as a separate implement.
A conveyor is typically installed with a deployment mechanism that allows it to be moved from a transport position to an operating position. The deployment mechanism may also allow the conveyor to be maneuvered so that a spout or an upper discharge end of the conveyor can be maneuvered to direct the commodity from the conveyor into a receiving vessel. Cart loading conveyors commonly include a hopper at an intake end.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.


A broadband antenna has a substrate, a coupling conductor, a conductor string, a ground conductor and a ground plane. The coupling conductor has a first coupling member and a second coupling member being separated from each other. The conductor string and the ground conductor are connected to the second coupling member. The conductor string extends along a direction opposite to the second coupling member. The ground conductor is connected to the ground plane. The broadband antenna uses the coupling conductor and the ground conductor to adjust input impedance for impedance match. The conductor string functions as a multi level resonance circuit to increase impedance bandwidth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna, and more particularly to a broadband antenna that has multiple radiation conductors connected in series as a conductor string.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless Communication technologies develop rapidly in recently years and various wireless products are marketed popularly. One of most important components in wireless product is an antenna. The design of the antenna requires stricter criteria than the past in size and performance aspects. Taking account of the appearance and size of wireless products, miniature antennas for those products are necessary. Accordingly, the monopole antenna utilizing a metallic ground plane to replace a negative radiator is developed. The monopoly antenna achieves superior radiation effects with a shorter length, i.e. a half of that of a dipole antenna. Subsequent to the monopole antenna, fabricators develop a folded monopole antenna with bent metallic strips to further miniature the size of the antenna and solve the problem of blind area.
With reference to FIG. 1, an antenna matching circuit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,242 and comprises a printed circuit board (10) with a surface (101), a first inductor (102), a capacitor (103), a second inductor (104), a connection pad (105) and a ground plane (106). The connection pad (105) is formed on the surface of the printed circuit board (10) and coupled to the first inductor (102). The capacitor (103) is formed between the first inductor (102) and the second inductor (104). The second inductor (104) is further coupled to the ground plane (106). With zigzag traces constituting the inductors (102)(104), the antenna matching circuit has higher coupling efficiency and a shorter length. However, such an antenna matching circuit does not support multi level resonance and its impedance bandwidth is also limited. Further, the input impedance of the antenna matching circuit cannot be adjusted to achieve required impedance match.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a broadband antenna to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A system and method for efficient bounded hash table sorting during dynamic whole program profiling of software applications. A computing system comprises a dynamic binary instrumentation (DBI) tool coupled to a virtual machine configured to translate and execute binary code of a software application. The binary code is augmented with instrumentation and analysis code during translation and execution. A dynamic binary analysis (DBA) tool identifies hierarchical layers of cycles within the application that describe the dynamic behavior of the application. Corresponding characterization information is stored in a hash table. Periodic sorting of entries of the hash table occur for highly accessed entries in deep buckets within the hash table. Repositioning the entries within the hash table may reduce pointer chasing problems and identify program phase changes within the dynamic behavior of the application.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high performance computing systems, and more particularly, to performing bounded hash table sorting during dynamic program profiling of software applications.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Software programmers write applications to perform work according to an algorithm or a method. The program's performance may be increased based on an understanding of the dynamic behavior of the entire program. Inefficient portions of the program may be improved once the inefficiencies are known. The following program information may aid in describing a program's dynamic behavior such as code coverage, call-graph generation, memory-leak detection, instruction profiling, thread profiling, race detection, or other. In addition, understanding a program's dynamic behavior may be useful in computer architecture research such as trace generation, branch prediction techniques, cache memory subsystem modeling, fault tolerance studies, emulating speculation, emulating new instructions, or other. Generally speaking, what is needed is a description of a program's entire control flow including loop iterations and inter-procedural paths.
Accurate instruction traces are needed to determine a program's dynamic behavior by capturing a program's dynamic control flow, not just its aggregate behavior. Programmers, compiler writers, and computer architects can use these traces to improve performance. An approach to obtain instruction traces is to build a simulator, execute applications on it, and collect and compress the resulting information. This approach requires a large amount of memory and a large amount of time to complete the process. Further, a simulator may not accurately capture the dynamic behavior of the application executing on a particular hardware system (e.g., since the simulator may be operating on statistical data).
In order to reduce both memory storage and execution time required to collect data, another approach is to perform profiling on only a small subset of the application. Yet other approaches investigate only memory reference traces. Also, hot path profiling measures the frequency and cost of a program's executed paths. It is an essential technique to understand a program's control flow. However, many current path profiling techniques only capture acyclic paths. Acyclic paths end at loop iteration and procedure boundaries, and, therefore, these paths do not describe the program's flow through procedure boundaries and loop iterations. These approaches do not capture whole program profiling of the application.
Further, a popular manner to hold data regarding the behavior of a program is to store it in a hash table. Depending upon the size of the hash table and the chosen hash function, the length of any given slot in a hash table may be appreciably deep. When a particular program region is determined to be hot, and the data corresponding to that region is indexed in the hash table upon every occurrence of the hot region, a large number of accesses to the hash table may be required. This large number of accesses may result in enormous overhead due to the pointer chasing problem, or memory serialization effects associated with indirect memory addressing. In the context of a program profiler, the number of collected paths may be large. Coupled with size restraints on the width of a hash table, the hash table will necessarily become deep at some point. Once this happens, the pointer chasing overhead becomes a major factor in the performance of the instrumented application.
In view of the above, efficient methods and mechanisms for maintaining efficient bounded hash table sorting during dynamic whole program profiling of software applications is desired.

