An X-ray imaging system or radiographic imaging system includes a radiation generating apparatus and a radiographic imaging apparatus. An ionization chamber device is external to the radiographic imaging apparatus, for detecting a dose of the radiation transmitted through an object. Dose sensors are incorporated in the radiographic imaging apparatus, for detecting a dose of the radiation transmitted through the object. An exposure control unit is disposed with the radiation generating apparatus, for shutting off application of the radiation from the radiation generating apparatus according to a detection signal from the ionization chamber device or dose sensors. The ionization chamber device is communicably coupled with the radiation generating apparatus. An operating state of the ionization chamber device and dose sensors is acquired by monitoring, so failure of simultaneous inputting of their detection signals to the exposure control unit is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a regulating unit and a radiographic imaging system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a regulating unit and a radiographic imaging system, in which a radiographic imaging unit has a function of automatic exposure control (AEC), and safety in the function can be maintained even in use of plural AEC signal output devices.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
An X-ray imaging system as a radiographic imaging system is well-known in the field of medical imaging. The X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray generating apparatus as a radiation generating apparatus, and an X-ray imaging apparatus as a radiographic imaging apparatus. The X-ray imaging apparatus forms an X-ray image from X-rays transmitted through a body of a patient. The X-ray generating apparatus includes an X-ray source as a radiation source, a radiation source driver and a source switch. The X-ray source applies X-rays to an object. The radiation source driver controls the X-ray source. The source switch is operable to input a command signal for starting the irradiation to the radiation source driver. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an electronic cassette or a radiographic imaging unit, and a computer terminal or console unit. The radiographic imaging unit detects the X-ray image from X-rays transmitted through the body having various body parts. The computer terminal drives and controls the radiographic imaging unit, and stores and displays the X-ray image.
An FPD device (flat panel detector device) has been recently utilized as the radiographic imaging panel as a newly developed device in place of an X-ray film or imaging plate (IP). The FPD device has an imaging area in which arrays of pixels are arranged for storing signal charge according to dose of incident X-rays. The FPD device stores signal charge per pixels, reads the stored signal charge through switching elements such as TFTs, and electrically detects the X-ray image by conversion of the signal charge into voltage signal in a signal processor.
Various medical service providers have wishes to use the radiographic imaging unit in combination with an X-ray film or imaging plate conventionally used widely even after introducing the radiographic imaging unit with the FPD device. A new type of the X-ray generating apparatus is marketed for compatibility with the radiographic imaging unit having the FPD device and the X-ray film or imaging plate. Also, an improvement of and an additional structure to the X-ray generating apparatus for the X-ray film or imaging plate have been suggested so that the X-ray generating apparatus for the X-ray film or imaging plate can become compatible with the radiographic imaging unit having the FPD device. The additional structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,844,031 and 8,085,901 (corresponding to JP-A 2011-502699).
In the FPD device, the resetting is periodically carried out for the purpose of removing charge from the pixels to minimize influence of electric noise of dark current in the X-ray image, as a difference from the X-ray film or imaging plate. It is necessary to synchronize a start of the storing after the resetting with a start of irradiation of X-rays from the X-ray source. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,844,031 and 8,085,901 disclose a relay device (for connection and control) for connection of the source switch (operable switch), the radiation source driver (computer and the X-ray source), and the radiographic imaging unit (DR receiver panel) having the FPD device. The relay device sends a start signal or exposure signal to both of the radiation source driver and the radiographic imaging unit for synchronism. Thus, the radiographic imaging unit having the FPD device can be used with the X-ray generating apparatus for the X-ray film or imaging plate.
Also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,844,031 and 8,085,901 disclose a use of an external AEC signal output device (detection device), which is separate from the radiographic imaging unit, and shuts off irradiation of X-rays from the X-ray source when it is judged that the cumulative dose of the X-rays reaches a target dose. The external AEC signal output device is connected to the radiation source driver, and generates an AEC signal as a result of a detected dose of X-rays, or occurrence of the reach of the cumulative dose to the target dose. The radiation source driver shuts off the irradiation in response to the AEC signal.
There is a type of the radiographic imaging unit with the FPD device in which a built-in AEC signal output device (detection device) is incorporated. It is conceivable to combine the use of the built-in AEC signal output device with the use of the external AEC signal output device separate from the radiographic imaging unit as suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,844,031 and 8,085,901. However, there occurs a crosstalk between the AEC signals from the external AEC signal output device and the built-in AEC signal output device in the case of their simultaneous use. No AEC is carried out properly due to failure in operation of the radiation source driver, to expose an object to X-rays of a harmfully high dose.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,844,031 and 8,085,901 disclose synchronism between a start of the storing of the FPD device and a start of irradiation. However, no built-in AEC signal output device is included in the radiographic imaging unit with the FPD device. No solution is known for the problem with the combined use of the built-in AEC signal output device in the radiographic imaging unit with the FPD device and the external AEC signal output device separate from the radiographic imaging unit.

Regulating unit and radiographic imaging system


A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, inhibiting operation of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle based on a proximity of the vehicle to a fueling location.

It may be desirable to assist vehicle operators in turning off a vehicle's internal combustion engine while fueling. At a minimum, if the vehicle is not completely turned off, it may be beneficial to ensure the vehicle's internal combustion engine is off during fueling, in particular the internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle.
Hybrid vehicles can be selectively driven with an internal combustion engine. A hybrid vehicle can be turned on even when the internal combustion engine is off. Owners of hybrid vehicles may keep their vehicles turned on during fueling. A hybrid vehicle's internal combustion engine is typically not operating when fueling begins.

System and method for inhibiting engine operation during fueling


In one embodiment, a system includes a condition based replacement life (CBRL) approval system configured to receive a turbomachinery component data and to approve a turbomachinery component for CBRL based on the turbomachinery component data. The system further includes a CBRL validation system configured to repair the turbomachinery component into a repaired turbomachinery component, wherein the repaired turbomachinery component is configured to operate in a turbomachinery beyond a service time of the turbomachinery component.

The invention relates generally to turbomachinery, and more particularly to methods and systems for the maintenance of turbomachinery.
Turbomachinery may include an apparatus such as a turbine, a compressor, or a pump. As the turbomachinery operates, efficiency and performance may change over time. This change in performance may be due to various factors such as wear or component damage. Maintenance, including replacement of certain turbomachinery components, may be applied to the turbomachinery to restore efficiency and operational performance. However, the maintenance may be applied inefficiently, and may be costly.

Methods and systems for maintenance of turbomachinery


Information display systems capable of iconically representing the components of a hybrid powertrain and method thereof. In operation, the information display systems indicate the specific powertrain components in the hybrid system that are active in various hybrid operational modes (e.g., electric launch, blended torque, etc.). In particular, active components are highlighted (i.e., increased intensity) by the display and non-active components are faded (i.e., decreased intensity). In one embodiment, the vehicle wheels are depicted with a static intensity in-between that of the active components and the non-active components. This allows the vehicle operator to clearly see which components are active during each hybrid system mode, and to gain a simplified picture of hybrid system behavior during normal operation at a glance.

Conventional vehicles, such as those powered by a single internal combustion engine, often provide a vehicle operator with information through a number of commonly used displays. For example, speedometers, odometers, tachometers, fuel level gauges, oil level indicators and engine temperature gauges are commonly used to provide information in analog and/or digital form. With the increase in prevalence of non-conventional vehicles, e.g., fuel cell vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), a need has arisen to provide a vehicle operator with additional information unique to these non-conventional vehicles.

Information display systems and methods for hybrid vehicles


A stereoscopic image observing apparatus includes a right-eye projector 1 and a left-eye projector 2 which illuminate projected light for right and left eyes with the parallax generated based on an image pick-up signal obtained from a stereoscopic endoscope 8, a Fresnel lens 17 which applies and reflects the lens operation with the positive polarity to the projected light of the illuminated images for the right and left eyes, and an optical shift element layer 16 having liquid crystal 20 and a double refraction plate 19 for changing and diffusing on time series the reflecting position of the reflected light of the images for the right and left eyes from the Fresnel lens 17.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image observing apparatus for stereoscopically displaying an image picked-up for a medical field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an operation using an endoscope having such an advantage of low-invasiveness to a patient is widely spread in a medical field. In the operation using the endoscope, an endoscope image is a two-dimensional image and therefore it is extremely difficult to operate an operation treatment tool to the patient, compared to an operation under direct viewing.
Since a stereoscopic endoscope can display a stereoscopic image in the body cavity to the operator, it is advantageous to provide the operability which is approximate to the direct viewing by the operator. Thus, various systems of the above-mentioned stereoscopic endoscope have already been suggested.
As one example of the stereoscopic endoscopes, a head-mounted display system is suggested whereby beams from images having the parallax displayed on an image display device are directly projected onto the right and left eyes of an observer by an optical system arranged near the pole of the observer face, and image information on a large screen is equivalently and stereoscopically observed as a virtual image. As another example of the stereoscopic endoscopes, a monitor system is suggested whereby the image having the parallax is sequentially displayed on the monitor at the same position, the observer attaches an eye glass having a right and left sequential switching shutter function which is synchronous to the image sequentially switched on the monitor, and the image on the monitor is stereoscopically observed.


