A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for providing improved access to accelerated processing device compute resources to user mode applications. The functionality disclosed allows user mode applications to provide commands to an accelerated processing device without the need for kernel mode transitions in order to access a unified ring buffer. Instead, applications are each provided with their own buffers, which the accelerated processing device hardware can access to process commands. With full operating system support, user mode applications are able to utilize the accelerated processing device in much the same way as a CPU.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to computing systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to unifying the computational components within a computing system.
2. Background
The desire to use a graphics processing unit (GPU) for general computation has become much more pronounced recently due to the GPU's exemplary performance per unit power and/or cost. The computational capabilities for GPUs, generally, have grown at a rate exceeding that of the corresponding central processing unit (CPU) platforms. This growth, coupled with the explosion of the mobile computing market (e.g., notebooks, mobile smart phones, tablets, etc.) and its necessary supporting server/enterprise systems, has been used to provide a specified quality of desired user experience. Consequently, the combined use of CPUs and GPUs for executing workloads with data parallel content is becoming a volume technology.
However, GPUs have traditionally operated in a constrained programming environment, available primarily for the acceleration of graphics. These constraints arose from the fact that GPUs did not have as rich a programming ecosystem as CPUs. Their use, therefore, has been mostly limited to two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) graphics and a few leading edge multimedia applications, which are already accustomed to dealing with graphics and video application programming interfaces (APIs).
With the advent of multi-vendor supported OpenCL® and DirectCompute®, standard APIs and supporting tools, the limitations of the GPUs in traditional applications has been extended beyond traditional graphics. Although OpenCL and DirectCompute are a promising start, there are many hurdles remaining to creating an environment and ecosystem that allows the combination of a CPU and a GPU to be used as fluidly as the CPU for most programming tasks.
Existing computing systems often include multiple processing devices. For example, some computing systems include both a CPU and a GPU on separate chips (e.g., the CPU might be located on a motherboard and the GPU might be located on a graphics card) or in a single chip package. Both of these arrangements, however, still include significant challenges associated with (i) separate memory systems, (ii) efficient scheduling, (iii) providing quality of service (QoS) guarantees between processes, (iv) programming model, and (v) compiling to multiple target instruction set architectures (ISAs)—all while minimizing power consumption.
For example, the discrete chip arrangement forces system and software architects to utilize chip to chip interfaces for each processor to access memory. While these external interfaces (e.g., chip to chip) negatively affect memory latency and power consumption for cooperating heterogeneous processors, the separate memory systems (i.e., separate address spaces) and driver managed shared memory create overhead that becomes unacceptable for fine grain offload.
Both the discrete and single chip arrangements can limit the types of commands that can be sent to the GPU for execution. By way of example, computational commands (e.g., physics or artificial intelligence commands) often cannot be sent to the GPU for execution. This limitation exists because the CPU may relatively quickly require the results of the operations performed by these computational commands. However, because of the high overhead of dispatching work to the GPU in current systems and the fact that these commands may have to wait in line for other previously-issued commands to be executed first, the latency incurred by sending computational commands to the GPU is often unacceptable.
An additional difficulty faced in using GPUs for computational offloading lies in the software tools available to developers to interface with the GPU and provide work. Many of the existing software tools are designed with the GPU's graphics capabilities in mind, and therefore lack the capability to easily provide non-graphics work to a GPU.


A roofing structure for buildings, and more particularly a roofing assembly having high resistance, especially for use with roofs of residential and industrial buildings. The assembly comprises a plurality of sheet panels to be interconnected along side edge portions shaped to define a first longitudinal projection facing laterally outwards, and multiple mounting brackets to be anchored to a roof. Each bracket has at least one longitudinal groove to house in a snap fit relationship the first longitudinal projections of adjacent panels, so that the first longitudinal projections and the groove have opposing upper surfaces at least partly flat and substantially parallel or slightly inclined, in order to enhance the retaining action of the brackets and increase the separation load causing the separation of the edge portions from the brackets.

Modular roofing assemblies are increasingly applied for the protection of buildings or other load-bearing structures, for both residential and industrial use, which assemblies are made of metal sheets having specially profiled edges, and are either pre-assembled or directly mounted to the roofing.
These particular roofing systems have a much lighter weight than conventional solutions, and further assure enhanced universal use.
The connection to the load-bearing structure of the roof is usually obtained by directly attaching the metal sheets to the structure, typically by perforation and/or punching. Furthermore, these sheets are interconnected by placing adjacent sheets in such a manner to provide an overlap relationship between their edges.
As an alternative to the above, the sheets are secured in adjacent positions to brackets, which are in turn fastened to the underlying structure, whereupon the adjacent edges are crimped together by means of special tools.
As is apparent, these conventional solutions have the drawback of requiring a somewhat laborious assembly process, and of requiring the performance of complex operations, using particular tools. Furthermore, the anchorage holes in the sheets are weak points, possibly giving rise to cracks or metal weakening areas, as well as permeable points for the whole structure. Therefore, these structures are excessively vulnerable to weather conditions, particularly rain, in case of possibly imperfect connections, and wind, especially in cantilever roofing assemblies.
In an attempt to obviate the above drawbacks, several solutions have been proposed in which the roofing assembly is connected to the bearing structure by intermediate fastening means, which are anchored to the some structure.
Particularly, from EP-0964114, in the name of the same applicant, a sheet metal roofing structure is known, which comprises metal sheets whose non-adjacent longitudinal edges are suitably shaped with a predetermined profile.
The anchorage of the sheets to the roof of the building is accomplished by means of supporting blocks, which have been previously mounted to the structure, and have alternating projections and recesses, to define a profile that is complementary to the sheet edges. This allows the sheets to be joined together by partial overlapping of their edges and snap fit in anchor blocks.
This arrangement allows anchorage and quick overlapping connection of adjacent metal sheets by exerting a downward force that allows such sheets to slide in the connection seats defined by the alternating projections and recesses of the blocks.
Moreover, from EP-A-0124707 is known a roof structure having all the features of the preamble of the main claim 1.
While these arrangements provide an easy-to-mount covering assembly, having excellent characteristics of load and weather resistance and impermeability, it still has a few drawbacks and is susceptible to improvements.

Roofing assembly including sheet panels having side edge portions with projections mating with grooves on brackets anchored to roof


A system and method for generating throttling parameters for an information management (IT) system based on historical event log data. The system comprises: an identification system that examines the historical event log data and identifies throttling candidates, wherein each throttling candidate comprises an event type for redundant events that reoccur over at least one measured time period; and an analysis system that statistically analyzes event data associated with each throttling candidate and generates a set of throttling parameters for each throttling candidate based on the event data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to handling events in an information technology system, and relates more specifically to a system and method for generating throttling parameters from historical event log data.
2. Background Art
In order to ensure that an information technology (IT) infrastructure is operating efficiently, systems must be utilized that look for and report problems or potential problems from IT resources. These problems, referred to generically as "events," generally comprise a message issued by an IT resource in accordance with some predefined protocol. For instance, an event can occur whenever file system utilization exceeds some predetermined threshold value, e.g., 85%.
One of the most dramatic issues facing implementers of IT infrastructure management systems is event volume. Many managers of IT systems report that the volume of events reaching their event management software exceeds one million or more events per day. One may assume that daily "mega-event" volumes is a normal characteristic of many users' IT operating environment. The result is that these high volumes of events require significant system resources to process. And, importantly, these event volumes significantly impact the response time and efficiency, and therefore the value, of users' event management systems. Accordingly, reducing event volumes is a high priority requirement for IT infrastructure managers.
One of the critical issues faced is the frequency with which individual events or sets of events may be reissued as a result of infrastructure failures. Many IT resources 30 are notorious for repetitively emitting the same event or sets of events tens, hundreds, or even thousands of times within very short time frames. It is not unusual for an IT resource to reissue the same event many times per second, flooding networks, systems, and event management software with a cascade of redundant and therefore unnecessary information. Accordingly, a key to reducing the volume of events flooding the system, and therefore enhancing the efficiency of the system, is addressing and reducing the numbers of redundant events reaching the management platforms.
The term "throttling" refers to the practice of recognizing and filtering redundant events from the event stream. A significant body of throttling logic must be designed and deployed to handle the issue of redundant events. Throttling logic for event correlation engines is notoriously difficult to design. This puts an enormous burden upon the event management design and maintenance process.
Moreover, it is well understood that the IT industry is guilty of forcing upon the user a broad range of proprietary and standardized event protocols, log file formats, and (even within a single protocol) syntax. The variety of formats adopted by event messages adds considerable complexity to the user's event environment and therefore adds to the effort required for "manual" analysis and determination of rules for throttling of redundant events.
To further exacerbate the challenge, the torrent of events generated across the user's IT environment is composed of thousands of unique event types, each requiring unique throttling logic and actions.
To summarize, many IT managers contend with more than a million events per day. Their event streams contain a multitude of differing data protocols and formats. The individual events within these event streams represent thousands of unique event types. Many of these event types are likely to be issued in high volume bursts of repetitive patterns.
The scale and complexity of this environment presents an enormous obstacle to the user when considering the effort required for manual analysis of event throttling parameters. Labor-intensive approaches to the analysis of this mass of event data over any meaningful analytical time frame will not produce significant reduction in event volumes. This environment dictates that the event throttling analysis be supported with intelligent, automated facilities for gigabyte data reduction, repetitive pattern recognition, and throttling parameter analysis.

