According to embodiments of the present invention, a dishwasher may include a manifold assembly including a manifold and an attachment assembly. The manifold may provide a fluid connection with a fluid supply and direct fluid from the fluid supply to a spray device. The attachment assembly may couple the manifold to a dish rack. Further, the attachment assembly may facilitate movement of the dish rack relative to the manifold between a retracted position and an extended position while maintaining the fluid connection with the fluid supply. The attachment assembly may include at least one sliding rail and a first plurality of engagement members that couple the sliding rail to the dish rack. Additionally, a second plurality of engagement members may couple the manifold and the sliding rail so as to allow movement along the sliding rail along a major axis of the sliding rail.

I. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to manifold assemblies for dishwashers and, more particularly, to a manifold assembly configured to provide a fluid connection with a fluid supply and direct a fluid from the fluid supply to a spray device of a dishwasher.
II. Description of Related Art
One issue of interest in the field of dishwashers is to provide for movement of a dish rack. In this regard, dish racks may be configured to slide in and out of the washing chamber to facilitate loading and unloading of dishware. In some dishwashers a middle spray arm may be positioned above a lower dish rack and below an upper dish rack. The middle spray arm may direct water and soap from a fluid supply toward dishware in the upper dish rack and/or dishware in the lower dish rack. However, supporting the middle spray arm may present difficulties given the position of the middle spray arm between the two extendable dish racks.
In this regard, one solution may be to attach the middle spray arm to a manifold that is fixed to the upper dish rack and travels therewith from a retracted position, to an extended position. In order for a manifold directly affixed to the upper spray rack to direct fluid from the fluid supply to the upper spray arm, a releasable connection between the manifold and the fluid supply may be required. However, a releasable connection may present the possibility for leaks. Further, when the upper dish rack is height adjustable, this may complicate the releasable connection.

Dishwasher with a manifold assembly configured to attach a manifold to a dish rack and associated method


Compositions and methods for use in temporarily protecting a paint booth surface are described which allow removal of the protective composition and undesired overspray with a low pressure stream of water. The protective composition is a mixture containing at least a hydrophobic solvent comprising a C1-4 alkyl ester of a C16-18 fatty acid, a surfactant and a thickener.

This invention relates generally to protective coatings. More specifically, the invention relates to a protective coating which is water removable and which can be applied to a variety of surfaces to aid in the removal of paint overspray therefrom.
In many industrial applications, high volume, high speed painting operations are carried out in facilities often referred to as spray booths. Paint overspray builds up on the walls, floor gratings and other structures of the booth. Likewise, paint overspray accumulates on conveyors, racks and other equipment which transports articles through a paint spray facility. It is necessary to periodically remove built up paint overspray. In order to facilitate the ready removal of such paint overspray, a variety of protective coatings have been developed. These coatings are applied to equipment and structures which come in contact with paint overspray, and function to decrease the adherence of the paint. Such coatings typically include various polymeric materials, oils, greases, waxes and the like.
Ideally, a protective coating used in such applications prevents adherence of both solvent and water-based paints to underlying structures. The coatings should also allow for ready removal of the paint, preferably by washing with a relatively low pressure stream of water. In addition, coatings should be reasonably well adherent to the structures and they should not adversely interfere with the painting process. The coating should also be low in toxicity, and preferably low in cost.
The prior art has implemented a variety of protective coating compositions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,876,791 and 6,117,485 disclose the use of dextrin-based compositions which are dried onto a surface in order to protect it from paint overspray.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,992 describes a method for protecting an activated plastic surface by application of a compound containing dextrin, cellulose or a cellulose derivative.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,006 discloses a two step method for protecting a surface in which the surface is first treated with a water repellent substance and then coated with an aqueous composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,647 details a composition comprising water soluble polyglycerols and methods for use in masking areas of a surface to prevent overspray.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,097 discloses a biodegradable solvent composition.
While specific prior art coatings work well in particular applications, heretofore employed, compositions are generally not usable with both water and solvent-based paints. In addition, many of the prior art compositions employ relatively expensive polymeric components. As will be explained in detail hereinbelow, the present invention provides a protective coating composition which prevents adherence of both solvent and water-based paints to a variety of substrates. The coating of the present invention is water removable. In addition, it does not contain any volatile organic compounds or toxic materials and is relatively low in cost.
Disclosed herein is a water removable protective coating which is comprised of a hydrophobic solvent which is a C1-C4 alkyl ester of a C16-C18 fatty acid, together with a surfactant in an amount sufficient to render the hydrophobic solvent water dispersible. The composition may further include a thickening agent. In specific embodiments, the hydrophobic solvent comprises at least 70%, by weight, of the composition, and in specific embodiments it comprises at least 90% by weight of the composition. The surfactant may comprise 0.1-10% by weight of the composition, and may comprise a nonionic or ionic surfactant.
Also disclosed herein is a process for temporarily protecting a surface from overspray by applying a protective composition to the surface wherein the protective composition is comprised of a hydrophobic solvent, a surfactant, and a thickening agent. The protective coating may be removed from the surface by a fluid stream, such as a stream of low pressure water.


This invention relates to a new and distinct apple tree rootstock clone which is useful as a size-controlling rootstock. The new clone originated as a mutation of Malling 9 (M9), an unpatented dwarfing apple rootstock, Standard growing apple cultivars propagated on this new rootstock are approximately 70 % of the size of like apple trees growing on apple seedling rootstocks. In the stoolbed the clone produces few lateral limbs, large round to oval leaves with broadly acute tips and possesses a pronounced, profuse blooming characteristic. The clone produces a larger number of rooted plants in the stoolbed.

