A high-speed packet memory is provided, the memory having a write port and a read port and comprised of the following: a plurality of N memory modules for storing fixed size cells, which are segments of a variable size packet divided into X cells, the X cells being grouped into [X/N] groups of cells;                a read-write control block comprising a means for receiving cells from the write port and storing each cell, which belongs to the same group, in a selected different one of the N memory modules at the same memory address (the group address);        a multi-cell pointer (MCP) storage for storing an MCP for said group of cells (an associated MCP) at an MCP address, the MCP having N memory module identifiers to record the order in which cells of said group of cells are stored in the N memory modules; and        the MCP address being the same as the group address. Corresponding methods for storing cells and/or storing and retrieving variable size packet in such memory are also provided.

A typical system architecture suitable for a small packet switch is illustrated in FIG. 1. The small packet switch 10 comprises several port cards 12 labeled port card #1 to port card #P, a packet bus 14, and a packet memory 16. The port cards each comprise a line interface 18, an ingress packet processor 20, and an egress packet processor 22. The small packet switch may contain other elements, such as a controller, not shown in FIG. 1.
In operation, packets arriving through the line interface 18 on the port card 12 are processed by the ingress packet processor 20, and sent through the packet bus 14, for temporary storage in queues in the packet memory 16. The packet memory queues are typically organized according to the destination of the packets, in this case port card 12. Once packets are available in the packet memory queues, they are transmitted from the packet memory 16 through the packet bus 14 to the destination port cards 12, for further processing in the egress packet processor 22 of the respective port card 12. The processed egress packets are then sent out through the line interface 18.
The purpose of the packet memory 16 is to buffer the packets temporarily when more packets arrive for a specific destination port card 12 than the port card 12 can accept.
Switch capacity may be defined as the sum of the bit rates of all line interfaces.
The type of small packet switch 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is limited in capacity by the throughput of the packet bus and the access bandwidth of the single shared packet memory.
Another system architecture, also common in the prior art, is a large packet switch illustrated in FIG. 2. The large packet switch 30 comprises several port cards 32 and a switch fabric 34. The port cards 32 in the large packet switch 30 differ in a number of details from the port cards 12 of the small packet switch 10. The port card 32 comprises a fabric interface 36, a packet memory 38, a line interface 40, and ingress and egress packet processors 42 and 44 respectively.
In the large packet switch 30, there is no single shared packet memory (as in the small packet switch 10); rather, each port card 32 contains a separate packet memory 38. Packets arriving through the line interface 40 and the ingress packet processor 42 are sent through the fabric interface 36 to the switch fabric 34. The switch fabric 34 routes each packet to the destination port card 32, where the packets accumulate in queues of the packet memory 38. Packets are then removed from the packet memory 38 by the egress packet processor 44 and sent out through the line interface 40.
In the large packet switch 30, the bandwidth available through the switch fabric 34 is usually greater than the bandwidth of the line interface 40 in the port card 32, in order to accommodate the fluctuating packet traffic without the loss of packets. The packet memory 38 buffers and absorbs the statistical fluctuations in the amount of traffic arriving for the destination port card 32 from the switch fabric 34.
In a similar large switch architecture of the prior art, an ingress buffer 46 (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2) is attached to the ingress packet processor. The ingress buffer 46 may be required if the bandwidth available through the switch fabric 34 is lower than the peak bandwidth from the line interface 40. The ingress buffer 46 is another form of packet memory.
The capacity of the large packet switch 30 is a function of the number of port cards 32 that can be supported by the switch fabric 34, and the capacity of each individual port card 32. The capacity of a port card 32 is largely determined by the bandwidth of the line interface 40. In a high capacity system, fibre optic line interfaces with a bit rate of 10 Gigabits per second are common at present. It is also possible to combine multiple fibre optic line interfaces on a single port card, to achieve even higher capacity.
While the bit rates available in fibre optic line interfaces have increased significantly in recent years, the speed available in the semiconductor technology used in the construction of packet memories has not progressed at the same rate. Consequently, architectural innovations are required to permit the construction of high capacity packet switches that contain packet memories.
An early innovation has been to use fixed size packets (cells). Variable size packets are segmented by the ingress packet processor (20 and 42) into fixed size cells before switching, and are reassembled into their original format by the egress packet processor (22 and 44). This innovation has allowed packet memories (16 and 38) to be based on a very wide bus, possibly as wide as the cell size. Recall that the overall access bandwidth of a memory is a function of the read/write speed and of the width of the memory bus. A typical switch cell size in the industry is 64 octets, resulting in a possible 512-bit wide memory bus.
A second consideration is the amount of memory required to implement a packet memory. As the capacity in terms of speed is increased, the amount of data (number of cells or packets) to be stored also increases. Very high speed memory devices, for example static random access memory (SRAM), generally have lower storage capacity than slower devices, for example various forms of dynamic random access memory (DRAM). DRAM devices are common in the computer industry, and are obtainable at a much lower price per bit than the higher speed SRAM devices.
The problems due to the limitations of semiconductor memories have been recognized in recent years, and a number of solutions have been proposed which are based on the concept of dividing the packet memory into several banks, to achieve even greater parallelism than is available by merely using a wider bus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,780 (Clark, et al.) describes a basic packet memory. The memory is divided into two zones to allow for simultaneous reading and writing in the same transfer cycle.
In the packet switch described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,814 (Ren, et al.) a multi-bank memory is used for a shared packet memory. During the storage process, cells are assigned to different memory modules in a cyclic assignment algorithm. The packet switch described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,814 is similar to the small packet switch 10 described in FIG. 1 above.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,489 (Nichols, et al.) is describes a data cell storage system with a plurality of memory units for storing data cells (ATM cells) and a control memory for keeping track of the storage location of each cell.
The paper "Techniques for Fast Shared Memory Switches" by Sundar Iyer and Nick McKeown of Stanford University, unpublished manuscript, September 2001, available at http://klamath.stanford.edu/˜sundaes/Papers/Unpub/sharedmemv1.0.pdf at the Stanford University website at http://www.stanford.edu, offers a solution for a multi-bank packet buffer with FIFO (first-in, first-out) behavior. This paper describes an algorithm which takes into account the row/column addressing peculiarities of DRAMs.
Two recent papers by Sailesh Kumar et al., "Implementing Parallel Packet Buffering, Parts I and II" (CommsDesign, Apr. 22 and Apr. 29, 2002, respectively, available at http://www.commsdesign.com/story/OEG20020422S0006 and http://www.commsdesign.com/story/OEG20020429S0008) contain a good academic discussion of the issue. These papers propose a Parallel Packet Buffering (PPB) algorithm in which the selection of the write destination buffer is explicitly based on "least occupancy" Unfortunately, the algorithm has a finite probability of packet loss.
While a number of approaches have been proposed in the prior art for enhancing the capacity and speed of packet or cell storage memory, the need still exists for further development and alternative design of high-speed packet memory which would improve the memory performance and reduce the costs, while providing additional useful features.


Methods and apparatus to access and align sealing discs are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a cage of a fluid regulator, where the cage has a central aperture, and a valve stem to be received by the central aperture. The example apparatus also includes a diaphragm coupled to the valve stem, where an integral protrusion of the cage is to constrain a peripheral edge of the diaphragm against a removable portion of a valve body when the cage is coupled to the valve body.

Fluid control valves are commonly distributed throughout process control systems to control flow rates and/or pressures of various fluids (e.g. liquids, gases, etc.). A fluid control valve assembly typically includes a valve body, a cage within the valve body, a stem, and an actuator (e.g., a pneumatic actuator) to displace the valve stem to operate the fluid control valve by movement of the valve stem to position a plug or flow control member within the valve. The cage within the valve body typically interfaces with numerous components, which can result in assembly variability (e.g., tolerance stack-up and/or alignment issues, etc.). Additionally, the serviceable components of fluid control valves are typically only accessible via a single end or side of the fluid control valve.

Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies, Inc.


