An electromagnetic logging tool includes a support configured for disposal in a well; at least one antenna mounted on the support; and a plurality of coils mounted on the support proximate the at least one antenna, wherein the plurality of the coils are configured for selective connection with the at least one antenna. A method for balancing an induction array on an electromagnetic logging tool includes measuring a mutual coupling between a transmitter and a receiver on the electromagnetic logging tool; and selectively connecting a subset of a plurality of coils on the electromagnetic logging tool to the transmitter or the receiver based on the measured mutual coupling.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electromagnetic (EM) well logging. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for balancing induction array tools.
2. Background Art
During the exploration and production of oil and gas, many well logging techniques are deployed to log data of the geological formations. The data contain information that can be used to locate subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs and to determine types and quantities of subsurface hydrocarbons. In such logging processes, a tool may be lowered into a borehole traversing a subsurface formation, either after the well has been drilled or during the drilling process. A typical logging tool includes a "sonde", that emits, for example, acoustic or EM waves to interact with the surrounding formation. The signals produced from such interactions are then detected and measured by one or more sensors on the instrument. By processing the detected signals, a profile or log of the formation properties can be obtained.
Logging techniques known in the art include "wireline" logging, logging-while-drilling (LWD), measurement-while-drilling (MWD), and logging-while-tripping (LWT). Wireline logging involves lowering an instrument into an already-drilled borehole at the end of an electrical cable to obtain measurements as the instrument is moved along the borehole. LWD and MWD involve disposing an instrument in a drilling assembly for use while a borehole is being drilled through earth formations. LWT involves disposing sources or sensors within the drill string to obtain measurements while the string is being withdrawn from the borehole.
FIG. 1 shows a typical LWD or MWD setup having a drilling rig with a drill string carrying a downhole logging tool in a borehole. The rotary drilling rig shown in FIG. 1 comprises a mast 1 rising above the ground 2 and is fitted with a lifting gear 3. The lifting gear 3 has a crown block 7 fixed to the top of the mast 1, a vertically traveling block 8 with a hook 9 attached, a cable 10 passing around blocks 7 and 8 to form on one side a dead line 10a anchored to a fixed point 11 and on the other side an active line 10b that winds round the drum of a winch 12. A drill string 4 formed of several segments of hollow drilling pipes connected end-to-end is suspended from the hook 9 by means of a swivel 13, which is linked by a hose 14 to a mud pump 15. The mud pump 15 pumps drilling mud into the well 6, via the hollow pipes of the drill string 4 and out of the bit 5 to float the rock cuttings out of the well 6. The drilling mud may be drawn from a mud pit 16, which may also be fed with surplus mud from the well 6. The drill string 4 may be elevated by turning the lifting gear 3 with the winch 12. When raising or lowering drill pipes, the drill string 4 needs to be temporarily unhooked from the lifting gear 3, during which the weight of the string 4 is supported by wedges 17. The wedges 17 are anchored in a conical recess 18 in a rotating table 19 that is mounted on a platform 20. The lower portion of the drill string 4 may include one or more instruments 30 for investigating downhole drilling conditions or for investigating the properties of the geological formations. In the case of sonic logging, the instrument 30 may include at least one transmitter and a plurality of receivers.
Variations in the height h of the traveling block 8 during the raising cycle of the drill string operations are measured by means of a sensor 23 which may be an angle-of-rotation sensor coupled to the faster pulley of the crown block 7. The weight applied to the hook 9 may also be measured by means of a strain gauge 24 inserted into the dead line 10a of the cable 10 to measure its tension. Sensors 23 and 24 are connected by lines 25 and 26 to a processing unit 27 having a clock incorporated therein. A recorder 28 is connected to the processing unit 27, which is preferably a computer. In addition, the downhole tool 30 may include a processing unit 30a. The downhole processing unit 30a and/or the surface processing unit 27, which may include a memory, may be used to perform the data analysis and determination of formation properties.
For downhole tools, EM logging tools are among the widely used. EM logging tools are implemented with antennas that are operable as transmitters and/or receivers. The antennas are typically solenoid coils. Referring to FIG. 2, a coil 211 is shown comprising of insulated conducting wires having one or more turns wound around a support 214. During operation, the coil 211 may function as a transmitter antenna when it is energized with an alternating current or an oscillating electrical signal 212. The transmitter antenna emits EM waves through the borehole mud and into the surrounding earth formation. The coil 211 may also function as a receiver antenna that collects EM signals carrying information about the interactions between the EM waves and the mud/formation.
The coil 211 carrying a varying current 212 will produce a magnetic dipole having a magnetic moment. The strength of the magnetic moment is proportional to the electric current in the wire, the number of turns of the wire, and the area encompassed by the coil. The direction and strength of the magnetic moment can be represented by a vector 213 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coil. In conventional induction logging instruments, the transmitter and receiver antennas are mounted with their axes aligned with the longitudinal axis of the instrument. Thus, these tools are implemented with antennas having longitudinal magnetic dipoles (LMD). When an LMD antenna is placed in a borehole and energized to transmit EM energy, the induced electric currents flow around the antenna in the borehole and in the surrounding earth formations, and no net current flows up or down the borehole.
Some EM well logging tools have tilted or transverse coils, i.e., the coil's axis is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support. Consequently, the antenna has a transverse or tilted magnetic dipole (TMD). The TMD configuration permits a tool to have a three-dimensional evaluation capability, such as information about resistivity anisotropy or locations and orientations of dips and faults. In addition, directional sensitivity of the data is recorded and can be used for directional drilling. Logging instruments equipped with TMD-antennas have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,147,496, 4,319,191, 5,757,191, and 5,508,616. Under certain conditions, a TMD-antenna may cause a net current to flow up or down the borehole. Some TMD-antennas are configured with multiple coils. For example, a particular TMD-antenna design includes a set of three coils, and such an antenna is known as a triaxial antenna.
In wireline applications, the antennas are typically enclosed in a housing made of tough non-conductive materials such as a laminated fiberglass material. In LWD applications, the antennas are generally encased into a metallic support so that it can withstand the hostile environment and conditions encountered during drilling. Alternatively, logging instruments may be made of composite materials, thus, providing a non-conductive structure for mounting the antennas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,084,052, 6,300,762, 5,988,300, 5,944,124, and UK Patent GB 2337546 disclose examples of composite-material-based instruments and tubulars for oilfield applications.
Induction logging is a well-known form of EM logging. In this type of logging, induction tools are used to produce a conductivity or resistivity profile of earth formations surrounding a borehole. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,464, 3,147,429, 3,179,879, 3,056,917, and 4,472,684 disclose typical well logging tools based on induction logging.
A conventional induction logging tool or "sonde" may include a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna. Note that the designation of a transmitter and a receiver is for clarity of illustration. One skilled in the art would appreciate that a transmitter may be used as a receiver and a receiver may also be used as a transmitter depending on the application. Each antenna may include one or more coils, and may be mounted on the same support member or on different support members, i.e., the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna may be on different tool sections. The antennas are axially spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the tool.
In use, the transmitter antenna is energized with an alternating current. This generates an EM field that induces eddy currents in the earth formation surrounding the borehole. The intensity of the eddy currents is proportional to the conductivity of the formation. The EM field generated by the eddy currents, in turn, induces an electromotive force in one or more receiving coils. Phase-locked detection, amplification, and digitization of this electromotive force signal determines the amplitude and the phase of the voltage on the receiver coil. By recording and processing the receiver voltages, an evaluation of an earth formation conductivity profile can be obtained. U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,605 discloses an induction array well logging tool used to collect the voltage data.
In principle, a conductivity profile may be obtained by simply measuring the voltages on the receiver. In practice, the receiver voltages are not only affected by "true" signals traveling through the formation, but are also affected by a direct coupling between the transmitter and the receiver. It is well known that the sensitivity of measurements obtained from induction-type loggings are adversely affected by the direct transmitter-to-receiver (mutual) coupling.
Mathematically, the amplitude and phase of the received signal voltage may be expressed as a complex number (i.e., a phasor voltage). Accordingly, the apparent conductivity σa (as measured by a receiver induction array) is expressed in terms of its real and imaginary parts,σα=σR+iσX.The real partσR represents the true signal from the earth formation, while the imaginary partσX includesσR,the direct coupling that may be several orders of magnitude larger than the value of σR, when the array is unbalanced. This can be seen from a well-known formula describing the conductivity measured by a two-coil (one transmitter and one receiver) array, when the transmitter is simplified as a point dipole,
                                          σ            α                    =                                                    σ                R                            +                              ⅈ                                                                                σ                  X                                                      =                                          -                                                      2                                        ⅈ                                                        ω                                                                                μ                                                                                (                                          1                      -                                              ⅈ                                                                                kL                                                              )                                                                                ⅇ                                          μ                                                                                L                                                                                L                  2                                                                    ,                            (        1        )            where ω is the frequency, μ is the magnetic permeability of a (homogenous) medium,k2=iωμσ,σis the conductivity of the medium, and L is the transmitter-receiver spacing. Defining a skin depth asδ√{square root over (2/(ωμσ))}(so that k=(1+i)/δ)and expanding σa using the powers of L/δ, one obtains:
                                          σ            R                    +                      ⅈ                                                                                σ              X                                      =                  σ          -                                    2                            ⅈ                                      ω                                                                                μ                                                                                L                2                                              -                                                    2                                L                                                                                σ                                            3                                                                                δ                                                                (                              1                -                ⅈ                            )                                +                                    O                                            (                                                      L                    2                                    /                                      δ                    2                                                  )                                      .                                              (        2        )
The first term on the right-hand side of Eq. (2) is the formation conductivity σ of interest. The second term, −2i/(ωμL2), contributes to σx only. It does not depend on σ and corresponds to the direct mutual transmitter-receiver coupling that exists in the air. An out-of-balance induction array can have a very large value of σx for example, when L is small. Therefore, in order for an induction tool to achieve a high sensitivity, the induction array must be balanced to reduce the value of σx.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, an induction-type logging instrument typically includes a "bucking" coil 311 in the receiver 314 in order to eliminate or reduce direct coupling between the transmitter 312 and the main receiver 313. The instrument longitudinal axis is represented as a dashed line in FIG. 3. The purpose of having two receiver coils, the main coil 313 and the bucking coil 311, in a balanced configuration in the receiver 314 is to cancel the transmitter-main-coil coupling using the transmitter-bucking-coil coupling. The bucking coil 311 is placed between the transmitter 312 and the main coil 313 of the receiver 314. Practical induction arrays have always been mutually-balanced using a bucking coil. This is necessitated by the fact that the direct coupling between a transmitter and a receiver is usually several orders of magnitude stronger than the true signals, the latter being strongly attenuated when traveling through the earth formation.
The minimum configuration for a mutually-balanced array is a three-coil array as illustrated in FIG. 3, including a transmitter 312 (T), a receiver main coil 313 (R1) and a receiver bucking coil 311 (R2). In order to balance the array, the locations of the receiver coils (Zmain and Zbuck) and the numbers of turns in these coils (Nmain and Nbuck) are chosen such that the sum of their responses is close to zero in the air. That is, the voltages on the two receiver coils satisfy the relation: VR1+VR2=0, in the air. Consequently, the responses from a logging operation will be the sum of the T−R1 coupling responses and the T−R2 coupling responses.
The mutual coupling voltage varies (in the point-dipole approximation) with 1/L3 (an extra power of 1/L coming from the 1/L dependence of the tool factor K). Therefore, the balancing condition of an induction array is met when
                    M        main                    L        main        3              +                  M        buck                    L        buck        3              =  0where Mmain and Mbuck are magnetic moments of the main and bucking coils. If all coil turns have the same geometry, then Mmain and Mbuck equal M0Nmain and M0Nbuck, respectively, where M0 is the magnetic moment of a single turn. Therefore, the balance condition is met when:
                                                        N              main                                      L              main              3                                +                                    N              buck                                      L              buck              3                                      =        0.                            (        3        )            To satisfy this condition, the two terms in the left side of Eq. (3) are of opposite signs. This can be achieved by winding the wires in the opposite directions for the bucking and main receiver coils. The 1/L3-dependence of the mutual coupling voltages implies that the variation of the mutual balance with external factors, such as temperature and pressure, is much larger for the short arrays, resulting in a larger error specification for the short arrays.
In theory, the required positions of the receiver coils can be calculated with high precision, even when the transmitter is a finite-size solenoid. In practice, all geometrical parameters, such as the positions (zbuck and zmain) and the radii (rtrans, rbuck, and rmain) of the coils, have finite ranges of variations. The direct mutual couplings T−R1 and T−R2 are very sensitive to even minute changes in some of the geometrical parameters, and, therefore, large variations in measured signals may result from small errors or variations in, for example, the radii of the coils. Therefore, when an EM tool is manufactured, the configuration of the coils may need to be further adjusted from the calculated configuration. In a practical configuration, both positions of the bucking coil and the main coil (zbuck and zmain) relative to the position of the transmitter (z=0) would need to be carefully adjusted with a high degree of precision in order to minimize direct mutual couplings. Such balancing or adjusting could be very difficult and demanding.
One prior art method of fine-tuning the antenna is to use moveable coils so that the locations of the coils (e.g., the main or bucking coils) may be altered to minimize the direct coupling. For example, if the direct coupling (reflected as residual σx) for a particular array is substantial, it can be minimized (or reduced to zero) by altering the location of an antenna, such as the bucking coil Zbuck. However, as a practical matter, it is preferred that the tool or antenna has no moving parts.
An alternative method for fine tuning the antenna is to add a conductive loop near one of the coils (e.g., the receiver coil) to permit fine adjustment. Another approach is to adjust with the number of turns in the bucking coil. However, this approach is often impractical because removing or adding a single turn in a coil may produce large changes in σx. This is especially true when the distance between the bucking coil and the transmitter coil is short. Therefore, there still exists a need for new approaches to balancing induction arrays.


