A concentration method and concentrator arrangement enable a plurality of synchronous or asynchronous data terminals to be served by a common B channel of an ISDN to which the data terminals are connected by a digital subscriber termination and terminal adapters for transmission in packet mode. The terminal adapters are connected to the digital subscriber termination at the S0 basic access level. In the event of a request for B channel communication between a first data terminal served by a first terminal adapter and a packet mode ISDN port to which a second data terminal already has access via a second terminal adapter and via a first B channel, a transit connection is established between the two terminal adapters via the digital subscriber termination using a second B channel. Data packets conveyed between the first data terminal and the ISDN port are conveyed via the terminal adapter of the second data terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method and a concentrator arrangement adapted to enable a plurality of data terminals to be served by the same B channel of an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) to which the terminals are connected via terminal adapters and a digital subscriber termination to transmit data in packet mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Provision is made for connecting data terminals to an access point of a packet-switched network such as the TRANSPAC network via an ISDN to which the terminals are connected via appropriate terminal adapters and via a digital subscriber termination to enable transmission of data in packets, the ISDN having to be connected to the packet-switched network at this access point at least.
It is also feasible to interconnect data terminals via an ISDN digital subscriber termination and possibly via this network for the same purposes of transmitting data in packet mode.
In each case the data is transmitted via an ISDN B channel which has a fixed throughput of 64 kbit/s.
A conventional solution to the problem of connecting an asynchronous data terminal to an ISDN digital subscriber termination uses a terminal adapter through which the terminal is connected at an S reference point of the architectural model defined by the CCITT for this type of network, so-called basic access at this level being usually denoted S0.
The digital subscriber termination, for example a PABX, a local area network or a keyphone installation, is usually connected to an ISDN digital network termination at the T reference point or possibly to a line terminal at a U reference point.
The data terminal may be an asynchronous terminal, for example a personal computer which is connected to the terminal adapter by an RS232C type link under operating conditions equivalent to those recommended by CCITT Recommendation V.24 for transmitting data over telephone lines.
The data terminal may instead be a synchronous terminal, for example a powerful computer system which is connected to the terminal adapter under operating conditions defined by CCITT Recommendation X.25 for packet-switched transmission of data over a public data network.
As a packet mode data terminal usually requires a lower throughput than an ISDN B channel, it is beneficial to concentrate the maximum number of logical channels used by data terminals onto a minimum number of physical channels.
This is particularly important in the case of terminals connected to a packet-switched network via an ISDN access point which inevitably has a limited processing capacity, given the very large number of terminals that can be connected.
This approach is also beneficial when it is required to connect a plurality of data terminals to a common other terminal, for example a computer system which itself has direct access to an ISDN S0 level basic access port.

Packet mode method and concentrator arrangement for data terminals served by an ISDN


A radiation imaging apparatus includes a photostimulable phosphor plate, an x-ray source, a red or infrared laser, and an array of photomultiplier tubes. The x-ray source propagates x-rays toward the plate, which is incident on the plate at a first incidence angle. The x-rays interact with the plate to form a latent image therein. The laser propagates laser radiation toward the plate which is incident on the plate at a second incidence angle. According to the invention, the second incidence angle is equivalent to the first incidence angle at substantially all points on the plate. Based on the interaction of the laser radiation with the latent image in the plate, the plate emits visible image radiation. Thus, the x-ray radiation, which forms the image in the plate, follows the same path within the plate as does the laser radiation. By ensuring that the laser radiation follows the same path through the plate as the x-ray radiation, the invention achieves high spatial resolution in the image detected by the laser. The array of photomultiplier tubes receives the image radiation emitted by the plate and generates an electrical image signal based thereon. Based on this electrical image signal, the image formed in the plate may be displayed on a display device or printed on a printer. The device may also include an aspheric lens attached to the plate that refracts the laser radiation so that it enters the plate at the same incidence angle as the x-ray radiation. Using this lens, the x-ray and laser radiation may enter the plate from opposite sides of the plate and still follow the same path through the plate. Preferably, the photostimulable phosphor plate is formed of barium fluoroiodide—BaFI(Eu).

The recording of radiation images is carried out in various fields. For example, X-ray images have long been used in making medical diagnoses involving investigation of a diseased body part or an injury. Portal imaging devices have been used for the verification of beam placement and patient positioning during radiotherapy. Also, radiation images have been used in industrial applications such as for non-destructive inspection of substances.
Prior techniques for recording x-ray images have included storing the image on a photostimulable phosphor sheet and then exposing the sheet to stimulating energy, such as from a laser beam. The photostimulable phosphor sheet consists of a powder of small photostimulable phosphor crystals bound to a plastic sheet with a clear binder. The laser radiation causes the sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored when the sheet is exposed to the x-ray radiation through a process known as photostimulable luminescence (PSL). The light emitted by the photostimulable phosphor sheet is photoelectrically detected and converted into an electric image signal. The electric image signal is used to reproduce and store a digital image which can then be displayed as a visible image, such as on a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device or a liquid crystal (LCD).
Other techniques include capturing the x-ray image using a scintillating screen consisting of a powdered phosphor such as gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S) or a structured phosphor such as cesium iodide activated by thallium (CsI:Tl), both of which promptly convert the x-ray image into a visible light image. This image of visible light is then typically directed onto a detector array such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) from which a digital image can be read for immediate display or storage. Various techniques utilizing mirrors, lenses, and fiber optic components have been developed to demagnify the light image from the field of view in a patient (typically 35×43 cm) to the size of commercially available CCDs (approximately 5×5 cm or smaller). In some cases, clusters of CCDs (e.g. 2×2) have been used to reduce the demagnification required. These configurations are collectively referred to herein as the screen/CCD technique.
Still other prior techniques involved capturing the x-ray image in a clear thick scintillating crystal plate by coupling the scintillator plate, such as CsI:Tl, to a slow-scan cooled CCD camera with a high-speed lens (referred to herein as the plate/lens/CCD technique).
Although systems based on some of these techniques are commercially available, performance limits leave ample room for improvements, and trade-offs between critical image quality parameters continue to be required.
A fundamental limitation of PSL-based systems is the scattering or diffusion of the scanning laser beam as it penetrates deeper into the photostimulable phosphor sheet causing a degradation in the spatial resolution of the final image. Consequently, a trade-off must be made between quantum detection efficiency (QDE) which can be increased by making the phosphor sheet thicker and the modulation transfer function (MTF) which is improved by making the phosphor sheet thinner.
Systems incorporating the screen/CCD or the plate/lens/CCD techniques encounter a fundamental limitation due to the image demagnification required which results in low light collection efficiency causing a secondary quantum sink at this point in the imaging chain. Even using the largest CCD chips and fastest lenses available, it is not possible to collect more than about 0.2% of the light emitted by the scintillator plate under x-ray bombardment. The consequence of this inherent limitation is reduced image quality, such that for diagnostic x-ray imaging, the performance of these devices is inferior to both traditional screen-film and PSL-based systems.
Even in portal imaging applications, the plate/lens/CCD technique has some severe disadvantages. (1) The CCD device required is large, expensive, and sensitive to radiation, thus requiring heavy and bulky radiation shielding. (2) The fast lens needed for x-ray quantum limited performance has a limited depth of focus which causes a trade off between QDE and MTF. Although this tradeoff is far less severe than it is for conventional and photostimulable powder phosphor screens, it is still present and puts a limit on the thickness of the crystal plate that can be used and still achieve high spatial resolution. (3) The CCD camera has a limited well depth, and many dozens of images would have to be acquired during a radiation exposure to prevent saturation. To prevent loss of any of the available dose for imaging, two CCD cameras or a single frame transfer CCD camera would be needed, adding to the expense and size of the system. (4) The CCD camera integrates the light emission data which has to be read out during the radiation exposure. This makes the CCD camera output subject to the effects of any radiation reaching the camera from the x-ray accelerator. Since even the best shielding can reduce the radiation exposure to the camera by only about a factor of 4, radiation noise would be a major problem for a plate/lens/CCD system. (5) To achieve the best spatial resolution, the CCD camera has to view the scintillator plate from the entrance side. This requires a 45 degree mirror, which means that the patient has to be quite far away from the scintillator plate. This reduces the spatial resolution due to the accelerator focal spot size and increases the required size of the expensive scintillator plate needed to achieve an adequate field of view.
What is needed, therefore, is an x-ray imaging system having better spatial resolution, higher quantum efficiency and higher signal-to-noise ratio, and which contributes little or no radiation noise.

Thick clear crystal photostimulable phosphor plate for X-ray imaging

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation


A power control system includes a base having a housing configured for releasably receiving a control unit and a cavity within the housing for receiving a solid state relay having a hockey puck configuration. The base includes an input power terminal for coupling to an input power source, an output power terminal for coupling to a power receiving load, and coupling fixtures for fixedly and electrically coupling to input and output power terminals and control terminals of the received solid state relay. A control unit is configured to control the solid state relay for selectively providing, at least a portion of, the power received at the input power terminal to the output power terminal. The control unit has a housing adapted to be releasably coupled to the base housing. The control unit and base each configured to electrically couple the control unit to the control terminals of the received solid state relay as a function of the control unit being coupled to the base.

