Complications of timing recovery in an ATM receiver are overcome by employing a first phase lock loop including a phase comparator, filter, voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and output counter to lock to systems clock reference (SCR) values which are asynchronously received from a remote ATM transmitter. The SCR values represent the instantaneous values of a system timing clock (STC) at the instant of transmission of the asynchronous SCR values. In the receiver, the output counter is first set to the value of the initial received SCR value so that the derived STC is available for decoding data cells in the initial received packets. Then, so-called Presentation/Decode Time Stamps (PTS/DTS) included in the audio and video data are advantageously employed in conjunction with STC to display properly the received data. Invention, underflow of the receiver data buffers is alleviated by the addition of a "jitter-delay (D.sub.j)" value which causes an extra accumulation of data in the data buffers prior to decoding. Dynamic tracking of the jitter-delay of the channel is obtained by monitoring the fullness of the data buffers and controllably adjusting the jitter-delay, accordingly. The stability of the decoder video timing is enhanced by employing an additional phase locked loop in a video display control which is supplied with a timing error signal. The additional phase locked loop includes a switch, filter, clipper and voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The switch is enabled in response to output pulses from the VCO to supply the instantaneous error signal input to the filter for each so-called video presentation unit. The VCO has a very stable center frequency which variation is limited by clipping an input control voltage to some small voltage range. Output pulses from the VCO are employed to enable decoding of the presentation units. Faster synchronization is provided at start-up by increasing, via control of the clipper, the allowable voltage range of the VCO.

Networks are known which support variable bit-rate transmission by partitioning user data into a sequence of so-called "cells" and inputting them asynchronously to the network. One such network is the Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN) and is referred to as an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.
ATM networks allow video information to be transmitted with variable bit-rate (VBR). This, in turn, allows statistical multiplexing of data from a relatively large number of users for transmission over a single data channel.
In the ISO Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) audio-video coding standard (ISO 11172 Committee Draft of ISO-IEC/JTC1/SC29/WG11), a system multiplexing capability is provided for combining bit streams from several audio, video and/or auxiliary data sources. At a receiver, a system demultiplexer supplies audio packets, including one or more cells, to audio decoders, video packets, including one or more cells, to video decoders and/or auxiliary packets, including one or more cells, to auxiliary decoders. So-called Presentation/Decode Time Stamps (PTS/DTS) in the data packets enable synchronization of the audio and video to be displayed at the receiver. The MPEG standard also provides for a Systems Time Clock (STC) of a predetermined nominal frequency that, in principle, could be locked to a constant rate channel clock. Audio and video clocks could, in principle, also be locked to the STC.
However, in many variable bit-rate or packetized channels there is no continuous channel clock for the receiver to lock to. Moreover, there may be "jitter delay" in the transmission of the data packets. Then, a receive STC must be derived from timing information that is transmitted from a remote receiver. In such arrangements, it is important substantially to eliminate the possibility of data overflow and/or underflow of data buffers in the receiver.
Another complication arises in arrangements in which the receiver video and audio clocks must be more stable than the STC.

Timing recovery for variable bit-rate video on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks


A semiconductor device comprising organic semiconductor material (14) has one or more barrier layers (16) disposed at least partially thereabout to protect the organic semiconductor material (14) from environment-driven changes that typically lead to inoperability of a corresponding device. If desired, the barrier layer can be comprised of partially permeable material that allows some substances therethrough to thereby effect disabling of the encapsulated organic semiconductor device after a substantially predetermined period of time. Getterers (141) may also be used to protect, at least for a period of time, such organic semiconductor material.

Components and circuits comprised of semiconductor materials are known in the art. Such technology has been highly successful. For some applications, however, traditional semiconductor processing over-performs and represents unneeded form factors and capabilities at a commensurate additional cost. Traditional semiconductor processing also usually requires batch processing to achieve a reasonable cost per part because the fabrication facilities and equipment required are extremely expensive. Also, many semiconductor devices require a lengthy fabrication time and often require numerous chemicals, some of which are highly toxic and require special handling. These aspects of traditional semiconductor fabrication do not well support low data storage and data transmission rate applications and/or other less expensive needs.
Organic semiconductors have been proposed as an alternative to standard semiconductor paradigms. Organic semiconductors hold the potential for serial or continuous processing and/or otherwise relatively low cost manufacturing requirements. Unfortunately, to date, while working organic semiconductor devices have been demonstrated, the operating life of such devices tends towards extreme brevity. In some instances, failure occurs within an hour or two of fabrication. This results in many cases through interaction of the organic semiconductor material with active contaminants in the environment, including, for example, oxygen and water (H2O in both condensed and vaporous form). Such interaction eventually renders the organic material more conductive than semiconductive and this usually leads to device failure.
Present industry efforts emphasize searching for an organic semiconductor material that will withstand such environmental conditions. These efforts do not guarantee success, however, and, at a minimum, represent considerable expense and delay of commercialization of the technology.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention.

Encapsulated organic semiconductor device and method


An infrastructure “insurance” mechanism enables a Web site to fail over to a content delivery network (CDN) upon a given occurrence at the site. Upon such occurrence, at least some portion of the site's content is served preferentially from the CDN so that end users that desire the content can still get it, even if the content is not then available from the origin site. In operation, content requests are serviced from the site in the usual manner, e.g., by resolving DNS queries to the site's IP address, until detection of the given occurrence. Thereafter, DNS queries are managed by a CDN dynamic DNS-based request routing mechanism so that such queries are resolved to optimal CDN edge servers. After the event that caused the occurrence has passed, control of the site's DNS may be returned from the CDN back to the origin server's DNS mechanism.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to techniques for enabling a Web site origin server to obtain content delivery services from a third party service provider on an as-needed basis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's Web sites are a double-edged sword. They present enterprises with the opportunity for both resounding success and costly, dramatic failure. The possibility for either scenario to occur is chiefly due to the Internet's open design. Indeed, the ability to reach a global community of customers and partners via the Web comes with many risks. The open design means that enterprises must expose themselves by opening a public entry-point to get the global reach they need. Couple that with the inherent weaknesses of centralized infrastructure and there is a recipe for failure. Indeed, a growing number of threats can bring a site down daily. These threats include hacker attacks, viruses, Internet worms, content tampering and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. Moreover, the site's popularity itself can generate "flash crowds" that overload the capabilities of the site's origin server(s). Any one of these events can produce unpredictable site disruptions that impede revenue operations, dilute brand investments, hamper productivity and reduce goodwill and reputation.
A content provider can ameliorate these problems by outsourcing its content delivery requirements to a content delivery network (a "CDN"). A content delivery network is a collection of content servers and associated control mechanisms that offload work from Web site origin servers by delivering content on their behalf to end users. A well-managed CDN achieves this goal by serving some or all of the contents of a site's Web pages, thereby reducing the customer's infrastructure costs while enhancing an end user's browsing experience from the site. In operation, the CDN uses a request routing mechanism to locate a CDN content server close to the client to serve each request directed to the CDN, where the notion of "close" is based, in part, on evaluating results of network traffic tests.
While content delivery networks provide significant advantages, some content providers prefer to maintain primary control over their Web site infrastructure or may not wish to pay for the cost of fully-provisioned CDN services. As a result, the site remains exposed to the myriad of potential security and flash crowds that may bring the site down at any time.
It would be highly desirable to provide a content provider the ability to receive "on demand" use of a CDN to provide an additional layer of protection to ensure business continuity of an enterprise Web site. The present invention addresses this need.

Method and system for providing on-demand content delivery for an origin server


An apparatus (12) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) comprises an inflator housing (20). A gas generating material (18) is within the inflator housing (20). The gas generating material (18), when ignited, generates a gas for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device (14). An autoignition material (24) is provided for igniting the gas generating material (18). The autoignition material (24) comprises an additive that has a ratio of absorptivity of incident radiation to emissivity of internal energy by radiation of at least about 10.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, and more particularly to an autoignition material for igniting a gas generating material.
An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is deployed upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash. The air bag is part of a vehicle occupant protection apparatus, which further includes a crash sensor and an inflator. The inflator includes a housing, a gas generating material in the housing, and an igniter. The igniter is actuated so as to ignite the gas generating material when the vehicle experiences a collision for which inflation of the air bag is desired to protect the vehicle occupant. As the body of gas generating material burns, it generates a volume of inflation gas. The inflation gas is directed into the air bag to inflate the air bag. When the air bag is inflated, it expands into the vehicle occupant compartment and helps to protect the vehicle occupant.
Inflator housings may be formed from lightweight materials, such as aluminum. These lightweight materials can lose strength at abnormally high temperatures, such as those reached in a vehicle fire. At temperatures experienced in a vehicle fire, the gas generating material may autoignite and produce inflation fluid at a pressure sufficient to cause the inflator housing to lose its structural integrity due to the reduced strength of the inflator housing material. To prevent such loss of structural integrity, inflators typically include an autoignition material that will autoignite and initiate combustion of the gas generating material at a temperature below that at which the material of the housing begins to lose a significant percentage of its strength.
The present invention is an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The apparatus comprises an inflator housing. A gas generating material is within the inflator housing. The gas generating material, when ignited, generates a gas for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device. An autoignition material is provided for igniting the gas generating material. The autoignition material comprises an additive that has a ratio of absorptivity of incident radiation to emissivity of internal energy by radiation of at least about 10.
Additionally, the present invention is an autoignition material for igniting a gas generating material comprising an additive that has a ratio of absorptivity of incident radiant energy to emissivity of internal energy by radiation of at least about 10.


