Cellulose acetate propionate is a cellulose ester wherein hydroxyl groups of cellulose are substituted with acetyl and propionyl. Cellulose acetate propionate of the present invention has an amorphous index (Am) of not more than 0.4. Cellulose acetate propionate has a degree of acetyl substitution (DSac) and a degree of propionyl substitution (DSpr), which preferably satisfy the formulas (I) to (III), and more preferably satisfy the formulas (I) to (IV). The present invention also provides a solution of cellulose acetate propionate and a cellulose acetate propionate film. (I) 2.0<DSac.ltoreq.2.95. (II) 0.05<DSpr.ltoreq.0.8 PA1 (III) 2.6<DSac+DSpr.ltoreq.3.0 PA1 (IV) 1.9<DSac-DSpr

A cellulose acetate, particularly cellulose triacetate has been used to prepare various plastic products, such as a film or a fiber because the cellulose acetate is excellent in dimensional stability and heat-resistance. A cellulose acetate film is a representative photographic support. Further, the cellulose acetate film has an optical isotropy. Accordingly, the film is also used in a liquid crystal display device, which has recently extended its market. The cellulose acetate film is used as a protective film of a polarizing plate or a color filter in the liquid crystal display device.
A cellulose acetate product is prepared by using a solution (that is called "dope") or melt of cellulose acetate. For example, a cellulose acetate film is prepared according to a solvent cast method or a melt cast method. The solvent cast method comprises the steps of casting a solution of cellulose acetate in a solvent on a support, and evaporating the solvent to form a film. The melt cast method comprises the steps of casting molten cellulose acetate on a support under heating, and cooling it to form a film. The solvent cast method can form a highly flat film, compared with the melt cast method. Therefore, the solvent cast method is generally employed to give a cellulose acetate film.
The solvent used in the solvent cast method must have functions not only of dissolving the cellulose acetate but also of forming an excellent film. In more detail, the viscosity and the polymer concentration of the solution (dope) should be appropriately adjusted to form a flat plane film having a uniform thickness. The dope also should have enough stability. Further, the dope should easily be set to gel. Furthermore, the formed film should easily be peeled off the support. The most appropriate solvent must be selected to satisfy these requirements. Moreover, the solvent should be so easily evaporated that the solvent scarcely can remain in the film.
Various organic solvents have been proposed as the solvents of cellulose acetate. However, only methylene chloride satisfies all the above-mentioned requirements. Accordingly, solvents other than methylene chloride have not been practically used.
However, the use of hydrocarbon halides such as methylene chloride has recently been restricted severely to protect the global environmental conditions. Further, methylene chloride is apt to vaporize in the process for the preparation of the film, because it has a low boiling point (41.degree. C.). Accordingly, methylene chloride may cause problems in the working environment. Therefore, the process is conducted under closed conditions. However, there is a technical limitation on sealing methylene chloride in a closed system.
By the way, acetone and methyl acetate are widely used organic solvents. Acetone and methyl acetate have an appropriate boiling point (56.degree. C. and 57.degree. C. respectively). The process of evaporating acetone or methyl acetate does not need a large thermal energy. Further, acetone and methyl acetate have few problems on the human body and the global environmental conditions, compared with the organic chloride solvents.
However, cellulose acetate has a poor solubility in acetone or methyl acetate. Cellulose triacetate having a degree of substitution of not more than 2.80 (acetic acid content: 60.1%) is slightly soluble in, and merely swelled in and acetone or methyl acetate.
C. J. Malm et al. report in Ind. Enig. Chem., 43 (1951) 688, that solvents for cellulose acetate are limited in number, compared with cellulose propionate or cellulose butyrate. Cellulose propionate or cellulose butyrate is soluble in a ketone or an ester, in which cellulose acetate is insoluble. However, cellulose propionate and cellulose butyrate films are inferior to a cellulose acetate film in the mechanical strength and the durability.
Cellulose acetate propionate and cellulose acetate butyrate are commercially available. For example, a catalogue of Eastman (June 1994) shows various cellulose acetate propionates and cellulose acetate butyrates, most of which are soluble in widely used organic solvents such as acetone and methyl acetate. However, cellulose acetate propionate and cellulose acetate butyrate films are still inferior to a cellulose acetate film in the mechanical strength and the durability. The cellulose acetate propionate shown in the catalogue is not used in a protective film or a photographic support (which requires a high mechanical strength), but is used in printing inks.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 6(1994)-501040 proposes a melt casting method in place of the solvent casting method having the problems mentioned above. However, the melt casting method has another problem that the melting point of cellulose triacetate is higher than the decomposition point. If cellulose triacetate, which has a high degree of acetyl substitution, is heated, it would be decomposed before melted. The invention in the publication adjusts the degree of acetyl substitution in the range of 1.9 to 2.6 to solve the problem of decomposition. The publication further discloses cellulose acetate propionate having a degree of propionyl substitution in the range of 0 to 0.9. In the Example B of the publication, cellulose acetate propionate has the degree of acetyl substitution of 1.90 and the degree of propionyl substitution of 0.71. In the Example C of the publication, cellulose acetate propionate has the degree of acetyl substitution of 2.10 and the degree of propionyl substitution of 0.50.

Cellulose acetate propionate, solution thereof and cellulose acetate propionate film


A sprayable, non-metallic heat reflecting coating mixture for reflecting heat energy in the frequency range of up to about 5 microns comprises a high temperature zinc compound and a binder substantially transparent to heat energy in the frequency range of up to about 5 microns, in the substantial absence of silica and silica compounds. The mixture and a resulting coating on an article has the capability to reflect an average of at least about 65-85% of heat energy in that frequency range, and stability at temperatures up to about 2000.degree. F. A coating resulting from application of the coating mixture to an article surface has a thickness of greater than about 1 mil up to less than about 10 mils.

This invention relates to high temperature sprayable, non-metallic heat reflecting coatings and, more particularly, to a heat reflecting coating and coating mixture for reflecting heat energy in the frequency range of up to about 5 microns.
Good heat reflection is desirable from metal or ceramic type article substrates intended to experience high temperatures. One example of such an article is a component used in furnaces for melting glass or metals. Another example is an article used in certain power generating apparatus such as gas turbine engines which include components, made from a high temperature superalloy for example based on Ni or Co or both, operating at temperatures of up to 2000.degree. F. or more. One type of such a component includes the relatively large parts of the exhaust system in the hot operating aft section of an engine.
To protect such an article or component from the extreme high temperature environment experienced during engine operation, it had been a practice to include on the component outer surface an environmental resistant coating such as of a metal base or a ceramic base or their combination. One commonly used coating is a ceramic type thermal barrier coating (TBC). Generally the TBC is in a TBC system including a bond coat between the outer TBC and the underlying substrate. A commonly used type of TBC outer layer is a coating based on zirconia stabilized with yttria, for example about 93 wt. % zirconia stabilized with about 7 wt. % yttria. This general type of TBC has been reported in such U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,705--Stecura et al. (patented Oct. 25, 1977); U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,285--Siemers et al. (patented May 4, 1982); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,745--Gupta et al. (patented Aug. 17, 1993).
Although TBC coatings and systems work well as insulating layers for certain applications, alone they do not reflect from a surface significant energy in the high frequency band infrared (IR) range of about 2.6-5 microns. In addition, they are semi-transparent to such energy and have a relatively rough surface for certain applications in which a smooth surface is desired, for example in a fluid flow path or where a thin film type heat reflective overcoating is to be applied.
Many coatings have been reported for use in reflecting heat energy in the lower ultraviolet (UV) frequency range of up to about 2 microns. Some of such coatings, as they relate to the present invention, include coating pigments which include zinc compounds, such as the oxides or the titanates, in a mixture with a binder having silica, a silica compound, or a silicone which can form a silica compound, to resist degradation and/or chalking of the coating on exposure to such UV energy and/or elevated temperatures. For example such U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,358--Vossen (patented Aug. 22, 1967); U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,656--Webb et al. (patented Apr. 27, 1971); U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,338--Webb et al. (patented Sep. 21, 1971); U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,055--Shodai et al. (patented Feb. 19, 1974); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,347--Fletcher et al. (patented Aug. 2, 1977) each includes a binder including silica, a silica compound or a silicone for use in a coating, for example to reflect heat energy in the UV band range. However, it has been recognized in evaluations relating to the present invention that the presence in a coating, intended to reflect heat energy in the IR frequency range of about 2.6-5 microns, of silica or a silica compound or a material such as a silicone which will form silica or a silica compound upon exposure to elevated temperatures in air, will cut off heat reflectance at about 4 microns.

