The disclosure relates to a baseball pitcher training device for training a pitcher in controlling his lower and upper body portions during the pitch preparation phase as well as the delivery and follow-through phase. The device comprises a portable balance beam and a simulated pitching xe2x80x9crubberxe2x80x9d mounted thereon from which the pitcher initiates his pre-pitch movements. The balance beam provides a limited width foot landing area after pitch delivery to limit lower and upper body movement and ensure alignment with the plate to improve pitch accuracy. This embodiment is used primarily for pitch delivery from the stretch position. A second embodiment includes an enlarged mound platform area which is removably placed over the end of the balance beam/rubber area of the first embodiment to provide a more stable pitching area and is used for delivery from the full wind-up position. Both embodiments are lightweight and portable, useable indoors or on a practice field, and have been successfully used by either left or right-handed pitchers.

The present invention relates generally to a training device for baseball pitchers. More specifically, it relates to a portable, lightweight training device which can be used with equal effectiveness by either left or right-handed pitchers and can be used indoors in a gymnasium or outdoors on a practice field.
It is well known that a significant number of our youth participate in the game of baseball. At very early ages players start with T-ball and progressively move through the ranks of organized baseball during their early teens. It is also a well known fact that good habits are very important to develop and instill in a player""s routine. All positions on a baseball team require physical endurance and coordination. However, the position of pitcher requires specialized training above and beyond that which is required of all other positions. An effective pitcher plays a protective role in the outcome of a game while the remaining players play a reactive role. Therefore, the earlier a youngster is taught the proper mechanics of pitching, it will become second nature for him to step onto the mound and proceed in a manner that will utilize his practice and training in an effective manner.
A xe2x80x9chealthyxe2x80x9d body, proper pitching mechanics, confidence and self-control are necessary for successful baseball pitching. This invention is intended to help with the development of these physical and mental factors.
Baseball statistics have shown that a pitcher""s first pitch is the most important pitch. It has been found that first pitches that are a strike, result in a significantly greater percentage of batter outs than when the first pitch is a ball. It has also been found that repetition in practice sessions where the pitcher properly repeats the body positioning and motions required for a striker, coupled with the watchful eye of a coach and his constructive criticism are the keys to successful pitching.
A pitching must utilize proper body mechanics in order to develop optimum pitch velocity, controlled placement and the intended spin. Pitch delivery mechanics are frequently described as pitching from the xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d position, or pitching from the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position. The xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d position is typically used when no runners are on base. Occasionally, this delivery is used when the bases are loaded or there is a runner on third base only.
Alternatively, the pitcher may use the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d delivery when a runner is on third base, or the bases are loaded. With a runner on first and/or second base, the pitcher will certainly deliver from the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position, because this position enables the pitcher to pivot rapidly, facilitating a quicker throw to xe2x80x9cpick-offxe2x80x9d the base runner.
Increasingly, some relief pitchers favor delivery from the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position for most all situations, because it reduces the number of steps required to deliver the pitch. Fewer delivery steps reduces the risks of errors in body mechanics and conserves energy during the pitching process. This invention is intended to help develop proper body mechanics for both types of delivery, the xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d position (FIGS. 11-16) and the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position (FIGS. 6-10), as described hereinafter.
It is for the above stated reasons that applicants have designed the subject pitcher""s training device to aid in the development of proper pitching mechanics, a xe2x80x9chealthyxe2x80x9d body and a confident mind.
A search of the pertinent subclasses in Class 473 and Class 482 revealed the following prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,155xe2x80x94issued to Stilie on May 19, 1967, discloses an artificial pitching mound/pad per se. It is implanted or placed on a natural earth formed pitching mound and is comprised of a resilient friction pad which is received in a fiberglass base member and rim which conforms to the shape of the pad. Positioned on the upper surface of the resilient pad is a raised rear support surface accommodating the pitcher while standing prior to the delivery of a pitch. A ledge is formed in the contoured pitching surface for a pitching abutment block that is commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9cpitching rubberxe2x80x9d. Between the base member and the pitching abutment block is a lower support surface which includes a pitching runway extending from the forward edge of the support surface to the end of the pad. Although this device has some similarities to the subject invention, it also has significant differences. The Stilie device does not include an adjustment feature for accommodating players of different leg length and most importantly, the xe2x80x9cpitching runawayxe2x80x9d is wider than the abutment block thus allowing the pitcher""s body to turn and rotate excessively to the left or right thus resulting in a delivery which is xe2x80x9coutsidexe2x80x9d of the plate producing a xe2x80x9cballxe2x80x9d rather than a xe2x80x9cstrikexe2x80x9d.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,449xe2x80x94issued to Weeks on May 19, 1999, discloses a pitching trainer which includes a target area consisting of a net device. It further includes a mat having a simulative pitcher""s xe2x80x9crubberxe2x80x9d with marked regions for placement of a pitcher""s feet thereover and a landing area for each foot separated by a divider. Additionally, a tee mechanism is mounted on a telescoping support extending from a base. The tee is designed to receive one ball at a time and is located with respect to the mat in such a manner that the pitcher, standing on the foot receiving portion of the mat will grasp a ball from the tee only when the pitcher""s stance is appropriate for throwing the ball in the correct manner. The Weeks device includes many components which have nothing to do with the pitcher""s delivery of the ball, except for the mat which includes a divider in the center thereof which forces the pitcher""s feet to the left or right thereof thus ensuring that a twisting or rotating motion is imparted to the pitcher""s upper body with a resulting pitch out of the strike zone for a ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,889xe2x80x94issued to Barton on Oct. 2, 1991, discloses a portable pitching mound and an attached home plate. The mound body includes a raised level portion which includes the pitching xe2x80x9crubberxe2x80x9d. A depression area includes soft soil-like material and the rubber and a landing area forward of the mound. The home plate is attached to the periphery of the mound by a calibrated line. Markings are provided on the periphery of the landing area permitting the user to check his stride length. Here again, there is nothing in this disclosure which will train a pitcher to land his foot in a specification area while keeping his upper body in a particular orientation to assure direct alignment with the catcher""s mitt during delivery to the strike zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,818xe2x80x94issued to Hamilton on Aug. 15, 2000, discloses a stance and stride training device in FIGS. 5 and 6. The stance and stride mat is reversible and can be used for batting or throwing training. The mat includes stance stripes for positioning the user""s feet and is used for training a thrower, there is no mention in this disclosure of training a pitcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,450xe2x80x94issued to Rivers on Oct. 3, 2000, discloses a multi-component device with adjustable components to aid in training a pitcher to success fully strike a target. The only similarity to applicant""s device is the fact that they are both concerned with training a pitcher. The apparatus by which this is accomplished is completely different from applicants"" device.
As can be seen from the above cited art, many attempts have bee made to provide a pitcher with the proper training to improve his pitching abilities. However, there still remains a need for a training device, which will train a pitcher for delivery from the xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position wherein a specific location is required for the pitcher to land his foot during delivery without turning or rotating his upper or lower body excessively to the left or right of the intended target to enable a direct line of flight for the ball on its way to the catcher""s mitt resulting in a perfect pitch. It is believed that the subject invention accomplishes this goal in a manner that will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
The subject invention provides a training device for a baseball pitcher which is lightweight, portable, easily erected and can be used indoors in a gymnasium or outdoors on a practice field. The device includes a pitcher""s abutment block or xe2x80x9crubberxe2x80x9d and an elongated balance beam for the pitcher""s foot during delivery of a pitch. The elongated balance beam is of limited width which requires the user to maintain balance and ensures that the user""s lower and upper body portions will not over or under rotate, remaining aligned with home plate during delivery, facilitating control of the ball in flight. A friction surface is provided to limit or minimize foot slippage and an adjustable stride gauge block to accommodate pitchers of different leg length and strides. The adjustable stride gauge block requires the user""s foot to land on the balance beam forward of the stride gauge block thus ensuring that maximum stretch and leverage is imparted to the user""s body during delivery.
Two embodiments are disclosed, one used for the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position, (FIGS. 6-10), where the initial standing area of the pitcher is of limited size and the other, (FIGS. 11-16), for the xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d position where the initial standing area is comprised of an enlarged mound platform area that fits over the smaller standing area of the first embodiment. The enlarged mound platform area includes an upper support surface with an abutment block or xe2x80x9crubberxe2x80x9d mounted thereon and a friction surface adjacent thereto. In some cases it has been found that initial use of the first embodiment by a player can be somewhat intimidating, therefore, the enlarged mound platform area is utilized until the user has developed sufficient skill and confidence in its use. The enlarged mound platform area is then removed and the user continues without it. The subject device is useably by and equally effective with or without the enlarged mound platform area and by either left or right-handed pitchers. It has been found that the user of the subject invention sufficiently contributes to the accuracy and consistency with which a pitcher delivers a baseball to the strike zone.
An object of the invention is to provide a lightweight, portable pitcher training device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a training device which includes a pitcher standing area and an elongated balance beam.
A further object of the invention is to provide a training device with a landing area positioned and dimensioned to train the user in consistently achieving upper and lower body balance before and during delivery of a pitch.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a training device that includes upper friction surfaces to limit or minimize slippage during use thereof.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a training device which includes an adjustable stride gauge block to govern the proper placement of the stride foot.
Another object of the invention is to provide a training device which includes two embodiments, one for the xe2x80x9cstretchxe2x80x9d position and one for the xe2x80x9cfull wind-upxe2x80x9d position.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter. The instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.