An image sensor includes photosensitive regions, transfer transistors, and one or more shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. A method for reading out the image sensor includes enabling a first transfer transistor to transfer photo-generated charge from a first photosensitive region to a shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. The method also includes no more than partially enabling a second transfer transistor to partially turn on the second transfer transistor to increase a capacitance of the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism while the photo-generated charge is transferred from the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to the reading out of image sensors, and in particular but not exclusively, relates to the reading out of image sensors that include shared charge-to-voltage conversion mechanisms.
2. Background
Image sensors have become ubiquitous. They are widely used in digital still cameras, cellular phones, security cameras, as well as, medical, automobile, and other applications. The technology used to manufacture image sensors, and in particular, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor ("CMOS") image sensors, has continued to advance at great pace. For example, the demands of higher resolution and lower power consumption have encouraged the further miniaturization and integration of these image sensors.
CMOS image sensors can use arrays of pixels. A pixel generally includes a photodiode (i.e., a photo-sensitive region responsible for collecting electromagnetic energy and converting the collected electromagnetic energy into electrons), a transfer transistor, a source follower amplifier transistor, and a row select transistor. Photo-generated charge accumulated in the photosensitive region of the photodiode is ultimately converted into a voltage by a charge-to-voltage mechanism (also referred to as a floating diffusion) included in the pixel.
Some image sensors may include a shared pixel architecture, where photodiodes are grouped together to form pixel units that have a shared charge-to-voltage mechanism, as well as one or more shared transistors, among several photodiodes.
The efficiency with which the photosensitive regions of a pixel unit converts incident electromagnetic energy into accumulated electrons depends on many factors, including the full well capacity (FWC) of the photodiodes. FWC is a measure of the number of electrons a photodiode can store before it reaches saturation. When the saturation of a photodiode is reached, excess electrons may overflow to adjacent pixels. Increased photodiode FWC may result in a higher dynamic range and higher signal-to-noise ratio for a CMOS sensor, which ultimately results in higher-quality digital images.
However, an increase in the photodiode FWC may result in an increase in the occurrence of "black dots" in the resultant image. This is because an increased FWC would require a charge-to-voltage conversion region that is reset to a larger voltage to accommodate a larger voltage swing. This larger voltage potential on the charge-to-voltage mechanism may cause one or more of the pixel transistors (e.g., source-follower transistor) to operate outside of its linear operation region. The non-linear operation of the source follower transistor may cause a signal level, in low light conditions (i.e., high voltage on the floating diffusion), to be compressed which results in the increased occurrence of the black dots.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Method of reading out an image sensor with transfer gate boost


The present disclosure relates to a work safety management system using a safety belt unit for high-place work, and safety during working at a high place can be enhanced by determining whether a worker has fastened a seat belt to a safety structure, and the location of the worker, whether the seat belt is fastened and whether the work is on progress can be monitored in real time from a remote location to prevent safety accidents.

In general, during working at a high place from the ground, such as a building construction site for constructing high-rise structures such as buildings or bridges, a subway construction site or a water supply and sewage construction site for constructing an underground structure, telephone poles and a steel towers where repair work is performed, workers work on various treadmills and structures installed at a high place. Here, in order to protect the worker from fall accidents during working at such a high place, it is mandatory for the worker to wear safety protective equipment such as a safety swing, a fall prevention safety rope connected to the safety swing, and a hard hat.
In the case of such safety protective equipment, a safety rope with both ends fixed by an outer ring connects the safety belt and a fixed support, and there are often accidents in which workers fall because they do not inadvertently fasten a safety hook.
Conventional safety swings and safety hooks are configured to prevent workers from falling in a simple way that is hung between the safety belt and the fixed support, but there is a problem in that fall accidents occur because workers do not continuously fasten the safety hook due to the work condition that frequently moves even in the high-place work area.

Work safety management system using safety belt unit for high-place work


A channel and noise estimation method includes: performing channel estimation on a received signal to obtain a real channel estimation value; filtering the real channel estimation value to obtain a filtered channel estimation value; calculating a biased noise power value, a biased signal power value, a biased noise correlation and a biased signal correlation according to the filtered channel estimation value; calculating an unbiased noise power value, an unbiased signal power value, an unbiased noise correlation and an unbiased signal correlation according to the biased noise power value, the biased signal power value, the biased noise correlation and the biased signal correlation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to wireless communications, and more particularly to a channel and noise estimation method and associated apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a long-term evolution (LTE) wireless communication system, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a critical index for measuring reception performance of the communication system. The SNR can be affected by estimation values including a signal power and a noise power. Further, the accuracy in estimation values including a signal power, a noise power, a signal correlation and a noise correlation have direct influences on a demodulation result of signals demodulated by a subsequent demodulation module in the communication system.
It is discovered by the Applicant during long-term researches that, in current technologies, a conventional estimation method for a signal power and a noise power in a wireless communication system frequently causes issues of an unsatisfactory accuracy and complex technicalities. Moreover, a conventional estimation method does not provide estimation values for correlations of signals and noises of different reception antennas.

Channel and noise estimation method and associated apparatus


The present invention relates to the field of database technology, and to the automatic generation of search queries. The present invention provides a method of generating a database query, the method comprising: receiving a user selection of one of a number of predetermined generic database queries from a user; automatically identifying user specific data from user profile data corresponding to the user by applying the user profile data to a number of predetermined query statements associated with the selected generic query; automatically applying the user specific data to a number of user specific generator query statements in order to generate one or more user specific queries.

Service providers such as on-line travel agents, book stores, or IT service suppliers typically provide a database of their available services together with a user interface comprising a series of interlinked web-pages. These web-pages include the facility for a user to enter data specific to their requirements, such as a holiday destination and period for example in order to search for available flights and/or hotels. Similarly a user may search for a book using category or author keywords for example. In each case the web-site will return a number of results of goods and/or services which match the user-entered user-specific requirements. The user can then review these results for appropriate goods and/or services. However typically a large number of results are returned, especially if many service providers' web-sites are queried. The user may then filter or order the results according to further criteria, such as list the results from lowest to highest price, or filter on flights leaving from the user's local airport or using a particular airline. Alternatively the user may enter a detailed set of options presented on the web-site in order to reduce the number of results returned and their relevance to the user. In both cases this is time consuming for the user, and often the user will not know what sort of information about them will be most relevant to controlling the search results.
Personalising XML Text Search in Piment" by Sihem Amer-Yahia et al at the following http website: www.vldb2005.org/program/slides/demo/s1310-amer-yahia.ppt discloses a method of supplementing or customising user queries by parsing them for keywords, and adding related keywords from a thesaurus for example. However whilst this may provide the results the user intended, it does so at the expense of a lot more results.
US2003050865 discloses a system which attempts to solve this problem by maintaining a detailed user profile on the user's client which can then be applied to incoming results from service provider web-sites in order to filter out results that don't meet the requirements defined in the user profile. In one of the examples given, the user wants to find a hotel and has various data in their user profile such as: is a wheelchair user; has various discount coupon schemes; frequent flier data; hobbies; hotel preferences such as amenities wanted, smoking or non-smoking; and so on. The user then enters a general hotel query including constraints such as location, dates, and price range. The client agent then shortlists or filters the results returned based on the criteria in the user profile. The client agent then sends selective queries based upon the user profile directly to the short-listed service provider servers. The hotel or other service provider servers then query their knowledge base to answer the selective queries and provide this data to the client agent which in turn presents it to the user. However this requires that the short-listed servers are able to process these types of selected queries. This also requires a lot of processing power by the client which must shortlist a large number of results, send the selected queries and receive the further results for presentation to the user. For client agents installed on wireless devices, a large amount of bandwidth is also consumed in sending two sets of queries, and receiving two sets of results. Also the user has to enter and remember the information for the general query which is inconvenient for the user. This is exacerbated on a device with a constrained interface (a hand held for example) making the process more tedious, and in addition a lot of screen space could be consumed.

User specific database querying method and apparatus

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company


A built-in self test circuit includes a pattern generator, a functional block subjected to a self test on the basis of an output from the pattern generator, a space compressor for compressing a test result of the functional block, and a comparator for comparing an output from the space compressor with an expected value and outputting a comparison result. The functional block has O (positive integer) inputs and M (positive integer) outputs. The pattern generator is constituted by a linear feedback shift register, having an output bit width P (P=O/N) which is 1/N of the inputs O of the functional block, for generating a pseudorandom pattern and an iterative pseudorandom pattern output unit for distributing outputs from the linear feedback shift register in units of N outputs and outputting, to the functional block, an iterative pseudorandom pattern output having an iterative O-bit width (O=P*N) of the pseudorandom pattern output from the linear feedback shift register every P bits. The space compressor has a function of spatially compressing the M outputs from the functional block into L outputs (positive integer and M>L). The pattern generator, the functional block, the space compressor, and the comparator are built into a semiconductor chip into which other functional elements are built.

