A copy of a new version of an existing Envy Library file is transferred to a data processing system in which the existing Envy Library file is stored, such that the amount of data actually stored is smaller than the data contained within the new version of the existing Envy Library file. Scripts containing information about unchanged data that can be copied from the existing Envy Library file is stored in the data processing system. Scripts containing information about data in the new version of the existing Envy Library file that is different from data within the existing Envy Library file is also stored in the data processing system. The existing Envy Library file may be regenerated using the script files and the new version of the Envy Library file within the data processing system.

Object oriented programming is a computer programming packaging technique which provides reusable and easily expandable programs. In a traditional procedural program, emphasis is placed on methods to be conducted on particular data sets. By contrast, in an object oriented program, emphasis is placed on data. As is well known to those having skill in the art of object oriented programming, object oriented programs are composed of various types of "objects".
An object is a data structure, also referred to as a "frame", and a set of operations or functions, also referred to as "methods", for accessing and manipulating the data structure. Objects having identical data structures and common behavior can be grouped together into, and collectively identified as a "class." Objects are instances created from a particular class. Each object inherits the data structure and methods of the particular class from which it was instantiated. A hierarchical inheritance relationship exists between multiple classes. For example, one class may be considered a "parent" of another class (the "child" of the parent class). The child class is said to be "derived" from the parent class and inherits all of the attributes and methods of the parent class.
Increasingly, developers are utilizing a team approach in developing object oriented program applications. Component-based development is quickly becoming the focus of many new development efforts. In this type of development, team members working on an application share components stored in libraries to build applications. Components are basically encapsulated software objects, or specifications capable of creating such objects, providing some type of known service that can be used in combination with other components to build applications.
TeamConnection is a software product of International Business Machines, Inc. that provides a team development environment that includes the following: configuration management; version management; change management; and build support for developing multi-tier, multi-language applications across platforms. TeamConnection provides a single repository for development data including reusable parts such as JavaBeans and ActiveX, source code such as C++, COBOL and Java, web applets, HTML documents, end user documentation, test cases, and modeled objects. Envy is another software product of International Business Machines, Inc. that provides a multi-user development environment for application development using the object oriented programming languages Smalltalk and Java. Envy provides version control and configuration management for multiple developers across several platforms.
Envy and TeamConnection individually facilitate parallel development involving multiple developers. Each provides various mechanisms for allowing developers to access the same objects or components in a corresponding library at the same time without negatively affecting the work of others. Each also mediates changes made to objects by multiple developers and for controlling the versions of objects stored in the library.
In multi-user development environments, newer versions of various objects are often transferred between developers from one development environment to another. Often, these objects are transferred via files that are large in size. Because objects and components within object oriented programming environments are versioned, each version of an object or component is typically stored within the object oriented programming environment. This may require considerable storage capacity within the object oriented programming environment.

Systems, methods and computer programs products for storing a new version of an Envy Library file in a teamconnection object oriented programming environment

International Business Machines Corporation


An orientation-insensitive ultra-wideband coupling capacitor. The orientation-insensitive ultra-wideband coupling capacitor includes a plurality of external surfaces, a low frequency portion, and a high frequency portion. The high frequency portion is so disposed on, and electrically connected to, the low frequency portion so as to allow the orientation-insensitive ultra-wideband coupling capacitor to work identically when mounted on any external longitudinal surface of the plurality of external surfaces thereof and thereby be readily SMT compatible without regard to special orienting procedures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultra-wideband coupling capacitor, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an orientation-insensitive ultra-wideband coupling capacitor and method of making.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which are, respectively, a schematic diagram of a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor, and an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor, a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is a parallel combination of a high value capacitor 12, typically 10 nanofarads or greater, and a low value capacitor 14, typically 20 picofarads to 250 picofarads. As can be seen, capacitors in parallel result in wider operating bandwidths.
The prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is either composed of two or more physical items which require precise assembly or a single ceramic assembly which must internally include complex multiple capacitor configurations, and via holes that interconnect internal electrodes to external contacting pads. Both of these family of devices have larger than desired physical footprints and can only be mounted on one specific side of the device making them difficult to use where surface mount technology (SMT) is employed. Electrically, size limitations result in both high insertion and return losses and also cause excessive surface moding at higher microwave frequencies.
The high value capacitor 12 is a multi-layer capacitor, while the low value capacitor 14 is generally either a single layer capacitor or two single layer capacitors in a balanced configuration. The multi-layer capacitor is a multi-layer structure with interdigitated plates, each separated by a thin dielectric layer, while the single layer capacitor is a single layer structure with two plates separated by a thin dielectric layer.
The high value capacitor 12, with its relatively low series resonance, is most effective on lower frequency signals, while the low value capacitor 14, with its relatively high series resonance, is most effective on high frequency signals.
The high value capacitor 12 and the low value capacitor 14 of the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 have different operating characteristics in different portions of an ultra-wideband operating spectrum, as will be discussed infra.
As shown in FIG. 3A, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor operating at a low frequency, when the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is operating at a low frequency, the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 electrodes exhibit insignificant skin effect. The ceramic structure looks like a bulk dielectric.
As shown in FIG. 3B, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor operating at a mid frequency, when the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is operating at a mid frequency, the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 electrodes exhibit significant skin effect. The dielectric region begins to take on the effect of a meandering parallel plate transmission line structure. Additional resonances emerge.
As shown in FIG. 3C, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor operating at a high frequency, when the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is operating at a high frequency, the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 electrodes exhibit full skin effect. The dielectric region acts as a lossy meandering parallel plate transmission line. Additional resonances emerge at the higher frequencies.
The prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 has a few associated shortcomings. Firstly, since the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is a two-piece structure, the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 requires additional production assembly effort, which increases per unit cost. Secondly, the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 is orientation-sensitive restricting it to being mounted only on one specific surface, creating surface mount technology (SMT) compatibility issues. Thirdly, the assembly height of the prior art ultra-wideband coupling capacitor 10 exceeds the 0.020″ dimension of a standard 0402 package by 0.012″.
Thus, there exists a need for an ultra-wideband coupling capacitor which is one-piece and thereby eliminates additional production assembly effort which thereby decreases per unit cost, which is orientation-insensitive and thereby eliminates restricting it to being mounted only on one specific surface which thereby eliminates surface mount technology (SMT) compatibility issues, and which does not exceed the 0.020″ dimension of a standard 0402.
Numerous innovations for high frequency capacitors have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure and/or operation and/or purpose from the present invention in that they do not present an ultra-wideband coupling capacitor which is one-piece and thereby eliminates additional production assembly effort which thereby decreases per unit cost, which is orientation-insensitive and thereby eliminates restricting it to being mounted only on one specific surface which thereby eliminates surface mount technology (SMT) compatibility issues, and which does not exceed the 0.020″ dimension of a standard 0402.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,926 to Monsomo has an assignee common with the instant application and presents a capacitor which has a superior ability to operate in the upper regions of the RF spectrum. The capacitor includes a planar electrode layer which is mounted between a pair of dielectric layers. The electrode layer generally is centered inwardly with respect to the dielectric layers leaving an outward margin of dielectric material. One of the dielectric layers has two spaced apart contact members, each having a different polarity from the other. The electrode layer is isolated from electrical contact with any conductor and is buried within the dielectric layers. The electrode layer, in combination with the dielectric layer on which the contact members are mounted and the contact members, allow development of a selected value of capacitance between the contact members. Providing trimmed contact members, as well as controlling their size and spacing, allow for convenient preselection of desired operative characteristics of the capacitor. The contact members could be positioned on a substrate to which a buried electrode is mounted.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,572 to Liebowitz teaches an SLC which has a thin brittle ceramic dielectric layer less than 0.0035 inches thick and as low as 0.0005 inches or less. Electrodes are thick and strong enough, either singly or together, to give the structure required physical strength for manufacture, handling, and usage. Electrodes are (1) a ceramic metal composite, (2) a porous ceramic infiltrated with metal or other conductive material, (3) a resin filled with metal or other conductive material, or (4) combinations of the above. The very thin and, in itself, fragile dielectric layer provides exceedingly high capacity per unit area with temperature stability and low losses. A 0.00001-inch thick dielectric of titanium dioxide is also used.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for high frequency capacitors have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, an ultra-wideband coupling capacitor which is one-piece and thereby eliminates additional production assembly effort which thereby decreases per unit cost, which is orientation-insensitive and thereby eliminates restricting it to being mounted only on one specific surface which thereby eliminates surface mount technology (SMT) compatibility issues, and which does not exceed the 0.020″ dimension of a standard 0402.

