Software is supplied via data storage system. A software image is provided to the data storage system from an external website. It is determined that software needs to be installed on a host. The software image is retrieved from the data storage system. The software is installed on the host using the software image.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to supplying software via data storage system.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices such as those included in the data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more servers or host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. Multiple data storage systems from one or more different vendors may be connected and may provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system.
A host processor may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host processor may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations.
Host processor systems may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and the storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units. The logical disk units may or may not correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data in the device. In order to facilitate sharing of the data on the device, additional software on the data storage systems may also be used.
Different tasks may be performed in connection with a data storage system. For example, software may be executed on the data storage system in connection with performing data storage administration tasks such as for data storage configuration, management, and/or monitoring. In connection with performing administrative tasks, help facilities may be integrated with software used for performing the administrative tasks. The help facilities may be available locally on the data storage system, for example, using help files statically included on a CD-ROM. If there is insufficient information included in the help facilities on the data storage system, the customer may invoke a web browser in a different session and manually enter information to navigate and search different websites on the Internet in efforts to obtain additional relevant information for performing the data storage administrative tasks. The foregoing has drawbacks in that such searches can be time consuming and cumbersome, the customer may lack sufficient knowledge to perform accurate searches, and the customer may obtain incorrect information from unreliable sources. In connection with performing the first task, the user may perform the data storage administration in a first session connected to the data storage system. In connection with performing the second task of searching for additional information about the problems encountered in the first task, the user may start a second session by invoking the web browser to navigate and search websites on the Internet. There is no information shared between the two tasks performed other than that which the user enters manually.
The host systems run various types of software, at least some of which may be related to the data storage system. Such software distributed on a computer-readable medium such as a CD-ROM often becomes outdated soon after release. For example, software patches and additional drivers may be available after the software has been released for distribution. When a user installs the software, the CD-ROM with the retail software does not contain the most up to date information.
Some prior art systems provide for the updating of the software after the software is installed. For example, the Windows Update service from Microsoft Corporation allows installed software to receive certain updates from a remote server. Tax preparation software is another example of software that may be updated after the software has been installed by receiving updated tax forms from a remote server. However, the software updates may contain critical fixes necessary for stable installation or operation of the software. In addition, the updates necessary for software installed on a particular destination machine may differ based on the particular destination machine.
In general, the continual and rapid development of computers, computer software and related technology has revealed many problems with the typical update and distribution channels for computer software. For example, computer software is constantly and incrementally being upgraded and improved. The computer hardware and operating system environment on which the computer software is used is continually being changed, which requires additional changes in the computer software (e.g., new device drivers, new operating system calls, etc.).
A computer software developer will typically release an initial version of a software product. Thereafter, as new and improved computers and peripherals are developed, the software product will commonly be upgraded to take full advantage of the increased capabilities of the hardware. In addition, a software developer, to remain competitive, will often upgrade the software product to provide new features and functionality.
With the ever increasing pace of advancement in computer related technologies, software developers compete to be the first to offer a new feature or upgrade. As a result, sometimes software products are made available to the public with unknown errors or defects. Similarly, software products that work as intended on a particular computer with a particular configuration, may fail when installed on a different computer having a different configuration (e.g., different hardware, peripherals, operating systems, etc.). Software developers frequently provide fixes for their software products to correct defects that were undetected or unanticipated at the time the software product was released. Fixes are also provided to allow the software product to function correctly on a new computer or with a different operating system environment.
However, it is often difficult for software developers to make upgrades and fixes available to users. This difficulty not only deprives the user of access to the most reliable and up-to-date software products, it can result in lost sales to the software developer and can damage the goodwill and the development of a long term relationship with a customer by releasing a flawed or deficient software product.
Commonly, mass distribution of commercial software products is accomplished by copying the software product onto storage media (e.g. CD-ROMs, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, etc.). To take advantage of economies of scale, typically a large number of copies of the software product are made during the manufacture of a particular software product. Then, the storage media containing the software product is provided to distributors and retailers for sale to users.
However, given the rapid pace of software development, this manner of distribution is frequently insufficient. For example, it is not uncommon that defects are detected and fixes created shortly after a software product is introduced to the public. However, the software products that remain in the distribution chain contain the defect without the fix. This situation is frustrating for users who subsequently purchase the software product that is already obsolete (i.e. because of the defects).
Software can also be distributed over electronic bulletin board systems, the Internet, etc. In such systems, a user connects to the bulletin board or the Internet and then selects and downloads desired software. Such systems allow for rapid updating of software by simply supplying a new updated version of the software to the bulletin board. However, such systems also require a degree of user sophistication and technical expertise in the selection, downloading and installation of the new software. Moreover, such systems do not provide a user that has already obtained a software product with a simple, automatic way of learning of or obtaining upgrades or fixes for that product. The software provider may also have updated help files and other help utilities about which a user would have no way of knowing.
It may be desirable to utilize techniques in connection with data storage system management, configuration, and/or monitoring which provide for connections to other external locations and environments outside of the data storage system. It may also be desirable that such techniques provide for transfer of information between the data storage system and the environments external to the data storage system to assist the user in connection with performing different data storage system management tasks.

Supplying software via data storage system


A swim cap includes a shell forming a concave region terminating at a circumferential rim, and a resilient margin secured to the shell along the circumferential rim. The margin and circumferential rim form a visible boundary, while the shell and resilient margin each are formed from substantially waterproof material. The swim cap also can include at least one fastener configured to tighten the margin.

Many people wear a cap when swimming or bathing. Prior art caps do not provide a comfortable and convenient solution for protecting a user's hair from getting wet when submerged in water, or when engaged in vigorous activity in water, such as swimming. For example, some caps are overly bulky, uncomfortably tight, or require straps under the user's chin, etc. Others are light and comfortable. However, none of these caps adequately prevent a user's hair from getting wet. For example, they do not have an effective mechanism for preventing the volume of hair placed into the cap from affecting the tightness of the margin, which tightness minimizes water entry. In addition, they do not have a mechanism that effectively minimizes the gaps between the cap and the wearer's head caused by the protrusion of the ears and natural curvatures of the neck. In addition, none of these caps have a mechanism for keeping the tension of the cap shell from causing the cap to retract (i.e., ride up) when the wearer is engaged in movement such as swimming.


