In a transmission, an input shaft connected to a startup clutch includes a first input shaft and a second input shaft. Drive gears are fixed to a first main shaft and a second main shaft, and driven gears are provided on an output shaft to be free to rotate relative thereto. The driven gears are connected to and disconnected from the output shaft by a gear switching mechanism. A shaft switching mechanism that switches a power transmission path between the first main shaft and the second main shaft is provided on the first main shaft, the second main shaft, and the second input shaft. A damping mechanism is provided between the first input shaft and the second input shaft in order to cut spike torque generated when the power transmission path is switched, to a set torque.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates mainly to transmissions for vehicles.
2. Related Art
Conventional transmissions include a transmission disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) (JP-T) No. 2009-536713. This transmission includes a low gear and a high gear that are attached to an output shaft so as to freely rotate, a hub fixed to the shaft between the low gear and the high gear, and a first key and a second key that are attached to the hub so as to move freely in an axial direction and rotate integrally therewith in a circumferential direction.
According to this transmission, when the first key and the second key are moved to the low gear by an actuator during acceleration, for example, the first key engages with a dog provided on a side face of the low gear such that power transmission between the low gear and the hub is realized by the first key alone. At this time, the second key is disengaged from the low gear and can therefore be moved to the high gear while power transmission via the first key is underway.
When the second key is moved to the high gear, the second key engages with a dog provided on a side face of the high gear such that power transmission between the high gear and the hub is realized by the second key. When a power transmission path is switched from the low gear to the high gear, a rotation speed of the shaft decreases, and therefore the engagement between the first key and the low gear is released at the same time as the switch in the power transmission path so that the first key can be switched to the high gear. By moving the first key to the high gear, a gear shift (an upshift) from the low gear to the high gear can be completed without causing torque interruption.
In the transmission described above, however, each of the keys is engaged with the corresponding gear in a condition where a rotation speed difference exists between the key and the gear (to be referred to hereafter as "differential rotation"), and therefore, when the key engages with the dog of the gear, torque variation (to be referred to hereafter as "spike torque") occurs in which the torque jumps momentarily and then returns to normal. When spike torque is generated during a gear shift in this manner, an impact sound is generated by the engagement between the key and the dog, noise is generated when an outer race of a bearing that supports the shaft impinges on a transmission case, and so on. Moreover, the spike torque may generate torsion in the shaft, which causes vibration in a drive wheel and the transmission case.
Hence, a transmission that suppresses noise and vibration by incorporating a damping mechanism constituted by an elastic body in gears in order to absorb the spike torque, such as that disclosed in JP-T No. 2010-510464, has been proposed.
In the transmission disclosed in JP-T No. 2010-510464, however, noise and vibration are not suppressed efficiently, and therefore vibration is generated in a vehicle in which the transmission is installed, causing discomfort to a passenger of the vehicle. Further, the damping mechanism is incorporated into all gears, leading to increases in the cost and size of the transmission. Moreover, incorporating the damping mechanism into the gears leads to a reduction in a rigidity of the gears: particularly when the damping mechanism is incorporated into a gear having a small diameter, it is impossible to secure a sufficient damping function.


An apparatus and a method are provided for draining water from a cellulose web which is formed in a wedge-shaped space defined by two wires, the wires being supported on chamber assemblies including at one time at least one water receiving chamber, the water flowing therein through the wire as a result of a pressure difference. Each water receiving chamber has connected thereto at least one substantially vertical pipe having a vertical drop between its top and bottom end sufficient for developing a gravitational suction leg in the water flowing pipe, and the pipe terminating in a water receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for draining of water from a cellulose web, said web being formed in a wedge-shaped space defined by two wires, and said wires being supported by chamber assemblies, including at least one water receiving chamber at one time, the water from suspension stock flowing therein through the wire as a result of a pressure difference.
2. Description of Related Art
A web forming apparatus of the above type is prior known e.g. from Finnish Patent Application No. 982539 to Metso Paper, Inc. In this prior known apparatus, the water-receiving chambers set behind the wire are provided with dewatering elements. It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective and simple alternative solution to this dewatering system.

Apparatus and method for draining water from a cellulose web


Disclosed is a subbing composition for polyesters, comprising a dye, a hydrophilic colloid, and a latex, wherein said dye is dispersed in the form of fine solid grains which are substantially insoluble in water at a pH of 6 or less, and are substantially soluble in water at a pH of 8 or more, and said latex has a glass transition temperature of 35.degree. C. or lower, and a method for coating thereof. In addition, a subbing layer-coated article is disclosed wherein said subbing composition is coated on a polyester base. Finally, a silver halide photographic material is disclosed wherein a photographic emulsion layer is coated on said subbing layer-coated article.

In preparing silver halide photographic materials, coloration of photographic emulsion layers and other layers is often affected for the purpose of absorbing light within a particular wavelength range.
For the purpose of preventing the halation or blurring of a photographic image to be formed in a photographic material (which is caused by re-introduction of light passing through the photographic emulsion layer or scattering after passing through said photographic emulsion layer into the photographic emulsion layer after reflection by the interface between the emulsion layer and the support or by the surface of the material which is opposite to the emulsion layer), a colored layer is often provided between the photographic emulsion layer and the support or on the surface of the support which is opposite to the photographic emulsion layer. Such a colored layer is called an anti-halation layer.
In X-ray photographic materials, a colored layer is often provided for the purpose of improving the sharpness as a crossover-cutting filter capable of reducing the crossover light to be introduced into the material.
Such a colored layer is mostly made of a hydrophilic colloid. For coloration of the layer, a dye(s) is/are incorporated into the layer. Potential dyes to be used for this purpose must satisfy the following conditions:
(1) The dyes must have a suitable spectral absorbability in accordance with the use and object.
(2) The dyes must be photo-chemically inactive. That is, they do not have any bad chemical influences on the photographic property of silver halide photographic emulsion layers constituting the photographic material; for instance, they do not lower the sensitivity and do not cause latent image fading and fogging.
(3) The dyes are decolored or dissolved and then removed in the step of photographic processing the photographic materials containing them so that they do not leave any harmful coloration in the processed photographic materials.
Where a colored layer such as an anti-halation layer or a crossover-cutting layer is made of a hydrophilic colloid, it results in an increase of the bulk of the water-permeable layer such that the drying property of the photographic material during development is disadvantageously worsened.
In order to overcome this drawback, fixation of dye(s) in a layer to be provided between a hydrophilic colloid layer and a support so as to elevate the adhesiveness between them is accomplished.
The layer having a function of sticking a support and a hydrophilic colloid layer to each other is herein called a subbing layer. There are many methods for fixing dye(s) in such a subbing layer; for example, there is: a method of adsorbing dye(s) to a mordant agent in the subbing layer (JP-A-1-126645) (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"); a method of emulsifying and dispersing an oily solution of dye(s) in the subbing layer in the form of oily drops (JP-A-1-142688); a method of adsorbing dye(s) on surfaces of inorganic substances in the subbing layer (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-139691 corresponding to JP-A-3-5748); a method of adsorbing dye(s) to a polymer in the subbing layer (JP-A2-298939); and, a method of directly dispersing solid dye(s) as they are in the subbing layer (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-87367 corresponding to JP-A-2-264936).
Of these methods, preferred is the method of directly dispersing solid dye(s) as they are in a subbing layer since the dye(s) may be fixed in a determined layer, and the processed photographic material has little residual color caused by the incorporated dye(s).
The amount of hydrophilic colloid to be used in a subbing layer is generally small; for example, 0.5 g/m.sup.2 or less.
Where a dye dispersed in the form of fine solids grains is introduced into such a hydrophilic colloid layer, the film itself, as coated with the layer, would thereby be more brittle so that the surface of the coated layer could easily be scratched. The optical density of the dye in the scratched area is to be lower than that in the normal area.
The scratched area having such a lowered optical density is to have an increased crossover light, which would therefore have harmful influences on the photographic properties of the photographic material. In addition, if the scratched dust adheres to the base of the material, the dust-adhered area is to have a decreased crossover light and would also have harmful influences on the photographic properties of the same.
As mentioned above, decreasing the scratch-resistance of the surface of the coated subbing layer is a serious problem.


To detect the volume of gas remaining in a gas bottle or a fixed tank of a system for supplying liquefied gas as fuel for a combustion engine, a positive temperature coefficient (or PTC) probe (16) is placed in the gas feed line (12) between the gas source and the combustion engine. The PTC probe (16) detects the change of phase, from the liquid phase of the liquefied gas to the gaseous phase, in the feed line (12) and delivers an electrical signal to an electronic circuit that triggers a visual or audible signal in response to the detection of the phase change.

