A flywheel energy storage device has a central shaft, a flywheel having a flywheel rotor supported by and mounted for rotation around said shaft, and a motor/generator having a stator and a rotor. The rotor is formed integrally with the flywheel rotor. The stator has an outer cylinder that is cooled by a liquid flowing in contact with its cylindrical surface. Preferably, the stator has (i) a cylindrical hub having an outer surface and longitudinal channels formed therein, (ii) a cylinder surrounding said cylindrical hub thereby providing passages through the channels, and (iii) end caps sealing the passages and providing a distribution channel for distributing fluid to said passages, thereby providing fluid cooling passages for said stator. A radial vibration dampener can be positioned at one or both ends of the shaft. The dampener has a plurality of spring members positioned between two cylindrical surfaces, one end of each spring member being attached to each cylindrical surface.

Prior art flywheel energy storage systems have been designed primarily for stationary use, due to their bulk and their vulnerability to vibration.
Known mobile systems for storing electrical energy, such as batteries, have had high mass and limited capacity. However, for motor vehicle applications, where acceleration calls for substantial energy inputs, and recuperative braking can generate comparably large amounts of energy to be stored, it would be desirable to have a relatively low-mass, high-storage-capacity system adapted for mobile use. A suitably designed flywheel system could satisfy these needs.
Also, the telephone industry has long used lead acid batteries for back-up power to provide uninterruptible service. The typical telephone network sends signals over optical fiber from the central office to a remote terminal. Each remote terminal supports approximately 1000 homes. The cable companies use a similar configuration, where signals are sent from the "head end" (cable company office) to remote terminals servicing approximately 500 homes. In both cases the remote terminal uses power provided by the local utility to carry the signal from the terminal to the subscriber, since fiber optic cable cannot carry electricity. To support the terminal during a utility outage, the phone or cable companies install a back-up power supply, typically an uninterruptible power supply that uses batteries as a power source.
It is desirable to eliminate batteries from these networks because of their limited life, poor reliability, and high maintenance requirements. One replacement for batteries is the flywheel energy storage system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,452 describes an inertia wheel more particularly adapted to space applications. It includes the combination of a peripheral type of motor with permanent magnet on the rotor and ironless winding on the stator. This structure limits speed due to stress. The current of the winding is switched electronically by an amplitude modulation system, associated to a reactance coefficient varying circuit, and reversal of direction of rotation of which is achieved by permutation of the control circuits. There are also provided bearings formed by a passive radial magnetic centering device and a redundant active axial magnetic centering device slaved to an axial rate detector. This device requires a permanent magnet and four control coils just for axial control.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,752 describes a magnetic bearing having position stabilization of a supported body which includes damping and aligning arrangement. An application of the magnetic bearing is illustrated showing a magnetic bearing system for a flywheel. This system requires combining two control coils with two rotating permanent magnets for each bearing.
It can be appreciated that new and improved flywheel systems are desired, in particular, for mobile use and for back-up power supply systems to provide uninterruptible power supplies.


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that enable a user equipment (UE) in a distributed system to transmit measurement reports for layer 1 (L1) or layer 2 (L2) mobility on a per distributed unit (DU) basis such that each measurement report for L1/L2 mobility contains only measurements of cells that are supported by the same DU. The UE may generate and transmit a DU-specific measurement report to the DU (e.g., via L1/L2 signaling) that includes measurements of cells controlled by the DU. The UE may support various reporting configurations for measurement reporting including per cell, per group of activated cells, or per group of deactivated cells, in each case reporting to the corresponding DU. The UE may also perform joint reporting that includes the measurements of both activated and deactivated cell sets transmitted to the corresponding DU.

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include one or more base stations or one or more network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
In a distributed system, a base station may include a central unit (CU) that supports multiple distributed units (DUs), and each DU may support one or more cells for communications with a user equipment (UE). Traditional techniques rely on layer 3 (L3) signaling for UE mobility, which may be time consuming and introduce delays in beam management, and may also involve additional processing and signaling overhead, which may lead to inefficient mobility procedures for a UE.

Cell measurement and reporting for mobility in distributed wireless communications systems


An FCC reactor achieves greater utilization of the space within the reactor vessel by using a vented riser arrangement having an inlet opening at the bottom of a vented riser collector. The inlet opening at the bottom of the vented riser collector allows plug flow of the catalyst and hydrocarbon vapors through the upper and lower section of the reactor vessel without any substantial degradation and separation efficiency between the catalyst and the hydrocarbon vapors. This permits almost the entire tangent length of the reactor vessel to be used for the purpose of catalyst and hydrocarbon contact.

The fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons is the main stay process for the production of gasoline and light hydrocarbon products from heavy hydrocarbon charge stocks such as vacuum gas oils or residual feeds. Large hydrocarbon molecules, associated with the heavy hydrocarbon feed, are cracked to break the large hydrocarbon chains thereby producing lighter hydrocarbons. These lighter hydrocarbons are recovered as product and can be used directly or further processed to raise the octane barrel yield relative to the heavy hydrocarbon feed.
The basic equipment or apparatus for the fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons has been in existence since the early 1940's. The basic components of the FCC process include a reactor, a regenerator and a catalyst stripper. The reactor includes a contact zone where the hydrocarbon feed is contacted with a particulate catalyst and a separation zone where product vapors from the cracking reaction are separated from the catalyst. Further product separation takes place in a catalyst stripper that receives catalyst from the separation zone and removes entrained hydrocarbons from the catalyst by counter-current contact with steam or another stripping medium. The FCC process is carried out by contacting the starting material whether it be vacuum gas oil, reduced crude, or another source of relatively high boiling hydrocarbons with a catalyst made up of a finely divided or particulate solid material. The catalyst is transported like a fluid by passing gas or vapor through it at sufficient velocity to produce a desired regime of fluid transport. Contact of the oil with the fluidized material catalyzes the cracking reaction. During the cracking reaction, coke will be deposited on the catalyst. Coke is comprised of hydrogen and carbon and can include other materials in trace quantities such as sulfur and metals that enter the process with the starting material. Coke interferes with the catalytic activity of the catalyst by blocking active sites on the catalyst surface where the cracking reactions take place. Catalyst is traditionally transferred from the stripper to a regenerator for purposes of removing the coke by oxidation with an oxygen-containing gas. An inventory of catalyst having a reduced coke content, relative to the catalyst in the stripper, hereinafter referred to as regenerated catalyst, is collected for return to the reaction zone. Oxidizing the coke from the catalyst surface releases a large amount of heat, a portion of which escapes the regenerator with gaseous products of coke oxidation generally referred to as flue gas. The balance of the heat leaves the regenerator with the regenerated catalyst. The fluidized catalyst is continuously circulated from the reaction zone to the regeneration zone and then again to the reaction zone. The fluidized catalyst, as well as providing a catalytic function, acts as a vehicle for the transfer of heat from zone to zone. Catalyst exiting the reaction zone is spoken of as being spent, i.e., partially deactivated by the deposition of coke upon the catalyst. Specific details of the various contact zones, regeneration zones, and stripping zones along with arrangements for conveying the catalyst between the various zones are well known to those skilled in the art.
The rate of conversion of the feedstock within the reaction zone is controlled by regulation of the temperature of the catalyst, activity of the catalyst, quantity of the catalyst (i.e., catalyst to oil ratio) and contact time between the catalyst and feedstock. The most common method of regulating the reaction temperature is by regulating the rate of circulation of catalyst from the regeneration zone to the reaction zone which simultaneously produces a variation in the catalyst to oil ratio as the reaction temperatures change. That is, if it is desired to increase the conversion rate, an increase in the rate of flow of circulating fluid catalyst from the regenerator to the reactor is effected.
The hydrocarbon product of the FCC reaction is recovered in vapor form and transferred to product recovery facilities. These facilities normally comprise a main column for cooling the hydrocarbon vapor from the reactor and recovering a series of heavy cracked products which usually include bottom materials, cycle oil, and heavy gasoline. Lighter materials from the main column enter a concentration section for further separation into additional product streams.
One improvement to FCC units, that has reduced the product loss by thermal cracking, is the use of riser cracking. In riser cracking, regenerated catalyst and starting materials enter a pipe reactor and are transported upward by the expansion of the gases that result from the vaporization of the hydrocarbons, and other fluidizing mediums if present, upon contact with the hot catalyst. Riser cracking provides good initial catalyst and oil contact and also allows the time of contact between the catalyst and oil to be more closely controlled by eliminating turbulence and backmixing that can vary the catalyst residence time. An average riser cracking zone today will have a catalyst to oil contact time of 1 to 5 seconds. A number of riser designs use a lift gas as a further means of providing a uniform catalyst flow. Lift gas is used to accelerate catalyst in a first section of the riser before introduction of the feed and thereby reduce the turbulence which can vary the contact time between the catalyst and hydrocarbons.
Riser cracking whether with or without the use of lift gas has provided substantial benefits to the operation of the FCC unit. These can be summarized as a short contact time in the reactor riser to control the degree of cracking that takes place in the riser and improved mixing to give a more homogeneous mixture of catalyst and feed. A more complete distribution of feed in the catalyst reduces variations in the contact time between the catalyst and feed over the cross-section of the riser which would otherwise cause some portions of the feed to contact the catalyst for a longer time than other portions of the feed. Both the short contact time and a more uniform average contact time for all of the feed with the catalyst has allowed overcracking to be controlled or eliminated in the reactor riser.
Unfortunately, much of what can be accomplished in the reactor riser in terms of uniformity of feed contact and controlled contact time can be lost when the catalyst is separated from the hydrocarbon vapors. As the catalyst and hydrocarbons are discharged from the riser, they must be separated. In early riser cracking operations, the output from the riser was discharged into a large vessel. This vessel serves as a disengaging chamber and is still referred to as a reactor vessel, although most of the reaction takes place in the reactor riser. The reactor vessel has a large volume. Vapors that enter the reactor vessel are well mixed in the large volume and therefore have a wide residence time distribution that results in relatively long residence times for a significant portion of the product fraction. Product fractions that encounter extended residence times can undergo additional catalytic and thermal cracking to less desirable lower molecular weight products.
One apparatus that has been known to promote quick separation between the catalyst and the vapors in the reactor vessels is known as a ballistic separation device which is also referred to as a vented riser. The structure of the vented riser, in its basic form, consists of a straight portion of conduit at the end of the riser and an upwardly directed annular opening in the form of a manifold or collection cup that surrounds the open end of the riser. Inlets to one or more cyclones withdraw product vapors from the collector cup. The apparatus functions by shooting the high momentum catalyst particles past the open end of the riser where the vapor collection takes place. A quick separation between the catalyst and the vapors occurs due to the relatively low density of the vapor which have little momentum and can quickly change direction to turn and enter the manifold or collection cup while the heavier catalyst particles continue along a straight trajectory from the riser outlet. The vented riser has the advantage of eliminating any dead area in the top of the reactor vessel where coke can form while providing a quick separation between the catalyst and the vapors. However, the vented riser operates with a large open volume in the reactor vessel. This volume remains substantially unused for beneficial catalyst vapor contacting and exposes a small amount of the product vapor to detrimental overcracking. Thus, the vented riser provides good catalyst separation efficiency for a large percentage of the riser vapors by promoting a quick disengagement of catalyst particles from the riser gases, but fails to utilize the large volume of the reactor vessel and promotes overcracking of any vapors retained therein.


