System and Method is described that controls the release of contaminated water by rapidly freezing the ground water, including salt water, which permeates the area underneath the a contamination source, so that the resulting ice lens mitigates the extent to which radioactive water is released into the environment. An aperture in the containment area allows the dispersal and dilution of the contaminates by allowing in ground water from outside, and/or removing water from the containment area. The variable aperture may be a physical valve or preferably an opening in the ice shield which size may be controlled by freezing or thawing portions of the ice shield.

On Mar. 11, 2011, the Fukushima nuclear reactor site in Japan was severely crippled, with major radiation leakage, as a consequence of a massive earthquake at Tsunami which struck Japan.
On Apr. 5, 2011, within one month after the onset of the Fukushima disaster, the undersigned Harry V. Lehmann, caused to be filed a Provisional Patent Application, being No. 61/471,967, which set forth the invention upon which US Non-Provisional Patent Application US 2012/0310029, as published on Dec. 12, 2012. The undersigned works as the CEO of Green Swan Inc. (www.greenswan.org), a California-based firm concerned with human health in relation to radiation.
The above filings, on Apr. 5, 2011, and the later US Non-Provisional Patent Application filed on Apr. 5, 2012, contemplate the use of super-cooled fluids circulated in the Figures which are integrated into both filings, particularly as illustrated in FIG. 1 of US 2012/0310029. The super-cooled fluids as discussed hi the above Provisional and Non-Provisional filings while specifically mentioning the use of fluids other than N2, contemplated the use of extreme low boiling point fluids, so that extreme cold could be brought to bear immediately below the crippled reactor site, and similar sites, including that further removal of heat (and consequent increased rapidity of "ice-basket" riming) would result from an increased rate of boil off of the submitted fluids, due to increased pipe aperture at the mid-points of the doubled barreled shallow ice basket, or shallow ice bowl, approach contemplated in those patents applications.
Prior to the above filings, previous experimental and very limited practical deployment had been made of Liquid Nitrogen for the purposes of ground stabilization, most famously, circa 1995, in regard to the drilling and N2 filling of 178 holes around the Leaning Tower of Pisa so that the Tower could be stabilized in place without tipping over while restoration work was undertaken.
Prior to the above filings, previous experimental and very limited practical deployment had been made of other super-cooled fluids for the establishment of an "ice wall" barrier: Prior purposes of such "ice wall" approaches have included the establishment of a vertical ice wall surround to protect against radioactive ground water migration at a contaminated nuclear site in the United States, and a similar use of a deployed vertical ice wall surround was made, but not activated, for containment of water away from an active gold mine in Canada, and, also prior to the above patent application filings by the undersigned in April of 2011 and April of 2012, there were other attempts made to stabilize ground, or to mitigate ground water migration, through the use of vertical ice walls.
All of the prior Art, meaning all known Art in existence prior to the above filings in April of 2011 and April of 2012 was based upon the drilling of vertical holes, and the filling of those holes with super-cooled solutions, or the circulation of super-cooled solutions within such vertical holes, typically to obtain containment of ground water migration by the drilling of and filling of such super-cooled holes down to an impermeable or less-permeable sub-strata, including strata of harder clay or bedrock. In practical effect, all known prior attempts in this area had been to create a containment tank, with a surface circumference defined by the ring of drilled and super-cooled vertical hole, and a bottom circumference defined by the bottoms of such holes, hoped to be at points interfacing with the expected less-permeable sub-strata constituting the bottom of the large ice walled holding tank defined by the so-drilled and so-cooled holes, often in recent iterations contemplated to be taken to and maintained at a super-cooled state by the circulation of super-cooled saline solution.
The disclosed subject matter is directed to a System and Method for retarding and controlling the speed of flow of contaminated water, from a nuclear reactor or other contamination source from which such contaminated water is issuing.
The subject matter advantageously uses micro-tunneling, coupled with pipe insertion, coupled with insulated pipe insertion, so that liquids with very low boil points, such as Liquid Nitrogen, or other refrigerant gasses, may be inserted in the liquid state, to vaporize upon release from the insulated containment, so that heat energy is absorbed from the water table, resulting in a reduction in flow rate, thereby impeding the capacity of the water under flow to carry particulate matter.
The subject matter also discloses a "laced" approach, in which twin barreled pipes, as herein set forth, may be inserted an non-conflicting depths, but in such proximity to mutually contribute to water sludge accumulation, ice rime, and, with sufficient evaporation process, the formation of an ice lens, sufficient to retard the escape of contaminated water.
The effect of this System and Method is to control and slow the release of contaminated water as it is possible to rapidly obtain the freezing the ground water, including salt water, which permeates the area underneath the melted reactors, so that the resulting ice lens will mitigate the extent to which radioactive water is released into the environment. The method here described may be used for this purpose through the accomplishment of two goals; first, a resulting reduction in the quantum of radioactive water released, per se, and secondly, a reduction in the level of particulate radiation reaching the environment due to slowed water flow velocities.
It is advantageous to appreciate the existence of "trenchless excavation" for pipe installation. "Direct Jacking," and the "Micro-tunneling" are approaches widely deployed in the civil engineering context, and similar approaches are used for waste water treatment pipe installation.
Direct Jacking is a tunneling process whereby a single new pipe is installed in one pass. A bore head begins the tunnel excavation from an access shaft and is pushed along by hydraulic jacks that remain in the shaft. The link to the boring head is maintained by adding jacking pipe between the jacks and the head. By this procedure, the pipe is laid as the tunnel is bored.
Micro-tunneling is defined as a trenchless construction method for installing pipelines. The North American definition of microtunneling describes a method and does not impose size limitations on such method; therefore, a tunnel may be considered a microtunnel if all of the following features apply to construction:
Remote Controlled: The microtunneling boring machine (MTBM) is operated from a control panel, normally located on the surface. The system simultaneously installs pipe as spoil is excavated and removed. Personnel entry is not required for routine operations.
Guided: The guidance system usually references a laser beam projected onto a target in the MTBM, capable of installing gravity sewers or other types of pipelines to the required tolerances, for line and grade.
Pipe Jacked: The pipeline is constructed by consecutively pushing pipes and the MTBM through the ground using a jacking system for thrust.
Continuously supported: Continuous pressure is provided to the face of the excavation to balance groundwater and earth pressures.
The above citations are inserted merely to acquaint the reader with the fact that in the modem context it is possible to obtain rapid remote controlled boring of pipe holes, so as to facilitate installation of pipe suitable for such installation. The remainder of the "ice lens" approach as herein stated are based upon the availability of such boring technology.
No sophisticated explanation of the Rankine Cycle is attempted nor necessary here, but a baseline discussion will speed appreciation for those who have not seen their high school or college texts for a while.
It is understood that it takes energy to convert any type of matter from its liquid state to its vapor state. Rather than getting esoteric, just consider the tea kettle; the kettle and its contents are heated, the boiling point is reached, at the boiling point the water reaches its vapor state, and leaves the kettle. It almost immediately precipitates to what we see as "steam," although close examination of the spout will show a gap, perhaps we could call it a vapor gap, which is a view through the transparent water in its true vapor state. That water in the vapor state is invisible is known to those who have visited the engine rooms of steam turbine aircraft carriers, where in olden days, when a leak was suspected, a broomstick would be swung before a worker as he walked, as the thin vapor stream would cut the stick in half, thereby saving the man. Those turbines, of course, took immense amounts of fuel to operate, originally fuel oil, later nuclear. Bottom line, to take a fluid to the vapor state requires heat.