System and method for throttling events in an information technology system

International Business Machines Corporation


An inspection system, in an exemplary embodiment, includes at least two base members spaced apart from each other, a support arm mounted to each base member, a linear track extending between and supported by the support arms, and a transport member coupled to the linear track. The transport member is movable along the linear track. The system further includes a transducer support arm pivotably coupled to the transport member, and a transducer assembly coupled to the transducer support arm.

This invention relates generally to automated ultrasound and eddy current inspection systems, and more particularly to automated inspection systems for turbine and generator rotors and wheels.
Manual inspections of rotor forgings and related components have been performed for many years to inspect for flaws in the forgings. Because of the difficulties and inaccuracies associated with manual ultrasonic and eddy current tests, two separate manual tests are typically performed on rotors to increase the reliability of the inspection.
Manual ultrasonic inspection of rotor forgings include a radial test from the periphery of the rotor forging directed toward the center of the forging. An inspector watches the ultrasonic test instrument looking for reflectors. The operator then peaks the reflector and records its location and amplitude. An inattentive inspector an easily miss indications due to momentary distractions, an incorrect setup, as well as monotony and tedium.
In some cases a semi-automated system has been used to inspect rotor forgings. The system captured the inspection waveforms and permitted an inspector to identify possible flaw indications located within the rotor. The inspector then returned to the identified areas and performed a manual ultrasonic inspection to confirm the flaw indication as well as determine the peak amplitude of the indication. The peak amplitude is used to determine the size of embedded flaw. The semi-automated system requires a manual exam to verify defect amplitude and location.

Apparatus and methods for automated turbine component inspections


A multi-chambered dispensing container which has a unique means for seating the cap portion of the container to the bottle portion of the container. The cap portion can be attached to the bottle portion such that the contents of one chamber of the container do not leak into another chamber. The contents of the container can be dispensed independently or at the same time. The container may also be refilled using alternate refill holes located in the bottle portion of the container.

There are numerous types of products that are used together, such as mustard and ketchup. These types of products are normally provided to consumers in separate containers. In many cases, consumers would like to keep such related products together so that they are readily available to use at the same time.
Consumers may also use different varieties of the same product, such as salad dressings. Products such as these are also normally provided to consumers in separate containers. In many instances consumers would like to purchase multiple types of such products without having to obtain large quantities of each variety. They also may like to store such products conveniently together so that they are ready to use at the same time.


Rapid and uniform temperature changes in the wells of a microplate or any thin-walled plate that contains an array of reaction wells or sample receptacles are achieved by the use of heating and cooling elements with a vapor chamber interposed between such elements and the microplate. The upper surface of the vapor chamber and the underside of the sample plate in certain embodiments are complementary in shape, i.e., they have identical but oppositely directed contours in the areas around each of the sample receptacles, to provide continuous surface contact along the surface of each receptacle. In other embodiments, an intermediary plate is placed between the vapor chamber and the well plate, with the top surface of the intermediary plate being complementary in shape to the underside of the well plate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sequential chemical reactions of which the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one example. In particular, this invention addresses methods and apparatus for performing chemical reactions simultaneously in a multitude of reaction mixtures and independently controlling the reaction in each mixture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
PCR is one of many examples of chemical processes that require a high level of temperature control of reaction mixtures with rapid temperature changes between different stages of the procedure. PCR itself is a process for amplifying DNA, i.e., producing multiple copies of a DNA sequence from a single strand bearing the sequence. PCR is typically performed in instruments that provide reagent transfer, temperature control, and optical detection of the product in a multitude of reaction vessels such as wells, tubes, or capillaries. The process includes a sequence of stages that are temperature-sensitive, different stages being performed at different temperatures and the temperature sequence being repeated in successive cycles.
While PCR can be performed in any reaction vessel, multi-well reaction plates and microfluidics devices with multiple channels are the reaction vessels of choice so that many strands of DNA can be replicated simultaneously. In many applications, PCR is performed in "real-time" and the reaction mixtures are repeatedly analyzed throughout the process, by the detection of light from fluorescently-tagged species in the reaction medium. In other applications, DNA is withdrawn from the medium for separate amplification and analysis. In multiple-sample PCR processes, a preferred arrangement is one in which each sample occupies one well of a multi-well plate or one channel of a multi-channel microfluidics device, and all samples in the plate or the microfluidics device are simultaneously equilibrated to a common thermal environment at each stage of the process.
Using a 96-well microplate with a sample in each well as an example, the plate is typically placed in contact with a metal block that is heated and cooled either by a Peltier heating/cooling apparatus or by a closed-loop liquid heating/cooling system that circulates a heat transfer fluid through channels machined into the block. In general, however, rapid changes in temperature that are uniform across all wells or channels are still difficult to achieve.

Thermal cycler with vapor chamber for rapid temperature changes


Upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, the protection system will automatically disable the vehicle or object that the system is installed in. Several sensors and events can be monitored by the system simultaneously, and the system can be automatically or manually programmed to selectively intervene or monitor events as they occur. Radiolocation systems, such as GPS and TELETRAC(.TM.) are used to monitor status and send commands.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a protection system, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for protecting vehicles and trailers from unauthorized access.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicle theft is a major crime problem in the United States. Further, theft of merchandise being transported in trailers, in addition to the value of the vehicles used to transport the merchandise, is also a law enforcement concern. Approximately one billion dollars is spent annually on law enforcement efforts to address vehicle theft and related crimes.
Although vehicle security systems, vehicle location systems such as LOJACK (.TM.), and vehicle alarms make theft of cars and trailers more difficult, these systems do not deter professional vehicle thieves. The chance of apprehension is small, and the rewards of a successful theft are so great, that present systems do not significantly prevent car theft.
Conventional security devices are plagued with numerous drawbacks. First, most vehicle thieves are easily able to defeat the present systems. Second, most car alarms, or suspicious activity around a tractor-trailer, are ignored by the public at large. Further, the present systems do not have a means to stop the thief once the car has been stolen.
The visibility of an alarm, keypad, or other devices that inform thieves that an alarm exists is also a problem, since any visible alarm that deters casual theft also informs professionals that an alarm needs to be disabled.
It can be seen, then, that there is a need for a better means to prevent or deter vehicle theft. It can also be seen, then, that there is a need for a system that is not readily visible to the car thief.

Theft preventing and deterring system and method using a remote station


A process is described for rock consolidation, e.g. in tunnel construction and mining, by injection of aqueous preparations of melamine resin condensates and/or urea formaldehyde condensates together with an acid curing agent. The process is characterized by the use of aqueous solutions of hydrogen sulfate salts, especially solutions of alkali and/or ammonium bisulfates, as curing agents. The curing agent solutions can contain additional auxiliary agents and active substances such as corrosion inhibitors, structurizers and adhesion agents. Preferred resin solutions for consolidation with these aqueous curing agents contain added zeolite NaA and/or hydrosodalite for increasing their serviceability, and especially for prolonging their storage life.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a further improvement in the application of aqueous synthetic resin systems based on melamine resins and/or urea formaldehyde resins for rock consolidation or as cavity filling-agents.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The improvement of rock mass strength by injection of auxiliary chemicals, usually prepared in water, has been described many times in the literature: compare for example DE-AS 11 53 698 as well as the publication H. Barthel "Improvement of rock mass strength by chemical injections", Bergb.-Wiss. 17 (1970), Volume 8, 281 to 285.
The subject of the prior application P 39 07 989.9 of the applicant is an improvement of this technology. The subject of the teaching of this prior protective right is aqueous preparations of acid-curable melamine resins and/or urea formaldehyde condensates for application in rock consolidation and/or cavity filling, e.g. in tunnel construction and mining, the improvement lying in the provision of an addition of zeolite NaA and/or hydrosodalite to increase the serviceability of the acid-curable aqueous resin preparations, and especially to prolong their stability in storage. The aqueous resin preparations contain in particular about 0.1 to 20 weight % and preferably about 0.5 suspended zeolite NaA or of the hydrosodalite. The co-utilization of urea, preferably in amounts of about 10 to 40 weight %, relative to the active substance content of the aqueous resin solution, can be provided for. The active substance content of curable melamine resins and/or urea formaldehyde condensates is usefully in the range of about 50 to 80 weight %, preferably in the range of about 55 to 75 weight %, relative in each case to the aqueous solution.
In the process, also claimed in the prior application, for rock consolidation, e.g. in tunnel construction and mining, the aqueous preparations of the melamine resins and/or urea formaldehyde condensates are mixed with an acid curing agent and then injected into the rock to be consolidated. Preferably aqueous solutions of mineral acids and especially an aqueous solution of phosphorous acid are used as the acid curing agent. It can be useful first to mix the mineral acids into aqueous electrolyte salt solutions, and then to intimately mix the curing agent solution with the resin solutions described at the outset and to inject them into the place of their application.
The aim of the present invention is the further development of the technical teaching of the named prior application of the applicant. The invention intends in particular to remove ecological doubts which can arise when aqueous solutions of phosphorous acids are used as curing agents. As is known, the undesirable increase in eutrophication of waters is attributed to water-soluble salts of acids of phosphorus. The entry of corresponding phosphorus compounds into rock can be at least undesirable if there is a risk of the leaching out of such water-soluble phosphorus compounds from the rock and the entry of the leached-out salt into surface waters.
The aim of the invention in the narrower sense is thus the selection of an acid-reacting curing agent for the stabilized resin systems of the prior application, with regard to which waters, do not exist.