A pattern is formed by applying a positive resist composition comprising a polymer comprising hydroxyalkylnaphthalene-bearing recurring units and acid labile group-bearing recurring units onto a substrate to form a resist film, heat treating and exposing the resist film to radiation, heat treating and developing the resist film with a developer to form a first pattern, and causing the resist film to crosslink and cure with the aid of heat or of acid and heat. A second pattern is then formed in the space area of the first pattern. The double patterning process reduces the pitch between patterns to one half.

In the recent drive for higher integration and operating speeds in LSI devices, the pattern rule is made drastically finer. The photolithography which is currently on widespread use in the art is approaching the essential limit of resolution determined by the wavelength of a light source. As the light source used in the lithography for resist pattern formation, g-line (436 nm) or i-line (365 nm) from a mercury lamp was widely used in 1980's. Reducing the wavelength of exposure light was believed effective as the means for further reducing the feature size. For the mass production process of 64 MB dynamic random access memories (DRAM, processing feature size 0.25 μm or less) in 1990's and later ones, the exposure light source of i-line (365 nm) was replaced by a KrF excimer laser having a shorter wavelength of 248 nm. However, for the fabrication of DRAM with a degree of integration of 256 MB and 1 GB or more requiring a finer patterning technology (processing feature size 0.2 μm or less), a shorter wavelength light source was required. Over a decade, photolithography using ArF excimer laser light (193 nm) has been under active investigation. It was expected at the initial that the ArF lithography would be applied to the fabrication of 180-nm node devices. However, the KrF excimer lithography survived to the mass-scale fabrication of 130-nm node devices. So, the full application of ArF lithography started from the 90-nm node. The ArF lithography combined with a lens having an increased numerical aperture (NA) of 0.9 is considered to comply with 65-nm node devices. For the next 45-nm node devices which required an advancement to reduce the wavelength of exposure light, the F2 lithography of 157 nm wavelength became a candidate. However, for the reasons that the projection lens uses a large amount of expensive CaF2 single crystal, the scanner thus becomes expensive, hard pellicles are introduced due to the extremely low durability of soft pellicles, the optical system must be accordingly altered, and the etch resistance of resist is low; the postponement of F2 lithography and the early introduction of ArF immersion lithography were advocated (see Proc. SPIE Vol. 4690 xxix (2002)).
In the ArF immersion lithography, the space between the projection lens and the wafer is filled with water. Since water has a refractive index of 1.44 at 193 nm, pattern formation is possible even using a lens having a numerical aperture (NA) of 1.0 or greater. Theoretically, it is possible to increase the NA to nearly 1.44. It was initially recognized that the resolution could be degraded and the focus be shifted by a variation of water's refractive index with a temperature change. The problem of refractive index variation could be solved by controlling the water temperature within a tolerance of 1/100° C. while it was recognized that the impact of heat from the resist film upon light exposure drew little concern. There was a likelihood that micro-bubbles in water could be transferred to the pattern. It was found that the risk of bubble generation is obviated by thorough deaeration of water and the risk of bubble generation from the resist film upon light exposure is substantially nil. At the initial phase in 1980's of the immersion lithography, a method of immersing an overall stage in water was proposed. Later proposed was a partial-fill method of using a water feed/drain nozzle for introducing water only between the projection lens and the wafer so as to comply with the operation of a high-speed scanner. In principle, the immersion technique using water enabled lens design to a NA of 1 or greater. In optical systems based on traditional refractive index materials, this leads to giant lenses, which would deform by their own weight. For the design of more compact lenses, a catadioptric system was proposed, accelerating the lens design to a NA of 1.0 or greater. A combination of a lens having NA of 1.2 or greater with strong resolution enhancement technology suggests a way to the 45-nm node (see Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5040, p 724 (2003)). Efforts have also been made to develop lenses of NA 1.35.
One candidate for the 32-nm node lithography is lithography using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with wavelength 13.5 nm. The EUV lithography has many accumulative problems to be overcome, including increased laser output, increased sensitivity, increased resolution and minimized line edge roughness (LER) of resist coating, defect-free MoSi laminate mask, reduced aberration of reflection mirror, and the like.
The water immersion lithography using a NA 1.35 lens achieves an ultimate resolution of 40 to 38 nm at the maximum NA, but cannot reach 32 nm. Efforts have been made to develop higher refractive index materials in order to further increase NA. It is the minimum refractive index among projection lens, liquid, and resist film that determines the NA limit of lenses. In the case of water immersion, the refractive index of water is the lowest in comparison with the projection lens (refractive index 1.5 for synthetic quartz) and the resist film (refractive index 1.7 for prior art methacrylate-based film). Thus the NA of projection lens is determined by the refractive index of water. Recent efforts succeeded in developing a highly transparent liquid having a refractive index of 1.65. In this situation, the refractive index of projection lens made of synthetic quartz is the lowest, suggesting a need to develop a projection lens material with a higher refractive index. LuAG (lutetium aluminum garnet Lu3Al5O12) having a refractive index of at least 2 is the most promising material, but has the problems of birefringence and noticeable absorption. Even if a projection lens material with a refractive index of 1.8 or greater is developed, the liquid with a refractive index of 1.65 limits the NA to 1.55 at most, failing in resolution of 32 nm. For resolution of 32 nm, a liquid with a refractive index of 1.8 or greater is necessary. Such a liquid material has not been discovered because of a tradeoff between absorption and refractive index. In the case of alkane compounds, bridged cyclic compounds are preferred to linear ones in order to increase the refractive index, but the cyclic compounds undesirably have too high a viscosity to follow high-speed scanning on the exposure tool stage. If a liquid with a refractive index of 1.8 is developed, then the component having the lowest refractive index is the resist film, suggesting a need to increase the refractive index of a resist film to 1.8 or higher.
The process that now draws attention under the above-discussed circumstances is a double patterning process involving a first set of exposure and development to form a first pattern and a second set of exposure and development to form a pattern between features of the first pattern. See Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5754, p 1508 (2005). A number of double patterning processes are proposed. One exemplary process involves a first set of exposure and development to form a photoresist pattern having lines and spaces at intervals of 1:3, processing the underlying layer of hard mask by dry etching, applying another layer of hard mask thereon, a second set of exposure and development of a photoresist film to form a line pattern in the spaces of the first exposure, and processing the hard mask by dry etching, thereby forming a line-and-space pattern at a half pitch of the first pattern. An alternative process involves a first set of exposure and development to form a photoresist pattern having spaces and lines at intervals of 1:3, processing the underlying layer of hard mask by dry etching, applying a photoresist layer thereon, a second set of exposure and development to form a second space pattern on the remaining hard mask portion, and processing the hard mask by dry etching. In either process, the hard mask is processed by two dry etchings.
While the former process requires two applications of hard mask, the latter process uses only one layer of hard mask, but requires to form a trench pattern which is difficult to resolve as compared with the line pattern. The latter process includes the use of a negative resist material in forming the trench pattern. This allows for use of high contrast light as in the formation of lines as a positive pattern. However, since the negative resist material has a lower dissolution contrast than the positive resist material, a comparison of the formation of lines from the positive resist material with the formation of a trench pattern of the same size from the negative resist material reveals that the resolution achieved with the negative resist material is lower. After a wide trench pattern is formed from the positive resist material by the latter process, there may be applied a thermal flow method of heating the substrate for shrinkage of the trench pattern, or a RELACS method of coating a water-soluble film on the trench pattern as developed and heating to induce crosslinking at the resist film surface for achieving shrinkage of the trench pattern. These have the drawbacks that the proximity bias is degraded and the process is further complicated, leading to reduced throughputs.
Both the former and latter processes require two etchings for substrate processing, leaving the issues of a reduced throughput and deformation and misregistration of the pattern by two etchings.
One method that proceeds with a single etching is by using a negative resist material in a first exposure and a positive resist material in a second exposure. Another method is by using a positive resist material in a first exposure and a negative resist material in a higher alcohol of 4 or more carbon atoms, in which the positive resist material is not dissolvable, in a second exposure. However, these methods using negative resist materials with low resolution entail degradation of resolution.
A method which dispenses with post-exposure bake (PEB) and development between first and second exposures is the simplest method. This method involves first exposure, replacement by a mask having a shifted pattern drawn, second exposure, PEB, development and dry etching. Since the throughput is substantially reduced by mask replacement on every exposure, the first exposure is carried out in a somewhat integrated manner before the second exposure is carried out. Then, depending on the holding time between the first exposure and the second exposure, a dimensional variation due to acid diffusion and a profile variation such as T-top profile formation occur. To suppress the T-top formation, application of a resist protective film is effective. Application of a resist protective film for immersion lithography enables a process involving two exposures, one PEB, development and dry etching. First exposure and second exposure may be consecutively carried out by two scanners arranged side by side. This gives rise to such problems as misregistration due to lens aberration between the two scanners and the doubled scanner cost.
The critical issue associated with double patterning is an overlay accuracy between first and second patterns. Since the magnitude of misregistration is reflected by a variation of line size, an attempt to form 32-nm lines at an accuracy of 10%, for example, requires an overlay accuracy within 3.2 nm. Since currently available scanners have an overlay accuracy of the order of 8 nm, a significant improvement in accuracy is necessary.
The issue of line edge roughness (LER) of resist patterns becomes serious. While a dimensional variation of gate electrodes is a problem that governs the transistor performance, the magnitude of LER becomes a factor of causing variations to the threshold current of transistors as the feature size becomes increasingly finer. It is intended to reduce the LER through improvements in the resist material, dry etching technology or photoresist process. As to the resist material, a contrast increase by increasing the amounts of both acid generator and quencher added, a reduction of swelling in alkaline developer by incorporating adhesive groups such as fluoroalcohol or lactone, and the like contribute to the roughness reduction. As to the photoresist process, flow processes such as thermal flow after development and bromine plasma treatment are effective. However, the flow processes have the problem of size changes due to pattern deformation and pattern shrinkage.
The crosslinking reaction of benzyl alcohol in the presence of acid is well known from the past, and it is generally used as a curing agent. This crosslinking reaction is utilized in many compositions including a crosslinkable antireflective coating (ARC) composition comprising acenaphthylene methanol as disclosed in JP-A 2004-168748, and a pattern shrinking agent comprising a copolymer of acenaphthylene methanol and vinylnaphthalene methanol and capable of acid-catalyzed crosslinking as disclosed in JP-A 2007-293294. Further JP-A 2005-330369 describes a positive resist composition comprising a copolymer of acenaphthylene methanol and acid labile group-substituted hydroxystyrene, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,026 (JP 3762758) describes 2-methacryloxy-6-hydroxymethylnaphthalene, a copolymer thereof and a negative resist. Further, a negative resist using hydroxyalkylstyrene and its crosslinking reaction mechanism are reported in Proc. SPIE Vol. 6153 p 61532 F-1 (2006).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Monomer, resist composition, and patterning process