Bounded hash table sorting in a dynamic program profiling system


An apparatus for towing a water sports performer includes a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, and a tower. The first mounting plate is adapted for attachment to a port gunwale of a boat. The second mounting plate is adapted for attachment to a starboard gunwale of the boat. The tower is pivotably and detachably secured to the first and second mounting plates. Each of the first and second mounting plates includes a retractable tower connector that, when retracted, is positioned at or below a substantially flat upper surface of the mounting plate, and, when not retracted, extends above the upper surface of the mounting plate to pivotably and detachably secure the tower to the mounting plate.

Boats are used to tow water sports performers, such as water skiers, wakeboarders, and the like, using a tow-line. The performer holds onto one end of the tow-line and the other end is attached to the boat. For water skiing, the tow-line is typically attached to a ski pylon within the boat, often somewhere in or near the center of the boat. For wakeboarding, the tow-line is typically attached to the top of a tower, which provides a higher tow-line attachment point than a pylon provides. The tower legs usually are attached to the port and starboard gunwales of the boat. To maximize a boat's versatility, it is desirable to have both a ski pylon for water skiing and a tower for wakeboarding. But a problem with having both is that the tower legs can interfere with a tow line attached to the ski pylon, particularly when a water skier swings out to a side of the boat.

Apparatus for towing a water sports performer


A cylinder injection engine includes a fuel injector for injecting a fuel into a combustion chamber formed between a cylinder head and a piston, an intake port opening to the combustion chamber, an intake valve disposed in the intake port, a plurality of spark plugs provided for each cylinder for effecting ignition of a mixture formed within the combustion chamber, an external EGR valve having a function of EGR amount control to the cylinder, and a gas flow control valve. The engine has air/fuel ratio mode setting and ignition mode setting.

The present invention relates to a construction of a cylinder injection engine or a direct fuel injection engine with two or more spark plugs per each cylinder, a control apparatus and a control method therefor.
As shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. JP-A-8-35429, a cavity is provided in a piston of the conventional cylinder injection engine to concentrate fuel within the cavity to make a mixture of air and fuel around a spark plug rich for certainly providing ignitionability even if the air/fuel ratio of the mixture in the overall cylinder is lean. However, since the mixture around the spark plug is rich, NOx tends to be generated. In particular, when a stratified charge combustion operation lasts in increasing of engine load, a problem is encountered in increasing of NOx emission. For purification of exhaust gas, it heavily depends on performance of NOx purifying catalytic converter. On the other hand, NOx can be reduced by EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) to a homogeneous mixture. However, when single spark plug is employed, flame propagation velocity is lowered according to increasing of EGR amount to possibly make combustion unstable to degrade fuel saving effect. While a construction, in which two spark plugs are provided, has been put into practical use, improvement of fuel economy is still insufficient.
The present invention realizes quick combustion with dual-plug ignition system by applying EGR to a homogeneous mixture in a region where an engine output torque is relatively large by controlling stratified mixture and homogeneous mixture in the case where dual-plug ignition system is employed in a cylinder injection (direct fuel injection) system. In a range where the engine output torque is relatively small, stratified charge combustion operation is performed for improvement of fuel economy by super lean burn with large amount of EGR. In the later case, since the engine output torque is small and emission of NOx is small to be satisfactorily treated by post process after combustion. In a range where the engine output torque is further small, homogeneous charge compression ignition operation is performed. By this, reduction of both of fuel consumption and exhaust emission can be achieved.
An object of the present invention is to provide a construction of a cylinder ignition engine having two spark plugs in each cylinder, which enables homogeneous EGR operation and stratified EGR operation depending upon operating condition, fuel injection, air flow control, ignition control system and a control method therefor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a control method for performing compression ignition without using the spark plug to realize low NOx emission.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a cylinder injection engine wherein each of cylinders is provided with a fuel injector for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber formed between a cylinder head and a piston, an intake port opening to the combustion chamber, an intake valve engaging with the intake port, a plurality of spark plugs provided for each cylinder for effecting ignition of a mixture formed within the combustion chamber, an external EGR valve having a function of EGR amount control to the cylinder, an intake and exhaust control valve, and means for setting air/fuel ratio modes and means for setting mode of switching spark plugs.
Preferably, the air/fuel ratio mode setting means has at least a stratified charge lean combustion mode concentrating the mixture around the spark plug, a stoichiometric mode for forming a homogeneous mixture and a homogeneous lean combustion mode.
Preferably, the air/fuel ratio mode setting means further has a compression ignition mode.
Preferably, two spark plugs are provided in each cylinder, a fuel is injected in an intake stroke, dual-plug ignition is performed under the condition where EGR is effected and, the mixture is concentrated to one of the spark plugs in stratified charge combustion operation.
Further preferably, when an engine revolution speed is lower than a predetermined value, the mixture is concentrated to the spark plug close to a tip end of the fuel injector, and when the engine revolution speed becomes higher than the predetermined value, the mixture is concentrated to the ignition valve located remote from the tip end of the fuel injector.
Still further preferably, the fuel injector is arranged on the side of suction stoke side of the cylinder, a tumble control valve is employed as a air flow control means for controlling the tumble control valve in closing direction under stratified charge combustion operation for strengthen tumble for concentrate the fuel injected in the compression stroke to one of the spark plugs by the tumble flow.
By the foregoing control, homogeneous mixture is formed in the range where the engine output torque is large to realize fast combustion upon application of EGR by dual-plug ignition. Furthermore, in the range where the engine output torque is smaller than the former mode, more fast combustion in stratified mixture with applying EGR is achieved to whereby achieve both of fuel economy and reduction of emission (NOx component).