A method and apparatus for providing a network based operating system for mobile clients is disclosed. Services may be developed that can be used to support different client devices with different capabilities. The services provide output with multiple variations based on different devices, and an intermediary selects the variation best suited for the requesting device. An online software development system is provided to allow services to create, edit, test, and deploy applications at an intermediary using only a browser at the client end. Services may also be provided that can be accessed and referred to by other services, thereby facilitating the combining of different services. Services may also store and access data at an intermediary using variables and a mapping of the stored data to the variables. Data stored at the intermediary may be used to allow an end user to return to a previously accessed service.

The World Wide Web includes a network of servers on the Internet, each of which is associated with one or more HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) pages. The HTML pages associated with a server provide information and hypertext links to other documents on that and (usually) other servers. Servers communicate with clients by using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The servers listen for requests from clients for their HTML pages, and are therefore often referred to as "listeners".
Users of the World Wide Web use a client program, referred to as a browser, to request, decode and display information from listeners. When the user of a browser selects a link on an HTML page, the browser that is displaying the page sends a request over the Internet to the listener associated with the Universal Resource Locator (URL) specified in the link. In response to the request, the listener transmits the requested information to the browser that issued the request. The browser receives the information, presents the received information to the user, and awaits the next user request.
Traditionally, the information stored on listeners is in the form of static HTML pages. Static HTML pages are created and stored at the listener prior to a request from a web browser. In response to a request, a static HTML page is merely read from storage and transmitted to the requesting browser. Currently, there is a trend to develop listeners that respond to browser requests by performing dynamic operations. For example, a listener may respond to a request by issuing a query to a database, dynamically constructing a web page containing the results of the query, and transmitting the dynamically constructed HTML page to the requesting browser.
Another trend is to expand Internet access to devices other than conventional computer systems. For example, many mobile clients (or mobile devices), such as wireless phones, have been developed that include embedded web browsers. Due to size and cost constraints, the "micro browsers" contained in these devices have very limited functionality relative to the browsers that have been developed for full-fledged computer systems. However, devices with embedded micro browsers are usable in circumstances under which using a conventional computer system is impractical.
The number of device types that are able to display web content, in one form or another, continues to increase. For example, there are desktop, laptop and pocket computers, mobile phones, pagers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that can be described as "web-enabled" because they are able display web content. As the number of web-enabled device types increases, so does the variation in the capabilities of the devices. For example, general purpose computer systems compensate for their immobility by providing large color screens, sophisticated sound output, significant processing power, ergonomic keyboard input, and an easy-to-use selection device such as a mouse, track ball, or track pad. Conversely, small mobile devices achieve their portability at the expense of screen size and user-input ease-of-use.
Yet another trend is to offer services to clients via a server on a network. Typically the network is the Internet, the client is a user, and the service is available from the server via a website. The service may supply information such as restaurant reviews, weather reports, stock quotations, or news updates. The service may also be more interactive, such as allowing the user to purchase goods, such as books or music, or to purchase services, such as booking travel arrangements. As used herein, the term "service" refers to providing information, functions, or capabilities to a client.
The process by which the user accesses the service depends on the type of client the user has. For example, a desktop computer can connect to the Internet through a dial-up line, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a cable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) connection, or many other available methods. Wireless application protocol (WAP) phones may connect to the Internet over a wireless connection through a WAP-to-HTTP gateway. Generally, the client logs in to the website and is presented with a list of available services, from which the client selects the desired service.
Generally, a service is provided in one of two ways: as a hosted application or as a portal application. With a typical hosted application, a developer creates the application, but a host installs and maintains the application for access by end-users, or customers, on the host network of servers. In contrast, with a typical portal application, the developer both creates the application and deploys it for access by end users, or customers, via one or more servers controlled by the developer. The "developer" referred to herein may be the individual, company, or other entity that provides the service (also referred to as a service provider), or the developer may be another entity providing software development services to the service provider.
A common problem with providing services via applications, whether they are hosted applications or portal applications, is that the application must be designed to work with all devices. However, devices will vary widely in their capabilities based on both the type of device and the particular capabilities of different models of devices of the same type or class of device. For example, a desktop computer will generally have a fully functional web browser, whereas a personal computing device will have a micro browser with limited functionality. Also, some mobile phones may have a limited display that only allows for a single word on each line of the display, while other mobile phones may have a larger display capable of showing several words on each line.
The variation of capabilities can make it difficult for an application developer to support all possible devices. For example, a service may involve the display of graphic images, such as those of products offered for sale, which may be easily viewed on the full function web browser of a desktop computer but which may be incapable of display on a mobile phone. Also, even if the developer is only concerned with a certain type or class of device, the differences in capabilities may be significant. For example, if the application programmer sends output containing multiple words describing several items of information, mobile phones with limited display screens may only be capable of showing the first word of each information item on each line of the display screen, or the output for a single information item will fill multiple lines on the phone display, precluding other information items from being shown simultaneously.
One approach to solving the problem of designing for devices of varying capabilities is to design for the "lowest common denominator." The lowest common denominator approach involves designing the application to work on the most limited device available. For example, if a menu of options is to be displayed on a client device, such as a mobile phone, an application programmer may select short, one-word labels for each of the options because all devices that will use the application can support one-word labels. For example, the application developer may employ the single word menu item "Return" for a mapping application for the option of generating return directions from a selected destination.
However, a drawback of the lowest common denominator approach is that the output does not take advantage of the superior capabilities of other devices. For example, if a client device is capable of displaying a longer label, such as "Generate Return Directions," the longer label would be preferred, since "Return" is ambiguous and may be incorrectly interpreted by the user as meaning "Return to Previous Menu." In addition, the capabilities incorporated into new devices would go largely unused if all applications were targeted to the minimal capabilities of older devices.
An alternative approach to solving the problem of designing for clients or devices of varying capabilities is to design for some intermediate level of capability, such as the most common type of mobile phone. However, an application using this intermediate approach may not function properly on devices with lesser capabilities, and the application will still fail to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities of other devices.
Another problem with providing services via applications is how to support additional devices that become available after the application is developed. For example, several months after release of an application by a service provider, a device manufacturer may release a new device. The new device could be an evolutionary advance over current devices that improves existing features, or the new device could be a more significant advance in that class of device that adds significant new features, or the new device may be a new type of device that adds new capabilities or has a new combination of capabilities.
New devices with improved capabilities can be accommodated by using the lowest common denominator approach, but the enhanced features and capabilities of the new devices, such as larger displays, may go largely unused. For example, if the application only provides one-word menu options, the application will not be taking advantage of an improved device that is able to display multiple word options. Furthermore, with a later released device, the lowest common denominator approach may completely avoid using new capabilities, such as being able to handle voice data or graphics. Even if the application is designed for an intermediate level of capabilities, the application may still fail to fully utilize all of the advances and improvements in future devices that may be created.
Yet another problem with application development is having easy access to the tools available to the developer to create the application. Typically, a developer designing an application for a particular platform (e.g., a combination of hardware, operating system and/or protocols) will utilize a software development kit (SDK). An SDK will generally contain an application programming environment, some commonly used libraries for various features, application programming interfaces, utilities, documentation, a compiler for generating executable code from source code, and a debugger for diagnosing programming problems. To use these tools, the developer obtains the software, documentation, and other materials from an SDK provider, and then the developer installs the software and other tools onto a local computer or network. Later, as the SDK provider makes improvements and upgrades, the developer incorporates such changes into the local installation of the SDK package. Thus, the application developers may have to expend significant resources to install and maintain the SDK. In addition, conventional SDK's typically require significant resources not only for the SDK itself, but also for application development and the infrastructure for the setup, testing, and deployment of the runtime applications.
Individual service providers may want to offer other services that are related to their core services to enhance the overall experience of the customers of the service. For example, if a user seeks out driving directions to a particular destination from one service provider, the driving direction provider may also want to offer the user additional information about the weather or dining options at the particular destination. One way for the driving direction provider to offer such additional information is to create the necessary additional services, which can entail significant additional development resources. Another approach is for the service provider to make arrangements with another service provider to obtain the desired functionality. However, making arrangements with other service providers may involve significant coordination, both in establishing the technical infrastructure to connect the two providers' services and also to establish a means for gauging the level of use by the first provider's customers for billing purposes.
Still another concern with providing services via applications is that the service provider may want to incorporate into the applications durably stored data that is available to the applications when executed. The service provider may then have to incur the burden of establishing and maintaining the stored data so that the data is available when required by the applications.
Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide improved techniques for designing applications that more effectively work with all devices. It is also desirable to have improved techniques for creating applications. Further, it is desirable to have improved techniques that allow service providers to offer additional services. Also, it is desirable to have improved techniques for incorporating stored data into an application.