Methods, systems, and apparatuses can provide a pooling architecture for video servers and network resources. The pooling architecture can be based upon allocating content object copies to two or more nodes, intelligently selecting a primary streaming resource and a failover streaming resource, and identifying and compensating for exception asymmetries in system resource demand.

The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) was established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily Internet traffic, over existing community antenna television (CATV) networks. In addition to transporting data traffic, as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators (MSO) also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand (VoD) and video conferencing traffic signals, among other types. The transport of data traffic has facilitated many so-called "over the top" video solutions whereby video travels to the user via the user's DOCSIS data connection. Further, the popularity and low cost of packet driven networks has driven many service operators (e.g., MSOs) to explore internet protocol driven television, known as IPTV.
Many of these solutions generally implicate a video on demand type architecture whereby content is stored in the cloud and is accessible by the user upon request. However, providing such content from the cloud can provide many challenges, including architecture, storage, network use, etc.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Load sharing among loosely coupled or independent video servers


The present invention provides compositions useful for transfecting eukaryotic cells comprising nucleic acid complexes with peptides, wherein the peptide is optionally covalently coupled to a nucleic acid-binding group, and cationic lipids or dendrimers as transfection agents. The invention also provides transfection compositions in which a peptide is covalently linked to the transfection agent (lipid, cationic lipid or dendrimer). Inclusion of peptides or modified-peptides in transfection compositions or covalent attachment of peptides to transfection agents results in enhanced transfection efficiency. Methods for the preparation of transfection compositions and methods of using these transfection compositions as intracellular delivery agents and extracellular targeting agents are also disclosed.

Lipid aggregates such as liposomes can function to facilitate introduction of macromolecules, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins, into living cells. Lipid aggregates comprising cationic lipid components can be effective for delivery and introduction of large anionic molecules, such as nucleic acids, into certain types of cells. See Felgner, P. L. and Ringold, G. M. (1989) Nature 337:387-388 and Felgner, P. L. et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:7413. Since the membranes of most cells have a net negative charge, anionic molecules, particularly those of high molecular weight, are not readily taken up by cells. Cationic lipids aggregate to and bind polyanions, such as nucleic acids, tending to neutralize the negative charge. The effectiveness of cationic lipids in transfection of nucleic acids into cells is thought to result from an enhanced affinity of cationic lipid-nucleic acid aggregates for cells, as well as the function of the lipophilic components in membrane fusion.
Dendrimers are a new type of synthetic polymer with regular, dendric branching with radial symmetry composed of an initiator core, interior layers (or generations) of repeating units, radially attached to the core and an exterior surface of terminal functional groups. See: D. A. Tomalia and H. D. Durst (1993) in E. Weber (ed.) Topics in Current Chemistry, Vol. 165: Supramolecular Chemistry I-Directed Synthesis and Molecular Recognition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 193-313. The size, shape and surface charge density of the dendrimer is controlled by choice of core, repeating unit, number of generations and terminal functional group. See: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,527,524; 5,338,532; 4,694,064; 4,568,737; 4,507,466; and PCT patent applications; WO8801179; WO8801178; WO9524221; and WO9502397. "STARBURST" (Trademark, Dendritech, Inc.) or dense star polyamidoamine dendrimers have been reported to mediate efficient transfection of DNA into mammalian cells (J. F. Kukowska-Latolla et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:4897-4902 and A. Bielinska et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24(11):2176-2182). "SUPERFECT" (Trademark, Qiagen, Inc.) or activated dendrimers have been reported to mediate efficient transfection of DNA into mammalian cells (J. Haensler and R. Szoka (1993) Bioconjugate Chem. 4:372-379 and M. X. Tang et al., (1996) Bioconjugate Chem. 7P703-714). PCT patent application WO9524221 relates to bioactive or targeted dendrimer conjugates. PCT patent applications WO9319768 and WO9502397 relate to polynucleotide delivery systems comprising dendrimers.
Transfection agents, including cationic lipids and dendrimers, are not universally effective for transfection of all cell types. Effectiveness of transfection of different cells depends on the particular transfection agent composition and the type of lipid aggregate or dendrimer-complex formed. In general, polycationic lipids are more efficient than monocationic lipids in transfecting eukaryotic cells. Behr, J-P. et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86:6982-6986, Hawley-Nelson, P., et al. (1993) FOCUS 15:73 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,761 (Gebeyehu et al.). Behr et al. and EPO published application 304 111 (1990), for example, describe improved transfection using carboxyspermine-containing cationic lipids including 5-carboxyspermylglycine dioctadecyl-amide (DOGS) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine 5-carboxyspermylamide (DPPES). The polycationic liposomal transfection reagents 1,3 dioleoyloxy-2-(6-carboxyspermyl)-propyl-amid (DOSPER, Boehringer-Mannheim) and "MULTIFECTOR" (Trademark, VennNova, Inc.) are other examples. For transfection, the optimal charge ratio of DNA/dendrimer was found to be between 1:5 and 1:50 and G5 (generation 5)-G10 (generation 10) dendrimers were reported capable of mediating transfection. Transfection efficiency of a given dendrimer varied with cell type, as has been observed with cationic lipid-mediated transfection (J. F. Kukowska-Latolla et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:4897-4902).
Many biological materials are taken up by cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis. See: Pastan and Willingham (1981) Science 214:504-509. This mechanism involves binding of a ligand to a cell-surface receptor, clustering of ligand-bound receptors, and formation of coated pits followed by internalization of the ligands into endosomes. Both enveloped viruses, like influenza virus and alphaviruses, and non-enveloped viruses, like Adenovirus, infect cells via endocytotic mechanisms. See: Pastan, I. et al. (1986) in Virus Attachment and Entrv into Cells, (Crowell, R. L. and Lonberg-Holm, K., eds.) Am. Soc. Microbiology, Washington, p. 141-146; Kielian, M. and Helenius, A. (1986) "Entry of Alphaviruses" in The Togaviridae and Flaviviridae, (Schlesinger, S. and Schlesinger, M. J., eds.) Plenum Press, New York p. 91-119; FitzGerald, D. J. P. et al. (1983) Cell 32:607-617. Enhancement of dendrimer-mediated transfection of some cells by chloroquine (a lysosomotropic agent) suggests that endocytosis is involved in at least some dendrimer-mediated transfections.
Despite their relative effectiveness, however, successful transfection of eukaryotic cell cultures using polycationic lipid reagents often requires high dosages of nucleic acid (approximately 105 DNA molecules per cell). The introduction of foreign DNA sequences into eukaryotic cells mediated by viral infection is generally orders of magnitude more efficient than transfection with cationic lipid or dendrimer transfection agents. Viral infection of all the cells in a culture requires fewer than 10 virus particles per cell. Although the detailed mechanism of fusion is not fully understood and varies among viruses, viral fusion typically involves specific fusagenic agents, such as viral proteins, viral spike glycoproteins and peptides of viral spike glycoproteins. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) fusion, for example, is thought to involve interaction between the VSV glycoprotein (G protein) and membrane lipids (Schlegel, R. et al. (1983) Cell 32:639-646). The VSV G protein reportedly binds preferentially to saturable receptors such as acidic phospholipid phosphatidylserine (Schlegel, R. and M. Wade (1985) J. Virol. 53(1):319-323). Fusion of influenza virus involves hemagglutinin HA-2 N-terminal fusagenic peptides. See Kamata, H. et al. (1994) Nucl. Acids Res. 22(3):536-537.
Cell binding and internalization can also be enhanced, accelerated or made selective with peptides that bind cell receptors. For example, the penton-base protein of the Adenovirus coat contains the peptide motif RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) which mediates virus binding to integrins and viral internalization via receptor-mediated endocytosis (Wickham, T. J. et al. (1995) Gene Therapy 2:750-756).
The efficiency of cationic lipid transfections has recently been shown to be enhanced by the addition of whole virus particles to the transfection mixture. See Yoshimura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:2300. Certain viral components may also enhance the efficiency of cationic lipid-mediated transfection. See: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/090,290, filed Jul. 12, 1993; and Ser. No. 08/274,397, filed Jul. 12, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,475; incorporated by reference in their entirety herein. The use of peptides from viral proteins to enhance lipid-mediated transfections was also recently suggested by Kamata et al. (1994) Nucl. Acids Res. 22:536. Kamata et al. suggest that "LIPOFECTIN"-mediated transfections may be enhanced 3-4-fold by adding influenza virus hemagglutinin peptides to the transfection mixture. Despite these positive early indications, results vary as to the effectiveness of including fusagenic or nuclear localization peptides in lipidic transfection compositions. Remy et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:1744 report that "[a]ddition of lipids bearing a fusagenic or a nuclear localization peptide head group to the (polycationic lipid-DNA complex) particles does not significantly improve an already efficient system."