The invention relates to a system for supplying liquefied gas as fuel to a combustion engine, comprising a line for supplying gas to the engine, a liquefied gas source, a minimum liquefied-gas level detector and a means for indicating detection of the minimum level.
Many industrial vehicles use liquefied petroleum gas as fuel. The fuel is stored on the vehicle either in a changeable bottle or in a fixed tank. In the first case, the driver changes the bottle when the fuel is about to run out, while in the second case the driver must drive to a filling station in order to fill the tank.
These two storage modes each have a major drawback:
When the fuel is stored in a bottle, the driver has no information about the fuel level remaining in the bottle. To avoid running out of fuel, the driver has no other alternative but to regularly change the bottle, which generates substantial waste.
When the fuel is stored in a tank, the tank must be filled in a filling station. The filling is carried out on the basis of the differential pressure principle: the pressure of the gas contained in the station's tank "pushes" the liquid phase of the fuel into the vehicle's tank where the pressure is lower. If the pressure of the gas remaining in the tank is above the pressure of the gas in the filling station, filling is impossible. This may occur when the vehicle is running in a high temperature environment (for example a tank exposed to sunshine).
To remedy this problem there exists in the prior art an end-of-fuel-supply detection system that detects the drop in gas pressure. This system is placed in the fuel supply line downstream of the fuel source and upstream of the pressure regulator. When the fuel is about to run out, the pressure of the fuel source drops and a pressure-activated switch turns on a warning light on the dashboard. This system is not reliable as the pressure is directly proportional to temperature—therefore the time remaining before running out of fuel is random and may vary from a few minutes to a few seconds. In most cases, the warning light is turned on at the moment when the engine stalls for lack of sufficient fuel. Since the system is not reliable, the driver ignores the information displayed on the dashboard.
Other manufacturers place a second bottle on the vehicle. This method is not very practical since the vehicle's engine stops when the bottle is empty. If this occurs during a maneuver with a heavy load, the vehicle stops suddenly, and this may be hazardous. In addition, it turns out that some drivers do not automatically replace the empty bottle, the breakdown then occurring when the second bottle is empty.

System for supplying liquefied gas to a combustion engine with a minimum liquefied-gas level detector


The disclosure provides a pair of isolated biomarkers selected from the group consisting of IBP4/SHBG, IBP4/PSG3, IBP4/LYAM1, IBP4/IGF2, CLUS/IBP3, CLUS/IGF2, CLUS/LYAM1, INHBC/PSG3, INHBC/IGF2, PSG2/LYAM1, PSG2/IGF2, PSG2/LYAM1, PEDF/PSG3, PEDF/SHBG, PEDF/LYAM1, CD14/LYAM1, and APOC3/LYAM1, wherein the pair of biomarkers exhibits a change in reversal value between pregnant females at risk for pre-term birth and term controls. Also provided is a method of determining probability for preterm birth in a pregnant female, the method comprising measuring in a biological sample obtained from the pregnant female a reversal value for at least one pair of biomarkers selected from the group consisting of IBP4/SHBG, IBP4/PSG3, IBP4/LYAM1, IBP4/IGF2, CLUS/IBP3, CLUS/IGF2, CLUS/LYAM1, INHBC/PSG3, INHBC/IGF2, PSG2/LYAM1, PSG2/IGF2, PSG2/LYAM1, PEDF/PSG3, PEDF/SHBG, PEDF/LYAM1, CD14/LYAM1, and APOC3/LYAM1 to determine the probability for preterm birth in the pregnant female.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) every year. In almost all countries with reliable data, preterm birth rates are increasing. See, World Health Organization; March of Dimes; The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health; Save the Children, Born too soon: the global action report on preterm birth, ISBN 9789241503433(2012). An estimated 1 million babies die annually from preterm birth complications. Globally, preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths (babies in the first four weeks of life) and the second leading cause of death after pneumonia in children under five years. Many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual and hearing problems.
Across 184 countries with reliable data, the rate of preterm birth ranges from 5% to 18% of babies born. Blencowe et al., "National, regional and worldwide estimates of preterm birth." The Lancet, 9; 379(9832):2162-72 (2012). While over 60% of preterm births occur in Africa and south Asia, preterm birth is nevertheless a global problem. Countries with the highest numbers include Brazil, India, Nigeria and the United States of America. Of the 11 countries with preterm birth rates over 15%, all but two are in sub-Saharan Africa. In the poorest countries, on average, 12% of babies are born too soon compared with 9% in higher-income countries. Within countries, poorer families are at higher risk. More than three-quarters of premature babies can be saved with feasible, cost-effective care, for example, antenatal steroid injections given to pregnant women at risk of preterm labor to strengthen the babies' lungs.
Infants born preterm are at greater risk than infants born at term for mortality and a variety of health and developmental problems. Complications include acute respiratory, gastrointestinal, immunologic, central nervous system, hearing, and vision problems, as well as longer-term motor, cognitive, visual, hearing, behavioral, social-emotional, health, and growth problems. The birth of a preterm infant can also bring considerable emotional and economic costs to families and have implications for public-sector services, such as health insurance, educational, and other social support systems. The greatest risk of mortality and morbidity is for those infants born at the earliest gestational ages. However, those infants born nearer to term represent the greatest number of infants born preterm and also experience more complications than infants born at term.
To prevent preterm birth in women who are less than 24 weeks pregnant with an ultrasound showing cervical opening, a surgical procedure known as cervical cerclage can be employed in which the cervix is stitched closed with strong sutures. For women less than 34 weeks pregnant and in active preterm labor, hospitalization may be necessary as well as the administration of medications to temporarily halt preterm labor and/or promote the fetal lung development. If a pregnant women is determined to be at risk for preterm birth, health care providers can implement various clinical strategies that may include preventive medications, for example, 17-α hydroxyprogesterone caproate (Makena) injections and/or vaginal progesterone gel, cervical pessaries, restrictions on sexual activity and/or other physical activities, and alterations of treatments for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, that increase the risk of preterm labor.
There is a great need to identify and provide women at risk for preterm birth with proper antenatal care. Women identified as high-risk can be scheduled for more intensive antenatal surveillance and prophylactic interventions. Current strategies for risk assessment are based on the obstetric and medical history and clinical examination, but these strategies are only able to identify a small percentage of women who are at risk for preterm delivery. Prior history of spontaneous PTB (sPTB) is currently the single strongest predictor of subsequent PTB. After one prior sPTB the probability of a second PTB is 30-50%. Other maternal risk factors include: black race, low maternal body-mass index, and short cervical length. Amniotic fluid, cervicovaginal fluid, and serum biomarker studies to predict sPTB suggest that multiple molecular pathways are aberrant in women who ultimately deliver preterm. Reliable early identification of risk for preterm birth would enable planning appropriate monitoring and clinical management to prevent preterm delivery. Such monitoring and management might include: more frequent prenatal care visits, serial cervical length measurements, enhanced education regarding signs and symptoms of early preterm labor, lifestyle interventions for modifiable risk behaviors such as smoking cessation, cervical pessaries and progesterone treatment. Finally, reliable antenatal identification of risk for preterm birth also is crucial to cost-effective allocation of monitoring resources.
Despite intense research to identify at-risk women, PTB prediction algorithms based solely on clinical and demographic factors or using measured serum or vaginal biomarkers have not resulted in clinically useful tests. More accurate methods to identify women at risk during their first pregnancy and sufficiently early in gestation are needed to allow for clinical intervention. The present invention addresses this need by providing compositions and methods for determining whether a pregnant woman is at risk for preterm birth. Related advantages are provided as well.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Biomarker pairs for predicting preterm birth


A control device for an internal combustion engine with a turbo-supercharger including a variable valve mechanism at least at either one of an intake side and an exhaust side includes a scavenging amount setting means for determining an upper limit value of a scavenging amount moving from an intake passage to an exhaust passage across the interior of a cylinder during a valve overlap period to satisfy a performance requirement for the internal combustion engine, and a variable valve control means for controlling the duration of the valve overlap period according to the scavenging amount.

A technology is known which provides a valve overlap period by controlling a variable valve mechanism and increases the amount of fresh air in a cylinder by scavenging gas remaining in the cylinder to an exhaust passage utilizing a differential pressure between an intake pressure and an exhaust pressure during this valve overlap period.
For example, JP2006-283636A discloses a technology which obtains a scavenging effect by controlling a throttle valve opening to make an intake pressure higher than an exhaust pressure during a valve overlap period.

Control device for internal combustion engine with turbo-supercharger


A new method to produce formulations of bacterial cellulose that exhibit improved viscosity-modifying properties particularly with low energy applied to effectuate viscosity changes therewith is provided. Such a method includes the novel co-precipitation with a water soluble co-agent that permits precipitation in the presence of excess alcohol to form an insoluble fiber that can than be utilized as a thickener or suspension aid without the need to introduce high energy mixing. Such bacterial cellulose properties have been available in the past but only through highly labor and energy intensive processes. Such an inventive method as now proposed thus provides a bacterial cellulose-containing formulation that exhibits not only properties that are as effective as those for previous bacterial celluloses, but, in some ways, improvements to such previous types. Certain end-use compositions and applications including these novel bacterial cellulose-containing formulations are also encompassed within this invention.