While rotating a spindle 34, the circular hole 15 is worked using a cutting tool 39. Before or after the working operation of the circular hole 15, a chuck 36 is translated in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center axis of the spindle 34 by a slider 35. And, the flat surface 29 as well as the stepped surfaces 31, 31 and inner surfaces 38, 38, which are respectively composed of partially tubular surfaces, are cut or worked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission which can be used, for example, as a transmission unit for a car transmission or a transmission for various kinds of industrial machines. Especially, the invention relates to a trunnion to be incorporated into such half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, and a method for working such trunnion with ease.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it has been studied to use such a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission as schematically shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, for example, as a transmission unit for a car transmission. In the conventional half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-62-71465U, an input side disk 2 is supported concentrically with an input shaft 1, while an output side disk 4 is fixed to the end portion of an output shaft 3 disposed concentrically with the input shaft 1. In the interior portion of a casing in which the half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is stored, there are disposed trunnions 6, 6 swingable about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5 which are set at torsional positions with respect to the input and output shafts 1 and 3. That is, the center axes of the pivot shafts 5, 5 do not intersect with the center axes of the input and output shafts 1 and 3 but they are respectively present in the directions that are perpendicular to the directions of the center axes of the input and output shafts 1 and 3.
In the trunnions 6, 6, the pivot shafts 5, 5 are arranged on the outer surfaces of the two end portions thereof in such a manner that they are concentric with each other. The base end portions of displacement shafts 7, 7 are supported on the respective central portions of the trunnions 6, 6 and, by swinging the trunnions 6, 6 about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5, the inclination angles of the displacement shafts 7, 7 can be freely adjusted. On the peripheries of the displacement shafts 7, 7 respectively supported on the trunnions 6, 6, there are rotatably supported a plurality of power rollers 8, 8. And, the plurality of power rollers 8, 8 are respectively held by and between the input side and output side disks 2, 4. The two disks 2, 4 respectively include inner surfaces 2a, 4a which are disposed such that they are opposed to each other. The mutually opposed inner surfaces 2a, 4a each have a cross section formed as a concave surface which can be obtained by rotating an arc with the pivot shaft 5 as the center thereof. On the other hand, the power rollers 8, 8 respectively have peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a each of which is formed as a spherically convex surface. And, the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a are respectively contacted with the inner surfaces 2a, 4a.
Between the input shaft 1 and input side disk 2, there is interposed a pressure device 9 such as a loading cam. Thus, the input side disk 2 can be elastically pushed toward the output side disk 4 by the pressure device 9. The pressure device 9 comprises a cam plate 10 rotatable together with the input shaft 1, and a plurality of rollers 12, 12 (for example, four rollers) which are respectively held by a retainer 11. On one side surface (in FIGS. 7 and 8, the left side surface) of the cam plate 10, there is formed a cam surface 13 which consists of a curved surface extending in the circumferential direction of the cam plate 10; and, on the outer surface (in FIGS. 7 and 8, the right side surface) of the input side disk 2 as well, there is formed a cam surface 14 which is similar to the cam surface 13. And, the plurality of rollers 12, 12 are rotatably supported about their respective axes extending in the radial direction with respect to the center of the input shaft 1.
When the above-structured half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is in operation, in case where the cam plate 10 is rotated due to the rotation of the input shaft 1, the plurality of rollers 12, 12 are respectively pressed against the cam surface 14 formed on the outer surface of the input side disk 2 by the cam surface 13 of the cam plate 10. As a result of this, the input side disk 2 is pressed against the plurality of power rollers 8, 8 and, at the same time, the pair of cam surfaces 13, 14 and the plurality of rollers 12, 12 are pressed against each other, thereby causing the input side disk 2 to be rotated. And, the rotation of the input side disk 2 is transmitted to the output side disk 4 through the plurality of power rollers 8, 8, with the result that the output shaft 3 fixed to the output side disk 4 can be rotated.
Of cases in which the rotation speed between the input shaft 1 and output shaft 3 is to be changed, at first, in case where deceleration is carried out between the input shaft 1 and output shaft 3, the trunnions 6, 6 are swung about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5, and the displacement shafts 7, 7 are inclined in such a manner that the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8, as shown in FIG. 7, can be respectively contacted with the near-center portion of the inner surface 2a of the input side disk 2 and with the near-outer-periphery portion of the inner surface 4a of the output side disk 4. On the other hand, in the case of acceleration, the trunnions 6, 6 are swung about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5, and the displacement shafts 7, 7 are inclined in such a manner that the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8, as shown in FIG. 8, can be respectively contacted with the near-outer-periphery portion of the inner surface 2a of the input side disk 2 and with the near-center portion of the inner surface 4a of the output side disk 4. In case where the inclination angles of the displacement shafts 7, 7 are set in the middle of the inclination angles in FIGS. 7 and 8, there can be obtained a middle transmission ratio.
The specific shapes of the trunnions 6, 6 as well as the structures of portions for supporting the power rollers 8, 8 on the trunnions 6, 6 are conventionally known; that is, they are disclosed, for example, in JP-A-8-240251. Now, FIGS. 9 to 11 shows a conventional structure of a portion for supporting the power roller 8 on the trunnion 6. In the middle portion of the trunnion 6, there is formed a circular hole 15. The circular hole 15 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the pivot shafts 5, 5 respectively disposed on the two end portions of the trunnion 6 (that is, in a direction where the extensions of the center axes of the pivot shafts 5, 5 and the extension of the center axis of the circular hole 15 are perpendicular to each other). And, on the portion of the trunnion 6 that is present inside the circular hole 15, there is supported the displacement shaft 7. The displacement shaft 7 includes a support shaft portion 16 and a pivot shaft portion 17 which are arranged in parallel to each other but are offset from each other in the axes thereof. Of these two portions of the displacement shaft 7, the support shaft portion 16 is rotatably supported inside the circular hole 5 through a radial needle roller bearing 18. Also, on the periphery of the pivot shaft portion 17, there is rotatably supported the power roller 8 through another radial needle roller bearing 19.
Also, between the outer surface of the power roller 8 and the inner surface of the middle portion of the trunnion 6, there are interposed a thrust ball bearing 20 and a thrust needle roller bearing 21 in order starting from the outer surface of the power roller 8. Of these two bearings, the thrust ball bearing 20, while supporting a thrust load applied to the power roller 8, allows the power roller 8 to be rotated. The thrust ball bearing 20 is composed of a plurality of balls 22, 22, an annular-shaped retainer 23 for rollably holding the balls 22, 22, and an annular-shaped thrust ball bearing outer race 24. The inner race raceways of the respective thrust ball bearings 20 are formed on the outer surface of the power roller 8, while the outer race raceways of the respective thrust ball bearings 20 are formed on the inner surface of the thrust ball bearing outer race 24.
Also, the thrust needle roller bearing 21 is composed of a race 25, a retainer 26 and needle rollers 27, 27. The thrust needle roller bearing 21 is held by and between the inner surface of the trunnion 6 and the outer surface of the thrust ball bearing outer race 24, with the race 25 contacted with the inner surface of the trunnion 6. On the other hand, a cylindrical-shaped radial needle roller bearing outer race 28, which forms a part of the radial needle roller bearing 18, is fitted with and fixed to the inner side of the circular hole 15 with no play between them. And, in the thus fitted and fixed state, one end portion of the radial needle roller bearing outer race 28 is projected from the inner surface of the trunnion 6, and the race 25 and retainer 26, which respectively form the thrust needle roller bearing 21, are fitted with the outer surface of the projecting portion of the radial needle roller bearing outer race 28, thereby positioning the race 25 and retainer 26 with respect to the trunnion 6.
The thus structured thrust needle roller bearing 21, while supporting a thrust load applied to the thrust ball bearing outer race 24 from the power roller 8, allows the pivotal shaft portion 17 and thrust ball bearing outer race 24 to be swung about the support shaft portion 16. That is, in the half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, due to its transmission operation, variations in the torque to be transmitted and the elastic deformation of the component members of the half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, one or both of the input side and output side disks 2, 4 (FIGS. 7 and 8) are caused to shift in the axial direction, so that the displacement shaft 7 is slightly rotated about the support shaft portion 16. As a result of the slight rotation of the displacement shaft 7, the outer surface of the thrust ball bearing outer race 24 of the thrust ball bearing 20 and the inner surface of the trunnion 6 are shifted with respect to each other. Since the thrust needle roller bearing 21 is present between these outer and inner surfaces, such relative shift can be attained with only a small force. Therefore, there is required only a small force to change the inclination angles of the displacement shafts 7, 7 in the above-mentioned manner.
In the case of the trunnion 6 employed in the above-structured half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, a blank member formed of metal having high rigidity such a carbon steel is forged to be worked into a given shape and, after then, the required portions of the thus worked member are cut or ground for finishing. Of the respective portions of the thus worked trunnion 6, the circular circle 15 for assembly of the radial needle roller bearing 18 and a flat surface 29 for additional attachment of the thrust needle roller bearing 21 are respectively formed by a cutting operation using a machining center. For example, to machine the flat surface 29, with a rotation tool pressed against the inner surface middle portion of the trunnion 6 to be formed as the flat surface 29, the rotation tool may be rotated, with the result that the flat surface 29 can be worked. In a conventional machining operation, the cutting operation of the flat surface 29 is carried out separately from the drilling and finishing cutting operations of the circular hole 15. That is, after one of the flat surface 29 and circular hole 15 is worked by a machine tool, the trunnion 6 is once removed from the machine tool and is then set in a second machine tool, and the other of the flat surface 29 and circular hole 15 is then machined by the second machine tool.
To work the trunnion 6 for the half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission with high efficiency and high accuracy, preferably, the flat surface 29 and circular hole 15 may be worked in one step which eliminates the need to remove the trunnion 6 from one machine tool and set the trunnion 6 in another machine tool.
The present invention aims at eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks found in the conventional trunnion for use in a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a trunnion for use in a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission and a method for working such trunnion.
In attaining the above object, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a trunnion of a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, comprising: a middle portion having a flat surface on an inner surface thereof; and a pair of pivot shafts respectively disposed on the both end portions of the trunnion and being concentric with each other. A circular hole is formed in a art of the flat surface, with one end thereof opened. In the flat surface, there are formed stepped surfaces in the boundary portions between the peripheral edge portions of the flat surface and the remaining portion thereof, and the stepped surfaces respectively define partially tubular surfaces having a single center axis. The single center axis of the partially tubular surfaces is located at a position offset from a center axis of the circular hole in a direction in which the pair of pivot shafts are arranged.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for working a trunnion for a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission. The trunnion comprises: a middle portion having a flat surface formed on an inner surface thereof; and a pair of pivot shafts respectively disposed on the two end portions of the trunnion and being concentric with each other. A circular hole is formed in a part of said flat surface, with one end thereof opened. In the flat surface, there are formed stepped surfaces in the boundary portions between the peripheral edge portions of the flat surface and the remaining portion thereof, and the stepped surfaces respectively define partially tubular surfaces having a single center axis. The single center axis of the partially tubular surfaces is located at a position offset from a center axis of said circular hole in a direction in which said pair of pivot shafts are arranged. The method, comprises the steps of: holding the trunnion by a chuck supported on the leading end portion of a spindle of a machine tool performing a cutting operation in such a manner that the center axis of one of the circular hole and the partially tubular surfaces is coincident with or parallel to the center axis of the spindle; working one of the circular hole, the partially tubular surfaces and the flat surface of the held trunnion, while rotating the spindle; moving the chuck in a direction which is perpendicular to the center axis of the spindle and is parallel with the arranged direction of the pivot shafts of the trunnion; and, working the other of the circular hole, the partially tubular surfaces and the flat surface of the trunnion, while rotating the spindle.
In a trunnion for a half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission and a method for working such trunnion structured in the above-mentioned manner according to the invention, while the trunnion remains held on and by the same chuck, the circular hole and partially tubular surfaces as well as the flat surface can be worked, thereby being able to enhance the working efficiency of the trunnion. This not only can reduce the manufacturing cost of the trunnion but also can enhance the shape and dimension accuracy of the trunnion such as the perpendicularity between the circular hole and flat surface.