Semiconductor devices, and methods of fabricating the same, include first conductive lines on a substrate, and a first molding layer covering the first conductive lines. The first conductive lines have air gaps between adjacent first conductive lines. Sidewalls of the first conductive lines and a bottom surface of the first molding layer collectively define a first gap region of each of the air gaps. The sidewalls of the first conductive lines and a top surface of the first molding layer collectively define a second air gap region of each of the air gaps.

1. Field
Example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to semiconductor devices and/or methods of fabricating the same, more particularly, to semiconductor devices including wire-structures and/or methods of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Semiconductor devices are widely used in the electronic industry because of their small size, multi-function, and/or low fabrication costs. The semiconductor devices may be categorized as any one of semiconductor memory devices storing logic data, semiconductor logic devices processing operations of logical data, and hybrid semiconductor devices having both the function of the semiconductor memory devices and the function of the semiconductor logic devices.
High speed and/or low voltage semiconductor devices have been demanded with high speed operation and low power consumption of electronic devices including semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices have been highly integrated in order to satisfy the above demands. As an integration density of the semiconductor device increases, reliability of the semiconductor device may be deteriorated. However, semiconductor devices having high reliability have been increasingly demanded with the development of the electronic industry. Thus, various researches are being conducted in order to improve the reliability of the semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same


Embodiments relate to a system comprising a device for temperature recording; an integrated communication module; a memory; a processor coupled with the memory. The processor is configured to: receive data from the device, analyze the data through an analytics module; predict an anomaly in the data through the analytics module; generate an alert for ensuring quality of food and safety of the food; and predict a failure in the device.