The subject clone is a sport of Malling 9 MM9), an unpatented apple rootstock clone. The original plant was selected as a mutation in 1967 from a large stoolbed of M9 plants. The stoolbed had been planted in 1960 and was growing in the Rene Nicolai nursery, Linderstroot, 22-B-3820 Alken, Belgium. The original source of the bed was the East Malling Research Station in England. The clone was one of a group of clones that were selected by Mr. Nicolai and other rootstock specialists for their differences in lateral branching, leaf development and shape, leaf color, thickness of the shoots, rooting ability in the stoolbed, bloom characteristics and other noticed differences from the mother stoolbed plants.
Following its selection, the clone was assigned a number (RN8) and was propagated for further testing and evaluation.
Since all original M9 rootstocks have been found to be virus infected, RN8 stocks were subsequently heat-treated by application of dry heat in order to obtain virus-free specimens. After heat treatment and subsequent virus testing, the new rootstock clone was again exposed to multiplication techniques (stooling) followed by continued testing and evaluation.
Virus-free RN8 progeny plants were expanded into small stoolbed plantings which were planted separately rately in order to examine the new rootstocks's individual characteristics in small semi-commercial stoolbed sites.
These small experimental stoolbeds of RN8 were established for such further evaluations as follows:
1. A site at Deveaux, Belgium was planted in the spring of 1974 with 555 plants of the subject clone.
2. A site at Bordeaux, France was planted in 1977 with 200 plants of the subject clone.
3. A site at Wissenhoeve, Belgium was planted in the spring of 1980 with 1,176 plants of the subject clone.
4. A site near St. Truiden, Belgium was planted in the spring of 1982 wtih 100 plants of the suject clone.
5. A site at Henkaenrts, Belgium was planted in the spring of 1986 with 4,600 plants of the subject clone.
6. A site at Ephrata, was planted in the spring of 1990 with 2,000 plants of the subject clone.
Clone RN8 was subsequently finally selected as a rootstock clone that continues to possess growth and rooting characteristics that are distinctly different from its M9 parent.
It distinguished itself in these beds from its M9 parent in the following ways:
1. The subject clone produces fewer lateral limbs (feathers) than its M9 parent. At the Bordeaux test site in France and at the Ephrata, Wash. site, feathers produced were about one half the number produced on its M9 parent (FIGS. 1 and 2; Tables 1 and 2). RN8 grows less robustly in the stoolbed and exhibits a shorter, stockier growth characteristic when compared to its M9 parent (FIG. 4, M9; and FIG. 5, RN8). Nodes are spaced closer together on shoots and average stem circumference is significantly more than the average stem Circumference of M9 (Table 2). The average length of feathers on RN8 was slightly less than the average length of feathers on its M9 parent (Table 2).
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Percent of Layer Plants with Side Limbs (Feathers) (Test Stooling Beds at Bordeaux, France) Rootstock Year Clone 79/80 80/81 81/82 82/83 Average ______________________________________ M9 13 8 25 0 11.5 (virus-free) RN8 8 6 13 0 6.8 RN19 41 32 44 19 34.0 RN29 39 22 35 15 27.8 ______________________________________
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Growth Characteristics (Test Stooling Beds at Ephrata, Washington) Length Number Number Length Number Circum- of of of of of ference Rootstock Shoot Nodes/ Spurs/ Spur Leaves/ of Stem Clone (cm) Shoot Shoot (cm) Shoots (cm) ______________________________________ M9 66.80* 39.20 3.00 1.50 53.00 3.24 RN8 62.10 42.10 1.80 1.20 57.20 3.80 RN19 78.20 41.00 18.60 8.60 88.30 3.51 RN29 86.20 45.60 21.40 10.30 100.00 3.54 ______________________________________ *All numbers shown are the average of 100 plants selected at random.
2. Leaves of the subject clone are larger and more rounded in shape and leaf margins are more sinuate than those of M9. Leaves of RN8 are round to oval in shape with broadly acute tips. Theis leaf characteristic is very pronounced in the older leaves (FIG. 3; Table 3).
TABLE 3 ______________________________________ Leaf Size and Respetive Petiole Length of Respective Rootstock (Test Stooling Beds at Bordeaux, France) Rootstock Length, L Width, W L + W Length of Clone (mm) (mm) (mm) Petiole ______________________________________ M9 101.7 63.8 165.5 32.5 (virus-free) RN8 98.8 73.6 172.4 34.0 RN19 91.4 60.0 151.4 30.8 RN29 85.5 57.1 142.6 28.5 ______________________________________
3. The profuse blooming characteristic of RN8 is very pronounced and in this respect differs distinctly from its M9 parent. The number of blooms produced on RN8 two-year-old line-out stocks was about two-fold that of its M9 parent (Table 4).
TABLE 4 ______________________________________ Bloom Characteristics (Research Station at Gorsum, Belgium - 1985) Rootstock % of Rootstocks With Bloom Clone (1 Year From Stoolbed) ______________________________________ RN8 29 RN19 4 RN29 0 M9 15 (virus-free) ______________________________________
4. Rooting ability (number and quantity of roots produced per length of stoolbed shank) of the subject clone is significantly more than that demonstrated strated by its M9 parent. Also, the average number of rooted plants produced per stoolbed mother plant and/or per meter of stoolbed row is significantly more than the average produced by M9 mother stocks (Table 5 , 6 and 7). This difference in number of rooted daughter plants was approximately two-fold at the test site near Bordeaux, France after five years in the stoolbed (Table 7). These characteristics are stable and have been transmitted without change through succeeding generations.
TABLE 5 ______________________________________ RN8 Stoolbed Production (Deveaux, Belgium) No. Mother Plants - 555 Length of Bed (m) - 185 ______________________________________ Year 82/83 83/84 84/85 85/86 86/87 ______________________________________ Grade (mm) 10/12 300 150 150 1,100 500 8/10 0 0 700 0 0 6/10 4,650 3,350 0 0 2,800 6/8 0 0 3,700 3,100 0 5/7 0 0 0 0 0 4/6 2,400 1,800 3,200 1,900 3,900 04 0 600 0 0 0 #2s 1,000 1,400 600 900 1,900 Totals 8,350 7,300 8,350 7,000 9,100 Per Mother Plant 15.05 13.15 15.05 12.61 16.40 Per Meter 45.14 39.46 45.14 37.84 49.19 ______________________________________ Average Year 87/88 88/89 89/90 90/91 82/91 ______________________________________ Grade (mm) 10/12 675 200 0 0 8/10 925 1,925 850 2,225 6/10 0 0 0 0 6/8 3,300 2,700 3,000 0 5/7 0 0 0 3,450 4/6 2,700 1,200 3,400 1,600 04 0 0 0 0 #2s 1,300 1,100 3,400 700 Totals 8,900 7,125 10,650 7,975 Per Mother Plant 16.04 12.84 19.19 14.37 14.96 Per Meter 48.11 38.51 57.57 43.11 44.89 ______________________________________
TABLE 6 ______________________________________ M9 (Virus-Free) Stoolbed Production (Deveaux, Belgium) No. Mother Plants - 561 Length of Bed (m) - 187 ______________________________________ Year 82/83 83/84 84/85 85/86 86/87 ______________________________________ Grade (mm) 10/12 225 100 250 750 464 8/10 0 0 450 0 0 6/10 4,150 2,950 0 2,350 2,200 6/8 0 0 3,400 0 0 5/7 0 0 0 0 0 4/6 1,800 1,600 2,200 1,600 3,000 04 0 300 0 0 0 #2s 700 800 500 500 1,400 Totals 6,875 5,750 6,800 5,200 7,064 Per Mother Plant 12.25 10.25 12.12 9.27 12.59 Per Meter 36.76 30.75 36.36 27.81 37.78 ______________________________________ Average Year 87/88 88/89 89/90 90/91 82/91 ______________________________________ Grade (mm) 10/12 75 -- -- -- 8/10 450 -- -- -- 6/10 0 -- -- -- 6/8 2,700 -- -- -- 5/7 0 -- -- -- 4/6 2,200 -- -- -- 04 0 -- -- -- #2s 400 -- -- -- Totals 5,825 -- -- -- Per Mother Plant 10.38 -- -- -- 11.14 Per Meter 31.15 -- -- -- 33.43 ______________________________________
TABLE 7 ______________________________________ Average Number of Plants Per Stoolbed Mother Plant (Test Stooling Beds at Bordeaux, France) Year Planted and Age Rootstock 79/80 80/81 81/82 82/83 Clone 2-Yr 3-Yr 4-Yr 5-Yr Average ______________________________________ M9 1.2 2.6 .5 4.0 8.3 (virus-free) RN8 2.1 3.9 3.8 6.4 16.2 RN19 2.6 4.4 6.5 9.1 22.6 RN29 4.4 5.6 5.7 11.3 27.0 ______________________________________


A surgical treatment system include a pair of holding members holding a living tissue and a plurality of heater members disposed on at least one of the holding members. The surgical treatment system further includes a resistance pattern which transfer heat to the living tissue, a pair of electrodes disposed at opposite ends of the resistance pattern to generate the heat based on a energy to supply the heat to the resistance pattern, wires each connecting one of the heater members to another heater member and heater member energization line connected to the wire and to a energy source to supply the energy from the energy source to the electrodes via the wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical treatment system which allows living tissue to be treated using energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2009-247893 discloses a surgical instrument which allows living tissue to be treated using high-frequency energy and thermal energy. To carry out a procedure such as a coagulation procedure or an incision on a living body, the surgical instrument comprises an openable and closable holding section (treatment section) which holds the living tissue. The holding section comprises a pair of holding members. As shown in FIG. 12, a first holding member 2620 comprises a cutter guiding groove 2620a through which a cutter (not shown in the drawings) is guided. Furthermore, the first holding member 2620 comprises a first high-frequency electrode 2660 and a plurality of heater members 3000. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing that the plurality of heater members 3000 are fixed to a back surface of the first high-frequency electrode 2660. A front surface of the first high-frequency electrode 2660 is a contact surface which comes into contact with living tissue. Additionally, the heater members 3000 are discretely disposed on the back surface of the first high-frequency electrode 2660. In this case, the first high-frequency electrode 2660 is insulated from the heater members 3000.
After living tissue is treated by high-frequency energy or thermal energy, the cutter is used to incise a treated site of the living tissue.
The first high-frequency electrode 2660 treats the living tissue with high-frequency energy applied to the first high-frequency electrode 2660.
Heat generated by the heater members 3000 is transferred from the heater members 3000 to the first high-frequency electrode 2660. Thus, the living tissue which is in contact with the first high-frequency electrode 2660 is cauterized. That is, the heater members 3000 treat the living tissue by thermal energy via the first high-frequency electrode 2660.
As described above, the surgical instrument treats the living tissue using high-frequency energy and thermal energy.
The discretely disposed heaters 3000 serve both to control the cost of the heater members 3000 and to keep the temperature of the holding section 2260 uniform.
Furthermore, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-37845 discloses a surgical instrument which treats living tissue using thermal energy. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are diagrams showing a treatment section of the surgical instrument.
A heating treatment section 700 comprises a heating treatment section main body 700a in which heating elements 2100 (2100a, 2100b, and 2100c) are embedded. Each of the heating elements 2100, serving as heating means, is, for example, a thin-plate resistor formed on a ceramic plate. Each of the heating elements 2100 is connected to one end of a lead 2300 (2300a, 2300b, and 2300c) for energization. Furthermore, the other end of the lead 2300 is placed in a connection cable (not shown in the drawings) by being inserted through the connection cable and is then connected to a connection terminal (not shown in the drawings).
This surgical instrument can individually control the amounts of heat generated by the three heating elements 2100, thus making the temperature of the heating treatment section more uniform.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2009-247893 described above fails to disclose a specific method for individually connecting connection cables to the heater members 3000.
Furthermore, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-37845 described above discloses a method for individually connecting connection cables to the heating elements 2100. Such a connection method requires a large junction area. In particular, the individual control of the amounts of heat generated by the heating elements 2100 involves disposition of a plurality of connection cables. This, however, hinders efforts to reduce the size of the heating treatment section 700, particularly the widthwise dimension thereof. Additionally, the individual connection of the connection cables to the heating elements 2100 increases the cost.


Emulsion-based and micromolded (“MM”) or three dimensional printed (“3DP”) polymeric formulations for single injection of antigen, preferably releasing at two or more time periods, have been developed. Formulations are preferably formed of biocompatible, biodegradable polymers. Discrete regions encapsulating antigen, alone or in combination with other antigens, adjuvants, stabilizers, and release modifiers, are present in the formulations. Antigen is preferably present in excipient at the time of administration, or on the surface of the formulation, for immediate release, and incorporated within the formulation for release at ten to 45 days after initial release of antigen, optionally at ten to 90 day intervals for release of antigen in one or more additional time periods. Antigen may be stabilized through the use of stabilizing agents such as trehalose glass. In a preferred embodiment for immunization against polio, antigen is released at the time of administration, and two, four and six months thereafter.