Trunnion for half-toroidal-type continuously variable transmission and method for working the same


A method of hydroprocessing is performed wherein non-petroleum feedstocks, such as those containing from about 10% or more olefinic compounds or heteroatom contaminants by weight, are treated in a first reaction zone to provide reaction products. The process involves introducing the feedstock along with diluents or a recycle and hydrogen in a first reaction zone and allowing the feed and hydrogen to react in a liquid phase within the first reaction zone to produce reaction products. The reaction products are cooled and/or water is removed from the reaction products. At least a portion of the cooled and/or separated reaction product are introduced as a feed along with hydrogen into a second reaction zone containing a hydroprocessing catalyst. The feed and hydrogen are allowed to react in a liquid phase within the second reaction zone to produce a second-reaction-zone reaction product.

In conventional hydroprocessing of petroleum products it is necessary to transfer hydrogen from a vapor phase into the liquid phase where it will be available to react with a petroleum molecule at the surface of the catalyst. This is accomplished by circulating very large volumes of hydrogen gas and the petroleum oil through a catalyst bed. The petroleum oil feed and the hydrogen flow through the catalyst bed and the hydrogen is absorbed into a thin film of oil that is distributed over the catalyst. Because the amount of hydrogen required can be large, e.g. 1000 to 5000 SCF/bbl of liquid, the reactors are very large and can operate at severe conditions, from a few hundred psi to as much as 5000 psi, and temperatures from around 250° F.-900° F.
The temperature inside the reactor is difficult to control in conventional systems. While the temperature of the oil and hydrogen feed introduced into the reaction zone can be controlled, once the feed/hydrogen mixture is inside the reaction zone no adjustments to the system can be made to raise or lower the temperature of the oil/hydrogen mixture. Any changes in the reaction zone temperature must be accomplished through an outside source. As a result, conventional systems often inject cold hydrogen gas into the reaction zone if it becomes too hot. This method of cooling a reactor is expensive and is a potential safety risk.
While controlling the temperature of the reaction zone is often a difficult task in conventional systems, controlling the pressure of the hydroprocessing system is a much easier task. Pressure control systems are used to monitor the pressure of the system. The controls are used to release pressure through a valve or valves if the pressure becomes too great, and to increase the pressure of the system if the pressure becomes too low. A pressure control system cannot be used to control the pressure on a single hydroprocessing reactor, however. This is of no serious consequence, however, because pressure may be maintained on the entire system, but not on individual reactors.
One of the biggest problems with hydroprocessing is catalyst coking. Coking occurs when hydrocarbon molecules become too hot in an environment where the amount of hydrogen available for reaction is insufficient. The hydrocarbon molecules within the reactor crack to the point where coke, a carbonaceous residue, is formed. Cracking can take place on the surface of the catalyst, leading to coke formation and deactivation of the catalyst.
High-contaminant and/or high-olefinic feedstocks further complicate the hydroprocessing process. High-contaminant and/or high-olefinic feedstocks may include petroleum materials but primarily include non-petroleum products, such as renewable feedstocks derived from biological sources. These may be based on vegetable- or animal-derived materials, such as vegetable and animal oils. Such high-contaminant and/or high-olefinic feedstocks may also include pyrolysis oils derived from biomass materials, such as cellulosic biomass materials, or coal. These non-petroleum feedstocks may be highly olefinic and/or contain high levels of heteroatom contaminants, such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc. Such olefinic compounds and heteroatom contaminants may be at levels of from about 10% by weight or more of the feed.
In order to produce a valuable product from such highly olefinic and highly contaminated feedstocks, a large amount of hydrogen is required, roughly 1500-4000 scf/bbl. Furthermore, these reactions are highly exothermic. They generate a great deal of heat, significantly more than what is found in a typical hydroprocessing process of petroleum products. The excessive amounts of heat generated put the entire process at great risk. One concern is the effect of such large quantities of heat on the catalyst. It is widely known that overheating, and subsequent coking, is one of the most common causes of catalyst deactivation. In a process that generates significantly more heat than the typical hydroprocessing process, temperature control in order to maintain catalyst activity is crucial. The most serious threat involved in the hydroprocessing of high-contaminant and/or high-olefinic feedstocks, however, is the risk of creating a runaway reaction, a reaction that generates so much heat that the process can no longer be brought under control. Despite turning off heaters and maximizing all cooling efforts, a runaway reaction can continue to heat and has the potential to cause serious damage to the reactor and process equipment. Runaway reactions contribute to a significant number of refinery explosions, damaging equipment, slowing or stopping production, and endangering workers. Consequently, the heat generated by the hydroprocessing of high-contaminant and/or high-olefinic feedstocks is one the greatest problems that must be surmounted.
An additional concern that is unique for high-contaminant feedstocks is the effect of hydroprocessing byproducts on the system. Water, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen oxides are all common byproducts created during hydroprocessing reactions. While these byproducts are undesirable in the finished product and must eventually be removed from the finished product, when using conventional petroleum feedstocks, these byproducts are not generally present in amounts significant enough to pose any real threat to the integrity of the process. This is not true for high-contaminant feedstocks. The hydroprocessing of these feedstocks results in much larger quantities of these byproducts being present in the system. These byproducts, particularly water, can be especially harmful to the catalyst. If water is allowed to build up in the catalyst bed, a separate aqueous phase can form. This aqueous phase is extremely harmful to the catalyst, essentially causing it to dissolve inside the reactor. In addition, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, in large quantities, are widely known to inhibit catalyst activity. Therefore, it is of great importance that the quantities of these byproducts created during the hydroprocessing of high-contaminant feedstocks be controlled to prevent or minimize any damage they may cause to the system.
Because prior art methods do not adequately address the problems associated with hydroprocessing highly contaminated and/or highly olefinic feedstocks, improvements are needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for hydroprocessing of non-petroleum feedstocks


