An initialization-allowing communication system is constituted with devices 70 and 80, a controller 400 for controlling the devices 70 and 80 through communication, and so on. Each device and the controller 400 are provided with communication means 31, a house code showing a setting place, a subsystem ID showing the ID of a subsystem in a set system, a device ID showing the type of device, and self-address setting-holding means 11 for holding a self-address constituted with a device number showing a device number and the controller 400 is further provided with system structure holding means 301 for holding the information concerned with the system structure to be controlled and a communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 401 for setting and holding the address of a counterpart to be communication-controlled obtained from the information concerned with the system structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controlled device, controller, information control center, initialization-allowing communication system, and communication control system and medium which can be used for a communication system in which one device or more and a controller for controlling the device or devices are connected to each other by any communication means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in the case of a system in which one device or more (hereafter, this or these may be merely referred to as a device or devices) and a controller for controlling the device or devices are connected to each other by any communication means and controlled by each other, communication initialization is necessary in order to communicate with each other. The communication initialization represents setting the address number of each device in communication or the address number of the device of a communication counterpart to each device. Conventionally, the above setting has been manually and individually performed when starting a system. Operations of a conventional initialization-allowing communication system are described below by referring to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a conventional initialization-allowing communication system. The structure in FIG. 14 is constituted with a device 10 and a controller 50, the device 10 and the controller 50 are connected by a communication medium 20 through communication means 31, and they can be communicated with each other. Moreover, the device 10 and controller 50 are provided with self-address setting-holding means 11 for setting and holding the addresses of their own and communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 14 for setting and holding the address of a counterpart to be communicated with. Furthermore, the device 10 is provided with control means 15 and the controller 50 is provided with a button 12 for controlling the device 10 and control content generation means 13 for detecting that the button 12 is pressed, generating corresponding control contents, and sending the contents to the communication means 31 in addition to the control means 15.
Operations of the conventional initialization-allowing communication system having the above structure are described below.
For the device 10 and controller 50 to communicate with each other, it is necessary to set self-addresses of their own and the address of a communication counterpart. Therefore, in order to set the self-addresses of the device 10 and controller 50, a user first sets the self-addresses by using the self-address setting-holding means 11. For the addresses, an address range or the like is previously specified by communication rules. For example, it is necessary that each unit has the sole address determined in a system so that the sole address is an optional number between numbers 1 and 7 and there is no duplicate number. The user sets the self-address of the device 10 to number 1 by using the self-address setting-holding means 11 of the device 10 and the self-address of the controller 50 to number 7 by using the self-address setting-holding means 11 of the controller 50 in accordance with the above rules. The self-address of each unit is determined through the above operations. Then, the user sets the address of a counterpart with which each unit communicates. In this case, because the device 10 communicates with the controller 50 and the controller 50 communicates with the device 10, the user sets the communication-counterpart address of the device 10 to number 7 by using communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 14 of the device 10 and the communication-counterpart address of the controller 50 to number 1 by using the communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 14 of the controller 50. The communication-counterpart address of each unit is determined through the above operations and thereafter, communication can be made. That is, when the user presses, for example, the button 12 indicating power-on" of the controller 50, the control content generation means 13 of the controller 50 detects that the button 12 is pressed, generates corresponding control contents, and sends the contents to the communication means 31. The communication means 31 transmits the above control contents from the address number 7 to the address number 1 in accordance with the contents in the self-address setting-holding means 11 and the communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 14. The transmitted control contents reach the control means 15 via the communication means 31 of the device 10 through the communication medium 20 and the control contents are executed. That is, when the power-on" button is pressed, the power supply of the device 10 is turned on.
To individually control a plurality of devices 10 by one controller 50, it is necessary to specify a device to be controlled by using a control device selection switch 912 provided for the controller 50.
Therefore, to set addresses of air conditioners 1 and 2 as the above-described initialization, the control device selection switch 912 is first set to the position indicating the air conditioner 1, then a series of setting operations above described is performed to complete the address setting of the air conditioner 1. Similarly to the above, the control device selection switch 912 is set to the position indicating the air conditioner 2 and then, a series of setting operations described above is performed to complete address setting of the air conditioner 2.
As described above, the conventional initialization-allowing communication system realizes mutual communication by manually performing communication initialization.
Then, a conventional communication control system constituted with a device and a controller for controlling the device is described.
That is, in the case of the conventional communication control system, the contents for the controller to control the device are previously set in the controller. Operations of the conventional communication control system are described below by referring to FIG. 15.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a conventional communication control system. The structure in FIG. 15 is constituted with a device 10 and a controller 50, in which the device 10 and the controller 50 are connected to each other by a communication medium 20 through communication means 31 of the device 10 and that of the controller 50 so that they can communicate with each other. Moreover, the device 10 is provided with communication means 15 and the controller 50 is provided with a button 12 for controlling the device 10, key input detection means 811 for detecting that the button 12 is pressed, and control content generation means 13 for generating the control contents corresponding to the key input detection means 811 and sending the contents to the communication means 31.
Operations of the conventional communication control system having the structure are described below.
When a user presses, for example, the button 12 of the controller 50 indicating power-on," the key input detection means 811 of the controller 50 detects that the button 12 is pressed and moreover, the control content generation means 13 generates control contents addressed to the device 10 corresponding to the control content generation means 13 and sends the contents to the communication means 31. The communication means 31 reaches the control means 15 via the communication means 31 of the device 10 through the communication medium 20 to execute the control contents. That is, when the power-on" button is pressed, the power supply of the device 10 is turned on.
As described above, in the case of the conventional communication control system, control contents corresponding to the case in which a button is pressed is previously set to control content generation means in a controller and thereby, a device can be controlled.
In the case of a conventional initialization-allowing communication system, however, it is necessary to manually perform the above setting as initialization before starting communication. Because the above setting operation requires the knowledge of address setting, the operation can be performed only by a person skilled to a certain extent. Therefore, a person in charge of setting work is necessary to set this type of system and therefore, this type of system is not preferable from the viewpoint of cost and man-hour. Moreover, because it is normally difficult for a housewife, old person, or child to perform the above setting, it is necessary to call a person in charge of work whenever extending or maintaining a device. Therefore, the system also has an aspect of preventing this type of communication device from spreading to homes.
In the case of a conventional communication control system, it is impossible to control the control contents which are not set to the above control content generation means. This has a problem that, when there are a device and a controller for controlling the device and thereafter, a new device having functions higher than those of the former device is purchased, the controller for controlling the former device cannot control the higher functions of the newly purchased device, that is, the controller cannot correspond to the change of devices.

Controlled device, controller, information control center, initialization-allowing communication system, and communication control system and medium

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An apparatus for holding articles, such as writing instruments, in cooperation with a surface, such as a book cover, comprising a flat support member, a clamp element and an article retaining portion. The article retaining portion is comprised of a strip of resilient material bent into a serpentine profile and includes in succession along its length a first bend portion transverse to the support member, a proximal bend portion, a first arcuate bend portion, a distal band portion, and a second arcuate bend portion. The first and second arcuate bend portions define article retaining channels and the facing internal surfaces of the proximal and distal bend portions cooperate to form another space for holding articles. An optional bookmarker is suspended from the article retaining portion in an orientation suitable for insertion between the pages of a book.

Persons reading books sometime desire to underline sentences or passages for future reference using a pen or pencil. In some cases the person will use a felt tip highlighter or marking pen for distributing a broad colored transparent line over the printing in the book. It would be convenient therefore to be able to store a plurality of such instruments in association with a book cover, clipboard, loose-leaf notebook cover or similar plate-like surface. The ability to retain other articles or implements such as an eraser, flashlight, lighter, tools or utensils in association with surfaces such as a tray, sun visor, or belt, would also be desirable.
A review of the prior art describes several implement holders, but none provide the advantages of the present invention. Many of the prior art devices accommodate only a single pencil or pen. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,686 (1991), Falco describes a combination bookmark and pen holder which retains a range of different diameter pens. However, the device does not incorporate means for attachment to a surface, and retains only a single pen. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,668 (1971), Kirk describes an apparatus which holds a plurality of pens or pencils within a series of parallel semi-tubular clips. However, the adjacent clips are supported on the outer surface of the book cover and would therefor interfere with carrying the book or with stacking of the book against other books or surfaces. In addition, the clips are susceptible to being bent or broken.
None of the above inventions and patents taken either singly or in combination is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel article holder and bookmark device which is compact, simple to manufacturer, and economical in cost. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a holder which may be releasibly attached to the edge portion of the cover of a book or other surface. Still another objective is to provide a holder for accommodating a plurality of articles of varied dimensions.


A display apparatus includes a display unit which displays an image, a backlight unit which provides the display unit with a light, a receiving container which accommodates the backlight unit, and a supporting frame which is coupled to the receiving container and supports the display unit. The backlight unit includes a light incident area from which the light is emitted. The receiving container includes a guide bar which is adjacent to the light incident area of the backlight unit and coupled to the supporting frame.