A control system for controlling the power provided to a power-receiving load is traditionally produced and deployed on a discrete component basis. Discrete components are selected and combined for the particular application or receiving load.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical exemplary power control arrangement composed of a variety of discrete components. These can include a control system 102 with an associated control sensor 104, an input 106 for receiving power from a power source 108, a contactor 110 for receiving the power from the power source 108, a limit 112 with an associated limit sensor 114, a fuse 116, a power switch 118 (shown as a solid state relay), and a power load 120 (shown as a heating element). As illustrated, each of the various discrete components is combined and hard-wired to meet the needs of a particular user process control application constituting a power control system 100. As indicated in FIG. 1, for this typical thermal loop power control application, the combination of discrete components for a single power loop requires 7 discrete components 102, 104, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118, with 16 wires 122A-H and 24 wiring connections, two for each of 16 wires 122A-H, and labeled, for example as 124A and 124B, for the two wires 122A. However, other discrete components can also be included such as a timer, a pressure sensing component, a power monitor, etc. (none of which are shown in FIG. 1). The addition of each of these components will often require 2 wires 122 and possibly 4 connections 124 to terminate both ends of each wire and can require the rewiring of previous wires in order to reconfigure the wiring between the various components.
FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a typical power control arrangement 200 for controlling power for a thermal loop application. As shown, the control 102 can include a user interface 202 and controller 204 and have 6 connections 124 to 6 wires 122. A limit contactor 110 can be positioned between a power supply bus 206 that is coupled to a power supply 108 (not shown in FIG. 2) and then wired to a semiconductor fuse 116 such as a fast blow fuse. The fuse 116 provides a fusible connection to a power switch 118 that can be any type of power switch, but is often a semiconductor-based switch such as solid state relay (SSR), a TRIAC, or a silicon controller rectifier (SCR), by way of example. The power switch 118 provides power to a power load 120 such as a heater for heating a user application. A process or application sensor 104 senses the temperature of the heater 120 in the user application and provides feedback to the controller 204 for feedback control of the powering of the power load 120, such as a heater. Additionally, as discussed above, the limit contactor 110 receives input from a limit component 112 that includes a limit sensor 114. The limit sensor 114 is also located in proximity to the heater 120. The limit system comprised of the limit contactor 110, the limit component 112, and the limit sensor 114, monitors the operation of the heater 120 to protect the heating element of the heater 120 from destruction, failure or impairment. The limit component 112 receives power from the power bus 206 through a set of device fuses 208. The limit component 112 determines when the limit sensor 114 has detected a heater condition and signals to the limit contactor 110 over a separate wire, to initiate a limit action in the limit contactor 110, thereby preventing power from passing to the power switch 118 and therefore to the heater 120. As is also indicated in FIG. 2, each discrete component within the power control system 200 requires separate wiring 122 and numerous connections 124. Additionally, such wiring 122 and discrete component installations are often confusing to installers and wiring mistakes often result. Common mistakes made during installation include incorrect termination of leads to terminals resulting in circuit shorting or opens, poor compression of terminals to leads resulting in potential high temperatures at terminals, electrical magnetic interference with other components, or electromagnetic emissions.
As shown in FIG. 3, other common discrete components also include current transformers 302 or sensors or other measurement devices for measuring one or more characteristics of a power control user application. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, one or more current transformers 302 can be positioned in the power supply line 304 from the power switch 118 to the heater power load 120 to sense current supplied to the heating element. Each current transformer 302 measures a current 306 in the power supply line 304 which is provided to a current transformer controller (not shown) which is yet another discrete component that requires installation, wiring and connections for installation into the user application. In some applications, this wiring requires the breaking of the power line 304 to introduce the current transformer 302 resulting in another opportunity for wiring mistakes.
Similarly, FIG. 4 illustrates another discrete component control system 400, having a control switch 118, such as a relay, is electrically located between the power load 120 and the contactor 110. The control relay 118 receives a control signal 402 from the controller 102 over a separately wired control lead 404. The control relay 118 operates in response to a control signal 402 from the controller 102 to provide power to the contactor 110 and therefore to the power load 120. Again, additional discrete components and specialized wiring are typically required for another user application.
Generally, typical power control installations require specialized selection of the discrete components, customized mounting and wiring for each component and feature, and multiple connections. Additionally, any changes, additions, modifications, and replacements require disconnection and reconnection of various wire leads, yet again increasing the opportunity for wiring mistakes.
As such, existing power control implementations and installations are often complex and costly to install. Such complexity and costs limit their application or limit the functionality included in a particular user application. For example, a limit control for over-voltage or a power monitoring component are not included in many applications when not required by a regulation due to the required added complexity and/or installed cost.

Integrally coupled power control system having a solid state relay


A process for producing a photochromic cured product by allowing an unpurified, impurities-containing polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer such as unpurified polyalkylene glycol dimethacrylate and a photochromic spirooxazine compound to contain a compound having at least one epoxy group in the molecule such as glycidyl methacrylate and then polymerizing the resulting composition. The process can provide a spirooxazine-based photochromic cured product which hardy undergoes initial coloring and is superior in initial color-developing performance.

Photochromism is a phenomenon which has drawn attention in the last several years, and is a reversible reaction in which a certain compound quickly changes its color when irradiated with an ultraviolet-containing light such as sunlight or a light emitted from a mercury lamp and, when the light irradiation is stopped and the compound is placed in a dark room, returns the original color. Compounds capable of photochromism are called photochromic compounds, and photochromic compounds having various structures have heretofore been synthesized. These conventional photochromic compounds have poor durability.
There are known novel photochromic compounds having improved durability, such as spirooxazine-based photochromic compounds (hereinafter referred to simply as oxazine compound), fulgimide-based photochromic compounds (hereinafter referred to simply as fulgimide compound), chromene-based photochromic compounds (hereinafter referred to simply as chromene compound) and the like. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,882,438, 4,960,678, 5,130,058 and 5,106,998; and Japanese Kokai (Laid-Open) Patent Application Nos. 62-288830, 2-28154, 3-11074 and 3-133988!.
Also in Japanese Kokai (Laid-Open) Patent Application No. 5-306392 is proposed combination use of a compound having an epoxy group(s) as a component for further improving the durability of fulgide compound.
Japanese Kokai (Laid-Open) Patent Application No. 187784/1987 discloses a process for producing a photochromic resin, in which a highly reactive polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is used and the concentration of polymerization initiator is specified, in order to prevent the degradation of an oxazine compound caused by polymerization initiator when the oxazine compound is mixed with and dissolved in a radically polymerizable monomer (hereinafter referred to simply as monomer) and curing is conducted in the presence of a polymerization initiator.
The above-mentioned photochromic compounds show excellent reversible durability. Among them, the oxazine compound is known as compound which generally hardly undergoes photodegradation, and when subjected to continuous irradiation with sunlight or a light similar thereto, shows a small reduction in initial color-developing performance and hence, exhibits excellent performance in light resistance. However, in order to easily produce a cured product by a method comprising mixing and dissolving the above photochromic compound and a monomer and subsequently subjecting to polymerization for curing (hereinafter referred to simply as a knead-mixing method) and use the cured product in various applications, it is necessary to develop a process for producing a cured product, in which the characteristic properties of the above oxazine compound can be exhibited fully.
For example, a cured product obtained by knead-mixing diethylene glycol bisallylcarbonate with the above-mentioned photochromic compound, which is widely used as a spectacle lens, has a problem in that the photochromic compound is degraded by the action of radical seed in curing and consequently, the cured product has a reduced initial color-developing performance.
In the process disclosed in Japanese Kokai (Laid-Open) Patent Application No. 62-187784 disclosing a method comprising curing a polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and an oxazine compound at a polymerization initiator concentration specified in the literature by the knead-mixing method, a cured product capable of exhibiting sufficient photochromic performance can be obtained when a fully purified polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is used. When a polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer generally available in the market and an oxazine compound are mixed, however, the resulting solution is strikingly colored, and when the solution is cured according to the process described in the literature, the resulting cured product not only is strikingly colored but also exhibits extraordinarily reduced color-developing performance.
As described above, a photochromic cured product produced according to the knead-mixing method, using an oxazine compound and an insufficiently purified commercial polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer has not exhibited satisfactory performance.

Process for production of photochromic cured product


A reuseable war game device launches paint-balls or liquid colorant or both simultaneously, and can be aimed and fired while hand-held, can be concealed and aimed but remotely triggered, is easy to dismantle and repair under field conditions, is durable enough to withstand all field conditions, and is concealable, compact and easily portable. The device comprises a launch housing that includes a launch barrel joined to a rotatable muzzle assembly that is fixed on a target; a chamber housing that includes a charge chamber which receives and stores a charge; a hammer chamber that includes a retractable hammer that when released from a cocked position is thrust toward the charge chamber; a trigger that is drawn to retract the hammer to the cocked position; and, a check valve located between the launch barrel and the charge chamber that permits flow only from the charge chamber to the launch housing.

