In some embodiments, a search and rescue communication may include one or more of the following features: (a) a rescue terminal, (b) a main terminal operably connected to said rescue terminal across a communication network, said main terminal sends an emergency notification message across said communication network to said rescue terminal, and (c) a survival terminal associated with an ejection seat, said survival terminal being in communication with said main terminal, wherein said emergency notification message is delivered by said main terminal when said ejection seat is ejected.

Personnel recovery has become an increasingly important mission area. Military planning options for recent world events have included deployment of combat search and rescue forces. In each instance, recovery assets were among the first to arrive for support of combat operations.
The USAF (United States Air Force) has been designated by the United States Department of Defense as the lead service for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). To meet the requirements of a lead service, the Air Force has equipped and trained specialized rescue forces to conduct CSAR.
The primary operational task of CSAR is to locate, contact, and recover downed aircrews. This primary task may be broken into three sub-tasks. The first sub-task includes locating the aircrew by visual or electronic search methods to pinpoint the aircrew's location and permit recovery. The second sub-task includes communicating with the downed aircrew by radio or visual signaling to conduct authentication. The third sub-task includes recovering the downed aircrew to return them to friendly control and, if necessary, providing medical assistance.
Additional, non-rescue specific, operational tasks that must be completed to accomplish the primary rescue task include: (1) provide personnel and equipment to train rescue mission ready personnel, (2) operate efficiently during peacetime, (3) airdrop rescue personnel and equipment, (4) configure rescue equipment for deployment, (5) provide self-protection for rescue assets, (6) conduct medical evacuation operations, (7) provide intelligence support directly to the rescue aircrew, (8) respond and prepare for rescue mission execution, (9) control alert and execute airborne rescue missions, and (10) support rescue sortie production.
The environments that rescue assets operate within can be adjusted by the use of supporting aircraft. Supporting aircraft providing air-to-air, air-to-ground, and Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) coverage can degrade the threat, either temporarily or permanently, permitting rescue assets to enter the area and execute the recovery. Rescue forces may be augmented by these supporting systems depending on the threat environment, distance to the downed aircrew, and availability of assets.
A downed aircrew member's chance of survival diminishes rapidly after thirty minutes of being on the ground. Often the aircrew is injured and defenseless with limited communications capabilities. Currently, information distribution about a downed aircraft is relatively slow (in comparison to a networked approach) to filter through the command structure and reach an available asset that could recover the aircrew. Many times, a CSAR crew is standing by to respond to downed aircraft, but that particular CSAR asset may not be the closest asset to extract the downed aircrew. In some cases, ground troops or rotary wing aircraft in the area may provide emergency extraction without launching CSAR assets. However, due to interoperability issues, the ground or rotary wing assets may not be capable of communicating with the downed aircrew member. During training missions or low intensity conflicts, the CSAR assets may not be available for recovery and a "non standard" evacuation is necessary. Current survival radios require the user to load the current cryptographic keys into a radio and a prior knowledge of the channels used by adjacent units in the area.
Current survival systems used by the joint services are not network capable and rely on the downed aircrew member to establish communications with the CSAR elements via SATCOM (satellite communications), or for line of sight communications requires the cryptographic keys for that particular battle space and the specific channel being utilized by the unit in the area.
Therefore, it would be desirable to allow an aircrew to connect to a network centric combat search and rescue radio in an aircraft where the aircraft provides cryptographic keying and ensures the radio is prepared to communicate with the integrated network at any time.


A classification apparatus including a magnetic stirrer composed of main body (1) and rotor (2) and, arranged on the main body of the magnetic stirrer, classification tube (3). The interior of the classification tube is provided with classification compartments (A-E) partitioned from each other by divider plates (5a-5b). The lowermost classification compartment (A) is furnished with gas emission conduit (7). In the classification compartment (A), the rotor (2) of the magnetic stirrer is arranged. From gas supply source (8), a high-pressure gas is fed into the gas emission conduit. By means of the gas emitted from the gas emission conduit, a vortex flow rising from the lowermost classification compartment sequentially toward higher classification compartments is generated in the classification tube. Simultaneously, the rotor of the magnetic stirrer is rotated, so that powdery substance (O) within the classification compartment (A), while being conveyed by the vortex flow, undergoes particle size classification in each of the classification compartments.

Powdered green tea, especially Matcha is effective in maintaining beauty and health because it enables ingestion of not only water soluble substances but also all insoluble components (lipid soluble vitamin, mineral, etc.), that is, abundant function components such as various vitamins, catechin (tannin), caffeine, amino acid, dietary fiber, and micro-mineral, and also has low calorie. Thus, owing to rising concern about beauty and health in recent years, drinking Matcha creates a boom.
Conventionally, consumers drink Matcha by putting an appropriate amount of Matcha in a tea cup, pouring hot water therein, quickly mixing Matcha in the hot water using a tea stirrer. In this case, consumers can more easily drink Matcha if it is easily dissolved in hot water or cold water without using the tea stirrer. In addition, it is assumed that if the dispersibility of Matcha is enhanced, the absorptance of ingredients of Matcha into the body is accelerated so that physiological activity of the body is enhanced.
However, when consumers try to dissolve Matcha in hot water or cold water without using the tea stirrer, they cannot dissolve it completely, and lumps of Matcha not dissolved may float in the water. The Matcha not completely dissolved in the water is not pleasant to the taste and tastes gritty when consumers drink it.
In recent years, many consumers take in health food and Chinese herbal medicine in order to maintain beauty and health. Consumers drink some powdered health food and powdered Chinese herbal medicine by dissolving them in cold water. In this case, just like Matcha, the powder is not completely dissolved and lumps of the powder not dissolved float in the water, and the powder not completely dissolved in the water is not pleasant to the taste when consumers drink it. Thus it becomes difficult to drink the powdered health food and the powdered Chinese herbal medicine.
In this case, the particle size of Matcha, the powdered health food and the powdered Chinese herbal medicine is not uniform, and according to fine analysis, it is found that each of those powdery substances is a mixture of fine grained particles (for example, average particle diameter is smaller than or equal to 10 μm) and slightly large particles (for example, average particle diameter is 10 to 60 μm). The fine grained particles have advantages in that the absorptance to the body is satisfactory, the precipitation after being dispersed in water is suppressed, and they can be easily re-dispersed even if precipitation occurs, and they taste pleasant and are soft and pleasant on the tongue, whereas the large particles have advantages in that the wetness is satisfactory and the dispersibility is satisfactory.
Thus, if an appropriate dry classification apparatus for classifying powdery substances according to the size is provided, by employing the classification apparatus and performing classification, it is possible to produce a mixture made from only particles of a size within a constant range or a mixture including particles of different sizes by a constant fraction, whereby it is possible to produce the poedery substance which easily disperses into cold water without forming a lump, the powdery substance which rarely precipitates once dispersed, and the powdery substance which is soft and pleasant to the taste and on the tongue during drinking.
In the prior art, there exists a method of classifying the powdery substances according to the size by sieving, but a dry classification apparatus for easily and efficiently classifying the powdery substance according to the size does not exist.

Classification apparatus for powdery substance


A method of increasing information content for content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems includes the steps of providing a CBIR database, the database having an index for a plurality of stored digital images using a plurality of feature vectors, the feature vectors corresponding to distinct descriptive characteristics of the images. A visual similarity parameter value is calculated based on a degree of visual similarity between features vectors of an incoming image being considered for entry into the database and feature vectors associated with a most similar of the stored images. Based on said visual similarity parameter value it is determined whether to store or how long to store the feature vectors associated with the incoming image in the database.

