When digital signals are to be transmitted between a camera unit and a camera control unit, the distance of their transmission depends on the frequency at which the digital signals are transmitted. The higher the frequency of the digital signals is, the greater the cable attenuation is, inviting deterioration of the signals. Therefore, with a view to matching the quantity of transmitted signals with the length of the transmission path and thereby achieving high quality of signal transmission, a method of signal transmission for a signal transmission apparatus wherein a camera unit and a camera control unit for controlling the camera unit are connected by a transmission path and a video signal, an audio signal and a control signal are digitized, time division multiplexed and transmitted between the camera unit and the camera control unit, has a step of measuring the value of delay of signals transmitted over the transmission path, and each of the camera unit and the camera control unit performs a step of controlling the data quantity of signals to be delivered to the transmission path on the basis of the measured value of delay.

For use in multiplex transmission of data including a video signal, an audio signal and a control signal between video apparatuses such as a television camera (hereinafter referred to as camera unit) and a camera control apparatus (hereinafter referred to as camera control unit), there is known an apparatus which subjects data including the video signal, the audio signal and the control signal to frequency division multiplexing and transmits the multiplexed signals over a triple coaxial cable known as a Triax cable (hereinafter referred to as transmission cable).
In Triax transmission, bidirectional transmission of the video signal, the audio signal, the control signal and the like subjected to analog frequency division multiplexing has constituted the main stream. Such analog processing is susceptible to the influences of the characteristics of the transmission cable used and those of the filter used for frequency division, often resulting in deterioration in the characteristics of the video and audio signals received in the camera unit or the camera control unit.
With a view to solving this problem, the present applicants proposed a multiplex transmission method for digital video signals and an apparatus therefor, disclosed in the Japanese Patents No. 390509 and No. 3194510 for instance. According to these patents, each of the video devices provided at the two ends of the transmission path, video signals and audio signals are digitized, subjected to time division multiplexing and compressed on the time axis to generate transmission signals consisting of repeated alternation of signal periods and non-signal periods. The transmission signals are sent from a video device connected to one end of the transmission path, and transmission signals are sent from another video device connected to the other end of the path during the non-signal periods, thereby enabling bidirectional transmission to be achieved over a single transmission path. The apparatuses embodying this principle, disclosed in the patents, are already available for practical use.
One example of conventional multiplex transmission apparatus for digital video signals will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 7, first, in a camera unit 701, a video signal S1 and an audio signal A1 from a camera 702 and a control signal C1 from a CPU 710 for controlling the camera 702 are converted into digital signals by an A/D converter (not shown), multiplexed by a time division multiplex circuit 703, converted into serial data by a parallel/serial converter 704, and supplied to an amplifier 705. The output of the amplifier 705 is transmitted to a camera control unit 720 via a cable 713 (which generally refers to the transmission path). In the camera control unit 720, the time division-multiplexed signals from the cable 713 are amplified by an amplifier 721, converted into parallel data by a serial/parallel converter 723 after being compensated for cable attenuation by an equalizer 722, and separated into a video signal S1, an audio signal A1 and a control signal C1 by a separator 724.
Similarly in the camera control unit 720, a digitized video signal S2 and a digitized audio signal A2 from a CCU 726 and a control signal C2 from a CPU 725 for controlling the CCU are inputted to a time division multiplex circuit 728. A reference video phase signal TRS (time reference signal) from a reference video phase signal generator 727 is inputted to the time division multiplex circuit 728, wherein these and other signals are multiplexed, converted into serial data by a parallel/serial converter 729, and transmitted to the camera unit 701 via an amplifier 730 and the cable 713. In the camera unit 701, time division multiplexed signals from the cable 713 are amplified by an amplifier 706, compensated for cable attenuation by an equalizer 707, converted into parallel data by a serial/parallel converter 708, and separated into the video signal S2, the audio signal A2 and the control signal C2 by a separator 709 to be supplied to the camera 702 and the CPU 710. The reference video phase signal TRS is a 10-bit digital signal consisting of a combination of (3FF) and (000), so composed that it can be identified as a TRS upon receipt of this signal.
Further in the camera unit 701, the reference video phase signal TRS is detected by a reference video phase signal detector 712, a reference video phase signal TRS is generated by a reference video phase signal generator 711 for the camera unit 701, and the latter is applied to the camera 702. Thus, the reference video phase signal TRS from the reference video phase signal generator 727 of the camera control unit 720 is detected by the camera unit 701, a reference video phase signal TRS is generated in synchronism with it, and the camera 702 is driven in synchronism with this reference video phase signal TRS.
Then, in the digital video signal multiplex transmission apparatus described above, if the various signals are simply multiplexed and serialized, the band required for signal transmission will widen. Accordingly, there are disadvantages of increased deterioration in signal characteristics due to the cable loss on the transmission path and a reduced transmittable length. In other words, though there is no deterioration, which would arise in analog transmission, within the distance in which digital signals can be transmitted (the length of the transmission path), the digital signals cannot be normally reproduced beyond the distance of digital transmittability, resulting in a state in which normal transmission is impossible.
More specifically, for instance D1 signals according to the digital signal standards instituted by SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (U.S.)), the quantity of signals that can be transmitted is 270 Mbps. D1 signals are used as main signals from the camera unit 701 to the camera control unit 720 and, the return signals R1 equivalent to 90 Mbps are used in the other way around, namely from the camera control unit 720 to the camera unit 701, because poorer video quality poses no problem in this direction. In this setting, the combined transmission quantity of the main signals D1 and the return signals R1 will be 360 Mbps. Eventually, it is required to perform bidirectional transmission in a transmission band of 360 Mbps.
On the other hand, the value of attenuation by the cable 713 increases with a rise in frequency. The case of the commonly used Triax cable, for instance, is as shown in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1Frequency ofAttenuationCable lengthtransmitted signalvalue100m360MHz−10 dB1000m36MHz−28 dB
Now, attenuated serial digital signals can be restored by the equalizers 707 and 722, which are compensators, but their restoration has its own limit. Thus, where the frequency of transmitted signals is high, such as 360 MHz, the value of attenuation of around −40 dB is the limit of restoration. In a simple calculation, where the frequency of transmitted signals is 360 MHz as in the case of Table 1:−40 dB/(−10 dB/100 m)=400 m  (1)Thus, the maximum cable length that permits transmission is 400 m. Supposing the limit to compensation is supposed to be the same where the frequency of transmitted signals is 36 MHz:−40 dB/(−28 dB/1000 m)=1429 m  (2)Thus, the maximum cable length that permits transmission is about 1.5 km.
Meanwhile, camera systems using a Triax cable are used for many different purposes. In a broadcasting station, for instance, they are more often used in studios, where the cable length is usually not more than 100 m, short enough to meet the 400 m requirement of Equation (1) and posing no particular problem as long as they are used in studios. However, when they are used outdoors for telecasting a baseball game or a golf tournament for instance, the distance between the camera unit 701 and the camera control unit 720 is in most cases more than 1 km. Though this long distance invites no deterioration where digital signals are transmitted, there is a problem of a reduction in maximum permissible cable length.

Method of a signal transmission for controlling a quantity of data transmitted and a signal transmission apparatus therefor


A radio receiving apparatus deterioration of a receiving sensitivity of an antenna used in the radio receiving apparatus due to noise generated from a circuit board disposed within the radio receiving apparatus. The radio receiving apparatus includes a body, a printed circuit board provided within the body, an antenna provided at an area outside of the body and adapted to receive an external signal, and a noise attenuation member provided at the printed circuit board and adapted to attenuate noise generated from the printed circuit board, to prevent deterioration in the receiving sensitivity of the antenna.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a radio receiving apparatus, and more particularly, to a radio receiving apparatus to prevent deterioration in radio receiving performance of an antenna due to noise generated from a printed circuit board provided in the radio receiving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio receiving apparatuses have convenient portability and serve to reproduce moving images, or other visual or audio information based on a radio signal received thereby. Examples of the radio receiving apparatuses include wireless portable communication terminals for receiving digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB), wireless internet signals, or Bluetooth® signals, and portable multimedia players (PMPs).
FIG. 1A illustrates a configuration of a conventional radio receiving apparatus 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the conventional radio receiving apparatus 1 includes a body 3 defining an outer appearance of the radio receiving apparatus, a display 5 provided at a front surface of the body 3, a button array 7 provided on the body 3 at the side of the display 5 for manual operation of the radio receiving apparatus 1, an antenna 9 attached to a side surface of the body 3 for receiving a radio signal from an external station, and a printed circuit board (PCB) 11 on which a variety of devices, related to an operation of the radio receiving apparatus, are arranged.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the printed circuit board 11, which is provided within the radio receiving apparatus, includes a power plane 13 for the supply of power, a ground plane 15 spaced apart from the power plane 13, the ground plane 15 serving as a standard plane for power and signal distribution, and a dielectric layer 17 provided between the power plane 13 and the ground plane 15. A variety of operating devices 20 are arranged on the power plane 13 or ground plane 15. Also, for the flow of current and the transmission of signals, the power plane 13 or ground plane 15 is formed with a pattern (not illustrated).
If the radio receiving apparatus 1 operates, an electromagnetic field F is generated within and around the printed circuit board as illustrated by the arrows, thereby causing electromagnetic wave noise.
Here, the electromagnetic wave noise includes switching noise caused by On/Off operation of the variety of devices 20 arranged on the printed circuit board 11 and other noises caused, for example, by a current and a signal moving along the pattern formed on the printed circuit board 11.
The resulting electromagnetic wave noise causes electromagnetic interference (EMI) that has an effect on the antenna 9 used to receive an external radio signal. Consequently, the electromagnetic interference has the problem of deteriorating receiving sensitivity of the antenna 9.


