An accessory mounting plate for a modular mounting system is described. The accessory mounting plate allows screwless coupling with a mounting receptacle, and may be configured to support a variety of different accessories. In one example, an accessory mounting plate includes a main body, a screwless attachment aperture, and a dovetail structure. The screwless attachment aperture is configured to enable the main body to be screwlessly mounted to a mounting receptacle. The dovetail structure is configured to enable the main body to fictively engage the mounting receptacle.

Accessories such as optic assemblies often require precise alignment when attached to a mounting receptacle. Thus, attaching or changing an accessory such as an optic assembly requires a user to perform tasks pertaining to alignment or 'zeroing' of the optic assembly as part of or in addition to tasks required to attach the optic assembly. Further, accessories are available in a variety of forms, and may involve different attachment configurations requiring a variety of tools. Even within a particular category of optic assemblies, different models of optic assemblies may utilize different attachment mechanisms, be sized to accommodate different footprints, include different configurations of attachment points, and so forth. Accordingly, changing an accessory is not trivial or convenient.
Conventional techniques to change an accessory attached to a mounting receptacle include milling the mounting receptacle to provide holes for directly inserting screws through the accessory and into the mounting receptacle. These techniques pose a level of a risk and inconvenience in requiring a consumer to machine the mounting receptacle, allow for no interchangeability between different accessories, and require specialized tools and skillsets to perform. Other conventional techniques include milling a plate to be screwed onto the mounting receptacle, and attaching an accessory to the plate. Although these techniques offer some amount of interchangeability, they similarly require specialized tools and skillsets to perform.
Further, common applications for accessories such as optic assemblies involve high amounts of vibration, leading to the use of adhesives which causes a further decrease in interchangeability, and frequently leads to users damaging the mounting receptacle while attempting to remove adhesive. Accordingly, conventional techniques to change an accessory are inaccessible to many consumers, requiring specialized tools in a workshop setting that may involve expensive customized additional parts, and thus even if available are generally avoided by consumers.


A method of producing a complex shape in a workpiece includes the steps of: i) grinding a workpiece at a maximum specific cutting energy of about 10 Hp/in3·min with at least one bonded abrasive tool, thereby forming a slot in the workpiece; and ii) grinding the slot with at least one mounted point tool, thereby producing the complex shape in the slot. The bonded abrasive tool includes at least about 3 volume % of a filamentary sol-gel alpha-alumina abrasive grain having an average length-to-cross-sectional-width ratio of greater than about 4:1 or an agglomerate thereof. A method of producing a slot in a metallic workpiece having a maximum hardness value of equal to, or less than, about 65 Rc includes the step of grinding the workpiece with a bonded abrasive tool at a material removal rate in a range of between about 0.25 in3/min·in and about 60 in3/min·in and at a maximum specific cutting energy of about 10 Hp/in3·min.

A re-entrant shape is a form which is wider at the inside than it is at the entrance (e.g., a dovetail joint). Turbine components, such as jet engine, rotors, compressor blade assembly, typically employ re-entrant shaped slots in the turbine disks. The re-entrant shape is used to hold or retain turbine blades around the periphery of turbine disks. Mechanical slides, T-slots to clamp parts on a machine table also use such re-entrant shaped slots.
This type of form cannot generally be created by grinding with a large diameter wheel operated perpendicular to the surface of the part because it would be impossible for the wheel to enter the wider part of the form without removing the narrower part of the form. Typically, broaching or milling has been used in the aerospace industry to produce such a complex shape. Broaching a re-entrant shape, however, is costly partly due to high tooling costs, such as expensive machinery, set-up costs, tooling regrinding costs and slow material removal rates. One of the traditional advantages of broaching over grinding is very low heat generation during the process, which results in good surface integrity. However, this requires frequent tool changes and re-sharpening of dulled cutting edges, which is cost and time intensive. Milling processes are generally very slow, especially in machining difficult-to-machine materials, such as Inconel™ nickel alloy, which is typically used for re-entrant shaped turbine disks of aeroengines. Although high speed milling can be conducted to achieve high efficiency, under such high speeds, fracture of the cutting edge of milling tools commonly occurs, often leading to imbalance, tool fracture and failure of the process.
Conventional broaching, machining and milling processes employ an oil coolant to avoid thermal damage and residual stress to the workpiece. Prior art grinding processes developed to replace machining processes, such as the grinding process described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,234 B2, also employ an oil coolant both during formation of slots and during formation of complex shapes. Environmental considerations have led operators to search for processes wherein a water-based coolant can be used in lieu of an oil coolant, while still avoiding thermal damage and residual stress to the workpiece.
Therefore, there is a need to develop new grinding methods to form a complex shape, such as a re-entrant shape, in a workpiece overcoming or minimizing one or more of the shortcomings associated with conventional processes, such as broaching, machining and/or milling processes.


A thin film floating gate transistor with improved dielectric structure. The dielectric structure serves the purpose of encapsulating the floating gate and also interfacing with the semiconductor material, .alpha.-Si:H. It thus must meet a variety of requirements. In order to provide long memory retention times, the dielectric material, at least in the regions encapsulating the floating gate, must have a high resistivity, on the order of 10.sup.17 ohm-cm or better. Silicon dioxide is the preferred material for encapsulating the floating gate. However, since silicon dioxide creates a high density of defect state when interfaced with the .alpha.-Si:H layer. An interface layer, substantially free of oxide, is interposed between the high resistivity layer and the .alpha.-Si:H. Preferably, the interface portion of the dielectric layer is silicon nitride. In some cases, it is desirable to replace the entire dielectric structure, or at least the interface layer with aluminum nitride.

Amorphous silicon has been used in semiconductor devices, but such devices have not enjoyed the popularity of more conventional monocrystalline semiconductor devices. Amorphous silicon semiconductors have the advantage of being fabricatable on flexible substrates, and thus present the possibility of formation on a number of different kinds of substrates, unlike the crystalline semiconductor substrate conventionally used. The non-crystalline properties of amorphous silicon semiconductors also present the opportunity for forming very large scale devices, since such devices are not limited by the crystal and die size limitations normally associated with crystalline semiconductors.
Amorphous silicon devices, however, possess a number of significant drawbacks. First of all, leakage through the amorphous semiconductor material is typically quite high, making it difficult to isolate one device from another. Switching speed and frequency response is not suitable for many applications. Amorphous silicon semiconductor devices have been utilized extensively in large scale solar cells, for example, where the tradeoff allowing large size and flexibility outweighs the disadvantages. Amorphous silicon devices have also been used in very large scale memories which were impractical of construction with conventional crystalline semiconductors. However, in the majority of situations, where requirements of switching speed and device size akin to current semiconductor technology are required, amorphous silicon devices have typically not been applied.
Even MOS devices, although not as fast as bipolar semiconductors, have been improved to realize relatively fast switching speeds. However, the physical structure of a MOS device has a very, very thin layer of oxide interposed between metallic electrodes and the doped surface of the silicon semiconductor material. The very small capacitance introduced by the very thin insulating layer (typically silicon dioxide) allows the voltage impressed on the electrodes to set up fields (depletion regions) in the semiconductor material just below the surface. However, equivalent devices are not possible in amorphous silicon for a variety of reasons. The end result is that typically, comparatively thicker layers of dielectric material are required to be interposed between the gate metallization and the amorphous silicon layer, whereas there is no requirement for insulation between the source and drain electrodes and the corresponding doped areas of the amorphous silicon transistor. This fundamental structural difference is in part responsible for the relative slowness in switching of amorphous silicon devices. However, that relative slowness has been tolerated because of the applications in which the devices have typically been employed.

