Described is a tightening device for automatically tightening a lace. The tightening device includes a housing with a power source and a pair of motors. A pair of planetary gear boxes are connected with the motors. A pair of spools are connected with the gear boxes. Laces are wound around the spools such that activation of the motors causes rotation of the spools. The housing can be attached with or otherwise incorporated into the tongue of a shoe, such that the laces are operable as shoe laces. Thus, when a user activates the motors, the laces are wound around the spools to automatically tighten the shoe laces.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to automated shoe laces and, more particularly, to a device for automatically tightening and loosening laces.
(2) Description of Related Art
Tying shoe laces, while seemingly simple, can in many cases be near impossible for some people. For example, learning how to tie shoe laces has been a rite of passage for small children who often struggle to manipulate the laces. Similarly, disabled and elderly individuals who lose digit dexterity often have problems manipulating the thin laces.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a device for automatically tightening and loosening laces, such as shoe laces.

Device for automatically tightening and loosening laces


A hearing instrument includes a faceplate and a shell. The faceplate is a round plate that has a moat defined in the surface of the plate and at least one feature associated with the plate for joining with a hearing instrument component. The moat is a trench or channel that is defined in the surface of the faceplate and includes a wall structure for coupling with a shell of a hearing instrument. The moat may be defined symmetrically about the at least one feature. The moat may be oval in shape and have a rectangular cross-section. A cut out is positioned on the faceplate for use in speeding the excising of material from the faceplate once the shell has been coupled to the faceplate.

The casing of an in-the-ear hearing instrument is typically constructed from two separate pieces of plastic. The first piece is known as the faceplate 10, depicted in FIG. 1, and the second piece is known as the shell. The faceplate 10 is typically a relatively flat sheet of material and the shell is generally horn-shaped and molded to fit inside a user's ear. The faceplate 10 normally has a variety of features 12 to accommodate the installation of other components. The shell is designed to house the inner workings of the hearing instrument. The inner workings of the hearing instrument are the parts that attach to the features 12 on the faceplate 10.
The faceplate and shell are constructed to mate vertically, so that the shell seats on the faceplate. In addition, the faceplate and shell must be rotationally aligned before being permanently glued together. This alignment often poses an issue for the builder of the hearing instrument.
The shell is glued to the faceplate along the shell wall thickness to join the faceplate to the shell. Once the faceplate is glued to the shell, the faceplate is typically cut to provide a clean connection where the shell is glued to the faceplate. The strength of the shell to faceplate interface is a direct function of the shell thickness. The thicker the shell, the greater the contact area with the faceplate. With soft shells, as the thickness increases, the pliability of the shell decreases. When soft shell assemblies are squeezed, especially near the interface with the faceplate, delamination of the shell from the faceplate is a concern.
One manufacturer, InTech Industries, Inc. of Ramsey, N.J., utilizes a faceplate with small protrusions on the inner surface of the faceplate that assist in aligning the faceplate to a prefabricated hard shell.

Faceplate moat and cut out for hearing instrument


An integrated circuit including an adder that is a series of one-bit cascaded adder cells. The circuits that implement the adder cells are not all alike. The adder cells are of two types: an even adder cell and an odd adder cell. The even adder cells receive all inputs as noninverted inputs, provide as outputs a noninverted sum bit output and the inverse of the carry-out bit. The odd adder cells receive as inputs the inverse of the carry-in bit, all other inputs are noninverted, and provides as outputs a noninverted sum bit and a noninverted carry-out bit.

Microprocessors such as digital signal processors perform addition of two binary numbers, each of which can have several bits. Microprocessors available today operate on binary numbers with 4 to 64 bits. The trend has been to increase the number of bits in the binary numbers. Therefore it is expected microprocessors in the future will operate on binary numbers having even more bits.
In performing the addition of two numbers, one of the numbers, known as the augend, is stored in a first register. The other number, known as the addend, is stored in a second register. The addition process begins by adding the least significant bits of the augend and addend in a first cell of a multicell adder. A sum bit and carry bit are generated. The carry bit is added to the sum of the augend bit and the addend bit in the next cell. This process continues through as many cells as are necessary to complete the addition.
In each cell, the addition of three bits occurs: an augend bit, an addend bit, and a carry bit from the previous (if present) cell. The carry bit from the previous cell is sometimes referred to as a carry-in bit. The result of the addition of these three bits produces two bits as outputs. The two bits are a sum bit and a carry bit, sometimes referred to as a carry-out bit to distinguish it from the carry-in bit. The carry-out bit is provided to the next cell as the carry-in bit or, through some carry look-ahead or carry skip-ahead technique, is propagated to a cell location of a more significant bit. A carry-out bit from the cell having as two of its inputs the most significant bits of the registers storing the augend and addend may indicate a carry overflow condition. Since the addition process is the same in each cell, it has been the practice of microprocessor manufacturers to develop a logic circuit to perform the binary addition for one cell, and then to replicate the circuit for each cell position. The resultant multicell adder is thus a cascaded series of identical one-bit adders. These multicell adders may be used within each group of a carry-skip adder or other types of fast adders.
A well-known technique of cascading a series of one-bit adders to form a fast n-bit carry-ripple adder is to omit the final inverter used in generating the sum and carry outputs. Every other one-bit adder, or cell, is designed to operate on inverted inputs. A drawback of this technique is the necessity for additional inverters to invert the inputs of every other cell, as well as the sum output bit of the alternate cells.
Using identical circuits for each cell position necessitates inverting some of the inputs to a cell prior to performing addition, or inverting some of the outputs from a cell subsequent to performing the addition but before passing the outputs on, such as to the next cell in the cascaded series or as an output bit from the adder. Introduction of inverters increases the power consumed in performing an addition operation, and increases the time necessary for a cell to complete its addition operation. The increased time consumed is aggregated when the microprocessor performs operations that are addition intensive such as matrix multiplication, convolution or correlation.
It would be desirable to have a fast n-bit adder in which there is no need to invert any of the inputs to adder cells and the adder would generate the true sum output for each cell.


A compressor shroud assembly is disclosed comprising a dynamically moveable impeller shroud, a static compressor casing, an air piston mounted between said impeller shroud and said compressor casing, and a clearance control system. The air piston effects axial movement of said impeller shroud responsive to a supply of actuating air. The clearance control system regulates the pressure of actuating air in said air piston and comprises a supply conduit having a supply modulating valve and a discharge conduit having a blowoff check valve. The blowoff check valve is set to open at a predetermined differential pressure between pressure of the air piston and pressure of the supply of actuating air.

Centrifugal compressors are used in turbine machines such as gas turbine engines to provide high pressure working fluid to a combustor. In some turbine machines, centrifugal compressors are used as the final state in a multi-stage high-pressure gas generator.
A typical centrifugal compressor comprises a rotatable impeller that is at least partly encased by a shroud assembly. Maintaining a sufficient clearance or gap between the impeller and the shroud assembly is essential to successful operation of the centrifugal compressor. A failure to maintain the clearance may result in damage to the centrifugal compressor and/or degradation of performance.

Clearance control system for a compressor shroud assembly


Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for authenticating a security device (e.g., a smart card or other highly secured device) to modify a security state (e.g., unlocking, decrypting, etc.) at a target device (e.g., laptop computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.). In some embodiments, the security device does not have a volatile storage for storing volatile parameters for the particular device to use to perform the authentication process. The method of some embodiments sends an encrypted challenge to the security device, in which the encrypted challenge can only be decrypted by the security device. The method receives a response and modifies accessibility for the target device when the response is a valid response. The method of some embodiments determines that a response is valid based on the decrypted contents of the response and/or based on a period of time between the issuance of the challenge and the received response.

In order to provide a balance of security and convenience, a trusted device (e.g., key fobs, mobile devices, wearable devices, etc.) may be used to unlock (or otherwise modify a security state) a target device. In many cases, the trusted device provides a memory along with a general processor and security software for handling authentication measures with the target device. However, such memories and software can be vulnerable to malicious attackers who can read the memories or corrupt the authentication software in order to gain unauthorized access to the target device. In order to provide a higher level of security that is not subject to such vulnerabilities, highly secured devices (e.g., smart cards, hardware encryption devices, etc.) are used to authenticate a user at a target device. In some cases, the highly secured devices lack a stateful memory to track the target devices. It is desirable to provide more secure methods for modifying the security state of a target device using such highly secured devices.