A light direction control film is provided. The light direction control film has, in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the light direction control film, a refractive index decreasing from a central region of the light direction control film to each of both sides of the light direction control film gradually. A method for manufacturing a light direction control film and a fingerprint recognition panel including the light direction control film are further provided.

As people's requirements on privacy are getting higher and higher, the fingerprint recognition technology has been applied in various fields. For example, a fingerprint recognition unit may be provided in a display device, and a user may input his fingerprint to the display device after the display device is booted up. In a case where the input fingerprint of the user is inconsistent with a fingerprint stored in the display device in advance, the user will be denied to use the functions provided by the display device. Further, a fingerprint recognition unit may also be applied to other safety protection system, such as an entrance guard, a safe, or the like.

Light direction control film, method for manufacturing the same and fingerprint recognition panel


The present invention comprises a hollow globe including a plurality of apertures which are formed substantially throughout the entire surface of the globe. Formed within the globe and disposed in laminar juxtaposition to the interior surface of the globe's sphere, a bladder means is formed of an opaque flexible material. A plurality of cross slits are formed on the bladder in substantial alignment with the globe's surface. An internal light source is disposed within said bladder at approximately the midpoint of the globe's sphere, and a plurality of luminescent pegs are provided for insertion into the apertures formed in the globe's surface. The present invention provides the user with the plurality of luminescent, differently colored pegs to design a picture or art form. The present invention may additionally serve as a night light and the luminescent pegs may be specially adapted to project light from the interior of the globe's surface to the exterior of the globe and onto surrounding walls and ceilings. The globe may additionally be rotatable around the axis by a rotating mechanism which is controlled by an on/off switch.

Toy or game devices which include a flat apertured surface for receiving a plurality of light transmitting pegs are well known. Normally, in such applications, the flat apertured surface is positioned over an enclosed housing which includes an internal light source. Light transmitting pegs are included for insertion into the provided apertures allowing the shank insert portion of the pegs to be exposed to the internal light source. Light is received by the exposed shank and transmitted to an enlarged head portion of the peg and the colors of the pegs are enhanced. The user can assemble the light transmitting pegs into various patterns using the plurality of colors. One such construction toy utilizing the aforementioned components is presently manufactured and marketed by Hasbro Industries, Inc. and is sold under the trademark LITE-BRITE (LITE-BRITE is a trademark of Hasbro Industries, Inc.).
While the LITE-BRITE toy from Hasbro Industries, Inc. and other prior art devices have met with great success over the years, it would be desirable to use the light transmitting peg and pegboard concept in association with a globe or spherical device. Additionally, it would be desirable to increase the pegboard surface area.
It would also be desirable to utilize a light transmitting peg and pegboard design in a movable, rotating mode to give a motion effect to the peg design. The prior art devices are stationary and provides no other amusement to the user than constructing and then viewing a pattern that the user has created.
The prior art devices also have the disadvantage of requiring the use of a sheet of opaque material to be inserted between the apertured pegboard and the light source to prevent light escaping from apertures which are not being utilized. Thus, it would be desirable to have a pegboard including light transmissive pegs which would not require insertion of a sheet of opaque paper beneath the pegboard surface.

Spherical construction toy and light apparatus


In one embodiment, a system includes a server having a hypervisor layer that includes an overlay-configured virtual switch and a Fiber Channel (FC) virtual switch. The system also includes at least one processor configured to execute logic and a converge network adapter (CNA) coupled to the hypervisor layer. The CNA is configured to communicate with the overlay-configured virtual switch and the FC virtual switch, and with a FC forwarder (FCF). Moreover, the overlay-configured virtual switch includes logic configured to communicate with a central controller. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving a block of media access control (MAC) addresses for use in local fabric initialization protocol (FIP) operations and advertising to all local Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) initiators to route FCoE traffic to a FC virtual switch by asserting an overlay-configured virtual switch as a FCF for any requesting FCoE initiators.

The present invention relates to data center infrastructure, and more particularly, this invention relates to supporting Storage Area Network (SAN) traffic over logical overlay networks and systems thereof.
Network virtualization is an emerging data center and cloud computing trend which aims to virtualize a network as seen by end stations in a way that greatly simplifies network provisioning in multi-tenant environments, as well as traditional environments. One of the more common techniques of achieving network virtualization is to use network overlays, where tunnels are established between servers, edge network switches, and gateways to which end stations connect. The tunnel is actually implemented by encapsulating packets transmitted by a source end station into an overlay header that transports the packet from the source switch to a target switch in user datagram protocol (UDP) transport via an internet protocol (IP)-based network. The overlay header includes an identifier (ID) that uniquely identifies the virtual network. The target switch strips off the overlay header encapsulation, UDP transport header, and IP header, and delivers the original packet to the destination end station. In addition to this tunneling mechanism, the edge switches participate in an address discovery protocol, which may be learning/flooding based, or lookup-based.
Overlay networks typically utilize an overlay-enabling technology, such as Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network (VXLAN), Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP), Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV), Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE), etc. Regardless of the overlay network supporting protocol, an overlay network connects geographically separated Layer-2 (L2) networks using L2 over Layer-3 (L3) tunnels. L2 packets originated by a virtual machine (VM) in an overlay network capable server and destined to another VM or group of VMs in same overlay network, but located in another physical location (such as on a different physical server) are carried over L3 tunnels, bypassing the L2 infrastructure.
Overlay networks allow stretching of VM mobility across L2 domains for VMs running Enterprise applications (typically built on top of IP over Ethernet). However, none of these technologies directly provide the benefits of overlay network usage to VMs exchanging SAN traffic, such as Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) traffic, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), etc. For example, in conventional systems, flows of SAN traffic through the underlying network are separated from the flows of Enterprise Ethernet traffic thereby preventing the SAN traffic from taking advantage of the overlay networks. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an overlay network which is capable of providing similar capabilities to SAN traffic as it does to IP traffic.

Overlay network capable of supporting storage area network (SAN) traffic

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a liquid processing method which includes holding the substrate by a holding part, rotating the substrate held by the holding part through a rotation driving part, and supplying a chemical liquid to a holding part-side surface of the substrate by a chemical liquid supply part. After the supply of the chemical liquid, rinsing liquid droplets are generated and supplied between the holding part and the substrate by supplying gas toward the holding part-side surface of the substrate from a gas supply part and, at the same time, supplying a rinsing liquid toward the holding part-side surface of the substrate from a rinsing liquid supply part. After the supply of the rinsing liquid droplets, the gas supply is halted and a rinsing liquid is additionally supplied to the holding part-side surface of the substrate from the rinsing liquid supply part.

