An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an electric sorting function, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus which has a function of detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations after a sample set is output during a time of reproducing multiple print sets.
This invention also relates to a method of performing the above-mentioned function.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, there have been great advances for an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine to become a multifunction product aiming to improve ease of use, productivity, and so forth. As an example of this trend, many such image forming apparatuses include a utility apparatus, such as, an automatic document feeding apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an ADF), an automatic sorting apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a sorter), and so forth.
In an ADF-installed image forming apparatus, for example, an improvement has been made in such a way that an original document which includes a number of sheets placed on a document bed of the ADF is automatically transferred to a reading position on a contact glass sheet by sheet. Subsequent operations, such as, a reading operation, an ejection operation in which the read sheet of the original document is ejected to a predetermined eject tray, and so forth, are also executed in a continuously automated manner. Thus, a user is freed from the repetitive actions of placing and removing a sheet of the original document onto the image forming apparatus over and over again.
A sorter is another utility apparatus which provides an image forming apparatus with a feature for reducing an operation time during a multiple copying operation of an original document including multiple sheets. One exemplary use of such a sorter is disclosed in the official gazette of the Japanese Laid Open Patent Application TOKUKAI HEI 1-236169. In this exemplary use of a sorter in combination with a copying machine or the like, any copied sheet corresponding to a sheet after a first sheet of the original document is automatically sorted on the basis of a required number of a multiple copy stored in a memory.
Further, a copying machine disclosed in the official gazette of the Japanese Laid Open Patent Application TOKUKAI HEI 1-316066 teaches an effective way of using a memory for storing images of an original document including multiple sheets so as to be able to electrically sort the images while these images are held in the memory and before starting an image forming operation on a photoconductive drum or the like. As a result, this function for electrically sorting images can eliminate multiple eject trays for selectively receiving multiple copy sheets and consequently the copying machine can be made relatively smaller.
Further, an image forming apparatus which includes a sorter disclosed in the official gazette of the Japanese Laid Open Patent Application TOKUKAI HEI 2-90183 teaches a unique method of using the sorter.
Further, in the official gazettes of the Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications TOKUKAI HEI 5-107852 and TOKUKAI HEI 6-95463, image forming apparatuses are described which are capable of providing a sample set for an operator's visual checking during a time of reproducing multiple copy sets. These inventions enable the operator to change various image forming modes so as to output remaining copy sets in a desired image mode.
However, in the above-mentioned background image forming apparatus having a copy sample serving function, there has been a problem in that, after viewing the sample, the operator is required to place the original document back into a predetermined position in order to proceed with a further operation for outputting the remaining copy sets. For example, in a case when an image forming mode is changed due to a result of the check on the copy sample, the operator is required to place the original document into the predetermined position once again in order to restart a copying operation. In addition, when such an image forming apparatus includes an ADF, the original document must be subjected to an automatic transferring operation once again in which the original document is moved by rubbing friction force by the ADF. Therefore, in this case, the original document may possibly be damaged in a relatively short time.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations


A system for providing technical support for remote automation or remote control devices, the system including: a device identifier (35), for determining components of pre-determined automation or control devices, such as for example programmable logic controllers, indicated in a device database (33), by periodically querying the devices for component hardware, software, and firmware, and for providing thereby the device database (33) with component identifications for the predetermined devices; and a device configuration manager (36), responsive to the component identifications and further responsive to available device components in a database (34) of available device components, for comparing the installed and available device components and for providing an offer to upgrade installed device components; and also typically including a system diagnostics manager (32), responsive to the component identifications, and further responsive to diagnostics information in a diagnostics database (31), for providing device status queries, and for updating the diagnostics database (31).

1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to the field of industrial control automation. More particularly, the present invention pertains to providing technical support over a network for an industrial control system.
2. Description of Related Art
Industrial control systems (ICSs) are often provided technical support by vendors of equipment used in the control systems. As new equipment becomes available, including hardware, software or firmware, it would be useful for both the control system user/owner and the vendor if the vendor were able to automatically suggest to an end user, from a remote location (the vendor's facility), specific upgrades to the existing equipment, as opposed to for example, simply providing periodically end users with a catalog of the latest available equipment. To do this for only the equipment that the vendor originally provided would require only that the vendor keep track of the latest equipment the vendor provided to the end user. But it is also desirable for a vendor to be able to suggest to an end user that equipment provided by some other vendor be replaced by the vendor's new equipment.
Today, industrial control systems can often be interrogated to determine what equipment is being used. Thus, a vendor can learn what equipment is being used in an ICS even when the equipment was provided by another vendor.
What is needed is a system for interrogating an ICS from a remote location to learn what equipment is being used, and in case of an alternative to a piece equipment being available, to suggest to the owner/operator of the ICS that the piece of equipment be replaced.

System for remote configuration monitoring of an industrial control system


Anti-rotation pad assemblies are provided for restraining rotation of a non-rotating housing in geologic drilling system. The anti-rotation pad assemblies include extensible members, which extend from an internal cavity in the anti-rotation pad assemblies and are capable of engaging a wellbore wall. The extensible members may include rollers that are biased radially outwardly to engage the wellbore wall such that the anti-rotation pad assemblies may move axially within the wellbore while restraining the non-rotating housing in a particular rotational orientation. Flow ports are defined in the anti-rotation pad assemblies to encourage mud flow through the internal cavity, and thereby discourage the accumulation and solidification of drilling fluids around the extensible members. The extensible members thus remain free to move under the bias of a biasing mechanism within the internal cavity and can thus effectively maintain the rotational orientation of the non-rotating housing in the wellbore.

The present disclosure relates generally to drilling systems that include a non-rotating housing, e.g., drilling systems employed for directionally drilling wellbores in oil and gas exploration and production. More particularly, embodiments of the disclosure relate to anti-rotation pad assemblies for restraining rotation of the non-rotation housing with respect a borehole wall during operation of the drilling system.
Directional drilling is one example of a drilling operation that may employ a non-rotating housing. Directional drilling operations involve controlling the direction of a wellbore as it is being drilled. The direction of a wellbore refers to both its inclination relative to vertical, and its azimuth or angle from true north or magnetic north. Usually the goal of directional drilling is to reach a target subterranean destination with a drill string.
Some directional drilling techniques involve rotating a drill bit with a positive displacement motor (mud motor) and a bent housing included in the bottom hole assembly (BHA). The BHA can be connected to a drill string or drill pipe extending from a surface location, and the mud motor can be powered by circulation of a drilling fluid or "mud" supplied through the drill string. The BHA can be steered by sliding, e.g., operating the mud motor to rotate the drill bit without rotating the non-rotating, bent housing in the BHA. With the bend in the bent housing oriented in a specific direction, continued drilling causes a change in the wellbore direction. Other directional drilling techniques include the use of a Rotary Steerable System (RSS) in a BHA. Generally, an RSS changes direction either by pushing against one side of a wellbore wall to thereby cause the drill bit to push on the opposite side, or by bending a main shaft running through a non-rotating housing to point the drill bit in a particular direction with respect to the rest of the tool. Thus, a non-rotating housing may be employed in directional drilling whether a mud motor or an RSS is used.
One or more anti-rotation pad assemblies may be provided around the non-rotating housing for restraining rotation of the non-rotating housing. The anti-rotation pad assemblies may include one or more extensible members, such as rollers, that are capable of protruding radially from a cavity in the anti-rotation pad assembly to engage the borehole wall to perform the restraining or anti-rotation function. Mud cake build-up, the accumulation of sediments and/or solidification of drilling fluids in the cavity may inhibit the ability of extensible members to protrude from the cavity, and thus inhibit the ability of the non-rotating housing to restrain its rotation.


A dual-handle hairbrush having first and second detachable handles provided on opposite ends of the brush in an axial manner. The second handle provides the ability to use either hand to style one's hair without flipping the brush, or it allows one to use both hands for greater control. Additionally, the two handles allow the consumer to use both hands for greater control. The hairbrush also includes a vented bristle canister to reduce drying time when used for blow-drying. The hairbrush provides removable handles which when removed, enables easy storage of the hairbrush in purses, drawers and suitcases while traveling.