A positioning attachment for definition of torch angle and torch to workpiece distance during welding and/or training is provided. The positioning attachment includes one or more legs of equal or varied lengths capped with a tip, which contacts the workpiece, and a body, which may be permanently attached or removably secured to the welding torch nozzle. Certain embodiments may be made of heat resistant metals or ceramic to withstand high temperatures during welding. The positioning attachment may be mounted on the welding torch nozzle or provided as an extension of the contact tip.

The invention relates generally to welding guns, and more particularly to positioning attachments for controlling torch angle and/or torch to workpiece height during welding.
Welding is a process that has increasingly become ubiquitous in all industries. While such processes may be automated in certain contexts, a large number of applications continue to exist for manual welding operations, the success of which relies heavily on the proper use of a welding gun or torch. For instance, an improper torch angle can lead to a spatter, improper penetration, and overall poor weldments. However, inexperienced welders often have difficulty establishing the proper torch angle and torch to workpiece distance during welding, and such skills may be somewhat difficult to teach. Furthermore, even experienced welders may have difficulty maintaining these important parameters throughout welding processes.
Certain gas nozzles have been proposed that are used to establish the proper torch to workpiece distance during spot welding. However, these nozzles are less than satisfactory in addressing the overall problem, in particular because they do not establish the proper torch angle, are limited in scope to spot welding applications, and do not teach proper technique. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that will aid welders or welding trainees in establishing the proper torch angle and torch to workpiece distance.

Positioning attachment for a welding torch


An object of the present invention is to provide an AGC voltage correction circuit unaffected by a change in temperature.. Since base-emitter voltages V.sub.BE of transistors Q9 and Q10 constituting a first reference current source 7 have temperature dependency, the variations of the gains of amplification transistors Q17 and Q18 dependent on temperature are diminished. Since transistors Q1 and Q2 constituting a second reference current source 2 have temperature dependency, a gain slope concerning amplification transistors Q17 and Q18 relative to temperature is corrected linearly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an AGC voltage correction circuit preferable for a stage of radio-frequency amplification or intermediate-frequency amplification in a portable telephone of, for example, a code division multi-access (CDMA) type.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a CDMA type portable telephone has a variable gain amplification circuit (hereinafter, a variable amplification circuit) capable of varying a gain of 80 dB or more included in a reception unit or transmission unit for the purpose of retaining uniformly a signal strength for reception and the strength of a signal reaching a base station. FIG. 9 shows a typical variable amplification circuit formed with a differential amplification circuit composed of amplification transistors Q17 and 018, current source transistor Ql9, and load resistors R8 and R9 connected to transistors Q17 and Q18 respectively. Also shown are input terminal IN, output terminal OUT, AGC (gain control) voltage V.sub.AGC, and supply voltage V.sub.cc.
Gain PC dB! in the foregoing circuitry has the following relationship: EQU PG.oe butted.20 log (I1* q/kT) (1)
The following relationship is also established: EQU I1 .oe butted.Is*exp{V.sub.AGC *q/(kT)} (2)
where q denotes a unit charge of an electron, k denotes a Boltzmann's constant, T denotes an absolute temperature, and Is denotes an inverse saturation current.
The expression (1) is concerned with transistors Q17 and Q18, and stipulates that when a current (collector current of the transistor Q19) supplied from a constant current source is controlled exponentially, power gain PG dB! varies linearly. FIG. 10 shows experimental values indicating the relationship between current I1 and gain PG dB! in the circuit shown in FIG. 9 relative to different frequencies. According to the expression (1), when collector current I1 is changed to be ten times larger, gain PG varies by 20 dB. The results of an experiment also demonstrate like the expression (1 ) that when current I1 changes from 0.1 mA to 1 mA, gain PG varies by approximately 20 dB. Transistor Q19 employed herein causes a current of 20 mA to flow at cutoff frequency Ft of a maximum value. The expression (1) is established with a current that is a one-tenth of the current flowing at cutoff frequency Ft of the maximum value.
The expression (2) stipulates that collector current I1 changes exponentially relative to AGC voltage V.sub.AGC that varies linearly. Power gain PG dB! of the variable amplification circuit shown in FIG. 9 also varies linearly relative to AGC voltage V.sub.AGC, which varies linearly, with a current that is a one-tenth or smaller of the current flowing at cutoff frequency Ft of the maximum value, that is, 2 mA or less.
Next, a variation dependent on temperature will be described. According to the expression (1), when temperature changes from 25.degree. C. (T=298) to 75.degree. C. (T=348), even if collector current I1 of the current source transistor Q19 is held constant, a gain decreases by approximately 1.4 dB (cause 1). Moreover, the gain rises with a temperature change in a negative direction. For realizing a gain or 80 dB or more in a variable amplification circuit employed in an ordinary CDMA type portable telephone, a circuit made by cascading three or four stages of variable amplification circuits each like the one shown in FIG. 9 is usually adopted. For a temperature change from 25.degree. C. to 75.degree. C., the gain varies by 4 to 5 dB (number of stages * 1.4 dB per 50.degree. C.).
In consideration of the fact that inverse saturation current Is has a temperature characteristic, simulation is carried out using SPICE, and collector current I1 of a standard bipolar transistor relative to AGC voltage V.sub.AGC is calculated using the expression (2). The resultant values are as shown in FIG. 11. As seen from FIG. 11, collector current II varies greatly with a temperature change. For example, even when AGC voltage V.sub.AGC remains constant, if a temperature changes from 25.degree. C. to 75.degree. C., collector current I1 changes to be ten times or more larger. As a result, the gains of transistors Q17 and Q18 vary by 20 dB or more (cause 2). This phenomenon leads to a variation by 60 dB (3*20 dB per 50.degree. C.) of the gain of the triple-stage variable amplification circuit.
Moreover, a rate of change in collector current I1 relative to AGC voltage V.sub.AGC, or in other words, a gain variation rate (gain slope) varies depending on temperature (cause 3).
When bipolar transistors are used to construct a variable amplification circuit capable of varying a gain thereof within a range of 80 dB or more which is necessary for a CDMA type portable telephone, there arise problems set forth below.
1. Gain PG of the variable amplification circuit varies greatly depending on temperature because of the temperature dependency of the gains of amplification transistors Q17 and Q18 (cause 1) and the temperature dependency of the current source transistor Q19 (cause 2).
2. The gain variation rate (gain slope) relative to AGC voltage V.sub.AGC varies greatly depending on temperature because of the temperature dependency of the current source transistor Q19 (cause 3).
3. The gain slope has, as shown in FIG. 10, scales in an area, which are associated with larger values of collector current I1, spaced narrowly, and the linearity of the gain slope deteriorates in the area. Moreover, in an area of scales associated with smaller values of collector current I1, the gain decreases sharply because of the frequency characteristic of cutoff frequency Ft (that is, cutoff frequency Ft is proportional to collector current I1), and the linearity of the gain slope deteriorates.
4. When three or four stages of variable amplification circuits are included to realize a gain of 80 dB or more, gains of stages become mutually different because of differences among transistors or resistors. For correcting the difference, if a variable resistor or any other adjusting means is included in an input stage or output stage, isolation of radio-frequency circuit elements becomes inefficient. Eventually, a gain variable range gets narrower or the linearity of a gain slope deteriorates.


An explosion containment vessel includes an inner frame structure for surrounding a potential explosive device, and an outer expandable containment vessel, which expands with the explosion, thereby mitigating potential damage that a bomb blast could do. In addition, a bomb capturing device is provided on the bottom end of the inner frame for lifting the explosive device into the inner frame and for closing the bottom end of the inner frame.