Process for rock consolidation and/or cavity filling e.g. in tunnel construction and mining


By using a variable section extrusion die set which includes a die set (24) displaceable in a first direction orthogonal to an extrusion direction of a molding material and in a second direction perpendicular the first direction and adapted to vary an area of an extrusion molding hole (31) through which the molding material is extruded, and a mandrel (27) reciprocally movable in and out of said extrusion molding hole in the extrusion direction and provided on an outer peripheral portion thereof with a tapered portion (27B) which is gradually reduced in outer configurational dimension from one direction of the reciprocally moving direction to the other, said die set being moved to deform the extrusion molding hole (31) while pressing the molding material against said die set (24), and the tapered portion of the mandrel (27) being reciprocally moved in and out of the extrusion molding hole, extrusion molding of a tubular molding is thereby accomplished which varies in outer configurational dimension and inner configurational dimension in a longitudinal direction.

Recently, in various types of automotive vehicles such as ordinary automobiles, trucks and the like, component parts such as chassis members, vehicle main-frame members, bumpers and the like, which are made of aluminum or aluminum alloys, have been widely used in place of those which are conventionally made of steel, because the aluminum chassis members, etc., are superior, especially with respect to the light-weight of the vehicle main-frame members, prolonged service life of vehicles, recyclability, etc.
In manufacturing such kinds of vehicle component members, it is an ordinary practice to employ the extrusion technique. The reason for this is that the melting point of aluminum, which serves as a raw material, is low. In such an extrusion technique, an extrusion die set having a hole portion which has a configuration similar in section to those of the vehicle component members is firmly secured to a distal end portion of a container, a billet is inserted into the interior of the container, and then the billet is pressed towards the extrusion die set by a stem so that the billet is extruded out of the hole, thereby appropriately shaping the above-mentioned vehicle component members. According to this extrusion technique, since the hole portion of the extrusion die set has a constant sectional configuration, the vehicle component members thus obtained each has a constant sectional configuration in the longitudinal direction.
Incidentally, these various types of component members use H-shaped and T-shaped members consisting essentially of a web and a flange portion because these shapes offer predetermined amounts of mechanical strength, in other words, high sectional secondary moment. However, the employment of the H-shaped and the T-shaped members necessitates an increased outer configurational dimension in section and the requirement for smaller installation space cannot be met. Moreover, the flange portion sometimes interferes with other attachment members depending on where such H-shaped and T-shaped members are attached. Therefore, research is being conducted regarding the use of a tubular member which is smaller in outer configurational dimension and has superior mechanical strength.
However, in the conventional extrusion die set of the type mentioned above, since its hole portion has a constant sectional configuration, a resultant-molded tubular member also has a constant sectional configuration in the longitudinal direction. In a component member of this type, however, distribution of bending stress to be acted thereon usually varies in the longitudinal direction and the component member is obliged to have larger dimensions and strength than necessary at portions on which no large bending stresses act. Accordingly, molding material is excessively and wastefully used. This is particularly inefficient economically. Moreover, the requirements for the originally intended smaller installation space and light-weight design cannot be met.
As one way to hopefully avoid the above problems, employing an extrusion molding die set of the type as disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO93/00183, may be contemplated.
FIGS. 10 and 11 depict a conventional extrusion molding die set disclosed in the above International Publication. This extrusion molding die set is originally designed to extrude a tube having a variable shape and a variable wall thickness and which tube is made of copper. In the illustration, reference numeral 1 denotes a container; 2, a mandrel; 3, a pressure ram; and 4, a billet, respectively. The container 1 is provided at a distal opening portion thereof with a die set 5. The die set 5 is provided with a die section variable device 7. This die section variable device 7 has a hydraulic cylinder 8 for causing a plate-like extrusion member 7 to move in and out of the die set 5.
According to the above extrusion molding die, the hydraulic cylinder 8 of the die section variable device 6 is properly operated to cause the plate-like extrusion member 7 to move in and out of the die set 5 while extruding the billet 4 in the container 1 from the die set 5 with the pressure ram 3, so that a variable section tubular member 10, which has projections 9 on desired areas of an outer peripheral portion, can be formed, as shown in FIG. 11.
However, any attempt to apply of the above conventional extrusion molding die set to the technique for molding various kinds of tubular component members of the types mentioned above encounters problems in that since the projections 9 are formed merely on the area where mechanical strength is required in spite of the inside diameter (inner configurational dimension) being kept constant by the mandrel 2 in the longitudinal direction, the wall thickness of this area becomes larger than necessary due to the provision of the projections 9, and as a result, molding material is wastefully consumed and the requirement for making the component members light in weight cannot be met. Moreover, it gives rise to another problem in that the projections 9 locally formed are obstructive in view of the attachment structure.
The present invention has been accomplished for the purposes of effectively obviating the problems inherent in the conventional extrusion die set and the extrusion molding method using this die set. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a variable section extrusion die set and a variable section extrusion molding method capable of molding a tubular member which is arbitrarily varied in outer configurational dimension and inner configurational dimension in the longitudinal direction when a molding material such as aluminum is to be extruded.

Variable section extrusion die set and variable extrusion molding method


A push button latch includes a housing, an actuator movable along a path substantially axial of the housing and a lock movable along a path transverse to the axial path. A spring biases the lock to a latching position, and structures in the lock and housing inhibit unintended opening of the latch.

Latches are used extensively on various types of bins and enclosures. Latches are used extensively in the automotive industry, with each individual automobile potentially having several latched areas, such as glove boxes, consoles, storage bins and the like. It is known to employ latches that include a pawl or arm-like member that engages a mating structure such as the bin door when the door is in a closed position. It is known further to use push-button releases on a latch to retract the pawl or arm to allow the device to open. Upon release of the latched component, opening may be caused by gravity, manual manipulation, mechanical driving force from springs or pneumatic cylinders or the like. Push button latches have achieved acceptance for their convenience, including ease of operation.
A problem with push-style latches of this type is that the pawl or arm may be caused to retract at an undesirable time. For example, in automobile and other applications excessive vibration, such as when driving over rough or irregular roads; sudden jarring forces, such as when driving over a bump or when encountering a pothole; or quick motions in one direction or another can impart forces on the latch or pawl that can cause the pawl to retract, thereby allowing the latched item to be released. Accordingly, a push-style latch that remains stable during such conditions is desirable.
It is desirable to provide push latches with simplified structures and few individual parts. Some known prior art latches are complex with relatively many individual parts. Accordingly, assembly can be difficult and time-consuming as the relatively small parts need to be assembled correctly. Further, the complex structures can be difficult to maintain.