Whatever one's personal hair style is, a hair brush is an important tool in keeping that style. While hair brushes do an admirable job of their task as evidenced by their long history from ancient times, they do suffer from the fact that they are designed to be held by only one hand at a time. Depending on the style of hair brush, a user must typically flip the brush back and forth depending on being held by the right hand or left hand. Others find that two hands on a brush mean greater control especially when curling or blow drying hair. This requires the user to grasp the brush end near the bristles where control is somewhat limited and the user runs the risk of burning their hands in the stream of hot air. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which hair brushes can be held and controlled by either or both hands without the disadvantages as described above.
Several attempts have been made in the past to a hairbrush with dual removable handles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,585 in the name of Mazzei, et al discloses a hairstyling device for providing a user with a selection of interchangeable heads. The hairstyling device comprises a handle member. The handle member includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the handle member includes a cavity. The handle member includes a pair of elongated slots. There is a nub that includes a top wall, a peripheral wall integrally coupled to and extending away from the top wall. A free edge of the peripheral wall is integrally coupled to the first end of the handle member. There is a plurality of heads that include a first end and a second end with a peripheral wall extending therebetween. Each of the second ends of the heads includes a bore extending therein. Each of the bores includes a base wall and an inner side wall. The inner side wall includes a pair of wells therein. Each of the bores includes a size and shape designed for removably receiving the nub. There is a coupling means for removably connecting one of the heads to the handle member. The coupling means includes a size and shape designed for removably positioning in the pair of wells of one of the heads. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a means of simultaneously attaching two separate handles to opposite ends of the brush head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,620 in the name of Busha discloses a brush assembly, such as for cleaning and sanitizing toilet bowls, having a removable and disposable applicator head. The brush assembly comprises an elongated handle with a broadening diverging end and an applicator head for removable attachment thereto. Dual locking means for the applicator head are provided, where the locking means may be manually released without having to physically handle a soiled applicator head. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not suitable for use on hair growing from a human head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,716 in the name of Minoletti discloses a hairbrush having a head that may be quickly removed from the brush handle and a hairbrush system utilizing the same. In its most basic form, the hairbrush includes a brush head having a plurality of bristles, a removable brush handle, and a quick disconnect mechanism for removably attaching the brush handle to the brush head such that the brush handle may be quickly removed from the brush head. In the preferred embodiment, the quick disconnect mechanism includes a rod extending from the brush handle with a spring loaded ball partially extending from the rod, and an opening disposed within the brush head for accepting the rod and retaining the ball. The preferred ball presses against a sleeve disposed within the opening in the brush head. In some embodiments, however, the sleeve is eliminated and the opening includes a keyway and retainer mates with the ball and holds the ball in place. The hairbrush system includes two or more cylindrical brush heads, at least one brush handle and a quick disconnect mechanism, each as described above. In the preferred system, at least two of the cylindrical brush heads are of different diameter. Unfortunately, this prior art example also does not provide a means of simultaneously attached two separate handles to opposite ends of the brush head. In addition, this prior art example does not include a vented brush head for allowing air to freely flow therethrough.
None of the prior art particularly describes a hairbrush with dual removable handles. Accordingly, there is a need for a hairbrush design, which provides a means of holding the hairbrush with either hand without the need for repeated flipping of the hairbrush. Additionally, there is a need for a hairbrush design, which allows the hairbrush to be held by both hands at once while effectively avoiding the risk of the hands being burnt during the blow-drying process. The development of the present invention fulfills these needs.

Hairbrush with dual removable handles and associated method


A wire lead guide arrangement provided on a terminal housing of a communication connector. The terminal housing includes a base wall, and two rows of terminal posts disposed at opposite sides of the base wall. The terminal posts are configured to receive outside wire leads for establishing connections between the leads and connector terminals associated with the terminal posts. A wire guide structure in the form of a wall or bar extends between the two rows of terminal posts. The guide structure is configured to separate and prevent interaction between a first set of leads terminating at one row of the terminal posts, and a second set of leads terminating at the other row of terminal posts. The arrangement avoids variations in lead placement that might tend to degrade rated connector performance, particularly with respect to near end crosstalk (NEXT).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to communication connectors for use with cables whose conductors carry multiple signal or data channels.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Typical multi-channel or network types of communication connectors (e.g., type RJ-45) have four pairs of contact wires that carry corresponding signal or data channels through the connectors. Crosstalk occurs when signals of one channel carried by a first pair of contact wires in the connector, are partly transferred by inductive or capacitive coupling into another channel carried by a second pair of contact wires in the same connector. The transferred signals produce xe2x80x9ccrosstalkxe2x80x9d in the second channel, and such crosstalk degrades existing signals routed over the second channel. Commercially available communication connectors, for example, the MGS 200 and MGS 300 series of modular connectors available from Avaya Inc., incorporate wire traces or other elements on printed wire boards within the connectors, for purposes of reducing or compensating for such crosstalk. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,896 (Jul. 20, 1999) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,964 (Sep. 12, 2000), all relevant portions of which are incorporated by reference.
Communication connectors also have a number (e.g., eight) of connector terminals to which outside wire leads, for example, leads of an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable, are electrically connected. The terminals are themselves connected to corresponding ones of the contact wires of the connector either directly, or via a printed wire board supported in the connector housing.
UTP cables typically include four twisted pairs of insulated wire leads for carrying four different signal or data channels over the length of the cable. Each pair of leads must therefore be adequately supported or dressed next to a terminal housing on the connector, prior to termination of the lead pair at a corresponding pair of connector terminals on or in the terminal housing. Problems are known to arise in that variations of such lead dress in the field have compromised connector performance, particularly with respect to a connector""s near-end crosstalk (NEXT) rating.
Communication connectors for use with UTP or other kinds of cables are now expected to support data rates up to not only 100 MHz to meet industry xe2x80x9cCategory 5xe2x80x9d performance, but to meet or exceed Category 6 ratings which call for at least 46 dB crosstalk loss between any two channels at 250 MHz. It is therefore important that any variations of lead dress near the connector terminals tending to degrade a connector""s rated crosstalk performance, be avoided.
According to the invention, a terminal housing for a communication connector includes a base wall, and first and second rows of terminal posts disposed at opposite sides of the base wall. The terminal posts are configured to receive outside leads for establishing connections between the leads and connector terminals associated with the terminal posts. A lead guide structure extends between the two rows of terminal posts, and the guide structure is dimensioned and formed to separate and prevent interaction between a first set of leads terminating at the first row of terminal posts, and a second set of leads terminating at the second row of posts.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

Wire lead guide for communication connectors


A power supply mounting apparatus includes a case (20), and a mounting bracket (30). The case includes a rear panel (210) and a side panel (220), respectively forming many of supporting plates (215, 222) to support a power supply (10) thereon. The mounting bracket includes a first plate (310) and a second plate (320). The rear panel defines a slot (217) and the side panel defines a pair of locking apertures (224) therein. The first plates forms a hook (312) for rotatably receiving in the slot of the case. The second plates forms a pair of resilient catches (328) engaging in the locking apertures of the case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting apparatuses for power supplies, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for readily and securely attaching a power supply to a computer case.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, a power supply is necessarily to be assembled in a computer enclosure. The power supply is often directly attached to a rear panel of the computer enclosure by a plurality of screws. However, this requires extra tools such as screwdrivers in assembly or disassembly and is unduly laborious and time-consuming. Additionally, the assembly process requires a long assembly line, which lowers assembly efficiency. Furthermore, an unworkable work site will lead to paralysis of the whole assembly line.
Another conventional mounting way is to assemble a power supply to a bracket, and then attach the bracket together with the power supply to the computer enclosure. By this way, the power supply is assembled in another assembly line, thereby avoiding the paralysis of the whole assembly line when an unworkable work site occurs. Examples are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 88219428. However, screws are still needed to fix the bracket to the computer enclosure. When maintaining or repairing the power supply, screwdrivers are still needed to unscrew the screws to take the power supply off.
Thus, a mounting apparatus for a power supply which solves the above-mentioned problems is strongly desired.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


An induction coil for inductively heating electrically conductive materials includes a plurality of individual coil turns, each turn lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the coil and comprising an electrical conductor formed into an annulus. The conductor has first and second terminals for connecting the turn to an electrical circuit. The first and second terminals are adjacent each other at a preselected circumferential position on the annulus and are physically and electrically isolated from each other. The first terminal of one turn is located adjacent and electrically connected to the second terminal of an adjacent turn. The first terminal of a selected one of the plurality of turns forms a first coil terminal and the second terminal of a different selected one of the plurality of turns forms a second coil terminal.

