The present invention describes a catalyst support, which is used as an inorganic carrier for a Ziegler-Nata catalyst (ZN), using a modified spray cooling method. Such a catalyst support is prepared from alcoholic solutions of (a) an inorganic compound, in which the inorganic compound is a magnesium compound and (b) an inorganic compound and one or more additives. The solutions are prepared at a temperature below 100° C., carried through a nozzle placed inside a reactor, and sprayed into droplets forming a solid precipitate, which is generally spherical, when in contact with an inert hydrocarbon solvent at low temperature. The obtained catalyst support is reacted with a titanium compound, preferably titanium tetrachloride, in order to produce an active catalyst for olefin polymerization.

Catalytic supports based on magnesium compounds, particularly magnesium chloride (MgCl2), are the most effective for the production of Ziegler-Natta (ZN) catalysts for olefin polymerization. Perhaps one of the main advantages to use an inorganic carrier for a ZN catalyst is the control of the morphology, which enables the production of polymer with predictable shape, bulk density and particle size distribution due to the replica phenomenon. Given the importance of the support nature and its crystallization, it is important to explore alternatives routes for support preparation.
Since the early 1970s, the patent literature and scientific articles have described routes to prepare spherical support from magnesium halides. One of the most important and widely used routes to obtain spherical and porous particles is by oil emulsion. This method is described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,469,648, 4,399,054, 5,578,541, and 6,861,385. Such documents describe a catalyst obtained from a support based on the formation of an emulsion of a fused product between MgCl2 and alcohol at high temperature (120° C.) and pressure (9.8 bar) followed by subsequent precipitation of this emulsion in a non-solvent medium at low temperature. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,152 teaches that a long contact period (longer than 10 hours) is required for a complete melting between the mixture components in oil (MgCl2 and alcohol).
In another approach, spherical particles are obtained through a Spray-Drying technique, as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,982,237, EP0123767, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,376,062, and 4,311,817. In this case, the solution is fed to the equipment by pumping and passing it through an atomizer at high temperature. The solvent evaporates in a chamber to form spherical dried particles. The product is separated in the cyclone from the gas and it is collected in a vessel followed by a solvent recovering step from the upper part of the cyclone. However, in this process it is necessary to control several parameters, for example; feeding rate, gas flow to spray, temperature of gas flow to spray, flow rate of carrier gas in a chamber, and temperature of carrier gas. Additionally, this process involves evaporation of the solvent for subsequent precipitation of the solid, which contributes to the particle formation. Thus, this technique is highly dependent on experimental conditions. For example, rapid removal of alcohol can lead to formation of fragile hollow particles, which are not suitable for the production of ZN catalysts due to the poor mechanical strength of the particles.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,674 describes catalyst supports which are obtained through a similar Spray-Drying technique. It describes the application of a solution of MgCl2 with alcohol, which is heated from 40 to 100° C. This solution is then dispersed through a spray nozzle and the solvent evaporates at high temperature, approximately 180° C. In this case, a large amount of solvent is carried into the Spray -Dryer, reducing the holding capacity of the solvent (vapor) in the gas stream and which may result in high content of the solvent in the final product. It is worth noting that limited information was given concerning the support morphology in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,674, and the catalyst obtained was evaluated only for ethylene polymerization carried out at low pressure.
Another route to spherical support production is through a Spray-Cooling technique, as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,034. A solution, suspension or melted product is atomized into a spray of fine droplets of spherical shape inside a spray cooling chamber. In this case the droplets meet the inert gas stream at low temperature, which solidifies the droplets. A mixture of magnesium compound, alcohol, and internal electron donor in molten state is then pumped to a nozzle and sprayed droplets meet the cold inert gas or fluid, which flows from bottom to top of the spray cooling chamber, to form spherical particles. European Patent EP0700936 describes a process for producing a solid catalyst component for olefin gas phase polymerization from a mixture of a magnesium compound with an alcohol which is sprayed in a molten state into a spray column. Simultaneously, the inside of the spray column is cooled down to a temperature at which a solid component (B) is obtained without any substantial vaporization of the alcohol in the mixture (A), to obtain the solid (B), followed by partial removal of the alcohol from the solid (B) between 20° C. and 60° C. under reduced pressure, to obtain a solid component (C).
In both cases a molten mixture is used and sprayed into a spray column containing a gas or fluid at low temperature to obtain a solid component catalyst. In this process, like the Spray-Drying process, is necessary to control many variables such as: feeding rate, gas flow to spray, flow rate of carrier gas in a chamber, temperature of the carrier gas, heated pipe for transferring the solution above 100° C., homogeneity of gas throughout the system, temperature control to maintain the gas supply, and the precipitation chamber. All these factors may lead to a more complex and expensive process.
In yet another approach, patent application WO2014095523A1 describes the use of a spray cooling technique as an alternative process to solidify a fused Mg(OR1)2 and alcohol adduct in a cold liquid, in the absence of an inert liquid dispersant. The melted mixture of Mg(OR1)2 and alcohol could be sprayed through a device in a low temperature environment to cause the solidification of particles. Thus, it suggests that the support preparation process undergoes processing under high temperature and pressure conditions.


Implantable medical devices automatically switch from a normal mode of operation to an exposure mode of operation and back to the normal mode of operation. The implantable medical devices may utilize hysteresis timers in order to determine if entry and/or exit criteria for the exposure mode are met. The implantable medical devices may utilize additional considerations for entry to the exposure mode such as a confirmation counter or a moving buffer of sensor values. The implantable medical devices may utilize additional considerations for exiting the exposure mode of operation and returning to the normal mode, such as total time in the exposure mode, patient position, and high voltage source charge time in the case of devices with defibrillation capabilities.

Implantable medical devices may perform various functions in order to deliver modes of therapy to a patient. For example, cardiac stimulation devices like pacemakers and defibrillators may sense electrical physiologic signals in some modes of therapy in addition to providing electrical pacing signals to one or more chambers of the heart. Some modes of therapy that sense a physiologic signal then use that signal when determining how to control the pacing signal.
Patients that have an implantable medical device may be exposed to magnetic disturbances like those caused by MRI scans or other medical procedures. These magnetic disturbances may result in the device sensing signals that are not actually physiologic but are artificially created by the magnetic disturbances. If the device is allowed to control the pacing signal based on the sensed artificial signal, then the pacing signal may be inappropriate or even harmful for the patient. Therefore, it is commonplace to utilize an exposure mode of therapy during such disturbances. For example, one type of exposure mode deactivates sensing or otherwise ignores the sensed signal and paces asynchronously in a pre-defined pacing configuration with a pre-defined pacing rate. Other types of exposure modes may also be used, such as triggered pacing by filtering externally produced noise from the sensed signal.
Conventionally, the exposure mode of operation is triggered by a clinician using an external device to communicate with the implantable medical device. For example, immediately prior to a patient having an implantable medical device entering an MRI scan, a clinician may program that implantable medical device to enter the exposure mode. Likewise, upon exiting the MRI scan, the clinician then programs the implantable medical device to switch back to a normal mode of operation.
This manual process of entering and exiting the exposure mode of operation presents potential issues. For instance, there is the possibility of human error. Should the fact that the patient has an implantable medical device not be recognized by the personnel responsible for the MRI scan, a clinician may not be present to program the device to enter the exposure mode. Even if the clinician is present, there could be a mistake in programming the device to enter the exposure mode. Furthermore, requiring the clinician to be present to program the device is an added expense to the MM scan procedure.

Methods and implantable medical devices for automatic entry to an exposure mode of operation upon exposure to a magnetic disturbance


A synthetic acid composition for use in oil industry activities is disclosed. The composition in a preferred embodiment comprises urea and hydrogen chloride in a molar ratio of not less than 0.1:1; and a metal iodide or iodate. Optionally, a phosphonic acid derivative may be added to the composition.