The present invention relates generally to small simulated weapons, used in the course of military training exercises or recreational war games, that discharge solid or liquid projectiles.
The military has long engaged in simulated war games as a method of training personnel in the arts of weaponry and combat. More recently, non-military personnel have been engaged in simulated war games as a form of recreation. Whether military or non-military, those engaged in such games use weapons that launch benign colorant projectiles as a means of identifying another whom has been xe2x80x98hitxe2x80x99 and is therefore eliminated from the game.
Colorant projectiles are available in the form of paint-balls that may be fired from various spring-loaded or compressed-gas charged devices. Colorant projectiles are also available in liquid form. Presently, it is known to fire paint-balls from devices that resemble pistols, rifles, hand grenades and land mines. It is also known to launch liquid colorant from devices that resemble hand grenades and land mines.
Beyond hand-held pistols and rifles that fire single paint-balls in succession, attempts have been made to develop simulated war game weapons that provide the user with a tactical advantage. For example, it is known to provide reusable compressed-gas charged grenades that can simultaneously launch many paint-balls at an adversary in an effort to simulate the fragmentation of an exploding hand grenade. Also, it is known to provide a reusable compressed-gas charged land mine that simultaneously launches groups of paint-balls in a 360xc2x0 radius. In addition, it is known to provide a reusable compressed-gas charged land mine that sprays liquid colorant in a 360xc2x0 radius upon being tripped by a war game participant.
The primary thrust of the known prior art devices is to provide specialized, single function weapons that discharge either solid or liquid colorant projectiles. Because of their specialized nature the existing devices do not offer the user a choice between launching only paint-balls, launching only liquid colorant, or launching both simultaneously. Nor do the known existing devices offer the user a choice between safely holding and firing the device, or concealing the device like a land mine that is aimed to launch colorant projectiles only at the anticipated adversary. Finally, many of the known prior art devices are not concealable nor is it easy to carry many simultaneously.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a reuseable war game device that launches paint-balls or liquid colorant or both simultaneously, can be aimed and fired by the user while hand-held, can be concealed and aimed but remotely triggered, is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, is easy and inexpensive to charge, is easy to dismantle and repair under field conditions, is durable enough to withstand all field conditions, is concealable, is compact, and is easily portable.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the known prior art devices by providing a reuseable war game device that launches paint-balls or liquid colorant or both simultaneously, can be aimed and fired by the user while hand-held, can be concealed and aimed but remotely triggered, is easy to dismantle and repair under field conditions, is durable enough to withstand all field conditions, and is concealable, compact and easily portable.
Generally speaking the weapon is divided into two main sections, a chambers housing and a launch housing. The launch housing includes a launch barrel connected at both ends by elbows. These elbows are rotatable 360xc2x0 about a longitudinal axis. Connected to each first elbow is a second elbow. Each second elbow is rotatable 360xc2x0 about a second longitudinal axis.
Together, the launch barrel and elbows store the projectiles. Projectiles exit the weapon via the launch ports, the open end of the second elbows. The launch ports are aimed by rotating both the first and second elbows, about the respective axes, toward the target. This combination of multiple elbows provides any firing alignment desired by the user.
Covering each launch port is a removable end cap. During storage and transportation each end cap remains in place.
The housings are removably connected. The connection between the housings includes a check valve. The check valve permits flow only from the chambers housing to the launch housing. In this regard, the check valve prohibits liquid projectile from migrating to the chambers housing.
The chamber housing comprises two distinct chambers. The charge chamber contains the power or charge that launches the projectiles. The hammer chamber contains a hammer assembly, namely a hammer, hammer spring, trigger and safety pin.
To safely fire the weapon while hand-held, the user draws back the trigger by pulling the hold portion and then securing the retainer portion about the retainer seat. The action of drawing back the trigger compresses the hammer spring. The user then inserts the safety pin. Next the elbows are rotated so that the launch ports point toward the target(s) and the end caps are removed. The user then releases the retainer from the retainer seat. All that is necessary to fire the weapon and launch the projectiles is to aim and remove the safety pin.
Alternately, to safely fire the weapon while hand-held, the user rotates the elbows toward the target(s), removes the end caps, aims the weapon, draws back the trigger so that the hammer spring is sufficiently compressed and then releases the trigger.
To set the weapon so that it may be triggered by an adversary to fire upon that adversary, such as when the trigger is released by a trip wire, the user plants or otherwise secures the weapon to a surface. The user then draws back the trigger and secures the retainer about the seat. The user inserts the safety pin to secure the hammer in the cocked position, rotates the elbows so that the launch ports aim at the anticipated target(s) and removes the end caps. The user sets a remote trigger such as a trip wire that will cause the retainer to release from the seat. The user then removes the safety pin and all that is necessary to fire the weapon and launch projectiles is to have the trip wire engage.
Whether the weapon is fired while hand-held or set and tripped by another, the projectiles exit the launch port through the same sequence of events. When the hammer is released from the cocked position the hammer spring uncoils, throwing the hammer toward the container. The pointed ram hits and ruptures the thin seal at the top of the container causing the compressed-gas to violently escape in the usual manner. The escaping gas pushes open the check valve and passes into the launch barrel. The forces exerted by the gas push the projectiles at rapid speed out the launch ports and toward their intended target(s).


A sports boot comprising an outer shell and an inner boot, with at least one opening in the outer shell and at least one projection on the inner boot assigned to each opening, where the opening(s) and the projection(s) serve to produce a positive fit connection between the inner boot and the outer shell. The outside of the inner boot is optionally made waterproof such that no water enters the inside of the inner boot, despite the presence of the openings in the outer shell.

Modern sports boots, such as ski boots, snowboarding boots, climbing boots, boots for ice skates or in line skates, etc., usually comprise an outer shell of a relatively firm and rigid plastic material and an inner boot that can be inserted into this outer shell and consists of a comparatively softer cushioning material, where the inner boot fixes the foot relative to the outer shell, and where the cushioning material also contributes significantly to the wearing comfort by protecting the foot from cold temperatures and from developing pressure points.
Boots of this type are known, for example, from EP 0 672 363 A1. In this case, the inner boot is provided with an additional cushioning in the form of fluid filled bubbles at locations vulnerable to the development of pressure points.
EP 0 370 948 B1 describes an inner boot of relatively rigid synthetic material, lined on the inside with a synthetic material of lesser hardness. The relatively rigid synthetic material has at least one cutout of closed outline into which the synthetic material of lesser hardness can be inserted to effect superior cushioning. This softer plastic is attached by means of sewing, welding or molding.
EP 0 351 396 A2 describes an inner boot for a ski boot that consists of a support material and a foam layer with local recesses that extend over at least 30% of the inner boot surface. This is intended to prevent pressure points at particularly critical locations, e.g., the ankle region or the instep region.
EP 0 657 11 6 A1 describes an inner boot with correcting pieces arranged thereon, where said correcting pieces serve for varying the thickness of the inner boot. This is achieved with the aid of an elastic outer lining that is partially cut out and/or open and essentially consists of an inelastic material.
CH 626 793 A5 describes an inner boot for sports boots that can be cushioned by applying additional cushioning elements with the aid of Velcro fasteners.
An objective of the above described sports boot merely consists of preventing pressure points. However, another problem is fixing the inner boot relative to the outer shell. For example, the foot will be quite constricted if the outer shell is closed with relatively high closing forces by means of toothed elements, laces or other conventional elements used to fix the inner boot, and thus the foot, relative to the outer shell. This is not only uncomfortable, but also restricts the blood supply to the foot. This leads to premature muscle fatigue, premature freezing of the feet during winter sport activities and even increased adrenaline production and symptoms of stress. On the other hand, if the outer shell is only "loosely" closed with relatively little force, the inner boot is able to shift relative to the outer shell. This is undesirable for most sport activities, e.g., skiing, snowboarding, etc., because the foot is not sufficiently supported in the boot and forces can no longer be precisely transmitted from the foot to the equipment, e.g., skis or snowboard.


The present invention is a device that attaches to a light source to transmit and distribute light energy to the surface or internal chamber of a tooth for the purpose of photo-initiation of light curing resins and dental tooth whitening. More particularly, the invention may be used with a single or multiple Light Emitting Diode(s) to more efficiently collect and transmit the light energy emitted by the LED(s) resulting in increased total energy, uniform illumination, and collimation of the light energy delivered to the tooth.