Bacterial cellulose is a broad category of polysaccharides that exhibit highly desirable properties, even though such compounds are essentially of the same chemical structure as celluloses derived from plant material. As the name purports, however, the source of these polysaccharides are bacterial in nature (produced generally by microorganisms of the Acetobacter genus) as the result of fermentation, purification, and recovery thereof. Such bacterial cellulose compounds are comprised of very fine cellulosic fibers having very unique dimensions and aspect ratios (diameters of from about 40 to 100 nm each and lengths of from 0.1 to 15 microns) in bundle form (with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.2 microns on average). Such an entangled bundle structure forms a reticulated network structure that facilitates swelling when in aqueous solution thereby providing excellent three-dimensional networks. The three-dimensional structures effectuate proper and desirable viscosity modification as well as suspension capabilities through building a yield-stress system within a target liquid as well as excellent bulk viscosity. Such a result thus permits highly effective suspension of materials (such as foodstuffs, as one example) that have a propensity to settle over time out of solution, particularly aqueous solutions. Additionally, such bacterial cellulose formulations aid in preventing settling and separation of quick-preparation liquid foodstuffs (i.e., soups, chocolate drinks, yogurt, juices, dairy, cocoas, and the like), albeit with the need to expend relatively high amounts of energy through mixing or heating to initially reach the desired level of suspension for such foodstuffs.
The resultant fibers (and thus bundles) are insoluble in water and, with the capabilities noted above, exhibit polyol- and water-thickening properties. One particular type of bacterial cellulose, microfibrillated cellulose, is normally provided in an uncharged state and exhibits the ability to associate without any added influences. However, without any such extra additives to effectuate thickening or other type of viscosity modification, it has been realized that the resultant systems will themselves exhibit high degrees of instability, particularly over time periods associated with typical shelf life requirements of foodstuffs. As a result, certain co-agents, like carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), also known as cellulose gum, have been introduced to bacterial cellulose products through adsorption to the fibers thereof, following by spray drying (without any co-precipitation steps) in order to provide stabilization and dispersion improvements, most likely through the presence of negative charges on the CMC transferred to the bacterial cellulose fibers themselves. Such charges thus appear to provide repulsion capabilities to prevent the fiber bundles from relaxing the network formed. Even with such a possibility, the selection of a proper CMC has been known to greatly affect the resultant rheological properties of the target bacterial cellulose due to the salt and acid sensitivities of certain CMC products. As such, although improvements in bacterial cellulose utilization have been provided with such CMC inclusions in the past, great care must be taken to ensure the proper level of pH and salt conditions are suitable for the overall formulation. For this reason, further improvements to permit more reliability of bacterial cellulose use in myriad applications are of great interest to the target industries.
Additionally, although such bacterial celluloses are of great interest and importance in providing effective rheological modifications within liquid-based foodstuffs, for the reasons mentioned above, the costs associated with producing such cellulosic materials has proven very high, particularly in terms of necessary labor and waste issues resulting therefrom. Fermentation of such materials initially yields very low amounts. Generally, the production method of purifying and recovering such bacterial cellulose materials entails a cumbersome series of steps after fermentation is complete in order to produce a wet cake with a sufficient amount of bacterial cellulose product in terms of efficiency from initial fermentation. Further spray drying may also affect the final recovery yield of the bacterial cellulose during powder production.
Such excessive steps are not only labor and energy intensive but also result in large amounts of waste water and waste materials that require disposal and handling. As such, the costs for production of bacterial cellulose (in particular microfibrillated cellulose) have proven excessively high relative to other gums, thus restricting the utilization of such a product within certain desirable end-uses. To date, there has been no effective method developed that has remedied these problems, not to mention a method that ultimately provides a bacterial cellulose material that exhibits certain improved properties within target applications as compared with the materials produced through the aforementioned traditional production method.


A phase contrast x-ray microscope has a phase plate that is placed in proximity of and attached rigidly to the objective to form a composite optic. This enables easier initial and long-term maintenance of alignment of the microscope. In one example, they are fabricated on the same high-transmissive substrate. The use of this composite optic allows for lithographic-based alignment that will not change over the lifetime of the instrument. Also, in one configuration, the phase plate is located between the test object and the objective.

Short wavelength microscopes are devices that produce a magnified image of an object utilizing electromagnetic radiation in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and x-ray regime. The wavelengths range from 20 nanometers (nm) to 0.02 nm. These microscopes typically develop image contrast by relying on photoelectric absorption in the test object. Different elements, or structures formed of elements, attenuate the x-rays to varying degrees.
In a typical short wavelength microscope configuration, a focusing element, such as a condenser, is used to concentrate the radiation on the test object. An objective, such as a zone plate, collects the radiation after transmission through the object and forms an image on a detector, such as a charge-coupled device or film. Intervening scintillators are sometimes required, depending on the specific wavelength and detector used.
Absorption-based x-ray microscopy, however, tends to impose certain limitations on the types of structures that can be imaged. Generally, absorption contrast decreases in proportion to the third power of the photon energy of the radiation. This tends to motivate for the use of lower energies, but lower energies may not provide sufficient penetration through the object.
Moreover, absorption-based x-ray microscopy may also fail to provide sufficient contrast between structures within the object of interest when those structures are composed of elements that have similar atomic numbers. Absorption contrast is generally proportional to the fourth power of the atomic number, away from an absorption edge. Absorption contrast x-ray microscopy therefore works well when imaging structures consisting of mostly high atomic number elements, such as gold or tungsten, in a host material consisting of mostly low atomic number elements, such as silicon. It is generally difficult, however, to use absorption contrast to image small structures consisting of mostly low atomic number elements in a test object containing non-negligible amounts of high atomic number elements, such as imaging cracks in dielectrics of a multilevel integrated device.
An alternative to absorption contrast x-ray microscopy is sometimes termed phase contrast x-ray microscopy. Here, the phase shifting properties of the structures within the object of interest are used to create the image contrast between the structures. To utilize the phase contrast, a phase shifting element is typically placed at the back focal plane of the objective to impart a suitable phase shift to the direct beam, i.e., radiation that passed directly through the test object. The focal plane is the plane parallel to the lens that passes through the point at which parallel rays of light meet after being focused by the lens. The phase shifted direct beam interferes at the image plane with radiation that was scattered and diffracted in the test object. Thus, contrast is produced in response to the phase shifting properties or refractive indices of structures within the test object.
Phase contrast x-ray microscopy has some intrinsic characteristics that render it more effective in many types of imaging applications. First, phase contrast is generally significantly larger than absorption contrast in the 0.02-20 nanometer (nm), short wavelength spectral region. As a consequence, exposure time can be substantially reduced. Secondly, phase contrast is inversely proportional to the energy except for a narrow spectrum near an absorption edge. As a result, doubling the energy decreases the phase contrast only by a factor of two while the penetration power increases by a factor of eight. This allows for thicker samples, easing the requirements for sample preparation, or allows for the imaging of samples nondestructively. Moreover, phase contrast between elements is roughly related to the mass density, rather than the atomic number, except for a narrow spectrum near an absorption edge. This enables the imaging of structures comprising low atomic numbered elements alone or in a host materials matrix containing high atomic number elements. It is especially applicable to imaging structures comprising organic compounds, silicon, and/or oxygen, for example.
In the past, the optical trains of phase contrast x-ray microscopes were similar to the trains used for optical frequencies. In a conventional configuration, the scattered light was phase shifted relative to the direct beam by, typically, 90 degrees with a quarter wave plate or 270 degrees with a three quarter wave plate that was located at the back focal plane of the objective to retard or advance the phase of the direct beam. There was typically a requirement to attenuate the direct beam so that it had comparable intensity as the collected, scattered signal radiation. This provided higher contrast because complete extinction occurred during destructive interference when the two interfering beams are of the same amplitude.