The present invention relates to a built-in self test circuit.
In recent years, it is considerably important to perform a test having a high fault detection capacity so as to assure the quality of LSIs. It is, however, more difficult to test the internal arrangement of an LSI from the limited external pins due to the recent development of larger scale LSIs. In addition, the test contents are also complicated. A test circuit itself is assumed to be built into an LSI in design for testability (DFT). Typical techniques are a built-in self test (BIST) technique and a scan technique. The present invention relates to the BIST technique.
In this BIST technique, a built-in self test is known wherein a test function is built into a semiconductor chip to perform a test. Built-in self test arrangements are classified into a centralized arrangement in which one pattern generator and one pattern compressor are shared by all functional blocks and a distributed arrangement in which a pattern generator and a pattern compressor are arranged for each functional block.
With this arrangement, the number of parts of each constituent component or the wiring amount between the respective constituent components greatly influence the hardware amount or space factor in the LSI.
For example, a pseudorandom pattern generator is generally used as a pattern generator. Typical examples of the pseudorandom pattern generator are a linear feedback shift register and a weighted linear shift register. In use of a linear feedback shift register having a bit width corresponding to the number of inputs of circuits under test (CUT), a pseudorandom pattern is generated by the linear feedback shift register, and the output from the linear feedback shift register is input to the circuits under test.
In the method using the linear feedback shift register or weighted linear feedback shift register as the test pattern generator, however, the linear feedback shift register having the bit width corresponding to the number of inputs of the circuits under test must be used, and a large amount of hardware is required for a multiple input circuit.
In addition, a large number of patterns and a long test execution time are required to obtain a high fault coverage in a linear feedback shift register. A long fault simulation time is undesirably required to evaluate the patterns accordingly.
The weighted linear feedback shift register has an advantage in that the number of patterns is reduced because convergence of the fault coverage is improved. However, weighting hardware such as OR and AND gates is additionally required, resulting in inconvenience.
When a pattern compressor is taken into consideration, two linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) or multiple input linear feedback shift registers (MISRs) are used as the first and second compressors in the pattern compressor arrangement. In the first compressors, as shown in FIG. 10, pattern generators (LFSRs) 1.sub.1 to 1.sub.4 supply M test patterns to four functional blocks 2.sub.1 to 2.sub.4 as circuits under test, and data of N bits.times.M patterns output from the functional blocks 2.sub.1 to 2.sub.4 are spatially compressed into data of 1 bit.times.M patterns by space compressors 3.sub.1 to 3.sub.4 using the multiple input linear feedback shift registers (MISRs) embedded in the functional blocks (i.e., the functional blocks and the pattern compressors are arranged adjacent to each other in the chip layout, and the wiring length between them is short).
In the second compressors, all data each consisting of 1 bit.times.M patterns obtained by compressing the data from the functional blocks 2.sub.1 to 2.sub.4 by the space compressors 3.sub.1 to 3.sub.4 are respectively collected by compression lines 4.sub.1 to 4.sub.4, and time compressors 5.sub.1 to 5.sub.4 using the linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) separate from the four functional blocks (the compressors are arranged separate from the functional blocks in the chip layout, and the wiring length between them is long) compress all the data into data each consisting of one pattern. The resultant values are compared with a given expected value prestored in the chip (Reference: P. P. Glelsinger: Design and test for the 80386, IEEE Design & Test of Comp., 4, 3, pp. 42-50 (1987)).
Since the multiple input linear feedback shift registers are used as the space compressors 3 (3.sub.1 to 3.sub.4) as the first compressors for the functional blocks, and four separate linear feedback shift registers are used as time compressors 5 (5.sub.1 to 5.sub.4) serving as the second compressors, the amount of hardware constituting the pattern compressor is undesirably large.
As an arrangement of the space compressor having a smaller amount of hardware than that of the compressor using the multiple input feedback shift registers, a compressor using exclusive OR gates is known (Reference: S. M. Reddy et al.: A data compression technique for built-in self-test, IEEE Trans. Comp., Col. 37, No. 9, pp. 1151-1156 (Sep. 1988)).
The degree of space compression (compressible bit width) free from missed faults depends on a functional block under test in the compressor using only the exclusive OR gates. This arrangement is suitable for a pattern compressor in which space and time compressors are located adjacent to each other to perform a centralized self test. However, when this arrangement is used as a distributed self test pattern compressor, a wiring amount between the space and time compressors is undesirably increased in the presence of a compressor having a low degree of space compression in the functional block under test.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


An optical frequency COM generator generating an optical frequency COM having flat spectrum characteristics using a single modulator. The optical frequency COM generator has a drive signal system (11) and a bias signal system (14) which drive a first drive signal (9), a second drive signal (10) and bias signals (12, 13) to satisfy the following expression (I). ΔA+Δθ=π/2 (I). (where, ΔA and Δθ are defined as ΔA≡(A1−A2)/2 and Δθ≡(θ1−θ2)/2, respectively, A1 and A2 represent the amplitudes of the first and second drive signals when they are inputted to the electrodes of the first and second drive signals, respectively, and θ1 and θ2 represent the phases of bias voltages applied to first and second waveguides, respectively.)

Recently, many people study an optical frequency comb signal generator which can generate plurality of optical frequency components with same frequency intervals simultaneously. An optical frequency comb signal generator, which can generates an optical frequency comb signal, can be used as one component of short pulse generation apparatus for ultra high speed optical communication or optical measurement. Further, an optical frequency comb signal generator is investigated its applications such as wideband multiwavelength laser sources, ultrashort pulse generation, arbitrary-waveform generation, and optical frequency reference (W. D. Jemison et al., MWP'01, pp. 169-172, 2001). An optical frequency comb signal generator is investigated to generate control signals of array antenna for space measurement system like an astronomical telescope (J. M. Payne and W. P. Shillue, MWP'02, pp. 9-12, 2002).
An optical frequency comb signal generator which has a mode lock laser using a semiconductor or an optical fiber, and an optical frequency comb signal generator which utilizes optical modulation technique using a LiNbO3 modulator are known in the art (e.g. non-patent documents 1 to 3).
Especially, a LiNbO3 modulator is suitable for the technologies because the bandwidth of its EO effect is much wider than that of the driving radio-frequency (rf) signal and tolerant to its large-amplitude operation. However, it is difficult to flatly generate an optical frequency comb using the EO modulation technique because the intensity of each mode is governed by Bessel functions and highly depends on wavelength.
Preceding reports have thus far solved this problem by using a two-stage modulator, where a phase modulator and an intensity modulator are cascaded in tandem. The optical frequency comb signal generator of the technology drives both of the optical phase modulator and the optical intensity modulator using the synchronize signals having the same frequency. The optical phase modulator is driven by large amplitude signals to generate high order components. Then the optical intensity modulator modulates intensity of the components. Sideband components generated from each of the frequency components of phase modulated signals interfere with neighboring order frequency component to lessen the deviation of the optical signal. Further, in time axis, nonlinear chirped components of the phase modulated light are selectively generated by controlling the optical intensity.
However the conventional optical frequency comb signal generator has a drawback that it requires the synchronized driving for two optical modulators connected in tandem. Thus the structure of the optical frequency comb signal generator become complex.

Super flat optical frequency comb signal generator

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


A rotor reversing mechanism for a baler comprises a ratchet 12 mounted for rotation with the rotor, a pawl 22 carried by a reversing arm 16 for engaging the ratchet 12, a double acting hydraulic cylinder 32 for reciprocating the reversing arm 16 to cause the rotor to rotate in a reverse direction and means for disengaging the pawl 22 from the ratchet when the reversing arm is in a park position. In the invention, a spring 40 is provided for urging the reversing arm 16 towards the park position and the working chambers of the double acting hydraulic cylinder 32 are permanently connected to one another by way of a throttled passage 74.

The rotor of a baler is the part used to propel the straw picked up from the ground into the baling chamber of a baler where it is compacted and formed into bales. The rotor can also be part of an in-feed or transport element for other processing means. In use, a blockage of the rotor may occur from time to time resulting in activation of the overload safety device in the drive line. Hence the drive is interrupted and, in such an event, the operator has to switch off the drive to the baler and rotate the rotor in the reverse sense to release the blockage.
For this purpose, it is known to provide a baler rotor with a reversing mechanism which comprises a ratchet mounted on the rotor and a pawl carried by on a reversing arm that is reciprocated by means of a double acting hydraulic cylinder. When the reversing arm is extended fully into a park position, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet to allow the rotor to rotate in its normal forward direction.
A problem that arises when using such a reversing mechanism is that the operator can accidentally re-engage the drive to the baler before the reversing arm has reached its park position, that is to say while forward rotation of the rotor is being opposed by engagement between the pawl and the ratchet. Such premature re-engagement of the drive to the baler can result in serious and possibly irreparable damage to the reversing mechanism.