Dentistry relies on light curing resins as sealants, adhesives, and as filler material for filling dental cavities. Light curing material is cured by exposure to radiant energy in spectral range tailored to the composition of the material. A light-curing unit containing a reflector lamp is used to irradiate the light curing material by directing light from the reflector lamp through a light guide positioned with its distal end adjacent to the light curing material to be cured. The light guide functions to channel the light to the material at the site of the dental restoration.
The physics of the transmission of light through a light conductor is well known. Practical factors and physical limitations of both doctor and patient often dictate the design of the light guides and light-curing units used in modern dentistry. The need for accessibility and maneuverability within the oral cavity of a patient requires the light guide to have a curved end section. Aside from these practical considerations attention must also be given to maximizing the transmission of light from the light source.
Conventional light guides typically comprise a solid conductor of either glass or plastic, or is composed of a fiber optic conductor consisting of multiple strands of glass fiber held together as a flexible bundle or fused into a solid rod of individual fibers. Conventional light guides are not as efficient as the instantly disclosed light guide as they typically produce high angle light that results in loss of light energy due to multiple reflections and the escape of light from the apparatus.
Light sources used for the purpose of photo-initiation of light curing resins and dental tooth whitening fall into two major categories. Light sources such as tungsten halogen, metal halide, and xenon all produce white light that is filtered to transmit only visible light within the general spectral range of 380-520 nanometers. Light sources such as laser and light emitting diode produce visible light which is closely matched to the photo-initiators used in light curing resins and activators found in dental tooth whitening formulations.
Light sources such as tungsten halogen, metal halide, and xenon are not very efficient at producing light energy within the spectral range useful for dental photo-polymerization and tooth whitening. The energy produced by these light sources in the form of ultraviolet and infrared is not used in the dental application. Light sources such as laser and LED that produce visible blue light with spectral output closely matching the photo-initiators used in dental resins and the activators found in dental tooth whitening formulations are much more efficient and produce less heat in the form of infrared wavelengths. Light emitting diodes last for thousands of hours with no degradation in light output eliminating the need to change lamps.
Prior use of Light Emitting Diodes for dental light sources relied on multiple LED's placed in arrays to generate enough power to be practical for dental curing. This is expensive and also increases the size of the device. Recent advancements in LED semiconductor technology have resulted in the introduction of a single blue LED that emits radiometric power levels sufficient to allow the rapid photo-polymerization of light curing resins and for use in dental tooth whitening. It is recognized that continued advancements in LED semiconductor technology will result in the use of different semiconductor substrate materials to alter the color spectra as well as increase radiometric power for single LED devices.
The domed lens cover used as part of the construction of these mass-produced LED's is designed so that light is visible from 360 degrees around the device. This is because the typical application for these devices are indicator lights such as traffic signal lights, automotive brake and signal lights, and signage. The present invention redirects the light energy emitted from the LED and focuses it toward the distal end of the invention in an efficient manner resulting in higher energy levels than possible with a traditional external reflector.


The present invention relates to a cellulase preparation comprising nonionic surfactants together with endoglucanases derived from Zygomycetes; a detergent composition comprising the above cellulase preparation with detergent components; a method of treating fabric which comprises treating cellulose-containing fabric with the above cellulase preparation so as to improve the properties of the fabric; a method of deinking waster paper which comprises a step of treating waste paper with the above cellulase preparation together with a deinking agent; and a method of improving the freeness of paper pulp which comprises a step of treating paper pulp with the above cellulase preparation.

Cellulase has three types of enzyme activities: cellobiohydrolase activity which hydrolyzes the solid crystal regions of cellulose from the nonreduced end in an exo manner so as to generate cellobiose; endoglucanase activity which hydrolyzes the amorphous regions of cellulose in an endo manner so as to make cellulose molecules into low molecular weight molecules and to generate various types of cellooligosaccharides; and β-glucosidase activity which decomposes cellobiose or cellooligosaccharide into glucose. Of the enzymes, when endoglucanase exerts high activity, cellulase is advantageously used to treat fabric.
To impart certain desired properties to cellulose-containing fabric, the fabric has conventionally been treated with cellulase. For example, in the textile industry, treatment with cellulase is carried out to improve the touch and appearance of cellulose-containing fabric, or to impart "stonewash" appearance to colored cellulose-containing fabric thereby providing the fabric with localized color variation (EP Patent No. 307,564).
It is known that fuzz is developed on colored cellulose-containing fabric by repeated washing and that it blurs the color of the colored fabric. A cellulase-containing detergent removes such fuzz and makes the color of the fabric clear (color clarification) (EP Patent No. 220,016), and therefore detergents containing cellulase are currently on the market mainly in Europe and the United States.
In such textile processing, cellulase derived from wood-rotting fungi such as Trichoderma and Humicola is mainly used. Such cellulase is used as a mixture comprising multiple cellulase components which is obtained by processing a culture filtrate of microorganisms having cellulolytic activity. However, in order to achieve greater economy, a cellulase preparation obtained by isolating from cellulase components, only endoglucanase which largely acts on fabric treatment, and genetically enhancing it, has recently been used. Examples of such endoglucanase with high activity include: EGV (JP Patent Publication (PCT Translation) No. 5-509223) and NCE4 (WO98/03640) derived from Humicola insolens, which strongly act on cotton fabrics; RCE I, RCE II and RCE III derived from Rhizopus oryzae, which strongly act on lyocell fabrics; MCE I and MCE II derived from Mucor circinelloides; and PCE I derived from Phycomyces nitens (WO00/24879).
In order to improve the effects of cellulase, the combined use of additives has also been attempted. For example, JP Patent Publication (PCT Translation) No. 5-507615 describes that a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylamide enhances the effects of Humicola insolens-derived cellulase and improves its activity of removing fuzz from colored fabric. Moreover, it is known that CMCase activity in the culture solution of Trichoderma viride is improved by the addition of Tween 20 (Ooshima, H. et al., Biotechnology and Bioengineering 28: 1727–1734, 1986).
However, the cellulases used for the above-described purposes are all expensive. Therefore, in order to achieve an industrial level application, further improvement of endoglucanase activity is desired, so that the above effects of cellulase can be more efficiently exerted.

Cellulase preparation containing nonionic surfactant and method of treating fiber


Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes densifying an upper-surface portion of an ILD layer of dielectric material that overlies a metallization layer above a semiconductor substrate to form a densified surface layer of dielectric material. The densified surface layer and the ILD layer are etched through to expose a metal line of the metallization layer.

Integrated circuits (ICs) typically include a plurality of semiconductor devices and interconnect wiring. Networks of metal interconnect wiring are often used to connect the semiconductor devices from the semiconductor portion of the substrate. Multiple levels of metal interconnect wiring form a plurality of metallization layers above the semiconductor portion of the substrate and are connected together to form a back-end-of-the-line ("BEOL") interconnect structure. Within such a structure, metal lines run parallel to the substrate in the metallization layers and conductive vias run perpendicular to the substrate between the metallization layers to interconnect the metal lines.
High performance of contemporary ICs may be achieved using a highly conductive metal, such as copper, as the interconnect metal of the BEOL interconnect structure, which also employs a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric material as an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer or layers. By "low k," it is meant that the dielectric constant of a particular dielectric material is less than that of silicon dioxide. Typically, the low-k properties of the low-k dielectric material are established by incorporating porosity (e.g. air) into a dielectric material such as silicon dioxide to form a porous dielectric material.
Conventional fabrication of BEOL interconnect structures include forming an ILD layer of, for example, a porous dielectric material overlying a semiconductor substrate. To protect the ILD layer, a cap layer is deposited overlying the ILD layer. The cap layer is typically a layer of non-porous, dense material such as SiON or the like. A hard mask layer is then deposited and patterned overlying the cap layer. Using the patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask, via-holes and metal line trenches are etched through the cap layer into the ILD layer. The via-holes and metal line trenches are then filled with a conductive metal to form the conductive vias and metal lines that form part of the BEOL interconnect structure. Unfortunately, during the etching process prior to the conductive metal fill, undercuts and/or bowing can occur underneath the cap layer along the sidewalls of the ILD layer that define the via-holes and/or metal line trenches because the lateral etch rate of the much denser, non-porous cap layer is typically substantially less (e.g., slower lateral etch rate) than the lateral etch rate of the relatively porous ILD layer. As such, the ILD layer etches more readily in a lateral direction than the cap layer resulting in portions of the cap layer overhanging the sidewalls of the ILD layer. These undercuts and/or bowing conditions can be difficult to fill with a conductive metal and voids can form in the BEOL interconnect structure due to incomplete metal filling of the via-holes and metal line trenches. These voids are undesirable and can create a number of issues including increasing the resistance of the BEOL interconnect structure.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods for fabricating integrated circuits including forming a back-end-of-the-line interconnect structure while reducing, minimizing, or preventing the formation of voids in the interconnect structure. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Methods for fabricating integrated circuits including densifying interlevel dielectric layers


A business software framework includes an application framework that has a process model. The process model provides desired services to the business components. The process model arranges operations into activities. The process model can also use an agent/service arrangement.