In this section the prior art relevant to the field are cited.
"This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for hygiene monitoring in chain restaurants and grocery superstores. Four sub-systems are introduced to take care of different aspects of hygiene in restaurants. One sub-system uses contactless and in-contact temperature sensors installed on appliances to constantly monitor the temperature of working appliances to be in pre-defined range and use an Internet of Things gateways to transmit the data to remote control unit. The system generates an alert or report if the temperature of the appliances falls beyond the predefined range for more than a specific period of time. Another sub-system uses a combination of temperature, humidity, UV, and gas detectors to monitor the environment to be unsuitable for growth of fungus and bacteria and alert in case of exposure to harmful material and sun radiation. This sub-system also use an Internet of Things gateways to transmit the data to remote control unit. The third sub-system use a combination of radio frequency tags attached to the staff, RF tag readers and infrared/proximity/motion/microphone/touch sensors installed over the faucet and dispenser to monitor if the staff wash their hands properly after going to the restroom. The fourth sub-system automatically generate food expiring label for opened cans and food container based on RF tag worn by the staff. The system generates and print the label whenever the staff gesture their RF tags in front of them and potentially scan the container bar code or select it from a drop-down menu on its touch screen. The last sub-system can also monitor the inventory of opened cans of food in the refrigerator and provide a report or alert when they the time gets close to expiration date." [Source: Apparatus and methods for hygiene monitoring in restaurants and grocery superstores; Arian Shoari, Mona Komeijani; published as US20170365157A1 on Dec. 21, 2021]
"A food temperature remote control system using a food temperature measuring device having a LoRa remote communication function, the food temperature measuring device measuring the temperature by contacting or non-contacting the food and transmitting the food temperature measurement value through the LoRa wireless communication network. An IoT data server that stores a food temperature measurement value transmitted from the food temperature measurement device through a wireless communication network and provides a web service or app service for managing the food measurement value to a client terminal; The IoT data server includes a wireless communication unit for communicating with the client terminal and the food temperature meter, a food temperature database for storing food temperature transmitted from the temperature meter, and the food to provide an app-based service to the client terminal. Food temperature search unit for searching the food temperature in the temperature database, a food temperature monitoring unit for monitoring the food temperature based on the data stored in the food temperature database, for setting the proper temperature of the food and the upper or lower limit temperature of the food It is characterized by including an upper/lower limit setting unit, an alarm unit for generating an alarm, and a food temperature management control unit for controlling each component of the IoT data server. With this configuration, the food temperature information measured by the food temperature meter is transmitted to the remote management server, so that the manager can check and manage the food temperature in real time." [Source: Food thermometer having LoRa communication function and remote managing system using this; application in Korean; published as KR102116613B1 on Jun. 5, 2020]
"Examples provide a system for monitoring an open container. A set of sensors captures sensor data associated with one or more items within an open container, such as, but not limited to, a food warmer or a refrigerated/freezer display case. The set of sensors may include one or more infrared (IR) cameras. The set of sensors transmits the sensor data to a monitoring component. The monitoring component processes the sensor data to identify factor(s) associated with one or more items, such as temperature, location of the item, state changes, and freshness of the one or more items. If a factor for a given item exceeds a predetermined threshold value for that factor, the monitoring system outputs an alert notification to a user interface." [Source: System for monitoring an open container; Steven Lewis, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Matthew Dwain Biermann; published as: US20180224150A1 on Aug. 9, 2018]
"Technology described herein relates to overcoming technical challenges associated with operation of technology for the purposes of implementing quality assurance practices in a food preparation environment. To this end, embodiments include custom handheld devices including a set of input devices (including token reader inputs and temperature sensing inputs) and a user interface device (for example a touchscreen), these devices being configured to guide a user through data collection processes." [Source: A device for electronically measuring temperature of a food item at predetermined milestones; David Cox, Kean Maizels; published as WO2019218017A1 on Nov. 21, 2019]
"A method and arrangement for providing an indication of a temperature state of open container bodies during in-line handling. The container bodies are conveyed along a conveyance path, with the openings of the container bodies being freely accessible. A pyro-electric detector is positioned along the conveyance path of the openings facing the conveyance path of the openings. An opening of one of the containers is detected upon reaching a position opposite the pyro-electric detector, and the pyro-electric detector measures heat radiation from the opening detected as having reached the position opposite the pyro-electric detector. The heat radiation measured determines the overall thermal energy content of the open container body as the temperature state thereof" [Source Method and arrangement for measuring a temperature state of open container bodies; Martin Lehmann; published as U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,990 on Feb. 5, 1991]
"The invention proposes a method of determining core temperature of food in a closed container, the method including the steps of: adjusting heating power supplied to the container to allow internal temperature of the container to change within a predetermined duration; obtaining information related to the change of internal temperature of the container; and determining the core temperature of the food based on the information related to the change of internal temperature and predetermined relationships between information related to change of internal temperature of the container and core temperatures of the food. The invention also proposes an apparatus for determining core temperature of food and a food processing device." [Source: Apparatus and method for determining core temperature of food, Bin Yin, Ling Cao; published as U.S. Pat. No. 9,927,304 on Mar. 27, 2018]
However, current systems and methods do not provide an early warning system for food safety violation that predicts anomaly in the food safety as well as anomaly in a device used for temperature recording. Considering the knowledge of the persons skilled in the art, there is a long-felt need for an early warning system and method for food safety violation that predicts food safety violations as well as predict the anomaly in the temperature recording device of the early warning system.

Early warning system for food safety violation and method thereof


The invention provides for a proteomic approach for identification of specific bacterial protein profiles that may be used in the development of methods for the diagnosis of bacterial chronic sinusitis. The invention provides for methods for determining the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of a subject using protein profiles of the pathogenic bacteria. The invention also provides for methods of diagnosing a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract of a subject using protein profiles of a pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the invention provides for devices, immunoassays and kits for identifying pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract.

Otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, and nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) account for approximately 75% of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions in the United States. Antibiotic use remains high despite the fact that greater than 85% of these infections are due to viruses and resolve without complication. Nonetheless, those remaining infections that are indeed due to bacterial pathogens require more effective management than is currently available. Bacterial cultures provide limited diagnostic value because the most common bacteria responsible for URTI are also often commensal organisms in the nasopharynx.
Infections of the upper airway are the number one reason for office visits in the US (American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics, 2004. 113:1451-1456, Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site, Gonzales R, et al. JAMA, 1997. 278(11):901-904, Nyquist A-C. JAMA, 1998. 279(11): 875-877). About 52% of adults patients and 45% of pediatric patients are prescribed antibiotics when diagnosed with an upper airway infection (Gonzales R, et al. JAMA, 1997. 278(11):901-904, Nyquist A-C. JAMA, 1998. 279(11): 875-877). Upper airway infections are multifactorial and polymicrobial diseases. Infection by respiratory viruses (e.g. RSV, adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus) predisposes to bacterial superinfection by members of the nasopharynx normal flora: nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis. While viral infections are often self-limiting, therapeutic delay of bacterial disease can lead to complications, permanent sequalae and severe morbidity and mortality.
Diagnosis is mainly based on clinical manifestations. Signs and symptoms of disease of bacterial and nonbacterial etiologies are often indistinguishable. Specific bacterial identification by traditional microbiological culture techniques often fail to detect microorganisms growing within biofilms. Contamination of specimens by resident colonizing flora often results in laboratory culture reports of uncertain clinical value. Indiscriminate antibiotic use modifies the commensal flora in the nasopharynx and induces the selection and emergence of microorganisms resistant to common antibiotics. Despite a decreasing trend in antibiotic prescription in recent years, unnecessary and inappropriate antibiotic therapies are common, particularly in the treatment of otitis media and sinusitis.
Upper respiratory tract infection remains as a major cause of overuse of antibiotics and, therefore, a major contributor to the widespread emergence of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, there is a need for early and rapid diagnostic tests that could discriminate between commensal and pathogenic bacteria. These tests would promote judicious use of antibiotic therapy, promote more effective choice of treatment and improve outcomes.

Proteomics based diagnostic detection method for chronic sinusitis


A polyurethane resin composition containing a polyurethane resin composed of a high molecular weight polyol having a molecular weight of not less than 500, an organic polyisocyanate and optionally a compound having at least 2 active hydrogen-containing groups is disclosed. Not less than 30% by weight of the high molecular weight polyol is a polyester polyol, and the polyester polyol contains at least one tricyclic molecular skeleton in the molecular chain thereof in an amount of not less than 20 mole % based on total acid or glycol components.

Many of polyurethane resin coating materials are mainly composed of polyurethanes obtained by reacting aliphatic polyester polyols or polyether polyols with organic polyvalent isocyanates, and resins having low glass transition temperatures and large elongation are generally used.
However, recently, demands for coating materials, coating compositions and the like which have high glass transition temperatures and can provide tough coats have been remarkably increased in various fields.
For example, a resin which has a high glass transition temperature, excellent heat resistance and high solubility in solvents as well as a low oligomer content is desired for a back coat layer of a heat sensitive ribbon tape for computers, word processors and the like, a dye-receptor layer or binder or sublimation type heat sensitive recording chart for video color printers, a binder or back coat layer of magnetic recording mediums and the like.
A magnetic tape or floppy disc which is widely used as a recording medium is produced by dispersing acicular magnetic particles having major axes of not more than 1.mu. together with additives such as dispersing agents, lubricants, antistatic agents and the like into a solution of a binder to make a magnetic coating composition and then applying the resulting composition to a polyethylene terephthalate film to form a magnetic layer.
Examples of the properties required for the binder of the magnetic layer include dispersion properties, filling properties and orientation properties of magnetic particles; durability, wear resistance and heat resistance of the magnetic layer; adhesion properties with a non-magnetic base; and the like, and the binder plays an extremely important role.
Further, a back coat layer provided at the opposite side of the magnetic layer on a non-magnetic base influences on traveling properties of a magnetic tape. Examples of the properties required for a binder of the back coated layer include durability, wear resistance, heat resistance and adhesion properties with the non-magnetic base, and the binder of the back coated layer also plays a extremely important role.
As the binder of the magentic layer or the back coat layer, a mixture of an adipate type or polycaprolactone type polyurethane resin and nitrocellulose or vinyl chloride polymer has mainly been used heretofore.
In a magnetic recording medium, magnetic particles are more micronized and highly filled and oriented in a magnetic layer and the surface of the layer is smoothed to improve s/n ratio (ratio of signal to noise) and to increase memory density. Further, a back coat layer is also smoothed to prevent lowering of the output of a magentic tape due to transfer of unevenness of the back coat layer to a magnetic layer in the case of storing the tape in a rolled state. As the surface of a magnetic layer or back coat layer becomes more smooth, traveling properties and traveling durability of the magnetic tape become more inferior and, therefore, a binder having good durability, wear resistance, heat resistance and adhesion properties with a non-magnetic base has been desired. Conventional binders for magnetic layers or back coat layers are insufficient with respect to these demands.