Our common experience may cause us to first visualize this as a one-way street of analysis; we apply heat, the fluid eventually reaches the boiling point as a result of the input of the heat, the heat having forced sufficient molecular vibratory activity that the vapor state is reached as a result of the heat. However, as Lord Kelvin taught, the system is a two-way thoroughfare. That is why we have working refrigerators. In that context, the evaporation cycle of a gas, chosen for its low boiling point (an issue which will be shown as relevant to the macro-machine here contemplated for radioactive containment) can, through compression of that gas (thus the "compressor" of a refrigerator) result in the use of the evaporative cycle, which is called the Rankine Cycle, for the extraction of heat, through the forcing of the cycle by compression of the vapor (gaseous state) so that the liquid state is reached, and then the carefully controlled evaporation of the subject liquid, thereby drawing heat at that point of conversion, from the surrounding material world. These are well understood baseline concepts with which all readers of this paper will have been familiar, but it is suggested that a quick review will enhance appreciation of the feasibility of the macro-application as hereafter explained.
The super-cooling of the circulated saline solution or other super-cooled liquid so-placed or so-circulated in such holes used an intermediary fluid to cool the affected earth, with the actual cooling obtained by Rankine Cycle cooling, yet without direct contact between the super-low boiling point fluids lined holes used to create the vertical ice wall which has been the aim of all known work prior to the filing of the Lehmann patent applications of April 2011 and April 2012.
It is advantageous to integrate the use of intermediary cooling fluids, including saline solutions, into the "ice basket" approach first articulated by the Lehmann.
In the last week prior to the filing of the Provisional Patent Application of Sep. 3, 2013, widely circulated news reports have indicated that those charged with responsibility for the attempted remediation of the natural disaster-caused nuclear contamination events at Fukushima are now seeking to adopt and deploy the older, ice wall" technologies previously used or experimented with in the United States and elsewhere as a means of ground water migration mitigation at toxic sites.
The prior "nice basket" filings of Lehmann, as incorporated herein by reference because of the creation of a shallow ice bowl for containment purposes, present clear energy consumption and speed of-construction advantages over the older "vertical ice wall surround 11 approach currently under discussion for remediation of the disaster at Fukushima.
The disclosed subject matter further explains the very considerable energy consumption and speed-of-construction advantages of the previously filed Lehmann patents, and for the additional purpose of asserting Claims for the use of intermediary cooling fluids, such as saline solutions, as part of the "shallow ice basket, or "shallow bowl" approach contemplate in the April 2011 and April 2012 patent filings. The prior art did not contemplate the use of computer controlled horizontal and mixed angle drilling, whereas such modem computer controlled mixed angle drilling was an inherent feature in the prior Provisional and Non-Provisional patent filings which have above been incorporated by reference into this document.
As to Fukushima, and in terms of application to any similar ground water migration mitigation system, the current, unexecuted, "ice wall" approach involves the establishment of a very deep ice walled cylinder, which would wall in the contaminated water with ice and frozen soil, such that the fence would run all the way down to bedrock or clay (far more than a hundred feet) at which point it is believed that the contaminants would hopefully be stopped from further ground water migration due to the "impermeable clay later" which is stated as residing at that subterranean level. This approach in comparison to the "ice basket" outlined in the previously filed Lehmann patent filings, results in a vastly larger volume of contaminated water containment, resulting in a vastly greater use of energy for cooling, than will occur of the "ice basket" approach outlined in the prior Lehmann filings is chosen instead. The presently contemplated "ice wall" approaches, using vertical shafts, does not make use of modem computer controlled horizontal and mixed" angle drilling technique, and the result of this is that a vastly larger pool of contaminated water is contained by the "ice wall" system than is the case if the more shallow "ice basket" or "ice bowl" as contemplated in the prior Lehmann patent filings is deployed.
The value of the "shallow bowl of ice" approach is very quickly and clearly illustrated with simple kitchen tools. The experimenter seeking to verify the advantages of the "shallow ice bowl" approach needs only one large cooking pot and one salad bowl having a diameter larger than the diameter of the pot.
By taking the large bowl, one with a diameter at the top larger than the diameter of the cooking pot, and placing the bowl the big metal pot, the experimenter will see demonstrated that only the bottom sixth or so of the salad bowl volumetrically, intrudes within the cylinder of volume described by the interior dimension of the large pot. In fact, due to the curvatures of the line of the bowl from a starting position at the "ground level" emulated by the top of the pot, the actual volumetric displacement represented by the interior dimension of the bowl, when compared to the volume of the pot, may be considerably less than a sixth of the volume of the pot.
In practical operation, at Fukushima, this results in a several positive advantages over the "ice wall" approach currently under consideration;
A) the evacuation of the contaminated water from a smaller starting volume means that vastly less ground water is contaminated during operation, which means that:
B) Far less groundwater need be pumped out, and further that:
C) Due to decreased interior volume of the pipes used for this purpose, coupled with the smaller volume of contaminated groundwater perpetually evacuated, the energy required for pump operation is very substantially diminished, and:
D) Pump strain is reduced, and:
E) Construction time, due to the use of computer guided micro-tunneling is much less, and:
F) Volume of extracted soils is diminished, and:
G) Immediate production of the ice bowl does not prohibit the construction of the ice fence, using the more traditional ice wall, approaches, such that a failsafe system would automatically evolve, and:
H) The currently announced "ice wall" approach contemplates forty years of accumulation of heavy contaminants at the allegedly impermeable clay layer at the bottom of the cylindrical area hoped to be described by the currently anticipated "ice fence." Eventually, so it is hoped, four or five decades down the road, the site is to have been decontaminated. As a result, it would appear that the need for the ice fence would abate. Even if not the case, an assumption that there will be an ice fence, in site at a coastline, which will somehow remain in perpetuity is optimistic. The contaminants involved by their atomic weight nature heavier than their surrounding milieu, such that the accumulation of a substantial contaminant layer at the bottom of the proposed cylinder is unavoidable the "bottom of the pot," see above). The contaminants generate heat when accumulated, and the character of interaction with the hypothetical clay layer is not known, and: Assuming the very best case with the clay layer (hardening by heat), upon the cessation of the "ice fence" cooling process, the result of the cylindrical "ice fence" is a huge residue of impermissibly dangerous contaminants, residing in perpetuity, and inevitably capable of lateral migration.
In comparison to all of the above disadvantages of a large cylindrical trice wall" the "ice basket" approach as articulated in the previously filed Lehmann patent applications, if deployed, would require the constant handling of only about a sixth of the volume, or perhaps a far smaller fraction, of the amount of contaminated water which would have to be constantly evacuated and treated if the more "classic ice wall" approach is pursued. The use of the "ice basket" approach will result in faster construction, less construction materials, and far less contaminate water to be handled, resulting in a substantial reduction in energy use needed to keep the pumps going, as well as far less equipment strain, and far less necessary storage of contaminated water J this last perhaps being the largest advantage of the previously filed Lehmann approach, per Apr. 5, 2011 and Apr. 5, 2012.
The present subject matter also addresses an unusual situation where there has been contamination into the earth and groundwater beneath a site, but where due to changed circumstances (such as the sinking of ground level from an earthquake, as happened at Fukushima) there are persistent or intermittent situations where hydrostatic pressures are greater beneath a site than at ground level for that site. Fukushima currently stands as an example of this peculiar and difficult situation, where a combination of gravity, great heat and great weight have caused penetration of radioactive materials through concrete containment and into the ground below and groundwater, while simultaneously there may be greater hydrostatic pressure below, such that there is a radioactive artesian effect.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present subject matter will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.