High temperature high band heat reflecting coating material and coated article


A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Twin Cities’ of large, upright spreading mound of dense, bullate, glaucous, ovate to round, variegated foliage with wide chartreuse margins, blue-green centers with a melding color zone between the center and the margins. The flowers are near light lavender, densely arranged in mostly upright scapes beginning to open just above the foliage in late June. ‘Twin Cities’ is useful in the landscape as a specimen or en masse.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Hosta plant, Hosta 'Twin Cities' hereinafter also referred to as the new plant or by the cultivar name, 'Twin Cities'. Hosta 'Twin Cities' was a naturally-occurring sport mutation found in May of 2007 by the inventors, Chris Wilhoite and Cynthia Miller, on a portion of a clump of Hosta 'St Paul' (not patented) in a commercial perennial nursery in Indianapolis, Ind.
The new plant was initially isolated from the rest of the clump and has since been asexually propagated by division at the same nursery since 2012 and by sterile shoot tip plant tissue culture starting in about 2019 at a separate laboratory, with the resultant asexually propagated plants having retained all the same traits as the original plant. Hosta 'Twin Cities' is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
There are over 7,300 registered and established Hosta cultivars accepted and recorded with The American Hosta Society, which is the International Cultivar Registration Authority for the genus Hosta. The new plant has not yet been registered with the International Cultivar Registration Authority. Several of these other registered and established cultivars have green leaf margins with chartreuse variegated leaf centers. The most similar Hosta cultivars known to the applicant are: 'Afterglow' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,755, 'American Gladiator' (not patented), 'Earth Angel' (not patented), 'Glory Hallelujah' (not patented), 'Jack of Diamonds' (not patented), 'Pauls Glory' (not patented), 'Terms of Endearment' U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/300,990, 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis' (not patented).
The sport parent, 'St Paul', has leaves with the yellow variegation in the center and a blue-green margin, the center portion is not as broad and the margin is wider in proportion. 'St Paul' is considered a ploidy chimera with the blue-green margin (L1 tunic layer) tetraploid and the yellow center (L2 tunic layer) being diploid. The new plant, 'Twin Cities', is diploid in both the L1 and L2 layers. 'Twin Cities' is more vigorous and the mature size significantly larger than 'St Paul'.
'Afterglow' has a less compact habit, the foliage is more ovate with more sharply acute apices and the flowers are paler lavender with more rounded tepals. 'American Gladiator' has a slightly smaller habit, the foliage is more bluish-green and the variegated margin is a narrower yellow. 'Earth Angel' has a larger habit and larger leaves that are more ovate and less rounded with a narrower lighter variegated yellow margin and the scapes are much taller. 'Glory Hallelujah' has a similar habit, but the variegated yellow margin is much narrower and the medium blue-green is much wider in proportion. 'Jack of Diamonds' has a smaller habit, with smaller leaves, the yellow variegated margins are narrower and the flowers are near-white to white. 'Paul's Glory' has an opposite, variegated, leaf pattern with the yellowish color in the middle and the bluish-green on the margin. 'Terms of Endearment' has a narrower, yellow, variegated margin and the flowers are near white with a blush of very pale purple. 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis' has a slower growth rate with flowers that are more white and the yellow variegated margin tends to be narrower.
Other Hosta cultivars may have variegated ovate leaf blades with bluish-green margins and chartreuse to yellow centers, or other individual traits similar to 'Twin Cities' but the new plant differs from the above-listed cultivars and all other hostas known to the applicant, by the combination of the following traits.                1. Habit is a large, upright, spreading mound of dense foliage;        2. Leaves are large-sized, lightly glaucous, ovate to round, thick textured, with acute apices and cordate base;        3. Leaves have a wide chartreuse margin and a blue-green center with heavy dimpling between the veins;        4. The transition between the margin and the center of the leaves is a melded effect;        5. Flowers are near light lavender and densely arranged on mostly upright scapes with the first flowers beginning to open just above the foliage;        6. Flowers are subtended by persistent, lanceolate, short, greenish, floral bracts.


A hinge assembly (100) includes a shaft (10), a rotary cam (20), a follower cam (30), a positioning member (50), and an urging means (40). The shaft includes a securing portion (12) at one end thereof and has a slot (166) defined therealong. The rotary cam is substantially cylindrical and includes a cam surface (24). The rotary cam has a cam hole (22) extending therethrough. The cam hole receives the shaft therethrough. The follower cam includes a cylindrical portion (34) and two symmetrically protruding portions (36). The cylindrical portion includes a pinhole (346). The positioning member is received in the pinhole and the slot, thereby connecting the follower cam and shaft. The urging means biases against both the shaft and the rotary cam. The cam surface of the rotary cam is rotatably engaged with the protruding portion of the follower cam under a force generated by the urging means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hinge assemblies and, particularly, to a hinge assembly for foldable electronic devices, such as mobile telephones, electronic notebooks, and so on.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of the technologies of wireless communication and information processing, portable electronic devices such as mobile telephones and electronic notebooks are now in widespread use. These electronic devices enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of high technology services anytime and anywhere. Consumers particularly favor foldable electronic devices for their convenience.
Generally, foldable electronic devices have most of the electronics in one housing, called the body. The other housing, called the cover, normally contains fewer electronic components than the body. Some foldable electronic devices, in fact, have all the electronics in the body, with the cover containing no electronics. Various types of hinge assemblies are used to join a body and a cover of a foldable electronic device, so that the cover can be selectably folded and unfolded relative to the body. Manufacturers are constantly seeking to reduce the volume, size, and/or weight of portable foldable electronic devices.
Thus, it is desirable that the hinge assembly coupling the main housing with the cover is modularized and miniaturized. A modularized hinge assembly has moving parts such as a cam member, a cam follower, and a spring, all held together in a unified structure. The structure is easily and quickly attached to the main housing and the cover during mass production. A miniaturized hinge assembly has as few parts as possible, with the parts being as small as practicable.
One kind of a hinge assembly is described in P.R. China Patent No. 98109390.6, issued on Aug. 28, 2002. The hinge assembly includes a shaft, a cam, a sliding cam, a spring, and an E-clip. The shaft has a securing portion at one end thereof, for engaging with a main body of a mobile phone. The cam defines a groove, for engaging with a flip cover of the mobile phone. The spring, the sliding cam, and the cam are located around the shaft, in that order. The sliding cam and the cam engage with each other, and the sliding cam can move along the shaft. The E-clip resists the cam, thereby preventing the cam from falling from the shaft.
Although the above-described hinge assembly is suitable for some foldable electronic devices, the cam, engaging with the flip cover, and the securing portion of the shaft, engaging with the main body, are respectively disposed at two ends of the hinge assembly, which makes the hinge assembly endure a relatively large torsion force. This need for such a substantial torsion force wastes energy, in the form of friction, and that friction causes abrasion of the spring and the shaft. That abrasion may eventually lead to premature malfunction or failure of the hinge assembly.
What is needed, therefore, is a hinge assembly which can have a relatively long working lifetime and which is energy efficient (i.e., easily opened) and convenient to use.

Hinge assembly for a foldable electronic device

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


In one embodiment, a method comprises causing, by a network controller device, a first access point (AP) device to initiate a reverse sounding operation comprising wirelessly requesting a mobile constrained network device to transmit a null data packet (NDP) at a first transmission interval, wirelessly receiving the NDP at the first transmission interval, and generating a reception report describing reception of the NDP and including beamforming information; causing, by the network controller device, a second AP device to generate a corresponding reception report describing a corresponding wireless detection of the NDP at the first transmission interval; and causing, by the network controller device, the mobile constrained network device to connect to a selected one of the first AP device or the second AP device for an identified data flow based on the respective reception reports from the first and second AP devices.

This section describes approaches that could be employed, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or employed. Hence, unless explicitly specified otherwise, any approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application, and any approaches described in this section are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) involves a wide-scale deployment of interconnected constrained network devices, for example wireless sensors or "motes", having constrained resources such as limited battery power, limited memory size, and/or limited processor capacity: such constrained network device can be implemented at a low cost while providing a battery (and operating) lifetime of 10-20 years.
Effective deployment of IIoT requires reliable throughput, real-time performance, coverage, security, etc. for mobile constrained network devices seeking connectivity throughout a deployment area such as an industrial factory floor. The IEEE 802.11 Working Group is developing a proposal IEEE 802.11be ("Wi-Fi 7") as an amendment to the existing IEEE 802.11ax ("Wi-Fi 6").
A problem can exist, however, in that a mobile constrained network device should not be required to execute increasingly complex operations for reliable connection-based operations; moreover, a mobile constrained network device is not aware of network-based conditions encountered within a wireless network comprising multiple access point (AP) devices distributed throughout the deployment area.

