There is disclosed control circuitry for, and a method of controlling, multiple priority level interrupt request to a microprocessor in which output circuitry for outputting an interrupt identifier is operable only in response to an interrupt signal having a higher priority status than any currently executing interrupt process, and a microprocessor system and method of controlling a microprocessor system, incorporating such circuitry.

An interrupt is any action which causes the temporary cessation of execution by a processor of a particular process so that the processor can execute an interrupt process. Such action is typically initiated in processor circuits by peripheral devices requesting the processor to interrupt execution of a main process to execute an interrupt process associated with that particular peripheral device.
Known processors have been designed with a capacity to support a fixed number of interrupt priority levels. It may be necessary for a processor to support more than one interrupt since different interrupt requests require different interrupt processes. Not only do processors need to be able to support multiple interrupt requests, but they also need to be able to prioritise such requests should they occur simultaneously.
However, the number of interrupt priority levels which can be supported may be restricted by the processor. Typically a processor may support only two interrupt priority levels. Although processors may be adapted to support additional levels of interrupt, such adaptation is complex and it may be necessary to modify the instruction set of the processor and also to provide additional registers.

Microprocessor system for handling multiple priority levels interrupt requests to processor and interrupt process identifiers


A system that performs anti-slip and anti-lock functions of the wheels in a vehicle provided with a pneumatic braking system. The system includes a brake control apparatus to which is connectable a plurality of electro-pneumatic valve units for control of the brake cylinders associated with the wheels/axles. These valve units are controlled in such a way as selectively to permit application of a braking pressure to the associated brake cylinders, holding this pressure, and discharge of the pressure from the brake cylinders.

The present invention relates to a braking control system for a railway or tramway vehicle.
More specifically, the subject of the invention is a braking control system with anti-slip and anti-lock functions for the wheels for a railway or tramway vehicle provided with a pneumatic braking system including brake control apparatus to which a plurality of electro-pneumatic valve units are connectable for control of the brake cylinders associated with the wheels/axles of the vehicle; the said valve units being controllable in such a way as to allow selective application of a braking pressure to the associated brake cylinders, holding this pressure, and discharge of the pressure from the said brake cylinders.

Braking control system for a railway or tramway vehicle with integrated anti-slip and anti-lock functions for the wheels


A capacitive parametric zero crossing detection circuit has a nonlinear voltage controlled capacitive device coupled to an input voltage to convert a zero crossing current pulse into zero crossing voltage signal.

In general, waveform zero-crossing detection circuits have been widely used in Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR), Triode for Alternating Current (TRIAC) control, Solid State Relay (SSR) control, DC/DC and AC/DC convertor control, DC and AC motor control and frequency and phase measurements, phase looked loops and numerous other application areas. In general, most zero crossing detection circuits contain a waveform sampling or current shutter or voltage divider circuit, and a bidirectional voltage comparison circuit compare with some zero car low voltage reference etc. These circuits generally require many electronic components including voltage comparator integrated circuits which are generally quite expensive. A simple, low-cost and accurate zero-crossing detector would have wide demanded for a multiple of different applications. Unfortunately, simple, low-cost acid accurate zero-crossing detectors are currently not available. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a low cost device, circuit and method that overcome the above problems.

Capacitive parametric zero crossing detector device, circuit and method


A relief valve assembly (27) for use with first (15) and second (21) conduits, one communicating high pressure. The assembly comprises a housing (29,33) defining first (45) and second (47) ports, and a poppet seat (49). A poppet member (43) and the housing define a spring chamber (55), and a spring (39) is disposed to bias the poppet member toward the seat. The poppet member defines a shuttle cavity (51), a shuttle passage (53) communicating from the cavity to the spring chamber, and the poppet defining a seat (57), and a fluid passage (61P) communicating with the first port, and a seat (59), and a second fluid passage (63) communicating with the second port. A shuttle valve assembly (71,73,75) is provided, whereby the fluid pressure in whichever of the ports is at lower pressure is communicated to the spring chamber and adds to the force of the biasing spring.

The present invention relates to cross-over relief valve assemblies, and more particularly, to such valve assemblies for use in "bi-directional" circuits, i.e., circuits in which either side of the circuit may comprise the high pressure side, and either side of the circuit may comprise the low pressure side.
As is now well known to those skilled in the art, the function of a cross-over relief valve assembly is to protect a hydraulic circuit, and the various hydraulic components which comprise the circuit, from excessive pressure spikes or pulses which may, periodically, be present on the high pressure side of the circuit. Such protection of the circuit is achieved by providing a cross-over relief valve assembly which is designed to relieve (drain) the excessive pressure from the high pressure side of the circuit to the low pressure side of the circuit, whenever the fluid pressure in the high pressure side of the circuit exceeds a predetermined, pressure relief setting.
Although the cross-over relief valve assembly of the present invention may be utilized advantageously in many different types of hydraulic circuits and with many different types of fluid pressure operated devices, the invention is especially advantageous when utilized in a closed-loop hydrostatic circuit, including a hydraulic motor, and the invention will be described in connection therewith. Furthermore, the cross-over relief valve assembly of the present invention is especially beneficial when utilized in a hydrostatic circuit in which each side of the hydrostatic loop may switch fairly frequently between high pressure and low pressure.
In certain, prior art, cross-over relief valve arrangements, there has been provided a relief poppet having approximately half of its area subjected to the fluid pressure in the "A" side of the loop, and the remainder of its area subjected to the "B" side of the loop. In such an arrangement, if either side of the loop ("A" or "B") exceeds the predetermined pressure relief setting, the poppet would open and relieve fluid to the other (low pressure) side of the loop. However, the above-described arrangement is based on the assumption that the low pressure side of the loop will always remain at substantially zero pressure (i.e., reservoir pressure). If the hydrostatic loop in which the above-described arrangement is being utilized is subjected to a back pressure (i.e., a pressure above atmospheric on the low pressure side of the loop), such an elevated "low pressure" will assist the system high pressure in biasing the relief poppet toward an open position, thus effectively reducing the pressure relief setting and causing the cross-over relief valve to open at a pressure less than the predetermined, maximum relief setting.
Also, it has been common in hydrostatic circuits utilizing a motor to provide a pair of fairly conventional cross-over relief valves, one being operable to communicate the "A" side of the loop to the "B" side, and the other being operable to communicate the "B" side of the loop to the "A" side. Although such a dual cross-over relief valve arrangement is functionally acceptable, the addition of one more expensive relief valve can make the overall hydrostatic circuit economically undesirable. The duplication of relief valve assemblies can also complicate the packaging of the circuit.

Cross-over relief valve assembly for use in bi-directional circuit


A cavitation resistant polyurethane composition includes a first solution comprising a urethane prepolymer and a second solution. The urethane prepolymer is synthesized by a polymerization of about 60 to about 70 weight percent of an isocynate compound and about 30 to about 40 weight percent of a polyol. An average functional group number of the isocyanate compound is at least 2. The second solution includes about 90 to about 95 weight percent of a polyol having an average functional group number of at least 4, about 1 to about 3 weight percent of a nano-carbon, about 1 to about 3 weight percent of a colorant, about 1 to about 3 weight percent of a moisture absorbent, about 1 to about 3 weight percent of an anti-wear agent, and about 1 to about 3 weight percent of a defoaming agent.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to cavitation resistant polyurethane compositions and methods of forming coating films using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Components of a vessel such as a propeller or a rudder may be vulnerable to an erosion due to a cavitation. The erosion due to the cavitation may be exacerbated as a size and a speed of the vessel become increased to result in a vessel noise, a deterioration of the rudder, a reduction of a fuel efficiency, etc.
Materials and structures of the propeller and the rudder have been researched in order to prevent the erosion due to the cavitation, however, the propeller and the rudder having a sufficient cavitation resistance have not been developed yet.
Recently, coating compositions having the cavitation resistance have been developed to be applied on the propeller and the rudder. However, the coating composition requires excessive cost and has a formulation of being applied manually with, e.g., a spatula or a large spoon. For example, it may cost more than 2 weeks to form a coating film that has a thickness of a few millimeters (mm) and an area of about 150 m2 using the coating composition.