System and method to control migration of contaminates within a water table


A nesting stabilizing device for limiting the rotation of accessories connecting to a hitch receiver with an outward end defining an opening. The outward end of the hitch receiver has a protruding ring about an outward surface. The nesting stabilizer has a base with a body portion receivable in the hitch receiver and also has a flanged collar for engaging the protruding ring on the hitch receiver in an interference fit, the flanged collar further being coupled with an accessory. In addition, the nesting stabilizer includes a fastener operatively connected with the base for urging the flanged collar against the outward end to cause the flanged collar to engage the protruding ring on the outward end. The nesting stabilizer connects the accessory to the hitch receiver upon engagement of the flanged collar with the protruding ring on the hitch receiver.

Hitch receivers are commonly used for attaching accessories to vehicles. The accessories are bicycle racks, cargo baskets, or various carriers and the like, and they are usually attached to a vehicle at its back end. Typically, a hitch receiver is a tube which is substantially square in cross-section (often with rounded corners) with a protruding ring about the outward-facing edge and attached to the vehicle beneath a rear bumper. The accessory is typically intended to support and hold one or more bicycles, cargo, or other similar articles.
The typical hitch receiver is ideal for supporting the typical accessory because the hitch receiver is located at the back end of the vehicle and is securely attached to the vehicle. For example, the hitch receiver is commonly welded or otherwise secured to a chassis or frame of the vehicle.
Various devices for connecting an accessory to a hitch receiver are known, but such devices suffer from a number of imperfections or weaknesses. Many of these imperfections arise because of the requirements that the connecting device should be easy to insert into the hitch receiver, and easy to attach securely to the hitch receiver after insertion. For example, accessories connected to hitch receivers by known devices tend to wobble relative to the hitch receiver (and the vehicle) as the vehicle travels, even where the connection is relatively secure. If not secured again to the hitch receiver after wobbling starts, the connecting device can gradually become less secure, even to the extent of disconnection. In addition, wobbling movement of the accessory relative to the hitch receiver can lead to the bicycles or other cargo on the accessory being jarred loose, and falling off the accessory. Also, known connecting devices do not provide for relatively fast and simple disconnection of the accessory from the hitch receiver.
Clamps and similar fasteners are often used to minimize movement of the accessory relative to the hitch receiver. However, these known clamps usually operate to secure the accessory to any two of four sides of the hitch receiver, so these clamps permit movement of the accessory relative to the hitch receiver in two directions. Other approaches have been to attempt to secure the hitch bar from the inside of the hitch receiver using a fitted plate and draw bolt or by using a split wedge drawn up inside the hitch receiver by use of a dog-legged bolt. These are both inadequate solutions due to the extra modifications and mechanics involved in fitting the pieces together.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,417 to Shoemaker addresses this problem through the use of a wedge-shaped (incurvate, actually) bar inserted into a hitch receiver, the purpose of which is to have the expanding sides of the bar contact the inside of the hitch receiver as the bar was drawn into the hitch receiver via a screw action component. This arrangement presents the possibility of weakening and perhaps even splitting the hitch receiver much the same as a wedge driven into a piece of firewood splits the wood. A failure of this type would render the hitch receiver unusable, necessitating its replacement, or worse, could cause the loss of an accessory (or subsequent towing application) at highway speeds.
A better concept would be to compress the hitch receiver from the outside in, as contrasted to expanding the hitch receiver from the inside out. This yields two significant benefits: a) a reduction in the chance of premature fatigue failure of the hitch receiver, and b) greater lateral stability by gripping the outside of the hitch receiver rather than the inside (for exactly the same reason that more torque can be applied to larger bolt-heads than to smaller ones).
This approach grips the outside of the hitch receiver due to the realization that the exterior dimensions of a hitch receiver are nearly as universal as the interior dimensions, thanks to the relatively standard size of the reinforcing ring attached to the outboard end of the hitch receiver. Historically this ring has been fabricated out of the next largest square tubing size from that of the hitch receiver's main tube. Recently, some manufacturers have employed a method of using a one-piece tube and deforming the outboard end to mimic the reinforcement qualities of a separate reinforcing ring, but even in these cases the exterior dimensions remain fairly consistent.
The present invention satisfies the need for an improved connecting device for connecting an accessory to a hitch receiver that satisfies the ease-of-attachment requirement as well as solving the lateral wobbling, rattling and loosening problems inherent with previously-described solutions. It also satisfies these requirements by using the existing infrastructure inherent in every hitch receiver on the market, namely the securing pin hole and the protruding ring about the outward end of the hitch receiver. Because of the unique design of the flanged collar, the present invention accommodates various sizes of protruding rings and secures the accessory on all four sides of the hitch receiver with great affect and without having to employ modifications to the hitch receiver.


A multiprocessor switching device substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described in connection with a packet data transfer circuit that uses a fragment storage buffer to align and/or merge data being transferred to or from memory on a plurality of channels. In a packet reception embodiment, a data shifter and fragment store buffer are used to align received packet data to any required offset. The aligned data may and then be written to the system bus or combined with data fragments from prior data cycles before being written to the system bus. When packet data is being transferred to memory on a plurality of channels, the fragment storage may be channelized using register files or flip-flops to store intermediate values of packets and states for each channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed in general to data communications. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method and system for improving memory read and write operations in microprocessor or multiprocessor computer devices.
2. Related Art
As is known, communication technologies that link electronic devices may use computer system switching devices to route and process signal information. Some communication technologies interface one or more processor devices for processing packet-based signals in a network of computer systems, and typically include one or more receive/transmit interfaces. These interfaces generally function to convert data from a high-speed communication protocol (e.g., HT, SPI, etc.) utilized between processor devices and the generic format of data utilized within the processor device. The generic format may include 8 byte data words or 16 byte data words formatted in accordance with a proprietary protocol, in accordance with asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, in accordance with internet protocol (IP) packets, in accordance with transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) packets, and/or in general, in accordance with any packet-switched protocol or circuit-switched protocol.
Each interface typically includes a dedicated DMA engine used to transmit received packets from the receive interface to memory in the system over a system or memory bus, and to transmit packets from the memory over the memory bus to the transmit interface for transmission. If a given system includes two or more packet interfaces, the system includes DMA engines for each interface. Such conventional systems typically include an I/O bus (for example, in the receive interface) that has the same width as the memory bus, making for straightforward transfers between the busses. But where the data to be written to or read from memory does not match or align with the memory block size (such as occurs when descriptors are used to point to multiple cache buffers storing a data packet), the DMA engine in such conventional systems must perform a Read-Modify-Write (RMW) operation in order to write the data back to the memory. This requires the DMA engine to wait for reads from the main memory for each RMW operation, thereby degrading the speed and performance of the DMA engine. For data read operations, data from memory must be converted to fit the bus width requirements of the transmit interface. When multiple channels are executing DMA transfers, an additional challenge is posed by having to maintain partial results for all active channels.
Therefore, a need exists for methods and/or apparatuses for improving the processing of memory transfers to quickly and efficiently transfer data to and from memory. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art after reviewing the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings and detailed description which follow.

Fragment storage for data alignment and merger


A fluid analysis method is provided. A gradient distribution of a first scalar property of a calibration fluid in a space is obtained. A calibration schlieren image of the calibration fluid is acquired and processed to obtain an intensity distribution of the calibration schlieren image. The gradient distribution of the first scalar property of the calibration fluid in the space is mapped to the intensity distribution of the calibration schlieren image, so as to obtain a corresponding relation between the gradients of the first scalar property and the intensities. A test schlieren image of a test fluid is acquired and processed to obtain intensity distribution of the test schlieren image. The intensity distribution of the test schlieren image is converted to the gradient distribution of the first scalar property of the test fluid according to the corresponding relation. Moreover, a fluid analysis system is also provided.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an analysis method and an analysis system. Particularly, the invention relates to a fluid analysis method and a fluid analysis system.
2. Related Art
When developing a micro total analysis system (μTAS), it is vital and indispensible to be able to analyze the properties inside the microfluidics in order to incorporate the micro total analysis system to a boarder and more complex line of designs.
However, the analysis methods commonly used in pervious studies are limited to either two-dimensional or steady measurements. For example, although a micro-particle imaging velocimetry (μPIV) technique or a fluorescent method may provide velocity measurements or mixing quantitation of a full flow field, it is only applicable to two-dimensional (2D) measurements. On the other hand, a confocal laser scanning microscopy technique can be applied to the three-dimensional (3D) measurements. Nevertheless, it is flawed by the vast cost and the limitation of the slow scanning rate.

Fluid analysis method and fluid analysis system


Food coating compositions are disclosed which are based on a high percentage of corn starch. The compositions preferably contain lower percentages of tapioca starch. The compositions may also contain potato starch, tapioca dextrin, rice flour, leavening agent, xanthan gum, whey or nonfat milk, colorants and flavorants. The coatings may be advantageously used to coat vegetable products, including potato, to enhance flavor and other characteristics.

Coating materials for food products and coated food products are known including those for coated french fry potato products and other vegetables. The coatings typically available in the market and in use contain a high level of flour (wheat, corn, etc.) or starch, depending on the purpose of the coater. In a thin coater designed to minimize alteration of the food product's original appearance, it is felt that substantial benefits can be achieved through the use of coating compositions containing more starch than flour. It is also felt that substantial benefits can be achieved through the use of coating compositions containing more corn starch than potato starch and through the addition of tapioca starch.
Corn starches are more available and their quality is generally more consistent than potato starches. The potato starches typically used in the United States are usually derived and modified from waste water from potato processors. This raw material supply is limited and quality is inconsistent. Other potato starches are produced from whole potatoes in Europe, but quality of these potato starches may be inconsistent due to variations in crop year quality and shipping costs may add to their expense. Perhaps for these reasons, potato starches are generally more expensive and less cost efficient than corn starches.
The higher quality and greater uniformity of modified corn starches results in a coating that is consistent and more easily applied to products without, or with greatly reduced, sticking and lumping. This permits the manufacturers to increase processing line through-put improving product volume and efficiencies. In addition, these qualities carry over to end users, allowing them to finish fry the product from frozen or thawed conditions without the product sticking together and without significant breakdown of the coating.
Products coated with modified corn starch based coating compositions may also display better holding characteristics under and away from the heat lamp after frying. High wheat flour or corn flour based thin coaters can become soft and chewy under the heat lamp, while high potato starch based coated products may have a tendency to turn tough and leathery. On the other hand, some corn starch based coated products remain tender yet crisp. This results in less waste for the restaurant operators and ensures the end customers of a quality product even if they reheat the product in an oven when they get to their destination.
Further benefits are achieved through the use of tapioca starch in addition to corn starch. The flour portion can be reduced or eliminated entirely. In this way, a gluten-free coating that improves texture and holding time can be provided while the risk of allergic reaction by a protein sensitive person is minimized. However, the use of large percentages of high amylose starches can increase reticulation and toughness in thin coated products.
An object of the present invention is to provide a coating and coated products that have consistent, favorable taste and use characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coating that increases crispness and helps maintain eating quality over an extended period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coating that does not mask or interfere with the natural flavor or appearance of food but is receptive to seasonings and/or flavorants.
Another object of the present invention is to produce a coating that is easy and economical to use.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.