Synchronized detection of wireless device frame by wireless access points for optimized access point allocation by network controller


A NAND flash memory device and a programming method thereof capable of improving a program speed during a multi-level cell programming operation are provided. The device performs a programming operation using an ISPP method. Additionally, the device includes a memory cell storing multi-bit data; a program voltage generating circuit generating a program voltage to be supplied to the memory cell; and a program voltage controller controlling a start level of the program voltage. The device supplies an LSB start voltage to a selected word line during an LSB program, and an MSB start voltage higher than the LSB start voltage to the selected word line during an MSB program.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to semiconductor memory devices. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to NAND flash memory devices and programming methods having improved speed during a multi-level cell programming operation.
A claim of priority is made to Korean Patent Application 10-2005-0088848 filed on Sep. 23, 2005, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various semiconductor memory devices have been developed to store and subsequently provide data. Semiconductor memory devices may be classified into random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The RAM is a volatile memory device in which stored data disappears when power is turned off. The ROM is nonvolatile memory device in which stored data is retained even if power is turned off. The RAM includes dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), etc. The ROM includes programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically EPROM (EEPROM), flash memory, etc. Flash memory devices may be further classified as NAND flash memory devices and NOR flash memory devices.
NAND flash memory devices store multi-bit data on a single memory cell. A memory cell adapted to store multi-bit data is referred to as a multi-level cell (MLC). MLCs have multiple programmable states. For example, an MLC storing 2-bit data will have four (4) programming states that vary by threshold voltage and correspond one for one to data values '11', '10', '00' and '01'. Within this context, the programming states and the corresponding data values include a least significant bit (LSB) of data and a most significant bit (MSB) of data.
Conventional NAND flash memory devices often use an incremental step pulse program (ISPP) method that is well adapted for use with a range of threshold voltages defining multiple programming states for an MLC. In the ISPP method, a final program voltage is not applied to a selected word line all at once during a programming operation, but is applied to the selected word line incrementally according to a defined programming routine.
A method for programming multi-bit data on an MLC is referred to as an MLC programming method. A 2-bit MLC programming method, for example, may be divided into an LSB programming operation adapted to program the LSB data, and an MSB programming operation adapted to program the MSB data. During the LSB programming operation, a corresponding LSB program voltage is applied to a selected word line, and a corresponding MSB program voltage is applied to a selected word line during the MSB programming operation.
A NAND flash memory device that performs an MLC programming operation using the conventional ISPP approach, typically uses an identical start voltage during the LSB programming operation and the MSB programming operation. That is, the conventional NAND flash memory device used an LSB start voltage and an MSB start voltage having similar levels. The LSB start voltage is a program voltage initially applied during an LSB programming operation, and the MSB start voltage is a program voltage initially applied during an MSB programming operation.
When the LSB programming operation is performed, the memory cell has a '11' state or a '10' state. AN MLC in a '10' state has a threshold voltage higher than that of an MLC in a '11' state. Thus, when an MSB programming operation is performed, an MLC cell in a '11' state will transition to a '01' state, while an MLC in a '10' state will transition to a '00' state.
Since the threshold voltage applied to an MLC increases through the LSB programming operation of the conventional programming methods, the fact that similar LSB and MSB start voltages are used becomes a significant consideration in any attempt to improve programming operation speed.

NAND flash memory device and programming method


A wayside lubrication apparatus (10) for applying a lubricant (26) in response to the presence of a train (14) on the rail (14). To avoid excessive lubricant on the rail, lubricant may be applied in response to a second train only if a predetermined time period has elapsed between first and second trains. The amount of lubricant applied in response to the second train may be controlled by refilling a lubricant container (68) at a controlled rate. The application of lubricant may be terminated before a number of rearmost load cars (46) of the train pass the lubricant applicator (28) so that the quantity of lubricant remaining on the rail is reduced by the wheels (40) of the cars at the end of the train. This prevents the lubricant from reducing the traction capability of the drive wheels (38) of the next oncoming locomotive (16). Operation of the lubricant dispensing apparatus (22) may be bypassed by an operator-controlled bypass device (60) located on-board the train.

A typical train includes one or more locomotives pulling a plurality of load cars. Each vehicle in the train includes a plurality of metal wheels that roll along the metal rail as the train is propelled along the track. The rolling contact between the wheel and the rail provides an efficient mode of transportation, particularly for heavy loads. Proper interaction between the wheel and the rail is critical for safe, reliable, efficient operation of the train.
A rail includes a bottom mounting flange, a top railhead that makes contact with the vehicle wheel, and a flange interconnecting the flange and the railhead. A vehicle wheel includes a center hub mounted onto the vehicle axle, a plate extending outwardly from the hub, and an outer rim surrounding the plate for making contact with the rail. The rim includes an outside diameter tread that may be flat or tapered and a flange extending outwardly from a back side of the tread. The tread rides along a top surface of the railhead for supporting the vertical weight of the vehicle. The flange extends along and makes contact with a side of the railhead for providing lateral support to allow the wheel to follow along the path of the railhead. Flanges are provided on only one side of each wheel along an inside of the rail. As a train negotiates a curve in the track, the flanges of the outer diameter (high side) wheels provide the lateral forces for turning the train.
Rail vehicle wheels suffer wear over time due to their contact with the rail. The treads wear as a result of their contact with the top of the rail, particularly in the event of the wheel slipping with respect to the rail during acceleration or braking events. The wheel flanges will wear due to their contact with the inside surface of the railhead, particularly on curves and through switches.
It is known in the art to provide lubrication between the wheel and the rail in order to reduce wheel wear and to provide more efficient movement of the wheel over the rail. Lubrication may be provided on the top of the rail to reduce rolling friction at any location. Flange lubrication systems are especially useful in curved areas of the track where the forces between the railhead and the flange are at their maximum. Both on-board and wayside lubrication systems are used. On-board systems are useful for applying lubricant at any location along a rail line. Wayside lubrication systems are typically installed only at curved locations of the track. In some situations, it is desirable to apply lubrication between the wheel and the flange in order to minimize wear of the flange, while at the same time it is undesirable to apply lubrication to the top of the rail because of the reduction in traction that may be generated against a lubricated rail. In general, it is desired to achieve adequate lubrication while minimizing the amount of lubricant used so that the location of the lubricant can be precisely controlled, the cost minimized, and the impact upon the surrounding environment abated.
Numerous patents have issued for systems that control the amount, timing and location of lubrication applied between a wheel and a rail. U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,793 describes an on-board lubricant delivery system that changes the rate of application with the speed of the train. U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,978 describes an on-board lubricant delivery system that applies lubrication only when the rail vehicle is on a curved section of track. U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,947 describes an on-board lubricant delivery system that applies flange lubrication at the front of a locomotive and also applies both flange lubrication and top-of-rail lubrication at the rear of the locomotive. This system controls the rate of lubrication in response to train speed, track curvature, trailing tonnage, temperature, direction of travel, status of braking, and high rail verses low rail. U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,661 describes a computer-controlled on-board lubrication system that applies a lubricant only in a quantity that will be consumed by the time the entire train has passed.
Wayside lubrication systems are commonly activated by the weight of a passing vehicle. The weight of the vehicle is sometimes used as the source of energy for pumping the lubricant, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,334,596 and 5,076,396. Known wayside lubricating systems often dispense an inappropriate amount of lubrication and/or dispense lubrication when it is not beneficial. U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,617 describes a wayside lubricating system that incorporates a test cycle to provide compensation for changes in lubricant viscosity as a function of temperature. However, further improvements to wayside lubrication systems are needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wayside rail lubrication apparatus and method


An automatic musical composition classification device and method that allow a plurality of musical compositions to be automatically classified based on the melody similarity. Chord progression pattern data representing a chord progression sequence for each of the plurality of musical compositions are saved, chord-progression variation characteristic amounts are extracted for each of the plurality of musical compositions in accordance with the chord progression pattern data, and the plurality of musical compositions are grouped in accordance with the chord progression sequence represented by the chord progression pattern data of each of the plurality of musical compositions and with the chord-progression variation characteristic amounts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic musical composition classification device and method for automatically classifying a plurality of musical compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the popularization of compressed musical data and the increased capacities of storage devices in recent years, individuals have also been able to store and enjoy large amounts of music. On the other hand, it has become extremely difficult for users to sort large quantities of musical compositions and find the musical composition that they would like to listen to. There is therefore a need for an effective musical composition classification and selection method to resolve this problem.
Conventional musical composition classification methods include methods that use information appearing in a bibliography such as the song title, singer, the name of the genre to which the music belongs such as rock or popular music, and the tempo in order to classify musical compositions stored in large quantities as specific kinds of music, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2001-297093.
Methods also include a method used in classification and selection that allocates a word or expression such as 'uplifting' that can be shared between a multiplicity of subjects who listen to the music for characteristic amounts such as beat and frequency fluctuations that are extracted from a musical composition signal, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-278547.
Furthermore, a method has been proposed that extracts three musical elements (melody, rhythm, and harmony) from part of a musical composition signal such as rock or 'enka' (modern Japanese ballad) and associates these three elements with a genre identifier such that, when a source of music with a mix of genres and the name of the object genre are subsequently provided, only the music source matching the genre name is recorded in a separate device, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-268541.
Further, a known conventional musical composition classification method performs automatic classification in the form of a matrix by using, as musical characteristic amounts, the tempo, major or minor keys, and soprano and base levels, and then facilitates selection of the musical composition, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2003-58147.
There are also methods that extract acoustic parameters (cepstrum and power higher order moments) of music that has been selected once by the user and then subsequently present music with similar acoustic parameters, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-41059.
However, the method of using information displayed in a bibliography such as the song title, genre, and so forth illustrated in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2001-297093 has been confronted by problems, i.e. this method requires work on the part of the individual, does not permit a network connection, and does not function at all when information for classification is hard to obtain. For example, this method does not function at all when information for classification is hard to obtain.
In the case of the classification method of Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-278547, a listener's image of the music is subjective and, because this image is vague and varies even for the same listener, continuous results cannot be expected when classification is performed using an image other than that of the party concerned. Therefore, in order to retain the effect of subjective image language, continuous feedback from the listener for the classification operation is required, which makes for problems such as that of forcing a labor-intensive operation on the listener. There is also the problem that the classification of beat or other rhythm information is limited by the target music.
According to the classification method of Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-268541, classification takes place by using at least one of three musical elements extracted from the musical composition signal. However, the specific association between each characteristic amount and genre identifier is difficult based on the disclosed technology. Further, it is hard to consider a large classification key for determining the genre in classification that uses only a few bars' worth of the three musical elements.
The proposed combination of the tempo and tonality, and so forth, of the classification method of Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2003-58147 allows the clarity and pace of the music to be implemented fundamentally and is desirable in order to express the melody. The words "melody" and "melodies" that we referred here and hereafter do not represent specific elements like vocal or instrumental parts of music. Rather these words are intended to represent a rough tune of music, like similarities of accompaniments or arrangements of music. In the classification method described above, there is however a problem that the tempo, tonality and so forth of the actual musical composition have very little consistency and accuracy is low for characteristic amounts that allow classification to be performed in musical composition units.
Further, with the methods of Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 2001-297093, 2002-278547, 2000-268541, and 2003-58147, music selections are made by using statically defined language such as image words, genre names, and major and minor keys, and because the impression of the musical composition varies depending on the mood, there is the problem that the appropriate music composition selection cannot be made.
Although Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-41059 describes the fact that musical compositions matched to the listener's preferences are provided as musical compositions are selected, because the characteristic amounts that are actually used are rendered by converting results extracted from all or part of the music signal into numerical values, variations in the melody in the musical composition cannot be expressed. The problem therefore exists that the precision that is appropriate for classifying musical compositions based on preferences cannot be secured.