Generally, a substrate processing apparatus performs a chemical liquid treatment by rotating a substrate and supplying a chemical liquid to the substrate, and then performs a cleaning treatment by supplying a cleaning liquid (a rinsing liquid) to the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding means (a holding part) for holding several points of the outer circumferential end of the substrate, a rotating means (a rotation driving part) for rotating the substrate held by the substrate holding means, a chemical liquid supply means for supplying the chemical liquid to near the center of the rear side of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, and a cleaning liquid supply means for supplying the cleaning liquid to near the center of the rear side of the substrate held by the substrate holding means. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 9-330904.
The chemical liquid supplied to the rear side of the substrate is scattered and adhered to a base member (a support plate) disposed at the rear side of the substrate, and the chemical liquid adhered to the base member is adhered to a substrate which has been subjected to a drying process, or has a bad influence on the substrate to be subsequently processed.
The present disclosure provides a liquid processing method to clean a member, such as a holding plate, disposed at the holding part-side of the substrate with a rinsing liquid and prevent a chemical liquid adhered to such a member from adhering to a substrate which has been subjected to a drying process, or from having a bad influence on the substrate (polluting the substrate). Also, the present disclosure provides a liquid processing apparatus for performing such a liquid processing method, and a storage medium for executing such a liquid processing method by the liquid processing apparatus.

Liquid processing method, liquid processing apparatus and storage medium


An upgrade method for navigation data is provided with: a memory status of a memory device that is removed from a navigation apparatus is checked and it is determined whether there are the navigation data to be upgraded and the user data to be saved. The user data is saved in a backup memory device. The navigation data is written over with upgraded navigation data. Then, the saved data is read from the backup memory device and rewritten in the memory device as the user data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an upgrade method for navigation data that upgrades the navigation data that are required for operating functions of a navigation apparatus, and more particularly to a navigation data upgrade method and apparatus for saving used by a memory that is can freely be installed in the navigation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, optical disks, such as DVDs or CDs, have been widely used as a memory means for reading navigation data, such as map data, in a navigation apparatus. When performing navigation with a navigation apparatus having an optical disk, the current position is detected and directions are given using a map image that is created based on the map data that are read from the optical disk.
On the other hand, navigation data, such as map data that are recorded on an optical disk, must correspond to changes in road conditions, and after the data have been used for a certain period of time, it is preferable that the data be properly updated. In order to do this, an optical disk containing the upgrade navigation data is provided to the customer, and by mounting the disk in the navigation apparatus, it is possible to perform navigation in a manner appropriately reflecting the changes in upgraded road conditions.
However, recently, the use of a hard disk as a large-capacity memory is becoming popular, and it is feasible that a hard disk could be installed in a navigation apparatus and used as the memory for navigation data. By using such a hard disk, it would be possible to greatly increase the amount of navigation data that could be stored, as well as it would be possible for the customer to record data, such as a collection of music data, on the empty area of the hard disk, thus enhance the convenience of the navigation apparatus.
When a hard disk is used in a navigation apparatus, the process for upgrading the navigation data as described above becomes more difficult. That is, the recording medium is not simply replaced as in the case of an optical disk, and the business that provides the hard disk, must collect the hard disk from the customer and upgrade the data by writing over the old data.
However, there is the possibility that the customer using the navigation apparatus may wish to retain their own user data that are recorded on the hard disk, even though they also desire to have the navigation data updated. In this case, it is necessary to first back up the customer's user data before upgrading the navigation data, and this becomes troublesome.
When the business performs the upgrade work itself, management of the upgrade process becomes difficult when there are many hard disks to be upgraded, and an increased on overall cost would be anticipated.
Moreover, when the business performs the upgrade work itself, there would be an increase in intermediate costs that would accompany the collecting and returning of the hard disks to be upgraded. Also, when considering the case of having the customers remove and install the hard disk in the navigation apparatus by themselves, some customers may be unaccustomed to handling the hard disk, and is not desirable.

Upgrade for navigation data based on usage data or initialization of navigation data


This invention is a process of converting n-pentane to cyclopentane. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, n-pentane feed is converted in dual temperature stage process without interstage processing of the first stage product mixture.

With the increase in cracking severity of FCC and the rise of hydroprocessing, the problem of processing byproduct n-pentane has become more significant. Some refineries isomerize the low 62 RON (research octane number) n-pentane to isopentane (RON=92). Isomerization of the n-pentane to isopentane leads, however, to an increase in gasoline volatility (RVP of n-pentane=15 6; RVP of isopentane=20.4); and environmental factors may limit the amount of isopentane usable in gasoline in the future.
Cyclopentane offers several advantages over both n-pentane and isopentane as a gasoline additive. Its research octane number is even higher than that of isopentane, and its volatility is substantially lower, as shown below:
______________________________________ Compound RON MON RVP ______________________________________ n-pentane 61.7 62.6 15.6 isopentane 92.3 90.3 20.4 cyclopentane 101.3 84.9 9.9 ______________________________________
Compared to pentane isomerization, cyclopentane production, in accordance with the invention, yields a higher octane product and at the same time reduces the RVP of the pentane fraction.

Upgrading of normal pentane to cyclopentane


The present invention relates to anaerobically curable compositions containing a benzoxazine component and which demonstrates resistance to elevated temperature conditions and/or accelerated cure speed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anaerobically curable compositions containing a benzoxazine component and which demonstrates resistance to elevated temperature conditions and/or accelerated cure speed.
Brief Description of Related Technology
Anaerobic adhesive compositions generally are well-known. See e.g., R. D. Rich, "Anaerobic Adhesives" in Handbook of Adhesive Technology, 29, 467-79, A. Pizzi and K. L. Mittal, eds., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York (1994), and references cited therein. Their uses are legion and new applications continue to be developed.
Conventional anaerobic adhesives ordinarily include a free-radically polymerizable acrylate ester monomer, together with a peroxy initiator and an inhibitor component. Oftentimes, such anaerobic adhesive compositions also contain accelerator components to increase the speed with which the composition cures.
Many adhesives particularly anaerobic adhesives, have been rendered resistant to degradation at elevated temperatures by the inclusion of certain additives. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,299 (Malofsky) refers to a heat curable composition having improved thermal properties, which includes certain acrylate monomers and maleimide compounds.
L.J. Baccei and B.M. Malofsky, "Anaerobic Adhesives Containing Maleimides Having Improved Thermal Resistance" in Adhesive Chemicals, 589-601, L-H, Lee, ed., Plenum Publishing Corp. (1984) report the use of maleimides—specifically, N-phenyl maleimide, m-phenylene dimaleimide and a reaction product of methylene dianiline and methylene dianiline bismaleimide—to increase the thermal resistance of anaerobic adhesives which are fully cured at temperatures of at least 150° C.
While the addition to anaerobic adhesive compositions of such maleimide compounds to render them resistant to thermal degradation provides reaction products with acceptable performance, it would be desirable to find alternative compounds to include in such formulations.
Henkel Corporation in the past designed certain anaerobic adhesive compositions with enhanced resistance to thermal degradation. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,545 (Klemarczyk) discloses and claims a radical curable composition, radical cured reaction products of which demonstrate improved adhesion and resistance to thermal degradation at elevated temperatures. The composition, which may cure under anaerobic conditions, includes (a) a (meth)acrylate component; (b) an effective amount of latent imidizole as a thermal resistance conferring agent; and (c) a radical cure-inducing composition, such as an anaerobic cure-inducing composition. The latent imidazole is an adduct obtained by a reacting a compound having an active hydrogen together with a tertiary amino group, an epoxy compound and a carboxcylic acid anhydride. And the thermal resistance-conferring agent is selected from methyl imidizole, benzoyl imidizole, benzoyl methylimidizole, phthaloyl diimidizole and combinations thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,479 (Klemarczyk) also discloses and claims a radical curable composition, radical cured reaction products of which demonstrate improved adhesion and resistance to thermal degradation at elevated temperatures. The composition, which may cure under anaerobic conditions, includes (a) a (meth)acrylate component; (b) a coreactant component of certain structures, examples of which include epoxidized citronellyl acrylate; epoxidized citronellyl methacrylate; cyclohexenyl methanol acrylate; cyclohexenyl methanol methacrylate; epoxidized cyclohexenyl methanol methacrylate; dihydrodicyclopentadienyl acrylate; epoxidized dihydrodicyclopentadienyl acrylate; dihydrodicylopentadienyl methacrylate; epoxidized dihydrodicylopentadienyl methacrylate; epoxidized 2-propenoic acid, 2-[(3a,3,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indenyl)oxy]ethyl ester; epoxidized 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-[(3a,3,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indenyl)oxy]ethyl ester and combinations thereof; and (c) a radical cure-inducing composition, such as an anaerobic cure-inducing composition. Here, the presence of the coreactant in the composition provides radical cured reaction products thereof with improved adhesion and resistance to thermal degradation. The compositions may also include a thermal resistance-conferring agent, such as one selected from imidizole derivatives (such as benzoyl imidizole, methyl imidizole, benzoyl methylimidizole, phthaloyl diimidizole and combinations thereof), latent imidizoles, and an adduct obtained by reacting a compound having an active hydrogen together with a tertiary amino group in the molecule, an epoxy compound and a carboxylic acid anhydride.
Benzoxazines themselves have been reported in the literature as generally having a high glass transition temperature, good electrical properties (e.g., dielectric constant), and low flammability.
Blends of epoxy resins and benzoxazines are known. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,607,091 (Schreiber), 5,021,484 (Schreiber), 5,200,452 (Schreiber), and 5,445,911 (Schreiber). And ternary blends of epoxy resins, benzoxazine and phenolic resins are also known. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,786 (Ishida), and S. Rimdusit and H. Ishida, "Development of new class of electronic packaging materials based on ternary system of benzoxazine, epoxy, and phenolic resin," Polymer, 41, 7941-49 (2000). See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,905 (Musa) and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2004/0123948 (Dershem).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,976 (Zimmermann) indicates in the context of a reportedly improved redox cure system for acrylic adhesives at column 4, lines 44-54 that:                Fused ring structures, having the thiourea substituent suitably placed in the ring in a position beta to the ring heteroatom (also described as a 2-thiourea derivative), include benzofuran, benzothiofuran, isobenzoxazole, benzpyrazole, benzisoxazole, benzoxazole, 1,4-benzpyrone, quinoline, tetrahydroquinoline, isoquinoline, tetrahydroisoquinoline, cinnoline, quinazoline, naphthpyridine, benzoxazines, and the like. Preferred activators possessing the fused ring structure, include 2-quinolyl thiourea, 1-isoquinolyl thiourea, and 2-naphthyridyl thiourea.
Despite the state of the art, there is an on-going effort to improve the thermal performance of reaction products of radical-curable compositions, such as anaerobically curable ones, and to provide alternative technologies to improve the cure speed of such compositions.