Orientation-insensitive ultra-wideband coupling capacitor and method of making


A direct digital frequency synthesizer having a multi-modulus divider, a numerically controlled oscillator and a programmable delay generator. The multi-modulus divider receives an input clock having an input pulse frequency fosc and outputs some integer fraction of those pulses at an instantaneous frequency fVp that is some integer fraction (1/P) of the input frequency. The multi-modulus divider selects between at least two ratios of P (1/P or 1/P+1) in response to a signal from the numerically controlled oscillator. The numerically controlled oscillator receives a value which is the accumulator increment (i.e. the number of divided pulse edges) required before an overflow occurs that causes the multi-modulus divider to change divider ratios in response to receiving an overflow signal. The numerically controlled oscillator also outputs both the overflow signal and a delay signal to the delay generator that further controls the frequency of the multi-modulus divider output signal (Vp) to provide an output signal (VD) with an fout that has improved phase and timing jitter performance over prior art direct digital frequency synthesizer architectures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides frequency synthesizer circuit architectures that are particularly adapted for use in computation, control and communication applications.
2. Description of Related Art
Low frequency (32 KHz-300 MHz) clock or timing signals are employed in electronic devices for many different applications. A typical reference oscillator may use a quartz resonator or another resonator which may operate on a fundamental frequency (less than about 40 MHz) or an overtone mode of oscillation (about 30 to 300 MHz). However, certain electronic devices (e.g., mobile communication devices) require higher frequency (500 MHz-3 GHz) timing signals which either cannot be generated directly by quartz resonators or other electro-acoustic resonators, or are prohibitively expensive to generate using such resonators. Also, high-frequency oscillators that use non-acoustic resonator technology (e.g., an inductor/capacitor resonant tank) cannot achieve the low phase noise or low power consumption required by many applications. Furthermore, conventional oscillator solutions may be too costly or too bulky for certain product applications and/or fail to provide a sufficient variety of output frequencies with sufficiently low noise.
An alternate approach to generating a reference signal is frequency synthesis, which can be performed either indirectly, by employing a phase lock loop ("PLL"), or directly, by employing a direct digital synthesizer ("DDS").
In PLL frequency synthesis, a reference oscillator operating at a relatively low frequency (fREF) is employed to generate a higher output frequency (fout>fREF) with a desired accuracy. To accomplish this synthesis, the frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator ("VCO") is adjusted until the phase error between the reference oscillator and the VCO is minimized. The VCO is adjusted by a feedback loop that compares the frequency and phase of the VCO to that of the reference oscillator. When the loop settles, the VCO frequency closely tracks both the frequency and phase of the reference signal according to a predetermined harmonic relationship defined by the division ratios of the dividers used in the PLL circuit, e.g. fVCO/N=fREF/M. Non-harmonic scaling may be obtained by rapidly switching the divider between adjacent ratios P and P+1 with the aid of a controller often employing a delta-sigma modulator loop. The instantaneous output frequency alternates between fREF*P/M and fREF*(P+1)/M, and the average frequency equals fREF*(P+N)/M where N is a non-integer value between 0 and 1. Simultaneously with the divider modulus control, a phase correction is also applied to the divider output signal before it is compared with the reference signal to produce an error signal that is low-pass-filtered and applied to the VCO input. This implementation is also known as a fractional-N synthesizer.
The output signal of a fractional-N PLL may be degraded by the presence of spurious signals and noise that result from the constant switching of the P divider. These undesired signals must be minimized to meet the requirements of practical applications, which results in increased power consumption and loop settling time.
In typical DDS architectures, a higher reference frequency generator is used with a numerically controlled oscillator ("NCO") to produce an output signal having controlled frequency and phase. The DDS output frequency range and resolution is mainly determined by the reference frequency and the length of the NCO word. As a result, DDS circuits that deliver a higher synthesized output frequency tend to have higher power consumption.
While existing phase interpolating DDS architectures may provide generation of a wide range of output frequencies from a single reference oscillator, improved DDS architectures are desired.

Direct digital synthesizer for reference frequency generation


A semiconductor device employs a technology for improving data retention characteristics of a cell array storing data regarding conditions for controlling internal operations of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a content addressable memory (CAM) cell array configured to store CAM data regarding conditions for controlling the internal operations, a control logic configured to store the CAM data read out of the CAM cell array, and a microprocessor configured to perform a reprogramming operation on the CAM cell array using the CAM data stored in the control logic.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device and a method for operating the same.
A flash memory device is a type of electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) in which multiple memory regions can be erased or programmed by a single program action.
A system including a flash memory device can operate more quickly and more effectively than a system which simultaneously reads data from and writes data in other memory devices. All types of flash memory devices include cells that wear out after a predetermined number of erasing operations. This is because since an insulation film enclosing a charge storage element of a cell, which is configured to store data, is damaged by the erasing operations.
A flash memory device is designed to retain data stored therein even when not powered. That is, a flash memory device can retain the stored data without power consumption.
In addition, a flash memory device has excellent resistance to physical impact and a very high read access speed. As a result, flash memory devices have been widely used as storage devices in mobile products using battery power.
Flash memory devices are classified as NOR flash memory devices or NAND flash memory devices depending on the type of logic gates used in a storage unit of the flash memory devices.
A flash memory device is configured to store data in an array of transistors called cells. Flash memory devices may include a single-level cell or a multi-level cell. In a single-level cell device, a cell stores 1-bit data. In a multi-level cell device, a cell stores two or more bit data by changing the amount of charges on a floating gate of the cell.
In a flash memory device employing a floating gate, data retention characteristics and the number (or durability) of programming/erasing cycles are very important factors in determining the reliability of the flash memory device.
Charges (or electrons) stored in a cell of the flash memory device may leak from a floating gate through various failure mechanisms, for example, thermion emission and charge diffusion through a defective inter-poly insulation film, ion impurities, program disturbance stress, etc., resulting in reduction of a threshold voltage.
As the floating gate slowly accumulates charges while a power-supply voltage is applied to a control gate of the cell, an effect against charge acquisition may occur, resulting in an increased threshold voltage.
Repeated programming/erasing cycles may cause stress in oxide films of transistors in the flash memory device. Due to this stress, a failure may occur, such as a breakdown of a tunnel oxide film in the flash memory device.
A threshold voltage of a memory cell may gradually decrease due to the occurrence of such stress. In other words, electrons may leak from a floating gate of a programmed memory cell.
In sum, threshold voltage distribution of programmed memory cells moves to a lower voltage, such that some memory cells may have a threshold voltage lower than a program verification voltage. The reduction of the threshold voltage reduces a sensing margin in a read operation, and thus a read failure may occur.
Although a memory cell of a conventional memory device has non-volatile characteristics, cell data deterioration may occur over time under ordinary conditions. As a result, a data retention time is limited, and it is difficult to maintain the non-volatile characteristics, even under optimal conditions, for a long period of time.
If data stored in a non-volatile memory device is affected by deteriorated data retention characteristics, charge movement may occur over time, and thus a sensing margin of the data may be reduced. In this case, data necessary for controlling internal operations of the non-volatile memory device and stored in the non-volatile memory device may also change. Thereafter, a malfunction may occur when the non-volatile memory device operates in response to a user input.

Semiconductor device and method for operating the same


A knife apparatus and method are disclosed for cutting a plurality of articles from a sheet or web of material. The knife can be formed in or secured to the outer surface of a rotary die cutter. The knife includes a first cutting member having a first end, and second and third cutting members joined to the first end of the first cutting member. The second and third cutting members are arranged relative to one another to form an arcuate section which intersects with the first cutting member to form a general wishbone configuration. A unique knife profile enables two adjacently arranged articles to be cut simultaneously from a sheet or web of material with zero clearance between at least a portion of the outer peripheries of the two articles.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a knife apparatus and method for cutting articles from a sheet or web of material. More specifically, this invention relates to a knife having a unique configuration which can be formed in or secured to the outer surface of a rotary die cutter for cutting a plurality of articles from a sheet or web of material with zero clearance between at least portions of the outer peripheries of two adjacent articles.
2. Background
Many different kinds and types of articles are manufactured today which entail cutting or stamping out a plurality of identically shaped articles from an elongated sheet or web of material. The sheet or web of material can be a single layer or a laminate formed from two or more layers. In producing such articles, trim waste is usually present, and it is beneficial from a cost standpoint to minimize such waste. Trim waste is defined as all material which does not make up a finished article. It includes waste located adjacent to the periphery of each article as well as waste cut out from the interior of an article. Even when the trim waste is kept to a minimum, its presence can still cause problems in that it has to be separated and conveyed away from the finished articles. The trim waste also has to be handled if it is to be properly disposed of, reclaimed, or recycled.
For uniquely configured articles having at least one nonlinear edge, it is very difficult to completely do away with trim waste. However, it is possible to minimize the amount of trim waste and to design the waste to have a certain profile so that it can be easier to handle as it is separated from the finished articles.
One way to minimize trim waste is to design the cutting knife to have a profile such that the knife will simultaneously cut two adjacent articles from a sheet or web of material. By arranging two or more articles across and/or along a sheet or web of material such that two articles are joined by a common peripheral segment, a reduction in waste can be obtained.
Now, a knife has been invented having a unique configuration and which can be formed in or secured to the outer surface of a rotary die cutter for cutting a plurality of articles from a sheet or web of material with zero clearance between at least a portion of the outer peripheries of two adjacent articles.