Automatic musical composition classification device and method


Optical time-division multiplexing of two or more digital optical input signals applied to an optical multiplex element to produce a single optical output signal is performed. In the multiplex element, the input signals are optically switched through in alternation, a through-switching time interval being shorter than the duration of a pulse of the input signal. An optical time-division multiplexer has at least one multiplex element to which at least two optical signal are input, the signals having carriers of different wavelengths. The signals are connected to an optical signal output via a junction. The signals can be switched through to the signal output in alternation by a switchable filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for optical time-division multiplexing and to an optical time-division multiplexer, having at least one multiplex element, in which at least two optical inputs are connected via a junction to an optical signal output, and having an optical transmitters.
2. Background Information
In optical digital transmission systems, the bit rate is rising continuously. Target values for the future are on the order of 30 to 50 Gbit per second. Since with known direct-modulated semiconductor lasers, such target values are attainable only with very great difficulty, signal streams generated by individual semiconductor lasers are combined in an optical time-division multiplexer to make a signal stream with a higher bit rate.
One such system is known from Electronics Letters, Nov. 19, 1987, Vol. 23, No. 24, pages 1270 and 1271. In the known system, an active 3 dB Ti:LiNbO.sub.3 switch is used as a time-division multiplexer.
In the known system, the signal streams are generated by so-called phase-coupled semiconductor lasers, which have a predefined phase relationship with one another. Phase-coupled semiconductor lasers of this kind have the characteristic that although they produce very short pulses, nevertheless two successive pulses are spaced apart by a time interval that is approximately 10 times as long as the pulse duration. The pulses generated have a pulse duration of 15 ps and are switched through in time intervals having a length on the order of 62.5 ps. The various pulses are in a phase relationship such that they are distributed uniformly. Accordingly, only the particular time interval in which the pulse is located needs to be switched through at a given time. This system runs up against its limits if two successive pulses of a signal stream follow one another directly, without a long time interval between them.


A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Invebputow’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and inflorescences of purple violet-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena bonariensis×Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Invebputow'.
The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright freely-branching Verbena plants with thick stems and large sterile flowers.
The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2011 in Heidesheim, Germany of an unidentified proprietary seedling selection of Verbena bonariensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number Vb10-1000-9, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and first selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in May, 2011.
Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since September, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A mass spectrometry method comprises: introducing a first portion of a sample of ions including precursor ions comprising a first precursor-ion mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio into a first mass analyzer; transmitting the precursor ions from the first mass analyzer to a reaction or fragmentation cell such that a first population of product ions are continuously accumulated therein over a first accumulation time duration; initiating release of the accumulated first population of product ions from the reaction or fragmentation cell; continuously transmitting the released first population of product ions from the reaction cell to a second mass analyzer; transmitting a portion of the released first population of product ions comprising a first product-ion m/z ratio from the second mass analyzer to a detector; and detecting a varying quantity of the product ions having the first product-ion m/z ratio for a predetermined data-acquisition time period after the initiation of the release.