Induction heating apparatus such as induction furnaces or ladles for heating or melting metals operate on the principle of inducing eddy currents in an object (sometimes referred to as the load) to be heated. The eddy currents cause the load to act as its own heat source. Power is generated in the load by resistive heating caused by the eddy currents, according to the well-known P=I.sup.2 R heating principle. As used herein, "heating" is used broadly to encompass not only raising the temperature of a material without causing the material to change state, but also melting, wherein the temperature of a material is raised sufficiently to cause it to change state.
In a typical induction furnace, metal to be heated is contained in a crucible, and a generally helical induction coil surrounds the crucible. The induction coil is water cooled. The crucible is usually made of a ceramic refractory material. The eddy currents are induced in the load by passing a high-frequency alternating current through the induction coil to generate a time-varying magnetic field, or induction field. Depending upon the magnitude and frequency of the alternating current in the induction coil, and on other design considerations, the induction field can be used for melting, heating, and/or stirring a quantity of molten metal in the crucible. The induction field can also be used for heat treating workpieces, and for other procedures.
In virtually all coreless induction furnaces, the induction coil is constructed of several turns of heavy wall copper tubing shaped into the form of a helix. Alternating electrical current is conducted through the coil via termination tubes connected to the top and bottom turns of the coil. Heat generated in the coil turns is removed by water pumped through the copper tubing. Often, the same termination tubes are used to connect the coil to both a cooling water supply and a source of electrical current. As a practical matter, the termination tubes usually are located near each other at one end of the coil.
The coil is preferably made from one continuous length of copper tubing, or sections of tubing welded or brazed into one continuous length. One drawback of this method of construction is that is does not have great hoop strength. Another is that it is necessary to maintain large inventories of copper tubing for making coils, and to have machinery for winding the copper tubing (which is often of large diameter) into a helical shape. Welding or brazing lengths of copper tubing together to make a large enough coil present readily apparent disadvantages of their own.
The pitch of the helical winding, especially when large diameter tubing is used in high power furnaces, causes complications in mounting the coil in the furnace, which has flat top and bottom surfaces.
In conventional helically wound induction coils, current flows from the bottom turn to the top turn (or vice versa) and the returns vertically down (or up) via the termination tube to the bottom (or top) turn. While the magnetic field H.sub.c of the coil windings is concentrated inside the furnace in the direction of the axis of the coil, the magnetic field H.sub.t of the current in the termination tube is spread in the area around the tube in the plane of the coil turns. This stray magnetic field induces eddy currents in surrounding metal objects, causing them to become heated.

Induction coil and coreless induction furnace employing same


A jig for use in attaching a first part of a fastener assembly to a structural frame member having a fastener opening and at least one connector hole adjacent the fastener opening. The fastener assembly is of the type used for removably connecting a panel to the structural member. The first fastener part comprises a holder and a threaded stud retained in the holder. The holder has a flange having at least one opening formed therein and is adapted for permanent attachment to the structural member by a connector extending through the connector hole of the structural member and the opening in the holder. The jig comprises a body having a rotatable member with a head rotatably mounted in the body and a shank. The shank has threads matingly engageable with the threads on the stud of the first fastener part. The body is adapted to be positioned with the shank of the rotatable member extending through the fastener opening in the structural member for threaded engagement with the threaded stud of the first fastener part whereby rotation of the rotatable member pulls the holder into tight engagement with the structural member to hold the first fastener part in a position wherein the opening in the flange of the holder is aligned with the connector hole in the structural member for insertion of the connector through the aligned openings to attach the first fastener part to the structural member.

Structural panels for use on aircraft, missiles and other structural bodies exposed to high loads are secured in place by fasteners capable of effectively transferring shear loads. The panels are typically removable to provide access to electronic, hydraulic or other components located within a compartment under the panel. Since a large number of fasteners are used to securely connect each panel to the structure, the fasteners must be quick-operating to allow for fast removal and replacement of the panel. The fasteners must also be able to withstand high vibration and stress. Thus, the fasteners must be securely attached to the structure to prevent loosening of the fasteners or possible failure of the fasteners.
Fasteners of this type are generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,324,517 and 5,399,053, which are incorporated herein by reference. A typical fastener comprises a holder which is permanently attached to an inner surface of the structure and a threaded stud retained in the holder. The fastener also includes a second part attached to the panel and cooperable with the threaded stud to pull the panel toward the mating structure and securely hold the panel in place. A shim is often placed at the location of the fastener, between an outer surface of the structure and an inner surface of the panel to account for any structural variations between the mating structure and panel. Two rivets are typically used to attach the holder and shim to the structure. To install a rivet, the shim and holder are generally held in place by a removable clamping device inserted into a first set of aligned openings in the holder, shim and structure. The rivet is then inserted into a second set of aligned openings and crimped by a rivet crimping tool. Since the clamping device holds the shim and holder at only one location, the shim and holder are prone to moving, which may result in the formation of a gap between the structure and the shim or the structure and the holder. Any such gap may prevent the rivet from being properly installed, thus increasing the chances of the fastener failing under high loads, and increasing fastener installation time due to rework of misinstalled fasteners.
Moreover, it is difficult to align a die of the rivet crimping tool properly over the rivet since there is no surrounding structure to align the die with the rivet. This makes installation of the rivets difficult and increases the time required to attach the fastener to the structure. Furthermore, if the die is not properly positioned over the rivet, the holder and shim may not be adequately attached to the structure, thus reducing the strength of the fastener.
Accordingly, there is presently a need for a device which is capable of holding the holder and shim securely in place against the structure while the rivets are installed to attach the holder and shim to the structure, and which provides a guide for positioning the rivet crimping tool over the rivets.


A low profile, high efficiency, fireplace boiler wherein a burner tray supports a number of gas fired burners and artificial logs within a hearth area of the firebox and about which logs the gas and flames are distributed. Combustion air is drawn from a conduit that surrounds an exhaust conduit at a chimney and circulated via a distributing manifold to the space beneath the burner tray, where it mixes with the fuel. Additional secondary air is directed from ports at intersecting levels of the tray to create flickering. Heated exhaust gasses are directed by a baffle to contact exposed walls of a liquid filled heat exchanger formed into the top and rear walls of the firebox and to pass through the bottoms of a number of vertical plenums mounted within the heat exchanger behind the baffle. A spring biased explosion door is provided beneath the burner tray. Liquid is circulated through the heat exchanger to distribution conduits arrayed about the premises.

The present invention relates to fireplaces and, in particular, to gas fired fireplaces, whether free standing or constructed as an insert, and a fireplace boiler.
A variety of primary and supplemental boiler heat sources have been developed over the years to accommodate a variety of fuel types. Most boiler systems are relegated to utility rooms, where they remain unseen. Some outdoor, wood fueled boilers, such as manufactured by applicant, are camouflaged in housings having the appearance of small utility sheds.
A variety of fireplace boilers and retrofit assemblies, which accommodate conventional brick fireplace constructions, have also been developed. A fireplace boiler provides the aesthetic benefits of an open fire combined with the practical ability to transfer heat energy to a larger area by circulating a liquid media through a conduit system.
Most fireplace boilers are constructed to accommodate wood and coal fuels. A variety of retrofit grate assemblies, which include conduits that support a boiler liquid, are particularly known. The grates support the wood and coal fuels. The generated heat is conducted through the walls of the heat exchanger to a contained liquid that, in turn, is conducted through conduits routed about the premises. Some exemplary grate assemblies can be found at U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,046,320; 4,131,231; 4,159,801; 4,159,802; 4,180,053; 4,159,802; 4,335,703; 4,355,625; and 4,473,061.
Some fireplace assemblies conduct heated gases within the hearth area to contact a remotely mounted heat exchanger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,532 discloses one such assembly. A transparent door screen assembly of the latter type is also shown at U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,896.
Other fireplace assemblies are known which include liquid conduits in the walls of the firebox. Two of such assemblies, which are intended for use with wood and coal, are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,271,816 and 4,584,987.
A variety of gas fired fireplaces are also known which distribute a decorative gas fired flame around artificial logs supported to an included grate. These fireplaces tend to be designed principally for aesthetics and not as an efficient heat source. They also frequently induce uncomfortable drafts. Some of these assemblies are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,584,680; 5,429,495; 5,392,763; 5,320,086; 5,114,336; 5,052,370; 5,081,981; 5,016,613; and 4,976,253.
The present invention was developed to provide a high efficiency gas fired fireplace. The fireplace is constructed to provide a contemporary external appearance and a glass front which optimally exposes the flame, without creating uncomfortable drafts. Heated combustion gasses are directed through a convoluted flow path which starts at a fresh air supply conduit at the chimney and terminates at an exhaust conduit at the chimney. Heat within the gasses is collected at a liquid heat exchanger and distributed through liquid conduits routed about the premises.