Vaccines typically involve an initial dose of antigen, followed by one or more booster doses at defined times after the initial administration, typically ten to 60 days later. The need for administration of a booster dose clearly limits the practicality of vaccines in much of the world, as well as increases costs and difficulties in agricultural applications.
Polymeric microspheres have the potential to be effective vaccine delivery vehicles. They have the ability to enhance targeting of antigen presenting cells (APCs) and have the potential for controlled, sustained release of antigen-thereby potentially eliminating the need for multiple vaccination doses. Further, the polymer matrix can act as a shield from a hostile external environment and has the potential to reduce adverse reactions and abrogate problems caused by the vaccine strain in immunocompromised individuals. PLGA microspheres have been developed for single immunization, with and without burst release. Given the biodegradable nature and sustained release properties that PLGA offers, microspheres formulated from PLGA could be useful for the delivery of vaccines. Summarized in Kirby et al., Chapter 13: Formation and Characterisiation of polylactide-co-galactide PLGA microspheres (2013). PLGA based microparticles are traditionally produced by double emulsion-solvent evaporation, nano-precipitation, cross-flow filtration, salting-out techniques, emulsion-diffusion methods, jet milling, and spray drying. Summarized in Kirby et al., Chapter 13: Formation and Characterisiation of polylactide-co-galactide PLGA microspheres (2013). PLGA microspheres can also be formulated to incorporate a range of moieties, including drugs and proteins, that can act as adjuvants. It has been contemplated that PGLA particles produced by these methods can be lyophilized and stored for later use and delivery.
Hanes et al., Adv. Drug. Del. Rev., 28: 97-119 (1997), report on attempts to make polymeric microspheres to deliver subunit protein and peptide antigens in their native form in a continuous or pulsatile fashion for periods of weeks to months with reliable and reproducible kinetics, to obviate the need for booster immunizations. Microspheres have potential as carriers for oral vaccine delivery due to their protective effects on encapsulated antigens and their ability to be taken up by the Peyer's patches in the intestine. The potency of these optimal depot formulations for antigen may be enhanced by the co-delivery of vaccine adjuvants, including cytokines, that are either entrapped in the polymer matrix or, alternatively, incorporated into the backbone of the polymer itself and released concomitantly with antigen as the polymer degrades.
As reported by Cleland et al., J. Controlled Rel. 47(2):135-150 (1997), the administration of a subunit vaccine (e.g., gp120) for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can be facilitated by a single shot vaccine that mimics repeated immunizations. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres were made that provide a pulsatile release of gp120. Microspheres were made using a water-in-oil-in-water microencapsulation process with either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate as the polymer solvent. The protein was released under physiological conditions in two discrete phases: an initial burst released over the first day and after several weeks or months, a second burst of protein was released. The second burst of protein was dependent upon the PLGA inherent viscosity and lactide/glycolide ratio (bulk erosion).
These studies demonstrate that it is possible to achieve a vaccine response using injectable microparticles. However, no such product has ever been approved for human or animal use. It is difficult to achieve effective loading of antigen, uniformity of encapsulation and release, and extremely low levels of solvent not affecting antigenicity.
It is estimated that precluding the need for a "cold chain" for vaccine distribution through the development of thermo-stable formulations could save about $200 million annually. Trouble with implementing these strategies rests on the lack of appropriate cryprotectant methods. A Summarized in Kirby et al., Chapter 13: Formation and Characterisiation of polylactide-co-galactide PLGA microspheres (2013). Similar information and disclosure on nanovaccines can be found in Gregory et al., Frontiers in Cell and Infect. Microbio. 3:Article 13 (2013). Nandedkar, J. Biosci. 34:995-1003 (2009). Stabilization of proteins included in microspheres is problematic. A number of types of stabilizing excipients have been studied. Summarized in Kim and Pack, BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology. 1:19-50 (2006). Additionally, the type of polymer used for microsphere fabrication, its degradation rate, acidity of the degradation products, hydrophobicity, etc., can also impact the stability of incorporated proteins.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide injectable polymeric formulations providing release of encapsulated antigen at two or more times.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide injectable polymeric formulations which do not damage and which can stabilize encapsulated antigen.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide methods and materials for micromolding and three-dimensional printing of injectable polymeric formulations providing release of encapsulated antigen at two or more times, and the resulting formulations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Micromolded or 3-D printed pulsatile release vaccine formulations


A power control circuit is used to control the power supplied to a circuit from a power source. The power control circuit is operable to connect and disconnect the power source from the circuit. The power control circuit connects the power source to the circuit in response to an externally applied magnetic field.

Optimization of power consumption has become an increasingly important factor in circuit design and product development. Many differing techniques have emerged to reduce power consumption within electronic devices, and many of these techniques are directly related to the physical properties of circuits in the electronic devices. For example, techniques for reducing feature size, such as the size of transistor channels, and reducing operating voltages have yielded large power reductions for integrated circuits during recent decades.
Dynamic techniques applied after the device is powered and operational, such as differing modes of operation and time sequencing of functions, reduce power consumption during inactive periods. For example, most portable devices include processors that support a sleep mode where power is conserved when the user is not using the device. For radio frequency-based devices, instead of continuously listening for a signal, signal detection circuits operate on a periodic basis to conserve power, and the devices switch to a continuous operating mode when appropriate signals are detected. More recent dynamic power control techniques involve scaling the clock frequency and supply voltage of circuits for matching power consumption to the computational demands placed on the device.
Most commonly, a power switch, which may include a mechanical device disconnecting circuitry from a power source, is used to conserve power. All of these techniques may be used to conserve power. However, in almost all of these techniques the device remains powered in some form throughout its operation, even if the majority of the device is functionally disabled or de-powered. Even if a power switch is used, the device is susceptible to loss through leakage current. Furthermore, power switches are typically mechanical and are susceptible to wear. Also, mechanical power switches require physical or contact-based user interaction to enable or disable a device.

Controlling power supplied to a circuit using an externally applied magnetic field

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention concerns a method for a multi-port node having a shared buffer memory to provide enhanced data packet buffering capacity for established virtual circuits (VC's) through the node and one of its output ports while maintaining grades of service commitments. The method admits incoming data packets to a node for an established VC based on a determination of combination of factors including the effective memory requirements for each output port as VC's are created or terminated, the portions of buffer memory in use for conveying packets through the intended output port for the incoming packet, and the total amount of available shared memory in the node. Such determinations enable the node to better decide whether admitting the incoming packet would cause a disproportionate allocation of the shared memory for the intended output port. As a consequence, a relatively high packet buffering capacity can be achieved substantially without violating grades of service commitments.