The constant evolution of analytical instrumentation consists in achieving faster data acquisition and improved instrument sensitivity. In the field of mass spectrometry, structural elucidation of ionized molecules is often carried out using a tandem mass spectrometer, where a particular precursor ion is selected at the first stage of analysis or in the first mass analyzer (MS-1), the precursor ions are subjected to fragmentation (e.g. in a collision cell), and the resulting fragment (product) ions are transported for analysis in the second stage or second mass analyzer (MS-2). The method can be extended to provide fragmentation of a selected fragment, and so on, with analysis of the resulting fragments for each generation. This is typically referred to an MSn spectrometry, with n indicating the number of steps of mass analysis and the number of generations of ions. Accordingly, MS2 corresponds to two stages of mass analysis with two generation of ions analyzed (precursor and products). As but one non-limiting example, tandem mass spectrometry is frequently employed to determine peptide amino acid sequences in biological samples. This information can then be used to identify peptides and proteins.
FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F depict the components of a conventional mass spectrometer system 1. It will be understood that certain features and configurations of the mass spectrometer system 1 are presented by way of illustrative examples, and should not be construed as limiting the implementation of the present teachings in or to a specific environment. An ion source, which may take the form of an electrospray ion source 5, generates ions from an analyte material, for example the eluate from a liquid chromatograph (not depicted). The ions are transported from ion source chamber 10, which for an electrospray source will typically be held at or near atmospheric pressure, through several intermediate chambers 20, 25 and 30 of successively lower pressure, to a vacuum chamber 35 in which quadrupole mass filter (QMF) 51, an ion reaction cell 52 (such as a collision or fragmentation cell) and a mass analyzer 40 reside. Efficient transport of ions from ion source 5 to the vacuum chamber 35 is facilitated by a number of ion optic components, including quadrupole radio-frequency (RF) ion guides 45 and 50, octopole RF ion guide 55, skimmer 60, and electrostatic lenses 65 and 70. Ions may be transported between ion source chamber 10 and first intermediate chamber 20 through an ion transfer tube 75 that is heated to evaporate residual solvent and break up solvent-analyte clusters. Intermediate chambers 20, 25 and 30 and vacuum chamber 35 are evacuated by a suitable arrangement of pumps to maintain the pressures therein at the desired values. In one example, intermediate chamber 20 communicates with a port of a mechanical pump (not depicted), and intermediate pressure chambers 25 and 30 and vacuum chamber 35 communicate with corresponding ports of a multistage, multiport turbomolecular pump (also not depicted).
Electrodes 80 and 85 (which may take the form of conventional plate lenses) positioned axially outward from the mass analyzer 40 in the generation of a potential well for axial confinement of ions, and also to effect controlled gating of ions into the interior volume of the mass analyzer 40. The mass analyzer 40 is additionally provided with at least one detector that generates a signal representative of the abundance of ions that exit the mass analyzer, generally after been selected in the mass analyzer according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. If the mass analyzer 40 is provided as a quadrupole mass filter, then a detector at detector position 54 will generally be employed so as to receive and detect those ions which selectively completely pass through the mass analyzer 40 from an entrance end to an exit end. If alternatively, the mass analyzer 40 is provided as a linear ion trap that performs mass analysis by selective ejection of ions, then one or more detectors at detector positions 90 may be employed.
Ions enter an inlet end of the mass analyzer 40 as a continuous or quasi-continuous beam after first passing, in the illustrated conventional apparatus, through a quadrupole mass filter (QMF) 51 and an ion reaction cell 52. The QMF 51 may take the form of a conventional multipole structure operable to selectively transmit ions within an m/z range determined by the applied RF and DC voltages. The collision cell 52 may also be constructed as a conventional multipole structure to which an RF voltage is applied to provide radial confinement. The interior of the collision cell 52 is pressurized with a suitable collision gas, and the kinetic energies of ions entering the collision cell 52 may be regulated by adjusting DC offset voltages applied to QMF 51, collision cell 52 and tens 53.
The mass spectrometer system 1 shown in FIG. 1A may operate as a conventional triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, wherein ions are selectively transmitted by QMF 51, fragmented in the ion reaction cell 52, and wherein the resultant product ions are mass analyzed so as to generate a product-ion mass spectrum by mass analyzer 40 and one of the detectors 54, 90. Samples may be analyzed using standard techniques employed in triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, such as precursor ion scanning, product ion scanning, single- or multiple reaction monitoring, and neutral loss monitoring, by applying (either in a fixed or temporally scanned manner) appropriately tuned RF and DC voltages to QMF 51 and mass analyzer 40. The operation of the various components of the mass spectrometer systems may be directed by a control and data system 44, which will typically consist of a combination of general-purpose and specialized processors, application-specific circuitry, and software and firmware instructions. The control and data system 44 may also provide data acquisition and post-acquisition data processing services.
FIG. 1B is a more-detailed depiction of the ion reaction cell 52 and showing the electrodes 53 and 80. As illustrated, the ion reaction cell comprises a multipole device specifically a quadrupole comprising four elongated and substantially parallel rod electrodes arranged as a pair of first rod electrodes 56 and a pair of second rod electrodes 46. The leftmost diagram of FIG. 1B provides a longitudinal view and the rightmost diagram provides a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of the ion reaction cell 52. Note that only one of the rod electrodes 46 is shown, since the view of the second rod electrode 46 is blocked. The four rod electrodes define an axis 59 of the device that is, parallel to the rod electrodes 46, 56 and that is centrally located between the rod electrodes; in other words, the four rod electrodes 46, 56 are equidistantly radially disposed about the axis 59. Although the reaction cell 53 is shown with four rods so as to generate a quadrupolar electric field, the reaction cell may alternatively comprise six (6) rods, eight (8) rods, or even more rods so as to generate a hexapotar, octopolar, or higher-order electric field respectively. The rod electrodes may be contained within a housing 57 which serves to contain a collision gas used for collision induced dissociation of precursor ions introduced into a trapping volume between the rod electrodes 46, 56 through an entrance end 58a.
FIG. 1C schematically illustrates typical basic electrical connections for the rod electrodes 46, 56. RF modulated potentials provided by power supply 250 are applied to points A and B, which are electrically connected to electrodes 46 and electrodes 56, respectively. The electrode of each pair of electrodes—that is, the pair of electrodes 46 and the pair of electrodes 56—are diametrically opposed to one another with respect to the ion occupation volume longitudinal axis 59. The phase of the RF voltage applied to one of the pairs of electrodes is always exactly out of phase with the phase applied to the other pair of electrodes. Optionally, the power supply 250 may provide a DC offset potential such that point A is maintained at a first DC potential and such that point B is maintained at either the first DC potential or at a second DC potential. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a DC potential difference may exist between the first pair 56 and the second pair 46 of rod electrodes.
In known fashion, application of RF potentials to the rod electrodes 46, 56 as discussed above produces an electric field pseudo-potential well about and in close proximity to the central axis 59. In operation, ion lenses or electrodes, such as entrance electrode 53 and others (not shown) are used to propel ions into the entrance end 58a (FIG. 1B) of the multipolar rod set (e.g., rod electrodes 46, 56) defined by a set of first ends of the plurality of rods. The presence of the pseudo-potential well causes the ions to remain in an ion trapping volume in the vicinity of the axis 59 as these ions progress through the reaction cell from the entrance end 58a to an exit end 58b of the multipolar rod set.
The ion trapping volume does not have sharp boundaries that can be precisely located. In any event, however, the true trapping volume lies within the region 12 denoted by lines connecting the innermost points of the four rod electrodes. Thus the region 12 can be considered to comprise a practical trapping volume that is defined by the electrodes themselves such that the true trapping volume resides within the practical trapping volume 12. Both the practical trapping volume and the true trapping volume are elongated parallel to the axis 59 between the entrance end 58a and the exit end 58b. The entrance and exit ends 58a, 58b are defined by the ends of the rod electrodes 46, 56. The ion trapping produced by the application of the RF field is effective in directions that are radial to the axis 59 (that, is within transverse cross-sectional planes such as the one illustrated on the right-hand side of FIG. 1B). In most conventional operation of collision or reaction cells, the ions are not trapped parallel to or along the axis 59.
Although the reaction cell 52 shown in FIG. 1B is illustrated with straight, parallel rod electrodes, alternative reaction cell configurations are known in which the electrodes are curved. For example, the reaction cell 62 shown in FIG. 1D comprises a pair of first elongated electrodes 66 and a pair of second elongated electrodes 76, each of which comprises an arc segment such as a segment of a circular ring. Only one of the electrodes 76 is illustrated, since the second such electrode is behind the illustrated electrode 76 and therefore hidden from view. Alternatively, six, eight or some other number of electrodes could be employed. Alternatively, the curved elongated electrodes need not be in the form of circular arcs and may be formed, for example, with elliptical or parabolic curvature.
In operation, radio frequency (RF) and optional DC voltages are applied to the electrodes 66 and 76 as previously described (see FIG. 1B) and, consequently, ions propagating through the device 62, after introduction into the device at entrance end 68a, tend to follow the path of a curved axis 59 through the device from the entrance end 68a to an exit end 68b, with the axis 59 being defined centrally with respect to the set of curved electrodes. For the illustrated reaction cell 62, the curved central axis may be considered to be co-extensive with an arc of a circular section having a radius of curvature. The curved reaction cell provides an elongate ion trapping volume that closely follows the curved axis 59 between the entrance end 68a and the exit end 68b. Similarly an elongate operational trapping volume that contains the true trapping volume may be defined with reference to the curved rod electrodes 66 and 76 in a fashion similar to that described previously.
Curved reaction cells such as the reaction cell 62 shown in FIG. 1D enable the folding or turning of ion paths and allow smaller "footprints" than would otherwise be required for straight reaction cells (e.g., FIG. 1B). However, they are associated with a potential disadvantage in that ions having high kinetic energy may fly out of the vicinity of the curved axis and consequently develop unstable trajectories which will cause them to be ejected from the device or else contact the electrodes. As one means to address this issue, U.S Patent Application Pre-Grant Publication No. 2009/0095898 A1, in the names of inventors Collings et al., describes collision cells that include both curved sections and straight sections, the straight sections being of lengths selected in order to allow precursor ions to lose enough kinetic energy, as they pass through the straight sections, to allow the precursor ions to travel through the curved sections without either escaping the collision cell or colliding with the collision cell electrodes. Alternatively, U.S Patent Application Pre-Grant Publication No. 2010/0301227 A1, in the name of inventor Muntean, describes ion guides, including collision cells, having ion deflecting devices that are configured for applying a radial DC electric field across the ion guide region at a magnitude that varies along the curved central axis.
In some instances, the elevated collision gas pressure within a collision cell can cause product ions that have been formed in the collision cell to drain out of the cell slowly or possibly even stall within the collision cell as a result of their very low velocity after many collisions with neutral gas molecules. The resulting lengthened ion clear-out time can cause interference between adjacent channels when several ion pairs (i.e., parent/products) are being measured in rapid succession. U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,386, in the names of inventors Thomson et al., describes several apparatus configurations that are designed to reduce this problem through the provision of an electric field that is parallel to the device axis within the space between the elongated electrodes. For example, the aforementioned patent teaches that this axial field can be created by tapering the rods, or arranging the rods at angles with respect to each other. In one apparatus example that includes elongated rod electrodes that are tapered along their length, the rods of one pair (e.g., either rods 46 or 56 as shown in FIG. 1B) is oriented so that the wide ends of the rods are at the entrance end 58a and the narrow ends are at the exit end 58b of the rod set and the other pair is oriented so that its wide ends are at the exit end 58b and so that its narrow ends are at the entrance end 58a. The provision of a first DC offset voltage on one of the tapered rod pairs and a second DC offset voltage on the other tapered rod pair (see FIG. 1C) then causes the axial field to be formed within the interior volume between the rods.
Another apparatus configuration described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,386 includes segmented rods, wherein different DC offset voltages are applied to each respective segment such that ions within the interior volume experience a stepped DC electrical potential in a direction from the entrance end to the exit end. For example, FIG. 1E illustrates a collision cell or reaction cell 152 in which the rods 46 and the rods 56 (as shown in and previously described in reference to FIG. 1B) are replaced by series of rod segments 146 and 156, respectively. Each segment 146 is supplied with the same RF voltage and each segment 156 is supplied with the same phase-shifted RF voltage from power supply 250 via a set of isolating capacitors (not illustrated), but each is supplied with a different DC voltage.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,675,031, in the names of inventors Konicek et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, describes an alternative apparatus configuration to address the problem of slowed ion movement through a collision cell. This latter patent teaches the use of auxiliary electrodes for creating drag fields within the cell interior volume. The auxiliary electrodes may be provided as arrays of finger electrodes for insertion between main RF electrodes (e.g., the rod electrodes 46, 56 shown in FIG. 1B or the rod electrodes 66, 76 shown in FIG. 1D) of a multipole device. The finger electrodes may be provided on thin substrate material such as printed circuit board material. A progressive range of voltages can be applied along lengths of the auxiliary electrodes by implementing a voltage divider that utilizes static resisters interconnecting individual finger electrodes of the arrays. Dynamic voltage variations may be applied to individual finger electrodes or to groups of the linger electrodes.
FIG. 1F shows a simplified depiction of one exemplary configuration taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,675,031. The leftmost view of FIG. 1F is a longitudinal view of the apparatus 252 showing, very schematically, the disposition of auxiliary electrodes 77, which may be configured with one or more terminal finger electrodes, between the main rod electrodes 46, 56, wherein these rod electrodes are as shown in FIG. 1B. The rightmost view of FIG. 1F is a transverse cross-sectional view which more accurately show how the auxiliary electrodes 77 are disposed between adjacent pairs of the main rod electrodes. The auxiliary electrodes can occupy positions that generally define planes that, if extended, intersect on the central axis 59. These planes can be positioned between adjacent RF rod electrodes at about equal distances from the main RF electrodes of the multipole ion guide device where the quadrupolar fields are substantially zero or close to zero, for example. Thus, the configured arrays of finger electrodes 71 can lie generally in these planes of zero potential or close to zero potential so as to minimize interference with the quadrupolar fields. The array of auxiliary electrodes and finger electrodes can also be adapted for use with curved quadrupolar configurations such as the configuration shown in FIG. 1D.
Mass spectrometers which utilize the measurements of ion current (triple quadrupole mass spectrometers for example) have a sensitivity limit defined by the minimum current which the mass spectrometer detector can dependably distinguish from background signal and random "noise". This fact limits the lowest analyte abundance which can be reliably detected in such systems. Although mass spectrometers that measure induced image currents (such as Fourier-Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance and orbital trap mass spectrometers) offer greater sensitivity, the ion-current-detecting types of systems are in widespread use. Unfortunately, many diagnostic analyte compounds are present at low concentrations in natural samples. This problem may be exacerbated during tandem mass spectrometry measurements since any particular precursor ion type will generally give rise to a variety of product ion types and, thus, any product ion type will be present at a lower abundance than that of the precursor ion from which it was generated. Moreover, some quantity of ions is invariably lost during each of the various ion manipulation steps associated with tandem mass spectra measurements. These factors significantly limits the application of the aforementioned ion-current-detecting instruments applications in which analytes of interest are present at low and therefore potentially undetectable concentrations. Thus, there is a need in the art for methods and systems that can enable such systems to make reliable detection and quantification measurements of low-abundance product ions generated in tandem mass spectrometry.

