A system for producing a decoy to enable a target to avoid a homing torpedo that uses a sonar ping signal for homing in on the target comprises a transducer that operates in a receive mode in which it receives sonar signals and produces corresponding electrical signals and in a transmit mode in which it emits a sonar return pulse. A digital signal processor connected to the transducer is arranged to analyze the electrical signals corresponding to sonar signals received by the transducer and to determine whether they were emitted by the homing torpedo. The digital signal. processor is further arranged to switch the transducer to the transmit mode in response to receipt of a sonar ping signal from the homing torpedo and to cause the transducer to transmit a return pulse that acts as a decoy signal to the homing torpedo.

This invention relates to the field of signal generators, and in particular signal generators for producing decoy signals to a homing torpedo. In even more particularity, the subject invention relates to a signal generating method using basic Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques to effectively enable Counter-Measures (CM) so that the torpedo can be avoided.
The days have long since passed when a submarine launched three or four torpedoes, each separated by half a degree of bearing, in order to ensure at least one hit on the target. Modern torpedoes incorporate powerful sonar seekers with advanced signal processing and computer technology to search for (and destroy) their targets. These torpedoes are faster and more maneuverable than any submarine or surface ship. While early acoustic torpedoes relied upon a target""s radiated noise, today""s torpedo uses its own active sonar to detect the target or the targets wake. The most advanced of these weapons uses target motion information from the Doppler shift of its sonar ping to eliminate false targets and increase the signal to noise ratio for better detection.
Torpedo sonar systems operate at relatively high frequencies (compared to a search sonar) in order to obtain the resolution necessary for target classification. One trade off is that higher frequency means higher absorption of the sonar energy in seawater, which limits the detection range of the weapon. Frequently the target knows that a torpedo has been launched and has time to initiate evasive action. Torpedo countermeasures are then deployed to prevent the torpedo from detecting and homing on the evading ship. While there are many different kinds of torpedo countermeasures employed by the world""s navies, they all try to accomplish two things: attract the torpedo""s attention (present a false target) and reduce the torpedo""s ability to detect the true target.
Most of these countermeasure devices are simple noisemakers, programmed to produce noise at a high sound pressure level. Just as it is difficult to carry on a normal conversation when there is loud music playing nearby, these countermeasure devices increase the ambient noise level, which in turn decreases the torpedo""s signal to noise ratio and lowers the probability that the torpedo will detect the target.
The major drawback to noisemakers is that their signal typically remains the same during its entire active lifetime. A particular countermeasure may be very effective against one particular type of torpedo but may not be effective against another. However, there is usually no way for a noisemaker to change its output after it has been deployed from the target ship, particularly since acoustic communications are blocked by the noise itself. There are over two dozen kinds of torpedoes available on the open market, manufactured by countries such as the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, France, Russia, China, and North Korea. All of these weapons have very different sonar characteristics, which makes it difficult to produce a noisemaker that will be effective against them all.
Digital signal processor (DSP) technology as used in the present invention solves many of the problems associated with prior countermeasure devices. The overall goal of the present invention is to provide a torpedo countermeasure design that is superior in both performance and cost effectiveness when compared to previous countermeasures. A primary consideration is use of inexpensive commercial DSP technology in a countermeasure design that is able to recognize and properly respond to torpedo sonar signals.
The entire electrical/electronic equipment package is contained within a single waterproof housing of sufficient strength to operate at tactical water depths. An external mechanical flotation system is attached and can be preset prior to launch to maintain the encased equipment package at the appropriate water depth. Further, electrical and electronic connections penetrate the waterproof hardware casing, thus permitting battery charging and complete updates of software and firmware, so that the acoustic and tactical capabilities of the device can be improved over time with minimal expense and minimal hardware modifications.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a torpedo countermeasure that produces a signal that attracts the technically sophisticated homing torpedoes.
An object of the invention is to provide a countermeasure that uses a single transducer to detect a torpedo sonar ping, analyze its characteristics (frequency, pulse length, etc.), and, using the transducer, transmit a return pulse that will be interpreted by the torpedo as the refection off a valid target.
Accordingly, a system according to the invention for producing a decoy signal to enable a target to avoid a homing torpedo that uses a sonar ping signal for homing in on the target comprises a transducer arranged to operate in a receive mode in which it receives sonar signals and produces corresponding electrical signals and in a transmit mode in which it emits a sonar return pulse. The invention further comprises a digital signal processor connected to the transducer. The digital signal processor is arranged to analyze the electrical signals corresponding to sonar signals received by the transducer and to determine whether they were emitted by the homing torpedo. The digital signal processor is further arranged to switch the transducer to the transmit mode in response to receipt of a sonar ping signal from the homing torpedo and to cause the transducer to transmit a return pulse that acts as a decoy signal to the homing torpedo.
The system according to the invention preferably further comprises an analog to digital converter connected to the transducer to receive analog signals therefrom and to output corresponding digital signals and a filter connected between the analog to digital converter and the digital signal processor. The filter is arranged to determine whether signals input thereto from the analog to digital converter are within a defined frequency range.
The system according to the invention preferably further comprises a digital to analog converter arranged to receive digital signals output from the digital signal processor and produce corresponding analog signals and an amplifier connected between the digital to analog converter and the transducer.
The invention preferably further comprises a front-end filter connected to the transducer and arranged to pass signals having frequencies less than a predetermined frequency, an analog to digital converter connected to receive signals passed by the front-end filter and to output corresponding digital signals and a filter connected between the analog to digital converter and the digital signal processor, the filter being arranged to determine whether signals input thereto from the analog to digital converter are within a defined frequency range.
A method according to the invention for producing a decoy signal to enable a target to avoid a homing torpedo that uses a sonar ping signal for homing in on the target comprises the steps of (a) receiving sonar signals with a transducer that produces electrical signals corresponding to the sonar signals, (b) determining whether the electrical signals have frequencies that are within a defined frequency range (c) processing the electrical signals to determine whether they correspond to sonar ping signals, (d) calculating an estimate of the torpedo""s motion, (e) calculating a transmit time for transmitting a decoy signal, (f) calculating a Doppler frequency for the decoy signal such that the decoy signal will appear to the homing torpedo to be a return pulse from the target and (g) switching the transducer to a transmit mode to transmit the decoy signal having the calculated Doppler frequency at the calculated transmit time.

Digital signal processor based torpedo counter-measure

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


An apparatus and method for determining permeability of a subterranean formation is provided. The apparatus and method comprise a work string, at least one selectively extendable member mounted on the work string to isolate a portion of the annular space between the work string and borehole. A predetermined distance proportional to the radius of a control port separates at least two ports in the work string. A sensor operatively associated with each port is mounted in the work string for measuring at least one characteristic such as pressure of the fluid in the isolated section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the testing of underground formations or reservoirs and more particularly relates to determining formation pressure and formation permeability.
2. Description of the Related Art
To obtain hydrocarbons such as oil and gas from a subterranean formation, well boreholes are drilled into the formation by rotating a drill bit attached at a drill string end. The borehole extends into the formation to traverse one or more reservoirs containing the hydrocarbons typically termed formation fluid.
Commercial development of hydrocarbon fields requires significant amounts of capital. Before field development begins, operators desire to have as much data as possible in order to evaluate the reservoir for commercial viability. Various tests are performed on the formation and fluid, and the tests may be performed in situ. Surface tests may also be performed on formation and fluid samples retrieved from the well.
One type of formation test involves producing fluid from the reservoir, collecting samples, shutting-in the well and allowing the pressure to build-up to a static level. This sequence may be repeated several times at several different reservoirs within a given borehole. This type of test is known as a Pressure Build-up Test or drawdown test. One of the important aspects of the data collected during such a test is the pressure build-up information gathered after drawing the pressure down, hence the name drawdown test. From this data, information can be derived as to permeability, and size of the reservoir.
The permeability of an earth formation containing valuable resources such as liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons is a parameter of major significance to their economic production. These resources can be located by borehole logging to measure such parameters as the resistivity and porosity of the formation in the vicinity of a borehole traversing the formation. Such measurements enable porous zones to be identified and their water saturation (percentage of pore space occupied by water) to be estimated. A value of water saturation significantly less than one is taken as being indicative of the presence of hydrocarbons, and may also be used to estimate their quantity. However, this information alone is not necessarily adequate for a decision on whether the hydrocarbons are economically producible. The pore spaces containing the hydrocarbons may be isolated or only slightly interconnected, in which case the hydrocarbons will be unable to flow through the formation to the borehole. The ease with which fluids can flow through the formation, the permeability, should preferably exceed some threshold value to assure the economic feasibility of turning the borehole into a producing well. This threshold value may vary depending on such characteristics as the viscosity of the fluid. For example, a highly viscous oil will not flow easily in low permeability conditions and if water injection is to be used to promote production there may be a risk of premature water breakthrough at the producing well.
The permeability of a formation is not necessarily isotropic. In particular, the permeability of sedimentary rock in a generally horizontal direction (parallel to bedding planes of the rock) may be different from, and typically greater than, the value for flow in a generally vertical direction. This frequently arises from alternating horizontal layers consisting of large and small size formation particles such as different sized sand grains or clay. Where the permeability is strongly anisotropic, determining the existence and degree of the anisotropy is important to economic production of hydrocarbons.
A typical tool for measuring permeability includes a sealing element that is urged against the wall of a borehole to seal a portion of the wall or a section of annulus from the rest of the borehole annulus. In some tools a single port is exposed to the sealed wall or annulus and a drawdown test as described above is conducted. The tool is then moved to seal and test another location along the borehole path through the formation. In other tools, multiple ports exist on a single tool. The several ports are simultaneously used to test multiple points on the borehole wall or within one or more sealed annular sections.
The relationship between the formation pressure and the response to a pressure disturbance such as a drawdown test is difficult to measure. Consequently, a drawback of tools such as those described above is the inability to accurately measure the effect on formation pressure caused by the drawdown test.
In the case of the single port tool, the time required to reposition the port takes longer than time is required for the formation to stabilize. Therefore, the test at one point has almost no effect on a test at another point making correlation of data between the two points of little value. Also, the distance between the test points is now known to be critical in accurate measurement of the permeability. When a tool is moved to reposition the port, it is difficult to manage the distance between test points with the precision required for a valid measurement.
A multiple port tool is better than a single port tool in that the multiple ports help reduce the time required to test between two or more points. The continuing drawback of the above described multiple port tools is that the distance between ports is too large for accurate measurement.
The present invention addresses the drawbacks described above by providing an apparatus and method capable of engaging a borehole traversing a fluid-bearing formation to measure parameters of the formation and fluids contained therein.
An apparatus for determining a parameter of interest such as permeability of a subterranean formation is provided. The apparatus comprises a work string for conveying a tool into a well borehole, at least one selectively extendable member mounted on the work string. When extended, the at least one extendable member is in sealing engagement with the wall of the borehole and isolates a portion of the annular space between the work string and borehole. At least two ports in the work string are exposable to formation fluid in the isolated annular space. The distance between the ports is proportional to the radius of a control port to provide effective response measurement. A sensor operatively associated with each port is mounted in the work string for measuring at least one characteristic such as pressure of the fluid in the isolated section.
In addition to the apparatus provided, a method is provided for determining a parameter of interest of a subterranean formation in situ by conveying a work string into a well borehole. The work string and borehole have an annular space extending between the borehole and a wall of the borehole. At least one selectively extendable member is disposed on the work string for isolating a portion of the annulus. At least two ports are exposed to a fluid in the isolated annulus, and the at least two ports are separated from each other by a predetermined distance proportional to the size of at least one of the ports. A measuring device is used to determine at least one characteristic of the fluid in the isolated section indicative of the parameter of interest.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, will be best understood from the attached drawings, taken along with the following description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:

Formation testing while drilling apparatus with axially and spirally mounted ports


Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure describe proactive action by an intelligent personal assistant application/service to improve functionality of one or more applications. In one example, an intelligent personal assistant service may interface with a messaging application to analyze a message thread within the messaging application. The intelligent personal assistant service may analyze the message thread by evaluating context of message content within the message thread. Analysis of the message thread may occur proactively without requiring an explicit request for assistance from a user of a processing device. In response to the analyzing of the message thread, the intelligent personal assistant service may proactively provide a cue that includes content retrieved by the intelligent personal assistant service. An input may be received to include the cue within the message thread. In response to receiving the input, the cue may be displayed within the message thread. Other examples are also described.

When a user is performing a task or communicating with another user via a messaging application or service, the user often needs to leave the application to get information or perform parallel tasks related to the task that is being attempted in the messaging application. Current solutions require users to manually obtain content from the other applications/services to include within another application such as a messaging application, among other examples. This may be done through copy and paste operations, transcribing content manually or performing a parallel task in another application such as an intelligent personal assistant application/service. An intelligent personal assistant is an application/service that can perform tasks or services for an individual. It is with respect to the general technical environment of utilizing an intelligent personal assistant to improve processing within an application that the present application is directed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Proactive intelligent personal assistant


In a concentrating solar collector, a plurality of pivotally-mounted, elongated, side-adjacent parabolic reflectors are inclined toward the sun by a tracking device to focus incident sunlight on a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart, blackened stripes on a lengthwise extending water pipe absorber, whose outer surface is otherwise of low thermal emittance. Because the absorber has a relatively small area of high emittance, namely the combined area of the striped segments, it radiates less heat than if it were totally blackened. The temperature of the absorber at the stripes is not substantially greater than at the shiny areas between, due to the high thermal conductivity of the absorber pipe and the moderating effect of the water within it. Thus, the absorber has a lower emittance of thermal radiation than a totally blackened absorber, without a corresponding decrease in absorptance of sunlight.

The present invention relates to solar collectors, particularly of the type in which an arcuate mirror focuses incident sunlight on a tubular absorber.
It is well known that a solar collector may be constructed by providing the combination of an arcuate mirror aimed toward the sun by a tracking device and an absorber upon which the mirror is focused; for example, a long mirror of parabolic cross-section together with a blackened smaller diameter water pipe. This is found to be relatively inefficient; losses are caused by the hot black-body absorber radiating thermal energy at a rate proportionate to its hot outer surface temperature, and conducting heat to the air passing over it. The conduction losses may be lessened greatly by providing a glass vacuum tube about the absorber pipe.
Even more refined versions of such a system utilize an enveloping vacuum tube having a silvered surface, except for "windows" which admit the light focused upon the absorber tube. The absorber pipe may be provided with a selective surface coating by which its absorptance of sunlight is an order of magnitude greater than its emittance of thermal radiation. These refinements are extraordinarily expensive and may have a short lifetime due to the extreme temperature.


A system configured to receive a first request for a first datum, query the cache metadata to determine whether the first datum is present in the main memory or the asymmetric cache device (ACD), retrieve the first datum from the main memory when the first datum is present in the main memory, retrieve the first datum from the ACD when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, store a copy of the first datum in the main memory when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, update the cache metadata to indicate that the copy of the first datum is stored in the main memory when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, and retrieve the first datum from the disk when the first datum is not present in the ACD and is not present in the main memory.

A typical operating system includes a file system. The file system provides a mechanism for the storage and retrieval of files. More specifically, the file system stores information provided by the user (i.e., data) and information describing the characteristics of the data (i.e., metadata). The file system also provides extensive programming interfaces to enable the creation and deletion of files, reading and writing of files, performing seeks within a file, creating and deleting directories, managing directory contents, etc. In addition, the file system provides management interfaces to create and delete file systems. File systems are typically controlled and managed by operating system parameters.
An application, which may reside on the local system (i.e., computer) or may be located on a remote system, uses files as an abstraction to address data. Conventionally, this data is stored on a non-volatile storage device, such as a disk. To access a file, the operating system (via the file system) typically provides file manipulation interfaces to, for example, open, close, read, and write the data within each file. In order to decrease the time required to read a file from the non-volatile storage device (e.g., the disk), copies of recently accessed files are cached in main memory. Thus, when a request to read a file is received, the file system may first query the main memory to determine whether a copy of the file is cached prior to querying the non-volatile storage. If the file is present in the main memory, the file is read from the main memory. However, if the file is not present in the main memory, the file is retrieved from the non-volatile storage device. The time for retrieval from the main memory is usually significantly less than the time for retrieval from the non-volatile storage device.

Method and system for accessing data using an asymmetric cache device


A distributed voice user interface system includes a local device which receives speech input issued from a user. Such speech input may specify a command or a request by the user. The local device performs preliminary processing of the speech input and determines whether it is able to respond to the command or request by itself. If not, the local device initiates communication with a remote system for further processing of the speech input.

A voice user interface (VUI) allows a human user to interact with an intelligent, electronic device (e.g., a computer) by merely "talking" to the device. The electronic device is thus able to receive, and respond to, directions, commands, instructions, or requests issued verbally by the human user. As such, a VUI facilitates the use of the device.
A typical VUI is implemented using various techniques which enable an electronic device to "understand" particular words or phrases spoken by the human user, and to output or "speak" the same or different words/phrases for prompting, or responding to, the user. The words or phrases understood and/or spoken by a device constitute its "vocabulary." In general, the number of words/phrases within a device's vocabulary is directly related to the computing power which supports its VUI. Thus, a device with more computing power can understand more words or phrases than a device with less computing power.
Many modern electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), radios, stereo systems, television sets, remote controls, household security systems, cable and satellite receivers, video game stations, automotive dashboard electronics, household appliances, and the like, have some computing power, but typically not enough to support a sophisticated VI with a large vocabulary—i.e., a VUI capable of understanding and/or speaking many words and phrases. Accordingly, it is generally pointless to attempt to implement a VUI on such devices as the speech recognition and speech output capabilities would be far too limited for practical use.


A network component comprising a traffic manager (TM) configured to assign a unique identifier (ID) to a received packet, a splitter module configured to separate a header and a payload of the received packet, the splitter module further configured to attach the unique ID to each of the header and the payload, and a merger module configured to assemble an outgoing packet using the header and the payload.