In the oil & gas industry, stimulation with an acid is performed on a well to increase or restore production. In some instances, a well initially exhibits low permeability, and stimulation is employed to commence production from the reservoir. In other instances, stimulation is used to further encourage permeability and flow from an already existing well that has become under-productive.
Acidizing is a type of stimulation treatment which is performed above or below the reservoir fracture pressure in an effort to restore or increase the natural permeability of the reservoir rock. Acidizing is achieved by pumping acid into the well to dissolve typically limestone, dolomite and calcite cement between the sediment grains of the reservoir rocks.
There are three major types of acid applications: matrix acidizing, fracture acidizing, and breakdown acidizing (pumped prior to a fracturing pad or cement operation in order to assist with formation breakdown (reduce fracture pressures, increased feed rates), as well as clean up left over cement in the well bore or perforations. A matrix acid treatment is performed when acid is pumped into the well and into the pores of the reservoir formation below the fracture pressure. In this form of acidization, the acids dissolve the sediments and mud solids that are inhibiting the permeability of the rock, enlarging the natural pores of the reservoir (wormholing) and stimulating flow of hydrocarbons. While matrix acidizing is done at a low enough pressure to keep from fracturing the reservoir rock, fracture acidizing involves pumping highly pressurized acid into the well, physically fracturing the reservoir rock and etching the permeability inhibitive sediments. This type of acid treatment forms channels or fractures through which the hydrocarbons can flow, in addition to forming a series of wormholes.
There are many different mineral and organic acids used to perform an acid treatment on wells. The most common type of acid employed on wells to stimulate production is hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is useful in stimulating carbonate reservoirs.
Some of the major challenges faced in the oil & gas industry from using hydrochloric acid include the following: extremely high levels of corrosion (which is countered by the addition of 'filming' type corrosion inhibitors that are typically themselves toxic and harmful to humans, the environment and equipment) reactions between acids and various types of metals can vary greatly but softer metals, such as aluminum and magnesium, are very susceptible to major effects causing immediate damage. Hydrochloric acid produces hydrogen chloride gas which is toxic (potentially fatal) and corrosive to skin, eyes and metals. At levels above 50 ppm (parts per million) it can be Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDHL). At levels from 1300-2000 ppm death can occur in 2-3 minutes.
The inherent environmental effects (organic sterility, poisoning of wildlife etc.) of acids in the event of an unintended or accidental release on surface or downhole into water aquifers or other sources of water are devastating which can cause significant pH reduction of such and can substantially increase the toxicity and could potentially cause a mass culling of aquatic species and potential poisoning of humans or livestock and wildlife exposed to/or drinking the water. An unintended release at surface can also cause a hydrogen chloride gas cloud to be released, potentially endangering human and animal health. This is a common event at large storage sites when tanks split or leak. Typically if near the public, large areas need to be evacuated post event. Because of its acidic nature, hydrogen chloride gas is also corrosive, particularly in the presence of moisture.
The inability for acids and blends of such to biodegrade naturally without neutralizing the soil results in expensive cleanup-reclamation costs for the operator should an unintended release occur. Moreover, the toxic fumes produced by mineral & organic acids are harmful to humans/animals and are highly corrosive and/or potentially explosive. Transportation and storage requirements for acids are restrictive and taxing in such that you must haul the products in acid approved tankers or intermediate bulk containers (IBC) that are rated to handle such corrosive products. As well, the dangers surrounding exposure by personnel handling the blending of such corrosive/dangerous products limits their use/implementation.
Another concern is the potential for exposure incidents on locations due to high corrosion levels of acids causing storage container failures and/or deployment equipment failures i.e. coiled tubing or treatment iron failures caused by high corrosion rates (pitting, cracks, pinholes and major failures). Other concerns include: downhole equipment failures from corrosion causing the operator to have to execute a work-over and replace down hole pumps, tubing, cables, packers etc.; inconsistent strength or quality level of mineral & organic acids; potential supply issues based on industrial output levels; high levels of corrosion on surface pumping equipment resulting in expensive repair and maintenance levels for operators and service companies; the requirement of specialized equipment that is purpose built to pump acids greatly increasing the capital expenditures of operators and service companies; and the inability to source a finished product locally or very near its end use; transportation and onsite storage difficulties.
Typically, acids are produced in industrial areas of countries located far from oil & gas applications, up to 10 additives can be required to control various aspects of the acids properties adding to complications in the handling and shipping logistics. Having an alternative that requires minimal additives is very advantageous.
Large price fluctuations of conventional mineral and organic acids based on industrial output capacity causes end users the inability to establish long term cost controls of their respective budgets.
Extremely high corrosion and reaction rates with temperature increase causes conventional acids to "spend/react or become neutral" prior to achieving its desired effect such as penetrating an oil or gas formation to increase the wormhole "pathway" effectively to allow the petroleum product to flow freely to the surface. As an example, hydrochloric acid or a "mud acid" can be utilized in an attempt to free stuck drill pipe in some situations. Prior to getting to the required depth to dissolve the formation that has caused the pipe/tubing to become stuck many acids spend or neutralize due to increased bottom hole temperatures and increased reaction rate, so it is advantageous to have an alternative that spends or reacts more methodically allowing the slough to be treated with a solution that is still active, allowing the pipe/tubing to be pulled free.
When used to treat scaling issues on surface due to water contamination, conventional acids are exposed to human and mechanical devices as well as expensive pumping equipment causing increased risk for the operator and corrosion effects that damage equipment and create hazardous fumes. When mixed with bases or higher pH fluids, acids will create a large amount of thermal energy (exothermic reaction) causing potential safety concerns and equipment damage, acids typically need to be blended with fresh water (due to their intolerance of highly saline water, causing potential precipitation of minerals) to the desired concentration requiring companies to pre-blend off-site as opposed to blending on-site with field/produced water thereby increasing costs associated with transportation.
Conventional mineral acids used in a pH control situation can cause rapid degradation of certain polymers/additives requiring increased loadings or chemicals to be added to counter these negative effects. Many offshore areas of operations have very strict regulatory rules regarding the transportation/handling and deployment of acids causing increased liability and costs for the operator. When using an acid to pickle tubing or pipe, very careful attention must be paid to the process due to high levels of corrosion, as temperatures increase, the typical additives used to control corrosion levels in acid systems begin to degrade very quickly (due to the inhibitors "plating out" on the steel) causing the acids to become very corrosive and resulting in damage to downhole equipment/tubulars. Conventional acids are also very destructive to most elastomers found in the oil & gas industry such as those found in blow out preventers (BOP's)/downhole tools/packers/submersible pumps/seals etc. Having to deal with spent acid during the back flush process is also very expensive as these acids typically are still at a low pH and remain toxic. It is advantageous to have an acid blend that can be exported to production facilities through pipelines that once spent or applied, is commonly close to a neutral pH greatly reducing disposal costs/fees.
Acids perform many actions in the oil & gas industry and are considered necessary to achieve the desired production of various petroleum wells, maintain their respective systems and aid in certain functions (i.e. freeing stuck pipe). The associated dangers that come with using acids are expansive and tasking to mitigate through controls whether they are chemically or mechanically engineered.
Eliminating or even simply reducing the negative effects of acids while maintaining their usefulness is a struggle for the industry. As the public demand for the use of cleaner/safer/greener products increases, companies are looking for alternatives that perform the required function without all or most of the drawbacks associated with the use of conventional acids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,852 discloses compositions containing 5 to 75% of urea, 5 to 85% of sulfuric acid and from 5 to 75% of water. These compositions are said to have reduced corrosivity to carbon steels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,042 discloses compositions comprising a polyphosphoric acid-urea condensate or polymer which results from the reaction of orthophosphoric acid and urea used in the removal of etching residue containing organometal residues.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,912 discloses compositions containing hydrochloric acid, urea, a complex substituted keto-amine-hydrochloride, an alcohol, an ethoxylate and a ketone for use to clean surfaces having cementitious compositions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,430,971 and 8,580,047 disclose and claim compositions containing specific amounts of hydrochloric acid (55% by wt); urea (42% by wt), a complex substituted keto-amine-hydrochloride (0.067% by wt); propargyl alcohol (0.067% by wt); an ethoxylated nonylphenyl (0.022% by wt); methyl vinyl ketone (0.022% by wt); acetone (0.0022% by wt); and acetophenone (0.0022% by wt) for use in specific oil industry applications, namely oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,279 discloses a composition containing urea hydrochloride prepared by mixing urea and hydrochloric acid. Urea hydrochloride is used to remove scale in hot water boilers and other industrial equipment such as papermaking equipment. Scale is caused by the presence of calcium carbonate which is poorly soluble in water and tends to accumulate on surfaces and affect equipment exposed to it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,893 teaches gelled acid compositions comprising a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of galactomannans such as guar gum, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, gum ghatti, gum acacia, gum konjak, shariz, locus, psyllium, tamarind, gum tara, carrageenan, gum kauri, modified guars such as hydroxypropyl guar, hydroxyethyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar and alkoxylated amines. This patent teaches that presence of urea has a marked impact on the viscosity of the gelled acid and the gelled acid compositions are used in fracking activities.
Some of the disadvantages related to the use of prior art compositions include: inability to export spent product to production facilities due to incompatibilities with fluids/equipment etc. the need to flow or pump the product out of the well and dispose of it prior to bringing the well back on-line; increased transportation/logistics/storage requirements/costs; decreased tolerance for high salinity fluids. When flowback (high salinity) water is used to manufacture crosslinked gels, care must be taken because the water may contain residual breaker. This increases the logistics requirements of potentially requiring the use of fresh water and additional chemistry.
Since several operations in the oil industry expose fluids and equipment to very high temperatures (some upward of 200° C.), the compositions used in these various operations need to withstand these high temperatures without losing their effectiveness. These compositions must be capable of being used in operations over a broad range of temperatures while not affecting or minimally affecting the equipment with which it comes in contact.
Synthetic acid compositions are mostly applicable in the cleaning industry. However, such compositions require the additional of a number of various chemical compounds which are dangerous in their undiluted states. The physical process to make such cleaning compositions involves multiple steps of mixing, blending and dilution. The present invention proposes the removal of certain chemicals used which would rationalize the process to make the compositions of the present invention and therefore render the manufacturing process safer from a production point of view. Moreover, it was discovered that the composition according to the present invention exhibits stability for operations at elevated temperature (above 65° C.) and therefore makes them useful in the oil and gas industry. The composition according to the present invention can ideally be used in various oilfield operations, such as: spearhead breakdown acid, acid fracturing operations, injection-disposal well treatments, scale removal treatments (surface and subsurface-, equipment, pipelines, facilities), formation filter cake removal, tubing pickling, matrix acid squeezes and soaks, cement squeeze breakdowns, fluid pH control, stuck pipe operations, and coiled tubing acid washes, soaks, squeezes.
While propargyl alcohol has noted utility in the oil and gas industry, exposure to it through various routes such as inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact may lead to symptoms including skin irritation, mucous membrane; central nervous system depression, liver, and kidney damage. Propargyl alcohol has no significant environmental impact when released into bodies of water or in soil (or sand) formations. However, given the substantial list of hazards related to human exposure it is preferable to prepare compositions which do not contain this chemical.
Alcohols and derivatives thereof, such as alkyne alcohols and derivatives and preferably propargyl alcohol and derivatives thereof can be used as corrosion inhibitors. Propargyl alcohol itself is traditionally used as a corrosion inhibitor which is effective at low concentrations. It is a toxic/flammable chemical to handle as a concentrate, so care must be taken during handling the concentrate. In the composition according to the present invention, the toxic effect does not negatively impact the safety of the composition.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a composition for use in the oil and gas industry activities which do not contain propargyl alcohol. This would streamline the manufacture of said composition and would prevent any unnecessary exposure to this chemical by both the manufacturers of the composition and the users thereof.
Consequently, there is still a need for compositions for use in the oil industry which can be used over a range of applications which can decrease a number of the associated dangers/issues typically associated with acid applications to the extent that these acid compositions are considered much safer for handling on worksites.
The present invention provides a simpler manufacturing process and abridged synthetic acid compositions for use in high volume operations such as operations in oilfields.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Synthetic acid compositions alternatives to conventional acids in the oil and gas industry