Method for mass spectrometer with enhanced sensitivity to product ions


Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable storage media are disclosed for provide a continuous-variable input element for customizing pressure sensitivity for a touch-based input. For instance, the disclosed system utilizes an input element value corresponding to a position of the continuous-variable input element to determine a plurality of variables of a pressure sensitivity curve. The disclosed system determines an exponent of an exponential curve function and an ending value for the exponential curve function based on the input element value. Additionally, the disclosed systems generates the pressure sensitivity curve utilizing the exponential curve function. The disclosed system uses the pressure sensitivity curve to determine a display output of a graphical user interface tool in response to a pressure of an input.

Based on recent improvements to digital rendering and digital input capabilities in computing devices, many computing systems include display devices capable of receiving touch inputs, such as via a stylus pen or finger. Different users may have unique styles of using touch input to interact with a computing device, such as by using different input devices (e.g., different stylus pens and/or different fingers) or by applying different amounts of pressure. To account for different user input preferences, some conventional systems provide customizable touch input settings to allow users to customize how a device reacts to touch inputs. Unfortunately, such input setting typically require manipulating complex curves thereby limiting effective use to only expert users.

Customizing a touch input pressure sensitivity via a continuous-variable input element


A method for generating corrected geologic depth information is disclosed. The method includes: estimating a depth of each of a plurality of different locations along a length of a drillstring disposed in a borehole; measuring at least one environmental factor at each of the plurality of different locations and determining a deformation of the drillstring at each of the plurality of different locations from the measured environmental factor; and generating a non-linear model of the deformation along the length relative to a reference point. A system and computer program product for generating corrected geologic depth information is also disclosed.

Various tools are used in hydrocarbon exploration and production to measure properties of geologic formations during or shortly after the excavation of a borehole. The properties are measured by formation evaluation (FE) tools and other suitable devices, which are typically integrated into a bottomhole assembly. Sensors are used in the FE tools to monitor various downhole conditions and formation characteristics.
It is important that sensor information data be correlated with associated depths to provide an accurate representation of the formation. True vertical depth (TVD) is the vertical distance between a downhole location and the surface, and is useful in associating with various measurement data.
Numerous techniques for measuring TVD have been utilized. Depth measurements may be estimated by measuring the length of a drillstring of a formation evaluation/exploration system. However, various environmental factors may cause the drillstring to be stretched or shortened, such as load changes, friction phenomena and thermal influences on the drillstring, so that additional measurement data is required to calculate TVD. Significant factors for an elongation of drill pipe are drill pipe stretch and thermal expansion, and thus measurement of these factors is important to increase the accuracy in depth correction and associated TVD calculations.
The measured depth of a downhole tool is normally an estimation based on an assumed stiff and inelastic drill pipe, which is corrected by measurement and drill string model data. Such drillstring models provide information about the elongation of the drill pipe caused by load changes, thermal influences or other environmental factors. Normally parameters to calibrate these models are measured only on the surface and/or at one point downhole (in a BHA) and linear distribution of the environmental factors is assumed along the length of the drillstring and/or TVD. These models do not take into account changes or fluctuations in such factors along the length of the drillstring, and thus do not provide a completely accurate representation of the effects of such factors.

System and method for improved depth measurement correction


A telecommunication and network traffic throttle and control and rate deck synchronization system including one or more processors coupled to a communications network. The system is configured to monitor, control, and throttle network traffic and to generate and synchronize rate decks to limit and block unwanted and harmful traffic to optimize performance of and protect telecommunications and network infrastructure. Received routing requests are parsed for subscriber identifiers that have assigned current rate decks. Routing requests are forwarded only for subscribers having unexpired assigned rate decks. When new assigned rate decks are generated with prospective effective times, the current date decks are modified to expire before the effective time, and subscribers are sent URLs having embedded security hashes, which must be downloaded before the current assigned rate decks expire. Routing requests cannot be forwarded upon expiration, and until subscribers download the new rate decks and an associated rate deck file hash.