A filling machine for containers simultaneously fills an array of containers, for examples immediately following depalletizing, and includes motor driven positioners for the nozzles to accommodate changes in the size of container being run. The containers are laterally abutted to occupy evenly spaced container positions, and the array can be compressed by a contoured push bar to force the entire array into registry. The nozzles are flexibly coupled to a source of material to be discharged into the containers, and are mechanically moved by actuators that displace at least a subset of the nozzles along the axes of the array. In this way the nozzles are moved into registry with the container array. The nozzles are also vertically movable relative to the containers, and each includes a valve opened by contact with a respective container, for discharging only into occupied container positions and not voids in the array. The actuators include at least one motor drive to advance and retract the nozzles along at least one of the axes, and preferably the nozzles along particular rows and columns have a common positioning motor such as a threaded rod and nut arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of fillers for containers carried axially upright on a conveyor in an X-Y array, and more particularly to a filler arranged for at least semiautomatic job changing from containers of one dimension to containers of another dimension. A plurality of individual nozzles in the array are re-positionable in the array such that when containers having a larger or smaller lateral dimension are to be run, the individual nozzles are movable into registry with the new array.
2. Prior Art
Filling machines for containers such as beverage bottles and the like conventionally pass the containers in a single file along a conveying path, with the containers opening axially upwardly for filling via nozzles that direct fluid or other material contents downwardly into the containers. High speed filling lines may have a rotary carousel with a number of filling nozzles guided by a cam. The carousel rotates to move the nozzles synchronously with the passing containers and the cam moves the nozzles downwardly to engage against the containers. Contact with a container causes the filler to discharge, for example via a valve in the respective nozzle opened by axial pressure with the end of the container or a neck of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,349--Pomponio, Sr. discloses a valve arrangement as described.
It is possible that a plurality of nozzles in a serial line filling machine may operate simultaneously to fill a number of adjacent containers in the stream, either by moving synchronously with the containers or by arranging for a group of containers to be stopped while they are filled. It is also possible that two serial lines of containers may be served by adjacent rows of filling nozzles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,836--Johnson discloses a filling machine that serves two parallel streams of containers using banks of four adjacent nozzles to serve four adjacent containers in each stream. Another example of a filler that fills a group of containers simultaneously is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,020,939--Donofrio.
It is necessary in a filling machine having spaced nozzles to ensure that the nozzles align in registry with the containers they are to fill. In a serial filling line, the sidewalls or rails of a conveyor, slide track or similar arrangement typically guide the bottles along the conveyor and prevent the containers from being displaced laterally of the direction of advance along the container stream. The sidewalls, rails or the like keep the centerlines of the containers along the centerline of the row of nozzles.
For linear positioning along the direction of advance, either each container is abutted directly against the longitudinally preceding and following container, or container-carrying pockets are provided at a fixed spacing, to ensure that the containers (and specifically the open tops of the containers) are at the same linear spacing as the nozzles. In Donofrio, the containers are urged laterally against a container sidewall and stopped longitudinally by a movable stop that obstructs the container path and thereby holds the containers in place while they are filled. A filler of this type, which handles groups of containers, can operate "continuously" by filling a first group and then the next adjacent group in a periodic cyclic motion. Typically the filling motion is simply an axial advance and retraction of one of the nozzles and the containers relative to the other, for discharging contents through the nozzles.
It could speed the filling of containers further if an entire X-Y array of containers is filled simultaneously. However, there are problems in adapting such an arrangement to high speed or continuous operation because of problems in ensuring that the containers in the array are in registry with the nozzles. As a result, gang filling tends to be much more of a batch operation than a continuous one.
Examples of gang filling an array of containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,202--Greene; 4,270,584--van Lieshout; and 4,411,295--Nutter. In each case a regular X-Y array of containers is provided that corresponds to an array of nozzles or fill heads. In Greene the containers are bottles; in van Lieshout they are open top cups for beer; and in Nutter the containers are 55 gallon drums having off-center fill holes.
In order to maintain array positions, Green holds the bottles in a box in which the bottles f it so closely as to occupy regular positions in mutually perpendicular directions when the box is full. If such a box is not entirely full the container positions are uncertain because the abutment of the containers is relied upon to position them. A similar situation could be obtained by defining receptacles for the containers, e.g., by webbing forming crossing walls between the outer walls of the box. The bottles must be moved axially into such receptacles or into the spaces between other bottles, suggesting a manual operation. In van Lieshout, beer cups are placed manually into a box nearby one another but spaced somewhat. The open tops of the cups provide a wide enough target for the nozzles that spacing is not critical, provided the cups are substantially regularly spaced, i.e., by a manual operation. In van Lieshout, one row is filled at a time. In Nutter, not only must the 55 gallon drums be in correct position, but additionally their fill openings must be turned to toward one another in groups of four, for aligning with a fill head having four discharge fittings. Manual attention to positioning is required.
Each of the foregoing gang filling arrangements requires manual attention to set the containers in position, and is not as suited to automation as the serial fillers mentioned above. Although it is helpful in Greene and van Lieshout that the containers are boxed as a part of this process, and can thereafter be handled as a unit, there is no practical way to position and fill a "bulk" group of containers automatically or semiautomatically by these methods.
In each of these prior art gang filling machines, the nozzles are fixed in position. For example in Greene, a tank is subdivided for measuring the amount to be discharged into each container and the valves comprise fixed structures coupled to the tank at the centerline of each receptacle. In van Lieshout, taps are fixed at the required positions along an arm disposed over the array, the fixed positions corresponding to the pitch of the container spacing. In order to use such a machine to fill containers of some other size, most or all of the filling structure would have to be replaced. Although soft drinks and beer may involve runs of a large number of bottles, if a relatively small number of containers are to be filled in a production run (e.g., as typical of liquor), rebuilding the filling machine or providing an additional filling machine are not cost justified.
Lightweight containers present special problems when one attempts to handle them in bulk. Containers such as polyethylene terephthalate or "PET" are inexpensive and durable, and the minimal weight of the material makes it attractive for shipping and handling. However, the containers very easily fall over when unsupported by adjacent containers and/or as a conveyor structure. Line operation speeds of linear filling lines must be slower than comparable filling lines running heavier, more stable glass containers. When handled in bulk, containers are prone to define an array with voids, and for PET containers the voids cause containers to fall over, requiring manual attention.
Bulk containers can be nested in a regular array by laterally inward pressure on the group. By engaging the outermost rows of containers in an array using a scaled bar, as disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 07/957,413, filed Oct. 5, 1992 and entitled CONTAINER FILLER, ESPECIALLY FOR BALLAST, HAVING CONTOURED SWEEP FOR ARRAYING CONTAINERS, which is hereby fully incorporated by reference, it is possible to use the shape of the outermost containers to engage the inner containers in a similar fashion, forcing all the containers to assume positions in a regular array. For containers having a round cross section, adjacent rows or columns are staggered. For other cross sections, other arrays are possible.
Whether the containers are arranged in bulk or in regularly spaced receptacles of one kind or another, a minimum spacing between the centerlines of the containers is defined by the lateral size of the containers. The filling openings of larger sized containers are necessarily spaced by a greater minimum distance than the filling openings of smaller containers. Although it would be possible to build a gang filling machine with nozzles aligned to the largest possible containers, running smaller containers on the filling machine would require substantial steps to ensure that the smaller containers are presented in registry with the filling nozzles. This would waste packing and processing space (e.g., in receptacle carrier boxes) or would require some additional means to position the individual containers at the correct distance along two mutually perpendicular axes. When conducting a job change, new (narrower) conveyor structures would be needed. Although this could be accomplished, the change would be most cumbersome. The conveyor guides could be brought closer together and a new understructure having means to linearly space the containers would be needed.
Conversely, one could provide a gang filling machine having nozzles arranged for the smallest containers arranged in the most densely packed possible array, and then only use those nozzles which align with the openings of larger containers. Whereas the nozzles typically do not discharge unless they contact a container, such an arrangement would be possible with careful planning of the various sizes of containers to be run. More particularly, larger containers would need to be wider than smaller ones by a planned amount (e.g., in multiples of uneven numbers), so that the centerlines of the larger containers would fall at the same points as smaller ones. This solution to the problem is also cumbersome, as well as expensive because many of the nozzles would routinely go unused.
A gang filling machine is needed that more efficiently solves the problems of providing a regular array of containers that corresponds to a regular array of nozzles, and can be quickly and conveniently set up to run containers of varying sizes.

Gang array filler with relocatable nozzles


A method and apparatus providing for efficient operation of gas engines in non-ideal temperature conditions. An apparatus is provided in fluid communication with a source of gas, and with the gas input of a gas engine. The apparatus accepts gas from the source, and allows the gas to reach the gas engine via one or two reservoirs. Pressure regulators can be mounted with the input ports, output ports, or combinations thereof, of the reservoirs. An exhaust channel accepts exhaust from the gas engine and passes it along a path that is in thermal communication with the reservoirs, such that the exhaust encourages a more uniform and higher operating temperature of the gas supplied to the pressure regulators and to the gas engine.

This invention relates to the field of gas engines, specifically to methods and apparatuses for supplying natural gas to natural gas engines in environments characterized by low temperatures.
Natural Gas Reciprocating Engines are a common site in the oil field. With the easily accessible fuel source of natural gas it becomes quick and easy to convert that gas source to engine horsepower. Applications range from gas compressors, to power generation to pumps . . . and more. Natural Gas Engines will continue to be a major and increasing source of driver horsepower in the oil and gas industry. There are many engines manufactured in the 40's and 50's still in operation today.
Technical improvements over the years have provided smaller/higher horsepower engines. In the past a 5000 hp unit was available only in large bore—low speed engines. A typical engine of this horsepower would be around 40 feet long 8 feet wide and required a major construction project to install. Once installed the engine had to remain right where it was because of the cost to remove it. Today the same or greater horsepower engine is available in a much smaller and more portable package. The move to the conversion of diesel engines to natural gas engines constitutes most of the innovative technology today. The older low speed engines mentioned above were actually conversions of diesels themselves but were extensively re-engineered.
Natural gas engines typically rely on a steady flow of natural gas for efficient and continued operation. The gas supply typically must be reduced from wellhead pressure to an engine-usable pressure of just a few ounces. Further, gas supply direct from the wellhead typically comprises hydrocarbons and hydrates, and, in low temperatures, is subject to condensation, which can interrupt operation of the engine. Further, the pressure differentials across the pressure regulator (often, two separate regulators) can encourage condensation. FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of current gas supply systems. A wellhead natural gas source supplies gas 111 to a first pressure regulator P1. The first pressure regulator P1 supplied a regulated pressure 112 to a second pressure regulator P2. The second pressure regulator P2 supplies an ounce-level pressure 114 of natural gas to a gas engine E. Exhaust from the engine E is typically exhausted into the surrounding air. In low temperatures, condensation anywhere in the system can interrupt operation of the engine. The gas supply is especially prone to condensation at the pressure regulators P1, P2. There is a need for methods and apparatuses for supplying gas to gas engines that reduce the likelihood of condensation and the consequent interruption of operation of the engine.