Cylinder injection engine and control apparatus and method thereof


Techniques and systems are described to enable users to optimize a digital marketing content system by analyzing an effect of components of digital marketing content on audience segments, environments of consumption, and channels of consumption. A computing device of an analytics system receives user interaction data describing an effect of user interaction with multiple items of digital marketing content on achieving an action for multiple audience segments. The analytics system identifies which of a plurality of components are included in respective items of digital marketing content. The analytics system generates data identifying different aspects that likely had an effect on the achieving an action on the items of digital marketing content, such as components of the items of digital marketing content, environments of consumption, channels of consumption. The analytics system outputs a result based on the data in a user interface.

Analytics systems have been developed to collect and analyze large sets of data to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in the data that are not readily observable by humans due to the amount of data. In one example of analysis performed by an analytics system, a variety of additional insights are gained into operation of a service provider system within a digital medium environment, such as a web service, online provider of goods and services, and so forth. In a digital marketing scenario, for instance, this may be used to identify segments (e.g., subsets) of an audience in order to target digital marketing content to increase a likelihood of conversion. Other examples include insights into computational resource consumption by the service provider system, tracking of expenses and revenue, number of visitors to a web service, page views, and so forth.
Conventional analytics systems support a variety of techniques that support user interaction with the data in order to gain access to this insight provided by the analytics system, such as to evaluate values of different metrics described in the analytics data via a user interface. The user interface of the analytics system, for instance, may be configured to output different combinations of metrics that have been associated by the system, values of those metrics, trends exhibited by the values of those metrics and correlated metrics, and so on. Conventional analytics systems also typically perform audience segmentation for analysis of metrics by dividing the audience (e.g., through non-negative matrix factorization) into homogeneous subgroups based upon defined criterion such as product usage, demographics, psychographics, communication behaviors and media use. Then, conventional analytics systems determine values of the metrics on the audience segments created from these homogeneous subgroups.
However, conventional analytics systems do not account for a number of additional factors when evaluating values of different metrics, including the effects of individual components of an item of digital marketing content on temporal aspects (e.g., when and in what environment digital marketing content was consumed), channels by which the digital marketing content was consumed, and how these factors combine with previous segmentation techniques to result in a particular outcome. Consequently, conventional analytics systems may provide limited insight as to the effects of components of an item of digital marketing content on how, where, what, with whom, and when an audience segment consumed digital marketing content, and resulting outcomes of the item of digital marketing content based on its components in different scenarios.

Digital media environment for analysis of audience segments in a digital marketing campaign