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A monitoring process for a NUMA system collects data from multiple monitored threads executing in different nodes of the system. The monitoring process executes on different processors in different nodes. The monitoring process intelligently collects data from monitored threads according to the node it which it is executing to reduce the proportion of inter-node data accesses. Preferably, the monitoring process has the capability to specify a node to which it should be dispatched next to the dispatcher, and traverses the nodes while collecting data from threads associated with the node in which the monitor is currently executing. By intelligently associating the data collection with the node of the monitoring process, the frequency of inter-node data accesses for purposes of collecting data by the monitoring process is reduced, increasing execution efficiency.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, there began a phenomenon known as the information revolution. While the information revolution is a historical development broader in scope than any one event or machine, no single device has come to represent the information revolution more than the digital electronic computer. The development of computer systems has surely been a revolution. Each year, computer systems grow faster, store more data, and provide more applications to their users.
A modern computer system typically comprises one or more central processing units (CPU) and supporting hardware necessary to store, retrieve and transfer information, such as communication buses and memory. It also includes hardware necessary to communicate with the outside world, such as input/output controllers or storage controllers, and devices attached thereto such as keyboards, monitors, tape drives, disk drives, communication lines coupled to a network, etc. The CPU or CPUs are the heart of the system. They execute the instructions which comprise a computer program and directs the operation of the other system components.
From the standpoint of the computer's hardware, most systems operate in fundamentally the same manner. Processors are capable of performing a limited set of very simple operations, such as arithmetic, logical comparisons, and movement of data from one location to another. But each operation is performed very quickly. Sophisticated software at multiple levels directs a computer to perform massive numbers of these simple operations, enabling the computer to perform complex tasks. What is perceived by the user as a new or improved capability of a computer system is made possible by performing essentially the same set of very simple operations, but doing it much faster, and thereby enabling the use of software having enhanced function. Therefore continuing improvements to computer systems require that these systems be made ever faster.
The overall speed of a computer system (also called the throughput) may be crudely measured as the number of operations performed per unit of time. Conceptually, the simplest of all possible improvements to system speed is to increase the clock speeds of the various components, and particularly the clock speed of the processor(s). E.g., if everything runs twice as fast but otherwise works in exactly the same manner, the system will perform a given task in half the time. Enormous improvements in clock speed have been made possible by reduction in component size and integrated circuitry, to the point where an entire processor, and in some cases multiple processors along with auxiliary structures such as cache memories, can be implemented on a single integrated circuit chip. Despite these improvements in speed, the demand for ever faster computer systems has continued, a demand which can not be met solely by further reduction in component size and consequent increases in clock speed. Attention has therefore been directed to other approaches for further improvements in throughput of the computer system.
Without changing the clock speed, it is possible to improve system throughput by using multiple processors. The modest cost of individual processors packaged on integrated circuit chips has made this approach practical. However, one does not simply double a system's throughput by going from one processor to two. The introduction of multiple processors to a system creates numerous architectural problems. For example, the multiple processors will typically share the same main memory (although each processor may have its own cache). It is therefore necessary to devise mechanisms that avoid memory access conflicts, and assure that extra copies of data in caches are tracked in a coherent fashion. Furthermore, each processor puts additional demands on the other components of the system such as storage, I/O, memory, and particularly, the communications buses that connect various components. As more processors are introduced, these architectural issues become increasingly complex, scalability becomes more difficult, and there is greater likelihood that processors will spend significant time waiting for some resource being used by another processor.
All of these issues and more are known by system designers, and have been addressed in one form or another. While perfect solutions are not available, improvements in this field continue to be made.
One architectural approach that has gained some favor in recent years is the design of computer systems having discrete nodes of processors and associated local portions of addressable main memory, also known as distributed shared memory computer systems or non-uniform memory access (NUMA) computer systems. In a conventional symmetrical multi-processor (SMP) system, addressable main memory is designed as a single large data storage entity, which is equally accessible to all CPUs in the system. As the number of CPUs increases, there are greater bottlenecks in the buses and accessing mechanisms to such main memory. A NUMA system confronts this problem by dividing addressable main memory into subsets of discrete address ranges, each of which is physically associated with a respective CPU, or more typically, a respective group of CPUs. A subset of memory and associated CPUs and associated local hardware is sometimes called a "node". A node typically has an internal memory bus providing direct access from a CPU to the memory subset ("local memory") within the node. Indirect mechanisms, which are slower, exist to access portions of main memory located across node boundaries. Thus, while any CPU can still access any arbitrary addressable memory location, a CPU can access addresses in its own node faster than it can access addresses outside its node (hence, the term "non-uniform memory access"). By limiting the number of devices on the internal memory bus of a node, bus arbitration mechanisms and bus traffic can be held to manageable levels even in a system having a large number of CPUs, since most of these CPUs will be in different nodes. From a hardware standpoint, this means that a NUMA system architecture has the potential advantage of increased scalability.
A NUMA system provides inter-node access so that it has a single logical main memory, each location having a unique address. But inter-node access is relatively slow and burdensome of certain system resources. In order for a NUMA system to work efficiently, the data required by a task executing on a CPU should generally be stored in the local memory of the same node as the CPU.
It is impractical to guarantee that this will always be the case, but NUMA systems generally have mechanisms which make it likely that data required by a CPU will be stored in the local memory. For example, dispatching mechanisms which always or preferentially dispatch tasks to consistent nodes for execution, and paging mechanisms which always or preferentially load memory pages from storage to the local node which caused the page fault, will tend achieve this result. It can therefore be assumed that in a typical NUMA system environment, most of the data required by a thread executing on a processor will be available in the local node of the processor.
Many complex computer systems use some form of monitoring software for monitoring the performance of the system. Monitoring may take the form of executing one or more monitoring thread which collects data, while the computer system executes other threads on behalf of user applications to perform useful work; this collected data is sometimes analyzed in real time, i.e., during the collection, but often analyzed subsequently. Some monitoring threads may be used to monitor individual threads executing on behalf of user applications ("monitored threads"). Such monitoring threads may need to access state data of the monitored threads to collect the necessary data.
If a monitoring thread needs to collect state data from multiple monitored threads in a NUMA system, the monitored threads may be executing on different processors in different nodes (or be in wait states, having recently executed on different processors in different nodes). In this case, it is likely that the state data needed for data collection by the monitoring thread will reside in different local memories of different nodes. It is therefore likely that the monitoring thread will perform a substantial number of inter-node data accesses to collect the required data. A substantially even or random distribution of monitored threads, which may be common in the case of some monitoring threads, makes monitoring data collection very inefficient in a typical NUMA system.
As programs grow in size and complexity, and NUMA systems also become larger, the task of collecting and analyzing performance data increases in difficulty. A need exists for improved techniques for collecting data from monitored programs, and in particular from programs being executed on computer systems employing a NUMA design.