Customizing content provided by a service


The invention relates to an autoinjector 59 for administering a fluid medicament to a subject comprising: a housing 1 for receiving a cartridge holder; a driver assembly 8; the driver assembly on actuation may move the cartridge 3 forward in the cartridge holder 2; a needle cover 4 may be coupled to the housing wherein the needle cover 4 travels in a linear or translational movement; said needle cover 4 is adapted to protect a needle when the needle cover may be in first locking position 17 and second locking position 18; the linear or translational movement may be achieved by a cam profile 13 and a cam follower 14; the cam profile 13 may be provided on outside surface of housing and the cam follower 14 located between the needle cover 4 and the housing 1; a first biasing member 15; and a second biasing member 16 configured to bias the cartridge 3 and the needle cover 4 respectively; and a safety cap 11 to control the actuation of the autoinjector. The needle cover 4 further comprises a sleeve 91 or sleeve 92 which prevents or inhibits the obstruction of the movement of needle cover 4 when the user accidentally hold the needle cover 4 during actuation of the autoinjector.

Many people have 'needle phobia' and are apprehensive of seeing a needle during medicament administration. As a result, people with 'needle phobia' may not regularly administer medicament as prescribed or may improperly administer an injection due to their apprehension.
Following documents disclose autoinjector with needle protection system:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,336 discloses autoinjector with a sharp protector that is manually or automatically deployable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,449,012 discloses autoinjector with a needle cover at least partially received within the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,686 discloses autoinjector with extendible needle protector shroud.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,617,119 discloses a safety device having a tubular support for a needle mount end and a protective shield slidably mounted on the support.


Provided are methods and apparatuses for transmitting a buffer status report in carrier aggregation environment. The method may include receiving, from a base station, high layer signaling including information for configuring data duplicate transmission using carrier aggregation, configuring a plurality of radio link control (RLC) entities including a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity associated with one packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity based on the high layer signaling, and configuring a logical channel associated with the first RLC entity and a logical channel associated with the second RLC entity to one medium access control (MAC) entity; and when the data duplicate transmission is activated, transmitting, to the base station, the buffer status report including PDCP data volume in both a logical channel group associated with the first RLC entity and a logical channel group associated with the second RLC entity.

Due to advances in communication systems, various types of wireless terminals have been introduced to consumers such as companies and individuals.
Mobile communication systems employing technologies related to 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, fifth generation (5G), or the like, have been designed for transmitting and receiving a large amount of various data, such as video data, radio data, or the like, at a high-speed.
After LTE-Advanced, technologies for next generation radio access networks have been developed for enabling a user equipment to transmit and receive even more data and provide higher Quality of Service (QoS). For example, 3GPP have developed 5G network technologies.
Meanwhile, it is possible for a base station to increase the data transmit rate and capability of a user equipment by configuring and using a plurality of cells. For example, the base station and the user equipment may meet user's requirements using carrier aggregation configured based on a plurality of carriers.
In particular, in order to provide reliably a service with low latency, such as ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), it is necessary for data to be transmitted/received without loss at an even higher speed. To this end, a technology is required for transmitting data in duplicate using a plurality of cells and even securing reliability to the related service.
However, until now, no method or related technology has been proposed or developed for enabling a user equipment to perform the duplicate transmission of data through one radio bearer. Accordingly, it is not easy to satisfy requirements of the URLLC service that is one of key usage scenarios of 5G mobile communication technology.

Buffer state report transmission method and device therefor


The present invention allows creation of a backup key for backing up an encryption key inside a source trusted chip, encrypting the encryption key with the backup key, exporting the encrypted encryption key from the source trusted chip and storing it in a storage device, encrypting the backup key for transmission to a trusted third party. If the encrypted encryption key needs to be restored inside a destination trusted chip, the backup key and the encryption key encrypted with the backup key are imported to the destination trusted chip, where the encrypted encryption key is decrypted with the backup key inside the destination trusted chip to obtain the encryption key of the source trusted chip.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method for backing up and restoring an encryption key, in particular to a method for backing up and restoring an encryption key for data encryption/decryption generated by a trusted chip.
2. Description of Prior Art
Today, the society has entered the information age where the computer and network have been gradually applied to various fields. Accompanied by the progress towards higher information technology and the emergence of new network services such as electronic business, the society relies on the computer and network to a growing extent. As a result, information security plays a more important role in the information age, and the requirements on information security are highly strengthened.
The purpose of guaranteeing information security in a better fashion has brought about so-called trusted chip technology, which means providing a trusted chip within a computer so as to encrypt/decrypt data to be protected with the trusted chip. The ability of the trusted chip technology to guarantee information security can be attributed to two critical points. First, the trusted chip utilizes a preset algorithm to generate a random root key, which is firmed in the trusted chip in the form of plain text and operates only inside the trusted chip without any possibility of being read out of the chip. Next, the trusted chip generates a key for data encryption/decryption (hereafter referred to as "encryption key"), which can be exported from the trusted chip only after being encrypted with the root key. On the other hand, the encrypted encryption key can be decrypted with the corresponding root key and revert to its original appearance only after being imported into the trusted chip. In other words, the encryption key can encrypt/decrypt data to be protected only within a specified trusted chip, which is TPM (Trusted Platform Module) or a device similar to TPM.
From the above introduction, it is obvious that the trusted chip can ensure the security for data it encrypts, since the encryption key cannot exist outside the trusted chip in the form of plain text and be employed only within exactly this trusted chip. Due to this characteristic, however, some problems occur as follows.
Once the trusted chip is damaged or invalidated, it is impossible to obtain the encryption key whose existence depends on this trusted chip and thus to decrypt the encrypted data with this encryption key. That is, once the trusted chip is damaged or invalidated, anybody, even the user him/herself, cannot decrypt the encrypted data again, thereby leading to the unavailability of these data.
Although the data the user wants to protect are still present and not be stolen by the third party, it is unacceptable to the user that even he/she cannot access the data.

Method for backing up and restoring an encryption key


An electromagnetic inductor for generating a rotating field for stirring the core of a metal casting while the core is still liquid, which metal casting is to be cooled by external water circulation. The excitation winding which is to be mounted on each of its pole pieces must, prior to this, be fixed around a tubular winding support so as to form an annular winding block. The block is then fitted on the pole piece and locked thereto in reversible manner. The inductor may be used in facilities for continuous casting of steel products.