The ability to manage large image databases has been a topic of growing research. Imagery is being generated and maintained for a large variety of applications including remote sensing, architectural and engineering design, geographic information systems, weather forecasting, and biomedical image management. Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is a technology that is being developed to address these application areas. CBIR refers to techniques used to index and retrieve images from databases based on their pictorial content. Pictorial content is typically defined by a set of numerical features extracted from an image that describe the color, texture and/or shape of the entire image or of specific objects. This numerical feature description is used in CBIR to index a database through various techniques, including distance-based, rule-based decision-making, and fuzzy inferencing.
With the availability of low-cost, high-performance computers, memory, and disk storage media, image libraries and CBIR technologies have become more common. Although large repositories can be readily assembled, the efficiency of these systems to retrieve the most relevant imagery is still primarily a function of capacity and long-term storage.
Applied to the semiconductor industry, image data management in the manufacturing environment is becoming more problematic as the size of silicon wafers continues to increase while the dimension of critical features continues to shrink. Fabricators rely on a growing host of image-generating inspection tools to monitor tiny defects and other features of interest in complex device manufacturing processes. These inspection tools include optical and laser scattering microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The number of images that are generated are on the order of 20,000 to 30,000 each week in some fabrication facilities. Manufacturers currently maintain on the order of 500,000 images in their data management systems (DMS) for extended periods of time. Gleaning the historical value from these large image repositories for yield improvement is difficult to accomplish using the standard database methods currently associated with these data sets (e.g., performing queries based on time and date, lot numbers, wafer identification numbers, etc.). CBIR techniques facilitate an indexing and reuse of this data based on image content.
Another image-rich environment where data management needs are growing is in the preclinical and clinical biomedical and medical communities. Preclinical imagery is collected from small animal research studies using anatomic and functional modes such as micro-computed x-ray tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the clinical environment imagery is also generated from X-ray, CT, PET, and SPECT modes plus optical modes such as retinal imaging with fundus cameras and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Many preclinical research and clinical medical facilities today use picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) to store these images. Accessibility, indexing, and reuse are critical to these biologists and medical personnel but access is typically limited today to standard database queries using non-image data.
Another image-rich environment where data management needs are growing is in the preclinical and clinical biomedical and medical communities. Preclinical imagery is generally collected from small animal research studies using anatomic and functional modes, such as micro-computed x-ray tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the clinical environment imagery is also generated from X-ray, CT, PET, and SPECT modes plus optical modes such as retinal imaging with fundus cameras and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Many preclinical research and clinical medical facilities today use picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) to store these images. Accessibility, indexing, and reuse are critical to these biologists and medical personnel but access is typically limited today to standard database queries using non-image data.
Due to the rapid growth in the size of image libraries and the high potential for data (image) redundancy, a method is needed to reduce redundancy to facilitate either the long-term storage of the most information-rich image content (i.e, maintaining the same database capacity but keeping data for a longer period of time), or (2) a reduction in the size of the repository capacity which results in improved performance (i.e., storage and retrieval efficiency) and reduced time for indexing and retrieval.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for the reduction of image content redundancy in large image databases


Systems and methods for regulating pre-charge current in a battery system, such as a battery system of an information handling system, by controlling duty cycle of the charging current provided to battery cell/s of the battery system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to battery systems, and more particularly to regulating pre-charge current in a battery system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Examples of portable information handling systems include notebook computers. These portable electronic devices are typically powered by battery systems such as lithium ion ("Li-ion") or nickel metal hydride ("NiMH") battery packs including one or more rechargeable batteries. FIG. 1 shows a battery system 120 of a portable information handling system 100 having battery charge terminals 122, 124 that are temporarily coupled to corresponding charge output terminals 115, 116 of a battery charging apparatus 110. As so configured, battery charging apparatus 110 is coupled to receive current from current supply terminals 112, 114 (e.g., alternating current, or direct current from an AC adapter) and to provide DC charging current to battery charge terminals 122, 124 of battery system 120 via charge output terminals 115, 116. As shown, battery system 120 also includes battery system data bus terminals 126, 128 for providing battery state information, such as battery voltage, to corresponding battery charging apparatus data bus terminals 117, 118.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional lithium ion battery system 120 having a battery management unit ("BMU") 202 responsible for monitoring battery system operation and for controlling battery system charge and discharge circuitry 270 that is present to charge and discharge one or more battery cells of the battery system. As shown, BMU 202 includes analog front end ("AFE") 206 and microcontroller 204. Charge and discharge circuitry 270 of battery system 120 includes two field effect transistors ("FETs") 214 and 216 coupled in series between battery charge terminal 122 and battery cell/s 224. FET 214 is a charge FET switching element that forms a part of charge circuit 260 that is controlled by the microcontroller 204 and/or AFE 206 of BMU 202 using switch 218 to allow or disallow charging current to the lithium ion battery cell/s 224, and FET 216 is a discharge FET switching element that forms a part of discharge circuit 262 that is controlled by microcontroller 204 and/or AFE 206 of BMU 202 using switch 220 to allow or disallow discharge current from the battery cell/s 224. As shown, parasitic diodes are present across the source and drain of each FET switching element, i.e., to conduct charging current to the battery cell/s when the discharge FET switching element 216 is open, and to conduct discharging current from the battery cell/s when the charge FET switching element 214 is open.
During normal battery pack operations both charge and discharge FET switching elements 214 and 216 are placed in the closed state by respective switches 218 and 220, and cell voltage detect circuitry 210 of AFE 206 monitors voltage of battery cell/s 224. If cell voltage detect circuitry 210 of AFE 206 detects a battery over-voltage condition, BMU 202 opens the charge FET switching element 214 to prevent further charging of the battery cell/s until the over-voltage condition is no longer present. Similarly, if the cell voltage detect circuitry 210 of AFE 206 detects a battery under-voltage (or over-discharge) condition, BMU 202 opens the discharge FET switching element 216 to prevent further discharging of the battery cell/s until the under-voltage condition is no longer present. BMU 202 may also open the charge FET switching element 214 when the battery pack is in sleep mode. A current sense resistor 212 is present in the battery pack circuitry to allow current sensor 208 of AFE 206 to monitor charging current to the battery cell/s. If the charge FET switching element 214 is supposed to be open (e.g., during sleep mode or battery over-voltage condition) but charging current is detected, BMU 202 permanently disables the battery pack by blowing an inline fuse 222 present in the battery circuitry to open the battery pack circuitry and prevent further over-charging.
When Li-ion and NiMH battery cells have been discharged to a certain low voltage level, they are not ready to receive their full charging current and must be "pre-charged" at a much lower current level. For example, a typical minimum charging current from a smart charger is 128 milliamperes, which may be sufficiently low for pre-charging some NiMH battery cells. However, the required pre-charge current for other types of battery cells may be much lower than 128 milliamperes. For a typical Li-ion battery cell, the required pre-charge current is about 20 milliamperes or less per cell. To provide the required pre-charge current, separate pre-charge circuitry has been incorporated into a battery pack to achieve the desired pre-charge current level by reducing the charging current supplied by a battery charging apparatus.
FIG. 2 illustrates pre-charge circuitry 250 that is present in charge and discharge circuitry 270 to pre-charge battery cell/s 224 when battery cell/s 224 have been discharged to a predetermined low voltage level and are not ready to receive their full charging current. As shown, pre-charge circuitry 250 includes MOSFET 252, used as a switch, and a resistor 254 to limit the level of the pre-charge current to a much lower current value than the charging current provided by battery charging apparatus 110. During pre-charging mode, microcontroller 204 turns on MOSFET switch 252 when cell voltage detect circuitry 210 of AFE 206 detects that voltage of battery cell/s 224 is below the predetermined low voltage level and the pre-charge current level is needed. During pre-charge mode, BMU 202 also maintains charge FET switching element 214 in open state to limit the charging current provided to battery cell/s 224 to the lower pre-charge current level. When voltage of battery cell/s 224 reaches the predetermined low voltage level, BMU 202 turns off MOSFET 252 and closes charge FET switching element 214 to allow the full charging current to be provided to battery cell/s 224.
As shown in FIG. 2, pre-charge circuitry 250 of conventional lithium ion battery system 120 requires provision of separate circuitry components in the battery system. Due to safety and cost reasons, no such pre-charge circuitry components may be provided for some battery systems, such as NiMH battery systems. In such systems, components of the battery charging apparatus are used to regulate the pre-charge current level.