Precipitated silica or silicates, obtainable by acid precipitation of aqueous silicate solutions while maintaining a constant alkali number of at least 1.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to silicas and silicates obtained and obtainable by acid precipitation of alkali metal silicates at constant alkali number, and to their use, for example as carriers.
2. Discussion of the Background
Precipitated silicas as carrier materials, particularly for vitamin E acetate or choline chloride have long been known. For example, EP 0 937 755 describes how a precipitated silica is prepared by a pH-controlled precipitation reaction and then spray-dried. Precipitated silica prepared in this way is particularly suitable for use for adsorbing liquid active substances such as choline chloride solution or vitamin E, for example. DE 198 60 441 discloses how an active substance adsorbate may be prepared from a precipitated silica and an active substance by spraying or injecting a silica suspension together with one or more active substances into a fluidized bed generated using hot air. It is likewise possible to use hydrophobic precipitated silicas for these purposes, as described in DE 198 25 687.
In the context of their use as carriers, the following properties of silicas are important:
adsorption capacity, good sorption kinetics, and low fine dust fraction. Owing to heightened safety requirements and the need to prepare adsorbates with ever higher concentrations, there is therefore a demand for carrier silicas which have a very low fines fraction with an adsorptiveness which is heightened at the same time.

Silica and silicate by precipitation at constant alkali number, and its use


A positionally sensitive spinal cord stimulation apparatus and method using near-infrared (NIR) reflectometry are provided for automatic adjustments of spinal cord stimulation. The system comprises an electrode assembly with an integrated optical fiber sensor for sensing spinal cord position. The integrated optical fiber sensor, comprising a pair of optical elements for emitting light from an IR emitter and for collecting reflected light into a photodetector, determines a set of measured photocurrents. As the spinal cord changes position, the angles of incidence for light from the IR emitter and the measured optical intensities change. Electrode pulse characteristics are adjusted in real time, based on the set of measured optical intensities, to minimize changes in stimulation perceived by the patient during motion. The system includes automatic calibration of the optical fiber sensor when the patient is at rest, and a patient orientation detection.

Spinal cord stimulation is a technique which uses an implanted electrode array to control chronic pain. The electrode array is typically implanted in a fixed position within the epidural space near the spinal cord. A signal generator delivers current pulses to the spinal cord via the implanted electrode array. The current pulses help block the perception of pain.
In FIG. 1, spinal column 1 is shown to have a number of vertebrae, categorized into four sections or types: lumbar vertebrae 2, thoracic vertebrae 3, cervical vertebrae 4 and sacral vertebrae 5. Cervical vertebrae 4 include the 1st cervical vertebra (C1) through the 7th cervical vertebra (C7). Just below the 7th cervical vertebra is the first of twelve thoracic vertebrae 3 including the 1st thoracic vertebra (T1) through the 12th thoracic vertebra (T12). Just below the 12th thoracic vertebrae 3, are five lumbar vertebrae 2 including the 1st lumbar vertebra (L1) through the 5th lumbar vertebra (L5), the 5th lumbar vertebra being attached to sacral vertebrae 5 (S1 to S5), sacral vertebrae 5 being naturally fused together in the adult.
In FIG. 2, representative vertebra 10, a thoracic vertebra, is shown to have a number of notable features which are in general shared with lumbar vertebrae 2 and cervical vertebrae 4. The thick oval segment of bone forming the anterior aspect of vertebra 10 is vertebral body 12. Vertebral body 12 is attached to bony vertebral arch 13 through which spinal nerves 11 run. Vertebral arch 13, forming the posterior of vertebra 10, is comprised of two pedicles 14, which are short stout processes that extend from the sides of vertebral body 12 and bilateral laminae 15. The broad flat plates that project from pedicles 14 join in a triangle to form a hollow archway, spinal canal 16. Spinous process 17 protrudes from the junction of bilateral laminae 15. Transverse processes 18 project from the junction of pedicles 14 and bilateral laminae 15. The structures of the vertebral arch protect spinal cord 20 and spinal nerves 11 that run through the spinal canal.
Surrounding spinal cord 20 is dura 21 that contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 22. Epidural space 24 is the space within the spinal canal lying outside the dura.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the placement of an electrode array for spinal cord stimulation according to the prior art is shown. Electrode array 30 is positioned in epidural space 24 between dura 21 and the walls of spinal canal 16 towards the dorsal aspect of the spinal canal nearest bilateral laminae 15 and spinous process 17.
FIG. 4 shows a prior art electrode array 30 including electrode contacts 35 sealed into elastomeric housing 36. Electrode array 30 has electrode leads 31 which are connected to electrical pulse generator 32 and controller 33. The electrical pulse generator may be outside of the body or it may be implanted subcutaneously. Each electrode contact has a separate electrical conductor in electrode leads 31 so that the current to each contact may be independently controlled.
The anatomical distribution of parasthesias is dependent upon the spatial relationship between a stimulating electric field generated by the electrode array and the neuronal pathways within the spinal cord. The distribution may be changed by altering the current across one or more electrodes of the electrode array. Changing anode and cathode configurations of the electrode array also alters the distribution and hence, the anatomical pattern of the induced parasthesias.
Proper intensity of the current pulses is important. Excessive current produces an uncomfortable sensation. Insufficient current produces inadequate pain relief. Body motion, particularly bending and twisting, causes undesired and uncomfortable changes in stimulation due to motion of the spinal cord relative to the implanted electrode array.
There are methods and systems for controlling implanted devices within the human body. For example, Ecker et al, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0105997, discloses an implantable medical device that includes a controller and a plurality of sensor modules. A sensor includes at least one light source that emits light at a particular wavelength, which scatters through blood-perfused tissue a detector senses the light reflected by blood mass of a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,684,869 to Bradley, et al. discloses a system using an interelectrode impedance to determine the relative orientation of a lead with respect to other leads in the spinal column. Bradley et al. further disclose that interelectrode impedance may be used to adjust stimulation energy.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0118787 to Moffitt, et al. discloses electrical energy conveyed between electrodes to create a stimulation region. Physiological information from the patient is acquired and analyzed to locate a locus of the stimulation region. The stimulation region is electronically displaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,474 to Liu, et al. discloses carbon nano-tube composites (see, for example, abstract, FIG. 2 and col. 3:11. 21-35). The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,474 is incorporated herein by reference.
Deficiencies exist in the prior art related to accuracy of spinal cord stimulation in relieving pain under changing circumstances. The deficiencies are most pronounced while the patient is moving. The prior art does not provide a satisfactory way to automatically adjust spinal cord stimulation to compensate for motion between the electrodes and the spinal cord to maintain a constant level of pain relief during patient motion.

Apparatus and method using near infrared reflectometry to reduce the effect of positional changes during spinal cord stimulation


The present invention relates novel methods and compositions for blocking transmission of Plasmodium vivax which cause malaria. In particular, Pvs25 and Pvs28 polypeptides, variants, including deglycosylated forms, and fusion proteins thereof, are disclosed which, when administered to a susceptible organism, induce an immune response against a 25 kD and 28 kD protein, respectively, on the surface of Plasmodium vivax zygotes and ookinetes. This immune response in the susceptible organism can block transmission of malaria.