Mesoporous hexagonal, cubic, lamellar, wormhole, or cellular foam aluminosilicates, gallosilicates and titanosilicates derived from protozeolitic seeds using an ionic structure directing agent are described. The silicon and aluminum, gallium or titanium centers in the structures are stable so that the framework of the structure does not collapse when heated in the presence of water or water vapor (steam). The steam stable compositions can be used as catalysts for hydrocarbon conversions, including the fluidized bed catalytic cracking and the hydrocracking of petroleum oils, and other reactions of organic compounds.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to porous aluminosilicate compositions which have a unique structure which are stable at high temperatures and under hydrothermal conditions. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing the porous aluminosilicate composition which uses a zeolite seed with a structure directing agent. Further still, the present invention relates to novel cracking catalysts for oil and other organic molecules. The present invention thus provides for the assembly of ultrastable porous aluminosilicates with hexagonal, cubic, wormhole or foam framework structures that do not suffer from the undesirable extensive de-alumination and steam instability of conventional aluminosilicate compositions.
(2) Description of Related Art
All previously reported aluminosilicate mesostructures, as prepared by either direct or post synthesis alumination, result in the extensive de-alumination of the framework upon calcination (Ryoo, R., et al., Chem. Commun. 2225 (1997); and Luan, Z. H., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 99 10590 (1995)). This undesired property has been attributed to the hydrolysis of the framework Al by steam generated in the calcination process (Corma, A., et al., J. Catal. 148 569 (1994); and Luan, Z. H., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 99 10590 (1995)). Regardless of the mechanism responsible for the de-alumination process, the acid catalytic properties of these materials for organic chemical conversions is greatly compromised. Moreover, all previously reported aluminosilicate mesostructures completely lose their framework mesoporosity when exposed to steam at the temperatures normally encountered in the processing of petroleum catalysts.
Soon after the discovery of mesoporous MCM-41 molecular sieves (Beck, J. S., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114 10834 (1992)), it was found that the incorporation of aluminum into the framework introduced mild acidic functionality, but the long range order and tetrahedral siting of the aluminum was compromised (Chen, C-Y., et al., Microporous Mater. 2 17 (1993); Borade, R. B., et al., Catal. Lett 31 267 (1994); Luan, Z. H., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 99 10590 (1995)), especially at intended aluminum loadings above about 8 mol %. Mild acidity and loss of structural integrity, together with poor steam stability under regeneration conditions made hexagonal Al-MCM-41 compositions unattractive candidates for the processing of high molecular weight petroleum fractions. More recently, important advances have been made in improving the structural integrity of Al-MCM-41 through direct assembly (Janicke, M. T., et al., Chem. Mater. 11 1342 (1999)) and post synthesis modification methods (Hamdan, H., et al., J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans 92 2311 (1996); Mokaya, R., et al., Chem. Commun. 2185 (1997); Ryoo, R., et al., J. Chem. Commun. 2225 (1997); and Ryoo, R., et al., Chem. Mater. 9 1607 (1998)). However, the low acidity and poor steam stability still limit potential applications in petroleum refining (Corma, A., Chem. Rev. 2373 (1997)).
There is thus a need for improved aluminosilicate compositions, both mesostructured with larger pore sizes that are stable, particularly in the presence of steam. In particular, the present invention relates to aluminosilicates that have stable framework structures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process of forming ultrastable porous aluminosilicate structures

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University


Provided are a write voltage generating circuit of a non-volatile memory cell and a write voltage generating method. The write voltage generating circuit includes a voltage generating unit providing a preliminary write voltage at a level below a defined target level, a voltage sensing unit receiving the preliminary write voltage and a reference signal, and in response to a comparison between the preliminary write voltage and the reference signal generating a start signal, and a switching unit generating and applying a write voltage derived from the preliminary write voltage at a writeable level to a non-volatile memory cell during the write operation in response to the start signal, wherein the writeable level is less than the target level.

The present invention relates generally to write voltage generating circuits and related write voltage generating methods. More particularly, the invention relates to a write voltage generating circuit and method for use with a non-volatile memory device.
So-termed write operations performed in the context of non-volatile memory devices include program operations, erase operations, etc. A write operation typically starts only after related voltages provided by a write voltage generating circuit have reached their target values, or after a defined period of time has elapsed, where said period of time is deemed sufficient to allow the voltages to reach their target values.
Figure (FIG.) 1 is a timing diagram illustrating changes in certain write voltage levels over time beginning with the start of a constituent write operation (i.e., a typical program operation). Referring to FIG. 1, in response to the start of charge pump operation, each voltage level for; (1) a high write voltage (VPI_CP), (2) a program bit line voltage (VPB_CP), and (3) a program bulk voltage (VBULK_CP) begins its transition towards a defined target value. Once the charge pump reaches operative saturation and each voltage reaches its target value, a write start signal (PGMSTART) activates (e.g., transitions from a low to a high logic level) to begin the write operation. In conventional nonvolatile memory devices, the requisite voltage settling time (TC) associated with the generation of these voltages may actually take about the same time amount of time as the subsequently performed write operation. As such, the voltage settling time (TC) represents a serious impediment to ongoing attempts to reduce the overall time requires perform a write operation, whether a program operation, an erase operation, etc.
In sum, once a write command is received by a conventional non-volatile memory device, an internal voltage boosting circuit begins boosting various voltages implicated in the write operation. Only after the voltage boosting operation(s) are complete can the write operation be performed. Recognizing the numerous write operations may be performed in relation to the nonvolatile memory device, the operation of the internal voltage boosting circuit becomes an important design consideration. For example, once a particular write operation is complete, an associated internal voltage boosting circuit does not necessarily assume a state effectively supporting subsequent (i.e., continuous) write operations, (i.e., such that the time interval between successive ON/OFF operations may be reduced). See, for example, Japanese Publication Patent No. 2002-230985.

Write voltage generating circuit and method


A hinged, relatively rigid substrate on which a foldable IOL is held by a thin, relatively non-elastic film of esterified hyaluronate. When the substrate is folded along the hinge, the film covering the IOL causes the IOL to also fold along the hinge. The folded lens can then be placed in a conventional IOL injector handpiece that has been modified to include a cutter or the like to separate the film-encased IOL from the substrate prior to injection into the eye.

The human eye in its simplest terms functions to provide vision by transmitting and refracting light through a clear outer portion called the cornea, and further focusing the image by way of the lens onto the retina at the back of the eye. The quality of the focused image depends on many factors including the size, shape and length of the eye, and the shape and transparency of the cornea and lens.
When trauma, age or disease cause the lens to become less transparent, vision deteriorates because of the diminished light which can be transmitted to the retina. This deficiency in the lens of the eye is medically known as a cataract. The typical treatment for this condition is surgical removal of the lens and implantation of an artificial intraocular lens or IOL.
While early IOLs were made from hard plastic, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), soft, foldable IOLs made from silicone, soft acrylics and hydrogels have become increasingly popular because of the ability to fold or roll these soft lenses and insert them through a smaller incision. Several methods of rolling or folding the lenses are used. One popular method is an injector cartridge that folds the lenses and provides a relatively small diameter lumen through which the lens may be pushed into the eye, usually by a soft tip plunger. A commonly used injector cartridge design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102 (Bartell), the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, and includes a split, longitudinally hinged cartridge. Similar designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,484 and 5,499,987 (Feingold) and 5,616,148 and 5,620,450 (Eagles, et al.), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Several hinge-less cartridges are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,604 (Rheinish, et al.) and 5,653,715 (Reich, et al.), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
These prior art cartridges all have relatively rigid walls surrounding a smooth, round or elliptical bore that is symmetric about the longitudinal axis. The rigid walls work to fold and compress the IOL prior to insertion. Depending on the IOL material used, friction between the rigid walls and the IOL can make it difficult or impossible to express the IOL from the cartridge without damage to the IOL or delicate ocular tissue. To reduce friction, a common practice is to apply a viscoelastic agent or other biocompatible lubricant to the IOL and/or bore of the cartridge. While the application of a lubricating viscoelastic agent works well with some silicone and hydrogel materials, other materials such as soft acrylics can be very hydrophobic, making it difficult to lubricate these lenses with conventional water-based viscoelastic solutions.
Another limitation of commercially available prior art lens cartridges is that they are all packaged separately from the IOL, requiring the surgeon or operating room staff to load the IOL into the cartridge thereby introducing the opportunity for mishandling or damage to the IOL.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for an improved IOL injection system that facilitates the loading and expression of soft lenses.


An insulated shipping container system for transferring a temperature sensitive product comprising a substantially hollow insulated body having inner walls and outer walls defining a payload cavity to receive a payload and supports to space the payload from the insulated body thereby defining an internal air filled space to facilitate heat transfer. The insulated shipping container system further comprises a heat transfer element cavity configured to receive a heat transfer element and supports to space the heat transfer element from the insulated body thereby defining an internal air filled space to facilitate heat transfer. Also provided are methods for shipping temperature sensitive products and goods comprised of packing and assembling the insulated shipping container system disclosed herein.