Systems and methods for regulating pulsed pre-charge current in a battery system


A method and an apparatus suitable for a continuous chromatography process which only needs three separation columns, and a two-step process containing two chromatographic steps, in which the first chromatographic step (capture) is performed alternating and sequentially on two separation columns, the second chromatographic step (polishing) is performed, also sequentially, on the third column.

The large-scale, economic purification of proteins is increasingly an important problem for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Typically, proteins are produced by cell culture, using either mammalian or bacterial cell lines engineered to produce the protein of interest by insertion of a recombinant plasmid containing the gene for that protein. Since the cell lines used are living organisms, they must be fed with a complex growth medium, containing sugars, amino acids, and growth factors, usually supplied from preparations of animal serum. Separation of the desired protein from the mixture of compounds fed to the cells and from the by-products of the cells themselves to a purity sufficient for use as a human therapeutic poses a formidable challenge.
Procedures for purification of proteins from cell debris initially depend on the site of expression of the protein. Some proteins are caused to be secreted directly from the cell into the surrounding growth media; others are made intracellularly. For the latter proteins, the first step of a purification process involves lysis of the cell, which can be done by a variety of methods, including mechanical shear, osmotic shock, or enzymatic treatments. Such disruption releases the entire contents of the cell into the homogenate, and in addition produces subcellular fragments that are difficult to remove due to their small size. These are generally removed by centrifugation or by filtration. The same problem arises, although on a smaller scale, with directly secreted proteins due to the natural death of cells and release of intracellular host cell proteins in the course of the protein production run.
As a consequence, typical purification processes that are presently used include the following steps:                cell lysis to recover an intracellular protein or recovery of a protein from the media in case of a secreted protein        removal of cellular debris using e.g. differential centrifugation or filtration to obtain a clarified sample containing the protein of interest        use of a variety of chromatography media in a multi-step process to separate the protein of interest from other proteins and the various other impurities in the sample.
The chromatographic techniques typically separate mixtures of proteins on the basis of their charge, degree of hydrophobicity, or size. Several different chromatography resins are available for each of these techniques, allowing accurate tailoring of the purification scheme to the particular protein involved. The essence of each of these separation methods is that proteins can be caused either to move at different rates down a long column, achieving a physical separation that increases as they pass further down the column, or to adhere selectively to the separation medium, being then differentially eluted by different solvents. In some cases, the desired protein is separated from impurities when the impurities specifically adhere to the column, and the protein of interest does not, that is, the protein of interest is present in the "flow-through."
Ion-exchange chromatography, named for the exchangeable counterion, is a procedure applicable to purification of ionizable molecules. Ionized molecules are separated on the basis of the non-specific electrostatic interaction of their charged groups with oppositely charged molecules attached to the solid phase support matrix, thereby retarding those ionized molecules that interact more strongly with solid phase. The net charge of each type of ionized molecule, and its affinity for the matrix, varies according to the number of charged groups, the charge of each group, and the nature of the molecules competing for interaction with the charged solid phase matrix. These differences result in resolution of various molecule types by ion-exchange chromatography. In typical protein purification using ion exchange chromatography, a mixture of many proteins derived from a host cell, such as in mammalian cell culture, is applied to an ion-exchange column. After non-binding molecules are washed away, conditions are adjusted, such as by changing pH, counter ion concentration and the like in step- or gradient-mode, to release from the solid phase a non-specifically retained or retarded ionized protein of interest and separating it from proteins having different charge characteristics. Anion exchange chromatography involves competition of an anionic molecule of interest with the negative counter ion for interaction with a positively charged molecule attached to the solid phase matrix at the pH and under the conditions of a particular separation process. By contrast, cation exchange chromatography involves competition of a cationic molecule of interest with the positive counter ion for a negatively charged molecule attached to the solid phase matrix at the pH and under the conditions of a particular separation process. Mixed mode ion exchange chromatography involves the use of a combination of cation and anion exchange chromatographic media in the same step. In particular, "mixed-mode" refers to a solid phase support matrix to which is covalently attached a mixture of cation exchange and/or anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction moieties.
Affinity chromatography, which exploits a specific structurally dependent (i.e., spatially complementary) interaction between the protein to be purified and an immobilized capture agent, is a standard purification option for some proteins, such as antibodies. Protein A, for example, is a useful adsorbent for affinity chromatography of proteins, such as antibodies, which contain an Fc region. Protein A is a 41 kD cell wall protein from Staphylococcus aureas which binds with a high affinity (about 10−8M to human IgG) to the Fc region of antibodies. Despite its common use, affinity chromatography is costly, particularly at the industrial scale necessary to purify therapeutic proteins.
Further chromatographic methods are Hydroxyapatite chromatography or Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC).
Consequently, typical purification processes include different centrifugation and filtration steps as well as at least 3 chromatographic separation techniques such as affinity chromatography (AC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), ion exchange chromatography (IEC), hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), reversed phase chromatography (RPC), and normal phase chromatography (NPC). Usually each of named techniques requires different operation (buffer, pH, conductivity) conditions that lead to sample preparation before chromatographic separation implementation. A more efficient and economic purification process might be achieved by eliminating the sample folding/preparation steps in between the purification steps by direct combination of various chromatographic modes in one purification train.
Simple batch chromatography technique is well accepted in the industrial applications, however this technology is expensive due to long processing times and high operation costs (e.g. large solvent amounts, expensive resins and hardware). This technique is also sensitive to operational conditions (e.g. product titer, residence time and feeding rate (product losses starting from 80% dynamic binding capacity values).
Some alternative semi-continuous technologies were developed as well, meaning that they connect two or three different chromatography modes, but do not allow one to have a continuous feed.
WO 2011/037522 discloses a separation system comprising at least two separation units which are connected outlet to inlet. All columns are connected in line.
WO 2011/017514 discloses the combination of an affinity chromatography step and two ion exchange chromatography steps without the need for holding tanks or buffer exchange steps.
But there is still a need for a more efficient and economical solution.

Method and apparatus for chromatographic purification


A power supply apparatus is shown that comprises several identical individual power packs connected in parallel so as to be decoupled from one another. The individual power packs produce coupled output voltages, of which one is adjusted by a pulse duty control and the others are corrected in linear fashion. By means of a correction such that a comparison of target/actual output voltage values is done without, the mean value of all the actual current values is formed, and a mistuning of a respective target/actual current comparison is carried out, a constantly uniform current distribution to the individual power packs is achieved, with a low power loss, fault tolerance via possible redundancy, and the possibility of "hot board replacement."