An apparatus that displays alternative items for items that are out of stock in a store or the like. A request for an item is entered into a sales computer. The computer determines from a database whether the requested item is available. If the item is unavailable, the computer determines alternative items that are available for sale. These available alternative items are interactively displayed for the customer. The alternative items are determined from an alternative item database wherein each item is categorized with alternative items. A mass data storage device stores an image of each alternative item. A method of determining and displaying alternative items includes the steps of: inputting a request for an item; determining the availability of the requested item and alternative items for the requested item if it is unavailable; and interactively displaying the alternative items. An electronic monitoring apparatus for a store includes: a sales computer for entering sales requests; a database for storing the request and associated information on each item ordered; a stock area computer, wherein the request is transmitted from the sales computer to the stock area computer; and a report generation system capable of generating a report selected from the group consisting of Items Requested, Items Delivered, Items Returned, Items Sold, Requests by SKU, Sales Person Report, Sales Person Summary Report, Time of Requests Analysis, and Time of Sales Analysis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sales and inventory management systems, and more particularly to a sales system that enables customers to view alternative items in the event the customer orders an item that is out of stock, and to a sales and inventory system that enables tracking of requests for items in a store in which the sales floor is remote from the stockroom.
2. Description of the Related Art
One common problem that is faced by retail stores, especially those such as shoe stores, in which over 500 shoe and sneaker styles may be on display at any given time, is ensuring that all items that are on display are in the store's inventory. If displayed items are not in inventory, customer dissatisfaction and loss of sales may result. Normally, if a desired shoe style is out of inventory, the customer will either (i) return to the displays and select another style, which may itself be out of inventory, or (ii) go to a different store, each of which results in customer dissatisfaction. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system that, once a sales person determines from a sales computer that a selected style of shoe is out of stock, enables the customer to select from alternative styles of shoes similar to those originally selected by the customer, and to view the shoes on the sales computer, without the necessity of returning to the store display.
Various electronic catalog systems are known in the art. Such catalogs systems are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,319,542; 4,992,940; 3,757,037; 5,206,804; 5,367,627; 5,291,395; and 4,984,155. None of these systems, however, provides a method of and apparatus for enabling a store customer to view alternative styles similar to a selected style that is out of inventory so as to avid customer dissatisfaction.
In shoe and sneaker stores, when a style is selected by a customer in a particular size, the selected pair of shoes or sneakers is retrieved from a stockroom so that the customer may try the shoes on. While in some retail establishments the salespersons themselves retrieve the desired shoes from stock, in other stores an order is transmitted to a stockroom where the order is picked by a stock person and transmitted to the sales floor. The productivity of the stockroom personnel is critical in maintaining customer satisfaction in that if a customer must wait too long for the desired shoes to be retrieved, the customer may leave. Also, it is important to monitor the movement of shoes between the sales floor and the stockroom to prevent shoplifting and to monitor inventory. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system wherein the productivity of the salespersons and the stockroom personnel may be measured and in which the movement of items between the sales floor and stockroom is carefully monitored.