Method and apparatus for monitoring processes in a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


In a radio communication system formed by a plurality of radio base stations having respective service areas and a mobile radio terminal configured to transmit a data transmission request through one radio base station and receive requested data through at least one radio base stations, a radio control station is provided to predict a moving route of the mobile radio terminal according to a terminal location information obtained from the mobile radio terminal upon receiving the data transmission request from the mobile radio terminal through the one radio base station, select those radio base stations which have service areas containing at least a part of the predicted moving route, and deliver requested data to the selected radio base stations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radio communication system and method for providing broadband packet communications with respect to subscribers moving by automobiles, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conjunction with explosive spread of the Internet, it has become feasible to make accesses to images or applications such as execution files through the Internet not only from indoor environments such as home or office but also from outdoor environments such as street or inside a moving automobile. In particular, a service for downloading files containing music, video, advertisement information, etc., through the Internet is expected to be the major way for utilizing the Internet in the outdoor environments.
In the case of utilizing the Internet from the outdoor environment, a subscriber will access the Internet by utilizing a mobile communication system such as that of mobile phone or cellular phone. However, the current transmission bandwidth (about several tens Kbit/sec.) of the mobile communication system is hardly sufficient for comfortably receiving the service through the Internet.
There are also discussions of a next generation radio access system such as IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications 2000) and MMAC (Multimedia Mobile Access Communication). However, in the IMT-2000, it is possible to realize the communication speed of 2 Mbit/sec. while at rest, but the maximum speed that can be provided during a fast moving by an automobile is only 144 Kbit/sec. Also, the MMAC system can provide the transmission speed of 10 Mbit/sec. per user, but it can only handle a moving speed at a level of the walking speed so that it is impossible to receive services during a fast moving by an automobile.
In addition to such a shortage of the transmission bandwidth at the radio access section, the handover for switching an access target radio base station for a moving subscriber can also be a source of degradation for the performance of the internet access utilizing the mobile communication system. Namely, when the handover occurs, it is necessary to carry out a procedure for detecting a new access target radio base station, a procedure for establishing connection with this new access target radio base station, a procedure for terminating connection with the previous access target radio base station, as well as a management of the subscriber's move for the purpose of continuing the data transmission to the subscriber.
In the case where the subscriber wishes to receive the downloading service through the Internet, a data server that is the downloading source cannot recognize the radio base station to which the downloading data destined to that subscriber should be sent, until the connection with the new access target radio base station is established. Namely, only after the handover is finished, the data server can recognize the new access target radio base station and restart the transmission of the downloading data to the subscriber through that radio base station if the transmission has not been completed yet. At this point, the time available for the data transmission using the radio base station will become shorter as much as the time required for the handover control becomes longer, and this can cause the lowering of the data transmission speed.
As described above, considering the fact that the standard communication speed in the current mobile communication system and the next generation radio access system currently under the discussions is 10 Mbit/sec. in the wired LAN, the communication speed under the fast moving environment is hardly sufficient for comfortably receiving services through the Internet. Also, the handover control to be executed in conjunction with the occurrence of the handover can be a cause for the lowering of the data transmission speed.

Method and system for radio communications using mobile terminal moving route prediction


A method for laying a pipeline on the bed of a body of water comprises assembling a pipeline on a laying vessel; launching the pipeline from the laying vessel; identifying a zone of the bed of the body of water that causes stresses greater than a threshold value determined for the pipeline; progressively laying the pipeline on the bed of the body of water by advancing the laying vessel; and making, through controlled plastic deformation, at least one curved section along the pipeline with a curvature concordant with the curvature assumed by the pipeline in proximity to said zone, when the pipeline is at least partly laid on the bed of the body of water and partly suspended with respect to the bed of the body of water in proximity to said zone.

Hydrocarbon transport pipelines are laid on the bed of a body of water by laying vessels, each of which is configured to assemble the pipeline on board the laying vessel and launch the pipeline as the pipeline is assembled. The laying vessel therefore includes assembly equipment and a launch ramp for the so-called S-laying, or a launch tower for the so-called J-laying. The letters "S" and "J" identify the type of laying in relation to the shape taken by the pipeline between the laying vessel and the bed of the body of water. The so-called S-laying is particularly suitable for laying pipelines with relatively high productivity in relatively medium shallow water, whereas the so-called J-laying is suitable for laying the pipeline in relatively deep water.
Generally, the pipeline is relatively flexible enough to adapt to the profile of the bed of the body of water. However, there are situations in which the profile of the bed of the body of water has abrupt changes in slope and the diameter of the pipeline is relatively large, resulting in a reduced flexibility of the pipeline. The combination of the above factors brings about configurations in which the pipeline is partly suspended with respect to the bed of the body of water and the bending moment stresses in the pipeline exceed threshold values, and for this reason can cause uncontrolled deformation of the pipeline.
Several solutions are known for mitigating the problem described above.
A first solution consists in modifying the profile of the bed of the body of water, before or after laying the pipeline, by earthmoving operations that are all the more relatively complex the greater the depth of the bed of the body of water.
A second solution involves the use of supports that modify the resting configuration of the pipeline on the seabed, or of components such as buoys and flexible joints which modify the configuration of the pipeline along the section exhibiting the change in slope (e.g., see PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO2011008704, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,721).
A third solution involves the use of articulated joints that can be inserted in the launching sequence (dummy pipelaying), hinged together and at the two ends of the pipeline. These ends are hydraulically closed with Y-shaped flanged branches which split the pipeline into two directions with structural and hydraulic continuity (e.g., see PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO2017013541 in the name of the applicant).
A fourth solution consists in a non-continuous launching method comprising the laying of prefabricated pipeline sections that reproduce the profile of the body of water. These pipeline sections are prefabricated, transported floating and sunk in a controlled manner as described in PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2016/046,805 in the name of the applicant.
A further solution consists in carrying out a controlled, permanent plastic deformation of the pipeline in situ. In the context of launching underwater pipelines, EP Patent No. 963,798 in the name of the applicant describes a machine which can be clamped to the pipeline and is movable along the pipeline. The machine comprises a U-shaped frame which can be selectively clamped to the pipeline at a desired position, wheels for positioning the machine precisely along the pipeline, and a central rotation fulcrum comprising two anvils hinged to the frame.
A still further solution consists in affixing a bending restrictor assembly to a pipeline and applying external forces the pipeline or to the bending restrictor assembly for bending the pipeline.
All the available solutions have advantages and disadvantages and the use of one solution in place of another depends on a plurality of conditions that can make one solution technically sound and cost-effective compared to the others.
Making a curved section in situ through controlled plastic deformation has considerable advantages in certain operating conditions, however, it has some limitations due to the possible occurrence of uncontrolled deformations, such as for example the breaking, collapse, or buckling, before making the curved section through the controlled plastic deformation of the pipeline.