The invention concerns a power supply apparatus with identical individual power packs connected in parallel and decoupled from one another, with outputs for coupled output voltages, of which one is respectively adjusted by pulse duty control and the others are corrected by linear correction units.
Computer equipment or tower PCs with higher data processing power require power supply apparatuses with higher power. As a higher-power power supply apparatus, power supply apparatuses consisting of several identical individual power packs are used. The individual power packs are connected in parallel, decoupled from one another. They can be constructed in such a way that they produce coupled output voltages, of which one is adjusted by means of a pulse duty control and the others are adjusted by a linear correction. The linear correction is subject to a loss of power that is all the larger, the larger a derivative action has to be between an incoming voltage to be compensated and an outgoing compensated voltage.
Besides the higher power, additionally increased demands are placed on the fault tolerance of this power supply apparatus. A redundant power supply apparatus is required that continues to supply the computer in case of failure of an individual power pack, without failure or collapse of system voltages.
An additional demand on the power supply apparatus is that a failed individual power pack can be exchanged while the computer is running without voltage collapse. This measure is also known by the term "hot board replacement."
Finally, a uniform distribution of current to the individual power packs should be ensured.
It is known to control the uniform distribution of the current electronically. It is also known to use a separate power pack circuit for each output voltage. It is also known to decouple the outputs from the system voltage inputs of the computer with Schottky diodes, in order to obtain a redundancy given an output short circuit of a defective individual power pack. In addition, it is known to choose the number of individual power packs connected in parallel to be higher by one than the number actually required, in order to obtain in this way a power supply apparatus with redundancy in which defective individual power packs can be exchanged during operation.
The possibility is also known of connecting individual power packs with coupled output voltages in parallel. The output voltage with a highest output current is regulated for uniform current distribution via a pulse duty control. The coupled output(s) are regulated for a uniform current distribution by means of a transistor element as a controlling element in an output line. The regulation of the current distribution can thereby respectively ensue in an identical fashion: a central control block compares each output voltage separately with a target value. The deviation from this target value is amplified and is used as target current of the respective output. The actual current is acquired, is compared with the target value and is corrected correspondingly.
However, this method has the disadvantage that while the uniform current distribution of coupled individual power packs is indeed ensured, the losses due to this type of control are higher than is absolutely necessary. The reason for this is that an output voltage target value is used that is unalterably set, which value is not matched to the actually present output voltages. A power supply apparatus as described above is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,265.
From DE 3 941 052 C1, a circuit arrangement for the parallel connection of power supply units is known, said units comprising a voltage regulation apparatus and a current regulation apparatus operating secondarily thereto, which respectively have identical resistance switching networks, as mean value formation units, between the voltage regulation apparatus and the current regulation apparatus, for the protection of a uniform load distribution to the power supply units connected together in parallel to form a power supply packet, which switching networks are connected with one another via at least one bidirectional control line and calculate a common mean value of a signal for all power supply units, which signal represents a measure for the output power to be emitted.
European reference 0 419 993, a power supply apparatus is known that consists of identical individual power packs decoupled from one another and connected in parallel, comprising outputs for coupled output voltages. With respect to each individual power pack, a pick-off circuit is provided for picking off a coupled output current, allocated to a controlling element within a power pack, as an electrical actual quantity, which circuit comprises among other things a drain connected with threshold switches. Overall, a uniform distribution of current to the individual power packs is effected by the formation of a target value from the mean value of the measured currents. However, the power packs comprise no coupled output voltages such that one is respectively adjusted by a pulse duty control and the others are corrected by linear correction units with a linearly controllable controlling element and a comparator connected with it. The present power supply apparatus thus does not solve the problem of ensuring a correction with minimal power loss and simultaneous uniform current distribution to the individual power packs connected in parallel in power supply apparatuses of this sort.
The aim of the invention is to ensure a correction of output voltages in a power supply apparatus of the type named above, with a minimal power loss and simultaneous uniform current distribution to the individual power packs connected in parallel.

Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Aktiengesellschaft


In one embodiment, a method for optimizing a set of matched features is provided. The method includes matching features between an optical image and a geo-referenced orthoimage to produce an initial set of matched features. An initial position solution is then determined for the optical image using the initial set of N matched features. The initial set of N matched features are then optimized based on a set of N sub-solutions and the initial position solution, wherein each of the N sub-solutions is a position solution using a different set of (N−1) matched features. A refined position solution is then calculated for the optical image using the optimized set of matched features.

Vision-aided navigation extracts features from an image and performs feature matching with a geo-referenced image. The objective of the feature matching is to provide accurate tracked features as the measurement of a navigation solution (e.g., position, velocity, and attitude). For example, in a geo-reference vision-aided navigation situation, good feature matching between a captured image and geo-referenced imagery increases the accuracy of the subsequent vision-aided positioning. Good feature matching will generate accurate positioning results, while bad feature matching with large errors will reduce the accuracy of a navigation solution. In general, it is desirable to use only the good matched features.

Feature set optimization in vision-based positioning


A data imprinting device for a camera wherein the exposure of imprinting data is changed by the information from the film sensitivity setting means. The device is provided with imprinting exposure control means operating in such a manner that when the picture exposure correction factor setting means is operated in a direction to increase the exposure, the data exposure determined based on the film sensitivity setting means is caused to increase.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements of the device for imprinting letters, numerals or other data on film frames in the camera when the exposure is made.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of devices for imprinting data such as the date on the film when the exposure is made have been proposed and some of them have been put into practice.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,281 shows a proposal that the intensity of light or the lighting time of a miniature lamp or light emitting diode as the light source for imprinting data is made manually variable in view of the sensitivity of the used photographic film in order to insure that, as the data exposure is suitably corrected to the given film speed, the imprinted data are clear enough as shown in FIG. 3(a). Thus, the imprinted data are prevented from becoming unreadable due to the under-exposure as shown in FIG. 3(b), or from diffusing to a large loss in the sharpness due to the over-exposure as shown in FIG. 3(c). With this device, however, each time the type of film, and particularly the film speed, change, the photographer needs to reset the value of film speed in the data imprinting device built in the back cover of the camera by manually operating the film speed selector knob. Such a requirement is very inconvenient.
To eliminate this drawback, there has been a previous proposal that once the film sensitivity is set in the camera, or when a film cartridge having information codes for the sensitivity is loaded in the camera, the exposure factor for the data imprinting device is automatically taken at a suitable value to the sensitivity of the used film, as, for example, disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 4,420,236.
However, in the above-described examples of the prior art, the exposure correction factor setting means of the camera is operated in accordance with the desired picture quality of the photographer when shooting. In the exposure value computing circuit of the camera, the preset film sensitivity information and the desired value of the exposure correction factor can both be taken into account in deriving an exposure value, i.e. aperture value (Av) or shutter time (Tv) from the brightness of the object to be photographed so that a desired result or a picture can be attained. But, in the data imprinting device, only the film sensitivity information is given and the data exposure is not corrected in accompaniment with the change of the exposure correction factor.
Therefore, if the exposure correction of the camera is operated in a direction to increase the exposure, the photographic light amount (the exposure of the camera) increases despite the preset film sensitivity remaining constant. But, in the data imprinting device, because the exposure of letters or the like is made based on the preset film sensitivity, ignoring the aforesaid exposure correction, the data imprinting light amount becomes insufficient relative to the photographic light amount. This has constituted a problem of failing to imprint clear images of the data.


A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for recording photographing information and print information on a magnetic recording layer formed on the back surface of a photographic film, and reading film information written in the magnetic recording layer. The magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a magnetic head mounted on a film pressure plate, and a pressure roller for bringing the magnetic recording layer of a photographic film in contact with the magnetic head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera equipped with a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for reading film information from a magnetic recording layer of a photographic film and writing photographing information in the magnetic recording layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras having a built-in magnetic recording apparatus are described, for example, in International Publications WO 90/04201 and WO 90/04202. In these cameras, film information such as a type of film, film sensitivity, or the like is read from a magnetic recording layer formed on a photographic film and used for photographing, or photographing information is written to the magnetic recording layer. The magnetic recording layer is formed on the base of the photographic film. The thickness of the base of a photographic film is 120 microns or greater which is thicker than that of an ordinary magnetic tape, such as an audio magnetic tape, by about 20 to 30%. Since the photographic film is relatively rigid, it is difficult to obtain good head contact.
In the magnetic recording apparatus described in the above-cited Publications, a magnetic head is mounted on a flexure member to obtain good magnetic head contact with the magnetic recording layer using the elasticity of the flexure member and the rigidity of the photographic film. Alternatively, a pad for receiving a photographing film is mounted facing the magnetic head to obtain good magnetic head contact.
In the case of the magnetic recording apparatus having a magnetic head mounted on the flexure member, it is difficult to obtain good head contact because the head touch changes with the curling of a photographic film. The rigidity of photographic film changes with environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity), and with the type and thickness of the base of the photographic film. Moreover, when the magnetic head is applied to the photographic film with a light pressure by the flexure member, the magnetic head likely will vibrate because of friction with the advancing photographic film, thereby causing poor reliability in data reading and writing. On the other hand, in the case where the magnetic recording apparatus tightly sandwiches a photographic film between a pad and the magnetic head, a large friction is generated with the advancing photographic film so that the load of a film transport motor is relatively large.

Magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for a camera having pressure roller


An axial face seal, in particular a running gear seal, consists of an angular sliding ring and/or counter-ring with a circumferential surface for accommodating a ring-shaped sealing member with approximately plate-shaped cross section. The sealing member contains a secondary seal guided in the area of the sealing leg, wherein the sealing leg of the sliding ring and/or counter-ring is provided on the ring backside with an axial projection extending in the direction of the sealing member. The secondary seal in the non-assembled state is positioned at a radial distance to the sealing leg or the projection and has at least in part a larger diameter than the sealing member. At least the free end of the secondary seal can be positioned with radial compression on the sealing leg or the projection with the aid of a component that accommodates the sealing member.