Modifying security state with highly secured devices


Failover process for switching from a “failing” blade server to a “replacing” blade server. This process includes the following steps: (i) booting a replacing blade server to a set of operating system(s) including a first operating system; and (ii) subsequent to the booting of the replacing blade server, sending command data to the replacing blade server. The command data includes a command for the replacing blade server to configure itself to replace the failing blade server.

In common parlance, a blade server is a stripped-down server computer having a modular design optimized to minimize the use of physical space and energy. Blade servers typically are lacking many components to save space, minimize power consumption and provide for other considerations, while still having all the functional components to be considered a computer. However, in this application, "blade server" shall be specially defined to mean as follows: any computer (see DEFINITIONS section) that is or can be used to do the work typically performed by a blade server, without regard to components that it may or may not lack relative to other computers. "Proper blade server" shall be herein defined to mean: any computer that is considered as a blade server under currently conventional definitions or understandings of the term "blade server."
In a data center, the blade servers are characterized by machine type, network addresses and storage addresses which are virtual addresses. In case of a blade server (sometimes herein simply referred to as a "server") failure, another blade server is picked up from the spare pool of standby servers, to replace the failing server. In existing solutions for the fail over: (i) the failing server is powered off: (ii) the addresses (network and storage) of the failing blade server are applied to the new replacing server; (iii) the replacing server is switched on to the power ON mode; (iv) the replacing server is booted to an operating system (OS); (v) the replacing server takes over the failing server workload. Typically, this process consumes from 5 to 7 minutes. During this time interval, the services offered by the failing blade server are unavailable. In conventional blade server operations, the spare pool servers are in stand by mode. They are booted to an OS only when they are chosen for the replacement and the address of the failing server is applied to one of them as part of the replacement process described above. In conventional systems the firmware that initializes, probes and configures the appropriate input/output (I/O) cards will only run during the process of booting.

International Business Machines Corporation


A touch sensor may overlap a display. A transparent shield layer that is grounded around its edges may be interposed between the display and the touch sensor to help prevent noise from display data lines from reaching the touch sensor. The data lines may extend along a first dimension. The touch sensor may have first elongated electrodes that extend along the first dimension and second elongated electrodes that extend along a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension. The second electrodes may be interposed between the first electrodes and the data lines. Pen present electrodes may be used to gather pen present data associated with a stylus on the touch sensor. Adjacent noise sensors may collect noise data that is removed from the pen present data.

This relates generally to touch sensors and, more particularly, to reducing noise in touch sensors.
Electronic devices such as tablet computers and cellular telephones often include capacitive touch sensors. A capacitive touch sensor has an array of electrodes that can be used to measure the position of a user's finger or an external device such as a touch sensor stylus. In an active stylus design, circuitry in a stylus emits signals that are detected by the touch sensor electrodes. The use of active stylus designs can help improve stylus performance.
There are challenges associated with using capacitive touch sensors to gather stylus input. Touch sensors are often mounted over displays to form touch sensitive displays. Displays have signal lines such as data lines that can emit noise. The noise can interfere with the operation of the touch sensor and can make it difficult to obtain accurate position information for a stylus. Unless care is taken, stylus data may be inaccurate or may require overly complex signal processing operations.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide an improved touch sensor system for an electronic device.

Noise reduction for touch sensor system with active stylus


A movable particle display (such as an electrophoretic display) in which a plurality of closed spaces are two-dimensionally disposed along a surface of the substrate, a plurality of particles contained in each of the closed spaces, and a reflection surface for reflecting light which enters each of the closed particles are moved inside a closed space, between a position at which they cover a reflecting surface and a position at which they are collected to expose the reflecting surface. At least a part of the reflecting surface diffusely reflects incident light with an intensity distribution having directional properties (i.e. non-isotropically). The intensity of the diffusely reflected light has an angular distribution such that: (1) the amount of light reflected toward the position at which the particles are collected is smaller than in the case when the distribution of diffusely reflected light is isotropic, and (2) the amount of light reflected away from the position at which the particles are collected is larger than that of light reflected towards that position.

In recent years, as an example of a particle-movement type display apparatus that effects display by moving particles, an electrophoretic display apparatus designed to effect display by moving electrophoretic particles under application of a voltage has been actively studied.
Such an electrophoretic display apparatus includes a pair of substrates disposed with a spacing therebetween, an insulating liquid and electrophoretic particles which are disposed in the spacing, and a pair of electrodes disposed close to the insulating liquid. The electrophoretic display apparatus has, compared with a liquid crystal display apparatus (device), various advantages, such as a high display contrast, a wide viewing angle, a display memory characteristic, an elimination of the need for a backlight and a polarizing plate, etc.
However, the electrophoretic display apparatus effects display by reflecting external incident light, so that an amount of external light incident thereon is decreased when an illuminance of the external light is low, e.g., the electrophoretic display apparatus is used indoors or during the night. As a result, the display state is very dark, so that the electrophoretic display apparatus has a disadvantage of lowering its viewability. For this reason, the electrophoretic display apparatus is required to increase a reflectance so as to efficiently reflect the incident external light.
In a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus which effects display by reflecting external light incident thereon similarly as in the electrophoretic display apparatus in order to retain an enlarged viewing angle and enhance a reflectance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 11-109392 has proposed a structure in which a reflection electrode at each pixel is provided with a portion with a directivity with respect to the incident external light and a portion exhibiting a mirror surface characteristic.
In such a structure, light fluxes, of the incident external light, which enter the portion of the reflectance electrode having the mirror surface characteristic are regularly reflected by the reflection electrode, so that all the light fluxes are moved outside a liquid crystal cell. As a result, it is possible to increase a reflectance and a contrast. Light fluxes which enter the portion of the reflection electrode having the directivity are scattered by the reflection electrodes and moved in the scattering direction to increase an outgoing angle, thus keeping an enlarged viewing angle.
Similarly, when such a structure for reflecting the light is employed in the electrophoretic display apparatus, it is possible to increase the reflectance, FIGS. 13(A) and 13(B) are schematic views showing a structure of one pixel in the case where a scattering layer of such a conventional reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus is employed in an electrophoretic display apparatus, wherein FIG. 13(A) is a plan view of the pixel and FIG. 13(B) is a sectional view of the pixel along X-Y line shown in FIG. 13(A).
Referring to these figures, the electrophoretic display apparatus includes a first substrate 1A and a second substrate 2A which are disposed opposite to each other with a spacing there a closed space, in which an insulating liquid 3 and a plurality of electrophoretic particles 4 are filled, is disposed. In the closed space, a first substrate 25 and a second electrode 26 are disposed close to the insulating liquid 3 and between which a voltage is applied to move the electrophoretic particles 4 toward the first electrode 25 or the second electrode 26, thus effecting display. Between the first electrode 25 and the insulating liquid 3, an isotropic scattering layer 12 is disposed, and a plurality of partition walls 7A are disposed to partition the spacing between the first and second substrates 1A and 2A into a plurality of closed spaces each corresponding to one pixel. Accordingly, each of the partition walls 7A is disposed at a pixel boundary portion so as to partition the spacing between the first and second substrates 1A and 2A into adjacent two closed spaces. Further, surfaces of the respective electrodes 25 and 26 are appropriately coated with a substantially insulating material (not shown) so as not to directly contact the insulating liquid 3. In the electrophoretic display apparatus described above, the first electrode 25 also functions as a reflection layer.
FIGS. 13(A) and 13(B) shows a bright display state in which the electrophoretic particles s4 are collected in an area close to the second electrode 26 to constitute a light absorbing portion enclosed by a dotted line in FIG. 13(B). In this state, for example, light 8M which enters a portion close to a pixel center portion or the light absorbing portion 13 in a direction of a normal to the substrates is first scattered isotropically by the isotropic scattering layer 12. More specifically, a part of the scattered light moves in a direction toward the first substrate 1A and is reflected by the first electrode 25 which also functions as the reflection layer and then is reflected again isotropically by the isotropic scattering layer 12. As a result, the incident light 8M is changed to reflected light 9M.
However, in such an electrophoretic display apparatus provided with the reflection layer, when light enters a portion close to the light absorbing portion 13, a part of reflected light 9M of the incident light is absorbed by the electrophoretic particles 4 present at the light absorbing portion 13 to lower a reflectance during bright state display in some cases. Further, as shown in FIG. 13(B), in the case where the second electrode 26 is formed in the neighborhood of the partition wall 7A or at the surface of the partition wall 7A, the light absorbing portion 13 and the partition wall 7A are close to each other. For this reason, a reflectance during the bright state display is lowered in some cases due to light absorption by both of the light absorbing portion 13 and the partition wall 8A.