Sales and inventory method and apparatus


An extendible mast assembly is disclosed comprising a base member (12); a base mast section (16) pivotally coupled thereto; and an extendible mast section (20) telescopically received within the base mast section (16). A first ball drive actuator (14) is mounted and coupled to pivotally drive the mast sections between a horizontal xe2x80x9cdownxe2x80x9d position and a vertical xe2x80x9cupxe2x80x9d position, and a second ball drive actuator (18) is mounted within the base mast section to move the extendible mast section in and out of the base mast section. A wiring harness (106, 108) is routed from the base of the unit up through the base mast section and the extendible mast section for powering the ball drive actuators (14, 18) and any electrically powered device mounted to the distal end of the mast. The uppermost extendible mast section (20) is composed of non-conductive material to prevent the conductance of a charge down the mast to the vehicle to which the unit is attached. The passageways of the base and extendible mast sections are enclosed to protect the motor and wiring harnesses from detrimental contact with the elements or surrounding obstructions. In an alternative embodiment, the mast assembly is an integral in-line component of a light bar assembly and supports at a remote end optional equipment such as a radar/laser device; a speaker system; auxiliary lighting; video cameras; and a digital sign. The mast assembly, light bar, and safety and detection devices located at the remote end of the mast assembly are mounted to the rooftop of a vehicle and comprise a security system computer controlled remotely from within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Elevated atop the mast assembly, the security and detection equipment attains a height advantage which functionally improves their performance and serves to remove such equipment from the dashboard of the vehicle, enhancing passenger safety and comfort thereby.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a telescoping mast assembly useful in sundry applications and, more specifically, to a telescoping mast assembly suitable for mobile field use.
2. The Prior Art
Telescoping masts are well known safety devices useful in law enforcement, industrial, military or commercial applications. Such masts are portable devices which can be readily deployed when needed and readily returned to a storage position when not in use. Typical applications are those in which equipment or devices require elevation in order to optimally accomplish their intended function. It may be desirable, or essential, to elevate floodlights, cameras, antennas, or other surveillance equipment by means of a telescopic mast assembly in order for such devices to function optimally. By way of example, one common application is to mount a telescopic light mast upon the roof of a vehicle for illuminating a wide area surrounding the vehicle. The mast must quickly and reliably deploy when necessary, and retract against the roof of the vehicle when not in use. Law enforcement officials, in particular, have found such devices useful in the field.
Heretofore, telescoping masts have been either pneumatically, hydraulically, or chain driven. Pneumatic drive motors require airtight seals between telescopic mast sections in order to function as intended. However, the environment in which such masts are used makes maintaining an airtight condition between mast sections problematic. Contaminants, or radial ice, deposited between mast sections, or at the junction will stop the mast from descending or cause damage to the mast sections, and can easily destroy the seal required for efficient operation of the pneumatic drive. In the event that the pneumatic integrity of the seal is destroyed, the mast will fall due to gravity with a potential for disastrous consequences.
A further disadvantage to pneumatically powered telescoping masts is that they can only assume one of two positions. Either the masts are fully extended or fully retracted. In many applications, however, because of obstructions or other considerations, it is desirable to, have the telescoping mast sections in a partial state of extension or retraction. A further disadvantage with pneumatic drives is that they are relatively heavy in weight, limiting their suitability for vehicle roof applications. In addition, such drives are expensive to manufacture, assemble, and maintain, which limits their commercial appeal.
Finally, in applications where the unit is used on uneven terrain, pneumatic units cannot work consistently on grades exceeding fifteen degrees and, if the loading at the top is high, even less. The tubes on pneumatic masts on slopes exceeding the limit may bend at the joint, causing air leakage at the junction and a corresponding failure. A unit accordingly is needed which can safely maintain structural integrity on slopes exceeding fifteen degrees.
Hydraulic systems for elevating masts suffer from many of the same shortcomings. Hydraulic drives are relatively heavy in weight and are expensive to manufacture, assemble, and maintain. Moreover, such drives are vulnerable to damage from contact with the environment since hydraulic lines are exposed. Additionally, contaminants can infiltrate the hydraulic system and cause malfunction or failure.
Chain driven telescopic masts likewise suffer from the same deficiencies. The drive mechanisms are relatively heavy in weight and are expensive to manufacture, assemble,, and maintain. The chain link mechanism is also exposed and susceptible to damage from contact with environmental objects.
Other shortcomings common to the aforementioned conventional telescopic mast drives and devices are that the wiring to the outboard end of the mast is exposed and can be damaged by inadvertent contact with surrounding obstacles or suffer from damage from exposure to the elements. Moreover, the masts are generally fabricated from conductive material from the base to the top end. An electrical charge introduced into such masts from inadvertent contact with exposed overhead electrical lines will, accordingly, be transferred to the vehicle below, causing a potential for danger to the operators on the ground. Available systems lack effective means for preventing such a charge transfer, such as a fuse system. However, even were fuses implemented into wiring of available units, because the wiring is exposed to the elements, such fuses would be prone to damage and deterioration from exposure to the elements and may not function as intended when they are needed. A further shortcoming to conventional telescopic mast systems is that their relative large physical size makes mounting such assemblies to vehicle rooftops cumbersome. Since the roofs of contemporary cars and trucks are comparatively small by historical measure, a mast system of a more compact design and configuration than those available currently is needed. Moreover, telescoping masts often must share the roof surface of police or emergency vehicles with other devices such as a horizontal light bar. The presence of a light bar reduces the surface area available for mounting a telescoping light mast assembly. A need, accordingly, exists for a light mast assembly which occupies a relatively small surface area of a rooftop and which is compatible with other devices such as a horizontal light bar on the roof of a vehicle.
Telescoping masts, heretofore, have been employed primarily as a stand alone rooftop units for the purpose of elevating an illumination device to a higher position in order to enlarge the illuminated field. Such light masts are not deployed when the vehicle is in motion because they cannot withstand wind sheer forces generated impinging upon a moving vehicle. Rather, the light masts can only be deployed when the vehicle is stationary. This restriction on the use of telescoping masts is a significant deficiency and prevents the use of telescoping mast-mounted equipment in a myriad of circumstances where such equipment would be useful. There is, according, a need for a telescoping mast system which can be used in mobile circumstances and withstand the wind forces impacting against a moving vehicle.
A further deficiency in state of the art telescopic masts is that they heretofore have only found application in supporting illumination devices. No available vehicle mounted mast systems provide the capability for elevating radar detection devices; video or audio equipment; strobe lighting; digital signage, or other types of safety equipment. There is, accordingly a long felt need for a safety system comprising a telescoping mast capable of supporting and elevating a diverse range of safety equipment, including audio speakers; radar/laser speed detection devices; emergency lighting; video surveillance equipment; and/or digital warning signage. Such equipment, while operational at a rooftop level, would benefit functionally from placement at a higher elevation. A further need is for a mast system that can support such equipment while the vehicle is in motion. A police vehicle, by way of example, would find it advantageous to elevate, actuate, and operate speed detection, video, audio, or digital warning signage equipment while the vehicle is in motion.
There is a further safety benefit to relocating audio, video, detection, and other types of equipment from the interior of a vehicle to a rooftop location. Heretofore audio, video, and speed detection equipment have been positioned within the passenger compartment of a police or emergency vehicle on the dashboard, seat, or floor, within reach and visual line of sight of the driver. Such a location not only does not place the equipment in an optimal high elevation, but also tends to result in an undesirably cluttered internal compartment of the vehicle proximate to the driver. The clutter created by placing such equipment in close proximity to the driver results not only in discomforte for the driver, but can pose a safety risk by complicating the operation of the vehicle, diverting the driver""s attention from the road, and by restricting the drivers line of sight and mobility within the driver""s compartment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a safety system that simplifies the interior compartment of emergency or police vehicles. Such a system preferably would eliminate the concentration of equipment within the internal compartment of a police or emergency vehicle, place the equipment at an optimal elevated position on the rooftop of the vehicle, yet do so in a manner which is space efficient and which does not interfere with the operation of other devices on the roof such as a horizontal light bar.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies in available telescoping mast systems by providing a ball actuator drive system. A telescoping extendible mast section is housed within a base mast section which mounts to a base plate. A first ball actuator mounts to the base plate and drives the base mast section between a horizontal storage position and a vertical work position. The base plate ball actuator comprises an electrically powered motor, which drives a ball screw along a stroke path. A remote end of the ball screw is attached to a bottom end of the base mast section and pivots the base mast into alternative angle of elevation by pushing and pulling against the bottom end of the base mast section. The base mast section can, accordingly, be placed and held in any angle required between the storage and work positions.
The telescoping extendible mast section is likewise driven between an extended position and a retracted position by a second ball actuator drive system. The second drive system is fixedly mounted within the base mast section and comprises a drive screw affixed at a remote end to the extendible mast section. Movement of the drive screw along a stroke path pushes and pulls the extendible mast section into alternative positions between the extended and retracted positions. The extendible mast section can, as with the base mast section, be placed and maintained in any of the alternative positions to conform to the physical constraints of the space in which the mast is used. The extension of the extendible mast section is independent of the elevational operation of the base mast section, affording the user a wide range of options for optimally positioning the telescoping mast. Positive actuation of the mast sections in both directions by the drive motors will operate effectively on slopes of twenty degrees or more.
Additional stages or telescoping mast sections may be employed in order to increase the maximum reach or the mast. A ball drive actuator for each such additional section can be likewise utilized. The mast sections and ball drive actuators are relatively lightweight and are readily assembled and maintained. In addition, the wiring which supplies power and control signals to the ball drive actuators and to electrical devices mounted to a remote end of the mast assembly is housed entirely within the axial passageway of the coaxial mast sections. Protected from exposure to the elements, or damage from contact with surrounding objects, degradation or damage to the wiring is avoided. The top section of the mast is composed of non-electrically conductive material in a preferred embodiment. Such a composition prevents that section from transferring an electrical charge to the vehicle to which the mast assembly is mounted. Danger to operators below from inadvertent contact between the remote section of the mast and exposed overhead conductors is, thereby, avoided. Further, inasmuch as the wiring to the top of the mast is protected within the mast sections from the elements and from damaging contact with environmental obstructions, an effective and reliable fuse system can be incorporated into the wiring harness which will stop the transfer of electrical current form the wires into the base of the unit and therefrom into the vehicle frame. According to another aspect of the invention, the telescoping extendible mast assembly summarized above is integrally incorporated into a horizontal light bar positioned across a police or emergency vehicle rooftop. The mast assembly is positioned in line with the light bar and shares electrical and control conduits within the light bar assembly. So positioned, the mast assembly lies flat upon the roof of the vehicle in the down position and can be rotated into a vertical position if needed. Optional equipment such as a radar speed detector, a speaker assembly, lighting devices, digital warning sign, and/or video cameras can be collectively or alternatively mounted to the remote end of the mast assembly and thereby elevated to an optimal elevation above the roof surface. The mast assembly is configured to withstand sheer forces resulting from vehicle movement. Accordingly, the mast can be extended while the vehicle is in motion and the equipment carried thereby maintained in an advantageous elevated position. The telescoping mast and the equipment supported thereby are preferably computer controlled by a computer located within the vehicle passenger compartment within visual and manual reach of the driver. Redeployment of safety and detection equipment from the interior passenger compartment of the vehicle to the rooftop reduces clutter surrounding the driver and passengers for the enhanced comfort and safety of such individuals.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a telescoping mast assembly having an improved drive system for motivation a plurality of mast sections between storage and work positions, and into alternative positions therebetween.
A further objective of the invention is to provide a telescoping mast system having means for encasing and protecting wiring which is routed from the base to the remote end of the mast.
Yet a further objective is to provide a telescoping mast system having a positive drive mechanism associated with each mast section, which independently pushes and pulls its respective mast section between and up and a down position, and into alternative positions therebetween.
Another objective is to provide a telescoping mast system having improved means for electrically isolating the underlying vehicle on which the mast system is mounted.
Still a further objective is to provide a telescoping mast system which is relatively lightweight and protected from deterioration due to exposure to the elements.
A further objective is to provide a telescoping mast system comprised of relatively inexpensive components which are economically and readily assembled and easily maintained. A further objective is to provide a telescoping mast assembly for a horizontal light bar assembly.
A further objective is to provide a horizontal light bar assembly for rooftop vehicle use having a telescoping mast assembly incorporated therein.
A further objective is to provide a security and monitoring system for rooftop vehicle use and controlled from within the vehicle passenger compartment.
A further objective is to provide a security and monitoring system for rooftop vehicle use providing for integrated horizontal light bar and telescoping mast components.
A further objective is to provide a security and monitoring system for rooftop vehicle use providing for a telescoping mast capable of operation in the extended position during vehicular movement.
A further objective is to provide a security and monitoring system for rooftop vehicle application providing for selective elevation of security and monitoring components above the vehicle roof in stationary and mobile situations.
A further objective is to provide a method of integrating lighting and telescopic mast supported equipment upon the rooftop of an emergency vehicle.
A further objective is to provide a method of converting existing horizontal light bars to integrate with telescopic mast supported devices upon the rooftop of an emergency vehicle.
A further objective is to provide a method of integrating myriad safety devices of an emergency vehicle.
These and other objectives, which will be apparent to those skilled in the arts, are achieved by a preferred embodiment which is described in detail below and which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings.