1. Field
The disclosure relates to a display apparatus. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a display apparatus capable of improving a bonding strength between components thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a flat panel display apparatus includes a display panel that displays an image, a backlight unit that provides the display panel with light, a receiving container that accommodates the backlight unit, and a cover member coupled with the receiving container to cover an edge of the display panel.
A supporting frame is further disposed between the receiving container and the cover member to support the display panel. The supporting frame prevents the backlight unit from being separated from the receiving container and supports the display panel. The cover member is coupled with the receiving container to prevent the display panel from being separated from the supporting frame.
A bezel of the display apparatus may be defined by portions of the display apparatus at a periphery around a viewing area of the display apparatus. The display apparatus employing a narrow bezel structure has been developed to reduce an overall outer size of the display apparatus. However, the narrow bezel structure causes deterioration of a bonding strength between the receiving container, the supporting frame and the cover member.


The present invention is directed to an implantable drug depot useful for reducing, preventing or treating post-operative pain in a patient in need of such treatment, the implantable drug depot comprising a polymer and a therapeutically effective amount of a local anesthetic or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the drug depot is implantable at a site beneath the skin to reduce, prevent or treat post-operative pain, and the drug depot is capable of releasing (i) a bolus dose of the local anesthetic or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof at a site beneath the skin and (ii) a sustained release dose of an effective amount of the local anesthetic or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof over a period of at least 4 days.

Pain relief is of prime importance to anyone treating patients undergoing surgery. Proper pain relief imparts significant physiological and psychological benefits to the patient. Not only does effective pain relief mean a smoother more pleasant post-operative course (e.g., mood, sleep, quality of life, etc.) with earlier discharge from medical/surgical/outpatient facilities, but it may also reduce the onset of chronic pain syndromes (e.g., fibromyalgia, myalgia, etc.).
Pain serves a biological function. It often signals the presence of damage or disease within the body and is often accompanied by inflammation (redness, swelling, and/or burning). In the case of post-operative pain, it may be a result of the surgery, or other treatments such as, for example, management of acute pain following burns or non-surgical trauma. The goal for post-operative pain management is to reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort with medication that cause minimum or no side effects.
The site of the surgery has a profound effect upon the degree of post-operative pain a patient may suffer. In general, operations on the thorax and upper abdomen are more painful than operations on the lower abdomen, which in turn are more painful than peripheral operations on the limbs. However, any operation involving a body cavity, large joint surfaces, the spine or deep tissues should be regarded as painful. In particular, operations on the thorax or upper abdomen may produce widespread changes in pulmonary function, an increase in abdominal muscle tone and an associated decrease in diaphragmatic function. The result will be an inability to cough and clear secretions, which may lead to lung collapse and pneumonia. Prolonged pain can reduce physical activity and lead to venous stasis and an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis and consequently pulmonary embolism. In addition, there can be widespread effects on gut and urinary tract motility, which may lead in turn to post-operative ileus, nausea, vomiting and urinary retention. These problems are unpleasant for the patient and may prolong hospital stay. Most patients who experience moderate to severe post-operative pain, post-traumatic pain and burn pain, often require pain control at least in the first 3 days after trauma or surgery.
One known class of pharmaceuticals to treat post-operative pain is opioids. This class of compounds is well-recognized as being among the most effective type of drugs for controlling post-operative pain. Unfortunately, because opioids are administered systemically, the associated side effects raise significant concerns, including disabling the patient, depressing the respiratory system, constipation, and psychoactive effects such as sedation and euphoria, thereby instituting a hurdle to recovery and regained mobility. Further, because of these side-effects, physicians typically limit the administration of opioids to within the first 24 hours post-surgery. Thus, it would be preferable to use non-narcotic drugs that deliver direct, localized pain control at a surgical site.
One pharmaceutical that is known to the medical profession is bupivacaine, which is widely recognized as a local anesthetic for infiltration, nerve block, epidural and intrathecal administration. In general, bupivacaine, also referred to as 1-butyl-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl) piperidine-2-carboxamide (C18H28N2O) may be represented by the following structure:

Because of the unique manifestation and relatively predictable risks for post-operative pain, there is a need for effective treatments for post-operative pain and/or inflammation, including methods and compositions to alleviate and/or to treat post-operative pain and/or inflammation.

Methods and compositions for treating post-operative pain comprising a local anesthetic


Apparatuses and methods for pumping fluid are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus is a miniature pump that includes a shape memory wire that obtains a plastic condition below a transformation temperature and has a memorized shape such that the shape memory wire produces a work stroke by returning to the memorize shape at least at the transformation temperature. A spring biased against the shape memory wire is deflected by the work stroke to deform the shape memory wire from the memorized shape below the transformation temperature. A fluid pump is coupled to the shape memory wire and driven by the biased spring and shape memory wire to produce a fluid flow. The miniature pump can be incorporated into a self-contained infusion device in the form of a compact self-adhesive patch including a fluid reservoir, control electronics and power supply that is place directly at the infusion site of a user.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices and methods for conveying small amounts of fluids. More specifically, this invention relates to compact medical devices used to convey medications, such as the insulin infusion pumps used in the treatment of diabetes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluid pumps in various forms are employed in a wide range of applications. In the medical arts, precise mechanisms are often required to deliver small fluid amounts accurately and reliably.
A variety of mechanisms that are used to convey fluids have been developed for infusion devices. Typically these devices employ electrical motors. Over time, portable infusion devices have evolved into small self-contained medication deliver systems, which, due to the size demands of the internal components, are generally about the size of an electronic pager. A large part of such infusion devices consists of the battery and fluid drive mechanism. As there is a desire for even smaller, more inconspicuous and less cumbersome infusion devices, there is a need smaller fluid driving systems which can utilize smaller batteries.
In addition, because traditional infusion devices typically include expensive and sensitive components, it is not cost effective to use such mechanisms in a disposable device. In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for smaller, robust fluid driving systems. There is also a need for ultra compact infusion devices. In addition, there is a need for devices and systems that are inexpensive, reusable and disposable. Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein meet these needs.

Shape memory alloy wire driven positive displacement micropump with pulsatile output


An enclosure for a computer system comprises a base frame, a side panel and a bezel. The base frame comprises a top cover, a front panel, a rear panel, a base panel and a tray which forms an open box for receiving subsystems of the computer such as a mother board, a switching power supply, disk drives, a CD ROM etc. The side panel is pivotably mounted to the base frame for covering an opening of the box and is fixed to the rear panel by only one screw. The bezel has locating legs extending through alignment holes of the front panel and the side panel for mounting thereto.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to an enclosure for a computer system and, more particularly, to a side panel pivotably mounted and fixed to a base frame of the enclosure with one thumb screw.
2. The Related Art
A conventional computer enclosure used for enveloping subsystems of a computer such as disk drives, a CD ROM, and a switching power supply comprises a base frame, a hood, and a bezel. The base frame comprising a base panel, a front panel, and a rear panel, generally has a U-shaped structure. The hood is also U-shaped having a top panel and two side panels formed along longitudinal sides of the top panel. The base frame forms rails along sides of the base panel for slidably mounting the hood thereto and fixing to the rear panel by screws. The bezel having mounting legs engages with holes defined in the front panel.
There are some problems with the computer enclosure having the structure described above. Firstly, many screws are required for fixing the hood onto the rear panel which not only increases assembly time and manufacturing costs but also complicates disassembly of the computer system when maintenance is required. Secondly, the hood is not easily slid along the rails of the base panel due to the requirement of precise alignment of the rails with sides of the hood and the extended length of the rails. Thirdly, the large dimension of the U-shaped hood occupies a lot of space which complicates storage and transport thereof. The related prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,159,528, 5,164,886, 5,271,152, 5,397,176, 5,438,476, and 5,491,611. Thus, the U-shaped hood and base frame require improvement for more convenient assembly and manufacture.


Aspects for improving signal quality on high speed, multi-drop busses are described. The aspects include coupling a source device directly to multiple load devices, wherein there are no resistance components coupled in series between the source device and the multiple load devices. The aspects further include providing a spacing arrangement for the multiple load devices, wherein negative reflections are delayed to minimize deleterious efforts from the negative reflections. Through the present invention, the modified version of a commonly used bus topology achieves extended voltage timing margins in a high speed, multi-drop bus in a straightforward and efficient manner.