An impermeable papermaking belt. The papermaking belt has a back side and a sheet side. The sheet side of the papermaking belt is textured. The sheet side imparts structure, preferably differential density, to paper made on the impermeable belt. The papermaking belt may comprise photosensitive resin on the sheet side. The papermaking belt may be used in conjunction with an imprinting roll which densifies the regions of the paper coincident the knuckles of the papermaking belt. This belt is suitable for papermaking machines having or not having a Yankee drying drum.

Papermaking belts are well-known in the art. Papermaking belts are used to dewater and transport cellulosic fibers in a papermaking machine. The cellulosic fibers become an embryonic web and, upon drying, the finished product.
Typically, papermaking belts do not impart structure to the paper made thereon. "Structure" refers to variations in the basis weight and/or, more particularly, the density of the paper which are greater than occur in ordinary papermaking and due to ordinary variations, such as those induced by creping or wet micro-contraction. Such papermaking belts may be through air drying belts or conventional press felts. Such belts comprise a framework and a reinforcing structure through which water is removed.
Structured paper is consumer preferred because the paper can be softer, more absorbent, and utilize less fibers. However, producing structured paper typically has required through air drying, which can be costly.
The disadvantage to the aforementioned types of papermaking belts which are known to produce structured paper is that such papermaking belts are pervious to water. By being water pervious, the belts risk re-wet. Re-wet occurs when water removed from the paper being made on the belt is transferred away from the paper, then back to the paper. Re-wet occurs for many reasons. The typical cause of re-wet includes excess water carried by the felt to the point of introduction of the paper thereon.
Impermeable belts are also known in the art. For example, one impermeable belt has been commercially sold under the name Trans-belt by Albany International of Albany, N.Y. The Trans-belt, as well as other impermeable belts according to the prior art, suffer from the disadvantage that they do not produce structured paper when used as intended.
One attempt in the art to get around this disadvantage is to provide a patterned imprinting roll. The patterned imprinting roll is juxtaposed with the impermeable belt to form a nip therebetween. The paper travels through the nip between the belt and the patterned imprinting roll. In the nip, a pattern is imprinted on the paper yielding structured paper.
The structured paper then travels to a pressure roll where the paper is impressed in a second nip between the pressure roll and a Yankee drying drum. However, at the pressure roll, the structure previously imprinted into the paper is diminished or even lost, due to the compaction at this second nip. The compaction at this second nip between the pressure roll and the Yankee flattens the paper, causing the structure created at the nip between the trans-belt and the imprinting roll to be lost.
This invention provides a papermaking machine with an impermeable belt. Furthermore, this invention provides a belt for use in such a papermaking machine and which produces structured paper. This invention produces structured paper on an impermeable belt without diminishing the structure during steps incident to the manufacturing process.

Textured impermeable papermaking belt, process of making, and process of making paper therewith


A merge application creates a particular set of documents for a particular matter. The merge application receives a selection of a particular master template corresponding to the particular set of documents, where the selected master template specifies a plurality of slave templates, and also receives a selection of a data structure from a database with data relating to the particular matter. The selected master template and the selected data structure are employed to produce the set of documents for the particular matter in an electronic form, where a corresponding document of the set is produced for each specified slave template in the selected master template. Each corresponding document is produced according to common content in the slave template and data in the selected data structure in the database referred to by placeholders in the slave template.

It is known that an electronic document may be created from an electronic template. For example, in the context of a word processing application that creates primarily textual documents, it is known that a template may be employed so as to automate a task that may be repeated on a regular or irregular basis. Thus, a person may create an electronic document such as a letter to be mailed to another person, where the letter is a standard or 'form' letter with text or the like that is substantially unvarying across multiple similar letters, by directing a word processing application or the like to retrieve a template associated with such application and containing the substantially unvarying text.
As may be appreciated, the text in such a template may be formatted in a particular manner, such as for example in paragraphs of a particular type or 'style', within pages having predefined margins, headers, footer and the like, with certain colors, etc. As may also be appreciated, the template may also have non-textual elements, such as for example a picture, a logo, or the like. Moreover, such a template may include references or 'bookmarks' to other templates, where each bookmark for example refers to text or other content that does not vary among different templates and documents, such as for example a list of members of a firm, a list of owners, an address of an office, a drawing of a directional map, etc.
As should be understood, each document created from a common template may have common information and also unique information. For example, a form letter sent to multiple people may have a common body, but may differ based on each person to whom the form letter is sent. Thus, the form letter as sent to each person may refer to that person by name in a salutation, and may include a mailing address and/or electronic mail address of such person. To effectuate such unique information in a document created from a template, then, the template typically includes merge codes or the like by which such unique features are automatically entered by way of reference to a data file. In the latter case, and as an example, a template for creating a form letter to be sent to each of multiple persons may include merge codes to retrieve the name and address of each such person from a text document that has already been created and properly formatted.
In connection with a particularly complex task, the templates for effectuating such task also may be particularly complex. For example, if a task involves producing a number of documents to be directed to a number of different persons, the task may be performed by way of a so-called 'master' template that refers to a number of individual 'slave' templates, where each slave template produces a corresponding document. Notably, the master template and/or the slave templates may include functional code that performs certain actions, such as for example retrieving and/or querying for information to be inserted into the documents created from such templates. Also notably, such information to be inserted may be found in a particular data file which is a text document that has already been created and properly formatted.
As an example, a particularly complex task to be performed may be to construct a number of different legal documents, each of which is to be sent to certain parties. Thus, it may be that a first one of the documents is to be sent to party A, a second one to parties A and B, and a third one to parties C, D, and E. Accordingly, the master template would reference three slave templates, one each to produce the first, second, and third documents, respectively. In operation, and as is known, the master template would among other things direct that the slave template create the first document with the name and address of party A, the second document with the name and address of each of parties A and B, and the third document with the name and address of each of parties C, D, and E, all as found in a corresponding data file. Typically, to create all of the documents based on the master template and corresponding data file, an appropriate run command would be executed that identifies such master template and corresponding data file.
With such master templates, slave templates, and data files, then, particularly complex collections of documents may be constructed from corresponding templates and data files with relative ease by way of an underlying application. Note, though, that to do so, the templates and data files must first themselves be constructed. Typically, although not necessarily, all of the templates and data files are constructed in a format related to the underlying application. For example, if the underlying application is a particular word processing application, then the templates would be constructed according to a template format specific to the particular word processing application, and the data file would be constructed according to a data file format specific to the particular word processing application.
As should be understood, however, such a situation is disadvantageous in at least two regards. For one, constructing templates and data files according to respective formats specific to a particular underlying application may unnecessarily restrict such templates and data files to use only with such particular underlying application, when in fact it may be advantageous to be able to use such templates and data files with other underlying applications. For another, constructing templates and data files according to respective formats specific to a particular underlying application may unnecessarily restrict such templates and data files from producing documents across multiple underlying applications. In the former case, if the underlying application becomes obsolete or otherwise unusable, then the templates and data files are likewise obsolete or otherwise unusable. In the latter case, it may be advantageous to be able to use a single template, for example, to create a letter by way of a word processing application and also to create a presentation according to an unrelated presentation application.
Accordingly, a need exists for systems and methods for creating documents that employ templates and data files constructed and/or maintained in a format that is not specific to any particular underlying application. More particularly, a need exists for such systems and methods where each template and data file is in an independent format. Even more particularly, a need exists for such systems and methods where the data file is embodied within an appropriate database.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for creating documents from templates