Networks are a principal means of exchanging or transferring information, such as signals representing voice, audio, text or video, among communication devices. Such communication devices often include devices for sending and/or receiving information, such as computer terminals, multimedia workstations, facsimile machines, printers, servers and telephones. The exchange or transfer of information is referred to as a call or connection. Information transmitted on the network can be of many different forms but is often formatted into fixed-length packets or cells.
A network typically includes switching nodes having ports coupled by links to ports of other nodes and to the communication devices. Each link is uni- or bi-directional and is characterized by a bandwidth or link capacity in the directions of data transfer. Information to be exchanged is often conveyed over a path containing a set of nodes and links connecting two communication devices. The path can be regarded as a "virtual circuit" (VC) whereby one communication device specifies the intended destination for the information, and the network delivers the information as though a dedicated circuit connected the two communication devices.
Networks, such as broadband ISDN (BISDN) employing asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) packet switching, are increasingly being used for the reliable, high-speed transmission of information. This increased use has brought major changes in network architecture and infrastructure design as well as in network operations and/or in the classes of services offered over the network. Classes of services offered over a network can include, for example, video-on-demand and video teleconferencing. Moreover, particular classes of services, such as video teleconferencing, are relatively sensitive to routing delays and receive higher routing priorities than other service classes, such as video-on-demand, which are relatively delay insensitive.
In order to extract high revenues from a network, it is advantageous for network managers to operate the network at a relatively high call capacity, i.e., establishing and maintaining a large number of simultaneous VC's. Improvement in efficiency of allocating network resources, such as transmission capacity of the links and buffer memory space, among different classes of services is one method for enabling such high capacity. Buffer memories are typically employed in the nodes to increase the number of VC's carried by the node by buffering transmission of data cells that are relatively delay insensitive while buffering to a lesser extent transmission of those data cells that are relatively delay sensitive. Such buffer memories effectively operate as respective queues for the data packets that are to be conveyed through the respective ports.
Some data services provided by a network manager are based on a grade of service commitment. For example, a network manager and a network user may agree that each VC established for that user is to have a particular committed information rate (CIR), and/or maximum information loss probability. Thus, a quiescent user seeking to start up sending data over a VC expects to receive a grade of service almost immediately that corresponds to its CIR. An admission controller is often used to restrict the total number of VC's at each node, and to monitor the sums of the CIR's for the VC's that have been established. Admission controllers are generally described in A. Elwalid and D. Mitra, "Effective Bandwidth of General Markovian Traffic Sources and Admission Control of High Speed Networks," IEEE INFOCOM '93, pp. 256-264 (1993), which is incorporated by reference herein. Moreover, the CIR's can be based on, for example, the priority levels of data cells that are transmitted. Priorities of a data cell transmitted over an BISDN network are often assigned prior to transmission of the cell and indicated as a cell loss priority bit of an ATM data packet.
It is common for a VC to require bandwidth in excess of its CIR. Since many data sources often provide bursts of data instead of a relatively steady stream of data, a network typically maintains bandwidth and buffer memory in excess of the sum of the CIR's of the active VC's. As a consequence, it is generally desirable that the network manager be responsive in providing extra bandwidth or buffer memory resources to a VC, even if the amount required is in excess of the VC's CIR, provided that such resource provision can be done while meeting the CIR's for other established VC's. More specifically, the particular method chosen for allocation of shared buffer memory between multiple output ports in a multi-port node is important so as not to unfairly deny conveyance of data cells for one VC relative to conveyance of data cells for another VC. If a data cell transmitted over a VC is denied conveyance, it will undesirably not reach its destination communication device and be considered a lost data packet in the network.
Exemplary buffer memory management methods include the complete sharing of network resources among data cells conveyed over established VC's. However, in accordance with this technique, it is possible for data cells of one VC to disadvantageously overwhelm all others and use substantially all available buffer memory preventing data cells of other VC's from sharing such memory. Another sharing technique is complete partitioning which partitions the buffer memory based on respective data cell classes. Complete partitioning enables data cells destined for a respective node output port exclusive use of an allocated portion of buffer memory. However, unused portions of buffer memory assigned to one port may not be used by data cells destined for another port often resulting in a reduced allocation efficiency.
Dynamic thresholding (DT) is a shared memory allocation technique providing enhanced performance over the complete sharing and complete partitioning methods. The DT technique employs respective queues of data packets for each of the output ports of a multi-port switch. The permissible length for any of the individual queues at any instant in time is a function of unused shared buffer memory in the switch at that time. If admission by the switch of a received data packet that is destined for a particular output port would cause the queue for that port to exceed its permissible length, then admission of the data cell would be denied.
Since the permissible lengths of the queues are dynamically changed as data packets are conveyed through the output ports or added to the queues, the technique dynamically adapts to uncertain and changing load conditions. This technique improves fairness and efficiency by guaranteeing access to the buffer memory for all output queues and by preventing any single output queue from monopolizing the memory at the expense of the other queues. However, the technique does not allow the queue for a first output port for which established VC's are providing high traffic demand to exceed its determined length despite that the VC's of a second output port are providing low traffic demand leaving the corresponding queue partly unused.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for buffer memory allocation methods providing even more enhanced efficiency in multi-port network nodes.

Method for shared memory management in network nodes


A router for switching a data packet between a source and destination in a network including a plurality of input ports each including a data handler. The data handler divides a data packet into one or more fixed length cells. The router includes a plurality of output ports at least one of which is for routing the data packet to the destination and a memory divided into a plurality of memory banks. A input switch receives fixed length cells from the input ports and writes a single cell in a cell slot time span to each memory bank. An output switch routes cells received from the memory to an appropriate output port.

The present invention relates generally to data routing systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for routing packets through a network.
In packet switch communication systems, a router is a switching device which receives packets containing data or control information on one port, and based on destination information contained within the packet, routes the packet out another port to the destination (or intermediary destination).
Conventional routers perform this switching function by evaluating header information contained within a first data block in the packet in order to determine the proper output port for a particular packet.
Efficient switching of packets through the router is of paramount concern. Referring now to FIG. 1a, a conventional router includes a plurality of input ports 2 each including an input buffer (memory) 4, a switching device 6 and a plurality of output ports 8.
Data packets received at an input port 2 are stored at least temporarily, in input buffer 4 while destination information associated with each packet is decoded to determine the appropriate switching through the switching device 6. Obviously, if the decoding process takes too long as compared to the rate at which packets are received, a larger memory element will be required. In addition, the packet may be forced to remain in the input buffer after the destination information is decoded if the switching device cannot make the connection. Blocking refers to a condition in which a connection cannot be made in the switch due to the unavailability of the desired output port (the port is busy, e.g., routing another packet from a different input port). The size of each input buffer 4 is dependent on a number of factors including: the line input rate, the speed of the look-up process, and the blocking characteristics for the switching device.
Unfortunately, these types of routers are inefficient in a number of respects. Each input port includes a dedicated input buffer and memory sharing between input ports is not provided for in the design. Each input buffer must be sized to meet the maximum throughput requirements for a given port. However, design trades (cost) often necessitate smaller buffers for each port. With the smaller buffers, the possibility arises for packets to be dropped due to blocking conditions. While excess memory capacity typically existed in the router (due to the varied usage of the input ports), no means for taking advantage of the excess is afforded.
To prevent the dropping of packets, designers developed "non-blocking" routers. Referring now to FIG. 1b, a conventional "non-blocking" router includes a plurality of input ports 2 each including an input buffer (memory) 4, a switching device 6 and a plurality of output ports 8 each having an output buffer 9. In order to avoid blocking conditions, each output port 8 was configured to include an output buffer 9. Each output port could simultaneously be outputting packets as well as receiving new packets for output at a later time. If the size of the output buffer was sufficiently large, then no data packets would be dropped.
However, these designs are even more inefficient in terms of memory capacity and cost. Again, each output port includes a dedicated output buffer and memory sharing between output ports is not provided for in the design. Each output buffer must be sized to meet the maximum throughput requirements for a given port (in order to maintain its "non-blocking" characteristics). Even more excess memory capacity typically exists in the router (due to the varied usage of the input ports and output ports), yet no means for taking advantage of the excess is afforded. Twice the amount and bandwidth of memory has to be used than required to support the amount of data being moved through these types of devices.


A first semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a first node of a bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a first metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate, and a second semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a second node of the bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a second metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate. The junction electrode of the first semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the first metal base plate, and the junction electrode of the second semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the second metal base plate. Also, the respective metal base plates and non-junction electrodes of the respective semiconductor elements are connected by metal thin wires, respectively, thereby configuring the bidirectional switch circuit.

The present invention relates to a power semiconductor module obtained by combining several power semiconductor chips such as diodes, transistors and the like. More particularly, it relates to a bidirectional switch module that can supply electric current bidirectionally.
In electric power conversion devices such as an inverter that inverts DC voltage obtained by rectifying and smoothing AC power source to convert it into AC of an arbitrary frequency and a matrix converter that directly converts AC of a certain frequency into an arbitrary frequency, a bidirectional switch that can supply electric current bidirectionally is used (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-45772 (Patent Document 1)). Further, also in a flat display apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as "plasma display apparatus") using an AC plasma display panel (hereinafter, abbreviated as "PDP"), a bidirectional switch is used in its power recovery circuit (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-316360 (Patent Document 2)).
In the apparatus using the bidirectional switch mentioned above (for example, plasma display apparatus), from the viewpoint of cost reduction by shortening the manufacturing man-hours and reducing the substrate size, the modularization of the bidirectional switch has been desired.
The power semiconductor module technologies used in modularizing the bidirectional switch and others are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-163416 (Patent Document 3) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-358244 (Patent Document 4).


A program information player automatically skips over any intermediate channel changes as a result of interrupting a prior recording of a selected program. The program information player includes a program sequence playback information generator. The program sequence playback information generator analyzes selected program identifier information and recorded program history log information and, in response, generates program sequence playback information without user intervention. The program sequence playback information includes a sequence of time stamp information associated with the selected program identifier information. According to one embodiment, the program sequence playback information directs memory to play back the selected program corresponding to the selected program identifier information by, for example, skipping over any intermediate channel changes. For example, the program sequence playback information may represent a read pointer in memory during playback.