This application claims the right of priority of German patent application No. 199 55 860.4 filed Nov. 20, 1999, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to an axial face seal, in particular a running gear seal, having an angular sliding ring and a circumferential surface designed to accommodate a ring-shaped sealing member. The sealing member comprises a secondary seal in the area of the sealing leg of the sliding ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,315 discloses an axial face seal of this type. In order to prevent dirt from entering the sliding surface area, the ring-shaped sealing member is provided with a secondary seal in the form of a sealing lip that is molded onto the sealing member, so as to form one piece. To be sure, this prevents dirt from entering the area between the back of the sliding ring and the sealing member, but causes problems with the pre-assembly and the final assembly of the seal, particularly with respect to the secondary seal, which has a material cross section that is designed to be considerably thinner than that of the sealing member itself. As a result of material fatigue of the sealing lip, it can therefore happen during operation that the internal stress provided for in the area of contact with the sealing leg may no longer be sufficient to ensure that dirt does not penetrate.
To correct this problem, German Patent Document No. C 197 53 918 discloses an axial face seal, for which the secondary seal is made of an inherently stable, pressure-resistant material that is designed as separate component, is connected to the sealing member and supports itself axially on the sealing leg. The sealing lip of the secondary seal can be pressed against the outside circumferential surface of the sealing leg with the aid of an element that is elastic in radial direction.
The use of an inherently stable, pressure-resistant material now permits reduced tolerances for the seat in the machine housing, so that a more secure seating is possible. However, the area where the sealing lip rests on the outside circumference of the sealing leg is still considered to be problematic. Owing to the spherical design of the outside circumferential surface of the sliding ring, it can happen that during the assembly of the sliding ring, the sealing lip of the secondary seal comes to rest against the smaller dimensioned lower region of the spherical circumferential surface. As a result, the spring force that is directed toward the inside is no longer sufficient to efficiently prevent dirt from entering.
It is an object of the invention to provide an axial face seal, so that in addition to a more precise transfer of rotational moments from the sealing member to the sliding ring, the sealing effect in the region between the secondary seal and sliding ring is increased. The increased sealing effect is the result of improved cooperation between sealing member, secondary seal and sliding ring.
This object and others to become apparent as the application progresses, are achieved according to the invention in that the sealing leg of the sliding ring has a ring back with an axial projection extending in the direction of the sealing member. The secondary seal in the unassembled state is designed to be at a radial distance to the sealing leg or the projection and has at least in part a larger diameter than the sealing member. At least a free end of the secondary seal can be positioned with radial compression against the sealing leg or the projection by a component that holds the sealing member.
At least the free end of the secondary seal can be provided with a larger outside diameter than the remaining region of the sealing member to effect the aforementioned radial compression in the assembled state. For example, the free end of the secondary seal may expand outward in a conical shape, starting with the area where it is connected to the sealing member.
In the unassembled state of the axial face seal, the secondary seal does not come in contact with the outside circumference of the sealing leg or its axially extended projection. The secondary seal is reduced to the outside diameter of the sealing member only after the sealing member has been pressed into a respective bore for holding it. The secondary seal then comes to rest with radial compression so that it is forced against the corresponding circumferential surface of the sealing leg or the projection.
To optimize the sealing effect in this region, it is suggested that sealing lips be formed on the secondary seal profile facing the outer circumferential surface of the sealing leg, which sealing lips may form gaps.
In the pre-assembled or partially assembled state of the sliding ring, grease may be inserted as an anti-grinding agent into a hollow space between sealing member, secondary seal and the region on the back of the sliding ring. The grease can be inserted via the gap that still exists between the secondary seal and the outside circumference of the sealing leg or its axial extension. However, adding the grease is not required.
To achieve an optimum twisting safety between the sliding ring and the sealing member, depressions can be provided on the ring back, if necessary distributed evenly over the circumference, which are preferably molded into the sealing leg of the sliding ring. Ridges that extend approximately in the axial direction are formed onto the sealing member and can subsequently engage in these depressions. They can thus serve as a twisting safety to prevent the sliding ring from slipping, relative to the sealing member, as a result of high rotational moments and the grease if inserted.


The present invention provides a method (300) and system (200) of contention-based multiple access for the reservation subchannel to support a large population of users with diverse QoS requirements wherein users are permitted to transmit reservation messages in reservation slots in a coordinated manner to contend for the privilege to transmit data messages in the data slots. In the event of a collision in the reservation slots, a prioritized contention resolution algorithm is used to resolve the collision.