Cavitation resistant polyurethane compositions and methods of forming coating films using the same


A lubricating oil comprises a major amount of a base oil and a minor amount of an additive package, wherein the additive package comprises one or more friction modifiers including a reaction product of a hydroxy acid represented by HOCH2CO2H and an amine represented by the formula II:

1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to additive compositions and lubricating oils containing amide alcohols. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to additive compositions and lubricating oil containing amide alcohols as friction modifiers for reducing one or both of thin film friction and boundary layer friction.
2. Description of the Related Technology
To ensure smooth operation of engines, engine oils play an important role in lubricating a variety of sliding parts in the engine, for example, piston rings/cylinder liners, bearings of crankshafts and connecting rods, valve mechanisms including cams and valve lifters, and the like. Engine oils may also play a role in cooling the inside of an engine and dispersing combustion products. Further possible functions of engine oils may include preventing or reducing rust and corrosion.
The principle consideration for engine oils is to prevent wear and seizure of parts in the engine. Lubricated engine parts are mostly in a state of fluid lubrication, but valve systems and top and bottom dead centers of pistons are likely to be in a state of boundary lubrication. The friction between these parts in the engine may cause significant energy losses to thereby reduce fuel efficiency. Many types of friction modifiers have been used in engine oils to decrease frictional energy losses.
Improved fuel efficiency may be achieved when friction between engine parts is reduced. Thin-film friction is the friction generated by a fluid, such as a lubricant, moving between two surfaces, when the distance between the two surfaces is very small. It is known that some additives normally present in engine oils form films of different thicknesses, which can have an effect on thin-film friction. Some additives, such as zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) are known to increase thin-film friction. Though such additives may be required for other reasons such as to protect engine parts, the increase in thin-film friction caused by such additives can be detrimental.
Reducing boundary layer friction in engines may also enhance fuel efficiency. The motion of contacting surfaces in an engine may be retarded by boundary layer friction. Non-nitrogen-containing, nitrogen-containing, and molybdenum-containing friction modifiers are sometimes used to reduce boundary layer friction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,481 discloses a monoamide-containing polyether alcohol compounds as additives in fuel compositions that has the formula:
where R1, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms, substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms and polyoxyalkylene alcohol of 2 to 200 carbon atoms or R2 and R3 taken together form a heterocyclic group of 2 to 100 carbon atoms or a substituted heterocyclic group of 2 to 100 carbon atoms with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 must be polyoxyalkylene alcohol. When one or more of R1, R2 or R3 are polyoxyalkylene alcohol, they are preferably independently selected from polyoxyalkylene alcohol of formula:
where x is from 1 to 50 and each R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl of 2 to 100 carbon atoms and substituted hydrocarbyl of 2 to 100 carbon atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,903 discloses a lubricant composition containing one or more amides represented by the formula:
where R is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic based hydrocarbyl radical of about 10 to about 30 carbon atoms; R′ is hydrogen, R or an alkyl group having about 1 to about 30 carbon atoms in a chain which can be straight or branched; R″ is a divalent hydrocarbyl radical including alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and n is an integer from 1 to 10. The lubricant composition may be used for products such as diesel engine oils, automatic transmission fluid, turbine oils, aircraft and jet engine oils, outboard motor and other 2-cycle engine oils, gas engine oils, etc. Other components including detergents, dispersants, corrosion and oxidation inhibitors, antifoam agents may also be added to the lubricant composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,848 discloses a lubricant composition that may be used as a crankcase lubricating oil for internal combustion engines. The lubricant composition comprises a borated compound represented by the formula:
wherein R is a divalent hydrocarbyl group, X is —NR′R″, wherein R′ is a hydrocarbyl group and R″ is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group, Y is —OH or X, m is 1 or 2, and n is an integer from 1 to 10 provided that only one free hydroxyl group is attached per carbon atom of the hydrocarbyl group R. The lubricant composition may further include additives such as detergents and dispersants of the ash-producing or ashless type, corrosion- and oxidation-inhibiting agents, pour point depressing agents, extreme pressure agents, antiwear agents, color stabilizers and anti-foam agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,073 discloses a process for preparation of an amide of the formula:
wherein R1 represent hydrogen or alkyl; R2 and R3 are identical or different and each represents hydrogen or alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, in each case optionally substituted, or a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic radical.
In recent years there has been a growing desire to employ lubricating oils to provide higher energy-efficiency, especially lubricating oils that reduce friction. The present disclosure provides improved lubricating oils that may reduce one or both of thin film friction and boundary layer friction.

Amide alcohol friction modifiers for lubricating oils

Abstract: wherein R is a linear or branched, saturated, unsaturated, or partially saturated hydrocarbyl having about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms; X is oxygen or —NH; and m is an integer from about 1 to about 4. The friction modifiers may include one or more compounds of the Formula I:

Abstract: wherein X is selected from oxygen, —NR1, and a glycolic amide moiety; and R and each R1 are independently selected from linear or branched, saturated, unsaturated, or partially saturated hydrocarbyl having about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms and one but not both of R and R1 can be hydrogen; and m is an integer from about 1 to about 4. Methods of improving thin film and/or boundary layer friction are also provided.


A fuel injection device of a diesel engine capable of smoothly starting the diesel engine to match an environment around the engine by saving fuel, reducing the exhaustion of carbon dioxide, and suppressing black smoke in starting the diesel engine. A rack is operated by an actuator from a lowest rack position to a starting increased fuel amount position at a lower speed than that at which the rack is operated by the actuator from the lowest rack position to the starting increased fuel amount position at the maximum operating speed. The operating speed of the rack is set in two stages, and the later operating speed of the rack is reduced less than the operating speed of the rack up to a set intermediate rack target value P2. Then, the operating amount of the rack per hour is reduced after the ignition of the engine is recognized. Also, the operating speed of the rack is controlled according to an atmospheric temperature in starting the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel injection device of a diesel engine and more particularly to a control system of a rack position by a governor.
2. Background Art
In starting the diesel engine, the amount of fuel injection is typically increased for the start ability by making a starting fuel amount position of the rack in the fuel injection pump shifted to an increased starting fuel amount position. Providing enough amount of fuel to the engine keeps the start ability without considering the environment of the engine.
FIG. 24 typically illustrates a conventional starting process of the engine. It is operated in the order, (a), (b), and (c) in FIG. 24. The left part of FIG. 24 illustrates a situation of the fuel injection pump. The center part of FIG. 24 illustrates a situation of a starter motor 32. The right part of FIG. 24 illustrates a relation between the rack position and the elapsed time.
As shown in FIG. 24, an electronic governor 41 controls the amount of fuel injection of the fuel injection pump 34; in this case, the amount is zero until the engine starts. When the starting switch is turned on, the rack is operated to a starting increased fuel amount position and the starter motor cranks up the engine. The electronic governor operates the rack to the position before the starter motor finishes cranking, and enough amount of fuel corresponding to the starting increased fuel amount position is supplied to cylinders of the engine 1.
Japanese patent application H5-321699 discloses, for example, that the electronic governor adjusts the amount of fuel injection according to the temperature of the engine oil.
However, the larger amount of fuel than the is sufficient is supplied to the engine when the starter motor cranks up the engine. Therefore, the fuel consumption becomes higher in starting the engine, and surplus fuel may cause black smoke.
In the art, enough amount of fuel for starting the engine is supplied at the beginning and the fuel supply tends to become higher, so that the fuel consumption for starting the engine becomes higher.


A non-welding device powered by a welding power supply is provided. One device, a power tool, includes a connector configured to be coupled to a trigger receptacle of a welding power supply and to receive power from the trigger receptacle. The power tool also includes control circuitry electrically coupled to the connector and configured to receive power from the welding power supply and to use the power to operate the power tool.

The invention relates generally to welding power supplies and, more particularly, to a non-welding device powered by a welding power supply.
Portable welding systems may be used for a variety of applications including field applications where it is not practical or convenient to send a work piece to a welding shop for repair or fabrication. As such, the portable welders may be taken to the weld site to perform welding operations. These welders find applications in the farming and ranching industry; off-road applications; food and beverage industry; restaurant and kitchen repair; petroleum and chemical fabrication; shipboard installation and repair; and many other maintenance and repair applications.
In addition to welding, an operator may desire to use a power tool, such as a grinder, when performing a welding operation using the portable welding system. Unfortunately, such a power tool often requires power that is unavailable at the welding location (e.g., the power tool may require 115 VAC). Therefore, the operator either cannot use the power tools or the operator has to find some way to bring 115 VAC to the welding location. Accordingly, there exists a need for power tools that can be powered by power from a portable welding system so the power tools can be operated, such as when the operator is welding in remote locations.

Non-welding device powered by a welding power supply


Systems, apparatuses, and methods for treating native heart valves are disclosed herein. A system for delivering a prosthetic device into a heart of a patient includes an elongated catheter body and a delivery capsule. The delivery capsule can be hydraulically driven to deploy at least a portion of a prosthetic heart valve device. The delivery capsule can release the prosthetic heart valve device at a desired treatment site in a patient.

During a normal cycle of heart contraction (systole), when the left ventricle contracts, the mitral valve acts as a check valve to prevent flow of oxygenated blood back into the left atrium. Oxygenated blood can be pumped into the aorta through the aortic valve. Regurgitation of the mitral valve can significantly decrease the pumping efficiency of the heart, placing the patient at risk of severe, progressive heart failure. Mitral valve regurgitation can be characterized by retrograde flow from the left ventricle of a heart through an incompetent mitral valve into the left atrium. Mitral valve regurgitation can result from a number of mechanical defects. For example, leaflets, chordae tendineae coupled to the leaflets, or the papillary muscles of the mitral valve may be damaged or otherwise dysfunctional. In at least some instances, the mitral valve's annulus supporting the leaflets may be damaged, dilated, or weakened, thereby limiting the ability of the mitral valve to close adequately against the high pressures of the left ventricle.
Mitral valve replacement is often performed to treat mitral valves. Unfortunately, mitral valve replacement poses unique anatomical obstacles, rendering mitral valve replacement procedures risky and more challenging than other types of valve replacements, such as aortic valve replacement. This is because the mitral valve annulus often has a non-circular D shape or kidney like shape, with a non-planar geometry. It may be difficult to properly position a prosthetic mitral valve within the native mitral valve. If the prosthetic mitral valve is at an improper orientation, blood may flow through gaps between the prosthetic mitral valve and the leaflets and/or annulus of the native mitral valve. Percutaneous catheters can be used to deliver prosthetic valves. Unfortunately, self-expanding prosthetic mitral valves can deploy in an uncontrolled manner due to axial jumping or self-ejection. The uncontrolled deployment of prosthetic mitral valves can result in improper positioning of the prosthetic mitral valve resulting in leakage, migration of the prosthetic mitral valve, and other unwanted problems.