Many challenges presently exist with current systems and methods available for allocating available telecommunications and network bandwidth to users attempting to initiate voice, data, and media connections between users and subscribers. Previously, dedicated and specialized local exchange carriers (LEC) "class 5" switches were geographically located near end users or subscribers having telephones and other devices that are connected to a public telephone switched network (PTSN). Because of limited bandwidth of legacy PTSN systems, such class 5 switches used an out of band signaling system 7 (SS7) to enable setup and tear down of calls. These systems formed part of the plain old telephone system (POTS). See, for example, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class-5_telephone_switch.
The telecommunications call traffic from such end-user subscribers was aggregated and communicated to geographically nearby "class 4" switches, which in turn further aggregated or trunked communications traffic. See, for example, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class-4_telephone_switch. The dedicated class 4 switches forwarding calls between other class 4 switches, and nearby class 5 switches, and to long distance class 3 (intermediate distance), 2 (longer distance), and 1 (backbone trunks, worldwide) carriers to enable termination or completion of calls between geographically remote end-user subscribers. Such class 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 switches and related systems were vertically and horizontally integrated and owned by just a few large companies, which limited competition and innovation, and which led to break up of the companies and deregulation.
With the deregulation of the telecommunications industry and the concurrent advent and explosive growth of competition, the internet, and internet protocol (IP) in recent decades, many new technologies arose that enabled further competition and innovation. The vertical and horizontal ownership monopoly of long distance (class 1, 2, 3) and short-haul (class 4 and 5) carrier switches and systems was broken up into many different companies.
The new companies further increased competition as they divested inefficient aspects of their businesses, and endeavored to lower costs and improve efficiency to improve profitability in the new competitive environment. The long distance carriers saw the previous technical delineation between class 1, 2, and 3 carriers vanish as the technology that enabled long distance dedicated-voice telecommunications matured and merged to also enable long distance communications and IP network data and media communications traffic.
The new companies, then known as competitive LECs or CLECs, also further specialized into providing new capabilities in the class 5 and class 4 switch and systems technology areas. For example, class 5 providers developed new customer premises voice and data systems, which were compatible for use with internal customer IP and communications networks, which evolved from older wired private branch exchange systems (PBXs) into voice and data over IP of VoIP systems and VoIP PBXs, which could bypass legacy class 5, SS7 out-of-band wired switches, and use less expensive and more readily available IP internet connections to the outside world. The ubiquity of the internet has brought enhancements to legacy systems such as SS7, which has been upgraded in some places to use the internet, for example, such as SS7/IP switches.
Other parallel developments arose for local exchange class 4 switch providers who also moved away from dedicated and wired connections to legacy class 5 switches. Instead, by integrating compatibility with the communications and IP network, geographic proximity was no longer required so long as internet services were available between the target class 5 customer or subscriber, and class 4 provider or carrier. Additionally, competition continued to drive innovations as the technology that enabled class 4 and class 5 telecommunications switching overlapped with that for internet communications. Consequently, class 4 switching system providers or carriers were able to serve and connect customers or subscribers with carriers across any geographic distance.
As digital communications systems replaced older analog capabilities, the technical distinction between voice and other types of data matured into standards that decoupled the enabling hardware systems from the software technologies. More specifically, the enabling telecommunications hardware technologies evolved into standards and capabilities that were focused on communicating large volumes of high-speed telecommunications traffic without regard for the data content (voice, data, media) of the traffic.
Competitive business entities and research organizations developed an open system interconnection (OSI) seven layer model that describes the conceptual or logical architecture of the various elements of such communications systems. See, for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model. Some technologists prefer a lower resolution model broadly describing such telecommunications systems as having four layers that include a physical and data link layer, a network and transport layer, and an application layer. Such various system models are compatible with one another, and are valuable tools for improving understanding and opportunities for interoperability. In any variation of the OSI model, there are two broad categories, a lower level physical network layer, and data communications layers termed the "media layer", and a higher level communications layer containing the transport, session, presentation, and application layers that are also in aggregate termed the "host layer".
With increased interoperability, compatibility, and unlimited access between CLECs, class 4 carriers, and long-distance carriers, many new challenges and problems have become apparent. For example, marketers, debt collectors, and similar businesses have sought to reach more targets using telecommunications and network infrastructure by using auto dialing and automated contact management and voice messaging systems.
These systems often are configured with many types of multi-line systems that can auto-dial dozens, hundreds, and more destination telephone numbers rapidly and or simultaneously, which can inundate infrastructure with call routing requests. Often, such call routing requests also cannot be completed because the requests seek termination to destinations that are erroneous and have changed, do not exist, and which are out of service and or cannot otherwise be reached.
So while the telecommunications and network infrastructure attempts to accept such call routing requests, and to complete the call by attempting to reach such unreachable destinations, the infrastructure cannot be utilized by nominal traffic from routine callers to reachable destinations. This results in overwhelmed but underutilized infrastructure that is being inefficiently consumed by problematic traffic from subscribers and users that will never complete a call, and which will never be billed for infrastructure usage.
To compound the problem, such users that inject problematic traffic into the telecommunications systems, are not billed for incomplete calls even though the infrastructure is operating at capacity. This introduces seemingly insurmountable problems even for the highest-speed and highest-volume hardware and software class 4 switching systems. Further adding to this challenge, the quality of service for otherwise nominal users and customers can sometimes be drastically degraded during normal operation in that such nominal users and customers are confronted with service-unavailable and all-circuits-busy messages.
Despite the rapid advances in ever more powerful, high-speed and high-volume telecommunications and network infrastructure, such infrastructure for any particular class 4 tandem exchange or carrier, as well as for long distance class 1, 2, and 3 carriers, remains limited in bandwidth for the total number of calls per second (CPS) and concurrent sessions (CS) that can be accommodated and allocated, to enable call routing and forwarding for customers and subscribers.
Typically, most such class 4 tandem exchange or carrier infrastructure can be and is configured to limit the CPS and CS for any particular subscriber or customer, which limits ensure the availability of bandwidth for the expected traffic of subscribers nominally making and completing calls, and according to the configured capacity of the infrastructure. Additionally, telecommunications technologists usually understand that the infrastructure required to enable providers and carriers to carry communications traffic is expensive to implement, and that it takes time to build out networks for the providers and carriers.
Consequently, the network communications marketplace is supply side limited, which forces providers and carriers to impose the CPS and CS limitations so that many demand side users, customers, and subscribers may utilize some bandwidth on the communications traffic networks. Unlike other commodities where supply can be increased through increased production, once installed and operational, the supply side communications networks cannot easily and rapidly increase bandwidth.
Therefore, the demand side customers and subscribers have struggled to find new ways to optimize utilization of the limited CPS and CS bandwidth so that only the most desired, highest quality traffic is switched or passed onto the limited bandwidth, supply-side carrier communications networks. In the past, some telecommunications providers and carriers have attempted to limit the available CPS and CS bandwidth by imposing a minimum cost and or profit limit to customer and subscriber traffic. However, such demand side cost controls have had limit beneficial effects.
Class 5 CLECs, class 4 tandem exchange and switch providers, and long-distance class 1, 2, and 3 carriers all seek to eliminate, control, throttle, and otherwise limit problematic traffic, and to allocate limited bandwidth resources to the traffic that is most likely to utilize and pay for the use of the infrastructure. At present, the most common methods employed by various systems impose the above-noted CPS and CS limits, which does not solve the need to identify and limit only problematic traffic, but which attempts to enable communication of desirable traffic.
Such problematic traffic can be difficult to limit when call routing requests are received from otherwise preferable LEC and CLEC subscribers and customers who may be forwarding the problematic autodialer traffic unintentionally. Additional challenges arise when such problematic traffic seeks to reach destination numbers that have been ported from their original exchanges to new exchanges, wherein the original numbering plan area (NPA) and local number prefix (NXX) are different for the new exchange.
Organizations in many countries, including the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (fcc.gov) and US Number Portability Administration Center (napc.com), maintain, and have in-part delegated responsibility to maintain, current information about telephone numbers and telephone exchanges for all land-line and wireless users, which enables telecommunications providers to determine whether a land-line, wireless, or soft telephone user has changed telephone carriers and exchanges. These organizations support maintenance of number portability administration (NPA) databases that record the current exchange and telephone information for all end users, which enables users to change their service providers. The series of databases are known as the local number portability (LNP) databases for land-line users, and the full or wireless number portability (FLNP, WLNP) databases for wireless users.
These obstacles can be difficult to surmount when traffic volumes can exceed hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of call routing requests per second or more, which can require tens of thousands of simultaneous and concurrent call sessions or more, to enable termination or disposition of the call routing requests. Such obstacles are even more pronounced in view of the more than 200,000 possible NPA/NXX routes, in the North American region alone, which each will have multiple costs and call routing rates that can be incurred to efficiently allocate and utilize infrastructure and switching systems to route calls, and to limited traffic that should not be using the call routing infrastructure.
The challenges and obstacles are further amplified when combined with the nearly 10,000 possible destination numbers for each of the NPA/NXX routes, and the thousands of customer, subscriber, vendor, and carrier entities and organizations that own, manage, maintain, access, and enable use of aggregated and collaborating telecommunications infrastructure, systems, and services.
Further obstacles have arisen in enabling the efficient routing of call routing requests and utilization of the enabling switching infrastructure, when call routing requests are received by a switch provider, vendor, or carrier that has updated one or more call routing costs in one or more of its rate decks. Typically, in the past, CLECs will engage in a relationship with many carriers to enable CLEC customer call routing requests to be terminated to a destination number.
As should be well-known by those active in the industry, class 5 CLECs and class 1, 2, 3, and 4 switching vendors or carriers are continuously changing: companies are being bought, sold, and merged. Such entities are also continuously changing their infrastructure, capabilities, and services.
CLEC and carrier companies never rest in their focus on upgrading capabilities and networks, terminating inefficient operations, expanding operations and networks, and bringing online new capabilities, networks, and innovative operations. As changes occur, such companies must concurrently assess their costs and must in turn establish new, higher or lower rates for use of their physical infrastructure and systems.
These CLEC and carrier companies have many arrangements that enable them to continue efficient and competitive operations, but nearly all such entities maintain what known in the industry as rate decks. Each customer, subscriber, vendor, carrier, and related companies and entities typically maintain any number of rate decks for use in costing various classes of telecommunications services and for types of communications traffic, such as voice calls, data, facsimile, call center PBX call, autodialer traffic for mass audio message dissemination, and the like. Such rate decks are exchanged between partnering companies and entities so that each knows what it will cost to use the infrastructure and services of another.
Such rate decks typically include at least two tiers of cost information or more, such as a local area route cost, an out of area route cost, and a cost for indeterminate or hybrid area route cost, and others. For example, in the North American region, local area costs could be for instate or intrastate call routing between cities, and out of area costs could be for interstate, cross border, or out of state calls.
Each such in area and out of area cost is associated with a specific NPA/NXX destination. Typically, such rate decks will include a route cost for each NPA/NXX destination and have different costs for local/intrastate and long-distance/interstate call routes, as well as a cost for indeterminate or hybrid routes.
These costs will be included in the rate decks for each NPA/NXX served by the associated customer, subscriber, and or carrier. While the rate decks may be limited to a few hundred local area NPA/NXXs, some rate decks for larger carriers and aggregators may for example without limitation include all North American NPA/NXXs, which number over 202,000 NPA/NXXs. Rate decks for international call route costs are similarly arranged, and the number of international destinations are even higher, adding even more complexity to the systems.
For example, if a customer or subscriber wants to initiate a call request, the customer or subscriber first checks its rate decks that were obtained from its partnering vendors or carriers, to determine if their partnering vendors or carriers list an NPA/NXX that describes the cost to terminate the request to the specific NPA/NXX destination, at route cost that is acceptable to the customer/subscriber. When rate decks change but the changes are not known to these partners, call routing requests may be initiated and completed, but the true costs are not known in advance to the call requestor or initiator.
Consequently, inefficient use of infrastructure results because, among other challenges, actual costs for infrastructure utilization are different than expected. Calls may be inadvertently routed to inefficient or high-cost infrastructure, which causes more efficient and lower cost infrastructure to be underutilized. Such cost differences are often discovered long after the calls are completed, and during subsequent billing cycle settlement activities wherein the customer or subscriber receives bills that are higher than expected. In some circumstances, such cost differentials are discovered as a result of interrupted, suspended, and or cancelled call routing services and or refused access to carrier switches and infrastructure, which causes underutilization and suboptimal resource allocation.
For example, assume customers and subscribers having a class 5 switch or similar equipment have agreed to forward call routing requests from their end users to specific class 4 switch suppliers or vendors (as well as perhaps directly to class 1, 2, and 3 switch vendors and suppliers). Each vendor and supplier will establish a contractual relationship, and will then provide each of the customers and subscribers with call routing rate decks, each for a particular class of service. Such rate decks are used by the customers and subscribers to then establish cost bases for each of their end users.
It often occurs that as vendors and carriers update their rates, they will communicate new rate decks to their customers and subscribers, usually by electronic mail. The customers and subscribers sometimes do not receive the new rate decks. Other times the rate decks may be received, but go unnoticed.
In still other circumstances, the new rate decks are received and noticed by the recipient customers and subscribers, but may not be correctly assimilated into the switches and systems of the recipient customers and subscribers, such that their cost expectations and accounting will not be accurate when they receive their periodic billing from the carriers and subscribers. As noted, such problems lead to service interruptions, disconnections, disputes, and myriad other inefficient underutilizations of telecommunications and switching resources and infrastructure, and the undesirable and unknowing use of inefficient, high-cost infrastructure.
What is needed is a new system and method for rapidly identifying and controlling, blocking, limiting, and throttling such problematic traffic or low quality traffic, and to ensure infrastructure resources and bandwidth are conserved and available to maintain service for high quality, preferred traffic. Also needed is a way to enable fast and efficient identification of specific call routing requests that enables limiting or blocking problematic traffic with a resolution to those specific, low quality call routing requests, while simultaneously enabling communication of higher quality traffic.
It is also needed to enable automated control of such specific, low quality traffic for a period of time so that such low quality traffic from identified sources does not consume infrastructure resources while such control persists. It is desirable to further enable such systems and methods to also rapidly identify problematic traffic from call routing requests that originate from specific sources and or that seek termination to unreachable destinations. Currently, no adequate solutions exist to also establish the capability to identify problematic or low quality traffic using any number of predetermined criteria, which can include one or a number of traffic characteristics.
Additionally, customers, subscribers, vendors, and carriers would all benefit from a new capability that will enable efficient, uninterrupted, authenticated, and verifiable maintenance, distribution, and integration of NPA/NXX routing rate deck route cost changes. What has been needed and long unavailable is a system that not only enables improved accuracy when updating such routing costs, but which also overcomes the many challenges associated with manual and email-based rate deck update distribution.
A system is also needed that enables more accurate and automated distribution of verifiably accurate routing cost rate decks would enable far more efficient utilization of telecommunications resources and infrastructure without the previously undesirable service interruptions, unexpected costs, and time-consuming and tedious accounting disputes between customers, subscribers, vendors, and carriers, which consumes valuable but limited time and resources that can be better expended on maintaining and improving telecommunications networks, infrastructure, operations, and related resources.
An improved solution that enables these previously unavailable capabilities is described herein. The innovative solutions include a telecommunication and network traffic control system and related methods that are configured to monitor, control, and throttle network traffic to limit and block problematic, unwanted, and harmful traffic, and which also enable verifiable, accurate, and authenticated update, management, and distribution of ever changing call routing rate deck cost arrays and information. These new systems and methods are adapted to better optimize performance of and to protect telecommunications and network infrastructure from being consumed by such sub-optimal traffic, which results in vastly improved and more efficient utilization of limited telecommunications infrastructure and systems.