In today's integrated communication networks, such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, which support a diversity of applications (e.g., data, voice, video, etc.), allocation of network resources is based on quality of service (QoS) requirements associated with the applications. Network demand is often divided into a number of service categories, such as constant bit rate (CBR) service, available bit rate (ABR) service, etc. One can consider network users to be divided into a plurality of priority classes, whereby different classes of users may require different levels of QoS. For example, some users may generate steady streams of messages while others may generate messages in a bursty manner.
A multiple access protocol is a mechanism that is used to allocate transmission resources (e.g., time slots and frequency bands) for user data transmission in a communication channel among a plurality of users. The terminology "user data" or simply "data" is used herein generically to refer to various kinds of user information including not only data, but also voice, video, etc. User data is distinguished from control information that the network generates to enable proper operation of network protocols.
A multiple access protocol may be contention-free or contention-based. A contention-free multiple access protocol apportions available transmission resources into non-overlapping segments and assigns one segment exclusively to each user. A contention-based multiple access protocol allows multiple users to simultaneously transmit messages to access the channel, and resolve collisions after they have occurred.
In contention-free multiple access protocols, the assignment of resource segments can be on a fixed basis or on a demand basis. In the fixed assignment approach, such as time-division multiple access (TDMA) and frequency-division multiple access (FDMA), resources allocated to a user are wasted when the user has nothing to transmit. Thus, these protocols are not efficient for networks that support a large population of users who are idle some of the time. In general, although fixed assignment multiple access schemes are very simple, they are not very efficient in networks supporting integrated services, especially when some services tend to generate messages in a bursty manner. Nonetheless, fixed assignment multiple access protocols generally perform well when the network is heavily loaded with a steady stream of user data from each user. In the demand assignment approach, a user either relinquishes its allocated resources when they are not needed (e.g., token passing), or reserves required resources when they are needed. A fraction of the channel is sometimes used for exchanging control information to support a reservation mechanism so that transmission of user data may be scheduled to avoid collisions. This reservation subchannel itself requires a multiple access protocol for coordinating transmission of reservation messages.
In contention-based multiple access protocols, there are two existing approaches to dealing with collisions. The terms "collision" and "contention" are used interchangeably herein. In one approach, each user that has been involved in a collision retransmits his message after some random amount of time. In another approach, a contention resolution algorithm is used to determine when the users who are involved in a collision may subsequently retransmit their messages, and meanwhile, all users that are not involved in the collision must wait until the collision is resolved. Contention-based multiple access protocols are known to have poor performance when the network is heavily loaded, as there can be many wasteful collisions. Nonetheless, when the network is lightly loaded, these protocols generally offer better performance than fixed assignment multiple access protocols. Since transmission resources are not divided among users a priori, these protocols are quite suitable for networks that support a large population of users, provided that only a small subset of the users are busy at any time.
Prior art has shown a combined random/reservation multiple access (CRRMA) scheme, in which transmission of reservation messages by a large population of bursty users utilizes a random access strategy. In this approach, a contention-based protocol is used for transmission of reservation messages in a reservation subchannel. Each data slot in a data subchannel is either reserved for a particular user or open for contention. The allocation of reserved data slots in the data subchannel is scheduled by a centralized scheduler.
In prior art for contention resolution, a splitting algorithm, known as the Binary Tree Splitting Algorithm (BTSA), is used to schedule retransmissions of messages after they have collided. The central idea of the original splitting algorithm is based on a concept of probabilistically splitting the set of users involved in a collision into a transmitting set and a nontransmitting set while making other users wait. Each of the two sets may contain zero, one, or more than one of the contending users. If by chance each of the two sets contains at most one user, then the contention is said to have been resolved. The user in the transmitting set, if any, would transmit first, and determine that he is successful. The user in the non-transmitting set, if any, would transmit next, and also determine that he is successful. If any of the two sets contains more than one user, then a collision will occur again. In this case, the set with contending users is subdivided into smaller transmitting and nontransmitting sets. In this respect, the splitting algorithm is recursive. The algorithm stops when each set contains at most one user. A splitting algorithm may be implemented with a stack.
The prior art includes Distributed Scheduling Multiple Access (DSMA) for scheduling multiple access transmissions. DSMA supports users belonging to different priority classes, but relies on distinct and serially transmitted user addresses to avoid collisions. DSMA also uses a data subchannel for transmission of data messages and a reservation subchannel for transmission of reservation messages. In this scheme, each user is assigned an n-bit address a priori (n being a predetermined integer). In the absence of priority scheduling, the system can accommodate up to 2.sup.n -1 users, numbered from 1 to (2.sup.n -1). Each user with data pending transmission transmits his unique address bits serially, with the most significant bit first, into the reservation subchannel. A reservation frame is completed when all users have received feedback regarding all the n reservation slots. The reservation subchannel is logically a simple OR circuit, such that the feedback in the reservation subchannel is binary (i.e., one may only distinguish between no transmission or at least one transmission of a bit of value 1 in each bit position of the serial address). A user with an address lower than that of another user in the same reservation frame temporarily discontinues further transmission in the reservation subchannel until a busy user with the higher address is identified. Each active user is guaranteed reservation for a data slot per reservation cycle, and a reservation cycle ends when every busy user has successfully placed a reservation for a data slot. To accommodate prioritized reservation, DSMA allows the first k (k<n) bits to be used to support 2.sup.k priority classes, and the remaining (n-k) bits to be used as 2.sup.(n-k) -1 distinct addresses. Each user may choose to transmit a reservation message with any one of the 2.sup.k priorities in a reservation frame by selecting appropriate bits for the first k serially transmitted bits. Since the first k bits are not unique among different users, they cannot reveal multiple users transmitting reservation messages with the same highest priority. The remaining (n-k) bits uniquely determines which user in a reservation frame has the highest priority. Note that it is guaranteed that no address is higher than one with (n-k) ones.
Some prioritized demand assignment protocols for a system consist of n stations generating messages of p different priority levels. A virtual network user is defined by a tuple (i, j) with 1.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.n and 1.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.p. One protocol for implementing message priorities is to replicate the access mechanism for each priority. For example, an n-slot scheduling frame is repeated p times, with frames assigned to different priority levels in decreasing order. Another protocol allows access rights to be passed among all virtual users of different priorities in the same station before the virtual users for the next station. For example, a p-slot scheduling frame is repeated n times, with frames assigned to different stations. In a third protocol, known as the reservation scheduling protocol (RSP), messages are transmitted following two consecutive reservation/scheduling periods: a priority reservation period followed by a station reservation period. In each reservation cycle, up to p slots are dedicated to finding the highest priority message or messages present in the system. Since multiple such messages can arrive in a given priority reservation period, a station reservation period of up to n slots is used to determine which station among the contending stations will actually have a successful reservation.
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) techniques allow simultaneous transmission of several messages, using coded signals with low cross-correlation, such that capture is normally possible. Each user is either permanently assigned a fixed code or can each time randomly select a code from a predetermined code book containing a set of orthogonal codes. Time Spread Multiple Access (TSMA), based on assigning unique orthogonal code words generated from a Galois field, is an example of a CDMA type protocol with a fixed code assignment per user. When permanent code assignment is used, with one distinct code per group (e.g., priority class) of users, a collision occurs in a transmission cycle when two or more users belonging to the same group transmit their messages. When random code assignment is used, a collision occurs in a transmission cycle when two or more users happen to have selected the same code from the code book. In the prior art, a splitting algorithm is used for resolving collisions due to contending users having selected the same code.
The performance of a contention resolution algorithm based on binary tree splitting is improved when there is capture. The effect of capture in a contention-based multiple access protocol is taken advantage of to support users of different priority classes. Such a phenomenon is originally due to different levels of attenuation on transmissions from different geographically distributed users. The transmission that is originated by a transmitter closest to the receiver tends to have a higher power when it arrives at the receiver site than those originated by transmitter located further away. This transmission with the highest power is likely to dominate in a collision, and thus has a higher chance of being received successfully. By allowing users to select different levels of power for their transmissions, one may support users of different priority classes.
A common existing method for implementing priority classes in multiple access protocols is to partition a channel into multiple subchannels, and replicate for each priority class a multiple access mechanism in a separate subchannel. This approach is not efficient because the overhead for dynamic reallocation of transmission resources among priority classes is inevitably high. Common methods for partitioning a channel into subchannels include orthogonal segmentation in time, frequency, and both. In the case where both time and frequency segments are allowed, orthogonal codes are assigned to users of different priority classes to specify the time-frequency segments in which users of a given priority class are allowed to transmit messages. An example of such an approach is the well known code-division multiple access (CDMA) protocol where each priority class is assigned a unique orthogonal code.
Another existing method for implementing priority classes in multiple access protocols is to use a contention-free reservation subchannel to identify the highest priority busy user in the system so that this user may access the data subchannel first. The reservation mechanism typically involves two phases. A first phase is used to determine the highest priority class with at least a busy user, and a second phase is used to uniquely identify the user that is to be first granted access privilege. The second phase may be implemented with a round-robin schedule, or a prioritized schedule. Due to the application of a contention-free reservation mechanism, the method described above is not easily scalable, and hence is inefficient when there is a large population of bursty users.
There is a need for an efficient method and system that addresses the problem of multiple access for a large population of users divided among a predetermined number of priority classes, each requiring a possibly different level of QoS.

Method and system for prioritized multiple access using contention signatures for contention-based reservation


An adsorbent filter for removing caffeine from liquids. The filter is composed of a liquid permeable, electret-treated matrix of fibrous material having individual exposed surfaces; and a relatively uniform distribution of adsorbent zeolite particulate material attached to individual exposed surfaces of the electret-treated fibrous material by substantially non-transient bonding, so that passage of a liquid having a caffeine concentration ranging from about 20 to about 100 mg per 100 mL of liquid through the matrix for a contact time of less than about 2 minutes results in at least a 40 percent reduction in the caffeine concentration of the liquid. The matrix of fibrous material may be selected from woven fabrics, knit fabrics and nonwoven fabrics. Generally speaking, the filter can be adapted to provide at least a 40 percent reduction in the caffeine concentration for about 1 cup to about 40 cups of a liquid.

Conventional industrial processes to decaffeinate liquids such as, for example, coffee include: 1) solvent decaffeination, where a solvent such as ethyl acetate is used to extract caffeine from pre-wetted starting material such as, for example, green coffee beans; 2) super-critical carbon dioxide, which uses an inert gas (carbon dioxide) to act as a solvent and remove caffeine from starting material such as, for example, green coffee beans; and 3) water decaffeination, which uses an aqueous extract (e.g., aqueous coffee extract containing equilibrium quantities of the non-caffeine soluble solids but no caffeine) to extract essentially only caffeine from a starting material such as, for example, green coffee beans.
The use of clays, zeolites, activated carbon, or ion-exchange resins as decaffeination aids or processes has been reported in the literature, although these materials are not in wide-scale industrial use. Generally speaking, such materials are used to decaffeinate only caffeine-containing liquids. The removed caffeine cannot be easily recovered once it has adsorbed/absorbed onto clays, zeolites, activated carbon, or ion-exchange resins. In contrast, most conventional industrial decaffeination processes decaffeinate solid starting materials such as, for example, coffee beans. Such conventional industrial processes are generally designed to recover the caffeine which is sold as a chemical once removed from the coffee, tea, cola or other source.
In some decaffeination processes, bentonite clay is mixed with a liquid such as, for example, brewed coffee for about 45 minutes. The bentonite clay is removed by either settling/decanting, filtering, or centrifuging the slurry. Although a large proportion of the caffeine may be removed using this technique, separation of the bentonite clay from the liquid poses problems. A consumer would not wish to wait 45 minutes before having decaffeinated beverages (e.g., decaffeinated coffee), and would not have available centrifugation or the high-pressure filtration required to remove the bentonite.
Accordingly, there is a need for a practical device which uses an adsorbent to remove caffeine from liquids. For example, there is a need for a filter that incorporates clays or zeolites to adsorb caffeine from liquids in order to produce a practical consumer product. A need exists for a filter containing an adsorbent such as, for example, bentonite clays and/or zeolites which could be used in a similar manner as a conventional coffee filter (either basket- or cone-type) to decaffeinate up to an entire pot of coffee or tea as the beverage brewed. A need also exists for a filter containing an adsorbent such as, for example, bentonite clays and/or zeolites which could be used to decaffeinate individual cups of liquid such as, for example, coffee, tea or cola.
There is also a need for a filter that is adapted to decaffeinate liquids within 1 or 2 minutes. A need also exists for a filter that is adapted to decaffeinate liquids cleanly without adsorbent particles passing into the liquid/filtrate and without the need for high pressure differentials. There is also a need for a filter that is adapted to successfully decaffeinate liquids at a wide range of temperatures.