Current Internet Protocol (IP) networks comprise a plurality of nodes, including a plurality of routers at the core of the network and a plurality of hosts at the edge of the network. The routers collectively link the communication channels between hosts. The nodes are assigned network-wide unique IP addresses to enable proper and efficient traffic forwarding to destination nodes. The routers route packets in the IP networks based on the IP addresses carried in the packets. The packets are forwarded by the routers to proper destinations based on a <source address, destination address> pair, which may be indicated in each packet. The routers may have a plurality of ports. The ports may be used to send and/or receive packets to and/or from the IP network. Certain routers may be configured to load-balance. Load-balancing includes distributing packets received at an input port across several output ports, in attempt to balance the number of packets output from each port. Load-balancing may prevent congestion on certain paths through the network by distributing packets to other less used paths.

Decoupled and concurrent packet processing and packet buffering for load-balancing router architecture


A lipstick case lipstick body lift seat anti-slipped structure includes a lipstick case, an outer tube, a lift seat with an opening facing upward, and a lipstick body. A plurality of anti-slipped blocking grooves is formed on an upwardly inclined side of each of the two inclined guiding grooves. The outer tube is sleeved on an outer side of the small diameter guiding tube, and a spiral guiding groove is disposed on an inner wall of the outer tube concavely. The lipstick body is sleeved in the lift seat. Two lift guiding columns are disposed on an outer wall of the lift seat protrudingly for engaging with the inclined guiding grooves correspondingly and pressing into the spiral guiding groove. An anti-slipped blocking portion is protrudingly disposed on an outer diameter of each of the lift guiding columns corresponding to the anti-slipped blocking grooves.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an anti-slipped structure for a lipstick case and more particularly to a lipstick case lipstick body lift seat anti-slipped structure which can prevent a lipstick body loaded in a lift seat from slipping downward when a force is exerted during usage and provide steadiness when being used.
2. Background
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a perspective view of a conventional lipstick case structure. A lipstick case 10 includes a lipstick case body 11, a smaller diameter guiding tube 111 is disposed on an upper section of the lipstick case body 11, and two lift dissected grooves 112 are disposed on the smaller diameter guiding tube 111. An outer tube 12 with two oppositely and concavely disposed spiral guiding grooves 121 on an inner wall of the outer tube 12 is sleeved on an outer side of the smaller diameter guiding tube 111 correspondingly. Two lift guiding columns 131 are protrudingly disposed on an outer wall of a lift seat 13 with an opening facing upward. The lift guiding columns 131 are sleeved into the lift dissected grooves 112 and engaged into the spiral guiding grooves 121. A lipstick body 14 is sleeved in the upwardly faced opening of the lift seat 13. When the lipstick case body 11 is turned and the lift guiding columns 131 of the lift seat 13 are driven by the lift dissected grooves 112 to move upward and downward in the spiral guiding grooves 121, the lipstick body 14 is carried by lift seat 13.
Conventional cleaning structures for absorbing and cleaning floating oil and substance on water surface are usually structurally formed as cleaning balls made of sponge material. Irregular holes inside the sponge are used for absorbing dirt floating on water surface.
However, in FIG. 1, no anti-slipped structure is disposed on the lift guiding columns 131 of the lift seat 13, the lift dissected grooves 112 and the spiral guiding grooves 121 for preventing the lift seat 13 from slipping downward. Therefore, when the exposed lipstick body 14 at an upper end of the lipstick case 10 is pressed by a downward pressure, the lift seat 13 with the loaded lipstick body 14 will slip downward along the lift dissected grooves 112 and the spiral guiding grooves 121 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. The lipstick body 14 cannot be positioned securely and may be missed while slipping downward and it has to be pushed upward again and again. It is very convenient for users and is a major disadvantage of the conventional lipstick case structure.

Lipstick case lipstick body lift seat anti-slipped structure


A mounting for a power unit for motor vehicles, comprises a support and a support plate fixed thereto, which may be detached in the case of a collision, whereby the support plate is connected to the support in a number of places. A power unit mounting may be achieved which guarantees a steady deceleration, whereby a separating device is provided, which separates the support plate from the support. The separating device can be a part of the support plate or fixed thereto and is forced between support plate and support in the case of a collision.

The invention relates to a support for an assembly for motor vehicles, comprising a crossbeam which is fastened to the body of the assembly, and a supporting plate which is fastened on said crossbeam in a manner enabling it to be detached in the event of a collision, on which the assembly is supported, the supporting plate being connected to the crossbeam at a number of points, and at least part of the assembly being situated upstream of the support in the direction of travel, and comprising a separating device which separates the supporting plate from the crossbeam in the event of a collision.
An assembly is understood to be the drive train or part of it, in particular the engine/transmission block and, if appropriate, an adjoining differential or power take-off gear. These assemblies are virtually all accommodated nowadays in the front end of the vehicle. The crossbeam is a crossrail which connects the longitudinal crossbeams of the vehicle body or of the vehicle frame, depending on the manner of construction of the vehicle. The assembly is supported in respect of forces and moments at three points as a rule, all three being suitable for the support according to the invention, but in particular the rear one.
In the event of a head-on collision, first of all the front end is deformed over a certain deformation distance, decelerating the part of the vehicle body which lies behind it; this part is the cell in which the passengers sit. When the deformation distance has been covered, the assembly strikes against the obstacle. The assembly itself is virtually impossible to deform, and so the deceleration rises very sharply. If the assembly is connected fixedly to the vehicle body, the deceleration of the passengers may reach lethal values. The prior art therefore ensures that the assembly is released from its fastening to the vehicle and is pushed to the rear with further consumption of energy. Moreover, measures still have to be taken so that the assembly is not pushed into the cell, but rather some of it is initially pushed under the cell.
A construction of this type is disclosed in DE 43 18 254 A1. A supporting bearing which can be destroyed in the event of a collision is provided for this. If said supporting bearing is destroyed, the assembly can pivot away downward. The supporting bearing has to be sufficiently strong for it to be able to absorb, in all driving conditions, the forces which are exerted by the assembly and, in the event of a collision, the forces which occur in the first phase—in which only the front end is deformed. One drawback is that the destruction of such a strong supporting bearing requires considerable forces, which causes a brief, but nevertheless steep rise in the deceleration. If the supporting bearing is then destroyed, the further movement of the assembly takes place virtually without any consumption of energy.
It is known from practice to provide, between the supporting bearing and crossbeam, a supporting plate which is connected to the crossbeam and is connected only in a pointwise manner to the crossbeam, by means of bolts, rivets or preferably welding points, so that these connections tear in the event of a collision. However, even this solution is not satisfactory because there is still a discrepancy between the fatigue strengths and force absorption of the connection in the first phase of a collision and the force which is required for tearing-off purposes and which causes deceleration peaks.
Finally, DE 196 36 167 discloses an assembly separation which is caused by a head-on collision and is triggered by a collision with the front bumper. The assembly sits, obviously fixedly, on a auxiliary frame which is connected to the longitudinal crossbeams of the frame via "bearing shafts" which lie longitudinally. In the event of a collision, at least one piston rod, which is connected to the bumper via an elastic element, is displaced to the rear, in which case it pulls the bearing shafts connected to it to the rear. As a result, the connection between the auxiliary frame and the longitudinal crossbeam of the frame is released without significant effort and the assembly should fall to the ground. However, no more mechanical energy is destroyed in the process, and so the existing problem cannot be solved with this.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an assembly support in which this discrepancy does not exist, which, in other words, ensures a continuous deceleration profile over as long a distance as possible. Since, however, the deceleration profile is also affected by the mass and deformation work of further components which can be changed to only a very limited extent, the assembly support is intended even to permit modeling of the force profile over the deformation distance in respect of an overall constant deceleration.

Power unit mounting for motor vehicles with collision separation


Provided are a method and an apparatus for processing an optical coherence tomographic image. The method of processing an optical coherence tomographic image includes obtaining an optical coherence tomographic image by irradiating light to an object; generating a color space map based on the obtained optical coherence tomographic image; normalizing data of the obtained optical coherence tomographic image; realigning the normalized data of the optical coherence tomographic image; performing a tone mapping on the realigned data of the optical coherence tomographic image; and generating a color image by mapping the data of the optical coherence tomographic image on which the tone mapping is performed, by using the generated color space map.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to processing of an optical coherence tomographic image, and more particularly, to a method of processing an image for improving discrimination of an optical coherence tomographic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various methods and apparatuses for observing an internal structure of an object such as human tissue or a material have been widely used in various fields. Various equipment for capturing an internal transmission image or a tomographic image, such as an X-ray system, a computerized tomography (CT) scanner, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) apparatus, or an ultrasound system, are important in a medical field because this equipment may ascertain factors, positions, and the progress of various diseases without directly incising an internal structure of a human body or a living thing. Accordingly, in such equipment, low harmfulness, a high resolution image, a reasonable price, and convenience of movement and use are recognized as important factors.
In particular, optical coherence tomography apparatuses are devices capable of imaging an internal structure of an object by using an interference phenomenon between light with which an object is irradiated and reflected, and reference light. The optical coherence tomography apparatuses have been widely used in a medical field because the optical coherence tomography apparatuses may obtain a high resolution image and are harmless to humans.
However, since an optical coherence tomographic image is expressed as a solid color image based on a gray level, it is difficult to discriminate a lesion and the like.