Hydraulic delivery systems for prosthetic heart valve devices and associated methods


A vehicle seat hinge mechanism includes:                a base portion that is fixed to a vehicle body;        a movable portion that is fixed to a vehicle seat;        a rotating shaft that is passed through the movable portion and the base portion and is welded to one of the movable portion and the base portion;        a spiral spring that is passed through the rotating shaft and applies a rotational urging force to the movable portion; and        a heat affected member that is passed through the rotating shaft and arranged with the spiral spring,        wherein the rotating shaft is divided into a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, and        the first shaft portion includes an assembling portion that is capable of setting the heat affected member such that the heat affected member is passed from the one side.

In related art, there has been known a vehicle seat in which the entire seat is flipped forward in a state where a seat back thereof is reclined forward, so that a luggage compartment and getting-on-and-off space may be enlarged (JP-A-2005-186642). The flipping of the entire seat is performed by rotation of a pair of left and right seat hinge mechanisms, which hinge a front portion of a seat cushion to a floor, about a rotating shaft. The seat hinge mechanism is provided with a spiral spring which urges the entire seat in a direction of the flipping, and a rotary type oil damper which restrains a rotation speed of the flipping.
In the related art described above, viscous damping performance of an oil damper passing through the same rotating shaft may decrease due to welding heat generated when the rotating shaft of the hinge mechanism is welded to a frame. The present invention has been made to solve the above matters, and an object of the present invention is to enable a heat affected member to be appropriately assembled to a rotating shaft which is welded and connected to a seat hinge mechanism.


A variable fuel injection system for internal combustion engines is disclosed. In the injection system, a first control unit controls electromotive force for the solenoid coil of a fuel injector, thus controlling the amount of fuel to be injected from the nozzle of the injector into the combustion chamber of an engine. A second control unit controls the amount of actuating oil for the first control unit in accordance with an engine load, thus allowing the first control unit to control the electromotive force for the solenoid coil according to the engine load. The system controllably feeds fuel into the combustion chamber of an engine according to an engine load, thus conserving fuel with the amount of harmful exhaust gas being reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a fuel injection system used for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a variable fuel injection system capable of controllably feeding fuel into the combustion chamber by controlling electromotive force applied to a solenoid coil, thus effectively feeding an appropriate amount of fuel to the engine in accordance with an engine load.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 3 shows the construction of a typical variable fuel injector for internal combustion engines. As shown in the drawing, the injector is comprised of an injector body 11. An internal passage 12 is axially formed in the body 11 and is connected to a fuel pump, while an injection nozzle 13 is formed at the tip of the body 11. The nozzle 13 communicates with the internal passage 12, thus injecting fuel under pressure. A needle valve 14 is interiorly provided in the body 11 at a position around the nozzle 13 so as to selectively close the nozzle 13. A plunger 15 is integrated with the top end of the needle valve 14 and is movably received in the body 11. The plunger 15, with the needle valve 14, is selectively moved in the body 11 under the control of a solenoid coil 16, thus opening or closing the nozzle 13. The plunger 15 is normally biased by a return spring 17, thus being elastically returned to its original position when the solenoid coil 16 is turned off. At the original position, the plunger 15 allows the needle valve 14 to close the nozzle 13. Provided at the inlet end of the internal passage 12 of the injector body 11 is a filter 18 used for filtering fuel.
When the solenoid coil 16 is turned on, the coil 16 forms an electromagnet, thus retracting the plunger 15 in the body 11. Therefore, the needle valve 14 opens the nozzle 13.
When the nozzle 13 is opened as described above, pressurized fuel is injected from the injector body 11 into the combustion chamber of an engine through the nozzle 13.
On the other hand, when the solenoid coil 16 is turned off, a magnetic field is removed from the coil 16, thus removing any external force from the plunger 15. The plunger free from any external force is elastically returned to its original position due to the restoring force of the return spring 17, thus allowing the needle valve 14 to close the nozzle 13. In such a case, the injector does not inject the pressurized fuel into the combustion chamber.
Therefore, the amount of injected fuel of the above injector is determined by the length of time the solenoid coil is turned on, thus opening the nozzle. The typical injector fails to appropriately control the amount of injected fuel in accordance with an engine load, thereby overly consuming fuel and increasing the amount of the harmful exhaust gas of an engine.

Variable fuel injection system for internal combustion engines


A method of manufacturing a rack guide base body wherein a cavity (40) is formed which has a pair of semicylindrical convex surfaces (44a and 44b) and a pair of flat surfaces (45) each located between the semicylindrical convex surfaces (44a and 44b), and has a recessed surface (41) located on one axial end portion side inwardly of the semicylindrical convex surfaces (44a and 44b) and the flat surfaces (45) and a cylindrical surface (42) located on the other axial end portion side inwardly of the semicylindrical convex surfaces (44a and 44b) and the flat surfaces (45); a hollow portion (9c) is formed for allowing the cavity (40) to communicate with a hollow portion (10c) at one flat surface (45) and with a hollow portion (8c) at the other flat surface (45); a rack guide base body (50) is die cast by forcing molten metal of aluminum from the hollow portion (10c) into the cavity (40); and runners (56) integrally joined to flat surfaces (55) of the rack guide base body (50) formed by the respective flat surfaces (45) are cut off.

Patent document 1: JP-A-50-102027
Patent document 2: JP-UM-B-1-27495
Patent document 3: JP-UM-B-2-46452
A rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus is generally comprised of a housing, a pinion rotatably supported by this housing, a rack bar on which rack teeth meshing with this pinion are formed, a rack guide disposed in a housing to slidably support the rack bar, and a spring for pressing this rack guide toward the rack bar.
In such a rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus, an iron-based sintered metal or a synthetic resin is used for the rack guide for slidably supporting the rack bar. However, in the case of the rack guide formed of an iron-based sintered metal, although it has sufficient mechanical strength against an impact load from the rack bar, the efficiency of a steering system declines since the frictional resistance to sliding is large, so that a problem remains in controllability. Meanwhile, as for the rack guide formed of a simple substance of synthetic resin, although it is conversely capable of reducing the frictional resistance to sliding, the following problems are encountered among others: It is inferior in mechanical strength against an impact load. It undergoes variations in dimensions due to such as die shrinkage, and it is difficult to effect molding with high dimensional accuracy and maintain the dimensional accuracy after molding. Furthermore, after it is built into the housing, it is subjected to the effect of the temperature rise of the steering apparatus and undergoes thermal expansion and shrinkage, which causes thermal deformation and creep, making it difficult to slidingly support the rack bar smoothly.
In the rack guide formed of a simple substance of synthetic resin having these problems, techniques have been proposed in which a reinforcing material constituted by a core bar is insert molded or embedded in a main body made of a synthetic resin particularly for the purpose of improving the mechanical strength against an impact load (disclosed in JP-UM-B-59-8932 and JP-UM-A-58-139275). However, with these techniques as well, the problem of the dimensional accuracy attributable to the die shrinkage of the synthetic resin and problems such as the thermal expansion, shrinkage, thermal deformation, and creep (plastic flow) of the synthetic resin ascribable to the temperature rise of the steering apparatus still remain unresolved.
As rack guides which overcome the above-described problems, rack guides have been proposed in which a slider made of a synthetic resin having self-lubricating properties and abrasion resistance on its sliding surface side for slidingly supporting the rack bar, or a slider made of a multilayered material of a three-layered structure consisting of a steel sheet, a metal sintered layer deposited integrally on this steel sheet, and a synthetic resin layer impregnating and coated on this sintered layer, is combined with a rack guide base body formed of a metal such as a sintered metal or a synthetic resin containing a reinforcing filler (disclosed in JP-A-50-102027, JP-UM-B-1-27495 and JP-UM-B-2-46452).
In comparison with the rack guide mentioned before, the above-described rack guide formed by the combination of the slider and the rack guide base body has advantages in that the mechanical strength is enhanced, and that the frictional resistance to sliding is reduced.
In the rack guide formed by the combination of the slider and the rack guide base body having the above-described advantages, particularly in a case where aluminum or an aluminum alloy is used for the rack guide base body, a problem in its manufacture has been presented. Namely, in the case where the rack guide base body is fabricated from aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the die casting process is generally adopted. According to this die casting process, molten metal of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is passed through a runner channel from a gate and is forced into a cavity formed in the shape of the rack guide base body. At that time, however, the formation of runners at the junction between the runner channel and the cavity and the junction between the cavity and an overflow well is made inevitable. Then, as these runners are cut off, the rack guide base body is formed.
Incidentally, since the gap between the rack guide with a circular cross section and the cylindrical housing of the rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus in which the rack guide is disposed is set to be 1 to 20 μm, even after the aforementioned runners are cut off, the presence of projecting portions as cut remnants of the gate is made inevitable on the outer peripheral surface of the rack guide base body. Accordingly, with the rack guide base body on the outer peripheral surface of which the projecting portions remain, there is a problem in that unless the entire outer peripheral surface of the base body is subjected to machining, the rack guide cannot be disposed in the cylindrical housing. This constitutes a factor leading to higher cost due to the machining of the entire surface. The same holds true of a case where zinc or a zinc alloy is used as the molten metal.
In addition, a die and movable dies, which are inserted into the die to form a cavity corresponding to the shape of the rack guide base body in cooperation with the die, are used in die casting. However, in order to ensure that unnecessary gaps will not be produced between the die and the movable dies by causing the movable dies to be fitted closely in the die, it is inevitable to fabricate the die and the movable dies very accurately so as to be free of errors. However, the fabrication of the die and the movable dies with such high accuracy leads to higher cost, and even if it was possible to fabricate the die and the movable dies with high accuracy, there is a possibility that very small gaps remain at boundaries between the die and the movable dies.
The very small gaps between the die and the movable dies can cause the occurrence of projections in the rack guide base body, which is a casting, in consequence of the fact that molten metal is supplied thereto. If such projections are present on the rack guide base body, there is the problem that unless the rack guide base body is subjected to machining in the same way as the projections after the cutting of the aforementioned runners, the rack guide base body cannot be disposed in the cylindrical housing. This constitutes another factor leading to higher cost due to machining.