Linear actuators comprised of a plurality of geometric links connected together in displacement multiplied fashion by a plurality of SMA wires. The links may have a trigon or chevron configuration. The trigon links may be combined with a hexagonal or rhomboidal shaft to create a defined stacking pattern of links about the shaft. The shaft extends from the medial portion of the stack. Ohmic heating circuits connect to non-moving ends of SMA wires. Various groupings of links in parallel displacement are described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to linear and rotary actuators and, in particular, to non-electromagnetic linear and rotary actuators.
2. Description of Related Art
Linear actuators find widespread applications in industrial, commercial, vehicular, and domestic settings, in uses ranging widely from electric door locks and windshield wipers in automobiles to pin pullers and shutter controllers in mechanical designs. Generally speaking, linear actuators comprise solenoid devices in which an electromagnet is used to translate an armature, and the retraction or extension of the armature is operatively connected in a mechanism to perform useful work. Such devices are commodity items that are manufactured in many sizes, force/stroke outputs, and AC or DC operation.
Despite their widespread adoption, electromagnetic linear actuators have several important drawbacks that require design accommodations in mechanical systems. Due to the use of electromagnetism as the motive force, these devices necessarily require ferromagnetic materials to define the armature as well as a magnetic flux circuit to maximize the stroke force. Such materials are typically dense, and their use results in devices that are rather large and heavy, particularly in comparison to their stroke/force output characteristics. Moreover, the multiple turns of wire that comprise an electromagnet, typically hundreds or thousands, add another substantial mass to the device.
Another drawback of electromagnetic linear actuators is also due to the use of electromagnetism as the driving force. Typically, as the armature is extended from the electromagnetic, increasing portions of the armature are removed from the influence of the electromagnetic field, and the driving force is concomitantly reduced. As a result, the force versus stroke displacement characteristics of these devices generally exhibit high initial force values that decline rapidly with increase in stroke displacement. In many mechanisms it is desirable to deliver a constant force linear stroke, and it is necessary to design additional mechanisms to make use of the negatively sloped force/displacement characteristic.
In recent years much interest has been directed toward shape memory alloy (hereinafter, SMA) materials and their potential use in linear actuators. The most promising material is nickel titanium alloy, known as Nitinol, which, in the form of a wire or bar, delivers a strong contraction force upon heating above a well-defined transition temperature, and which relaxes when cooled. Assuming the Nitinol wire is heated ohmically or by extrinsic means, there is no need for the ferromagnetic materials and numerous windings of the prior art electromagnetic linear actuators, and there is the promise of a lightweight linear actuator that delivers a strong actuation force. Moreover, the force versus displacement characteristic of SMA is much closer to the ideal constant than comparable electromagnetic devices.
Despite the great interest in SMA actuators and many forms of SMA actuators known in the prior art, no practical SMA actuator mechanism has proven to be reliable over a large number of operating cycles. It has been found that Nitinol wire requires a restoring force to assist the material in resuming its quiescent length when its temperature falls below the material's transition temperature. Many prior art SMA actuator designs have made use of common spring assemblies, such as helical or leaf springs, to exert the required restoring force. These spring assemblies typically deliver a spring force that varies linearly with displacement, (F=kx), and the restoring force in most cases is a maximum at maximum stroke. It has been found that the SMA component responds poorly to this force/displacement characteristic, and the useful life of the SMA actuator is severely limited by such a restoring force. To overcome this problem, prior art designers have attempted to use simple weights depending from pulleys to exert a constant restoring force on the SMA component. Although more effective, this expedient results in a mechanism that is not easily realized in a small, widely adaptive package.
Another drawback inherent in known SMA materials is the relatively small amount of contraction that is exerted upon heating past the transition temperature. The maximum contraction is about 8%, and the useful contraction for repeated use is about 6%. Thus, to achieve a direct displacement stroke from the SMA component of about one inch, the SMA component must be over sixteen inches long. This material limitation results in a minimum size that is too large for many applications. Some prior art designs overcome this problem by wrapping the SMA wire about one or more pulleys to contain the necessary length within a shorter space. However, the SMA wire tends to acquire some of the curvature of the pulleys as it is repeatedly heated and cooled, and loses too much of its ability to contract longitudinally. The result is failure after a few number of operating cycles. Other prior art designs employ lever arrangements or the like to amplify the SMA displacement, with a concomitant reduction in output force.
It is evident that the prior art has failed to fully exploit the full potential of shape memory alloy, due to the lack of a mechanism that capitalizes on the useful material characteristics of SMA.


A process is provided for reducing the inhibiting effect of gas coning on liquid hydrocarbon production into a production wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation having a gas cap overlying a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone in fluid communication with the gas cap. A polymer enhanced foam containing a polymer, an aqueous solvent, a surfactant, and a gas is placed in gas-permeable anomalies or matrix between the production wellbore and gas cap, thereby effectively blocking the downward flow of gas from the gas cap to the production wellbore and enabling desirable liquid hydrocarbons to more readily enter the wellbore for production to the surface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a process for recovering liquid hydrocarbons from a production wellbore in fluid communication with a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation having a gas cap overlying a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone, and more particularly to such a process wherein a polymer enhanced foam is placed in the formation to reduce gas coning into the production wellbore.
2. Description of Related Art
A specific problem frequently encountered during the recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from an oil-bearing producing zone of a subterranean formation having an overlying gas cap is a phenomenon termed "gas coning". This phenomenon occurs when there is fluid communication between the producing zone and the gas cap. Under sufficient drawdown pressure, the gas cap gas is drawn down and coproduced with the liquid hydrocarbons from the producing zone. Due to the higher mobility of the gas cap gas, the gas also tends to inhibit the flow of liquid hydrocarbons into the wellbore by preferentially entering the wellbore to the exclusion of the liquid hydrocarbons. Accordingly, gas coning is characterized by a significant increase in the gas oil ratio of the produced fluids and an attendant significant decrease in the liquid hydrocarbon recovery rate from the production wellbore.
Gas coning treatments generally rely on placement of a gas blocking agent in the formation between the gas cap gas and the liquid hydrocarbon production wellbore to substantially block vertical flowpaths for the gas into the production wellbore. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,884 to Sydansk discloses the use of a conventional oilfield foam augmented with a crosslinked polymer gel as a gas blocking agent in vertical fractures extending between a gas cap and a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone affected by gas coning. Although the gel-containing foam is extremely effective for its intended purpose, application of the gel-containing foam has a distinct, albeit minimal, degree of operational complexity and risk. As with any chemical reaction, the crosslinking reaction between the crosslinking agent and polymer requires greater operator attention to process controls to ensure that the reaction proceeds properly. Furthermore, the strength of the resultant foam is such that the foam can be difficult to remove if it is improperly placed in the formation or if one subsequently desires to return the formation to its original permeability condition.
By comparison, conventional foams, typically consisting of only a surfactant solution and a foaming gas, are relatively cheaper and simpler to formulate than gel-containing foams and obviate certain operational complexities, being relatively easy to break down for removal from the formation and not requiring the added process controls and chemical cost of the crosslinking reaction. Nevertheless, the gel-containing foams are deemed superior to conventional oilfield foams for treating gas coning because the performance of conventional foams in the treatment of gas coning has been found inadequate.
Whereas, conventional oilfield foams generally perform satisfactorily as dynamic mobility control fluids in hydrocarbon displacement floods, different performance demands are required of a foam acting as a static gas blocking agent. In this role, conventional oilfield foams often do not have sufficient structural strength, stability, or critical pressure gradient for flow to achieve long-term performance demands when continuously subjected to the gas flow pressure gradient existing during gas coning. Furthermore, conventional oilfied foams often do not have sufficient stability to maintain their structural integrity when subjected to downhole formation conditions typically encountered, particularly in the presence of liquid hydrocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,457 to Sydansk discloses the use of foams augmented with an uncrosslinked polymer for specific hydrocarbon displacement flooding applications. In particular, such foams are disclosed as having utility as mobility-controlling hydrocarbon displacement fluids or as flow diverters for conventional hydrocarbon displacement fluids. Persoff, P. et al., "Aqueous Foams for Control of Gas Migration and Water Coning in Aquifer Gas Storage", Energy Sources, v.12, pp. 479-497, 1990, also suggests the use of a foam augmented with a polymer for the narrow application of stabilizing a foam used to block water coning in an underground gas storage aquifer. However, neither of these references recognizes or suggests the potential utility of a foam augmented with an uncrosslinked polymer to treat gas coning in an oil-bearing formation and to overcome the unique problems and complexities attendant therewith. In particular, it was not heretofore believed that a foam augmented solely with an uncrosslinked polymer had sufficient strength and stability to be effective in a gas coning treatment, particularly in the presence of a liquid hydrocarbon.
As is apparent from the above, a gas coning treatment process is needed which employs a gas blocking agent that couples the predictable effectiveness and reliability of a gel-containing foam with the operational simplicity and low cost of a conventional oilfield foam. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative gas blocking agent having utility in a gas coning treatment which overcomes the problems encountered with the use of known gas coning treatment agents. It is further an object of the present invention to provide an alternative blocking agent that is economical and operationally simple to apply, yet has a high degree of strength and stability when placed in a formation.