Method and system for laying a pipeline on the bed of a body of water


A method for moving a capillary so as to connect wire to a first bonding point and then to a second bonding point in manufacturing, for instance, semiconductor devices, including the steps of moving the capillary in a opposite direction from the second bonding point after moving the capillary away from the first bonding point, and then moving the capillary slightly towards the first bonding point so as to form a firm kink in the wire, and after which the capillary is further moved away from the first bonding point delivering the wire, and then the capillary is moved towards the second bonding point to connect the wire to the second bonding point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire bonding method in which a first bonding point and a second bonding point are connected by a bonding wire in a semiconductor device manufacturing process and more specifically to a wire loop formation method employed in such a wire bonding method.
2. Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 4(a) and 4(b), in a semiconductor device, a pad 2a (first bonding point) on a semiconductor chip 2 mounted on a lead frame 1 and a lead 1a (second bonding point) on the lead frame 1 are connected by a bonding wire (called merely "wire") 3. The loop shape of the wire 3 in this case may be a trapezoidal loop shape as shown in FIG. 4(a) or a triangular loop shape as shown in FIG. 4(b).
Wire loop formation methods of this type are described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. 5-60657 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 4-318943.
The trapezoidal loop shown in FIG. 4(a) is formed by the process shown in FIG. 5.
In step (a) in FIG. 5, a capillary 4 is lowered with a clamper (not shown) which holds, in its closed state, a bonding wire 3, so that a ball formed on the tip end of the wire is bonded to a first bonding point A. After this, the capillary 4 is raised to point B, delivering the wire 3.
Next, as seen in step (b), the capillary is moved horizontally in the opposite direction from the second bonding point G to point C. Generally, a loop formation operation in which the capillary 4 is moved in the direction opposite from the second bonding point G is referred to as a "reverse operation". Because of this reserve operation, the wire 3 assumes a shape that extends from point A to point C; and as a result, a kink 3a is formed in a portion of the wire 3. The wire 3 delivered out of the capillary 4 in the process from point A to point C forms the neck height portion 31 of the loop shown in FIG. 4(a).
Next, as shown in step (c) in FIG. 5, the capillary 4 is raised to point D, delivering the wire 3.
Afterward, as shown in step (d), the capillary 4 is again moved horizontally to point E in the opposite direction from the second bonding point G, i.e., another (or second) reverse operation is performed. As a result, the wire 3 assumes a shape inclined from point C to point E, and a kink b is formed in a portion of the wire 3 by the lower end portion of the capillary 4. The wire 3 delivered out of the capillary 4 during the process from point C to point E forms the trapezoidal length portion 32 shown in FIG. 4(a).
In addition, as shown in step (e), the capillary 4 is raised to point F delivering an amount of wire 3 equal to the inclined portion 33 shown in FIG. 4(a). Afterward, the clamper (again, not shown) is closed. Once the clamper is closed, the wire 3 is not delivered out even if the capillary 4 subsequently is moved.
Furthermore, as shown in steps (f) and (g), the capillary 4 performs a circular-arc motion (or a circular-arc motion followed by a straightly lowering motion) so that the capillary 4 is positioned at the second bonding point G, and the wire 3 is bonded to the second bonding point G, thus connecting the first and second bonding points A and G.
On the other hand, the triangular loop shown in FIG. 4(b) is formed by the process shown in FIG. 6.
In this triangular loop formation, the trapezoidal length portion 32 described in the above loop formation is not formed. Accordingly, the second reverse operation in step (d) in FIG. 5 is not performed. Thus, the steps (c), (d) and (e) in FIG. 5 are replaced by the single process as shown in step (c) of FIG. 6. In particular, the steps (a) and (b) are the same as the steps shown in FIG. 5, respectively; and after the first reverse operation in step (b) of FIG. 6, the capillary 4 is raised to point F delivering the wire 3 in step (c). Afterward, the capillary 4 performs the operations steps (d) and 6(e) in the same manner as the operations done in the steps (f) and (g) shown in FIG. 5, so that the wire 3 is bonded to the second bonding point G.
As seen from the above, the triangular loop formation shown in FIG. 6 is simpler than the trapezoidal loop formation shown in FIG. 5 and is therefore advantageous in that the loop formation is performed in a shorter time. However, in cases where the step height between the first bonding point A and the second bonding point G is large (for instance, about 100-350 .mu.m), or in cases where the first bonding point A and the edge portion of the semiconductor chip 2 are separated by a conspicuously large distance (for instance, about 500 .mu.m), the wire 3 tends to come into contact with the edge portion of the semiconductor chip 2 when the triangular wire loop shape as shown in FIG. 4(b) is formed. In such cases, the trapezoidal wire loop formation is employed to form the wire as shown in FIG. 4(a) so as to avoid the contact between the wire 3 and semiconductor chip 2.
In the trapezoidal loop formation shown in FIG. 5, whether or not the kink b can be formed in the wire 3 by the capillary 4 using the reverse operation depends upon the wire length (height) from the first bonding point A to the kink b. As the height increases, formation of the kink b tends to become more difficult. The first reverse operation shown in step (b) of FIG. 5 is performed with the capillary 4 positioned at a height near the height of the first bonding point A; accordingly, a relatively strong kink 3a can easily be formed.
However, the second reverse operation in step (d) in FIG. 5 is performed with the capillary 4 at a high position which is far from the first bonding point A; accordingly, the kink 3b is difficult to form, and its angle is unstable from kink to kink. As a result, since the portion of the wire near the kink 3b shown in FIG. 4(a) is unstable and has a weak shape-retaining strength, the portion of the wire near the kink 3b may rise upward to a point higher than the portion of the wire near the kink 3a. If the shape-retaining strength of the portion of the wire near the kink 3b is weaker than the portion of the wire near the kink 3a, then the wire bends when a pressure is applied thereon. For example, wire bending may easily occur by external forces such as shocks or vibration of the wire 3 because the capillary contacts the second bonding point G or because the ultrasonic oscillation is applied during bonding of the second bonding point G. Such a wire bending may be further caused by a mold flow due to the injection of molding material during molding, etc.
Accordingly, so as to avoid these problems, the shape-retaining strength of the kink 3b is reinforced in conventional methods by increasing the amount of reverse movement of the capillary in the step (d) shown in FIG. 5. In this case, however, since the capillary 4 needs to be moved a further distance, bonding takes longer because of the corresponding longer moving amount; and in addition, since the neck portion of the wire is bent further, separate problems, such as a neck damage, likely to occur.


A system and method for sending a notification to a user in a social network is disclosed. A controller receives a first photo from a first user. The first user is associated with a social network. A identification module determines a first location of the first photo. The identification module determines a second location of a second user. The second user has a connection with the first user in the social network. The identification module determines that the first location matches the second location. A notification module sends a first notification to the second user. The first notification identifies the first photo. The controller receives a second photo taken at the second location. A determining engine determines to share the second photo with the first user.

The specification relates to sending a notification to a user in a social network.
Technology makes the sharing of information easy and fast. For example, people can share pictures taken by their families or friends that are posted on a social network. However, social network users can easily miss or forget about all the photos in the social network.

Real-time notifications and sharing of photos among users of a social network


A method and circuit for suppressing periodic noise interference in a broadcast signal received by a receiver, in which, during reception of the broadcast signal a dip occurs in the amplitude of the received broadcast signal each time noise interference is present, each dip having a slope, by the steps of: determining the values of the amplitude of the received signal; setting a basic received signal threshold value which is less than the value of the received signal at a time when no noise interference is present; during each occurrence of noise interference, increasing the threshold value by an amount proportional to the slope of the corresponding dip in the amplitude of the received signal; and acting on the received signal to suppress noise interference during a time when the amplitude of the received signal is below the increased threshold value produced by the increasing step.

Reception difficulties occurring in an FM receiver, in particular a non-stationary receiver such as a car radio, are caused by a multitude of interference signals, for example co-channel or adjacent channel reception and noise, as well as multi-path and foreign interference, the latter caused, for example, by computers or industrial installations. As long as the amplitudes of the interference frequency or frequencies remain below a certain threshold, they are additionally suppressed by means of the usual technology (limiting amplifier and limiting demodulator). However, when they reach amplitudes comparable to the amplitudes of the useful signal, strong amplitude fluctuations, caused by signal heterodyning (known as beat) and simultaneously extreme phase modulation occur. This is in principle also applicable for PM (phase modulation) receivers. However, it will be described here by reference, by way of example, to an FM receiver.
Thus, there have been various attempts to detect the presence of an interference component in the total signal received by appropriate circuit technology or suitable methods and, since it is impossible to eliminate the interference signal because of the non-linear characteristics in the circuit, to correct the outgoing signal, at least during the time periods of maximum interference, and in this way to eliminate at least approximately the interference signal during these critical time periods as much as possible, at least to the extent that the auditory impression is noticeably improved.
An "interference suppression system" of this type, and its base in the state of the art, are described, for example, in German Published, Non-Examined Patent Application DE-OS 39 16 789. In this interference suppression system, an interference component is filtered out of an FM demodulating signal with the aid of an interference suppression device and, after further processing, a level control signal is generated with the aid of a control signal generator which causes interruption of the transmission of the FM demodulation signal or the FM detector signal to the subsequent stage. In this connection, the threshold or the preset level at which this control signal generator reacts can be automatically pre-determined by means of the received interference level which is contained in the FM demodulating signal. When the control signal generator is operated with the aid of a level maintenance circuit, a multiplex signal is therefore maintained at the actual value prior to the level control signal of the control signal generator during a certain length of time (correction phase), because of which a step-like characteristic is generated in the course of the multiplex signal due to the blanking of the interference. The known device recognizes the presence of interference with the FM demodulating signal with the aid of a high-pass filter, i.e. in the frequency spectrum which occurs. It is possible by means of this to exactly define the presence, but not the start and duration, of a phase interference event. Therefore, interference blanking of this type usually employs fixed blanking times which, as a rule, also because of characteristics of circuit technology, for example of the high-pass filter, last considerably longer than a large portion of the interference signals, such as are generated, for example, by ignition interference.
For this reason German Published, Non-Examined Patent Application DE-OS 39 16 789 does not address the length of the level control signal of the control signal generator, but only provides a "certain period of time" during which the level control signal is maintained.
The rigid fixing or the presetting of the blanking time (i.e. the correction phase) made necessary by the circuit technology necessarily involves a compromise with respect to the normally or preponderantly occurring interferences and their length. If the correction phase is too long, a portion of the usable signal is "given away", if it is too short, the interference blanking is partial, and a portion of the interference appears in the signal on the output side without having been affected. The detection of interference on the frequency side, i.e. before demodulation, by means of the high-pass filter necessarily depends largely on the frequency spectrum of the listener. Here, too, it requires adherence to compromises regarding the value or the frequency spectrum of the interference signals in question.
This leads in the end to a blanking of some interference events, while others are not blanked and still others result in unnecessarily prolonged correction phases. In turn, this can lead to interference repetition frequencies (unblanked and partially blanked interference signals), the frequency values of which are located in a lower frequency range than the original interference repetition frequency and therefore are very unpleasant for the listener. Thus the solution proposed in German Published, Non-Examined Patent Application DE-OS 39 16 789 is limited in its reaction to the multiplicity of very different interference signals to only the adaptation of the interference signal level. An "individual" addressing of the actually occurring interference signal in respect to the beginning and ending of the blanking or the correction phase is not possible. It thus leads only to a partially satisfying operation when this method or the circuit characteristics proposed there are used.
Differing from the method described above, it is also basically known in connection with the identification of interference signals within a received total signal to evaluate the amplitude range which occurs simultaneously with an interference phase modulation (interference phase characteristic is the first derivative d.phi./dt of the interference phase, which in the end appears as interference at the output of an FM demodulator). For example, German Published, Examined Patent Application DE-AS 21 42 172 discloses a blocking circuit in which the previously discussed problems of interference are resolved in that the low-frequency channel of the receiver is blocked by means of a "dead zone detector circuit" for the duration of amplitude dips if the incoming signal falls below a preset dip level, i.e. a preset threshold value. All that is disclosed therein regarding the value of this threshold is that it should take hold at a time when the signal field strength falls so far that "the usable signal sinks below the noise level". The size of the threshold value in this case can be set from the outside by affecting a related control signal, but then remains constant.
This known, species-defining method has the disadvantage that here, too, the selection of the threshold value of the dip level can only be based on an unsatisfactory compromise. Based on the nature of the occurring interferences, extremely rapid phase shifts and thus clearly audible distortions will be produced particularly by those interference signals which only lead to extremely amplitude dips in the total signal that are extremely small and while the amplitude of a received signal threshold value, remain above the set threshold value and consequently do not result in a correction, such as the blocking of the low frequency channel. They are in particular amplitude dips which are "small" in value but very steep and which can pass unharmed through the above mentioned "dead zone detector circuit" and therefore strongly impair the effectiveness of this blocking circuit.
In connection with a further method, disclosed in German Published, Non-Examined Patent Application DE-OS 34 46 529, the interfered received signal is also blocked out for the duration of the recognized interference. For this purpose the interference signal is generated from the received signal and is compared with a threshold value. Thus the beginning and end of an interference event are defined by the threshold value being exceeded in either direction. In this case an automatic adaptation of this threshold value to the frequency of interference in the received signal is provided in the sense that with increasing frequency of the interference, the threshold value is increased and in this way the circuit becomes increasingly less sensitive to the interference in order to assure at least adequate, even though qualitatively unsatisfactory, reception.
The last mentioned method in particular makes it clear that in connection with the problem of interferences and the distortions caused by them because of phase changes, it is at best possible to achieve a statistical improvement of the quality of the output signal by only introducing a constant or automatically adapting a threshold value for defining the correction phase.
In respect to individual interference, the correction phase defined in each of the known methods has been found to be insufficient, because its duration is only inadequately adapted to the duration of the individual interference event and therefore improvements of the quality of the output signal are only achievable with considerable restrictions.