This application describes devices which have a first softer formable state, and the second stiffer shape-retaining shape and which are capable of repeatable transition from the first state to the second state (or vice versa) on demand. The device comprises:. (a) a hollow body having at least partial flexibility and being capable of containing a plurality of particular material therein; PA1 (b) a plurality of particular material permanently located within said hollow body; PA1 (c) a fluid medium in the hollow body and intermixed with the particulate material when the device is in its first state, and removed at least partly from the hollow body and the particulate material when the device is in its second state; PA1 (d) fluid transfer means for removing the fluid medium from the hollow body and the particulate material or to return the fluid medium thereto in a predetermined manner, thereby being adapted to transform the device from the first state to the second state and vice versa; and, PA1 (e) a fluid medium receptor located within said hollow body and connected to said fluid transfer means. As the fluid medium is transferred out of the hollow body, the individual elements of the particulate material are becoming capable of mutual interaction and the device gets into its second, shape-retaining shape. p1 As a rule, the fluid medium can be transferred into (or from) a fluid medium receiver. The receiver is advantageously located within the hollow body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices with variable stiffness, and more specifically to such devices which have a first state which is plastically deformable or flexible or at least semi-flexible, and a second state which is less deformable or flexible than the first state. Such devices have diverse applications, e.g., for items which should be flexible for shaping, inserting, removing, opening, closing, and other physical movement, but which should be less flexible or even rigid when movement is completed and some rigidity is required. These devices may include medical devices, e.g., casts, implants, surgical devices, physiological control devices, etc.; footwear, e.g., shoes, sneakers, ski boots; headwear and sportswear, such as shoulder pads, helmet padding; furniture, e.g., seats, beds of selected firmness, shapable chairs; protective structures for goods, e.g., shaping a package to an odd shaped device; as well as other engineering and special application products.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
There have been numerous devices developed over the years which have two states, one flexible, the other rigid, and the principle of having a flexible, deformable or flowable material set in place is well known. Thus, there are plasters, amalgams, spackle, concrete, plastics, blow foams and other materials that enable a user to first shape and then set a material for custom or specialty results. However, few are capable of increased rigidity on demand, and rely-upon their own physical characteristics, e.g., drying time, polymerization or reaction time, etc. These may be slowed or sped up but cannot usually be activated on demand without the need to add a catalyst, heat, air or the like.
Further, these are even fewer devices available or known which have a formable state and a rigid state and these states are repeatable at will, e.g., the device may be cyclable back and forth between the two states. Inflatables are one exception and liquid fillable devices are another, e.g., a waterbed is readily deformable unfilled and more rigid filled. However, the inflation by water or other fluids has severe limitations due to the inherent fluid properties.
Moreover, inflation increases the device volume and the content of the pressurized medium can be inconvenient or even hazardous in some situations.
Some systems which could change its mechanical properties "on demand" can be useful in many practical applications. Since the change is due to an interaction of the material with an external impulse, they may be referred to as "interactive materials" for short.
They are a sub-class of so called "smart materials" or "smart systems" which are capable of changing their properties in general (optical, electrical, mechanical, magnetic, etc.) in response to an impulse. The "smart materials" include devices such as non-linear optical, opto-electric and piezo-electric materials. From the systems changing their mechanical properties, well-known interactive materials are the "electro-rheological fluids" which increase their viscosity (or even solidify) if placed in an external electric field. They can be used in clutches and transmissions; in hydraulic systems; in "smart structures" damping mechanical vibrations or reacting on an external stress; and are contemplated for many other uses. They have several limitations. The "solid state" is actually a rather soft gel with a relatively low yield stress. This makes them suitable only for a limited number of applications. Second, the electric field intensity required is rather high (around kV per millimeter or more). Third, some of the fluids require a certain narrow temperature range for their optimum function.
In the spite of these limitations, the systems based on the electro-rheological fluids attracted considerable interest in recent years.
Another type of known interactive system with changing properties "on demand" are so called memory materials (which are both polymers or metals). They change mechanical properties if heated over a certain temperature, and return from their "deformed" to their "inherent" shape. These systems have several inherent limitations. The change of state is triggered by reaching a certain pre-set temperature only; and the change of state (or shape) is irreversible. In spite of these limitations, these materials have numerous uses: intraocular lenses for small incision; spectacle frames; safety valves; safety switches; surgical instruments; micro-alignment devices fiber-optic splices; connectors; clamps; fasteners and many other uses.
Still another type of materials changing mechanical properties in response to the environmental changes are hydrogels. Dry, rigid "xerogels" can swell in water and change into soft, elastic hydrogels. The main limitation is the obvious dependence on the presence of water. Another limitation for some applications is the change of mass and size due to the swelling. Still another limitation is the rather lengthy and "one-way" swelling process. In spite of these limitations, hydrogels have found number of applications using this change of properties in the presence of water: seals, dilators, sensors, surgical devices insertable into body cavities (e.g., catheters) etc.
The present invention, on the other hand, relies upon an opposite mechanism, e.g., the removal of fluid to impart rigidity, and the inclusion of fluid to enhance flexibility or formability. Thus, notwithstanding the existence of flexible rigid devices, none show or suggest the present invention device using the aforesaid mechanism.