With the increasingly small size of computer systems and the limited number of signal lines available on a chip, there is demand that multiple devices reside on a single bus. Thus, high speed, multi-drop busses are in widespread use today. This is particularly evident in memory sub-systems, where multiple DIMMs (dual in-line memory modules) reside on a single bus and communicate with a memory controller. In order to ensure reliable, fast transmission of data between the devices, the busses use various transmission line topologies and termination techniques to ensure adequate signal quality.
With multiple DRAM (dynamic random access memory) load devices coupled to a common bus line and driver, negative reflections appear on the bus due to the highly capactive nature of the load devices. Further negative reflections can result from a mismatch between the characteristic impedance of the transmission line and the termination resistor, Rtt, of the transmission line. If not properly handled, these negative reflections result in deleterious effects on signal quality, e.g., loss of available timing margin and/or inadequate voltage margin.
A common technique to handle this problem is to employ a modified version of a daisy-chain bus topology. FIG. 1 illustrates a common bus topology for this purpose. A controller 10 is located at one end of the bus, while DRAM load devices 12, 14, 16 and 18 are situated at uniform intervals, L, along the bus. The bus is terminated at the other end by means of a short trace connecting the last load 18 to Vtt (termination voltage) through the termination resistor Rtt. Vtt is also the reference voltage of the receiver, so that its voltage level is chosen to be half of Vdd (voltage supply of the DRAMs). In order to ensure an adequate DC swing for the receiver, while still maintaining a reasonable size for the driver, the value of Rtt is usually smaller than the characteristic impedance (Zo) of the transmission line.
In general, the equation relating the reflection component V1− generated by an incident waveform V1+ impinging upon a component or device is given by: V1−(t)=ρ(t)V1+, where ρ(t) is an exponential function with a time constant determined by the capacitance value and the impedance in series with it. If ρ(t) takes negative values, the reflected wavefront is also negative, and its maximum amplitude is proportional to the value of V1+ max. A negative value of ρ(t), which gives rise to negative reflections, can occur from a mismatched termination, such that Rtt<Zo, and ρ(t) is a constant negative. A negative value can also occur from a capacitive load across which the voltage changes, such that ρ(t) varies monotonically from −1 to +1 during the period of voltage changing.
The reflections produced travel back down the line towards the driver, and because they are negative, they cause the voltage at the devices they encounter to have a sharp negative trough, acting in the opposite direction to the incident waveform. Such action in the opposite direction causes the voltage waveform at a device to be non-monotonic in the transition region, which results in false switching.
Moreover, if the trace joining the last load 18 to Rtt is short, the negative reflections generated by these two sources of mismatch overlap to produce a much larger negative trough than is produced by each source individually. In this case, even if the voltage waveform has passed through the transition region, the magnitude of the negative reflection may be sufficiently large enough to cause the waveform to ringback below the DC or AC threshold, resulting in false switching or loss of timing margin.
The device most affected is the one closest to the driver (load 12 in FIG. 1). This first device encounters the cumulative effects of the negative voltage reflections produced by the incident wavefront as it passes by all of the remaining devices. A series resistor Rs close to the driver sometimes is used to mitigate this effect. The series resistor reduces the amplitude of V1+, which results in a reduced value of V1−, engendered by both the mismatched termination, as well as the charging (or discharging) capacitor.
While this approach is ubiquitous and has had successful use in certain designs, it has disadvantages. It relies on a trade-off in performance by giving up a fast incident voltage swing (and thus a fast switching time and timing margin) in return for a guarantee of stability (i.e., no non-monotonicity in the transition region.) The series resistance also reduces the steady-state voltage present on the line after the switching, resulting in a loss of steady-state voltage margin.
Accordingly, a need exists for a bus topology for high speed multi-drop, highly capacitive transmission line environments that ensures adequate signal quality. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and topology for improving signal quality on high speed, multi-drop busses

International Business Machines Corporation


Embodiments of the present invention may provide methods and systems for recycling asphalt shingles (1) perhaps in a chemical solution (2) to provide oil free recyclable fiberglass (6), oil free recyclable sand (7), and even recyclable oil (8). The present invention may provide a screened tubular rotating equipment (16) may be at least partially immersed (18) in a tank (17) of a chemical solution (2) to treat the asphalt shingles (1).

Composite shingles that may be composed of a fiberglass form may be coated with asphalt and a coating of aggregate sand. In the past, shingles that have been scraped from a roof may have commonly been placed in a landfill or perhaps, they may have been ground into small pieces and possibly used as filler for asphalt road material. Asphalt shingles may take about 300 years to decompose in a landfill and, as a result, many states have declared asphalt shingles as unrecyclable. Shingles may have been grinded or even shredded to perhaps make them into small pieces that may have been mixed with rock and even asphalt to possibly become asphalt paving for road surfaces. The shingle and asphalt mixture may have resulted in road surfaces that may be prone to break-up under heavy loads, wide temperature variances, and the like.
Embodiments of the present invention address the need in developing a recycling process for shingles. A goal may be to develop a process that could reclaim oil from the asphalt and perhaps leave the fiberglass and even sand as clean and reusable. In embodiments of the present invention, a mechanical process may employ a novel and unique combination of mechanical machinery and chemical solutions. Previous attempts may have used solutions to form emulsions. The emulsions and other compounded solutions may have failed because they may have been unstable and may have only worked under very specific conditions, or perhaps for limited periods of time and therefore may not have been able to be used in a commercial recycling process.

Methods and systems for the recycling of shingles


A method and apparatus for calibrating and controlling tunable lasers are disclosed. Multiple methodologies disclosed herein may be used, alone or in combination, which significantly speed up a calibration time and thus provide a significant advantage over existing technology in calibrating the tunable lasers. Certain methodologies benefit from a unique design of the tunable lasers that couple two or more optical facets to an output. The tunable lasers may be equipped with two or more sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) mirrors and may include Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs) after the SGDBR mirrors.

Today's fiber optic based networks use transceivers as the interface between electronics and optical signals that propagate on the optical fiber and at other points in a network in which information is converted between electronic form and optical form.
The optical communication device including photonic and/or optoelectronic devices and components used to transmit, code, receive, decode optical data for transmission on an optical fiber, are interfaced to a variety of electronic circuits used to control these elements as well as to interface data in electronic form on the transmit and receive side, code and decode electronic data, perform other functions like clock recovery and error correction and realize functions required to control the environment of these circuits including temperature.
The challenges that exist today for tunable lasers, modules, and/or subassemblies, based on tunable lasers, are in part in the complexity and time involved in calibrating output characteristics of an output, in particular, optical frequency (or wavelength) in response to an applied control signal (for example voltage, current, temperature or any combination thereof). Depending on a laser design and tuning physics, a control method and control signals can vary widely. There are several classes of tunable lasers, including those designs that can tune to any desired wavelength (within some specified accuracy) over a wide range of tuning, for example, a C-band or O-band for communications systems.
The cost of manufacturing tunable lasers and making their wavelength calibration fast and robust is critical in replacing fixed wavelength lasers with tunable lasers as well as opening new applications and markets. A need to move to tunable lasers in systems where many wavelengths or channels are transmitted on a single fiber has become an economical and practical necessity because carrying an inventory of all fixed wavelength lasers, the infrastructure needed to support specifying and carrying this inventory as well as the cost of having a downtime for a channel due to non-availability and mistake made in shipping the wrong wavelength lasers to the field become significant factors for today's high capacity networks where each fiber can carry, 40, 80, 96, 128 or more wavelengths.
Additionally, the cost of new modules that are configured to transmit data at 100 Giga bits per second (Gbps), 200 Gbps, 400 Gbs and faster, makes it necessary to use a tunable laser such that one module type can be used to access any channel on the fiber channel. For these new high capacity systems it has become prohibitively expensive to deploy these interfaces with fixed wavelength lasers and the industry is moving in a direction of tunable lasers for single wavelength high bit rate modules and interfaces.
One widely used class of tunable laser that can be monolithically integrated onto a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), such as that described in U.S. Patent Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/748,415, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, belongs to the quasi-continuous tuning class of laser, which is defined as a laser capable of reaching any desired wavelength with a control system that needs to control multiple sections of the laser with set of control signals that are mapped between control signals and wavelengths. Often, the control methods used to tune quasi-continuous lasers can be complex, with complex relationships between control signals and output wavelength, and thus techniques like lookup tables are utilized where the full tuning maps for all control signals and desired wavelengths are stored during a calibration time. The quasi-continuous laser type is differentiated from the contiguous laser type in that the later can be tuned continuously with an adjustment of a single knob or single control signal that can sweep through all output frequencies or wavelengths, and the control and often time calibration are simplified over the quasi-contiguous laser.
A primary issue with tunable lasers, and in particular quasi-continuous lasers like that described in U.S. Patent Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/748,415, however, is the time it takes to fully calibrate the tunable laser in terms of control signals and output wavelengths. This calibration must be fast, must not become a bottleneck in the manufacturing process or will significantly drive up the laser cost and manufacturing throughput, but will also affect the robustness of the calibration, a degree of process automation and robustness to design tolerances, surrounding control circuits and optics, process variations and laser operating and aging variations.
As tunable lasers and other components are more tightly integrated (like optical data modulators and wavelength lockers for example), fast calibration times and associated methods and apparatus will become critical to wide-scale deployment of tunable laser in terms of cost, integration of the laser into other subassemblies and systems. Additionally, the speed of laser wavelength calibration can affect where the calibration can occur, and fast techniques leave open the possibility to calibrate not only at the manufacturer of the laser, but at equipment manufacturers that build the laser based component into a system, and even recalibration of the laser in the system out in the field.
An aspect of today's technology is that for calibration of a tunable laser, linear monolithic code running on microprocessors and/or state machines is used for a calibration routine, and the results of the calibration may then be stored in a lookup table used to map control signals to a desired output wavelength. However, there are several drawbacks with this approach, one is the efficiency (lack of speed) in using a personal computer (PC) or microprocessor approach to execute the calibration routine and control and interface to all of the tooling and equipment as well as the tunable laser or the device to be calibrated. Another drawback is the uniformity of manufacturing, where in the end the calibration data may be stored in an FPGA, and the ability to run calibration routines during manufacturing and once the tunable laser based product is utilized in a communications systems requires a separate microprocessor for wavelength calibration. Uniformity of code, modulatory of code, uniformity of hardware in the manufacturing and calibration line as well as in the deployment line, leads to economic and other efficiencies over existing technologies.
The primary drawbacks to existing wavelength calibration methods and apparatus are related in part to a laser design and techniques enabling the calibration process as well as automation and software control of the calibration. These calibration drawbacks limit the market for tunable laser and optical subassemblies and communications modules employing such lasers, by increasing the cost, time and complexity to manufacture as well as limitations to re-calibration while being installed in a product or deployed in the field.
Therefore there is a need for new high speed tunable laser calibration techniques, algorithms and implementations to lower the cost and time of manufacturing and providing increased automation of integrating such tunable lasers into systems, communications systems and networks.