Phase contrast microscope for short wavelength radiation and imaging method


There are provided an image transfer apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can form an image of excellent quality by controlling speed variations of an image carrier and an intermediate transfer body generated by an external force. When the front end of a recording medium enters the nip area provided between the intermediate transfer body and a bias transfer roll and the rear end of the recording medium leaves the nip area, an impact force is applied to the intermediate transfer body and the bias transfer roll. The bias transfer roll swings, due to such impact force, in the direction parallel to the traveling direction of the recording medium to enter the nip area. As a result, a transitional load variation to be applied to the intermediate transfer body with such impact force is absorbed by springs to prevent rotating variation of the intermediate transfer body and the image carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image transfer apparatus utilizing an image carrier such as a dielectric material drum, photosensitive material drum and photosensitive material belt, etc. or an image transfer member for transferring a visible image on an intermediate transfer body to a recording medium or a simultaneously transferring and fixing member, an electrophotographic copying apparatus for obtaining an image with one or a plurality of image forming means and an image forming apparatus such as electrophotographic printer, ionographic printer, ink jet printer and facsimile apparatus, etc. and particularly to a transfer apparatus and image forming apparatus which controls speed variation of an image carrier and intermediate transfer body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a transfer apparatus of related art, for example, an apparatus utilizing a bias transfer roll is popular. In this transfer apparatus, a bias transfer roll is pressed toward to a photosensitive drum, on which a toner image is formed while it is rotating at the predetermined speed, at the predetermined contact pressure with a spring and a toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred to a recording paper while the paper passes the transfer section (nip section) formed between the photosensitive drum and bias transfer roll. According to this transfer apparatus, the recording paper itself is charged in a small extent, unlike the corona transfer method, and therefore the recording paper can be separated easily from the photosensitive drum and excellent transfer image can be obtained without generation of any irregular image due to the separation discharge at the time of separation of paper.
Moreover, an image forming apparatus of the related art is described, for example, in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-27832 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-317994.
The image forming apparatus proposed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Hei 6-27832 comprises a photosensitive drum for carrying a toner image, an intermediate transfer and fixing belt extended over a heat roll, a drive roll and a transfer roll and a spring which energizes the transfer roll in the direction to be isolated from the photosensitive drum. In this structure, when the drive roll is driven to rotate, the transfer roll is displaced with a tension of the intermediate transferring and fixing belt, causing the intermediate transferring and fixing belt to be brought in pressure contact with the photosensitive drum. Thereby, while the copying operation is stopped, the intermediate transferring and fixing belt is isolated from the photosensitive drum to prevent the toner on the photosensitive drum to be adhered to the intermediate transferring and fixing belt to contaminate it.
The image forming apparatus proposed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-317994 is provided with a resist sensor for detecting front end and rear end of the recording paper and a cam for causing the transfer roll to be in contact with or separated from the image carrier without giving any impact thereto depending on detection by resist sensor. In this structure, when the resist sensor detects the front end of the recording paper, the transfer roll is brought in pressure contact with the image carrier due to rotation of the cam to transfer the toner image on the image carrier to the recording paper until the front end of the recording paper reaches the transfer area between the image carrier and transfer roll. When image transfer progresses and the resist sensor detects the rear end of the recording paper, the transfer roll is isolated from the image carrier due to rotation of the cam when the rear end of paper passes the transfer area. Thereby, since the transfer roll is isolated from the image carrier when the recording paper does not exist, the toner remaining on the image carrier is transferred to the transfer roll to prevent contamination of back surface of the subsequent recording paper. Moreover, when the transfer roll is placed in contact with the image carrier, no impact is given owing to the cam and thereby disturbance of image to be written to the image carrier can be prevented.
However, according to the transfer apparatus of the related art, when the recording paper passes the area between the photosensitive drum and transfer roll, particularly when the front end of paper enters the nip section between the photosensitive drum and transfer roll and the rear end of paper leaves the nip section, an impact is given to the photosensitive drum and transfer roll due to a level difference resulting from thickness of recording paper and thereby a load torque of the photosensitive drum varies, resulting in a problem that a rotating speed of the photosensitive drum varies. Particularly, this problem is serious for running of a thick recording paper.
Moreover, in the structure that distance between the transfer process position and fixing process position is shorter than the length of recording paper and thereby the paper is carried by both processes, the paper speed in the fixing process is generally a little lower than the paper speed in the transfer process to generate a certain looseness in order to absorb an error of speed in both processes. However, in this case, the recording paper is further carried and a loop of the paper grows, allowing an internal stress accumulated in the paper to increase. As a result, a stress of the paper gives a resistance force in the rotating direction of the photosensitive drum and transfer roll. Therefore, when the rear end of the paper is released from the transfer roll, such resistance force is also released, resulting in a large variation of rotation. This problem also exists in the monochromatic printer and it is a serious problem of image quality such as displacement of color and uneven color tone in the full-color printer.
Moreover, according to an image forming apparatus of the related art described in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-27832, the intermediate transferring and fixing belt is selectively used for transfer operation to the photosensitive drum and other operations, and transitional impact has never been alleviated when the recording paper enters the nip section or leaves the nip section. Therefore, the paper gives a transitional impact to the nip section it passes therein to give transitional speed variation to the image carrier, resulting in a defect in the image quality such as displacement of color and uneven color tone.
Moreover, according to the image forming apparatus described in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-317994, certain consideration is taken into account in order to eliminate an impact generated when the transfer roll is placed in contact with the photosensitive drum, but the transitional impact generated when the recording paper passes through the nip section is not alleviated, similarly resulting in a defect in image quality such as displacement of color and uneven color tone.

Image transfer apparatus and image forming apparatus


A Space Time Transmit Diversity (STTD) Decoder includes a physical channel despreader, a delay buffer, an upper processing branch, a lower processing branch and a combiner. The upper processing branch is operable to apply a conjugate of a first channel estimate to the delay buffer symbol output and produce non STTD encoded symbols. The lower processing branch is operable to read delayed delay buffer symbol outputs and apply a conjugate of a second channel estimate when active in the STTD mode. The lower processing branch then may apply an STTD decoder scheme to the delay buffer symbol output to produce non STTD encoded symbols. The combiner then combines the non STTD encoded symbols of the upper processing branch and non STTD encoded symbols of the lower processing branch to produce a single set of non STTD encoded symbols.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems; and more particularly to the despreading of spread data communications received by a wireless terminal in such a wireless communication system.
2. Related Art
Cellular wireless communication systems support wireless communication services in many populated areas of the world. Cellular wireless communication systems include a "network infrastructure" that wirelessly communicates with wireless terminals within a respective service coverage area. The network infrastructure typically includes a plurality of base stations dispersed throughout the service coverage area, each of which supports wireless communications within a respective cell (or set of sectors). The base stations couple to base station controllers (BSCs), with each BSC serving a plurality of base stations. Each BSC couples to a mobile switching center (MSC). Each BSC also typically directly or indirectly couples to the Internet.
In operation, each base station communicates with a plurality of wireless terminals operating in its serviced cell/sectors. A BSC coupled to the base station routes voice communications between the MSC and the serving base station. The MSC routes the voice communication to another MSC or to the PSTN. BSCs route data communications between a servicing base station and a packet data network that may include or couple to the Internet. Transmissions from base stations to wireless terminals are referred to as "forward link" transmissions while transmissions from wireless terminals to base stations are referred to as "reverse link" transmissions. The volume of data transmitted on the forward link typically exceeds the volume of data transmitted on the reverse link. Such is the case because data users typically issue commands to request data from data sources, e.g., web servers, and the web servers provide the data to the wireless terminals.
Wireless links between base stations and their serviced wireless terminals typically operate according to one (or more) of a plurality of operating standards. These operating standards define the manner in which the wireless link may be allocated, setup, serviced, and torn down. Popular currently employed cellular standards include the Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) standards, the North American Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standards, and the North American Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) standards, among others. These operating standards support both voice communications and data communications. More recently introduced operating standards include the Universal Mobile Telecommunications Services (UMTS)/Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) standards. The UMTS/WCDMA standards employ CDMA principles and support high throughput, both voice and data. As contrasted to the North American CDMA standards, transmissions within a UMTS/WCDMA system are not aligned to a timing reference, i.e., GPS timing reference. Thus, synchronization to a base station by a wireless terminal is more complicated in a WCDMA system than in a North American CDMA system. Despreading of received spread communications consumes significant processing resources. Such continuous operations can overload a baseband processor causing degradation of performance and decrease battery life.

Space time transmit diversity (STTD) decoder within a HSDPA rake receiver


The internal tree cap of this invention has an isolation sleeve that stabs into a receptacle in the upper end of the tubing hanger. A seal on the exterior of the isolation sleeve seals an inner void within the isolation sleeve from an outer void. The inner void is the area between the tubing hanger wireline plug and the tree cap. The outer void is an area surrounding the tubing hanger above the tubing hanger upper seal and below the tree cap seal. The internal tree cap may have a bore and an upper crown plug that is wireline retrievable. Fluid will be trapped in the inner void when the isolation sleeve is stabbed into the receptacle above the tubing hanger. To allow displacement of the fluid when landing the upper crown plug, or when landing the upper crown plug and internal tree cap together, a vent passage leads through the tubing hanger to the outer void. This vent passage is preferably controlled by a metal sealing needle valve which is shut by an ROV or diver.

One type of wellhead assembly, particularly used offshore, is known as a horizontal tree. The well has a wellhead housing which contains casing hangers, each secured to a string of production casing that extends into the well. The tree mounts on top of the wellhead housing. The tree has a vertical bore and a horizontal or lateral production flow outlet. A tubing hanger lands in the bore of the tree and is secured to a string of production tubing extending through the casing hangers and into the well. The tubing hanger has a lateral flow passage that registers with the lateral passage of the horizontal tree.
A plug, normally wireline retrievable, fits in the vertical passage of the tubing hanger above the lateral passage. A tree cap fits above the tubing hanger in the bore of the tree. The tree cap may have a vertical passage with a wireline retrievable crown plug or it may be a solid cap. A corrosion cap fits over the upper end of the tree.
A tubing annulus between the tubing and the casing communicates to a lower annulus port formed in the tree. This port leads through an annulus passage to an upper annulus port which extends into the bore of the tree above the tubing hanger seals. One or more valves are used to open and close the tubing annulus. The upper tubing annulus port communicates with a void that is located between the tubing hanger wireline plug and the seal of the internal tree cap. In the prior art, removing the crown plug from the internal tree cap will provide a communication between the upper tubing annulus port and the vertical passage in the internal tree cap.