Structural devices with changing mechanical properties responsive to external forces


Monoazo based yellow pigment compositions for image recording that are suitable as a well-balanced yellow coloring agent for image recording with favorable reproducibility of images and image retaining capacity, which is inexpensive and excellent in safety are provided. Provided is a yellow pigment composition for image recording which includes a monoazo yellow base pigment represented by the general formula (1): and a particular disazo yellow pigment having a sulfonic acid group and/or a particular monoazo yellow pigment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to yellow pigment compositions for image recording, and processes for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to yellow pigment compositions for image recording for use in color image formation in electronic photographs, electrostatic printing processes, ink jet systems and the like, and processes for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In color image formation in electronic photographs, electrostatic printing processes, ink jet systems and the like, the following characteristics, i.e., optical characteristics such as hue, transparency, tinctorial strength and the like, as well as durability such as light resistance, heat resistance, solvent resistance and the like are required in order to achieve reproducibility of color imaging which exhibits favorable quality. In addition, also characteristics involving absence of problems in connection with mutagenicity which results from the coloring agent, safety of decomposed products and the like are concomitantly required. Hence, it is preferred that the coloring agent for use is a pigment rather than a dye in general, in light of durability. Examples of the yellow pigment which has been used include e.g., benzidine based disazo pigments such as C. I. Pigment Yellow 12, 13, 17 and 831; condensed azo pigments such as C. I. Pigment Yellow 93, 95, 128, 151, 154, 155 and 180.
However, the benzidine based disazo pigments are preferable in respect of reproducibility of a color image which is predominantly affected by optical characteristics such as hue, transparency, tinctorial strength and the like, but is not preferable in respect of image retaining capacity which is predominantly affected by light resistance. Further, safety thereof is also in question due to decomposition products resulting from the benzidines. On the other hand, condensed azo pigments are satisfactory in retaining capacity of images and safety in comparison with benzidine based disazo pigments, however, they have drawbacks such as high cost, insufficient reproducibility of a color image and the like, with additional problems of dispersibility. Hence, they have good and bad points, respectively, under the present circumstances.
As a process for improving dispersibility of an azo pigment, for example, use of an azo based dispersion has been proposed (Patent Document 1:JP-A No. 7-126546). However, this azo based dispersion is effective in instances where the particle size of the pigment in paints, inks and the like is 1 to 20 μm, but the dispersing effect is not sufficient in color image formation in electronic photographs, electrostatic printing processes, ink jet systems and the like, because pigments for use therein have a further smaller particle size.

Yellow pigment composition for image recording and process for producing the same


In one example, a sand core for use in a sand casting process includes a core body including a sand composition, the sand composition including sand and a binder; and a burnable fuse extending within the core body along a path and out of a surface of the core body, wherein the burnable fuse is configured such that when the fuse is ignited, the fuse burns within the core body to substantially remove the fuse and form a venting tunnel along the path within the core body with an opening in the surface.

Metal casting involves pouring molten metal or alloy into a mold, and allowing the poured molten material to cool and solidify into an object shaped by the mold. The object may be retrieved from the mold, for example, by breaking or disassembling the mold. Sand casting is a type of metal casting that employs sand as part of the material defining the mold.


The present invention relates to bacteria which can be used as biological control agents for soybean diseases such as those caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. These biological control agents are specific strains of Bacillus megaterium and can also be used for enhancement of soybean plant growth and yield, as well as for the production of antibiotics directed toward crop fungal diseases.

The soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, was domesticated by the farmers in the eastern half of northern China during the Shang dynasty (ca. 1700-1100 B.C.), and first introduced to North America in 1765 by Samuel Bowen, a seaman employed by the East India Company, from China via London to Savannah (in the colony of Georgia). He manufactured soy sauce and exported it to London. In 1851, soybeans were introduced into the midwestern U.S. by Dr. Benjamin F. Edwards, who gave them to J. H. Lea, of Alton, Ill., who planted them in his garden. By 1854, soybeans had been disseminated throughout the United States.
World oilseed production for 1987-88 was estimated at a record 202 million tons, with soybeans accounting for half the total crop. The United States produced 51.8 million tons of soybeans, representing over 51% of world production. Brazil had a record harvest of 18.5 million tons, and the People's Republic of China harvested 11.8 million tons. The fourth highest producer was Argentina with 8.5 million tons.
In 1987, the worldwide loss to soybean diseases was estimated at 10.3 million metric tons. Losses in the United States were estimated at 50-60 million dollars in 1986 (estimates vary, depending upon market price). More than 100 pathogens are known to affect soybeans; about 35 are important economically. Some of the most important are those that cause damage to the roots and crowns of soybeans. One of the most important root and crown rot diseases are those caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Rhizoctonia diseases, including pre- and post-emergence damping-off, root and stem decay, and leaf and bud blight, have been reported in all soybean-growing areas of the world. Pre- and post-emergence damping-off and root decay can reduce stands by as much as 50% and losses of up to 40% have been recorded in Brazil and the U.S. The causal fungus has a wide host range, which includes field crops, vegetables, ornamentals, and fruit crops.
Pre-emergence blight caused by R. solani occurs immediately after the seedling emerges from the seed. The sprouted seed is killed and decayed by the causal fungus. Damping-off can occur a few days after emergence. Reddish-brown lesions appear at the base of the seedling stem and on roots just below the soil line. These may enlarge into sunken lesions, which may girdle the stem. Lesions and cankers may so weaken the stem that plants break off in mid-season or die. Decay may continue intermittently throughout the growing season, with continuing death of plants. Infected plants that survive show some yield reduction.
R. solani is primarily a soil inhabitant and has excellent saprophytic ability. The fungus can overseason in the absence of the host, and colonizes all types of plant debris. Growth in soil depends on nutrient supply, soil moisture, temperature, pH, and competition from other soil microorganisms. The population of the fungus generally is distributed mainly in the upper 10 cm (centimeters) of the soil, decreasing with depth to about 50 cm below the surface. When environmental conditions are optimal for the fungus, disease severity is directly related to inoculum potential. An inoculum density of 100 ug of mycelia/gram of soil can cause severe disease in soybeans. The fungus produces pectolytic and proteolytic enzymes which play a role in disease pathology.
There is no natural resistance to R. solani in soybeans or any other crop. An integrated disease management program has been used heretofore against this fungus which includes agronomic practices as well as fungicide seed protectants. The seed protectants which may be used alone or in combination with other fungicides for this purpose are: quintozene (pentachloronitrobenzene, Terraclor) or carboxin (DCMO, Vitavax) . Both, but particularly quintozene, cause delayed emergence and growth of seedlings. An integrated disease management program is required, which would include the use of a suppressive biological control agent. The present invention details the use of such an agent, and in particular, the use of particular Bacillus megaterium strains as biological control agents for R. solani.
The agricultural use of B. megaterium has been previously reported for disease control in rice and cotton. Inhibition of Drechslera oryzae, which causes brown spot disease in rice, by B. megaterium, and subsequent control of the disease was reported with regular spraying of a bacterial suspension. In field studies, spraying with a suspension of B. megaterium reduced rice disease incidence and resulted in better growth and higher rice yields [Islam, K. Z., et al. (1985) Z. Pflkrankh. Pflschutz (Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection) 92:241-246]. The use of a suspension of B. megaterium reduced the number of cotton plants killed by Phymatotrichum omnivorum, cause of cotton root rot, by 25% with a resulting yield increase in lint of 24% over the control [Cook, C. G. , et al. (1987), Proc. Beltwide Cotton Production--Mechanization Research Conf. Memphis, p. 43-45.]
Antibiotic production from B. megaterium has been observed. Berdy (CRC Handbook of Antibiotic Compounds, Vols. I-XIV, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., 1980-1987) reports production of such antibiotics as ansamitocin-PDM-O, bacimethrin, megacin, pentapeptide, homopeptides. These are proteide antibiotics having relatively low mammalian toxicity. Additionally, B. megaterium was reported to inhibit three fungal pathogens of the rice phylloplane with the active fungicidal component being an antibiotic with a lipopeptide and polyoxin nature [Islam, K. Z., et al. (1985) Z. Pflkrankh und Pflschutz 92:233-240].
A variety of other uses for B. megaterium and its metabolites have been reported, including oxidation of selenium, phosphate solubilization, production of vitamin B.sub.12 in corn meal and the ability to degrade the herbicide metolachlor. The use of any B. megaterium strains to inhibit fungal growth, disease or infection in soybeans has not been described or reported.
In laboratory culture studies, one B. megaterium strain was found to oxidize selenium to selenite and a trace of selenate. This may be an important means of providing sufficient selenium to herbage to ultimately prevent selenium deficiency in animals [Sarathchandra, S. U., et al. (1981) Science 211:600-601]. A product, Phosphabacterin, from the U.S.S.R. and containing cells of B. megaterium var. phosphaticum, was used in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe for the bacterization of crops to exploit the phosphate solubilization properties of the bacterium. Additional studies using the phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms on various crops in field studies were reported in India [Subba-Rao, N. S., (1982) in Advances in Agricultural Microbiology (N. S. Subbao-Rao, ed.) p. 219-242, Oxford Press, New Delhi: Oxford]. Various B. megaterium strains or isolates have been reported to produce vitamin B.sub.12 in corn meal [Chung, H. J. et al. (1986) J. Food Sci. 51:1514-1517] or to degrade metolachlor [Saxena, A. et al. (1989) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53:340-396] .

Bacillus megetarium ATCC 55000 and method of use thereof to control R. solani


A data array 20 to be stored is first divided into a plurality of blocks 21. Each block 21 is further sub-divided into a set of sub-blocks 22, and a set of data for each sub-block 22 is then stored in one or more body blocks 25. A header data block 23 is stored for each block 21 at a predictable memory address within a header buffer 24. Each header data block contains pointer data indicating the position within a body block 25 where the data for the sub-blocks for the block 21 that that header data block 23 relates to is stored, and data indicating the size of the stored data for each respective sub-block 22.