Fast calibration and programming optical components


Systems and methods for providing search results from large amounts of data and providing navigation within search results are disclosed. A global search across a large number of tables within a cloud infrastructure may return large amounts of data from many different sets of possibly related tables and may take a noticeable time to complete processing. Disclosed techniques provide for iterative searching of table groups (e.g., groups of related tables possibly based on expected content of those tables) and providing results incrementally, possibly based on a priority associated with each table group. Further, results may be displayed in a display format that provides the user with context of where (e.g., in which groups) matching results were obtained.

Cloud computing relates to the sharing of computing resources that are generally accessed via the Internet. In particular, cloud computing infrastructure allows users to access a shared pool of computing resources, such as servers, storage devices, networks, applications, and/or other computing based services. By doing so, users, such as individuals and/or enterprises, are able to access computing resources on demand that are located at remote locations in order to perform a variety computing functions that include storing and/or processing computing data. For enterprise and other organization users, cloud computing provides flexibility in accessing cloud computing resources without accruing up-front costs, such as purchasing network equipment, and investing time in establishing a private network infrastructure. Instead, by utilizing cloud computing resources, users are able redirect their resources to focus on core business functions.
In today's communication networks, examples of cloud computing services a user may utilize include software as a service (SaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) technologies. SaaS is a delivery model that provides software as a service rather than an end product. Instead of utilizing local network or individual software installations, software is typically licensed on a subscription basis, hosted on a remote machine, and accessed as needed. For example, users are generally able to access a variety of business and/or information technology (IT) related software via a web browser. PaaS acts as an extension of SaaS that goes beyond providing software services by offering customizability and expandability features to meet a user's needs. For example, PaaS can provide a cloud-based developmental platform for users to develop, modify, and/or customize applications and/or automate business operations without maintaining network infrastructure and/or allocating computing resources normally associated with these functions.
Within the context of cloud computing solutions, users may be asked to deal with ever increasing amounts of data collected. The amount of data collected in today's cloud computing solutions may be orders of magnitude greater than was historically available. Users tasked with automating business, IT, and/or other organization-related functions (e.g., incident tracking (help desk)) may be required to navigate ever increasing amounts of data to properly and efficiently perform their job functions. As a result, search response times and organization of query results continue to be potential areas of improvement for software developers and application vendors. The following embodiments address improvements to presentation of search results to address at least these and other issues relating to searches across potentially large data sets to provide an enhanced user experience.


A longwall support control for controlling the movements of longwall support units in the longwall of a mine that includes a central control system and a plurality of control units, of which a separate control unit (mining shield control device) is locally and operationally associated to each longwall support unit. Each mining shield control device comprises a switching element, which permits separating the bus line or lines in the mining shield control device. The mining control devices may also include signal amplifiers. An identical second bus line (parallel bus) permits retransmitting to the adjacent mining shield control device, incoming signals that do not store a code word assigned to the respectively addressed mining shield control device.

The invention relates to a longwall support control for controlling the movements of longwall support units in the longwall of a mine.
A control system of this type is disclosed in DE 102 07 698.7 as well as in DE 199 82 113.5-24 A1 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,802).
This longwall support control permits activating the individual longwall support control units, in the present application also referred to as mining shields, from a central control or by individual control units, which are each associated to a mining shield (mining shield control devices). In this connection, it is possible to activate, from one of the mining shield control devices respectively the adjacent or a plurality of adjacent mining shields. Basically, the control signals are supplied to all mining shield control devices via a common bus line. However, the mining shield control devices are programmed such that only that mining shield control device is addressed and caused to execute the switching commands, to which the code word is associated that is transmitted along with the control command. All other mining shield control devices retransmit the control signal with the code word.
An error in a mining shield control device makes the entire system inoperative. Likewise, a manual control is not possible before the error is corrected.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improvement of the longwall support control, which permits finding errors in a mining shield control in a simple manner, and which otherwise permits operating the system despite the error.

Timbering and walling control for controlling the movements of timbering and walling units in the coal face of a mine


A biasing apparatus includes a first spring seat that has a first seating surface and a first protruding member extending a predetermined distance from the first seating surface and a second spring seat that has a second seating surface and a second protruding member extending a predetermined distance from the second seating surface. The first and second protruding members engage to slidably couple the first and the second spring seats.

Valves are commonly used in process control systems to control the flow of process fluids. Rotary valves (e.g., butterfly valves) typically have a closure member (e.g., a disk) disposed in a fluid path. A shaft operatively couples the closure member to an actuator that rotates the closure member between an open position and a closed position to allow or restrict the flow of fluid between an inlet and an outlet of the valve. When the closure member is rotated to the closed position, the closure member sealingly engages a valve seat or sealing surface (e.g., a seal ring fixed to the valve body) to restrict the flow of fluid through the valve.
A peripheral edge of the closure member is used as a seal contact surface for the valve and must be properly aligned with the sealing surface to effect a proper seal. Thus, to effect a proper seal, it is critical that the closure member be precisely positioned within the valve body so that the peripheral edge of the closure member can sealingly mate or engage the sealing surface. Due to the requirement for precise alignment of the valve closure member relative to the valve sealing surface, rotary valves often cannot be installed in a vertical orientation. In particular, the weight of the valve components or valve trim (e.g., a drivetrain) can cause the closure member to shift and become misaligned with the valve body and sealing surface, thereby comprising the integrity of the seal and causing undesired leakage through the valve (i.e., a quantity of fluid passing through the valve when the valve is in the closed position).


A vehicle travel control system includes a cruise control ECU, an engine control ECU and a brake control ECU. The cruise control ECU checks whether a driver's actual concentration degree is insufficient relative to a required concentration degree in terms of safety in surrounding environments of the subject vehicle. When such possibility arises, even during the cruise control, the speed of the subject vehicle is controlled to match a control vehicle speed lower than a set vehicle speed or a control distance to a preceding vehicle.