An ultrafine titanium dioxide powder is disclosed that can be produced by hydrothermal treating an amino titanium oxalate composition. Ultrafine titanium dioxide powders are useful in cosmetic and other applications for controlling exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,318 describes a titanium dioxide catalyst carrier formed by a hydrothermal process from a mixture of meta- and ortho-titanic acid with additives of rare earths, not including cerium, and one or more of the following: phosphate, sulfate and borate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,476 describes a method to prepare a catalyst containing titanium dioxide as a primary ingredient in a hydrothermal process with meta- or ortho-titanic acid as starting material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,439 describes a method to prepare particulate anatase titanium dioxide by reacting titanium tetrahalide with sulfuiric acid at 65-100 degrees C. to first form titanyl sulfate which is subsequently crystallized then redissolved in water and hydrolyzed at 85-100 degrees C. to form TiO.sub.2.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,557 describes a process to prepare pigmentary titanium dioxide by hydrothermal precipitation during which the reaction mixture is subjected to ultrasonic vibrations.
European Patent No. 0 444 798 describes a process to prepare microcrystalline particles of titanium dioxide with crystallite size <100 nm that involves (1) treating solid TiO.sub.2, preferably a washed TiO.sub.2 hydrate precipitate obtained from a sulfate process, with a base, preferably NaOH; (2) treating the precipitate from (1) with hydrochloric acid and (3) neutralizing the composition from (2) with NaOH or Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 and (4) after filtration and washing, optionally further treatment may be performed.
British Patent No. 2,221,901 describes a titanium dioxide pigment and a process for preparing the pigment by precipitation from titanium tetrachloride or titanium hydroxide mass from the conventional sulfate process in an aqueous medium with ammonia (as NH.sub.4 OH), sodium acetate, sodium oxalate or by diluting with water.
Japanese Unexamined (Kokai) Patent Application Publication No. 62-207718 describes a crystalline anatase titanium dioxide sol and a method for the manufacture of such sol. The process to prepare the anatase sol involves reacting a water soluble titanium compound (such as titanium tetrachloride, titanium sulfate) with an ammonium compound (such as aqueous ammonia, ammonium carbonate) to produce at gel and subsequent hydrothermal treatment of the gel.
Japanese Unexamined (Kokai) Patent Application Publication No. 4-166235 describes a lamelliform catalyst for removal of nitrogen oxides and the process to prepare such catalyst. The catalyst is typically tungsten supported on a calcium containing inorganic fiber fabric or mesh. The mesh is coated with a slurry containing a tungsten compound, fine particulate titanium oxide and/or oxides of zirconium or cordierite and at least one organic binder such as polyvinyl alcohol. Ammonium titanyl oxalate can be used as a reagent in the slurry to improve adhesion of the fine particulate TiO.sub.2 to the mesh surface.
The disclosure of the aforementioned references is hereby incorporated by reference.

Hydrothermal process for making ultrafine metal oxide powders


A sensor can comprise a sensor die with a first sensor surface and a second sensor surface opposite to the first sensor surface. The sensor can further comprise a die pad component with a first pad surface and a second pad surface opposite to the first pad surface, wherein the sensor die is vertically stacked with the die pad component, with the second sensor surface oriented toward the first pad surface. The sensor can further comprise a lead frame component with a first frame surface and a second frame surface opposite to the first frame surface, the die pad component is vertically stacked with the lead frame component, wherein the second pad surface is oriented toward the first frame surface, the second pad surface is isolated from the second frame surface, and the lead frame component is electrically connected to the sensor die.

Packaging integrated circuit (IC) components can facilitate use of the integrated circuit component, e.g., by providing a container for components of the integrated circuit. In some implementations, this use can be facilitated by the packaging providing an integrated arrangement of inputs and outputs, as well as different ways to keep packaged components together and functioning, e.g., IC packages can have structural elements that maintain the arrangement of packaged components, and facilitate the dissipation of heat generated by the components.
Problems can occur however, when the requirements of modern IC components are not provided by IC packaging, e.g., in some implementations, micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) can operate best under conditions different from traditional IC components. In some circumstances these problems can result in degradation or failure of the IC component package. Consequently, conventional approaches to packaging IC components can have some drawbacks, some of which may be noted with reference to the various embodiments described herein.


Suspension arms comprise five arms of a trailing arm, a leading arm, an upper arm, a lower arm, and a control arm. A lower-arm connection portion of a knuckle to the lower arm is positioned in front of a trailing-arm connection portion of the knuckle to the trailing arm as well as a wheel axis. Accordingly, the anti-swing rigidity of a wheel can be increased sufficiently.

The present invention relates to a suspension device of a vehicle.
A suspension device of a vehicle, particularly a suspension device for a rear wheel, is comprised of a so-called multi-link type of suspension which supports a knuckle at a vehicle body via five arms (links) so that the knuckle can swing vertically, for example. Specifically, a suspension device having the following five arms which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-186680 is known:
(1) a trailing arm extending rearward from a trailing-arm support point on a vehicle-body side and connected to a trailing-arm connection portion of the knuckle which is positioned below a wheel axis of the knuckle;
(2) a leading arm extending forward from a leading-arm support point on the vehicle-body side and connected to a leading-arm connection portion of the knuckle which is positioned above the wheel axis of the knuckle;
(3) an upper arm extending in a vehicle width direction from an upper-arm support point on the vehicle-body side and connected to an upper-arm connection portion of the knuckle which is positioned above the wheel axis of the knuckle;
(4) a lower arm extending in the vehicle width direction from a lower-arm support point on the vehicle-body side and connected to a lower-arm connection portion of the knuckle which is positioned below the wheel axis of the knuckle; and
(5) a control arm extending in the vehicle width direction from a control-arm support point on the vehicle-body side, arranged in back of the lower arm, and connected to a control-arm connection portion of the knuckle which is positioned below the wheel axis of the knuckle.
Herein, it is important to configure such that the wheel supported at the knuckle does not improperly move in a swing manner in a plan view at the time of braking or driving of the vehicle (i.e., to increase a so-called anti-swing rigidity of the wheel). In order to increase this anti-swing rigidity, it is preferable that the longitudinal distance between the lower-arm connection portion and the control-arm connection portion of the knuckle in the plan view be configured to be as long as possible.
In the suspension device disclosed in the above-described patent publication, the lower-arm connection portion of the knuckle is positioned substantially on a line of the wheel axis and in back of the trailing-arm connection portion of the knuckle in the plan view, so that the longitudinal distance between the lower-arm connection portion and the control-arm connection portion of the knuckle is considerable short.


A terminal adapter for an electronic package having a stub terminal is provided. The adapter includes an adapter housing configured to be fitted over the electronic package and enclosing the terminal of the electronic package, a terminal receptacle formed in the housing, and at least one screw terminal assembly fitted within said terminal receptacle and locked thereto with deflectable mounting legs.

This invention relates generally to electronic packages, and more particularly, to terminal adapters for electronic packages.
Known electronic packages include terminals through which the packages are connected to electrical circuitry. To simplify installation of electronic packages in the field, solderless terminal connection schemes have been developed which include quick connect terminal connectors which slip on and slidably engage complementary quick connect terminals of the electronic package. Such quick connect terminals and connectors are available from, for example, Ark-Les Corporation of Stoughton, Mass., and are commonly used in electronic packages such as switching relay packages.
In certain installations, such quick connect terminals and connectors have been found to be disadvantageous. For example, screw terminations having a pressure plate and a screw which clamps wire conductors to the pressure plate are preferred in some electrical systems. Quick connect adapters are available from, for example, ABB Inc. of Zurich, Switzerland which include a slip-on quick connect feature at one end and a screw terminal at the other end, and thus convert the solderless terminals of the electronic package to screw terminals. Such adapters, however, have been found inadequate to handle the torque required in some applications as the screw is tightened. The quick connect end of the adapter tends to move with the screw once the torque achieves a threshold level and prevents the screw from being further tightened.
Additionally, the size and shape of known screw terminal adapters for quick connect terminals is not compatible with certain UL air gap requirements and surface spacing between the terminals. Thus, for example, when used with some known relay switch packages, the packages fail to achieve UL certification.