The present invention relates to business software solutions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a business process model that supports authoring and running business software applications.
Integrated business solutions typically include multiple functional products that support business segments and interact with enterprise hub and spoke networks. Such products include software applications that run financial information, human resource management, customer relationship management, professional services automation, distribution, supply chain management, and more.
In the past, achieving such integrated business solutions has been very difficult. Prior business applications have primarily focused on, and been limited to, business process automation of internal and back office functions. While this type of internal efficiency is important, it does not address relationships outside the business with individuals who are customers, suppliers, partners, financiers and employees.
To date, only the largest organizations have extended business process automation outside of their enterprise to these constituents. The cost and complexity of implementing these solutions has simply been prohibitive, particularly for the small and medium sized organizations.
One reason that the cost is so high is that one approach to designing and marketing computer software-related products is to focus on horizontal functionality such that the product is broadly applicable across large industry segments, and across many different countries. Such a system may also desirably promote an after market to meet the unique needs of specific vertical target markets and specific companies. Similarly, the product may desirably promote a customer's ability to change or customize the product to their individual needs. Such needs may be, for example, the requirement that different business products operate in an integrated fashion, even though they are from different vendors. This often requires the applications to be modified or customized so that they are compatible with one another.
If the product cannot be extended to meet the unique needs of a customer, it essentially requires a customer to change its business to match the software which the customer has just purchased. Of course, these types of systems are resisted by customers, since changes to business activities can be costly and time consuming.
There are a number of different techniques which have been conventionally used in order to enable a system to be customized. Such conventional techniques include, for example, source code modification. This technique entails providing customers with copies of the source code for the product. It thus allows a well trained practitioner to change significant amounts of content, and those changes can be made to look as if they are part of the product, because in effect, they are part of the modified source code product.
However, source code modification carries with it significant drawbacks. For example, source code modification costs a significant amount of money prior to using the product, because the user or customer must often hire expensive consultants and developers who have been specifically trained in the nuances of how the product is built. The user must then endure the risk of estimating a problem, which is a very difficult and imprecise task. Even if these problems can be overcome and persevered, the result is modified source code. When the manufacturer of the original source code ships additional software, such as bug fixes, updates, and new versions, the customer is either forced to again hire talented engineers or developers (and hopefully the same ones who made the original modifications) in order to merge those modifications into the new source code shipped by the manufacturer, and to resolve issues, one-by-one, as they arise in the newly modified source code. Alternatively, the user can simply go without the bug fixes and new features that may benefit the user's business.
In addition, source code modification makes it extremely difficult to simply purchase add-on modules "off the shelf" from multiple different vendors, because each of those vendors will likely have to modify the source code as well to accommodate their specific off the shelf modules. Consequently, not only must the manufacturer ship the source code of the base product, but each add-on vendor must ship their source as well. The user must then conduct some sort of adhoc merge process or synthesize a single product out of these random sets of source code. Of course, this results in a brittle set of code that is virtually guaranteed to have problems with upgrades or when any one of the vendors ships a bug fix.
Source code modification also suffers from the problem that only one organization in the world (the specific developers or engineers who modified the source code) knows how the modified source code product was built. Therefore, it is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve economies of scale and product support for any of the products running at the customer site.
The problems with source code modification increase significantly when, even within a single customer, there exists a diverse set of users with a diverse set of needs and preferences. Every time one of those users changes the product through the source code modification strategy in order to accommodate their particular needs, the customer employing those users, in effect, ends up with a new source code base. In other words, the customer does not only have a single custom code base, but it may actually have many custom code bases, depending upon how many specific users or departments within the customer have modified the code base. Again, each time a bug fix is published or a change is made to a customization that applies to all users, the customer must go through some sort of merge process with all other copies of the source which have been made.
This is only a partial list of the many problems associated with source code modification techniques. These problems can result in a great deal of difficulty for the management of the customer, and the employees themselves, in attempting to obtain an integrated business solution.


A signal processing unit is provided with one or more analyzing units to analyze textual information decoded from a number of channels of a communication signal to determine if channel contents of the channels are among channel contents defined by selection data. The signal processing unit is further provided with an arbitrating unit for arbitrating display and/or recording resource contentions among channels having channel contents defined by the selection data. The signal processing unit is suitable for incorporation in a stand-alone as well as a client computer system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of communications technology. More specifically, the present invention relates to controlling and selecting communication signals based on the textual contents of the signal.
2. Description of Related Art
Current users of audio/video systems can view a broad spectrum of information including news broadcasts, sports events, etc. on a television set (TV). The same information shown on a TV can be recorded in a video cassette recorder (VCR) by the user. In most traditional televisions, the user can only watch one channel at a time, while in the more advanced picture-in-picture (PIP) televisions, the user can simultaneously watch two channels. In most of these traditional TVs, the user is typically limited to manually selecting channels and adjusting the audio volume associated with a channel. Even in the PIP television, the user still is limited to watching and listening to one channel simultaneously.
To record a program in a VCR, the user is limited to either preprogramming the VCR to record a program using a time stamp to record the entire program without regards to the contents of the program, or manually setting record buttons on the VCR to record a program currently being watched by the user.
The proliferation of multimedia technology has enabled the incorporation of current TV technology into personal computers (PC) that allow the PC user to receive and display TV signals. The multimedia PC could also be used to record TV signals. However, despite the new uses of TV technology, PC users who use their PCs as TV units still encounter the limitations imposed by traditional TVs (i.e., limited displays and sequentially viewing programs).
Furthermore, indiscriminately recording a program in a PC requires additional storage space especially if programs are recorded without regard to the contents of the program. The additional requirement for extra storage space for recording TV programs in these multimedia PCs can be very expensive. Thus, it would be beneficial to efficiently utilize storage space needed to record a program being received by the PC.
To take advantage of the available audio/video technologies in a multimedia environment and permit monitoring multiple channels simultaneously and being able to discern information carried by each channel being monitored, a system is needed that will allow the user to capture and automatically display or record an video/audio signal based on the textual contents of the multiple channels.

Method and apparatus for controlling video/audio and channel selection for a communication signal based on textual information indicative of channel contents of a signal


A method and apparatus for optimizing the yield of tested electronics devices is provided. A sample device is characterized to derive a specification for each device in the group. The sample size is chosen to provide reliable data and to minimize the effect of outlier devices on the characterization. After characterization, boundaries are set for the group of tested devices. Boundaries may be set based on voltages optimized for power consumption. The group of devices may be further subdivided into sub-groups based on the results of testing. The sub-groups are each assigned a unique code that reflects the results of the testing. This code is programmed into automated test equipment and is also stored in system software in order to ensure consistent values across the group of tested devices. The automated test equipment and system software are correlated using the same code to ensure higher test yield.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication system. More specifically the present disclosure related to methods and apparatus for enhanced sleep mode tiering to optimize standby time and test yield.
2. Background
Wireless communication devices have become smaller and more powerful as well as more capable. Increasingly users rely on wireless communication devices for mobile phone use as well as email and Internet access. At the same time, devices have become smaller in size. Devices such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, and other similar devices provide reliable service with expanded coverage areas. Such devices may be referred to as mobile stations, stations, access terminals, user terminals, subscriber units, user equipments, and similar terms.
A wireless communication system may support communication for multiple wireless communication devices at the same time. In use, a wireless communication device may communicate with one or more base stations by transmissions on the uplink and downlink. Base stations may be referred to as access points, Node Bs, or other similar terms. The uplink or reverse link refers to the communication link from the wireless communication device to the base station, while the downlink or forward link refers to the communication from the base station to the wireless communication devices.
Wireless communication systems may be multiple access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources, such as bandwidth and transmit power. Examples of such multiple access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) systems, global system for mobile (GSM) communication systems, enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Aggressive sleep mode voltages are needed in order to maximize battery life of a system on chip (SoC). All SoCs have a specification defined for sleep mode operating voltage and sleep mode voltage. The sleep mode must meet certain specifications. In order to ensure that the specification is met a higher voltage threshold for the sleep mode voltage ends up being used so as to ensure that the greater majority of tested SoCs will meet the voltage specification, as it is easier to meet a higher voltage sleep requirement. Sleep mode voltage affects data retention during the sleep period, and data retention is improved when the voltage is higher. A lower voltage allows for a longer sleep duration. However, because of the desire to utilize most of the SoCs being tested, the sleep mode voltage is set higher than many devices need. This is becoming more and more important as smartphones and other personal devices run greater numbers of applications, which require significant amounts of battery power. Silicon and process variation may not permit the same value to be implemented across all devices because some of the population of devices may fail at that value.
There is a need in the art for methods and apparatus for enhanced sleep mode tiering to optimize time and test yield.