The introduction of digital and analog video recorders has made time-shifting of video information, such as audio and video information, easy for many home entertainment system users. However, a user watching a program will typically change channels when a program interruption occurs, such as a commercial, to perform what is commonly known as "channel surfing". The video recorder continues to receive the program information and "records" the program information onto the video recorder. Program information may refer to any information, for example, received during a television broadcast. Program information may also include information received from the Internet or from a local database such as a CD-ROM. The video recorder records not only the program the user may be watching but also all the program interruptions, as well as all the portions of programs received during the channel changes also known as "channel surfing." As a result, when the user later plays back the recording, the video recorder plays back the program that the user viewed, the program interruptions and all the portions of programs as a result of the channel changes. Viewing the program interruptions and, in particular, the portions of programs viewed while changing channels may be undesirable to the user.
Time-shifting of video information allows a user to manually "pause" the reception of the video information by directing the video information to a video recorder while maintaining an instantaneous image of the video information on a television A/V receiver or other video device. The video recorder continues to receive the video information, and "records" the video content onto the digital video recorder. When the user later resumes viewing, the video recorder continues to receive video information and to record the video information onto the video recorder, but presents the video information from a point at which the user had paused the reception. In other words, the user plays video information that is delayed with respect to the video information being recorded. When the user later plays back the recording, the video recorder plays back the program that the user viewed, the program interruptions and all the portions of programs as a result of the channel changes.
According to one method, a digital video recorder includes two tuners, so that while one program is being recorded, another program may be viewed. However, incorporating two tuners into a digital video recorder increases the cost and complexity of the digital video recorder, and therefore is not as desirable as a digital video recorder having a single tuner.
According to another method, a digital video recorder receives electronic program guide information (EPG) during a television broadcast. The electronic program guide information may include broadcast scheduling information, such as the name or title of a program such as a show, the channel the program is broadcast on, the start time and the stop time. The electronic programming guide information may also include other types of information, such as genre (movies, game shows, educational, etc.), channel (NBC, CNN, MTV, etc.), actors (Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, etc.), and so on. Further, the electronic program guide information may include a narrative summary, various keywords categorizing the content and other suitable information. According to this method, the video recording device may record broadcast information identified by a particular title of a program, such as "Friends." However, according to this method, any intermediate channel changes are recorded so that when played back, all the intermediate channel changes are also played back.
According to another method, a video recorder is programmed to record an entire program, including all program interruptions. A review of the entire program is performed and program interruptions are marked, based on an estimate of the start of the program interruption and the anticipated length of the program interruption. Once the recording is marked, during playback, scenes that were previously marked are skipped. For example, a video cassette recorder may attempt to identify the start or end of a commercial by detecting changes in audio level. Typically, such methods incorrectly identify the start of a program, resulting in the failure to record a portion of the desired program. Further, these methods may miss the start of a program interruption, resulting in playing a program interruption and possibly skipping over the desired program. Additionally, the method requires recording of both the desired program and all the program interruptions, as well. Therefore, the storage space is wasted, and sufficient storage space is required in order to store all of the programs.

Method and apparatus for programming the playback of program information


A differential comparison circuit obtains an improved common mode range with respect to the voltages on first and second inputs. A first comparator is activated when the first and second input voltages are above a first level. A second comparator is activated when the first and second input voltages are below a second level. The output of the comparator that is activated is selected for providing the comparison output signal. In this manner, the comparator having improved performance, typically in terms of differential input voltage sensitivity, may be selected for the voltages present at the inputs. In a typical embodiment, the first comparator uses n-channel input devices, and the second comparator uses p-channel input devices. The activation is provided by voltage level-sensing circuitry, and may include hysteresis to help ensure reliable operation.

Description of the Prior Art
Differential comparators are well known in the integrated circuit (IC) art for providing an output signal that depends on the relative levels of the inputs signals. For example, referring to comparator 10 in FIG. 1, when the voltage on the first (non-inverting) input 11 is higher than the voltage on the second (inverting) input 12, the comparator output 13 is high. Alternatively, when the voltage on the first input is less than the voltage on the second input, the comparator output is low.
The difference between the voltages on the first and second inputs is referred to as the "differential input voltage" (AV). One figure of merit of a differential comparator is how large the differential input voltage must be in order to cause the output voltage to change from high to low, or vice-versa. Another figure of merit is referred to as the "Common Mode Range" (CMR), which is the voltage range over which a small differential input signal can be detected. Most differential comparators have a rather limited CMR as compared to the full power supply voltage range, often referred to as the "rail-to-rail" voltage range. Typically, a comparator with p-channel field effect transistor input devices has a CMR from the negative power supply voltages V.sub.SS (0 volts) to about V.sub.DD -1.5 volts. A comparator with n-channel field effect transistor input devices has a CMR from about 1.5 volts to V.sub.DD.
However, several applications exist where a relatively larger CMR is necessary. For example, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) specification requires a receiver with a rail-to-rail Common Mode Range. The Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) specification also requires a receiver with a very wide range, too wide for typical prior-art comparators to meet. One design that achieves a relatively large CMR range is given in the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol 30, February 1995, pp. 156-159. However, that design is relatively complicated and requires a large amount of integrated circuit (IC) chip area, being more similar in many respects to an operational amplifier than to a comparator.

Differential comparison circuit having improved common mode range


Process for the sterilization of a liquid or pasty product, according to which the product to be treated is circulated in a tubular exchanger at a speed greater than 5 m/s and in which the temperature rise of the product to be treated is obtained by the circulation of an electrical current through the wall of the tube or tubes of the tubular exchanger.

The present invention has for its object a process for continuous sterilization of liquid or pasty products. The choice of the use of a tubular exchanger for practicing the process results from the fact that one of the objects of the invention is to provide a process for sterilization by indirect heating which is much more respectful of the product to be treated than the process for sterilization by direct heating used at present or of superheated steam being injected to the product to be treated to raise its temperature. Carrying out direct steam injection is difficult to perform under good conditions, particularly when the temperature must reach values higher than 150xc2x0 C. to eliminate highly resistant spores and above all gives rise to a modification of the composition of the product by adding water to it, which must then be eliminated from the treated product.
The first object of the invention is thus to provide a process for the sterilization by indirect heating which can eliminate highly resistant spores, which is to say to raise the temperature of the product to be treated to at least 150xc2x0 C.
A second object of the invention is to provide a process for sterilization which respects the qualities of the treated product, which is particularly important when the product to be treated is a liquid foodstuff, milk, fruit juice, etc . . . or a liquid used in cosmetics for the production of pharmaceutical products. It is particularly important that the sterilization, whilst eliminating bacteria and highly resistant spores does not modify the taste, the colors, the composition or other characteristics of the products to be treated. It is at least an object of the present invention to provide a process for sterilization which better respects the products to be treated than the existing processes by direct heating.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a process for sterilization which causes little or no fouling of the tubes for passage of the product to be treated, so as to be able to operate a sterilization installation for at least 16 hours without shutting down and hence without clinging, so as to obtain higher profitability than the existing products for sterilization which permit continuous operation only for several hours, at the most seven to eight hours.
The present invention has for its object a process for continuous sterilization that overcomes the drawbacks of the known processes and permits indirect heating of the product to be treated, a greater respect for the qualities and characteristics of the product to be treated and which can be used without shutdown for a duration of more than 16 hours. This continuous sterilization process is distinguished by the characteristics set forth in claim 1.

Process for sterilization using a tubular exchanger


A spectrophotometer measures optical absorption of light by a sample received in a sample cell. An array of optical elements disperses the light over a spectral pattern, and a fiber optic beam splitter splits light at a selected spectral band into a reference component and a test component. Detectors measure the intensity of the reference component and the test component after the test component passes through the sample. The fiber optic beam splitter includes a plurality of strands arranged with first ends terminating in a common circular area. Opposite ends of peripheral strands are collected into a first set that transmits the test component while the remaining strands for a second set that transmits the reference component. Preferably, there is a single, central, large strand surrounded by smaller strands. Two emitters are provided for light of two different types, such as visible and UV. The optical array forms a collimated beam having an inner core of one type of light and an outer shell of the other. Specially constructed optical elements then reflect and refract the collimated beam. A motor drives a mirror to scan the beam across an optical slit positioned in front of the beam splitter to select a desired spectral band.

Liquid chromatography has been a steadily growing technology for analytical chemists, and it is generally considered one of the most powerful analytical tools available due to its ability to separate, and thereby differentiate, compounds having minor stoichiometric or isomeric properties. In the field of liquid chromatography, one of the most useful instruments employed to identify sample materials is the spectrophotometer which are also known as photometric absorbance monitors and/or LC detectors. Spectrophotometers help identify compounds by measuring the absorbance by the sample material of light at different wavelengths. By measuring absorbance characteristics over a spectrum of wavelengths, the analysis can create a "fingerprint" of the sample material which may then be used to identify and/or characterize the material.
In order to accurately resolve a test sample compounds "fingerprint", a spectrophotometer must incorporate excellent optics and electronics design. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a spectrophotometer that can produce and monitor spectral absorbance over a wide range of wavelengths and include within that range a substantial portion in the ultraviolet spectrum. Moreover, it is desirable to measure absorbance at relatively narrow bandwidths selected over the wide spectral band. Also, it is desirable that such a spectrophotometer incorporate optics designed to minimize events which may inject error into the absorption measurement.
Prior absorption detectors in the field of liquid chromatography have typically either utilized the light source having a defined wavelength emission or, more preferably, a light source which emits radiation over a wavelength range. The light is then dispersed by means a grading into separate wavelength bands, and these bands are then selectively passed through the sample cell containing the material to be tested. Prior to passing a light beam through the sample cell, a portion of the beam is split to provide a reference to the intensity of the original beam so that this reference may be compared with the beam transmitted through the sample cell to determine the absorption of the selected wavelength of the beam. A discussion of such a detector is described in an article entitled "Design of an LC Detector: Part I", American Laboratory (May, 1987) co-authored by the present applicant. Furthermore, such detectors have been sold for a number of years.
In other devices, filters may be used to select a wavelength at which an absorption test is made. An example of such a device is described in one of my copending U.S. application, Ser. No. 08/093,065 filed Jul. 16, 1993 and entitled "Apparatus for Measuring Optical Absorption Properties of a Sample Material". U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,879 issued May 27, 1975 to Louder et al employs a dual beam spectrophotometer utilizing a movable spectral wedge to select a wavelength at which a test is made. The Louder et al reference also employs a bifurcated fiber optic bundle which defines a pickup for the test and reference wavelength band as well as a means for splitting the selected bandwidth between the sample cell and a reference.
A disadvantage of the design of existing spectrophotometers resides in the interaction of the optics with the physical properties of the sample cell. Typically, light is passed through the sample cell in such a manner that it impinges and reflects off of the cell walls before being sensed by the photodetector. Since test materials are typically dissolved in a carrier medium, the physical characteristics attendant the interface between the contact liquid layer and the cell sidewall alters the absorption properties of the cell sidewall so that error is introduced into the intensity measurement. That is, not all absorbance detected results from absorption of light by the test material. This can give a false profile or "fingerprint" of the test material and lead to either incorrect or inconclusive results.
Another disadvantage of many detectors is that the spectral gratings are typically optical elements having sufficient mass so that the inertia present during motion presents difficult mechanical drive problems. That is, it is difficult to start and stop the relatively heavy grating at each of the selected wavelength bands which can effect the resolution of the instrument.
In another of my co-pending U.S. applications, Ser. No. 08/344,209 filed Nov. 23, 1994 and entitled SPECTROPHOTOMETER APPARATUS, I disclose an improved spectrophotometer employing fiber optics to form an optical slit and describing an improved sample cell and focusing structure for the sample material to be tested. This application also discloses an improved arrangement of optical elements and electro-mechanical drives therefor in an effort to increase performance of the spectrophotometer.
Despite the advances evidenced by the above-described technologies, there remains a continuing need for improved spectrophotometer designs which can produce tests results having reduced error. Moreover, there is a continued need for higher resolution apparatus which can accurately and precisely measure optical absorption over a relatively narrow bandwidth. It is a need for such spectrophotometers, of course, to be able to provide measurements over a wide range of available wavelengths while maintaining such narrow bandwidth, especially in wavelengths including the visible, near-infrared and ultraviolet frequencies. A further need exists for simplified construction of such spectrophotometers.