Dielectric for amorphous silicon transistors

Iowa State University Research Foundation


The inhibiting or retarding hydrate formation, growth and/or agglomeration in a fluid comprising water and gases, is accomplished by addition of at least one hydrosoluble homopolymer or copolymer derived from at least one nitrogen-containing monomer selected from cationic monomers, for example those containing at least one quaternary ammonium moiety, amphoteric monomers, for example those containing at least one quaternary ammonium moiety and at least one carboxylate or sulphonate moiety, and various neutral monomers, said hydrosoluble homopolymer or copolymer being neutral or anionic, or consisting of a polyampholyte. The homopolymer, copolymer or mixture of polymers optionally mixed with an alcohol is generally incorporated into the fluid to be treated at a concentration of 0.05% to 5% by weight with respect to the quantity of water in the medium.

The invention concerns a process for inhibiting or retarding hydrate formation, growth and/or agglomeration in natural gas, petroleum gas or other gases, using at least one additive. Gases which form hydrates can comprise at least one hydrocarbon selected from methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propene, n-butane and isobutane, and possibly H.sub.2 S and/or CO.sub.2.
Such hydrates are formed when water comes into the presence of a gas either in its free state or dissolved in a liquid phase such as a liquid hydrocarbon, and when the temperature of the mixture, including water, gas and possibly liquid hydrocarbons such as oil, drops below the thermodynamic temperature for hydrate formation, this temperature being fixed for a known gas composition and fixed pressure.
Hydrate formation is a problem, particularly in the gas and oil industry where hydrate formation conditions can be satisfied. One way of reducing the production costs of crude oil and gas both from the point of view of investment and exploitation, particularly in the case of offshore production, is to reduce or cut out treatments applied to the crude or gas to be transported from the field to the coast and leave all or part of the water in the fluid to be transported. Such offshore treatments are generally carried out on a platform located on the surface close to the field, so that the effluent, which is initially hot, can be treated before the thermodynamic hydrate formation conditions are reached due to cooling of the effluent with sea water.
However, in practice, when the thermodynamic conditions required for hydrate formation are satisfied, hydrate agglomeration causes the transport lines to block by creation of plugs which prevent the passage of crude or gas.
The formation of hydrate plugs can stop production and result in large financial losses. Further, restarting the installation, especially in the case of offshore production or sea transportation, can be a long process as the hydrates formed are very difficult to decompose. When the production from a submarine natural gas or oil and gas field containing water reaches the surface of the sea bed and is transported along the sea bottom, the reduction in the temperature of the effluent produced can mean that the thermodynamic hydrate formation conditions are satisfied and the hydrates formed bind together or agglomerate and block the transfer lines. The temperature on the sea bed can, for example, be 3.degree. C. or 4.degree. C.
Favourable conditions for hydrate formation can also be satisfied onshore when, for example, the ambient air temperature is low and the lines are not buried, or are not deeply buried in the ground.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, the prior art has sought to use substances which, when added to the fluid, can act as inhibitors by reducing the thermodynamic hydrate formation temperature. Such substances include alcohols such as methanol, or glycols such as mono-, di- or tri-ethyleneglycol. Such a solution is very expensive as the quantity of inhibitors to be added can be as high as 10% to 40% of the water content and those inhibitors are difficult to recover completely.
Insulation of the transport lines has also been recommended, to prevent the temperature of the transported fluid from reaching the hydrate formation temperature under the operating conditions. This type of technique is also very expensive.
The use of additives which can modify the hydrate formation mechanism has also been recommended, in which instead of agglomerating rapidly with each other and forming plugs, the hydrates formed disperse in the fluid without agglomerating and without obstructing the lines. Examples are: our European patent application EP-A-0 323 774, which describes the use of non-ionic amphiphilic compounds selected from the esters of polyols and carboxylic acids, which may or may not be substituted, and compounds with an imide function; our European patent application EP-A-0 323 775, which describes the use of compounds from diethanolamides of fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives; U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,593 which describes the use of surfactants such as organic phosphates, phosphate esters, phosphonic acids, and salts and esters thereof, inorganic polyphosphates and esters thereof, and homopolyacrylamides and acrylamide-acrylate copolymers; and European patent application EP-A-0 457 375, which describes the use of anionic surfactants such as alkylarylsulphonic acids and their alkali metal salts.
Amphiphilic compounds obtained by reacting at least one succinic derivative selected from the group formed by polyalkenylsuccinic acids and anhydrides with at least one polyethyleneglycol monoether have also been proposed for reducing the tendency of natural gas hydrates, petroleum gas hydrates or other gas hydrates to agglomerate (European patent application EP-A-0 582 507).
The use of additives which can inhibit or retard hydrate formation and/or growth has also been recommended. Examples are European patent application EP-A-0 536 950 which describes the use of tyrosine derivatives, International patent application WO-A-93 25798 which describes the use of homopolymers and copolymers of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and mixtures thereof, International patent application WO-A-94 12761 and U.S. Pat. No. 5 432292 which describe the use of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), hydroxyethyl-cellulose and mixtures thereof or a terpolymer based on N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-s-caprolactame and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate sold under the trade name GAFFIX VC-713. International patent application WO-A-95 19408 more generally describes the use of aliphatic polymers containing carbonylated N-heterocycles in complex formulations. This is also the case in International patent application WO-A-95 32356, which describes the use of terpolymers based on N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonate and acrylamide. Finally, International patent applications WO-A-95 17579 and WO-A-96 04462 describe the use of allylated ammonium, sulphonium and phosphonium derivatives, used either alone or mixed with a corrosion inhibitor.

Method for inhibiting or retarding hydrate formation or agglomeration in a production effluent


Solids can sometimes form in one or more electrolyte solutions during operation of flow batteries and related electrochemical systems. Over time, the solids can accumulate and compromise the integrity of flow pathways and other various flow battery components. Flow batteries configured for mitigating solids therein can include an autonomous solids separator, such as a lamella clarifier. Such flow batteries can include a first half-cell containing a first electrolyte solution, a second half-cell containing a second electrolyte solution, a first flow loop configured to circulate the first electrolyte solution through the first half-cell, a second flow loop configured to circulate the second electrolyte solution through the second half-cell, and at least one lamella clarifier in fluid communication with at least one of the first half-cell and the second half-cell. A hydrocyclone can be used as an alternative to a lamella clarifier in some instances.