A remote lighted wick extinguisher that uses a movement of air to extinguish the flame of a lighted wick. Energy is sent from a transmitter to a remote receiver. The receiver actuates a circuit, such as a mono-stable multivibrator or one shot producing a pulse. The pulse, having sufficient amplitude and duration, actuates a transducer, similar to a speaker. The pulse causes a diaphragm of the transducer to displace, thus displacing a volume of air. When the transducer is disposed in close proximity as the lighted wick, the displaced air is able to extinguish the flame of the lighted wick. Thus, a user is able to extinguish the flame of a lighted wick lamp remotely from a distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighted wick extinguishers. More specifically, the invention relates to a remote lighted wick extinguisher that extinguishes the flame through a movement of air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lighted wicks are used for a great number of purposes; such as candlelit meals, religious symbolisms, alternative and emergency lighting, etc. In all instances, the flame of a lighted wick must be extinguished. In general, the flame is extinguished by snuffing or blowing by manual exertion. Such procedures are usually inconvenient, particularly for the physically challenged individual. Many devices have been promulgated for controlling devices remotely.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,289,874, issued to Mutu on Dec. 31, 1918; U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,744, issued to Cormier on May 16, 1939; U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,746, issued to Patrikios on Sep. 16, 1975; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,792,699, issued to Lamm on May 21, 1957, each describes a lighted wick extinguisher that uses forced air movement to extinguish the flame but fail to disclose a lighted wick extinguisher using a diaphragm to produce air movement for extinguishing the flame.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,118, issued to Sipes on Apr. 9, 1949; U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,211, issued to Kampfer et al. on Feb. 6, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,492, issued to Nunemaker on Oct. 12, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,904, issued to Stelle et al. on Apr. 17, 1956; U.S. Pat. No. 1,120,043, issued to Erickson on Dec. 8, 1914; U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,185, issued to Nakamura et al. on Mar. 7, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,433, issued to Bureau on Sep. 7, 1965; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,960, issued to Stewart et al. on Dec. 19, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 310,127, issued to Johnson on Aug. 21, 1990; United Kingdom Patent Document No. 1,370,467 published on Oct. 16, 1974; and United Kingdom Patent Document No. 1,433,875 published on Oct. 1974, each describes a lighted wick extinguisher, but fails to disclose a lighted wick extinguisher that uses forced air movement to extinguish the lighted wick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,731, issued to Cromer, Jr. et al. on Jun 30, 1992, discloses a remote control device, but fails to disclose a remote lighted wick extinguisher.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


A method of analyzing a spatial series of waveforms, each waveform of which contains components arising from at least two substantially uncorrelated features, includes the steps of sorting the waveforms into groups or bins according to values of one or more of the features, determining a mean waveform for each group or bin, subtracting the mean waveform from each waveform in the group or bin, returning the waveforms to the original order of the series and determining a remaining feature. Binning, the process of sorting waveforms into groups based on values of features, can be performed for one feature determined from the waveform or for several features. All that is required is that the binning criteria are substantially uncorrelated with the feature of interest. An example of a binning criterion can be frequency or period of a component of the waveform. Also a value of a physical parameter calculated from the waveform can be used as a binning criterion.

There are various measurement or investigation techniques which involve detecting and analyzing waveforms which have interacted with their environment. Examples of such techniques are radar techniques and acoustic techniques, both of which can be used for investigations of underground formations from within a borehole. In such techniques, one or more waveform signals are transmitted from transmitting locations so as to interact with the environment due to reflection, refraction etc., and are measured at one or more receiving locations which may be the same as the transmitting locations or separate. The measured waveforms have been changed from the transmitted form by interaction with the environment and analysis of the waveform allows properties of the environment to be obtained, for example, the presence of reflecting bodies or the nature of the medium through which the waves have passed. Since it is the spatial distribution of the measured properties which is generally of interest, the analysis must relate the information gained to some spatial reference, typically the transmitting and receiving locations. However, if there is any form of interference which is correlated with position, this can be difficult to identify in analysis. One example of such a technique which suffers from this problem is ultrasonic evaluation of cement in a cased well.