Insulated shipping container systems are used to transport a variety of temperature sensitive products and goods including, for example, biological products, perishable foodstuffs, and raw materials. The thermal objective for a container system is to maintain a predetermined temperature range to protect the payload, i.e., the product being shipped from experiencing harmful external environmental temperature fluctuations, where the two most basic components are refrigerant and thermal insulation. Typical insulated shipping container systems attempt to maintain a predetermined temperature, whether cooled or heated, and attempt to insulate the payload, i.e. the product being shipped, from experiencing external environmental temperature fluctuations.
Biological products such as blood, biopharmaceuticals, reagents and vaccines with registered storage refrigeration conditions are commonly transported using insulated shipping containers. Because of these products' susceptibility to the external environmental temperature, increased regulatory scrutiny of product transport conditions have been implemented to ensure the viability of the product being shipped. Accordingly, shippers have had to make costly upgrades to their container systems to ensure compliance.
Current insulated shipping container systems use insulating material to protect the payload from external environmental temperatures. In addition, the insulating material protects the internal temperature from external temperature fluctuations. Typical insulating materials include expanded polystyrene and/or rigid polyurethane.
Current industry consensus is that high performance thermal insulation will remedy compliance requirements. This is in no way an assurance nor is it pragmatic. In order to combat increasing regulatory scrutiny and keep cost at a minimum and maximize functionality, future container systems must perform more efficiently using conventional materials. Thermal insulation is essential in protecting payloads from their thermal environment, but they do very little in keeping payloads cool. Instead, refrigerants and their use must be improved to achieve maximum efficiency.
Payloads are typically cooled using refrigerants that reside in the interior cavity formed by the insulating material. Refrigerants most typically used include ice, dry ice, gel packs, foam refrigerant, and the like. In conventional container systems cooling between refrigerant and payload is achieved by direct contact between refrigerants and payload. Chilled refrigerant is placed between subzero (° C.) frozen refrigerant and payload. The frozen and chilled refrigerant now forms a refrigerant system. The payload temperature is regulated by adjusting the amount and surface-to-surface contact of the chilled refrigerant onto the payload in conjunction with adjusting the amount and surface-to-surface contact of the frozen refrigerant onto the chilled refrigerant. The most functional configuration for shippers using this method is to locate the refrigerant system above the payload in contact with a single payload surface. This particular configuration is most effective in distributing small payloads and has limited cooling capacity and lack uniform cooling due to the limited contact between the refrigerant system and payload. This configuration must be abandoned when considering larger payloads and/or greater cooling. In order for this method to accommodate large payloads and/or greater cooling the refrigerant system must be expanded across additional payload surfaces, subsequently adding considerable weight to the container system and reducing functionality. Added weight and burden translates to increased cost. Ineffective refrigerant migration is another fault with this method, increasing the risk of failure. In addition, current insulated shipping containers have seams that are susceptible to air leaks, thereby negatively impacting the insulating properties of the insulating materials and reducing the efficiency of the refrigerant.
Recent attempts to improve typical insulated shipping containers have met with mixed success. In one example, an insulated shipping container is provided whereby the refrigerant is placed on a tray, separate from the payload. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,017 to Combs et al., incorporated herein by reference. While this design attempts to minimizes the problems associated with putting the refrigerant in direct contact with the payload, the efficiency of the refrigerant is reduced requiring the use of more refrigerant to achieve a desired cooling effect, adding to the overall cost of these types of insulation shipping containers. In addition, the insulating properties of the refrigerant supporting tray further reduce the cooling properties of the refrigerant, requiring the use of more refrigerant and lower minimum refrigerant operating temperatures to achieve the desired cooling temperature, which in turn may lead to damage to the payload. Similarly, the '017 patent discloses attempts to increase the convective cooling that takes place inside the cavity of the shipping container by creating grooves, channels, or protrusions to increase the air flow around the payload. The designs of this and other systems, however, continue to have deleterious effects, especially with respect to the base or bottom of the payload, as there is sufficient contact between the payload and protrusions in these systems which in turn reduce air flow around critical parts of the payload, leading to uneven cooling of the payload. Furthermore these designs continue to be costly, difficult to construct, not scalable, and not capable of being a part of a prepackaging or automated packaging system.
In order to combat increasing regulatory scrutiny and keep cost at a minimum and maximize functionality, future container systems must perform more efficiently using conventional materials. Accordingly, there is a need for improved shipping containers and systems to provide cost effective, scalable, and workable solutions demanded by the extreme requirements of shipping temperature sensitive goods and products.

Insulated shipping container systems and methods thereof


A modular swimming pool is constructed of one or more floor sections and a plurality of wall sections, with water-tight seams between the sections. Grooves formed in the sides of each section mate with corresponding grooves on adjacent sections and thereby form hollow channels that hold elastomeric seals. A plurality of fasteners applies compressive force to the seals, which results in formation of a water-tight seam. A skirt, also provided in sections, is attached to the wall sections and forms a structural and decorative part of the pool.

Above-ground swimming pools typically have a tubular support structure that supports a water-proof liner. For anything other than the smallest pools, the structures are usually difficult to erect and are prone to being damaged. The liner is especially vulnerable. In addition, unless the underlying surface is swept absolutely clean of pebbles and other debris, the liner, once laid in place, will not be smooth, which can be both unsightly and uncomfortable to the touch. If, for example, the liner is inadvertently laid over a rock or pebble, a swimmer may step on the unseen object and possibly injure himself and the liner. Remedying the situation requires a pool owner to drain the pool, remove the liner, and reassemble and fill the pool, which is quite time-consuming.
The patent literature describes a number of above-ground pool, spas, and liquid storage tanks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,266 discloses a swimming pool structure for on-site assembly, which comprises a flexible liner supported by a surrounding wall of side-by side wooden staves and a plurality of cables that pass entirely around the pool wall. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,135 discloses a molded modular plastic framework for a swimming pool, which comprises an endless molded base member having post sockets and a continuous cove, the molded members being connected end to end to make the endless base member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,274 discloses a sewage collection and separation tank that uses as hexagonal elastromeric gasket mounted at a groove, with one end of the gasket abutting against another gasket mounted in the side of the sump pit to provide a liquid-tight seal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,075 discloses a swimming pool structure comprising a plurality of panels forming the pool walls and floor, the panels being interconnected by elastomeric sealing members that bridge adjacent panels and contact the front faces thereof. The interconnections have a complex design that employs both a seal and a cover member. Despite these past attempts, a need remains for above ground swimming pools, spas, and related structures that do not require a liner and that are structurally sound, easy to assemble, and aesthetically pleasing.


A display device includes a display panel, and the circuit substrate is separately formed and positioned different from the array substrate of the display panel and connected to the display panel. The circuit substrate includes an insulating substrate, a conductive layer, an insulating layer to cover a part of the conductive layer, a plating layer applied to a portion of the conductive layer which is exposed from the insulating layer due to misalignment between the conductive layer and the insulating layer, and a misalignment detection pattern for detecting the misalignment between the conductive layer and the insulating layer. The misalignment detection pattern has a pattern covered by the insulating layer in a manner to prevent adherence of a plating material to the conductive layer, if the misalignment between the conductive layer and the insulating layer is smaller than a predetermined misalignment tolerance.

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particular, to a display device making use of a flat-surface type display panel, and is suited to a circuit substrate that supplies a signal and a voltage required for driving of a display panel.
Display devices of various types such as liquid crystal display devices making use of a liquid crystal panel as a display panel, which constitutes a highly-accurate flat-surface type display device capable of color display for portable telephones, note-sized computers, or display monitors, organic electroluminescence display devices (organic EL display devices), field emission type display devices (FED), plasma display devices, or the like have already come into practical use, or are in the study phase of commercial application.
In particular, high accuracy and lightening are greatly demanded of display devices used for portable telephones in recent years. Display devices of this type propagate as a display module, in which a backlight, a drive circuit, a peripheral circuit, etc. are incorporated into a display panel such as liquid crystal panel, etc. In, for example, display modules for portable telephones, various signals and voltages for display are supplied to a drive circuit chip, which is mounted on a substrate of a display panel, from a signal processing circuit substrate with the use of a flexible printed circuit substrate (FPC). In addition, while the invention is not limited to FPC but is also applicable to a so-called printed circuit substrate, it is described here taking a FPC as a typical example.
Such circuit substrates called FPC mount solder mounted parts such as resistors, capacitors, etc. and comprise an insulating substrate made of base film, a conductive layer of copper or the like to constitute a wiring pattern, an insulating layer to cover a part of the conductive layer, and a plating layer applied to that portion of the conductive layer, which is exposed from the insulating layer. Solder resist (insulating layer), which serves to avoid adherence of a plating layer to portions except a necessary conductive layer, is coated or stuck to a region, in which solder mounted parts are mounted. An opening is formed in the solder resist and terminals of parts being mounted are solder-connected to wiring terminals exposed from the opening.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are views illustrating misalignment between an opening of solder resist and a conductive layer in a conventional FPC, FIG. 12A being a cross sectional view, and FIG. 12B being a plan view. In FIGS. 12A and 12B, upper sections illustrate the case where there is no misalignment between an opening of solder resist and a conductive layer, and lower sections illustrate the case where there is misalignment between the opening of the solder resist SRG and the conductive layer. In FIGS. 12A and 12B, a FPC comprises an insulating substrate BFM made of a base film, a conductive layer (a wiring pattern of copper) CPT, solder resist SRG being an insulating layer to cover a part of the conductive layer CPT, and a gold plating layer APL applied to that portion of the conductive layer CPT, which is exposed from the solder resist SRG. FIG. 12A shows a laminated state of the elements, and FIG. 12B shows an opening of the solder resist SRG and a state of misalignment in a plane of the opening.
In the case where there is no misalignment between the opening of the solder resist and the conductive layer, the gold plating layer APL is correctly formed on the conductive layer (a wiring pattern of copper) CPT within the opening of the solder resist, as shown in the upper sections of FIGS. 12A and 12B. In contrast, in the case where there is misalignment S of at least ΔS between the opening of the solder resist and the conductive layer, there comes out a state, in which the gold plating layer APL formed on the conductive layer (a wiring pattern of copper) CPT becomes narrow within the opening of the solder resist SRG and the insulating substrate BFM made of a base film is exposed to a A region, as shown in the lower sections of FIGS. 12A and 12B. When electronic parts are mounted in such state, there occurs a state, in which terminals of the electronic parts are not connected normally to the gold plating layer APL formed on the conductive layer CPT.
Shift of an opening of solder resist formed on a FPC from a normal position is prescribed to be, for example, at most 0.1 mm while being according to a degree of minuteness of a wiring pattern. Conventionally, an amount of misalignment of a solder resist opening is visually inspected with the use of a microscope of about 10 magnifications.