Method of processing optical coherence tomographic image and apparatus for performing the method


The present invention relates to a gallo-aluminosilicate zeolite designated as ECR-10 which contains cesium. It also relates to a process for preparation of the zeolite. It may be employed in absorbent or separation applications, particularly in separation of small molecules.

Zeolites, both natural and synthetic, have been used in a variety of catalytic and adsorptive operations. Most zeolitic materials are porous ordered aluminosilicates having a definite (although often undetermined) crystal structure. The structure may have a number of small cavities interconnected by a number of still smaller channels. Those cavities and channels are uniform in size within a certain zeolitic material. The above mentioned catalytic and adsorptive processes make use of these cavities and channels since by proper choice of zeolite, the zeolite channels will reject some molecules because of their size and accept others.
These zeolites typically are describable as a rigid three-dimensional framework of silica and alumina wherein the silica and alumina tetrahedra are linked through common oxygens. Some zeolites, however, have atoms such as gallium or germanium in a portion of the framework positions. The charge balance of the zeolite may be satisfied by inclusion of a proton, metal, or ammonium cation. The catalytic and adsorption properties of the zeolite may be varied by changing the ions within the zeolite. Conventional ion exchange techniques may be used to change those cations.
There are a large number of both natural and synthetic zeolite structures. The wide breadth of such numbers may be appreciated by considering the work Atlas of Zeolite Structures by W. M. Meier and D. H. Olson, published by the International Zeolite Association.
The present invention, ECR-10, is a cesium-containing gallo-aluminosilicate or gallo-silicate having the following general chemical formula: EQU (Na, Cs).sub.2 O:(Al,Ga).sub.2 O.sub.3 :2 to 4 SiO.sub.2 :O to
Other gallosilicates are known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,219 to Argauer, issued Mar. 4, 1969, discloses a synthetic sodium gallo-silicate having a composition, in terms of oxide mole ratios: EQU 0.9.+-.0.2Na.sub.2 O:0.1 to 1 Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 :3 to 12 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :3 to 6 SiO.sub.2 :3 to 12 H.sub.2 O
The x-ray diffraction pattern shows the structure that of zeolite Type X, a faujasite. No suggestion is made of cesium substitution. Selbin and Mason (J. Inorg. and Nuclear Chem., 20, p. 222 (1961)) had earlier reported the synthesis of a similar X type Gallium silicate at Si/Ga=2.8, and a Gallium sodalite at Si/Ga of unity.
An extensive review of similar materials (X and Y) compared the Si/Ga distributions with the Si/Al distributions (Vaughan et al, Amer. Chem. Soc. Symp. Ser. 218. p. 231 (1983)). A review of several Gallium substituted zeolites by Newsam and Vaughan (Proc. 7th Intl. Zeolite Conf., Elsever Press, p. 457 (1986)) showed that the substitution of Ga for Al does not necessarily increase the unit cell value, but may not change the cell parameters, and in the case of sodalite, reduce it. Barrer ("Hydrothermal Chemistry of Zeolites", Academic Press, p. 282 (1982)) has reviewed the earlier Ga substitution work up to the early 1980',s, which usually involves Ga substitution for Al in the conventional Si/Al range of the subject material (zeolite or non-zeolite). The unusual characteristic of ECR-10, in contrast to this previous work, is that Ga does not substitute into the RHO framework in the normal RHO compositional range, but in an entirely different range in which RHO does not occur in the Si/Al form. More extensive synthesis work in the gallo silicate system further extends these observations to the extreme case where gallum does not substitute at all for aluminum in some zeolites (e.g., zeolite A) (Vaughan, unpublished).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,305 to Kouwenhoven et al, issued June 17, I980, teaches a complex silicate containing iron/aluminum/gallium/germanium in the framework. The zeolitic material has a pore size greater than about 7 .ANG.; a size which is significantly larger than the disclosed
Most previous work on Cs containing systems at low silica ratios show that F (U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,358) and pollucite are the dominant structural forms. Previous syntheses in the TMA--Cs--Li system, however, show that several structural types are possible (Barrer and Sieber, J. Chem. Soc. Dalton, p. 1020 (1977)), and the ERC-10/RHO composition was not found.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,313 to Barrett and Vaughan, issued January 5, 1982, discloses a cesium-containing zeolite, denominated CSZ-1, having the formula:
0.05 to 0.55(Cs,Th).sub.2 0:0.45 to 0.95 Na.sub.2 O:Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :3 to 7 SiO.sub.2 :0 to 10 H.sub.2 O
and shown to have a modified faujasite structure (Treacy et al, J. Chem. Comm., 1986, p. 1211).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,859 to Vaughan et al, issued June 8, 1982, discloses a high silica faujasite structure, CSZ-3, having the composition: EQU 0.02 to 0.20 Cs.sub.2 O:0.80 to 0.95 Na.sub.2 O:Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :5 to 7 SiO.sub.2 :2 to 10 H.sub.2 O
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,825 to Whittam, issued Aug. 9, 1983, discloses two zeolitic materials, Nu-6(1) and Nu-6(2), each having the composition: EQU 0.5 to 1.5 R.sub.2 O:Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 :at least 10 XO.sub.z :0 to 2000 H.sub.2 O
where R is a monovalent cation, x is silicon and/or germanium and Y is one or more of aluminum, iron, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, arsenic, manganese, gallium or boron, and show characteristics typical of layer type metallo-silicates.
Recent structural work has indicated that ECR-10 is a low silica analogue of the RHO structure, synthesized in a high silica aluminous form by Robson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,738). (One notes, however, that this conclusion is based on the interpretation of powder x-ray diffraction data, and must therefore be viewed as tentative, though convenient at this time. Spectroscopic analyses, such as infra-red analysis, does not confirm this identity.)
This gallium low silica ECR-10 form of RHO is unusual in that whereas most low silica forms of zeolites have larger unit cells than the corresponding higher silica forms, ECR-10 has a smaller unit cell than RHO itself. Similarly, because the Ga--O bond distance is larger than the Al--O bond distance, the Ga forms of a given structure also usually have a larger unit cell than the analogous Al forms-again contrary to the observation of ECR-10. The ECR-10 is therefore quite anomalous, indicating a compacted or more constrained environment than the actual (silica-alumina) RHO structure. Work by Barrer et al (Proc. 5th Intl. Zeolite Conf., Heyden Press, p. 20 (1980)) shows that the optimum synthesis is carried out at an Si/Al=11.
The compositions of the Al RHO and Ga ECR-10 may be compared as follows:
______________________________________ RHO: 0-1 Na.sub.2 O:0-1 Cs.sub.2 O:Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :5-12 SiO.sub.2 ECR-10: 0-0.6 Na.sub.2 O:0.4-1 Cs.sub.2 O:x Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :1-x Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 :2-4 SiO.sub.2 ______________________________________
where x=O to 0.25
It is useful to note that not only does Ga not substitute significantly into RHO, but Al does not significantly substitute into ECR-10, further demonstrating the novelty of the substitutional and structural chemistry of these two materials.
Unlike RHO itself, Cs is much more difficult to remove from ECR-10. If Ga is attempted to substitute directly in the RHO preparation composition range the faujasite like zeolites CSZ-1 and CSZ-3 form, together with pollucite and F. If Al is substituted directly in the ECR-10 formulation to replace Ga, pure zeolite F results. The synthesis of ECR-10 is therefore unexpected and unpredictable in this composition range. Indeed, if the Ga-0 bond is too large to substitute at the higher level of Si, it would be even less likely to substitute at lower Si levels.


The present disclosure describes aspects of power regulation with charge pumps. In some aspects, an integrated circuit (IC) includes multiple processor cores and a power input connected to an internal power rail of the IC. The IC may also comprise embedded charge pumps coupled between the internal power rail of the IC and respective input power rails of the multiple processor cores. Capacitors of the embedded charge pumps may be implemented with on-die capacitors suitable for integration with a die of the circuit to facilitate the embedding of the charge pumps. Alternately or additionally, separate input power rails of the processor cores and the embedded charge pumps may enable more-efficient power regulation or power management on a per-processor core basis, such as when a processor core is throttled or idled to reduce power consumption.

This description of related art is provided for the purpose of generally presenting a context for the disclosure that follows. Unless indicated otherwise herein, concepts described in this section are not prior art to this disclosure and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion herein.
Power regulation circuits of electronic devices typically regulate battery or external power of a device to provide a lower-voltage power rail from which components of the device operate. In some cases, current draw of high performance components (e.g., those with large current load steps) can cause voltage of the power rail to droop. This voltage droop on the power rail may persist or increase until the power regulation circuit detects the decline in voltage and responds by increasing power output to counter the voltage droop. The power regulation circuit, however, is often isolated from the high performance components, and voltage droop, by inherent impedance characteristics of the power rail and energy-storage components at the output of the power regulation circuit.
As such, a response of the power regulation circuit may be slow or insufficient, particularly for large current load steps that cause severe voltage droop. In some cases, prolonged or excessive voltage droop on the power rail may impair operations of the device's components or cause components to shut down when voltage falls below a minimum operating threshold. To address these issues, some manufactures have increased a number of power regulation circuits in a given device in an attempt to improve voltage droop response. These additional power regulation circuits, however, are often implemented with large or exotic magnetic components. In most cases, the use of these magnetic components makes design and integration of the additional power regulation circuits complex, time consuming, or cost-prohibitive.