In a well completion, a string of steel casing is set in a wellbore and cement is forced into the annulus between the casing and the earth formation. The primary purpose of the cement is to provide zonal isolation of oil and gas producing layers and water bearing strata. If the cement fails to provide isolation of one zone from another, formation fluids under pressure may migrate from one zone to another, reducing production efficiency. Cement failures can occur in a variety of ways. For example, a complete absence of cement between the casing and the earth formation can occur. This is characterized as a gross cement failure and leads to rapid communication between zones intended to be isolated. Another type of failure arises when channeling occurs within the cement annulus, somewhere between the casing and the formation. There are three commonly occurring types of channels: a channel which contacts the casing is referred to as a "near channel", a channel which does not contact the casing is referred to as a "far channel" or a "buried-channel" (for a buried channel, the region between the channel and the casing is usually cement), and a channel occupying the entire space between the casing and the formation is referred to as either a "full channel" or a "traditional channel". All the channels described above may be filled with fluids such as mud or gas and all are potential threats to hydraulic isolation. Another condition which occurs, but which is not generally viewed as a cement failure, is known as micro-annulus. This condition occurs when the cement that has filled the annulus is not properly bonded to the casing resulting in a very narrow fluid-filled annulus immediately outside the casing. This annulus is very small and does not affect fluid communication between layers, effectively preserving the hydraulic security function of the cement.
A number of interfaces exist at the junctures of the differing materials within the completed wellbore. A first interface exists at the juncture of the fluid in the casing and the casing itself. A second interface is formed between the casing and a second material adjacent to the exterior of the casing, usually cement in a well-cemented situation. A third interface exists between the cement and a third material which is usually the earth formation. Imperfect cementing operations can result in a variety of interface conditions. A channel contacting the casing results in the second interface being between the casing (first material) and a fluid (second material). In this case, the third interface is formed between a fluid (second material) and the earth formation (third material) where a full channel exists. Alternatively, the third interface is formed between a fluid (second material) and the cement (third material) where a near channel exists. A channel not contacting the casing, results in the second interface being between the casing (first material) and the cement (second material) and the third interface being between the cement (second material) and a fluid (third material). Existence of an interface at the juncture of cement and fluid causes a potential lack of hydraulic isolation.
The problem of investigating the cement outside a casing with a tool located inside the casing has lead to a variety of cement evaluation techniques using acoustic energy including ultrasonic cement evaluation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,798 (incorporated herein by reference) describes methods and apparatus for acoustically investigating a casing in a borehole and the cement present outside the casing. Casing thickness is also determined. The techniques employ an acoustic pulse source having a frequency spectrum selected to excite a thickness resonance in the insonified portion of the casing. The thickness resonance exists as acoustic reverberations between the inner and outer walls of the casing, i.e. trapped energy. The duration of the reverberations depends on the rate of acoustic energy leaking into adjacent media. The acoustic return from the casing can be thought of in two distinct portions. The first portion appears as a large amplitude pulse (first interface echo) which represents the energy reflected from the first, fluid-steel interface, i.e., the inside surface of the casing. The second portion appears as a decaying resonance which represents the reverberating energy trapped within the casing that has leaked back into the fluid within the casing. The received acoustic pulse is then processed to determine casing thickness or to evaluate the quality of the cement bond to the casing which is typically evaluated by determining the acoustic impedance of the cement. In one example of processing, thresholds are applied to the acoustic impedance to determine if the material outside the casing at a given point is solid (cement), liquid or gas.
The presence of echoes from third interfaces present in ultrasonic waveforms gives rise to two issues in cement evaluation. The third interface echoes can interfere with the analysis of the waveforms to determine cement impedance and so give a misleading impression of the quality of the cement present and false indications of the material, e.g. indicate liquid or gas when solid is present. One method of filtering the signals to deal with these echoes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,604. The third interface echoes can also be used to identify channels in the cement which might compromise zonal isolation as is described in European Patent Application No. 0,549,419 A2.
The problem of identifying and accounting for third interface echoes in ultrasonic cement evaluation is one example of an acoustic measurement technique in which two features are present, each of which interferes with the detection of the other. In this particular example, the effects arising from the first feature, the casing, i.e. first and second interface echoes, interfere with the detection of the third interface echo. Likewise, the third interface echo interferes with the determination of cement impedance from the casing resonance. The spatial filter described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,604 represents one approach in dealing with this problem.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method which can be used to analyze acoustic waveforms, particularly ultrasonic waveforms from cased wells to deal with such interferences as typified by casing echoes and third interface echoes.