An air-ventilating valve is adapted to allow the ambient atmosphere to enter a conduit when the ambient pressure exceeds the pressure of gas in the conduit by a essentially predetermined amount, and which also blocks the release of gas from the conduit to the ambient atmosphere. The valve includes two generally coaxial upstanding valve seat projections (6, 7) which lie essentially in a mutually common plane, and a vertically movable valve body (20) which includes a ring-shaped sealing element (4) which bridges an annular gap (5) between the upstanding projections (6, 7) when the valve is closed and sealingly abuts respective sealing projections (6; 7). The valve body (20) is adapted to move to a valve closed position under the influence of gravity. At least one upstanding projection (6, 7) is formed by two radially separated ridges (31, 32) which define an annular trough (33) therebetween. The ridges (31, 32) are both intended to lie essentially tangential to the sealing element (4) when the valve is closed.

The present invention relates to an air-ventilating valve which functions to allow surrounding atmosphere to enter a conduit or pipeline, when the surrounding pressure exceeds the atmospheric pressure in the conduit by a predetermined amount, and to block the release of moist and warm air in relation to the surrounding atmosphere from the conduit to said surrounding atmosphere. The valve includes two coaxial and upstanding seat projections, each of which lies essentially in a common plane, and a vertically movable valve member which includes an annular sealing element. The sealing element bridges a throughflow gap between said projections when the valve is closed and lies sealingly against respective sealing projections. The valve member is arranged to move to a valve closed position under the influence of gravity.
Air-ventilating valves of the kind concerned are well known and find use, e.g., in the upper end of waste pipes or soil pipes, primarily to prevent odors from escaping via the upper end of the soil pipe or waste pipe. In this regard, the upper end of the soil pipe (and the ventilating valve) can be positioned inwardly of the outer roof of the building concerned, for example in the attic or loft, so as to obviate the need of providing a pipe lead-through to the outside of the roof. The ventilating valve is also constructed to allow air to enter the pipe when the need arises, for instance as a result of a subpressure generated in the pipe after having flushed a water closet connected thereto.
It will be understood, however, that ventilation valves of the kind concerned find use in many other situations in which there is an interest in preventing the departure of gas from a pipeline or conduit and where it is necessary, at the same time, to be able to allow gas to enter the conduit when the level of pressure therein falls beneath the pressure of the ambient atmosphere to a given extent.
To ensure the greatest possible reliability of the valve in operation, the valve is normally constructed so that the valve member will move to its valve closing position solely under the influence of gravity. In the case of small ventilating valves, for instance valves having an outer diameter in the order of 13-50 mm, the fact that the valve body is light in weight means that the gravitationally effected closing force becomes too weak. Another drawback is that the valve-member sealing element, a rubber plate or washer, cannot be made soft or pliable at a free-supporting rim part to compensate for the small closing force, because the one outer free-supporting rim part of the washer is then able to snap passed its sealing ridge already at relatively low over-pressures in the conduit relative to the surrounding atmosphere. It is not appropriate to increase the weight of the valve member, because of inertia.
Consequently, it has been preferred in practice to also fit a spring in the valve to supplement the effect of the gravitational force in achieving desired sealing/valve-closing conditions, particularly in the case of small valves. Although the spring ensures an effective sealing action, it adds to the magnitude of the pressure difference required to open the valve.


A method of storing compressed data first compresses source data, generating compressed data, and computes the total compression length in each row of the compressed data. The number of rows of compressed data that the biggest memory block can accommodate is computed according to the total compression length of each row. The system receives an application for the required memory blocks for those rows of data. Finally, the system allocated memory blocks are received for storing the compressed data. Therefore, the system and method realize dynamical row storage of compressed data, which make good use of fragmented memory in the system.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a data storage method and, in particular, to a method of storing compressed data.
2. Related Art
Complicated operations often demand for a huge amount of system memory. Therefore, those data had better to be compressed in order to save the use of memory.
A conventional compression method is to allocate a sufficiently large compression work space ComWorkSpace for the compression functional module to store the compressed data. Once the compression functional module is done with its job, a compressed data length, CompressenLength, is returned. The application releases the memory space occupied by the source data and applies from the system for memory NewBuffer with the size of CompressenLength. The compressed data in ComWorkSpace is copied to the applied memory NewBuffer. However, sometimes for complicated operations, no sufficient memory is allocated to store the source data and thus the data cannot be processed because the system memory is seriously fragmented or the system simply does not have sufficient space. Another situation where the data cannot be processed is that the application for a space of the size of CompressenLength is not successful. A conventional solution is to try to use another compression algorithm with a higher compression ratio to compress the source data and to apply again for NewBuffer with the size of CompressenLength. If this method is still not successful, there is no way to compress the data.


Method and system for handling a service request from an originating station (ST-A) to a terminating station (ST-B) in a telecommunications system managing service logic for accounting information for payment of services.

Telecommunications operators use to manage accounting information related to their users for the payment of services that are served to them through the telecommunication system (or systems) managed by said operators. Examples of telecommunications systems are: mobile systems, such as, for instance, a GSM system (Global System for Mobile communications) or a UMTS system (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System); fixed systems, such as, for instance, a PSTN system (Public Switched Telephone Network system) or an ISDN system (Integrated Services Digital Network); or combinations thereof.
Said accounting information uses to be updated regularly according to the services served to said users. For a given user, said accounting information can comprise, for instance, and among other data, the actual accounting balance of said user, and/or a register of the services served to said user.
Some telecommunications operators deploy a policy to check, in an early stage, if a service requested by a given user can proceed or not (e.g.: if it shall be barred), based on the actual accounting balance of said user. Said early check is intended to avoid further processing if certain conditions are not fulfilled; such as, for example, a predefined limit in the accounting balance in a post-paid subscription, or a zero credit value for a pre-paid subscription.
In most of the cases, said checking is performed just upon reception of the service request in a switching node (switching point, or SP) which is in charge of receiving and further processing (e.g.: routing, serving, signaling, etc.) service requests made from (or terminating in) the station (end-point, terminal) said user is using. Examples of switching points (SPs) are local or transit exchanges in a PSTN, MSCs (Mobile Switching Centres) or SGSNs (Serving GPRS Support Nodes) in a GSM mobile system, etc.

Method and system for accounting of services

Abstract: A service request is received from an originating station (ST-A) indicating an identifier of a terminating station (ST-B). The service request is checked against number portability information related to the identifier of the terminating station (ST-B), and against accounting information of the originating station (ST-A). The service can proceed without further queries for number portability.

Abstract: A service request is received for a terminating station (ST-B) indicating an identifier of an originating station (ST-A). Accounting information of the terminating station (ST-B) is updated according to number portability information related to the identifier of the originating station (ST-A).

Abstract: Accounting information can be stored in a payment server (PS), such as, for example, a pre-paid server storing accounting information for pre-paid subscriptions.


The present invention relates to a novel coupling composition that is used within optical fiber cables to protect optical fibers and to couple the optical fibers and the surrounding buffer tube casing. The present invention also relates to optical fiber cables that use the novel coupling composition.

Optical fiber cables are used to transmit information including telephone signals, television signals, data signals, and Internet communication. To preserve the integrity of the signal transported by optical fiber cables, certain design factors warrant consideration.
First, forces may develop on the optical fibers due to contact with rough, hard, or uneven surfaces within the optical fiber cables. Such contact, for example, may result from thermal cable expansion or contraction, which can cause microbending and macrobending effects. This, in turn, can lead to signal attenuation or signal loss. Layers of protective coatings and claddings around the optical fibers can help to reduce the forces that cause these unwanted effects.
Second, the optical fibers are typically coupled to the surrounding buffer tube in some way. This coupling prevents the optical fibers from pulling back inside the buffer tube as a result of processing, installation, handling, or thermally induced dimensional changes. Not only can these effects hamper accessibility to the fibers during connection operations (e.g., splicing), but also insufficient coupling can lead to excess and/or unevenly distributed optical fiber length (e.g., optical fibers accumulating in a confined space). Such accumulation may cause bending or otherwise force contact between the optical fibers and other cable elements, which can likewise lead to microbending and macrobending.
Third, optical fiber cables are typically used with electronic devices. If water intruding into the cables can spread (e.g., flow) along the length of the cables to these electronic devices, severe damage to the electronic systems may result. It is also thought that the formation of ice within an optical fiber cable can impose onto the optical fibers localized microbending-inducing forces or macrobending-inducing forces. Fillers and water-blocking layers within the cables can impede the movement of water within the cables and thereby limit such damage.
The undesirable effects of signal loss, coupling failure, and water damage can be reduced through the use of protective layers and coupling elements. The addition of these layers, however, can lead to larger cables, which are not only more costly to produce and store but also heavier, stiffer, and thus more difficult to install.
Manufacturers have typically addressed these problems by employing water-blocking, thixotropic compositions (e.g., grease or grease-like gels). For example, filling the free space inside a buffer tube with water-blocking, petroleum-based filling grease helps to block the ingress of water. Further, the thixotropic filling grease mechanically (i.e., viscously) couples the optical fibers to the buffer tube.
That usefulness notwithstanding, such thixotropic filling greases are relatively heavy and messy, thereby hindering connection and splicing operations. Consequently, filling greases carry certain disadvantages.
Accordingly, there is a need for a dry composition that facilitates improved coupling of optical fibers within a buffer tube.