Natural gas engine supply method and apparatus


Disclosed herein is a low-cost digital predistortion apparatus using envelope detection feedback. The low-cost digital predistortion apparatus includes a digital predistortion unit and an envelope detection feedback unit. The digital predistortion unit converts the output of a predistorter into analog signals, frequency-modulates the analog signals into a pass band signal, and amplifies the frequency-modulated signal via a power amplifier. The envelope detection feedback unit converts the difference between the input and output of the power amplifier of the digital predistortion unit and the output of the power amplifier into baseband signals, respectively, converts the baseband signals into digital signals, estimates the nonlinear distortion characteristic output of the power amplifier, calculates a predistortion parameter that is used to compensate for the estimated nonlinear distortion characteristic output of the power amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a predistortion (PD) apparatus and method for the linearization of a power amplifier at the transmitter of a wireless communication system and, more particularly, to a low-cost digital predistortion apparatus and method using envelope detection feedback, in which a feedback method required for a transmitter having a predistortion function has been simplified into an envelope detection method, thereby providing a predistortion function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power amplifiers are essential to communication systems, and generally have nonlinear characteristics. Spectral regrowth (or spectral broadening) that causes interference between adjacent channels and inband distortion that causes a reduction in bit error rate (BER) performance at a receiving end, chiefly result from the nonlinearity of a power amplifier.
In order to compensate for such nonlinearity, various linearization techniques, such as RF feed-forward, RF feedback, RF/IF pre-distortion and post-distortion have been proposed. Of these techniques, a digital predistortion (DPD) technique has been recognized as a powerful method suitable for recent wireless communication systems that transmit wideband signals with high peak-to-average power ratio.
Digital predistortion is a technique that implements a predistorter having the inverse characteristics of a power amplifier in a baseband in a digital manner and makes a signal, inversely distorted via the predistorter, have linear characteristics while passing through the nonlinear characteristics of the power amplifier.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a transmitter having a conventional predistortion function. This conventional predistortion technique requires a feedback loop for converting the output signal of an amplifier into a digital baseband signal in order to estimate the nonlinear distortion characteristics of the power amplifier and calculates a predistortion parameter that is used to compensate for the characteristics. In this case, a demodulation function is implemented using a mixer, an analog filter, etc.
Accordingly, this technology is disadvantageous in that the complexity and cost of implementation of a transmitter having a predistortion function are very high and it is difficult to apply the technology to a system having a spatial limitation, such as a terminal.
Korean Unexamined Patent Application No. 10-2012-0070144 discloses a digital predistortion power amplification apparatus and a digital synchronization control method for the apparatus.
This digital predistortion power amplification apparatus includes a power amplifier configured to amplify and output an input signal to be wirelessly transmitted via an antenna, a bias adjuster configured to change the voltage of a bias signal based on the size of the input signal and to output the changed bias signal, and a digital predistorter configured to control the delays of the input signal of the power amplifier and the bias signal in a digital manner and to thereby control the synchronization between the input signal and the bias signal.
A predistortion technique is configured to compensate for the nonlinear characteristics of a power amplifier at the input terminal of the amplifier using inverse nonlinear characteristics and to thereby make the output of the power amplifier have linear characteristics, thereby maximizing the efficiency of the power amplifier.
In the implementation of a predistortion technique, it is necessary to feed back the output of a power amplifier, convert the output into a baseband signal and detect the baseband signal. However, in order to convert an RF signal into a baseband signal, a frequency mixer and an analog filter are added to a transmitter and thus disadvantages arise in that the structure of the transmitter is complicated and the volume thereof is increased.
Accordingly, a disadvantage arises in that, although predistortion can be easily implemented in a system having a low spatial limitation, such as a base station, it is not easy to apply the predistortion technique to a system having a high spatial limitation, such as a terminal.

Low-cost digital predistortion apparatus and method using envelope detection feedback

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A hydraulic pressure generator having a body (1) with a first bore (11) therein for receiving a cylinder (21) of a piston assembly (2) to define a pressure chamber (12). The cylinder (21) has a second bore (211) for receiving an auxiliary piston (22) which defines a variable volume compensation chamber (23). The compensation chamber encloses a deformable member (5) which is adapted to exert an elastic force between the auxiliary piston (22) and a closed end (210) of cylinder (21). The compensation chamber (23) communicates with the pressure chamber (12) through a restriction (221) formed in a longitudinal duct (222) of the auxiliary piston (22). A sealing member (4) borne by a portion (222) of the auxiliary piston (22) closes the pressure chamber (12) such that the elastomeric member (5) dampens pressure differences between the pressure chamber (12) and compensation chamber (23).

A device of this kind is described for example in European Pateint EP-0 318 629, which relates to a pressure generator which is suitable in particular for the hydraulic actuation of the clutches of automobile vehicles.
When a hydraulic pressure generator is used as a master cylinder for the clutch of an automobile vehicle, the axial vibration of the drive shaft, connected to the clutch assembly, gives rise to mechanics and hydraulics vibrations which are transmitted through the clutch slave cylinder to the master cylinder and consequently to the pedal, producing a disagreeable sensation for the driver.
Although the patent cited above specifically has as an object to propose means for reducing these vibrations, and even though the device described in this patent does indeed have significant qualities from this point of view, the characteristic curve of the output pressure produced by the device against the displacement of the piston assembly has a region of non linearity which is undesirable in certain particular circumstances.

Hydraulic pressure generator with vibration damping


An integrated circuit includes circuitry organized into sub-blocks, and power supply selection circuitry operative to selectively adjust the connectivity of power supply terminals of the sub-blocks. When the integrated circuit is operating in an active mode, the power supply selection circuitry couples the sub-blocks in parallel between upper and lower active-mode power supplies; when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode, the power supply selection circuitry couples two or more sub-blocks in series between upper and lower standby-mode power supplies. Additionally, in standby mode, isolation circuitry within a sub-block is activated to isolate circuitry within the sub-block from input or output terminals of the sub-block.

Integrated circuits having small feature sizes, such as CMOS process nodes 90 nm and below, have many advantages in terms of cost, speed, and dynamic power consumption. However, due to the small feature size of transistors and devices in such integrated circuits, the circuits have substantial leakage currents when in sleep-mode or standby-mode.
Today's deep submicron CMOS processes allow for smaller and lower-cost ICs, providing more functionality with lower active power consumption. However, a major disadvantage with these fine-line CMOS technologies is the large standby power consumption. The increased standby power arises from various sources. Some principal contributors include: VT scaling, drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), direct tunneling of carriers through the gate (gate leakage), and short/narrow channel effects. Device leakage is particularly high for the minimum-sized devices commonly used in SRAM cells. Furthermore, leakage increases super-linearly with temperature, and device leakage at the top end of industrial- or military-temperature ranges can be so high as to preclude the use of fine-line CMOS.
Mixed-signal and digital products (e.g. Dust Networks DN6000, Linear Technology LTC5800), often have an "active" or run mode and a "sleep" or standby mode. During active mode, the digital circuits and possibly analog circuits are enabled and perform one or more functions. The functions may be defined by hardware (e.g., a DMA transfer) or by software (e.g., service an interrupt). To conserve power, digital devices often go into a standby mode when a function is not actively being performed. One method of reducing power during standby mode is to completely remove power from a portion of the digital circuit. Using this method, a transistor in series with the digital logic or digital memory is turned off reducing the current leakage of the switch to almost zero. While the power savings is considerable, turning off the digital blocks results in loss of state. Specifically, the contents of a static memory, as well as the state of flip-flops, are lost. For a product such as a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a memory cache, a stand alone SRAM, or a digital circuit comprising a state machine, loss of state is unacceptable.
Lower standby power consumption would be very beneficial in products such as microcontrollers or wireless sensor nodes. In addition, battery-powered products that include deep-submicron digital circuitry, such as a feature phone or a smart phone, an e-reader such as the Amazon Kindle, a tablet computer such as an ipad, or a laptop computer all would benefit greatly from reduced sleep or standby power consumption. Lower standby power translates directly into longer battery life allowing the product manufacturer to substitute a smaller, lower cost battery to attain the same lifetime between charging or, for the same sized battery, increase lifetime between charging.
A need therefore exists for circuits having small feature sizes and having leakage currents reduced by an order of magnitude or more compared to conventional circuits.