Malaria continues to exact a heavy toll from mankind. Between 200 million to 400 million people are infected by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, the deadliest of the malarial protozoans, each year. One to four million of these people die.
Plasmodium vivax is probably the most prevalent form of malaria in humans. It is rare in most of Africa because many Africans are Duffy blood group negative and P. vivax requires the Duffy blood group for invasion. Although P. vivax does not often lead to death, it causes incomprehensible suffering and debilitation in hundreds of millions of humans every year.
The life cycle of the malaria parasite is complex. Infection in man begins when young malarial parasites or "sporozoites" are injected into the bloodstream of a human by a mosquito. After injection the parasite localizes in liver cells. Approximately one week after injection, the parasites or "merozoites" are released into the bloodstream to begin the "erythrocytic" phase. Each parasite enters a red blood cell in order to grow and develop. When the merozoite matures in the red blood cell, it is known as a trophozoite and, when fully developed, as a schizont. A schizont is the stage when nuclear division occurs to form individual merozoites which are released to invade other red cells. After several schizogonic cycles, some parasites, instead of becoming schizonts through asexual reproduction, develop into large uninucleate parasites. These parasites undergo sexual development.
Sexual development of the malaria parasites involves the female or "macrogametocyte" and the male parasite or "microgametocyte." These gametocytes do not undergo any further development in man. Upon ingestion of the gametocytes into the mosquito, the complicated sexual cycle begins in the midgut of the mosquito. The red blood cells disintegrate in the midgut of the mosquito after 10 to 20 minutes. The microgametocyte continues to develop through exflagellation and releases 8 highly flagellated microgametes. Fertilization occurs with the fusion of the microgamete and a macrogamete. The fertilized parasite, which is known as a zygote, then develops into an "ookinete." The ookinete penetrates the midgut wall of the mosquito and develops into an oocyst, within which many small sporozoites form. When the oocyst ruptures, the sporozoites migrate to the salivary gland of the mosquito via the hemolymph. Once in the saliva of the mosquito, the parasite can be injected into a host, repeating the life cycle.
Malaria vaccines are needed against different stages in the parasite's life cycle, including the sporozoite, asexual erythrocyte, and sexual stages. Each vaccine against a particular life cycle stage increases the opportunity to control malaria in the many diverse settings in which the disease occurs. For example, sporozoite vaccines would fight infection immediately after injection of the parasite into the host by the mosquito. First generation vaccines of this type have been tested in humans. Asexual erythrocytic stage vaccines would be useful in reducing the severity of the disease. Multiple candidate antigens for this stage have been cloned and tested in animals and in humans.
However, as drug-resistant parasite strains render chemoprophylaxis increasingly ineffective, a great need exists for a transmission-blocking vaccine. Such a vaccine would block the portion of the parasite's life cycle that takes place in the mosquito or other arthropod vector, thus preventing even the initial infection of humans. Several surface antigens serially appear on the parasite as it develops from gametocyte to gamete to zygote to ookinete within the arthropod midgut (Rener et al., J. Exp. Med. 158: 976-981, 1983; Vermeulen et al., J. Exp. Med. 162: 1460-1476, 1985). Several of these antigens induce transmission-blocking antibodies.
The present invention fills the need for a means to completely block transmission of malaria parasites. The vaccine of the invention meets the requirements for a vaccine for controlling endemic malaria in developing countries: it induces high, long-lasting antibody titers, and can be produced in large amounts, at the lowest possible cost.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services


A housing type golf simulation apparatus and features the housing that the internal space is available having front, rear, upper and left/right side; monitor installation section which is provided backward in the rear side direction from the said front housing so that the monitor can be seated in the said front housing; golf simulation computer which is provided in the said internal space; and the monitor to be seated in the said monitor installation section. Thus, it is advantageous to implement various additional functions in the housing while installing, managing and moving the entire golf simulation apparatus in an integrated module.

The present invention is related with the golf simulation apparatus which is especially able to install, control and move the entire golf simulation apparatus as an integrated module to guarantee the stability of the monitor installation, so it can provide the player with the better use conditions and it is appropriate to implement different functions in the housing.
Recently a golf simulation system was developed to get the better of the limitation in space of the indoor in-door golf practice court.
That is, it measures kinetic data for flying angle and speed of the golf ball in a certain space adjacent to the golf swing box and then output in a 3D video in the screen installed in front of the swing box estimating the flying trajectory of the golf ball.
Then, the player can get a visual effect which is the same effect as playing the golf at the real field since the same video as the real golf course field was input in the control apparatus to output the estimated flying trajectory. Such golf simulation system is usually called as "Screen Golf".
Recently, the technology which upgraded more than the said screen golf has been developed and it is not to output 3D video in the screen as before but to display 3D video in the same monitor as LCD panel so the player can enjoy more clean and real effect screen thanks to the development of the monitor output golf simulation apparatus.
FIG. 1 illustrates the use condition of the golf simulation apparatus by the conventional technology.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional technology is: a kinetic sensor (12) which detects and measures the kinetic data including the golf ball speed and flying trajectory hit by the golf club is put in the swing box; kinetic data including the flying trajectory and speed of the golf ball which is measured by the kinetic sensor (12) is received; based on this 3D golf simulation program is run to display the kinetic flying of golf ball in a video so the golf simulation computer (it is also called main body of the golf simulation computer but in this specification it is called the golf simulation computer.) is built in a housing (10)—not shown; a monitor (11) to display the 3D video in the screen is put on the said housing (10); and a target net (Tg) for the player to use the target point swing the golf ball is equipped.
However, the golf simulation apparatus and swing box booth by the said conventional technology have the following problems:
First, in case of the golf simulation apparatus by the conventional technology, the monitor is simply put on a housing (10) so the golf ball hit by the player's golf practice will be dispersed causing problems that the monitor (11) is damaged or broken due to the impact on the monitor (11).
Moreover, when it contacts the monitor (11) on a housing (10) due to the carelessness by player or user, the monitor (11) is fell down causing the damage.
And when moving, each housing (10), monitor (11) and sensor (12) should be put in a storage box individually to move each, so it was inconvenient for keeping and control for moving.
Also, since the monitor (11) was put on a housing (10), the player should pay attention to the monitor (11) by turning or raising his/her head for tee shot or putting so it was not good for the user to watch 3D video displayed on the monitor (11).
Moreover, in case of conventional way, the monitor (11) and golf simulation computer were available separately occupying much spaces and the purchase and installation cost was high causing inconvenience for maintenance.


A system and method for delivering information is disclosed. The system and method includes a first computing device that includes information that is displayed on the screen of the first computing device, the first computing device scanning for a connection point and prompting for selection of a plurality of second devices to receive the information, wherein once ones of the plurality of second devices are selected, a user initiates the delivery of the information from the first computing device to the selected ones of the plurality of second devices by interacting with the first computing device. A user initiates with a flick across the screen of the first computing device. The information may be a business card.

In recent years, tablet computers, smartphones, and similar devices have become very popular. These devices frequently include touch screens, via which users can interact with virtual objects using intuitive gestures.
People, and particularly business people, are constantly on the move and their smartphones, tablet computers, and similar devices provide their constant connection to their respective lives and community. An advantageous device to device exchange of virtual information that may be initiated using a swiping gesture is described herein.