Spectrophotometer apparatus with dual concentric beams and fiber optic beam splitter


A mouthpiece assembly for a woodwind musical instrument that holds an associated reed includes (1) an elongated mouthpiece body defining an air conduit means extending therethrough for providing a supply of air to facilitate playing of a woodwind musical instrument; (2) a reed placement surface defined on the mouthpiece body adjacent the air conduit dimensioned and configured to receive a reed detachably secured thereagainst; (3) a ligature including a ligature body dimensioned and configured to encircle the mouthpiece body and selectively retain the associated reed in position upon the reed placement surface and (4) a locating body engaging the ligature body and the mouthpiece body to locate the ligature body axially and radially with respect the mouthpiece body. The invention also includes the method for mounting a ligature on a mouthpiece for a woodwind musical instrument that includes the step of providing a locating body engaging the ligature body and the mouthpiece body to locate the ligature body axially and radially with respect the mouthpiece body.

The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,198 issued to the applicant herein on Jun. 8, 2004 that describes a reed and mouthpiece assembly for a woodwind instrument, such as a clarinet or saxophone, wherein the reed is formed with a special configuration having a mating shape defined therein which is engageable with respect to a protruding member or members extending outwardly from the generally planar reed mounting surface of the woodwind mouthpiece. A slot or other aperture is defined in the non-vibrating clamped portion of the reed in order to facilitate alignment thereof during mounting with respect to a generally planar reed mounting area of the woodwind mouthpiece. A uniquely configured mouthpiece having a protruding member in combination with a uniquely shaped reed for engagement therewith provides a self-aligning and self-centering reed which is usable with any type of attachment mechanism including conventional ligatures as well as a unique securing device described herein. The engagement between the protruding member and the unique reed provides for faster and easier alignment during reed installation onto a woodwind mouthpiece despite what type of ligature is used. The prior art also includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,010 issued to the applicant herein on Dec. 31, 2002. The invention described therein provides a unique configuration for a reed and mouthpiece for a woodwind instrument wherein the reed is formed with a special configuration having a slot in the non-vibrating clamped portion to facilitate mounting thereof with respect to a uniquely configured mouthpiece of a woodwind instrument such as a clarinet or saxophone. Both patents makes extensive reference to known prior art.
The term "ligature" is commonly defined as something that is used to bind such as a filament (as a thread) used in surgery; something that unites or connects or the action of binding or tying. U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,623 issued to Silverstein et al. on Jul. 15, 1997 asserts that ligatures have been de facto contrivances for securing clarinet and saxophone reeds throughout this century. Two hundred years ago, when the clarinet evolved from the chalumeau, woven cord was used as a ligature on reed instruments. The specialized separate reeds and mouthpiece of the modern clarinet and saxophone must ideally be mated flat surface to flat surface as if they were made of one piece. Such one piece systems occurred in bagpipe and chalumeaux reeds before the arrival of the clarinet and saxophone. In such one piece systems, no ligature was necessary because the reed and mouthpiece were one piece with no flat surfaces needing to be mated under pressure. However, modern convention based upon consistency dictates using separate reeds and mouthpieces. Generally, a mouthpiece will last for years while the reeds warp and wear out in days or weeks.
Ideally, the reed has a precisely planar surface that abuts a precisely planar surface of the mouthpiece.
The installation of a reed in such instruments requires precise relative alignment and positioning of the reed with respect to the mouthpiece as well as the precise relative alignment and positioning of the ligature with respect to the mouthpiece. As indicated above this positioning and alignment is often difficult for the inexperienced or when needed to be done quickly or under inadequate lighting.

Single reed woodwind musical instrument mouthpiece apparatus and method


A web of impregnated fibrous material(s) including N individual tapes of fibrous material(s) stacked and/or joined in relation to one another, in which said N tapes adhere to each other and can overlap at least partially. The tapes of fibrous material(s) include continuous fibers impregnated with at least one thermoplastic polymer, and optionally a chain extender. The web has a surface, in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the fibers, S, that is substantially equal to the sum of the surface, in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the fibers, of each initial individual tape, denoted Sth, Sth being equal to N×l×Ep, wherein l represents the average width of a tape and Ep represents the average thickness of a tape, N being between 2 and 2000, and the average thickness of each individual tape being less than or equal to 150 μm.

The manufacture of fibrous materials impregnated with a thermoplastic polymer or a mixture of thermoplastic polymers, also referred to as thermoplastic resin, may be carried out by passing the fibers continuously through a molten bath of thermoplastic polymer containing an organic solvent such as benzophenone, or in an aqueous dispersion as disclosed in the application EP0324680, by passing the fibers continuously through a fluidized bed, or by spraying the fibers continuously, in particular electrostatically, or also by molten route, in particular by pultrusion as disclosed in the application US 2014/0005331A1. This makes it possible to shape these impregnated fibrous materials in the form of calibrated strips or tapes, which can be used to manufacture composite materials. The impregnated fibrous materials are used in the manufacture of structural parts with a view to lightening them while maintaining a mechanical strength comparable to that obtained for metallic structural parts and/or ensuring the evacuation of electrostatic charges and/or ensuring thermal and/or chemical protection.
Such impregnated fibrous materials are in particular intended for the production of lightweight composite materials for the manufacture of mechanical parts having a three-dimensional structure and possessing properties of good mechanical and thermal strength and capable of evacuating electrostatic charges, i.e., properties compatible with the manufacture of parts in particular in the mechanics, aeronautics and nautics, automobile, energy, construction (buildings), health and medical, sports and leisure, furniture and urban furniture, and electronics fields. Thus, composite materials are used for the production of three-dimensional (3D) parts, it being possible for these composite materials to be produced by a known robot-assisted strip placement method (Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) method for example).

Web of impregnated fibrous material, production method thereof and use of same for the production of three-dimensional composite parts


Intra-array pilot measurements are performed with an antenna array of a MIMO transceiver. The antenna array comprises N transceive antennas. The antenna array is partitioned into K groups of antennas, Gk, k=1, . . . , K, wherein K≥2, each group Gk comprising Nk antennas, Aki, i=1, . . . , Nk, of the antenna array. For each k=1, . . . , K, Sk pilot measurements, Mks, s=1, . . . , Sk, are performed, wherein Sk≥1 and wherein each pilot measurement Mks comprises transmitting simultaneously by each antenna Aki, i=1, . . . , Nk, of the group Gk a pilot signal Pkis and generating by each antenna Ak′i′, i′=1, . . . , Nk′, of the other groups, Gk′, k′≠k, a received signal Ykk′i′s by receiving the pilot signals Pkis transmitted by the antennas Aki, i=1, . . . , Nk. The measurements can be performed in a mode for detecting whether current hardware impairment parameters are valid or in a mode for updating the hardware impairment parameters.