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


An apparatus for printing an alignment layer of a liquid crystal display device includes a dispenser dropping an alignment material, an anilox roll receiving the dropped alignment material, a doctor roll evenly spreading the dropped alignment material coated onto the anilox roll, and a printing roll receiving the alignment material from the anilox roll, and transferring the alignment material onto a substrate, wherein the printing roll has a plurality of masks each having a numerical aperture of about 5% to 25%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a device and method for printing an alignment layer and a mask for printing an alignment layer.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, different types of flat panel displays are commonly implemented in various display apparatus, including Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Plasma Display Panel (PDP), Electro Luminescent Display (ELD), and Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD). Of these different types, the LCD devices have commonly replaced apparatus that used Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) because of their excellent picture quality, light weight, thin profile, and low power consumption. In addition to mobile apparatus that use LCDs, such as monitors of notebook computers, the LCDs are increasingly being implemented for televisions and for monitors of home computers.
In general, an LCD device includes a liquid crystal display panel for displaying a picture, and a driving part for providing a driving signal to the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel includes first and second substrates bonded together with a gap formed between the first and second substrates, and a liquid crystal material is injected into the gap between the first and second glass substrates.
On the first substrate (commonly referred to as a TFT array substrate), there are a plurality of gate lines arranged along one direction at fixed intervals, a plurality of data lines arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the gate lines at fixed intervals, a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed within pixel regions defined by an intersection of the gate and data lines that form a matrix, and a plurality of thin film transistors switchable in response to a signal transmitted by the gate lines for conducting a signal from the data line to the pixel electrodes. On the second substrate (commonly referred to as a color filter substrate), there is a black matrix layer for shielding light from portions other than the pixel regions, a red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filter layer for displaying colors, and a common electrode for implementing a picture.
The first and second substrates are spaced apart by spacers, and bonded together by a sealant material. The sealant material includes a liquid crystal material injection hole, through which the liquid crystal material is injected. Physical characteristics of the liquid crystal material are dependent on molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules, and may be altered by application of an external force, such as electric field. Accordingly, filling of the liquid crystal material between the first and the second substrates cannot provide uniform molecular arrangement required for proper operation of the LCD device. Thus, an alignment layer is formed upon a surface of each of the first and second substrates.
In general, main composition materials for forming the alignment layers commonly include inorganic or organic substances. Of these main composition materials, polyimide group materials are generally considered better as compared to other organic polymers with respect to printing, rubbing, alignment control performance, and chemical stability. Currently, the polyimide group materials are commonly employed as a material for forming alignment layers of various LCD devices.
During formation of the alignment layers, diamine and acid anhydride are made to react in a solvent to prepare formation of polyamic acid. The material used during printing is the polyamic acid, whereby the polyimide is obtained as the polyamic acid is dried and set by application of heating. The polyimide alignment layer may be formed by various processes including spinning, spraying, dipping, and printing.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a device for printing an alignment layer according to the related art. In FIG. 1, the device includes a raw material tank 103 having raw material 101, a raw material supply tube 104, a dispenser 100, an anilox roll 120, a doctor roll 110, and a printing roll 130.
A mask 210 is positioned on the printing roll 130, and is formed of a printing rubber plate with a 30% numerical aperture. The numerical aperture is defined as a ratio of a portion of mask that does not have the raw material 101 to a portion of the mask that has the raw material 101. Generally, a mask 210 with a numerical aperture below 30% is employed for an LCD device having a resolution class below a high resolution XGA (1024×768 class).
In order to flow the raw material 101 through the raw material supply tube 104, nitrogen gas (N2) is injected into the raw material tank 103. When the nitrogen gas (N2) is supplied to the raw material tank 103, the raw material 101 is dropped from the dispenser onto the rotating doctor roll 110 and the anilox roll 120 via the raw material supply tube 104. The raw material 101 supplied to the doctor roll 110 and the anilox roll 120 is kneaded between the doctor roll 110 and the anilox roll 120, whereby the raw material 101 is evenly coated onto the surface of the anilox roll 120. Then, the evenly coated raw material 101 on the anilox roll 120 is transferred onto the substrate 150 that is positioned on the printing table 160 by the printing roll 130. Accordingly, the masks 210 positioned on the printing roll 130 each have a 30% numerical aperture such that the substrate includes portions having the raw material 101 and portions not having the raw material 101. Finally, the raw material 101 positioned on the substrate 150 is cured, thereby forming the alignment layer.
FIGS. 2A–2C are plan and perspective views of a mask for printing an alignment layer according to the related art. In FIG. 2A, a matrix of masks 210 having a plurality of projections 220 are positioned on a substrate 200, wherein each of the masks 210 is formed of printing rubber plate.
In FIG. 2B, during transfer of the raw material 101 from the printing roll 130 onto the substrate 150 (in FIG. 1), no raw material 101 is transferred from regions having the projections 220. Accordingly, the raw material 101 cannot be transferred to the substrate 150 (in FIG. 1) where the projections 220 contact the substrate 150. If a mask 210 without the projections 220 is used, the raw material 101 cannot be uniformly coated onto the surface of the mask 210 uniformly, thereby forming blots of raw material onto the substrate 150 (in FIG. 1). Thus, a plurality of openings 220 are formed in the surface of the mask 210 for uniform transfer of the raw material 101 onto the substrate 150 (in FIG. 1). In addition, defective printing of the raw material 101 onto the substrate 150 is proportional to an area of the substrate 150 having no raw material 101 printed thereon. Moreover, LCD devices classified below the high resolution class that have large sized pixels also have a lower ratio of defect occurrence caused by infiltration of contaminants than LCD devices classified above the high resolution class even using the mask 210 having a 30% numerical aperture.
In FIG. 2C, the raw material 101 is transferred onto the substrate 150 (in FIG. 1) except where regions correspond to the projections 220 on the mask 210. Accordingly, the 30% numerical aperture mask 210 is problematic when implemented for fabricating LCD devices classified in the high resolution class or higher having small unit pixels. Since the 30% numerical aperture mask 210 includes the projections 220, contaminates, such as dirt, are transferred onto the printing roll and onto the substrate.

Apparatus, mask, and method for printing alignment layer


Recovery points can be used for replicating a virtual machine and reverting the virtual machine to a different state. A filter driver can monitor and capture input/output commands between a virtual machine and a virtual machine disk. The captured input/output commands can be used to create a recovery point. The recovery point can be associated with a bitmap that may be used to identify data blocks that have been modified between two versions of the virtual machine. Using this bitmap, a virtual machine may be reverted or restored to a different state by replacing modified data blocks and without replacing the entire virtual machine disk.

Businesses recognize the commercial value of their data and seek reliable, cost-effective ways to protect the information stored on their computer networks while minimizing impact on productivity. A company might back up critical computing systems such as databases, file servers, web servers, virtual machines, and so on as part of a daily, weekly, or monthly maintenance schedule. The company may similarly protect computing systems used by its employees, such as those used by an accounting department, marketing department, engineering department, and so forth. Given the rapidly expanding volume of data under management, companies also continue to seek innovative techniques for managing data growth, for example by migrating data to lower-cost storage over time, reducing redundant data, pruning lower priority data, etc. Enterprises also increasingly view their stored data as a valuable asset and look for solutions that leverage their data. For instance, data analysis capabilities, information management, improved data presentation and access features, and the like, are in increasing demand.
Virtual machines may be used to provide users with access to different operating environments. Further, virtual machines may be used to provide multiple users with their own separate computing environment on a single computing system. In some cases, it is desirable for multiple instances of the virtual machines to, at least initially, have the same configuration. Thus, sometimes a virtual machine may be replicated multiple times on a computing system or across multiple computing systems.


Providing a high frequency power amplifier circuit and a radio communication system which can control output power by a power voltage, produce sufficient output power in high regions of demanded output power and improve power efficiency in low regions of demanded output power. In a high frequency power amplifier circuit (RF power module) which comprises two or more cascaded FETs for amplification and controls output power by controlling power voltages of the FETs for amplification to gate terminals of which bias voltages of a predetermined level are applied, different transistors for power voltage control are provided for a last-stage FET for amplification and preceding-stage FETs for amplification. The transistors for power voltage control generate and apply the power voltage so that the preceding-stage FETs for amplification saturate when a demanded output level is relatively low.