The technology described herein relates to a method of and apparatus for storing data in memory in data processing systems, and in particular to such a method and apparatus for use to store texture data and frame buffer data in computer graphics processing systems.
It is common in computer graphics systems to generate colours for sampling positions in the image to be displayed by applying so-called textures or texture data to the surfaces to be drawn. For example, surface detail on objects may be generated by applying a predefined "texture" to a set of polygons representing the object, to give the rendered image of the object the appearance of the "texture". Such textures are typically applied by storing an array of texture elements or "texels", each representing given texture data (such as colour, luminance, and/or light/shadow, etc. values), and then mapping the texels onto the corresponding elements, such as (and, indeed, typically) a set of sampling positions, for the image to be displayed. The stored arrays of texture elements (data) are typically referred to as "texture maps".
Such arrangements can provide high image quality, but have a number of drawbacks. In particular, the storage of the texture data and accessing it in use can place, e.g., high storage and bandwidth requirements on a graphics processing device (or conversely lead to a loss in performance where such requirements are not met). This is particularly significant for mobile and handheld devices that perform graphics processing, as such devices are inherently limited in their, e.g., storage, bandwidth and power resources and capabilities.
It is known therefore to try to store such texture data in a "compressed" form so as to try to reduce, e.g., the storage and bandwidth burden that may be imposed on a device.
A further consideration when storing texture data (whether compressed or not) for use in graphics processing is that typically the graphics processing system will need to be able to access the stored texture data in a random access fashion (as it will not be known in advance which part or parts of the texture map will be required at any particular time). This places a further constraint on the storage of the texture data, as it is accordingly desirable to be able to store the texture data in a manner that is suitable for (and efficient for) random access to the stored data. This problem can be exacerbated where the size of the stored texture data in memory can vary, e.g. because the compression rate applied to the texture data is variable.
One way to facilitate random access to texture data is to store the texture data in memory on a block-by-block basis, at fixed memory locations, with each block being allocated sufficient memory space to store the maximum size any block to be stored could require (after any compression). However, the Applicants have recognised that this could be relatively wasteful of memory space, e.g., if not all blocks were to require the maximum possible memory space.
The Applicants accordingly believe that there remains scope for, and a need for, more efficient arrangements for storing data, such as texture data for use in graphics processing, in memory.

Methods of and apparatus for storing data in memory in data processing systems


An ejection inspecting device which inspects an ejection state of an ejection head, including nozzles ejecting fluid, includes fluid receiving areas corresponding to the ejection head so as to receive the fluid ejected from the nozzles. A potential difference generating unit generates predetermined potential differences between the ejection head and the fluid receiving areas. Electrical variation detecting units detect electrical variations of the fluid receiving areas. A control unit drives the ejection head to eject the fluid to the fluid receiving areas from the nozzles in a state in which the predetermined potential differences are generated between the ejection head and the fluid receiving areas by the potential difference generating unit. The ejection inspecting device also inspects the nozzles to determine whether the fluid is ejected from the nozzles on the basis of the detection results of the electrical variation detecting units in the fluid receiving areas.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ejection inspecting device, a printing device, and an ejection inspecting method.
2. Related Art
In the past, as an ejection inspecting device, there has been known a device which generates a predetermined potential difference between a print head of an ink jet printer and an ink droplet receiving area (ink receiving area) provided at a position opposed to the print head to charge ink droplets ejected from a nozzle, allows the charged ink droplets to fly to the ink receiving area, and inspects whether the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle by detecting a voltage variation (induction voltage) that is generated in the ink receiving area by the reaching of the ink droplets to the ink receiving area (JP-A-59-123673 (FIG. 5)).
However, in the device described in JP-A-59-123673, one ink receiving area is provided for one print head. Accordingly, for example, when a large number of nozzles are included in the print head, there is a problem in that a period of time for nozzle inspection increases in accordance with the number of nozzles. In addition, it is preferable that the nozzle inspection is more accurately performed.

Ejection inspecting device, printing device, and ejection inspecting method


The successful application of the reactive ion etching technique to the III-V compounds requires the use of the appropriate etch gas. We have found that a gas mixture of chlorine (Cl.sub.2) and Oxygen (O.sub.2) will cleanly and effectively etch heated substrates of GaAs and InP and their ternary and quaternary alloys. The etch rate is increased by heating the substrate to a temperature of 100.degree. to 400.degree. C.

This invention relates to the processing of semicondcutor materials and, more particularly, to a process for reactive ion etching.
III-V semiconductors and their derivative ternary and quaternary compounds are of interest for the fabrication of both high speed switching devices and optoelectronic elements such as lasers and detectors. The necessity for efficient light coupling, confinement and/or transmission puts stringent requirements on the resolution of the pattern transfer technique and on the edge smoothness of the structures formed. Integration of these devices into compact circuits combining high speed electrical and optical processing requires the development of a fabrication technology comparable to that used for silicon integrated circuits.
Preferential chemical etching has been widely used to provide the requisite smooth walls, but patterning III-V compounds in this way requires the precise orientation of the crystalline substrates and thus limits device design possibilities. Gratings selectively etched into GaAs have shown slight sidewall modulation attributed in part to misalignment between the grating direction as defined by the mask, and the cleavage planes, see, for example, an article entitled "Selectively Etched Diffraction Gratings in GaAs", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 25, No. 4, Aug. 15, 1974, pp. 208-210 by K. Comerford and P. Tory. Variation in the depths of preferentially etched channel waveguides according to the initial stripe width in the defining mask has been reported in an article entitled "Optical Waveguides Fabricated by Preferential Etching", Applied Optics, Vol. 14, No. 5, May 1975, pp. 1200-1206 by W. T. Tsang, C. C. Tseng, and S. Wang.
Optical gratings have also been produced by ion-beam milling substrates through photoresist masks. Limitations of this technique are possible facetting of the substrate, redeposition of sputtered material (hence alteration of etched profiles) and enhancement of lattice defects, see Tsang et al referred to hereinabove and an article entitled "Profile Control by Reactive Ion Sputter Etching" J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 15 (2), March/April 1978, pp. 319-326 by H. W. Lehmann and R. Widmer.
Reactive ion etching has been used to transfer high resolution sub-micron patterns into Si, SiO.sub.2, and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 substrates. One example of this is the patterning of square wave gratings 250 A deep with 3200 A periodicity into SiO.sub.2 see, for example, an article entitled "Alignment of Liquid Crystals Using Semiconductor Periodicity Gratings", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 32, No. 10, May 15, 1978, pp. 597-598 by D. C. Flanders, D. C. Sharer and H. I. Smith. The utility of this technique for the fabrication of component devices for integrated optics is manifest, however, efforts to reactively ion etch III-V compounds have thus far met with limited success, see, for example, an article entitled "A Survey of Plasma-Etching Processes", Solid State Technology, 19 (5), May 1976, pp. 31-36, by R. L. Bersin.