Filter with zeolitic adsorbent attached to individual exposed surfaces of an electret-treated fibrous matrix


The aim of the present invention is to create an efficient energy rational and consequently economical drying device, particularly the drying compartment unit, which could be used for drying processes for all wood products regardless to dimensions, with the ability of a controlled process of humid transfer from wood in specific atmospheric conditions by travel air, to achieve improvement of quality of drying wood, which include known drying effects, by the construction of the kiln volume proportional to fulfil dimensional and transport standards of transport containers, thus making possible the drying device being exploited by end user as a stationary or mobile type.

A groving tree as a woody perennial plant contains relatively huge amounts of moisture content warying from one kind to another which stays in the tree after being cut down. As it is known wood contains capillaries in cells that contain free liquid and absorbed moleculas of water called moisture content which must be lowered to a certain level to satisfy needs of industrial use. For that reason, wood has to be properly treated, namely dried to a certain value of acceptable end moisture distribution content in a way to prevent occuring of all kinds of drying defects. The drying process is a mayor factor in economic terms.
Wood could be dried under natural circumstances in the open-air drying if wood climate relation conditions are good enough and consequently generating acceptable quality of dried sawn wood. It has to be considered that air drying of wood is a long term process which could extend into years. When finally wood is dried it needs proper storage conditions that include natural circulation of dry warm air and other terms of planning. It has to be considered that absorbed water in the wood can emerge and evapoprate with the help of sourrounding air flow only in case if the surface is not covered by rain fall water, snow or other substances. Influencing on air drying tehnology by restacking with ventilation abilities do help in minor values with the constant risk of wood being attacked by mould, microoorganismus, fungi insects including uneven drying that can worsen quality of wood expresed with other terms concerning its quality. There is always a potential problem of shape deformations that can emerge because of natural air-drying unpredictable situations that cannot be prevented by any preventive process control tehnology or monitoring of any kind. Moisture distribution content in wood is by using technology of drying by air after a certain period of time depending on climate conditions what means that time variation is present in planning emerging other problems usually leading to higher costs, too much rejections of quality assurance and alike. On the other hand there are also some other efects of such a technology like low energy consumption, huge drying areas, storage departments, safety procotions. There were some expriments executed to shorten air-drying process by engaging axial fans, but there are too many other parametres like relative humidity and others on which axial fans cannot influence.
With the intention to reduce drying time in the aspect of cost, quality and time were developed drying devices of different kinds, which can be distinguished by a technological approach in a following manner: The first type is a compartment type and tunnel kiln type. Both known types of drying devices can be characterized as stationary types. By the first type of drying devices the wood is placed in avaliable compartment which has the ability of generating different physical conditions like: temperature, humidity, air flow capacity and alike, with the intention of proceeding of the drying process. By the second type of drying devices the wood is transported with the help of horizontal transport unit through the drying device where it is sequently processed under different physical conditions, mainly for the purposes of gradualy executing the drying process. Compartment type drying devices are cheaper, but with lower production rate in comparison with the tunnel kiln type drying devices, where investment costs are relatively high.
The already known types of drying devices have certain disadvantages which will be explained in details as follows including the decisions of great investment cost and setting up difficulties in aspect of economy factors.
The technology processes used nowadays by drying the wood are performed either by low temperatures between 15 and 45° C. or by medium temperatures between 45 and 90° C. or also by high temperatures between 90 and 130° C. with the posibility of achieving above specified temperatures e.g. by means dielectrical, convectional, conduction or radiation principles.
By certain types of drying devices the wood is put into compartment by means of suitable transport carriages. With the ventilators placed on the ceiling or rarely on other locations an air flow is created which is in some cases blown transversely, yet by others the air flow is lead horizontaly and transversely and still in other versions the air is lead longitudinaly.
By all these known drying devices the transport units are constructed in a manner and with such dimensions that enable loading as great quantities of wood as possible in the kiln volume. The wood is stacked by along ventilation in a way that air flow is possible at least in one horizontal plane. A certain compromise has to be achieved with the consideration of dimensions of the air gap that is neccessary for air flow and the amount of wood in the kiln. The hot air is then blown through the air gaps in order to fasten up the intensity of drying. When the hot air gets in contact with the wood containing high moisture level it absorbs it to its highest possible value, what causes enabling of absorption of moisture, that is still present deeper in the pile. Consequently that means that ventilators create enough strong air flow yet with the highest moisture level possible what means only a lot of waste of energy. Because of high moisture level in the air it is very likely that it condenses on cooler places such as walls and other equipment causing damage. The condensed liquid that stays in the kiln volume efects harmfull on it as well as to the drying process.
As noted in the patent aplication EP 0 170 648 A1 which is intended to execute one of the latest drying technologies the compartment has warm-insulated walls. The sawn wood is being stacked by longitudinaly ventilation in the kiln volume. In the drying device there is installed a ventilator which enables air flow passing through a heating register then continuing on trough stacked wood to the cooling register where the air flow is led in a way of repeating the same loop. In the area of heating register the air is warmed up then as passing trough the stacked wood it picks up moisture which is then released by passing trough the colling register to the warming register. Such a combination is likely to create condensate if fresh sawn wood is processed but is quite suitable for wood with low moisture volume—the final touch—before being used up by industry.
If desired that by means of satured air generated by drying process of stacked wood as highest as possible quantity of moisture should be departed from compartment, the air must be heated. The disposal of great amounts of saturated air is combined with great looses of heat used before as heating air. Energy yield by using this technology of drying wood is low.
Except of the above mentioned drying technologies also a vacuum drying technology is described in the PCT/DK87/00012 and WO 87/04779, where e.g. intensivity of drying process could be monitored in order to avoid drying defects. The devices with applied vacuum technology are very sensitive in mantaining proper vacuum conditions and are more suitable for drying processes for wood containing lower values of moisture what means that other drying technology for eliminating the majority of moisture has to be used therebefore.
By all these known solutions it can be summarized that all of them have certain imperfections, e.g. relatively low energy yield being unacceptable for global economy, or high requirements in respect of the space consumption, highly dependance on power sources, a high probability of drying defects, very small or no adaptable abilities and are moreover built as a stationary type with drying capacities that dictate the amounts of drying wood and technology.