Quick connect terminal adapter for electronic packages


A device strengthens a user password while the password occupies the keyboard input buffer of an authenticating system. The device masquerades to the system as a second keyboard. The device strengthens the user password by sending keyboard scan codes, altering the user password by inserting and deleting characters. The device is small, portable, and self-contained. The device is Operating System neutral, and can be constructed to be used with any system that supports compounding plug-and-play keyboards, such as USB keyboards and Bluetooth keyboards. The device can be embedded into common input devices such as mice to impersonate a second keyboard. Use of the device improves overall system security by enforcing strong system passwords without encouraging users to write down passwords that are difficult to remember.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and associated methods for strengthening a user-entered password after the password has been entered through a keyboard, but before the password is committed to the host system for authentication.
2. Prior Art
Securing access to precious resources through the use of secret passwords has been a common practice throughout history. In the book "Arabian Nights", Ali Baba uses a magical password to gain access to a great treasure. Modern computer systems continue to rely on the concept of secret passwords to protect sensitive computer and network resources. Newer authentication mechanisms, such as smartcards and biometric identification devices are becoming more commonplace, but password authentication remains the most common mechanism for protecting sensitive computer resources. However, the prevalence of password authentication has become a dilemma for computer users desiring to access computer resources, and for computer administrators needing to protect those resources.
A few of the challenges facing users are:
Remembering multiple passwords used across multiple systems.
Recalling the new password after a password change has been made.
Remembering the current password after a long period of time has passed since the password was last used.
Inventing new passwords that can be easily remembered but cannot be easily guessed.
Collateral damage when a single password is used across multiple systems and that password is discovered—all of the accounts using that common password are now at risk.
Challenges facing system administrators are:
Users creating weak passwords that can be easily remembered but easily broken.
Users writing down strong passwords because such strong passwords cannot be easily remembered.
Users reusing passwords across various systems—for example using a corporate password on a questionable Internet site.
These difficulties with passwords are overcome by smartcard and biometric authentication devices. However, these new technologies have their own inherent problems:
Smartcards without passwords can be lost or stolen, and then used by unauthorized users.
Biometric devices can wrongly authenticate unauthorized users (false positive), and fail to authenticate authorized users (false negative).
Simple biometric devices such as fingerprint scanners can be easily fooled by clever tactics.
Smartcard and biometric readers must be purchased for each point of access, increasing the cost of ownership.
Additional personnel, software and infrastructure beyond the existing system may be needed to support these devices.
Biometric devices will continue to coexist with password based authentication mechanisms, resulting in two methods of authentication, and making the overall system more complicated for users.
Several approaches in the prior art have attempted to mitigate the known problems inherent with using user passwords for authentication.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,021 by Abadi et al is a method of authentication. Initially, an original access code is created by combining the user password with a supplement value of random bits. In operation, the Abadi technique then iterates through all possible supplement values in combination with the user password until the computed trial access code matches the original access code. If a match is found then access is granted, otherwise access is denied. As can be seen, this invention is an authentication method. This method may be incorporated into an operating system kernel for the purposes of authentication, but is not applicable to the problems associated with existing computer systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,661 by Topp is a method of encrypting a password on a computer. A user activates the invention and then enters a password. The Topp invention is placed between the keyboard and the computer, and encrypts the password characters as they pass through the Topp invention. The Topp invention is therefore connected in series with the user keyboard and the computer system. This approach requires a special keyboard with the device embedded in the keyboard to be connected to the host computer, or for the device to be connected between a regular keyboard and the host computer. Such a device would not work in an ad hoc computing environment, such as a public library or pay-as-you-go office facility where it would be forbidden for a user to disconnect the system keyboard to insert the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,300 by Peters is a method of improving a password on a computer network by obtaining a string from a remote computer, and then combining the string with a user password using an irreversible function, producing a complete password. However, this approach only works in a network environment and cannot be used, for example, as a means to access a laptop or standalone desktop computer.
Patent application 2005/0177754 is a system for managing passwords. The system uses encryption on a portable access device. The disadvantage of this system is that the host computer must be modified to run specialized encryption software to act in conjunction with the portable access device. This would not be allowed in the general case where systems cannot be altered, such as public libraries and office environments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,541 by Margalit is a portable device that stores information characterizing a user. The portable device provides this characterizing information to the computer system for such purposes as authentication. The invention connects to any "flexibly connectible computer system" (FCCS), which includes computers with USB support. The host computer always initiates the authentication process because no actuator, such as a button or switch, is physically located anywhere on the Margalit invention. Therefore, to accomplish authentication, software to interact with the Margalit invention must to be preinstalled on each host computer protected by the invention. Under these conditions, the invention could not be used on computers that do not have the special software preinstalled, such as at public libraries.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,399 by Margalit is similar to '541 by Margalit. In '399 a portable device has encryption capability and stores user-specific information. Similar to the '541 invention, this invention does not have a button or switch physically located on the device to initiate authentication. This device is basically a smartcard with a USB connector. For authentication, this invention requires special software to be installed on each host computer as does the '541 invention, and therefore could not be used with locked-down host computers.


This invention disclosure describes methods for the fabrication of metal oxide films on surfaces by topotactic anion exchange, and laminate structures enabled by the method. A precursor metal-nonmetal film is deposited on the surface, and is subsequently oxidized via topotactic anion exchange to yield a topotactic metal-oxide product film. The structures include a metal-oxide layer(s) and/or a metal-nonmetal layer(s).

The manufacture of a great variety of electromagnetic and optical devices is based upon thin film technology. A succession of layers having various functionality are deposited on a planar substrate surface, one on top of another. Each is patterned in some manner, resulting in a complex three-dimensional device such as an integrated circuit. It is this technology, called metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) in the case of its use on doped silicon, that has enabled the computer revolution of the late 20th century, which continues today. Another example of thin film technology is the current effort to develop superconducting power transmission cables, using the coated-conductor technique. Thin films are also useful on substrates that are non-planar surfaces, such as their use as templates for oxide environmental barriers on three-dimensional objects.
There exists a wide array of crystalline oxide materials that have special or exceptional properties, and that are highly desirable as functional layers in thin-film devices. These properties include colossal magnetoresistance, ferroelectricity, superconductivity, very low thermal conductivity, and high dielectric constant, and many others.
Two major difficulties exist with the integration of these materials. First, most of these functional materials are oxides. And, as it turns out, the materials commonly or most conveniently used as a flat substrate surface are often sensitive to reaction with oxygen, such as silicon, gallium arsenide, nickel, or copper. The functional material components may be reactive with the substrate in other manners as well. Thus, it is extremely difficult to deposit highly-desirable functional oxides directly on these substrate surfaces. Barrier layers, used to block oxygen or other ionic interaction with the substrate, are used in many instances with success, although they are often complicated. Therefore more economical solutions are desirable.
The second difficulty is the need for crystalline templating. A large proportion of these functional oxides are most preferably deposited as a single-crystal-like film. That is, the crystalline material of the having a particular crystalline orientation and texture. The substrates used for deposition are frequently monocrystalline (e.g., silicon) or monocrystal-like (epitaxial, fiber-textured platinum, biaxially textured nickel), although polycrystalline surfaces are also frequently employed. If it was possible to deposit functional oxides directly on substrates, this substrate crystallinity could be used to encourage their growth in a single-crystal-like form, i.e., epitaxial growth. Epitaxial growth of functional oxides is routinely conducted, but usually only on oxide surfaces. Due to oxidation sensitivity of non-oxide substrates, epitaxial growth is prohibited in all cases but those with the most stringent growth conditions, and then for only a few specific systems.
These two difficulties can be addressed individually with reasonable success, but a method that addresses both of these difficulties concurrently is elusive. Barrier layers can be used, but are typically not single-crystal-like, being either amorphous (glassy) or polycrystalline. The growth of single-crystalline oxides directly on these substrates is exceedingly difficult.
This invention addresses this problem directly. It discloses a method, compositions, and the resulting devices for the fabrication of single-crystal-like oxide layers on oxidation-sensitive substrates, whether fabricated by the disclosed method or another. Moreover, the method is straightforward, and can be performed with far less difficulty than that encountered in direct growth of oxides on such substrates. Devices, optimally fabricated by the method, and using compositions optimal for an application, provide a templating surface that can be treated in essentially the same manner as a crystalline oxide surface. Templating is transmitted from the substrate to the film surface, and oxygen interaction with the substrate is blocked. Thus, the growth of functional oxides is made straightforward, which then can be conducted in essentially the same manner as is routinely used for their deposition on monocrystalline oxide substrates.
As an added benefit, an oxide film that the use of this method provides may also be a functional oxide in and of itself. In cases such as this, the complexity of the fabrication process is further reduced.