Display device having misalignment detection pattern for detecting misalignment between conductive layer and insulating layer


A digital preservation system (10) for accepting a digital data record as input, for providing a preview of the digital data record on a display screen (80), for writing the data record in human-readable form onto a preservation-quality medium (210), for storage of the medium (210), and for retrieval of the data record from the medium (210). The digital preservation system (10) preserves a data record in human-readable form, along with an associated metadata record, allowing the human-readable preserved data record to be readable in the distant future, independent of specific reading hardware. The preview function allows an operator to specify storage and retrieval characteristics for the data record.

In order to clarify the scope of the present invention, it is first useful to distinguish between the terms "data archiving" and "data preservation" as used in this application. Conventional approaches to digital data archiving, also termed digital data storage, use a variety of storage media such as magnetic tape or disk and optical tape or disk media, and may employ techniques such as periodic tape backup, redundant disk storage, and the like. Use of these storage media and techniques provides some level of assurance that a digital data file can be reliably retrieved for at least a few years after it is initially created and stored. In contrast to digital data archiving, digital data preservation is a relatively new concept. Only recently has it become apparent that there is considerable need for workable solutions that allow long-term retention of digital data for periods exceeding those provided by established data archiving methods. Conventional data storage and archiving systems provide limited term solutions that allow reliable retrieval of backed-up digital data for a period of approximately 5–10 years. Data preservation systems, on the other hand, must provide solutions that not only allow retrieval of digital data for much longer periods, but also are capable of allowing usability of the data for periods extending decades or even hundreds of years into the future. This life-span is conditioned in large part by the projected life-span of preservation media, expected to last for hundreds of years when stored under suitable conditions.
In contrast with digital data archiving, digital data preservation offers a number of added advantages. For example, in order to be readable and usable years hence, archived digital data requires some type of migration, such as from one media type to another or from an earlier data format to a later data format. Without migration of some kind, archived data, over time, gradually becomes unreadable and therefore loses its value. In stages, the archived data first becomes unusable, as data formats and application software are revised or replaced. Then, as reading and processing hardware become obsolete, the archived data simply becomes unrecoverable. The task of maintaining archived data through migration can be daunting, requiring, over a period of years, that the archived data be translated from one data format to another or transferred from one storage medium to another. With repeated migration operations, there is increased likelihood of error and of loss of interpretable data. According to some industry estimates, as much as 5% of stored data can be lost during a typical migration operation. Thus, maintaining archived digital data for long periods of time may be costly and labor-intensive and can involve risk of data loss.
In contrast to such well-known difficulties with digital data archiving, digital data preservation would allow digital data to be retrievable in a readable state for many years. Ideally, digital data preservation would eliminate, or at least alleviate, any need for data migration and its concomitant costs and risks. Users of digital data preservation systems would thus enjoy the benefits of minimal risk for data loss or obsolescence, even in the event of severe infrastructure disruption.
Digitally created documents, created using some sort of logic processor and maintained in file form, are often shared among multiple users in digital form, some only rarely being written to paper. Typically, digitally created documents are stored and transferred as files in open data formats, such as TIFF, HTML, JPEG, XML, or .txt, for example. By design, some of these open data formats can be routinely interpreted by software running on a number of different computer platforms. Alternately, other common data formats are designed to be proprietary, interpretable only using specific application software. A goal of digital preservation is to retain the usability and original intention of the data without requiring migration of data format or of data storage mechanisms, allowing files to be certifiably unaltered in their interpreted form, able to be used for purposes such as legal evidence, for example.
In order to have preserved records considered as "certifiably unalterable", so that, for example, such records could even be considered as legal evidence, a preservation system would need to provide "Write-Once/Read-Many-Times/Erase-Once" function. Write-Once capability would disallow alteration of preserved data and unauthorized addition of records to preservation media. Read-Many-Times capability would allow retrieval of preserved data from the media with consistent accuracy. Erase-Once capability would assure complete expungement of specific data records as needed.
Current archiving methods for digital data, allowing access to data only in digital format, have a number of shortcomings. Among problems well known by those skilled in the data archiving arts are aging of equipment, limitations in the useful life of magnetic and optical storage media, and inevitable obsolescence of data formats, particularly where data formats are closely associated with specific hardware or with specific versions of operating systems or programming languages.
Long term preservation of digital data requires both that the original data be faithfully preserved and that this data can be interpreted in some form at any time in the future. This requirement means that the organization that stores the digital data can provide, at some future time, access not only to screen displays, printouts, and other system output, but also to the original data used to generate such output. To achieve this goal, methods for retrieving preserved digital data must be, insofar as is possible, independent of specific equipment. While there may have been various attempts at developing universally accepted data formats for different types of files, few standards have been developed or are likely to be adopted.
Human-readability has not been considered as a meaningful or useful characteristic for data preservation. However, the encoding of data in human-readable form may provide advantages that have been overlooked in any scheme for data encoding and archival. For example, there are baseline advantages for verifying authenticity of a document encoded in human-readable form, and thus for irrefutably validating the fidelity of the document to its original source. Future users of a document would then be assured that a preserved version would be a valid and true copy of an original document.
FIG. 1 illustrates the conventional approach to digital data archiving. Digital data is processed by a central processing unit (CPU) 200 running some type of operating system 204. An application 202, using utilities available from operating system 204, provides digital data output in some binary, machine-readable form. This digital data output is only usable to the originating application 202, or to another software application compatible with application 202. The digital data output has value only when interpreted and presented by application 202 in some form, such as that of a static display of text or images, interactive calculation, web page with dynamic links, or multimedia presentation for example. In the conventional model of FIG. 1, a binary storage hardware apparatus 206 stores the digital data output from application 202 onto binary storage media 208, such as magnetic tape, disk, or optical disk. With the arrangement of FIG. 1, the archived data is in an application-dependent form and therefore becomes unusable if the originating application 202 or operating system 204 become obsolete. Archived data also becomes unusable as binary storage media 208 degrades over time.
Technology development, by which early systems and software become obsolete, replaced by increasingly more capable tools, is also an important factor for consideration with respect to a digital data preservation system. Anticipated developments in data networking technology, in data interface methods, and in imaging technologies for storage and retrieval are likely to bring about corresponding changes in system hardware, with various components of a system becoming obsolete over time. Inherent to the design of a digital data preservation system solution must be a clear-cut strategy for allowing continuous upgrade, component by component, without jeopardizing the integrity of the preserved digital data.
Analog preservation media, such as microfilm, have been widely used for long-term retention of documents, drawings, and flat ASCII files, where data is encoded visually as black and white images. Among proven benefits of such media are long lifetimes, capability for very high resolution, and inherent human readability. These analog preservation media have traditionally been used in systems employing optical cameras for recording and storing analog data, typically images of documents. With the growing need for retention of computer data, these analog media have also been employed in digital document archiving systems, such as the Document Archive Writer, Model 4800, manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y. Other Computer-Output-Microfilm (COM) recording systems have used similar analog media for long-term retention of processed and displayed data, in printout form. It is significant to note that existing systems use these types of analog preservation media solely for storing black and white images of documents that may be output by a typical application 202 (FIG. 1). Storage of digital data from application 202 is performed using conventional, magnetic or optical binary storage media 208.
A digital data file for preservation by a digital preservation system can originate from any of a number of sources and could comprise any of a number of types of data. As just a few examples, digital data files could be generated from scanned documents or scanned images, where the original source for the data was prepared or handled manually. Digital data files may comprise encodings of bitonal images, grayscale images, or even color images, such as the halftone separations used in color printing. Digital data files could be computer-generated files, such as spreadsheets, CAD drawings, forms created on-line, Web pages, or computer-generated artwork. Interactive and sensory stimuli such as sound and animation can also be stored as digital data files. Digital data files might even contain computer software, in source code or binary code format. In summary, there can be a need for long-range preservation of any type of digital data file, whether the actual file content is meaningful to an observer, such as when the file contains a document of some kind, or to a computer, such as when the file consists only of encoded computer program instructions.
Preservation of a digital data file typically requires that the data file be packaged in some standard fashion, so that at least some amount of metadata, that is, data about the file itself, can be stored with the data. For example, metadata associated with a CAD file might identify the originating software and revision, date of creation and revision of the data, designer name, departmental and project-related identifiers, delivery or completion date, workflow listing, access permissions levels, and the like. Metadata content can include not only basic information such as file ID and look-up information, but also information that optimizes subsequent data retrieval and interpretation, such as image quality metrics, and media/writer characteristics.
The likely obsolescence of specific data formats over time confounds the problem of data preservation. Depending upon the type of data source and upon factors such as the specific nature of a data file, many data formats can be expected to fade from use, thereby jeopardizing possible recall of data content at some future time. A number of organizations have already encountered this problem, acknowledging that sizable amounts of stored data have become very costly or even impossible to retrieve reliably.
Meanwhile, there have been some promising solutions proposed for providing data in a form that will continue to be readable in the future. One method intended to achieve this goal is the extensible markup language (XML) initiative. XML, document type description (DTD), and XML Schema constructs provide a degree of self-definition, inherently open structure, and computer platform portability and provide tools for data formatting by which definitions of data components can themselves be stored as metadata associated with a data file. However, there has been no attempt thus far to provide solutions using extensible markup languages and techniques that support long-term preservation and retrieval of data.
There have been methods disclosed for storing documents in a machine-readable format that is perceptible to a human observer. PCT application WO/28726 (Smith, Leonhardt, Frary) discloses storage of a two-dimensional document on a laser-writeable optical storage medium, wherein an image of the document is written onto the media along with the binary data representing the digital record. However, the solution disclosed in application WO 00/28726 is limited to storage of document data, which is merely a subset of the complete set of data types that may need to be preserved. A significant drawback of the PCT application WO 00/28726 system is that it employs conventional, optical storage medium, optical disk or tape written using a laser, thus limiting the lifetime of stored data. Furthermore, the Write-Many-Times characteristic of the system disclosed in PCT application WO 00/28726 makes the system unsuitable for preserving data records that are certifiably unaltered over time. Data written using the system disclosed in PCT application WO 00/28726 may be marginally "human-perceptible" in the sense that the visible effects of marking the optical medium under varying laser intensities could be perceived and interpreted by a human observer trained to interpret the resultant markings as binary 1s and 0s. However, this encoding method is inefficient in providing truly "human-readable" data that would be directly readable using a scanner or could even be read from the media by a human observer. Without intervening hardware, with its incumbent system dependencies, the binary data stored on the optical medium as disclosed in PCT application WO 00/28726 would be extremely difficult to obtain.
Copending, commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/703,059, filed Oct. 31, 2000, entitled "A Method and Apparatus for Long Term Document Preservation" discloses long term preservation methods for document data stored in virtual folders, utilizing an analog medium such as film. As with other solutions, this system does not provide the full set of possible preservation functions for a digital file. Significantly, the method noted in application Ser. No. 09/703,059 is limited to preserving the image of the document only, with no attempt to preserve the digitally created document data itself nor the metadata associated with the document in human-readable form.
The above-mentioned solutions, focusing more narrowly on saving documents and images for a time, have provided only "single point" solutions that are not adequate for addressing the larger data preservation problem. Documents themselves make up only a small subset of digital data that must be preserved. Typical forms of digital data other than documents that may require preservation include grayscale and color pictures and diagnostic images; spreadsheet data; satellite data and other instrumentation readings; audio, video and multimedia presentation data; software; HTML content; and database records, for example. It can be appreciated that preservation and retrieval of this broader base of digital data types requires alternate approaches beyond what may be needed for document preservation. For example, with digital data in this broader category, there may be a greater need for retention and retrieval of other underlying, related data, such as source data associated with or used to generate some part of an image or document.
Users of conventional systems for archival of documents and images on microfilm are familiar with the level of image quality obtained from such systems, based on long-term experience with optical recording methods. Even with the advent of digital archival writers, the basic model established with earlier optical recording methods has substantially been maintained. For example, with respect to overall image quality for the archived document or image, there are few options available with conventional monochrome image archival systems. Hence, there would be no need for viewing the results of an archival operation when a document is initially stored. However, the capability for storing color image data, encoded in a monochrome medium, provides a new model for document and image archival and preservation and makes some options available to users of archival and preservation systems.
It is well known that a document, when output on different printing apparatus using different print driver software, not only has obvious differences due to characteristics such as printer resolution and media response, but can also be formatted differently. To give an approximate idea of the final appearance of printed output, manufacturers of various software packages often provide a print preview function. Using print preview, a user can get a good idea of the final appearance of a document or image from a "soft copy" displayed on the computer screen. Gross differences in pagination, font use, and other characteristics of the final output are faithfully represented, allowing a user to verify that an output print will have the intended appearance. This type of preview function, however, has not been made available for archival or preservation systems. Nor has it been possible for a user of an archival system to view and select from possible options for image quality characteristics when a document or image is stored or retrieved. This has been due, in large part, to the processing time and cost required in order to show the results of an archival or preservation operation.
While independent archival services exist, the problem of digital archival has largely been a problem to be solved by the company, governmental unit, or other organization needing such a service. It is widely held that outsourcing archival services can be beneficial, lowering the actual cost of such service and improving the overall quality of the archival operation. When archival and preservation of data must be performed by a company, governmental unit, or other organization, the process of archival and preservation remains closely bound to the information content itself. From a business perspective, it can be beneficial to effectively separate ownership of the archival and preservation process from ownership of the information content, thereby allowing an independent vendor to provide archival services to any number of client organizations, while still reserving control and approval of the content to these client organizations.
A difficulty faced by vendors of digital archival and preservation services relates to operational cost in handling each document to be archived or preserved and in performing rigorous quality checks. It would be time-consuming and costly to provide customers with representative images of archived documents for their approval. It is well appreciated that tools for automating customer approval cycles and quality audits help to reduce cost and improve overall operating efficiency and long-term customer satisfaction for document preservation services.
A related difficulty is presented by the cost of sales. Typically, batch processing provides the most economical arrangement for document archival or preservation, with images on rolls of photosensitive media that require chemical processing following exposure. Given conventional workflow constraints, the task of processing and providing demonstration samples to prospective customers interrupts the cost-efficient workflow used for day-to-day operation. Thus, it can be appreciated that there is value in facilitating the process for demonstrating digital preservation system capabilities to prospective customers.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a demand for a digital data preservation system having a preview function that enables a user to view the results of a preservation operation for assessment and approval.