Rotary knife apparatus and cutting method


An optical accelerometer includes a beam and at least one optical fiber affixed to one side of the beam such that deflection of the beam changes a length of the optical fiber. A device for sensing the change in length of the optical fiber is functionally coupled to the at least one fiber. A seismic sensor system includes at least two accelerometers, oriented such that their sensitive axes are at least partially aligned along mutually orthogonal directions. Each accelerometer includes a beam, and at least one optical fiber affixed to one side of the beam such that deflection of the beam changes a length of the at least one optical fiber. A device for sensing the change in length of the optical fiber is functionally coupled to the at least one fiber of each accelerometer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of optical acceleration and inclination sensing devices. More particularly, the invention relates to optical accelerometers and inclinometers used for, but not limited to, sensing seismic energy.
2. Background Art
Optical devices for sensing parameters such as acceleration, motion and/or pressure are used for, among other purposes, sensing seismic energy from the Earth's subsurface. The seismic energy may be naturally occurring, or may be imparted by a seismic energy source for the purpose of performing reflection seismic surveys. Detecting seismic energy may include detecting pressure, or changes in pressure, in a body of water. A sensor used to measure such changes in pressure is known as a hydrophone. Detecting seismic energy also includes detecting motion on or near the Earth's surface. Motion may be detected using devices known as geophones. Geophone signals are related to velocity of motion. Accelerometers, which produce signals related to the time derivative of velocity of motion (acceleration), are also used to detect seismic energy. Inclinometers, which produce signals related to the relative orientation of a device with respect to Earth's gravitational pull, are used to generate data in the location of a device with respect to level and other sensors in the system. Sensors known in the art which respond to the foregoing physical parameters generate an optical signal in response to the detected physical parameter. The optical signal may be, for example, a change in reflected wavelength, a change in phase or an interference pattern in response to changes in the physical parameter.
Generally, optical sensors known in the art include a selected length of optical fiber affixed to a device that changes shape in response to changes in the physical parameter being detected. The change in shape of the device is transformed into a change in length of the optical fiber. Change in length of the optical fiber may be detected by one of a number of different optical measurement techniques. Such techniques include change in reflected wavelength of light as a result of a change in wavelength of a Bragg grating formed in the optical fiber, or optical coupling of a light beam transmitted through the optical fiber with a light beam transmitted through another optical fiber, known as a "reference fiber." The reference fiber may be disposed such that its length remains essentially unchanged irrespective of the value of the physical parameter. Light beams from the fiber affixed to the device, and the reference fiber, are coupled in an optical interferometer. An interference pattern or phase change in the light generated in the optical interferometer is related to the change in length of the fiber coupled to the device, and thus to the physical parameter being measured. Typically the output of the interferometer is coupled to a photodetector, which generates an electrical signal related to the light amplitude applied to the photodetector.
A fiber optic hydrophone is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,724 issued to Frederick et al. The hydrophone disclosed in the '724 patent includes a reference fiber wrapped around a rigid inner cylinder. A solid layer of compliant material is applied over the reference fiber. The sensing arm of the interferometer is wound over the layer of material applied over the reference fiber. The outer material is sufficiently compliant to provide acoustic sensitivity comparable to that of air-backed hydrophones. Another fiber optic hydrophone is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,488 issued to Maas et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. A hydrophone according to the Maas et al. '488 patent includes a compliant sensing mandrel coaxial with and adjacent to a rigid reference mandrel. A first optical fiber is wound around the compliant sensing mandrel. A second optical fiber is wound around the reference mandrel. The first and second optical fibers comprise different arms of an interferometer. Flexible sealing members, such as O-rings, seal the compliant sensing mandrel to the rigid reference mandrel. In one embodiment, one O-ring is disposed near each end of the sensing mandrel. A cylindrical support member is disposed inside the sensing mandrel. At least a portion of the support member is spaced from the sensing mandrel so as to provide a sealed cavity between the sensing mandrel and the support member. The sealed cavity is filled with air or similar compliant substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,485 issued to Hofler et al. discloses an optical accelerometer wherein an elastic disk and a predetermined mass are supported by a body for flexure of the disk due to acceleration, shock, vibration and displacement of the body in a direction axially of the disk. Such a disk, or a plurality of such disks, are wound with a pair of flat spirals of optical fiber, each spiral being fixedly attached to a corresponding disk side so that disk flexure lengthens a spiral on one disk side and shortens a spiral on another disk side. Such spirals on oppositely facing disk sides are connected as opposite legs of a fiber optical interferometer so that the interferometer provides an output corresponding to the amplitude of the flexure. A push-pull pair of the spirals may be disposed oppositely of a thermally conducting disk to minimize temperature differences between the push-pull spiral pair. An accelerometer according to the disclosure in the Hofler et al. patent is constructed with a centrally supported disk having the mass distributed around the disk periphery. Such construction is purported to be advantageous for isolation from mounting stress and for providing a plurality of coaxially mounted disks for increased sensitivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,418 issued to Tweedy et al. discloses a fiber optic sensor that includes a flexural disk having a pair of fiber optic coils mounted on opposite sides thereof and optically coupled together to form an interferometer that produces an output signal in response to acceleration of the flexural disk. The accelerometer includes a housing having first and second end plates with a sidewall extending between the end plates. The sidewall has an inwardly facing groove in which an outer edge portion of the flexural disk is mounted. A compressive damper is mounted in the housing and arranged to exert a compressive force on the flexural disk to control movement thereof in response to acceleration of the flexural disk along a sensing axis and thereby control the output signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,033 issued to Knudsen et al. discloses a highly sensitive accelerometer, which includes a mass within a housing suspended by opposing support members. The support members are alternately wound around a pair of fixed mandrels and the mass in a push-pull arrangement. At least a portion of one of the support members comprises optical fiber coils as the support members for use in interferometric sensing processes.
More recently, multiple-direction sensitive ("multicomponent") motion sensors, in conjunction with substantially collocated hydrophones ("dual sensor OBCs"), have been used on the bottom of a body of water for marine seismic surveying. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,371 issued to Monk, which discloses a method for processing of dual sensor OBC data that corrects for energy incidence angle, corrects for estimated reflectivity, and combines corrected seismic sensor traces using an optimal diversity scaling technique. In one embodiment, the disclosed method takes seismic traces from a geophone and a hydrophone, corrects the geophone trace for the incidence angle, determines diversity filters for optimally combining the geophone and hydrophone traces, applies the diversity filters, estimates a reflectivity coefficient for the ocean bottom (potentially for different angles of reflection), scales the geophone data according to the reflectivity, and re-applies the diversity filters to obtain a combined trace. The combined trace is expected to have various artifacts eliminated, including ghosting and reverberation, and is expected to have an optimally determined signal-to-noise ratio.
It is important that motion sensors in general, and in particular those sensors used in dual sensor OBCs, have good sensitivity, are relatively insensitive to noise, and have good rejection of cross-component signal (meaning that the motion sensors are substantially insensitive to motion along any direction other than the sensitive axis). Accordingly, there is a continuing need for motion and/or acceleration sensors that have improved sensitivity, reduced noise and reduced cross-component sensitivity.

Optical accelerometer, optical inclinometer and seismic sensor system using such accelerometer and inclinometer


A proxy mobile station for retransmitting reverse channel signals from a mobile station to a base station of a wireless network. The proxy mobile station comprises: 1) a controller for receiving reverse channel data to be transmitted to the base station and transmitting the reverse channel data using an assigned mobile station identifier associated with the mobile station; and 2) a radio frequency transceiver for up-converting the encoded reverse channel data for transmission to the base station. The assigned mobile station is modifiable and may be modified by an external control device.