Coupling composition for optical fiber cables


A semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser element; a mounting body on which the semiconductor laser element is mounted; a base having a recess in which the mounting body is mounted and a through hole that penetrates a part of a bottom of the recess; and an embedded member disposed within the through hole. An uppermost surface of the embedded member is joined to a lowermost surface of the mounting body and a lowermost surface of the embedded member is positioned higher than a lowermost surface of the base.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a semiconductor laser device, light source device, method of producing a semiconductor laser device and method of producing a light source device.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor laser device comprising a semiconductor laser element, a mounting body on which the semiconductor laser element is mounted, and a base connected to the mounting body has been proposed in the Patent Reference 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-153092). The base has a recess to which the mounting body is fitted. The recess has a through hole in a portion of the bottom. According to this conventional semiconductor laser device, a stepped part is formed in the recess and thereby the mounting body is stably held with the base. And thus, variation in heat dissipation is suppressed and it is prevented as much as possible that the base or the mounting body is misaligned in position and orientation.
While the conventional semiconductor laser device is good at suppressing a variation in heat dissipation, there is still a room to improve a mounting accuracy in mounting the semiconductor laser device on the mounting substrate.

Semiconductor laser device, light source device, method of producing semiconductor laser device, and method of producing light source device


An enhanced subscriber line interface circuit for a digital switching system which includes a line configuration and protection circuit connection tot he subscriber line and to a thick-film hybrid module. The thick-film hybrid module comprises a high voltage interface circuit and a PCM conversion circuit. The high voltage interface circuit provides power to the subscriber line, converts received analog voice signals transmitted from the subscriber instrument into differential voltage voice signals and detects the subscriber lines status. The PCM conversion circuit is connected to the high voltage interface circuit and is disposed to convert received differential voice signals into PCM digital signals. A line control interface circuit receives control signals from a peripheral processor of the digital switching system, controls the operation of the circuits of the thick-film hybrid module, and receives subscriber line information from the high voltage interface circuit which it passes on to the peripheral processor. A time slot assignment circuit connected to the peripheral processor is arranged to develop and transmit to the PCM conversion circuit time slot assignment information and to connect the PCM digital signals from the enhanced subscriber line interface circuit to the digital switching system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly, to an enhanced Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (SLIC) architecture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Subscriber line interface circuits are customarily found in the central office exchange of a telecommunications network. The SLIC weds the digital switching network of the central office exchange to a plurality of analog subscriber lines. The analog subscriber lines connect to subscriber stations or telephone instruments found at subscriber locations remote from the central office exchange.
The SLIC functions to supply power to a subscriber station and to transmit and receive voice signals between the digital switching network and the subscriber station.
Modern solid state SLICs are constructed using specialized integrated circuits. One such SLIC is described on pages 3-14 of the GTE Microcircuits Data Book, published in 1987. Such a construction dispenses with the need for inductive components in the analog end of the interface. The operating environment of the SLIC includes a necessity to provide high voltages and currents, used for analog voice transmission and substation signalling, as well as, low voltage digital logic signals used for the transmission of digital data between the SLIC and the digital switching network. The high voltage requirements of -48 V battery feed is accomplished using a specialized High Voltage Subscriber Line Interrace Circuit (HVSLIC). Such as the HVSLIC circuit described in patent application Ser. No. 445,516, filed Dec. 4, 1989, entitled "High Voltage Subscriber Line Interface Circuit", having a common assignee with the present invention.
The translation of the analog voice signals to PCM encoded digital signals and the interface of the PCM digital signals between the line circuit and the digital switching system is accomplished using a specialized integrated circuit known as a CODEC/FILTER. The CODEC/FILTER converts analog voice signals received from a subscriber line and the HVSLIC to PCM encoded digital signals. Similarly, PCM encoded digital signals from the digital switching system are converted into analog voice signals for transmission on the subscriber line. One such device is the commercially available as the CODEC/FILTER COMBO.TM., TP30XX family of COMBO.TM. devices manufactured by the National Semiconductor Company.
The SLIC must also provide certain signalling and detection functions in order to allow the digital switching system to communicate with a subscriber station. These signaling and detection functions include ringing signal control, ring-trip and loop sense detection as well as detection of abnormal loop conditions.
These functions are normally provided by a low voltage companion circuit of the HVSLIC usually referred to as a Low Voltage Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (LVSLIC). One such LVSLIC circuit is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 445,826, filed Dec. 4, 1989, entitled "Control Circuit For A Solid State Telephone Line Circuit", having a common assignee with the present invention. The LVSLIC communicates via a data and address bus with a central controller of the digital switching system. Information pertaining to the status of the SLIC and the subscriber line are transmitted from the LVSLIC to the central controller. Operating commands from the central controller are received by the LVSLIC for execution by the SLIC.
Presently available SLICs conform to a circuit architecture that connects in combination an integrated circuit HVSLIC, an LVSLIC, and CODEC/FILTER with discrete components that provide subscriber line configuration and protection. This SLIC combination connects a single subscriber line to the central office exchange.
Such a SLIC is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 445,517, filed Dec. 4, 1989, entitled "A Solid State Telephone Line Circuit", having a common assignee with the present invention.
The SLIC just described is normally one circuit of a plurality of SLICs that are assembled on a line card. The line card connects a plurality of subscriber lines to the digital switching network. Typically, eight or more SLICs can be found on a single line card. However, each SLIC is susceptible to catastrophic damage due to the environment of the associated subscriber line, such as lightning strikes, power surges, etc. A failure of one SLIC circuit necessitates the replacement of the line card. It is advantageous therefore to be able to replace only those circuits of the line card that are damaged by the aforementioned environmental factors and not the entire line card.
Further, since the LVSLIC acts primarily as a local controller and signal detector between the central controller of the digital switching system and the HVSLIC and COMBO, a certain amount of economy in circuit components can be realized by removing the LVSLIC from the above mentioned combination. By placing the LVSLIC in a more central location the LVSLIC can provide control and detection functions to two or more HVSLIC and COMBO circuits.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and more effective SLIC architecture that can effectively and efficiently interface the digital switching network of a central office exchange to an analog subscriber line.

Enhanced subscriber line interface circuit


An embodiment of the invention describes a wireless device comprising a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) further comprising a memory for storing program code for performing a plurality of operations, and a processor for processing the program code to execute the plurality of operations, the operations including receiving over-the-air instructions via a wireless network from a control center to create a rules set in the SIM, wherein the rules set defines an acceptable behavior of the wireless device, monitoring requests from a wireless modem of the wireless device for access files stored in the SIM, detecting an aggressive behavior of the wireless device based on the rules set, and blocking the wireless modem from generating traffic in the wireless network.

The deployment of wireless networks is a very expensive proposition. There is a direct correlation between economics and network planning. One cannot have wireless networks of infinite capacity and bandwidth. Wireless networks are designed for the pre-determined capacity and performance depending upon many factors such as geography, economics, demography, etc. All wireless networks have planned redundant or idle capacity in advance to counter any bursts or unprecedented traffic. This planning allows the operator to meet sudden demand without impacting the user experience. Alongside, many network nodes can be running licensed software which is directly proportional to planned network capacity and performance. In a nutshell, wireless network resources are planned based upon expected device behavior patterns.
If a wireless network observes step changes in utilization of network nodes by a handful of rogue or aggressive devices, negative network performance may manifest itself in various forms, such as service degradation, performance impact, network nodes running over planned capacity, service outage, etc. An example of such a rogue device is an aggressive mobile device. A mobile device shows aggressive behaviors when it is constantly trying to connect to a wireless network even though its service requests are repeatedly denied by the wireless network. A wireless network can deny or may be unable to cater to the service requests due to any number of valid or invalid reasons. For example, the wireless network may be under maintenance, the user of the mobile device has not paid the bill, certain network nodes in the wireless network are overwhelmed with service requests, the user has not subscribed for a particular service that he is trying to access, etc.
Instead of looking into the reasons for service denial, an aggressive mobile device may act unintelligently by perpetually retrying to connect. Such device behavior consumes excessive power in the mobile device, can cause an excessive signaling load on the wireless network, degrade the capacity and performance of the wireless network, and cause service outages. Aggressive behaviors can trigger a chain reaction among the network nodes in wireless networks. As a result, certain network services may be degraded or even fail. Restoring the network services is a challenging and daunting task.
Aggressive behavior may be caused by any mobile device (e.g., smartphone, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device, etc.), including any hardware/software/firmware modules in the mobile device; e.g., a wireless modem, application and modem/modules driver script. For example, an M2M device may generally be considered a black box, which may be programmed once to run forever and does not require user intervention for its operation. It has been observed that a certain portion of M2M devices are implemented with a very aggressive service acquisition retry mechanism, which may result in network abusive behavior. With continuous, repetitive attempts to acquire specific service, these devices are occupying and wasting a large portion of network resources of the serving networks and the backend infrastructure.