An antenna array is an antenna setup that comprises two or more antennas.
Compared to a single antenna, an antenna array allows for more effective transmissions as well as reception of a radio frequency (RF) signal.
With a transmit array comprising Nt transmit antennas and a receive array comprising Nr receive antennas, there are Nt×Nr propagation paths, each of these propagation paths going from one of transmit antennas to one of the receive antennas. Each of the propagation paths involves a gain and a phase shift, for a given frequency component of the transmitted signal. The gain and the phase shift can be expressed as a complex gain factor. The Nt×Nr complex gain factors thus associated with the Nt×Nr propagation paths constitute the elements of the channel matrix H, of size Nt×Nr.
Channel state information (CSI) is information about the channel matrix H and it may refer to the channel matrix H itself. CSI at the transmitter side is crucial for exploiting the potential of Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) systems, in particular in multi-user scenarios. In Time Division Duplexing (TDD) mode, the downlink (DL) transmission from a base station (BS) to a user equipment (UE) and the uplink (UL) transmission from the UE to the BS take place on the same frequency band (see FIG. 1).
Downlink CSI in TDD mode can be acquired by exploiting reciprocity between the DL transmission and the UL transmission. However, hardware impairments of the antenna array at the base station break the reciprocity, and they need to be taken into account for determining the downlink CSI.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic model of an uplink channel and a downlink channel in TDD mode. In the model illustrated in FIG. 2, the base station and the user equipment each comprise a MIMO transceiver. The MIMO transceiver comprises a receiver chain and a transmitter chain. In each subcarrier, the hardware impairments can be modeled as linear filters, schematically shown as blocks TBS, RBS, TUE, and RUE. TBS and RBS represent impairment at the transmitter chain and at the receiver chain, respectively, at the base station.
TUE and RUE represent impairment at the transmitter chain and at the receiver chain, respectively, at the user equipment. HDL and HUE represent the effective channel of the downlink channel and the uplink channel, respectively. CDL and CUE represent the channel matrix associated with the "over-the-air" section, i.e. the electromagnetic (EM) section, of the downlink channel and the uplink channel, respectively.
The effective downlink and uplink channel matrices are related to the "over-the-air" channel matrix as:HDL=RUECTBS HUL=RBSCTTUE.
The effective downlink channel matrix is therefore:HDL=RUETUE−THULTRBS−TTBS,that is,HDL=FUEHULTRBS−T,
where FBS=FBSTBS−T is a BS calibration matrix and FUERUETUE−T a UE calibration matrix. The BS calibration matrix may be denoted F for the sake of simplicity (that is, F=FBS).
Downlink CSI can be acquired as follows. The UE sends pilots to the BS. The BS receives the pilots from the UE. Based on the received pilots, the BS estimates the uplink channel state information HUE (using, for example, one of the state-of-the art estimation methods, such as least-squares estimation). Based on the estimated uplink channel state information HUE, the BS deduces the downlink channel state information HDL coupled with the user calibrations matrix FUE through:FUE−1HDL=HULTFBS−T.
In many applications (for example, some beamforming applications), only the product FUE−1HDL (but not the channel matrix HDL itself) needs to be known.
Each subcarrier has its own N×N calibration matrix F, where N is the number of antennas in the antenna array of the base station. The calibration matrix F therefore needs to be estimated for each subcarrier of interest.
The calibration matrix F generally remains stable over time. Two types of variations are nevertheless quite common: firstly, smooth variations and, secondly, sporadic sudden variations. Smooth variations occur typically over several minutes, e.g., due to temperature changes. Sporadic sudden variations may be caused by power surges, power ruptures, or loss of synchronization.
Hardware impairment of an antenna array can be measured by sending signals over the air between antennas of the antenna array. Several schemes are known.
Shepard et al, "Argos: Practical Many-Antenna Base Stations" in Proc. ACM Int. Conf. Mobile Computing and Networking (MobiCom), August 2012, propose a method in which one reference antenna is chosen among the antennas of the base station. In a first step, the reference antenna sends a signal to the other antennas. In a second step, each antenna that is not the reference antenna sends a signal in one time slot each. Calibration coefficients are then estimated according to the received signals.
US 2014/211779 A1 (Caire et al) discloses a method ("Rogalin's method") in which bi-directional measurements are performed for each pair of antennas. A first antenna of the pair sends a signal while the second antenna listens. Then the second antenna sends a signal while the first one listens. Calibration coefficients are then determined based on the received signals.
Papadopoulos et al, "Avalanche: Fast RF calibration of massive arrays", in 2014 IEEE Global Conference on Signal and Information Processing (GlobalSIP), propose using a subgroup of calibrated antennas in order to calibrate the other antennas. First, a pair of antennas is calibrated according to a bi-directional measurement for the pair. Then, a group of two further antennas sends a signal to the pair of antennas already calibrated and their calibration coefficients are estimated according to past measurements. This process is repeated with a group of further antennas with the same size as the group of antennas already calibrated.
All of these techniques involve an exchange of pilot signals between antennas of the array.
The above considerations make reference to a MIMO transceiver in a base station for communicating with a user equipment. They do, however, apply similarly to any type of MIMO transceiver and are not limited to a MIMO transceiver in a base station. Insofar they are illustrative rather than limiting.

Determination of hardware impairment parameters for downlink channel state information estimation


A hydrogen sensor includes a thin film layer formed on a top surface of a planar optical transmission medium, and a catalyst layer formed on a top surface of the thin film layer. A first interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the thin film layer. A substrate is joined to a bottom surface of the planar optical transmission medium so that a second interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the substrate. On entering a first end portion of the planer optical transmission medium, light from a light source is spread by an entrance section, and the spread light is transmitted inside the planar optical transmission medium to a second end portion by being reflected by the first and second interfaces alternately. Light exiting from the second end portion is transmitted to an optical sensor by an exit light-collecting section. If the thin film layer is hydrogenated by the catalyst layer contacted by hydrogen, the amount of light reflected from the first interface reduces. Hydrogen gas is detected by the optical sensor detecting such reduction in the amount of light.

Hydrogen has been attracting attention as an energy source enabling reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. There is, however, a risk of explosion of hydrogen gas that has leaked into an atmosphere (around a hydrogen gas production apparatus or a hydrogen gas storage apparatus, in a car park for hydrogen-fueled vehicles, etc., for example). Thus, it is necessary to quickly detect a hydrogen gas leak and stop it.
In this connection, hydrogen sensors for detecting hydrogen gas have been developed, one of which is shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-083832 (Patent Document 1), for example. As shown in FIG. 8, this hydrogen sensor 10′ has a light control film (reflecting film) 14 consisting of a thin film layer 12 and a catalyst layer 13, formed on a top surface of a light-transmitting member 11 of glass or the like. At normal temperature, when contacted by hydrogen gas in an atmosphere, the catalyst layer 13 quickly causes reversible hydrogenation of the thin film layer 12, thereby causing a change in optical reflectance of the thin film layer 12.
FIG. 9 shows a schematic structure of a hydrogen gas detecting apparatus 20′ using such hydrogen sensor 10′. As shown in FIG. 9, in the hydrogen gas detecting apparatus 20′, light 21a from a light source 21 is reflected by the light control film 14 of the hydrogen sensor 10′, and the reflected light is received by an optical sensor 22. A hydrogen gas leak can be detected from a change in the amount of reflected light received by the optical sensor 22.
In this hydrogen gas detecting apparatus 20′, light 21a from the light source 21 travels in the atmosphere and arrives at the optical sensor 22. Thus, there is a possibility that light from a light source other than the light source 21 (disturbance light from an illumination lamp at the ceiling of an underground car park, a headlight of a vehicle or the like, for example) is received by the optical sensor 22, or undergoes reflection or the like at the hydrogen sensor 10′ and is received by the optical sensor 22. There is also a possibility that suspended dust in the optical path from the light source 21 to the hydrogen sensor 10′ or in the optical path from the hydrogen sensor 10′ to the optical sensor 22 prevents the optical sensor 22 from receiving light. There is also a possibility that dust or the like covers the hydrogen sensor 10′ and prevents the optical sensor 22 from receiving light.
The hydrogen gas detecting apparatus 20′ detects a change in transmittance caused by hydrogenation only in a narrow area (almost a point) of the hydrogen sensor on which light 21a is thrown. Thus, the hydrogen gas detecting apparatus 20′ has room for improvement in hydrogen gas sensitivity.

Hydrogen sensor and hydrogen gas detecting apparatus

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A method and apparatus for storing information in a memory device that can be retrieved and displayed in a display device without xe2x80x9cbootupxe2x80x9d of the computer system.

1. Field of the Invention
A method and apparatus is described for a computer system to display images and data without having to boot up application programs to have access to the images and/or data.
2. Background
Various application programs are available to generate and present a variety of images and data. For example, documents are commonly created using word processing programs; sales and organization charts are commonly created using graphics programs; sales figures and product specifications are commonly created using spreadsheet programs; internet information is commonly retrieved using internet programs and so forth.
In many instances, to simply view the images and/or data, the application programs that are used to generate/edit the images and/or data, need to be loaded into local memory of a computer system. Application programs, however, generally require a certain amount of time to be loaded into the memory of a computer, thereby providing a delay and inconvenience to the computer operator.
Moreover, when a computer is turned on, the computer typically performs a diagnostic and initialization process known as Power On Self Test (POST). To perform POST, the computer consumes a certain amount of time. Once the POST has been successfully executed, the computer then loads the operating system that also consumes additional time.
Therefore, there is a need for a more expeditious method of providing/displaying selected images and data, after the power of a computer system may have been turned off.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing information in a memory device that can be retrieved and displayed in a display device without xe2x80x9cboot upxe2x80x9d of the computer system.
Additional features, embodiments, and benefits will be evident in view of the figures and detailed description.