Novel sensor devices composed of a crystalline colloidal array (CCA) polymerized in a hydrogel are disclosed. The hydrogels are characterized as being capable of shrinking and swelling in response to specific stimuli applied thereto. As the hydrogels shrink or swell, the lattice structure of the CCA embedded therein changes, thereby changing the wavelength of light diffracted by the CCA. Thus by monitoring the change in diffracted wavelength, the concentration of a stimulus is determined. The gels can be modified to sense numerous different stimuli. The sensor devices are specific in that they are modified to react with only one species or family of species. These sensors have various applications in areas including, for example, environmental and chemical systems, chemomechanical systems, sensor devices and medical diagnostic tools. Various methods for making and using these devices are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical, gel-based devices that utilize the diffraction properties of crystalline colloidal arrays. More specifically, the present invention relates to polymerized crystalline colloidal array detectors whose diffraction wavelengths change in response to a variety of specific stimuli. These detectors have application in numerous chemical, environmental and medical technologies.
2. Background Art
Charged colloidal particles, when suspended in water, form a stable, crystalline dispersion due to interparticle coulomb repulsion forces. The property of structural ordering in such dispersions has been exploited in making devices such as narrow band optical rejection filters. The ordering phenomena in such colloidal suspensions have been useful in spectroscopy and Bragg diffraction techniques. It has been found that mesoscopic, crystalline structures can have many practical applications as optical filters in military, space, medical and research uses. In many such instances, it is necessary or desirable to filter narrow bands of selected wavelengths from a broader spectrum of incident radiation. Crystalline structures, or crystalline colloidal arrays (CCA), and their use in optical filtering devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,627,689 and 4,632,517.
Similar devices, in which a CCA is embedded in a polymer matrix, have also been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,781 and 5,266,238 disclose tunable, narrow band radiation filters comprising a crystalline colloidal array of charged particles fixed in a hydrogel film. Methods for filtering incident radiation using these filters are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,330,685, 5,338,492 and 5,342,552 discuss narrow band radiation filters comprising a CCA of charged particles in a polymeric hydrogel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,370 also discloses a method of making a solid radiation filter material including one embodiment in which the particles in the array are fused together by polymerization.
Various sensor devices are also reported in the art. Schalkhammer, et al., disclose an optical sensor that utilizes the concept of pH-dependent swelling of special polymers. See Schalkhammer, et al., "The Use of Metal-island-coated pH Sensitive Swelling Polymers for Biosensor Applications", Sensors and Actuators B, Vol. 24-25, pp. 166-172 (1995). Conductimetric sensor devices have been proposed based on the selective swelling of hydrogels in response to pH by Sheppard, "Design of a Conductimetric Microsensor Based on Reversibly Swelling Polymer Hydrogels", Transducers '91, 773-776 (1991) and Sheppard, et al., "Microfabricated Conductimetric pH Sensor", Sensors and Actuators B, Vol. 28, pp. 95-102 (1995). Finally, sensor devices based on the selective swelling of hydrogels in response to glucose have been proposed by McCurley, "An Optical Biosensor Using A Fluorescent, Swelling Sensing Element", Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Vol. 9, pp. 527-533 (1994) and Kikuchi, et al., "Glucose-Sensing Electrode Coated With Polymer Complex Gel Containing Phenylboronic Acid", Anal. Chem., Vol. 68, pp. 823-828 (1996).
None of the art, however, discloses a sensor device that utilizes crystalline colloidal array diffraction as a detection means, as disclosed herein.

Polymerized crystalline colloidal array sensors

University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education


A continuously cast slab of Fe-Ni series alloy comprising 30-50 wt % of Ni or further 0.001-0.03 wt % of B and the balance of Fe is controlled to an eqiaxial crystal ratio of 20% or 30% in accordance with the existence or nonexistence of B content in the continuous casting and, if necessary, subjected to an electromagnetic stirring treatment or the like for controlling the eqiaxial crystal ratio and then heated at a temperature of not lower than 950.degree. C., 1000.degree. C. and 1100.degree. C. to economically produce Fe-Ni series alloys having improved effect for restraining streaks during etching.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing Fe-Ni series alloys having an improved effect of restraining streaks during the etching, and more particularly to a method of producing Fe-Ni series alloys suitable as a material for use in an electronic equipment such as a shadow mask for color television cathode tube, an electron-ray indicator tube or the like.
2. Related Art Statement
Iron-nickel series alloys (hereinafter abbreviated as Fe-Ni alloy) used as a material for a shadow mask of a color television cathode tube are pointed out to have a drawback that a white stringer pattern or so-called streak is caused in the production of the shadow mask through photoetching.
As a technique for restraining the streaks during the etching, there have hitherto been proposed the following methods. For example, Japanese Patent laid open No. 60-128,253 discloses a method of controlling the occurrence of streaks, wherein an ingot is usually heated above 850.degree. C. and forged at a total sectional reduction ratio of not less than 40% per one heat to mitigate the segregation portion of nickel.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent laid open No. 61-223,188 discloses a method of restraining the occurrence of streaks, wherein the segregation ratio of nickel and the segregation zone thereof are controlled by the prevention of segregation in the production of ingots or by subjecting the nickel to a diffusion treatment through a heat treatment in the production step of bars.
However, the conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent laid open No. 60-128,253 is concerned with a method of conducting the forging at the total sectional reduction ratio of more than 40%, but the segregation of various elements cannot be substantially restrained since such a forging is under an usually used loading. As a result, it is not possible to prevent the occurrence of streaks during the etching.
On the other hand, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent laid open No. 61-223,188 shows a method of mitigating the component segregation through the diffusion of Ni based on high-temperature heat treatment. However, since the sheet thickness is thin as compared with the case of heating at the slab stage, the oxidation loss becomes relatively large and the yield is considerably and undesirably lowered.
In these techniques, the ingot is usually used as a starting material. Now, the solidification structure of the starting material does not come into problem, but the yield of a product is low and the cost is high since the starting material is supplied in form of an ingot.
As mentioned above, these conventional techniques can not completely prevent the occurrence of streaks during the etching, or can not produce cheap products industrially.

Method of producing Fe-Ni series alloys having improved effect for restraining streaks during etching


An adjustment unit is installed to a woodworking machine including a base member and an auxiliary platform and is provided between the base member and the auxiliary platform. The adjustment unit includes an adjustment element including an operated portion formed on an end thereof and an adjustment portion formed on another end thereof. A first connective element includes a longitudinal first connective portion coupled to the adjustment portion of the adjustment element and a second connective element coupled to the first connective element and driving the operated portion of the adjustment element to adjust a horizontal position of the auxiliary platform.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a woodworking machine and more particularly, to a woodworking machine with an adjustment unit adapted for adjusting a horizontal position of a platform of the woodworking machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional woodworking machine includes a working platform, and operators would put material to be processed on the working platform for cutting or planning. However, the fixed-size working platform could not apply to a variety of sizes of material to be processed, and an additional auxiliary platform is needed. To prevent a problem of delivery of a woodworking machine with huge volume, the auxiliary platform should be self-made to install to the original working platform, so that correction of a horizontal position of the auxiliary platform becomes more of a problem.

Woodworking machine with adjustment unit


An operation monitoring apparatus monitors statuses of plural monitoring target apparatus connected to a network, by sending a connection confirmation mail, via a notification server located on the network, receiving the connection confirmation mail and an operation confirmation mail sent from each monitoring target apparatus, storing a scheduled transmission time of a next operation confirmation mail contained in the operation confirmation mail, as part of apparatus information of the monitoring target apparatus and judging, using the scheduled transmission time, whether the next operation confirmation mail has been received. The judgment is not made if a latest connection confirmation mail sent from the operation monitoring apparatus itself has not been received.

1. Field
The embodiments of the present invention relate to an operation monitoring apparatus and an operation monitoring method for monitoring the operation statuses of plural operation monitoring target apparatus that are connected to the operation monitoring side via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-229870 and No. 2001-325123 disclose techniques in which a monitoring apparatus monitors the operation statuses of plural monitoring target apparatus that are connected to it via a network. The Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-229870 discloses a monitoring system in which a monitoring apparatus sends a check signal to each monitoring target apparatus and judges that a monitoring target apparatus is not operating normally if no response to the check signal is received from it. The Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-325123 discloses a monitoring system in which each monitoring target apparatus sends an operation confirmation mail to a monitoring apparatus on a regular basis and the monitoring apparatus judges that a monitoring target apparatus is not operating normally if no operation confirmation mail is received from it by a scheduled reception time.

Operation monitoring apparatus, operation monitoring method, and computer-readable recording medium storing operation monitoring program