Method and apparatus for implementing a business card application


A magnetically activated switch assembly is provided. The magnetically activated switch assembly includes a magnet and a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit includes a magnetically activated switch, a first set of flux conductors, and a second set of flux conductors. The first set of flux conductors has first flux conductor flanges adapted to conduct flux from ends of the magnet. The second set of flux conductors is slidingly positioned relative to the first set of flux conductors and is adapted to conduct flux from the first set of flux conductors to the magnetically activated switch. The first set of flux conductors are adapted to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise and to tilt up or down. The first magnetic circuit is adapted to conduct flux to activate the magnetically activated switch only when the first flux conductor flanges are rotationally aligned with ends of the magnet and tilted to an operational position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetically activated switch assembly, and more particularly, to a magnetically activated switch assembly in a helmet mount for turning night vision goggles on and off.
2. Description of Related Art
A magnetically activated switch assembly in a helmet mount for turning night vision goggles on and off is known in the art. Conventional magnetically activated switch assemblies utilize gravity in order to turn night vision goggles on and off. Such gravity controlled magnetically activated switch assemblies could cause integrated night vision goggles to improperly turn off when the night vision goggle apparatus is turned upside down. A non-gravity controlled magnetically activated switch assembly has been developed and is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0290451, which was integrated into a monorail mount disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0012830, both references of which are herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0290451 discloses a non-gravity controlled magnetically activated switch assembly for integration into a helmet mount for turning night vision goggles on and off. The disclosed magnetically activated switch assembly includes a magnet with conductive flux members leading to a reed switch. When the conductive flux members line up with the north and south poles of the magnet, the reed switch turns on, which provides a current path to power the night vision goggles.
The disclosed magnetically activated switch assembly also includes several air gaps between conductive flux members. The air gaps increase the reluctance of the magnetic flux path. With a higher reluctance magnetic flux path, the magnetically activated switch assembly is less effective because a more sensitive reed switch must be used. If the reed switch is too sensitive, the night vision goggles could be activated by the Earth's magnetic field or other environmental magnetic fields such as that caused by nearby power lines.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved magnetically activated switch assembly for use in helmet mounted night vision goggles with a lower reluctance magnetic flux path. Such an improved magnetically activated switch assembly would ensure that the night vision goggles are activated only in particular predetermined positions and are therefore more reliable. Furthermore, there is a need for an improved magnetically activated switch assembly that allows the night vision goggles to remain on in predetermined positions and turns the night visions goggles off in other predetermined positions.


An RFID antenna is arranged in the vicinity of a metal portion of and on an outer surface side of a casing of a communication terminal device. The RFID antenna includes a magnetic core, and a coil conductor that is wound around the magnetic core. The coil conductor includes a first conductor portion positioned on a first main surface side of the magnetic core and a second conductor portion positioned on the second main surface side of the magnetic core and arranged at a different position than the first conductor portion when viewed in plan from the direction of the first and second main surfaces, and the coil conductor is arranged such that the first main surface side of the magnetic core is on the metal portion side and such that the first conductor portion of the coil conductor faces a leading end portion of the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication terminal devices that can be used in, for example, radio frequency identification (RFID) systems in which communication is performed with external appliances via electromagnetic signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, RFID systems utilizing an HF band, of for example, 13.56 MHz have been widely used as FeliCa (registered trademark) and near field communication (NFC) systems. For example, an antenna device for an RFID system is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3975918.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an antenna device section of a communication terminal device 90 described in Japanese Patent No. 3975918. This antenna device includes an asymmetrically shaped coil in which the winding intervals at two positions that face each other across a central portion of the winding region of the coil 71 have been made to be different from each other. At a large winding interval side 71a, a magnetic body 72 is arranged on a surface of the coil 71 opposite to an input-unit-94-side surface, which faces an IC card 1, of the coil 71, and at a small winding interval side 71b, the magnetic body 72 is arranged on the input-unit-94-side surface, which faces the IC card, of the coil 71. A reader/writer circuit 50 is connected to the coil 71. The antenna device is arranged in an antenna housing concavity 97a formed in a metal case 97 and is protected by a resin member 98. The magnetic field distribution of the antenna device is a distribution whose asymmetricity is more pronounced on the side 71a at which the winding interval and the line width of the coil 71 are larger. Consequently, a preferable communication state can be secured in a direction orthogonal to a main surface of the antenna device.
However, in an antenna arranged such that two conductor portions, which face each other across the central portion of the winding region of the coil conductor, are wound around a magnetic core, since the actual direction of the winding center axis of the coil conductor is neither parallel to or nor orthogonal to the main surface of the magnetic core but is tilted, there has been a problem in that it has been difficult to orient the directivity in a predetermined direction.
The antenna device of Japanese Patent No. 3975918 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes an asymmetrically shaped coil in which the winding intervals at two positions that face each other across a central portion of the winding region of the coil have been made to be different from each other and thereby the direction of magnetic flux is controlled. It is assumed that this antenna device will perform communication at a very short distance such as in communication with an RFIC card. For example, in the case where a leading end of a cellular phone terminal is brought close to a reader/writer in order to perform communication between the cellular phone terminal and the reader/writer, an antenna device is arranged in a leading end portion of the casing of the cellular phone terminal.
However, usually, it is often the case that other functional components such as, for example, a GSM or CDMA cellular phone antenna are arranged in the cellular phone terminal. Therefore, there are often restrictions on the arrangement of an antenna device in the leading end portion inside the cellular phone terminal casing. In addition, when another functional component arranged in the leading end portion is a cellular phone antenna, there are cases where the closer the arrangement position of the antenna device is to the leading end portion, the more the antenna device affects the antenna characteristics of the cellular phone antenna. On the other hand, there are cases where, provided that the antenna device is arranged at a position that is spaced away from the cellular phone antenna, it can be ensured that the two antennas are isolated from each other, but depending on the size of the terminal device, the layout becomes difficult. In addition, there are cases where, along with there being restrictions on the layout on the antenna device, there are also restrictions on the directivity direction of the antenna device.
For example, in the case where the antenna device is arranged in a trailing end portion, which is another end portion on the opposite side to the leading end portion, the antenna gain at the time of use when the leading end of the cellular phone terminal is held over the reader/writer, is inevitably reduced.
In addition, in the case where two cellular phone terminals are brought close to each other in order to perform communication, communication is performed in a state where the leading end portions of the two terminals are brought close to each other, and the same problem also occurs in this case.


Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for filtering and policing for defending against denial of service attacks on a network. A data packet is filtered by a multi-tiered filtering and transmission system. Data packets matching the first tier filter are discarded. Data packets matching the second tier filter are transmitted to an output module based on a criterion. Data packets in the third tier filter are hashed into bins and data packets matching an entry in the bin are transmitted to the output module based on a criterion for the bin. Data packets in the fourth tier transmission system are transmitted to the output module based on a criterion. Data packets that do not meet the criterion for transmission to the output module are transmitted to an attack identification module which analyzes the data packets to identify attacks.

The increased use of networks across the globe has been accompanied by an increase in attacks to those networks. The network attacks come in a variety of ways including denial of service (DOS) attacks. A DOS attack can cause devastating damage not only to the flow of data on the network, but to a company's reputation for allowing the attack to proceed unimpeded and ultimately to a company's bottom line finances. A DOS attack can be described as a malicious attacker generating interfering traffic with the intention to degrade, disrupt, or deny the service provided by the network to legitimate users.
The DOS attacks have been increasing along with the rise in network activity. Companies have responded by identifying packets from legitimate users and allowing those packets onto the network. However, when the number of users is large, it becomes unfeasible to analyze each packet using a list of users. Hardware solutions, such as content-addressable memory (CAM) based search engines, are also used to handle increased number of users. However, CAM hardware is expensive, consumes excess power, and generates extra heat.
Since DOS attacks have been increasing, it is important for companies to have a way to protect their networks from attacks. The DOS attacks take resources away from legitimate users which are wasted on the data packets from the attackers. DOS attacks not only waste network resources, but they also cause companies to lose money and goodwill from customers who use the company's network. Since DOS attacks are increasing, it is important for companies to have a system for defending networks from such attacks.

Filtering and policing for defending against denial of service attacks on a network


A getter sheet is secured within a package element in a condition of elastic deformation by positioning the getter sheet between a base and a cap of a package with at least one portion of the getter sheet in contact with the package. When positioned within the package, the condition of elastic deformation may force the getter sheet into a vaulted form. Therefore, the getter sheet may be secured within the package without utilizing any additional parts or fasteners. The getter sheet comprises particulates of a getter applied to a sheet of material. The getter sheet may comprise a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, or an octagonal shape. The getter sheet may be secured within the package when at least one portion of the getter sheet contacts one or more of a side surface of the cap, a bottom surface of the cap, and a top surface of the base.

A conventional package element may consist of a package that forms a vacuum enclosure. Often a getter is used to absorb existing gases within the package. In some packages, a holder is used to hold particulates of the getter. However, securing the holder and the getter within the package often results in increased production time and costs for the package element. In addition, the conventional package element includes an increased number of parts, which may also increase production time and costs for the package element.

Package elements and methods for securing a getter


A packet network employs restorable routing with service level guarantees. Restorable routing generates two disjoint paths through a network of nodes interconnected by links for a connection request demand between and ingress-egress node pair. Restorable routing employs minimum interference criteria to generate the two disjoint paths such that two disjoint paths cause little or no interference with demands of future connection requests between different ingress-egress pairs. Restorable routing generates maximum 2-route flows for the network ingress-egress node pairs to determine corresponding sets of 2-critical links. A reduced network is formed, its links are weighted based on criticality indices generated from the sets of 2-critical links, and the relatively optimal two disjoint paths are computed for the connection request. One of the two disjoint paths is selected as an active path for routing data of the connection request, and the other disjoint path is selected as the backup path.