Method and apparatus for enhanced sleep mode tiering to optimize standby time and test yield


A dimmer circuit for at least one LED is disclosed. The LED is controlled by a TRIAC dimmer. A leakage current flows through the TRIAC dimmer if the TRIAC dimmer is off. The dimmer circuit include inputs for receiving a source of incoming AC power, a rectifier for receiving the source of incoming AC power and producing a DC voltage, a controller for receiving the DC voltage from the rectifier and providing a switching signal, a first circuit, and a loading circuit. The first circuit receives the switching signal from the controller. The first circuit includes a first switching element that is selectively activated based on the switching signal. The loading circuit receives the switching signal from the controller. The loading circuit includes a second switching element that is activated if the first switching element is deactivated. The loading circuit selectively provides a minimum loading current.

Light emitting diode (LED) based lighting systems may offer several energy and reliability advantages over other types of lighting systems such as, for example, incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Thus, LED based lighting systems may be widely used to replace other existing lighting technologies. It should also be noted that dimming devices have also been developed that may be used to dynamically adjust the level of brightness in a lighting fixture. However, some types of dimming devices available today do not always work well with LED based lighting fixtures. For example, a phase-cut TRIAC dimmer is one commonly known and widely used dimming device. TRIAC dimmers were originally intended to handle the wattage induced by incandescent bulbs. In contrast, LED bulbs consume much less power than an incandescent bulb.
For an LED bulb to be dimmable, the bulb's power supply should interpret a variable phase angle output from the TRIAC and adjust the constant current drive to the LEDs accordingly. However, this may prove to be difficult while keeping the TRIAC working correctly, and may result in performance issues. For example, sometimes the LED bulb may flicker or blink as the dimming level is adjusted.

Dimming circuit for a phase-cut TRIAC dimmer


In a conventional driving circuit, it has been inefficient and difficult to measure, classify, and rank (Vf) characteristics of a light emitting element that is in a bare-chip state. According to the present invention, a semiconductor-type light source is made of four light emitting chips (41 to 44) that are in a bare-chip state, the light emitting chips being randomly mounted on a board (3) without classifying (Vf) characteristics in advance. As the resistors, opening resistors (R2, R4, R6) and trimming resistors (R1, R3, R5) are disposed in parallel and then are connected in series to the four light emitting chips. Values of the resistors are adjusted so that a predetermined set current value or luminous flux value is reliably obtained with respect to the four light emitting chips. As a result, the present invention is capable of efficiently and easily mounting the four light emitting elements (41 to 44) and the resistors (R1 to R7) on the board (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving circuit of semiconductor-type light source for vehicle lighting device using a semiconductor-type light source as a light source. In addition, the present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device using a semiconductor-type light source as a light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
A driving circuit of semiconductor-type light source for vehicle lighting device of such type is conventionally known (for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-34742). Hereinafter, a conventional driving circuit will be described. The conventional driving circuit is provided with: a plurality of light emitting elements (LEDs); a direct current power source for feeding a driving current to the plurality of light emitting elements; and a connector at which a plurality of connection terminals indicating a plurality of electrical resistance values are provided. In addition, the plurality of light emitting elements is adapted to receive a feed of direct current power through a connection terminal that is selected according to its own electrical characteristics.
However, the conventional driving circuit uses a package product such as an SMD as a light emitting element (an LED) and uses the light emitting element as a package product that is classified and ranked on the order of 4 or 5 ranks subsequent to measuring Vf characteristics of the light emitting element after packaged. In addition, the conventional driving circuit is manufactured by connecting a resistor in series to a package product so that a predetermine set current is obtained for each of the light emitting element groups as package products classified and ranked in detail at the time of board fabrication and then setting a resistance constant for each light emitting group of the thus classified and ranked package product. As a result, in the conventional driving circuit, in order to provide a downsized, inexpensive semiconductor-type light source, in a case where a bare-chip light emitting element is used instead of a package product such as an SMD as a light emitting element, it is ineffective and difficult to classify and rank the bare-chip light emitting element subsequent to measuring Vf characteristics of the light emitting element that is in such a bare-chip state.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem that, in the conventional light source unit, it is ineffective and difficult to classify and rank the light emitting element subsequent to measuring Vf characteristics of the light emitting elements that are in a bare-chip state.

Driving circuit of semiconductor-type light source for vehicle lighting device and a vehicle lighting device


A lidar and digital camera system collect data and generate a three-dimensional image. A lidar generates a laser beam to form a lidar shot and to receive a reflected laser beam to provide range data. A digital camera includes an array of pixels to receive optical radiation and provide electro-optical data. An optical bench passes the laser beam, reflected laser beam, and optical radiation and is positioned to align each pixel to known positions within the lidar shot. Pixels are matched to form a lidar point-cloud which is used to generate an image.

Lidar (light detection and ranging) uses laser technology to make precise distance measurements over long or short distances. One application of lidar is the range scanner, or scanning lidar. Lidar transceivers operate on the principle of transmitting laser light that then reflects off of a given object and returns to a lidar receiver. The distance to an object is then determined by analyzing the laser signal through various techniques. During the scanning process, the lidar makes repeated range measurements to objects in its path. Through repeated measurements of an object by individual laser transmissions, the shape of the object can be determined. The resulting range data is collected and serves as a rough model of the scanned area.
In many applications, obtaining high-resolution, high-fidelity shape information is desirable. Physical limitations of the range scanner constrain the maximum spatial resolution of the range data, which decreases with distance from the range scanner. At large distances, the range scanner may not be able to discern surface details of an object. Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to improve the ability to achieve an increased resolution of shape information obtained by lidar transceivers from long distances.

System and method for improving lidar data fidelity using pixel-aligned lidar/electro-optic data


An insulation batt sizing device including an oblongated insulation cutting table having a proximal end, a distal end, and having a pair of longitudinally extending edges; an oblongated insulation compression plate having a proximal end, a distal end, and having at least a first longitudinally extending cut guiding edge; and a pivot hinge interconnecting the proximal ends of the oblongated insulation cutting table and the oblongated insulation cutting plate for pivotal motions between first and second positions, the oblongated insulation cutting plate extending upwardly while in the first position, the oblongated insulation cutting plate being co-extensive with the oblongated insulation cutting table while in the second position.

Fiberglass insulation batts are typically installed within the exterior walls of commercial or residential structures for improving their thermal characteristics. Where, for example, such a wall comprises a typical frame including vertically oriented 2″×4″ by 8′ pine lumber studs spaced 24″ on center, fiberglass insulation batts measuring approximately 8′×2′×4″ are commonly provided as a factory pre-cut product. Such batts may be conveniently installed by stapling between such studs. Where such insulation batting must be installed above and below a window or above a doorway, the batting is necessarily trimmed or cut to a measured vertical lengths matching the vertical wall spacings presented above and below such structures.
Where, for example, a batt of insulation is to be installed within a vertical space between an exterior wall's foot board and a framed window's lower threshold, a carpenter typically measures the vertical length of such space and attempts to make a matching measured and laterally extending cut across an insulation batt. In attempting such matching measured cut, the carpenter typically lays the batt horizontally upon a bench or floor surface and utilizes a metal tape measure to mark a desired lateral cut line along the vertical length batt. However, such insulation batts do not present any solid corner or edge surface which is capable of securely engaging the tape measure's hook or tang. Thus, the carpenter must visually estimate an alignment of the tape measure's hook while observing and marking the cut line gradation. Estimating the placement of the hook end with respect to the batt, as opposed to solidly engaging the hook upon the batt, results in inaccurate placement of the tape measure end, and causes errors in measuring of the batt.
Following measuring, the carpenter typically draws a "line of sight" laterally extending cut line across the batt's paper backing with a pencil. Thereafter, the carpenter manually downwardly compresses the insulation toward the floor with one hand while progressively laterally cutting the insulation with a utility knife held by the other hand. Such common insulation sizing and cutting method commonly results in undesirable ragged and inaccurately cut edges.
The combined above described cutting inaccuracy factors associated with common insulation batt sizing processes undesirably result in insulation batt shortage or wastage.
The instant inventive fiberglass insulation batt sizing device solves or ameliorates problems discussed above by providing a mechanically simple tool for laterally compressing an insulation batt, for assisting in accurately measuring and locating a lateral cut line, and for guiding a compressed and straight lateral cut line across an insulation batt.