Method of manufacturing rack guide base body in rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus and rack guide


An etalon (10) is provided with a coating (12) so as to selectively pass spectral lines of interest. The etalon includes a substrate (14) having a first major surface and a second, opposite major surface. The etalon further includes a coating, preferably a rugate coating (12), formed upon at least one of the major surfaces. The rugate coating has a spatially varying index of refraction profile through a depth thereof. The profile is selected so as to provide the element with a prescribed dispersion characteristic that matches a dispersion characteristic of a source of the radiation signal.

The use of narrowband Fabry Perot etalons for spectral analysis is known in the art, as evidenced by those described by R. Russel Austin in "Solid Fabry-Perot Etalons as Narrow Band Filters" (Electro Optical System Design, 6, 32, July 1973, pp. 32-37), Adrian E. Roche and Alan M. Title in "Ultra Narrow Band Infrared Filter Radiometry", Second Joint Conference on Sensing Atmospheric Pollutants, -ISA-JSP 6656, Washington D.C., Dec. 10-12, 1973, pp. 21-24. Narrowband etalons are used in such applications as Fraunhofer Line Discriminators, as described in "The Fraunhofer Line Discriminator MK II" by James A. Plascyk and Fred C. Gabriel (IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. IM-24, No. 4, December, 1975, pp. 306-313), and in the Hydrogen Alpha Telescope launched by NASA.
Most prior art Fabry Perot etalons filter out only a single, narrowband line. However, since the etalon exhibits a periodic channel spectrum the periodicity of channel spectra can be matched to nearly periodic spectra over a narrow spectral region. When the source spectra is notably aperiodic, the etalon can be matched to only two lines. Furthermore, if the source lines are widely separated, degradations in the etalon finesse typically allow the etalon to be used for only one line. One common example concerns the Fraunhofer lines in the atmosphere. These lines are not only aperiodic, but are also widely spaced apart. Therefore, three separate etalons were required to be used in the Fraunhofer Line Discriminator referred to above.
As employed herein, the term "etalon" is intended to encompass an optical device or element having two partially reflecting surfaces that are parallel to each other to optical tolerances. The space between the two reflecting coatings can be air or an optical material, and can be thick or thin. The thicker the spacer, the higher the resolution of the etalon. FIG. 1a shows a "solid" etalon where the spacer is a thick optical material labeled substrate. When the spacer is solid and thin, the etalon assumes the form of an interference filter.
FIG. 1a illustrates a flat multi-line etalon 1 comprised of a spacer material, or substrate 2, and coatings 3 and 4. The transmission characteristics of the etalon I are designed to be nominally matched to atmospheric or laser spectral lines. FIG. 1b illustrates the periodic spectral lines passed by the etalon 1 (transmission peaks) and also illustrates typical aperiodic atmospheric spectral lines. The prior art etalon 1 does not exhibit dispersion (.phi.=0). That is, the prior art etalon does not generate phase shifts as a function of wavelength. As used here, dispersion in an etalon coating is defined as a variation of phase shift upon reflection with wavelength, frequency or period. As a result, the periodic etalon "walks off" of the aperiodic atmospheric spectral lines, which are affected by molecular dispersion. This results in a failure of the etalon 1 to pass the atmospheric lines of interest and a resulting failure to detect the presence of these lines.
Alternately, one can broaden the width of the filter lines to pass the molecular lines, but this degrades the effectiveness of the filter.
In greater detail, a high finesse etalon produces multiple transmission peaks whose locations are given by: EQU .phi.+.pi.=2.PSI.l; where
.PSI.=2kd=4 nd.pi.cos.theta.'/.lambda.=phase of etalon spacer;
l=integer;
n, d, .theta.'=etalon index of refraction, thickness, and internal angle, respectively;
.lambda.=wavelength of Nth peak; and
.phi.=the phase of the etalon coating.
The etalon "finesse" is a measure of etalon quality and may be expressed as a ratio of line spacing to line width. In other words, the etalon finesse is a function of etalon reflectivity so that as reflectivity increases, so does the finesse.
Once the etalon 1 spacer material 2 is chosen, the index of refraction and internal angle are determined. The wavelengths of the desired transmission peaks are assumed to be given a priority. The etalon 1 thickness is chosen so as to set the free spectral range and to locate one line, or transmission peak. However, if the lines are not periodic the etalon, having a non-dispersive coating, can be matched to only two lines.
It is thus one object of the invention to provide a dispersive coating to specify the transmission peak characteristics of a multiple transmission peak (multi-peak) etalon.
It is another object of the invention to provide improved coatings for multi-peak etalons, the coating providing a controlled and prescribed dispersion characteristic for an etalon, even when the peaks are far apart.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dispersive rugate coating fabricated so as to define the transmission peak characteristics of a multi-peak etalon.


The invention concerns a security element (10) for RF identification, and a security document which is provided with such a security element (10). The security element has a flexible film body (104) into which are integrated an electronic circuit which is designed for the storage of security-relevant items of information and an RF antenna which is connected to the electronic circuit and which serves for contact-less communication of the electronic circuit with a test device. Permanently fixed on a surface of the flexible film body (104) is a first optically variable element (102) which at least region-wise covers the region of the flexible film body in which the electronic circuit is arranged, wherein permanently fixed on the other opposite surface of the flexible film body is a second optically variable element.

The invention concerns a security element for RF identification and a security document, in particular a passport having such a security element.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,956 describes an RF identification circuit (RF=radio frequency) which has an array of antennae which are produced by means of an etching process from a copper laminate. The copper laminate is applied to a dielectric. As the dielectric does not afford any electrical functions, it can be of a very thin configuration whereby the mechanical to flexibility of the RF identification circuit is increased.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,222 describes an RF identification circuit which reflects an RF carrier sent by a base station back to the base station and in so doing modulates on to the reflected signal additional information in accordance with a pre-programmed information protocol. The RF identification circuit has a semiconductor circuit with a memory and one or more RF components of an RF circuit. The semiconductor circuit is mounted on a substrate. The RF signal received by the antenna is forwarded to the semiconductor circuit. The substrate is a flexible, non-conducting substrate. The antenna is an integral component part of the substrate. It comprises a track with is between 25 and 35μm thick and which is applied to a polyester or polyamide layer.
By virtue of that structure the RF identification circuit is of a very thin and mechanically flexible form.


An object of the present invention is to prepare DNA, RNA, and a protein from one cell and to provide a convenient preparation method with high reproducibility. To prepare a protein, DNA, and RNA from a cell, nuclear and cytoplasmic separation is performed, and a protein, DNA, and RNA are then extracted.