The present invention relates to a technique effectively applied to a high frequency power amplifier circuit and a radio communication device such as a cellular phone incorporating the high frequency power amplifier circuit, and more particularly to a technique for improving an output power level and power efficiency in a high frequency power amplifier circuit capable of controlling the power voltages of amplification transistors making up the high frequency power amplifier circuit to control output power.
A high frequency power amplifier circuit (in general, configured in multiple stages) that uses semiconductor amplifying elements such as MOS FET (Field Effect Transistor) and GaAs-MESFET is built into an output part of a transmitting side of a radio communication device such as a cellular phone (mobile communication device).
In a high frequency power amplifier circuit of this kind, generally, a semiconductor chip including transistors for amplification, their bias circuits, a power voltage control circuit, and the like are mounted on an insulating substrate such as a ceramic substrate to the surface and inside of which printed wirings are made, along with other semiconductor chips and discrete parts such as capacitances. Since the parts are coupled by the printed wirings and bonding wires so as to perform their respective required functions, the high frequency power amplifier circuit operates as if it were one electronic part.
The abovementioned electronic part is called an RF power module. However, instead of configuring the high frequency power amplifier circuit with plural semiconductor chips and discrete parts, it may be configured with one semiconductor integrated circuit and some external parts. This specification refers to such a semiconductor integrated circuit and the abovementioned RF power module collectively as a high frequency power amplifier circuit.
Cellular phones control output power (transmission power) so as to match ambient environments according to power level specification information from base stations so that output power is increased when distant from the base stations, and output power is reduced when near the base stations. In this way, a system is configured to prevent interference with other cellular phones.
Conventionally, some RF power modules of transmission output stages in cellular phones of the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) system are provided with an APC (Automatic Power Controller) circuit (see Patent Publication 1, for example). The APC circuit controls output power required for calls by detecting a DC level of output by a coupler, comparing it with an output level specification signal (Vramp), and feeding the result back to a bias circuit for generating an input bias voltage (gate bias voltage) of an output power element. This system is called a closed loop system.
On the other hand, the present applicant previously applied for an invention (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-018646) on a high frequency power amplifier circuit that outputs signals corresponding to demanded output power levels by fixing a gate bias voltage and controlling power voltages Vdd1 of amplifying stages FET Q1, Q2, and Q3, based on an output control voltage (output level specification signal Vramp). This system (called a power voltage control system), which is an open loop system, is poorer in control precision but has the advantage of reducing circuit size, in comparison with the closed loop system.
[Patent Publication 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-151310

High frequency power amplifier circuit and radio communication system


An electrical connector comprises a housing having a front side and a rear side, a cage and a detection switch. The cage is engaged with the housing, the cage and the housing together define a slot, and an entrance of the slot is adjacent to the front side so as to allow an electronic card to enter into the slot along a card insertion direction. The detection switch is provided to the housing and comprises a first resilient terminal and a second resilient terminal. The second end portion is further adjacent to the front side relative and when the electronic card is received in the slot, the first resilient arm portion is separated from the second end portion.

Generally, an electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic card is typically provided with a detection switch so as to judge whether the electronic card has been inserted. A detection switch in prior art typically comprises a fixed terminal and a resilient terminal, the fixed terminal and the resilient terminal are fixed to a housing (which is formed of an insulative material), and the resilient terminal partially extends into a slot of an electrical connector, and the resilient terminal is pushed by the electronic card inserted into the slot so as to change a contact state between the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal, and thus the detection switch can detect whether the electronic card has been inserted into the slot.
When the electronic card is not inserted into the slot, the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal contact each other, which is referred to as a normal close, or the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal are separated from each other, which is referred to as a normal open. Here, as for the normal close, the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal will be separated from each other when the electronic card has been inserted into the slot; as for the normal open, the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal will contact each other when the electronic card has been inserted into the slot.
Because only the resilient terminal with respect to the normal close has a predetermined preloaded force, a stable contact between the resilient terminal and the fixed terminal can be maintained. However, if the preloaded force exerted on the fixed terminal by the resilient terminal is too small, a poor connection will occur; if the preloaded force exerted on the fixed terminal by the resilient terminal is too large, the preloaded force will be transferred to the housing, which can cause the housing to warp after passing through reflow. If the preloaded force is exerted on a position of terminals close to a soldering region, coplanarity of soldering portions of the terminals can be affected.


A U-shaped iron core transporting/assembling tank is divided into a first leg iron core tank for housing a first leg iron core, a second leg iron core tank for housing a second leg iron core, and a lower-yoke iron core assembling tank. The first and second leg iron core tanks are integrated to constitute an erection tank. The lower-yoke iron core assembling tank has an opening portion for opening or closing which is formed in one longitudinal side surface of the lower-yoke iron core and through which the lower-yoke iron core can be carried in or out. The lower-yoke iron core assembling tank is connected at the opening portion which is opened when the lower-yoke iron core is housed in the lower-yoke iron core assembling tank.

The present invention relates to a U-shaped iron core transporting/assembling method in a transformer transported in a disassembled condition and a U-shaped iron core transporting/assembling tank used in the method.
In recent years, voltage to be supplied to a transmission system increases with an increase in electric power demand. Accordingly, the capacity, size, and weight of stationary induction electric appliances, such as transformers, used for power transmission/transformation increase.
Transformer stations in which a transformer is installed are often located in sites with severe transport conditions, such as mountain area or underground of urban areas. Therefore, it is necessary to significantly reduce the transportation dimension and weight of the stationary induction electric appliance installed in such sites.
In such a case, a disassembled transportation method capable of significantly reducing the transportation scale and weight of a product to be transported has been adopted as a transportation method of the transformer. In this method, a large capacity three-phase transformer, etc. that has already been produced and tested in a factory is disassembled into several components: a U-shaped iron core, yokes, coils, and the like, then the components are housed in transportation tanks specially designed for the respective components to their installation site, and the respective components are reassembled in, e.g., a clean house built at the installation site. A transformer transported using the above disassembled transportation method is referred to as "disassembled transportation transformer".
Recently, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-67112, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference, the U-shaped iron core is disassembled further into smaller parts (e.g., leg iron core and lower-yoke iron core) in order to reduce the size of each component to be transported.
The clean house used for assembling the disassembled transportation transformer at its installation site generally has two rooms: an assembling room and a spare room and has a structure in which framed support column are surrounded by a panel unit constituted by a plurality of plate materials. Each room has a roof at the top. The roof is constituted by a framing material and a water-proof sheet and extensively attached to the framing so as to be opened and closed. A dehumidifier, a dust collector, and the like are provided in both the assembling room and spare room for controlling the humidity or dust amount in the rooms. In general, it takes about 20 days to build up the clean house.
The U-shaped iron core that has been divided into the leg iron core, lower-yoke iron core, and the like and transported to the installation site is carried in the spare room where dehumidification and dust removal have been accomplished and unpacked from a transportation tank, etc., and then carried into the assembling room where dehumidification and dust removal have been accomplished, by a tow truck, etc.
However, the on-site iron core assembling method of the disassembled transportation transformer has the following problems.
For example, an iron core of a large capacity three-phase five-leg transformer is constituted by four U-shaped iron cores. Thus, it is necessary to assemble the four U-shaped iron cores at the installation site after the assembling room of the clean house has been built up. In general, it takes about 7 days to complete the assembly of one U-shaped iron core. In the space of a conventional assembling room where the U-shaped iron core is assembled, it is possible to assemble at most two U-shaped iron cores simultaneously, in general. In this case, it takes about 14 to 17 days to complete the assembly of all the U-shaped iron cores. Thus, it takes more time to install the entire transformer than in the case of a general disassembled transportation transformer where the iron core is transported in the form of the U-shaped iron core by the time length required for assembling the U-shaped iron core at the installation site.
Further, the above work schedule is applicable to only a case where the weather is stable. For example, it is necessary to open the roof of the assembling room when the iron core is carried into the assembling room, so that the carry-in work cannot be performed in the case of rain, delaying the installation.
Further, carry-in of the leg iron core and yoke iron core and carry-out of an erection tank in which the U-shaped iron core is housed and erected need to be performed using a tow truck. Hoisting up/down of the iron core by a tow truck needs to be performed at both the assembling room and spare room. The tow truck is parked in the intermediate portion between the assembling room and spare room and, there, the hoisting up/down of the leg iron core and yoke iron core is performed in a state where the arm of the tow truck is extended in an inclined manner. Thus, a tow truck with large hoisting capacity is required. The rental fee, etc., of such a tow truck with large hoisting capacity is high, and there is no other way but to rent a tow truck whose per-unit time rental fee is high in order to assemble the U-shaped iron core, causing increase in cost.
Further, the carry-in of the leg iron core and yoke iron core often needs to be performed many times, and every time the carry-in work is performed, the roofs of the spare room and assembling room need to be opened. When the roofs are opened, a large volume of external air is introduced inside the spare room and assembling room, so that it is necessary to perform dehumidification and dust removal every time the roofs are opened, which may cause delay of the installation.


A display device includes a light guide plate which includes a light incident surface, a light exiting surface connected to the light incident surface, and an opposite surface facing the light exiting surface, a light source which faces the light incident surface and is configured to emit a light, a reflective sheet which faces the opposite surface and reflects the light, a first pattern which is unitary with the light guide plate and protruded from the opposite surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive which is on an upper surface of the reflective sheet and contacts the first pattern, and a display panel which is configured to receive the light exiting through the light exiting surface and display an image.