A conventional Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) scenario includes the following steps:
1) Emergency services, e.g. 911, police or fire, receive a report, usually from a witness, regarding a suspicious looking package;
2) A team of EOD bomb technicians (or Fire personnel) is dispatched to the scene;
3) Upon arriving at the location of the suspected threat the witness will be interviewed and then the EOD technicians will: a) survey the situation, b) secure the area, and c) start making precautionary judgments about immediate risks to life and property. Concurrent with the precautionary measures being taken, other risk assessments are being developed as the EOD team determines, as best they can, the exact nature of the threat so that a successful render safe procedure (RSP) can be executed;
4) Typically, in the RSP procedure, if the package is small and looks harmless, it will be X-rayed in position to determine the contents or shot with a disruptor;
5) Alternatively, or in addition, in cases in which a more serious threat is perceived, the EOD technicians deploy a robot to transfer the package to a large containment vessel; and
6) In the instance where step 5) is not possible, e.g. on a cruise ship, aircraft or transit way, measures must be immediately taken to deal with the threat and to manage or defeat the potentially hazardous event.
The problem with steps 4) and 5) is that the package remains a threat to the public, private property and the EOD team during and after these steps. Moreover, robots may not have full access to the package, and the containment vessel may have to be positioned a great distance away, due to its size.
In order to simplify the RSP, i.e. to provide a simple first step that is justified for both low and high-risk situations, an easily deployable, relatively-inexpensive explosive-containment device is required. Several explosive containment devices have been proposed, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,613 issued Mar. 14, 1972 to Arthur Cunn; U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,731 issued Jun. 19, 1973 to Patrick Tabor; U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,872 issued Oct. 1, 1985 to Graham et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,079 issued Jun. 6, 1989 to Garth Barrett; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,252 issued Sep. 3, 1991 to Gamadi et al. Unfortunately, none provide an explosive containment system that provides safe containment for different sizes of explosions, i.e. the conventional devices are of a fixed size and shape, and will fail if the explosion is too powerful. Furthermore, most of the existing systems only cover the device, which does not prevent the explosion from damaging people or property below the device. While the Tabor device does disclose a tie string for raising the explosive device into the body of the containment device, it does not provide a remote capture system for completely enclosing the explosive device rapidly from a remote location, thereby eliminating any danger to the EOD technicians.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an easily deployable containment vessel, which can capture a potentially harmful device within an inner containment layer, and enclose any explosion within an outer expandable containment layer.


The present disclosure includes proppants and methods of making the proppants. The proppants herein may contain titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and/or aluminum dioxide. Also included in the present disclosure are methods of using the proppants to treat a reservoir.

Naturally occurring deposits containing oil and natural gas are located throughout the world. Given the porous and permeable nature of the subterranean structure, it is possible to bore into the earth and set up a well where oil and natural gas are pumped out of the deposit. These wells may be large, costly structures that are typically fixed at one location. As is often the case, a well may initially be very productive, with the oil and natural gas being pumpable with relative ease. As the oil or natural gas near the wellbore is removed from the deposit, other oil and natural gas may flow to the area near the wellbore so that it may be pumped as well. However, as a well ages and sometimes merely as a consequence of the subterranean geology surrounding the wellbore, the more remote oil and natural gas may have difficulty flowing to the wellbore, thereby reducing the productivity of the well.
To address this problem and to increase the flow of oil and natural gas to the wellbore, a technique may be employed of fracturing the subterranean area around the well to create more paths for the oil and natural gas to flow toward the wellbore. This fracturing may be performed by hydraulically injecting a fracturing fluid at high pressure into the area surrounding the wellbore. This fracturing fluid is thereafter removed from the fracture to the extent possible so that it does not impede the flow of oil or natural gas back to the wellbore. Once the fracturing fluid is removed, however, the fractures may tend to collapse due to the high compaction pressures experienced at well-depths, which may exceed 20,000 feet.
To reduce the likelihood of the fractures closing, a propping agent, also known as a "proppant," may be included in the fracturing fluid, so that as much of the fracturing fluid as possible may be removed from the fractures while leaving the proppant behind to hold the fractures open.
Because there may be extremely high closing pressures in factures, it may be desirable to provide proppants that have a high crush resistance. For example, the useful life of the well may be shortened if the proppant particles break down, allowing the fractures to collapse and/or clog with "fines" created by the broken-down proppant particles. For this reason, it may be desirable to provide proppants that are resistant to breakage, even under high crush pressures.
As resources become scarcer, the search for oil and natural gas may involve penetration into deeper geological formations, and the recovery of the such resources may become increasingly difficult. Therefore, there may be a desire to provide proppants that have sufficient crush strength as well as and an excellent conductivity and permeability under extreme conditions. In addition, there may be a desire to provide proppants additives formed from less costly or more prevalent materials that still provide one or more desirable characteristics for propping fractures in modern wells.

Proppants and methods of making and use thereof


The present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a bearing ring (101) for a rolling element bearing, wherein the bearing ring comprises a bearing race (102) made of a bearing grade steel and an overmolded part (106) that is preferably made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum or a thermoplastic material such as polyamide. According to the invention, the method comprises a step of hardening at least a raceway surface (103) of the bearing race prior to a step of joining the overmolded part (106) to the bearing race (102) in a molding process. In a further development, the method comprises a step of temperature control, to ensure that the temperature of the raceway surface (103) is kept below a predetermined value during the molding process.

In the interests of fuel economy, there is an increasing drive within the automotive industry towards weight reduction of the component parts of vehicles. However, the weight reduction needs to be achieved without compromising the necessary strength or robustness of the components and, preferably, without increasing material costs or manufacturing costs.
A vehicle wheel bearing is an example of an automotive component where weight reduction is desirable, also in view of the fact that the wheel end bearings belong to the unsprung weight of a vehicle. Raceways of the bearings need to be made from a material of sufficient hardness in order to withstand the stresses of rolling contact. Titanium and certain ceramics are materials that possess the necessary mechanical properties and are also low in weight. They are also expensive and, consequently, bearing steel is more commonly used. Bearing steels have excellent hardenability but cannot be viewed as lightweight materials. Thus, one solution for obtaining a wheel bearing that is relatively cheap to manufacture and reduced in weight is to form the race part of a bearing ring from bearing steel and to form further parts of the ring from a lightweight material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,188, a wheel mounting with a bearing race embedded in a cast component is suggested. In one embodiment, the wheel mounting is a hub in which an outer bearing race made from a bearing grade steel is embedded in a cast component that has a radial flange for the attachment of a vehicle wheel. In a further embodiment, the wheel mounting is a steering knuckle that is cast around the outer bearing race. Suggested metals for the cast component are steel, ductile iron and aluminium. After the step of casting, the outer raceways of the bearing race are induction hardened.
There is still room for improvement, however, in terms of simplifying the manufacture a bearing ring comprising a cast or overmoulded part and in terms of realizing a bearing unit comprising such a bearing ring, which is capable of delivering the same mechanical and structural performance as a conventional unit made entirely from e.g. a bearing steel.


Substantially all of the carbon dioxide is removed from a gas containing up to about 1% by volume carbon dioxide by subjecting the gas to a pressure swing adsorption process using as the adsorbent a single layer of zeolite having a silicon to aluminum atomic ratio in the range of 1.5 to 70. The process is particularly suitable for removing substantially all carbon dioxide and water vapor contained in air prior to subjecting the air to cryogenic distillation.

In many industrial processes using a gaseous feed stream it is desirable or necessary to remove carbon dioxide from the gaseous feed stream prior to certain steps of the process. For example, in the separation of atmospheric air into its component parts by cryogenic distillation, it is necessary to prepurify the air by removing carbon dioxide and water vapor from the air feed prior to refrigerating the air; otherwise, these gases would condense and freeze in the refrigeration heat exchange equipment and eventually clog the equipment, thereby necessitating removal of the equipment from service for removal of the frozen carbon dioxide and ice.
The carbon dioxide and water vapor can be removed from gas streams by a number of techniques. One well known method involves the use of pairs of reversing heat exchangers that are operated alternately, such that one heat exchanger is in purification service while the other is undergoing frozen carbon dioxide and ice removal. Specifically, in this method the gas feed is passed through one heat exchanger in exchange with a refrigerant, which causes the carbon dioxide and water vapor to freeze onto the surfaces of the heat exchanger. When the buildup of frozen carbon dioxide and ice in the heat exchanger reaches a certain level, the heat exchanger is taken out of service to remove, by sublimation or melting, the frozen carbon dioxide and ice. The other heat exchanger of the pair, from which frozen carbon dioxide and ice have been removed, is then placed into purification service. This method has the disadvantage that a considerable amount of heat energy is required to sublime or melt the frozen carbon dioxide and ice during regeneration of the heat exchangers.
A popular method of removing carbon dioxide and water vapor from gas streams is adsorption. One common adsorption method of air prepurification is PSA using two serially-connected adsorption layers, the first layer containing a desiccant, such as silica gel or activated alumina for water vapor removal, and the second layer containing a carbon dioxide-selective adsorbent, such as sodium-exchanged type X zeolite (13X zeolite). Typical two layer air prepurification PSA processes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,110,569 and 5,156,657, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This method has a number of disadvantages. It is difficult to desorb carbon dioxide from the 13X zeolite. Also, the layer of zeolite develops "cold spots" in its upstream region, i.e. in the vicinity of the inlet of the zeolite adsorbent, and the process becomes unstable with time.
Temperature swing adsorption (TSA) processes have also been practiced for the removal of carbon dioxide from nonpolar gas streams using the above discussed combination of adsorbent layers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,569, mentioned above, shows such a process. TSA processes have also been practiced using a single layer of adsorbent. A major disadvantage of these TSA processes is that a great quantity of heat energy is required in the adsorbent regeneration step, since both layers must be heated sufficiently to drive off the adsorbed moisture and carbon dioxide.
Air prepurification by PSA has also been practiced using a single bed of adsorbent which removes both water vapor and carbon dioxide. Such a process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,474, which uses a single layer of activated alumina as adsorbent. The principal disadvantages of this method of air prepurification are that it is difficult to produce high purity air by this method, a high volume of purge gas is required to effect adequate adsorbent regeneration and the process becomes unstable over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,676 discloses the use of various adsorbents, including 5A zeolite, silicalite, mordenite and activated carbon for the bulk separation of carbon dioxide from methane by PSA.
Superior methods of producing high purity air are continuously sought. The present invention provides a method which accomplishes this, and does so with low energy and capital expenditures.