Such a field is generated in known manner by an electromagnetic inductor which, in the case of stirring a molten metal, may be referred to as a "stirrer". The inductor includes the following components:
a magnetic circuit constituted by a yoke for looping a magnetic flux and including wide teeth which form a sequence of projecting pole pieces;
prefabricated excitation windings, each constituted by an insulated conductor wound about a winding axis, the windings being coaxially mounted around respective pole pieces of the magnetic circuit; and
electric power supply means for supplying the windings with excitation electrical currents, in particular alternating currents having phases forming a sequence in time that is associated with the sequence of poles so as to generate a moving magnetic field.
The magnetic circuit of a stirrer is conventionally formed by a stack of plane magnetic laminations which are clamped together by means of tie bars. The magnetic circuit may be manufactured using two different known manufacturing methods. In the first one of these methods, the magnetic circuit is obtained by mechanically assembling:
a yoke made of a stack of plane magnetic laminations; and
pole pieces each of which is made of a stack of plane magnetic laminations and is then mechanically fixed to the yoke; in this case, by construction, the pole pieces are detachable and are referred to as "attached" pieces.
In the second method of manufacturing a magnetic circuit, the circuit is made of a stack of plane laminations which have been cut out so as to have a solid portion and wide teeth; in this case, by construction, the yoke and the pole pieces are integral.
In order to make such a stirrer, the large alternating electromagnetic forces to which the conductors in the winding are subjected when in use make it necessary to use shims, bindings and an impregnation resin.
Cooling the windings by causing water to circulate is also known.
Cooling may be internal. In which case, the water flows through the inside channel of a tubular conductor making up the winding. This type of cooling requires distilled water to be used and leads to problems arising from the need to make relatively complex and bulky hydraulic connections inside the limited volume available for the inductor and from the need to use sufficiently powerful pumps.
These hydraulics problems are simplified in inductors using external cooling. In this case, the windings are disposed inside a housing in which cooling water is caused to circulate. The windings are therefore immersed in the water and they are cooled via the walls of the winding block they form together with the resin with which they are impregnated. Sealing arrangements are provided so as to prevent any water reaching the copper of the conductors.
In such a cooling system, the use of distilled water is no longer necessary, but the life-span of such immersed windings is essentially linked to the continued effectiveness of the sealing arrangements against the surrounding water--both for the conductors and for the impregnation. That is why numerous precautions are taken in selecting the insulating materials, the manufacturing and impregnation methods, and the cooling water--in particular, efforts are made to obtain water having a low solids content, especially of ferromagnetic particles, and to limit the size of these particles. In spite of all these precautions, the life-span of such windings is limited in the long-term and generally (for all windings) by the water-absorption capacities of the various materials currently available. These absorption capacities relate to microscopic pores through which water leaks develop towards the masses of metal constituted essentially by the magnetic circuit of the inductor. The power dissipated by the leaks transforms the microscopic pores into macroscopic pores which leads to complete breaks in the insulation in the medium term. Since the copper is then no longer protected, it is attacked by electrolysis and this generally leads to the winding conductor breaking.
The life-span may also be reduced drastically and locally (e.g. on one winding) by accidental phenomena (e.g. a foreign body in the volume containing the windings, a malfunction in the water circuit, etc.).
Therefore, there are two problems. The first is to increase the overall life of the inductor. The second is to facilitate replacing a faulty winding.
An object of the present invention is to solve these two problems more simply and better than before.

Method of making a static electromagnetic inductor


Corrosion resistant substrate supports and methods of making corrosion resistant substrate supports are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of making corrosion resistant substrate supports includes exposing the substrate support disposed within a substrate processing chamber to a process gas comprising an aluminum containing precursor; and depositing an aluminum containing layer atop surfaces of the substrate support.

Thin films are generally fabricated in process chambers selectively adapted for performing various deposition, etch, and thermal processes, among other processes, upon substrates, such as silicon (Si) wafers, gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers, glass or sapphire substrates, and the like. These processes often use or develop process environments (e.g., environments containing aggressive chemistries, plasmas, by-products, etc.) that may gradually erode, consume, or contaminate various exposed components of the processing chambers, such as substrate supports, substrate lift pins, process kits (e.g., heat rings, deposition rings, retaining rings, and the like), process shields (heat shields, plasma shields, and the like), and the like. As such, these components are periodically inspected, refurbished (e.g., cleaned), and/or replaced—typically, on a set maintenance schedule (e.g., after a predetermined number of manufacturing cycles).
One such material is silicon carbide (SiC). As an example, many process chambers utilize components, such as a substrate support, fabricated from graphite having a silicon carbide coating or fabricated substantially completely from silicon carbide. A silicon carbide coating is typically formed via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) upon the graphite components. However, the corrosive chemistries used in a process chamber, such as but not limited to chlorine or fluorine containing chemistries, will react with the SiC material and oxidize carbon atoms from the material. The rapid deterioration of the SiC leads to more frequent refurbishment and/or replacement of components. Currently, SiC components can be protected by applying an ex-situ coating, such as by plasma spray or ion assisted deposition. However, such processes have challenges such as cracking and delamination at high temperatures, poor conformability of coating material to susceptor architecture, increased lead time and poor coating quality.
Accordingly, the inventors have developed improved corrosion resistant substrate supports and methods of forming corrosion resistant substrate supports.