The flexible tubular molded body (10) comprises an unprofiled or profiled straight or bent shaped and a circumferential wall (11) provided with a corrugated profile (12), which is formed from a strength support insert embedded in a thermoplastic material comprising cord surfaces running in the longitudinal direction of the molded body as pressure support elements and fixing threads running transversely to the threads and holding these in position.

Such flexible hoses are known. DE 20 2004 018 301 U1 discloses a flexible hose, preferably charge air hose, having a wall comprising an elastomeric material at least in sections, in which a pressure support is arranged, which comprises a substantially thread-like or wire-like pressure support element. The pressure support element is embedded in the matrix of the wall and is movable with respect to the matrix of the wall, at least in sections of the pressure support element. This configuration is intended to provide a flexible hose having a longer lifetime compared with known hoses.
The hose which can be deduced from EP 1013979 B1, e.g. a charge air hose, has a pressure support comprising at least one fabric insert which is surrounded by a vulcanizable material. The hose further has a circumferential groove at the end. The fabric insert is encased by a silicone-containing material, where the hose has a preformed socket at each end, which has an embossing in the form of the circumferential groove. By using a woven fabric instead of a knitted fabric, a compressive strength should be achieved which should be substantially above that which can be achieved with the hitherto known hoses. The special configuration of the hose should enable easy installation during assembly of the motor.
In view of this, it is the object of the invention, avoiding a woven fabric or knitted fabric as pressure support element, to provide a flexible, tubular molded body having a high compressive strength and a high flexibility which despite these properties has a high elasticity.

Flexible tubular molded body, such as bellows, and method for the manufacture thereof


Disclosed is an image reading apparatus capable of selectively executing a flow-scan reading method in which a document is read while the document is transported in a state in which a reader is fixed at a predetermined location, and a fixed reading method in which a document is read while the reader is moved in a predetermined direction in a state in which the document is held fixed, the apparatus having a first holding member for holding a document at the predetermined location for implementation of the flow-scan reading method, and a second holding member, which has a spectral transmittance different from that of the first holding member, for holding a document for implementation of the fixed reading method. The apparatus discriminates whether the flow-scan or fixed reading method is executed and sets coefficients, which are used in at least the reader or the image processing unit, in accordance with the flow-scan or fixed reading method. Using the set coefficients, a document is read by the reader and processing is applied to the image signal obtained by reading the document.

A variety of image readers have been proposed heretofore. Such an image reader subjects image information from a document to line scanning in the horizontal direction, forms an image of this information on a line sensor such as a CCD serving as reading means, and reads the image information from the document by utilizing an output signal obtained from the CCD.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the main components of an image reading apparatus according to the prior art. The image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 7 is capable of reading a document by two methods, namely a flow-scan reading method whereby image information is read from documents while the documents are transported and fed one after another, and a fixed reading method whereby the document is held fixed and illuminating and an image forming system is caused to scan the document to read the image information from the document.
As shown in FIG. 7, a first document 301, whose image information is to be read while the document is held fixed, is placed on a platen glass 302 provided at a location where the image information can be read by the fixed reading method. This apparatus includes a light source 303, a slit 304, first, second and third mirrors 305, 306 and 307, respectively, an image forming lens 308, and a line sensor 309 such as a CCD. A second document 310 has its image information read while it is transported by an automatic document feeder, which is not shown. These documents can be transported one after another. A document transport glass 311 is provided at a location where the image information can be read from the document by the flow-scan reading method. The second document 310 passes by the upper side of the document transport glass 311 and is transported by a roller 312.
The document reading operation performed by the flow-scan reading method is such that the image reader optical system, which includes the light source 303, slit 304, first, second and third mirrors 305, 306 and 307, respectively, image forming lens 308 and line sensor 309, is moved to a point underlying the document transport glass 311 before the second document 310 is read.
Next, second documents 310 are transported one after another from the automatic document feeder (not shown). When a second document 310 is transported by the roller 312 and passes by the upper side of the document transport glass 311, the second document 310 is illuminated by the light source 303, the light reflected from the illuminated second document 310 passes through the slit 304 and the document image is formed on the image forming surface of the line sensor 309 by the image forming lens 308 through the intermediary of the first, second and third mirrors 305, 306 and 307. Since the second documents 310 are transported successively and pass by the upper side of the document transport glass 311, a signal based upon the image information of each second document 310 in the main scanning direction thereof is obtained during transport in the sub-scanning direction, whereby the image information of the second document 310 is read.
Thus, by merely providing a document reading section at the forward end of the image reading apparatus and providing a simple automatic document feeder to feed documents, the documents (limited to documents in the form of sheets) are fed automatically to make possible the flow-scan reading of image information.
With the fixed reading method, the first document 301, which has been placed on the platen glass 302, is illuminated by the light source 303, light reflected from the first document 301 that passes through the slit 304 is acted upon by the image forming lens 308 so that an image is formed on the line sensor 309, and the light source 303, slit 304 and first, second and third mirrors 305, 306 and 307 are made to scan the first document 301 in the sub-scanning direction, thereby reading the image information from the first document 301.
By thus reading a document while the document is held fixed, it is possible to read image information from a document bound in book form or from an original that is difficult to feed using an automatic document feeder, such as a thick document or thin fabric.
In an image reading apparatus of the above-described kind, the second document 310 is transported from the automatic document feeder to a point above the document transport glass 311. In order to facilitate transport of the second document 310 and deal with the attachment of contaminants such as dust or the like, the surface of the document transport glass 311 is provided with an electrically conductive film (referred to also as an "EC coat"), such as a film of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), or is treated to lower the frictional resistance thereof.
More specifically, providing the surface of the document transport glass 311 with an electrically conductive film allows the flow of an electric current, thereby preventing the build-up of electric charge between the second document 310 and the document transport glass 311 so as to enhance transportability of the second document 310. Further, treating the surface of the document transport glass 311 to reduce the frictional resistance thereof lowers the coefficient of friction between the second document 310 and the document transport glass 311, thereby stabilizing transport of the second document 310.
The treatments described above also are effective in preventing the attachment of dust to the document transport glass 311.
In addition, a synergistic effect is obtained by subjecting the surface of the document transport glass 311 to both the conductive-film treatment (the EC coat) and friction reducing treatment simultaneously.
However, when the surface of the document transport glass 311 is coated with the electrically conductive film or treated to lower frictional resistance, this causes a change in the spectral transmittance of the document transport glass 311.
FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating the spectral transmittance of ordinary glass whose surface has not been treated in any way and of treated glass whose surface has been subjected to the conductive-film and low-friction treatments.
FIG. 8 demonstrates that there is a difference between the spectral transmittance (the solid line in FIG. 8) of float plate glass (ordinary glass) of 4-mm thickness (one example) used in an ordinary image reading apparatus, and the spectral transmittance (dashed line in FIG. 8) of glass (treated glass) obtained by subjecting the surface of float plate glass to conductive-film and low-friction treatments.
In general, glass whose surface has been subjected to conductive-film and low-friction treatments exhibits a spectral transmittance lower than that of untreated glass, with the difference being particularly pronounced in the short wavelength region. Consequently, when the surface of the document transport glass 311 is provided with the electrically conductive film or is subjected to the low-friction treatment, the image information obtained by reading a document by the flow-scan reading method will differ from that obtained by reading the document by the fixed reading method.
Further, since the above-mentioned disparity is particularly conspicuous on the side of short wavelengths, the effect of treating the glass is particularly great when image information is read from a color document. This means that color image information obtained by the flow-scan reading method will differ from that obtained by the fixed reading method.
To better understand the above-mentioned phenomenon, consider a case where ordinary glass is used as the platen glass for the fixed reading method and glass, whose surface has been subjected to the conductive-film treatment and low-friction treatment, is used as the document transport glass for the flow-scan reading method. Owing to the difference between the spectral transmittances shown in FIG. 8 in such case, first the light that illuminates the document does not arrive at the document in the same way, then the light reflected from the document is influenced again because it passes through the glass a second time. In other words, the difference in the spectral transmittance of the glass becomes a factor twice, i.e., once for the illuminating light and once for the reflected light, with regard to color information obtained by the flow-scan reading method and color information obtained by the fixed reading method.
In order to solve this problem, subjecting the surface of the platen glass for the fixed reading method to the conductive-film and low-friction treatments has been contemplated. However, the platen glass for reading a fixed document has a size larger than that of the document, as depicted in FIG. 7. Applying an electrically conductive film and friction reducing treatment to the surface of a platen glass that is so much larger than the document would result in much higher cost.