Electrochemical energy storage systems, such as batteries, supercapacitors and the like, have been widely proposed for large-scale energy storage applications. Various battery designs, including flow batteries, have been considered for this purpose. Compared to other types of electrochemical energy storage systems, flow batteries can be advantageous, particularly for large-scale applications, due to their ability to decouple the parameters of power density and energy density from one another.
Flow batteries generally include negative and positive active materials in corresponding electrolyte solutions, which are flowed separately across opposing faces of a membrane or separator in an electrochemical cell containing negative and positive electrodes. The flow battery is charged or discharged through electrochemical reactions of the active materials that occur inside the two half-cells. As used herein, the terms "active material," "electroactive material," "redox-active material" or variants thereof synonymously refer to materials that undergo a change in oxidation state during operation of a flow battery or other electrochemical energy storage systems (i.e., during charging or discharging). Transition metals and their coordination complexes can be particularly desirable active materials due to their multiple oxidation states.
Although flow batteries hold significant promise for large-scale energy storage applications, they have often been plagued by sub-optimal energy storage performance (e.g., round trip energy efficiency), limited cycle life, and various operational issues. Despite significant investigational efforts, no commercially viable flow battery technologies have yet been developed.
Solids formation within flow batteries represents one operational issue that can be especially problematic, since solids can deposit upon or within various flow battery components and compromise one's ability to circulate an electrolyte solution. Pores within the separator of a flow battery can also become occluded by circulating solids, which can similarly compromise operability.
Factors leading to solids formation in a flow battery can include, for example, impurities in the active materials, high active material concentrations that approach or exceed saturation concentrations, chemical or electrochemical side reactions, insoluble buffers, and the like. In many instances, solids formation can be an unavoidable consequence of the battery chemistry. Unless one can effectively mitigate the formation of solids in a flow battery, an otherwise desirable system of active materials can become untenable for use.
Conventional approaches used for addressing the presence of solids in flow batteries can include, for example, in-line filters, crystallizers, or settling tanks. These approaches can undesirably lead to excessive pressure drops, high parasitic loads, and slow or incomplete separation, however. These factors are generally undesirable and can compromise the ultimate operability of a flow battery, particularly for large-scale operations. Moreover, some conventional approaches for mitigating solids in flow batteries can require frequent downtime for system maintenance, such as for cleaning or to replace filters, for example.
In view of the foregoing, flow batteries readily configured to mitigate the presence of solids and methods associated therewith would be highly desirable in the art. The present disclosure satisfies the foregoing needs and provides related advantages as well.


An optical modulator suitable for use in, for example, a terminal apparatus in an optical communication system when an optical signal is modulated has a power splitting unit for splitting a power of an incident light into two split lights, a first intensity modulating unit for performing an intensity modulation on one of the split lights split by the power splitting unit and outputting an intensity-modulated optical signal containing a direct current component, an optical phase shifting unit for performing a phase shift on the other of the split lights split by the power splitting unit such that the light has a phase opposite to that of the intensity-modulated optical signal, and a direct current component suppressing unit for making the intensity-modulated optical signal and the light subjected to the phase shift interfere with each other to suppress the direct current component contained in the intensity-modulated optical signal and outputting the intensity-modulated optical signal, thereby obtaining the modulated optical signal with a high extinction ratio although being driven at a low voltage.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical modulator and an optical modulating method suitable for use when an optical signal is modulated in, for example, a terminal apparatus in an optical communication system.
(2) Description of Related Art
In recent years, it is required to transmit an enormous volume of information, with development of a highly information-oriented society. As means for transmitting such an enormous volume of information, there are used optical communication systems transmitting information as optical signals.
In the optical communication system, a higher transmission speed is required year after year since a modulation rate of signals is increased more and more. For this, optical devices of an optical waveguide type such as external modulators or the like for high-speed modulation of signals are used in various places.
In the optical modulator used in such an optical communication system, there are expectation for a higher modulation rate and a demand for a lower voltage used to drive the optical modulator in order to decrease a size of a chip of the optical modulator. Namely, there is a demand for an optical modulator which can modulate light at a high-rate and can be driven at an extremely low voltage.
In order to drive a known optical modulator at a low voltage, there are assumed two manners. Namely, the modulator is driven at a low voltage [V.sub.0 -V.sub.1 shown in FIG. 16(a)] in the vicinity of 0 output of an output light power as shown in FIG. 16(a), or the modulator is driven at a low voltage [V.sub.0 '-V.sub.1 ' shown in FIG. 16(b)] in a portion where a slope of the output light power is the steepest, as shown in FIG. 16(b).
However, when the known optical modulator is driven at a low voltage in the vicinity of 0 output of the output optical power, it is impossible to obtain a large modulated optical signal since the output optical power is a sine wave waveform, as shown in FIG. 16(a). When such the modulated optical signal is used in the optical communication system, information in the optical signal is lost because of degradation of the optical signal waveform upon transmission.
On the other hand, when the optical modulator is driven at a low voltage in a portion where the slope of the output optical power is the steepest, an extinction ratio is degraded since a direct current light [indicated by reference character d in FIG. 16(b)] is superimposed on the modulated optical signal although a large modulated optical signal can be obtained, as shown in FIG. 16(b).

Optical modulator and an optical modulating method


A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor portion including first semiconductor layers of a first conduction type and second semiconductor layers of a second conduction type alternately arranged on the surface of a semiconductor substrate to form a striped shape. A main region is formed to arrange a main cell in a well. A current sense cell is arranged in a sense well. A sense region is formed having the direction of the length in a direction that intersects the direction of alternate arrangement of the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including current sense cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power devices typically include a power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and an IGBT (Insulate Gate Bipolar Transistor). When excess current caused by short-circuit or the like flows in such the power device, it breaks down the power device. Accordingly, it is required to control excess current not to flow in the power device. When a power device is employed to control the rotation of a motor, it is required to control current flowing in the power device precisely. For these purposes, a current sensor is provided separately from the power device. In general, a resistor is connected between the power device and the current sensor to sense a potential between both for current sensing.
When a current sense cell, or the current sensor, is formed on a single chip together with the power device (main cell), external components such as a current probe are not required and the device can be downsized. See JP-A 7-240520 (FIG. 1), JP Patent No. 3400237 (FIGS. 1-3, 6-8), and JP Patent No. 3450650 (FIGS. 1-4, 7, 8). In this case, however, no potential locates across the current sense cell and the main cell if the current sense cell is isolated from the main cell, and no current can be sensed. On the other hand, it is required to ensure the area of a region (sense region) formed to arrange the current sense cell therein.


Disclosed is a method for encrypted communications. A first IPsec endpoint selects a security association (SA) from a security association database (SAD) by using a selector and then extracts an indexing parameter from SA. The indexing parameter is used to determine an active key location from a key storage database (KSD). Data packets are then encrypted using a key from the active key location. The first IPsec endpoint also forms a security parameter index (SPI) in a header of the data packet by using a keyID from the active key location and transmits the encrypted data packet with the header indicating the SPI to a second IPsec endpoint.