Low leakage circuits, devices, and techniques


The present application provides a multi-color smart Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) film and an in-vehicle smart film structure, wherein the PDLC film comprises a protective film, a front conductive film, a back conductive film, an intermediate member and a control circuit; the inner side surface of the front conductive film is adhered and fixed to the front surface of the intermediate member, the inner side surface of the back conductive film is adhered and fixed to the back surface of the intermediate member, two ports of the control circuit are electrically connected to the front conductive film and the back conductive film, respectively, the control circuit is configured to control whether the front conductive film and the back conductive film are conductive.

An auto film is a film-like object attached to the front and rear windshields, side windshields and skylights of a vehicle. The film-like object is also referred to as a solar film or a heat-insulating film, which is mainly used to block UV rays, block part of the heat, prevent the injury caused by glass splash, and prevent glare and so on.
An architectural film is a film attached to the glass surface of a building, which can make the glass have a special effect.
The auto film and the architectural film are mainly attached to the glass. The glass sometimes needs to have good light transmission and sometimes needs to have good shielding property. The existing film cannot meet its requirements and is poor in user experience.

Multi-color smart PDLC film and in-vehicle smart film structure

WING TAK LEE SILICONE RUBBER TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.


A blow out preventer for operating between a spear of a tubular gripping tool and a tubular gripped by the tool includes: an expandable seal carried on the spear and expandable to seal between the spear and the tubular's inner wall, the expandable seal being operable as a back up to a primary seal operable between the spear and the tubular's inner wall. A tubular gripping tool and a method may include the blow out preventer.

During oilfield drilling and borehole completion operations tubular strings may be handled in the form of the drill string, the casing or liner string for lining the borehole, etc. To grip the tubular and the tubular string, a tubular gripping clamp tool may be used. In some operations, such as casing drilling and/or casing running, a casing clamp may be used to grip the string at its upper end.
Sometimes an inside gripping clamp may be used. An example of such a gripping clamp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,584 of Appleton, and assigned to the present assignee TESCO Corporation. Alternately, an external gripping clamp may be used. As an example, such a gripping clamp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,792 of Scott, which is also assigned to the present assignee.
A tubular gripping clamp may be connected for manipulation by a top drive or other device, the entire assembly being suspended in a rig or derrick by a draw works, if desired.
Tubular gripping tools may include gripping means that engage the tubular being handled. Gripping means may include, for example, devices that mechanically or frictionally engage the tubular including, for example, slips, jaws, packers, expandable members, etc., catch devices that hook under a shoulder on the tubular being handled, such as elevators, etc. and/or other members that exert a mechanical or physical force or field on the tubular to engage it. Tubular gripping tools may also include spears, which are intended to extend into the bore of a tubular being handled. An external gripping tool may include a spear surrounded by gripping means that engage an outer surface of the tubular, while the spear is inserted into the inner diameter of the tubular. An inside gripping clamp may include a spear with gripping means thereon, such that when the spear extends into the bore of a tubular being handled the gripping means are positioned for engagement of the inner wall of the tubular.
A spear of a tubular gripping clamp may include a seal thereabout which is selected to engage and create a seal against the inner diameter of the tubular being handled. During operation, drilling fluid, commonly called mud and which can be liquid or gas-based, is pumped down through the spear and the seal creates a seal against the inner diameter to maintain fluid pressure in the tubular string. The seal generally is passive and operates against a pressure differential.
In a well control incident, it may be desirable to shut in the well, including sealing the upper end of the tubular string. If such an incident occurs during the use of a gripping clamp, well control may be achieved by reliance on the seal about the clamp's spear. As a next step, or where a failure of the passive seal is encountered, it may be desirable to support the tubular string in the floor of the derrick/rig and to remove the casing clamp from the tubular, such that the tubular string can be capped.
In the situation where both the draw works and the spear seal fail, the well may be very difficult to control.


Process of making building block members by mixing natural latex with shredded vehicle tires to form a mixture, placing the mixture in a mold, applying pressure to compress the mixture, and maintaining pressure for a time period during which the latex hardens and cures.

In the above-mentioned co-pending application, a method of manufacturing barriers, and barriers themselves, were described, which utilized cut-up pieces of recycled vehicle tires to form building block members. In this earlier application, the cut-up tire material was placed in a cage which was then placed in a mold box with clearance around the outside edges of the cage for the admission of liquid latex material. The liquid latex material was supplied to the gap surrounding the cage and was allowed to harden to form a barrier which could be then used for a road barrier or the like. The barrier of this earlier application included latex material only in the outer layers around the block of material that was formed, with the interior consisting essentially of only the cut-up vehicle tire parts. This arrangement of my prior application was very well suited for certain applications, especially for the making of large barrier pieces of the type described in that application, weighing up to 1800 pounds or so.
In commercial operations for recycling vehicle tires, there is normally used a multi-stage process, including a first stage where the tires are cut into pieces about one inch by six inches in size, followed by a second shredding or cutting stage wherein the tire parts are cut into pieces with a maximum size of three inches, followed by a third stage with a maximum size of one inch, a fourth stage with a maximum size of one-half inch by one-half inch, a fifth stage with a size of about one-quarter inch maximum size, and two or three further stages that eventually reduce the tires to very small powder like particles. Depending upon the nature of the use of this recycled tire product, the shredding to the various smaller and smaller dimensions is required. For example, in most processes for making products from recycled tires, the shredding to a sixth to eighth stage with particles smaller than a quarter inch maximum are required. According to one aspect of the present invention, it is provided to utilize recycled tire pieces which have only been shredded to the third or fourth stage to a maximum size of about one-half inch. Thus, the recycling process for providing these maximally sized one-half by one-half inch tire pieces is substantially more economical than would be case if further shredding stages were required.
An object of the present invention is to improve on the arrangement of my earlier application by providing a more commercially viable way of using recycled vehicle tires to make building block members. Another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus and methods of manufacture which facilitate a precise control of the density of the building blocks to be formed. Another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus and methods which facilitate high quantity mass production with reliable repeatability of building member products being made.
Another object is to provide apparatus and method of manufacture which accommodate use of vehicle tire pieces that are first cut into pieces that are of a size of one-half inch by one-half inch or smaller, thereby obviating the need for yet further shredding or cutting steps on the tire parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide improved building block member products from recycled vehicle tires.
It is contemplated that the improved building block member products can be used for land erosion control, bank stabilization control, temporary flood control, construction of temporary dams for work under otherwise relatively shallow water, such as boat ramp constructions and the like, as road barriers, as temporary protective shields for detonation of explosions, as firing range backstops, and the like. The improved building block member products of the invention are especially suited for in ground and underwater usage as the completed and sealed block members, described herein, do not permit "leaching" of the material making up the vehicle tire parts included in the block members. It is another object to have a process and resultant block member products which can be made sufficiently dense to sink in water to thereby facilitate underwater anchoring thereof.
The objects of the present invention are obtained according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing that the recycled tire pieces are first mixed with liquid latex material to form an uncured mixture with the liquid latex material substantially coating all of the tire parts, subsequently pouring the uncured mixture into a mold form to a predetermined level and then applying a pressure to the uncured mixture in the mold form to compress the mixture to a predetermined compressed building block member size where it is cured under pressure. With this arrangement, advantage is, taken of the fact that the unpressurized uncured mixture can be easily mixed, and then the pressurizing of this uncured mixture in a mold provides for a rather rapid curing of the mixture to form the composite solid building block member. Subsequently to a predetermined amount of curing so that the building block member is solidly self-sustaining, it is removed from the mold and, in preferred embodiments, is coated with a latex rubber sealer on the outside which dries very fast and forms a finished surface over the building member. Building block members produced according to this process are relatively homogenous throughout their cross-section and their density can be controlled by the compression step so as to provide different density building block members for different purposes. For example, building block members to be used for dike control purposes can be compressed to a higher specific density than building members to be used as highway crash barrier members.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a multi-step compression of the uncured mixture takes place at the mold form so as to facilitate manufacture of relatively large building members with substantially uniform density. According to this preferred method of the invention, the uncured mixture of liquid latex material and tire parts is placed into a mold form to a predetermined level, a first predetermined pressure is then applied to this uncured mixture in the form to compress the same to a first precompressed level, subsequently the form is again filled to the predetermined level with further uncured mixture on top of the precompressed level layer, and a second pressure is applied to the newly added uncured mixture to compress the entire mixture in the mold to a desired final configuration. This second compression is done at a substantially higher pressure than the first precompression so that the first precompressed level layer is further compressed to the final desired density of the building member being made. This multi-stage compression of the mixture to form the completed building block facilitates a reliable, repeatable manufacturing process. It also facilitates adjustment of the compression level of the material to thereby form different density building blocks for different purposes.
In especially preferred embodiments, the building blocks formed according to the invention are of a regular polygon shape and include protrusions and recesses which are positioned to mate with corresponding recesses and protrusions in similar building blocks to form multiblock constructions. These recesses and protrusions at the exterior sides of the building block are formed at respective opposite sides of the building block by the simple means of configuring the mold box or form. Further through apertures for anchor bolts, etc. are provided in the building blocks by the simple expedient of utilizing a rod in the mold form for defining the through apertures. In especially preferred embodiments, the through apertures are located centrally of the mating recesses and protrusions on the building block.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the mixing of the liquid latex material and the shredded vehicle tire parts is accomplished by a conventional small-batch cement mixer, for example, a portable cement mixer of the type that typically mixes one-third yard batches of cement. In a preferred practical embodiment of the invention, 111 pounds of recycled tire pieces, cut to sizes of approximately one-half inch by one-half inch or smaller, are mixed with five quarts of latex material which weighs approximately eight and a quarter pounds per gallon. This mixture provides for a substantially complete uniform coating of the shredded tire parts so that when the uncured mixture is later subjected to the precompression and ultimate final compression to form the final building block configuration, a homogenous strong block of material results. Since the uncured mixture of the liquid latex material and shredded vehicle tire parts does not set up or cure very quickly to a solid when it is not under pressure, as is the case when it is being mixed in a drum-type cement mixer of the type mentioned, there is sufficient time to facilitate the mixing of a batch and of the two-step supply, precompression and further supply and final compression in the mold form. This single batch of 111 pounds of shredded tire parts and five quarts of latex results in a finished rectangular block which is two feet long, one foot high and one foot wide and weighs about 120 pounds.
In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the mixing of the liquid latex material and the shredded vehicle tire parts is accomplished by using rotating helical auger which simultaneously mixes and conveys the tire parts and liquid latex material sprayed thereon as it is being conveyed, and supplies the same to the mold form. This auger arrangement has the advantage of providing for essentially continuous supply and mixing of the uncured mixture, for sequential supply to multiple molding forms to facilitate mass production of building members.
In especially preferred embodiments, a hydraulic cylinder and ram attachment to one side of the mold serving as a presser plate is provided for applying the compression forces to the uncured mixture in the mold form. Thus, in a simple manner, the cover or presser plate of the mold form can be forced down by hydraulic pressure on the presupply of uncured mixture at the bottom of the mold form. The cover presser plate is then lifted by the hydraulic ram, the mold form is again filled to a predetermined level, and then the final compression forces are applied by the hydraulic ram and cover press plate.
According to especially preferred embodiments, the system for supplying the uncured material to the form, the hydraulic ram system for compressing the uncured mixture in the form, and the removal of the partially cured compressed building block members from the form are controlled and timed by a computer control system so as to assure consistent repeatability of building block member products to be formed. When it is desired to change the specific density of the building members to be formed, appropriate adjustments are made to the computer control system that controls the pressurizing forces on the hydraulic ram. Furthermore, the system can be calibrated in a simple manner according to the invention by initiating test runs with test building block member products being made, and then recording the positions of the hydraulic ram and the positions of the layers of uncured material before and after compression stages, which information can be stored and repeated once the desired characteristics of a building block member product are obtained. In this manner, an approximation of the density of the building member product can be precalculated, which will give a good approximation of the level of uncured material to be supplied at each of the compression stages in the mold form, as well as the pressure forces and movement of the hydraulic ram desired to reach the desired building member block side, to form initial test block members. Once optimum building block members have been achieved by checking and adjusting to calibrate the system, the control system can use these calibrated/determined values to control continuous future operations.
Such a control system is also very adaptable to changing block densities and to accommodate to different characteristics of the batch of uncured mixture which could vary a small amount depending upon the nature of the tires that have been utilized for the tire pieces that are being mixed therewith.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for making products made from recycled vehicle tires