A person-worn safety device that communicates bi-directionally and wirelessly with a remote receiver system. An accelerometer sensor detects the worker's activity levels to verify the worker's safety, and identify periods of unduly strenuous activity or undue lack of activity. The system also identifies worker position from localized radio signals from terrestrial sources. A manually actuable lever and button are usable by the worker to indicate a need for assistance. A visual or audio interface allows feedback to the worker originated by the device processor or remote server.

Historically, remote monitoring of worker safety has been managed via phone-in and radio-in systems that require workers to report their location periodically to a person or a voice recording system via telephone or radio. In more recent times, with the introduction of location-enabled portable wireless communication devices, geographic locator systems communicate worker location to remote server systems. Prior art has relied on previously available know-how to correctly render a field worker's ongoing safety, to a limited degree. Some portable wireless safety products have used mechanical ball-bearing switches to measure the ongoing activity of the worker in order to reset an alarm timer that would otherwise communicate a 'motionless' alert to a remote receiver system. In practical terms, the mechanical switch measures vibration and is not always able to measure physical translation of the device through three dimensional space. Additionally, mechanical switches are not always able to measure the physical translation through three dimensional space that corresponds to a field worker's body falling from a height whereupon the worker may sustain injury or perish.
Safety devices thus suffer from various limitations, and in addition, there is the need for safety devices to communicate other possible worker safety threats not addressed by the state of the art.

Method and system for monitoring the safety of field workers


An air flow controller for a pneumatically operated watercraft lift has a valve for opening and closing the air line to the pontoon and a manifold with a gate. The gate is biased to a first orientation in which air from the pontoon can be exhausted only to the atmosphere when the lift blower is switched “off.” When the blower is switched “on,” air flow from the blower moves the gate into a second orientation in which the blower can force air only into the pontoon. This configuration prevents flow of water into the blower during lowering of the pontoon while using relatively few and simple valve system components.

This invention relates generally to lifts for watercraft and more particularly concerns air flow controllers used to raise and lower pneumatically operated lifts for watercraft.
In some known air flow controllers, when the watercraft is being lowered into the water, air exiting the pontoons passes through the motor of the controller. However, water may also pass through, and possibly damage, the motor. A manually operated dump valve is sometimes used to release the air from the pontoons without permitting water to pass through the motor, but this necessitates the manual operation of both the main controller valve and the dump valve to operate the system.
One solution to the multiple manual operation problem is the use of three valves in conjunction with the controller manifold including a main valve between the manifold and the pontoons, a dump valve between the manifold and the atmosphere and a check valve between the manifold and the motor. One manual operation is required to open or close the main valve. When the motor is not running, the dump valve and check valve are automatically opened and closed, respectively, to pass the air and water to the atmosphere to lower the lift if the main valve is opened. When the motor is running, the dump valve and check valve are automatically closed and opened, respectively, to force air into the pontoons to raise the lift if the main valve is opened. While this type of controller eliminates the need for multiple manual valve operations, it requires three rather than two valves.
Another solution to the multiple manual operation problem is to use a three-way valve. In its first position, the valve connects the pontoons to the motor. In its second position, the valve connects the pontoons to the atmosphere. In its third position, the valve disconnects the pontoons from both the motor and the atmosphere. While this type of controller eliminates the need for multiple manual valve operations and reduces the number of valves required, it necessitates the use of a comparatively expensive three-way valve and creates valve orientation and air flow efficiency problems.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an air flow controller for lifts for watercraft. Another object of this invention is to provide an air flow controller which prevents backflow of water into the controller motor. It is also an object of this invention to provide an air flow controller which requires only one manual valve operation to initiate raising or lowering of the lift. Still another object of this invention is to provide an air flow controller which does not require any three-way valves for its operation. A further object of this invention is to provide an air flow controller which requires less than three valves for its operation.

Air flow controller for pneumatically operated watercraft lifts


A process for sequestering carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas emitted from a combustion chamber is disclosed. In the process, a foam including a foaming agent and the exhaust gas is formed, and the foam is added to a mixture including a cementitious material (e.g., cement-kiln dust, lime kiln dust, or slag cement) and water to form a foamed mixture. Thereafter, the foamed mixture is allowed to set, preferably to a controlled low-strength material having a compressive strength of 1200 psi or less. The carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas reacts with hydration products in the controlled low-strength material and in turn sequesters the carbon dioxide.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for sequestering carbon dioxide through the production of lightweight controlled low-strength materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Man made carbon dioxide (CO2) has been viewed by some as being a pollutant. There are many sources of CO2 including power plants, cement manufacturing, lime manufacturing, iron production, vehicles, natural gas ensuing from wells, ammonia manufacturing, fermentation, hydrogen production (e.g., in oil refining), and producing hydrogen fuels from carbon-rich feedstocks, such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. Thus, there has been interest in processes for sequestering carbon dioxide.
Permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide can occur by terrestrial ecosystems. For example, in forests and trees, 74,806 metric tons of carbon dioxide can be sequestered per 1,000-acre plantation in seven years. Also, grasses and prairies, such as the United States Great Plains, sequester 740 kg/ha/year. Agricultural and biomass croplands, boreal wetlands and peatlands in United States agricultural lands sequester carbon dioxide at rates of 75-200 million metric tons per year.
Permanent sequestration of CO2 can also occur by advanced chemical and biological sequestration wherein CO2 is converted into either commercial products that are inert and long lived or that are stable solid compounds. Examples include: magnesium carbonate, CO2 ice-like material, advanced catalysts for CO2 and CO conversion, engineered photosynthesis systems, non-photosynthetic mechanisms for CO2 fixation (methanogenesis and acetogenesis), genetic manipulation of agriculture and forests to enhance CO2 sequestering potential, advanced decarbonization systems, and biomimetic systems.
Permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide also occurs by the natural carbonation of concrete. About 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide is absorbed per 1 pound of cement in concrete over time. During a typical year of concrete construction in the United States, 274,000 metric tons of atmospheric CO2 are absorbed. Over a 100-year period, all of the concrete produced during a single typical year will absorb 2,906,000 metric tons.
Various methods are known for storing carbon dioxide in geological media such as enhanced oil recovery, storage in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, replacement of methane by carbon dioxide in deep coal beds, injection into deep saline aquifers, and storage in salt caverns. Also, ocean sequestration of carbon dioxide is known. Carbon dioxide may be stored underwater in large canyons or injected directly into the deep ocean, via pipeline or tanker. Furthermore, oceans naturally sequester carbon dioxide. It has also been proposed to capture carbon dioxide by microalgae, ocean fertilization, or non-biological capture from the air.
Of course, various methods for reducing carbon dioxide production are also known. For example, power plant efficiency can be increased by way of: (i) processes, such as flue gas separation, oxy-fuel combustion, and pre-combustion separation, and (ii) systems, such as solvents (chemical, physical, and hybrid systems), membranes, cryogenic separation, solid-bed adsorbents, and combined systems. Carbon dioxide production can also be reduced by decreased manufacturing of cement through use of alternatives to conventional cement like fly ash. Decreased use of vehicles can also reduce carbon dioxide production.
It has been reported that in 2000, carbon dioxide emissions reached 5.8 billion metric tons and that approximately 80% of annual emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore, there have been efforts to limit man made carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning plants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,092 provides a discussion of a variety of processes that have been developed for removing a gaseous component (such as carbon dioxide) from a multicomponent gaseous stream (such as the exhaust gas stream of a coal burning electrical power generation plant). Selective adsorption by solid adsorbents and gas absorption are named as two example processes. This patent further mentions that gas absorption finds use in the separation of CO2 from multicomponent gaseous streams. It is reported that in some CO2 gas absorption processes, the following steps are employed: (1) absorption of CO2 from the gaseous stream by a host solvent such as monoethanolamine; (2) removal of CO2 from the host solvent by steam stripping; and (3) compression of the stripped CO2 for disposal such as by sequestration through deposition in the deep ocean or ground aquifers. Other patents describing CO2 sequestration methods include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,648,949, 6,372,023 and 5,397,553.
Although these processes may be successful in sequestering carbon dioxide, they can be energy intensive. Thus, there is continued interest in the development of less energy intensive processes for sequestering carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas streams of industrial and power generation plants.
It is also known that cement-kiln dust, lime-kiln dust, and slag cement are voluminous cementitious by-products of industry, presenting air quality and environmental disposal issues. Cement-kiln dust is a by-product of the manufacture of portland cement, and nearly 4 million tons of cement kiln dust are disposed of every year in the United States. Maintaining cement-kiln dust landfills is expensive and difficult because of the fine, dusty nature of the material, and disposal costs add significantly to the cost of cement manufacture. Cement manufacturers are making efforts to minimize the generation of cement kiln dust and to develop alternative uses for this material.
Lime-kiln dust is a by-product of the manufacture of lime in a rotary kiln. Lime-kiln dust has limited use as a raw material in cement production and is commonly used in agriculture as a soil stabilizer or soil-modifying agent. As with cement-kiln dust, manufacturers are making efforts to reduce disposal costs and environmental impact by minimizing the generation of lime-kiln dust and developing alternative uses for the material.
Slag cement is a by-product of iron production. When mixed with portland cement, it is used in concrete and other construction applications. The use of slag cement in concrete and cement mixes has economic and environmental benefits, reducing slag disposal costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and total energy use.
Controlled low-strength materials are described in the publication "Controlled Low-Strength Materials", reported by American Concrete Institute Committee 229, June 1999, as self-compacted, cementitious materials used primarily as a backfill in place of compacted fill. Conventional CLSM mixtures consist of water, portland cement, fly ash, and, optionally, additional fine or coarse aggregates. However, CLSM mixtures can be made of other cementitious materials mixed with water. This publication defines CLSM as a material that results in a compressive strength of 8.3 MPa (1200 psi) or less at the conventional 28 day testing period (typically without compaction), and notes that most current CLSM applications require unconfined compressive strengths of 2.1 MPa (300 psi) or less at the conventional 28 day testing period in order to allow future excavation. The use of cement-kiln dust, lime-kiln dust, and/or slag cement in CLSM provides a environmentally beneficial use for these cementitious materials.
It is also known that the density of cement-containing materials can be lowered by entraining gas in the materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,159 describes cellular concrete structures made by mixing water and cement followed by the introduction of a foam produced by a foam generator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,862 discloses a method of producing aerated concrete wherein a gas such as air, carbon dioxide, or a mixture thereof is introduced into a blender with a mortar mix. U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,352 describes air-entraining agents for use in cementitious mixtures. Some of these mixtures are reported as being controlled low-strength materials. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,153,005, 5,013,157, 4,900,359, 4,415,366 and 4,407,676 describe related processes.
It is also known that the hardening of cement-containing materials can be accelerated by carbonation in which calcium hydroxide in the cement is transformed into calcium carbonate by absorbing carbon dioxide. Related processes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,387,174, 6,264,736, 5,965,201, 5,897,704, 5,690,729, 5,650,562, 5,518,540, 5,307,876, 5,051,217, 4,427,610, 4,362,679, 4,350,567, 4,117,060, 4,093,690 and 4,069,063, German patent application DE 4207235, Swiss patent application CH 644828, and Japanese patent applications JP 6263562 and JP 2018368.
There is a continuing need to safely and economically dispose of such industrial by-products as cement-kiln dust, lime-kiln dust, and slag cement; thus, there is a continuing need for products and processes that make environmentally beneficial use of these by-products. In addition, increasing global concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions have created a continuing need for products and processes that permanently remove free carbon dioxide from the environment.