Telecommunications and network traffic control and rate deck synchronization system


To dynamically assign a home agent to a mobile node, a foreign server (e.g., foreign Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting or AAA server) in the visited network sends a first request to a home server (e.g., a home AAA server) to check local policy regarding assigning the home agent in the visited network. The home server responds with an answer. In response to the answer the foreign server sends a home agent request to a node in the visited network to indicate that the node is to be assigned the home agent.

Packet-based data networks are widely used to link various types of network elements, such a personal computers, network telephones, Internet appliances, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, and so forth. Many types of communications are possible over packet-based data networks, including electronic mail, web browsing, file downloads, electronic commerce transactions, voice or other forms of real-time, interactive communications, and so forth.
One type of a packet-based network is an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network. Communications over a packet-based network is performed using packets or datagrams that are typically sent in bursts from a source to one or more destination points. A network element is typically assigned a network address (e.g., an IP address). A packet sent across a data network includes a source network address (of the transmitting network element) and a destination network address (of the destination network element). Routers in the data network route each packet over network paths based on the source and destination addresses. Such communications over packet-based networks are referred to as packet-switched communications.
Mobility of network elements (such as notebook computers or PDAs) is a desired feature. As a user travels between different points, the point of attachment of the network element associated with the user may change. The user can potentially move from his or her home network (first point of attachment) to another network, referred to a visited or foreign network (second point of attachment). The point of attachment of a mobile network element to a network can either be a wired attachment or wireless attachment. An example of a wired attachment is using a network cable to connect the mobile network element to a port in a wall outlet that connects to a network. An example of a wireless point of attachment is a wireless link between a mobile station and a base station of a mobile communications network (such as a cellular communications network). In the latter case, the mobile station can be a mobile telephone or any other portable device that is capable of communicating wireless signaling with base stations associated with the mobile communications network.
To provide enhanced flexibility and convenience in allowing a user to change points of attachment across different networks, the Mobile IP protocol has been defined. The Mobile IP protocol defines a home agent, which is a router in the home network of a mobile network element that is responsible for tunneling packets for delivery to the mobile network element when it is away from the home network. The home agent maintains the current location information for the mobile network element. The Mobile IP protocol also defines a foreign agent, which is a router in the visited or foreign network that the mobile network element is currently attached to. The foreign agent provides routing services to the mobile network element, and detunnels and delivers packets to the mobile network element that were tunneled by the mobile network element's home agent.
For increased flexibility, the home agent is not necessarily limited to a static home agent located in the home network of a mobile network element. In some cases, dynamic home agent allocation can be performed by a home or foreign network. However, existing proposals for dynamically assigning a home agent in a home or foreign network are relatively inefficient.

Assigning a dynamic home agent for a mobile network element


In a method of exchanging a machine part of a machine plant, the machine part to be replaced being one of multiple machine parts of the machine plant, the multiple machine parts being coupled to one another and being arranged on a common table plate which is anchored, via individual supports, in the ground, and which has recesses for accommodating the machine parts, a metal frame is set up. Bearings are provided on a new machine part, and the machine part is assembled, oriented, and tested on the metal frame. A machine part to be replaced is uncoupled from the multiple machine parts. The machine part to be replaced is removed from a recess in the table plate. Ground supports for the new machine part on the metal frame are installed and anchored to the ground in the area of the recess. The new machine part is positioned on the metal frame on the metal supports. The new machine part on the metal frame is connected to the metal supports.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of exchanging a machine part of a machine plant whose principal machine parts are coupled to one another an are arranged on a common table plate which is anchored via individual supports in the ground either directly or via a sole plate, and which has recesses for accommodating the machine parts.
2. Discussion of Background
The multi-housing turbine group of a steam power plant in particular is regarded as such a machine plant, the machine parts being in the form of the individual turbine parts and the generator.
If a machine part is replaced, the size of the recess in the table plate must be adapted to the dimensions of the new machine part. This is done upon enlarging the recess by chipping out concrete and cutting off steel reinforcing rods. If the recess has to be made smaller, the steel reinforcing rods are exposed by chipping out concrete, and new steel reinforcing rods are attached, encased and covered with concrete. This concrete work produces a great deal of noise and dust and is very time-consuming and is thus very cost-intensive due to the long idle period of the steam turbine group.
Here, it is especially time-consuming to make the recess in the table plate smaller, since the exposing and attaching of the steel reinforcing rods has to be done very carefully, and the concrete surfaces are to be treated and prepared carefully in order to obtain a stable connection between the table plate and the freshly applied concrete.

Exchange unit for exchanging a machine part