Image reading apparatus and method of reading images


A non-uniform density sample analyzing method for analyzing a distribution state of particle-like matter in a non-uniform density sample, where an actually measured X-ray scattering curve is an in-plane X-ray scattering curve obtained by in-plane diffraction measurement, and fitting between the in-plane X-ray scattering curve and the simulated X-ray scattering curve is performed. The value of the fitting parameter when the simulated X-ray scattering curve agrees with the in-plane X-ray scattering curve serves to indicate the in-plane direction distribution sate of the particle-like matter in the non-uniform density sample. This method can analyze the in-plane direction distribution state of the particle-like matter in the anisotropic non-uniform density sample easily and accurately. Its device and system are also disclosed.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, device and system for analyzing a non-uniform density sample, and more particularly, to a novel non-uniform density sample analyzing method, non-uniform density sample analyzing device and non-uniform density sample analyzing system which are capable of simply and accurately analyzing an in-plane direction distribution state of particle-like matter in the non-uniform density sample.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method for analyzing a particle diameter distribution in a non-uniform density sample such as a porous film by using an X-ray has been newly proposed by the inventors of the present invention (see Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656). In this method, a diffuse scattering intensity of the X-ray is measured and the particle diameter distribution is analyzed based on the measured intensity, thereby realizing an excellent analyzing ability.
However, there is yet room for improvement in such an excellent analyzing method so as to achieve another new advantage.
That is, with the non-uniform density sample analyzing method disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656, it is difficult to completely analyze the density non-uniformity of an anisotropic non-uniform density sample.
To be specific, a non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample is a sample in which particle-like matter such as a fine particle and pore has a random distribution as shown in, for example, FIG. 1(a). Conversely, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), an anisotropic non-uniform density sample is a sample in which the distribution of particle-like matter has some regularity or directivity in an in-plane direction. In the example of FIG. 2(b), the particle-like matter is distributed in the in-plane direction with regularity in which clusters each having two pentagons connected to each other are formed.
As for the non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample, if an X-ray scattering curve is measured by scanning an X-ray outgoing angle θout with an X-ray incident angle θin being constant in a condition of, for example, θin=θout+offset ΔΩ, the density non-uniformity of the sample in a direction corresponding to a direction of a scattering vector q shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), i.e., a direction near a normal plane is measured as described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656. This is a so-called out-of-plane diffraction measurement.
If this out-of-plane diffraction measurement is directly applied to the anisotropic non-uniform density sample, the non-uniformity of the sample is measured along the scattering vector q in the direction near the normal plane shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) similar to FIG. 1. This means that the anisotropic non-uniform density sample cannot be analyzed in an in-plane direction of the sample. By contrast, the in-plane direction of the sample is random with the non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample. Therefore, even if a scan direction is changed, the particle-like matter can be observed without any changes and thus no disadvantage occurs. With the anisotropic non-uniform density sample, however, because of the regularity of the particles in the in-plane direction as described above, the particle-like matter is observed differently according to the scan direction. As a result, the particle diameter distribution in the in-plane direction cannot be analyzed with the out-of-plane diffraction measurement.
The present invention has been achieved in light of these situations. Accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a novel non-uniform density sample analyzing method as well as a non-uniform density sample analyzing device and a non-uniform density sample analyzing system which are capable of simply and highly accurately analyzing the distribution state of the particle-like matter in an anisotropic non-uniform density sample in the in-plane direction.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-uniform density sample analyzing method, device and system


A method for generating refrigeration for cooling a product gas wherein a first or working gas undergoes a staged expansion to a first temperature and a subsequent turboexpansion to a second higher temperature and both the expanded gas and the turboexpanded gas provide cooling to the product gas.

The generation of refrigeration for the cooling of gas for subsequent liquefaction is costly and energy intensive. In some situations, such as the passage of natural gas in a transmission line, pressure energy is available for the generation of refrigeration for the cooling of the gas. It is desirable to have an efficient method for utilizing pressure energy to generate refrigeration for cooling a gas stream for subsequent liquefaction.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method for utilizing pressure energy to generate refrigeration for cooling a gas stream for subsequent liquefaction.

Method for providing cooling for gas liquefaction


The present disclosure includes a medical monitoring hub as the center of monitoring for a monitored patient. The hub is configured to receive and process a plurality of physiological parameters associated with the patient. The hub includes advanced analytical presentation views configured to provide timely, clinically-relevant, actionable information to care providers. In certain embodiments, the monitoring hub stores and is able to replay previously presented data reflective of the patient's condition.

Today's patient monitoring environments are crowded with sophisticated and often electronic medical devices servicing a wide variety of monitoring and treatment endeavors for a given patient. Generally, many if not all of the devices are from differing manufactures, and many may be portable devices. The devices may not communicate with one another and each may include its own control, display, alarms, configurations and the like. Complicating matters, caregivers often desire to associate all types of measurement and data from these devices with a specific patient. Patient information entry often occurs at each device. Sometimes, the disparity in devices leads to a need to simply print and store paper from each device in a patient's file for caregiver review.
Thus, while the electronic collection of physiological data associated with the patient's condition has increased, the ability to synthesize the collected patient data into timely, clinically-relevant, actionable information remains a challenge.

Medical monitoring analysis and replay including indicia responsive to light attenuated by body tissue


A surgical device comprises a base unit having a hydraulic controller and at least one control piston, a surgical end effector including at least one actuator piston, and a flexible shaft having at least one tube containing hydraulic fluid in hydraulic communication with the base unit and the surgical end effector. The hydraulic controller includes an electric motor configured to drive the control piston to generate hydraulic force. The hydraulic force is transferable from the base unit to the actuator piston of the surgical end effector through the hydraulic fluid in the at least one tube in the flexible shaft, such that the driving of the control piston by the electric motor under the control of the hydraulic controller transfers the hydraulic force from the control piston of the base unit to the actuator piston of the end effector in proportion to the ratio of the area of the control piston and the area of the actuator piston by metering the hydraulic fluid transferred by the control piston.