Encrypted communications systems are well known. Many of these systems provide secure communications between two or more users by sharing one piece of information between the users, which permits only those users knowing the shared information to properly decrypt a message. The shared information is known as an encryption key variable, or key for short. Loading this key into an encryption device in a communications unit is a basic requirement that allows secure communications to occur. To retain security over a long period of time, the keys are changed periodically, typically weekly or monthly.
Loading new keys, called rekeying, can be done in various ways. Over-the-air rekeying is achieved by transmitting the keys from a central site to communications units over a typical secure channel. Manual rekeying is accomplished by connecting a cable from a hand-held device (also called a key variable loader, or keyloader for short) to the communications unit and downloading the keys from the keyloader into the communications unit. Over-the-air rekeying takes a few seconds, and the process involved in manual rekeying, including locating the unit, connecting the loader, etc., takes much longer.
Thus, the use of over-the-air rekeying is a big timesaver and a security improvement when rekeying a large communications system. As systems grow larger, with thousands of communications units in one system, the need for multiple keys becomes evident. In secure RF trunked systems, such as the communications system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,751, it is often likely that different groups within a large system require their own key or keys, possibly to increase internal security or to minimize the number of times it is necessary to reload keys over a period of time.
In a situation where IPsec is also implemented, over-the-air rekeying must work alongside with IPsec. As is known, IPsec is defined in RFC 4301 and is recognized by the industry as an application to encrypt and/or authenticate data traffic at the IP level. There are two general methods for IPsec key management: manual key and derived key. Manual key involves the use of static symmetric keys in communications units at both a source and destination. Derived key involves having both endpoints generate a common session key, e.g. using a Diffe-Helman exchange, followed by the mutual authentication of both endpoints. The methods for derived key management are defined under the public Internet Key Exchange (IKE) (as defined in RFC 4306) guidelines. The IKE exchange for key derivation and mutual authentication consists of several messages. Due to performance issues, it is undesirable to conduct an IKE exchange in certain communications systems, e.g. in a communications system adhering to APCO Project 25 (Project 25 for short).
For Project 25, key management is preferably performed using static symmetric keys and sending the static symmetric keys over the air. Such key management is specified in TIA102.AACA and TIA102.AACB and is termed over-the-air-rekeying (OTAR). Using OTAR has a number of advantages. For example, OTAR allows for defining crypto periods where new key material is used. OTAR also identifies the use of indices, or keysets, to enable a communications unit the flexibility of using keys for either an old crypto period or a new crypto period. Using keysets enables the communications units to maintain continuous communication through a crypto period changeover, even if the communications units are not all synchronized to the same crypto period. IPsec manual key management does not provide these benefits, e.g. allowing for continuous operation through crypto period changeovers (i.e. using keysets). Nor does IPsec define interoperation with Project 25 OTAR key management.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a new method and apparatus for encrypted communications using IPsec keys.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Method and apparatus for encrypted communications using IPsec keys


The towed roping dummy shock absorption apparatus provides for an apparatus designed to be inserted between a pulling vehicle and a towed roping dummy when practicing team roping from horseback. The apparatus provides for modulation of jerks and forces on the dummy that cause strain on the vehicle, dummy and horse, as well as providing for more consistent speed when being towed.

Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to a device for a towed roping dummy shock absorption apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a device that reacts to applied pressure and forces on a roping dummy as it is towed and roped.
Background Information
Roping cattle from horseback is a historical process that many recognize. Branding and doctoring the cattle necessitated that cowboys capture the animals, and early ranches where this process completed without the benefit or aid or pens and specialized shoots necessitated a very specific skill of the cowboys, as well as necessitating specialized equipment. Part of this specialized equipment included development of the western saddle. These skills and equipment in practice in many places yet today.
Many people are also familiar with the transition that was made of the various roping styles to rodeo events. One of the roping styles that found its way to the rodeo arena, and continues to grow in popularity, is the sport of team roping. Team roping, as its name implies, is an event that is completed by two ropers. The first roper, called the header, ropes the animals first and either ropes the animal around the neck or, more preferably, around the horns. The second roper, called the healer, waits for the header to slow the animal and turn the animal at an approximate 90-degree angle before roping the animal's hind legs.
In a typical rodeo run, the steer is placed in a starting gate called a shoot. Behind the shoot is a three-sided area called the box in which the header and healer start on their horses. Traditionally, the header and healer were in a double-box to the rear and on the right side of the steer. However, in the last few decades, it has become most common that the header starts in a box to the rear and on the left side of the steer, while the healer starts in a box to the rear and on the right side of the steer. The header calls for the steer to be released by nodding his head or otherwise indicating his readiness. The steer is given a designated head start, called a score, and the ropers (or at least the header) are required to wait in the box until the steer reaches a certain point, at which time they can leave the box in pursuit of the steer.
Once the ropers leave the box, their horses chase the steer an attempt to close the distance between the animals. As the header gets closer to the steer, he generally attempts to arrive to the rear of the animal close enough to rope it and slightly to its left. Meanwhile, the healer rates his horse back and to the right of the steer such that he is ready to close the gap after the header ropes, but also he can attempt to help keep the steer from ducking to the right.
Once the roper has gotten close enough to the steer to rope, he ropes the steer around the horns or neck and pulls his slack to tighten the loop around the steer's horns. He then takes a couple of wraps around his saddle horn with the free end of the rope (the "dally") so that the steer is effectively attached by the rope to the saddle of the horse and rider. The header then signals his horse to slow which also slows the steer slightly. Then he turns his head horse off to the left at approximately a 90-degree angle such that the steer is then pulled to the left as well. Once the steer changes directions, the healer is then allowed to take his throw at the heels of the steer. He attempts to rope both hind feet, although roping one hind foot is a legal catch as well, albeit one with a penalty. Once the healer ropes the hind feet, he dallies his rope as well and stops his horse. The header continues until he takes the slack out of his rope, and then turns his horse to face the steer, leaving the steer immobilized between the two horses.
The western saddle was traditionally, and is still, used on working horses on cattle ranches throughout the United States, particularly in the west. They are the "cowboy" saddles familiar to movie viewers and rodeo fans. The western saddle is characterized as allowing great freedom of movement to the horse, and security to the rider and strong control of the horse. One extremely functional item is virtually always identified with the western saddle—the saddle "horn."
As is evident from the description of team roping above, the saddle horn is integral to roping cattle, whether it is in team roping as described above, or in branding, doctoring, tie-down calf roping, or other instances in which an animal is roped and snubbed to the roper's saddle. The saddle horn allows cowboys to control cattle by use of a rope around the neck, horns, or legs of the animal, tied or dallied around the horn. A "dally" is the term for when the rope is wrapped around the horn, without a knot, to cinch the bovine to the saddle. The free end of the rope is wrapped around the horn and held by the cowboy.
As in any sport, practice is a big part of learning and perfecting a roper's abilities. Practicing in a "live" situation—roping steers from horseback in a rodeo arena—is generally considered the best type of practice. However, for a variety of reasons various types of mechanical aids have been developed. One of the most popular is a roping "dummy." Many variations of roping dummies have been developed. One of these types is a towed dummy. Generally, a towed dummy is pulled by a motorized vehicle, such as an ATV, tractor, or the like, although they can also be towed by a horse or other towing vehicle.
Towed roping dummies are designed to more accurately duplicate a live roping run than a stationary dummy, but providing a controlled environment for horse training and roping practice. Because the dummy may be towed at a desired speed, the run may be tailored to the skill or desire of the individual roper or horse. It also allows the roper to practice in a more controlled environment and complete multiple realistic practice runs without using live cattle.
The towed dummy allows the roper to follow the dummy on his or her horse at a given speed, rope the heels of the dummy, then stop the horse. The forward motion of the dummy applies tightening pressure on the dummy and resistance to the horse until the towing vehicle stops, just as in a live run. However, unlike a live run, the power of the towing vehicle and the inelastic nature of the mechanical devices (towing vehicle and dummy) tend to exert a strong pull on the horse as it stops. Further, in order to mimic a live roping run, the towing vehicle will generally drive in an arc or "L" shaped pattern. This turn causes jolts and jerks on the dummy rather than a smooth, more life-like team roping run.