Carbon dioxide sequestration in foamed controlled low strength materials


A balancing compound comprising an epoxy resin, a photoinitiator in an effective amount to cure the resin at ambient temperatures upon the application of ultraviolet light (10 nm to 400 nm) of less than 40 watts per square centimeter in less than about 30 seconds, and a filler in an effective amount to give the compound a specific gravity above 1.1.

The subject matter of the invention relates to epoxy resin compositions and methods of balancing a rotor utilizing the same, and more particularly, to an ultraviolet light curable cross-linked epoxy resin composition and a method for dynamically balancing motor armatures and other rotors by dynamically testing the rotors repeatedly and applying an ultraviolet cured cross-linkable epoxy resin composition between tests to achieve the balance required.
Rotors such as electric motor armatures have previously been balanced utilizing a two-part epoxy based composition which is applied to an armature in a putty like consistency which is sufficiently tacky, adherent and cohesive to adhere to the armature during dynamic testing for balance prior to curing, dynamically testing the rotor with the balancing compound in position thereon, adjusting both the amount of the balancing position and the position of the balancing compound on the rotor to achieve the desired balance, and then curing the resin. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,020. This two-part epoxy composition includes one part which includes the epoxy resin and another part which includes the catalyst for curing the resin. Each part of the composition is stored separately from the other part until ready for use. When balancing is to be accomplished, the two parts of the composition are mixed in equal amounts by weight and the dynamic balancing of the armature is carried out by the method above-described. After desired balancing is achieved, the balancing compound can be cured either by allowing the armature to stand at room temperature for a period of time or heating the rotor.
Single part epoxy balancing compounds have also been proposed that have a shelf life of about three months at ambient temperatures. These balancing compounds can be utilized to balance motor armatures and other rotors in a similar manner as above described except that curing may be achieved within a range from about six minutes to about three hours at elevated temperatures, for example, 45 minutes at 300.degree. F. One example of these compositions are the BC motor balancing compounds by Star Technology, Inc.
Both of these prior balancing compounds require a large amount of energy or a large amount of time to cure the epoxy balancing composition. Some require both. In the balancing compound of U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,020, the balanced armature can be cured in about 20 minutes by heating the compound to a temperature of about 200.degree. F. In others, cure oven temperatures are used as high as 400.degree. F. for four hours. In some cases, these temperatures for prolonged times can cause the motor armature to distort and be once again out of balance or can cause another portion of the armature to thermally degrade. In the specific instance of armatures, the copper windings can expand and relocate upon curing to cause the armature to be again out of balance.
Prior balancing compounds are used in pieces or lumps, and it has always been a problem to thoroughly cure the balancing composition on the rotor in less than about four minutes. This is especially true with those balancing compounds which are heavily filled with mineral fillers which are applied to highly conductive metals such as those which predominate in a motor armature. It is believed that this lack of deep section cure is due to the temperature gradient between the outside of the piece or lump of balancing compound and the inside of the piece or lump normally experienced when oven curing these compounds on an armature of highly conductive metal. Some but not all of this deep cure problem can be overcome with catalysts.
Some manufacturers test armatures by spinning them at from about 2,000 rpm to about 15,000 rpm at elevated temperatures from about 250.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. for about 30 seconds followed by balance tests. These spin tests show failures when the balancing compound is not fully cured, or when the heat deformation temperature of the compound is sufficiently lower than the test temperature.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which is a single part epoxy based composition which can be applied to an armature in either a paste-like consistency or a putty-like consistency.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which can be provided in a single part epoxy compound which does not require mixing or formulation prior to use and has an appreciable shelf life.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which can be cured rapidly at room temperature such that the balancing compound can be used on devices easily thermally degradable.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which can be thoroughly cured by exposure to ultraviolet light and/or heat in a relatively short time,
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which remains in place upon the rotor during spin tests at elevated temperatures,
It is finally highly desirable to provide an improved balancing compound which has all of the features above mentioned.

Epoxy based balancing compound and method for balancing a rotor utilizing an ultraviolet-curable epoxy resin composition


Technologies for bridging between coarse-grained and fine-grained load balancing include a computing node of a cluster computing device and a network controller. The computing node may add a flow entry to a local flow table based on flow information received from the network controller. The computing node may transmit a multicast network packet including the flow information and next hop information to other computing nodes of the cluster device. The computing node may also add a different flow entry to the local flow table and a next hop entry to a local next hop table based on a multicast network packet received from another computing node of the cluster device. The computing node may locally process a network packet received from a remote computing device or forward the received network packet to another computing node of the cluster device based on the flow entries added to the local flow table.

A cluster system or a cluster device is a group of interconnected computing nodes (e.g., off-the-shelf servers, desktop computers, etc.) configured to operate together to process network traffic received from remote computing devices. Oftentimes, the processing of incoming network traffic may be distributed between the computing nodes of the cluster system according to a fine-grained load balancing scheme. However, from the perspective of computing devices external to the cluster system, the group of interconnected computing nodes appears as a single logical entity with multiple interfaces. In some environments, a network load balancer is used to distribute incoming network traffic between the interfaces of the single logical entity.
Network load balancers distribute network traffic between two or more computing devices to, among other things, balance processing workloads, provide redundancy, provide scalability, and increase availability. To do so, network load balancers typically distribute incoming network packets between computing devices according to a coarse-grained load balancing scheme (e.g., equal-cost multi-path routing (ECMP), round-robin, etc.). Such network load balancers, however, are unaware of the physical topologies of typical cluster systems and, as a result do not understand the fine-grained load balancing schemes utilized in those systems.


A horizontal deflection circuit couples flyback pulses from a first transformer winding to a second transformer winding. The second winding is coupled to a source of unregulated DC voltage. A switch has input, output and control terminals. The output terminal is coupled to the first winding. The switch operates with a variable duty cycle for generating a regulated DC voltage at the output terminal. An inductor and a diode are coupled to the second winding. The inductor is also coupled to the input terminal. A pulse width modulator varies the duty cycle of the switch responsive to feedback and timing signals. Drive voltage for the control terminal is supplied by a first capacitor charged during retrace intervals and a second capacitor charged at the end of the retrace intervals by the first capacitor. The second capacitor is coupled to the control terminal and the drive voltage is discharged by the pulse width modulator.