Reactive ion etching of III-V semiconductor compounds

Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated


An error amplifier amplifies a difference between a feedback signal VFB that corresponds to an output voltage VOUT of a DC/DC converter and its target value VREF, so as to generate an error signal VERR. A pulse width modulator for each channel is configured as a peak current mode modulator comprising a PWM comparator that compares a current detection signal VIS with the error signal VERR, and a logic circuit. When the number of enabled channels is switched, a soft shedding circuit selects at least one channel as a correction target channel. The soft shedding circuit generates a correction signal VCORR for each correction target channel, and superimposes each correction signal VCORR on at least one of two inputs of the corresponding PWM comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC/DC converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of electronic devices employ a DC/DC converter that converts a DC voltage having a given voltage value into a DC voltage having a different voltage value. In order to suppress ripple in the input current of the DC/DC converter, a multi-phase DC/DC converter is employed. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a multi-phase step-up (boost) DC/DC converter (which will simply be referred to as the "DC/DC converter") 900. The DC/DC converter 900 receives a DC input voltage VIN via an input line 902, and generates a stepped-up voltage VOUT at an output line 904. The DC/DC converter 900 is configured as an M-channel (M represents an integer of 2 or more) DC/DC converter. Each channel of the DC/DC converter 900 includes a switching transistor M1, an inductor L1, and a rectifier element D1. The M channels have a common output capacitor C1. It should be noted that, in the present specification, the channel number is represented by an appended suffix as necessary.
A controller 910 includes a common error amplifier 912 for the M channels and peak current mode pulse modulators 914_1 through 914_M provided to the respective channels, and drivers 922_1 through 922_M provided to the respective channels. The output voltage VOUT is divided by means of resistors R11 and R12 so as to generate a feedback voltage VFB that corresponds to the output voltage VOUT. An error amplifier 912 amplifies the difference between the feedback signal VFB and a reference voltage VREF configured as a target value of the feedback signal VFB, so as to generate an error signal VERR that corresponds to the difference. The error signal VERR is supplied to the pulse modulators 914_1 through 914_M respectively provided to the multiple channels.
Each pulse modulator 914 includes a PWM (pulse width modulation) comparator 916, a logic circuit 918, and a slope compensator 920. A current sensing resistor R1 is provided in order to detect a current that flows through a corresponding switching transistor M1 in an on period of the switching transistor M1. Specifically, the current sensing resistor R1 generates a current detection signal VIS that indicates the current thus detected. The slope compensator 920 superimposes a slope signal VSLOPE on the current detection signal VIS. The PWM comparator 916 compares the current detection signal VIS with the error signal VERR. When the current detection signal VIS reaches the error signal VERR, the PWM comparator 916 asserts (sets to high level, for example) a reset signal (which will also be referred to as an "off signal") ICMP. In response to the reset signal ICMP, the logic circuit 918 switches a PWM signal SPWM to an off level (low level, for example) which instructs the switching transistor M1 to turn off. Furthermore, in response to a PWM clock (which will also be referred to as the "set signal" or "on signal") which is asserted for every predetermined period, the logic circuit 918 switches the PWM signal SPWM to an on level (high level, for example) which instructs the switching transistor M1 to turn on. The driver 922 drives the switching transistor M1 according to the PWM signal SPWM.
Known examples of such a multi-channel DC/DC converter include an arrangement in which the number of channels to be operated is adjusted according to the load current (output current) ILOAD (shedding converter). FIG. 2 is a shedding operation of the DC/DC converter shown in FIG. 1. For ease of understanding, description will be made below regarding an arrangement in which M=4, i.e., regarding a four-channel converter 900. A pair of threshold values ITH1 and ITH2 are defined for the DC/DC converter 900. When ILOAD<ITH1, only the first channel CH1 is enabled (set to an active state or operating state). When ITH1<ILOAD<ITH2, the first channel CH1 and the second channel CH2 are enabled. When ITH2<ILOAD, all the channels, i.e., the first channel CH1 through the fourth channel CH4 are enabled. A channel thus enabled will be referred to as an "enabled channel" hereafter. A channel thus disabled will be referred to as a "disabled channel" hereafter. FIG. 2 shows the operations of CH1 through CH4. In the drawing, the ideal coil current, i.e., the ideal switching duty ratio, of each channel is represented by a dashed line. The control operation as shown in FIG. 2 for switching between an enabled channel and a disabled channel in a logical manner will be referred to as "hard shedding". Such hard shedding has an advantage of providing high responsivity. However, as a result of investigating such hard shedding, the present inventor has recognized that hard shedding has a problem of poor stability of the output voltage VOUT as described below.
FIG. 2 also shows the actual coil current (actual switching duty ratio) for each of the channels CH1 through CH4, which are each represented by a dashed line. At the time point t0, the operation is switched from the single-channel operation to the two-channel operation. The change in the error signal VERR is dull, as represented by the solid line, due to a response delay of the error amplifier 912. As a result, the first channel CH1 provides an amount of current having a waveform represented by the solid line. In this case, excess current, which is represented by the hatched area, occurs in the first channel CH1, which is supplied to the output capacitor C1.
Furthermore, the duty ratio of each channel is also determined according to the common error signal VERR. Accordingly, at the time point t0, the second channel CH2 supplies the same amount of current as that of the first channel CH1. This leads to a problem of supplying an amount of current larger than the ideal amount of current. That is to say, excess current, which is represented by the hatched area, also occurs in the channel CH2, which is also supplied to the output capacitor C1.
That is to say, when the load current ILOAD increases, the duty ratio of each channel becomes excessive. This leads to the generation of a surplus amount of coil current, leading to overshoot in the output voltage VOUT.
Conversely, when the load current ILOAD decreases, the duty ratio of each channel becomes too small. This leads to the generation of an insufficient amount of coil current, leading to undershoot in the output voltage VOUT. Such problems are not restricted to such a step-up DC/DC converter, but can occur in various kinds of converters such as step-down (Buck) DC/DC converters, step-up/step-down converters, etc.


Conference systems are used for example in discussions and usually comprise a plurality of delegate units with microphones, whereby in a discussion each discussion participant uses his own delegate unit. Usually the delegate units have a switch or the like, that allows the participant in front of the delegate unit to request, that his microphone is activated, so that the speech of the participant is input in the conference system and amplified by the conference system. A conference system comprising (1) a plurality of delegate units (2), each delegate unit (2) having a microphone (5) for receiving an audio signal from a surrounding, a central service module (3) handling a plurality of contribution channels, whereby the audio output of the contribution channels contribute to an amplified audio output of the conference system (1) is proposed, whereby each delegate unit (2) is adapted to send a request for a contribution channel commit to the central service module (3), whereby the central service module (2) is adapted to grant the request and to allocate a contribution channel to the requesting delegate unit (2), thus setting the requesting delegate unit i in an active state A, whereby the delegate unit (2) is adapted to trigger the request by voice activation, whereby the request is triggered in case at least a first trigger condition is fulfilled defining that the audio signal level of one of the delegate units (2) as a possible requesting delegate unit i is higher than an individual test value for each other delegate unit (2) in the active state A, whereby the individual test value is an estimated audio signal level of the possible requesting unit i resulting from an audio or speech signal provided to the other active delegate units (2).

The invention relates to a conference system. More specifically the invention relates to a conference system comprising a plurality of delegate units, each delegate unit having a microphone for receiving an audio signal from a surrounding and a central service module handling a plurality of contribution channels, whereby the audio output of the contribution channels contribute to an amplified audio output of the conference system, whereby each delegate unit is adapted to transmit a request for a contribution channel commit to the central service module, whereby the service module is adapted to grant the request and to allocate a contribution channel to the requesting delegate unit, thus setting the requesting delegate unit in an active state. Further the invention relates to a process for voice activation in the conference system.
Conference systems are used for example in discussions and usually comprise a plurality of delegate units with microphones, whereby in a discussion each discussion participant uses his own delegate unit. Usually the delegate units have a switch or the like, that allows the participant in front of the delegate unit to request, that his microphone is activated, so that the speech of the participant is input in the conference system and amplified by the conference system.
For example, the document EP 1 686 835 A1, probably representing the closest prior art, discloses a conference system with a plurality of such delegate units, whereby various indicators are placed on the delegate unit for indicating different states of the delegate unit.

Conference system and process for voice activation in the conference system


A mobile cabinet is provided for office workstations and the like, and includes a recess positioned in the cabinet top to receive amenity units such as trays therein which facilitate use of and personalization of the cabinet. The cabinet further includes regularly spaced blisters along the rear edge of the top which cooperatingly locate amenity units such as upright trays to further facilitate use of and personalization of the cabinet. The cabinet also includes a laterally extending inverted step located along the bottom and rear edge of the cabinet for aesthetics. The cabinet is particularly suited for use with furniture which cooperatingly uses recessed trays, upright trays, or floor tracks, and is advantageously designed to fit mateably under the worksurface of the workstation without the removal of the amenity units.

The present invention relates to mobile cabinets, and particularly to a mobile cabinet with a plurality of interchangeable amenities.
Cabinets are generally well known in the furniture industry. Such cabinets often include a sliding drawer adaptable to satisfy various functional needs such as retaining files or storing equipment. Further, such cabinets are often provided with casters or wheels to provide mobility across a floor surface, and are sometimes designed to be cooperatingly used with a desk or other furniture.
However, present cabinets typically have a fixed exterior configuration which can not be readily adapted to satisfy various work functions. Further, improvements are desired in the ability to personalize the cabinets, such as to adapt the cabinets for specialized tasks, and to change the cabinet's outer appearance. Thus, there is a need for increased flexibility in the functionality and personalization of cabinets.