The present invention provides a mechanism that improves accuracy for positioning a head relative to a carriage, and easily performs positional adjustment for the head. A carriage unit includes a first carriage structure and a second carriage structure. The first carriage structure includes a first sliding face that can slide along a guide shaft, and a head can be mounted on the first carriage structure. The second carriage structure includes a second sliding face that can slide along the guide shaft, and can hold the first carriage structure to allow positional adjustment for the first carriage structure in a predetermined direction in which a position where the first sliding face contacts the guide shaft is to be shifted.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carriage assembly for use in (applied for), for example, a printing apparatus that prints images, while moving a carriage on which a head is mounted.
Description of the Related Art
A serial scan type printing apparatus prints images on sheets, while reciprocally moving a carriage on which a print head is mounted. The carriage is guided along a guide member to be capable of reciprocating in the main scanning direction. In order to improve the quality of an image printed by the printing apparatus, it is important that the print head should be appropriately positioned with respect to the sheet. For example, in a case wherein sheets having a different thickness are employed to print images, the position of the print head opposite a print face of the sheet should be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the sheet, and an appropriate distance should be set between the print head and the sheet that faces the print head. In the present invention, this distance will be called a "gap".
In order to adjust the gap, an arrangement described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-268340 employs a carriage provided by assembling two structures. One of the two structures includes a bearing that can be reciprocally guided along a guide member arranged in the main body of a printing apparatus, while the other structure is provided to mount a print head on, and is attached to the previously mentioned structure through a position adjustment mechanism in a manner such that position adjustment can be performed. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the latter structure, with respect to the former structure, and sets a gap between the print head and a sheet.
According to the arrangement described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-268340, the print head is positioned, with respect to the guide member, by the structure guided by the guide member, the position adjustment mechanism, and the other structure. In the above described case wherein the print head is positioned, with respect to the guide member, by the two structures and the position adjustment mechanism, there is a possibility that the accuracy of positioning the print head will be degraded, and accordingly, the quality of a printed image will deteriorate.

Carriage assembly and head position adjustment mechanism


A duplexer includes two surface acoustic wave filter having different band center frequencies, and a phase matching circuit that matches the phases of the two surface acoustic wave filters to each other. In this duplexer, one of the two surface acoustic wave filters is a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter, while the other one of the two surface acoustic wave filters includes two or more dual-mode type surface acoustic wave filters that are connected in parallel.

In recent years, as mobile communication systems have been developed, portable telephones and portable information terminals have been rapidly spread. In this trend, manufacturers have been vying to develop smaller terminals with higher performance. The systems for portable telephones include both analog systems and digital systems, and the frequency bands used in those systems include various ranges, such as an 800 MHz to 1 GHz band and a 1.5 GHz to 2.0 GHz band.
Through the recent development of portable telephones, the portable terminals now exhibit high performance in a dual mode (such as a combination of an analog mode and a digital mode, or a combination of two digital modes: TDMA (time-division multiple access) and CDMA (code-division multiple access)) and in a dual band (a combination of a 800 MHz band and a 1.9 GHz band, or a combination of a 900 MHz band and a 1.8 GHz or a 1.5 GHz). Under the circumstances, parts used in those portable telephones have also been developed to achieve high performance. Meanwhile, there have been demands for smaller and less expensive portable telephones and parts.
In those portable terminals, duplexers are employed to conduct branching and generation of signals. A duplexer normally includes filters and an impedance matching circuit. In general, the filters include a band-pass filter, a band rejection filter, or a combination of these two filters. However, duplexers using surface acoustic wave filters have been developed recently, to achieve smaller terminals with higher performance.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate such a duplexer. FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the duplexer, and FIG. 1B shows the frequency characteristics of the duplexer. In the graph shown in FIG. 1B, the abscissa axis indicates the frequency (increasing toward the right), while the ordinate axis indicate the pass intensity (increasing upward). As shown in FIG. 1A, a duplexer 10 includes two filters 12 and 13, an impedance matching circuit 11 (hereinafter referred to simply as the matching circuit 11), a common terminal 14, and individual terminals 15 and 16. The filters 12 and 13 each includes a surface acoustic wave filter, and have different pass-band center frequencies F1 and F2 (F2>F1). The filter 12 is a filter for transmission, while the filter 13 is a filter for reception, for example. Hereinafter, the filters 12 and 13 may be referred to as the transmission filter 12 and the reception filter 13, respectively. In a duplexer for a 1.9 GHz band, for example, the difference in frequency between the frequencies F1 and F2 is approximately 100 MHz.
The matching circuit 11 is provided to prevent the filters 12 and 13 from degrading the filter characteristics of each other. The characteristic impedance of the filter 12 with respect to the common terminal 14 will be hereinafter represented by Z1, and the characteristic impedance of the filter 13 will be hereinafter represented by Z2. If the frequency of a signal inputted from the common terminal 14 is F1, the characteristic impedance Z1 of the filter 12 is equal to the characteristic impedance value of the common terminal 14, and the characteristic impedance Z2 of the filter 13 is infinity and has a reflection coefficient of 1, by virtue of the matching circuit 1. If the frequency of a signal is F2, the characteristic impedance Z1 of the filter 12 is infinity and has a reflection coefficient of 1, and the characteristic impedance Z2 of the filter 13 is equal to the characteristic impedance value of the common terminal 14.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6-310979, 10-126213, and 2001-267881 disclose duplexers using surface acoustic wave filters. Among the publications, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6-310979 and 10-126213 suggest improvements on matching circuits. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-267881 discloses a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter, a dual-mode type surface acoustic wave filter, and a high-frequency circuit for a wireless device equipped with a duplexer. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-340772 discloses that a combination of a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter and a dual-mode type surface acoustic wave filter is employed as a dual band filter, instead of a duplexer.
As shown in FIG. 2, a duplexer that uses a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter for both transmission and reception is also known. Each resonator 20 in the ladder type surface acoustic wave filters is a single-port surface acoustic wave resonator that includes an interdigital transducer 21 and reflectors 22 and 23 sandwiching the interdigital transducer 21.
Although improvements on matching circuits are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6-310979 and 10-126213, the transmission and reception filters of the duplexers are not explained in detail. Also, a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter and a dual-mode type surface acoustic wave filter are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-267881, but disclosure has not been made as to the relationship between the power durability required in a duplexer and a surface acoustic wave filter, and the relationship between the transmission/reception band of a duplexer and a surface acoustic wave filter.
Furthermore, the surface acoustic wave filter disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-340772 is employed on condition that one of the two band center frequencies is two to four times as high as the other one. This disclosure does not concern a duplexer in which the characteristics rises (or falls) of a filter affect the characteristics falls (or rises) of the other filter.
In the duplexer shown in FIG. 2, the suppression of the low frequency band of the reception filter 13 that overlaps the pass band of the transmission filter 12 is not strong enough, and interference is caused in the transmission band, as indicated by the broken circle line in FIG. 3.