Methods and systems are provided for the detecting and presenting of faint signals from a real-time interactive imager. A real-time view of a subject is controlled by a user by entering commands that move the subject or a camera used to record the real-time view. The rate of this movement is monitored, and when the rate descends below a preset value, a trigger is sent to the camera. In response to the trigger, the camera switches to a lower frame frequency for capturing the real-time view of the subject, thereby increasing the amount of light collected in each frame, and increasing the sensitivity of the camera to faint signals. The methods and systems are particularly relevant for surgical or biopsy imaging, in which both a higher frame rate preview image of a subject for 3D visualization, and a higher sensitivity fluorescence image of the subject for tumor margin assessment, are desired.

The success of oncologic surgery can depend on obtaining negative tumor margins so that no tumor tissues are left behind. Tumor margins are the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor, and more specifically, the distance between the tumor tissue and the edge of the surrounding tissue removed along with the tumor. Ideally, the margins are selected so that the risk of leaving tumor tissue within the patient is low. The current clinical approach to tumor margin assessment involves circumferential analysis of a resected specimen using frozen sections in a lab during surgical time (Chambers et al. (2015) Laryngoscope 125:636; Byers et al. (1978) Amer. J Surgery 136:525). Tactile and visual measures are traditionally the only methods available in this sampling process. However, complex three-dimensional (3D) primary specimens are often difficult to manipulate and orient for full inspection and processing.
As a specific example, margin assessments based on frozen sectioning is difficult to implement on breast cancer specimens due to fatty tissues. X-ray imaging and gamma detection are thus used intraoperatively to estimate the border of a tumor by looking at contrasts from inserted biopsy markers such as clips, wires, or seeds which help locate the tumor mass (O'Kelly et al. (2016) J. Surgical Oncology 113:256). X-ray cabinet imagers used in surgical suites can give a two-dimensional (2D) projection view of a sample in the form of a snap shot. However the 3D localization of inserts within the sample can significantly benefit the assessment (Kopens (2014) Amer. J. Roentgenology 202:299; Ciatto et al. (2013) Lancet Oncology 14:583; Chagpar et al. (2015) Amer. J. Surgery 210:886). The alternative use of a real-time motion-controlled orientation and imaging of a sample, coupled with the use of periodic X-ray shots, can therefore be helpful in viewing samples from different directions efficiently in the surgical suite.
Fluorescence image-guided surgery and fluorescence image-guided margin assessment are emerging technologies taking advantage of recent developments of fluorescence dyes and tumor targeting imaging agents from translational and clinical research areas (Garland et al. (2016) Cell Chem. Bio. 23:122; Warram (2014) Cancer Metastasis Rev. 33:809). In recent years, several fluorescence imaging systems have been developed and commercialized for image-guided surgery (Zhu and Sevick-Muraca (2015) British J. Radiology 88:20140547; Chi et al. (2014) Theranostics 4:1072; D'Souza et al. (2016) J. Biomed. Opt. 21:80901). Some of these handheld and overhead devices have been tested for use in the margin assessment of tumors, rather than for their well-established purpose of imaging primary tumor tissues. When used in situ with an image-guided systems above the wound bed, there exist significant ambient interferences such as those associated with broadband ambient light, wound bed fluids, and electro-magnetism. These interferences, along with a fluorescence imaging requirement of a high frame rate, together produce reduced detection limits or sensitivities of the devices. One approach to avoiding ambient light interferences without dimming operating room lights is the use of modulation of excitation light away from ambient frequencies. Alternatively, a cabinet biopsy imager (U.S. Patent Application No. 2016/0245753) can be used to isolate a sample from ambient interferences to provide a higher sensitivity.
The sensitivity of an imaging system is particularly important for margin assessment when a micro-extension of tumor tissue can reverse a negative result. In addition, microdose administration of imaging agents, and low concentration of cellular receptors of dye conjugates, would also demand high sensitivity of fluorescence detection of the imaging system. Several aspects of imaging have been identified as targets for improving signal sensitivity in fluorescence systems, including optimization of fluorescence excitation sources and emission filters, improvement of light collection efficiency, elimination of ambient light interferences, modification of the image sensor, and suppression of system noises. While each of these can positively influence the sensitivity of fluorescence imaging, they can also negatively influence the video-rate performance of image-guided systems.
Video rate or high-frame rate imaging, often with reflected white light, offers real-time viewing capability of a subject such as a surgical patient or tumor biopsy sample. Multichannel co-registration of this reflected white light image with a fluorescent image can produce an overlaid image useful in tumor assessment. However, the typical performance characteristics of these overlays of reflective light and fluorescence images sacrifices real-time motion sensitivity as a compromise to boost fluorescence sensitivity. This is the case for systems with charge-coupled device (CCD), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), electron-multiplied-CCD, or intensified-CCD sensors. In general, improvements to high frame rate imaging negatively impact the sensitivity of the imaging system by reducing signal collection time in each frame as well as by reducing data processing time and increasing read noises of the imaging sensor.

Motion-adaptive interactive imaging method


The present disclosure describes a system, method and computer readable medium capable of identifying and filtering erroneous seismic data from the computer modeling process. A visual representation of seismic data pertaining to a subterranean formation may be generated and displayed upon a graphic user interface utilizing one or more color schemes. A filtering arrangement may be applied to the seismic data and the visual representation may be updated to include one or more indications illustrating seismic data that has been selected for filtering. The user may adjust filtering operations utilizing a computer generated selection tool. In one embodiment, the system provides a suggestion tool capable of alerting the user to potential seismic data filtering problems.

Computer modeling and simulation of seismic interpretation data is a vital component of oil and gas exploration. Such systems might conduct some form of computational processing upon acquired seismic data and then export the processed data to one or more data visualization application(s) for review by authorized personnel. Such systems may also use a color mapping structure to generate graphic visualizations of acquired data to assist users in interpreting and/or analyzing the acquired data.
Seismic interpretation data may vary in quality, continuity and completeness due to varying vintages of seismic data and/or due to the fact that multiple interpretations of the seismic data have been applied during the imaging process. For example, data quality may vary where a fault intersects a horizon in the formation due to poor resolution of seismic data around fault locations in the formation.
There remains a need for a filtering arrangement capable of identifying and filtering erroneous seismic interpretation data from the modeling process so as to prevent processing errors.

Seismic interpretation system and method


The present invention concerns a process by which a misfold in an Fc fusion molecule can be prevented or corrected. In one embodiment, the process comprises (a) preparing a pharmacologically active compound comprising an Fc domain; (b) treating the fusion molecule with a copper (II) halide; and (c) isolating the treated fusion molecule. The pharmacologically active compound can be an antibody or a fusion molecule comprising a pharmacologically active domain and an Fc domain. The preferred copper (II) halide is CuCl2. The preferred concentration thereof is at least about 10 mM for fusion molecules prepared in E. coli; at least about 30 mM for fusion molecules prepared in CHO cells. The process can be employed with any number of pharmacologically active domains. Preferred pharmacologically active domains include OPG proteins, leptin proteins, soluble portions of TNF receptors (e.g., wherein the fusion molecule is etanercept), IL-1ra proteins, and TPO-mimetic peptides. The Fc domain preferably has a human sequence, with an Fc sequence derived from IgG1 most preferred. An exemplary Fc sequence is shown in FIG. 5 hereinafter.