Towed roping dummy shock absorption apparatus


A magnetic sensor has a first sensing element and a second sensing element surrounding the first sensing element so that the sensor is directionally independent in a plane perpendicular to a sensing axis. The sensor can be mounted in a housing that has an end with a threaded rod or a pin for connection to a support member.

This invention relates to magnetic sensors, and particularly to magnetic sensors used to sense positional changes in a moving object.
According to the well-known Hall effect, if a current is provided across a conducting or semiconducting plate along a first axis in a plane of the plate and a magnetic field is applied along a second axis perpendicular to the plate, an electric field (and hence a voltage) is induced in the plane of the plate along a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second axes. The induced voltage is proportional to the sensed magnetic field, and thus the sensor can be used to sense the magnitude of the magnetic field, or it can at least be used to sense when changes occur in the magnitude of the magnetic field.
One known application for a magnetic sensor based on the Hall effect is described, for example, in Wolf, U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,463. Referring to FIG. 1 herein, a magnetic field sensor 10 is positioned between a source 12 of a magnetic field (such as a permanent magnet), and a ferrous object 14, such as a gear with teeth that effectively define larger radius portions 16 and smaller radius portions 18. As object 14 rotates about an axis 20 and the larger and smaller radius portions 16 and 18 pass across sensor 10, the distance between source 12 and the outer boundary of object 14 effectively changes, thereby causing the magnetic field between them and hence the induced voltage to change. Circuitry coupled to the sensor is used to sense such changes that exceed a desired threshold, thereby indicating the occurrence of a transition when an edge of a gear tooth passes the sensor.
Two or more magnetic field sensing elements 22a, 22b can be spaced apart in one sensor so that a difference signal can be taken. Methods for using signals from three and four sensing elements arranged in a straight line are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,710. With such multiple sensing elements the elements need to be properly aligned relative to the position and rotation of the shaft. Otherwise, a sensing element may not be in position to sense changes in the field.


A vane pump is composed of a casing having a cylindrical inner bore and a rotor disposed in the inner bore with an eccentric relation to the inner bore. A circular pump chamber formed between the rotor and the inner bore is divided by vanes disposed in the rotor into plural pump chambers each changing its capacity according to rotation of the rotor. The vane is slidably disposed in a groove formed in the rotor in a slanted relation with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor. When the rotor rotates, the vane is pushed backward of the rotational direction by fluid in the pump chamber. The pushing force includes a component for pushing the vane upward toward an upper plate closing an upper opening of the inner bore. The vane is pushed against the upper plate to thereby prevent hitting noises between the vane and the upper plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vane pump for compressing or decompressing fluid.
2. Description of Related Art
A vane pump having a rotor rotating in an eccentric relation with respect to an inner bore of a casing is known hitherto. The vane pump has vanes disposed in grooves formed in the rotor to extend in the axial direction. The vanes move in the radial direction according to rotation of the rotor so that radial ends of the vanes slidably contact the inner bore of the casing. An axial length of the vane is made a little smaller than an axial length of the groove to allow its smooth movement in the groove. In other words, small gaps are formed between the vane and casing. Accordingly, the vane moves also in the axial direction according to rotation of the rotor and tends to hit the casing, generating hitting noises.
JP-A-6-147156 proposes a vane pump that has resilient rings for pushing the vanes in the radial direction against the inner bore of the casing. By pushing the vanes against the inner bore, movement of the vanes in the axial direction is also suppressed. In the proposed vane pump, however, it is necessary to provide the resilient rings that make the vane pump complex and expensive.

Vane pump having vanes slanted relative to rotational axis


An introducer assembly for introducing a stent-graft or other device into a vessel of a patient is provided with a dilator tip which is naturally curved, preferably to be substantially a U-shape. The dilator tip is flexible so as to be able to become substantially straight with a guide wire therein and yet to be able to curve back towards its natural curvature during deployment of an implant. The curvature of the dilator tip can ensure that the dilator tip does not cause damage to the vessel wall during deployment of an implant carried thereon, as can occur with straight dilator tips.

Prostheses for the repair of vascular defects, including for example vascular aneurysms, are well known in the art. A common prosthesis for treatment of such a medical condition is a stent-graft.
Prostheses of this type are typically deployed endoluminally through a vein or artery adjacent a surface of a patient. For example, aortic prostheses are commonly fed through the femoral artery. A common method of deployment involves the location of a guide wire along the path to be followed by the introducer assembly, up to the site in the vasculature to be treated. Once the guide wire is in place, a series of catheters is advanced along the guide wire, finally with the introduction of an inner catheter assembly which carries the stent or stent-graft to be fitted. The catheters have sufficient trackability to follow the guide wire along the curves and turns of the patient's vasculature and some can also curve sufficiently so as to be able to fit a stent-graft, for example, into the aortic arch of a patient.
In order to guide the inner catheter assembly through the tortuous path of the patient's vasculature and along the guide wire, the assembly is typically provided with a flexible tip, most commonly in the form of a dilator tip although in some cases in the form of a flexible distal end of the inner catheter itself. The dilator or catheter tip is formed of a flexible material able to curve so as to follow the path of the guide wire over which is slides.
The implant is usually restrained on the inner catheter by one or more restraining mechanisms. Once the introducer has been located in the correct position in the patient's vasculature, with the implant positioned at the treatment site, the deployment procedure is commenced, typically first by the retraction of an outer sheath of the assembly to bare the implant. In the case of a self-expanding implant, the next step involves releasing the restraining system, which causes immediate or progressive expansion and thus deployment of the implant, in dependence upon its design and the nature of the restraining mechanism. In the case of an implant which is separately expandable, such as by balloon, the expansion mechanism is actuated after removal of the outer sheath to affect this expansion.
As a result of tension in various parts of the introducer assembly, particularly in the case of self-expanding implants and also in the case of deployment in a curved lumen such as in the aortic arch, as the implant is being released this tension in the assembly is typically released also. This can often result in a jerking action of one or more of the components of the system. Where the implant is to be located in a curved part of a patient's vasculature, this can result in the inner catheter being urged forwardly during the implant release phase. This can cause the distal end of the introducer to prod into the wall of the vessel, causing tissue damage or trauma. This can result in complications to the medical procedure, both during the course of the procedure itself and subsequently to that during the body's attempt to heal the vessel, in some cases resulting in the generation of stenosis. Even though the dilator tip is flexible, when this is prodded straight into a wall of a patient's vasculature, it is relatively hard and sufficiently so to cause damage to the vessel wall. The skilled person will realize that the reason for this increased hardness of the dilator tip in such circumstances is that such motion, instead of pushing the tip to effect sideways bending thereof, seeks to compress the tip longitudinally.