Branching filter having both saw ladder and dual mode filters, and electronic apparatus using the branching filter


A device information generating device comprises a device key matrix storage unit configured to store a device key matrix in which device keys are arranged in a two dimensional manner, and a device key generating unit configured to select one of the device keys in each one dimensional array of the device key matrix according to each numeral of a device ID, wherein the selected device keys and the device ID are the device information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to utilization of digital contents. In particular, the present invention relates to a control data generating device or method for generating control data that controls utilization of electronic contents; a device information generating device or method for generating device information assigned to a utilizing device, and a content utilizing device or method in which utilization of contents is controlled according to the control data and the device information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, distribution of digital contents becomes more popular. Contents are distributed with being encrypted in order to protect a copyright of the contents. Only an authorized user who has a decryption key can reproduce and utilize contents. In general, the decryption key is strictly managed in an internal memory or the like in a utilizing device so as not to be identified by the user. However, the decryption key is sometimes known due to any accident or attack. In this case, it is desirable that the copyright owner inhibits the utilizing device from utilizing the contents (hereinafter, referred to as "revoke"). A concept of such revoke will be described below.
The utilizing device has its own specific information (device information) assigned in advance thereto, and the specific information is contained in the device. Device information is different depending on individual devices. Alternatively, a group of devices may have the same device information assigned thereto. For example, all the CD player devices manufactured by company "A" may have the same device information.
Now, it is assumed that illegal use of contents occurs for a reason such as insufficient security in a certain utilizing device, In this case, it is important to restrict/inhibit contents in the utilizing device with which such illegal use occurs, thereby prevent expansion of damage.
In distributing contents, control data is added to content data. The utilizing device reads the control data in advance, and determines whether or not the contents can be utilized based on the content data and the device information possessed by the utilizing device. In this manner, in a group of devices including at least the utilizing device with which illegal use occurs, utilization of contents is restricted/inhibited. For control data, for example, where contents are distributed through a broadcast or network, the contents are supplied to a user's terminal to be associated with content data. Where contents are distributed through package media such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, the contents are distributed after being recorded in package medium.
Utilization of contents in the utilizing device can be restricted/inhibited (revoked) by a series of processes in which:
1) control data as supplied to the utilizing device;
2) the utilizing device reads the control data; and
3) the utilizing device determines whether or not contents can be utilized based on the device information and control data. When the utilization of contents in the utilizing device is restricted/inhibited, the utilizing device is defined to have been revoked. The control data is distributed by an entity (in general, body corporate) that manages revoke. This is called a revoke entity.
In revoke, a utilizing device targeted for restriction/inhibition of utilizing contents is referred to as a device targeted for revoke. Revoke is carried out based on device information. If there exists a plurality of devices having the same device information, the targeted device cannot be discriminated from other devices having the same device information.
Moreover, as is evident in a media key block technique described later, even in a utilizing device having device information different from that of the targeted device, there may occur a phenomenon in which the utilization of contents is restricted/inhibited. This phenomenon is referred to as a revoke mistake. This is a side effect of revoke, and significantly degrades convenience of a consumer using the utilizing device. Avoiding an occurrence of such kind of side effect to the maximum is very important for a revoke technique.
As one of the revoke techniques which solve the above described security problems, a revoke list technique is designed. This revoke list comprises control data, and is generally supplied to the utilizing device in association with contents data. The revoke list comprises device information on devices that inhibit utilization of the contents. The utilizing device reads the revoke list prior to utilization of contents, and determines whether or not its own device information is contained in the revoke list. Where the device information is not contained in the revoke list, the utilizing device utilizes data. On the other hand, where the device information is contained in the revoke list, the utilizing device does not utilize contents. In order to prevent interpolation of the revoke list, the revoke list is often encrypted.
In the revoke list technique, the revoke entity can specify device information on the targeted device individually. In addition, no revoke mistake occurs. However, the revoke list technique has a problem that cannot be ignored in view of security. The device targeted for revoke cancels utilization of contents because the utilizing device has found out its own device information in the revoke list, and therefore, the utilization of contents is so called "refrained". Information required for utilizing contents is obtained independent of determination of revoke. In essential, the device targeted for revoke is defined as an "unreliable" utilizing device in which modification or the like is applied. As long as the device targeted for revoke is modified so as not to "refrain" utilization of contents, revoke using the revoke list technique has no effect.
A media key block technique is one of the revoke techniques that solves the above described security problems which the revoke list technique has. In the media key block technique, first, a device key matrix KD is provided. The number of rows and the number of columns in the device key matrix KD are defined as "m" and "n", respectively. In addition, a component of "i" rows and "j" columns in the device key matrix KD is expressed as kij (where 0≦i<n and 0≦j<n). Respective components of the device key matrix KD are obtained as random numbers generated by a random generator, for example. A master key is defined as K. The master key K is one of the items of information required for utilization of contents. For example, data is encrypted by a data key, and the data key encrypted by the master key K is supplied to the utilizing device together with data. The utilizing device having obtained the master key K can decrypt a data key using the master key K, and then, decrypt data by using the data key.
A device key is defined as a pair of (p, KDp), p is a mapping from (0, 1, . . . , n−1) to (0, 1, . . . , m−1) and a set of elements of the device key matrix KDp=kp(0),0, kp(1),1, . . . , kp(n−1),n−1. Control data is obtained as matrix M of "m" rows and "n" columns. M denotes a media key block. A component of "i" rows and "j" columns of the media key block M is expressed as Mij. The initial value of the media key block M (that is, a value when no revoke exists) is assigned by Mij=Enc(kij, K). "Enc" denotes an encrypting function using a proper encrypting algorithm. The result obtained when data "x" has been encrypted by a key "w" is expressed as Enc(w, x).
A utilizing device having device information (p, KDp) reads the media key block M, and carries out processing shown in FIG. 1. This processing is referred to as media key block processing. In the media key block processing, "Dec" is a decrypting function that corresponds to the encrypting function "Enc". Dec(w, x) denotes a result obtained by decrypting the data "x" by the key "w". As is evident from definition, Dec(w, Enc(w, x))=x is obtained.
In addition, "null" is a reserved special numeric value. "null" must not be equal to K, p and KDp are assumed to have been stored in matrix P and KDP, respectively. In FIG. 1, P[J]=pj, KDP[J]=kp(j),j.
"NNum" is a class of a multiple length integer. It is possible to easily read that a revoking process assigns "Result=K" to the initial value of the media key block M irrespective of the device information (p, KDp).
Now, it is assumed that a utilizing device D having device information (a, KDa) is revoked. At this time, the revoke entity supplies a next media key block M′ to the utilizing device.
M′a(j),j=Enc(Ka(j),j, null)
M′ij=Enc(kij, K) if i≠a(j)