System and method for responding to aggressive behavior associated with wireless devices


A thermoplastic filament comprising multiple polymers of differing flow temperatures in a geometric arrangement and an interior channel containing a structural or functional thread therein is described. A method for producing such a filament is also described. Because of the difference in flow temperatures, there exists a temperature range at which one polymer is mechanically stable while the other is flowable. This property is extremely useful for creating thermoplastic monofilament feedstock for three-dimensionally printed parts, wherein the mechanically stable polymer enables geometric stability while the flowable polymer can fill gaps and provide strong bonding and homogenization between deposited material lines and layers. These multimaterial filaments can be produced via thermal drawing from a thermoplastic preform, which itself can be three-dimensionally printed. Furthermore, the preform can be printed with precisely controlled and complex geometries, enabling the creation of a filament or fiber with an interior thread contained within the outer, printed filament or fiber. This thread adds structural reinforcement or functional properties, such as electrical conductivity or optical waveguiding, to the filament.

Three-dimensional printing technology, also referred to as additive manufacturing technology, creates physical models from computational models, usually layer upon layer, unlike traditional subtractive manufacturing technologies. Additive manufacturing processes that create physical models by melt-depositing thermoplastic filaments can be referred to as fused filament fabrication (FFF), although other terms such as fused deposition modeling and plastic jet printing are also used. Additive manufacturing processes are known in the art, for example as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,329.
It is desirable for FFF parts to accurately reproduce the precise geometry of the source computational model, while providing high strength and stiffness and, in some cases, other functionalities such as electrical conductivity or optical clarity. Thermoplastics exhibit viscoelastic thermal softening, in which elastic stiffness and viscosity reduce gradually as temperature is increased. It is desirable to execute FFF at lower temperatures, in which the thermoplastic is less flowable and more mechanically stable, in order to accurately create geometries while minimizing errors due to part sag, shrinkage, or warpage. However, it is also desirable to execute FFF at higher temperature, in which the thermoplastic has high flow and forms strong thermoplastic welds between print lines and layers, to increase the mechanical stiffness and strength of the part while reducing porosity and surface roughness. Since both high flow and high mechanical stability conditions cannot be met simultaneously with a single polymer, FFF is typically executed at a compromised temperature at which weldlines partially fuse, providing a moderate level of mechanical robustness, and at which there is a moderate but acceptable level of geometric sag, shrinkage, and/or warpage.
Some attempts have been made to create FFF feedstock by blending two thermoplastics with different melt temperatures, such as by feeding both polymers into an extruder. The resulting thermoplastic monofilament contains two polymers of differing flow temperatures, but the polymers are mixed randomly into a non-regular cross-sectional arrangement. This blended material typically exhibits flow and sag characteristics equivalent to an average of the properties of the individual polymer phases, and does not provide any distinct advantages over conventional FFF monofilament feedstock. For blended filaments with a majority of low flow-temperature polymer, heating the filament leads to bulk softening of the filament, since the random and likely disconnected arrangement of the higher flow-temperature polymer does not provide a means of efficiently supporting mechanical load. Similarly, blended filaments with a majority of high flow-temperature polymer are unlikely to exhibit good flow and bonding at lower temperatures, as much of the low flow-temperature polymer is likely to be trapped within the higher flow-temperature polymer.
In addition to compromises in mechanical and geometric characteristics, insufficient weldline fusing also compromises functional properties of conventional FFF parts. For example, FFF from optically clear feedstock leads to white or translucent parts due to scattering from trapped air-filled voids. Heating the part can be used to flow the polymer, eliminating the voids and creating a transparent part, but geometric accuracy will be lost. Similarly, electrically conductive thermoplastic feedstock is available that is composed of conductive filler, such as carbon black or metal filings, dispersed in a conventional thermoplastic. As-printed weldlines are unlikely to have electrical conductivity as high as the original feedstock, because the conductive filler cannot fully disperse and make contact across the weld line. Heating the part can reduce or eliminate the weldlines, potentially increasing filler-to-filler contact and therefore electrical conductivity, but geometric accuracy will be lost.
As such, a new approach is needed to enable the fabrication of FFF parts with high functional properties and high geometric stability, including approaches in which post-anneals (subjecting the part to temperatures greater than room temperature for a finite period of time) may be used to increase functional properties without compromising geometric accuracy.
Additionally, there is a need to create monofilaments and fibers with complex and tailorable cross-sectional arrangements. For example, optically waveguiding or diffracting fibers can be created with precise arrangements of materials with varying indices of refraction, and materials with scattering, reflective, or absorbing properties. Microfluidic fibers, such as would be used for example in vascularly accessed medical procedures, are needed in which multiple flow cavities are contained within a single fiber. Creating fibers with images, text, symbols, logos, or a barcode microscopically incorporated into the fiber cross-section could be useful for anti-counterfeiting, tagging, identification, tracking, or beautification of specialized goods and materials.
Many of these complex cross-section fibers could conceivably be fabricated by forcing molten polymer through a complex metal die via a conventional extrusion process. However, such extrusion dies are complex and expensive to design and fabricate, and require long lead times and specialized skill to create and implement. Combining multiple materials, in particular, via co-extrusion requires multiple extruders and very complex die arrangements that can dramatically increase manufacturing costs. An example of a complex die for extruding bicomponent fibers illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,616. It is rarely economical to co-extrude more than three different polymers, placing a further limitation on this approach. An approach that would allow fabrication of complex cross-section, multi-material fibers in a matter of hours, with relatively modest skills and facilities, and a very diverse range of highly tailorable geometry and material combinations, would be of great industrial and technological importance.
As such, there is a need for new materials suitable for use in additive manufacturing processes that allow for improved weldline performance and reduction in the need for post-manufacturing processes thereby improving geometric accuracy, as well as providing complex, cross section fibers that are capable of maintaining geometrical arrangements.

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


A method of heating a chemical solution used in a well bore having a tubing string is disclosed. The well bore will intersect a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method will comprise providing a diesel engine that produces heat as a result of its operation. The engine will in turn produce a gas exhaust, a water exhaust, and a hydraulic oil exhaust. The method would further include channeling the exhaust to a series of heat exchangers. The method may further include flowing a treating compound into the heat exchangers and heating the treating compound in the series of heat exchangers by heat transfer from the exhaust to the treating compound. The operator may then inject the treating compound into the well bore for treatment in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. One such method would be to inject utilizing a coiled tubing unit. The novel thermal fluid heating system is also disclosed.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for treating a well bore. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for heating a treating compound, and thereafter, placing the treating compound within a well bore.
In the exploration and development of hydrocarbon reservoirs, a well is drilled to a subterranean reservoir, and thereafter, a tubing string is placed within said well for the production of hydrocarbon fluids and gas, as is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As the search for additional reserves continues, offshore and remote areas are being explored, drilled and produced with increased frequency. During the production phase, the production tubing may have deposited within the internal diameter such compounds as paraffin, asphaltines, and general scale which are precipitated from the formation fluids and gas during the temperature and pressure drops associated with production.
Further, the subterranean reservoir may become plugged and/or damaged by drilling fluids, migrating clay particles, etc. Once the reservoir becomes damaged, the operator will find it necessary to stimulate the reservoir. One popular method of treatment is to acidize the reservoir.
Both the treatment of tubing string and the reservoir may be accomplished by the injection of specific compounds. The effect of the treating compounds will many times be enhanced by heating the treating compound. Thus, for the treatment of paraffin and asphaltines, the heating of a specific treating compound (e.g. diesel) enhances the removal. Also, in the acidizing of a reservoir, the heating of a specific treating compound (e.g.hydrochloric acid) enhances the treatment efficency.
In order to heat these types of compounds, operators utilize an open or enclosed flame. However, government regulations have either banned or limited the use of open or enclosed flames on offshore locations and some land locations. Thus, there is a need for a thermal fluid unit that will heat a chemical compound without the need for having an open flame. There is also a need for a method of treating well bores with a heated treating compound.

Use of engine heat in treating a well bore


A position measurement portion manages a measurement target area by dividing the area into a plurality of section areas, and also manages, or keeps track of, an intra-area interfering object number which is the number of interfering objects in a given section area, independently for each of the plurality of the section areas. The travel controller determines, independently for each of the plurality of section areas, if the section area is in a congested state in which the intra-area interfering object number is greater than a set upper limit number, and selects a congested area travel mode as the travel mode when the travel controller is about to cause the vehicle to travel in a section area that is determined to be in the congested state.