1. Field
The invention relates to a backlight assembly and a display device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device, such as a liquid crystal display ("LCD") device, an electrophoretic display device, etc., includes an LCD panel or an electrophoretic display panel as a display panel to display an image. When the display panels of the display device are not-self emissive, the display device includes a backlight assembly to provide light to the display panel.
The backlight assembly includes plural light sources to emit the light. The light emitted from the light sources is partially lost while being provided to the display panels, and thus an amount of the light incident to the display panels is reduced.

Backlight assembly and display device including the same


The invention relates to a method for performing an oilfield operation. The method steps include obtaining oilfield data sets associated with oilfield entities, generating a stochastic database from the oilfield data sets based on an artificial neural network of the oilfield data sets, screening the oilfield data sets to identify candidates from the oilfield entities, wherein the screening is based on the stochastic database, performing a detail evaluation of each candidates, selecting an oilfield entity from the candidates based on the detail evaluation, and performing the oilfield operation for the selected oilfield entity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for performing oilfield operations relating to subterranean formations having reservoirs therein. More particularly, the invention relates to techniques for performing oilfield operations involving an analysis of reservoir operations, and their impact on such oilfield operations.
2. Background of the Related Art
Oilfield operations, such as surveying, drilling, wireline testing, completions, simulation, planning and oilfield analysis, are typically performed to locate and gather valuable downhole fluids. Various aspects of the oilfield and its related operations are shown in FIGS. 1A-1D. As shown in FIG. 1A, surveys are often performed using acquisition methodologies, such as seismic scanners to generate maps of underground structures. These structures are often analyzed to determine the presence of subterranean assets, such as valuable fluids or minerals. This information is used to assess the underground structures and locate the formations containing the desired subterranean assets. Data collected from the acquisition methodologies may be evaluated and analyzed to determine whether such valuable items are present, and if they are reasonably accessible.
As shown in FIG. 1B-1D, one or more wellsites may be positioned along the underground structures to gather valuable fluids from the subterranean reservoirs. The wellsites are provided with tools capable of locating and removing hydrocarbons from the subterranean reservoirs. As shown in FIG. 1B, drilling tools are typically advanced from the oil rigs and into the earth along a given path to locate the valuable downhole fluids. During the drilling operation, the drilling tool may perform downhole measurements to investigate downhole conditions. In some cases, as shown in FIG. 1C, the drilling tool is removed and a wireline tool is deployed into the wellbore to perform additional downhole testing.
After the drilling operation is complete, the well may then be prepared for simulation. As shown in FIG. 1D, wellbore completions equipment is deployed into the wellbore to complete the well in preparation for the simulation of fluid therethrough. Fluid is then drawn from downhole reservoirs, into the wellbore and flows to the surface. Simulation facilities are positioned at surface locations to collect the hydrocarbons from the wellsite(s). Fluid drawn from the subterranean reservoir(s) passes to the simulation facilities via transport mechanisms, such as tubing. Various equipments may be positioned about the oilfield to monitor oilfield parameters and/or to manipulate the oilfield operations.
During the oilfield operations, data is typically collected for analysis and/or monitoring of the oilfield operations. Such data may include, for example, subterranean formation, equipment, historical and/or other data. Data concerning the subterranean formation is collected using a variety of sources. Such formation data may be static or dynamic. Static data relates to, for example, formation structure and geological stratigraphy that define the geological structure of the subterranean formation. Dynamic data relates to, for example, fluids flowing through the geologic structures of the subterranean formation over time. Such static and/or dynamic data may be collected to learn more about the formations and the valuable assets contained therein.
Sources used to collect static data may be seismic tools, such as a seismic truck that sends compression waves into the earth as shown in FIG. 1A. These waves are measured to characterize changes in the density of the geological structure at different depths. This information may be used to generate basic structural maps of the subterranean formation. Other static measurements may be gathered using core sampling and well logging techniques. Core samples may be used to take physical specimens of the formation at various depths as shown in FIG. 1B. Well logging typically involves deployment of a downhole tool into the wellbore to collect various downhole measurements, such as density, resistivity, etc., at various depths. Such well logging may be performed using, for example, the drilling tool of FIG. 1B and/or the wireline tool of FIG. 1C. Once the well is formed and completed, fluid flows to the surface using simulation tubing as shown in FIG. 1D. As fluid passes to the surface, various dynamic measurements, such as fluid flow rates, pressure, and composition may be monitored. These parameters may be used to determine various characteristics of the subterranean formation.
Sensors may be positioned about the oilfield to collect data relating to various oilfield operations. For example, sensors in the drilling equipment may monitor drilling conditions, sensors in the wellbore may monitor fluid composition, sensors located along the flow path may monitor flow rates, and sensors at the processing facility may monitor fluids collected. Other sensors may be provided to monitor downhole, surface, equipment or other conditions. The monitored data is often used to make decisions at various locations of the oilfield at various times. Data collected by these sensors may be further analyzed and processed. Data may be collected and used for current or future operations. When used for future operations at the same or other locations, such data may sometimes be referred to as historical data.
The processed data may be used to predict downhole conditions, and make decisions concerning oilfield operations. Such decisions may involve well planning, well targeting, well completions, operating levels, simulation rates and other operations and/or conditions. Often this information is used to determine when to drill new wells, re-complete existing wells, or alter wellbore simulation.
Data from one or more wellbores may be analyzed to plan or predict various outcomes at a given wellbore. In some cases, the data from neighboring wellbores or wellbores with similar conditions or equipment may be used to predict how a well will perform. There are usually a large number of variables and large quantities of data to consider in analyzing oilfield operations. It is, therefore, often useful to model the behavior of the oilfield operation to determine the desired course of action. During the ongoing operations, the operating conditions may need adjustment as conditions change and new information is received.
Techniques have been developed to model the behavior of various aspects of the oilfield operations, such as geological structures, downhole reservoirs, wellbores, surface facilities as well as other portions of the oilfield operation. Examples of these modeling techniques are shown in Patent/Publication/Application Nos. U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,519, WO2004/049216, WO1999/064896, WO2005/122001, U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,837, US2003/0216897, US2003/0132934, US2005/0149307, US2006/0197759, U.S. Pat. No. 6,980,940, US2004/0220846, and Ser. No. 10/586,283. Techniques have also been developed for performing reservoir simulation operations. See, for example, Patent/Publication/Application Nos. U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,101, U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,497, U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,869, GB2336008, U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,561, US2006/0184329, U.S. Pat. No. 7,164,990.
Examples of oilfield operations include Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes to extend field life and increase ultimate oil recovery from naturally depleting reservoirs. Enhanced oil recovery can begin at any time during the productive life of an oil reservoir. Its purpose is not only to restore formation pressure, but also to improve oil displacement or fluid flow in the reservoir. The three major types of enhanced oil recovery operations are chemical flooding (alkaline flooding or micellar-polymer flooding), miscible displacement (carbon dioxide injection or hydrocarbon injection), and thermal recovery (steamflood, waterflood, or in-situ combustion). The optimal application of each type depends on reservoir temperature, pressure, depth, net pay, permeability, residual oil and water saturations, porosity and fluid properties such as oil API gravity and viscosity.
Steamflood is a method of thermal recovery in which steam generated at surface is injected into the reservoir through specially distributed injection wells. When steam enters the reservoir, it heats up the crude oil and reduces its viscosity. The heat also distills light components of the crude oil, which condense in the oil bank ahead of the steam front, further reducing the oil viscosity. The hot water that condenses from the steam and the steam itself generate an artificial drive that sweeps oil toward producing wells. Another contributing factor that enhances oil production during steam injection is related to near-wellbore cleanup. In this case, steam reduces the interfacial tension that ties paraffins and asphaltenes to the rock surfaces while steam distillation of crude oil light ends creates a small solvent bank that can miscibly remove trapped oil.
Waterflooding is among the oldest and perhaps most economical of EOR processes. Hot waterflooding is a method of thermal recovery in which hot water is injected into a reservoir through specially distributed injection wells. Hot waterflooding reduces the viscosity of the crude oil, allowing it to move more easily toward production wells. Hot waterflooding, also known as hot water injection, is typically less effective than a steam-injection process because water has lower heat content than steam. Nevertheless, it is preferable under certain conditions such as formation sensitivity to fresh water.
Current high oil prices provide incentive for companies to look deeper into their reservoir portfolios for additional EOR (e.g., waterflooding) opportunities. Time and information constraints can limit the depth and rigor of such a screening evaluation. Time is reflected by the effort of screening a vast number of reservoirs for the applicability of implementing an EOR (e.g., waterflooding), whereas information is reflected by the availability of data (consistency of measured and modeled data) with which to extract significant knowledge necessary to make good development decisions.
Examples of oilfield operations also include the installation of intelligent completions to improve the economics of production. These wells allow access not only to marginal reservoirs, for which dedicated production might not be economic, but also accelerate the recovery. Monitoring flow-control and other devices can be used to manage the production from the commingled reservoirs and optimize the recovery.
Regulatory bodies usually demand that the operator can allocate the production to the individual reservoirs for reserves accounting purposes. Unless flow meters for each completion are installed, back-allocation from the wellhead to the completion is difficult to achieve. Traditional methods that could deliver the production share in real-time fail to provide accurate results when the inflow performance of one completion changes. Numerical modeling, which accounts for the mobility change and the resulting re-distribution of the pressure in the open system of the completion, is time consuming and cannot be used for back-allocation in real-time.
Despite the development and advancement of reservoir simulation techniques in oilfield operations, there remains a need to consider the effects of large number of reservoirs and uncertainty in accurate numerical well models on oilfield operations. It would be desirable to provide techniques to screen large number of candidates for selecting, planning and/or implementing oilfield operations based on static and dynamic aspects of the oilfield. It would also be desirable to perform back-allocation of commingling wells in real-time. It is further desirable that such techniques selectively consider desired parameters, such as measured data or modeled data with uncertainty in accuracy or consistency. Such desired techniques may be capable of one of more of the following, among others: providing screening capability for reducing the number of reservoir candidates (i.e., reservoir candidates to be evaluated in mode detail for selection to perform oilfield operations) by one or more order of magnitude, providing modeling capability to evaluate sensitivities and uncertainties of influencing parameters, and providing modeling capability to speed up the screening process without jeopardizing the quality of the results.