Fiberglass insulation batt sizing device


This power breaker has at least one quenching chamber, which is filled with an insulating medium, is of cylindrical design, extends along a central axis (2) and has a power current path, having two stationary consumable contact arrangements (5, 6) which are arranged on the central axis (2), are at a distance from one another in the axial direction and are arranged in the power current path. In the connected state, the consumable contact arrangements (5, 6) are electrically conductively connected by means of a moving bridging contact. An arc zone (24) is provided between the consumable contact arrangements (5, 6). A rated current path is arranged in parallel with the power current path. The power breaker is provided with at least one source for a highly pressurized insulating medium. The medium passes from this source directly into the arc zone (24), through at least one injection channel (62, 63). This high-pressure injection considerably improves the breaking capacity of the power breaker.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is based on a power breaker having at least one quenching chamber, and in particular, to a power breaker having two stationary consumable contact arrangements and a moving bridging contact which electrically conductively connects the consumable contact arrangements.
2. Discussion of Background
Laid-open specification DE 42 00 896 A1 discloses a power breaker which has a quenching chamber with two stationary consumable contacts which are at a distance from one another. The quenching chamber is filled with an insulating gas, preferably SF.sub.6 gas under pressure. When the quenching chamber is in the connected state, the two consumable contacts are electrically conductively connected to one another by means of a moving bridging contact. The bridging contact concentrically surrounds the consumable contacts, which are of cylindrical design. The bridging contact and the two consumable contacts form a power current path, on which current acts only during disconnection. During disconnection, the bridging contact slides down from a first of the consumable contacts and draws an arc which initially burns between the first consumable contact and the end of the bridging contact facing it. As soon as this end reaches the second consumable contact, the arc base commutates from the end of the bridging contact onto the second consumable contact. The arc now burns between the two consumable contacts and is blown until the arc is quenched. The pressurized insulating gas which is required for blowing is, as a rule, produced by means of a blowout piston which is connected to the moving bridging contact.
In addition, this power breaker has a rated current path in parallel with the power current path, which rated current path carries the operational current when the power breaker is switched on. The rated current path is arranged concentrically around the power current path. The bridging contact is in this case mechanically rigidly connected to a moving rated current contact which is arranged in the rated current path. During disconnection, the rated current path is interrupted first, and the current to be interrupted then commutates onto the power current path where, as described above, an arc is then struck and is then quenched.
Because of its dimensions, the bridging contact has a comparatively large mass to be moved, which must first be accelerated and then braked during switching processes. The power breaker drive has to provide the power required for this process.
Laid-open specification DE 31 27 962 A1 discloses a further power breaker which has a quenching chamber with two stationary consumable contacts at a distance from one another. The quenching chamber is filled with an insulating gas, preferably SF.sub.6 gas under pressure. When the quenching chamber is in the connected state, the two consumable contacts are electrically conductively connected to one another by means of a moving bridging contact. The bridging contact concentrically surrounds the consumable contacts, which are of cylindrical design. The bridging contact is in this case at the same time designed as a rated current contact. The disconnection process of this power breaker is similar to that for the power breaker described above.
Because of its dimensions, this bridging contact likewise has a comparatively large mass to be moved, which must be accelerated and braked during switching processes. The power breaker drive must provide the power required for this purpose.
Patent Specification CH 651 420 discloses a power breaker which has a stationary blowout volume into which insulating gas is fed which is produced from a pressure source and is subject to high pressure. The high pressure is reduced during entry into the blowout volume, so that only a comparatively low blowout pressure is available for blowing out the arc.
Patent Specification CH 644 969 discloses a power breaker which has two series-connected blowout volumes. The pure insulating gas which is present in the first blowout volume is compressed by means of a piston during the disconnection movement of the moving power contact. In addition, hot gas which is heated in the arc zone flows from the arc into this first blowout volume, is mixed with the pure insulating gas to form a gas mixture, and thus increases the pressure in this first blowout volume. After a predetermined movement of the moving power contact, a second blowout volume is disconnected from the first blowout volume, and the gas mixture in the two blowout volumes is then further compressed as a function of the movement. During the further course of the disconnection movement, both blowout volumes interact, independently of one another, with the pressure in the arc zone of this power breaker. However, it is necessary to take account of the fact that gas mixture pressures in approximately the same order of magnitude range prevail in each case at the same point in time in the two blowout volumes, it being possible, because of the larger cross section of the connection of the first blowout volume, which is somewhat reduced in terms of volume, to the arc zone for somewhat higher pressures to occur momentarily in this first blowout volume than in the second blowout volume. These pressure differences are caused just by the thermal effects of the arc. The rise in pressure in the two blowout volumes will differ from one disconnection to the next, depending on the magnitude of the current to be interrupted and on the instant of contact separation.


The invention provides means of limiting maximum current conducted through windings of an electric machine having a rotor and a stator. By encouraging an appropriate leakage flux around a winding, a leak impedance can be achieved which may be used, according to the invention, to limit the maximum current in the winding as a matter of machine design.

The need for preventing short circuit overloading of circuits in electric generators and motors is well recognized. Protective external circuits and equipment are often provided with fusible materials or electronic controls external to the windings of the electric machine, however internal short circuit conditions may occur within the windings of a motor/generator that would not be detected or controlled by external fusing or controls.
One approach to providing protection within the windings is disclosed in the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,560. Due to the heat generated by high currents and high rotational speeds of machines used in "more electric" aircraft engines, the electric motor/generator and the insulated wiring conductors must be sufficiently protected from the unlikely event of internal faults during operation, to ensure redundant safety systems exist. Therefore, it is desirable to build in failsafe means for controlling maximum machine current.
It is an object of the present invention to improve control over the maximum current passing through electric motor/generator windings, including limiting high short circuit currents.
Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosure, drawings and description of the invention below.


A system and method for cross-domain web browser single sign-on is described. A client accesses a workflow view from a service provider. An identity provider of the service provider generates an authentication process view. The authentication process view has the workflow view provided by the service provider and a logon form view provided by the identity provider.

Several standards, such as SAML (http://saml.xml.org/) and OpenID (http://openid.net/), provide means for web sites to delegate authentication of their users to external authentication authorities. As part of the authentication process, the protocol flow requires the user to interact both with the system of the requested service and with the authenticating authority system where the two systems belong to different security domains. There are challenges to balance the interaction with the two systems. On the one hand, authentication must be performed in a secure manner, which requires that the integrity and origin of any data transmitted between the two systems should be able to be verified and that the identity of the authenticating authority system should be able to be verified by the user so that the user can have confidence in presenting their credentials. On the other hand, the user experience of the workflow with the requested service should present a smooth integration of the authentication flow, which may include related self-services such as self-registration and password recovery, into the workflow of the service. For example, the inability of the authentication process to convey the context of the different services together with their various concepts of user experience may turn potential users away from these services.

Anti-phishing system for cross-domain web browser single sign-on


Disclosed here is a visual collaboration software including multiple digital canvas and multiple tools enabling collaboration among multiple users by enabling creation and sharing of visual information including text and drawings. The visual collaboration software obtains from a second software, e.g., a project management software, a file or a portion of the file, and displays the file or the portion in one of the multiple digital canvases. In one embodiment, the visual collaboration software can enable the user to interact with the file obtained from the second software and can pass the modifications to the file to the second software. In another embodiment, the visual collaboration software can only display the file or the portion of the file in one of the multiple digital canvases, and an interaction between the user and the file has to be passed to the second software to compute to the effect of the interaction.

Today, remote work is becoming ubiquitous. The software tools enabling remote work currently include videoconferencing and screen sharing. However, these tools are cumbersome and difficult to use. They do not enable seamless collaboration among multiple users, and seamless sharing of data between the software tools enabling remote work and various other software packages.

Embedded reference object and interaction within a visual collaboration system


A unique dual beam contact (30) for coupling elements on opposite sides of a dividing element (68) preferably comprises a single piece of metal or other conductive material to provide a contact portion on either side of the dividing element (14). Each beam of the dual beam contact can be specifically shaped or formed to provide the preferred contact pressure depending upon the application the dual beam contact. The dual beam contact includes an attachment member (34, 35) to provide easy attachment to an element of the device. Alternatively, the elbow portion (38) between the two beams could be used to attach the dual beam contact to the dividing element. The dual beam contact of the present invention reduces cost, inventory requirements, and complexity in manufacturing.

In an electronic device, such as a portable cellular telephone, there are often a number of elements, such as circuit boards, housing elements, or a detachable battery which are combined to form the device. There is often a need to make a connection between contact elements which may not be adjacent, but on opposite sides of a barrier. For example, it may be required to connect a contact of a detachable, rechargeable battery to a contact of a circuit board which is on the other side of a barrier, such as a housing or another circuit board. Accordingly, a connection must be made through the barrier by way of an aperture in the barrier.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional apparatus to make such a connection comprises a first contact beam 10 and a second contact beam 12 coupled to a dividing element 14. Dividing element 14 could be any barrier in the device, such as a circuit board employed in the device or a housing for the device. The contact beams could be coupled, for example, by a screw 16 and a nut 18 through an aperture 19 in dividing element 14. The first contact beam 10 generally includes a connecting portion 20 adapted to receive screw 16. The first contact beam also includes an elbow portion 22 and a contact portion 24 for making contact to an element on one side of dividing element 14. The second contact beam 12 also includes a connecting portion 26 adapted to receive screw 16, and a contact portion 28 for providing a connection to an element on the other side of dividing element 14.
As can be seen from the prior art device shown in FIG. 1, a number of components are required to implement the connection between contact elements above and below dividing element 14. However, such components increase cost, complexity, part count, and manufacturing time. However, it is desirable to reduce cost, number of parts, and complexity in manufacturing.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device to make a connection to contacts on opposite sides of a dividing element.