Epitaxial layer structures, precursors for topotactic anion exchange films


A developing device 2a, which is provided with: a developer tank 16 that houses a developer 24 containing a toner, a carrier for charging the toner and reverse polarity particles that are charged with a polarity reversed to the electrostatic charge polarity of the toner by the carrier; a developer-supporting member 11 that supports the developer supplied from the developer tank on the surface thereof, and transports the developer; and a separating mechanism 22 that separates the toner or the reverse polarity particles from the developer supported on the developer-supporting member, and the reverse polarity particles are collected into the developer tank, is provided, and an image-forming apparatus having such a developing device and an image-forming method applied thereto are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image-forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer in which an electrophotographic system is used and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image supporting member, and more particularly, concerns a developing device in which a developer composed of two components of a toner and a carrier and an image-forming apparatus using such a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, with respect to a developing system for an electrostatic latent image formed on an image supporting member in the image-forming apparatus using the electrophotographic system, a one-component developing system that uses only the toner as a developer and a two-component developing system that uses a toner and a carrier have been known. In the one-component developing system, in general, the toner is allowed to pass through a regulating section that is constituted by a toner-supporting member and a regulating plate pressed onto the toner-supporting member so that the toner is charged and a desired thin toner layer is obtained; therefore, this system is advantageous from the viewpoints of simplifying and miniaturizing the device and of achieving low costs. In contrast, due to a strong stress in the regulating section, the toner is easily deteriorated to cause degradation in the toner charge-receiving property. Moreover, the toner regulating member and the surface of the toner-supporting member are contaminated by the toner and externally additive agents, with the result that the charge-applying property to the toner is lowered to cause problems such as fogging and the subsequent short service life of the developing device.
In comparison with the one-component developing system, the two-component developing system, which charges the toner through a friction-charging process upon mixing with the carrier, can reduce the stress, and is advantageous in preventing toner deterioration. Moreover, the carrier serving as a charge-applying material to the toner has a greater surface area so that it is relatively resistant to contamination due to the toner and externally additive agents, and is advantageous in prolonging the device service life.
However, even in the case of the two-component developer, the contamination on the carrier surface due to the toner and externally additive agents also occurs to cause reduction in the quantity of charge in toner after a long-term use, resulting in problems such as fogging and toner scattering; therefore, the device service life is not sufficient, and there is a strong demand for a longer service life.
With respect to a method for prolonging the life of the two component developer, Patent Document 1 has disclosed a developing device in which the carrier, alone or together with the toner, is supplied little by little, while a deteriorated developer having a reduced electrostatic charge property (simply referred to as "charge property") is discharged in response to the supply so that the carrier is exchanged to prevent increase in the ratio of the deteriorated carrier. In this device, since the carrier is exchanged, the reduction in the quantity of charge in toner due to the deteriorated carrier can be suppressed in a certain level, making it possible to provide a long service life. However, since a mechanism for collecting the discharged carrier is required, and since the carrier is used as a consumable supply, problems arise in costs, environmental preservation, and the like. Moreover, since a predetermined number of printing processes need to be repeated until the ratio of the new and old carriers has been stabilized, there is a failure to maintain and effectively use the initial properties.
Patent Document 2 has disclosed a two component developer composed of a carrier and a toner to which particles that exert a charge property with a reverse polarity to the toner charge polarity are externally added, and a developing method using such a developer. In the developing method of Patent Document 2, the reverse polarity-chargeable particles are added in an attempt to add functions as a polishing agent and spacer particles, and it describes that by the effect of removing spent matters on the carrier surface, the degradation preventive effect is obtained. Moreover, it also describes that in the cleaning unit in the image supporting member, the cleaning property is improved, and that the polishing effect of the image supporting member is obtained. However, in the disclosed developing method, the amounts of consumption in the toner and the reverse polarity-chargeable particles are different depending on the image area rate, and in particular, in the case of a small image area rate, the consumption of the reverse polarity-chargeable particles becomes excessive, causing degradation in the carrier deterioration preventive effect in the developing device.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-100471
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-215855

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Developing device and image-forming apparatus using multiple-component developer

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


Collecting and augmenting metadata associated with media content stored on a plurality of devices for display to a user. The collected metadata remains available (e.g., visible) to a user after the device storing the corresponding media content is offline, disconnected, or otherwise unavailable. In particular, the invention permits metadata associated with media content stored on one or more devices (e.g., consumer electronic devices) to be enumerated, obtained, and promoted into another device (e.g., a personal computer) such that the metadata may be treated as if the media content is stored on the other device (e.g., the personal computer). In particular, the invention automatically detects an event generated in response to an action by a first device storing a media file. In response to the detected event, the invention matches and obtains metadata for the media content stored in the media file. A user organizes or otherwise manipulates the obtained metadata, for example, via a media player.

Due to recent advances in technology, computer users are now able to enjoy many features that provide an improved user experience, such as playing various media and multimedia content on their personal or laptop computers. For example, most computers today are able to play compact discs (CDs) so users can listen to their favorite musical artists while working on their computers. Many computers are also equipped with digital versatile disc (DVD) drives enabling users to watch movies.
In some multimedia environments, a computer has access to a computer-readable medium storing compressed media files. Common media file types include Moving Picture Experts Group audio layer-3 (MP3) files and WINDOWS MEDIA® technologies audio (WMA) and video (WMV) files. The computer typically organizes the media files into playlists when the compressed media files are played on the computer. The files may be organized according to metadata or other property data associated with the media content. Metadata for a digital media file such as an audio file usually includes general information pertaining to the media file itself. This information is typically stored within the file. For example, an audio file may have metadata tags for the song title, song artist, album title, and a rating. In another example, in the case of audio media files, the files may be organized by album, artist, genre, date, or some user-specified selection and ordering of metadata. A user navigates through this organization using menus and graphical displays to render the desired media files.
Often, users store media content on a variety of devices including personal computers, portable consumer electronic devices (e.g., MP3 players), removable hard drives, and network shares. Many of these devices have limited capabilities for metadata processing, updating, using, and querying, while other devices have no such capabilities at all. There is a need for a system that enables the central organization of media content stored on a plurality of devices even if all the media content is not physically stored on the same device (e.g., a computer-readable medium). Further, there is a need for a system that permits metadata for media content stored on a device external to a computing device to be augmented and promoted into the computing device such that the metadata may subsequently be treated (e.g., organized) as if the media content is stored on the computing device.
Accordingly, a system for creating entities on a device that mirror media content stored on a plurality of other devices is desired to address one or more of these and other disadvantages.

Aggregating metadata for media content from multiple devices


Components within a cryocooler are scaled and/or configured for operation at a CMG operating frequency (e.g., 100 Hz) rather than at 30 to 70 Hz, matching the exported disturbances of control moment gyroscopes on the same platform and reducing line-of-sight jitter for electro-optic infrared focal plane array sensors. The smaller piston working volume and other reduced component sizes allow the cryocooler to be smaller and lighter than designs operating at lower frequencies. Combined with an advanced regenerator suitable for the higher frequency operation, the cryocooler has improved cooling efficiency over such lower frequency designs.

Spacecraft, particularly those with or electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems, typically include various types of sensors for capturing images, computers for processing information, and communication modules for transmitting data to and receiving data from external systems. Thus, such spacecraft often include a pulse tube expander or Stirling cycle cryogenic cooler to remove heat from the sensors and/or to cool the sensors to very low temperatures (for example 65 Kelvin). Cryogenic coolers generally include several moving components, such as a compressor piston, a motorized driver for that compressor piston, a expander piston (also referred to as a displacer piston), a motorized driver for that displacer piston, balancer pistons, and motorized drivers for each of the balancer pistons. These moving components can generate vibrations.
Space-borne EO/IR systems frequently cannot tolerate vibration disturbances, and in some such applications may not warrant the cost and/or complexity of a cryoradiator. In particular, most (if not all) sensitive space EO/IR systems use control moment gyroscopes (CMGs, or "gyrodynes") for inertial control of the vehicle. The CMGs spin at, for example, 100 Hertz (Hz), requiring all structures to be designed to not resonate at 100 Hz in order to avoid line-of-sight jitter. Any cryocooler operating within such a spacecraft may be permitted to have greater exported disturbances than if operating at any frequency other than 100 HZ, with higher frequencies also improving disturbance roll-off associated with vibration isolators and eliminating the need for launch locks. However, most existing pulse tube expander and Stirling cycle space cryocoolers suitable for IR focal plane array (FPA) cooling operate at frequencies between 30 and 70 Hz (often the worst frequencies for exported disturbance), causing vibration of sensitive optical systems.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for a low cost cryocooler designed to be compatible with existing CMG operating frequencies.

Frequency-matched cryocooler scaling for low-cost, minimal disturbance space cooling


A data storage system includes an input/output server and a storage unit. The input/output server includes a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter. The storage unit includes a processor, memory, and a storage module. The storage module includes a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit further includes a host channel adaptor. The storage unit host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit host channel adapter is capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server. Protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to protocol translation in a data storage system.
2. Background Art
Many computer peripheral devices are designed to attach directly to a computer system by way of a memory-mapped system interface such as PCI-Express. This approach works well for systems consisting of a small number of host processors and their directly-attached peripherals. However, this approach does not scale well to systems consisting of a large number of host processors possibly contained in many separate equipment racks interconnected with a large number of peripheral devices dispersed across multiple equipment racks. Furthermore, it is difficult to construct a fault-tolerant interconnect network among these components using only PCI-Express.
A more flexible and fault-tolerant interconnect technology such as InfiniBand is better suited for connecting a large cluster of computers and their peripherals in such a way that each computer can reach each peripheral device with low access latency and high composite data rate. However, simply attaching a peripheral device that is designed for local attachment using PCI-Express directly to an InfiniBand Host Channel Adapter (HCA) does not allow the computers to communicate with their peripherals because of the major differences between the memory access protocol used by PCI-Express and the Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) protocol used by InfiniBand.
What is needed is an efficient means of translating the memory access operations performed by the peripheral device into the RDMA interactions with the InfiniBand HCA that will cause it to carry out these memory access operations across the InfiniBand network.
Currently, the only way for a computer to access a PCI-Express peripheral device that is on the other side of an InfiniBand network is for the computer to communicate with a second computer that is directly connected to the peripheral device by PCI-Express and give the second computer directions to carry out the desired access on behalf of the initiating computer. This process introduces large delays in accessing the peripheral device. Furthermore, to sustain a high access rate using this technique requires the use of a fast (and therefore, expensive) computer that is directly attached to the peripheral device.