Apparatus, method and system for stochastic workflow in oilfield operations


An improved page marker for positionable and removable attachment to a sheet comprising two panels and one extending area. The panels, which may be in an extended or unfolded position or may be folded back against each other along a common bend or crease, are used in conjunction with a conventional paper clip to secure a sheet. Both panels consist of retainer means to keep the paper clip in position when the page marker is being moved by force. The area extending beyond the two panels and the clipped sheet serves the purpose as a marking or message means for a book, a filing system, or the like papers.

Page markers which commonly are used to mark a page in a book include paper, metal or plastic clips, post-it tabs, stickers, clamps, or ribbons. However, these markers have certain drawbacks; they are not capable of adhering firmly on a page, being slid to a desired position, being easily removed and reused, providing a write-on space, or being manufactured economically.


A modular airbag housing and a method for its manufacture are provided. The modular airbag housing is constructed from a plurality of pieces, including a plurality of plates, at least two of which are modular, and an inflator retainer. The housing has a plurality of tabs for attaching to the vehicle. Two hook plates having a plurality of hook members may be attached to the housing. The inflator retainer includes a first half and a second half. Both halves of the retainer include a substantially arcuate outer surface and at least one flange, a securing of the halves fixing a portion of an airbag therebetween. The second half includes a plurality of inflation orifices for directing inflation gas from an inflator unit into an airbag attached to the inflator retainer.

A great variety of designs and manufacturing processes for airbag housings and related mounting hardware has developed over the years. Some of these housings provide specific mounting features for positioning and retaining the housing within a particular vehicle model, or class of vehicles. Similarly, a great degree of design specificity is often required for mounting and retaining various sub-components of the housing, for instance, the respective retainers for the inflator and for the airbag. Because of the strict sizing and design requirements, airbag housings generally do not enjoy a high degree of versatility. An airbag housing designed for particular sub-components may be unwieldy or even unusable in circumstances where different sub-components are desirable. Likewise, a housing intended for use in a sport utility vehicle, for example, may not be suitable for mounting in a compact car due to the differing dimensions of the vehicle structures.
Many airbag housings are manufactured by conventional stamping processes, in which the housing body is stamped and folded from a single piece or small number of pieces of metal plate stock. While the end product is relatively rigid, and simple to fully assemble, a significant amount of waste material can be produced from the large number and volume of stampings required. Additionally, it is often necessary to operate the equipment at relatively high tonnages, consuming substantial amounts of power. Moreover, retooling is often necessary where housings are to be manufactured to differing specifications, increasing both costs and equipment downtime.
The present invention is directed to one or more of the problems or shortcomings associated with the related art.

Modular airbag housing and method of manufacture


A vehicle monitoring system includes an accelerometer installed in the vehicle in an unknown orientation. The system infers the orientation of the accelerometer in the vehicle from the acceleration signals. The proposed method detects and corrects the orientation in two steps. In the first step, the gravity vector is used to estimate the orientation in the vertical plane. Then, based on the acceleration data collected during the vehicle movement, the heading of the vehicle is estimated and the orientation within the horizontal plane is corrected.

Acceleration data is seen as a key reporting element for insurance companies. For those applications that the accelerometer is installed freely in different vehicles, a reliable algorithm is required to automatically calibrate and normalize the accelerometer values in order to have accurate longitudinal and lateral accelerations regardless of device orientation within the vehicle. The device is often self-installed by the user in an unknown orientation relative to the vehicle. This algorithm is to require no human intervention to perform calibration.
Much of the related previous work has focused on estimation of the accelerometer orientation for body-worn devices. In one, the gravity vector is used to estimate the vertical component and the magnitude of the horizontal component of the user's motion for a free oriented 3-axis accelerometer system. This method estimates the magnitude of the horizontal component and fails to determine its orientation. Another extends the work to estimate orientation of a 3-axis accelerometer within the horizontal plane for the users who carry such devices. Limiting the user to walk forward in a fairly straight direction, it applies the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to infer the orientation in horizontal plane.

Method of correcting the orientation of a freely installed accelerometer in a vehicle


During setup of a telephony communication between a calling and a called party, a check is made to determine is a special message or information should be played to the calling or called party before the telephony communication is established between the calling and called parties. If so, the message or information is delivered to the party as early media. Systems and methods embodying the invention may track which messages and information have been played to individual parties to thereby avoid delivering the same message or information more than once.

The invention is related to Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems. More specifically, the invention is related to systems and methods for determining when it would be proper or desirable to provide information to communicants of a telephony communication.
Presently, when a telephony communication is being setup between a calling party and a called party, it is possible to play audio to either the calling or called party before the telephony communication is actually established between the calling and called parties. Such audio is generally referred to as "early media." The ring tone played to the calling party during call setup is an example of early media in its simplest form.
It would be desirable to use information about the calling or called party to deliver advanced or more tailored messages or information to calling and called parties, in the form of early media, before the telephony communication is established between the calling and called parties.

Systems and methods of intercepting telephony communications to provide information to communicants


Downlink signal monitoring and transmitting method, and parameter configuration method and apparatus. The method includes: monitoring a downlink signal by a terminal equipment according to an antenna port quasi-co-location parameter; wherein the antenna port quasi-co-location parameter is related to a first cell and/or a second cell, or is related to a first reference signal index and a second reference signal index. Hence, even though a network device configures multiple carriers for the terminal equipment, the terminal equipment may be able to accurately determine an antenna port quasi-co-location parameter for receiving a downlink signal.

In a high-frequency communication scenario, a communication link is susceptible to physical conditions, such as weather, obstacles, changes in directions and angles, and other factors, resulting in transmission failure in the original beam direction. A beam failure recovery technology is mainly directed to such a scenario, and quickly locate a new reliable beam direction by using measurement results of beam power in different directions, thereby completing rapid recovery of the link.
The beam failure recovery (BFR) technology is not only very effective in a single-carrier scenario, but also may play an important role in a multi-carrier scenario. In a multi-carrier scenario, a terminal equipment may be connected to one network device (such as a base station) or multiple network devices. When different carriers of a terminal equipment are connected to network devices in different directions at the same time, as spatial directions are relatively independent, at a certain moment, beam failures may occur in only a part of the connection on the different carriers. At this moment, the beam failure recovery technology needs to be optimized for such a scenario, such as use of carriers where no beam failure occurs for parameter measurement and data transmission, so as to improve robustness of the system.
It should be noted that the above description of the background is merely provided for clear and complete explanation of this disclosure and for easy understanding by those skilled in the art. And it should not be understood that the above technical solution is known to those skilled in the art as it is described in the background of this disclosure.