In-situ corrosion resistant substrate support coating


A solution to RFID privacy concerns as these concerns relate to consumer goods. The inventive system of this application is known as Clip Chip. It surrenders control of the administration of privacy of personal information from the retailer to the consumer of retail goods. This is accomplished by splitting the RFID transponder into two pieces. On one piece, which is always attached to the consumer item, known as the retained piece, is a unique alpha numeric identifier. On the other piece, which can be detached from the consumer item, known as the detached piece, are the standard EPC data. The two pieces are connected by conductive ink. The consumer is empowered to disable the chip at the point of purchase by tearing the two pieces of the chip in two severing the conductive ink and thereby rendering both pieces of the chip moribund. Furthermore, the Clip Chip system contemplates a method to reconnect the circuit using a secure back end system upon the circumstance of a return of the consumer item for exchange or refund.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and more specifically is a solution to privacy concerns as these concerns relate to the purchase of consumer goods. The present inventive system surrenders control over the administration of personal purchase information from the retailer to the consumer or purchaser while still good purchased to be later verified as having been bought from a specific retailer thus enabling goods purchased to be identified for refund or exchange by the consumer or purchaser.
Radio frequency identification (hereinafter "RFID"), is a technology powered by small, wireless devices known as tags or transponders which can automatically track physical objects, animals and people when air interfacing with RFID readers, also known as interrogators. RFID can be seen as a means to explicitly label objects, animals and people so that tracking becomes automatic for back end computer host systems. Generally, in the RFID industry, an RFID tracking device which is known alternatively as a tag or as a transponder, is attached to or embedded in a product or product packaging and is air interfaced by radio frequency transmission with the antenna of an RFID reader/interrogator. The microchip itself can be as small as a grain of sand. The expense and size of a standard RFID tag or transponder package is a product of the external antenna which needs to be large enough to resonate at multiples of the wavelengths of currently authorized RFID frequencies. The antenna is usually constructed of copper or aluminum which is an expensive commodity. The authorized resonant frequencies for the antenna are Low Frequency in the 124 kHz to 135 kHz range. These have read distances of roughly two feet. There are High Frequency tags in the 13.56 MHz range with read ranges of over three feet. Moreover, there are Ultra High Frequency tags in the 860 MHz-960 MHz which have read parameters of up to 100 feet and more. RFID is being vigorously touted as a successor to optical barcode technology ubiquitous to consumer products. There are two advantages which RFID technology holds over the current barcode product identification system. First, the barcode indicates the type of object on which it is printed. For example, it will indicate to a cash register or check out automated system that the object in question is a yellow pencil of ABC brand. The RFID system goes a step further in that it emits a unique serial number which distinguishes it among millions of identically manufactured ABC brand of pencils. This unique identifying number can act as a direction finder to database entries which contain a plethora of transaction histories for individual product items. Second, barcodes are optically scanned with laser light which requires line of sight contact with readers in order for the scanning technology to operate properly. This usually means human intervention to carefully position the object to be scanned. RFID technology does not require line of sight to operate properly. It can scan hundreds of items per second. For example, a fast moving conveyor belt in a factory can be scanned for objects of interest with no need for line of sight contact.
In a supply chain application RFID is becoming ubiquitous in the tracking of crates and pallets. These are considered to be discrete, but bulk (not item level), quantities of objects. Tracking in the supply chain scenario is concerned with improving accuracy and timeliness of information regarding the whereabouts and movement of goods which comprise any specific supply chain.
In attempting to keep costs to a minimum RFID tags which are manufactured according to Electronic Product Code (hereinafter "EPC") standards carry extremely limited on board memory. Normally, the only information on the EPC tag is the unique number as well as the usual informational data of a barcode. There can also be a link to database records for any specific tag. Although the EPC tag can be up to 96 bits in data or informational length, the centralized host database can have unlimited entries or cryptographic security algorithms regarding any specific tag in question. Part of the EPC protocol is a reference service known as Object Name Service or ONS. Its purpose is to route tag queries to the database of specific tag owners or to the database of back end computer host managers. In other words, there is a system designed and in place for legitimate back end systems to track and trace all objects in an RFID system.
All communication for RFID interrogators and transponders is via an insecure medium. That medium is air, also known as the atmosphere, and sometimes referred to as the environment. In other words, all wireless communication using RFID technology travels through an atmosphere, or an environment, shared by legitimate and illegitimate users or wireless technology alike. The shared medium highlights security and privacy problems for retail consumers of products containing item level RFID tags, whether attached or embedded.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are two main privacy concerns espoused by privacy proponents and lobbyists. Specifically, these are clandestine tracking and inventorying. As RFID tags respond to reader interrogation without alerting the holder of a tagged item, surreptitious scanning of tags is a serious security threat. Pursuant to EPC protocol each tag always emits a unique identifier. This includes even those tags which protect data with cryptographic algorithms. The result is that a person in possession of an item level object which has a tag attached to it or embedded into it effectively transmits a fixed identifier number to any nearby interrogators. Therefore, tracking the whereabouts of a retail consumer in possession of an RFID tag is easy for those so inclined. This is true even if the unique identifying number is random or carries no intrinsic data. Consider it to be a beacon, like a lighthouse on a pitch black night, which never turns off.
The threat to privacy grows stronger if the unique identifier on the tag is combined in any way with personal information. An example is a grocery store which accepts payment via a credit card for twelve tagged items. These specific twelve items can be linked to the identity of the purchaser through the credit card number which is known to the grocery store at the time of purchase interrogation. Marketers can then identify and profile consumers using networks of RFID readers placed surreptiously around the grocery store. Furthermore, EPC tags carry information about the object to which they are attached, for example, the manufacturer and product code. Therefore, a person who is wearing or carrying items with EPC tags attached is subject to being inventoried. In other words, a nefarious individual could determine clothing worn, sizes, plus accessories as well as medications carried and harvest or capture this important, yet highly personal and private information into a commercial database. The target consumer could be innocently strolling a mall and be none the wiser for this intrusion. This process is known as skimming.
There have been a number of ineffective privacy protecting schemes put forward as prior art. There is a stop provision for EPC tags called "killing the tag". According to this provision, when an EPC tag receives a kill command from an interrogator the tag renders itself permanently inoperable. The kill command is PIN protected and is accomplished via the interrogator which transmits a tag specific 21 bit PIN in the EPC Class A, Gen 2 protocol. This is a very effective means of securing privacy. The tags are effectively dead at the point of sale. This is the same approach taken by a removable tag security system. Although brutally effective, these two methodologies of "killing the tag" obviate any benefits which would be garnered from post purchase tag interrogation. For example, for library books the tag is supposed to operate for the life of the book. In a retail situation, for example, receipt less item returns become a problem for the retailer if the tag is killed or taken from the retail object.
Another ineffective security approach is to put the tag to sleep rather than to kill the tag. This means to render the tag temporarily inoperative. However, if any reader is able to wake the tag then there would be no security benefit. There would have to be some sort of access control. This could take the form of PIN access. This would lead to a plethora of PIN numbers for a consumer to memorize in order to wake individual tags on countless consumer items. This solution is unworkable in a real world environment. Additionally, there are some "touch" types of security concepts; for example, touch a cellular phone to render the tag awake. In this scenario a holder of a contact less card places the card in the smart card reader located on the cellular telephone. Most European cellular telephones contain smart card readers. When so inserted the smart card chip can be activated by dialing a specific initiation number and inserting the correct PIN number. However, this type of "touch" solution negates the benefits of RFID. In other words, if a touch is necessary to activate the tag then why design or implement a wireless method of interrogation?
The prior art includes numerous attempts to secure privacy through various cryptographic methods. This method generally contradicts the business case for RFID. The business case requires cost effective tags. The more information or data which needs to be written onto the chip memory the larger and more expensive the chip will become. All cryptography systems, even the ones deemed minimalist, require serious storage space for cryptographic algorithms to be located upon chip memory systems. This increases the chip cost and complexity of manufacture. This same argument can be applied for on tag access control security systems such as hash locks or pseudonyms or off tag access control such as blocker tags or tag reader authentication such as lightweight protocols and adapted air interfaces. All of these potential solutions require high end, battery operated, and expensive RFID tags for proper implementation.
There is a gadget making itself known on the Internet as the brainchild of two amateur German engineers which they call an RFID-Zapper. It is being made available for the purpose of deactivation and destruction of passive RFID tags. This gadget borrows from the microwave oven system. In a nutshell, the microwave oven system proposes that RFID passive chips be placed in a microwave oven for 20 to 30 seconds. The high frequency electromagnetic signals from the microwave oven overloads and then fries the circuitry (the capacitor) in an RFID tag. However, it has been demonstrated that this method can damage clothes or cause small fires. The RFID-Zapper proposes to generate a strong electromagnetic field with a coil. The coil is placed as near to the target RFID tag as possible. The RFID tag then receives a strong shock of energy comparable to an electromagnetic pulse. This electromagnetic pulse blows the circuitry (capacitor) in the chip thus deactivating same. The problem with this solution is that it obviates any benefits of RFID technology for returned consumer items. The chip is destroyed and rendered useless forever.
The most important part of RFID security in a consumer environment is user perception of security and privacy. As users cannot see electromagnetic signals, impressions are formed on physical cues and industry explanations for any given RFID system. The key to commercial success is to form a secure physical access control easily perceived by the consumer, plus secure logical access, to the personal data and information on a consumer oriented RFID system. The present invention focuses on a system and method of design and engineering which physically and logically secures RFID critical data. At the same time this system and method is usable and commercially viable as an operating RFID system. This invention permits business decisions which lever all of the advantages of wireless communication while demonstrating physical and logical security for personal information which is the private property of individual consumers. Commercial viability of this invention is a function of the surrender of privacy control of consumer information to the consumer. Commercial viability is also a function of a simple design structure for this invention as well as less costly manufacturing costs as compared to prior art inventions.
Some other of the flawed prior art and inventions include IBM's Clipped Tag design which allows consumers to tear off most of a passive RFID tag's antenna. This technology was developed by IBM researcher Paul Moskowitz at IBM's Watson Research Center. The primary goal of the research was to preclude the reading of an RFID tag from a retail item carried by a consumer through the auspices of an unauthorized person in possession of an RFID interrogator. A number of alternative solutions were considered. Moskowitz reviewed the use of a blocker tag which renders nearby tags difficult to read. However, this solution meant that the blocker tag would need to be carried with the consumer at all times. This was considered to be an unwieldy proposition unacceptable to retail consumers. Also considered was a scratch off tag which included a small strip of printed electrical conductor which links the chip and a short portion of the tag's antenna. To shorten the read range consumers would scratch off the printed electrical conductor with a penny. This was deemed too complex to manufacture and less convenient for the consumer. The solution proposed by Moskowitz was a perforation which allowed the consumer to tear off most of a tag's antenna. This reduces the operational range of the antenna to a very short distance. The specifications for the perforated tag are four inches by three inches with the perforation line across each half of its dipole antenna. Once its sides are torn off, along the manufactured perforation lines, the tag remains operable, but its read range is reduced from 20 feet to a matter of several inches. Moskowitz says that consumers can make the tag unreadable through the physical process of tearing the perforation. The tag cannot be read unless presented directly in front of an interrogator. If a customer needed to return an item, the retailer could use a stationary or handheld interrogator to read the tag from a very close range. The Clip Tag technology of IBM is not really security at all. The physical measurements of the tag make it an easily identifiable target for information thieves. By admission the design of the Clip Tag technology only shortens the length of the antenna thereby reducing the read range. This technology does not disable the chip. It puts a title such as Clip Tag to a system which is far more perception than reality. The truth is that any thief with a powerful enough interrogator could still read the information on the tag. While this technology may give the consumer some solace on its face, careful scrutiny reveals a fatal flaw.
Similarly, another new technology from an Australian provider titled the Smart & Secure Retail Tag is designed to address consumer concerns that data encoded to tags on the items purchased could be read by a third party without the knowledge of the consumer. The methodology of accomplishing this is by decreasing the read distance of a tag. After the item is purchased a consumer can reduce read distance by unfolding the substrate which contains the tag antenna. An edge of the substrate which contains the antenna and which is attached to the retail product is designed so that it can be securely grasped by the consumer. When the substrate material is pulled at its edge the tag unfolds thereby reducing read range. To re-engage the original read range, in the case of a returned item for example, the edge is grasped so that the chip/antenna package can be refolded thereby setting the apparatus to the original read range. The key is that the tag is never fully disabled.
The fatal flaw to this technology is the same as that of the IBM Clip Tag. The antenna is never fully decommissioned. While this Australian system and invention allows for return of items it does not adequately address the consumer privacy issue. It provides perception of security while not actually providing real security. Like the IBM solution, a thief with an interrogator with enough harvesting power can still surreptiously interrogate a tag.
The inventor has coined the term the "Clip Chip". The term "Clip Chip" is currently the subject of a U.S. Trademark Application by the inventor. The solution proposed by this Application called "Clip Chip" is to utilize either the perforation or unfolding method outlined herein, or by other means, in a manner which prevents the information or data on the tag or transponder from being read or the consumer carrier of the tag from being tracked. In a nutshell, subject to the Summary of the Invention section herein, this invention proposes providing real privacy security in addition to appearance and perception from the vantage point of the consumer by splitting the chip into two parts. Instead of perforating or unfolding the substrate to reduce the read range by shortening the antenna, this invention proposes splitting one part of the chip from the other, thereby rendering the system unreadable. For example, a perforation could be placed on the substrate of the tag. A consumer could tear same, thereby giving the appearance and perception of security. On one side of the tag package there is a silicon component which houses one piece of the integrated chip package. On the torn off side of the attached tag would be the other part of the integrated chip package. The two sides would be connected, when operating as a whole, by a fine piece of conductive material, such as a conductive ink. At the time of sale of the consumer object the connected integrated chip package would be read using a standard RFID system. Hence all of the convenience of RFID is intact. At the time of retail check out the information stored on that piece of the integrated chip package which is torn away is automatically harvested and captured by the interrogator and communicated by secure land line to a host, back end, computer database. The part of the chip remaining attached to the item purchased would have only a simple identifier alpha numeric which would reference the purchased object to the back end host system database. This information would not be harvested directly to the back end system but would be stored separately in cryptographic format. As the chip is torn in two and is inoperable, it cannot be read by someone eavesdropping no matter how powerful the interrogator. When torn, the chip will not function as the antenna section is no longer attached to the transistor section. Furthermore, it cannot be used to track an individual as it is no longer operable. Physically it cannot reflect any information or data. However, in the event of a returned item, the connection to the host back end computer management system can be made by physically placing the communicating ink in contact with a specifically designed returned item reader. In other words, the two halves of the chip, more specifically the information on the two halves of the chip, are reconnected. In this fashion, the alpha numeric identifier is cross referenced to the host database information. In essence, the Clip Chip stores all relevant information in a management owned and controlled, back end, host computer database. This inventive system splits the critical and highly personal consumer information into two distinct pieces. One piece is useless without the other piece. This means that even if the host database is corrupted, for example by being compromised through computer hacking, the information cannot be connected to any particular item in the marketplace. The information in the host database cannot connect to the alpha numeric item unless it is returned to the place of purchase. The backend host system only has part of the piece of the puzzle as the alpha numeric identifier is stored separately and secured by cryptography. This invention offers to consumers a real choice for privacy while providing all of the perception of security through the perforation or unfolding type of physical methodologies enunciated herein. The logical security for the highly personal consumer information is accomplished by the split in two methodology activated when the chip is clipped to render it inoperable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,794 titled, "Deactivating a data tag for user privacy or tamper-evident packaging", describes a system of a plethora, or array, of antennae whereby one antenna can be removed from an item thereby rendering communication of the unique identification information on that object impossible through the removed antenna.
According to this Patent there are other antennae which then take over the communication task which operate at a second frequency range, smaller than that of the first antenna. This system is outlined in claim 1 and 2 of this Patent. The point is that the second set of antenna take over and are still operable. It can be distinguished from the present application in that the present application is a solution to privacy concerns regarding item level tagging employing a system and method of separating critical personal information into two separate parts on an RFID chip, connected by conductive ink, yet subject to consumer perforation, which disables the chip.
An article titled, "RFID Guardian: A Battery-Powered Mobile Device for RFID Privacy Management" authored by Rieback, Crispo and Tanenbaum of the Department of Computer Science, Vrije Univeristeit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, details a compact, portable, electronic device to be carried by consumers which authenticates RFID readers and blocks attempts to access consumer information from unauthorized readers. This invention proposes to warn consumers of surreptious RFID activity and then counsels to take corrective action if need be. The descriptive information of this invention can be located in the Abstract section of this article. It can be distinguished from the present application in that the present application is a solution to privacy concerns regarding item level tagging employing a system and method of separating critical personal information into two separate parts on an RFID chip, connected by conductive ink, yet subject to consumer perforation, which disables the chip.