As devices performing cruise control of a vehicle, auto-cruise control and adaptive cruise control are disclosed in e.g., US 2004/0040765 (JP 2004-90712A) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,969 (JP 2003-272100A), respectively. The auto-cruise control allows a vehicle to travel at a driver-set vehicle speed, and the adaptive cruise control allows a vehicle to travel to follow a preceding vehicle while keeping a specific vehicular distance. Since a vehicle equipped with such cruise controllers eliminates the need for a driver to perform accelerator pedal and brake pedal operations, or reduces the number of the operations, the load of driving operations on the driver can be reduced.
Driving support control is also disclosed in JP 2000-211543A. This control does not perform the above cruise control but reduces the load of a steering operation, which is one of vehicle driving operations. This driving support control determines the degree of concentration of a driver on driving operations, and strengthens or relaxes the support of steering operation according to the concentration degree. That is, when the degree of concentration of the driver on driving operations is high, the need to support driving is little and support driving rather gives the driver a sense of incongruity, steering auxiliary force applied to a steering device of the vehicle to support driving is decreased. Conversely, when a concentration degree is low, steering auxiliary force is increased.
When a vehicle includes the above cruise control, although the load of a driver on driving operations can be reduced, the driver has overconfidence in the vehicle of being capable of driving even without performing operations by himself, so that attention to surrounding environments may be decreased. Particularly, when the cruise control last long, driver's attention may be distracted or lowered.
However, for example, when another vehicle traveling slower than the subject vehicle (own vehicle) changes laterally from an adjacent lane to the lane of the subject vehicle during the cruising at a fixed vehicle speed by cruise control, the driver must intervene in operations as required. Thus, during the cruise control, the driver must intervene in operations according to a change in surrounding environments. At this time, when the driver is low in concentration, a delay in recognition, judgment, and operations, and reduction in correctness may occur.
The above driving support control described in JP A-2000-211543 increases driving support in steering operations when the degree of concentration of the driver on driving operations is low. Therefore, even if the degree of concentration of the driver on driving operations is low, the vehicle can be controlled to travel a desired path. However, when a situation change that requires operation intervention by the driver occurs, again, a delay in recognition, judgment, and operations, and reduction in correctness may occur.


A vehicle moves to and remains in an out-of-cellular coverage area for a long time period. As long as the vehicle is located within a specified range from a reference point, a time measuring unit does not start time count for forcibly operating an immobiliser provided in the vehicle.

Expensive cars and characteristically designed vehicles are always in danger of being stolen. Many cases of such theft are actually reported and cause vehicle owners to feel uneasy.
Various security apparatuses are devised as countermeasures against the theft. One example is an immobiliser (electronic lock). When the immobiliser is active, any key other than the qualified one cannot start the engine.
For example, the immobiliser is constructed as follows. A small electronic communication chip called a transponder is embedded in an engine key (in its grip) for a vehicle. An identification code (ID code) is previously recorded in the transponder. When the engine key is inserted into a key cylinder on the vehicle, the transponder's ID code is transmitted to an antenna provided for the key cylinder and is read. The read ID code is collated with an ID code that is prestored in an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). A match between these ID codes authenticates that the used engine key is the qualified one. This permits the engine to be ignited and a fuel to be injected. The immobiliser turns off.
A possible difference between the ID codes for the engine key and the vehicle inhibits the engine from being ignited and a fuel from being injected. The immobiliser remains active. The engine key cannot be used to start the engine. There has been described the general construction of the immobiliser.
As mentioned above, a qualified key can turn off the immobiliser. The immobiliser is useless when the vehicle and the qualified key are stolen together.
To solve this problem, there is proposed a remote immobiliser system that forcibly operates the immobiliser by means of a remote operation using wireless communication. The system is constructed to be able to remotely operate the immobiliser by means of the wireless communication. A remote operation from an external system can forcibly operate the immobiliser. Turning off an ignition can immobilize the vehicle. Once the vehicle becomes immobilized, the system disallows even the qualified key from operating the vehicle and can prevent thefts from increasing.
The system cannot fully function when a vehicle is out of the wireless communication service provided by the external system. The system is ineffective when the vehicle and the qualified key are stolen together and the stolen vehicle moves outside the service range.
According to a proposed technology, the remote immobiliser system measures a time period in a predetermined expiration or counts the number of operations to start a driving source. The system automatically activates the immobiliser when the vehicle is assumed to continuously stay outside the service range over the expiration or a specified threshold value for the number of start operation counts.
Specifically, such technology is described in Patent Document 1. A vehicle may move outside the range of wireless communication to interrupt a periodic, automatic communication between the vehicle and a communication center. When this state continues over the predetermined expiration, the technology disables the vehicle's driving source from starting.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-H8-268231 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,679)
However, a qualified user may stay long or frequently outside the service range. The technology described in the above-mentioned patent document may continuously measure the time outside the service range over the specified expiration. Even though the vehicle is not stolen, the immobiliser operates automatically. The qualified user can turn off the immobiliser by entering a password, for example. Even the qualified user may need to frequently turn off the malfunctioning immobiliser. This imposes excessive burdens on the qualified user.

Vehicle start inhibition system using a cell phone and position detection


An electroluminescence element (EL) obtained by using a silacyclopentadiene. derivation expressed by the general formula (I) and the derivative are provided. ##STR1## (wherein X and Y are independently hydrocarbon radicals with from 1 to 6 atoms and R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 are hydrogen, halogens, alkyl radicals with from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a condensed (un)substituted ring if being adjacent).

The present invention relates to a silacyclopentadiene derivative. In more detail, the invention relates to a silacyclopentadiene derivative and an electroluminescent (EL) element using said derivative.
Recently, organic EL elements have been noticed as candidates for plain displays having such a high luminance which has never been obtained, so that studies and developments thereof have been activated. The organic EL element has such a structure that an organic luminescent layer being sandwiched by two electrodes, and it emits luminescence by recombination of holes injected from an anode and electrons injected from a cathode in a luminescent layer. The organic materials used for the said organic EL elements include low molecular weight materials and polymer materials, both of which can make EL elements with high luminance. There are two types in such organic EL elements. One type is an element having a fluorescent dye doped in an electron-transporting layer which has been published by C. W. Tang and et al (J. Appl. Phys.), 65, 3610 (1989)), and the other type is an element having a fluorescent dye singly used (such as an element described in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 27, L269 (1988)). In the latter element, it was shown that a luminous efficiency was improved in the case of a fluorescent dye being laminated with a hole-carrying layer for only carrying holes, which are one of electric charges, and/or with an electron-carrying layer for carrying only electron. Although many various materials such as triphenylamine derivatives are known as hole-transporting materials used for organic EL elements, there are a few electron-transporting. Furthermore, the known electron-transporting materials have lower charge carrier transporting abilities than the known hole-transporting materials such as N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-di(3-methylphenyl)-4,4'-diarninobiphenyl (TPD), and in the case of being used for organic EL elements, ability thereof can not cause sufficient elemental characteristics because of limitation by the used electron-transporting materials.
As examples of such electron-transporting materials, metal complexes of oxine derivatives (Denshi Joho Tsushin Gakkai Gijutsu Kenlyu Hokoku, 92(311), 43(1992)) and 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD) etc. have been known. The former can operate organic EL elements at a relatively low voltage, but insufficiently, and it is difficult to obtain blue luminance due to the own green luminance. As examples of the latter used as electron-transporting layers, there have been organic EL elements described in the above-mentioned Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 27, L269 (1988). It was, however, pointed out that stability of the thin film is poor due to a tendency of crystallization about the said described organic EL elements, and then compounds having multiple oxadiazole rings have been developed (such as those described in Nippon Kagakukai-shi, 11, 1540 (1991), Toku-Kai-Hei 6-145658, Toku-Kai-Hei 6-92947, Toku-Kai-Hei 5-152072, Toku-Kai-Hei 5-202011, and Toku-Kai-Hei 6-136359 etc.). They however have not sufficient properties for practical uses such as high operative voltage. As an another compound type, quinoxaline derivatives have been reported (Toku-Kai-Hei 6-207169). Although stabilities of the thin films are improved by dimerizing quinoxaline to increase their molecular weights, they are insufficient for practical uses because of high operative voltage.
As characteristics of the electron-transporting materials used for the said organic EL elements, superiority in electron-carrying ability is necessary first.
On one hand, there have been mentioned those disclosed in Toku-Kai-Hei 7-179477 official gazette as recent reported examples of the silacyclopentadiene derivatives, but they related to reactive intermediates with intention of application to .pi.-electron conjugated type organic polymers, not to the organic EL elements according to this invention. Furthermore, examples of copolymers with thiophene have been disclosed in Toku-Kai-Hei 6-166746 official gazette, but these compounds are unsuitable as electron-transporting materials for organic EL elements because of long absorption wavelength and luminous wavelength.
Furthermore, there were examples of silane derivatives utilized for organic EL elements in Toku-Kai-Hei 6-325871 official gazette, but those having silacyclopentadiene rings were not shown amongst the disclosed organic silicone compounds therein, and also the said derivatives are low in electron-carrying property, there being not described any usefulness as electron-transporting materials.
Furthermore, there were examples of silane derivatives utilized for organic EL elements in Toku-Kai-Hei 5-343184, Toku-Toku-Kai-Hei 6-124784, Toku-Kai-Hei 6-234968, Toku-Kai-Hei 6-293778 and Toku-Kai-Hei 7-11244 official gazettes, but silacyclopentadiene rings were not included in the disclosed organic silane compounds therein, and also there has not any description about an electron-transporting property and the practical use examples were only as interfacial layers for improvement in adhesively between hole-transporting materials or luminescent layers and anodes, so that there was no description as electron-transporting materials.
The present inventors had studied zealously in order to solve these problems and to find organic EL elements with low voltage and high luminous efficiency. As a result, it was found that silacyclopentadiene derivatives to be used for organic EL elements can solve the above-mentioned problems to complete the present invention.
As clear from the above description, an object of the invention is to provide organic EL elements by which high luminant emission can be obtained at low voltage.