Collectively areas of research, such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, or areas of integrated research thereof have been referred to as "omics" or "omics research" in recent years.
The genomics targets genomic DNA. The genomic analysis discovers DNA polymorphisms or factors contributing to genetic disease and reveals the association of disease with such polymorphisms, mutations, or factors.
The transcriptomics targets transcribed RNA. The transcriptomic analysis reveals the correlation of gene expression levels with disease, biological phenomena, or the like.
Furthermore, the proteomics targets proteins. The proteomic analysis offers findings on the association of protein expression levels with disease, biological phenomena, or the like, based on the identification and quantification of particular proteins.
All of these pieces of biological information obtained by genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics (which is based on metabolites in plasma) are comprehensively analyzed to provide for efficient research. Furthermore, the obtained findings can be used very effectively in basic research or in disease diagnosis or treatment. Thus, a breakthrough in omics research is expected.
Moreover, it has been reported in recent years that the molecular profiles of peripheral blood cells reflect physiological and pathological transformation occurring in various tissues in the body. Along with this, diagnosis has been attempted by the analysis of proteins, metabolites, and gene expression in blood cells.
Meanwhile, for example, the isolation of DNA, RNA, and proteins from, for example, blood cells, involves initially recovering the blood cells and further requires subsequent complicated procedures. DNA targeted by genomic analysis is present in nuclear membranes; RNA targeted by transcriptomic analysis is present in cytoplasmic ribosomes; and proteins targeted by proteomic analysis are present in cell membranes, cytoplasms, nuclear membranes, and so on. Therefore, to prepare DNA, RNA, and proteins from cells, in general, these components are prepared through different routes under the present circumstances. Since the preparation of, for example, nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), targets only these nucleic acids, other components, particularly, proteins, are often denatured with a strong denaturant. Moreover, their respective preparations are complicated. A convenient and efficient extraction method has not been developed yet.
A conventional method for preparing nucleic acids will be described below. In the conventional preparation of nucleic acids, cells are first recovered and then lysed by physical treatment or treatment with a surfactant. Then, impurities are removed therefrom using an organic solvent such as water-saturated phenol or chloroform. In this method, in general, a nucleic acid fraction in the solution is subsequently precipitated with alcohol and further purified, if necessary, by column chromatography (Lectures on Biochemical Experiments 2 (Tokyo Kagaku Dojin), "Nucleic Acid Chemistry I" p. 74-80, p. 262-270, Gene Manipulation Manual (Kodansha Ltd.), p. 20-23, 1982).
In this method, proteins in the cell membranes are often denatured due to the surfactant treatment for lysing the cells. For example, cationic, anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants are used as the surfactant. On the other hand, proteins in the cytoplasms are also denatured by the phenol or chloroform treatment in the conventional method. This phenol or chloroform treatment requires the procedure of separating an organic solvent layer and a nucleic acid layer by centrifugation or the procedure of performing column chromatography. Moreover, phenol is toxic and causes chemical burn upon contact with the skin. Chloroform is anesthetically active. Therefore, this method also has the disadvantage that the handling or disposal method of these chemicals is an issue.
Furthermore, RNA preparation requires suppressing decomposition, because RNA is exceedingly easily decomposed by RNase. Therefore, a generally adopted method includes denaturing proteins using an RNase inhibitor or a chaotropic agent and then separating an RNA fraction based on adsorption to silica. In fact, many commercially available kits adopt this method. The chaotropic agent generates chaotropic ions (monovalent anions having a large ionic radius) when added to an aqueous solution and has the effect of increasing the water solubility of hydrophobic molecules. Specific examples thereof include alkali iodide, guanidine thiocyanate, alkali metal salts of perchloric acid, alkali metal salts of trifluoroacetic acid, alkali metal salts of trichloroacetic acid, and alkali metal salts of thiocyanic acid. These chaotropic agents in use do not require using organic solvents such as phenol and chloroform and therefore eliminate the problem associated with the handling of phenol or chloroform. However, even when the chaotropic agents are used, the fact remains that proteins are strongly denatured.
Next, DNA and RNA separation will be described. DNA is present in nuclear membranes, and RNA is present in cytoplasms. Thus, cells are treated under conditions that lyse cell membranes but do not lyse nuclear membranes to recover only the nuclei. As a result, DNA and RNA can be separated. As described above, ionic surfactants are used for lysing cell membranes. Of the ionic surfactants, particularly, anionic surfactants lyse nuclear membranes and nucleoproteins and as such, cannot be used in the DNA and RNA separation.
A method for lysing only cell membranes without lysing nuclear membranes is disclosed in New Lectures on Biochemical Experiments 2 (ed., by The Japanese Biochemical Society), Nucleic Acid I, Separation and Purification, p. 49. In this method, cells are treated with NP-40 or Triton X-100 at a final concentration of 0.3%. Furthermore, conditions for nuclear separation described therein involve a Triton X-100 concentration of 0.3% or 1%, an NP40 concentration of 0.1 to 0.5%, and a Tween 20 concentration of 1%.
However, as seen from results of similar experiments conducted by the present inventors, the obtained RNA sample may be contaminated with DNA, and the nuclear membranes are partially dissolved. Particularly, this tendency was apparent for a small number of cells. Therefore, it is difficult for the above method of New Lectures on Biochemical Experiments 2 to obtain a DNA or RNA sample uncontaminated with the other component.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-51042 discloses a method including directly subjecting cytoplasmic mRNA to RT-PCR, wherein only cell membranes are dissolved without dissolving nuclear membranes to separate cytoplasmic mRNA. Specifically, the disclosed method includes suspending cultured cells for approximately 5 minutes in a solution containing 0.1 to 0.5% NP-40 as a surfactant in 10 mM tris-HCl (pH 7.6) and then centrifuging (1200 g, 5 min) the suspension to recover a nuclear fraction as precipitates. However, this method is merely intended to reduce the amount of contaminating DNA for enhancing RT-PCR efficiency and does not completely separate DNA and RNA.
Disclosures of other nuclear separation methods can be referred to Patent Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-205676 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,742. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-205676 discloses a method including: adding a buffer solution containing 0.32 M saccharose, 5 mM magnesium chloride, 1% Triton X-100, and 0.2% sodium azide to the whole blood; then recovering nuclei by centrifugation at 12000 rpm for 20 seconds; further lysing nuclear membranes and nucleoproteins by treatment with a surfactant and a protease; and then separating DNA strands by contact with a chaotropic agent.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,742 discloses that a solution containing 1% Tween 20 in 10 mM ammonium bicarbonate (pH 9.0) is effective for nuclear separation.
As described above, the conventional methods hardly detected, identified, or quantified a nucleic acid and a protein from one sample. Moreover, all of these methods were complicated and did not prepare a nucleic acid or the like conveniently and efficiently from a cell.

Method for preparing protein, DNA, and RNA from cell


A pressure isolation device for a pipeline system is described. The pressure isolation device changes from an open position to a closed position when the pressure of a fluid flowing through the device exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure. In some embodiments, the pressure isolation device comprises a housing having an internal chamber, a main inlet, and a main outlet. An elongated member is disposed within the internal chamber between the main inlet and main outlet, and is biased towards the open position. As fluid pressure increases, the elongated member is pushed to the closed position and a portion of the elongated member blocks the fluid pathway from the main inlet to the main outlet. The pressure isolation device provides a simple mechanical solution to protecting and isolating downstream pipeline components from over-pressurization.

Pipelines for transporting oil, natural gas, water, and other important resources, are used globally and are an important part of commerce and infrastructure. Such pipeline systems generally rely on pumps and/or compressors to move fluid through the pipeline. If a blockage occurs downstream from a compressor, pressure will build-up in the pipeline and can lead to cracking, breakages, leaks, and environmental damage.
Several approaches to preventing pipeline pressure build-ups and breakages are known. One known solution is to include pressure safety valves ("PSV"). PSV's are configured to automatically open up at a predetermined pressure threshold, thus relieving (e.g., bleeding) pipeline pressure into the surrounding environment. PSV devices are considerably economical to manufacture and install, however, the cost of environmental damage and lost product (e.g., oil, water, natural gas, etc) is significant. Flares can be used to reduce damage to the environment.
Another approach to preventing pipeline overpressure is high integrity pressure protection systems ("HIPPS"). A typical HIPPS includes sensors for monitoring pipeline pressures and a control system for automatically shutting off the source of the overpressure (e.g., shutting off the compressor or closing a valve) when pipeline pressure passes a threshold value. HIPPS, however, have several drawbacks. First, the sensors and control system add significant costs to the pipeline. Second, sensors and control system components can degrade over time and are susceptible to weather damage.
Yet another approach to preventing pipeline breakage from pressure build-up is to use pipeline designs (e.g., diameters, thickness, joining processes, materials, etc.) that can handle the maximum pressure output of the compressor. However, this approach is economically impractical for long pipeline routes (e.g., oil transportation pipelines).
Examples of other devices and methods of preventing system overpressure can be found in GB2431485, U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,194, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,347, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,927, U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,127. Unfortunately, the devices and methods described in these references also suffer from similar drawbacks as the previously mentioned approaches.
These and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Thus, there is still a need for improved devices, systems, and methods for pressure isolation and/or overpressure prevention.

Pipeline pressure isolation systems and devices


A provided is a bandwidth calculating method for resource reservation. The method includes receiving a message having a CODEC type and a ptime value wherein the ptime denotes an interval of transmitting a packet, extracting the CODEC type and the ptime value from the received message, and calculating a required bandwidth using the extracted CODEC type and the extracted ptime value.

A typical International standard such as a 3GPP TS 29.213 has introduced a method of calculating a bandwidth (BW) as follows. Here, 3GPP TS stands for 3rd Generation Partnership Project Technical Specification.
At first, a bandwidth (BW) is calculated using an Application Specific Maximum (AS) value defined in a CODEC-data Attribute Value Pair (AVP) in a diameter AAR message. Herein, AAR stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Request.
Secondly, if the AS value is not defined in the CODEC-data AVP, the bandwidth (BW) is calculated using a default value specified by an operator.
Such a typical BW calculating method defined in 3GPP TS 29.213 has following problems.
First of all, the typical BW calculating method cannot be used for a terminal or a Media GateWay (MGW) that does not use an AS field. Since the AS field is not a mandatory condition in a Session Description Protocol (SDP), a terminal or a Media GateWay (MGW) may not use the AS field. In this case, the typical BW calculating method cannot be used to calculate a bandwidth (BW).
Secondly, if a bandwidth is calculated and allocated using a default value specified by an operator, the allocated bandwidth may become insufficient during communication or an excessive bandwidth may be unnecessarily allocated according to a CODEC type used for communication. Accordingly, it is difficult to effectively manage resources.
Thirdly, a bandwidth required for communication cannot be accurately and dynamically allocated.