A wireless terminal accesses a wireless network using a mobile station identifier that is unique to the wireless terminal. Mobile station identifiers are used in a number of wireless networks, including wireless networks operating under the CDMA2000 family of standards, GSM networks, AMPS/TDMA networks, Wideband CDMA (or WCDMA) networks, IEEE802.xx networks, and GSM-1x networks, among others. The mobile station identifier may comprise a conventional identifier, such as an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a User Identity Module (UIM) ID, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) ID, or a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), or the like.
In conventional wireless technology, there is no way to dynamically assign a mobile station identifier (MS_ID) to a mobile station or other wireless terminal during actual operation in a wireless network. For security reasons, the mobile station identifier is set for each device and cannot be changed without special programming and equipment. A wireless service provider uses a mobile station identifier to identify a subscriber mobile station (e.g., cell phone, wireless laptop or PDA) in order to charge the account of each subscriber for service. However, there are applications in which it may be advantageous to assign the mobile identifier of a mobile station at least temporarily to a proxy device.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a proxy mobile station that imitates the signals of another mobile station. In particular, there is a need for a proxy mobile station that may be assigned the mobile station identifier of another mobile station. More particularly, there is a need for a proxy mobile station that may be dynamically assigned and re-assigned the mobile station identifiers of other mobile stations.

Proxy mobile station using assignable mobile identifier to access a wireless network


The subject technology relates to the management of a shared buffer memory in a network switch. Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for receiving a data packet at a first network queue from among a plurality of network queues, determining if a fill level of a queue in a shared buffer of the network switch exceeds a dynamic queue threshold, and in an event that the fill level of the shared buffer exceeds the dynamic queue threshold, determining if a fill level of the first network queue is less than a static queue minimum threshold.

Several different architectures are commonly used to build packet switches (e.g., IP routers, ATM switches and Ethernet switches). One architecture is the output queue (OQ) switch, which places received packets in various queues that are dedicated to outgoing ports. The packets are stored in their respective queues until it is their turn to depart (e.g. to be "popped"). While various types of OQ switches have different pros and cons, a shared memory architecture is one of the simplest techniques for building an OQ switch. In some implementations, a shared memory switch functions by storing packets that arrive at various input ports of the switch into a centralized shared buffer memory. When the time arrives for the packets to depart, they are read from the shared buffer memory and sent to an egress line.
There are various techniques for managing a shared memory buffer. In some memory management solutions, the network switch prevents any single output queue from taking more than a specified share of the buffer memory when the buffer is oversubscribed, and permits a single queue to take more than its share to handle incoming packet bursts if the buffer is undersubscribed.

Queue protection using a shared global memory reserve


A circuit for coupling a logic signal from a circuit input to a circuit output includes a parallel connection of a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch, wherein an inverter in the first branch powered as last inverter in this branch via first supply terminals, via which a first supply potential and a second supply potential are supplied, and an inverter in the second branch powered as first inverter in this branch via second supply voltage terminals, via which a second supply potential and a second reference potential are supplied, are adapted to receive the same logic value of the logic signal, wherein outputs of the two circuit branches are connected to each other and coupled to the circuit output. In such a circuit, propagation time differences of rising and falling edges, which may develop by fluctuation of various supply potentials, may be minimized. Thus, a transition from an internal supply potential to an external supply potential may take place, without noticeably degrading the signal timing.