A method improves the performance of a jetting assembly in an apparatus for jetting droplets of viscous medium on the fly onto a substrate. The jetting assembly is releasably mounted in the apparatus and includes a nozzle, an ejection mechanism connected to the nozzle, and a viscous medium container connected to the eject mechanism. Information relating to an XY-position and a Z-position is obtained together with information regarding the exit velocity a droplet of viscous medium has when it exits the nozzle. The information is used as a basis for adjusting a trigger position of the nozzle for the subsequent jetting of droplets. A jetting assembly also includes a storage device arranged to receive and hold calibration information of properties of the assembly obtained during calibration measurements.

Within the field of jetting droplets of viscous medium onto a substrate, particularly solder paste onto an electronic circuit board, there is an increased desire to perform the actual jetting "on the fly", i.e. with relative movement between the substrate and the jetting device during jetting and without stopping for each location on the substrate where viscous medium is to be deposited, in order to increase the manufacturing speed of electronic circuit boards.
A further means for improving the manufacturing speed of electronic circuit boards is to provide reduced idle time of the manufacturing line. One way of doing this is disclosed in the co-pending International patent application published under WO 00/61297, which discloses an exchangeable assembly for jetting droplets of viscous medium onto a substrate and is incorporated herein by reference. As evident from said application, such an assembly, inter alia, improves the flexibility and reduces the idle time of a jetting apparatus.
Due to the high quality requirements of the electronic industry and the detrimental consequences of error prone circuit boards, a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility is required, along with a high level of flexibility. This requirement is even further accentuated by the increased speed at which a substrate is provided with viscous medium.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A hydrodynamic fishing device includes a plate that changes attitude as the plate passes through a body of water. A plate positioning controller is pivotally mounted to the plate and is indexable relative to the plate by direct application of manual force so as to assume a plurality of predetermined adjustment positions. The adjustment positions establish different paths of travel of the plate as the plate passes through a body of water.

In order to consistently catch fish using diver sinking tackle or other types of fishing tackle, it is necessary that the bait or lure be presented at the proper depth, since fish tend to maintain activity at a particular depth or range of depths, while avoiding activity at other depths. If the bait or lure is not presented in close proximity to the fish, is it is unlikely that the fish will respond in the desired manner. The use of simple weights has been found to be undesirable, since the weights are typically consumed when a fish strikes, and are not readily reusable. Accordingly, depth control has been sought using special types of fishing tackle such as diver sinking tackle. While a certain level of improvement has been attained, other problems have emerged, especially when several fishermen are working in the same area, as when several trolling lines are operated from the same boat.
The need has arisen for three-dimensioned positioning control, not only to control depth of presentation of the bait or lure, but also for lateral or horizontal positioning control that is needed to avoid interference between the lines of fishermen operating in close proximity to one another. Such interference can lead to tangling of the lines, resulting in downtime and possible loss of fishing equipment. In order to meet the need for greater three-dimensional control, certain improvements have been made over the years to fishing tackle of the diver sinking type. Examples of improvements to such fishing tackle are given in U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,907; No. 3,844,059; No. 3,940,872; and No. 3,643,370.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,059 and No. 3,940,872, for example mechanical fasteners are used to provide operating adjustments to the fishing tackle. One or more threaded fasteners are provided. These fasteners are alternately and arbitrarily tightened and loosened with the aid of a screwdriver or other implement, to allow a weight to be shifted about the flat plate so as to provide a desired lateral repositioning of the path of travel of the fishing device. Unfortunately, tightening and loosening of the fasteners is not controlled, leading to inconsistent operation of the diver sinker device. Other difficulties are encountered, since tools are required for fastener adjustments. A fisherman may find it difficult to manipulate tools to make the needed adjustments when operating from a moving boat or when otherwise off-balance, and particularly after prolonged exposure to cold or inclement weather. Accordingly, improvements in fishing tackle are still being sought.


Disclosed are a method and system for testing a wearable device. The method includes: performing an angle acquisition process for at least two times, and calculating an optical imaging parameter value of a target virtual image on the basis of angle variation values acquired in the at least two angle acquisition processes. With the method and system according to the present disclosure, the finally calculated optical imaging parameter value is more objective and more accurate than that acquired by means of the human eyes.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are both popular technologies in recent years. In the VR technology, a computer graphics system and various interface devices are utilized to generate an interactive three-dimensional environment (that is, a virtual scene) on a computer and provide immersive feelings for users by this three-dimensional environment. In the AR technology, real-time scenes and virtual scenes can be superimposed in real time to provide users more realistic augmented reality scenes for the users and further enhance the users' immersive feelings. The immersive feeling is a sense of being immersed in an augmented reality scene in the sense of space when a user perceives the augmented reality scene as a real scene.
Wearable devices mounted with the VR technology or the AR technology have a lens component. During use of a wearable device, a user and the display screen are respectively on two sides of the lens component along an optical axis direction, and a target virtual image is formed, via the lens component, by an image displayed on the display screen, and the user can see the target virtual image by the lens component.

Method and system for testing wearable device

BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


A magnetic recording medium having magnetic layers on the non-magnetic support. The surface of the non-magnetic support has more than 200 protrusions per mm of the measuring length having more than 0.01 .mu.m height, and protrusions having the height more than 0.30 .mu.m height less than 500 per 400 mm of the measuring length. The protrusions are on the surface of the magnetic layers provided or opposit side of the support or the both sides. These protrusions reduce the surface friction of the medium, resulting the better electro-magnetic properties and the longer life for repeated usages.

A magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic tape is usually produced by coating and drying on a support a magnetic coating solution comprising a magnetic powder, a binder resin and other components. In the conventional magnetic recording media, it is necessary to cover a broad frequency band from low to high frequencies with only one kind of magnetic powder since they have only one magnetic layer. Particularly, to meet the requirement for a combination of improved recording performance at high frequencies and reduced noise in relation to the recent tendency toward higher recording density, there have been used magnetic powders having a high Hc value and a high BET value.
However, since the conventional magnetic recording media comprise only one kind of magnetic powder (magnetic layer), a magnetic powder having a high Hc value and a high BET value must be used to obtain the desired performance at high frequencies, which results in unsatisfactory performance at low frequencies.
On the other hand, there have been proposed magnetic recording media for video tapes having a plurality of magnetic layers to improve the magnetic recording capacity or to improve the magnetic recording properties at both high and low frequencies with a good balance, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 98803/1973, 172142/1984, 64901/1976, 56228/1983 and 146211/1988 and Japanese Patent Examined Publication Nos. 2218/1957 and 12937/1981.
In these known methods, the magnetic recording medium is designed to assign the task of video output to an upper magnetic layer incorporating a magnetic powder comprising relatively fine grains and the task of chromatic and audio output to a lower magnetic layer incorporating a magnetic powder comprising larger grains.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 61230/1986 describes the use of Co-containing .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 which contains a divalent iron component (Fe.sup.2+) at 3.5 to 10% by weight as FeO and at 0.04 to 0.123 (4 to 12.3%) by Fe.sup.2+ /Fe.sup.3+ ratio as a magnetic material (magnetic powder) contained in the magnetic layer. Also, Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 19524/1989, 86321/1989, 13225/1989 and 300425/1988 describe the use of FeOx (1.33.ltoreq..times..ltoreq.1.50) as a magnetic powder.
As a magnetic powder material, Co-containing iron oxide having a higher Fe.sup.2+ /Fe.sup.3+ ratio of 0.13 to 0.45 in comparison with Co-.gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 having an Fe.sup.2+ /Fe.sup.3+ ratio of 0.001 to 0.1 is designated as of the magnetite type (Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4), comprising FeO and Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Such Co-containing iron oxide of the magnetite type possesses excellent properties; for example, its black color offers good masking and thus ensures a satisfactory light transmittance even with a reduced amount of carbon black added to the magnetic recording medium, easy electron exchange between Fe.sup.2+ and Fe.sup.3+ reduces the surface resistivity of the magnetic layer and the coercive force Hc has a value favorable for chromatic output and other aspects. However, it is preferable to reduce the amount of carbon black and minimize its content particularly in the outermost layer to improve the electromagnetic conversion properties.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 187418/1988 discloses a method in which a plurality of layers are formed on a support wherein at least one lower layer comprising a non-magnetic powder such as carbon black dispersed in a binder is formed below an upper magnetic layer.
Concerning the prior art methods in which a plurality of layers are formed on a support, it is a well-known fact that carbon black etc. are removed from the outermost layer to improve the electromagnetic conversion properties and a lower layer or back-coating layer incorporating carbon black etc. is used to meet the requirement for light transmittance. On the other hand, the use of a plurality of magnetic layers incorporating a magnetic powder having a high Fe.sup.2+ /Fe.sup.3+ ratio offers solutions to the problems in light transmittance and electro-conductivity, but a back-coating layer increases its importance to obtain satisfactory running durability as the magnetic layers become more smooth.