A backlight module and a display device are provided. The backlight module includes a backing plate. The backing plate includes a first surface and a second surface disposed oppositely to the first surface. First surface of the backing plate includes a first region and a second region surrounding the first region. The backlight module also includes a plurality of light sources disposed on the first surface of the backing plate and arranged in an array. The plurality of light sources includes a plurality of first light sources in the first region and a plurality of second light sources in the second region. The backlight module also includes a plurality of reflection structures. Each of the reflection structures is disposed at periphery of one second light source, and reflects light emitted by the second light source to a side of the second light source facing away from the backing plate.

With continuous development of liquid crystal display technology, liquid crystal display modules have been widely used in liquid crystal display devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers. However, a liquid crystal display panel in a liquid crystal display device does not have a light emitting function by itself. Accordingly, a backlight module may need to be provided under a liquid crystal display panel to provide required light sources, and thus to achieve a display effect.
In terms of technology trends, how to reduce power consumption of a backlight has been most concerned. Because a backlight may be a largest energy consumer, if power consumption of a backlight is reduced, power consumption of a whole machine may be reduced greatly. Techniques for reducing power consumption of a backlight may include improving backlight drive circuits, improving luminous efficiency of a light-emitting diode (LED), and developing new LED types.
Currently, local dimming uses a backlight composed of hundreds of LEDs instead of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlight. The LEDs in a backlight may be adjusted according to brightness of an image. Brightness of a highlighted portion of a display image may be maximized, while brightness of a dark portion may be reduced or even turned off to achieve an optimum contrast. In this way, reduction in brightness of the dark portion may reduce power consumption of the backlight. Particularly, direct-lit LED backlight with a local dimming technology may greatly reduce power consumption, improve contrast values and gray levels of displayed images, and reduce residual images.
With existing high data rate (HDR) technology combined with local dimming surface backlight for regional brightness control, brightness and chromaticity close to real human vision may be achieved. However, in a conventional display device, a bluing phenomenon may occur at an edge of the display device during a display, resulting in nonuniform display brightness of the display device.
The disclosed methods and structures are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems in the art.

XIAMEN TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A system and method of estimating properties of a subsurface formation are described. The method includes transmitting an excitation current pulse into the formation, receiving an induced pulse used to generate input data, and performing an inversion on the input data using a lookup table based on a shape of the excitation current pulse to estimate the properties of the subsurface formation.

In downhole exploration and production efforts, a number of sensors and measurement systems are used to provide information about the downhole environment. For example, temperature and pressure in the subsurface environment are typically monitored, and changes in these parameters may indicate the ingress of wellbore fluid or other useful information. Obtaining resistivity (or, inversely, conductivity) information about downhole formations may help to characterize the formation and facilitate decisions regarding drilling and production. Resistivity may be estimated from reflected or induced pulses resulting from transmitting electric pulses into the formation.

Fast inversion of MWD transient EM data excited by a pulse of an arbitrary shape


According to one embodiment, an image display device includes a light-emitting module, a housing which includes a back chassis covering the light-emitting module from behind, and accommodates the light-emitting module, and a supporting member attached to an engagement hole formed in the back chassis and holding a circuit component on the back chassis. The supporting member includes a receiving portion which receives the circuit component, and a light-shielding portion configured to block off light of the light-emitting module passing through the engagement hole of the back chassis.

In a liquid crystal display television, which is an example of an image display device, various peripheral components, such as a backlight for illuminating a liquid crystal cell and a printed-circuit board for driving the liquid crystal cell, are accommodated in a housing together with the liquid crystal cell. The printed-circuit board is held on a back chassis arranged behind the liquid crystal cell via a plurality of supporting members.
The supporting members are arranged on the back chassis by being hooked on a plurality of holes formed in the back chassis. When the holes are formed in the back chassis, some of the light emitted from the backlight, for example, leaks to the interior of the housing through the holes of the back chassis. The housing includes speaker apertures for emitting sound produced by speakers and air vents for discharging heat. Consequently, light leakage, in which the light leaked to the interior of the housing leaks outside the liquid crystal display television through the apertures or air vents of the housing, occurs.


A reusable container comprises a base provided with a plurality of cut-outs, a lid provided with a plurality of cut-outs, and at least one wall panel comprising a plurality of tabs formed as unitary extensions of the wall panel, wherein the plurality of tabs engage the plurality of cuts-outs, securing the at least one wall panel to the base and to the lid. A back wall, a front wall brace, and at least one side wall brace provide support for the product. A method for electro-mechanically loading the container is also provided.

Containers can be made of a wide variety of materials, depending upon the design requirements of the container. For example, containers made only of wood are relatively durable and are capable of carrying relatively heavy loads. However, the cost of the wood material and the labor for initial assembly may be quite high. Multiple reuses of wood containers are possible, but such known containers are not easily collapsible for return transport. Thus, relatively large amounts of space are required for return transport of such containers.
It is known to manufacture containers of corrugated material, e.g., corrugated cardboard or a combination of corrugated materials and wood. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,448 discloses a wood pallet with recyclable cardboard side walls. Such containers are limited in strength and in carrying capacity. Further, where re-use of containers is desired, as is the case with returnable packaging, known containers will withstand only limited re-use. Also, while some known containers may be collapsed to allow for compact return transportation, much work is needed to reconstruct the container for re-use.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20060186118 describes a reusable container for transporting a product comprising a base, a lid, at least one wall having vertical ends operatively connecting the base to the lid, the at least one wall mounted generally perpendicular to the base and to the lid in a first plane, the wall having at least one unitary exterior rib offset from the first plane, and at least one unitary corner flange formed at about a right angle to the first plane at one of the vertical ends.
It would be desirable to provide a reusable container for transporting heavy, yet fragile materials which is structurally robust yet relatively low in cost, and easy to assemble and disassemble.


A CMC wall (20F) may be attached to a metal wall (22F) by a plurality of bolts (28A, 28B, 28C) passing through respective holes (24A, 24B, 24C) in the CMC wall (20F) and holes in the metal wall (22F), clamping the walls (20F, 22F) together with a force that allows sliding thermal expansion but does not allow vibrational shifting. Distal ones of the holes (24A, 24B) in the CMC wall (20F) or in the metal wall (22F) are elongated toward a central one of the bolts (24C) or at alternate angles to guide differential thermal expansion (20T) of the CMC wall (20F) versus the metal wall (22F) between desired cold and hot geometries. A second CMC wall (20R) may be mounted similarly to a second metal wall (22R) by pins (39A, 39B, 39C) that allow expansion of the CMC component (201) in a direction normal to the walls (20F, 20R).