Polymer enhanced foams for reducing gas coning


A method of treating an individual who is suffering from human immunodeficiency virus infection is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a human who is suffering from human immunodeficiency virus infection, an amount of ricin, abrin, modeccin, viscumin or volkensin effective to eliminate mononuclear phagocyte lineage cells.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the etiological agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV infects cells of the immune system. In the course of the disease, the number of lymphocytes in the immune system becomes depleted, and the body is incapable of mounting a defense against other infections. Death eventually results as the immune system of an infected person becomes decreasingly effective in protecting the infected person.
HIV infects T-cells through CD4, a protein found on the cell membrane of those cells. The HIV protein gp120 binds to CD4 as the initial step in the infection of a T-cell by HIV. Upon infection, the virus replicates within the T-cell and eventually destroys the cell, yielding multiple virus particles which can then infect other T-cells. Thus, T-cells, cells which are part of the system that protects against infections, are the target of the infectious agent. At first, the immune system provides protection and disease development from initial HIV infection to AIDS is slow. As the infection progresses, the immune system become increasingly depleted and compromised. Finally, the immune system becomes incapable of adequately functioning and death results, usually by an opportunistic infection the body is incapable of defending against.
There is no cure for AIDS and the treatments currently available are ineffective at substantially lengthening life. Moreover, the therapy available to prevent people infected with HIV from developing AIDS is equally ineffective. Given the exponential growth of this pandemic, it is estimated that up to 40 million people will be infected with HIV by the year 2000. A treatment must be found that is capable of extremely large, rapid, inexpensive production or possibly every one of the estimated 40 million people will die prematurely. There is a critical need for a more effective treatment for people suffering from AIDS. Furthermore, there is a need for a more effective therapy for people who are HIV positive but do not have AIDS in order to prevent them from developing AIDS.
Both the government and the pharmaceutical industry have devoted vast resources to finding an effective treatment for people infected with HIV. The commitment of money and man-power has been significant in an effort to overcome this currently intractable problem which defies a solution. Enormous amounts of money have been earmarked and spent on research. Large numbers of scientists are actively engaged in AIDS research, and in particular, in drug discovery efforts to identify compounds and methods to stop or slow the destructive progress of the virus in infected people.
Currently, a great deal of effort is being made to discover compounds and methods that prevent or retard HIV replication and the destruction of the immune system in infected persons. Although some progress has been made, there have been no discoveries that vastly increase the life expectancy of infected persons.
One strategy is to interfere with viral enzymes essential for viral replication. There is a great deal of interest in finding compounds that inhibit HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) or HIV protease. Currently, some success has been made using RT inhibitors. However, it has been only limited success. Over time, RT inhibitors appear to lose their effectiveness.
Another approach to combatting the virus is to selectively destroy infected T-cells by targeting gp120 using CD4 conjugated to a toxin or antigen. The CD4-conjugate is supposed to bind to gp120 associated with infected cells. In the case of CD4-toxin conjugates, the toxin is then available to kill the cell and thereby prevent viral replication. If a CD4-antigen conjugate is used, the CD4-conjugate that is bound to the infected cell will provide a good target for removal by the immune system before viral replication is complete. The infected cell will be killed and its contents destroyed. Thus far, no successful treatment has been developed from these efforts.
Many other strategies and approaches have also been employed. However, despite the desperate need and the enormous drug discovery effort, no successful treatment has been developed to stop or effectively slow the progress of infection from initial viral infection to the eventual destruction of the immune system characteristic of AIDS.
C. D. Pauza, (1988) Cellular Immunol. 112:414-424, reports that infected monocytes act as reservoirs of HIV, and further are involved in presentation of HIV to T-cells. Pauza discusses the need to focus more attention on the effects that the progression of AIDS has on monocyte cells and the breakdown of natural immunity associated with HIV infection of them. Pauza relates that the abrogation of normal effectiveness of monocyte cells in natural immunity caused by HIV infection of monocytes results in the sensitivity an individual has to opportunistic infections. Rather than targeting monocyte cells, however, Pauza discusses the deleterious effects on the HIV-infected individual caused by the lack of functional monocytes. The link is drawn between the lack of normally functioning monocytes and fatality in HIV infected individuals.
Metzler, et al., (1990) Immunology Today 11(6):217-223 review the role of macrophage cells in HIV disease. A discussion of persistently infected cells in the pathological development of HIV infection is included. Metzler et al. disclose the need to control HIV infection and replication in macrophages, and neither teach nor suggest the elimination of the cells.
McGrath, M. S. et al., (April 1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2844-2848, describe a compound, GLQ223, which is reported to inhibit HIV replication in vitro in cultured lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. GLQ223, a 26kD protein that is purified from plant material, is similar in function and structure to the A chain of Ricin. McGrath et al. acknowledged the need for targeting HIV in mononuclear phagocytes as necessary for effectively impeding the advancement of disease. However, GLQ223 is directed at eliminating viral replication in monocytes, not elimination of monocytes themselves.
U.S. Pat. No., 4,869,903 issued Sep. 26, 1989 to Lifson et al. relates to a method of selectively inhibiting HIV in T-lymphocytes and monocytes that have been infected with HIV. The method comprises exposing infected cells to a plant derived single chain ribosome inactivating protein and inhibiting HIV replication while not destroying infected cells.
U.S. Pat. No., 4,795,739 issued Jan. 3, 1989 to Lifson et al. relates to a method of inhibiting expression of HIV antigens in T-lymphocytes and monocyte/macrophage cells that are infected with HIV. A method of treating human subjects infected with HIV is also disclosed. The specification contains a discussion of the problem caused by persistently infected monocyte/macrophage cells in the development of the disease in infected individuals. Two compounds, trichosanthin (TCS) and momorcharin (MMC), both of which are plant derived proteins, are disclosed as effective agents to inhibit expression of viral antigens in monocytes/macrophage cells that are infected with HIV. To solve the problem posed by persistently infected monocytes/macrophage cell, TCS and MMC are used to inhibit viral replication and production of viral proteins. There is no suggestion of destroying monocytes/macrophage cells. The disclosure contains instructions on screening compounds for anti-HIV activity. The screening assays are directed at identifying compounds which inhibit expression of viral antigens HIV infected monocytes/macrophage cells. Ricin, Abrin and Modeccin are among the compounds which are suggested to be used in the screening assay used to determine whether or not compounds inhibit expression of viral antigens in monocytes/macrophage cells. Both intact and A-chain forms of these compounds are suggested for screening. The method disclosed is directed at inhibiting viral replication and production of viral proteins without loss of viability to infected cells. The aim of the invention is to inhibit viral replication while not harming the cells.
Ricin, also know as Ricin D and RCA-II, is a monovalent lectin derived from caster beans. Ricin, a toxin, is composed of two dissimilar peptide chains. The B-chain is responsible for binding to, and facilitating entrance into, the target cell. Upon entering the cell, the A-chain enzymatically inactivates the 60S ribosomal subunit, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis and causing cell death by apoptosis.
Simmons, B. M. et al., (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261(17):7912-7920, disclose the role of the high mannose carbohydrate chains in the mechanism of action of Ricin toxin. The mannose receptor-mediated uptake of Ricin toxin and Ricin A chain by macrophages is discussed as well as the binding of the Ricin galactose receptor to cell surface glycoproteins. The role of carbohydrate in the multiple intracellular pathways for chain translocation were investigated.
Zenilman, M. E. et al., (1989) Transplantation 47(1):200-203, reports that intraportal administration of intact Ricin to mice resulted in the selective depletion of Kupffer cells. Zenilman et al. suggest that selective depletion of donor Kupffer cells prior to organ transplantation may decrease donor immunogenicity and therefore reduce rejection. Zenilman et al. report that intact Ricin is significantly more effective than Ricin A-chain alone in depletion of Kupffer cells.
For the past decade, immunotoxins have been formed using either Ricin A-chain or intact Ricin conjugated with a specific targeting antibody. The antibody is directed at a cell surface protein or a viral protein that is displayed on the surface of virally infected cells. When a cell ingests the Ricin-antibody complex bound to its surface, the cell is killed. Great efforts have been made to try and bypass the "natural tendency" for these immunotoxins to be removed from the bloodstream by macrophages in the spleen and liver. The greatest success at reducing this undesired macrophage toxicity has been through the elimination of Ricin's carbohydrate side chain.
In addition to Ricin, other ribosome-inactivating proteins include Abrin, Modeccin, Viscumin and Volkensin.
Abrin, another monovalent lectin, is a protein extracted from Abrus precatorius seeds. Abrin, similar to Ricin, is a toxin comprised of dissimilar peptide chains.
Modeccin, another toxic lectin, is also a ribosomal-inactivating protein derived from plants. Modeccin can be extracted from the root of Adenia digitata. Modeccin is also composed of two dissimilar peptide chains.
Viscumin is a toxic lectin that very similar to Ricin. Viscumin, which is also comprised of two dissimilar peptide chains, is extracted from Viscum album L. (mistletoe)
Volkensin, another toxic lectin, is also a ribosomal inactivating protein derived from plants. Volkensin can be extracted from Adenia volkensii. Volkensin is also composed of two dissimilar peptide chains.
The present invention provides a method of treating humans suffering from HIV infection by administering compounds which selectively eliminate MPL cells. According to the invention, MPL cells are selectively targeted for destruction in order to eliminate them as HIV reservoirs. By selectively destroying MPL cells, the advancement of HIV infection is disrupted by interfering with a mechanism of HIV proliferation in which the virus is maintained in the body and presented to T-cells, furthering the replication of the virus. According to the invention, HIV can be eradicated or the progress of the infection severely curtailed in an individual by eliminating the reservoir which enables HIV to persist during the body's effort to remove it.

Method of treating humans infected with human immunodeficiency virus


An apparatus for use with a spinal implant includes a handle structure with a passage. A shaft with a screw thread is moveable within the passage in the handle structure. A pusher block is linked to the shaft, and has a forward surface configured to engage the spinal implant. A screw-threaded clutch member is supported on the handle structure for movement into and out of engagement with the screw thread on the shaft.