Method and device for minimizing interference, in particular in connection with FM reception


A thermal barrier protected nickel based or cobalt based superalloy component for use in a gas turbine engine includes a thermal barrier coating system having a multi-layered structure. The first bondcoat layer of the thermal barrier coating system comprises a chemical vapor deposited, platinum modified diffusion aluminide layer on the superalloy component (substrate). The diffusion aluminide layer includes an inner diffusion zone proximate the substrate and an outer layer region comprising a platinum modified (platinum-bearing) intermediate phase of aluminum and at least one of nickel and cobalt depending on the superalloy composition. The intermediate phase is a non-ordered solid solution having a range of compositions and is free of other phase constituents. The intermediate phase has an average aluminum concentration in the range of about 18 to about 28% by weight, an average platinum concentration in the range of about 8 to about 35% by weight, and an average nickel concentration in the range of about 50 to 60% by weight and is non-stoichiometric relative to intermetallic compounds of aluminum and nickel, aluminum and cobalt, and aluminum and platinum. An adherent alpha alumina layer is thermally grown on the diffusion aluminide layer and receives an outer ceramic thermal barrier layer deposited thereon.

Thermal barrier coating systems of various types are well known in the gas turbine engine industry as one means for protecting nickel-based and cobalt-based superalloy components, such as turbine blades and vanes, from oxidation and corrosion during engine operation.
One type of thermal barrier coating system involves depositing on the superalloy component (substrate) to be protected an MCrAlY metal alloy overlay where M is iron, nickel, cobalt, or a combination thereof, oxidizing the metal alloy overlay to form an alumina layer in-situ on the bondcoat, and then depositing a ceramic thermal barrier layer having columnar morphology on the alumina layer. Such a thermal barrier coating is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,321,310 and 4,321,311.
Another type of thermal barrier coating system exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,752 involves forming on the superalloy component (substrate) to be protected a high aluminum, atomically ordered intermetallic compound as a bondcoat. The intermetallic compound comprises, for example, equiatomic nickel aluminide (NiAl) having an Al content of 31.5% by weight or platinum modified nickel aluminide known commercially as Chromalloy RT-22 having a high aluminum intermetallic NiAl Al matrix and includng PtAl.sub.2 phases in the coating microstructure. The intermetallic compound bondcoat is oxidized to form a thermally grown alumina layer in-situ thereon, and then a ceramic thermal barrier layer having columnar or other morphology is deposited on the alumina layer.
Still another type of thermal barrier coating system exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,880,614 and 5,015,502 involves forming on the superalloy component (substrate) to be protected a metallic bondcoat which may comprise an MCrAlY metal alloy overlay or a diffusion aluminide layer predominantly composed of aluminum intermetallic (e.g. NiAl, CoAl, and (Ni/Co)Al phases) which may be modified with Pt, Si, Hf, Cr, Mn, Ni, Co, Rh, Ta, Nb, and/or particulates, chemical vapor depositing (CVD) a high purity alpha alumina layer on the metallic bondcoat, and depositing a ceramic thermal barrier layer on the CVD alpha alumina layer.
In the manufacture of thermal barrier coating systems, the ceramic thermal barrier material, such as yttria stalized zirconia, has been applied to the bondcoat by plasma spraying wherein coating adherence is promoted by the roughness of the bondcoat. Controlled porosity and microcracking within the ceramic thermal barrier layer accommodates strain developed due to the differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the ceramic and the substrate superalloy. Alternately, ceramic thermal barrier material has been applied to the bondcoat by physical vapor deposition (PVD), such as sputtering and electron beam evaporation, under conditions to produce a columnar morphology (i.e. independent ceramic columns) in the ceramic thermal barrier layer. This columnar morphology organizes the coating porosity between the columns to accommodate strain from thermal expansion mismatch between the substrate and ceramic thermal barrier layer.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved thermal barrier coating system for use on gas turbine engine and other superalloy components or articles operating at elevated temperatures where oxidation and corrosion protection is needed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal barrier coating system by an improved method which results in advantages in the manufacture of thermal barrier coating systems.

Thermal barrier coating system with intermediate phase bondcoat


In a wireless local area network which includes access point having variable transmitter power levels, transmitter power data is sent from the access points to the mobile units and used by the mobile units in order to provide a corresponding variation in the transmitter power of the mobile unit.

This invention relates to wireless local area networks (WLAN) and particularly, to avoidance of radio interference in such networks. As data rates of WLAN systems increase, more access points are required and the effective range of a higher data rate signals between the access point and mobile units is reduced. In order to provide sufficient high bandwidth connectivity for mobile units, the density of access point population is increased, particularly, in areas in which a high number of mobile units are anticipated. The close distribution of access points is sometimes referred to as micro-cell distribution. As the distance between access points is reduced, RF interference between access points can increase. One technique for controlling such interference is reduce the transmit power output of the access points , to thereby reduce their range and reduce interference.
Interference can also exist between transmissions of mobile units. It is difficult, however, to generally reduce the power output of mobile units, because the mobile unit may sometimes be used in an area where there is a high density of access points, and accordingly, only a lower transmittal power is required, and also the same mobile units may roam into an area in which access points are spaced at further distances, and the full power of the mobile unit is required to effectively transmit to the access points.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for controlling the transmit power level of a mobile unit in accordance with the environment encountered by the multiple unit.


The present invention provides genetically manipulated cells and methods for utilizing same. Methods of enhanced carotenoid synthesis utilizing cells genetically disrupted for a yjiD, hnr or yjfP gene, or further disrupted for a gdhA, gpmB aceE, ppc, talB or fdhF gene, or any combination thereof, or cells inhibited for their expression, activity or function are disclosed. Methods of enhanced carotenoid synthesis utilizing cells genetically engineered to overexpress dxs, idi, yjiD, rpoS, torC, appY, ydgK, yeiA, yedR, tort, arcB, yggT, purDH, yfjN or a combination thereof, or further disrupted for the above-referenced genes are disclosed. Methods for identifying genes involved in optimized production of a carotenoid, and cells disrupted for, or inhibited for the expression, activity or function of genes thus identified are described.