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) have a higher temperature capability than metallic alloys, making them potentially very valuable for implementation into gas turbines, which can run at temperatures well in excess of metal capabilities. Metal is stronger and more ductile, making it better for supporting hardware, such as vane carriers, casings, bolting, etc. To combine the advantages of these two materials, at some point they must attach to one another. However, attaching low alpha (low thermal growth) CMCs to higher alpha metals is not a simple procedure. In dynamic environments, the CMC and metal need to be rigidly attached to prevent vibration, which may lead to wear and/or fatigue issues. But, if high temperatures are also present, the metal and CMC will grow at different rates. If they are rigidly attached, the metal, being stiffer and stronger, will take the CMC with it. CMC is by nature more brittle and less strain-tolerant than metal. Such movement could damage, or even destroy, the CMC. The trick is to design an attachment that satisfies both these concerns—vibration and thermal growth.
In addition, in curved structures, any thermal gradient will cause the metal and CMC to not just linearly grow, but also curl or uncurl, depending on the thermal gradient characteristics. The attachment must therefore allow for such curling, and even take advantage of it.
There are also cases where the CMC structure is large enough, or carries enough load, that it requires multiple attachment regions but is still one structure. A second attachment region must allow for thermal growth of a CMC part away from a first attachment region, in addition to the metal it is attached to. This invention is a solution to these design considerations.


A high temperature bottom-loading research furnace is provided having a lifting mechanism comprising a V-shaped wheels and corresponding guide members for raising and lowering the furnace oven door. The lifting mechanism facilitates precise opening and closing of the door which, along with other mechanical features, reduces the heat loss from the furnace and, accordingly, reduces the amount of energy needed to operate the furnace.

Electrically powered furnaces which are suitable for use in research laboratories have become popular for a wide variety of research and development applications. Often, these laboratory furnaces are required to reach very high temperatures in order to be useful for various ceramic and metallurgical applications such as crystal growth and sintering of metal and ceramic materials. While the exact furnace requirements vary widely with the specific application, there has been a general demand for furnaces which 1) are relatively lightweight and portable, 2) possess the maximum interior oven space relative to the furnace size, 3) are safe and easy to operate, and 4) require a minimum amount of power and energy for operation. At the same time, it is desirable that the furnaces have the capability of operating at temperatures of 1700.degree. C. or higher, and of reaching such temperatures within a minimal period of time.
The ability of research furnaces to reach very high temperatures within a minimal time period, and to maintain these temperatures using a minimum of energy and power, depends upon several factors including the size and shape of the furnace, the size and position of the door, how well the door fits, the amount of variation or "free play" in the position of the door, the type and amount of insulating material used in the furnace, and other design features which minimize the escape of heat during operation. Initially, many research furnaces used doors which opened in the front of the furnace, and significant efforts and innovations were directed toward minimizing the escape of heat from around the edges of the door. However, it has been known for some time now that furnaces which are loaded from the bottom, through a door opening in the bottom, are advantageous for heat retention due to the tendency of heat to rise.
Nevertheless, heat losses through the doors of bottom loading furnaces can still present a problem where the desired temperatures of the furnaces are high and the differences between the furnaces temperatures and the temperatures of the surrounding environment are large. Typically, a bottom loading furnace is mounted in an elevated position above a stand or platform. A mechanism is provided for opening the door to the furnace by lowering it to the platform, and for closing the door by lifting it to its position in the bottom of the furnace. This type of mechanism is generally known, and will be referred to hereinafter, as a "lifting mechanism".
The lifting mechanism should serve several purposes including lowering the door in a smooth, vibration-free fashion; raising the door into the same exact position every time; and maintaining the door in a tight fitting position, free of movement and play, during operation of the furnace. Due to the importance of the lifting mechanism in minimizing heat loss, much effort has been directed to developing lifting mechanisms which serve one or more of the foregoing objectives. To date, however, inefficiencies have remained in the operation of high temperature bottom loading research furnaces which have resulted in the use of larger than desired heating elements, larger than desired furnace sizes and weights, and larger than desired power and energy requirements.

High temperature research furnace with V-Shaped Guide Member


The coating apparatus includes a base for supporting a slot die, wherein the base has a height of not more than 5 m from a ground level, and a mean cross sectional area of not less than 3 m2 in terms of a horizontal direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating apparatus, a coating method, and a method for manufacturing an optical film, and in particular to a technology to suppress vibration of a coating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses of a type which uses a die coater (slot die) for discharging a coating solution from a manifold via a slot have been widely used as a coating apparatus for coating a surface of a web (supporting medium) with a coating film (thin film) having a desired thickness. Such a die coater has several types including a slide coater, a fountain coater, and an extrusion coater, and an appropriate type of die coater depending on an application is used to form a film (coating film) such as a high quality optical film.
In such coating apparatuses, a coating section and a web are usually fixedly mounted to a vibration resistant base so that vibration exerted on the coating section and the web can be suppressed.
In order to form a coating film having high quality by a coating apparatus which is precision measuring equipment, it is preferred to suppress vibration of the coating apparatus as much as possible so as to prevent vibration that may lead a poor surface profile of a coating film such as stepped unevenness; however, there has not been found any document so far that discloses or suggests a specific base structure for effectively suppressing vibration exerted on a coating apparatus.
The present invention has been contrived in view of the above situation, and one object of the present invention is to provide a coating apparatus which includes a base for effectively suppressing vibration, a coating method for effectively suppressing vibration, and a method of manufacturing of an optical film, such as a coating film which is obtained by using the coating apparatus or the coating method.

Coating apparatus, coating method, and method for manufacturing optical film


The multiple location, communications network is provided as an overlay application to, for example, one or more private networks. The network adds increased flexibility to an existing private network system by adding additional features, e.g., abbreviated dialing plans, function number dialing, automatic selection of routing, centralized access to private and public network facilities, outgoing call screening, and work-at-home functionality, that may not be currently available to the private network subscriber. Further, the network overlay application of the present invention is adapted to maintain and not disturb the subscriber's current service or the existing private network.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for facilitating communication across multiple locations. More particularly, the present invention relates to an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) application for providing multiple location networking capabilities to subscribers using a predetermined dialing scheme, such as an abbreviated dialing scheme.

Method and apparatus for facilitating communication across multiple locations

Southwestern Bell Technology Resources, Inc.