The invention relates to a switched mode power supply, especially for television receivers, the supply having an inductor and clamping diode in combination with a switching transistor whose duty cycle is varied at the horizontal scanning rate, to regulate an output voltage level of a power supply.
Switching regulators use the on and off time of a switching transistor to regulate the current supplied to a load circuit. By varying the switching time instead of varying the conducting current level, the switching regulator avoids the high power dissipation of series regulators. In television apparatus, a switching regulator can be used in conjunction with the flyback transformer that generates horizontal beam deflection signals. The switching regulator is operated synchronously with horizontal scanning, but the on-time or duty cycle of the switching regulator is varied as needed to couple sufficient power to secondary windings of the flyback transformer for regulating various supply voltages to maintain reference levels. This includes the regulated B+ supply voltage, which supplies current to a winding of the flyback transformer coupled to the horizontal output transistor for effecting horizontal beam scanning.
A switching regulator as described can be driven by a pulse width modulator in a feedback arrangement. A current supply charges a capacitor repetitively at the horizontal rate to provide a sawtooth voltage that is applied to one input of a comparator. An error voltage representative of the regulated output voltage is applied to another input of the comparator. The comparator controls the switching transistor of the voltage regulator, namely turning off the switching transistor at the time during each period when the sawtooth voltage exceeds the regulated output voltage. The duty cycle of the switching transistor is made relatively higher to couple more power through the switching transistor when needed, and vice-versa, to maintain the output voltage at a reference level.
In one type of switching regulator, known as a "buck" regulator, the switching transistor and an inductor are coupled in series between the unregulated supply voltage and an output, typically with a parallel storage capacitor. An electromagnetic field is built up in the inductor when the transistor is conducting. When the switching transistor turns off, back electromotive force induces a voltage across the inductor. A clamping diode or "catch" diode is coupled to hold the junction of the switching transistor and the inductor at voltage just below ground. The back electromotive force then is applied to maintain the positive voltage on the output, with the inductor supplying current to maintain the output voltage when the switching transistor is off. This arrangement relies on the switching transistor to turn off current to the inductor, to generate an inductive power impulse, also referred to as an inductive buck.
One of the difficulties encountered in the design of a buck type regulator is the need to drive the gate of the switching transistor. Where the switching transistor is a MOSFET, for example, the gate voltage must be referenced to the MOSFET source terminal. However, the voltage at the source terminal is not constant, instead varying with the input voltage level relative to ground depending on the conduction of the MOSFET.
In the conventional buck regulator, the inductor and catch diode are coupled to the source (or emitter) of the switching transistor. That is, the transistor is upstream of the inductor along the current supply path, between the unregulated supply voltage and the junction of the inductor and catch diode. When the transistor switches off, the source terminal of the transistor and the cathode of the catch diode attempt to go negative as the back electromotive force that arises on the inductor, is subtracted from the regulated output voltage at the opposite terminal of the inductor. Conduction of the catch diode then clamps the voltage at the upstream terminal of the inductor. The inductive impulse can then be applied to the output.

Switching power supply regulator with an inductive pulse circuit


An elementary cell uses single-flux-quanta as two-valued logic propagation signals and is effective for Constructing asynchronous superconducting logic circuits. The elementary cell comprises one OR circuit section and one AND circuit section. Input pulses applied to two input terminals of the elementary cell are split at signal splitting sections in the elementary cell and applied to both inputs of the OR circuit section and both inputs of the AND circuit section. The output of the OR circuit section is defined as the OR output of the elementary cell. A first arrival pulse memory section is provided in the AND circuit section and when one of two input pulses input to the two input terminals of the AND circuit section arrives before the other, this fact is recorded in the first arrival pulse memory section as logical "1". When the other input pulse arrives while logical "1" is recorded in the first arrival pulse memory section, the AND circuit section produces an AND output which is defined as the AND output of the elementary cell. When a reset signal pulse is applied to a reset terminal, the first arrival pulse memory section is reset.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an elementary cell effective for constructing asynchronous superconducting logic circuits handling single-flux-quantum pulses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Today's computers ordinarily use a synchronous processor as one of their basic components, irrespective of whether they employ semiconductor logic circuits or superconducting logic circuits using Josephson devices. In "RSFQ Logic/Memory Family: A New Josephson-Junction Technology for Sub-Terahertz-Clock-Frequency Digital Systems," IEEE Trans. Appl. Superconductivity, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 3-28 (1991), K. K. Likharev and V. K. Semenov propose a RSFQ (rapid single-flux-quantum) circuit for constructing high-speed synchronous logic circuits using Josephson devices.
While this RSFQ circuit handles signals as single-flux-quanta (SFQ), it is also characterized by the pulse amplifier required in the actual circuit for enabling propagation of the pulse signals. The principle of the pulse amplifier 11 used in the circuit is illustrated in FIG. 5(A). Generally speaking, the Josephson device J has a hysteresis characteristic. Specifically, when a current exceeding the critical current is passed through the device, it shifts from the zero-voltage state up to that time to a voltage state, whereafter it does not return to the zero-voltage state unless the voltage applied across the device terminals falls almost completely to zero. This is known as "latching" mode operation. In a circuit using latching Josephson devices, therefore, the individual devices have to be periodically reset by use of alternating driving current (pulse current), the rise and fall timing has to be strictly controlled, and the frequency cannot be made very high. In contrast, in the pulse amplifier 11 used with this RSFQ, the Josephson device J is used as a non-latching Josephson switch 12 whose hysteresis characteristic has been deliberately nullified by, as shown in the drawing by way of example, connecting an overdamping resistor R in parallel with the Josephson device J and other such measures. In principle, the parallel resistor R and the like are not absolutely necessary if use is made of a so-called weakly coupled Josephson device, which does not have a hysteresis characteristic. In terms of device production technology, however, junction type devices and the like having hysteresis are easier to obtain with good characteristics. Generally, therefore, a device with hysteresis is used together with a parallel resistor R, as shown in the drawing.
Since the RSFQ circuit using the non-latching Josephson switch 12 can be driven by a DC power source P, it is at least freed from restriction to an AC power source. When an input pulse Qp is applied to a pulse amplifier 11 constituted by inserting a non-latching Josephson switch 12 between a DC power source P and ground, as shown in FIG. 5(A) for example, the non-latching Josephson switch 12 once shifts to a voltage state owing to superimposition of the current from the DC power source and the input pulse Qp. However, since this shift to the voltage state causes the amount of power source current flowing into the Josephson device J to decrease gradually with passage of time, the Josephson device J eventually resets itself and returns to the zero-voltage state since it has no hysteresis characteristic. As shown in FIG. 5(C), therefore, the output pulse Qp obtained at the output terminal once exhibits a large voltage (current) rise but eventually decreases gradually with lapse of time.
For achieving the desired handling of SFQ .PHI.o pulses, it is necessary for the product (L.multidot.Io) of the inductance value L of the inductors provided in the input line to and the output line from the non-latching Josephson switch 12 and the device critical current value Io to be no greater than 0.5 .PHI.o. The value of the inductance L of the inductors can, however, be set with relative freedom within this range. Actually, it is not so common to add inductance because the inductance L of the signal propagation lines generally suffices. The point remains, however, that positive, intentional adjustment of the inductance value L can be used to regulate the pulse width, pulse sharpness and other parameters affecting the pulse waveform as well as to regulate the amplification factor (magnitude of the critical current) of the individual stages when multiple pulse amplifier 11 of this type are cascaded. It should be noted that this possibility also applies regarding the various inductances indicated in the drawings of the embodiments of the invention to be described hereinafter.
FIG. 5(B) shows a buffer amplifier 13 obtained by modifying the pulse amplifier 11 of FIG. 5(A) so as to prevent operating errors owing to reverse signal flow from the output side toward the input side. A pair of non-latching Josephson switches 12, 12 are connected in series between the power source P and ground such that, with respect to a pulse Qp applied to the input, the non-latching Josephson switch 12 provided on the upper side in the drawing does not switch because the direction of current application is reverse between the power source and the input pulse and only the lower non-latching Josephson switch 12 shifts to the voltage state, whereby power source current is diverted to the output terminal side to provide an amplified output pulse Qp such as shown in FIG. 5(C). On the other hand, if a pulse signal should be erroneously input from the output terminal side, the superimposition of the input signal and the power source current shifts the upper non-latching Josephson switch 12 to the voltage state for a given period since it is fabricated to have a smaller critical current value than the lower non-latching Josephson switch 12. As a result, the signal is prevented from flowing in reverse and does not affect the input side.
As shown in FIG. 5(D), however, when the pulse Qp propagating through the lines of the logic circuit with its signal level attenuation reduced by the pulse amplifier 11 or the buffer amplifier 13 is observed from the viewpoint of an arbitrary circuit element 14 to which it is propagated, the current value or voltage value at the input of the circuit element is zero both before and after the pulse Qp arrives, so that no distinction is possible without some modification. In the prior-art RSFQ, therefore, a circuit element 14 which has to recognize signal arrival is supplied with a timing signal T of period t so that, as shown in FIG. 5(E), the presence of the input pulse Qp is recognized at the end of the period t and an output pulse Qpo is produced only if the pulse Qp arrives within the period t. (While the circuit element 14 is shown as having a single input in the drawing, this is only for simplifying the explanation and it is possible for it to be a flip-flop circuit or an arithmetic logic circuit incorporating a flip-flop circuit.)
Thus while the prior-art RSFQ circuit discussed in the foregoing does not need an AC power source, it requires a timing signal T, namely, a clock signal in the case of constructing a logic system, and, therefore, it goes without saying that the system is limited to the synchronous type. While it is true, as pointed out at the beginning of this specification, that among the various synchronous systems, the system constructed according to the configuration principle of the RSFQ circuit which handles SFQ pulses as logic signals has many superior aspects, the fact that it is a synchronous system means that, as with other synchronous systems, the basic performance, particularly the upper limit of the operating speed, is restricted by the clock frequency.
The remarkable advances made in Josephson device technology in recent years can be seen, for example, from ultra-high speed devices with switching delay times of only several picoseconds that have been achieved in the laboratory. In a synchronous system constructed on a chip with an area typical of current integrated circuits (10 mm.times.10 mm), however, the system performance saturates when the device operating delay time reaches a maximum of several tens of picoseconds. This is because the signal propagation delay time of the wiring makes it impossible to distribute a clock signal matched to the device speed. Thus, even though LSIs using devices which themselves have operating speeds on this order have actually been realized, they are unable to fully utilize the ultra-speed operating capability of the Josephson devices they include. Although devices with operating speeds of one picosecond are expected before the end of the century, the extent to which the ultra-high speed of these devices can be reflected in system performance is clearly limited in the case of synchronous systems. In fact, synchronous systems are currently very near reaching their limit in this respect, if they haven't reached it already.
One solution to this problem is to use the asynchronous system configuration which operates without a clock based solely on the causality of event occurrence. The performance of an asynchronous processor is determined not by the "maximum value" but by the "average value" of the processing and the delay. Since it is unaffected by unpredictable timing changes and the like, the high-speed capability of the device can be directly reflected in the system performance, so that the power of the system increases with increasing device operating speed.
However, it is not possible to apply the configuration principle of the synchronous logic circuits in the RSFQ circuit discussed in the foregoing to an asynchronous system without modification. A circuit element which, like the basic pulse amplifier 11 shown in FIG. 5(A) or the buffer amplifier 13 shown in FIG. 5(B), for example, responds to mere application of a signal pulse Qp by simply amplifying its voltage or current level, can be used substantially as it is in an asynchronous system because there is no need to consider the presence of a timing signal. (It is for this reason that the pulse amplifier 11 and buffer amplifier 13 shown in FIG. 5 are used in embodiments of the invention described later.) However, when a logical operation requires that the time of signal arrival be known with certainty, as in the case of the circuit element 14 schematically shown in FIG. 5(D), the circuit, in which the presence of a timing signal T is indispensable, can obviously not be used in an asynchronous system. In other words, if the circuit construction principle of the RSFQ is to be followed, with or without modification, freeing it from the constraints of the synchronous system and moving forward with its application to the asynchronous system requires that a circuit be developed which is capable of arithmetic processing without involving a timing signal, even when the signal representing the two-valued logic is a single-flux-quantum pulse. The present invention was accomplished precisely for this purpose and has as its object to provide an elementary cell useful for constructing asynchronous superconducting logic circuits.