Carotenoids represent one of the most widely distributed and structurally diverse classes of natural pigments, producing pigment colors of light yellow to orange to deep red. Eye-catching examples of carotenogenic tissues include carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, and the petals of daffodils and marigolds, Carotenoids are synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms, as well as some bacteria and fungi. These pigments have important functions in photosynthesis, nutrition, and protection against photooxidative damage. An essential compound, animals and humans must obtain carotenoids through dietary sources, as they do not have the ability to synthesize carotenoids.
Structurally, carotenoids are 40-carbon (C40) terpenoids derived from the isoprene biosynthetic pathway and its five-carbon universal isoprene building block, isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). This biosynthetic pathway can be divided into two portions: the upper isoprene pathway, which leads to the formation of IPP, and the lower carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, which converts IPP into long C30 and C40 carotenogenic compounds.
The genetics of carotenoid pigment biosynthesis has been extremely well studied in the Gram-negative, pigmented bacteria of the genera Pantoea, formerly known as Erwinia. In both E. herbicola EHO-10 (ATCC 39368) and E. uredovora 20D3 (ATCC 19321), the crt genes are clustered in two genetic units, crt Z and crt EXYIB (U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,472; U.S. Pat. No. 5,5545,816; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,189; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,188; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,939). Despite the similarity in operon structure, the DNA sequences of E. uredovora and E. herbicola show no homology by DNA-DNA hybridization (U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,939).
Although more than 600 different carotenoids have been identified in nature, only a few are used industrially for food colors, animal feeding, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Presently, most of the carotenoids used for industrial purposes are produced by chemical synthesis; however, these compounds are very difficult to produce chemically. Natural carotenoids can either be obtained by extraction of plant material or by microbial synthesis. At the present time, only a few plants are widely used for commercial carotenoid production. However, the productivity of carotenoid synthesis in these plants is relatively low and the resulting carotenoids are very expensive.
A number of carotenoids have been produced from microbial sources. For example, Lycopene has been produced from genetically engineered E. coli and Candia utilis. β-carotene has been produced from E. coli, Candia utilis and Pfaffia rhodozyma. Zeaxanthin has been produced from recombinant E coli and Candida utilis, and Astaxanthin has been produced from E. coli and Pfaffia rhodozyma.
Additionally genes encoding various elements of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway have been cloned and expressed in various microbes. For example genes encoding lycopene cyclase, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase, and phytoene dehydrogenase isolated from Erwinia herbicola have been expressed recombinantly in E. coli. Similarly genes encoding the carotenoid products geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, phytoene, lycopene, b-carotene, and zeaxanthin-diglucoside, isolated from Erwinia uredovora have been expressed in E. coli, Zymomonas mobilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Similarly, the carotenoid biosynthetic genes crtE, crtB, crtI, crtY, and crtZ isolated from Flavobacterium have been recombinantly expressed.
The methods for producing carotenoids available to date, however, suffer from low yields and reliance on expensive precursors and methods. A method that produces higher yields of carotenoids less expensively is clearly needed.

Gene targets for enhanced carotenoid production


The bed sheet set with two or more bed sections with different thermal properties for occupants who share the bed and desire to sleep with bedding having different thermal properties. The invention includes a top bed sheet and a bottom bed sheet divided into two adjacent bed sections made of thin and thick cotton, respectively. In the first embodiment, the two bed sections are longitudinally aligned and sewn together along the sheets' longitudinal center axis. The top sheet includes a decorative inside surface and a transversely aligned decorative band, which provides an attractive edge when the top edge of the top bed sheet is partially folded over. The top and bottom bed sheets are made of cotton, polyester or nylon that can be frequently laundered and changed like normal cotton bed sheets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bed clothing and, more particularly, to bed sheets designed for individuals sharing a bed who desire to sleep between bed sheets having different thermal insulation properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that bed sheets are laundered more often than a bed's outer blankets and bed cover. One reason for this is that the bed sheets are in direct contact with the occupants of the bed and need to be laundered on a weekly basis. Another reason is that the outer blankets and bed cover are generally made of thicker, decorative fabric that often requires special washing and drying procedures.
The top and bottom sheets used on a bed typically have matching or complementary decorative colors and patterns printed on their inside surfaces. It is presumed that the practice of matching the color or patterns on inside surfaces of the two sheets developed because the two surfaces are sometimes seen together, such as when the upper edge of the top sheet is folded downward over the upper edge of the top blanket when the bed is made or when the occupant enters or exits the bed.
Couples that sleep in the same bed, of course, share the sheets and blankets. It is well known, that individuals may desire bedding with different thermal insulation properties. Heretofore, blankets having sections with different thermal characteristics have been invented, (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,125 and 5,708,995). None of these patents, however, disclose or suggest a set of bed sheets with different thermal properties with matching or complimentary inside surfaces.

Bed sheet set with different thermal properties


There is provided an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, an orthogonal axis information detecting unit that detects orthogonal axis information indicating an inclination of an orthogonal axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging unit after imaging by the imaging unit, and a specifying unit that specifies a shooting posture of an apparatus body at time of imaging, based on the orthogonal axis information detected by the orthogonal axis information detecting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus suitably used in a digital camera, a method for specifying shooting posture, and a storage medium storing a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Images captured by ordinary digital cameras conventionally have an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 16:9. Since the aspect ratio of 1:1 is not used, imaging is available in different postures, for example, so-called vertical position shooting and horizontal position shooting. However, when a captured image is reproduced, the image ordinarily appears turned in the same direction as imaged by the above-mentioned horizontal position shooting. Therefore, when images captured by the vertical position shooting are reproduced, the images each need to be turned by 90 degrees one by one before reproduction.
As a method for saving such a laborious process as described, Jpn. Pat, Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-312329 discloses a technology that the posture (vertical, position shooting or horizontal position shooting) of a camera body is detected prior to imaging (capturing) and is then recorded as additional information added to a captured image. When the image is reproduced, the orientation of the image is checked, based on the additional information. For an image to be positioned vertically, the image is automatically turned by 90 degrees.

Imaging apparatus capable of specifying shooting posture, method for specifying shooting posture, and storage medium storing program


In a system for de-/encoding data using (de)coding devices at either end of a transmission channel, the data sometimes comprise additional synchronisation information which is used to reduce the effect of faults in the transmission channel. If this synchronisation information is not already present, it is impossible in certain cases to add such information. The invention provides a system which, regardless of the presence of additional synchronisation information, is able to reduce the effect of faults. For this purpose, each (de)coding device is provided with means for comparing sequences of encoded data with at least one predetermined code word and for setting the associated coding device to a reset state in the event of equality. Because the predetermined code word repeats statistically in the encoded data, a fault adversely affects the decoding for not more than one time interval.

The invention relates to a system for encoding data presented at one end of a transmission channel with a first coding device and for decoding the data encoded by the first coding device at the other end of the transmission channel with a second coding device.
Such a system is disclosed by EP 0 232 043 A2. This known system comprises a scrambler (the first coding device) at one end of the transmission channel for encoding incoming data (the data presented) and a descrambler (the second coding device) at the other end of the transmission channel for decoding the data encoded by the scrambler and for generating outgoing data. Said incoming data comprises words synchronously multiplexed in the frames. To indicate the frame timing, some of these words are so-called synchronisation words which must not be encoded. For this purpose, the scrambler comprises a frame-finding circuit which detects the synchronisation words in the incoming data and which, if a synchronisation word is detected generates a signal in response to which the detected synchronisation word is not encoded. At the same time, the descrambler also comprises a frame-finding circuit which detects the synchronisation words in the outgoing data and which, if a synchronisation word is detected, generates a signal in response to which the detected synchronisation word is not decoded. The descrambler furthermore comprises shift registers which, if the descrambler is unable to synchronise with the frames as a consequence of a fault in the transmission channel, alters the phase of the encoded data until the descrambler is again in a state which is synchronised with the frames. The effect of faults in the transmission channel on the system is reduced by using said shift registers.
Such a system has the disadvantage that the incoming data has to contain, or has to obtain, synchronisation information (the synchronisation words) since the descrambler is unable to get back to the state which is synchronized with the frames after getting out of synchronisation with the frames, and faults in the transmission channel can have a long-lasting disadvantageous effect on the decoding.