The present invention provides for a system and method for processing multiple electronic messages in one transmission, or data group, and responding individually to the service requests based on urgency indicators present in the data group. The disclosure describes a system that contains a switch and includes remote access devices, financial institution computers, and service provider computers all connected to the switch. Customers at remote access devices select desired services and the remote access devices construct a data group containing service requests consistent with the protocol described in the invention. The data group includes urgency indicators associated with each service requested. The urgency indicators can represent three different modes: transaction interactive, batch-interactive, or non-interactive. Depending upon the indicator, the switch will respond to the remote access devices either immediately, in a single response after the entire service request is received, or not at all, respectively. The switch will then communicate with the appropriate financial institution computer, service provider computer or remote access device to complete the transaction.

Financial operations today are not restricted to face to face transactions with a bank teller or broker for every financial service desired by a customer. There are presently numerous ways to complete an electronic transaction remotely with a financial institution or service provider using external devices that can communicate with the bank over long distances via transmission lines. These external devices currently include automatic teller machines (ATMs), point-of-sale devices, home computers, touch-tone telephones, and intelligent phones capable of data and video display. The external devices can either connect to a financial institution or service provider directly via modem or be connected to a central switch that processes the transmissions and further communicates with the appropriate financial institution or service provider. The switch receives transmissions from the external devices, financial institutions and service providers constructed in a predetermined format called a protocol. The data carried in the transmissions are arranged in data constructs called data groups. Data groups must follow the prescribed protocol in order for the switch to properly interpret the information transmitted. Protocols typically require data items called "headers" and "trailers" to delineate when a group of messages start and end. There is always a corresponding trailer for each header transmitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,501 issued Jun. 15, 1993 to Lawlor et. al. discloses a method and system for conducting financial transactions using remote terminals. The remote terminals are connected to a central computer by a network switch. The central computer receives service requests from the remote terminals and then transmits messages over a conventional ATM network to a bank to complete a financial transaction. An example of a transaction performed by the system is cash withdrawal which debits a payer's account. Lawlor, however, does not disclose any particular protocol by which the service request data is transmitted. Lawlor discloses only a high level system and does not describe the details of the composition of the actual transmission.
There are a number of standard protocols that are used today and followed by programs run on external terminals that need to properly communicate with a central switch or other computer. One such protocol is the American National Standard for Electronic Data Interchange (ANSEDI) developed by the Accredited Standards Committee X12 and approved by the American National Standards Institute. ANSEDI can be used by a variety of industries including transportation, insurance, and retail purchasing to communicate information between two data processing systems. The ANSEDI protocol can also be used to transmit financial information.
The ANSEDI protocol requires data groups to be constructed with a particular arrangement of control messages. Each data group must start with a functional group header. Next, a transaction set header must be placed in the data group to designate a transaction set. Then a loop header designates the start of a bounded loop of data messages but is not part of the loop itself. Next, an inner loop header starts an inner, nested bounded loop of message instructions. Each header has a corresponding trailer placed in the data group to complete each nested loop. They appear in the following order and correspond to a previous header: inner loop trailer, loop trailer, transaction set trailer, and functional group header. More than one transaction set may be used within one functional group. Also, more than one bounded loop may be used within each transaction set.
Another standard protocol that is used today is the Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) agreed to by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. This protocol can be used between different remote sites located in different countries in order to provide proper communication that can be interpreted by both remote sites. EDIFACT has the limitation of only allowing messages of one service type to be present in a single data group to be transmitted. Thus additional data groups including headers and trailers must be transmitted to another computer in separate transmissions rather than in a single transmission. The extra required data is a disadvantage over a system that can transmit all the service types in one data group thereby reducing the number of headers and trailers in the transmission. Reduced data in the transmission can save transmission costs and processing time.

System and method for processing multiple electronic transaction requests


A system for independent component analysis includes a feedback mechanism based on a plasticity rule, and an electro-kinetic induced particle chain, wherein the feedback mechanism and the electro-kinetic induced particle chain is utilized to extract independent components from a data set or data stream. The electro-kinetic induced particle chain is generally composed of a plurality of interconnected nanoconnections (e.g., nanoparticles) disposed between at least two electrodes in a solution, including for example one or more pre-synaptic electrodes and one or more post-synaptic electrodes. The feedback mechanism generally provides feedback to one or more particles within the electro-kinetic induced particle chain, while the plasticity rule can be non-linear in nature. The feedback mechanism also provides for one or more evaluate phases and one or more feedback phases.

Independent component analysis (ICA) generally refers to a statistical and/or neural computation technique for separating hidden sources from mixed signals. ICA involves statistical and computational techniques for revealing hidden factors that underlie, for example, groups or sets of signals, measurements, random variables, and other data.
The field of ICA generally involves a generative model for observed multi-variate data, which is typically provided in the context of a large database of samples. In such a model, the data variables are assumed to be linear mixtures of some unknown latent variables, and the mixing system is also unknown. The latent variables are assumed non-gaussian and mutually independent and they are called the independent components of the observed data. These independent components, also called sources or factors, can be found by ICA.
ICA is superficially related to principal component analysis and factor analysis. ICA is a much more powerful technique, however, capable of finding the underlying factors or sources when these classic methods fail completely. The data analyzed by ICA could originate from many different kinds of application fields, including digital images, document databases, economic indicators and psychometric measurements. In many cases, the measurements are given as a set of parallel signals or time series; the term blind source separation is used to characterize this problem. Typical examples of ICA applications are mixtures of simultaneous speech signals that have been picked up by several microphones, brain waves recorded by multiple sensors, interfering radio signals arriving at a mobile phone, or parallel time series obtained from some industrial process.
One area that seems to hold promise for ICA implantations is in the area of nanotechnology. One example of a nanotechnology-based device is the Knowm™ network or system, which is described in a U.S. patent and a number of U.S. patent publications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,216, entitled "Physical Neural Network Design Incorporating Nanotechnology," which issued to Alex Nugent on May 3, 2005 generally describes a physical neural network based on nanotechnology, including methods thereof. Such a physical neural network, which can be referred to as a Knowm™ network generally includes one or more neuron-like nodes, which are formed from a plurality of interconnected nanoconnections formed from nanoconductors. Such connections constitute Knowm™ connections. Each neuron-like node sums one or more input signals and generates one or more output signals based on a threshold associated with the input signal. The Knowm™ device physical neural network also includes a connection network formed from the interconnected nanoconnections, such that the interconnected nanoconnections used thereof by one or more of the neuron-like nodes are strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field, variations in frequency, and so forth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,216 is incorporated herein by reference.
Another example of a Knowm™ network or system is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760, entitled "Multi-layer Training in a Physical Neural Network Formed Utilizing Nanotechnology," by inventor Alex Nugent, which was published on Dec. 25, 2003. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 generally describes methods and systems for training at least one connection network located between neuron layers within a multi-layer physical neural network (e.g., a Knowm™ network or device). The multi-layer physical neural network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 can be formed with a plurality of inputs and a plurality outputs thereof, wherein the multi-layer physical neural network comprises a plurality of layers therein, such that each layer thereof comprises at least one connection network and at least one associated neuron. Thereafter, a training wave, as further described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760, can be initiated across one or more connection networks associated with an initial layer of the multi-layer physical neural network which propagates thereafter through succeeding connection networks of succeeding layers of the multi-layer physical neural network by successively closing and opening at least one switch associated with each layer of the multi-layer physical neural network. At least one feedback signal thereof can be automatically provided to each preceding connection network associated with each preceding layer thereof to strengthen or weaken nanoconnections associated with each connection network of the multi-layer physical neural network. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 is incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717, entitled High-density synapse chip using nanoparticles" by inventor Alex Nugent. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717 published on Feb. 26, 2004 and generally describes a physical neural network synapse chip (i.e., a Knowm™ chip) and a method for forming such a synapse chip. The synapse or Knowm™ chip can be configured to include an input layer comprising a plurality of input electrodes and an output layer comprising a plurality of output electrodes, such that the output electrodes are located perpendicular to the input electrodes. A gap is generally formed between the input layer and the output layer. A solution can then be provided which is prepared from a plurality of nanoconductors and a dielectric solvent. The solution is located within the gap, such that an electric field is applied across the gap from the input layer to the output layer to form nanoconnections of a physical neural network implemented by the synapse chip. Such a gap can thus be configured as an electrode gap. The input electrodes can be configured as an array of input electrodes, while the output electrodes can be configured as an array of output electrodes. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717 is also incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426, entitled "Physical Neural Network Liquid State Machine Utilizing Nanotechnology," by inventor Alex Nugent, which was published on Aug. 5, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network), which functions as a liquid state machine. The physical neural network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 can be configured from molecular connections located within a dielectric solvent between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic electrodes thereof, such that the molecular connections are strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field or a frequency thereof to provide physical neural network connections thereof. A supervised learning mechanism is associated with the liquid state machine, whereby connections strengths of the molecular connections are determined by pre-synaptic and post-synaptic activity respectively associated with the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic electrodes, wherein the liquid state machine comprises a dynamic fading memory mechanism. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 is also incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796, entitled "Application of Hebbian and anti-Hebbian Learning to Nanotechnology-based Physical Neural Networks" by inventor Alex Nugent, which published on Aug. 19, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., Knowm™ network) configured utilizing nanotechnology. The Knowm™ network disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 includes a plurality of molecular conductors (e.g., nanoconductors) which form neural connections between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic components of the physical neural network. Additionally, a learning mechanism is applied, which implements Hebbian learning via the physical neural network. Such a learning mechanism can utilize a voltage gradient or voltage gradient dependencies to implement Hebbian and/or anti-Hebbian plasticity within the physical neural network. The learning mechanism can also utilize pre-synaptic and post-synaptic frequencies to provide Hebbian and/or anti-Hebbian learning within the physical neural network. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 is incorporated herein by reference.
An additional example of a Knowm™ network or device is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558, entitled "Adaptive Neural Network Utilizing Nanotechnology-based Components" by Alex Nugent, which published on Sep. 30, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 generally describes methods and systems for modifying at least one synapse of a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network). The physical neural or Knowm™ network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 can be implemented as an adaptive neural network, which includes one or more neurons and one or more synapses thereof, wherein the neurons and synapses are formed from a plurality of nanoparticles disposed within a dielectric solution in association with one or more pre-synaptic electrodes and one or more post-synaptic electrodes and an applied electric field. At least one pulse can be generated from one or more of the neurons to one or more of the pre-synaptic electrodes of a succeeding neuron and one or more post-synaptic electrodes of one or more of the neurons of the physical neural network, thereby strengthening at least one nanoparticle of a plurality of nanoparticles disposed within the dielectric solution and at least one synapse thereof. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 is incorporated herein by reference.
Another example of a Knowm™ network or device is disclosed U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351, entitled "Nanotechnology Neural Network Methods and Systems" by inventor Alex Nugent, which published on Jan. 20, 2005. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network), which constitutes a connection network comprising a plurality of molecular conducting connections suspended within a connection gap formed between one or more input electrodes and one or more output electrodes. One or more molecular connections of the molecular conducting connections can be strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field, frequency, and the like across the connection gap. Thus, a plurality of physical neurons can be formed from the molecular conducting connections of the connection network. Additionally, a gate can be located adjacent the connection gap and which comes into contact with the connection network. The gate can be connected to logic circuitry which can activate or deactivate individual physical neurons among the plurality of physical neurons. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351 is incorporated herein by reference. Based on the foregoing it can be appreciated that a Knowm™ connection(s), which forms the heart of a Knowm™ network can be thought of as constituting an electro-kinetic induced particle chain.
To date an efficient device for implementing ICA has not been successfully designed and constructed. It is believed that Knowm™ network or device, including associated Knowm™ components and elements are ideal candidates for achieving ICA, particularly in the context of a full integrated circuit chip thereof.