Preview function in a digital data preservation system


A non-irradiative method for producing singlet oxygen is provided that comprises passing a gas comprising oxygen through or over a perforated metallic article. A method of oxidizing a target of treatment is also described that comprises providing a metallic article and convecting a gas comprising oxygen over or through the article toward the target.

Oxygen makes up about 20% percent of the air and is essential to life and various chemical reactions. The oxygen molecule is a diradical, as its lowest electronic state is a triplet (3Σg−) state in which two unpaired electrons are distributed in the two highest occupied degenerate orbitals.
Occupation of molecular orbitals in oxygen at different energetic states is shown in: FIG. 1a triplet ground state, 3Σg−; FIG. 1b most stable singlet state, 1Δg, and FIG. 1c highest energy, short-lived singlet state, 3Σg+[1].
Oxygen in the triplet state (3O2) is not very reactive due to spin restrictions, as most other molecules are in the singlet state, though it will readily react with radicals that are in the doublet state. However, excitation of the molecule will result in the rearrangement of the electron spins and the orbital occupancy to form two possible singlet electronic states, 1Δg and 1Σg+ (FIGS. 1b and c, respectively), which are highly reactive [2]. The 1Σg+ state oxygen is very reactive and has a relatively short lifetime as it tends to quickly relax to the lower energy 1Δg state. Therefore, the 1Δg singlet state, that is only 23 kcal above that of the ground state [3], is the state involved in most oxygen reactions that do not involve radicals and is the state that is referred to when discussing singlet state oxygen 1O2 (below referred to as "singlet oxygen").
The direct conversion of an isolated oxygen molecule from the ground triplet state to the singlet state by the absorption of a photon is highly improbable as it is a spin forbidden transition. As a result, the 1Δg singlet state is relatively long lived—the reported calculated radiative lifetime for an isolated 1Δg state oxygen is 72 minutes, and is 11 seconds for the isolated higher energy 3Σg+ oxygen [3]. In higher oxygen concentrations and in the presence of other molecules, these lifetimes significantly shorten. The observed lifetimes for 1Δg state oxygen range from milliseconds in gaseous phase to microseconds in aqueous media and other conditions [4, 5].
As it is a highly reactive form of oxygen, singlet oxygen (1O2) is increasingly used for medical applications such as cancer treatment, and industrial applications such as water treatment and inducing chemical reactions.
Singlet oxygen can be produced in various methods; one of the most common is by chemical reactions. FIG. 2 demonstrates two such reactions, (a) decomposition of trioxidane in water; (b) reaction of hydrogen peroxide with sodium hypochlorite [6-9].
Another method of singlet oxygen production is by irradiation in the presence of an organic dye (photosensitizer) [3]. The fluorescent sensitizer in the presence of oxygen is quenched through a radiationless path in which energy is transferred to the oxygen that is excited to the singlet state.
There are other physical methods to produce singlet oxygen, that are not as commonly used, such as microwave [10] and radiofrequency discharge [11] in an oxygen atmosphere.
In order to produce singlet oxygen in atmospheric air, usually an immobilized photosensitizer is used [12]. However, photosensitizers tend to degrade over time, losing their effectiveness as a result of photobleaching by singlet oxygen or by some other process. In addition, the yield of the immobilized photosensitizers is lower than that of the unbound molecules [13]. As a result, devices based on immobilized photosensitizers display reduced yield and have limited life span.
One objective here is to produce short lived singlet oxygen in atmospheric air and oxygen-enriched air. Another objective is to provide methods of utilizing the produced singlet oxygen.