In modern high-speed logic circuits, the requirements for meeting default timings at the inputs and outputs are very strict. Hence, the corresponding input and output drivers are very important today. In order to illustrate the problems occurring in the operation of an output driver, an exemplary output circuit according to the prior art will be described in greater detail in the following.
FIG. 6 shows a simplified circuit diagram of an output driver of a microelectronic circuit according to the prior art in connection with an excitation source. The overall circuit arrangement is designated with 610. It includes an excitation source 620 as well as a driver circuit 622. The excitation source 620 includes a first inverter 630 the data input D of which is controlled by a pseudo random data signal (PRBS) source 632. The pseudo random data generator 632 provides pseudo random data at a bit rate of 1.6 Gbps. The first inverter 630 is coupled to a first supply potential VDD and a first reference potential VSS, wherein the potential difference between the first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS is 1.8 volt in the example shown. This voltage supply is impressed from outside and is symbolically shown by a direct voltage source 634. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the first reference potential VSS is connected to a global reference potential GND. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the n-channel MOS field effect transistor of the first inverter 630 has a channel width of 2 μm, whereas the p-channel MOS field effect transistor of the first inverter 630 has a channel width of 4.5 μm. The inverters of the shown circuit are conventional CMOS inverters, as shown in the legend 640. In order to achieve equal rise and fall times, the accompanying p-channel MOS field effect transistors and n-channel MOS field effect transistors have different channel widths, which are correspondingly labeled in FIG. 6.
The driver circuit 622 includes two series-connected inverters 650, 652 coupled to a second supply potential VDDQ and a second reference potential VSSQ. The input of the second inverter 650 is coupled to the output of the first inverter 630 of the excitation source 620. The output of the second inverter provides a control signal DX for the third inverter 652. The output of the third inverter 652 is coupled to the circuit output 656. The potential difference between the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ is a constant 1.8 volts, which is characterized by the direct voltage source 660. The second reference potential VSSQ is not identical with the global reference potential GND, but is coupled thereto via a noise voltage source 670 in the given modeling. In the given modeling, the noise voltage source provides a sinusoidal voltage signal with an amplitude of 0.35 volts and a frequency of 1 gigahertz. In the given circuit, the output voltage 680 is defined or tapped between the second reference potential VSSQ and the circuit output 656.
Based on the structural description, the functioning of a conventional output driver circuit 610 will be described in the following. It is the object of the circuit shown to make an internal signal, present at the data input D, available at an external bus attached at the circuit output 656 in well-defined manner in buffered form. The signal at the data input D has transitions between the potentials VDD (logically HIGH) and VSS (logically LOW). The output buffer formed by the driver circuit 622 is supplied via separate potential supplies (power rails) providing the second supply potential VDDQ as well as the second reference potential VSSQ. The separation between internal supply potentials including the first supply potential VDD as well as the first reference potential VSS and external supply potentials including the second supply potential VDDQ as well as the second reference potential VSSQ is necessary because the external supply potentials, i.e. VDDQ and VSSQ, are subject to irregular fluctuations caused by inductances, when the buffer drives the external bus. In a typical operation of a device or an integrated circuit, it is helpful to decouple these statistical fluctuations from the on-chip potential rails guiding the first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS. In the following, it is assumed that in a static case the first supply potential VDD is equal to the second supply potential VDDQ, and that the first reference potential VSS is equal to the second reference potential VSSQ (VDDQ=VDD; VSSQ=VSS).
In order to be able to meet strict specifications with reference to the output-side timings, it is important to ensure that the propagation time delay by the buffer is constant at all events. For example, if a rising edge propagates more quickly through the buffer than a falling edge, the output-side timings between the rising and falling edges would be temporally shifted relative to each other.
Furthermore, fluctuating or noisy voltages significantly contribute to shifts in the timings. Although a capacitive coupling between the first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS as well as between the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ, which exists on a chip, may ensure that the potential differences between the first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS as well as between the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ are constant, but the relations between the first supply potential VDD and the second reference potential VSSQ (VDD-VSSQ) as well as between the second supply potential VDDQ and the first reference potential VSS (VDDQ-VSS) are not well-controlled at the presence of statistical disturbances on the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ induced by inductances. Hence, each transistor working at the boundary between circuit domains supplied with the first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS and circuit domains supplied with the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ contributes a signal propagation time sensitive to statistical fluctuations of the supply and reference potentials.
The example according to the prior art shown on the basis of FIG. 6 is a starting basis for a simulation with the Agilent Technologies simulation software ADS. In this simulation, statistical fluctuations (noise) caused by inductances on the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ are modeled by a voltage source providing a sinusoidal voltage with an amplitude of 0.35 volts and a frequency of one gigahertz. The pseudo random data generator 632 providing a data stream at a bit rate of 1.6 gigabits per second (1.6 Gbps) here serves as excitation for the simulated circuit arrangement 610. Here, the output voltage 680 between the circuit output 656 and the second reference potential VSSQ is observed.
FIG. 7 shows an extract from a simulated eye diagram for an output driver according to the prior art. The eye diagram in its entirety is designated with 710. Here, the data eye for the output voltage 680 is shown at a transition from a low logic level to a high logic level and vice versa. The abscissa 720 shows the time in ps, wherein a period of time from 0 to 625 ps is shown here. The ordinate 722 shows the output voltage 680 and is scaled in volts.
In the previously described circuit modeling, the eye diagram 710 shows a jitter 730 of 75 ps on the output voltage 680. This jitter 730 is caused by the transition from a circuit domain supplied with the first supply potential VDD to a circuit domain supplied with the second supply potential VDDQ (VDD-VDDQ domain transition).
For better understanding it is here also gone into some details of the circuit function. On the one hand, it is important to view the differences between the two voltage supplies. An integrated circuit arrangement modulated by the excitation source 620 in the circuit arrangement 610 shown on the basis of FIG. 6 is operated at a power supply that is only subject to small fluctuations (low noise power supply). The potential difference between the accompanying first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS is approximately constant. In practice, this is ensured by capacities existing on a chip between the corresponding supply lines or supply layers. The first supply potential VDD and the first reference potential VSS are largely fixed also with reference to a global reference potential GND and only subject to small fluctuations. On the other hand, the second supply potential VDDQ as well as the second reference potential VSSQ represent a fluctuating power supply (noisy power supply). The potential difference between the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ is here again approximately constant by capacities, but the two potentials fluctuate with reference to a global reference potential GND.
Furthermore, in the following, it is gone into how a switching operation at the transition between the circuit domain supplied with the first supply potential VDD and the circuit domain supplied with the second supply potential VDDQ takes place. What is viewed here is the handover of a signal from the first inverter 630 to the second inverter 650. The first inverter 650 here includes a pMOS field effect transistor, the source terminal of which is connected to the second supply potential VDDQ, as well as an nMOS field effect transistor, the source terminal of which is connected to the second reference potential VSSQ. Here, a discharge operation, in which a capacity at the input of the third inverter 652 is discharged, and a charge operation, in which a capacity at the input of the third inverter 652 is charged, is considered. Charge operation and discharge operation represent the two state transitions possible and determine the steepness and temporal location of the switching edges.
A discharge operation is initiated by the output of the first inverter supplied by the first supply potential VDD taking on a logically HIGH level. The output of the first inverter thus is at or close to the first supply potential VDD. This potential is also present at the gate terminals of the MOS field effect transistors of the second inverter 650. Here, the nMOS field effect transistor of the second inverter 650, the source terminal of which is at the second reference potential VSSQ, is relevant for the discharge operation. The potential difference between the first supply potential VDD and the second reference potential VSSQ is decisive for the current flow through the nMOS field effect transistor, which discharges a capacity of the third inverter 652.
Similarly, a charge operation is initiated by the output of the first inverter 630 assuming a logically LOW state. This means that the output of the first inverter 630 is at the first reference potential VSS or very close thereto. The pMOS field effect transistor of the second inverter 650 is responsible for the charge operation of a capacity at the input of the third inverter 652. The first reference potential VSS is present at its gate, whereas the second supply potential VDDQ is present at a source terminal. The potential difference between the second supply potential VDDQ and the first reference potential VSS here is responsible for the charge current.
Shifts between the first supply potential VDD and the second supply potential VDDQ or between the accompanying first reference potential VSS and the accompanying second reference potential VSSQ lead to the fact that the charge and discharge currents, respectively, are changed with reference to a desired nominal state. Depending on the potential difference between the first and second potentials, thus a temporal shift of edges develops at a switching transition. It is especially disturbing here that the edges shift differently for rising and falling switching transitions. Thereby predetermined timings are disturbed.
According to the prior art, a series of solutions are known, which are supposed to guarantee constant signal propagation time at a transition between circuit domains with different supply voltages. Since the basic reason for the propagation time changes induced by statistical potential fluctuations is the statistical potential variations on a chip induced by inductances, simple solutions aim at directly minimizing the statistical potential fluctuations (noise). This may be achieved in simple manner by a decrease in the overall inductance on the potential supplies for the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ (VDDQ/VSSQ power rails). A decrease in the overall inductance is possible either by an increase of the number of connections for the second supply potential VDDQ and the second reference potential VSSQ or by the use of a better package. In the first solution, several inductances are connected in parallel, whereby the overall inductance decreases, in the latter solution the inductance per connection is lower. Both solutions, however, are of limited practical use, since they result in a more expensive product.
A further solution for the improvement of the time domain properties is described in the conference contribution "Digitally-Controlled DLL and I/O Circuits for 500 Mb/s/pin×16 DDR SDRAM", ISSCC 2001, pages 68 f., by J. B. Lee et al. In this article it is proposed to displace the boundary between the circuit domains supplied with a first supply potential and the circuit domains supplied with a second supply potential (domain transition) from the input of the last driver stage to the input of the pre-driver. This solution reduces the magnitude of the introduced propagation time differences but is not capable of eliminating them completely, because voltage differences subject to statistical fluctuations continue existing at the input of the pre-driver. The improvements achievable by such a circuit arrangement are already to be seen in FIG. 7, because the transition between circuit domains with different supply potentials (domain transition) is not situated at the input of the last driver stage but already at the input of the pre-driver in the simulated circuit arrangement 610 according to FIG. 6.
A further solution for the decrease of temporal insecurities may for example be derived from the conference contribution "Level Converters with High Immunity to Power-Supply Bouncing for High-Speed sub-1-V LSIs", Symposium VLSI Circuits 2000, pages 202 f., by Y. Kanno et al. This article teaches the use of a level converter to provide a transition from a circuit domain supplied with a first supply potential to a second circuit domain supplied by a second supply potential. Level converters have to be used if the first supply potential VDD is more negative than the second supply potential VDDQ (VDD<VDDQ). If in a static operating state, however, the first supply potential VDD is equal to the second supply potential VDDQ (VDD=VDDQ), and the first reference potential VSS is also equal to the second reference potential VSSQ (VSS=VSSQ), the realization of a level converter is typically avoided, because level converters introduce an additional time delay in the output path and are only difficult to design without propagation time differences.

Driver circuit with reduced jitter between circuit domains


A one piece "T" shaped surgical drape of uni-body construction is disclosed which provides for a drape covers which extends vertically from and contoured to the armboard and legboard covers. A bottom sheet portion can be added to the surgical drape to cover the leg area of a patient.

Surgical drapes are utilized by operating room personnel during surgery in order to minimize, if not eliminate, bacterial as well as other forms of contamination from the actual surgical site. The "surgical drape" of prior art in general, consists of multiple pieces of fabric attached in a particular manner as to form a block "T" shape, large enough to cover the patient's body as well as, in some cases, the operating room table which includes the armboard and legboard surfaces. Generally, the drape includes a fenestration or hole through which the actual surgery is conducted. The area immediately adjacent to the fenestration is commonly referred to as the "critical zone" since this is the area where the physician will be performing the actual surgical procedures. Surgical drapes are customarily used during all types of surgical procedures, including, but not limited to, laparotomy, child birth, and all forms of cardiovascular care.
Examples of "T" shaped surgical drapes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,586,498; 4,489,720 and 3,856,006. U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,006 discloses a "T" shaped surgical drape consisting of at least two pieces of fabric fastened together in such a fashion as to form the wing or armboard extensions as well as a torso section, including the legboard extensions. The two pieces of fabric are attached together in such a manner as to permit the armboard covers to cover the patient and to hang substantially vertically downward over the edge of the operating room table when the drape is in use. The seam between the pieces of fabric extends laterally across the drape through the critical zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,720 discloses a "T" shaped surgical drape utilized for cesarean section. As with U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,006, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,720 discloses multiple pieces of fabric fastened together into a block "T" shape allowing coverage of both the torso as well as the arms of a patient. There is material overlap between the pieces of fabric and the seam between such pieces of fabric extends laterally through the critical zone and adjacent to the fenestration. U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,720 does not teach nor disclose any coverage for the armboard or legboard extension nor does such patent reveal any mechanism which would allow a surgical drape to both cover a patient and extend vertically downward from and contoured to the armboard and legboard extensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,498 discloses a "T" shaped surgical drape fabricated from multiple pieces of material through the time-consuming task of, in general, 1) cutting the drape; 2) folding the cut portions of the drape at 45.degree. angles; and, 3) refolding the drape. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,498, the result of the folding sequence provides a single edge which may be attached to the top edge of the main portion of the drape by adhesive. The attachment sequence of U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,498 apparently permits the armboard and legboard covers to drape vertically from such covers.
As can clearly be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the wish list of ingredients for the ideal "T" shaped surgical drape is that such drape would be 1) constructed from inexpensive fabric; 2) easy to manufacture; 3) utilizes a minimum amount of fabric; 4) prevents contamination of the surgical site and 5) permits the drape to both cover the patient and extend vertically from and contoured to the armboard and legboard covers. None of the prior art discloses such ingredients. The overlap of material created by the methods employed in the prior art of forming the wing or arm portion results in material waste. The method of fastening the fabric in the prior art results in a seam extending through the critical zone creating the possibility of contamination in spots where the seam is imperfect. The method of forming the arm portions in the prior art is both time consuming as well as cumbersome.