Plasticity-induced self organizing nanotechnology for the extraction of independent components from a data stream


Methods and systems are disclosed herein for arranging media objects on a display screen to compensate for disabilities of a user. For example, if a media guidance application determines that, based on a particular disability, a user cannot see (or has limited vision with respect to) a portion of a screen displaying a media asset, the media guidance application alters the arrangement of media objects in the media asset to compensate for the disability.

Media assets (e.g., movies, television programs, etc.) typically fill the entire screen of a display device during presentation. Consequently, if users have a disability (e.g., partial blindness, glaucoma, astigmatism, etc.), which results in an inability to see or focus on the entire screen, the ability of the user to enjoy and/or comprehend a media asset may be limited.

Methods and systems for arranging media objects on a display screen to compensate for user disabilities


A rendering system is provided. The rendering system includes a rendering component that receives a request to view a data set and provide output to drive a display application. A processing engine generates output data for the rendering component, where the output data is suitable to satisfy a present demand to render a subset of the data set.

Computational and memory demands on computing systems continue to increase exponentially as technology develops newer and ever more powerful applications. One such area that has seen recent growth relates to requirements that database processing technologies that deal with dimensional aspects such as row and column processing are now being coupled with other models such as traditional object models having a class/inheritance structure. Thus, many systems often have a need to support both relational database models and object based models where there also needs to be methods in place to bridge the gap between these models. Demands to support such systems are often placed on available operating systems where a plurality of applications interact with the operating system but employ the system to interact with other applications. Some discussion on these two differing types of models is now provided before a discussion on memory constraints imposed by some applications employing such models.
Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming language model organized around "objects" rather than "actions" and data rather than logic. Historically, a program has been viewed as a logical procedure that takes input data, processes it, and produces output data. The programming challenge was seen as how to write the logic, not how to define the data. Object-oriented programming takes the view that what one really is interested in are the objects to manipulate rather than the logic required to manipulate them. Examples of objects range from human beings (described by name, address, and so forth) to buildings and floors (whose properties can be described and managed) down to the display objects on a computer desktop (such as buttons and scroll bars).
One aspect in OOP is to identify the objects to manipulate and how they relate to each other, an exercise often known as data modeling. When an object has been identified, it can be generalized as a class of objects. Then, define the type of data it contains and any logic sequences that can manipulate it. Each distinct logic sequence is known as a method. A real instance of a class is called an "object" or, in some environments, an "instance of a class." The object or class instance is what executes on the computer. The object's methods provide computer instructions and the class object characteristics provide relevant data. In contrast to object models, relational database models are now described.
Common relational database models are often supported by some type of query language for accessing and managing large amounts of data. Structured Query Language (SQL) is a prevalent database processing language and may be the most popular computer language used to create, modify, retrieve and manipulate data from relational database management systems. The language has evolved beyond its original purpose to support object-relational database management systems. In general, SQL was designed for a specific, limited purpose—querying data contained in a relational database. As such, it is a set-based, declarative computer language rather than an imperative language such as C or BASIC which, being general-purpose, were designed to solve a broader set of problems. Language extensions such as PL/SQL bridge this gap to some extent by adding procedural elements, such as flow-of-control constructs. Another approach is to allow programming language code to be embedded in and interact with the database. For example, Oracle and others include Java in the database, and SQL Server 2005 allows languages to be hosted within the database server process, while PostgreSQL allows functions to be written in a wide variety of languages, including Perl, Tcl, and C.
One area where object models and relational models cooperate is in the context of a rendering system or service. Prior art FIG. 8 shows an example prior art rendering system 800 adapted for an SQL/object model system. In general, the system 800 Fetches data; Groups/Sorts/Filters/ and Aggregates the data; and Calculates Report Item Instances from the data. At each processing step, information from previous steps is read from an Intermediate Format and newly calculated information is saved into the Intermediate Format. As shown, the system 800 includes a Rendering Object Model (ROM) 810 that receives data in a target-independent or intermediate format 820 and outputs the data to a renderer 830 which will render data to a display output at a client machine (not shown). The intermediate format 820 is generated by a processing engine 840 which includes a report item instance calculation component 850, a group/sort/aggregate component 860, and a data fetch component 870. The processing engine 840 receives data from a data store 880, a report snapshot 884, and report definition 890. As shown, a request at 894 drives the processing engine to render data at 830.
In general, the rendering application depicted by the system 800 supports a report processing and rendering engine that retrieves data and processes the entire report snapshot 884 as a whole. Thereby, the system 800 pre-generates all report item instances (such as textbox properties and values) in an output format independent intermediate format at 820, and stores this information in chunks (i.e., streams of data). The chunks are de-serialized later during report rendering into the Rendering Object Model 810.
The ROM 810 is a representation of a report in an output-format independent object model representation. In the system 800, the ROM 810 is an instance object model allowing random access to all instances within a dynamic group collection. For example, a report matrix with 1000 row group instances and 1000 column group instances results in an overall matrix size of 1,000,000 cell instances. While all cells are directly accessible through the ROM, only a few may actually be needed to render a specific page at 830. The random-access flexibility of the ROM 810 comes with a considerable memory and performance cost. Despite very advanced caching strategies in the ROM 810, the overall object model still consumes a significant amount of memory and provides a lot of flexibility to rendering extensions 830 that is often not needed for efficient report pagination and layout rendering.