A pill dispenser includes a housing having front, rear, and side walls defining a hollow interior. A pill holding member is removably coupled to the housing front wall and defines a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with the housing front opening. An elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends is positioned extends through the housing. The shaft is movable between a retracted configuration in which the distal end extends from the housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which the distal end is adjacent the housing rear wall. A spring is positioned in the dispenser housing and operatively connected to the plunger shaft for selectively moving the plunger shaft between the retracted and actuated configurations so as to eject a pill from the holding member. The shaft may be retracted to selected positions before being spring actuated to dispense a pill.

This invention relates generally to pill dispensers and, more particularly, to a pill dispenser specifically useful for ejecting a medication in the form of a pill into the mouth of an animal, such as a pet.
A common, yet often undesirable, task of both veterinarians and pet owners is to administer medications to pets. It is particularly difficult to induce a pet, especially a small animal like a cat, to swallow a pill. A pet owner may seek to hide a pill in the animal's normal food; unfortunately, many pets are able to avoid the pill and still ingest most of the food.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for dispensing pills to pets. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are not configured for single handed administration, do not provide for easy cleaning of the pill receiving chambers, or do not provide for spring-loaded pill ejection in combination with an edible "teaser" member.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser for efficiently dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal. Further, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that selectively ejects a pill into an animal's mouth when actuated. In addition, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that induces a pet to receive the dispenser into its mouth.


An aviation vision apparatus. Its purpose assists a pilot's ability to fly an aircraft by providing increased visibility. The apparatus features an uncooled IR sensor for vision enhancement. An integrated window assembly is provided which permits the sensor to obtain its imagery. The apparatus also has an integrated aerodynamic enclosure. The apparatus features electronics responsible for window assembly window control functions and IR sensor control. The apparatus is a single line replaceable unit that receives control commands from the aircraft's head-down display or other control modules. The unit also provides for the video display.

It is well known that assisting an aircraft pilot with maneuvers in situations of low or no visibility is desirable and numerous solutions have been provided to accomplish that task. Typically, modern aircraft can be equipped with Forward Looking Infrared Cameras (FLIR). These cameras are part of the Enhanced Vision System (EVS), which is used to improve the capability for commercial, business and military aircraft to execute precision approaches and land safely in fog, rain, snow and other reduced visibility conditions thereby reducing accidents. The EVS also provides improved awareness during ground operation aiding in the reduction of runway incursion accidents.
The FLIR optics is typically mounted behind a separate radome which serves to protect the FLIR. The optics exterior surface can drop below dew point during operation, impeding image quality due to condensation and frost. It is the nature of this invention to solve this problem in a manner that is efficient, durable and cost-effective. However, each radome and its contained electronics must be superficially designed for the particular aircraft. Further, the high cost of such systems makes them impractical for use with general aviation aircraft.
A light, single line replaceable apparatus that utilizes an uncooled microbolometer incorporating a non-uniformity correction scheme and wherein the apparatus is independently sealed from the aircraft interface is not found in the art.


The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser using a number of cups and a number of lids. The automated beverage dispenser may include a lid stack with the number of lids, a lidding mechanism, and a positioning device for maneuvering the lidding mechanism so as to remove one of the number of lids from the lid stack and to attach the lid to one of the number of cups.

Beverage dispensers traditionally combine a diluent such as water with a beverage base such as a syrup and the like. These beverage bases generally have a dilution or a reconstitution ratio of about three to one (3:1) to about six to one (6:1). The beverage bases usually come in large bag-in-box containers that require significant amounts of storage space and may need to be refrigerated. These storage requirements often necessitate the need to position these bag-in-box containers away from the dispenser in a backroom with a long supply line. Each bag-in-box container usually only holds a beverage base for a single type or flavor of beverage such that multiple bag-in-box containers may be required to provide the consumer with a variety of beverage options.
Resent improvements in beverage dispensing technology have focused on the use of micro-ingredients. With micro-ingredients, the traditional beverage bases may be separated into their constituent parts at much higher reconstitution ratios. These micro-ingredients then may be stored in much smaller packages and stored closer to, adjacent to, or within the beverage dispenser itself. The beverage dispenser preferably may provide the consumer with multiple beverage options as well as the ability to customize his or her beverage as desired.
Beverage dispensers incorporating such highly concentrated micro-ingredients have proven to be highly popular with consumers. One example of the use of such micro-ingredients is shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,896 B2 to Carpenter, et al., entitled "BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM." U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,896 B2 is incorporated herein by reference herein in full. Likewise, such micro-ingredient technology is incorporated in the highly popular "FREESTYLE®" refrigerated beverage dispensing units provided by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. The "FREESTYLE®" refrigerated beverage dispensing units can dispense over 125 brands without the need for extensive storage space.
There is now a desire to incorporate such micro-ingredient technology for behind the counter or crew serve applications in venues such as quick service restaurants and the like. The use of such micro-ingredient technology would allow the venue to offer dozens of different beverages without significant storage requirements in a fast and efficient manner.

Automated beverage dispensing system with cup lidding and beverage identification


A reasoning system is configured to interact with data processing elements of an information processing system. The reasoning system includes a reasoning module configured to perform one or more reasoning operations on metadata. The metadata characterizes data sets associated with the data processing elements in order to identify at least selected portions of one or more of the data sets as being suitable for use in achieving a designated purpose. The reasoning system also includes a dynamic information assembly module configured to utilize results of the one or more reasoning operations to assemble at least a subset of the selected portions so as to achieve the designated purpose. The reasoning system and associated data processing elements may be implemented, by way of example, in cloud infrastructure of a cloud service provider, or on another type of processing platform.

An increasing number of companies and other enterprises are reducing their costs by migrating portions of their information technology infrastructure to cloud service providers. For example, virtual data centers and other types of systems comprising distributed virtual infrastructure are coming into widespread use. Commercially available virtualization software such as VMware® vSphere™ may be used by cloud service providers to build a variety of different types of virtual infrastructure, including private and public cloud computing and storage systems, which may be distributed across hundreds of interconnected computers, storage devices and other physical machines. Typical cloud service offerings include, for example, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
In cloud-based information processing system arrangements of the type described above, a wide variety of different hardware and software products are often deployed, many of which may be from different vendors, resulting in a complex system configuration. As the complexity of such cloud infrastructure increases, the need for accurate and efficient processing of data has also grown.
Existing approaches to information assembly take an inflexible approach to handling associated processes. For example, such approaches generally do not consider issues of data set provenance, versioning, volatility, derivation, indexing, materialization, and state, with respect to their process implications and remediation of issues. Assertions, rules and constraints governing processes are generally neither visible nor assessable.
From an information assembly perspective, there is no unified description or repository for metadata on data sets, no explicit representation of such metadata that allows reasoning or recommendations, and no easy way to assess assertions about data sets used in information assembly for purpose. This combination limits the actions that can be taken, causes process errors, and raises doubts about the validity of process outcomes. Former approaches may make optimistic assumptions in some cases ("let's assume the usual information was fine") and pessimistic ones in other cases ("there's an input file missing, so let's abort the process"). Such assumptions may be inaccurate and can substantially undermine system performance when carrying out a variety of different processing operations.

Dynamic information assembly for designated purpose based on suitability reasoning over metadata


A composition for forming a silica-based insulation layer, a silica-based insulation layer, and a method of manufacturing the silica-based insulation layer, the composition including a solvent; and an organosilane-based condensation polymerization product that includes a structural unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a composition for forming a silica-based insulation layer, a silica-based insulation layer, and a method of manufacturing the silica-based insulation layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to accelerating development of semiconductor technologies, research on a highly-integrated and high-speed semiconductor memory cell having improved performance by increasing integration of a semiconductor chip having a smaller size has been considered.

Composition for forming silica based insulating layer, silica based insulating layer and method for manufacturing silica based insulating layer


A safety mechanism for an overhead aircraft luggage bin for preventing baggage from falling from the bin when the door cover of the bin is opened. The safety mechanism includes a roll-up screen mounted on the door cover which cooperates with a latch mounted on the lower edge of the opening to the bin. The latch and roll-up screen mechanism are operatively associated whereby when the door cover is in covered or closed position, the screen is rolled up and latched to the latch. When the door cover is moved to the uncovered position the screen is unrolled and covers the opening to the bin to prevent any luggage from falling from the housing. The screen can be unlatched so as to remove the screen from the opening.