Evidently, a result obtained by the utilizing device D processing the media key block M′ is "null", and the master key K cannot be obtained. On the other hand, if a utilizing device D′ other than D processes the media key block M′, the master key K is obtained. Only the utilizing device D cannot obtain the master key K. As a result, the utilizing device D cannot proceed to processing such as data decrypting, and is defined to have been revoked.
In the media key block technique, a utilizing device executes media key block processing. However, unlike a case of the revoke list technique, determination of whether or nor to carry out a revoking process does not depend on the utilizing device. Where one utilizing device is revoked by a media key block, even how well device information assigned to the utilizing device is utilized, the master key K cannot be obtained. Therefore, the media key block technique solves the above described security problem that the revoke list has.
In the media key block technique, however, an essential defect exists. That is, where a plurality of utilizing devices are revoked, there is a possibility that a revoke mistake occurs. A description thereof will be given by using a small media key block for clarity. Assume that the size of a device key matrix is 4 rows and 4 columns, and components of the media key block M are assigned as follows.
M20=Enc(k20, null)
M21=Enc(k21, null)
M12=Enc(k12, null)
M33=Enc(k33, null)
Mij=Enc(kij, K) (other than the above components)
In the above media key block, a utilizing device D2 having device information (p, KDp) (only D2) is revoked, provided that p=2213.
Furthermore, assume that there occurs a need to revoke a utilizing device D3 specified by device information (p′, KDp′), provided that p′=1312. The media key block M is updated to obtain a media key block M′. Components of the media key block M′ are assigned as follows.
M′20=M20
M′10=Enc(k10, null),
M′21=M21
M′31=Enc(k31, null),
M′12=M12
M′33=M33
M′23=Enc(k23, null),
M′ij=Enc(kij, null) (other than the above components)
The utilizing devices D2 and D3 are reliably removed by the media key block M′. However, a utilizing device having device information (p″, KDp″), for example, may be revoked at the same time, provided that p″=2313. Apart from D2 and D3, a total of six utilizing devices may be accidentally revoked.
In the media key block technique, in general, where "s" utilizing devices ("s" items of device information) are revoked, a maximum of "sn-s" utilizing devices are revoked by a revoke mistake. Thus, a user of an "innocent" utilizing device as well will suffer from inconvenience in which the utilization of contents is restricted together with a user of a device targeted for revoke. In saome cases, it is undeniable that the above fact can lead to a serious economical loss or the like. Where a media key block is employed as a revoke technique, suppliers or a manufacturers of the utilizing devices will suffer from potential product faults such as complaint from users or request for damage.
In the media key block technique, the probability that one utilizing device is removed by a revoke mistake increases exponentially relevant to the number of devices targeted for revoke under a general assumption. This denotes that an only small amount of device information can actually be revoked in the entire device information. The suppliers or manufacturers of utilizing devices can perform troubleshooting procedures that individually correspond to complaint while a small number of mistakes occur.
Devices required for revoke using a media key block technique and a configuration and operation of these devices will be described below in more detail. This is because a different between a media key block technique and the present invention is clearly described. A configuration of a device information generating device 50 (which assigns device information to a utilizing device) in the media key block technique is shown in FIG. 2. A device key matrix KD is stored as a two-dimensional arrangement in a device key storage unit 509.
k00, k01, k02
k10, k11, k12
The device key arrangement is assumed to have been generated by a proper method such as a method of using a random number generator. A random number generator 504 having received an instruction for generating random numbers generates three random numbers whose values are obtained as 0 or 1. A key reading unit 508 receives random numbers, regards the random numbers as row numbers, and reads an element specified by the row numbers in turn from each column of the device key matrix.
A device information storage unit 506 stores the following two items of information.    Arrangement of column positions: R0, R1, R2    Arrangement of keys: kR0,0, kR1,1, kR2,2
These items of information configure device information. An outputted information storage unit 507 has arrangement of column positions recorded therein in an additionally writing manner. Therefore, the outputted information storage unit 507 has all arrangements of the outputted column positions recorded therein.
Now, a configuration of a media key block generating device 60 is shown in FIG. 3. The device key matrix storage device 509 in the device information device 50 and a device key matrix storage device 612 in the media key block generating device 60 store the same device key matrix as follows.
k00, k01, k02
k10, k11, k12
A key reading unit 611 receives two arguments. These two arguments are obtained as numbers of rows and columns in device key matrix. The key reading unit 611 returns an element of a device key matrix specified by these numbers. A media key block is stored as a two-dimensional arrangement in a media key block storage unit 610.
M00, M01, M02
M10, M11, M12
During media key block update, the media key block generating device 60 needs to specify device information on a utilizing device to be revoked. This device information is specified by row numbers of each column in media key block. For example, assume that device information on a utilizing device to be removed is (100, KD100). In this case, the following data is specified by being inputted to a revoke information input unit 602 of the media key block generating device 60.
(10, 1b, 12)=(1, 0, 0)
A CPU 605 regards these data as row numbers in columns 0, 1, and 2. Then, the CPU 605 specifies the respective numbers as arrangement elements of the media key block, i.e., converts the respective ones into a pair of row number and column number, and inputs them sequentially to an update unit 609. The update unit 609 invalidates elements of the media key block which is inputted and specified by a pair of the row number and column number.
A configuration of a utilizing device 70 that conforms to a revoke scheme based on a media key block is shown in FIG. 4. A media key block input unit 701 of the utilizing device 70 reads the following media key block.
M00, M01, M02
M10, M11, M12
The read media key block is stored in a media key block storage unit 702. A device information storage unit 705 stores device information (1, KD1), for example. Components of KD1 are expressed as KD1=k0, k1, k2.
A CPU 703 reads data sequentially from the device information storage unit 705, and applies the read data to a media key block. That is, first, with a value of variable "j" being 1, 1j is read from the device information storage unit 705, and a pair of numerals (1j, j) is supplied to an arrangement element reading unit 707. The arrangement element reading unit 707 reads out an element M1j,j from the media key block storage unit 702, and then, returns it to the CPU 703. The CPU 703 supplies M1j,j to a decrypting unit 708.
Next, kj is read from device information, and is supplied to the decrypting unit 708. the decrypting unit 708 decrypts M1j,j by a key kj, and the result is returned to the CPU 703. The CPU 703 temporarily stores the decrypting result in variable "Result". If a value of the variable "Result" is equal to null, the CPU 703 increases "j" by 1. If j<3, the CPU 703 repeats the above operation. Otherwise, the PUP 703 stops a media key block processing action.
Where the value of the variable "Result" is different from null relevant to any of j=0, 1, 2, the CPU supplies the value of "Result" as a master key K to a content utilization unit 709. Then, the CPU 703 reads data from a data input unit 706, and supplies the data to the content utilization unit 709. The content utilization unit 709 decrypts the data by using the master key K, for example, and utilizes the decrypting result. It is assumed that a proper algorithm for utilizing data is stored in advance in the utilization unit 709.

Device information generating device, device information generating method, control data generating device, control data generating method, content utilizing device, content utilizing method, and storage medium


A data transforming method is provided which can perform a transforming process of transforming collective order data for a plurality of products into individual order data for each individual product and a transforming process in which order data is inherited to a response data transforming process. For each combination of transform source and destination protocols, various designation information is stored beforehand in a mapping definition information area and transaction data is transferred in accordance with the designation information. Designation information includes information of a request for an individual order data division process and a collective response data collection process and information of a correspondence between data items of transaction data.