A heat exchanger may include a connection plate for fastening to a component and a plurality of pan elements stacked on top of each other and soldered together adjacent to the connection plate. At least one of the pan elements may be arranged directly adjacent to the connection plate may have an outwardly protruding, flange-like rim configured to rest against the connection plate and stiffen the same.

Heat exchangers, in particular so-called oil-water heat exchangers on internal combustion engines are subjected to significant oscillations and vibrations, which is the reason why a connection plate via which the heat exchanger is mounted, for example, to an internal combustion engine, is formed comparatively thick and thus strengthened. However, a connection plate strengthened in this manner results in a comparatively high weight and requires in addition a certain installation space which can be a problem in particular with respect to a steadily decreasing installation space available within modern engine compartments.


A first aid trauma kit case that provides for a means of treating specific trauma injuries related to massive bleeding and tension pneumothorax. An embodiment of the first aid trauma kit case contains as part of its architecture an easily readable format for identifying an injury location and instructions, that are integrated as part of the case, on how to apply certain specific medical devices contained within the case. An embodiment of the case also provides for a color-coded identification system for easy identification of the preferred treatment method for the suffered trauma injury. The design of the integrated instructions and the color-coded system work in tandem to provide for a quick method of identifying and treating specific types of trauma related injuries.

In emergency medical situations where a person is exposed to a trauma related injury, such as an active shooter incident where a person has suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso, a limb or a junctional area such as the hip or shoulder, time is of the essence for treating treatable life-threatening wounds. More often than not, first responders and professional medical care is not close enough to render the proper medical aid in time to save the life of a person afflicted with this type of treatable traumatic injury. Prior art in this crowded field has attempted to address this issue, however, there has been no widespread acceptance or solution to this problem. A plethora of prior art demonstrate numerous medical kits claiming easy to use treatment for trauma related injuries, however, none address the issue that is the need for specific trauma care that is needed in the gap in time that exists, between the time of traumatic injury and treatment by a first responder or professional medical care. For example a trauma injury that severs the femoral artery can result in death in as little as two minutes, the average response for law enforcement to the scene of an active shooter situation ranges from three to five minutes.
A prior art example provides for a trauma medical kit that treats a wide variety of trauma related injuries ranging from treating an eye injury to massive bleeding and includes a multitude of treatment options accompanied by color coordination and an instructional card. In an emergency situation where a person should be focused on life saving trauma care the addition of non-life threating injury treatment packets can be confusing and overwhelming. An eye injury is not a life-threatening injury that should be compared to a femoral artery bleed which is considered a massive bleed and can result in death in as little as two minutes. Furthermore, in a life-threatening situation the inclusion of a multitude of treatment options for a particular type of injury will only cause confusion and ultimately delay life-saving treatment while a lay person who is attempting to render aid attempts to determine which is the most appropriate treatment option. Every delay wastes precious time that literally means the difference between life and death.
In this same prior art, a separate but connected information chart with pictorial representations of particular treatment steps is provided for to accompany the trauma kit and assist users. This is problematic as the chart can be separated from the kit as any type of tether may break. In another prior art example, a medical compartment cover is provided for which can be removed and provides information for use of the medical care kit contents. This has the same separation issue that is the separation of treatment and instructions to apply such treatments. Medical kits are often carried in a variety of ways and are subject to hard use, accordingly any type of instructional card, chart, or information that can be separated from the kit itself presents the problem of separating the instructions from the medical kits and devices they contain. Without instructions a lay person will not be able to effectively render life-saving aid.
Additional prior art and unpublished prior art examples provide for medical treatment packets. This is problematic in that the precious time it takes opening a package can result in an untimely death. Unpublished prior art examples actually contain life saving trauma devices in a vacuum sealed plastic pouch that takes tools to cut into and open. If a person in need does not have a tool to open the package they will die as a result of not being able to access needed medical devices.


Systems and methods thereof for obtaining metrics and an accurate threshold to prevent loudspeaker overheating, based on autocorrelation and cross-correlation of band-pass filtered current and voltage measurements are disclosed. The methods invented are based on instantaneous voltage and current measurements. The invention does not require a DC or pilot signal to be added to the audio signal in order to do perform the measurement, and it is not disturbed by capacitive or inductive components in the complex impedance of the voice coil.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to loudspeaker systems and relates more specifically to methods and apparatus for computing a metric value for loudspeaker protection.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that loudspeakers can be damaged due to overheating when driven at high output levels, especially for audio applications that contain high frequency components. Current practice is to prevent loudspeaker damage by simply hard or soft limiting the maximum power output to the loudspeaker.
As a result the maximum sound pressure level (SPL) that can be produced is severely limited even if the actual temperature of the loudspeaker is below the damage threshold. More advanced systems incorporate a simple thermal model of the loudspeaker which may not be accurate, or a temperature sensor to activate the limiter, which introduces additional complexity and cost.
Therefore it would be desirable to achieve a method for obtaining a threshold value for loudspeaker protection, based on instantaneous voltage and current measurements.
It is also challenge for engineers to achieve loudspeaker protection at reasonable cost without requiring additional devices to the loudspeaker.

Method and apparatus for computing metric values for loudspeaker protection


Systems and methods analyze, diagnose, and/or treat a patient's eye using modified forms of the point spread function (“PSF”) tailored to the vision system. Factors that alter perception of visual aberrations can be included and/or volumetric point spread functions calculated, often using point spread function calculations throughout a range of optical distances to more fully indicate the variation in visual perception of optics at different distances. A variety of visual affects of the human optical system can be simulated, analyzed, and modeled, including: single versus multiple wavelength sources, chromatic aberrations, retinal resolution, wavelength-dependent visual response, Stiles-Crawford effects, and/or non-linearity of retinal response. The perceived point spread function can offer objective confirmation of the patient's visual perception, allow a treating physician to see a closer approximation of what the patient sees, indicate the scale and significance of wavefront aberrations, and/or show which aberrations affect vision and which do not.

This invention generally relates to optical system analysis, and in particular embodiments provides methods and systems for evaluating and/or treating an eye of a patient, generally through the use of point spread functions tailored to model the patient's visual perception. Other embodiments make use of volumetric point spread functions spread throughout an imaging distance range. Graphical representations of perceived point spread function and/or volumetric point spread functions can validate a patient's perception, and may be used to develop a specific prescription for the patient or new classes of refractive corrections for a number of patients.
An individual's visual perception can be measured in a variety of different ways, and can be affected by a number of different factors. Visual acuity is among the more common visual perception measurements. Traditionally, measuring visual acuity of the human eye has involved using eye charts. Visual acuity measurements can be affected by objective factors such as the optical characteristics of the cornea and lens, as well as subjective factors such as light absorption and detection in the retina, neural processing in the brain, and the like. While visual acuity measurements can provide a good overall measurement of visual perception capabilities, they provide little guidance regarding the specific defects or weaknesses of the visual system which might be limiting visual perception for a particular patient.
More recently, objective measurements of optical performance of the eye have been made possible. Wavefront measurements using Hartmann-Shack sensors now allow optical aberrations to be measured across the optical system. From these aberration measurements, a variety of objective optical performance characteristics may be calculated. These objective optical aberration measurement and calculated performance characteristics have significantly advanced the art of diagnosing and treating a patient's optical tissues over the last several years. It is now common, for example, for aberration measurements of a patient to be used for developing custom prescriptive refractive corrections for the patient's eye, with these prescriptions often being imposed using laser eye surgery. By combining the new objective aberration measurement techniques with the laser refractive correction capabilities of laser eye surgery, many patients can have both lower order optical errors (such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism) and higher order aberrations partially and/or substantially fully corrected, thereby providing many patient's with visual acuities of greater than 20/20.
As with many such successes, however, still further improvements would be desirable. In particular, the known objective visual performance characteristics now being calculated from aberration data do not capture many of the subtleties of the human vision system. Wavefront measurements and calculated aberration characteristic displays, for example, are often not intuitively understood by the great majority of patients.
In light of the above, it would be generally desirable to provide enhanced systems and methods for diagnosing, analyzing, and treating aberrations of a patient's eye. It would also be beneficial to provide enhanced visual perception effect models and graphical representations which more precisely match the patient's perception. It would be particularly advantageous if these improvements could make use of the objective aberration measurements now available and could both more closely model the patient's perception from their visual system.