1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packet routing in telecommunication systems, and, more particularly, to determining paths through nodes of a packet network for routing of packets with guaranteed service levels for restorable connections.
2. Description of the Related Art
In interconnected communications networks, such as the Internet, users establish connections between a source and a destination with a stream of data packets, called packet flows, that are transferred through the network over a network path. Packet networks are typically characterized by a set of routers connected via links, and optical networks, while not necessarily packet-based, are similarly configured with optical switches interconnected by optical links. A network path is defined by a set of nodes (routers or optical switches) interconnected by a set of links. Packet and optical networks may have a hierarchical structure in which smaller networks are interconnected by larger networks, and a peer structure in which equivalent networks are interconnected. A network connects to one or more other external networks through ingress nodes (those nodes receiving data from external networks) and egress nodes (those nodes transferring data to external networks). Nodes may be, for example, routers in a packet network or optical terminals in an optical network.
Interior routing protocols are employed by routers to determine forwarding of packets between a source and destination pair along a path through the nodes of the interconnected packet network. Packets received by a node's router are forwarded to other nodes based on a forwarding table constructed in accordance with the interior routing protocol or routes installed with explicit route provisioning. Interior routing protocols may also specify exchange network topology and link-state information ("network topology information") among routers to allow the node's router to construct the corresponding forwarding table. An example of a widely used interior routing protocol for "best effort" routing is the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol. In addition, some routing protocols associate a link "cost" with each link between nodes. This link cost may be associated with, for example, average link utilization or revenue generated by the link, as well as link importance in the network. When link-state information or link-bandwidth (e.g., connectivity or available bandwidth) is exchanged between routers, each router in the network has a complete description of the network's topology.
Since routing of packets at the higher levels is desirably performed at high speed, each higher-level packet network may use its own interior routing protocol in addition to the interior routing protocol of the lower-level packet network. Routing protocols, in addition to providing connectivity, may also enable traffic management. The Multi-Protocol Label Switched (MPLS) standard, for example, allows such routing protocols in backbone networks. The MPLS standard may be employed for networks having virtual circuits (packet flows) with provisioned service levels (also known as guaranteed quality-of-service (QoS)).
Provisioned service levels may be, for example, a guaranteed minimum bandwidth for the path of a packet flow through the backbone network. This path having a guaranteed level of service between ingress and egress points may be referred to as a Network Tunnel Path (NTP). As would be apparent to one skilled in the art, specific implementations of NTPs, exist for different types of networks. As examples of NTPs, virtual circuits may be established for packet flows in TCP/IP networks, virtual circuits may be established for cells in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, and label switched paths (LSPs) may be established for packets in MPLS networks. Packets of a signaling protocol, such as RSVP (Reservation Protocol for IP and MPLS networks) or LDP (Label Distribution Protocol) for MPLS networks, may be used to reserve link bandwidth and establish an NTP, once routing for the NTP, is calculated. NTPs may be provisioned as an explicit route along specific paths between nodes of the backbone network (i.e., when an NTP is provisioned, all intermediate points may be specified through which a packet passes between the ingress and egress points of the NTP).
To generate a forwarding table, each router computes a set of preferred paths through the network nodes, and may use the weights to calculate the set of preferred paths. Each preferred path has a minimum total weight between nodes as well as minimum summed weight through nodes of the path, which is known in the art as shortest-path routing. This set of preferred paths may be defined with a shortest-path tree (SPT). The forwarding table with routing information (e.g., source-destination pair, source ports, and destination ports) is generated from the SPT. The router uses the routing information to forward a received packet to its destination along the shortest path of the SPT. The SPT may be calculated using an algorithm such as Dijkstra's algorithm, described in E. Dijkstra, "A Note: Two Problems In Connection With Graphs," Numerical Mathematics, vol.1, 1959, pp. 269-271.
Restoring service after link failure(s) is an important aspect of both packet and optical networks. For restoration, each connection is routed along two disjoint paths through the network: a primary (active path) and a secondary (backup) path. The backup path is used for restoring connectivity if the active path fails. For some networks, capacity in links of the backup path may be shared between different connections for bandwidth efficiency. For sharing to be possible, the nodes performing route computations must know the amount of bandwidth on each link that is currently used for providing backup capacity. While this information might be disseminated according to link-state routing protocols, the information might only include link status and the bandwidth used for carrying active paths. Sharing might not be possible when the sender simultaneously transmits on both paths and the receiver chooses to receive data from the path with the strong signal, such as in optical networks. Simultaneous transmission is often employed in optical networks despite its bandwidth inefficiency because it allows relatively quick and simple restoration (only the receiver needs to detect and act upon failure).

Routing restorable service-level-guaranteed connections using maximum 2-route flows


A method in a mobile communication terminal includes holding a definition of a sub-sampled codebook identifying precoding matrices to be used for providing precoding feedback by the terminal. The precoding matrices in the sub-sampled codebook are selected from a master codebook that is made-up of a long-term sub-codebook and a short-term sub-codebook. The definition defines a first subset of the long-term sub-codebook and a second subset of the short-term sub-codebook. A Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) signal is received in the terminal via multiple receive antennas. Based on the received MIMO signal, a precoding matrix is selected from the sub-sampled codebook for precoding subsequent MIMO signals transmitted to the terminal. The precoding feedback indicating the selected precoding matrix is calculated.

In some communication systems, a mobile communication terminal receives downlink signals from a base station over a communication channel, and sends feedback indicative of the communication channel to the base station. The base station configures subsequent transmissions based on the feedback. Channel feedback of this sort is used, for example, in Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) systems specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). These systems are also referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE Advanced (LTE-A).
Channel feedback schemes for LTE and LTE-A systems are discussed, for example, in 3GPP Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network Working Group 1 (TSG-RAN WG1) document R1-104473, entitled "Way Forward on 8Tx Codebook for Rel. 10 DL MIMO," Madrid, Spain, Aug. 23-27, 2010; in 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 document R1-105067, entitled "Way Forward on CSI Feedback for Rel. 10 DL MIMO," Madrid, Spain, Aug. 23-27, 2010; in 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 document R1-103839, entitled "Design and Evaluation of Precoder Codebooks for CSI Feedback," Dresden, Germany, Jun. 28-Jul. 2, 2010; and in 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 document R1-104353, entitled "Two-Component PMI Codebook for 8TX," Madrid, Spain, Aug. 23-27, 2010, which are all incorporated herein by reference.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.


The invention relates to a suspension hydraulic damper (1) comprising a tube (2) filled with working liquid, inside of which a slidable piston assembly (3), provided with compression (12) and rebound (11) valve assemblies and attached to a piston rod (4) led outside the damper (1), is placed, and at least one compression valve system (18, 19). To increase an amount of dissipated energy during extremely fast compression strokes the compression valve system (18, 19) comprises at least one substantially thin closing element (24, 34), preferably in a form of a flat floating disc, having an outside diameter less than the inner diameter of the tube (2) and being axially slidable with respect to the piston rod (4) axis, a spring (23, 33) surrounding the piston rod (4) axis and pressing the closing element against a retainer (26, 35) into an open position, an abutting surface (28, 38) for the closing element (24, 34) in a closed position, and at least one passage (25, 31) for the flow of damping medium in the closed position.

Hydraulic suspension dampers typically comprise a tube filled with working liquid, inside of which a slidable piston assembly is placed. The piston assembly is attached to a piston rod led outside the damper through the piston rod guide, and comprises a piston with rebound and compression valve assemblies, which control the flow of working liquid passing through the piston assembly during the rebound and the compression stroke of the damper. Some dampers comprise also a base (bottom) valve assembly with separate rebound and compression valve assemblies controlling the flow of working liquid passing in and out of the compensation chamber, usually formed between the inner and the outer tube of the damper.
Each valve assembly usually comprises a stack of resilient disks, often with an additional compression spring, covering the flow passages of the piston and acting as one way valve, deflecting or moving under the pressure of the working liquid to allow the medium flow. Number, shape, diameter, and thickness of each disk provide, among others, an adjustable compression and rebound damping forces.
Typical damper characteristic of damping force vs. piston velocity is a trade-off between improvement of the car handling properties and reduction of the unwanted car vibrations (a so called NVH—Noise, Vibration, Harshness requirements). Although dampers featuring low compression forces with degressive characteristics are required to improve the passengers comfort, during severe road and/or drive conditions they also often lead to maximally admissible wheel-knuckle displacements in damper compression direction leading to a suspension closure or jounce bumper engagement, which in turn affects the car safety, comfort, durability, and noise issues.
From the state of art, there are known dampers in which the damper compression force increases rapidly after reaching a certain velocity of the piston relative to the damper tube.
An exemplary damper of this type, disclosed in patent specification EP 1 215 414 B1, comprises a valve body fixed to the piston rod and urged away from a valve seat surface formed on the piston by a spring. The valve body has a conical surface which moves toward the valve seat surface as a function of dynamic pressure of a damping medium, bearing against the circular valve seat surface and making a linear contact in a closed position. The valve body is made of a plastic material and its outer diameter corresponds to the diameter of the damper tube. To prevent undefined leakage flows the valve body is sealed to the piston rod.
Another damping unit of this type, to be employed in particular for damping the movement of the vehicle steering device, is disclosed in patent specification EP 0 409 094 B1. The unit comprises two annular valve members allocated to each side of valve seat faces of the piston and urged towards the respective opening positions by a plurality of compression springs provided within axial bores of the piston, wherein at least one face of a pair of the piston valve seat face and the valve face allocated to each other is provided with axial projections and recesses, which in a damping position provides a restricted flow communication for working liquid.
Yet another damper having an additional damper valve is disclosed in patent specification EP 1 538 367 B1. This damper comprises a multipart control slide with a pressure-actuated surface, which can move in a closing direction to close a throttle, where the throttle point is determined by the outside diameter of the control slide and an inside wall of the damper tube. The control slide of this invention must be manufactured very precisely in order to achieve its proper operation and to minimize this issue it has a plastically deformable adjusting area.