Bandwidth calculating method and apparatus for resource reservation in mVoIP system


A system and method are provided for controlling bandwidth allocation in a wireless local area network (wLAN). The method comprises: expressing device bandwidth allocations in terms of a time base; in response to expressing the bandwidth allocation in terms of a time base, monitoring network communications; and, measuring the allocated bandwidths. The method may further comprise: establishing polling schedules in response to the time-based bandwidth allocation; and, de-energizing devices in response to the polling schedules. Expressing device bandwidth allocations in terms of a time base includes establishing: an inter-transmission opportunity (TXOP) interval; and, a TXOP jitter. These fields are supplied in the IEEE 802.11e transmit specification (TSPEC). Then, de-energizing devices in response to the polling schedule includes disengaging transmission and receiving functions in the minimum TXOP intervals between polling events, where the minimum TXOP interval is the inter-TXOP interval minus the TXOP jitter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to IEEE 802.11 communications and, more particularly to a system and method for establishing a time-based bandwidth allocation protocol that, in turn, permits bandwidth monitoring and battery-operated devices to implement power saving cycles between transmissions.
2. Description of the Related Art
As noted in "A Short Tutorial on Wireless LANs and IEEE 802.11 by Lough, Blankenship and Krizman (computer.org/students/looking/summer97/ieee802), the IEEE 802.11 standard places specifications on the parameters of both the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers of the network. The PHY layer, which actually handles the transmission of data between nodes, can use either direct sequence spread spectrum, frequency-hopping spread spectrum, or infrared (IR) pulse position nodulation. IEEE 802.11 makes provisions for data rates from 1 Mbps to 54 Mbps, and calls for operation in the 2.4-2.4835 GHz frequency band (in the case of spread-spectrum transmission), which is an unlicensed band for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) applications. IEEE 802.11 also makes provision for data rates from 6 Mbps to 54 Mbps, and calls for operation in the 5.2 and 5.8 U-NII (Unlicensed Information Infrastructure) band.
The MAC layer is a set of protocols that is responsible for maintaining order in the use of a shared medium. The 802.11 standard specifies a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol. In this protocol, when a node receives a packet to be transmitted, it first listens to ensure no other node is transmitting. If the channel is clear, it then transmits the packet. Otherwise, it chooses a random "backoff factor" which determines the amount of time the node must wait until it is allowed to transmit its packet. During periods in which the channel is clear, the transmitting node decrements its backoff counter. When the channel is busy it does not decrement its backoff counter. When the backoff counter reaches zero, the node transmits the packet. Since the probability that two nodes will choose the same backoff factor is small, collisions between packets are minimized. Collision detection, as is employed in Ethernet, cannot be used for the radio frequency transmissions of IEEE 802.11. The reason for this is that when a node is transmitting it cannot hear any other node in the system which may be transmitting, since its own signal will drown out any others arriving at the node.
Whenever a packet is to be transmitted, the transmitting node first sends out a short ready-to-send (RTS) packet containing information on the length of the packet. If the receiving node hears the RTS, it responds with a short clear-to-send (CTS) packet. After this exchange, the transmitting node sends its packet. When the packet is received successfully, as determined by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), the receiving node transmits an acknowledgment (ACK) packet. This back-and-forth exchange is necessary to avoid the "hidden node" problem. In the hidden-node situation node A can communicate with node B, and node B can communicate with node C, however, node A cannot communicate node C. Thus, for instance, although node A may sense the channel to be clear, node C may in fact be transmitting to node B. The protocol described above alerts node A that node B is busy, and hence it must wait before transmitting its packet.
Local area networks (LANs) typically use a Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) scheme, in order to support parameterized Quality of Service (QoS). To support packet transmission meeting requirements for throughput, latency and jitter, the system must be able to allocate time on the channel in such a way that coexistence with CSMA-based transmissions is not greatly affected. Moreover, packet error rates in such systems are typically large if the medium is wireless or power-line based, typically greater than 10%.
Several solutions have been proposed to solve the problem of packet transport meeting parameterized QoS objectives. However, these proposals have been found lacking in one or more aspects. The original drafts of 802.11e included an object called a TSPEC (for Transmission Specification), but no means were provided for specifying an upper bound on channel occupancy required for admission in a given stream. Nor was any means provided for objectively verifying that a request for the transport of packets meeting specific QoS objectives could be met.
In addition, this type of TSPEC is agnostic to the fact that the channel makes errors, and therefore, an over-reservation of bandwidth is generally required. Moreover, this type of TSPEC could not be used with power saving devices, since there was no guarantee of time when a sequence of packets wouldn't be delivered.
Time-based polling techniques have previously been considered. However, no time-based polling techniques have been suggested that guarantee a time when polling does not occur. Moreover, previous time-based polling techniques have failed to considered hybrid coordinator (HC) or access point (AP) negotiation; that the HC/AP must act as coordinator for allocation of time on the channel. Finally, no time-based polling techniques have considered a method for making bandwidth reservations.
It would be advantageous if a time-based polling method could be established between IEEE 802.11e network devices to measure allocated bandwidth.
It would be advantageous if a time-based bandwidth allocation protocol could be established between IEEE 802.11e devices so that battery powered portable units could be de-energized in predictable intervals between communications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for controlling wireless LAN bandwidth allocation


A shield structure that transmits a radio wave in a specific frequency band and that exhibits a high shield characteristic in other bands. An opening portion having a specific shape and a specific perimeter length is formed on a conductor. A filter having a specific shape and a specific size is connected to the opening portion.

The present invention relates to a technique for selectively transmitting a radio wave having a predetermined frequency.
In recent years, the radio communication interface has spread in personal computers. A portable information device such as a notebook computer is carried freely and connected to a LAN environment into which the portable information device has been carried, by radio to conduct work. Such a use form has become widespread. However, the radio communication interface is easily affected by external electromagnetic noise. In addition, there is a problem of radio interference between radio communication interfaces and emission of a radio wave to the outside. Therefore, radio interference from external electromagnetic noise and emission of a radio wave are prevented by using a shield plate for shielding the radio wave.
If the shield plate is installed, however, the space is bisected via the shield plate to a region where a radio wave can be used and a region where a radio wave cannot be used. For preventing specific radio communication from being shielded, it is necessary to receive a radio wave once by using a receiver, pulls out the received signal across the shield plate by using a cable, and transmit the received signal as a radio wave again by using a transmitter.
As a technique for conducting radio communication between regions bisected via the shield plate without providing a transceiver and a cable, there is a technique disclosed in JP-A-2002-50893. However, this technique has a problem that the frequency selectivity of the antenna is low and the emission of the radio wave is significant in a frequency band higher than the radiant frequency of the antenna. Furthermore, it is necessary to form an antenna on only one side of the shield plate but also on the other side of the shield plate. Therefore, the structure for mounting the antenna portion on the shield plate becomes complicated, and the thickness of the shield plate increases, resulting in a complicated manufacturing process.
On the other hand, spread of the radio communication interface represented by IEEE 802.11b and Bluetooth® has advanced, and electronic devices, such as personal computers, incorporating these radio communication interfaces are increasing. In electronic devices such as computers, EMI (electromagnetic interference) emitted from the inside of the device is regulated, and it is typical to provide a device chassis with a shield structure so as to prevent EMI from being emitted from the inside of the device. In the case where a radio communication interface is incorporated in the chassis of the electronic device, therefore, conventionally a transmission and reception antenna is mounted outside the device, or a notch is provided in a shield structure of a portion incorporating the antenna so as to hold down the EMI to such a degree as to pass the regulation.
In a structure in which the antenna is mounted outside the device, the antenna portion projects. This results in a problem that the antenna is broken by falling of the device or a shock caused by touch. In the case where a notch is provided in the shield structure, there is a problem that the notch cannot be made large to minimize the EMI and the directivity of the antenna becomes narrow, or a problem that the antenna gain cannot be made sufficiently large.

Frequency-selective shield structure and electric device having the structure


System and methods are disclosed for improving the off-normal axis viewing angle by applying different filters if one colored sub-pixel data is driven close to 100% luminance while other colored sub-pixel data is driven close to 50% luminance values. Systems and methods for adjusting the viewing characteristics of the display system are also disclosed.