Volumetric point spread function for eye diagnosis and treatment


A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for providing a network-based child financial support framework. First, a database is maintained including information on a received financial support payment utilizing a network. Further, general information is provided relating to the financial support payment utilizing the network. The calculation of a proper amount of the financial support payment may also be allowed based on a profile a user. Still yet, a history associated with the financial support payment is displayed.

Currently, child support systems rely heavily on telephonic or in-person communications between custodial and non-custodial parents and state agency staff. Even simple questions about such things as status of support payments have to be answered by talking to a staff member with dedicated computer terminals connected directly to intra-agency computer systems, resulting in the custodial parents having very little active participation in the management of their cases.
Parents and state staff members also rely on mail to communicate. However, correspondence sent through the postal system is slow and may get lost. Further, postage costs place a heavy burden on already strained budgets.
What is needed is a system that allows parents involved in a child support case to access information immediately without speaking directly to a state agency staff member or waiting for correspondence.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System, method and article of manufacture for a network-based child support framework


A touchless and motion-sensing hand sanitizing dispenser that functions as an elevator call button. This invention is intended as a hallway call button retrofit device for existing systems, and it will also benefit both new and modernized installations. In addition to improving on public hygiene, this call system improves on the functionality of conventional call systems by obtaining a better estimate of the people waiting for the elevator in a given direction. This invention will also collect utilization and performance data for the elevator system.

Recent developments in elevator systems referred to as "destination elevators" have heralded the demise of traditional elevator hallway call buttons. These new systems replace hallway call buttons with touch screens, or keypads, and displays. These new elevator call systems have a number of shortcomings but more importantly they do nothing to improve public health and hygiene for the elevator passengers.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the world will never be the same. Anything that can provide a more germ-free environment will be highly desirable for public use. Even before COVID-19, the design of public spaces has seen a trend toward touchless and motion-sensing equipment, notably in sinks and light switches. The general population is also familiar with the appearance and operation of hand sanitizer dispensers. This invention makes use of the public's increasing familiarity with touchless technology as well as the increasing demand for sanitary conditions in public spaces. Hallway mounted elevator call buttons are germ-ridden surfaces, as are the floor selection buttons in an elevator car. This invention allows people to call for an elevator by making their hands cleaner rather than dirtier.
Some of the related prior art in this area is as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,655 Non-contact Elevator Call Button: This invention employs infrared beams with a fixed reflection point in unprotected space 3 inches from the device surface. Some of the drawbacks:                User training is mentioned and would be required.        Motion sensing is not mentioned, but even with it there will be a high number of unintended button activations by people and devices passing by.        No attempt is made to clean the passengers' hands or collect advanced traffic data.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,023,427 B2 Touchless Gesture Recognition For Elevator Service: This invention uses unspecified sensors to sense and recognize hand movements in an open and unrestricted space. Some of the drawbacks:                User training would be extensive and gesture systems are not known for their reliability.        Given the open nature of the sensing area, a number of unintended button activations will result from normal activity in that area.        No attempt is made to clean the passengers' hands or collect advanced traffic data.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,872,387 B2 Non-contact Selection Switch: This invention makes use of interrupted optical beams in a confined space. Some of the drawbacks:                In an attempt to meet ADA requirements this device is combined with conventional buttons. This is confusing and will require special training to see the main benefit.        The device opening is narrow and it is intended for operation with one finger. This limited space makes it difficult for most passengers to achieve a non-contact activation.        No attempt is made to clean the passengers' hands or collect advanced traffic data.
The following two different patents have similar drawbacks:
U.S. Pat. No. 9,463,955 B2 Elevator Operator Interface With Virtual Activation:
U.S. Pat. No. 10,618,773 B2 Elevator Operation Control Device and Method Using Monitor: These two inventions both use vision systems to perform a spatial recognition of a finger that is positioned over a key on a keyboard. These systems will then activate a button on the keyboard when a finger is positioned over the button but not touching it. Some of the drawbacks:                Both of these inventions are intended for use with destination dispatching systems which are very complex and require extensive user training in addition to the non-contact nature of the keyboard system.        For this system to work, it will need to have a defined finger dwell time over a button. If this dwell time is too short, it will result in false activations, as fingers move around the keyboard. If the dwell time is too long, it will result in frustration and button contact.        No attempt is made to clean the passengers' hands or collect advanced traffic data.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,986 Electronic Control Button Operated By Sound Absorption: This invention is the first known use of ultrasound in an elevator button. Some of the drawbacks:                It is a contact style device.        No attempt is made to clean the passengers' hands or collect advanced traffic data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,860 Elevator Traffic Demand Detector: This invention is an extremely complex collection of sensors and software. The sole purpose of this invention is to collect advanced traffic demand data for the elevator system. The high cost of installing and maintaining such a complex system only serves to emphasize the importance of this data which is critical to improving elevator performance. The disadvantage would be the high cost and complexity of the system.


A debris ejecting sprocket comprising a body (100), a plurality of teeth (101) projecting from the body, a plurality of grooves (102) in alternating arrangement with the teeth, each groove receives a belt tooth, a cavity (103) disposed radially inward from each groove and communicating with the groove, the cavity further comprises a land (111) for supporting the belt, the land disposed between the groove and the cavity, and the cavity comprising a surface (104) disposed at an angle (θ) with respect to an axial direction (A-A).

Belt driven power transmission systems are routinely used for a wide variety of applications, including automotive, agricultural, industrial, recreational and so on. The typical system comprises a toothed belt which engages a sprocket. The system allows high power transmission between the driver and the driven due to the positive mechanical engagement between the belt teeth and the sprocket grooves. Typically, the belts are subjected to a preload to assure that the teeth do not ratchet. The need for preload and proper engagement between the belt and sprocket requires that debris not be allowed to become entrapped between the belt and sprocket.
Off-road bicycles, also called mountain bikes, are used on various types of terrain in any kind of weather. In wet weather the terrain can be muddy. Mud and other debris can stick to the bike frame, tires and become entrapped in the drive train. Drive trains typically comprise chains and more recently belts.
Debris can present a problem for belt driven bikes. Mud and debris trapped between the belt and the sprocket can lead to system malfunction, belt ratcheting and premature belt failure.
Representative of the art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,388 (1989) which discloses a crop gathering head 10 including crop gathering belt 11, 12 of reinforced elastomeric material and its associated driving sprocket 30 and idler sheave 50 is described. The belt 11 or 12, sprocket 30 and sheave 50 system may be used to convey crops into a combine. The belt 11 or 12 includes a plurality of cleats 20 of elastomeric material on its top surface 18 and a plurality of equally spaced driving lugs 24 of elastomeric material on its bottom surface 19. The sprocket 30 has first and second sides 31, 32 respectively and comprises a plurality of equally spaced apart radially projecting teeth 33 separated by first and second cavities 34, 34′ respectively. The first cavities 34 are open only to the first side 31 of the sprocket 30. The second cavities 34′ are open only to the second side 32 of the sprocket 30. The depth D of each cavity exceeds the height H of each driving lug 24 of the belt 11 or 12 and the cavities 34, 34′ are shaped such that foreign material, for example, corn kernels, mud and ice do not clog the driving sprockets 30 and belts 11 or 12 and disable the system. Each belt 11 or 12 is also entrained about an idler sheave 50 that includes a cylindrical hub 51 having a pair of axially spaced radially projecting flanges 52, 53 respectively thereon. The inner side surfaces 54 of the flanges 52, 53 converge in a direction toward the axis of rotation 55 of the sheave 50. Each flange 52 or 53 is interrupted in the circumferential direction of the sheave 50 to provide a self-cleaning effect upon engagement with its associated belt 11 or 12.
What is needed is a debris ejecting sprocket having a cavity disposed radially inward from each groove and communicating with the groove, the cavity comprising a surface disposed at an angle (θ) with respect to an axial direction for ejecting debris. The present invention meets this need.


A suction apparatus for a water beam that directs a liquid jet at a passing a fabric web workpiece has a suction chamber extending transversely adjacent the jet and having a perforated lower wall sloping downward away from an upper region close to the water beam and a lower region remote therefrom. Air is withdrawn from inside the chamber to aspirate spray from adjacent the jet through the perforated lower wall.