Protocol translation in a data storage system


Phosphate-containing polycarboxylate polymer dispersant compositions of the invention comprise a polymer made from polyoxyalkylene groups, acrylic acid groups, mono-ester groups, and optionally di-ester and tri-ester groups, all in specific molar ratios. The polymer dispersants of the invention achieve quick mix-in dispersibility, particularly within hydratable cementitious compositions such as concrete, in comparison with polycarboxylate polymer dispersants that do not contain phosphate groups, while having improved initial slump as well as slump retention compared to phosphate-containing polymers of the prior art.

It is known to incorporate phosphate groups into polycarboxylate polymers used as water-reducing agents for concrete and other hydratable cementitious compositions.
In JP-A 11-79811, Hamada et al. disclosed a copolymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer having a sulfonic or phosphoric acid group, a monomer having an oxyalkylene group, and a monomer having a carboxylic acid group. It was described that the copolymer acted to reduce the water while otherwise maintaining the fluidity of concrete.
In JP-A 2000-327386 A1, Shoichi et al. disclosed a cement-dispersing polymer obtained by polymerizing a monoester or mono-ether, a polyalkylene glycol, and a monomer having a phosphoric acid group.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,470,733, Shirota et al. disclosed the use of a phosphoric monoester having an alkyl ether group and a phosphoric di-ester having both alkyl ether and mono-ester groups, wherein the polymer had a monoester/monoester+diester ratio of 0.4 to 0.95. This characteristic purportedly imparted an excellent viscosity-reducing effect in the concrete.
In US Patent Application Publ. No. 2006/0293417 A1, Taniguchi et al. disclosed a two-polymer dispersant having improved viscosity-reducing effect. Polymer A contained carboxylic acid groups and oxyalkylene and/or oxystyrene groups, possibly including copolymers of a specified "monomer 1," namely, an ethylene unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative having a polyoxyalkylene group, and a (meth)acrylic acid group ("monomer 2"). Polymer B also contained "monomer 1" but further included a monophosphate group ("monomer 3") and diphosphate group ("monomer 4").
In US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0035022 A1, Hamada et al. disclosed a phosphate polymer for improving fluidity and reducing viscosity of concrete. The polymer was obtained by copolymerizing a monomer having a polyoxyalkylene group ("monomer 1"), a phosphoric monoester ("monomer 2"), and a phosphoric diester ("monomer 3") at pH 7 or less. It was noted however that the phosphate monomers were obtained as a mixture of monoester and diester groups and were difficult to employ in cements. Hamada et al. copolymerized the monomers in a manner to suppress cross-linking and explained that the molar ratio of monomer 1 to monomers 2 and 3 was preferably 5/95 to 95/5 and more preferably 10/90 to 90/10 (See "[0099]"). The molar ratio among monomers 1, 2, and 3 was preferably 5-95/3-90/1-80, and, more preferably, 5-96/3-80/1-60 (total=100). The molar ratio and mol percentage of monomers 2 and 3 were calculated on the basis of the compound in the acid form (See "[0099]"). The molar ratio of monomer 2 (phosphate monoester) to monomer 3 (phosphate diester) could be 99/1 to 4/96, and more particularly 99/1 to 5/95 (See "[0101]").
In US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0258969 A1, Shimoda et al. disclosed a method for producing a phosphoric acid, ester-based polymer, which included copolymerizing the following monomers: (1) an ethylene unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative having a polyoxyalkylene group; (2) a monoester phosphate-based monomer; and (3) a di-ester phosphate-based monomer. The polymer could be obtained by copolymerizing monomers 1, 2, and 3 at pH 7 or lower in the presence of a phosphonic acid-based chelating agent. Alternatively, the polymer could be obtained by mixing a solution containing monomers 1, 2, and 3 at a temperature of 10 to 50 degrees C., initiating a polymerization within 72 hours after mixing, and by maintaining this temperature until polymerization is initiated.

Phosphate-containing polycarboxylate polymer dispersants


A system and method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb comprises the steps of: fitting and aligning a prosthetic limb to a wearer's residual limb; collecting orientational and positional data from adjustment points between the various endoskeletal and/or socket components of the residual limb; transmitting the orientational data to a CAD system that has access to the socket and endoskeletal component dimensions; using the CAD system to calculate inner surface dimensions for a cosmetic cover to be worn over the prosthetic limb according to the socket and endoskeletal component dimensions and according to the orientational and positional data; and downloading the inner surface dimensions from the CAD system to a CNC milling machine, which is adapted to carve the inner surface of a cosmetic cover from a carving blank using the calculated inner surface dimensions. Preferably, the system and method also includes the steps of gathering sound-side dimensions of the opposing sound limb and transmitting the sound side dimensions to the CAD system; using the CAD system to calculate outer surface dimensions for the cosmetic cover that is a "mirror image" of the sound limb; and downloading the outer surface dimensions from the CAD system to the milling machine, which is adapted to carve the outer surface of the cosmetic cover from the carving blank using the outer surface dimensions. the data gathering and calculating steps are 4512 performed using the a digitizing tool integrated into the CAD tool.

The present invention involves a system and method for fabricating a prosthetic limb cosmetic cover, and more particularly to a system and method for substantially completely automating the process of fabricating the cosmetic cover.
A prosthesis is often used to replace an amputated portion of the limb and to help restore the amputees ability to use that limb. A prosthesis for a lower extremity amputation will often include artificial foot and ankle components coupled to an upright assembly, which is in turn coupled to a custom-fitted socket assembly. If the amputation is an above the knee, the upright assembly will often include an artificial knee joint.
Often times, a cosmetic cover is fabricated to cover the endoskeletal components of the prosthetic limb described above to simulate the outward appearance of a "sound" limb.
Typically a cosmetic cover is fabricated by, first, taking circumferential measurements of the sound limb, typically in increments of 1"-2", along the length of the sound limb which is representative of the entire length of the prosthesis. Other Circumferential measurements are also taken of the prosthesis in a similar manner. Based upon these measurements, a commercially available tubular cosmetic cover blank is selected. The length of the cover blank is adjusted to the desirable length of the finished cosmetic cover. The inner surface (the hollow bore) of the tubular cosmetic cover blank is manually (or semi-manually) carved such that it will fit intimately over the outer surfaces of the prosthesis, and in particular, the prosthetic socket. The cover is typically stretched over the prosthetic socket, to some degree, which increases the outer circumference of the cover. After stretching over the prosthetic socket, the cover is typically bonded to the outer surface of the prosthetic socket.
Once the bonding agent has cured, the outer surface of the cosmetic cover is then manually sanded, ground or carved to obtain the desirable incremental circumferences of the sound limb. This step requires skill and experience for efficient fabrication of a desirable or acceptable cosmesis. Next, the cosmetic cover is smoothed and finished. Finishing can involve stretching layers of nylon stockinettes over the cosmetic cover and bonding them proximally to the cover, or can involve the application of a spray finish to match the pigment of the sound limb.
As is evident by the above summary, a significant amount of trial-and-error is typically required in fabricating the cosmetic cover from the tubular cosmetic cover blank. For example, the inner surfaces of the cosmetic cover are typically carved without consideration of any adjustments that may need to be made to the socket and/or endoskeletal components of the prosthetic limb. Thus, after the socket has been created and the prosthetic limb is assembled with the endoskeletal components and then fitted, adjusted and aligned on the amputee, the cosmetic cover will, at first, often not fit properly to the aligned and fitted prosthetic limb; requiring further modifications to, or a complete refabrication of, the cosmetic cover. With transfemoral (above the knee) amputees, this first cosmetic cover will often cause undesirable resistance to flexion and extension in the prosthetic limb, requiring further adjustment to, or a complete refabrication of, the cosmetic cover.
Furthermore, present cosmetic covers are fabricated out of a single-piece tubular cover blank (some manufacturers offer "discontinuous" covers having separate thigh and calf sections; however, each section remains a single piece). A disadvantage with the single-piece cosmetic covers, is that if access to the endoskeletal components is needed after the cosmetic cover has been mounted over the prosthetic limb (i.e., to make adjustments to the endoskeletal components), the cosmetic cover usually has to be cut or pulled down which will typically cause damage to the cover, and will sometimes require the entire cover to be refabricated. Also, because the cover is typically stretched over the prosthesis, circumferential tension will often cause small cuts in the cover to progress into large splits or tears.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to precisely represent the prosthetic socket, limb, endoskeletal components and alignment of these items such that a cosmetic cover can be precisely milled based upon these characteristics; a need exists for a system that substantially automates the fabrication process of the cosmetic covers and that is sufficiently precise; and a need exists for a cosmetic cover that is easily fabricated and is also easily donned and removed from the prosthetic limb.