Silacyclopentadiene derivatives and an organic electroluminescent element obtained by using the silacyclopentadiene derivative


A method for producing and removing coke which has bulk morphology such that at least about 30 volume percent is free-flowing under the force of gravity or hydrostatic forces from a delayed coker drum. At the completion of the fill cycle, the coker drum, filled with hot coke, is cooled by steaming and then flooding it with water, thereby producing a coke/water mixture. The coke/water mixture is released from the coke drum through one or more drum closure/discharge throttling systems near the bottom of the coker drum.

Delayed coking involves thermal decomposition of petroleum residua (resids) to produce gas, liquid streams of various boiling ranges, and coke. Delayed coking of resids from heavy and heavy sour (high sulfur) crude oils is carried out primarily as a means of disposing of these low value resids by converting part of the resids to more valuable liquid and gaseous products, and leaving a solid coke product residue. Although the resulting coke product is generally thought of as a low value by-product, it may have some value, depending on its grade, as a fuel (fuel grade coke), electrodes for aluminum manufacture (anode grade coke), etc.
In the delayed coking process, the feedstock is rapidly heated in a fired heater or tubular furnace. The heated feedstock is then passed to a large steel vessel, commonly known as a coking drum that is maintained at conditions under which coking occurs, generally at temperatures above about 400° C. under super-atmospheric pressures. The heated residuum feed in the coker drum generates volatile components that are removed overhead and passed to a fractionator, ultimately leaving coke behind. When the coker drum is full of coke, the heated feed is switched to a "sister" drum and hydrocarbon vapors are purged from the drum with steam. The drum is then quenched by first flowing steam and then by filling it with water to lower the temperature to less than about 100° C. after which the water is drained. The draining is usually done back through the inlet line. When the cooling and draining steps are complete, the drum is opened and the coke is removed after drilling and/or cutting using high velocity water jets.
For example, a hole is typically bored from the top of the drum through the center of the coke bed using water jet nozzles located on a boring tool. Nozzles oriented horizontally on the head of a cutting tool then cut the coke from the drum. The coke removal step adds considerably to the throughput time of the overall process. Thus, it would be desirable to be able to produce a free-flowing coke, in a coker drum, that would not require the expense and time associated with conventional coke removal, particularly the need to drill-out the coke. It would also be desirable to be able to safely remove such substantially free-flowing coke at a controlled flow rate.
One problem associated with removing free-flowing coke from a coke-drum is controlling its removal from the drum. Coke drums are typically large cylindrical vessels, commonly 19 to 30 feet in diameter and two to three times as tall having a top head and a funnel shaped bottom portion fitted with a bottom head. They are usually used in pairs so that they can be operated alternately. That is, one drum can be on-line while coke is being removed from the other. The heads of a conventional coke drum must be removed to remove the coke. The process of removing and replacing the removable top head and bottom head of the vessel cover is called heading and unheading or deheading. It is dangerous work, with several risks associated with the procedures. There have been fatalities and serious injuries during such procedures. Operators face a significant safety risk from exposure to steam, hot water, fires and repetitive stress associated with the manual unbolting work. Accordingly, the industry has devoted substantial time and investment in developing semi-automatic or fully automatic unheading systems, with attention focused on bottom unheading where the greatest safety hazard is present.
Additionally, if loose coke is let out from the bottom of a coke drum in a rapid and uncontrolled fashion, significant problems can occur. For example, if the flow is too rapid, and the drum top head and/or vent lines are not open, a vacuum can be pulled on the coke drum, imploding the coke drum. Also, rapid dumps of large drums of coke, e.g, dumping 1000 tons (1016.05 Mg) of coke plus its interstitial water in less than about 5 or 10 minutes, can cause significant structural damage to chutes and coke receiving areas.
There are several conventional methods for removing the bottom head of a coker drum out of the way of the falling coke. One method is to completely remove the head from the vessel, perhaps carrying it away from the vessel on a cart. Another method is to swing it out of the way, as on a hinge or pivot, while the head is still coupled to the vessel as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,829, which is incorporated herein by reference. Conventional systems all use a manual or semi-automatic bolting system that must be uncoupled with every decoking cycle.
Also, conventional bottom head removal systems require that the heated feed enter the coke vessel from the bottom through the center of the bottom head. Thus, in the typical commercial delayed coker operation, before removing the vessel bottom head for decoking, the feed line must first be disconnected before the bottom head can be removed. Finally, in many coker operations, a coke chute must be manually or hydraulically moved into place and, typically, safety bolts are manually inserted to secure the chute to the drum, allowing the chute to receive the falling coke. The chute directs the coke, as it is drilled out of the vessel, to a receiving area where it is later removed. These methods still require the feed line to be opened up and the head removed before the bottom chute can be brought up and attached to the bottom flange of the vessel.
Considering that there is exposure to personnel and/or equipment when opening the feed line, and considering there is exposure to personnel and/or equipment when opening the bottom head before the chute comes up and is attached, and considering there may still be personnel exposure to steam/hot water between the chute and bottom head after the chute is up, improvements in the coke vessel bottom unheading system to allow safe removal of coke from the vessel is highly desirable, particularly when the coke is a substantially free-flowing coke.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0127314 A1, which is also incorporated herein by reference, teaches a process and apparatus for removing coke from a delayed coker vessel without unheading the vessel bottom. This is accomplished by feeding the resid feedstock into the side of the bottom section of the coker drum and using an aperture closure unit fitted and sealed to the bottom of the coker drum, which aperture closure unit is used to empty the drum of coke. There is no discussion of coke morphology, no suggestion that the coker can contain any quantity of free-flowing coke or that it be in the form of an aqueous slurry, or that the aperture closure member can be throttled to allow the controlled discharge of free-flowing coke in a safe manner.
While there are various teachings in the art for removing coke from coker drums and for various drum hardware solutions, there still remains a need in the art for improved methods of more efficiently emptying free-flowing portions of coke from the coke drum.

Production and removal of free-flowing coke from delayed coker drum

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


The invention provides a locking device for preventing movement between two elements (11, 12) that are mounted to move relative to each other, the locking device including a lock (31) mounted to rotate relative to one of the elements in order to present successive angular positions for locking and for release in which the lock alternates between preventing and allowing relative movement between the two elements, the lock being constrained to rotate with a selector (55) of an angular indexing mechanism (50) actuated by a pulse-controlled actuator (70, 71) arranged to push the selector against a spring member (58) in order to cause it to turn on each pulse and thereby cause the lock to pass from one angular position to the other.

In aviation, and in particular in the field of landing gear, numerous elements that can move relative to one another need to be capable of being locked in position. For example, it may be desired to lock the rod of an actuator to its cylinder in the extended position or in the retracted position, or indeed to lock a pinion mounted idle on a shaft in order to enable torque to be transmitted.
Document FR 2 952 414 proposes a catch locking device for locking a rod that is slidable in an actuator cylinder, in which a locking sleeve is rotatably mounted on the actuator cylinder in order to present a locking angular position that prevents the catches from moving apart, and an angular release position that allows the catches to move apart.
Proposals are also made in Document FR 2 829 206 to fit an aircraft wheel brake with a safety blocking device in the form of a friction brake having pulse-controlled actuator means serving to cause the safety blocking device to go from the locking state to the release state, which states are stable. The two states correspond to two stable axial positions of a selector forming part of a mechanism known as a "click-pen" mechanism, since it is commonly to be found in pens with a retractable tip. In one of the axial positions of the selector, the friction members of the blocking device are in contact and they therefore block the brake, and in the other one of the axial positions of the selector, the friction members of the blocking device are spaced apart and they therefore release the brake. Those stable axial positions correspond to successive angular positions of the selector, which is also movable in rotation as a result of co-operation between sloping cam surfaces, said selector being turned towards one or the other of those positions by the pulse actuation means that cause the selector to move axially against a spring member, the axial movement of the selector causing it to turn.