Recombinant proteins are an emerging class of therapeutic agents. Such recombinant therapeutics have engendered advances in protein formulation and chemical modification. Such modifications can protect therapeutic proteins, primarily by blocking their exposure to proteolytic enzymes. Protein modifications may also increase the therapeutic protein's stability, circulation time, and biological activity. A review article describing protein modification and fusion proteins is Francis (1992), Focus on Growth Factors 3:4-10 (Mediscript, London), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
One useful modification is combination with the "Fc" domain of an antibody. Antibodies comprise two functionally independent parts, a variable domain known as "Fab", which binds antigen, and another domain known as "Fc", which links to such effector functions as complement activation and attack by phagocytic cells. An Fc has a long serum half-life, whereas an Fab is short-lived. Capon et al. (1989), Nature 337:525-31. When constructed together with a therapeutic protein, an Fc domain can provide longer half-life or incorporate such functions as Fc receptor binding, protein A binding, complement fixation and perhaps even placental transfer. Id. Table 1 summarizes use of Fc fusions known in the art.
TABLE 1Fc fusion with therapeutic proteinsFusionTherapeuticForm of FcpartnerimplicationsReferenceIgG1N-terminus ofHodgkin's disease;U.S. Pat. No.CD30-Lanaplastic lymphoma; T-5,480,981cell leukemiaMurine Fcγ2aIL-10anti-inflammatory;Zheng et al. (1995), J.transplant rejectionImmunol. 154: 5590-600IgG1TNF receptorseptic shockFisher et al. (1996), N.Engl. J. Med. 334: 1697-1702; Van Zee, K. et al.(1996), J. Immunol. 156:2221-30IgG, IgA,TNF receptorinflammation, autoimmuneU.S. Pat. No. 5,808,029,IgM, or IgEdisordersissued Sep. 15,(excluding1998the firstdomain)IgG1CD4 receptorAIDSCapon et al.(1989),Nature 337: 525-31IgG1,N-terminusanti-cancer, antiviralHarvill et al. (1995),IgG3of IL-2Immunotech. 1: 95-105IgG1C-terminus ofosteoarthritis;WO 97/23614, publishedOPGbone densityJul. 3, 1997IgG1N-terminus ofanti-obesityPCT/US 97/23183, filedleptinDec. 11, 1997Human IgCTLA-4autoimmune disordersLinsley (1991), J. Exp.Cγ1Med. 174: 561-9
Despite their advantages, use of Fc fusion molecules may be limited by misfolding upon expression in a desired cell line. Such misfolded Fc fusion molecules may generate an immune response in vivo or may cause aggregation or stability problems in production.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for correction of a disulfide misfold in Fc molecules


A plant species identification apparatus for identifying plant species is disclosed. A reference data storage part stores reference spectral data which indicate a reflectance spectral feature classified by area segments including a sunlit portion and a shaded portion in addition to the plant species. A data input part acquires hyperspectral data to be a target. A determination part specifies the reflectance spectral feature of a pixel for each of pixels of the hyperspectral data from the reference data storage part and to determine the plant species of the pixels based on a classification of the reference spectral data.

In conventional vegetation survey methods, there are mainly two methods. In a first survey method, an identification person surveys a location of plants on foot, and visually determines situations at the location. A second survey method is a method (remote sensing) in which the identification person discriminates the plants by using photographs and images captured by a satellite or an aircraft. These methods are used separately or by combining them.
A sensor using the remote sensing of the second survey method used to be panchromatic (black and white). Recently, a type of the sensor has been changing to be multispectral (colors). Hence, a specialist (identification person) investigates multispectral photographs and images, and the vegetation is identified.
Also, recently, creation of a vegetation map using a Geographic Information System (GIS) has been mainstream. In the GIS, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is used as reference information, which is prepared beforehand and indicates a crown shape of color for each of plant species, and the plant species are discriminated by conducting pattern matching for the images captured by a camera or the sensor.
Also, in recent years, a satellite (satellite name: EO-1 (sensor name: Hyperion), satellite name: PROBA (sensor name: CHRIS)) mounting a hyperspectral sensor capable of measuring a band, which is ten times more than a conventional multispectral sensor, was launched as a global environmental satellite or the like, and measurement is performed by the hyperspectral sensor. An information amount acquired by using the hyperspectral sensor is dramatically improved. Also, an airborne hyperspectral sensor has been developed, and has begun to be utilized in various fields including environmental and agricultural fields.
Furthermore, as a conventional method of tree species discrimination, a method is known in which image data indicating a forest current state are divided into small segments and the tree species are determined for each of the small segments of the image data. Also, another method is known in which multiple sets of band data are acquired based on an proper time for analysis of the tree species, a mask process is performed for NDVI for each of the tree species by generating a target extraction map for each of the tree species in which an upper and lower limit values are set for a luminance value for each set of the band data, and a tree species distribution is extracted.
A further method is known in which luminance values of the image data of a forest taken from the sky are planarized at peaks and valleys, an area is divided depending on a space change of the luminance values of the image data being planarized, the crown shape and its texture feature amount are calculated, and the tree species is determined based on the texture feature amount of an existing crown.