Passenger aircraft generally include overhead storage/luggage bins mounted on the ceiling of the aircraft above the passenger seats. Passengers store all sorts of baggage and other items in these bins which are provided with a door cover to prevent the luggage and other items from falling out of the bins. Objects which are stored in these bins are such items as lap top computers, luggage carriers, briefcases, and other objects.
In commercial passenger aircraft, passengers frequently stuff luggage and other objects into the bins and then quickly close the door which generally opens upwardly so as not to impinge upon the movement of the passengers and crew. Further, such baggage and other objects in the bin have a tendency to reshuffle during the flight due to turbulence, take-offs and landings. Therefore, a major safety problem for commercial aircraft is injury to the passengers caused by the unrestrained luggage and other items falling from the overhead bins and injuring passengers. The injuries range from bumps on the head to scalp lacerations, and in accordance to one newspaper report has already resulted in thousands of lawsuits or claims. Most of these accidents are incurred by passengers in the isle seats which is a preferred seat for many passengers but is a hazardous place to sit.
Many efforts have been made to solve this problem. An example of one arrangement is U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,471 entitled SAFETY ARRANGEMENT FOR OVERHEAD LUGGAGE BINS IN AIRCRAFT PASSENGER CABINS. Despite efforts that have been made, no suitable solution has been discovered particularly as pertains to mechanism that can serve as retrofits of existing overhead bins already installed in the aircraft.

Overhead aircraft luggage bin with safety mechanism


A method for making an alkyl 3-hydroxybutyrate is provided. The method can include reacting an alkyl alcohol with diketene to form an alkyl acetoacetate and then hydrogenating the alkyl acetoacetate to form the alkyl 3-hydroxybutyrate. The method of the present invention may also include separating one or more impurities an alkyl acetoacetate stream and subjecting the purified acetoacetate mixture to hydrogenation to form the alkyl 3-hydroxybutyrate. Methods of the present invention can be carried out on a lab, pilot, or commercial scale.

Alkyl esters, and in particular, alkyl hydroxybutyrates may be useful in a variety of end-use applications. For example, alkyl hydroxybutyrates may be employed as pharmaceutical intermediates or as fragrances or other additives in a variety of consumer products. Recently, it has also been discovered that alkyl hydroxybutyrates may be useful as organic cleaning solvents and may be used to create aqueous cleaning compositions that are both highly effective and exhibit a benign environmental and toxicity profile. Currently, alkyl hydroxybutyrates are obtained by extracting polyalkylhydroxybutyrates (PHB) from plant materials or other biomass and then depolymerizing the PHB to form lower chain length hydroxybutyrate materials. This method is expensive, time consuming, and difficult to control and is nearly impossible to carry out on a large scale.
Thus, a need exists for an efficient method of producing an alkyl hydroxybutyrate, which can consistently provide high-purity product in a time- and cost-effective manner, preferably on a commercial scale.

Method for producing an alkyl 3-hydroxybutyrate


Embodiments herein include systems, methods and articles of manufacture for calibrating a camera. In one embodiment, a computing system may be coupled to a calibration apparatus and the camera to programmatically identify the intrinsic properties of the camera. The calibration apparatus includes a plurality of light sources which are controlled by the computer system. By selectively activating one or more of the light sources, the computer system identifies correspondences that relate the 3D position of the light sources to the 2D image captured by the camera. The computer system then calculates the intrinsics of the camera using the 3D to 2D correspondences. After the intrinsics are measured, cameras may be further calibrated to in order to identify 3D locations of objects within their field of view in a presentation area. Using passive markers in a presentation area, computing system may use an iterative process that estimates the actual pose of the camera.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments presented in this disclosure generally relate to camera calibration and more specifically, to calculating the intrinsic characteristics and pose of a camera.
Description of the Related Art
Many applications require accurate camera calibration of the intrinsics of a camera—e.g., focal length, principal point, lens distortion parameters, and the like. A common way to identify the intrinsics of a camera is by using a checkerboard target that is captured from several different views using the camera. This method of calibration requires the checkerboard to be held at different ranges with different inclinations relative to the camera being calibrated. Thus, an untrained person will likely have trouble accurately calibrating the camera with this method. Moreover, it is often difficult to achieve a consistent level of calibration accuracy over a variety of calibrations being carried out by different people who may use different checkerboards that are arranged at different positions and orientations.


The invention relates to a system (300) and method for performing end-to-end simulation and testing of an IoT application (102). An IoT data simulator (310) is configured to simulate an IoT environment using data received from different components in the IoT environment, which include IoT messages/data from IoT devices (106), master data from different databases (108) and data from third-party web services (110). Device templates are created that are used as blueprint for defining a plurality of device instances which include simulated device instances and live device instances. An IoT application validator (326) is configured for testing and validating the IoT application (102) by transmitting a plurality of IoT messages to the IoT application (102) and validating the behavior of the IoT application (102) to the plurality of IoT messages for all layers including, but not limited to, a UI layer (112), a business logic (114) and a data layer (116), using one or more device instances.

Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology has seen widespread development and adoption in numerous applications and domains. With the rapid expansion of the IoT ecosystem, there is a need to ensure that IoT applications are continuously and thoroughly tested before deployment in the connected space.
Testing of IoT applications provides an integrated approach to validate practical as well as non-functional requirements of IoT solutions. Erstwhile testing solutions come with their own set of challenges which include, but need not be limited to, manual intervention at each stage of the testing, requirements of complex use cases and real-time responsiveness, and lack of a generic testing framework to support the diversity of IoT applications and devices, including different IoT protocols to be tested and a large number of sensor interactions.
To deal with the aforesaid issues, some of the existing testing frameworks include features such as, but not limited to, protocol simulators, data recorders and virtualization. Protocol simulators enable working with multiple protocols and is beneficial when there is variation in the device endpoints and their interfaces. Data recorders help in smart validation across device sets and the recorded data can be played across different device endpoints automatically, which in turn can be a great enabler in compatibility testing of applications across different device sets and communication layers. However, the highly complex nature of the IoT ecosystem makes real-time validation of the application behavior quite difficult and time-consuming.
Furthermore, considering end-to-end testing of applications, this testing methodology tests an application by checking the functional flow of the application from start to end. This testing phase ensures that a behavioral flow of an application is as expected or satisfies certain requirements by performing a thorough testing from the beginning to the end considering the different components and the interactions between the components and product-to-user interactions, thereby detecting any deficiencies in the workflow of the application.
In an IoT environment, however, an application is interconnected and integrated with multiple systems, either similar or disparate, within or external to the application environment. Thus, the entire workflow of an IoT-based application is complex and performing end-to-end testing on such applications is challenging as the application must be tested from all layers—from the front-end to backend along with its interfaces and endpoints.
Thus, there exists a need for a method and system to perform end-to-end simulation and testing of IoT applications and to validate the IoT application logic and behavior against vendor defined specification.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

System and method for performing end-to-end simulation and testing of an IOT application


A workload of a technician (operator) of a radiation image data management system employing a radiation detecting cassette is reduced. An order data reception terminal, a sensor, a transmission means and a reception means is provided within an imaging room. The sensor detects entry of the radiation detecting cassette into an area within a predetermined range of the imaging room. Order data, received from an order data management system, is automatically and wirelessly transmitted to the radiation detecting cassette from the transmission means. After imaging is complete, the order data and an image signal transmitted from the radiation detecting cassette is automatically received by the reception means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation detecting cassette which houses a solid state radiation detector, and a radiation image data management system that employs the radiation detecting cassette.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of solid state radiation detectors (having semiconductors as main components) have been proposed and are in use, in the field of radiation imaging for medical diagnosis and the like (refer to, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,614 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-284056). The solid state radiation detectors detect radiation which has passed through a subject, and output image signals representing a radiation image of the subject. There have also been proposed various types of radiation detecting cassettes, which house a solid state radiation detector and an image memory for recording an image signal output from the solid state radiation detector within a case (refer to, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,309 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7 (1995)-140255).
Recently, image data management systems, which employ radiation detecting cassettes such as those described above, are in use. The image data management systems are particularly employed at large scale hospitals having a plurality of imaging rooms for radiation imaging. The image data management systems make operations of radiation imaging obtaining facilities more efficient, by unitarily managing order data for radiation image obtainment performed within the hospital with a Radiological Information System (RIS) or the like.
As an example of the image data management system, one can be considered which performs the following functions. First, contents of radiation image obtainment to be performed within the hospital (order data for imaging) are registered in the RIS. Then, a radiation detecting cassette is connected to a terminal of the RIS, to record patient data and order data for imaging, such as data regarding a portion to be imaged, in a memory within the radiation detecting cassette. Next, the radiation cassette, having the order data recorded therein, is brought to an imaging room, and imaging of a portion of a subject, according to the order data, is performed. Thereafter, the radiation detecting cassette is loaded into a specialized image readout device, and the order data and the image signal recorded in the memory of the cassette is read out. The order data and the image signal is registered in a medical image data network (PACS: Picture Archiving and Communication System).
In the aforementioned image data management system, a technician who performs imaging is burdened with the following tasks. Before imaging, the technician must connect the radiation detecting cassette to the terminal of the RIS to record the order data for imaging in the radiation detecting cassette. The technician then performs imaging on the radiation detecting cassette. Thereafter, the technician must load the radiation detecting cassette into the specialized image readout device to readout the order data and the image signal. Therefore, even though efficient operations of radiation image obtaining facilities within a hospital may be achieved, there is a problem that the workload of the technician becomes great.