Locking device with a pulse-controlled rotary lock


A system for conveying location of an object by varying a characteristic such as size, color, or intensity of an icon located in a two dimensional display. In the illustrative embodiment, the invention represents aircraft altitude by the size of an icon. Each aircraft position and heading is plotted as location and orientation of the icon in two-dimensional space, the axes of which represent latitude and longitude. The size of the icon is selected from a limited number of discriminably different sizes to represent the aircraft altitude. Each size represents a distinct altitude range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for displaying three-dimensional information on a two-dimensional display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In air traffic control, it is critically important to maintain vertical and horizontal separation between aircraft. To assist in this endeavor, aircraft location and heading is displayed to an air traffic controller. The air traffic controller continuously monitors the air space and searches for potential conflicts; that is, simultaneous occupation of a volume of airspace (e.g., two aircraft that have less than 3 miles of horizontal separation or less than 300 feet of vertical separation).
Presently, air traffic controllers typically use plan view displays, which represent the position of each aircraft with an icon plotted in two-dimensional space (i.e., latitude and longitude). The altitude of each aircraft is displayed as a number in a data block associated with the aircraft icon. In order to detect potential conflicts in vertical separation, the human observer is required to find the numbers associated with an aircraft icon, read the numerical altitude, then numerically compute pairwise aircraft separations. This is cognitively demanding.
Alternatively, air traffic controllers use elevational displays of aircraft altitude. These displays use the y-axis in a two-dimensional display to directly represent aircraft vertical height. Elevational displays, however, do not convey aircraft position (latitude and longitude) and are therefore seldom used.
Computer conflict detection algorithms are available which endeavor to automatically detect and predict air traffic conflicts. These algorithms, however, fall short of providing a level of performance and accuracy sufficient to eliminate the need for an air traffic controller. The problem is computationally intense and the most sophisticated algorithms are currently unable to solve the problem within the time constraints of the application.
Further, in view of the risks, air traffic control will involve a human controller for the foreseeable future notwithstanding the availability of an adequate automated system.
Hence, a need remains in the art for an improved system or method for facilitating vertical separation of aircraft in a controlled environment.

System and method for representation of aircraft altitude using spatial size and other natural perceptual cues


A gas gun launcher has a pump tube and a launch tube with a first end of the launch tube slidably inserted into a second end of the pump tube. The pump tube may hold a heat exchanger to heat a light gas used to launch a vehicle. A sliding seal can be employed to manage recoil and to retain the gas within the launch tube and the pump tube. A fast-closing muffler at the second end of the launch tube can conserve the light gas utilized for launching a vehicle, enabling the light gas to be recycled. A launch tube alignment system is preferably automatic, ensuring the survival of the launch vehicle.

The expansion of a light gas working fluid, e.g. hydrogen or helium, at high temperature and pressure can accelerate projectiles to great velocity because of the fluid's very high speed of sound, which is proportional (in simplest form) to the square root of temperature over molecular or atomic weight. Consequently, light gas guns have a rich history dating back decades, with laboratory scale system performance matching today's best powder guns by the late 1940s, and later reaching earth escape velocity by the mid 1960s.
An older version of a missile receiving initial acceleration from a gas such as high pressure air or other gas is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,277.
United States patent application publication 2010/0212481 discloses "[a]n improved two-stage light gas gun for launching projectiles at high speeds. The gun consists of three tubes: the expansion, pump, and launch tubes. The expansion tube contains a close-fitting expansion piston that is propelled by an explosive charge. The expansion piston in turn drives the pump piston housed within the pump tube by means of a rod connecting the two pistons. The action of the pump piston adiabatically compresses and heats a light gas of hydrogen or helium, bursting a diaphragm at a predetermined pressure and expelling the projectile from the launch tube at a very high speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,148 describes "launching payloads at high velocity uses high-pressure gas or combustion products for propulsion, with injection of high pressure gas at intervals along the path behind the payload projectile as it accelerates along the barrel of the launcher. An inner barrel has an interior diameter equal to the projectile diameter or sabot containing the projectile. An outer casing surrounds the inner barrel. Structures at intervals attach the outer casing and the inner barrel. An axial gas containment chamber (AGC) stores high pressure gas between the inner barrel wall, the outer casing wall, and enclosure bulkheads. Pressure-activated valves along the barrel sequentially release the high pressure gas contained in the AGC in to the barrel to create a [sic] continuously refreshed high energy pressure heads behind the projectile as it moves down the barrel. A frangible cover at the exit end of the barrel allows the barrel to be evacuated prior to launch. The launcher is rapidly recyclable. The valves close automatically after the projectile has exited the barrel, allowing a new projectile to be introduced into the breech and the AGC to be recharged with high-pressure gas."
U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,148, moreover, for one embodiment states, "[t]he elongated projectile launcher barrel is supported by flotation collars near breech and muzzle ends and is erected by flooding a flotation collar near the proximal end and submerging the breech end."
U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,136 uses recoil plates in an "actuated recoil absorbing mounting system" in order to "absorb the recoil energy from an underwater projectile launcher, such as a high discharge energy underwater gun."
In none of the preceding patents or any other patent of which the inventors are aware are the barrels, or tubes, buoyant; is the launch tube isolated from the pump tube; or is there an automatic alignment system.
In the 1990s, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) demonstrated one thousand fold scaling of this technology with a view toward its application to low cost launch of payloads to space to, for example, place satellites in orbit or stage materials for space exploration. A common feature of conventional gas guns has been the use of adiabatic compression, typically employing a piston in two (or more) stages, to produce the required high temperature, high pressure light gas. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,945,413 Koth (2011) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,486 Fuhrman (2012), and references cited therein. Variations on this basic approach exist as well. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,597 A Gram, Jr. et al. (1964) wherein a more dense fluid, in this case steam, substitutes for a solid piston. As the work at Livermore showed, managing the adiabatic compression process at large scale can be inconvenient, if not problematic, due to the large amount of energy involved, and cycling such a system to prepare for subsequent launches is time consuming.
The present inventors have previously described using hydrogen gas guns to deliver payloads to orbit in the following published articles: "Livermore Proposes Light Gas Gun For Launch of Small Payloads", Aviation Week and Space Technology, Jul. 23, 1990, pp. 78-80; "Shooting Right For The Stars With One Gargantuan Gas Gun", Smithsonian Magazine, January 1996, pp. 84-91; and "The Jules Verne Gun", Popular Mechanics, December 1996, pp. 54-57. These described the construction and performance of the SHARP (Super High Altitude Research Project) launcher at LLNL as well as potentially larger follow-ons.
In addition, the present inventors in United States patent application publication 2012/0187249 A1 disclose a "pistonless" light gas launcher for placing payloads in orbit. The invention utilizes a heat exchanger for the purpose of creating in the large mass of light gas working fluid the conditions for high muzzle velocity. The current application provides additional details with respect to a heat exchanger that is well-suited to a gas gun launcher as discussed herein.
The present inventors have developed a means of launching satellites or delivering supplies to earth or lunar orbit in order to assist space exploration. The current method of delivering propellant, food and other supplies to orbit is with rocket delivery. Rocket delivery is extremely expensive with a typical cost of about $5,000-$10,000 per lb of payload delivered. The requirement for approximately 9 km s−1 ΔV to attain earth orbit when coupled with the rocket equation yields only a few percent payload fraction for rocket delivery. The inventors' method uses a hydrogen gas gun to first boost a rocket to high speed. This allows a smaller more efficient rocket to deliver the payload to orbit. The payload fractions obtained are thereby much higher than obtained by a rocket alone. The higher payload fractions plus the re-usable hydrogen gas gun, whose cost is amortized over many launches, reduce the payload delivery cost by more than a factor of 10.


A wearing type airbag apparatus that is worn by a passenger in advance of a collision, wherein the passenger is not prevented from normal movement during normal travel of a vehicle. Upon the vehicle having a collision, an airbag body is immediately inflated and deployed so that an impact against the passenger is effectively and adequately absorbed. The airbag body and an inflator are provided on a wearing member. An ELR device is provided on a vehicle body, a connecting cable drawn therefrom. The connecting cable is connected to the inflator by an activation switch, so that when a tensile strength of a predetermined value or higher is exerted to the connecting cable, the activation switch is activated to inflate and deploy the airbag body.

In a vehicle such as a motorcycle, an airbag apparatus is known which is configured in such a manner where a passenger puts on a wearing member having an airbag body and an inflator. A belt to be connected to the inflator is connected to a vehicle body via detachable fixing members provided with sensors. When the motorcycle has a collision and the passenger comes apart from the vehicle body, connection of the fixing members are forcedly released, and sensors sense and react to activate the inflator, whereby the airbag body is inflated and deployed to absorb an impact against the passenger (see, for example, Patent Document JP-A-9-66789).
However, in the airbag apparatus known in the art, in a normal operating state of the vehicle, the passenger is directly connected to the vehicle body via the belt. In such an airbag apparatus, free movement of the body is constrained, thereby disadvantageously hindering effective airbag operation.
In order to solve such a disadvantage, it is necessary to keep the belt in a loosened state. However, in this state, if a collision occurs, the airbag apparatus is not activated until the passenger comes apart from the vehicle body to a certain distance where the belt is tensed. Therefore, resulting in delayed activation, and hence difficulty in satisfactory absorbance of the impact against the passenger. Further, the loosened belt may be caught by something or wound around something, which may cause improper operation of the airbag apparatus.
In view of such circumstances, the invention provides a novel vehicle airbag apparatus in which the above-described problems are solved.