A spinal implant inserter is a device that installs an implant between two (e.g., a pair of adjacent) vertebrae, or wholly or partially within a vertebra, in the human spine. Such a device is typically operated manually, and may include a rod that the operator uses to push the spinal implant into the intravertebral space. The inserter may be used, for example, for an anterior approach, a posterior approach, a lateral approach, or any variation in between.

Implant insertion apparatus and method of use


A candle container with a holder and burn control cover. The burn control cover and holder are configured in such a manner to create air intake vents for more efficient burning of a candle. The burn control cover includes a lower ring and an exhaust hole. A removable fitment attaches to the burn control cover through the exhaust hole for safe shipping and sealing of the candle container. A wax warmer container may attach to the candle container for scent distribution.

Conventional containerized candles have a candle inside a container and a lid. Typically, the lid is not attached to the container while the candle is burning. Consequently, the consumer usually discards the lid after purchase as it no longer has any use or value to them.
Conventional containerized candles may break easily while being shipped or processed before purchase by the consumer. Conventional containerized can also lack the ability to properly isolate the fragrance of the candle. Conventional containerized candles have included plastic fitments permanently attached to the lid or holder for safer shipping. However, these permanently attached fitments may disturb the aesthetic value of the candle. In particular, the conventional fitments are sometimes a milky white color, preventing the consumer from fully enjoying the color of the candle.
Another drawback of prior containerized candles relates to accessories that are intended to control burning. It is well known that an open flame in a house can be dangerous. Surrounding objects can catch fire from unenclosed flames. Additionally, a flame can also burn out easily from currents in the air. In view of these concerns, containerized candles have added burn control accessories. Typically, the burn control accessories are made of ceramic or metal, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,382,962 B1 and 6,589,047 B1 (the respective disclosures of which are both hereby incorporated be reference in their entireties). Ceramic or metal material, however, does not allow for the candle to illuminate the surrounding environment. More specifically, these conventional burn control accessories are generally opaque and thus block and/or absorb light from the candle
Conventional containerized candles have also included lids or shades to enhance the appearance of the containerized candle and reduce the affect of drafts upon the flame. Such conventional containerized candles, however, do not increase the overall burn efficiency of the candle. Some conventional burn control accessories may utilize a baffling intake system. A baffling intake system, however, can cause turbulence inside the candle container, resulting in less efficient burning. Consequently, there is a need for a containerized candle and burn control accessory that result in efficient burning of a candle, and provide a pleasing aesthetic appearance.

Filled/containerized candle lid and burn control device


An improved, secure, anti-siphoning method and apparatus that can be fitted into any size fuel tank. The present invention includes a re-configured fuel cap that includes an electronic display, a touchpad for numerically inputting a security code for allowing a user to unscrew the fuel cap. In addition, a biometric reader is implemented to read a user's thumb print, and subsequently allowing the user to access the fuel tank.

Fuel tanks on vehicles and other motorized equipments, such as, motorcycles, farm equipments, tractor-trailers, boats, and personal aircrafts, generally has a fuel tank cover that can be easily opened, and a removable gas cap when filling the fuel tank. In certain instances, the fuel tank cover may be locked by closing it with a latch, or with a key. To access the fuel tank, it can be opened by pushing the cover in, using a key to unlock the cover, or by simply pulling the cover out. In later model vehicles, the fuel cover may be opened by raising a lever or pushing a button inside the vehicle, or in certain instances, the vehicle must first be unlocked, then the operator pushes on the cover to open it. For example, fuel thieves merely open the cover by simply pushing it in, and if the vehicle or the mechanized equipments is a late model that requires the gas cover to be opened from inside, thieves pry open the cover forcefully, and then siphoning the fuel.
With the increase in the prices of gasoline and other fuels, theft through siphoning has become a common problem for automobiles and other motorized equipments. Unattended vehicles and other mechanized equipments are vulnerable to fuel theft, where thieves simply push on the cover of the fuel tank, remove the fuel cap, and use a hose to siphon valuable and expensive fuel.
There are a myriad of attempts in circumventing fuel siphoning. U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2012/0181275 (Bisaillon et al.) teaches an anti-siphoning device for fuel tanks, including an irremovable tubular body with an annular flange which is slidable into the neck of fuel tank for preventing insertion of a hose into the fuel tank. U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2008/0156800 (Mougenot) teaches an antitheft and anti-overflow device for a fuel tank, including a plunger formed of a cylindrical retractable filling tube. U.S. Pat. No. 8,281,947 (Walkowski et al.) teaches an anti-siphon device, including among other pieces incorporated into the fuel tank, a check valve that allows fluid flow into the tank, and capable of blocking fluid flow out of the tank. The characteristics that all of the above-mentioned inventions share in common is that the fuel tanks have to be re-engineered and re-constructed, thus, increasing the cost of acquiring such a system
Accordingly, there is a need for an ingenious, less-complicated and less-costly way of circumventing today's fuel theft problems.

Method and apparatus for anti-siphoning of fuel


An embodiment personal mobility includes a height adjustment device configured to adjust a height of a steering handle, an image sensor configured to measure user body information, and a controller configured to control the height adjustment device to adjust the height of the steering handle based on the user body information measured by the image sensor.

Recently, a sharing service using a personal mobility device, such as an electric bicycle and an electric scooter, has been developed. The reason for this is because when it is too close to move by a vehicle but difficult to move by walking, a user may move conveniently without difficulty by using an electric bicycle or the like.
However, in a typical personal mobility device, a height of a steering handle is fixed in consideration of an average height of users, whereas physical conditions of users who rent a personal mobility device are diverse. Therefore, it may be inconvenient for users who are relatively tall or short to rent and use a personal mobility device.

Personal mobility and control method thereof


This invention provides a method of providing a barrier coating over the surfaces of a plurality of sinkers (10), each having a line passageway (21) therethrough, and to sinkers (10) having a barrier coating (25, 27) over the exposed surfaces thereof including the line passageway (21). According to the invention, sinker bodies (11) are pressed from metal iron powder and immersed to paint the line passageway (21). The external surface of the body (11) is then cleaned so that the sinker may be handled leaving the passage coating (26) intact. The body is conveyed through successive spray stations at which opposite sides are painted and rolled over between painting stations for this purpose. Different barrier coatings such as epoxy coatings may be applied to the line passageway and the exterior surface.