The present invention relates to data transforming techniques of transforming transaction data among a plurality of business protocols.
The Internet is now prevailing worldwide and is used not only for the transmission/reception of emails and as a browsing means for home pages but also as electronic commerce means between enterprises. In order to realize electronic commerce between enterprises, it is necessary to stipulate in advance standard specifications called business protocols which define the formats and procedures of transaction data to be exchanged in information systems which enterprises have configured for order placing/receiving transactions and the like.
EIAJ-EDI standards by the JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association) and EDIFACT by the U. N. association UN/CEFACT are well known as business protocols used to date. The format of transaction data stipulated by these business protocols has been designed on the assumption that the contents of one order are written in one transaction data set and the contents of a plurality of orders cannot be written collectively in one transaction data set. Therefore, if information of a plurality of orders is to be transmitted at a time, a plurality of transaction data sets each describing each independent order are created and these transaction data sets are transmitted in bundle. In the new trend of electronic commerce between enterprises, business protocols using the transaction data format, XML (Extensible Markup Language), are stipulated one after another. Such business protocols include: PIP (Partner Interface Process) stipulated by the XML-EDI stipulation association for electronic components and semiconductor industries, RosettaNet; ebXML (Electronic Business XML) stipulated by OASIS and UN/CEFACT; and the like. With the format of transaction data defined by these business protocols, it is possible to collectively write a plurality of orders in one transaction data set by repeating XML tags.
Some innovative enterprises have already adopted new business protocols for electronic commerce transactions among enterprises, whereas many enterprises consider to continue electronic commerce transactions for the present time by using already existing information systems which implement conventional business protocols such as EIAJ-EDI standards and EDIFACT. It is therefore desired to realize electronic commerce transactions between enterprises by using transaction data defined by different business protocols.
Methods for realizing electronic commerce transactions between enterprises by using transaction data defined by different business protocols are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,780 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,234.
With the method "Electronic data interchange system for managing non-standard data" of the former U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,780, processes in an enterprise information system are executed by using transaction data of the format specific to the enterprise. On the other hand, for the transfer of transaction data to an information system outside the enterprise, the transaction data of the format specific to the enterprise is transformed into the transaction data of an universal format covering various transaction contents by using a data conversion program of the enterprise. This transformed transaction data is transferred to a partner enterprise. In this manner, electronic commerce transactions between enterprises become possible while allowing transaction data having the format specific to each enterprise to be used by the enterprise.
With "Method and system for providing electronic commerce between incompatible data processing systems" of the latter U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,234, transaction data received by an e-mail from a partner enterprise is transformed into the transaction data having the format specific to an enterprise which received the e-mail. The transformed transaction data is stored in the enterprise and used for processes in an enterprise information system. For the transfer of transaction data to the external information system, the transaction data stored as having the specific format is transformed into the transaction data having the format of the partner enterprise by using a data conversion program provided at the enterprise. The transformed transaction data is transmitted back to the partner enterprises. In this manner, electronic commerce transactions between enterprises become possible while allowing transaction data having the format specific to each enterprise to be used by the enterprise.
With such conventional techniques, however, it is difficult to distinguish between the meanings of data items of transaction data and to transform collective order data of a plurality of products into independent order data of each product and transfer such order data between enterprises. Also with such conventional techniques, it is difficult to transfer information which is lost when order data is transformed but becomes necessary when response data to the order data is transformed.

Method for transforming data between business protocols


Activated carbon useful as polarizable electrode material for an electric double-layer capacitor can be obtained by mixing a carbonaceous material and an alkali metal hydroxide while maintaining a solid state, granulating the obtained mixture while maintaining its solid state, dehydrating the obtained granulated substance while maintaining its solid state, and subjecting the granulated dehydration product obtained in the dehydration step to an activation treatment. The preferred pressure of the granulation treatment in the granulation step is 0.01 to 300 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the granulation treatment is 90 to 140° C. The preferred pressure of the dehydration treatment in the dehydration step is 0.01 to 10 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the dehydration treatment is 200 to 400° C.

Activated carbon having an excellent adsorption property is widely used in air cleaning, solvent recovery, flue-gas desulfurization and denitrification, many types of industrial wastewater treatment, and other applications, in addition to its use in catalyst and catalyst carrier applications. In recent years, electric double-layer capacitors are garnering attention as backup power sources and auxiliary power sources. Development is being widely conducted with attention given to the performance of activated carbon as the electrodes of an electric double-layer capacitor. Electric double-layer capacitors that use activated carbon as polarizable electrodes have excellent electrostatic capacity, so demand is growing rapidly in concert with the development of the electronics field. In addition to the miniaturization of conventional power sources for memory backup, and the like, in recent times, development of large capacity products such as those used in auxiliary power sources for motors, and the like, is being conducted.
The principles of electric double-layer capacitors have been long known, but these capacitors have only started actually being used as devices in recent years. The electrostatic capacity of electric double-layer capacitors mainly depends on the surface area of the polarizable electrodes that form the electric double layer, the resistance of the electrodes, the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor per unit surface area, and other factors. In actual application, it is important to increase the density of the electrodes themselves in order to increase the electrostatic capacity per unit volume and to decrease the volume of the electric double-layer capacitor. Conventionally, activated carbon applications for electric double-layer capacitors have included (1) activated carbon obtained by activating resin material, coconut shells, pitch, coal, and the like under acidic conditions using steam, gases or the like (See "Daiyoryo Kyapashita Gijutsu to Zairyo" (Technology and Materials for EDLC), CMC Publishing Co., 1998), (2) activated carbon obtained by a method in which materials applied in (1) described above have been activated by KOH and other highly oxidative chemicals (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-199767, and other publications), and the like.
As described above, high electrostatic capacity and low resistance are required for electrodes used in capacitors. However, when activated carbon obtained with the method described in (1) above is used, sufficient electrostatic capacity cannot be obtained, and a bulky device is needed in order to obtain the required electrostatic capacity. According to the method disclosed in (2) described above, a somewhat high-capacity activated carbon can be obtained by activation with a highly oxidative activator such as potassium hydroxide. However, conventional alkali activation is an approach in which an alkali is heated together with a carbonaceous material to create a slurry, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-61529, and handling an alkali in a dangerous melted state is inevitable. In addition to such safety problems, conventional alkali-activation technology for carbonaceous material does not take corrosion of the device into consideration at all. Therefore, it is difficult to say that this technology can be advantageously implemented on an industrial basis.
An activated carbon made from a granular isotropic pitch serving as a raw material is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-104817, which describes a method for manufacturing activated carbon comprising a wetting step for pitch that wets at least the surface of a granular mixture of KOH and isotropic pitch at 200° C. or less, a solidifying step for pitch that eliminates the wetting step at 400° C. or less to create a solid state, and a heat treatment step for pitch that performs heat treatment at a temperature greater than 400° C. while maintaining the solid state. To reduce the alkali-induced corrosion of a device, the contact between the alkali and the device needs merely to be reduced as much as possible, and from this viewpoint it can be said that treatment in a solid state is a very effective method. However, according to the disclosure in the above-stated publication, it is difficult to maintain a shape and it is apparent that this method still does not solve the problem of alkali-induced corrosion in a device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing activated carbon that can reduce corrosion of a device by alkali, and that has excellent stability; to provide a polarizable electrode in which this activated carbon is used; and to provide an electric double-layer capacitor in which this polarizable electrode is used.

Method for manufacturing activated carbon, polarizable electrode, and electric double-layered capacitor


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a mechanical seal whose axial dimension can be reduced without impairing sealing performance. In a mechanical seal including a rotating-side sealing ring 11; a stationary-side sealing ring 21 provided within a case 22 and sliding on the rotating-side sealing ring 11; a biasing member 24 for biasing the stationary-side sealing ring 21 to the rotating-side sealing ring 11; and an engagement means 25 for restricting the rotational relative movement between the case 22 and the stationary-side sealing ring 21, the biasing member 24 is arranged radially outside the stationary-side sealing ring 21.

Conventionally, there is a mechanical seal in which a mating ring attached in a sealed state to the rotating-side and a seal ring attached in a sealed state to a housing slide relative to each other, and seal between the housing and the rotating-side, the mechanical seal including an annular case which is fixed to the housing and which contains the seal ring, a spring for pressing the seal ring to the mating ring-side; and an engagement ring for restricting the relative movement between the annular case and the seal ring in a peripheral direction (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Moreover, there is a mechanical seal device in which a rotating sealing ring attached in a sealed state to a shaft and a stationary sealing ring attached to a seal housing slide relative to each other, and seal between the seal housing and the shaft, the mechanical seal including a cartridge which is fixed to the seal housing and which contains the stationary sealing ring, a rubber bellows arranged between the stationary sealing ring and the cartridge, and a spring for pressing the stationary sealing ring to the rotating sealing ring-side (for example, see Patent Document 2).


An athletic shirt and backpack combination in the form of a vest of stretchable fabric having a back panel and a split access front panel with a conventional zipper closure and which snugly fits the upper torso of a body with a stretch fit. A backpack pocket panel of stretchable fabric is secured at its side and bottom edges to the back panel for providing a stretchable backpack pocket for containing objects with a stretch fit therein. Two horizontal wide straps of elastic material are secured across the front panel of the vest and connected to the side seams or side portions of the panel. The straps may be stretched and then connected with conventional hook and loop fasteners to securely hold the backpack with its load in position during athletic events.

The present invention pertains to athletic garments, and more particularly to an athletic shirt and backpack combination for sporting and other physical activities.
In many sport activities, such as running, jogging or bicycling, it is desirable to carry a backpack. However, conventional backpacks are not truly suited to such activities and they bounce and sway with the load thereby hindering the athlete from adequately performing the sport.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a combination athletic shirt and backpack which eliminates these deficiencies.