A goalkeeper's glove including upper and inner portions having, respectively, four upper and inner finger regions and upper and inner hand regions, with each upper finger region being connected with a respective inner finger region along their lateral edges and forming together a common free end having a finger cap, and with at least one fingertip cap being provided with a hat-shaped elastically compressible padding formed of a porous rubber material and fixedly secured at one of its side to one of upper and inner finger regions forming the at least one fingertip cap, the padding being formed as a finger seat open at its side opposite to the one side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a goalkeeper's glove including un upper portion having four upper finger regions and an upper hand region, and an inner portion having four inner finger regions and an inner hand region, with each upper finger region being connected with a respective inner finger region along lateral edges thereof, and with each upper finger region forming, together with the respective inner finger region, at their common free end, a fingertip cap with at least one fingertip cap being provided with an elastic compressible padding which is secured in a respective finger and is formed of a porous rubber-like material and has a hatlike shape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A goalkeeper's glove of the above-described type is disclosed in German utility model DE-GM 29 00 843. In the goalkeeper's glove disclosed in this German utility Model, the hat-shaped padding is manufactured independently of the glove and is pushed into the respective glove finger after the glove has been stitched and completely finished. At that, the outer surface of the hat-shaped padding is covered with glue so that upon its insertion it becomes glued to both upper and inner regions of the respective finger. Such a manufacturing process is rather expensive. The hat-shaped padding forms in the finger a completely closed socket so that the fingertip cap is also padded at the side of the finger nail. It is technically very difficult to form a hat-shaped part, which formed as a completely circumferentially closed socket or cup, by, e.g., injection-molding.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a goalkeeper's glove of the above-described type the manufacturing costs of which associated with manufacturing of the hat-shaped padding are substantially reduced.


Techniques are discussed herein for providing wireless backhaul using relay nodes in a cellular network. Using techniques described herein, the higher frequency bands available in 5G networks are utilized to provide both wireless backhaul links and access links. A mesh of wireless nodes, such as Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes can be utilized to provide wireless backhaul links and access links in a 5G network. One or more relay nodes may be wirelessly coupled to a base station node, such as gNodeB, that includes a wired connection to the core network. The wireless backhaul extends coverage to user equipment (UE) that are not directly connected to a gNodeB base station. The allocation and scheduling of bandwidth may be determined by the relay nodes (i.e., IABs) and/or the wired nodes (i.e., gNodeBs).

Different techniques can be used to connect remote cellular communications sites ("cell towers") with a core, or "backbone," cellular network to provide voice and data connectivity, among other things. Cellular service providers can use wired backhauls to provide backhaul for broadband cellular services and to support the addition of new cell sites to provide additional bandwidth and/or additional wireless coverage.
Service providers can use fiber optic cable, for example, to connect many cell sites to the core network for cellular backhaul. Wired backhauls that utilize fiber and/or copper cabling, however, are expensive and time-consuming to deploy. In many cases, such as for some rural applications, certain small cell deployments, and/or temporarily extending network capacity, it is not cost effective to deploy a wired backhaul.

Wireless backhaul using relay nodes in a cellular network


The present invention comprises a float tube carrier comprised of a support member and one or more pairs of arms extending from said support member and capable of securing one or more float tubes. Alternatively, the support member comprises a mount arm capable of securing to a vehicle, and a rotatable and removable support member connecting to said mount arm through a locking swivel. The support member may also comprise a generally 1-shaped mount arm capable of securing to a hitch, and having a locking swivel for removably connecting to the mount arm or, a generally I-shaped support member with a locking swivel for removably connecting to the mount arm. The carrier further comprises a first and second pair of arm members with a locking pivot operatively engaging a support member and, a first and second locking bar for securing one or more float tubes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle mounted article carriers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrier for aquatic recreational equipment such as float tubes.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
There is currently no vehicle rack on the market that is specifically designed for transporting float tubes. Although there are a host of various rack designs for bikes, skis, surfboards, and other articles, none of them are sufficiently designed for transporting inflated float tubes.
Float tubes—also called Belly Boats—are large, glorified innertubes with a saddle (two leg holes at the bottom of the tube) primarily used for fishing but also for waterfowl hunting and other aquatic activities. A person sits in a float tube in the water and fishes, hunts, and etc. Float tubes come in two standard shapes: round, (donut style) or U-shaped. What is common on all float tubes is the placement and size of the holes of the saddle where any difference in dimension or size is nominal.
Although float tubes can be inflated and deflated fairly easily, this becomes an inconvenience when a person needs to make periodic trips to separate fishing or hunting locations. The reason being, it is highly inconvenient to deflate a float tube and then re-inflate it shortly thereafter upon reaching a water destination only a short distance away. This is especially true when the float tubes become wet, dirty, or caked with mud and other debris. Even placing them in the bed of a pickup truck—not to mention the inside of a vehicle cab—consumes space and can soil and create water damage to articles in the cab or pickup bed.
What is needed is a portable, easy-to-use, convenient carrier that can attach to a vehicle for transporting inflated float tubes.


An apparatus for heat sealing two pieces of plastic strapping together. The apparatus includes a heating element, upper and lower pressure elements, a rotation actuation member and a sealing actuation assembly. The heating element is movable between an engaged heating position--which orients the heat element between the pieces of plastic strapping--and a retracted position. The lower pressure element exerts pressure upon at least the bottom piece of plastic strapping during the heating of same by the heating element, and, in cooperation with the upper pressure element, upon both pieces of plastic strapping again during direct attachment of the melted portions of the plastic strapping after the heating element is relocated to its retracted position. The lower pressure element may further release pressure while facilitating the placement and removal of the pieces of plastic strapping between the upper and lower pressure elements and may also at least partially disengage the plastic strapping from the heating element so as to facilitate its retraction. The rotation actuation member is operably associated with the sealing actuating assembly to impart rotation to same, while sequencing the operations of the heating element and the upper and lower pressure elements through a unidirectional, rotational cycle, to, in turn, ultimately weld the pieces of plastic strapping together. This rotation actuation member may be driven manually or by use of a motor.

The present invention relates in general to tooling for use in banding articles, and more particularly, to a banding apparatus that heat seals plastic strapping together, using a heating element.
Use of thermoplastic strapping to band an article or set of articles together is widely known. As is known, the thermoplastic strap is disposed about the article or articles, tensioned and then two portions of the strap are melted together. Usually, the banded portion of the strap is a portion of a larger roll of thermoplastic strapping. In such a case, the bonding is performed between the free end of the roll and a portion of the strap adjacent a cutting point. Thus, the sealing operation occurs between a first and second end of the plastic strapping. In all cases, the plastic strapping is required to be tensioned. This tensioning may be accomplished through the use of an integrated or separate tensioning mechanism.
The melting and affixation operations has been conventionally performed by one of two types of approaches: friction-weld melting and thermal heat-blade heating. A "friction-weld" apparatus works by rubbing the two strap ends together at relatively high speeds to heat the strapping by friction. Cheung, U.S. Pat. No. RE. 31,353; Schaub et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,513; Hull, U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,695; Gilmore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,758; Styner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,278; Cheung, U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,278; Lehman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,019; Wehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,949; Toth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,428; Wehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,032; Kobiella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,834; Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,363; Niedrig, U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,414; Cheung et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,271; Kagi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,365; Kobiella, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,383; Kobiella, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,472; and Harada, U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,569 are all representative of this type of "friction-weld" apparatus.
Thermal heating apparatuses work by bringing the strap ends into operable contact with a heated element, such as a knife or a blade. Bona, U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,581; Briscoe, U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,210; Nakano, U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,833; Osmalov, U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,627; Ross et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,833; Takami, U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,045; Sato et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,622; Tsuda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,512; Fuchs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,540; Wehr, U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,079; Takahashi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,557; Spears et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,541; Burgheimer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,454; Wyse, U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,017; Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,919; Takami, U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,023; Kyts, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,985; Johnson, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,274; Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,711; Pennington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,855; Kyts, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,865; Mossell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,270; Struve, U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,955; Ford, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,353; Ford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,433; Kobiella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,185; Forthmann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,333; Cheung et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,905; Emenaker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,237; Canadian Patent No. 700,336; UK Patent No. 929,803; UK Patent No. 1,039,898; UK Patent No. 1,045,279; UK Patent No. 1,193,618; and UK Patent Application No. 2,082,500, in various environments disclose this type of apparatus.
There are various disadvantages associated with the apparatuses disclosed in these patent references. Some units are not portable, thus significantly limiting their usefulness in banding various articles. Some units are overly complex and bulky. Further, several manual units require ultimate end-user control of the timing and sequencing. Yet other units rely on pneumatic pressure to control operation timing, thus, requiring a constant pressure source. Yet other units require microprocessor control and sequencing, which increases the expense of those units. Still further, many units fail to provide safety enclosures to protect users from the high-temperature heating elements necessary to melt the thermoplastic strapping. Many prior units further require both strap ends to be tensioned prior to the sealing operation.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid these problems. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotationally actuated heat sealing unit toward providing a less expensive, more reliable apparatus. Rotational actuation facilitates an even, continuous application of rotational energy; imparting such an even operation to the heat sealing operations, themselves. These operations may be driven by a small motor or manually with the same even, continuous application.
It is an associated object of the present invention to require only a uni-directional motion for end-user actuation of the heat sealing apparatus toward avoiding variations in heat sealing due to differences in end-user's manual dexterity, strength, time-interval and abilities to understand otherwise complex instructions. Similarly, it is an associated object of the present invention to require only a unidirecional motion for motorized actuation of the heat sealing apparatus toward avoiding the need for a bidirectional motor or linkage, and variations in torque and speed between opposing directions in bidirectional motors.
It is a further associated object of the present invention to control the heat sealing apparatus to fully utilize the various rotational components of the apparatus toward ensuring proper time allocation amongst the plurality of step conducted by the apparatus to achieve heat sealing of the plastic strapping.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heat sealing apparatus that is easy to operate, thus, requiring little training to ensure consistent desirable operation of the unit.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable unit to facilitate carrying and placement of the unit in various locations.
In is an additional object of the present invention to provide a reliable heating-element based heat sealing apparatus, that provides various protections to the end-user to prevent inadvertent injury.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the attached specification, drawings and claims.