In commonly owned United States Patent Applications: (1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/916,232 ("the '232 application"), entitled "ARRANGEMENT OF COLOR PIXELS FOR FULL COLOR IMAGING DEVICES WITH SIMPLIFIED ADDRESSING," filed Jul. 25, 2001, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,754; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/278,353 ("the '353 application"), entitled "IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH INCREASED MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION RESPONSE," filed Oct. 22, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0128225; (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/278,352 ("the '352 application"), entitled "IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH SPLIT BLUE SUB-PIXELS," filed Oct. 22, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0128179; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/243,094 ("the '094 application), entitled "IMPROVED FOUR COLOR ARRANGEMENTS AND EMITTERS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING," filed Sep. 13, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0051724; (5) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/278,328 ("the '328 application"), entitled "IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS WITH REDUCED BLUE LUMINANCE WELL VISIBILITY," filed Oct. 22, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0117423; (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/278,393 ("the '393 application"), entitled "COLOR DISPLAY HAVING HORIZONTAL SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS," filed Oct. 22, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0090581; and (7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/347,001 ("the '001 application") entitled "IMPROVED SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR STRIPED DISPLAYS AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING SAME," filed Jan. 16, 2003, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0080479, novel sub-pixel arrangements are therein disclosed for improving the cost/performance curves for image display devices and which are herein incorporated by reference.
These improvements are particularly pronounced when coupled with sub-pixel rendering (SPR) systems and methods further disclosed in those applications and in commonly owned United States Patent Applications: (1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/051,612 ("the '612 application"), entitled "CONVERSION OF RGB PIXEL FORMAT DATA TO PENTILE MATRIX SUB-PIXEL DATA FORMAT," filed Jan. 16, 2002, which was published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0034992, and is now issued as U.S Pat. No. 7,123,277; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/150,355 ("the '355 application"), entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH GAMMA ADJUSTMENT" filed May 17, 2002, and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0103058; and (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/215,843 ("the '843 application"), entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH ADAPTIVE FILTERING," filed Aug. 8, 2002 and published as United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0085906, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Sub-pixel rendering system and method for improved display viewing angles


A method and apparatus for detecting an image edge that detects an edge area from an input image is disclosed. The method of detecting the image edge includes removing noise of an input image, generating an intermediate image in which an edge area is accentuated based on the input image and the input image from which the noise is removed, determining a threshold value to be applied to the intermediate image through clustering the pixels of the intermediate image, and detecting an edge area from the intermediate image based on the threshold value.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for detecting an image edge that detects an edge of an input image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An edge in image processing technology may refer to an area in which radical changes to a brightness of an image occur, and the radical changes in the brightness of the image may generally indicate that an object has a major change. Extracting an image edge may enable a predetermined object to be identified from an image, or enable estimation of an expression, an action, and a pose of a person.
A general image edge detection algorithm may calculate a brightness difference between pixels adjacent to an object pixel, and when the brightness difference is calculated to be great, use a scheme for detecting an object pixel as an edge. However, a brightness distribution of a digital image may not represent a smooth brightness distribution due to a presence of noise, and noise present in an image may pose a hindrance to obtaining an image edge accurately. An edge in an image may be perceived by considering a environmental brightness distribution comprehensively.

Method and apparatus for detecting edge in image


Provided are antibodies, and fragments, derivatives, and nanoparticle conjugates thereof, particularly humanized derivatives thereof, which bind to tumor antigens. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that bind to tumor antigens, polypeptides and CARs encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells that include the nucleic acid molecules, methods of making the same, and methods for using the same to generate a persisting population of genetically engineered T cells in a subject, expanding a population of genetically engineered T cells in a subject, modulating the amount of cytokine secreted by a T cell, reducing the amount of activation-induced calcium influx into a T cell, providing an anti-tumor immunity to a subject, treating a mammal having a MUC1-associated disease or disorder, stimulating a T cell-mediated immune response to a target cell population or tissue in a subject, and imaging a MUC1-associated tumor.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth and fifth leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women, respectively, following lung, colon, and prostate cancers in men and lung, breast, colon, and ovarian cancers in women. Patients usually present with advanced disease, making treatment difficult. Surgery is the only curative therapy, yet local disease recurrence with or without spread to distant organs occurs in over 80% of patients. Attempts at better therapeutic modalities are necessary in order to improve outcome in this disease.
Frequently neoplastic transformation leads to alterations in the expression of various polypeptides in tumor cells. For example, certain mucins and mutated forms of K-ras oncogene polypeptides are overexpressed in 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (hereinafter referred to as "PDA"), and have been targets for therapeutic interventions. To date, however, vaccines that target these polypeptides have not been particularly successful clinically. Vaccines have failed to generate long-term immune memory, likely at least in part to tumors adapting in ways that lead them to escape immune recognition and killing. Several agents that can modulate immune tolerance have previously been tested, but with only modest clinical responses, perhaps due to an insufficient amount of the agents reaching the tumor site and/or because the agents themselves have been associated with unwanted side effects such as can result from their binding to normal cells.
Additionally, it is a major challenge in oncology to not only treat a patient's primary disease, but also to prevent the occurrence of metastases. It is currently believed that metastatic disease could result from the migration of tumorigenic cells, frequently referred to tumor stem cells or cancer stem cells, from the primary tumor site to other sites, where they can infiltrate the site and form new tumors (see e.g., Bonnet & Dick, 1997; Reya et al., 2001; Al-Hajj et al., 2003; Pardal et al., 2003; Dontu et al. 2004; Singh et al., 2004). As a result, it would be beneficial to be able to identify and eliminate these cells should they be present in a patient.
Thus, there is therefore a need for new compositions and methods for detecting, targeting, and treating tumors and cells derived therefrom.

Tumor specific antibody conjugates and uses therefor

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte


A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysocephalum plant named ‘Bonchryki’, characterized by its compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit; pubescent greyed green-colored leaves, stems and peduncles; freely flowering habit; bright yellow-colored inflorescences that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysocephalum plant, botanically known as Chrysocephalum apiculatum and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Bonchryki'.
The new Chrysocephalum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new mounding and spreading Chrysocephalum plants with freely and continuous flowering habit.
The new Chrysocephalum plant originated from an open-pollination in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, of a proprietary selection of Chrysocephalum apiculatum identified as code number 00-58, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Chrysocephalum apiculatum as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysocephalum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in March, 2007.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysocephalum plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since April, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysocephalum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A mounting bracket adapted for mounting downriggers to inflatable boats comprising an arcuate arm extending between the boat""s gunwale and transom board. A clamp is adapted for affixing the arcuate arm to a lip on the gunwale. A flange is adapted for affixing the arcuate arm to the transom board. The arm is rotatable about the clamp and adjustable in length for easy installation and to fit a variety of sizes of inflatable boats.

This invention relates to downriggers for boats and more particularly to brackets for mounting of downriggers to inflatable boats having at least a transom board.
Applicant is not aware of apparatus for supporting downriggers on inflatable boats. Large apparatus such as bridge structures are known for support on hard-hulled boats as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,507 to Stokes, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,469 to Murray, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,613 to Grable. Smaller clamp devices are known for mounting a downrigger to a sidewall such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,777 to Yoder.
The apparatus of the present invention is a downrigger mounting bracket which is specifically designed for imparting greater stability to a downrigger when used with inflatable boats typically used for deep sea fishing. A mounting bracket for the use of downriggers on inflatable boats comprises an arcuate arm extending between the boat""s gunwale and the usual transom board at the boat""s stem. An assembly or clamp at one end is adapted for affixing the arcuate arm to a lip on the gunwale. A flange at the other end is adapted for affixing the arcuate arm to the transom board. The arm is rotatable about the clamp and adjustable in length for easy installation and to fit a variety of sizes of inflatable boats. When manufactured of aluminum, the bracket is lightweight and rust free.
In one broad aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises an arcuate arm extending between a clamp end at the gunwale and a transom end at the stern, a clamp at the clamp end, the clamp being adapted for attaching to the upstanding lip; a downrigger mounting plate fitted to the clamp end; and a flange at the transom end and being adapted for attaching to the transom board so that the apparatus can be secured between the gunwales and the transom board.


An identification scheme which allows a prover to identify his own identity to a verifier more certainly and prevents already used authentication information from being re-used, a key exchange which uses a common secret key between two users in order not to allow an unauthorized to find it out, a digital signature scheme giving message recovery and digital signature scheme with appendix for producing a digital signature of a message recovery type or appendix type according to the size of a message to be signed, a multi-digital signature scheme for allowing multiple signers to generate digital signatures with respect to the same message and producing them in a message recovery type or appendix type according to the length of the message to be signed, and a blind digital signature scheme for producing a digital signature when a message to be signed should not be opened to the public as well as the signer and therefore a signer does not know the contents thereof.