Some surgical procedures require the tissue to be transected and closed. This is often the case in gastrointestinal tract surgery when a tumor or injury to the tract occurs. Typically transections are made both proximally and distally on opposite sides of the tumor or injured section. For example, a cancerous tumor located on a patient's colon may be removed by transecting the colon on the proximal side of the tumor and then a second transectoin on the distal side of the tumor. Thus, the anomalous tissue section may be removed while leaving two remnant limbs of the colon, which are subsequently anastomosed or rejoined. Since exposing the surrounding tissues to the interior contents of the colon or other organ may greatly increase the risk of infection and associated complications, it is desirable for the remnant limbs to remain closed until the limbs are anastomosed or rejoined.
A linear cutter is a surgical device that clamps tissue, typically between two opposed jaws, and staples and cuts the clamped tissue. Some arrangements include a stapling mechanism, which drives rows of staples into the tissue, typically before or simultaneous to the cutting. These rows of staples serve to transect and close the open ends of the cut organ, thereby limiting any exposure of surrounding tissue to the contents of the organ. Advantageously one or more rows of staples are driven on each side of each cut.
In the stapling procedures described above, staples are typically driven with a staple pusher disposed in one of the clamping jaws. The staple pusher forms the staples by pressing the staples from the first clamping jaw, into and through the clamped tissue, and into an anvil in the opposed clamping jaw configured to bend or otherwise form the staple closure. In order to effectively staple the tissue, it is advantageous to clamp the tissue such that a small thickness, e.g., one millimeter, is disposed between the two clamping jaws. To achieve this result, the clamping jaws must exert and maintain a substantial amount of clamping force. A difficulty may then arise when the staples are driven into the clamped tissue, since the driving of the staples from one of the jaws into an anvil in the other of the jaws applies a force between the jaws that is opposite the clamping force. Thus, during the stapling, even greater clamping force is required to be exerted by the clamping jaws. That is, the clamping jaws must apply sufficient force to both maintain the desired tissue gap between the jaws and to form the staples into their fastened configuration. High clamping forces can be problematic in that the proximally supported jaws may deflect or splay outwardly, thereby making it difficult to achieve a uniform tissue gap along the length of the jaws.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,817 discloses a mechanism to potentially alleviate the aforementioned problems by providing a block carrying the staple pusher and cutter with a plurality of lateral projections that ride in slots in the opposed jaws as the cutter and pusher are moved distally. These projection/slot engagements may assist with maintaining a clamping force by providing local support between the jaws in the region of the staple pusher. However, a substantial amount of distally directed force must be applied to the stapler pusher in order to simultaneously cut the tissue, press and form the staples, and overcome the additional resistance due to the projection/slot arrangement. Since the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,817 is a handheld unit requiring full access to the surgical site, the operator is able to manually apply the substantial force, by pushing a knob, at a location that is very close to the jaws.
Some of the aforementioned procedures may be performed endoscopically, which is generally less invasive and allows for more rapid healing as compared to open surgery, which may require large incisions to allow for the access required to utilize manual surgical instruments. Endoscopic procedures typically entail insertion of instruments through a small incision point, e.g., through a cannula. The surgical tools required to perform these procedures generally have elongated shafts that extend from a handpiece or other base unit to an end effector.
The end effectors of endoscopic surgical instruments are commonly referred to as the "business end" of the instrument. They contain components such as fasteners, which are often in the form of surgical staples. These end effectors may transect, form anastomoses in, and occlude viscera and vessels in the human body.
Since the end effector and shaft have relatively small diameters, the end effector and shaft may be inserted through the cannula to perform the procedure while the operator controls the instrument from outside the surgical site. A drawback of such devices is that they generally require the transfer of mechanical force generated manually by the operator from the handpiece or base to the end effector. This is accomplished by drive shafts, pushrods, cables, and the like extending through the shaft. The transfer of power through these mechanisms results in substantial power losses and makes precise control extremely difficult. Further, these drawbacks may be amplified in systems that utilize flexible shafts.
Due to the mechanical inefficiencies of these endoscopic instruments, the projection/slot arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,817, which requires a substantial amount of distally applied manual force to drive the staple pusher and cutter, is not well suited for endoscopic end effectors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,817 discloses a handheld unit requiring full access to the surgical site, whereby the operator is able to apply the substantial force, by pushing a knob, at a location that is very close to the jaws. This is not feasible for endoscopic or natural orifice procedures which are inherently superior procedures to open and/or endoscopic procedures due to minimized patient trauma and operating room time.
Thus, there is a need for devices and methods that provide an improved power transmission to the end effector. Further there is a need for devices and methods that provide improved clamping in an end effector.
Further, for surgical instruments where an end effector is attached to a flexible shaft, there is known a difficulty in effectively transferring force to the end effector via the flexible shaft. In this regard, an effective flexible stapler would allow surgeons to utilize natural orifices or an umbilical approach to surgery. An effective flexible shafted stapler would allow advances in surgery through a single port approach which would lead to a reduction in pain, elimination of incisions, and reduced operating room time for the patient.
Further, many surgical staplers utilize actuation mechanisms that utilize a drive band which is most often manually operated. These manually operated devices require an operator to manually pull a lever to either provide a one-to-one stroke or to manually repeatedly pull a trigger to achieve a desired actuation. Such devices rely on the force applied by the operator (e.g., a force between the operator's fingers and thumb) for actuation. In this regard, there is a need for a device that does not require a drive band and is powered by means other than manual manipulation.


A process for centralized user file encapsulation, encryption, notarization and verification using a blockchain and a system that certifies data in a proprietary “capsule” file format, with tamper-proof blockchain are disclosed. By utilizing a hybridization of both cloud and blockchain storage mechanisms, the present invention allows for the performant and cost-effective certification of large amounts of data. Furthermore, the generation of the capsule allows for users to store both the data payload and its digital notarization. The system then allows for users to share the capsule with others (by way of permissions enforced by the notary system) and upload it for verification of authenticity at a later point in time.

Embodiments of the invention described in this specification relate generally to encryption of computer files, and more particularly, to verification of the authenticity of encrypted computer files through a centralized server computer system, which has previously digitally signed these same files, and persisted this digital signature in a blockchain.
Traditional centralized databases and cloud storage systems do allow for the storage of large amounts of data and files. However, such systems also leave such data vulnerable to tampering.
Immutable data storage systems that strive to rectify this vulnerability with blockchain technology tend to exhibit poor performance in regard to latency, throughput, and cost, specifically related to storage of large amounts of data. This is primarily due to the inherent nature of the current state of the art consensus algorithms present in distributed transaction/data storage systems (i.e., blockchains).
Encryption has also been used to solve the problem. Encryption of user generated files with secure digital cryptography is commonly applied or performed among conventional encryption-capable systems which typically require that the file owner retain an encryption secret, such as the key (in symmetric cryptography) or a public/private key pair (in asymmetric cryptography). Such encrypted files may be later decrypted by presenting the same secret key (if symmetric cryptography was used during the file encryption) or the complementary key (i.e., private/public, if asymmetric cryptography was used). After encrypting the files, the original file owner can share such encrypted files with other recipient parties or other users ("recipients") through mediums such as file sharing, email attachments, and removable media, among others. Assuming contemporary best-practices in encryption have been utilized, such recipients must also possess knowledge of the applicable encryption secret in order to decrypt such files.
However, the conventional encryption-capable systems have limitations that are problematic. For instance, the recipient of encrypted file content cannot reasonably prove or verify the time stamp at which the files were encrypted by the Owner using conventional encryption-capable systems. Furthermore, if the secret encryption key used to encrypt these files is ever compromised, the content can be maliciously altered, and the file can be re-encrypted, without the recipient of the encrypted file being aware of the alteration to the encrypted file content.
In addition, many of the existing file and folder archiving formats may be vulnerable to security exploits. Specifically, the existing file and folder archiving formats which combine both compression and encryption to encapsulate and encrypt multiple files (i.e., compressing files, bundling the compressed files, and then encrypting the compressed files encapsulated in the archive file) are vulnerable to security exploits, such as when an attacker may reasonably guess at least part of the content of the files.
Therefore, what is needed is a way to certify the contents of a file which encapsulates one or more files in a particular verifiable format that allows for user access rights setting and sharing.

Data certification system and process for centralized user file encapsulation, encryption, notarization, and verification using a blockchain


A single-mode transmission optical fiber includes a central core region radially outwardly from a centerline to a radius r1 and having a positive relative refractive index Δ1; a first inner cladding region extending radially outwardly from the central core to a radius r2 and having a negative relative refractive index Δ2; a second inner cladding region extending radially outwardly from the first inner cladding region to a radius r3 and having a non-negative relative refractive index Δ3; an intermediate cladding region extending radially outwardly from the second inner cladding region to a radius r4 having a negative relative refractive index Δ4 larger in absolute value than the relative refractive index Δ2; and an outer cladding region extending radially outwardly from the intermediate cladding region and having a non-negative relative refractive index Δ5; wherein the relative refractive index Δ2 of the first inner cladding region is −0.1·10−3 to −1.0·10−3 and the relative refractive index Δ4 of the intermediate cladding is −3.0·10−3 to −5.0·10−3.