Apparatus for heat sealing plastic strapping


A method of promoting bone marrow cell proliferation in a mammal by administering unglycosylated recombinant human alpha-fetoprotein is disclosed.

This invention relates to cell growth and cell go culture.
Mammalian alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a 70,000-Da glycoprotein of primarily yolk sac and hepatic origin which is present in fetal blood in milligram amounts during perinatal life. At birth serum AFP levels begin a gradual decline to the low nanogram amounts normally found in the adult. Chemical analysis has shown that AFP molecules are composed of single polypeptide chains containing about 4% carbohydrate.

Recombinant human alpha-fetoprotein as a cell proliferative agent


The invention relates to a pigment dispersion comprising: a condensate of or a salt between a polyallylamine and a polyester having a free carboxylic acid or the salt; a pigment derivative represented by the following general formula (1); a pigment; and an organic solvent,(P−X)−[N(R1, R2, R3, R4)]+  general formula (1)                wherein p represents an organic dyestuff residue; X represents a sulfonic acid group or a carboxylic acid group; R1 represents an alkyl group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms; and R2, R3 and R4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pigment dispersion, an ink-jet ink and a printing ink containing the same.
2. Description the Related Art
In general, in the case of producing printed inks, ink-jet inks and the like, it is difficult to stably disperse a pigment at a high concentration. It is known that the incorporation of the pigment having a high concentration into the ink may cause various problems during a production process and in products themselves. For example, a dispersion containing a pigment which comprises fine particles often exhibits a high viscosity. Therefore, it becomes difficult to take the dispersion out of a dispersing machine or to transport it. Moreover, such a dispersion gels sometimes during storage, with the result that even its use may be difficult. Furthermore, the dispersion sometimes causes state defects such as less gloss and insufficient leveling on the surface of color-developed materials. Additionally, in the case that such a dispersion contains a different kind of pigment, there sometimes appear color separation due to aggregation, uneven coloration of color-developed materials by precipitation or the like, and noticeable decrease of a coloring power.
In order to solve such various problems as mentioned above, methods for stably dispersing the pigment have been proposed. For example, such methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,370,971 and 2,965,511, Japanese Patent Publication No. S41-2466 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,855,403. Moreover, there have been proposed some methods for mixing a certain kind of varnish with a pigment derivative as a dispersant including a pigment as a main structure and having a substituent such as an acidic group or a basic group in a side chain thereof. Such methods are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. S63-305137, H01-247468, and H03-26767. In addition, there has been suggested a method of adding copper phthalocyaninesulfonic acid and a dispersant containing a polyalkyleneimine at a time when the pigment is dispersed. This technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H06-67463.
However, a satisfactory effect has been not necessarily obtained, and thus a technique which is more excellent in a dispersing effect has been desired.


Techniques manage a redundant array of independent disks. In such a technique, a response time of a first storage device in the RAID is compared to a first threshold. In response to the response time of the first storage device exceeding the first threshold, the first storage device is configured as a pseudo-degraded storage device, such that the pseudo-degraded storage device is responsive to write requests only.

The RAID is a data storage virtualizing technology that combines a plurality of physical storage devices into one or more logical units, for purposes of data redundancy, performance improvement and so on. If a storage device in the RAID has an overlong response time or an exceedingly high input/output (I/O) load, the response of the storage system probably times out. In some applications where the I/O load is substantially balanced on a plurality of storage devices, the impact of the above phenomenon on the system performance is particularly outstanding. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a solution at least partly solving this problem.

Method, device, and computer readable storage medium for managing redundant array of independent disks


The use of chitosan and a polysaccharide immobilized thereto selected from heparin, heparan sulphate, chondroitinsulphates and dextran sulphate for the manufacture of an agent capable of providing stimulated regeneration of hard tissue;. a process for stimulating regeneration of hard tissue in connection with so called osseointegration; and PA1 implant intended for integration into hard tissue, particularly bone tissue.

Implants intended for anchorage in hard tissue, particularly bone tissue, have enjoyed an ever increasing use in odontology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, hand surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Long term anchorage of implants in bone has been achieved with titanium, and it can be assumed that titanium-based materials also in the future will be used to a large extent as the material of choice for implants and prosthesis.
A clinical problem when dealing with so called osseointegration is the fact that the implant cannot be subjected to a load before sufficient bone anhorage has been achieved, which may require as much as 6 to 9 months. It is therefore clinically of utmost importance to accelerate the healing process by providing stimulated bone formation in association with the implants. There is also a need to regenerate bone in order to bridge defects or sections where bone resorption has taken place in for example toothless parts of jaws or where bone tissue has been lost due to e.g. trauma, tumor or surgery.


A control device for combination weighing apparatuses includes: an acquisition unit capable of acquiring, from a plurality of combination weighing apparatuses, parameters relating to combination weighing that are set for the combination weighing apparatuses; and a controller configured to collect the parameters from the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring the parameters via the acquisition unit is possible, to generate, based on the collected parameters, setting parameters to set for some of the combination weighing apparatuses among the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring via the acquisition unit is possible, and to transmit the setting parameters to some of the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring via the acquisition unit is possible.

A combination weighing apparatus measuring off articles such as confectionery and fruit having variations in individual weight so that a total weight falls within a tolerable range has been known. This combination weighing apparatus is provided with a plurality of heads having a radial feeder that conveys the articles by vibration and having a weighing hopper that holds and weighs the articles discharged from the radial feeder. Then, the combination weighing apparatus calculates combinations of mass weighed by each of the weighing hoppers and, from the result thereof, selects the weighing hoppers to discharge the articles.
The combination weighing apparatus, as illustrated in Patent Literature 1 for example, determines various parameters relating to combination weighing such as vibration time and vibration intensity in the radiation feeder, and opening-and-closing time of the gate of the weighing hopper. Furthermore, in the combination weighing apparatus, by a worker (operator) and the like, various parameters are input via an operating unit provided on each combination weighing apparatus.

Control device for setting parameters of combination weighing apparatuses, combination weighing apparatus, and combination weighing apparatus system utilizing such control device


Described herein are techniques for dealing with the problem of security vulnerabilities in computer software due to undefined behavior that may be exploited by attackers. A machine learning (ML) model is used for detecting an exploit execution within a given trace of application execution. In a specific embodiment, the ML model identifies whether there is any gadget or gadget-chain execution at branch points of a subject program.

Undefined behavior of computer software may be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code, gain privileges, and commit other acts. An example of this is return-oriented programming (ROP), where an attacker uses a bug in the software to cause buffer overflows of data. The attacker then constructs a number of "gadgets" from existing code whose addresses are chained together on the stack. When a return instruction is repeatedly called, the gadgets are executed. The present disclosure relates to techniques for dealing with this problem.