Substituted 3,4-dihydropyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidines of formula I

The treatment of chronic and non-chronic pain is of great significance in medicine. There is a worldwide requirement for effective therapeutic methods for providing tailored and targeted treatment of chronic and non-chronic pain, especially effective and satisfactory pain treatment from the patient's standpoint.
Conventional opioids such as morphine are highly effective in treating severe to very severe pain. However, their use is limited by known side-effects such as respiratory depression, vomiting, sedation, constipation and development of tolerance. Moreover, they are less effective in treating neuropathic or incidental pain, which is in particular experienced by tumor patients.

Abstract: and processes for the production thereof Also disclosed are substance libraries and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound, and methods of treatment for pain, urinary incontinence, pruritus, tinnitus and/or diarrhoea using the pharmaceutical composition.


The present invention relates to a method for production of a porous ceramic body and a corresponding porous ceramic body which can find application, in particular, as filter, or filter membrane in cross-flow filtration. According to the method of the invention, a bimodal ceramic powder mixture is moulded to give a moulded body, which is subsequently recrystallised by conditioning at high temperature, such that the fine particles melt and link the large particles firmly together by deposition thereon, such that, in defined regions (2,3), a porous ceramic body with a homogeneous structure of almost uniform particle size and pore size is formed, whereby the pores provide an interconnected, open, three-dimensional network.

The present invention concerns a method for the production of a porous ceramic body, especially a filter membrane and a porous ceramic body and its use in a filter, especially in a so-called cross-flow filter.
In a wide range of industrial areas, such as chemical engineering, food technology etc, liquid material streams (fluids) have to be filtered. To an extent depending on the size of the materials to be filtered out, a distinction is made between microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF). The smaller the grains to be filtered out, the higher the demands imposed on the filter technology and the filter membranes used thereby.
For MF, UF and NF filter applications, so-called cross-flow filtration is known from the prior art in which the material stream to be filtered flows parallel to the filter surface. In the pressure-driven separating process of cross-flow filtration, the material stream to be filtered out is split by the filter membrane into two outlets streams, namely a purified stream, the so-called filtrate or permeate, and a second stream, the so-called residue stream or retentate.
By the agency of the perpendicular diversion of filtrate or permeate to the feed stream or filter membrane, two speeds can be distinguished in cross-flow filtration, more precisely the filtrate speed perpendicular to the filter surface and the cross-flow speed parallel to the filter surface. In cross-flow filtration, optimization of the ratio of filtrate speed to cross-flow speed is especially important. The cross-flow speed, which is the mean value of the material stream at the inlet and outlet at the filter, ranges in known industrial applications from 1 to 10 m per second, with a TMP (see below) of 2.5 bar producing in the test on water a flow of approximately 500 to 2500 liters per m2 bar per hour for MF and UF membranes having pore sizes ranging from 0.1 to 1 A 0.5 μm. To an extent depending on the application as filter, a flow of 50 to 500 l per m2 bar per hour usually becomes established.
An increase in the cross-flow speed generally leads to a rise in flow on account of a higher shear rate. This promotes more efficient removal of the grains from the material stream because a dynamic layer forms on the membrane surface. A disadvantage in this regard, however, is that an increased cross-flow speed is accompanied by an increased pumping requirement.
The filtrate speed is directly dependent on the pressure applied across the filter membrane, the so-called TMP (trans-membrane pressure) under the assumption of a given filter surface and otherwise equal conditions. The TMP is typically 5 bar, but there have already been isolated instances of the use of membranes working continuously at more than 10 bar.
An ideal filter membrane for the purposes of cross-flow filtration exhibits a linear flow/lifetime curve for a given fluid and otherwise unchanged conditions.
In special applications, the described cross-flow filters may also be used as so-called dead-end filters by closing the filter outlet.
Ceramic membranes for use as MF and UF membranes in cross-flow filters are already known. These typically consist of oxides of the elements aluminum, silicon, titanium and zirconium or mixtures thereof In this regard, the membranes are positioned on so-called filter carriers that are produced from the same oxides or from other ceramics, such as cordierite and silicon carbide.
The oxide ceramic membranes or so called white membranes are sintered onto a filter carrier in a large number of layers of increasingly finer grain size. The white ceramic membranes of oxide ceramic prepared in this way have a continuous and broad grain size distribution of very small grains in the micro- and sub-micro or nano-range within each layer. This also yields a very broad grain size distribution, with especially a large number of very small pores of very narrow pore channels forming that become partly sealed by the fraction of melt phase during sintering, a fact which leads to so-called dead ends, and counteracts good filtering properties on the part of the membrane. Especially, this leads to a situation in which the flow through such membranes is restricted and therefore more energy has to be expended on pumping in order that the aforementioned cross-flow rates of 2 to 8 m per second may be obtained at 2 to 5 bar TMP for MF and UF filtration.
To counteract these problems, there have already been endeavors to replace the so-called white membranes of oxide ceramic by so-called black membranes of non-oxide ceramic, such as SiC, since it is known how to make SiC carriers for filter membranes having large pores but narrow pore size distribution (see FIG. 2, left and lower section). A method for producing a corresponding filter device with an SiC filter membrane is described in WO 03/024892. In this method, primary α-SiC grains having a grain size of 1-475 μm, a silicon donor material that is not an SiC compound, organic grains having a grain size of 1×10−5 to 20 μm and at least one organic binder are molded to form a green body, then dried, and pyrolyzed in an oven under a protective atmosphere in order to transform the organic binder into a carbon binder such that the latter reacts with the melting silicon donor to form fine nanoscale β-SiC, which is then transformed at very high temperatures into very fine nanoscale α-SiC grains, which finally produce the link at the grain boundaries of the primary of α-SiC grains. This method, which involves very high outlay on account of the large number of starting materials and the high firing temperatures, also has the disadvantages that hardly any suitable silicon donor substances are available because silicon is flammable at grain sizes <6 μm and contents exceeding 100 g per m3 air must be avoided during grinding. In addition, it has already transpired during the production of filter carriers by this method that the carbon compounds formed during pyrolysis or the nano-SiC grains do not exhibit sufficient recrystallization in the usual temperature range for the recrystallization of filter carriers, with the result that, by the agency of the residual fine grains in the pore space, the strength of the ceramic body thus formed and the ability of the permeate to flow through it are impaired and no serviceable filter carriers can be produced.
The quoted range of 1 to 475 μm for the SiC primary grains is additionally much too coarse for the production of membranes for MF and UF filtration. Further, the described method of metallic silicon and carbon carriers is not suitable for the production of filter membranes because full recrystallization of the raw materials by this method requires temperatures much higher than are needed for the selective setting of uniformly fine α-SiC grains for the membranes and therefore giant grain growth in the membrane layer is unavoidable. An example of giant grain growth is shown in FIG. 6.
A further method for the production of SiC membranes is described in WO 92/11925. In this method, however, so-called binder grains are used that sinter at a temperature which is much lower than the sintering temperature of the SiC grains to be linked. This is not possible for the simple reason that pure SiC has no melting point, yet partial melting of the ceramic grains is precisely the characteristic feature of sintering. (To sinter SiC, addition of so-called sintering agents, e.g., aluminum, boron, and carbon, is necessary which generate a low quantity of melt phase. The goal here is always a dense material that can only be realized by means of shrinkage in the order of 20% and that is totally unsuitable for filter purposes).
SiC recrystallizes, however, at correspondingly high temperatures via surface diffusion or gas transport, i.e. energetically unfavorable, small grains dissolve and the material is deposited again without change in volume on energetically more favorable points, especially where two large grains make contact.
By RSiC is generally meant a recrystallized, porous material of 100 percent α-SiC as distinct from SSiC (sintered, mostly dense SiC materials with sintering agents) and oxide- or nitride-bound SiC materials or such kind with other binder phases of a different nature.
The use of chemically different binder grains in accordance with WO 92/11925, however, suffers from the disadvantage that the resistance to environmental influences and corrosion is impaired, a fact which is disadvantageous, however, for use as filter material. In addition, the chemical disparateness of filter grains and binder material also causes problems with the binding quality and the strength of the filter body. Furthermore, the use of different materials also creates difficulties during manufacture since impurities may give rise to eutectic melts that also are undesirable for the formation of a filter body. Further, by the agency of the sintering of the binder material and thus of the associated melting of this material in filter bodies, vitreous phases are present in this method that lead to sealing of the pore channels and to the formation of dead areas in the filter body, a fact which negatively affects filter performance.
In both papers on the prior art, filter membranes of SiC are apparently mentioned only as other possibilities within the context of a general listing; the key parameters that are especially important here, such as grain size distribution of the primary grain, temperature control during recrystallization and the resultant filter performance are, in contrast, not revealed.

Porous ceramic body and method for production thereof

Saint-Gobain Industrie Keramik Rödental GmbH