The present invention relates to an identification scheme of a wide variety of applications based on security according to difficulty in solving discrete logarithm problems, single or multi-digital signature scheme giving message recovery, single or multi-digital signature scheme with appendix, key exchange, and blind digital signature scheme. Particularly, the present invention relates to an identification scheme which allows a prover to identify his own identity to a verifier more explicitly and prevents already used authentication information from being re-used, a key exchange scheme which uses a common secret key between two users in order not to allow an unauthorized to find it out, a digital signature scheme giving message recovery and digital signature scheme with appendix for producing a digital signature of a message recovery type or appendix type according to the size of a message to be signed, a multi-digital signature scheme for allowing multiple signers to generate digital signatures with respect to the same message and producing them in a message recovery type or appendix type according to the size of the message to be signed, and a blind digital signature scheme for producing a digital signature when a message to be signed should not be opened to the public and therefore a signer does not know the contents thereof.
During the development of science and semiconductor technology, computers have been widely spread and information exchange through computer networks has drastically increased. As a result, there is interest in protection of information such as identification of counterpart to exchange information with, the source of information exchanged, and its storage status, prior to exchange of information. As the current society has been entering the information society in which information would be recognized as goods, information to be transferred through public communication networks is becoming more important. Accordingly, damage is increasing due to illegal exposure or alteration of information.
Against these damages, there is increasing interest in protection of information circulated through communication lines such as public communication networks, and studies on protection of information are being briskly carried out.
For instance, there have been suggested identification schemes for allowing a communication counterpart or source of received data to be confirmed when information is exchanged through a variety of communication lines such as public communication networks, and digital signature schemes for enabling a signature of binary sequences coded by an originator on an electronic document in each of terminals prior to its communication processing, instead of hand-written signature on paper document. The digital signature schemes enable the source of transmitted document to be identified, as well as contents acknowledgement and whether the document is illegally altered or not.
In the identification schemes and digital signature schemes, assuming that p is a large prime number, q is another prime number for dividing p-1, g is a natural number having a remainder 1 obtained by dividing its q.sup.th power by p (.ident.g.sup.q mod p), g being between 1 and p, then g, q and p are system coefficients commonly utilized by users. If each user arbitrarily selects a numbers between 1 and q as a secret key and uses as a public key a remainder v (.ident.g.sup.-s mod p) obtained by dividing the -s.sup.th power of g by p, public coefficients used by the respective users are v, g, q and p.
It is hard to find out the secret key s from these public coefficients. Also, it is equivalent to the difficulty in calculating a solution of discrete logarithm. Numerous public key identification schemes and digital signature schemes are based on security from the fact that the discrete logarithms are difficult to calculate.
For such digital signature schemes, there may be classified into a digital signature scheme with appendix, a digital signature scheme giving message recovery, and a hybrid digital signature scheme using those methods in combination.
The digital signature scheme with appendix is a method in which a digital signature generated is attached to the end of a message to be signed. This signature is processed in pairs with the message signed. The digital signature scheme giving message recovery is to restore a message signed from a digital signature as a result of validity of the signature generated. A verifier confirms the contents of the restored message in order to verify the validity of the digital signature.
In the hybrid digital signature scheme using the appendix type and message recovery type in combination, a digital signature is generated for a message in the appendix type or message recovery type appropriately according to the length (binary bit streams) of the message signed or the purpose of the signature. For a short message, the hybrid digital signature scheme uses the message recovery method so that the data to verify the digital signature is reduced and in turn the amount of communication required is also reduced. For a long message, the appendix method is used while including information related to the message. As stated above, the hybrid digital signature scheme is characterized in adaptably generating a digital signature according to the length of a message signed.
Schnorr disclosed an identification scheme and digital signature scheme based on the security of discrete logarithm problem in 1989. The digital signature scheme suggested by Schnorr, which is a digital signature scheme with appendix, introduces a hash function to the digital signature scheme suggested by Elgamal in 1985, in order to simplify a procedure of generating and verifying digital signature. In addition, this scheme makes the generated digital signature smaller in size.
The identification scheme proposed by Schnorr uses the same algorithm structure as the digital signature scheme, and authenticates one's own identity to a communication counterpart. The identification scheme proposed by Schnorr in which a prover A authenticates his identity to a verifier B will be described now.
If the prover's system coefficients are g, q and p, the secret key is s (1<s<q), and the public key is v (.ident.g.sup.-S mod p), the prover A selects an arbitrary number r between 1 and q and transmits a remainder x (.ident.g.sup.r mod p) obtained by dividing the r.sup.th power of g by p to the verifier B. If x is received from the prover A, the verifier B selects an arbitrary number e between 1 and q and transmits the number e to the prover A. The prover A multiplies the secret key s by the arbitrary number e received from the verifier B and adds to this result the arbitrary number r used in the calculation of x. The prover A transmits a remainder y (.ident.r+se mod g) obtained by dividing r+se by q to the verifier B. If y is received from the prover A, the verifier B calculates a remainder x' (.ident.g.sup.Y v.sup.e mod p) obtained by dividing by p the product of the y.sup.th power of g by the e.sup.th power of v. The verifier B authenticates the validity of prover's identity by confirming whether x' and x are equal to each other.
In the digital signature scheme with appendix proposed by Schnorr, if a message to be signed is m, a signer A selects an arbitrary number r between 1 and q and calculates a. remainder x (.ident.g.sup.r mod p) obtained by dividing the r.sup.th power of g by p. The message m and the calculated x are applied to the hash function to yield e (=h(x,m)). The signer A calculates a remainder y (.ident.r+se mod q) obtained by dividing, by q, r added to the product of s by e. Then (e,y) is the digital signature with appendix for the message m. The validity of the digital signature (e,y) with appendix for the message m cane be easily verified and will be explained below.
That is, if the digital signature with appendix of the signer A for the message m is (e,y), the verifier B calculates a remainder x' (.ident.g.sup.Y v.sup.e mod p) obtained by dividing by p the product of the y.sup.th power of g by the e.sup.th power of v which is the public key of signer A. The remainder x' and the message m are applied to the hash function to yield e' (=h(x',m). The validity of the digital signature (e,y) with appendix of the signer A is verified by confirming whether e' and e are the same.
Meanwhile, Nyberg and Rueppel proposed a digital signature scheme giving message recovery based on security of discrete logarithm problem in 1993. This digital signature scheme giving message recovery produces a digital signature for a message, and in addition, if the same system coefficients are used by both communication parties, is able to produce a session key as their secret key by using the same algorithm as the digital signature. The digital signature scheme giving message recovery of N-R (Nyberg-Rueppel) will now be described.
It is assumed that the signer's system coefficients are g, q and p, the secret key is s (1<s<q), the public key is v (.ident.g.sup.-s mod p), and the message to be signed is m. The signer selects an arbitrary number r between 1 and q, and calculates a remainder x (.ident.mg.sup.-r mod p) obtained by dividing by p the product of the message m by the -r.sup.th power of g. The signer adds r to the secrete key s multiplied by x to yield r+sx and calculates a remainder y (.ident.r+sx mod q) obtained by dividing r+sx by q. Then (x,y) is the digital signature giving message recovery for the message m.
To verify the digital signature (x,y), the verifier calculates a remainder (.ident.xg.sup.Y v.sup.X mod p) obtained by dividing by p the product of x by the y.sup.th power of g and by the x.sup.th power of v, to recover the message m. The verifier verifies the validity of the digital signature (x,y) by confirming the contents of the recovered message m.
Now, the key exchange will be described in which a session key is produced between users using the same algorithm as N-R digital signature scheme.
It is assumed that users A and B commonly use system coefficients g, q, and p, the user A's secret key is s.sub.A, his public key is v.sub.A (.ident.g.sup.-s.sbsp.A mod p), the user B's secret key is s.sub.B, and his public key is v.sub.B (.ident.g.sup.-s.sbsp.B mod p). When a session key is intended to be produced between users A and B, user A selects arbitrary numbers R and r between 1 and q, and calculates x(.ident.g.sup.R g.sup.-r mod p) and y(.ident.r+s.sub.A mod q). The calculation results (x,y) are sent to user B. User A calculates session key K (.ident.(v.sub.B).sup.R .ident.(g.sup.-s.sbsp.B).sup.R mod p) obtained by dividing by p the R.sup.th power of user B's public key v.sub.B (.ident.g.sup.-s.sbsp.B mod p).
User B calculates g.sup.R (.ident.xg.sup.Y v.sub.A.sup.x mod p) from (x,y) received from user A, thereby restoring g.sup.R, and calculates remainder K(.ident.(g.sup.R).sup.-s.sbsp.B mod p) obtained by dividing by p the -s.sub.B .sup.th power of g.sup.R. Therefore, users A and B can generate session key K between each other through one time transmission/reception.
For another key exchange based upon security of discrete logarithm problem, there was suggested Diffe-Hellman key exchange method for generating a session key between two users. In this method, given that two users A and B use g, q and p as system coefficients, the users A and B select arbitrary numbers a and b between 1 and q, respectively, and calculate g.sup.a and g.sup.b. If they are exchanged, users A and B commonly have K(.ident.(g.sup.a).sup.b .ident.(g.sup.b).sup.a mod p).
In the conventional identification scheme, it is hard to obtain prover related information because identification is performed on basis of security of the identification scheme used, without prover's information such as identity, identification time, and user system, while the prover's identity is confirmed as proper. In the digital signature scheme message recovery, artificial redundancy is used to double the whole size of the signature and thus increase the load processed. In the appendix type, only the verification of signature is performed and obtaining signature related information is limited. In addition, the single signature scheme is hard to expand to the multi-signature schemes, the key exchanges or the blind digital signature scheme.

Identification scheme single or multi-digital signature scheme giving message recovery single or multi-digital signature scheme with appendix key exchange scheme and blind digital signature scheme


A device for reading from or writing to an optical recording medium is disclosed which has at least two information carrier layers spaced apart from one another, as well as a light source, an optical unit and a detection unit. The device permits a plurality of information carrier layers to be read from and/or written to simultaneously using light of a single wavelength. A partial beam generating element emits two polarized beams which differ in terms of polarization direction and propagation behaviour.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for reading from and/or writing to an optical recording medium which has at least two information carrier layers spaced apart from one another, according to the preamble of claim 1.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,813. What is disadvantageous in the case of this known device is that the optical recording medium is provided with layers sensitive to different wavelengths, which consequently makes it necessary to provide the recording device with a plurality of lasers of different wavelength. Depending on the wavelength, these lasers are relatively complicated and cost-intensive.

Focusing two polarized beams onto different information carrier layers of a single optical disc