A rover determines a destination and periodically checks the location of the rover against one or more active alert thresholds. One alert threshold is the boundary of an alert area surrounding a destination. The rover sends an alert to a service center alerts a designated party of an impending arrival of the rover at the destination when the rover is within an alert area surrounding the destination. The service center can also alert a designated party when the rover leaves an alert area surrounding a location. The alerts can be communicated via an automated telephone message, a pager message, an e-mail message, or any other means of communication. The alerts can be used for deliveries by directing an alert to a customer expecting a delivery or to a site expecting a vehicle for loading or unloading. In a private context, the alerts can automatically activate systems such as a home appliances or systems in anticipation of a resident's arrival.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to communications and tracking systems that track the location, movement, and destination of vehicles or individuals.
2. Description of Related Art
Many businesses deliver packages to customers and may have one or a fleet of vehicles for such deliveries. A nearly universal problem for these businesses is tracking and planning the movement of the delivery people and vehicles. FIG. 1 shows a tracking system similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,577, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The system of FIG. 1 includes multiple mobile units (also referred to herein as rovers) 110. Each rover 110 can be a handheld device that a delivery person carries or a device mounted in a vehicle. Each rover 110 contains a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a wireless device, and a control circuit. When activated, the GPS receiver receives signals from GPS satellites 120 and from the signal identifies the position (e.g., longitude and latitude) and velocity of a rover 110. The wireless device, typically a wireless modem, transmits the position and velocity information via a wireless network 130 and the Internet 150 to a service center 140.
Service center 140 receives and collects data from mobile units 110 and makes the collected data available to a user of a terminal 160. Terminal 160 is typically a computer that connects via the Internet 150 to a web site associated with service center 140. The user can view the data or send a query or message to service center 140 for relaying to a specific rover 110. In response to communications from terminal 160, service center 140 sends the query or message to the selected rover 110.
Although the system of FIG. 1 provides a convenient method for a business to track deliveries, the system is generally not accessible to the business' customers who may also be interested in knowing when a delivery will arrive. Additionally, the business expecting an arrival of a vehicle at a particular location such as a loading dock must periodically check the position of the vehicle to determine when the vehicle can be expected. This monitoring may be subject to errors since the vehicle while near the destination may be headed elsewhere. Accordingly, a possible improvement of the system of FIG. 1 would be to provide better information indicating expected arrival times and to provide such information not only to the business but also to customers without requiring the business or customers to constantly poll the position of the delivery vehicle.

Targeted impending arrival notification of a wirelessly connected location device


An apparatus capable of adapting a vehicle for use in either of a dump truck mode or a spreader truck mode includes a dump body unit and a removable hopper. The dump body unit has a main frame pivotally interconnected with a dump body. The main frame attaches to the vehicle and supports the dump body. The dump body has a substantially flat bed with a lengthwise channel containing an embedded conveyor. In dump truck mode, the conveyor is covered and materials may be loaded into and dumped from the dump body. In spreader truck mode, the conveyor is uncovered and the hopper is attached to the dump body so that an aperture at the hopper""s base is aligned over the conveyor. Gravity-fed materials may then be conveyed along the body to an attached spreader for dispersion.

The present invention relates to the field of dump trucks, and more particularly to dump trucks capable of being used as spreader trucks.
Large scale civil projects such as road construction, road repairs, or snow removal normally require the use of certain types of heavy equipment, and in particular, certain types of vehicles, for their successful completion. Different types of vehicles may be used for different purposes.
For example, one type of vehicle commonly utilized during municipal or construction projects is the dump truck. As known by those skilled in the art, dump trucks have a dump body that is capable of being pivoted upwardly about a rear axis transverse to the length of the truck for rapid unloading of materials contained therein. Dump trucks are useful for hauling heavy loads comprising various types of materials, such as earth or crushed stone, and easily depositing them in a desired location.
Another type of vehicle that can be very useful is the spreader truck. Spreader trucks are vehicles that are capable of hauling dispersible materials, such as sand or salt, and spreading these materials over the underlying ground surface (usually when the vehicle is in motion). Spreader trucks typically have a body consisting of a generally V-shaped hopper with a conveyor at the bottom for feeding material back towards the rear of the truck. The xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d shape of the body promotes effective gravity feeding of contained materials into the conveyor. In typical operation, the conveyor is engaged to convey the materials rearwardly onto one or more xe2x80x9cspreadersxe2x80x9d (e.g. spinning plates with radial upstanding ribs) for dispersion over an expanse of underlying road. Spreader trucks of this type are commonly used in colder climates to disperse granular salt onto ice-covered roadways.
Unfortunately, vehicles such as dump trucks and spreader trucks can be expensive. As a result, it can be difficult for some entities, such as municipalities or enterprises with limited budgets, to be able to afford all of the various types of vehicles that they may require.
Recognizing this problem, at least one manufacturer has thought to produce a vehicle that is capable of being used in multiple capacities. The rationale of this approach is that, because the bulk of the expense of a heavy vehicle may be attributable to its understructure (i.e. chassis, wheels, engine, drive train, cab, etc.) as opposed to its accessories (e.g. hopper, spreader, or dumping actuator), it is more economical to provide a single vehicle understructure that can be configured for use in various capacities.
A known apparatus following this approach is the combined dump truck and spreader apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,389. The dump truck of this patent has a dump body with a generally semi-circular cross-section and an integral conveyor attached at its base that is capable of conveying materials back towards the rear of the truck. A latchable tailgate is pivotally secured to the rear of the body. A hoist mechanism at the front of the dump body is capable of inclining the body with the attached conveyor for rapid unloading of materials, in the manner of a conventional dump truck. When used as a dump truck, a cover is placed over the conveyor mechanism at the base of the dump body to prevent any material from flowing thereinto, and the conveyor is left inactivated. Material may thus be loaded into the body, transported, and dumped in a conventional manner, with the dumped material exiting the inclined body through the unlatched tailgate. When used as a spreader, the rear tailgate is kept closed, the conveyor mechanism is left uncovered, and the dump body is kept in a lowered position. Material contained in the semi-circular body is fed by gravity into the conveyor, which may be engaged to convey the material rearwardly onto a conventional spreader at the rear of the truck.
A disadvantage of the above apparatus is the fact that the bed of the dump body is semi-circular and not flat. Dump trucks having a flat bed are particularly versatile, in that they may alternatively be used to carry items which are best kept upright or on a flat surface during transportation. Such items may include road construction barriers (e.g. stacked pylons or cones) or stacks of plywood for example. The above described device is not suitable for transporting such items.
A further possible disadvantage of the above apparatus is the fact that it incorporates a truck chassis. A municipality or enterprise with limited means may not be able to afford the purchase of a chassis, which is typically only sold as a component of a costly, complete vehicle. Such entities may instead wish to purchase a less expensive apparatus that can be fitted onto an existing vehicle, such as a large pickup truck, to convert it to a multi-purpose vehicle.
Apparatus for attachment to an existing vehicle are in fact commercially available. For example, one apparatus marketed under the name xe2x80x9cEZ Dumperxe2x80x9d is a hydraulically-operated dump unit designed to be installed in the bed of a pickup truck for conversion of the pickup truck into a dump truck. The apparatus includes a dump body and an attached hydraulic hoist mechanism that is capable of inclining the body in the manner of a conventional dump truck for rapid unloading of materials. The EZ Dumper apparatus may also be fitted with an attachment for further conversion of the vehicle into a spreader truck. This attachment comprises a hopper with an integrated conveyor at its base, which is attached to the dump body. Moreover, a spreader is attached at the rear of the dump body near the end of the conveyor. Materials loaded into the hopper are fed by gravity onto the conveyor, which may be engaged to convey the material rearwardly onto the spreader for dispersion.
Disadvantageously, conversion of a truck utilizing the EZ Dumper apparatus from its dump truck capacity to its spreader truck capacity can be difficult. Conversion involves attachment of the hopper with its integral conveyor to the dump body. Because the conveyor mechanism can add significant weight to the hopper, a hoist or similar system for lifting heavy objects may need to be used to move the hopper/conveyor during conversion. Alternatively, it may be necessary for a team of persons to work in unison to lift the hopper off of or onto the dump body. Furthermore, in order for the conveyor portion of a newly-attached hopper to receive power for operation, electrical wires or hydraulic lines must be connected thereto. This requirement of attaching (or detaching) wires or hydraulic lines not only complicates the conversion process, but may impede proper operation of the conveyor if a connection is improperly made.
What is therefore needed is a multi-purpose vehicle, usable as a flat bed dump truck or a spreader truck, which can be converted between these alternative uses with a minimum of effort and without any requirement of attaching electrical wires or hydraulic lines. What is also needed is an apparatus with which existing vehicles such as pickup trucks can be outfitted for transformation into a multi-purpose vehicle like the one just described.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus which addresses at least some of the shortcomings described above. The apparatus is capable of adapting a vehicle for use in either of a dump truck mode or a spreader truck mode.
The apparatus includes a dump body unit and a removable hopper. The dump body unit comprises a main frame that is pivotally interconnected with a dump body at a pivotal axis. The main frame attaches to the vehicle and supports the dump body. The dump body has a substantially flat bed with an attached conveyor. In dump truck mode, the conveyor may be covered and materials may be loaded into the dump body for hauling. A hoist is capable of selectively pivoting the dump body about the pivotal axis between a lowered xe2x80x9chaulingxe2x80x9d position and a raised xe2x80x9cdumpingxe2x80x9d position for rapid unloading of materials. In spreader truck mode, the conveyor may be uncovered and the hopper is attached to the dump body so that an aperture at the hopper""s base is aligned with the conveyor. Engagement of the conveyor causes materials fed by gravity from within the hopper to be conveyed along the dump body for dispersion, typically by an attached spreader which cooperates with the conveyor.
Optionally, the main frame may comprise a truck chassis. In this case attachment of the main frame to the vehicle is inherent the fact that the chassis forms part of a
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for adapting a vehicle for use as a dump truck or a spreader truck, comprising: a main frame; a dump body pivotally interconnected to said main frame, said dump body including a conveyor extending substantially along the length of said dump body and being joined thereto, said dump body further including a bed which, other than at said conveyor, is substantially flat; a hoist for selectively pivoting said dump body; a removable hopper for passing materials onto said conveyor when installed in said dump body; and at least one interconnector for releasably connecting said hopper to said dump body.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of converting a vehicle adapted for use as a dump truck with an apparatus for adapting a vehicle for use as a dump truck or a spreader truck, said apparatus comprising: a main frame; a dump body pivotally interconnected to said main frame, said dump body having a conveyor joined thereto, said dump body further including a bed which, other than at said conveyor, is substantially flat, wherein said conveyor is situated below said bed and wherein said dump body comprises a channel opening onto said conveyor; a hoist for selectively pivoting said dump body; a removable hopper for passing materials onto said conveyor when installed in said dump body, said hopper comprising a downwardly directed lip for extending into said channel when said hopper is installed in said dump body; at least one interconnector for releasably connecting said hopper to said dump body; and a removable cover configured such that, when said hopper is removed, said cover may be installed within said channel so as to cover said conveyor and so as to have an upper surface flush with said bed of said dump body, for use as a spreader truck, said method comprising: removing said cover from the bed of said dump body; placing the lip of said hopper within said channel to locate said hopper within said dump body; and connecting said hopper to said dump body with said at least one interconnector.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for adapting a vehicle for use as a dump truck or a spreader truck, comprising: a truck chassis; a dump body pivotally interconnected to said truck chassis, said dump body including a conveyor extending substantially along the length of said dump body and being joined thereto, said dump body further including a bed which, other than at said conveyor, is substantially flat; a hoist for selectively pivoting said dump body; a removable hopper for passing materials onto said conveyor when installed in said dump body; and at least one interconnector for releasably connecting said hopper to said dump body.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for adapting a vehicle for use as a dump truck or a spreader truck, comprising: a main frame; a dump body pivotally interconnected to said main frame, said dump body including a front wall, two side walls, a bed, an attached conveyor situated below said bed within a channel extending substantially along the length of said dump body, and an opening through which conveyed materials may pass for spreading, said bed of said dump body being substantially flat other than at said conveyor; a hoist for selectively pivoting said dump body; a removable hopper for passing materials onto said conveyor when installed in said dump body, said hopper including a downwardly directed lip for extending into said channel when said hopper is installed in said dump body; and at least one interconnector for releasably connecting said hopper to said dump body.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Dump truck apparatus with removable hopper