An example of a vehicle control system is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP Publication of Application No. 2005-067870). In the vehicle control system of Patent Document 1, the position of the vehicle which can travel within a measurement target area and the position of an interfering object which can move within the measurement target area are detected by a position measurement portion. And travel of the vehicle is controlled based on the detected information from the position measurement portion to avoid interference with the interfering object.
More specifically, the vehicle control system of Patent Document 1 includes, as the position measurement portion, a laser range finder provided to the vehicle, and a plurality of reflecting plates provided at designated positions in the measurement target area, and calculates the position of the vehicle in the measurement target area based on the distance from each of the plurality of reflecting plates measured with the laser range finder. The vehicle control system of Patent Document 1 also includes, as the position measurement portion, an interfering object sensor provided to the front face of the vehicle to detect any interfering object that is approaching the vehicle, and performs a control in which, for example, the travel upper limit speed of the vehicle is set to a lower speed if and when the distance between the vehicle and the interfering object becomes less than or equal to a predetermined distance.
Another example of the position measurement portion is a system which includes a camera for capturing an image of the measurement target area, and which measures the position of each of the vehicle and a plurality of interfering objects from the captured image from the camera, as well as a system in which a wireless tag is provided to each of the vehicle and a plurality of interfering objects in the measurement target area, and in which the positions of the wireless tags are measured with a wireless position measurement portion.

Vehicle control system and vehicle control method


Methods and systems for locking a cache line of a cache. A cache line is locked based on a count of a plurality of threads that access the cache line and maintained in the cache until all of the plurality of threads have loaded the cache line.

The present invention relates to the electrical, electronic and computer arts, and more specifically, to a mechanism for incorporating cache management into a thread.
Caches utilize hardware, firmware, and/or software components to store information such that the data may be accessed faster by a processor. In some instances, a multi-level configuration of caches is utilized, where each level has a cache(s) characterized by a particular access speed. The data in the cache is typically obtained from the processor, memory, or other storage resources and temporarily stored in the cache during periods where there is frequent access to the data. Typically, an attempt is first made to access data from the cache instead of the other storage resources due to the improved speed offered by the cache. If the data is not found in the cache (a cache miss), the data is obtained by the processor from the other storage resources. If the data is found in the cache (a cache hit), the data is retrieved from or written to the cache resulting in a quicker transaction and an overall improvement to system performance. It is often the case that multiple threads work on a same set of data in a cache. In particular, multiple threads often load from the same cache line into the registers of a thread. Management of the cache in such an environment can improve the overall performance gains provided by the cache.

International Business Machines Corporation


A dental bracket having a non-adhering, moldable base, wherein the moldable base is conformed to the surface of the tooth to which it is to be adhered. A very thin layer of dental adhesive interposed between the moldable base and the tooth (by coating of any or both of the tooth and moldable base--preferably the tooth) effects full adherence of the bracket to the tooth. The base material is fully cured by normal curing methods such as by UV or other wavelength light activation. Use of a non-tacky, bondable plastic membrane (or coating or use of a thin inert interposition material which is non-tacky and bondable) bonded to the base material (and which is conformed with the molding of the base material), facilitates application of a bracket with an applicator. A bracket applicator and package suitable for use with the dental bracket of the present invention is also described.

Orthodontic correction of teeth for proper orientation generally requires the utilization of orthodontic braces which are designed to gradually force the teeth into a pre-determined corrected configuration. These braces are usually configured as tightly drawn wires attached to the teeth either peripherally on the external or visible side of the teeth or, for cosmetic reasons, against the internal surface of the teeth.
In order to keep the braces or wires in position, it is necessary to anchor the wires to a fixed position on the teeth and this is effected by means of dental bracket, i.e., wire holding brackets which are firmly attached to the surface of the teeth. In order to ensure that the brackets remain in position on the teeth, particularly with the constant stress placed on them, it is the practice to provide the bracket with a planar (i.e. loosely reflecting the shape of an average tooth surface) extension portion, or bottom, having a mesh brazed thereon and to which a tooth-conforming base material is attached. The base is closely conformed to a pre-selected portion of the tooth surface, which is rarely planar but is usually irregularly curved, and then the base, and the bracket, are adhered to the tooth. The conformed base assumes a full length area of attachment which the planar bracket itself cannot.
A common method for ensuring a proper attachment initially entails preparing a plaster of paris casting of the teeth. A hardened, molded base for fixing the dental bracket in place is then formed from the casting to serve as the base of the bracket, when it is applied to the tooth. The base is adhered to the bracket itself or to an extension of the bracket which is in the form of a mesh for enhanced bonding therebetween. The bracket and base are then adhered to the individual teeth.
The base, with attached bracket, is adhered to a tooth by a thin coating of a liquid dental adhesive which is brushed on one or both of the tooth surface and the engaging surface of the base, prior to actual use. The adhesive is a standard adhesive which, because of the preformed nature of the base, may be immediately adherent. While this method provides a well seated bracket, it requires additional steps and procedures in separately casting a mold prior to actual placement of the bracket on the tooth.
With a different and increasingly popular type of one step dental bracket, a dental bracket is provided, by welding thereto of a relatively rigid, generally tooth-conforming metal strip having a mesh thereon and onto which a relatively thick layer of a moldable, paste adhesive (as characterized by the manufacturer and which requires separate activation to permit for molding conformation prior to adhesion) has been loaded by the manufacturer. In use, the dental bracket is removed from its packaging, a release paper or plastic film is peeled off the manufacturer-applied adhesive surface, and the bracket base is pressed against the surface of the teeth to which it is to be adhered. The pre-loaded adhesive is relatively thick and moldable whereby compressive placement on the teeth causes the adhesive to conform to the normally irregular teeth surfaces and to fill in any gaps between the rigid base member and the teeth surfaces. Once the adhesive is properly conformed to a tooth, it is activated for adhesion (and hardened in place) by, for example, application of UV light irradiation to complete the adhesive placement of the bracket.
While such adhesive pre-loaded dental brackets are popular because of their convenience and simple application (even with use of a complementary adhesive which is often used on the teeth prior to the molded placement of the paste adhesive base), the use thereof requires the application of a relatively thick layer of paste adhesive, for molding conformity. This excessive thickness of adhesive layer however entails several drawbacks. As with adhesive application in any field, e.g., wood joints in carpentry, the weakest part of an adhesion bond between adhered rigid members, is the adhesive itself and accordingly thickness of the adhesive layer is usually minimized, where possible, for best and strongest adhesion properties. However, when the adhesive is thickened for a specific purpose, e.g., for gap filling, the integrity of the adhesive bond may be lessened. Thus, with the common adhesive pre-loaded dental brackets, the gap filling thickness of the adhesive (thicker than needed for adhesion), affords considerable stress points in the adhesive, at which the adhesive itself may split, with possible dislodgement of the bracket. If the base material has a greater shear strength than that of the adhesive, then use of a thickened adhesive layer works to reduce the overall integrity of the bond.
In addition and possibly of greater moment, is the fact that while application time may be initially lessened, this is more than offset by the additional labor and time required for the complete removal of the thick adhesive layer (at the time when the bracket is no longer needed, i.e., when the orthodontia is to be removed).

Orthodontic bracket with non-adhesive moldable base and method


A testing assembly measures the friction of a coating of a test piece having a defined length. The testing assembly comprises a base and a tower fixedly secured to the base. A receiving channel extends through the tower. The receiving channel has a predetermined diameter for receiving the test piece therein. The testing assembly also includes a port extending along a portion of the receiving channel. The port provides access to the test piece at various points along its defined length such that temperature readings of the test piece can be taken as torque and tension are measured.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a testing assembly for measuring frictional properties of a coating. More particularly, the invention relates to a testing assembly and a clamping fixture that can be used to accurately measure frictional properties of a coating at elevated temperatures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many components that are manufactured require coatings to be applied to them after they have been manufactured. The primary purpose of a coating is to protect the manufactured piece from corrosion. Corrosion is the deterioration of a surface of an element over time. Corrosion occurs when the element interacts with environmental conditions. Such conditions may include oxidation, exposure to humidity and salt water. Corrosion may also occur when the thermal energy in the area surrounding the element is increased. And finally, mechanical damage to an element may cause the surface of that element to corrode.
Therefore, there is a need for a process for coating elements and components of manufacture such that their ability to interact with environmental conditions to further corrode the components is inhibited. Such coating may include paints, varnishes and other sealants. One problem that exists when coating a component is that the frictional properties of that component change. These properties are important to understand, especially if the component is going to be used in a hostile environment. This is typically the case when the component is designed to be incorporated into the manufacture of an automobile or aircraft. Components that are inside the engine compartment of a vehicle will experience severe changes in temperature. It would be detrimental to have a coating that would have a reduced coefficient of friction at elevated temperatures because components would become loose with ongoing operations of the vehicle.
Testing assemblies have been designed and manufactured to measure torque and tension, two measurements required to calculate the coefficient of friction. The torque measuring systems accurately determine the amount of torque required to loosen a nut from a bolt that are treated with a coating. These systems have limited usefulness when measuring components that are elevated in temperature. Should the components be heated, an accurate determination of the temperature cannot be made once the components are inserted into the torque testing systems. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a torque testing assembly that can more accurately test coatings for frictional properties through a myriad of temperatures.

Testing assembly and clamping fixture for measuring friction and loosening torque at different temperatures