Disclosed is a system and method for processing graphic operations on a plurality of data structures of an image with a graphics processing unit and memory. The disclosed techniques of the system and method create an accumulation buffer of the data structures for accumulating changes to the data structures. A separate buffer is then created from at least a portion of the data structures of the accumulation buffer. The disclosed techniques read the data structures from the separate buffer with the graphics processing unit. The graphics processing unit operates on the data structures read from the separate buffer with the operation. Then, the disclosed techniques write the results of the operation onto the portion of the accumulation buffer corresponding to the separate buffer.

Over the past several years there have been increasing demands placed upon graphics subsystems in all variety of hardware. For example, in the general computing area, even traditionally mundane programs, like presentation software, are including animation and other tools that are requiring faster and more complex graphics computation. In addition, the traditional graphics-intense applications like video, photo editing and gaming are growing both in scope and graphics-intensity. Moreover, vertical systems such as gaming and graphics dedicated computing (e.g. Nintendo Gamecube etc.) have accelerated even faster driving competition with the general computing architecture for graphics supremacy.
During this same time period, hardware manufacturers have sought to meet and exceed the growing demand with dedicated graphics processors having ever-increasing capability. Right now, there are several commercially available graphics processing units (GPUs) that are programmable. While both programmable and non-programmable GPUs offer enhanced speed for graphics calculations, programmable GPUs differ in that they offer a high measure of flexibility. For example, prior to programmable GPUs, an application programmer might decide between using CPU time to render a more interesting graphic or using the GPU to increase overall application performance at the cost of displaying a less ideal graphic. Programmable GPUs have combined the speed advantage of prior GPUs with a significant measure of flexibility. In practical terms, programmability is an important advantage because it allows programs to use the graphics chip in ways similar to the system microprocessor. By using the GPU this way, the system can generate virtually infinite graphics effects without loading the system CPU.
Programmable GPUs run programs that are generally called fragment programs. The name "fragment" program derives from the fact that the unit of data being operated upon is generally a pixel—i.e. a fragment of an image. The GPUs can run a fragment program on several pixels simultaneously to create a result, which is generally referred to by the name of the buffer in which it resides. GPUs use data input generally called textures, which is analogous to a collection of pixels.
Also, during the same time period that GPUs were contemplated and developed, there have been efforts under way to provide some programming interfaces for application programs desiring to use the graphics-dedicated hardware. One such effort is commonly known as OpenGL. The goal of OpenGL is to make graphic function accessible to the programmer independent of the hardware. In doing so, OpenGL operates like a state machine. In particular, a program using the OpenGL library must set states such as current color, lighting, blending etc. When the program is run, the resultant context will be a combination of the states and input textures, such combination depending upon what was programmed. Given the state machine type operation, the result of an operation isn't always readily predictable.
As computers migrate toward more visually rich content, image processing becomes more important. As a consequence, the programmer's ease of accessing these tools and the efficiency of graphics calculations continues to grow in importance. While the combination of OpenGL and programmable GPUs have provided wide advances to graphics programmability, there remains a need for a higher level interface to the graphics subsystem. This need is heightened for applications directly involved in image processing (e.g. PhotoShop, AfterEffects or similar software). In these applications and others, it is desirable to have an abstraction layer that hides the complexity of graphics hardware from those exploiting that infrastructure. Furthermore, operating systems may wish to facilitate an overall rich user graphics experience by presenting such an abstraction layer to all applications.
Such an interface should allow a programmer or program to simply apply a filter or effect to a given image. Implicit in the need for a higher level API is the need to implement that API in a way that is both fast and efficient. In order to be efficient, a system should have a mechanism to conceptualize graphics programming in a way that is easy to understand and easy to operate upon. Furthermore, such a system should minimize the use of memory and computation time, while also efficiently dividing work between the CPU and GPU. Finally, it is desirable to have a system that may be emulated on a single processor so that programs built for dual processor systems (GPU and CPU) can run on legacy systems having only a CPU.
In addition to filters or effects, graphics operations are also an inherent component of image editing. Graphics operations (or more specifically, cumulative graphics operations) commonly used in image editing include paint strokes, spotlights, warping, caustics, particle rendering, or ray tracing. For example, users may apply paint strokes to an image. In addition, users may use multiple light sources to produce stage-like presentations and add drama to an image they are editing. Image warping is also a useful cumulative graphics operation available to users and is one of the more popular operations that users apply to images. Current techniques for performing cumulative graphics operations implemented on CPUs may use more processing and memory space than desired. In addition, various cumulative graphics operations involve data in complicated data structures, such as high-intensity-definition color (light), vector offsets, and metaball field values. The data in these complicated data structures are more amenable to being calculated by the GPU. In short, the GPU can perform such cumulative graphics operations with substantially more processing speed and with sufficient accuracy. Therefore, a need exists for performing cumulative graphics operations with a GPU. However, GPUs cannot perform exclusive read/modify/write sequences on the same buffer, which hinders the GPU from processing such cumulative graphics operations.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

System and method for processing graphics operations with graphics processing unit


Multiple requests to set up and/or tear down connections in a node of a communication network (or multiple failure notifications) are bundled together for transmission within the network. In an “inter-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications are bundled together as a single message for transmission between pairs of nodes in the network. In an “intra-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications received at one component of a node in the network are bundled together as a single group for forwarding to another component within the same node for implementation. In either case, the bundling of multiple connection requests/failure notifications can reduce the total amount of time required to communicate and implement the desired connection requests/restoration processing. This reduction in time can be critical to the ability of a network to satisfy requirements associated with restoration processing following a network fault.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication networks, and, in particular, to messages associated with link or node failures and/or setting up and tearing down connections in switches in communication networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a communication network 100. In particular, FIG. 1 shows four nodes labeled A, B, C, and D connected by five links labeled L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. In order to transmit a data signal from Node A to Node C via Node B (i.e., along the path (A-B-C)), the switch fabric at Node B needs to be configured to route the signal received from Node A via Link L1 for transmission via Link L2 to Node C. Conventionally, this is accomplished by Node A transmitting a message to Node B instructing Node B to configure its switch fabric to make a connection that supports the desired communication channel from Node A to Node C. Such a message is referred to herein as a connection set-up request message, because the message contains a request for Node B to set up a connection.
If and when transmission of the signal from Node A to Node C is complete, Node A may transmit a connection tear-down request message to Node B requesting that Node B tear down the corresponding connection in its switch fabric in order to free up that portion of Node B's switch capacity for other communications.
Whenever a message is received at Node B, a component in Node B (e.g., a message decoder) processes the received message to decode and interpret the instructions contained therein (e.g., to determine whether the message contains a connection set-up request or a connection tear-down request). These instructions are then forwarded to another component in Node B (e.g., a switch fabric controller) that is responsible for implementing the instructions, e.g., to either set up or tear down a connection in Node B's switch fabric.
In conventional communication networks, there is a one-to-one correspondence between connection requests and connection request messaging. In other words, every time a different connection is to be set up or torn down, a different connection request message is transmitted from one node to another. Similarly, in conventional communication networks, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the receipt of connection request messages at a node and the forwarding of connection instructions within that node. In other words, every time a node receives a connection request message from another node, a single instance of instruction forwarding occurs, wherein the instruction contained in that message is forwarded to the node component responsible for implementing that instruction.
Such a messaging scheme may be acceptable for communication networks having relatively infrequent messaging and/or where the time that it takes to generate, transmit, and process such messages is not critical. There are situations, however, where a relatively large number of connection requests need to be implemented in a relatively short period of time. One classic example of such a situation occurs during service restoration processing following a failure in the communication network. In such situations, the prior art messaging scheme may not be acceptable.
Referring again to FIG. 1, assume that Link L2 suffers a catastrophic failure (e.g., a cut in the link) that prevents signals from being transmitted directly from Node B to Node C. In such a case, automatic restoration processing may be performed in order to quickly resume service that was interrupted by the failure in Link L2. In one possible implementation, this may involve re-routing all of the signals that were flowing along the path (A→B→C) to flow along the path (A→D→C) instead. In that case, Node D needs to be appropriately configured to provide all of the connections for all of the communications from Node A to Node C.
According to the prior art messaging scheme described above, this would involve the generation, transmission, and processing of a different connection set-up request message for each different communication channel. In general, there is a linear relationship between the number of connection request messages received by a node and the time that it takes for that node to complete all of the processing associated with those messages. If one connection request message takes X milliseconds to process, then 1000 connection request messages take about 1000X milliseconds to process. When the number of different connection request messages is sufficiently large, a node implementing the prior art messaging scheme might not be able to complete the restoration processing within the allocated time period.

Bundling messages in communication networks