Radiation detecting cassette and radiation image data management system


A high frequency yttrium iron garnet oscillator is described that comprises a coplanar yttrium iron garnet resonator. The coplanar yttrium iron garnet resonator has an yttrium iron garnet sphere, a coplanar coupling structure and a coplanar waveguide. The coplanar coupling structure is integrated with the coplanar waveguide. The coplanar coupling structure is coupled to the yttrium iron garnet sphere. Further, a method of manufacturing a high frequency yttrium iron garnet oscillator is described.

It is known from the state of the art that YIG oscillators are used as reference sources for generating a signal of a local oscillator which may be used in a signal generator and/or a spectrum analyzer. The YIG oscillators have an yttrium iron garnet resonator (YIG resonator) having an yttrium iron garnet sphere (YIG sphere) that is assigned to a coupling structure. The coupling structure is established by a conduction band made of gold. The conduction band is formed like a small loop that substantially surrounds the YIG sphere so that the conduction band is enabled to excite the YIG sphere in an electromagnetic manner appropriately. The coupling structure is also called coupling loop and it is electrically long due to its respective shape. In addition, a strong frequency dependent coupling strength is provided that is linked to the electrical length of the coupling structure.
Thus, the frequency range usable by the YIG oscillators is typically limited to about 20 GHz due to the natural resonance of the coupling structure, in particular the natural resonance of the conduction band.
Therefore, technical modifications are necessary to obtain higher output frequencies which result in high efforts with regard to the hardware used. For instance, frequency doublers, filter banks and/or amplifiers have to be used in order to obtain higher output frequencies.
However, these additional hardware components result in a performance reduction with regard to phase noise as a higher phase noise or rather phase jitter occurs while using the additional hardware components so as to obtain higher output frequencies. This phase noise is unwanted since it reduces the overall performance of the oscillator.
In the state of the art, a trade-off is required between the output frequencies and the phase noise once higher output frequencies were wanted, namely output frequencies higher than 20 GHz due to the natural resonance of the coupling structure limiting the usable frequency range of the oscillator.

High frequency yttrium iron garnet oscillator as well as method of manufacturing a high frequency yttrium iron garnet oscillator


The invention relates to planar sensor arrangements, in particular seat mat sensors, for recognition of seat occupancy in a motor vehicle, comprising several pressure sensitive sensor elements, arranged in a planar distribution, the electrical properties of which are dependent on the local value of a measured parameter and having at least one non-rotationally symmetrical sensor element on an insulation-dependent fold line of the sensor arrangement, with a longest sectional line through the active surface of the sensor element arranged along the fold line.

Seat occupancy by motor vehicle passengers plays a major role in a plurality of technical applications in motor vehicles. This applies especially to vehicle occupant restraint systems, the efficient deployment of which is very often made dependent upon the seating position of the vehicle occupant.
The simplest form of recognizing seat occupancy is the detection of the presence of a vehicle occupant by, for example, touch-sensitive switches in the vehicle seat. Other measurement systems for the recognition of seat occupancy detect the weight of a vehicle occupant or even their weight distribution on a vehicle seat. On the one hand, this enables the detection of the presence of a vehicle occupant whilst, on the other hand, their body weight or weight distribution on the vehicle seat can be determined. Depending on the sensor arrangement and measurement method, these two sets of data can be measured simultaneously or independently of each other.
Seat mat sensors are mostly used to detect the measured variable, in particular weight, comprising a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensor elements which are arranged on the seat face distributed in rows and columns.
Known from the prior art are, in particular, sensor elements in seat mat sensors essentially comprising two electrically separating films arranged in a mutually parallel manner. Between said two films is disposed a likewise electrically separating interface layer which maintains the distance between the two films. Electrically conductive faces are applied to the mutually facing sides of the films between which high-resistance material is arranged, preferably air.
When the seat mat sensor is subject to pressure, for example the body weight of a vehicle occupant, the conductive faces are brought into conductive contact with each other, so that the electrical contact resistance between the two conductive faces is dependent on the pressure amplitude.
The conductive faces of known sensor elements, hereinafter also referred to as sensor cells, have rotational symmetry about the face perpendicular. In a sensor arrangement in the form of a seat mat sensor, a plurality of similar circular sensor cells are arranged in a planar manner on a vehicle seat.
Sensor arrangements of this kind are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,090 A, German Application No. 200 14 200 U1 and German Application No. 42 37 072 C1; suitable sensor cells for these sensor arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,228, German Application No. 200 14 200 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,227.
The problem with the known sensor arrangements is that the sensor cells are mostly affixed to an uneven surface of a vehicle seat thereby exposing the sensor cells to differing tensile or bending loads, depending on their position on the seat mat sensor, in particular along fold lines of the sensor arrangement.
The sensor elements known from the prior art are designed to respond very sensitively to such tensile or bending loads on the fold lines. Consequently the signal characteristic of the sensor elements dependent on the weight acting upon them changes. The bending of the sensor elements usually displaces a constant offset PL of the signal characteristic to lower values as shown in FIG. 4. This signal characteristic displacement can have various repercussions for various measurement systems designed for recognizing seat occupancy.
An occupant may be detected on the vehicle seat even if only a small, light object is located on it. In the event of vehicle impact this false information would cause an airbag to inflate unnecessarily in order to protect the supposed vehicle occupant.
In other systems designed for recognizing seat occupancy, a shift in the constant offset of the sensor characteristic causes a false weight or false weight distribution of a vehicle occupant to be reported to the occupant safety system. If an occupant safety device is, for example, released too early on the basis of this false information, this can result in serious injuries to a vehicle occupant.
The change in the sensor characteristics when the sensor element is exposed to a tensile or bending load on a vehicle seat fold line is referred to as the preload effect.
Owing to the preload effect an arrangement of sensor cells in seat mat sensors is often avoided at heavily curved points or on seams of a vehicle seat, although the lack of measurement at such points results in a loss of important information regarding the vehicle occupant. This can also lead to serious injuries to a vehicle occupant in the event of an accident involving impact if the occupant safety system was unable to provide the optimum protection for the vehicle occupant through lack of information.
A further measure for avoiding the preload effect is to reduce the size of the conductive faces of the known sensor cells.
With small sensor cells the constant offset (PS) of the sensor characteristic generally has a higher value than with larger sensor cells (FIG. 4). As a result, the preload effect manifests itself only at far greater bending loads than in the case of large-face sensor elements. However, the sensor characteristic of a smaller sensor cell (CS) loses some of its resolution accuracy by comparison with the characteristic of a larger sensor cell (CL), since the slope of its signal characteristic becomes steeper. At the same time the range of values of its characteristic also becomes smaller (FIG. 4).
Here again as a result of too much imprecise information regarding the vehicle occupant, an optimal protection effect of an occupant protection system adapted to seating occupancy fails to take place.


A pasteurizable plastic container having movable panels to alleviate internal pressure changes during pasteurization in order to avoid uncontrolled permanent deformation of the container body. As molded, each panel has a shallow recessed central wall which during the increased temperature and pressurization of pasteurization, moves outwardly to alleviate at least part of the internal pressure. During cooling, the panels move back inwardly to alleviate at least part of the negative pressure. The container may further include hoop ribs in the land areas above and below the panels, an axially elongatable hoop rib in an upper shoulder section, and an angled heel portion adjacent the standing ring. These additional elements further restrict uncontrolled bulging of the post walls, which would lead to improper label application and/or excessive volume change.

Prior art beverage containers designed for use in a pasteurization process have typically been made of glass because glass can withstand the extended high temperatures and high internal pressures of this process. FIG. 1 illustrates graphically, as a function of time, the increasing internal temperature and pressure for a pasteurizable 16-ounce glass container. The pasteurization cycle has five components:
(1) emersion in bath 1 for a period of about 12.5 minutes in order to raise the container and contents up to about the bath temperature of 43.degree. C.; PA1 (2) emersion in bath 2 during a time period from about 12.5 to 21 minutes in order to raise the container and contents up to about the bath temperature of 77.degree. C.; PA1 (3) emersion in bath 3 during a time period from about 21 to 31.5 minutes in order to hold the container and contents at about the bath temperature of 73.degree. C.; PA1 (4) emersion in bath 4 during a time period from about 31.5 to 43 minutes in order to lower the container and contents down to about the bath temperature of 40.degree. C.; and PA1 (5) emersion in quench bath 5 for a time period from about 43 to 60 minutes in order to cool the container and contents down to about 10.degree. C.
The top curve shows that the temperature of the container (and contents) remains above 70.degree. C. for roughly ten minutes, during which time there is a significant increase in internal pressure to about 20 psi. There is a slight negative internal pressure at the end of the cycle. A glass container can withstand these temperatures and pressures without deformation.
There is a need to provide a plastic container able to withstand pasteurization in order to gain the advantages of plastic over glass, i.e., light-weight, shatter-resistance, etc. However, known carbonated beverage and/or hot fill polyester containers can not be expected to withstand these temperatures and pressures without substantial deformation. The prior art teaches that a plastic container for pasteurization would require a very high level of average crystallinity in the panel section (e.g., 35-40%), achievable either by high-temperature heat setting or an expensive double-blowing process. It would be desirable, however, to provide a less expensive method of making a pasteurizable polyester container having a relatively low level of crystallinity, i.e., below 30%.