Disclosed is a laser radar device including a modulated light beam generator that emits light beams to a target, a photodetector that receives reflected light; a reflected light condenser that condenses the reflected light; a rotator that rotates around a rotation axis; and mirrors included in the rotator that scan the light beams, and guide the reflected light to the reflected light condenser, wherein an angular detection range in a vertical direction is divided into a plurality of layers, wherein mirror surfaces of the mirrors are tilted by corresponding tilt angles relative to the rotation axis, the tilt angles being different from each other, wherein the modulated light beam generator emits the light beams in the vertical direction, the light beams having different emission angles, and wherein a difference between the emission angles corresponds to the angular detection range of one layer in the vertical direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser radar device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to find a vehicle ahead or an obstacle on a track, or to detect a white line, which is used as a lane marking on a road, or a road stud such as a cat's-eye, in general, an object type determination device is used which employs a scanning laser radar. A laser radar device emits a laser beam ahead of a vehicle, and receives reflected light, thereby detecting an obstacle or the like ahead of the vehicle.
A generic laser radar device includes a photoemitter that generates a pulsed laser light beam, and that scans the light beam in a horizontal direction; a photodetector such as a photodiode that receives the laser light which is reflected by the object in front of the vehicle, and that converts it into a voltage signal; and an optical receiver including an optical element such as a lens that guides the reflected light toward the photodetector. A distance between the vehicle and the object can be calculated by a time difference between a moment at which the pulsed laser is generated and a moment at which the reflected light is received by the photodetector.
Usually, a pulsed laser light is generated by applying a pulse-shaped driving current to a semiconductor laser diode, and the pulsed laser light is guided to an optical scanner that scans light in the horizontal direction through optical coupling element such as a coupling lens. For example, a polygon mirror or a galvanometer mirror has been used as the optical scanner. By scanning a laser beam by a mirror device, distance measurement can be performed across a wide range in the horizontal direction.
In addition to expansion of the range of the measurement in the horizontal direction, recently, there is a need for two-dimensional scanning, in which a beam is also scanned in a vertical direction, and there is a need for multi-line scanning (multi-layered), in which a measured area in the vertical direction is divided and a light beam is horizontally scanned.
As a means for achieving the two-dimensional scanning or the multi-line scanning, in general, a configuration can be considered in which scanning devices, scanning directions of which are different by 90 degrees, are connected in series, and beam scanning in the horizontal direction is performed and subsequently the beam scanning in the vertical direction is performed. As a means for more easily achieving the multi-line scanning, a method can be considered in which a tilt angle is defined for each of reflection planes of a rotational polygon mirror relative to a rotation axis of the rotational polygon mirror such that the tilt angles of the corresponding reflection planes are different from each other. Additionally, as a means for enabling the multi-line scanning in which measured areas are different in the vertical direction, a configuration may be adopted in which more than one of photodetectors are arranged in the vertical direction.
As described above, for a laser radar device which scans a laser beam, a method has already been known in which, in addition to scanning in the horizontal direction, measurement is performed by dividing a detection area in the vertical direction.
Unfortunately, with a laser radar device according to related art, as a number of layers in the vertical direction increases, the cost is significantly increased and/or the size of the device is significantly increased.
For example, when the configuration is adopted in which the plural photodetectors are arranged in the vertical direction, it may be required to prepare the photodetectors so that a number of light receiving areas of the photodetectors is equal to a number of layers of the detection area, which is divided in the vertical direction. For a laser radar device for a medium to long distance which is greater than several tens of meters, in general, an avalanche photodiode (APD), which has a high detection sensitivity, is used as the photodetector. However, an APD element is expensive. When the number of the light receiving areas is increased, the number of the APDs to be used is also increased, thereby increasing the cost. In addition, for the divided detection areas, it may be required to individually prepare detection signal processing systems, such as an amplifier circuit, and control is complicated. This can also be a cause of an increase in the cost.
When the detection area in the vertical direction is divided by making the tilt angles of the mirrors included in the polygon mirror relative to the rotation axis to be different from each other, it may be required that a number of the mirror surfaces is greater than or equal to a number of the layers in the vertical direction. Thus, the size of the polygon mirror is enlarged. A problem is that it can be a cause of an increase in size of the whole device.
Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H09-274076) discloses a configuration of a laser radar device which scans a laser beam. In the configuration, beam scanning is performed by a polygon mirror, which includes mirror surfaces whose tilt angles relative to a rotation axis of the polygon mirror are different from each other, so as to divide a detection area in the vertical direction into multiple layers.
The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a configuration such that the multiple areas, which are divided in the vertical direction by the polygon mirror having the mirror surfaces with the different tilt angles, are scanned by a beam. However, with the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the number of the layers in the vertical direction is increased, it may be required to prepare the number of the mirror surfaces which is greater than or equal to the number of the layers. Thus, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 may not solve the problem in which the size of the device may be enlarged.


The handles of a pair of crutches have male and female coupling elements which enable them to be removably and rotatably fixed to one another. Crutches fixed in this manner can then be placed in a stable manner against any support at an elevation above their center of gravity.

The present invention relates to means for joining two crutches in a removable or separable manner, in particular in a symmetrical position. The invention is particularly but not solely concerned to ensure the stability of the joined crutches in the upright position when they are placed against a support situated above the level of their centre of gravity.

Device for removably joining two crutches


A method for matching a data rate of simultaneous radio transmissions of data for services over a connection between a base station and a subscriber station. The method includes determining a service-specific rate matching factor for one of the services based on a steady-state rate matching factor and a dynamic rate matching factor. The dynamic connection-oriented rate matching factor is based on the steady-state matching factor. The dynamic-connection oriented rate matching factor matches a sum of a volume of data for the services over the connection to a volume of data available in a next frame of data. The method also includes compressing or expanding the data for the one of the services based on the corresponding service-specific rate matching factor.

In radio communication systems, messages (for example voice, image information or other data) are transmitted via a radio interface with the aid of electromagnetic waves. The radio interface relates to a connection between a base station and subscriber stations where the subscriber stations can be mobile stations or stationary radio stations. The electromagnetic waves are radiated at carrier frequencies in the frequency band intended for the respective system. For future radio communication systems, for example the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) or other third-generation systems, frequencies are provided in the frequency band of approx. 2000 MHz.
For the third generation of mobile radios, broadband (B=5 MHz) radio interfaces are provided which use a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) subscriber separation method for distinguishing between different transmission channels and can simultaneously provide a number of services per call. The problem is how the data of different services of a call are to be time-division multiplexed, i.e. inserted into a frame. The transmission capacity of the radio interface must be utilized in the best possible way, especially taking into consideration a highly dynamic variance in the data rates of the individual services.
From ETSI STC SMG2 UMTS-L1, Tdoc SMG2 UMTS-L1 221/98 of Aug. 25, 1998, especially pages 15-20, it is known to perform a two-stage data rate matching. First data rate matching is performed after channel coding and is intended to guarantee the service-specific qualities of service since the joint transmission of the data of a number of services makes a common signal/noise ratio mandatory. A second data rate matching after the multiplexing guarantees continuous transmission. The disadvantage of this solution can be seen in the fact that it is not possible to minimize the number of required transmission channels or at least, by spreading, the required transmitting power in the transmission channels. The code efficiency also drops since, in part, an expansion followed by a compression or conversely is performed on the same data. The code efficiency specifies the ratio between the change in the bit error rate (BER) and change in the redundancy of the data, the signal/noise ratio being considered as constant.
It is the object of the invention to eliminate these disadvantages. This object is achieved by the method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

Method and apparatus for adapting data rates for services over a connection between a base station and a subscriber station