System for encoding data presented with a first coding device and for decoding encoded data with a second coding device, and coding device for use in the system


Provided is an ophthalmologic apparatus capable of performing an alignment operation between an eye to be inspected and an inspection unit, the ophthalmologic apparatus including: an inspection unit configured to obtain inspection information of an eye to be inspected; a base unit including a support member configured to determine a holding position of the eye to be inspected; an operation unit configured to operate movement of the inspection unit with respect to the base unit in accordance with an operation amount; a moving unit configured to move the inspection unit in accordance with the operation amount input from the operation unit; a detection unit configured to detect a position of the inspection unit with respect to the base unit; and a control unit configured to control an amount related to movement of the inspection unit corresponding to the operation amount based on a detection result of the detection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmologic apparatus used in an eye clinic or the like and a control method for the ophthalmologic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an ophthalmologic instrument, there is known a fundus camera for performing fundus imaging of an eye to be inspected.
When taking an image of a fundus by the fundus camera, it is necessary to align an imaging portion with a predetermined position with respect to the eye to be inspected. In order to perform this alignment, the following fundus camera is widely known. The fundus camera includes an alignment operation member such as a joystick, and the alignment operation member is operated (tilted, rotated, and the like) so that the imaging portion is moved up and down, front and back, and left and right.
In general, the alignment operation member for the fundus camera performs a rough operation in which the imaging portion is roughly moved in a case where rough alignment is sufficient such as the case of switching the imaging portion between left and right eyes. In addition, the alignment operation member has a mechanism capable of performing fine movement in which the imaging portion is precisely moved when fine alignment with the eye to be inspected is necessary.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-037722, there is disclosed a structure in which a moving amount of the imaging portion per unit operation amount of the alignment operation member is changed in accordance with an alignment deviation amount between the eye to be inspected and the imaging portion. The alignment deviation amount is determined from a deviation between the center of a sighting scale S set in an anterior ocular segment image of the eye to be inspected and a position of an alignment visual target image T obtained from a cornea of the eye to be inspected. In this structure, the imaging portion is greatly moved if the alignment deviation amount is large, while the imaging portion is moved small if the alignment deviation amount is small, so as to improve alignment operability.
However, in the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-037722, no consideration is made for a case in which an alignment deviation amount between the eye to be inspected and the imaging portion cannot be detected. The case in which the alignment deviation amount cannot be detected is, specifically, a case in which the visual target image T to be obtained from the eye to be inspected cannot be detected because of blinking, insufficient eye opening, a small pupil, or the like.
It is needless to say that, if a position of the eye to be inspected cannot be detected, a feedback to the operation member cannot be performed, and hence improvement of operability cannot be expected. In other words, it is hitherto essential to detect a position of the eye to be inspected when performing alignment, and there is high possibility that uncomfortable operation feeling occurs depending on success or failure in the detection or on time necessary for the detection.

Ophthalmologic apparatus and control method for ophthalmologic apparatus


A projector which can have a low profile and a reduced size. Fixing parts for fixing a mounting part to a lower light guide are disposed at the periphery of the mounting part. The mounting part is not required to be sufficiently thick so that a fixing unit such as a threaded hole can be formed therein. Therefore, the thickness of the mounting part can be reduced, thereby reducing the overall height of the projector, whereby a low-profile and reduced-size projector is possible.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a projector including a plurality of optical modulation devices that modulate a plurality of colored light beams in accordance with image data, a prism that synthesizes the modulated light beams modulated by the plurality of optical modulation devices, and an optical-component casing to which the prism is to be fixed.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, projectors have been known which include three optical modulation devices that modulate three colored light beams in accordance with image data, a crossed dichroic prism that synthesizes the modulated light beams modulated by the optical modulation devices, upper and lower light guides which are an optical-element casing that receives optical components such as lenses and mirrors, and a projection lens that enlarges and projects the luminous fluxes synthesized for projection by the prism.
Projectors are used for multimedia presentations in public meetings, such as conferences, academic meetings, and exhibitions. The projector is brought to the conference room, or is occasionally removed to another place, as needed. Therefore, the reduction in size of projectors has progressed.
In the projector using three optical modulation devices, as described above, the crossed dichroic prism is generally disposed in a concave part defined by the light guide, and is mounted to a structure to which the projection lens is to be fixed. Hitherto, the prism has been mounted in a manner such that screws passing through the structure at the lower part thereof engage with threaded holes formed in a supporting member disposed at the lower part of the prism.
However, in such a known projector, the thickness of the supporting member must be sufficiently increased so that the depth of the threaded holes ensures engagement of the threaded holes with the screws. Therefore, the problem is that it is difficult to reduce the profile and size of the projector by reducing the thickness of the supporting member so as to reduce the overall height of the projector.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a projector with a reduced profile and size.
According to the present invention, a projector includes a plurality of optical modulation devices that modulate a plurality of colored light beams in accordance with image data; a prism that synthesizes the modulated light beams modulated by the optical modulation device; and an optical-component casing to which the prism is to be fixed. The prism is fixed to the optical-component casing via a supporting member that supports the prism. The supporting member is provided with a mounting part on which the prism is mounted and fixed thereto and a fixing part by which the mounting part is fixed to the optical-component casing. The fixing part is disposed at the periphery of the mounting part and at the outside of a side face of the prism.
The fixing part is provided with through-holes formed therein that receive screws or an engaging member that engages with the optical-component casing.
With the arrangement according to the present invention, the mounting part is not required to have a thickness sufficient for forming therein a fixing member such as threaded holes due to a fixing part disposed at the periphery of the mounting part and outside side faces of the prism for fixing the mounting part to the optical-component casing. Therefore, the thickness of the mounting part can be reduced, thereby reducing the overall height of the projector, whereby a projector having a low profile and a reduced size is made possible.
Since the fixing part for fixing the mounting part to the optical-component casing is disposed at the periphery of the mounting part and outside the side faces of the prism, screws can be applied from the side at which the prism is mounted, and the screws passing through through-holes formed in the fixing part engage with threaded holes formed in the optical-component casing associated with the through holes. With this arrangement, the projector can be manufactured easily compared with a conventional projector having a structure in which the screws must be passed through from the side opposite to the side to which a prism is mounted.
In the projector according to the present invention, the mounting part may be formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view having four comers, and the fixing part is preferably disposed at a pair of corners, opposing each other along one diagonal line therebetween, of the four corners of the mounting part.
With this arrangement, the mounting part can be fixed to the optical-component casing in a well-balanced manner, and is not moved out of position by an external force.
The optical-component casing is preferably provided with a supporting part disposed in a position thereof associated with the other diagonal line of the mounting part on which the fixing part is not provided, for supporting the bottom of the mounting part.
With this arrangement, the mounting part is supported by and fixed to the optical-component casing at four points on the crossing diagonal lines of the mounting part, whereby fixture by the supporting member is made firmer.
The prism and the optical modulation devices are preferably disposed in a concave part defined by the optical-component casing and having a shape of the letter U in plan view. A cover for covering the fixing part is preferably provided so as to conceal the same when the concave part is viewed from the upper face or from the bottom of the prism.
The prism and a plurality of the optical modulation devices are affixed in an adjusted state so that a plurality of images are projected so as to be focused at the same position on a projection area. However, when the prism is moved by the user after the position of the prism and the plurality of optical modulation devices is set, the position of the prism and the optical modulation devices is changed, whereby there is a risk of disturbing the images projected on the projection area, such as a screen.
Therefore, the cover is provided in the optical-component casing for covering the fixing part so as to conceal the same in plan view. When the fixing part is concealed by the cover, the fixing part cannot be touched from the outside, thereby preventing deterioration of the image quality of the adjusted projector from being caused.
The optical-component casing may be provided with a fan-mounting part to which a cooling fan for cooling the plurality of optical modulation devices is fixed, and the fan-mounting part preferably also serves as the cover.
With this arrangement, the cover is not required to be individually provided in the projector, thereby simplifying the structure, whereby the projector can be easily assembled.


A conveyor oven including a baking case having front, longitudinal, and oppositely longitudinal walls, the baking case having longitudinal, oppositely longitudinal, and front ports wherein the front port has a longitudinal end and a rectangular periphery; a conveyor extending through the baking case; a mounting land extending along the front port's periphery; a conveyor access door fitted for covering the front port; a first pin and socket hinge operatively interconnecting the front wall and the longitudinal end of the conveyor access door, the hinge's socket having a rearward opening and further opening oppositely longitudinally; the oven further including a deformable seal positioned between the conveyor access door and the land, the seal being adapted for, upon positioning of the pin at the rearward opening, forwardly biasing the door and the pin, and forwardly seating said pin within the socket.

Tunnel configured air impingement conveyor ovens are commonly shipped from the manufacturer to a purchasing customer upon a shipping pallet with the oven resting with its back wall upon the pallet. In such shipping configuration, the oven's case and front wall extend upwardly. Where such ovens include a front pivoting conveyor access door or "sandwich door", and where the oven is shipped with such door attached, the door's handle commonly protrudes upwardly from the oven during shipping, undesirably exposing the handle to damage.
In order to eliminate such upward sandwich door handle protrusion, and in order to reduce the risk of handle damage during shipping, it is desirable to configure such sandwich doors to be easily detachable for purposes of reduction of the risk of damage during shipping, and to be easily attachable by the purchasing customer following receipt from shipping. Customer effected attachments and detachments of such sandwich doors are also desirably facilitated in order to allow the customer to easily clean and maintain such sandwich doors.
The instant inventive conveyor oven provides a conveyor access sandwich door which is specially configured for ease of attachment and detachment of the door, such configuration incorporating features which facilitate secure pivoting function of the door during cooking use and facilitate ease of release and re-assembly of the door's pivot mounts.