This invention has particular application to sinkers for underwater use, such as those used for fishing lines and as weights for diving belts and the like. Such weights and sinkers will hereinafter be referred to collectively as sinkers.
Large quantities of lead are used to manufacture sinkers, especially for fishing lines and nets and the like and for diver""s weight belts. Sinkers are mostly formed from lead which is toxic and are often manipulated by hand and thus they expose many persons, and especially young persons, to potential contamination from the lead from which they are formed. Furthermore, many sinkers, and particularly fishing line sinkers are lost during use and litter the beds of fish habitats. This constitutes a significant contamination of fish habitats which is difficult to remove or reduce.
The present invention aims to alleviate at least one of the above disadvantages and to provide sinkers and methods of manufacturing sinkers which will be efficient in use.
With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a sinker having a non-toxic metal body provided with a line passageway therethrough and a non-toxic barrier material coating all surfaces of the sinker body whereby the body material is isolated from interaction with the surrounding atmosphere or water.
The sinker bodies are preferably formed from steel and may be formed by being supplied as cylindrical steel billets fed randomly to a forge in which the billet is forged between heads having part-spherical cavities into a substantially spherical shape and finished with a passageway therethrough. Alternatively the sinker bodies may be cast from steel or iron or folded or formed from blanks about a mandrel or in such a manner that a line passageway remains through the formed body.
Preferably the body is formed from non-toxic metal powder which may be ferrous or non-ferrous metal powder. Advantageously, the body is formed from a non-toxic magnetic material so that lost sinkers, especially in an underwater environment in a localised fish habitat, may be readily recovered by scanning with a suitable magnet to recover the sinkers.
In the preferred form the body is formed from compressed iron powder and more preferably iron powder which contains a lubricant such as zinc stearate and which is sintered to at least some extent to increase its resistance to breakage due to impact. Suitably the iron powder is compressed at a pressure of about forty-five tons per square inch, providing a decrease in volume of the iron powder of about two and one-half times.
Suitably the compressed powder metal body is formed in a cylindrical passage in a die into and/or through which opposed punches move to compress a measured quantity of metal powder therebetween.
Preferably one punch supports a reciprocable pin about which the metal powder is compressed and the opposing punches are moveable through the die after the pressing process to remove the compressed body from the cylindrical passage. Thereafter the pin is withdrawn into its supporting punch to dislodge and discharge the compressed body therefrom
It is also preferred that the compressed powder metal body discharged from the compression means be sintered in an oven for increasing the strength of the body. The body may be sintered in known manner at high temperatures in the order of 1100xc2x0 C. in an oven in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen which flows through the oven.
Preferably however where the metal powder is iron powder, the sintering process is performed as a low temperature process in which the temperature in the oven is maintained below that which will cause visible oxidisation of the body such that the presence of an inert gas is not required. This also enables a relatively low cost bell-type oven to be utilised.
Preferably the sintering process is performed in the range of 350xc2x0 C. to 800xc2x0 C. for about thirty minutes so that the sintered body is generally capable of withstanding a throw-down test onto a concrete floor. Bodies tested in this manner prior to the sintering process mostly fail and shatter.
It is further preferred that the barrier material is a non-metallic coating material which is inert in its intended environment. However the coating may be an electroplated coating.
The barrier material is preferably a coating applied to the body in liquid form or spray form but it may be applied in powder form and bonded thereto. The barrier material is suitably a polymer coating which when cured exhibits properties of chemical resistance and toughness. It may be a polyurethane resin coating or water reducible one or two pack polyurethane coating or a combination thereof.
The barrier material may be applied in a process such as that described in our co-pending International patent application No. PCT/AU96/00775 or it may be applied as described below.
Preferably the coating material is suitable for application directly to the body but if desired it may be applied to a primed body primed with a compatible primer. A preferred barrier coating is an epoxy resin coating applied to the sinker body. The epoxy resin coating may be a water reducible coating or a conventional two-part epoxy resin coating.
Preferably the coating for the line passage is less resistant to degradation in an underwater environment than the coating on the outer surface of the body such that in time the passage coating will degrade and expose the metal body to the degrading effects of an underwater environment, especially a saltwater environment.
For this purpose the line passage is preferably coated with a water reducible paint such as a water reducible epoxy resin and the outer surface of the body is coated with a conventional two-part epoxy resin This provides a tougher outer surface to withstand abrasion and impact from which the line passage is shielded. Thus a long shelf life may be achieved together with a reduced underwater life.
In a further aspect it is preferred that the sinker adapted for use with fishing line be coated with a coloured or a selection of barrier material colours which is selected for either camouflaging the presence of a sinker In an underwater fish habitat or for providing a fish attractant. As a fish attractant, the barrier material may include metal flakes or like particles of a distinctly different colour to the base coating which sparkle or reflect light. The base coating may also be a multi coloured coating.
In yet a further aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of providing a barrier coating over the surfaces of a plurality of sinkers each having a line passageway therethrough, the method including:
submerging the sinker in a bath of coating liquid able to flow into and coat the line passageway;
withdrawing the sinker to a cleaning station at which the coating liquid is substantially removed from the external surface of the sinker;
arranging the sinkers in spaced apart relationship on a conveyor;
painting the portions of the sinker exposed above the conveyor with a barrier coating and causing the coating to harden;
rolling the sinkers along on said conveyor to a position at which the sinkers are supported on the conveyor on their painted side;
painting the newly exposed portions of the sinker with a barrier coating and causing the coating to harden.
Preferably the painting operations are performed automatically at separate spray paint stations and the sinkers are transported to the spray paint stations on the conveyor. It is also preferred that the sinkers be fed randomly from the cleaning station to location means at which the location means provides separate locating positions in space apart relationship for receiving individual sinkers and being disposed above the conveyor, and the location means is operable to deposit the located sinkers onto the conveyor in aligned closely spaced rows of sinkers.
Preferably the painting operations are performed automatically at separate spray paint stations and the sinkers are transported to the spray paint stations on said conveyor.
It is further preferred that the conveyor assembly is a belt type conveyor having a consumable layer of sticky faced material, such as automotive fire rated masking tape, which receives sinkers in the pattern formed by the primary location means and positively holds the sinkers In that pattern. When supported on this layer the freshly part painted sinkers may be passed through a heating zone for quick hardening of the paint.
Suitably the pattern has the sinkers arranged in staggered rows whereby a minimum space of about 2 mm may be maintained between adjacent sinkers. This allows the upper surface of the sinkers to be spray painted without concern for the sinkers moving and contacting one another.
It is further preferred that in the rolling process all but the leading or trailing row of sinkers are rolled along the sticky faced material onto the unpainted sticky space previously occupied by another adjacent sinker whereby they are again positively located in spaced apart relationship for
further treatment painting.


A method for transforming a source image into a target image with the original resolution N time to the target resolution is disclosed. The original image data of pixels is read and stored for N scan lines and grouped into a series of matrices each including N2 pixels. The matrices are then classified into various matrix types defined previously, wherein matrices with different numbers of original dots are classified as different matrix types. The target image is formed with a plurality of target units each determined based on one corresponding matrix. In general, a target unit is drawn with target dots having a larger total area when its corresponding matrix includes a larger number of the original dots.

The present invention relates to a method for transforming image data from a higher resolution to a lower resolution.
There are some kinds of display equipment such as printers or digital copiers, which are constructed and designed to produce an image on paper or other print materials by placing dots in virtual positions referred to as pixels and defined by a digital raster.
The dots on the pixels are produced on the print material with a marking engine. The marking engine imparts clusters of energy to the surface of a display medium with, for example, a laser beam. The surface of the display medium is generally formed of material that can be charged or discharged such as photoconductive materials. The clusters of energy can discharge the positions or pixels of the charged medium surface which the laser beam scans, and a charge pattern is thus formed. The charge pattern is subsequently developed by attracting toner to it, and then transferred to the print material such as paper.
To form a complete charge pattern on the medium surface, the marking engine sequentially scans the surface following a series of scan lines in each of which the pixels lie. The laser beam scans these pixels one by one to selectively mark dots in desired pixels. After development and transference, those dot patterns are displayed on the print material to show an image as a whole. The resolution of a displayed image is defined with the number of the pixels, in each of which a dot can be marked or can be left blank, that can be displayed within a unit dimension, such as dots per inch (xe2x80x9cDPIxe2x80x9d). Higher resolution indicates smaller dot size and higher dot number per unit dimension.
In general, the resolution along the direction in which the scan lines extend can be controlled according to the minimum time interval between the laser being turned on and off, and this minimum time interval can be controlled as small as desired related to the tolerance of human eye. A shorter minimum time interval will result in a dot with smaller dimension and therefore a higher resolution along the direction in which the scan lines extend. On the other hand, the resolution along the direction perpendicular to the scan line, which depends on the number of the scan lines per unit dimension, is generally fixed and determined by the interplay between the paper moving mechanism and the laser scanning speed. This fixed one is usually referred to as the resolution of the display equipment.
Sometimes, image data is transmitted between equipment with different resolutions. For example, the image data may be transmitted from a low-resolution scanner to a high-resolution printer, or on the contrary from a high-resolution scanner to a low-resolution printer. In the latter situation, the image data, must be transformed from the original resolution to a lower target resolution to meet the performance that a terminal equipment can provide. Therefore, a method to implement this resolution transformation is required.
The present invention proposes a novel method to transform a source image into a target image with the original resolution N time to the target resolution. Firstly, the original image data of pixels is read and stored for N scan lines. This image data of original pixels is then grouped into a series of matrices each including N2 pixels having a dimension substantially coinciding with that of the target unit.
Subsequently, the matrices are classified as one of various matrix types defined previously according to the data of the original pixels in the matrix, wherein matrices with different numbers of original dots should be classified as different matrix types. Thereafter, target image is formed with a plurality of target units each determined based on respective corresponding matrix.
To form the target image, a target unit is drawn with target dots having a larger total area when its corresponding matrix includes a larger number of the original dots. A target unit is drawn with one target dot having a width no less than that of the unit itself when its corresponding matrix includes N2 original dots. A target unit is drawn with no target dot when its corresponding matrix includes no original dot.
For a preferred embodiment with N equal to 2, there can be one target dot in a target unit or two target dots respectively located at the left and right sides of the unit. For the case of one target dot, the target dot is biased to the left side when the corresponding matrix includes more original dots on the left side than on the right side. Alternatively, the target dot is biased to the right side when the corresponding matrix includes more original dots on the right side than on the left side. For the case of two target dots, the target dot at the left side is larger than the one on the right side when the corresponding matrix includes more original dots on the left side than on the right side. Alternatively, the target dot at the left side is smaller than the one on the right side when the corresponding matrix includes more original dots on the right side than on the left side.

Method for transforming an image from a resolution to a lower resolution


The present invention provides a photodetector capable of generating highly accurate tracking and focusing error signals free of variations in light quantity caused by interference, in an optical pickup with a two-wavelength multilaser. The photodetector comprises first three light receiving areas arranged linearly to receive three light beams respectively resulting from splitting of a light beam emitted from a laser light source of a first wavelength and second three light receiving areas arranged linearly to receive three light beams respectively resulting from splitting of a light beam emitted from a laser light source of a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength. The distance between both-end light receiving areas out of the first three light receiving areas is longer than the distance between both-end light receiving areas out of the second three light receiving areas.