A spa having an integrated step is shown; the spa comprises a base, a wall extending upwardly from the base to define an enclosure, a recess and a bottom portion of the exterior wall and a sliding step mounted in the recess, the step being moveable between a storage position inside the spa and an extended position wherein the step may be used to access the interior of the spa.

Spas are becoming increasingly popular with many people. This has led to a substantial increase in sales of residential type spas. Typically these spas are either rectangular, oval or circular in configuration and are designed to accommodate between 2 to 12 people.
As used herein, a spa is intended to designate a structure designed to receive water and circulate the same. The spa will provide the bench or chair seating molded on the inside of the spa. Spas are also known as hot tubs and/or whirlpools.
Residential spas are frequently incorporated into a deck structure or some other permanent arrangement whereby access may be easily had to the interior of the spa. Lacking such an installation, the residential spa owner must provide some sort of stair arrangement to permit entry into the spa. Typically, a stool or like element may be utilized.


An extruder with a non-stop die change device includes an extrusion cavity, a die change device located at the outlet of the extrusion cavity, and a first die and a second die that are connected to the side wall of a housing of the die change device. A transfer channel is provided in a movable block of the die change device. When the movable block moves to a first position in the housing, the transfer channel communicates to the extrusion cavity with a first channel, and when the movable block moves to a second position in the housing, the transfer channel communicates to the extrusion cavity with a second channel. Therefore, die change and product type change can be achieved without stopping the extruder. If a die is blocked, the extruder does not need to stop for changing a new die.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the invention and is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the invention. The subject matter discussed in the background of the invention section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background of the invention section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background of the invention section or associated with the subject matter of the background of the invention section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background of the invention section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Extruders are usually used in the food and feed industries in order to process high cured products. However, the current extrusion production line has shortcomings. For example, the extruders have low operation efficiency, where changing dies and varieties of products take a long time.
Extruded products in the food and feed industries have many formulas, generally 10-15 formulas. They may have 20-30 formulas, or even more. There are also multiple specifications of dies, generally at least more than 10 dies. Combinations of different formulas with different dies may result in over 200 products.
Usually, an extrusion production line often produces 3 to 8 different products a day. Every time when a product is changed, it needs to stop the extruder, detach the die, clean the extruder, install another die and then start the extruder. Such a process takes a long time, generally 30 to 60 minutes. If the operator is unskilled, the time for changing the product may take 120 minutes or more.
In addition to the varieties of products, the die of the extruder is often blocked by fibers and impurities in the raw materials during the production process. After the die is blocked, the granules are deformed and the productivity is reduced. The only way to solve this problem is to stop the machine and replace the die. It also needs to detach the die, clean the extruder, install another die and then start the extruder during each stop for replacing the die. A quite long time is taken.
Due to the above factors, the efficiency of the effective operation of the extruder is quite low. This challenge with the need to solve the problem is that the rapid die change requires a rapid knife hood change and both knife hoods are necessary when a product is flowing through both dies simultaneously.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Extruder with non-stop die change device and method of using same


An inflator bracket for a side curtain vehicle airbag assembly of a type for mounting along a roof rail of a motor vehicle interior and mounting an inflator for generating inflation gas for a side curtain airbag. The inflator bracket in the form of a formed sheet metal component providing a carrier section adapted to engage and support the inflator and extending to form a base section and forming at least one mounting tab having a hole therethrough for enabling a threaded fastener to fasten the bracket to the roof rail. A shelf formed by the bracket positioned between the mounting tab and the carrier section and extending generally perpendicular to the base section provides clearance for the fastening of the threaded fastener without interference with the curtain airbag. The bracket is provided in the form of an integrated structure incorporating the carrier section, the base section, the mounting tab, and the shelf.

Inflatable restraint devices commonly referred to as airbags are used in many applications for motor vehicle occupant impact protection. Airbags are used for frontal impact protection and are generally installed in the vehicle steering wheel for the driver and behind the vehicle instrument panel for other front seat occupants. In addition to frontal impact protection, inflatable restraints are being used in a widespread manner for occupant protection from side impacts. One group of such devices is typically mounted to the vehicle seat or the vehicle body B pillar to protect the lower torso of the occupant. So-called side curtain airbags are typically mounted along the roof rail and deploy in a downward direction to provide an energy absorbing structure between the occupant's upper torso and head, and the vehicle interior components.
Inflatable restraint systems incorporate an inflator which is typically a pyrotechnic device or one using compressed gas (or a hybrid type). A sensor or suite of sensors is provided which cooperate with an onboard controller (electronic control unit or ECU) to sense impact forces and provide a signal to deploy the inflatable restraints. Gas supplied by the inflator quickly inflates the restraint device.
Airbag systems need to be compact when not in use, particularly in view of increasingly stringent packaging requirements associated with modern day passenger car motor vehicles. A particular constrained area is along the roof rail of the vehicle where side curtain airbags are installed. There is little space available in the transverse cross-section of the roof rail between the structural metal components of the roof rail and the interior trim.
Certain designs of side-impact curtain airbag assemblies incorporate an elongated cylindrical inflator which is packaged with a rolled or folded up fabric curtain element with associated bracket elements which are all packaged for mounting to the roof rail. It is desirable to be able to fold and compress the undeployed side curtain to minimize its packaging volume. Further complicating this objective is the presence of gas flow baffles or guides or other internal elements provided to direct inflation gases from the inflator in fore and aft directions, and downward and prevent gases from degrading or rupturing the curtain fabric material. One such flow guide element is referred to as a "Y sock" formed of fabric material and named for the presence of a flow inlet passage and a pair of flow directing ducts. The flow directing elements with the airbag fabric present many layers of material which must be compacted and fit into the tight packaging region available.
A particular design and assembly challenge is posed when mounting the curtain assembly to the vehicle roof rail structure which is normally accomplished using threaded fasteners. Ordinarily a mounting bracket with a pair of mounting flanges or tabs is provided which are oriented to extend downwardly from the compacted side curtain assembly. Fasteners are installed through holes in the mounting tabs. These fasteners typically have an enlarged head or washer provided for structural purposes. An improper assembly which is essential to avoid is a condition where the threaded fastener engages the fabric of the airbag during assembly, pinching it between the fastener head and the mounting tab. This condition could give rise to deployment failures and can structurally compromise the curtain fabric. Various approaches to avoiding these problems have been implemented and proposed. For example, discrete polymer tubs or deflector tabs can be provided which are attached to a sheet metal inflator bracket which protect the area of the mounting tab from interference. It is necessary for these elements to be fastened to the metal bracket before the fastener is installed. While these devices operate satisfactorily in general, the requirement of providing separate components and the intermediate assembly process of fastening these components to the metal bracket adds to cost and complexity of unit assembly. Another solution is to use tape or another restraint wrapping around the assembly to compress the curtain fabric to provide clearance in the fastener area. Unfortunately such approaches may not be satisfactory since is generally not convenient to place such a restraint directly adjacent to the mounting tab where compression of the airbag is needed. Further alternatives may include special assembly aids which push away the side curtain fabric to clear the fastener and drive tool. This approach requires special handling by the assembly operator and verified proper assembly is not readily available. Preferred is a design which inherently prevents the above-mentioned assembly errors from occurring.

Side curtain airbag compression inflator bracket