A bowel extension device implantable into a body for treatment of short bowel syndrome. The bowel extension device comprises a housing and a displaceable member coupled to the housing. The bowel extension device is configured to apply a tensile force sufficient to promote bowel growth without causing damage to the bowel. In some embodiments, the bowel extension device can be completely contained with the body.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Short-bowel syndrome (SBS) is a devastating disease associated with mortality rates exceeding 30%. It is a condition where the small intestinal length is far less than required for proper nutrient absorption. This condition can occur in pediatric and adult populations, and may be due to congenital processes, or acquired through the loss of large amounts of small intestine due to inflammatory conditions or ischemic events. The syndrome prevents a self-sustaining absorption of nutrients from the intestine, and supplemental parenteral nutrition is required. An estimated 40,000 patients with intestinal dysfunction from small bowel syndrome require parenteral nutrition. Several long-term effects due to parenteral nutrition have been found to be harmful, such as sepsis, liver disease, and bowel bacterial overgrowth; therefore, this method can only be used as a short-term solution. Care for small bowel syndrome patients is in excess of $200,000 per patient per year, and estimated costs in the United States have exceeded $1 billion yearly.
A number of treatment procedures have been proposed to alleviate small bowel syndrome. Some have tried using growth hormones along with specific nutrients known to stimulate bowel tissue growth. This approach has limited effectiveness and several obstacles, including reversal of the adaptive process after termination of the hormones, lack of somatic muscle growth, and concerns about uncontrolled and tumorous growth.
Another option is to surgically modify the organs to achieve an increase in intestinal length. With this approach, there is a risk of injury to the mesenteric vasculature, leakage of enteric contents due to a very long surgical connection, and the procedures can only be done if the intestine is overly dilated. Despite success in some patients, there is a very high failure rate up to 45% in some series.
Finally, small bowel transplantation has been used for adults and children when other treatments have failed. Although a viable option, transplantation is very costly. Patients require long-term immunosuppression and are at risk for infection and graft failure. Although early patient and graft survival are excellent, five-year graft survival is typically at the 50% level, and patient survival is approximately 60%. Clearly, there is a great need for an alternative procedure to treat short bowel syndrome.
Recently, the principles of the present teachings have demonstrated that mechanical forces can be powerful regulators of tissue growth or regeneration. Through the process of mechanotransduction—the translation of mechanical signals to biochemical ones which affect cell function—the response to the forces results in a cascade of actions which includes the activation of growth mechanisms. Numerous organs have been shown to be mechanoresponsive including bone, lung, and neural tissue. According to the principles of the present teachings, the controlled mechanical stimulation to the small intestine, such as through mechanotransduction of forces applied in a linear fashion to small bowel, can help induce intestinal growth.
According to the principles of the present teachings, implantable bowel extenders are provided that can be used to overcome the issues associated with small bowel syndrome. In some embodiments, the implantable bowel extender can be a hydraulic and/or a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated device.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Mechanical extension implants for short bowel syndrome

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A personal hearing control system includes a microphone located within a user's sealed ear canal, a speaker having a diaphragm which directs sound into the ear canal, and a controller which drives the speaker such that the system emulates the acoustics of the user's open ear canal. Also provided are a microphone located on the outer ear side of the sealed ear canal, which is coupled to a handheld interface unit having multiple inputs and operating modes. A user-selected input is processed by the interface unit, and the processed signal is coupled to the speaker. In one operating mode, the output of the outer ear mic is processed so as to cancel sound that leaks from the outer ear to the inner ear side of the seal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to earphone-type devices, and more particularly to a personal hearing system which affords a user complete control over what they hear.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of headphones and earphones are currently used as personal hearing devices. Each device has its applications and shortcomings.
Earphones are generally of two types: earphones which seal the ear canal, and "ear buds". An ear-sealing earphone is arranged to seal the ear canal when used, and thus must be removed for normal hearing of outside sound. Sealing the ear canal serves to effectively block outside sound and provide good audio fidelity, but is less comfortable and subjects the user to the "occlusion effect" because the ear canal is blocked. If a user's ear canal is sealed, vibrations caused by his voice and other body-conducted sounds are greatly accentuated; the effect is described as sounding like being inside a barrel.
Similarly, headphones which form a seal around the ear can deliver good audio fidelity, block outside sound and can be reasonably comfortable to wear, but are bulky and not suitable for everyday portable use.
The other earphone type—"ear buds"—fit loosely in the concha of the ear. They are comfortable, light and portable, but provide relatively poor audio fidelity. They do not block outside sound. This is both a strength and weakness of the design. By not sealing the entrance to the ear, the user does not experience the annoying occlusion effect caused by having a sealed ear canal. But by not sealing the ear canal, outside sound freely leaks into the user's ear, while reproduced sound leaks out, thereby compromising privacy. Furthermore, the low frequency response of an ear bud-type earphone tends to be poor.
Various methods have been tried to ameliorate the undesirable distortion caused by the occlusion effect. For example, some ear-sealing hearing aids provide small vents between the inside and outside of the ear canal. These vents help, but do not eliminate the effect. Deeply fitted hearing aids exhibit less of the effect, but are uncomfortable and difficult to insert.

Personal hearing control system and method


The invention relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film, preferably PET film, which has a hydrophilic coating on at least one surface. The coating composition used to form the hydrophilic coating includes water, a sulfopolyester, a surfactant, and optionally an adhesion-promoting polymer. The inventive films have a hydrophilic surface which inhibit condensation of water droplets on the films.