In the manufacture of a fabric web workpiece, e.g. woven, knitted, or nonwoven fabric including felts and fleeces made of staple fibers, continuous filaments or cellulose fibers and even having multiple layers. Such fabrics are typically treated by passing them over a support and directing high-pressure liquid jets at them from an overhead jet beam. A perforated suction surface provided below the jet beam aspirates the spray. A so-called suction chamber is provided between the jet beam and the workpiece to aspirate spray created by the process.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,335 to collect the liquid spraying against the water beam. Here the suction apparatus is located to the side of the water beam and extends along its entire length. A funnel-shaped slot formed at the edge of the water beam has a slot width of approximately 2 mm at its inner end. If a sufficiently strong vacuum is connected to the otherwise completely enclosed apparatus, all the droplets including any spray mist from the underside of the water beam can be aspirated safely from the goods being needled.
A water beam for the water needling of fabrics is further known from WO 2001/040562 of Vuillaume that has a suction chamber attached to the water beam in an upper region and forming a groove adjacent the water jets, with a porous floor adjacent this groove. Thus spray is aspirated both through the groove and through the porous floor. Spray can only inadequately be removed with this apparatus. Furthermore, spray cannot be aspirated on the opposite side of the water jet.

Suction apparatus for a fabric-treatment water-jet beam


A method for avoiding influence of hemoglobin, in which the influence is caused by the changes with time in the absorption wavelength of hemoglobin when light absorption of a color reaction of a sample is measured by a rate assay, wherein the method comprises measuring the light absorption at a wavelength of from 517 to 529 nm or from 580 to 592 nm.

In carrying out biochemical assays and biochemical measurements in clinical tests, there are two methods: one is a method using liquid reagents, and the other is a method using dry reagents (referred to as "dry assay elements"). In both methods, coloration of a reaction system is observed for detection or determination by using light reflectance. Particularly, a rate assay (a method measuring changed amounts at two or more points and the concentration is calculated from the obtained reaction rate) is an assay method generally used for the light absorption measurement using dry assay elements.
In such a method, hemocytes are separated and removed from whole blood and the resulting plasma or serum is used as a sample to be tested. However, the plasma or serum sample is sometimes contaminated by hemoglobin when the sample is prepared from whole blood in which hemolysis of erythrocytes occurred before or during the separation step. As a consequence, the data obtained by this assay become greatly different from the actual data, because the data of the desired component are overlapped with those of hemoglobin (so-called "fogging") and the absorption of hemoglobin changes with time.
Consequently, it is necessary to avoid influence of the changes with time in the absorption of hemoglobin. Some methods have been proposed for this purpose such as a method measuring a blank, a method denaturing hemoglobin physically or chemically to prevent the changes with time (e.g., JP-B-3-58467, the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") and a method measuring light absorption at a wavelength of 650 nm or more at which hemoglobin shows less absorption (e.g., JP-A-62-209360, the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
Of these methods, the method measuring a blank requires extra labor because the light absorptions of the blank and sample are measured. Particularly, when dry assay elements are used, the blank measurement is difficult because all reagents to be used are combined in one form.
Also, the method denaturing hemoglobin requires complex handling and may denature the desired component to be assayed (for example, enzyme), so that this method is not suitable for the dry assay element whose advantage is easy and simple handling.
The method measuring light absorption at a wavelength of 650 nm or more at which hemoglobin shows less absorption is effective when liquid reagents are used. That is, although absorption of hemoglobin is slightly detectable at a wavelength of 650 nm or more, the fogging of hemoglobin causes no problem when an excessively diluted sample such as the liquid system is measured at a wavelength of small hemoglobin absorption (for example, 680 nm).
However, when a sample is used in an assay without dilution such as the case of dry assay elements, even a small absorption of hemoglobin at a wavelength of 600 nm or more exerts serious problematic influence upon the measured value.

Method for avoiding influence of hemoglobin


A modular operating table comprises a support (10) and a base part (20) attached to the support (10), the base part (20) providing a first region of a support surface for a patient's body during surgery, the base part (20) comprising side bars (21) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support surface in lateral edge regions of the support surface. A seat element (30) is attached to the base part (20), the seat element (30) providing a second region of the support surface, a width of the second region decreasing in a distal direction, symmetric to a central longitudinal axis of the support surface, the seat element (30) having at least two first connection elements for the distal attachment of functional components, the at least two first connection elements being arranged along main axes of the side bars. A first functional component (40.1, 40.2) comprising a generally triangular plate (42.1, 42.2) provides a third region of the support surface. The first functional component (40.1, 40.2) is attachable to one of the at least two first connection elements of the seat element, the attachment of two of said first functional components (40.1, 40.2) complementing a generally rectangular support area in a distal region of the seat element (30). The first functional component (40.1, 40.2) has a second connection element for the distal attachment of functional components, the second connection element being arranged along the main axis of the corresponding side bar when the first functional component (40.1, 40.2) is attached to the seat element (30).

Such modular operating tables that allow for different configurations, depending on the surgical operation to be performed, are known in the prior art.
As an example, WO 2009/062545 A1 (Schaerer Mayfield) discloses an operating table comprising a base plate, a central supporting means, a lying down area, and a modular device for positioning and immobilisation of a patient's body for surgical operations. The modular device comprises a first supporting means for supporting the patient's pelvis and at least one second supporting means with a foot tether-connecting means for immobilisation and positioning of a patient's leg, whereby the at least one second supporting means is pivotable in the horizontal and/or in the vertical plane with respect to the first supporting means. This design allows for easy positioning and immobilization of the patient's legs for orthopedic surgical operations. The positioning can be performed not only prior to the operation, but also during the operation in an easy way, also by non-sterile persons. The modular construction therefore allows for performing a broad spectrum of different kinds of orthopedic operations, including minimally invasive surgical operations on the hip and/or pelvis of a patient.
The operating table proposed in WO 2009/062545 A1 allows for the attachment of (temporary) supports that are used in the context of orthopedic surgery. However, in trauma surgery it is often not known as initio what kind of surgical interventions will be necessary. Accordingly, based on a first inspection of the patient, experience and intuition the responsible surgeon will choose either an orthopedic (trauma) operating table or a universal operating table. If it turns out later that the other type of table should be used the patient needs to be repositioned onto the other table which takes valuable time and represents a burden on the patient. Despite the modularity of the (modular orthopedic) operating table shown in WO 2009/062545 A1 repositioning will be necessary if a universal operating table is favorable.


Even if undecided portion is contained in the data which is necessary for a series of business processings, necessary data is transmitted to the business processing section which wants to confirm the necessary data without carrying out the destination specifying operation. When inputting data from the business processing section in charge of input, parameters representing the degrees of decision are input together with the data and are stored in a database which is common to the business processing sections, the progress stage of a series of business processings is judged on the basis of a progress stage definition table in which the relation between the input situation of the data items and the parameters, and the progress stages of the series of business processings is defined. The data items which are to be transmitted in the progress stages and the transmission destinations are judged based on a transmission destination definition table in which the relation among the progress stages of the series of business processings, the data items as objects of the transmission and the transmission destinations is defined. The data of interest is fetched from the common database, and is transmitted to a data input/output unit of the business processing section as the transmission destination obtained by the judgement results.

The present invention relates in general to a method and an apparatus for transmitting data in correspondence to a progress stage of a series of business processings, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus which are capable of carrying out suitable data transmission in business activities in which a series of business processings are carried out through the participation of many business processing sections or many persons in charge of the business processings.
While it has been popularized that a series of business processings utilizing a database are carried out by a computer, business processings based on the electronic transmission of data between the sections in charge of the business processing of interest, in which the information processing technology is utilized, have been rapidly increased in various business activities in business enterprises as the scale of networks have been enlarged, and also end user computing is improved due to open system and down sizing.
However, even through data exchange utilizing such information processing technologies is applied to a series of business processings utilizing the database, actually, information transmission in the business processings which are conventionally carried out by exchanging paper based cutforms, documents and papers between sections in charge of the business processings (or the persons in charge of the business processings) is merely replaced with processing in which a section in charge of a business processing produces cutforms, documents and the like as electronic data, and the data in units of the cutforms and the documents are transmitted/received to/from the next section in charge of the next business processing by utilizing online networks and the like. In other words, it is difficult to say that a series of business processings utilizing the database, and the exchange of the business data, between the sections in charge of the business processings utilizing online network are carried out closely in cooperation with each other.
In the present circumstances as described above, since data of cutforms is treated as the units of data delivery, when all of the data has become complete with respect to the cutforms in a certain section in charge of the business processing, all of the data is transmitted to the next section. Therefore, any section subsequent to the next section in charge of the subsequent business processings cannot be informed of contents of data until all of the data on the cutforms has been decided.