The use of single-mode optical fibres in fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) applications, including fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) applications, generally require low bending loss of optical signals transmitted through the fibres, also under stringent installation constraints that may impose tight bend radii, e.g., due to sharp cornering in buildings or compression of optical fibres. In particular, cabling and hardware applications aimed to miniaturize passive field equipment, e.g. local convergence cabinets or storage boxes, and the development of multi-dwelling units (MDUs) require fibre designs with superior bending capabilities. In addition, coarse wavelength division multiplexing systems (CWDM) and passive optical network (PON) systems may also need employment of bend-resistant optical fibres.
In order to standardize the bending performance of optical fibres particularly suited for FTTP applications, the ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union, ITU Telecommunication Sector) has developed recommendations G.657 that defines single-mode fibres with enhanced bending performance.
To conform to international standards, besides bending capabilities, fibre performance is evaluated also on other relevant optical parameters such as the cable cut-off wavelength and the mode field diameter (MFD). Recommended values for the MFD and for the cable cut-off wavelength are given in the ITU-T G.652 standard. A parameter that can be useful for finding a compromise between the MFD, the cut-off wavelength and bending losses is the so-called MAC number, which is the ratio of the MFD and the cut-off wavelength.
Optical fibres having an inner cladding region with depressed refractive index have been tailored to provide single-mode transmission and robust bend-resistance. The index depression of the inner cladding region is achieved, for example, by doping with fluorine a region surrounding the core region of the preform for production of the optical fibre.
EP 1785754 discloses an optical transmission fibre adhering to the G.652 standard for applications in FTTH or FTTC (fibre to the curb). The described fibre comprises a central core having an index difference Δn1 with an outer optical cladding; a first inner cladding having an index difference Δn2 with the outer cladding; a second, buried, inner cladding having an index difference Δn3 with the outer cladding of less than −3·10−3, and containing germanium in a weight concentration of between 0.5% and 7%. The preform of the fibre is produced by PCVD (Plasma Chemical Vapour Deposition), which is said to allow a high number of highly reactive fluorine ions and thus to add germanium to the reaction and nonetheless to obtain a buried inner cladding.
EP 1845399 relates to an optical transmission fibre having a refractive index profile with a first highly depressed section and a weakly depressed second section. The document states that with such a structure it is possible to effectively reduce the bending losses at constant MAC while strongly minimising the leakage modes of a higher order.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,164,835, an optical fibre that exhibits a low loss due to bending and good connectivity with a common transmission optical fibre is described. The optical fibre comprises a core provided at a centre; a first cladding layer provided on a periphery of the core; a second cladding layer provided on a periphery of the first cladding layer; and a third cladding layer provided on a periphery of the second cladding layer, wherein a maximum refractive index of the core is greater than any of maximum refractive indices of the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the third cladding layer, and the maximum refractive index of the second cladding layer is smaller than any of the maximum refractive indices of the first cladding layer and the third cladding layer, a value of a2/a1 is not less than 2.5 and not more than 4.5 when a radius of the core is a1 and a radius of an outer periphery of the first cladding layer is a2, and a relative refractive index difference of the core with respect to a refractive index of the third cladding layer is not less than 0.20 and not more than 0.70%.
EP 1788411 describes a single-mode optical fibre with a very small bending loss while conforming to the characteristics defined under ITU-T G. 652, such as chromatic dispersion, zero dispersion slope and cut-off wavelength. The fibre includes: a central core that has a radius r1 and a refractive index n1; an inner cladding that is provided around the outer circumference of the central core and has a radius r2 and a refractive index n2; a trench portion that is provided around the outer circumference of the inner cladding and has a radius r3 and a refractive index n3; and an outer cladding that is provided around the outer circumference of the trench portion and has a radius r4 and a refractive index n4, with a refractive index profile in which the refractive indexes of the individual portions satisfy n1>n4≧n2≧n3. With reference to the refractive index n4 of the outer cladding, a relative refractive index difference Δ1 of the central core, a relative refractive index difference Δ2 of the inner cladding, and a relative refractive index difference Δ3 of the trench portion satisfy the following relations: 0.40%≦Δ1≦0.85%, −0.20%≦Δ2≦0.00 and −1.0%<Δ3<Δ2.

Low macrobending loss single-mode optical fibre


A video monitor mount includes a first piece adapted to be fastened to a wall and a second piece adapted to be fastened to a video monitor. The first piece includes a bubble level and a first mating component and the second piece includes a second mating component. The first piece or the second piece comprises an extension arm having a rotation joint that comprises a brass bushing.

Current video monitor technology is moving rapidly to flat screens. LCD and plasma screens are popular flat screen products. These flat screens can be mounted in a traditional manner on a horizontal surface by placement on a stand. It is also now popular to mount flat screens on a wall. Problems with mounting flat screens onto a wall include making sure that the screen is level. Also, a cord or cords that are connected to the back of the flat screen monitor can give a messy appearance. Further, rotating support arms can be "sticky" and prevent easy rotation of the mounted monitor. Finally, the installation process itself can be difficult or frustrating. An installer may never know if the mount is actually, properly placed together. If improperly assembled, then there is a possible situation of an unstable mounting relationship.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall mount that overcomes these and other disadvantages.


Described herein are, among other things, techniques, devices, and systems for streaming pixel data from a host computer to a wireless display device with low latency. In some embodiments, a user mode driver is executed in user mode of the host computer to configure a wireless network interface controller of the host computer to operate in a low latency manner. The display device may use a Forward Error Correction (FEC) algorithm to reconstruct a frame from the data packets it receives from the host computer. Also disclosed are techniques for scrambling the transmission of a series of data packets using different antenna configurations, as well as setting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) rate based at least in part on the amount of pixel data to be transmitted to the display device. The display device may comprise a head-mounted display (HMD) that renders virtual reality (VR) game imagery.

Wireless streaming technology is used both within and outside of the video game industry. In the video game industry, some virtual reality (VR) gaming systems utilize wireless streaming technology in order to leverage the high-computing capacity of a host computer for executing a video game, while providing a wearer of a wireless VR headset with greater mobility, as compared to a tethered (non-wireless) headset.
Despite these advantages, significant latency is built into such wireless systems at many levels. For example, 802.11 stacks implement a guaranteed packet delivery mechanism that involves frequently retrying packet transmission for failed transmission attempts, as well as confirming packet delivery based on an acknowledgement (802.11 ACK message) from the receiver. However, this guaranteed packet delivery approach results in added latency because much time is spent retransmitting packets and waiting for ACKs, which is undesirable for systems that stream real-time content (e.g., video games). For instance, a VR gaming system may try to compensate for latency (e.g., a late-arriving frame) by inserting a phantom frame, else frame hitching may occur.
Provided herein are technical solutions to improve and enhance these and other systems.


A warning against the possible failure is accurately sent from the magnetic disk device to a host device. In one embodiment, error indices per unit time are stored discontinuously/continuously for each magnetic head, and if the new index (partial integral error rate) updated with the stored multiple error indices as the items to be monitored satisfies required conditions, this state is diagnosed as an abnormality or a pseudo-abnormality, and reported to the host device. The partial integral error rate is updated with an increase in the number of sets of error indices. Each time a new set of error indices per unit time are stored, the oldest of the existing error indices to be monitored is discarded and one of the new error indexes is added. In this way, a new partial integral error rate is calculated from the fixed number of new sets of error indices to be monitored. When the partial integral error rate increases above a second required threshold, this state is reported as an abnormality to the host device since a failure is most likely to occur in the magnetic disk device.

The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing magnetic disk devices, and more particularly, to a magnetic disk device having a failure prediction function.
Trouble-free operation for three to five years on a 24-hours-a-day basis is usually guaranteed in the highly reliable magnetic disk devices that assume 24-hour operation. In actual operation, systems are usually shut down once or twice a year and periodic maintenance and checks encompassing the respective magnetic disk devices are performed during the shutdown.
These magnetic disk devices each have uniform performance, and their bit error rates and the frequency of occurrence of other error events remain low, even after a lapse of several thousands of hours from mounting of a new magnetic disk device(s) or from maintenance or replacement of existing ones. These bit error rates, for example, are as small as several bits per 10 gigabytes of data access.
Under conventional technologies, therefore, bit error rates and other error indices have been accumulated for fixed periods of time and if a count of any such error index exceeds the required threshold within the fixed period, this state has been reported to a host device. Additionally, instead of estimating the occurrence of a failure, the host device has compared a previously set value, e.g., a mean time between failures (MTBF), and the particular fixed period, and presented to the operator the information indicating the replacement time of the magnetic disk device.
The mounting environment for a magnetic disk device, however, is diverse, and physically, changes in ambient temperature or vibration due to a disturbance may render the internal spindle motor or actuator of the magnetic disk device abnormal, or electromagnetic noise internal or external to the device may result in the magnetic head itself or transmission circuits becoming abnormal. If these abnormal events actually happen, bit errors occur intensively or collectively at a certain time. In spite of the former abnormality not being able to be disregarded as a sign of a failure in the magnetic disk device, the abnormality has not been detectible with the conventional technologies.
In short, under conventional diagnosing methods, counts of the error indices which occurred until the required time had passed have been accumulated, then whether the accumulated respective counts of the error indices exceeded the required thresholds have been judged, and the particular event has been diagnosed as an abnormality only if the counts exceeded the thresholds. A mean time between failures (MTBF) has been adopted as the required time.
For these reasons, even if, in the course of passage of the required time, the spindle motor or the actuator temporarily became abnormal and there was an increase only in a specific count among all error index counts, the event has not been diagnosed as an abnormality since the rate of that count value was slight with respect to all error index data accumulated up to the passage of the required time. That is, the magnetic disk device has been placed under the situation where it is not replaced unless its performance deteriorates very significantly.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-214835, the occurrence rates of errors are cumulatively recorded in a memory for each peripheral device and each error cause, then the error information is transmitted to a central processing unit, and based on the transmitted error information and on the deterioration characteristics, operation time, and other factors of each peripheral device that are retained beforehand, the central processing unit predicts the occurrence time of permanent failures. Details of the prediction method are unknown.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 7-248937, the operation time of devices from their replacement or from their previous diagnosis is measured and if a mean time between failures, predetermined for each device, or other required time is reached, a self-diagnosing program is executed to suppress unnecessary self-diagnosis.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-307435, an error test for monitoring an error rate by deteriorating an S/N ratio is repeated for each fixed amount of data transfer, and thus the occurrence of a failure is predicted.