A two-part security method and system is provided to prevent unauthorized access to a secured resource via a relay attack that uses at least one intermediary device to relay signaling from an authorized access device to the secured resource despite the access device being out-of-range of the secured resource. The first part involves detecting a relay attack by encrypting signaling between the access device and the secured resource, and by detecting when the signaling is modified as a result of an intermediary device inserting data or modifying the data of the signaling exchanged between the access device and the secured resource. The second part involves detecting a relay attack based on environmental data from the access device that identifies a feature of an environment in which the access device is located, and the environmental data mapping to a location that is not within a specified location of the secured resource.

Wireless or keyless access is becoming more prevalent, and is supplementing or replacing traditional key-based methods of access. Wireless access allows a user to wirelessly unlock, access, activate, control, use, or operate different secured resources with minimal or no interaction by the user. Some examples of secured resources that may accessed without keys and with minimal or no interaction by the user include vehicles, points of entry (e.g., doors, gates, turnstiles, elevators, and/or other physical barriers), security systems, lighting systems, climate control systems, and/or other remote keyless systems and devices. For example, a user may unlock a vehicle and turn on the vehicle by the user simply moving an access device, that remains in the user's pocket, in range of the vehicle.
Security is a concern for any wireless or keyless access methodology or system. Relay attacks are one such security risk. A successfully executed relay attack allows an attacker to unlock, access, or operate a secured resource by simply extending the signaling between an authorized user's access device and the secured resource.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a successful relay attack. Secured resource 110 may emit (at 1) a short-range radio signal. First attacker 120 may position a first relay attack device next to secured resource 110. The first relay attack device may receive (at 1) signaling from secured resource 110, and may transmit (at 2) the signaling unchanged over a wireless network to a second relay attack device of second attacker 130.
Second attacker 130 may position the second relay attack device adjacent to an access device of authorized user 140. The access device may be used to unlock, access, or operate secured resource 110 when the access device is placed next to secured resource 110 (e.g., within a few inches or few feet of secured resource 110).
In this figure, the access device, that is carried by authorized user 140, is too far away from secured resource 110 for the access device to have any effect. However, the second relay attack device of second attacker 130 is brought in range of the authorized user's 140 access device, and the second relay attack device emits (at 3) the signaling of secured resource 110 that is captured and replayed by the first relay attack device of first attacker 120.
The access device detects the signaling of secured resource 110 as a result of the signaling being replayed over a long distance by the first and second relay attack devices of first attack 120 and second attacker 130. The access device has no means of distinguishing between the signaling originating from secured resource 110 or from a relay attack device of an attacker. Consequently, the access device operates as if it was physically next to secured resource 110 and receiving the signaling directly from secured resource 110. In particular, the access device may provide (at 4) signaling that include access credentials and/or other data for requesting and/or authorizing access to secured resource 110.
The second relay attack device of second attacker 130 may capture (at 4) the signaling provided by the access device, and may transmit (at 5) the signaling from the access device to the first relay attack device of first attacker 120. The first relay attack device of first attacker 120 may then replay (at 7) the access device signaling for secured resource 110, tricking secured resource 110 into detecting that the access device of authorized user 140 is physically next to secured resource 110, that the access device is originating the signaling with the access credentials, and/or that secured resource 110 is exchanging radio signaling directly with the access device of authorized user 140. In other words, the relay attack devices of attackers 120 and 130 bridge the distance between the access device and secured resource 110 that normally prevents the devices from communicating with one another by simply transferring the unmodified signaling over a long-range network connection and replaying the signaling at either end of the connection.
In response to the signaling, that is originated by the access device of authorized user 140 and that is replayed from the first relay attack device of first attacker 120, secured resource 110 may open, unlock, grant, or otherwise provide (at 8) access. First attacker 120 may then access, use, or operate secured resource 110 without breaking into secured resource 110 or physically stealing the access device from authorized user 140.
It should be noted that the relay attack would be carried out in a similar manner if the initial signaling is emitted from the access device instead of secured resource 110. In this case, the second relay attack device of second attacker 130 would be used to pass the initial signaling to the first relay attack device of first attacker 120, and the initial signaling may be used to initiate or complete the access procedure with secured resource 110.

Systems and methods for preventing relay attacks


The present invention provides a system and method for providing a real estate auction system. In architecture, the system includes a server device on a network comprising a mechanism for posting a real estate property for auction, a mechanism for acquiring a plurality of data items describing the real estate property for auction from a seller remote device, a mechanism or making the real estate property available at auction to a bidder remote device; and a mechanism for accepting a bid on the real estate property for auction from at least one potential buyer for a predetermined period. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for providing a real estate auction. The method operates by (1) posting a real estate property for auction; (2) acquiring a plurality of data items describing the real estate property for auction; (3) making the real estate property available at auction; and (4) accepting a bid on the real estate property for auction from at least one potential buyer for a predetermined period.

Currently, most real estate auctions occur in person and typically are performed on the courthouse steps in the county in which the real estate being auctioned resides. Typically, the real estate up for auction is real estate that has been foreclosed upon by a lending institution. The problem is that, to execute current real estate auctions in person, there is a huge requirement for being at the auction at the right time and with the proven ability to submit a bid. Because these auctions must be scheduled, there typically is also the problem that they occur on a schedule that is setup in advance. Impromptu auctions are very hard to execute as it is quite difficult to provide adequate notice to all those parties that may wish to submit a bid.
Many auctions were used throughout the world in an on-site manner without any electronic addition. Furthermore auctions were usually an absolute auction in which the highest bidder won no matter what the price. In some countries this is the standard method of selling real estate. But due to the inefficiency of having to be onsite and most bidding methods, raising a hand, it has not be suitable or accepted by most sellers. An absolute auction has a great risk of producing an undesirable low price. Some auctions use a reserve but on rare occasion due to the fact that buyers have traveled to the location and a sell must happen. In an onsite auction there is a great deal of pressure and buyers remorse in making a wrong decision in the heat of the moment can occur.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

System and method for providing an auction of real estate