Elementary cell for constructing asynchronous superconducting logic circuits

Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade & Industry


The optical fuse of the present invention comprises: at least one light heatable portion for receiving an incident beam, and at least one thermally sensitive degradable portion with transparency and reflectivity, positioned in contact with the light heatable portion. The light heatable portion contains a light heatable material which generates heat depending on a specified light intensity of the incident beam. The thermally sensitive degradable portion contains a thermally sensitive degradable material which loses or reduces its transparency and reflectivity, depending on the heat generated by the light heatable portion when the light intensity of the incident beam exceeds a threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fuse, an optical fuse complex, and an optical fuse system using the optical fuse, which prevents damage to a light receiver such as a photo detector by immediately intercepting a beam in response to an unexpectedly high intensity entering an optical system.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 10-070751 and 10-084027, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifiers, which can extend transmission distances by directly amplifying a signal beam, have been indispensable for a long distance mass communication system. These rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifiers excite the rare earth element doped in an optical fiber with pumping light at wavelengths shorter than the wavelengths of the signal beam to be transmitted, and amplify the signal beam by induced emission.
These rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifiers may damage or deteriorate a subsequent optical device on a light path because of the high power output, thus lowering the stability and reliability of the optical communication system.
In particular, when going from a no signal condition to an input of the signal beam, a secondary pulse which contains a high intensity light component (hereinafter referred to as "light surge") may damage the optical device.
The light surge occurs for the following reason. When no external beam is input, the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier has been excited by excitation light at wavelengths shorter than those of the signal beam. Because the rare earth element has been excited, light energy is stored in the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier. When the signal beam is input to the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier, the energy stored in the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier is suddenly output by the induced emission, thus amplifying the signal beam by a light gain.
A technique for suppressing the light surge has been proposed. Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 6-216452 notes the cause of the light surge and discloses a technique for making the gain constant even when a signal beam is input to the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier in which energy has been stored.
The light surge occurs because of the sudden induced emission of the energy stored in the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier. When no signal beam is input, the technique inputs a dummy beam at wavelengths different from those of the signal beam, making the intensities of the signal beam and the dummy beam equal and preventing the light surge.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing the structure of the background art of Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 6-216452. An optical multiplexer 201 multiplexes the dummy beam (wavelength: .lambda.3) with the signal beam (wavelength: .lambda.1). A optical branching device 205 branches a part of the transmitted power, and a receiver 204 performs optical/electric conversion (O/E conversion). A dummy beam semiconductor laser emission controller 203 performs feedback to a dummy beam semiconductor laser 202 so as to set the voltage after the O/E conversion to a fixed value.
The light multiplexer 206 multiplexes the multiplexed beam and excitation beam (wavelength: .lambda.2) emitted by the excitation semiconductor laser. The second multiplexed beam enters the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier 210 through an optical isolator 209, and is amplified during the transmission through the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier 210. The beam from the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier 210 travels through a second optical isolator 211. An optical filter 212 allows only the signal beam .lambda.1 to travel.
Although this technique prevents generation of light surges without interception of the signal beam, the technique cannot protect an optical device once a light surge accidentally occurs. In particular, the number of the rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifiers has increased recently. In systems using this technique, all the amplifiers require structures for emitting and controlling the dummy beam, thus increasing the costs.
Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 9-146056 discloses an optical fuse and a method for suppressing light surges, in which a semiconductor device with an optical waveguide (for example, a compound semiconductor) or a rare earth element doped optical fiber is inserted in a post stage of the rare earth element doped optical fiber. The compound semiconductor optical waveguide device deteriorates by the light surge. That is, because the semiconductor absorbs light, the end of the waveguide generates heat, and burns out instantaneously. With this characteristic, the device works as an optical fuse for a light surge. The device is advantageous because the absorption wavelength band or threshold value of the absorption may be adjusted by controlling the combination of materials (solid solution composition, or a super lattice cycle). However, there is the problem that the number of the semiconductor waveguide device which may be damaged increases the costs of systems.
Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 9-146056 discloses a process for connecting a rare earth element doped optical fiber using light absorption caused by transitions of inner electrons of a rare earth element such as Er. The process produces a device which undergoes reversible destruction. Other similar reports which describe absorption of light of a high intensity using rare earth elements, in particular, Er are available. In recent examples, "Y. Maeda, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 72 (4), 1-3" (1998) discloses that, in a wavelength band of 790 nm, low intensity light is not absorbed but high intensity light is effectively absorbed by lutetium aluminum garnet doped with Er. This phenomenon is strongly related to transition probability and relaxation probability of electron levels of Er ion. Depending on the number of electrons at a specified level (for example, in an I.sub.13/2 condition of Er), the absorption wavelength band may be controlled. The control may be achieved by adjustment of atom positions of the rare earth element in a matrix material (amorphous SiO.sub.2 in an optical fiber, or garnet), excitation of the electrons by temperature control, or control of the transition probability and relaxation probability. To perform these processes, high material design technology is needed, increasing the costs of the products. Further, the optical system may cause a problem at low temperatures at which electrons are not present in a preselected wavelength band.
Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 9-244074 discloses a light limiter circuit which includes an optical non-linear element whose transparency loss is changed depending on the intensity of an incident beam. The reference does not provide detailed description of the elements which perform the light limiting operation of the main point of the circuit. The optical limiting element using a non-linear optical material may utilize a process applying Cherenkov radiation, which is a non-linear effect, or a process applying parametric amplification which is another non-linear effect. These processes provide a non-destructing-type (reversible-type) device suppressing a light surge. However, the non-linear optical constant is small, depending on the preselected wavelength band, and it is necessary to extend the length of the element (the length of the waveguide) to compensate for insufficient effects. Therefore, the size and costs of the device cannot be reduced when a number of devices suppressing light surges are employed.
As described above, there are three kinds of methods for suppressing light surges: (a) the method for directly preventing generation of light surges; (b) a method using the reversible physics in response to only a light surge (high intensity beam); and (c) the method using the device whose material is damaged by the light surge. A disposable optical fuse which reduces the costs according to the method (c) has recently been in demand.