Proposed is a reliable method for the preparation of a water-base hair-care or skin-care toiletry preparation capable of imparting the hair or skin of the user with excellent touch feeling of smoothness and sleekness. The method comprises (a) preparing an aqueous dispersion of globular particles of a cured silicone rubber having a specified average particle diameter by the in situ crosslinking hydrosilation reaction in liquid droplets of a vinyl group-containing dimethylpolysiloxane and an organohydrogenpolysiloxane in combination in the presence of a surface active agent and (b) admixing a base mixture consisting of the principal ingredients of a water-base toiletry composition with a specified amount of the aqueous dispersion of the cured silicone rubber particles.

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of an improved water-base toiletry composition or, more particularly, to a method for the preparation of a hair-care or skin-care toiletry composition capable of imparting an excellent feeling of finishing to the hair or skin treated therewith.
The water-base toiletry compositions prepared according to the inventive method include hair-care preparations such as hair shampoos, hair rinses, hair treatments, hair conditioners, hair styling agents, hair perming agents, hair dyes and the like and skin-care preparations such as body shampoos, face creams, milky lotions, foundations, cleansing preparations and the like containing water as the solvent or dispersion medium.
It is a general requirement heretofore in the hair-care and skin-care toiletry preparations that the hair or skin treated therewith may have a feeling of smoothness or sleekness in touch. Namely, the hair after treatment with a hair-care preparation is desired to exhibit little resistance against combing and light and dry feeling of touch and the skin after treatment with a skin-care preparation is desired to have sleekness.
In this regard, various attempts and proposals have been made heretofore to improve a water-base hair-care or skin-care toiletry composition including admixture of a hair-care toiletry preparation with a cationic conditioning agent although the improvement accomplished thereby is limited. Besides, a proposal is made in Japanese Patent Kokai 61-210022, 2-247113, 4-327520 and 4-364113, Japanese Patent Publications 4-2566, 4-2567 and 4-38723 and elsewhere to admix a hair-care toiletry preparation with a non-volatile silicone oil. Another proposal is made in Japanese Patent Publication 7-29906 to formulate a hair-care toiletry preparation with a rigid silicone polymer and a further proposal is made in Japanese Patent Kokai 63-130512, 4-36226, 4-224309, 5-13994, 5-39212 and 5-163122 to formulate a hair-care toiletry preparation with a silicone oil in the form of an aqueous emulsion prepared separately. Although certain improvements can be obtained in the properties of the hair-care toiletry preparations prepared in accordance with the above mentioned proposals, the improvement is still limited and insufficient.
In respect of improving skin-care toiletry preparations and makeup compositions so as to be capable of imparting a pleasant touch feeling to the user's skin after treatment therewith, it is a current approach to admix the preparation with fine particles of a silicone or an organopolysiloxane. For example, Japanese Patent Kokai 1-265008 and 1-268615 propose to admix a skin-care toiletry composition with fine particles of an organosilsesquioxane resin. Japanese Patent Publication 4-17162 proposes addition of fine particles of a cured organopolysiloxane and Japanese Patent Publication 4-66446 proposes addition of a powder of an organopolysiloxane elastomer each to a skin-care toiletry preparation. Further, Japanese Patent Kokai 8-12545 and 8-12546 propose that an anti-perspirant and anti-suntan agent are compounded with fine spherical or globular particles of a cured silicone rubber. These prior art methods are, of course, not quite ineffective in improving the skin-care toiletry preparations to some extent though with a problem in respect of the dispersibility of the fine silicone particles into the base mixture of a skin-care toiletry preparation. This problem is particularly serious when the toiletry preparation is a water-base composition due to the inherently low hydrophilicity of silicone particles so that reproducible improvements can hardly be obtained thereby in the properties of the water-base skin-care toiletry preparations.

Method for the preparation of improved water-base toiletry composition


A secure layer extensions unit identifies a secure layer extension identifier associated with a communication protocol supported by a client device; receives, from a secure sockets layer (SSL) engine, a handshake communication in view of the communication protocol, wherein the handshake communication excludes the secure layer extension identifier; generates a modified handshake communication for the client device that includes the secure layer extension identifier in view of the communication protocol; and forwards the modified handshake communication to the client device.

Centralized management of remote computing environments may provide remote access to system resources, such as data and application resources, with the added benefit of providing management for implementing security protocols to protect the resources from malicious intrusions. In such cases, a server may provision applications and/or data to a client device of a user to deliver computing and/or application services in a variety of ways. In some situations, the server may support particular network communication protocols that may implement different features, such as security mechanisms, to verify communications with the client devices that may remotely access the system resources.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Supporting secure layer extensions for communication protocols


Apparatus for mechanically forming a random rake finish on the surface of a cast panel utilizes counter rotating sets of tines which are projected into the material as a form is linearly moved. The apparatus thus is used to implement a unique method of providing a random rake or fuzzy finish on the surface of the cast panel.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for providing a random rake finish in the surface of a cast concrete panel.
With the advent of multiple lane, limited access highways for motor vehicles, there has been a growing concern, particularly in urban areas, with respect to the noise generated by traffic on the roadway. Various solutions have been proposed to diminish the noise including the erection of various types and kinds of barriers between the roadway and the area adjacent the roadway. These barriers have been constructed from numerous types of materials including wood, concrete and metallic screen. One of the more popular and useful types of materials used to create such barriers is concrete typically in the form of a cast concrete panel or in the form of layers of concrete and other materials in a panel that is able to withstand weathering yet which provides required sound deadening characteristics, structural integrity and is economical to manufacture, install and service. Originally such cast concrete panels had smooth surfaces. Over time the texture of the surfaces has changed, and the materials used on the surfaces have changed. Thus the esthetic quality of the surfaces has been enhanced by texture, color and otherwise.
One of the popular surface textures associated with precast concrete panels used for traffic barriers is known as the random rake surface finish. That is, a concrete panel is cast in a particular shape and size. Typically, the material being cast includes an aggregate which is maintained in a smooth and fluid cement mixture. After the panel is cast in the desired thickness and shape, and a smooth generally flat uniform surface has been achieved, the surface is textured to a rough or "fuzzy" finish. This finish is produced by use of an asphalt rake, typically a 24" asphalt rake, having every other tine removed therefrom. The rake is manually manipulated by dragging the tines in the surface or outer face of the cast panel. The tines are required to project about 1" below the surface of the panel, and they are moved in a swirling motion in a manner so that the surface will not be gouged and so that tine marks will not be left in the surface. This causes the aggregate in the panel to be randomly distributed and projected from the surface of the panel to provide the desired finish. This finish is thus provided by a random series of projections of the aggregate from the panel surface. After the raking operation is completed the concrete is then allowed to dry normally.
The particular procedure by which such panels are manufactured is exceedingly labor intensive and thus quite costly. Additionally, the variants in finish resulting from the "raking" techniques of individual laborers may become apparent. Thus there may not be a uniform random raking operation performed on the surfaces and the panels will look dissimilar. This is an undesired outcome.
Therefore, there has developed a need to provide a procedure and a mechanism by which a random rake finish can be produced which is uniform, inexpensive, reproducible and not as labor intensive as prior procedures.

Apparatus for providing random rake finish in a cast concrete surface


A self-erecting collapsible net for stopping the flight of projectiles such as a golf ball, the collapsible net comprising: (a) a closed loop resilient coilable member having a perimeter; (b) a fabric portion attached to at least a portion of the perimeter of the coilable member to stop a projectile impelled thereon; and (c) support means comprising at least one support member extending from a portion of the perimeter of the coilable member, the support member including a stake bore protruding therein, the stake bore being sized and shaped to receive a stake capable of being placed in a stake pocket in a substantially horizontal surface. The collapsible net can be expanded and disposed on said surface with one end of the stake introduced into the stake bore in the support member, and another end of the stake introduced into a stake pocket in said surface, thereby erecting the collapsible net in a substantially uprightly position such that the plane of the fabric is substantially transverse to said surface.

The present invention related to collapsible nets, and, in particular, to collapsible golf nets for stopping the flight of golf balls.
Various sports such as golf, involve hitting or throwing a projectile such as a golf ball in a desired direction in a field. For practice purposes, it is desirable to capture the ball before it travels a large distance or strikes objects or people. Existing capturing structures include a net attached to the perimeter of a capturing frame and a rigid support frame attached to the capturing frame. The support frame is attached to the capturing frame and provides a base allowing the capturing structure to be disposed on the ground.
A disadvantage of such structure is that they cannot be easily folded and efficiently stored. This is because both the support frame and the capturing frame must be properly folded and placed in a container. Further use of a capturing frame and a supporting frame makes such structures more expensive to manufacture and harder to carry due to increased weight.
There is, therefore, a need for a golf net which can be easily folded and efficiently stored in a container. There is also a need for such a golf net to be self-erecting and easy to carry.