Failure prediction method for magnetic disk devices, and a magnetic disk device using the same

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A production layout for an LCD is provided. The production layout for an LCD includes a bonding part operable to bond a pair of substrates for the LCD with a sealant and a hardening part operable to harden the sealant. The hardening part includes an ion provider operable to supply ions to the substrates during a hardening process of the sealant. The production layout further includes a transfer unit that loads and unloads the bonded substrates. Footprint and tact time for manufacturing the LCD may be reduced. Electrostatic removal effect of the bonded substrates may improve.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD), and more particularly, to a production layout for an LCD.
2. Related Art
LCD devices are widely used as mobile displays for notebook computer monitors. The LCD devices are also under development for televisions (TVs) for receiving and displaying broadcasting signals.
An LCD device is provided with a liquid crystal display panel for displaying a picture and a driving part for providing a driving signal to the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel has two glass substrates bonded together with a gap between the substrates, and a liquid crystal is injected between the two glass substrates.
The LCD device is manufactured by performing a bonding process and a hardening process in sequence. The bonding process is to bond a color filter substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate together to make a predetermined cell region after depositing a sealant and dropping a liquid crystal. The hardening process is to harden the sealant after performing the bonding process and includes an ultraviolet (UV) hardening process and a thermal hardening process. In the UV hardening process, the sealant is primarily hardened using irradiation of light after the bonded substrates are fed on a production layout. In the thermal hardening process, both the sealant and liquid crystal are hardened using heat of high temperature.
The bonding process is performed in vacuum. Because the substrates are bonded together in a state that they are adsorbed in a chuck by static electricity, much static electricity remains in the substrates after the bonding process. The static electricity may increase a defect ratio.
Therefore, a separate electrostatic removal process may be required prior to the thermal hardening process following the UV hardening process.
When an additional space for the electrostatic removal process is required, the length of an overall production layout, i.e., footprint is increased and tact time is also increased.
Further, the electrostatic removal process is performed for a short time, approximately, ten minutes or less. This may minimize increase of tact time required to manufacture the LCD. However, electrostatic removal of the substrates may not be sufficiently performed. For this reason, a defect caused by the static electricity may be present. Accordingly, there is a need of an LCD device that substantially obviates drawbacks of the related art.

Production layout for LCD, method for manufacturing the LCD, and hardening device for the LCD


Present invention relates to a slotted toothbrush body and neck. The toothbrush body has an elastomer part with a PP part and adhesion legs. The adhesion legs have surfaces in contact with a toothbrush holder/glass. There are PP bridges forming the toothbrush neck, and an elastomer section supports the bridges forming the toothbrush neck. Teeth are better cleaned, and gingival get less deteriorated by pivotal movement of the head in the front and back direction and right and left direction. Also, the toothbrush can be secured to the toothbrush holder/glass edge without contacting other toothbrushes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a slotted toothbrush body and neck.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
The toothbrushes currently available on the market consists of an integral body and are preserved by being placed within toothbrush holders or glasses (4). This leads to hygiene problems due to contact between head sections of the toothbrushes. Furthermore, currently available toothbrush necks only include single-way stretching models. No stretch action from front to back or from right to left is possible.

Banat Firca Ve Plastik Sanayi Anonim Sirketi


A semiconductor package includes a base plate; a sidewall provided at a periphery of the base plate; a sensor chip retained in a chip accommodation space defined by the sidewall; and a chip installation hole provided in the base plate for installing the sensor chip. The sensor chip is disposed in the chip installation hole provided in the base plate of the case. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a thickness of the semiconductor package without changing a thickness of the sensor chip. The base plate has a relatively large thickness except for the chip installation hole. Accordingly, even when the semiconductor package is made thinner, rigidity of the base plate is maintained, thereby minimizing a strain in the base plate.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor package having a case for enclosing a senor chip in a chip accommodation space, wherein the sensor chip includes, for example, a semiconductor acceleration sensor with a flexible portion supporting a plump bob.
A conventional semiconductor package for a semiconductor acceleration sensor is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-89925. The conventional semiconductor package comprises a resin case composed of a base plate and a sidewall provided at the periphery of the base plate. A sensor chip, or a semiconductor acceleration sensor, having a flexible portion supporting a plump bob and a signal processing chip are provided on a front surface of the base plate. The sensor chip and the signal processing chip are connected to a lead frame by wirings. A resin lid is fixed to the resin case to enclose the sensor chip and the signal processing chip in a chip accommodation space. An end portion of the lead frame is bent at an edge of the base plate of the resin case to form an outer terminal on a back surface of the base plate.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-89925
In the conventional semiconductor package, the sensor chip and the signal processing chip are provided on the front surface of the base plate of the resin case and enclosed by the resin lid. In this configuration, a thickness of the semiconductor package is a sum of a thickness of the base plate, a height of the chip accommodation space, and a thickness of the resin lid. When the base plate of the resin case is made thin to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor package, the base plate becomes less rigid, so that the base plate may be strained under heat or upon receiving an external force. When the base plate is strained, the flexible portion supporting the plump bob of the sensor chip may be strained, thereby affecting characteristics of the sensor chip.
In the semiconductor acceleration sensor, it is necessary to provide the plump bob with a specific weight to improve accuracy of acceleration measurement. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the thickness of the sensor chip as opposed to other semiconductor chips. Consequently, the height of the chip accommodation space is dominantly determined by the thickness of the sensor chip, thereby making it difficult to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor package of the semiconductor acceleration sensor.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor package with a small thickness for accommodating a sensor chip. Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor package for accommodating a sensor chip, in which it is possible to reduce a strain in a base plate of the semiconductor package.
Further objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


Disclosed is an open ocean farm structure for attachment of macroalgal plants. The farm structure is made up of linear elements connected with nodes to form a three dimensional truss. The linear elements are composed of tubes containing solid rods which are screw connected to the nodes. The ends of the tubes abut the nodes so that screwing the rods into the nodes puts the tubes in compression. The truss structure thus formed is strong and flexible. Because the truss structure is made of tubes having minimal cross-sectional area, the structure is relatively transparent to the forces of wave motion.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a free floating open ocean farming system which produces and harvests macroalgal plants for production of methane and carbon dioxide gases and, more particularly, to a platform structure used to grow the macroalgal plants.
2. Description of Related Art
There is presently a growing concern that continued unabated emissions of carbon dioxide may lead to a global temperature rise or other climatic change. Over the past 100 years, anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel use have added approximately 150 gigatons of carbon to the earth's atmosphere. This quantity represents approximately a 25 percent increase over the pre-anthropogenic level. If current projected increases in energy use continue throughout the twenty-first century, it will be extremely difficult to limit maximum carbon dioxide concentration in the earth's atmosphere to twice the pre-anthropogenic levels; i.e. 600 parts per million. Use of the natural algae carbon cycle to refossilize carbon dioxide has been proposed in the articles, "Algal Refossilization of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide", EAR-7401, July, 1991 Neushul Mariculture, Inc. September 1990 and "A Summary Description of the Second Workshop on the Role of Macroalgal Oceanic Farming in Global Change," Electric Power Research Institute, Report OCBD 7303, (Jul. 23, 24, 1990). In order to seriously consider large-scale carbon dioxide mitigation of 5 to 10 gigatons of carbon annually, it will be necessary to develop large-scale phytomass production systems. Terrestrial systems are limited to perhaps 2-3 gigatons of carbon uptake per year and may not sequester this carbon for periods of centuries. Therefore, it will be necessary if the global carbon buildup affects the global climate as projected, to develop large-scale oceanic based carbon absorption, sequestering, and displacement systems. One such system is that disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 07/956,944, commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application, and hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Open ocean macroalgal farms require a base structure to hold the plants. A variety of macroalgal farm structures for application on the continental shelves or the open ocean have been proposed and, in a few cases, tested in the past. Many of these structures have been destroyed when deployed in open oceans. A successful structure must be able to dissipate very high quantities of energy in order to withstand the forces associated with "orbiting" motions when the system is allowed to drift in a circular pattern. Therefore, it is apparent that what is needed is a macroalgal farm system having satisfactory structural design to retain the algal mat and withstand the tremendous forces imposed by the sea.

Submerged platform structure for open ocean macroalgal farm systems