A collet assembly connects two tubular members with a rotation of an outer sleeve. The collet assembly includes a first tubular member with a grooved outer diameter end. The end is inserted into a collet having grooved inner and outer diameter surfaces, and an outer annular sleeve is threaded onto the collet. A grooved outer diameter end of a second tubular member is inserted into the collet. The outer annular sleeve is rotated relative to the collet. The rotation causes the collet to partially disengage from the outer annular sleeve and fully engage the grooves of the ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, thereby securing the first tubular member to the second tubular member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to drilling and production of oil and gas wells, and in particular to a design of a cost effective rapid makeup connector for tubular members using a threaded collapsible collet or ring.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
A drilling riser is a large diameter pipe used in offshore drilling operations to guide the drill string from the offshore platform to and from the subsea wellhead and to provide means for circulation of drilling fluid. The drill string is lowered through the drilling riser. Drilling fluid circulates down from the platform through the drill string, out through the drill bit, and returns to the platform in the space between the inner diameter of the riser and the outer diameter of the drill string. Environmental forces caused by waves, currents, and the movement of the offshore platform, as well as internal forces caused by the weight of the heavy drilling fluids, all contribute to the substantial loads applied to the drilling riser. Additionally, high pressure drilling risers, utilizing surface blowout preventers, may be exposed to full wellbore pressure. The connection between each successive joint of drilling riser must be able to withstand such loads.
The prior art makes up the riser pipe or joint connections with bolted flange type connectors or with radially oriented screws that move dogs into and out of engagement with a profile on the riser pipe. Both of these methods require manipulation with a wrench or stud tensioning device, placing personnel in close proximity to the drilling slots for prolonged periods of time, and increasing the danger level of performing the task.
Other prior art methods involve use of screw type box and pin ends that require the rotation of the riser members through multiple turns in order to torque the tubular members into a secure connection. As with the previously discussed methods, these connection types require manipulation with a wrench device, continuing to place personnel in close proximity to the drilling slots for prolonged periods of time, and increasing the danger level of performing the task. Where the riser diameters are larger, the torque requirements for providing typical separation forces for a conventional direct threaded make-up are extremely high. Still further, the time necessary to either bolt riser joints together, screw locking dogs into engagement, or screw box and pin end joints into engagement can be quite long. This can add significantly to the overall time needed to operate the rig, greatly increasing the costs of the project.
In another prior art embodiment the riser box ends are formed with pockets and locking members positioned within the pockets. The locking members have a profile that mates with a profile on a pin end of the adjacent riser. This riser assembly includes a special cam ring that is actuated by specialty equipment on the platform. The specialty equipment causes the cam to move the locking members into engagement with the profile of the pin end to secure the riser tubulars. These cam assemblies may significantly increase the cost of the platform due to the increased capital costs for the special equipment and more expensive riser members. Therefore, a riser joint that allows for a strong connection that can be rapidly made-up without placing personnel in close proximity to the drilling slots for prolonged periods of time and at a lower capitol cost would be desirable.

Rotationally actuated collet style tubular connection


The lead-free and arsenic-free optical glass has a refractive index nd of 1.84≦nd≦1.96 and an Abbé number νd of 27≦νd≦36, with good chemical resistance, excellent crystallization resistance and the following composition (in % by weight based on oxide): SiO2, 1 to 8, B2O3, 13 to 19.5, La2O3, 34 to 50; MgO, 0 to 6, CaO, 0 to 6, BaO, 0 to 6, ZnO, 0 to 9 with ΣMO, 1 to 10; and TiO2, 4 to 15, ZrO2, 0 to 11, Nb2O5, 6 to 14.5. In addition, the glass according to the invention, as well as having a maximum alkali metal oxide content of 10% by weight, may also contain standard refining agents other than arsenic. The glass according to the invention is used in imaging, projection, telecommunications, optical communication and/or laser technology.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lead-free and preferably also arsenic-free lanthanum heavy flint glass with a refractive index nd of 1.84≦nd≦1.96 and an Abbé number νd of 27≦νd≦36, and to the uses of this glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional optical glass in the lanthanum-heavy flint range with a low Abbé number for the application areas of imaging, projection, telecommunications, optical communication technology and laser technology generally contains PbO, in order to achieve the desired optical properties, i.e. a refractive index nd of 1.84≦nd≦1.96 and, in particular, the high dispersion, i.e. a low Abbé number νd of 27≦νd≦36. However, PbO reduces the chemical resistance of these types of glass. Furthermore, materials with high chemical resistance are becoming increasingly important for use in high added value products. Moreover, As2O3 is often used as a refining agent. Since in recent years the glass components PbO and As2O3 have been regarded as environmentally harmful, most manufacturers of optical instruments and products tend preferably to use lead-free and arsenic-free glass.
Known lead-free glass compositions with a high refractive index and a low Abbé number generally contain extremely large quantities of TiO2 in a silicate matrix, which leads to glass, which is very highly susceptible to crystallization and extremely difficult to process.
In addition, in terms of melting technology there have recently been reports of increased demand for "short" glass, i.e. for glass whose viscosity varies extremely strongly with the temperature. During the manufacturing process, this characteristic has the advantage that the hot-shaping times, i.e. the mold-closed times, can be reduced. This firstly increases throughput and secondly protects the mold material, with the result that total production costs can be reduced considerably. Also, the more rapid cooling which is thereby made possible also allows glass with a relatively strong tendency to crystallize to be processed, i.e. correspondingly longer glass, and means that preliminary nucleation, which could cause problems in subsequent secondary hot-forming steps, is avoided.
Therefore, a composition range for short optical glass, which allows the desired optical properties with regard to nd and νd to be achieved, even without use of PbO and As2O3, and furthermore with a reduced TiO2 content, would be advantageous.
However glass with a similar optical position or comparable chemical composition, which has hitherto been disclosed in the prior art, has serious drawbacks.
For example, DE 691 356 (Eastman Kodak) describes silicate-free lanthanum borate glass for achieving a similar optical position, namely a very high refractive index with an extremely low dispersion (i.e. a high Abbé number), but this glass is at very great risk of crystallizing. Moreover, to stabilize this glass it is preferable to introduce very expensive tantalum oxide (or optionally highly toxic thorium oxide or expensive tungsten oxide) as crystallization inhibitor. Furthermore, when SiO2 is used without the addition of alkali metal oxides, opacification phenomena have been described, and consequently the use of silicate is obligatorily linked to the addition of alkali metals.
In a corresponding way to the document discussed above, JP 78-004023 A (Ohara) also describes glass with an extremely low dispersion and very high refractive index. The glass described differs from the glass described in DE 691 356 through the obligatory requirement that hafnium must be used to stabilize the lanthanum borate matrix. However, on account of the difficulty of purifying raw materials, this component is extremely expensive. Moreover, it has a very high melting point (melting point 3050° C.) compared to its more usual homolog TiO2 (melting point 1560° C.) and ZrO2 (melting point 1700° C.) with comparable physico-chemical characteristics. The result of this is that the melting process is made considerably more difficult by additions of hafnium oxide.
JP 84-050048 A (Ohara) describes silicate-containing (>8% by weight) lanthanum borate glasses, without alkali metal oxides necessarily being added. Since the solubility of lanthanum oxide in a borosilicate matrix is significantly worse than in a pure borate matrix, the maximum amount of lanthanum, which can be used in this glass, is limited. Therefore, the result is either glass whose refractive indices are lower on account of a lower La2O3 content or whose crystallization resistance is adversely affected by increasing the refractive index with additional oxides.
DE 31 38 137 (SCHOTT GLAS) relates to glass with an extremely low dispersion combined, at the same time, with a high refractive index. The stabilizing effect with respect to the tendency to crystallize caused by the use of silicate without alkali metals is achieved by adding large amounts of Nb2O5 (≧15% by weight). The glass described in this patent differs from that of DE 691 356 by the use of silicate in the absence of alkali metals and tantalum. However, since Nb2O5 is a relatively expensive component, such high levels of Nb2O5 are not economical.
DE 10 47 994 (Izumitani, et al) deals with lanthanum borate glass with a particularly high borate content (≧20% by weight). Although this has a positive influence on the solubility of lanthanum and therefore reduces the tendency to crystallize when silicate is used at the same time, the maximum refractive index, which can be reached, is reduced to below 1.87. Therefore, the glass described in this document tends to be designed for moderate optical applications with good chemical resistance, high grinding hardness, i.e. good machining properties, and low crystallization, rather than to achieve a high refractive index combined with a low dispersion.

Lead-free and preferably arsenic-free lanthanum heavy flint glass