Method and apparatus for a dual mode of displaying data and images


Hardware-enforced zoning is provided in Fibre Channel switches to protect against breaching of assigned zones in a switch network which can occur with software-based zoning techniques. The invention provides logic for performing a hardware-based validation of the Source ID S_ID of frames both at the point where the frame enters the Fibre Channel fabric, and at the point where the frame leaves the fabric. The S_ID is verified against an inclusion list or table of allowable S_IDs, which can be unique for each fabric port. The invention provides a way to increase the range of sources an inclusion table can express, by implementing wild cards, on an entry-by entry basis. If the S_ID is valid, it will enter the fabric and route normally. If invalid, the frame will not be routed but will be disposed of by the fabric according to FC rules. This prevents incorrect S_IDs from breaching the table-driven zoning at the point where frames exit the fabric, to prevent unauthorized access to devices connected to the switch network.

The Fibre Channel standard has been established to provide for high performance switching solutions for computing and data handling systems. Examples of applications where the high speed and high bandwidth of Fibre Channel switches may be used to advantage include interconnecting computers and high-performance storage devices, interconnecting computers in multiple-computer operating environments, and anywhere multiple high-speed data interconnections must be established between designated nodes or groups of nodes in data handling networks.
The Fibre Channel standard, ANSI X3.T11, broadly defines classes and standards of function and performance, but does not dictate the implementation technologies to be used in providing these functions. A particular design of a switch to implement Fibre Channel functions is referred to as the 'fabric' of the switch. As this invention is directed to improvements in Fibre Channel switches, the description of the invention herein uses terminology and other defined terms from the field of Fibre Channel (referred to by the notation "FC" below) switches, and the FC standard may be consulted for definitions.
For data integrity and security reasons, it is necessary in some networks to make certain that certain hosts or devices have controlled access. For example, certain hosts may be allowed access to only certain storage devices, and vice versa. This requirement means that certain channels or groups of channels to which the affected hosts or devices are attached must be isolated from communication to or from other channels or groups of channels. Zoning techniques are used in prior art systems to define zones of addresses that will be considered valid for various sources or destinations connected to a switch.
Soft Zoning: The Problem
A problem with Fibre Channel zoning as it presently exists is that it is software-enforced zoning, often referred to as soft zoning. In soft zoning, devices connected to N_Ports and NL_Ports of the FC fabric login to the fabric and make queries of the Name Server to determine which of the remote devices this device can communicate with, along with their FC addresses (D_IDs). The Name Server defines and enforces the zones by listing in the login response the set of devices (by D_ID) that are in the login requester's zone or zones. In this manner, devices honor zones by using only those D_IDs given out by the Name Server.
However, this works only if all devices follow the rules, and there are no hardware failures. Soft zoning can be breached in the following ways.                Zones can be breached inadvertently by HBA software errors that generate incorrect D_IDs.        Zones can be breached by hardware failures, where the D_ID is corrupted somewhere between the source device and the destination device.        Zones can be breached deliberately by ill-mannered but non-malicious HBAs, such as those that walk through all D_IDs to discover where other HBAs are attached.        Zones can be breached maliciously by HBAs where the intent is to disrupt a system.

Hardware-enforced loop-level hard zoning for fibre channel switch fabric


A vertical connection apparatus for connecting a pipeline to a subsea structure comprises a guide funnel for controlling the position of the pipeline relative to the subsea structure; a moveable barrier and a attachment region for a drive mechanism; the moveable barrier is operable between an open position in which the pipeline can pass through the guide funnel and a closed position in which the barrier prevent the end of the pipeline passing through the end of the guide funnel. A tool with a drive mechanism can be attached between the pipeline and guide funnel to manipulate the pipeline into a connectable position. A clamp connector secures the connection between the pipeline and subsea structure conduit.

When connecting pipelines such as flowlines, jumpers and risers of either rigid or flexible constructions (herein after all referred to as pipelines) to subsea structures a connection tool can be used, which connects to the end of the pipelines and operates to align the pipelines and subsea structure, and make the connection between the pipeline and subsea structure.
When pipelines are to be connected vertically, the pipeline is stabbed vertically into a receiver of an already installed structure and connected such that pressure is retained inside the pipeline and/or external pressure is prevented from ingress. When connected the resulting connection has to withstand significant operational forces and so must also be mechanically strong. Making such a connection generally requires complex and highly specialised tooling systems.
Typically a vertical installation process involves a deployment phase and a subsequent connection operation. Existing vertical connection tooling systems require deployment of the pipeline and connection of the pipeline to be undertaken in a continuous operation. A typical jumper installation practice comprises attaching an alignment and closing tooling to each end of a jumper to be installed and lowering the jumper towards upward projecting connector halves on an already installed structure. When the ends of the jumper have landed on the installed structures a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) interfaces with the tool operating panel of the connector to operate and power the connector tooling to effect a connection. The ROV then moves to the second end of the jumper and repeats the connection operation. Once the connections are complete the tools are retrieved from both ends of the connected jumper by lift lines deployed from the surface.
The object of the invention is to provide a system which allows for separate deployment and connection operations and simplifies the tooling that is required to be operated by the ROV to complete the connections.


The present invention relates to improvements in the preparation of beverages and, in particular, to an improved cartridge for preparing beverages in brewing machines. The cartridges can also be used for preparing liquid food products. The cartridge comprises a continuous elongate tubular chamber containing the at least one ingredient providing a fluid flow path linking an inlet for the introduction of the liquid at one end of the chamber to an outlet for discharge of the beverage or food product at an opposite end of the chamber. The chamber has an internal width to length ratio in the range of 1:4 to 1:200.

Automated brewing machines and other on-demand beverage systems, for brewing beverages such as coffee and tea, usually have a brewing water reservoir in which water is heated by a heating element. The heated water is then transferred from the reservoir to a brewing chamber which holds brewing ingredients such as coffee grounds or tea leaves, through which the heated water flows to produce a brewed beverage. The beverage flows into a container such as a jug or cup located beneath the brewing chamber outlet.
It is commonly known that different flow rates lead to variation of characteristics in the brewed beverage, in particular taste. U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,635 explains that a relatively fast rate of flow of hot water through coffee grounds in the brewing chamber will result in relatively dilute coffee with relatively less flavour and caffeine, than is produced by a slower rate of flow. A relatively slow rate should therefore be used in order to achieve a taste comparable to "regular" or caffeinated coffee which is brewed with a relatively faster rate of flow. The flow rate can be determined by a number of variables, such as the rate at which water is introduced to the reservoir, the size of the conduit or passage between the reservoir and the brewing chamber, and the size of holes in a water distributor or showerhead over the brewing chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,635 uses an adjustable valve between the filling chamber and the reservoir to adjust the rate of flow of water from the filling chamber to the reservoir.
Many modern domestic beverage machines dispense individual servings of a beverage directly into a drinking receptacle, and derive the beverage from a bulk supply of beverage ingredients or from individual packages of beverage ingredients such as pods, pads or cartridges. In the following specification such packages will be referenced by the general term cartridges. Machines which use such cartridges reduce the need for cleaning and can enable the user to make a selection of beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate and the like. An example of one type of such cartridge is described in EP-A-1440903. The beverages are formed from brewing, mixing, dissolving or suspending the beverage ingredients in water. For example, for coffee beverages, heated water is forced through the cartridges under pressure to extract the aromatic constituents from the compacted coffee grounds contained therein. The use of cartridges in such machines has become increasingly popular due to their convenience and the quality of the beverage produced.
EP-A-1440903 describes a cartridge which is formed from high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, or a laminate of two or more of these materials. The cartridge has an inlet for the introduction of water into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said the beverage ingredients. The cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and an aperture in a beverage flow path linking the inlet to the outlet for producing a jet of the beverage. The aperture is delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member. The cartridge produces a jet of the beverage which can be used to alter the appearance and characteristics of the dispensed beverage, by for example entraining air into the jet of beverage to produce a multitude of small air bubbles in the dispensed beverage.
The afore-mentioned cartridges are designed to be easily assembled with the main components being the inner member and the outer member. By using separate components for the inner and outer members, which are then preferably conjoined on assembly, the manufacture of each component and the assembly of the cartridge can be optimised. This is particularly advantageous where very small tolerances are required for the size and location of the aperture that produces the jet of beverage and also for the remainder of the beverage flow path through the cartridge. However such cartridges utilise a single compaction bed with no means to vary the brew kinetics which can affect the brew efficiency and the flavour, aroma and taste quality of the final product.
WO-02/074661 describes a device for preparing customisable brewed beverages and proposes the use of two ingredient extraction chambers each containing a different volume of ingredients, such as roast and ground coffee. The strength of the finished brewed beverage can be modified by directing the brewing fluid through one or other of the chambers, or dividing the flow to go through each chamber. In another embodiment described in this prior art document, different ingredients are provided in different chambers.
However the use of flow control and diversion valves for the control of the brewing characteristics used in the prior art systems mentioned above adds to the cost and bulk of the machine. The additional moving parts add to the potential for malfunction.
EP-A-1785369 describes a beverage ingredient capsule which is sub-divided into at least two compartments, each containing one or more beverage ingredients. The compartments are constructed such that, when liquid is introduced into the capsule the separate compartments release the contained ingredients at different times so that different beverage components can be produced according to a planned time sequence. One way of achieving this is to separate the compartments with a candy wall, which dissolves when exposed to the liquid.

Preparation of beverages and liquid food products