Machine learning based exploit detection


A method for monitoring a secondary airflow (SAIR) system in an engine includes determining degradation of the SAIR system adding a SAIR to downstream of an engine cylinder exhaust based on a comparison of the SAIR before and after a shutdown of a SAIR pump, the SAIR calculated from a fuel injection amount, an exhaust air-fuel ratio, and an engine intake airflow. In this way, SAIR at the exhaust manifold can be monitored utilizing existing onboard sensors and technology, thereby maintaining OBD and emissions monitoring, reducing engine emissions, and maintaining costs.

Injection of secondary airflow (SAIR) is a vehicle emissions reduction strategy whereby air is delivered into the exhaust stream of a vehicle engine to increase combustion of hydrocarbon fuel in the engine exhaust. When SAIR is reduced, for example, due to problems with the SAIR system, combustion of exhaust hydrocarbons can decrease, resulting in increased vehicle emissions. Conventional OBD engine systems monitor SAIR by measuring SAIR directly within the SAIR system. For example, SAIR may be measured by a mass air flow (MAF) sensor and/or a pressure sensor positioned within the SAIR system.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. In particular, these conventional engine systems do not include confirmation of the SAIR being delivered to the engine exhaust stream where the SAIR fluidly contacts and reacts with the uncombusted hydrocarbon fuel. Furthermore, in cases where the engine cylinders are arranged in cylinder banks, SAIR delivery issues and resulting emissions increases cannot be determined by conventional engine systems on a per cylinder bank basis. As an example, in cases where problems with delivery of SAIR occur downstream of the SAIR MAF or SAIR pressure sensor, a decrease in SAIR to the engine exhaust stream may not be detected, leading to increased engine emissions.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method for monitoring a secondary airflow (SAIR) system in an engine, including determining degradation of the SAIR system adding a SAIR to downstream of an engine cylinder exhaust based on a comparison of the SAIR before and after a shutdown of a SAIR pump, the SAIR calculated from a fuel injection amount, an exhaust air-fuel ratio, and an engine intake airflow. In this way, SAIR at the exhaust manifold can be monitored utilizing existing onboard sensors and technology, thereby maintaining OBD and emissions monitoring, reducing engine emissions, and maintaining costs.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Systems and methods for operating an engine including a secondary air system


A vehicle control switch for controlling operation of a device in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle control switch includes an electromechanical switch switchable between ON and OFF states responsive to physical actuation of the electromechanical switch by an operator, the physical actuation comprising an application of force onto the electromechanical switch by the operator. The vehicle control switch also includes a capacitance sensitive touch sensor positioned adjacent the electromechanical switch and whose capacitance changes when brought into contact with a grounded object, with activation of the electromechanical switch into the ON state being inhibited until a grounded object is brought into contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor, such that an activation of the rocker switch to the ON state is enabled only upon contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor by the grounded object.

The present invention relates generally to vehicle control switches for use in motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing a vehicle switch having a capacitive touch redundancy feature that enables actuation of the switch. The capacitive touch redundancy feature is employed on critical and safety related vehicle control switches such that actuation of the switches is controlled with the capacitive touch redundancy feature, thereby preventing accidental actuation of the switches.
In specialty vehicle markets—such as heavy trucks, agricultural equipment, and construction equipment, for example—electrical switches are used as control switches for a variety of applications, including general vehicle features/applications (e.g., switching the motor vehicle lighting, the windshield wipers, the rear windshield heating, the cruise control functions, etc., on and off) and critical or safety related vehicle features/applications (e.g., power take-off (PTO) switches, "e-stop" type switches, etc.). The critical and safety related control switches in such vehicles often include some sort of redundancy feature it which two separate actions are required by an operator to actuate the switch, so as to prevent accidental actuation of the switch.
For purposes of illustration of how such a redundancy feature is typically implemented, a PTO switch that is found on heavy trucks, agricultural equipment, and construction equipment is discussed here below. Standard PTO switches are configured to have a redundancy requirement for actuation, with PTO switches typically being designed to address the dual actuation/redundancy requirement by mechanical means. For example, existing PTO switches often require an operator to pull the PTO switch lever up before moving it up, to lift a cover before actuation of the switch, or to slide a locking mechanism before pressing the switch. While such dual mechanical actuations are adequate and effective for purposes of preventing accidental actuation of the PTO switch, the motions required for performing the dual mechanical actuations are often awkward and/or uncomfortable for an operator, as they are not ergonomic movements.
It would therefore be desirable to design a control switch for critical or safety related vehicle features/applications (e.g., PTO switch) that includes a redundancy feature having superior ergonomics as compared to existing switches that require dual actuation by mechanical means. It would further be desirable for such a control switch to provide superior ergonomics and ease of dual actuation without comprising the safety features of the switch, by still providing complete protection against accidental actuation of the switch.

Vehicle control switch with capacitive touch redundancy actuation


A method including: obtaining error information indicative of accuracy of positioning a pattern formed on a layer on a substrate relative to a target position, wherein the pattern has been formed by irradiating the layer with a radiation beam patterned by a patterning device; and producing modification information including a map of positional shifts across the patterning device so as to increase the accuracy of positioning the pattern formed using the patterning device modified according to the modification information, the modification information based on the error information, wherein the error information is independent of any other layer on the substrate.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) or other devices designed to be functional. In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a device pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the device designed to be functional. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g., including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
Manufacturing devices, such as semiconductor devices, typically involves processing a substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) using a number of fabrication processes to form various features and multiple layers of the devices. Such layers and features are typically manufactured and processed using, e.g., deposition, lithography, etch, chemical-mechanical polishing, and ion implantation. Multiple devices may be fabricated on a plurality of dies on a substrate and then separated into individual devices. This device manufacturing process may be considered a patterning process. A patterning process involves a patterning step, such as optical and/or nanoimprint lithography using a lithographic apparatus, to provide a pattern on a substrate and typically, but optionally, involves one or more related pattern processing steps, such as resist development by a development apparatus, baking of the substrate using a bake tool, etching using the pattern using an etch apparatus, etc. Further, one or more metrology processes are involved in the patterning process.
Metrology processes are used at various steps during a patterning process to monitor and control the process. For example, metrology processes are used to measure one or more characteristics of a substrate, such as a relative location (e.g., registration, overlay, alignment, etc.) or dimension (e.g., line width, critical dimension (CD), thickness, etc.) of features formed on the substrate during the patterning process, such that, for example, the performance of the patterning process can be determined from the one or more characteristics. If the one or more characteristics are unacceptable (e.g., out of a predetermined range for the characteristic(s)), the measurements of the one or more characteristics may be used to alter one or more parameters of the patterning process such that further substrates manufactured by the patterning process have an acceptable characteristic(s).
With the advancement of lithography and other patterning process technologies, the dimensions of functional elements have continually been reduced while the amount of the functional elements, such as transistors, per device has been steadily increased over decades. In the meanwhile, the requirement of accuracy in terms of overlay, critical dimension (CD), etc. has become more and more stringent. Errors, such as overlay errors, CD errors, etc., will inevitably be produced in the patterning process. For example, imaging errors may be produced from optical aberration, patterning device heating, patterning device errors, and/or substrate heating and can be characterized in terms of, e.g., overlay errors, CD errors, etc. Additionally or alternatively, errors may be introduced in other parts of the patterning process, such as in etch, development, bake, etc. and similarly can be characterized in terms of, e.g., overlay errors, CD errors, etc. The errors may directly cause a problem in terms of the functional of the device, including failure of the device to function or one or more electrical problems of the functioning device.
One or more apparatuses used in the patterning process may be used to correct (e.g., at least partially, if not wholly) one or more of the errors. For example, the lithographic apparatus may be able to correct a portion of the errors by adjusting one or more actuators in the lithographic apparatus. But, a remaining error may not be correctable by the one or more actuators in the lithographic apparatus. Therefore, in general it desirable to provide a method and/or an apparatus that can further or better correct errors in the patterning process.
One way to correct errors (in particular overlay errors) is to control strains within the patterning device (e.g. reticle) of the lithographic apparatus. However, typically the strains in the patterning device are adjusted so as to correct the overlay between two patterns formed by specific lithographic apparatuses. As a result, mis-registration errors of other patterns or of the same patterns formed by other lithographic apparatuses (e.g. when the specific lithographic apparatuses are not available) are not optimally corrected. Accordingly, it is desirable to reduce the dependency of the patterning device correction on specific lithographic apparatuses being used.

Method and system for increasing accuracy of pattern positioning