The present invention relates to a photodetector for use in read or write of an optical disc, a diffraction grating, an optical pickup, and an optical disc apparatus.
An optical pickup has been heretofore known that carries a two-wavelength multilaser thereon and uses a DPP method for generation of a tracking error signal and an astigmatic method for generation of a focusing error signal. In such an optical pickup, detection area patterns in a photodetector are formed in 3 rows×2 columns and a tracking error signal and a focusing error signal are generated in accordance with signals provided from the detection areas. See, for example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-272218).
A technique is also known which simplifies the detection area patterns of 3 rows×2 columns described in Patent Literature 1 to reduce the cost of the photodetector. See, for example, Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-85369).

Photodetector, diffraction grating, optical pickup and optical disc apparatus


A system and method for cardiovascular analysis includes an implantable medical device capable of generating hemodynamic pressure waveform data based upon sensed pressure. Hemodynamic waveform data is analyzed to identify artifactual data represented in the hemodynamic waveform.

The present invention relates to a system and method for detecting and handling artifactual data in hemodynamic waveforms.
It is possible to obtain cardiovascular data, for healthcare and research purposes, using an implantable medical device (IMD) such as an implantable hemodynamic monitor (IHM), together with a pressure sensor lead that senses blood pressure within a heart chamber and an electrogram (EGM) of the heart. The IHM senses absolute blood pressure values, and the patient is also provided with an externally worn atmospheric pressure reference monitor record contemporaneous atmospheric pressure values.
A cardiovascular analysis system using the IHM can be programmed to sense and calculate various hemodynamic parameters. The IHM is programmed and interrogated employing an external programmer or a PC to accumulate trend data at a programmable resolution.
The memory buffers of the IHM and the atmospheric pressure reference monitor can transmit by telemetry the sensed and stored pressure and other data, thereby emptying the buffers, to a nearby interactive remote monitor for temporary storage of the data. The interactive remote monitor periodically transmits accumulated data to a remote data processing center that can process the data to develop trend data that the attending physician can review, along with other patient data derived in patient examinations and interviews, to assess cardiovascular health.
Such an IHM system implanted in patients suffering from adverse cardiovascular health conditions can accumulate date-stamped and time-stamped blood pressure data that can be of use in determining the condition of the heart and or vascular system over an extended period of time and while the patient is clinically tested or is engaged in daily activities. Various other IHM functions and uses of EGM, pressure and other parameter data accumulated in an IHM are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,040, 5,417,717, 5,564,434, 6,104,949, 6,155,267, 6,280,409, 6,275,707, 6,309,350, and 6,438,408, and U.S. Pat. App. Ser. Nos. 2003/0199779 and 2004/0167410.
Data collected by an IHM system may contain undesired artifactual data, in addition to desired data. Generally, artifactual data is any data corresponding to an inaccurate observation, effect, or result, especially one resulting from characteristics of the IHM system used in gathering the data or due to data collection error.

System and method for detecting artifactual hemodynamic waveform data


A method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp is provided. One of a dispersed metal oxide precursor sol prepared by a sol-gel reaction and a fluorescent substance slurry is coated on a glass tube having at least one open side and then the other of the fluorescent substance slurry and the dispersed metal oxide precursor sol is coated on the glass tube. Next, passivation and fluorescent layers are simultaneously formed by baking the coated layers. Then, air is exhausted out of the glass tube and a discharge gas is injected into the glass tube. Finally, the glass tube is sealed.

Fluorescent lamps are classified into a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) having electrodes disposed inside of a cylindrical glass tube and an external electrode fluorescent lamp (EEFL) having electrodes disposed outside of the glass tube.
The fluorescent lamp includes a phosphor layer formed by coating a fluorescent material on an inner wall of the glass tube, and a discharge gas including a certain content of gas and mercury for driving the light emission in the glass tube. Particularly, since the EEFL has electrodes disposed on an outer wall of the glass tube instead of the inner wall, and it can be easily manufactured in the form of a capillary tube type.
Generally, when high voltage is applied to the electrodes, electrons in the glass tube collide with neutral gas atoms while traveling toward one of the electrodes (cathode electrode), thereby generating ions. The generated ions travel to the other electrode (anode electrode) so that secondary electrons are emitted from the anode electrode. By the discharge, in the case of a mercury fluorescent lamp, ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of about 253.7 nm are emitted by the collision of the traveling electrons with mercury atoms. The ultraviolet rays excite the phosphor layer to emit visible light.
However, when the fluorescent lamp is used for a long time, a darkening phenomenon occurs by an amalgam generated from the reaction of mercury filled in the fluorescent lamp with an alkali component of a glass substrate, or by an impurity of the discharge gas released from impure trace residues of the fluorescent substance.
Various methods have been proposed to suppress the darkening phenomenon.
Korean Pat. Publication No. 2001-0074017 discloses an EEFL, in which a metal oxide such as MgO, or CaO is deposited on an inner surface of the glass tube in order to increase the lifetime of the fluorescent lamp and the secondary electron emission. However, the patent 2001-0074017 only estimates the effect of using the metal oxide and does not prove the effect. Furthermore, the patent does not disclose a composition of the metal oxide. Moreover, a method for forming the ferroelectric layer is not provided.
Korean Pat. Publication No. 1999-0083535 discloses a fluorescent lamp wherein a passivation layer is interposed between the glass tube and the phosphor layer in order to suppress the darkening phenomenon and to keep a high luminous flux maintenance factor. That is, a colloid suspension is formed by dispersing γ-Al2O3 in water and then the colloid suspension is coated on a glass tube. Thereafter, the glass tube is baked at 600° C. so that the passivation layer is formed.
According to the publication No. 1999-0083535, only the case where the passivation layer is formed on a glass substrate is disclosed, rather than a capillary glass tube for the fluorescent lamp. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the technology disclosed in the patent to produce an EEFL having the cylindrical glass tube having a relatively small diameter. Also, it is difficult to have a uniform passivation layer due to deterioration of colloid stability, which is caused by aggregation of the γ-Al2O3 particles.
Therefore, a dry coating method such as a deposition or a sputtering may be used in order to form a uniform passivation layer. However, when the glass tube is a capillary type, it is impossible to form the passivation layer on the capillary type glass tube for the fluorescent lamp.

Fluorescent lamp and manufacturing method thereof


The image processing method for specifying dot arrangements for respective ink components according to image data, when forming an image on a recording medium by means of dots of inks of n colors, where n is any positive integer, the method comprises the steps of: calculating color correlation and spatial frequency components from the image data; specifying a dot overlap function for controlling overlapping between dots of the ink components, according to the calculated color correlation and spatial frequency components; calculating an ink recording rate of each of the inks from the image data; specifying the dot arrangement of a first ink component by means of a prescribed method, according to the ink recording rate; and determining a dot arrangement for the inks of the n colors, in such a manner that, taking k to be an integer where 2≦k≦n, the dot arrangement of the kth ink component is specified according to the ink recording rate of the kth ink component, and the previously specified dot arrangement and dot overlap function of the first ink component through to the (k−1)th ink component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method and image processing apparatus, and to an image forming apparatus comprising same, and more particularly, to an image processing method and image processing apparatus, and an image forming apparatus comprising same, whereby both image resolution and tonal gradation can be achieved simultaneously when forming an image by means of dots using a plurality of inks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, an image forming apparatus is known in which images are formed by outputting a plurality of colors onto a recording medium by means of a coloring material, such as ink, toner, or the like. In an image forming apparatus of this kind, images are formed by means of a plurality of dots formed by means of ink, toner, or the like. Therefore, an image is reproduced according to whether or not dots are present on a recording medium, such as white paper. Since the number of inks used is limited, conventionally, a half-toning method is known which is used to represent continuous tonal gradation by means of a limited number of inks.
On the other hand, in many cases, the image data inputted to an image forming apparatus is multiple-value image data. Therefore, when an image represented by multiple-value image data of this kind is outputted to an image forming apparatus such as that described above, it is necessary to convert the multiple-value image data into binary image data.
Conventionally, a technique such as error diffusion or dithering is used to convert multiple-value image data into binary image data, and various methods based on these techniques have been proposed for obtaining satisfactory binary image data.
For example, a method is known in which the spatial frequency or a characteristic quantity corresponding to same is sampled for each pixel of the input image, and an optimal error diffusion matrix is selected, if error diffusion is being used, or an optimal threshold value matrix is selected, if dithering is being used, in accordance with the characteristic quantity. In this way, suitable binary image data which satisfies human visual perception characteristics is obtained (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-214159).
However, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-214159 provides no disclosure at all regarding methods for using a plurality of inks. The characteristics of human visual perception indicate high sensitivity to spatial frequency in respect of achromatic colors and low sensitivity to spatial frequency in respect of chromatic colors. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain a binary image which satisfies human visual perception in respect of a plurality of inks representing chromatic colors, in particular.
However, in the method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-214159, there is no disclosure regarding use of a plurality of inks and although overlapping between a plurality of inks is controlled in conventional half-toning technology in order to improve color reproduction and granularity, no technology is currently known for controlling overlapping between a plurality of inks with the object of achieving compatibility of image resolution and tonal gradation.

Image processing method and apparatus, and image forming apparatus