In the packaging industry there is a high level of demand for transparent biaxially oriented polyester film. If polyester film is used to pack foods which are fresh and are highly perishable a possible consequence especially in the case of refrigerated goods is undesired condensation on the film and resultant impairment of transparency, when moisture from the packaged product condenses in the form of droplets, usually of various sizes, on the film. The condensate here markedly impairs the transparency of the film. A hydrophilic coating, also termed an antifog coating, can be used to inhibit transparency reduction on the film.
Various technologies can be used to achieve antifog properties on plastics surfaces. A first idea uses addition of an additive to the polymer, and secondly an antifog coating can be applied to the film. Addition of an additive to the polymer is possible in articles comprised of polyolefin, in particular films (e.g. WO 2002/074535). The antifog action on the film surface is based on the migration of the additive, usually an amphiphilic molecule, to the surface, the result being that the polar ends of the molecules form the actual antifog layer. This principle cannot be applied to a polyester film because the polyester is highly polar.
EP 322 529 describes a copolyester coating inter alia for polyesters, comprising up to 95% of isophthalic acid and from 5 to 35% of a monomer having an alkali metal sulfonate group. The coating is used as adhesion promoter with respect to vapor-deposited metals. Nothing is said about surface tension of the coated film or about behavior with respect to water condensation.
EP 1 358 896 describes a coating for a needle which comprises a sulfonated polyester and comprises a surfactant. In the examples, these two components are mixed in a ratio of about 10:1 and applied by means of a dipping process to the substrate. The contact angles of the coated substrates with respect to water are smaller than 10°, i.e. surface tension is greater than 70 mN/m. Nothing is said about the thickness of the coating.
DE-A-10 2004 049 609 describes a coating which comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, a surfactant, and optionally an adhesion-promoting polymer. This composition is suitable for the in-line coating of biaxially oriented polyester films. The resultant coated films feature a characteristic hydrophilic surface which inhibits condensation of water droplets on the film. The optical quality of the coated film requires improvement. The coating increases the haze of the film, and this is undesirable particularly in the case of high-transparency films.


A method, system and apparatus for performing selective data processing based upon a static analysis of the code of a compiled object. A compiled object, for example an enterprise bean, can be analyzed to determine how individual methods in the enterprise bean access specific objects. Those specific objects can include, for instance, data members of a class, or class objects passed into one or more individual methods of the enterprise bean. Where the individual methods of the enterprise bean do not mutate or otherwise change the state of the specific objects, those objects can be accessed by reference only. Importantly, where the specific objects are data fields linked to a table in a database as managed by a container managed persistence (CMP) bean, an update to the table will not be required when the static analysis of the enterprise bean otherwise indicates that the data fields are merely accessed, but not updated.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to code analysis, and more particularly to performing selective data processing based upon a static analysis of code.
2. Description of the Related Art
Introduction
The modern programming language has evolved from little more than a listing of machine instructions which can be executed natively by a central processing unit, to a source code listing which can be compiled into native machine code. Intermediately, interpretable code, such as the BASIC computer language have provided the ability for an interpreter to parse and execute source code inline at run-time. Recently, programming languages have begun to conform to a new paradigm in which source code can be compiled into platform-independent byte code which subsequently can be executed by a run-time virtual machine.
The Java™ and C#™ programming languages and environments represent two such byte-code oriented programming languages. In the Java programming language, as in the case of the C# programming language, programs can be compiled into class objects consisting mainly of byte code. In the Java programming environment, a Java Virtual Machine™ (JVM) can interpret the byte code at run-time and can produce, as a result, machine code which can be executed by a host computing platform. Significantly, byte code can be serialized so as to enable the remote invocation and execution of compiled objects. Thus, byte code type programming languages represent the cutting edge of network enabled, distributed computer processing.
Byte-Code Analysis
Inasmuch as byte code can be interpreted by a virtual machine or some other such byte code processor, byte code can be analyzed not only post-compilation, but also pre-execution. That is to say, while traditional computer scientists have analyzed the likely operation of a computer program prior to compile time based upon the content of human readable source code, byte code analysis techniques have incorporated the static analysis of byte-code produced from human readable source code in order to achieve several objectives. Principal among those objectives, byte code analysis techniques can provide a method of predicting the behavior of a compiled object even when access to source code does not exist.
As a specific example, byte code analysis techniques have been used to optimize the execution of a compiled object. Similarly, byte code analysis techniques have been used to modify the behavior of a compiled object. Finally, byte code analysis techniques have been applied to compiled objects where the original source code associated with the compiled object no longer can be accessed. In all cases, to assist in the static analysis of byte code, several tools have been developed which can produce a visualization of the execution of a compiled object based upon the byte code of the compiled object.
Notably, the principals of byte code analysis can be applied to other types of intermediate code. For instance, object analysis and design tools have been configured to analyze the functionality and operational characteristics of both source code and object code. In particular, object code can be statically analyzed in a number of intermediate states, not only including byte code, but also including code of other intermediate states, such as the GNU gcc intermediate representation. In all cases, the code can be statically parsed to analyze the possible execution paths of the underlying logic of the code.
Entity Beans
While the Java programming language initially had been developed to support the notion of "write once, run anywhere" computing, the serialized nature in combination with the platform independence of Java objects can support enterprise computing efforts. To that end, Enterprise Java Bean™ (EJB) technologies have expanded upon the base Java programming language to provide an architecture for a transactional, distributed object system based on components. More particularly, the EJB 1.1 specification defines an architecture for the development and deployment of transactional, distributed object applications-based, server-side software components. These server-side components, referred to as enterprise beans, are distributed objects that are hosted in EJB containers and provide remote services for clients distributed throughout the network.
To create an EJB server-side component, an enterprise bean developer provides two interfaces that define a bean's business methods, in addition to the actual bean implementation class. The client then can use the bean's public interfaces to create, manipulate, and remove beans from the EJB server. The implementation class, referred to typically as the "bean class", can be instantiated at runtime and can become a distributed object.
Enterprise beans "live" in an EJB container and can be accessed by client applications over the network through their remote and local interfaces. The remote and local interfaces expose the capabilities of the bean and provide each of the methods required to create, update, interact with, and delete the bean. There are two basic types of enterprise beans: entity beans, which represent data in a database, and session beans, which represent processes or act as agents performing tasks. The entity bean provides an object-oriented interface to data that would normally be accessed by a database connectivity application programming interface (API). Additionally, entity beans provide a component model that allows bean developers to focus their attention on the business logic of the bean, while the container manages persistence, transactions, and access control.
Passing Objects to an EJB
The EJB specification provides for the concept of a remote interface on an EJB in order both to abstract access to an EJB implementation, and also to make access to the EJB implementation highly portable. In that regard, to protect the caller of an EJB from the modification of the EJB by the caller, the EJB specification requires that objects passed to an EJB are to be passed by value rather than reference. This requirement is intended to preserve local/remote transparency in the EJB model. Yet, making a copy of an object is an expensive operation and, depending upon the application and use by the bean of non-primitive Java type, object copying can have a significant overall impact on performance.
Container Managed Persistence Beans
There are two types of entity beans: Container-Managed Persistence (CMP), and Bean-Managed Persistence (BMP). With a CMP bean, the container manages the persistence of the entity bean. Vendor tools are used to map the entity fields to the database and database access code need not be included in the bean class. In the case of a BMP bean, by comparison, the entity bean contains database access code and is responsible for reading and writing its own state to the database. Furthermore in the case of a BMP bean, the container can handle any locking or transactions, so that the database can maintain its integrity.
CMP beans often are viewed as the simplest bean for the bean developer to create, yet the most difficult for the EJB server to support. This is so because all of the logic for synchronizing the bean's state with the database is handled automatically by the container. Consequently, the bean developer need not write data access logic for the bean as the EJB server purportedly handles all of the persistence needs of the bean automatically. Still, while most EJB implementations support automatic persistence to a relational database, the level of support can vary. Some EJB implementations can provide very sophisticated Object-to-Relational mapping, while others are very limited.
In the typical implementation, a CMP entity bean can defer all interaction with an underlying database to an EJB container. The CMP entity bean, in turn, can expose a set of methods that permit the data in the database to be referenced or updated by other application processes. When the container reads the data from the database, the container can place the data into fields of the CMP entity bean. Subsequently, application processes can reference and update the data in the fields. At the conclusion of a transaction, the container can access the data in the CMP entity bean and can update the underlying row in the table of the database.
Notably, the CMP entity bean style of mapping a relational database to an object can provide a significant benefit as access to the data in the database can be greatly simplified and can be used by a number of application processes. Notwithstanding, the conventionally known CMP entity bean style also can prove deficient in terms of efficiency and performance. Specifically, in a simple model, all data in the CMP entity bean, whether updated or otherwise, will result in the container writing the data back to the database. Where no modifications to the data have been performed in the CMP entity bean, an unnecessary write will occur in the database at the conclusion of the transaction.
Notably, writing to a relational database can be an expensive operation. At the minimum, storing data that has only been referenced, but not modified, can result in the execution of a time-consuming database write operation yielding no end-user benefit. Furthermore, in addition to the execution of a structured query language (SQL) statement to update the table in the database, often it is necessary to upgrade a lock from a read-only state to an exclusive state. At best, the upgrade can increase response time. In the worst case scenario, however, the upgrade can result in a deadlock resulting from lock promotion.