Method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb


An image data recording and reproducing system comprises an image data input unit, an ID generator generating an ID inserted to image data from the image data input unit, a plurality of image data recorders for recording the image data, and an output unit for outputting the image data recorded into the plurality of image data recorders, wherein each of the plurality of image data recorders has an ID table and an image data storage area, and an ID of the ID table is matched with image data of the image data storage area on the bases of recording position information of the image data.

In the image system field (hereinafter, called an image system) including a video surveillance system and an image delivery system, the need for an image transmission unit transmitting image data on an IP (Internet Protocol) network such as the Internet or LAN (Local Area Network) as a transmission line is increasing rapidly. In such image system, a combination of a camera and an image transmission unit or a network camera (referring to a camera integrated with an image transmission unit) is used and a recorder (hereinafter, called a video server) directly recording image data therefrom via a network is becoming mainstream. The above-described image transmission unit is a unit which, in order to transmit an image picked up by a camera to a network, compresses the image by MPEG2 (Moving Picture Expert Group Phase 2) or MPEG4 to convert it to image stream data (hereinafter, called image data).
A prior art camera transmits image data in an analog form of the NTSC system as a TV standard system using a coaxial cable. The camera transmits the image data as an analog signal so that deterioration due to attenuation or noise occurs during transmission to degrade image quality. In addition, a coaxial cable must be laid for each camera. The cable laying cost is tremendous with longer distance. A remote surveillance system in the actual use is significantly limited.
For image data from the above-described network camera or image transmission unit, an IP network such as the Internet or LAN has already been widely laid in a building or an area and no laying work laying a new IP network is necessary so as to build an image system very easily. As a result, connection to the Internet allows local image data to be viewed very easily in Japan and overseas. When laying a new IP network, wireless LAN is used to just place a relay station. No work providing a transmission line to a camera is necessary to significantly reduce the laying cost.
General personal computer peripheral equipment can be used as-is as equipment for relay transmission. It is much inexpensive than an analog camera. Because of an IP network system, system design in conjunction with various kinds of network components (such as a sensor, personal computer and server) is simplified. For example, in an entering/leaving management system in a building using an IC card, face photograph image data of an entering/leaving person is picked up by a network camera, and then, the frame image data of the person in the face photograph is stored together with an entering/leaving management database to build a high level of security network system in conjunction with the entering/leaving information and the image data.
The image system using an IP network has many advantages as described above. Since the technique and parts as a base are personal computer peripheral equipment, the image system has reliability lower than that of the analog camera system. Unlike the NTSC system, the IP network as a base has an asynchronous communication system assuming data loss, for example, packet discard when transmitting image data in a packet. A computer virus or sudden network load occurs to temporally interrupt image data. At worst, the entire image system can be down.
The personal computer peripheral equipment has equipment level more unstable than that of the analog camera system. Along with higher function and complicating of video equipment such as a camera or a recorder, a high-function and complicated OS (Operating System) such as Windows (Microsoft's trademark) or Linux is employed, and freezing of the image system is found here and there. When requiring a high degree of reliability in the image system, the network or equipment must be subject to duplicating or clustering like the server of a data center.
In the "duplicating" herein, another server performing quite the same function as a generally mainly operated server is prepared for backup, and the main server, which has failed, is switched to the backup server for operating the system continuously after failure. The backup server must always be subject to mirroring of the main server. The mirroring herein means that the backup server into which the same data as that of the main server is written performs the same operation as that of the main server.
The "clustering" means that in a server configuration system for balancing load concentrated on one server, a plurality of node servers (servers performing actual processing) and a load balancer are used to configure one virtual server. That is, a plurality of node servers consist of Cluster. In the clustering, a failed server is disconnected at failure, and then, the entire another plurality of servers shares the processing of the failed server to operate the system continuously after failure. To apply the clustering, individual node servers must have an equal function and must be subject to mirroring mutually. In addition, each job is independent (or each session is independent) like Web servers to limit the use of service in which no state management is necessary between a client and a server.
In Web servers in which the duplicating technique and the clustering technique are standardly used, each job is basically independent in operation and no state management need be performed between a specific client and server. In the event that fail over occurs, the client can smoothly continue browsing without being affected thereby. The fail over herein means that two servers are operated at the same time and one of them is operated as a main server so that when the main server cannot be operated, the second server-quickly takes over the processing as backup.
As a conventionally known multimedia recorder, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Hei 11-250578 describes a plurality of recording devices and a backup device. The technique shows a technique enabling backup creation without deteriorating fast responsiveness at recording required for event recording.

Recording and reproducing system for image data with recording position information and a recording and reproducing method therefor


A method of controlling multiple antenna signal transmission is disclosed. The method includes adjusting signal parameters so that transmission signals from a plurality of antennas combine to form a directional beam. A time duration in which the transmission signals are directed is controlled so that an average EIRP does not exceed a predetermined threshold.

Ultra-wideband (UWB) modulation provides very low-powered, high data rate radio communications for transferring data using very wide modulation bandwidths. FIG. 1 shows a typical application of UWB communication links used for indoor wireless communications. Several transceivers, for example, transceivers 110, 120, 130, 140 are networked allowing high bandwidth communications between the transceivers 110, 120, 130, 140. The transceivers 110, 120, 130, 140 can include, for example, a high definition television (HDTV) monitor networked with other devices, such as, a digital video recorder (DVR), a digital video disk (DVD) player and a computing device.
The Federal Communications Committee (FCC) has mandated that UWB radio transmission can legally operate in the frequency range of 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. The transmit power requirement for UWB communications is that the maximum average transmit Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) is −41.25 dBm/MHz in any transmit direction. Additionally, there is a peak power requirement for UWB signals in a given resolution bandwidth (RBW). More specifically, for a RBW of less than 50 MHz, the peak power is required to be limited to 10*log 10(RBW/50).
Due to the lower transmit power levels required of UWB radio transmission, it is desirable to maximize the transmit power of the UWB transmission signals without exceeding the FCC mandated rules. Generally, SNR and associated communication transmission signal quality parameters improve with increased transmission signal power.
It is desirable have a method and apparatus for providing high-power transmission signals within a UWB networking environment without exceeding FCC radiated power requirements.

Average EIRP control of multiple antenna transmission signals


Switchblades are disclosed herein. A switchblade includes a handle body, a blade pivotally coupled to the handle body, and a release mechanism for pivoting the blade about a blade pivot axis to transition the blade from a folded position to a deployed position. The release mechanism includes a release spring, a sear, and an actuator. The release spring is configured to transition from a retained configuration to a released configuration to drive the blade from the folded position to the deployed position. The sear is configured to retain the release spring in the retained configuration while the sear is in a retaining position. The actuator includes an actuator arm that is configured to move relative to a portion of the handle body to transition the sear from the retaining position to a releasing position.

A switchblade is a knife, such as a folding knife, in which a cutting edge of a blade is selectively exposed from a handle of the knife via a release of potential energy, such as may be stored in a spring in the knife. As an example, a folding switchblade may include a leaf spring that is retained in a flexed state by a sear that is selectively actuated to release the spring. When the spring is released, the potential energy previously stored in the spring pivots the blade out of the handle to expose a cutting edge of the blade. In some examples of folding switchblades, the sear may be actuated to release the spring via a button or linear slide mechanism.


A filter element has first and second subelements providing increased media providing improved performance and packaging options. The first and second subelements provide first and second flow paths in parallel with each other along designated flow path portions.

The invention relates to filters, and more particularly high capacity filters.
Extended service intervals and lower filter restriction are two key performance parameters of a filtration system, including air filtration. The market also demands improved packaging options. Increased filter performance can provide similar performance in a smaller package size, or improved performance in similar sizes. It is further desirable to provide an improved performance filter element while allowing the use of a standard filter housing. This allows an end-user to select between a standard filter element version or a higher performance version, and use either version in a standard filter housing provided by the OEM (original equipment manufacturer).
The present invention arose during continuing development efforts directed toward improved filter performance as noted above.