Plant species identification apparatus and method


A document forming apparatus, comprising a substrate feeder for storing and dispensing substrates to a printing engine, a controller for controlling the operation of the document forming apparatus, wherein the controller includes at least one database for storing information for the operation of the substrate feeder, and a user interface for controlling the operation of the document forming apparatus. The user interface includes a stock library view, a stock settings dialog screen having an expert feeder controls section with a manual mode operator and an auto mode operator, and a control panel screen for manual mode operation. The control panel screen includes means for adjusting a plurality of feeder parameters, indicators for manual and auto modes, and a save settings operator.

The present exemplary embodiment relates generally to an electrophotographic printing system. It finds particular application in conjunction with a sheet feeder control system and method for improving the feeding of copy sheets that accompanies this general process of copying and printing, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.
In the process of electrophotographic reproduction, a light image of an original to be copied or printed is typically recorded in the form of a latent electrostatic image upon a photosensitive member, with a subsequent rendering of the latent image visible by the application of electroscopic marking particles, commonly referred to as toner. The visual toner image can be either fixed directly upon the photosensitive member or transferred from the member to another support medium or substrate, such as a sheet of plain paper. To render this toner image permanent, the image must be "fixed" or "fused" to the paper, generally by the application of heat and pressure.
With the advent of high speed xerography reproduction machines wherein copiers or printers can produced at a rate in excess of three thousand copies per hour, the sheet handling system must feed paper or other media through each process station in a rapid succession in a reliable and dependable manner in order to utilize the full capabilities of the reproduction machine. The sheet handling systems must operate flawlessly to virtually eliminate risk of damaging the recording sheets and generate minimum machine shutdowns due to misfeeds or multifeeds.
A high speed xerography reproduction machine typically includes a feeder assembly for feeding substrates to the image transfer portion of the machine. The feeder assembly may employ vacuum corrugated feeder technology, friction retard feeder technology, or shuttle feeder technology. The feeder typically has a fixed set of operating parameters. These settings may be the best compromise for feeding most types of substrates, and, as a result, the substrate feeding capability is generally limited to the range that these parameters allow. While this approach may satisfy the needs of general use copying/printing, it limits the range of substrates that can be fed in the production environment where expanded range is needed. Further, many of the users or operators in the production environment typically come from the offset lithography environment, and they are accustomed to "tuning" their machines for the substrates they are running. Offset lithography is the workhorse of printing. Almost every commercial printer employs it. And the quality of the final product is often due to the guidance, expertise and equipment provided by the printer.
Thus, there is a need for a feeder control system and method which provides the users of high speed xerographic machines the ability to adjust some of the feeder operating parameters to expand the range of substrates (from very light to heavy weight) that can be used with the machines.


A ball valve has two mutually orthogonal diametrical internal passages in one of which is mounted a pressure relief valve assembly for resisting sudden pressure flucutations in fluid flow during movement of the ball valve from an open to a closed position. The assembly has an adjustable biasing force to calibrate the valve.

1. Field of the Invention
A ball valve consists of a valve body defining internally a chamber communicating with the outside through an inlet duct and an outlet duct and accommodating a ball which is pierced by a passage, the ball being rotatable from an open position in which the inlet and outlet ducts are brought into communication with each other to a closed position in which the ball interrupts the communication between the inlet and outlet ducts.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of ball valves to intercept a fluid in a pipe has been known for some time. The characteristic element of these valves is the fluid intercepting member which consists of a ball pierced by a cavity. The ball is movable from an open position, in which this cavity lies in the axis of an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe to permit the passage of a fluid, to a closed position to prevent the passage of the said fluid.
However, it has been observed that, when the ball is moved abruptly from the open position to the closed position, there are sudden pressure fluctuations caused by the movement of the ball (water hammer).
It has also been found that this type of valve, owing to its structure, is not capable of preventing sudden and high pressure increases in the inlet pipe from damaging gaskets and other elements disposed along the said pipe. The pressure increases may be caused, for example, by temperature rises or by rises in the rate of flow of the fluid.
These disadvantages have hitherto prevented a wider application of these valves, as for example in the "sprinkler" type of fire-fighting equipment, where the valves are used to discharge the water from the equipment. This fire-fighting equipment substantially consists of a water distribution network formed by a plurality of pipes. Sprinklers, each of which substantially consists of a nozzle closed by a plug, are disposed along the pipes. This plug consists, for example, of a glass shell filled with a fluid whose volume increases with a rise in temperature. As a result, in the event of fire, the increase in the volume of this fluid causes the plug to fracture and consequently the water can flow out of the pipe through the nozzle.