Code analysis for selective runtime data processing

International Business Machines Corporation


A hollow fiber membrane oxygenator of external blood circulation type has a housing and a lot of porous hollow fiber membranes for gas transfer housed in the housing. In the oxygenator, blood flows along the outer side of the hollow fiber membranes, whereas oxygen-containing gas flows along the inner side thereof. An outer surface or outer layer of the hollow fiber membrane as a blood-contacting portion is coated with synthetic polymer mainly formed of alkoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate containing a C(1-4)alkoxy group and a C(1-4)alkyl group. An intermediate layer and inner layer of the hollow fiber membranes contain substantially no synthetic polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator for removing carbon dioxide from blood and oxygenating the blood in an extracorporeal blood circulation and, more particularly, to the hollow fiber membrane oxygenator of external blood circulation type.
2. Description of Related Art
A generally employed hollow fiber membrane oxygenator using porous membrane has been widely applied to a device for extracorporeal blood circulation, a device for assisting cardiopulmonary blood circulation and the like used in cardiotomy operated for cardiopathy. The membrane type oxygenator is composed mainly of hollow fiber membranes through which gas is transferred, i.e., oxygen is admitted into blood and carbon dioxide is removed from blood.
Two methods of blood circulation to the membrane type oxygenator can be used, one is an internal perfusion method and the other is an external perfusion method. The former method allows blood to flow to the inner side of the hollow fiber membranes and gas to flow to the outer side thereof. The latter method allows blood to flow to the outer side of the hollow fiber membranes and gas to flow to the inner side thereof.
The membrane type oxygenator of external perfusion type has become more popular than that of internal perfusion type because of higher mass transfer capability and lower degree of pressure loss. The aforementioned membrane type oxygenator of external perfusion type, however, tends to cause turbulence in the blood flow, which is likely to adversely affect adhesion and activation characteristics of blood platelet. In view of the above-described aspect, the oxygenator of internal perfusion type may be considered to be superior to the external perfusion type.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-172961 discloses a membrane type oxygenator coated with benzylalkylammonium-heparin composite. This oxygenator, however, causes exfoliation of the composite into blood during its operation.
The above-described oxygenator may be coated with hydrophilic polymer. In such a case, when using porous membranes for gas transfer, the blood plasma component will penetrate into micropores and leak through the membrane, thus degrading gas transfer capability.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-152952 discloses bio-compatible material formed of alkoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate, which can be applied to the membrane of the membrane type oxygenator. However it is practically difficult to form the hollow fiber membrane for the membrane type oxygenator directly from the alcoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate. If the hollow fiber membrane for the membrane type oxygenator is coated with alkoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate using methanol solution thereof, it flows into micropores of the hollow fiber membrane. As a result, the blood plasma component will penetrate into micropores during operation of the oxygenator and leak through the membrane, thus degrading the gas transfer capability.
In view of foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator of external blood circulation type which minimizes adhesion and activation of the blood platelet and prevents leakage of blood plasma component.
In order to achieve the object, there is provided a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator comprising a housing and a lot of porous hollow fiber having a large number of porous hollow fiber membranes for gas transfer housed in the housing, allowing blood to flow through outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane and oxygen-containing gas to flow through inside thereof. In the hollow fiber membrane oxygenator, an outer surface or an outer layer of the hollow fiber membrane as a blood-contacting portion is coated with synthetic polymer mainly formed of alkoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate containing a C(1-4)alkoxy group and a C(1-4)alkyl group; and an intermediate layer or an inner layer of the hollow fiber membrane has substantially no synthetic polymer existing therein.
In order to further achieve the object, there is provided a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator comprising a housing and a lot of porous hollow fiber membranes for gas transfer housed in the housing, allowing blood to flow through outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane and oxygen-containing gas to flow through inside thereof. In the hollow fiber membrane oxygenator, an outer surface or an outer layer of the hollow fiber membrane as a blood-contacting portion is coated with synthetic polymer mainly formed of alkoxyalkyl(meta)acrylate containing repetitive combination of the unit shown in the following chemical formula 1;
(where R1 represents C(1-4)alkylene, R2 represents C(1-4)alkyl, and R3 represents H or CH3 respectively.)
and an intermediate layer or an inner layer of the hollow fiber membrane has substantially no synthetic polymer existing therein.


To provide a water/oil repellent composition with which an article which has favorable water/oil repellency and washing durability, and into which infiltration of a coating liquid can be suppressed, is obtained, and which presents a low environmental impact, its production method and an article having its surface treated with the composition. A water/oil repellent composition comprising a copolymer (X) having structural units based on the monomer (a) and structural units based on the monomer (b), and an aqueous medium, wherein the mass average molecular weight of the copolymer is at least 60,000, and the proportion of the structural units based on the monomer (a) is 60 to 95 mass %. Monomer (a): by (Z—Y)nX, wherein Z is a e.g. C1-6 polyfluoroalkyl group, Y is e.g. a bivalent organic group having no fluorine atom, n is 1 or 2, and X is a polymerizable unsaturated group. Monomer (b): vinyl chloride.

As a method for imparting water/oil repellency to the surface of an article (such as a fiber product), a method of treating the article by means of a water/oil repellent composition composed of an emulsion having, dispersed in an aqueous medium, a copolymer having structural units based on a monomer having a polyfluoroalkyl group (a polyfluoroalkyl group will be hereinafter referred to as a Rf group) having at least 8 carbon atoms, has been known.
However, recently, EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) has pointed out that a compound having a perfluoroalkyl group (a perfluoroalkyl group will be hereinafter referred to as a RF group) having at least 7 carbon atoms is likely to be decomposed in the environment or in the body, and the decomposition product is likely to be accumulated, i.e. it presents a high environmental impact. Therefore, a water/oil repellent composition comprising a copolymer which has structural units based on a monomer having a RF group having at most 6 carbon atoms, and has no structural units based on a monomer having a RF group having at least 7 carbon atoms, has been required.
As a water/oil repellent composition containing such a copolymer, the following water/oil repellent composition has been, for example, proposed (Patent Document 1).
A water/oil repellent composition comprising a copolymer having structural units based on the following monomer (a), structural units based on the following monomer (b) and structural units based on the following monomer (c), and an aqueous medium, in a molar ratio of structural units based on the monomer (b) to structural units based on the monomer (c) ((b)/(c)) of at least 1:
Monomer (a): A monomer having a RF group having at most 6 carbon atoms.
Monomer (b): Vinyl Chloride.
Monomer (c): A vinyl ether having no polyfluoroalkyl group and having a crosslinkable functional group.
An article having its surface treated with the water/oil repellent composition has favorable water repellency after drying without forcibly heating after washing (hereinafter referred to as washing durability). Here, on an article (a fiber product such as a sports wear) having its surface treated with the water/oil repellent composition, a moisture-permeable waterproofing film is provided on the rear side so as to impart a function to release water vapor by sweating from the body and a function to shut out the rain (Patent Document 2). As a method for producing such an article having a moisture-permeable waterproofing film, a lamination method or a coating method is well known.
The lamination method is a method of bonding a porous polyfluoroethylene film or a microporous polyurethane resin film to the rear side of an article treated with a water/oil repellent composition by means of e.g. an adhesive component. The coating method is a method of coating the rear side of an article treated with a water/oil repellent composition, with a coating liquid containing a polyurethane resin, an acrylic resin or the like. This article is required such that the resin film bonded or coated is not easily separated.
Further, as a medium contained in the coating liquid, in the case of dry coating of forming a resin film by drying after coating, it has been known to use a highly volatile solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, toluene or isopropyl alcohol. On the other hand, in the case of wet coating of forming a resin film by coagulation in water, a polar organic solvent such as N,N-dimethylformamide (hereinafter referred to as DMF) is used.
However, since a moisture-permeable waterproofing film is formed on the rear side of an article treated with the water/oil repellent composition, if a coating liquid is applied, the coating liquid infiltrates into the surface of the article, and a resin film is formed even on the surface side of the article, and thus the design of the article may be impaired.

Water/oil repellent composition, method for its production and article