Method and apparatus for transmitting data in correspondence to a progress stage of a series of business processings


An optical component includes a lens holder including a first electrode, an insulating structure formed on the first electrode and having a through hole provided as an optical path, and at least one second electrode formed inside the insulating structure to encompass the through hole, and at least one microlens located in the through hole and formed of transparent resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical component, and more particularly, to an optical component having a barrel structure with micro lenses and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable imaging devices have come into widespread use in recent years, which has increased a need for high-performance microlenses.
In general, microlenses are known to be fabricated by a replica method using a mold. This replica method is broadly used to fabricate the microlenses or a microlens array having the microlenses arranged therein at a low cost. Examples of a general method of fabricating or replicating the microlenses may include a modified lithographic-galvanic (LIGA) process, isotropic etching of silicon, use of a gray scale mask, direct writing via E-beam or laser, precision machining of a mold, and reflow of a photo-sensitive material.
For example, a method of fabricating a microlens array using a reflow process of a photosensitive layer is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 2003-0024597. Further, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 5,310,623, a replica of a microlens is produced in a photoresist material with a gray scale mask.
However, according to the general method of fabricating microlenses (or microlens array), it costs considerable money and time to produce lenses having a desired precise shape. In addition, it is difficult to fabricate microlenses having various shapes, such as a lens having a great numerical aperture and an aspherical lens due to difficulties during a reflow process and the manufacturing of a molding.

Optical component and method of manufacturing the same


A method and a system for locating ground equipment transmitting signals to a geostationary satellite, the method and the system being based on identifying the arrival directions of such signals within the coverage zone of the satellite. In the method, the arrival directions of the signals are identified by using a beam-forming active-module array antenna system on board the satellite, the system being controlled to define simultaneous beams in the radiation pattern of the antenna, the beams being superposed on one another with small offsets, the superposed beams corresponding to a limited analysis zone being illuminated within the coverage zone of the satellite, the system further being associated with a digital processing program which identifies the arrival directions of the signals which are received in the analysis zone.

Considerable progress has been made in miniaturizing ground equipment designed to transmit signals to geostationary satellites. Such equipment is now commercially available and is known under the acronym "VSAT".
Civil telecommunications space network operators are finding that interference signals are being transmitted from unauthorized ground equipment fraudulently taking advantage of satellites operated by such operators.
Such interference signals are mixed with or even superimposed on the telecommunications signals normally received by the geostationary satellites of such space networks.
Situations are currently being encountered in which satellites in such space networks receive tens of interference signals in addition to legitimate signals.
As a result, the operators of such networks suffer considerable financial losses, and their customers suffer a reduction in transmission quality because of interference between the interference signals and the legitimate signals.
Therefore, operators currently need to eliminate or at least to reduce the number of such interference signals transmitted towards and to the geostationary satellites in their civil telecommunications space networks.
To this end, it is envisaged for each geostationary satellite to identify the arrival directions of the interference signals within the coverage zone of the satellite, so as to use the arrival directions to locate the ground equipment transmitting such interference signals, and then to have such equipment removed.
Systems are already known for identifying the arrival directions of signals arriving within the coverage zone of a satellite among legitimate other signals but with much higher power levels, i.e. about 20 dB to 25 db above the power levels of the legitimate other signals. In practice, the signals whose arrival directions are to be identified are distinguished from the other signals by their power levels.
Currently implemented known systems for identifying the arrival directions of signals are based on the use of sensors having overall coverage (isotropic over the coverage) installed on the satellite, the number of sensors to be provided depending on the number of signals whose arrival directions are to be identified. To identify the arrival directions of two signals, five sensors must be provided, and to identify the arrival directions of ten signals, twenty-one sensors must be provided.
Such a facility tends to become very complicated and bulky as soon as the number of sensors increases. Above about ten sensors in service, it is considered that the volume of calculations to be performed makes the facility too complex for it to be implemented in a payload on board a geostationary satellite.
In the current context, the interference signals generally have physical characteristics that are quite close to those of the legitimate telecommunications signals, and, in any event, not different enough from those of the legitimate signals to envisage distinguishing the interference signals on the basis of their power levels.

Method and a system for locating ground equipment transmitting via satellites


The transport device for electronic components is formed with at least one recess to accommodate an electronic component. In order to protect the component, the recess is provided with an anticontamination coating.

The present invention relates to a transport device (tray) for electronic components. The device has at least one recess, a so-called tray pocket, to accommodate an electronic component. In such transport devices, it is a problem if the contact terminals or soldered connections of the inserted electronic components come into contact with the walls or the bottom of the recess, since in the event of any movement of the electronic components in the recess, abrasion in the recesses can be produced, which can lead to contamination of the electronic components. Such contamination can impair the quality or the service life of the electronic components and there can also be costs in terms of quality during subsequent process steps.
It has been known in the prior artxe2x80x94as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,104,581 and 5,551,572xe2x80x94 to add certain mixtures, which are intended to prevent abrasion of the material of the transport device, to the material from which the transport devices are produced. This is done during the production process. In this case, however, only the restricted use of materials is possible, since the materials which can be used must ensure mixing with the material of the transport device and appropriate further processing in order to mold the transport device. On the other hand, that prior art proposes making a specific design of the recess in the transport devices, so that the contact terminals or soldered connections of the electronic components do no longer come in mechanical contact with the transport device. However, this requires a very specific design of the recesses in the transport devices, which restricts the use of the transport devices to very specific components.
The object of the invention is to provide a transport device for electronic components with a contamination-preventing coating which overcomes the above-noted deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this kind, and which guarantees an anticontamination effect for transport devices of any desired type in a way which can be used with different types of electronic components.
With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a transport device for electronic components, comprising a tray body formed with one or more recesses for receiving electronic components, and an anticontamination coating covering at least a portion of the recess.
In other words, the objects of the invention are satisfied in that at least a part of the recess in the transport device is provided with an anticontamination coating. This can be an abrasion-resistant coating or a coating which produces precisely defined, nondamaging abrasion.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the anticontamination coating covers only the bottom of the recess, i.e., the surface on which the electronic component subsequently rests. It is also possible for only parts of the bottom of the recess to be provided with this coating, in particular those parts of the bottom on which the soldered connections or contact terminals of the electronic component subsequently rest.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the recess is completely covered with the anti-contamination coating, i.e., the entire recess is provided with the coating.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the entire transport device may be provided with the anticontamination coating.
In principle, all suitable materials which guarantee abrasion resistance can be used for an abrasion-resistant coating. Accordingly, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the anticontamination coating is selected from the group of plastic, metal (preferably Sn or Pb compounds), amorphous carbon, SiN3, and silicone.
The following outline provides exemplary embodiments of the abrasion-resistant coating, including material and thickness specifications together with the respective advantages:
Plastic: Coating by means of the dip process, layer thickness about 0.1 mm.
Advantage: This coating process is very inexpensive for the production and it allows high throughput.
Alternatively, plastic may be coating by means of stereo-lithography and to a layer thickness about 0.1 mm.
Advantage: The process enables precise positioning of the coating, as well achievement of a very resistant surface.
Amorphous carbon: Coating by means of evaporation, layer thickness about 0.05 mm.
Advantage: the amorphous carbon coating provides for a very hard, resistant surface, with microfractal surface structures.
SiN3: Coating by means of evaporation, layer thickness about 0.05 mm.
Advantage: Very hard, resistant surface, microfractal surface structures.
Silicone: Coating by means of spray coating, layer thickness about 0.1 mm.
Advantage: Microfractal surface structure, particularly dirt-repellent (lotus effect).
For a coating with a defined abrasion, the following can be selected:
Metal, in particular Sn or Pb compounds: Coating by means of evaporation, layer thickness about 500-1000 nm. Advantage: The coating has to a large extent the same layer composition as the soldered connections of the electronic component, that is to say abrasion here is nondamaging for the component.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the anticontamination coating ideally has a layer thickness of less than 0.5 mm. In specific terms, the layer thickness can be between 0.001 and 0.1 mm.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a transport device for electronic components with an anticontamination coating, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Transport device for electronic components with an anticontamination coating


Systems, methods, and computer storage mediums are provided for correcting the placement of an object on an image. An example method includes providing the image and depth data that describes the depth of the three-dimensional scene captured by the image. The depth data describes at least a distance between a camera that captured the three-dimensional scene and one or more structures in the scene and a geolocation of the camera when the three-dimensional scene was captured. When the object is moved from a first location on the image to a second location on the image, a set of coordinates that describes the second location relative to the image is received. The set of coordinates are then translated into geolocated coordinates that describe a geolocation that corresponds to the second location. The set of coordinate is translated, at least in part, using the depth data associated with the image.

Geographical information systems provide geographic data to users including maps and various geo-referenced data associated with the maps. Some geographic information systems also provide images of three dimensional scenes on Earth. These images are often associated with data describing the scenes captured in the images, such as the depth of the scene measured from the position of the camera.
Location data for places on the map include, inter alia, names and address. In some cases, location data may not represent the most accurate information. One situation of this, for example, is where a business is located in a building with an address on one street but the entrance to the business is located on an adjacent street.


An orthopedic implant has a plate and bone screws. Configured bone screw pockets of the plate provide variable angling and positional locking of a received bone screw relative. Each bone screw includes distal threads, a neck, and a dual threaded head. The plate has a bone screw pocket on a distal end, a bone screw pocket on a proximal end, and a strut extending between the two bone screw pockets. The bone screw pockets are at least generally cup shaped for receipt of a bone screw. The lower periphery of the opening of each bone screw pocket has an arrangement of configured prongs with configured openings to receive threading on the underside of the dual threaded head of the bone screw. The prongs can preferably, but not necessarily, deform slightly and grab onto the threading of the bone screw head to lock the bone screw in the bone screw pocket. Each prong can act independently.

There are various reasons why surgical intervention may be required with respect to bones of the body. Bone issues such as trauma, disease, acquired or congenital deformity can necessitate the use of one or more orthopedic implant in order to mend, join, and/or fix one or more bones and/or bone portions of the body. One type of orthopedic implant consists of a plate and bone screws to attach the plate to the one or more bones or bone portions.
One issue with plate and screw type orthopedic implants is how to allow for angulation of an attachment bone screw in order to accommodate a patient's anatomy while positively fixing its position once installed. Another issue is how to prevent reverse rotation (back out) of the attachment bone screw once installed. A further issue is the need to minimize the number of components of the implant. While various plate and screw implants have been developed in an attempt to overcome these issues, they fall short of achieving the goal.
Given the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic implant that allows variable angle bone screw locking.

Orthopedic implants with variable angle bone screw locking


A rapidly mounted, modular, universal handrail and grab bar system is disclosed having a plurality of wall mounted supports; a plurality of fasteners securing the wall supports, wherein each support is initially rotationally adjustable about the fastener; at least one stock rail member forms the handrail member, wherein each rail member is received within wall support rail recesses, and wherein the central fastener extends perpendicular to the axis of the rail member; and at least one lateral fastening member to secure the rail member to the support. The rail members can form a pair of back to back mounted grab bars on opposed sides of a partition, wherein a plurality of the wall mounted supports are on each side of the partition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handrails and grab bars, and more particular to a rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system.
2. Background Information
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability or support. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways in order to prevent injurious falls. They can also be called banisters and balustrades. Handrails are typically supported by posts (or balusters) or mounted directly to walls. Other common handrail applications include handrails surrounding balconies.
A further common handrail application is forming a barre (also called a bar), which serve as training aids for ballet dancers. A barre is a stationary handrail that is used during ballet warm up exercises. The term also refers to the exercises that are performed at the barre, as well as that part of a ballet class that incorporates barre exercises.
A further common subset of handrails is known as grab bars. A grab bar is commonly identified as a bar forming a handhold which is designed to help people with disabilities. Grab bars are commonly found in accessible restrooms where they help people get in and out of wheelchairs and walkers. Grab bars can also be installed in full bathrooms to help people navigate the bathroom. In some homes, grab bars are installed in many locations around the house, anticipating a variety of potential needs. Although there is no precise limit or defining length, a grab bar is generally a shorter type hand rail. In fact in most applications a grab bar is a hand rail having only two supports.
There are a number of hand rail and grab bar systems illustrated in the prior art. For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,328 assigned to Constructions Specialties, Inc. discloses a rail and wall support installation includes an adapter which mechanically couples a wall support having a rotatable locking cam portion to an undercut groove on the rear of the rail. The adapter serves both as a mechanical attachment point for the rail to a wall support and to transfer the cam action of the locking cam portion to the rail. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,508,458 and 6,270,058 also assigned to Constructions Specialties, Inc. discloses a similar systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,164 describes handrail system for suspending a handrail spaced from a supporting structure such as a wall with internal clamping brackets providing a trim appearance. The handrail system includes an elongated generally cylindrical rail body having a tubular wall of generally uniform wall thickness surrounding a hollow interior region. Slots are formed in the tubular wall along a line parallel with the rail axis. A rail support assembly connects each slot to the supporting structure. Each rail support structure includes a pair of similar stamped and formed metal brackets. Each bracket includes a flat body and an arm of reduced size extending from the body at an angle and defining a pair of rail engaging shoulders on the body. The arms are inserted through a slot into generally side-by-side relation within the hollow interior region with the shoulders extending beyond the slots. A threaded fastener engages the support structure and the brackets for clamping the bodies together and separating the arms to clamp the interior of the rail and hold the rail against the shoulders.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,433,360 and 3,343,811 disclose handrail mounting systems. Other relevant teachings can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,306,641, 3,223,371, 2,886,278, and 2,807,834.
Many currently available commercial grab bar products are configured with a flange mount that typically utilizes a two or three bolt-mounting pattern. When vertically mounted, these patterns provide for typically only one fastener, at best, on each end to align with a wall stud. If horizontally mounted, engaging a stud with a fastener is only possible if the length of the grab bar is such that it agrees with the spacing of the wall studs, and more often than not, the spacing does not agree. When anchoring to a wall stud is not possible, current grab bar manufacturers recommend using special fasteners such as a Wingits™ brand specialty fasteners and similar fasteners, or toggle bolts or the like. Wingits™ are very expensive and labor intensive. Toggle bolts are not as strong as anchoring to a stud. Consequently wall anchoring of the supports to a stud is preferred.
Thus, for optimum mounting strength, the length of the grab bar must match the spacing of the wall studs so that a fastener can be secured directly to a wall stud. Current commercial grab bar lengths are not adjustable or selectable. As noted above, many if not most of the available grab bar lengths do not agree with stud spacing. Installation is more involved, more time consuming, more labor intensive and more expensive when using special fasteners such as Wingits™ type fasteners, which are necessary when, anchoring to a wall stud is not possible.
Despite the plethora of handrail and grab bar systems developed there remains a need for a cost effective rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system. There is a need for an easy and cost effective rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system and easy back to back grab bar mounting.

Rapidly mounted, modular, universal grab bar and handrail system


Efficient cancellation of AC power line interference from a signal received by electronic instruments, such as biomedical monitors, is obtained by efficiently estimating the magnitude and phase of the noise signal from the contaminated input signal in a digital signal processor. Each interfering noise component of known frequency is represented as a sinusoid composed of cosine and sine components having estimated amplitude parameters. These amplitude parameters are recalculated at discrete points in time in the digital signal processor to carry out substantially a Fourier integration on the input signal at the known frequency f.sub.0 of the interfering signal, with the integration being updated to the last sample. The integration can be carried out to allow the estimates to adapt to time varying amplitudes and/or phases of the interfering signals. Cancellation of the estimated noise sinusoid from the input signal results in an output signal substantially uncontaminated by the noise.

In various types of electronic instruments in which weak signals are highly amplified for further processing, electromagnetic interference from nearby power lines and equipment can often result in significantly contaminated signals. Such contamination frequently arises in the recording of neural signals from the surface of the human body (particularly signals from the brain and spinal cord), with the interference signal sometimes being as large or larger than the signal of interest. The interference typically contains the line fundamental frequency (60 Hz in the U.S. or 50 Hz in Europe) and the first few harmonics of the line frequency.
Many existing biomedical monitoring systems, such as electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring systems, include optional "notch filters" which reduce this power line frequency interference by filtering out all energy at the fundamental frequency, and in some cases at the major harmonics. However, users of the instruments usually prefer to avoid using the notch filters because the filters introduce significant phase distortion near the notch frequencies and frequently cause the filtered signal to "ring" when a transient or impulse-like input is applied. A further disadvantage of the use of notch filters is that because they eliminate virtually all energy at and near the notch frequency, important signal components can be lost.

Efficient cancelling of AC line interference in electronic instrumentation


Apparatus for monitoring transient events in a power supply line the apparatus comprising a transient hold circuit having an input and an output wherein said input is arranged to be connected to said power supply line; and arranged to present at least one of a maximum and a minimum power value at said output; a time module adapted to allocate a time stamp to a detected power transient presented at said output; and a memory for storing said power transient and said corresponding time stamp.

Voltage supplies to computer systems should ideally be consistently accurate and reliable and preferably without transients, such as voltage peaks and troughs, since these can cause faults in the operation of the computer system, for example hangs, panics and hard disc drive failures, causing undesirable interruptions and errors. Such failures often seem unrelated to power transients since accurate correlation is very difficult to establish. The number of separate voltage supply rails needed inside computer systems is increasing and at the same time the accuracy required for correct operation of the systems is rising.
Known systems monitor supply rails, for example using analogue-to-digital converters, but it is currently difficult usefully to correlate the data collected since this requires the operator constantly to monitor the converter output and, in any case, many problems seem unrelated unless they are persistent.
There is therefore a need for more exact monitoring of the voltage supply rails so as to provide more accurate information for fault diagnosis, and for monitoring in such a way that the information can be correlated to the faults arising.