A method and system for hibernating the state of executing applications on a removable module and resuming the applications at later time using the saved applications' state. After inserting the removable module into a computer system, the applications' state information stored on the removable module is loaded. The application state information may include an application identifier, a file identifier of a file being accessed by the application, and user preferences related to the application. One or more software applications are loaded from a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the computer system to a memory accessible by the computer system, and the loaded applications are executed. The state of each of the executed software applications is set based upon the corresponding application state information.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for hibernating application state data on a removable module. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and a method for storing application state information on a removable module upon removal of the removable module from a computer system in order to enable resuming the applications upon reinsertion of the removable module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many computer users own multiple computer systems and/or other computing devices. A user may own, for example, a desktop computer at home, a desktop computer at work, a portable laptop computer. In addition, a user may own pocket-sized computing devices such as a personal data assistant and a mobile phone.
For each computer system and device a user owns, the user must purchase a separate operating system license. For example, a user must purchase a Windows operating system license for a desktop personal computer and a Palm operating system license for a personal data assistant. Often, the license to the operating system is included in the price of the system. The user must purchase a separate operating system license even for computer systems that can use the same operating system. For example, a user must separately license a Windows operating system for both a desktop and a laptop personal computer even if these are not used at the same time.
In addition to the cost associated with owning multiple operating systems, a user must separately maintain and update each one of the operating systems. For example, if an update for a Windows operating system is available and a user is running Windows on both a desktop and a laptop personal computer, the user must separately execute the Windows update utility from both the laptop and the desktop. If a user wishes to install a particular Windows desktop theme, the user must install the Desktop theme on both the desktop and the laptop. If a user wishes to install and use a certain printer, the user must install the printer driver on both the desktop and the laptop. If a user wishes to store a list of favorite websites, the user must do so on both the desktop and the laptop.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that could provide a user with a way of purchasing a single license and running a single operating system on multiple computer systems. The system and method should provide the user with the ability only to update and maintain a single operating system and then provide the user with the ability to run the single operating system on one of multiple computer systems.
Each computer system and device a user owns requires a separate processor. For example, a desktop personal computer and a personal data assistant require two processors of different types. Separate processors are required even for computers in the same family such as a Windows desktop personal computer and a Windows laptop personal computer.
Furthermore, computer systems are typically restricted to the computational power provided by the computer system's internal processor. Even if a user owns other processors (such as processors in the user's other computer systems), the user cannot utilize the computational power of these processors in computer systems other than the ones in which the processors are installed.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that could provide a user with the capability of owning a single processor being able to be used on multiple computer systems. The system and method should also provide the user with the ability to utilize additional processors on a computer system having an existing processor in order for the computational load to be shared between the existing processor and the additional processors for better computational power.
While transferring operating system and/or CPU modules from one computer system to another, it would be desirable to also have the ability to transfer application state information such that a user may resume any applications the user was executing on a previous computer system on the current computer system. Therefore, what is needed is a method and a system for transferring application state data using the removable module such that a user can resume previously executing applications on the previous computer system on the current computer system.

System and method for hibernating application state data on removable module


A fishing rod reel seat comprises a cylindrical form of body having a central bore through which a blank rod is to be passed and provided with a reel seat surface by removing a portion of an outer periphery of said body, a fixed hood positioned so as to cover one end of said reel seat surface and including a reel leg receiving recess that is open toward the other end of said reel seat surface, and a substantially cylindrical form of movable hood fitted over the other end of said body such that it is axially movable thereover, with a second reel leg receiving recess located between said movable hood and said reel seat surface and being open toward said fixed hood. A portion of the outer periphery of said body in a circumferential direction is removed to define said reel seat surface, and at least said movable hood is provided in coaxial relation to said body, with a tapered outer surface thereof being of diameter diminishing toward said fixed hood.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a reel seat for use on fishing rods, and more specifically to a fishing rod reel seat comprising a cylindrical form of body having a central bore through which a blank rod or a base member of a fishing rod is to be passed and a reel seat surface formed on a portion of an outer periphery of said body, a fixed hood located to cover one end of said reel seat surface and a substantially cylindrical form of movable hood fitted over the other end of said body so that it is axially movable thereover, with a reel leg held by said movable hood and said fixed hood.
2. Prior Art
A fishing rod reel seat is broken down into two types, one wherein a plate member is fastened to the outer surface of the blank rod, and the other wherein a pipe member is fitted over the flank.
Depicted in FIG. 9 is a typical pipe type of fishing rod reel seat a as set forth in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-41168.
In FIG. 9, small letter b represents a body of the reel seat a, which is in a substantially cylindrical form and has a central bore c through which the blank rod is to be inserted. A fixed hood d is fixedly fitted over one end of the body b. A movable hood e substantially symmetrical in shape with the fixed hood d is located in the vicinity of the other end of the body b and fitted over the body so that it is axially movable but not ratable. A nut f is in threaded engagement with an anterior end of the body b, and is rotatably coupled to the movable food e so that it is movable together with the movable food e in an axial direction alone.
Basically, these fixed and movable hoods d and e are each in a cylindrical form, and their circumferential portions are projected outwardly to define reel leg receiving recesses g and g which are open in opposite relation to each other.
The reel seat surface is defined by a zone h of the outer surface of the body b between the reel leg receiving recess g in the fixed hood d and the reel leg receiving recess g in the movable hood e. Letter i stands for mounting legs from the reel.
The attachment of the reel to the reel seat is done by engaging the endmost surface of the mounting leg i with the reel seat surface h of the body b, and inserting one end of the mounting leg i into the reel leg receiving recess g in the fixed hood d. Then, as shown by a two-dotted line in FIG. 9, the nut f is used to move the movable hood e toward the fixed hood d, thereby inserting the other end of the mounting leg i into the reel leg receiving recess g in the movable hood e, followed by clamping.
However, the aforesaid conventional reel seat a offers some problems upon gripped.
This reel seat a feels not a little sense of incompatibility to an individual who is gripping it, because the fingers or the palm are in close touch with the fixed hood d or the movable hood e. In particular, projecting sites with the reel leg receiving recesses formed therein do not only give a great sense of incompatibility to the individual but also render the gripping of the reel seat unstable, because such sites are gripped with the tips of the fingers via the reel seat surface h.
In the aforesaid reel seat a, the distance from the palm to the foremost end of the reel is defined by the total diameter of the body b plus the height of the reel, because the reel seat surface h on which the reel mounting legs i are mounted is in itself defined by the outer surface of the body b. Therefore, it is very difficult to perform thumbing upon cast because in many instances the index finger does not get to the spool.
With the aforesaid problems with the prior art in mind, it is an object of the invention to provide a fishing rod reel seat which is gripped in an invariably stable manner without any projection which may otherwise strike upon the hand of an individual who is gripping it and permits the external shape of hoods to act as a slip-proof means, and has an excellent aesthetic effect as well.


This invention provides a system and method for determining the pose of shapes that are known to a vision system that undergo both affine transformation and deformation. The object image with fiducial is acquired. The fiducial has affine parameters, including degrees of freedom (DOFs), search ranges and search step sizes, and control points with associated DOFs and step sizes. Each 2D affine parameter's search range and the distortion control points' DOFs are sampled and all combinations are obtained. The coarsely specified fiducial is transformed for each combination and a match metric is computed for the transformed fiducial, generating a score surface. Peaks are computed on this surface, as potential candidates, which are refined until a match metric is maximized. The refined representation exceeding a predetermined score is returned as potential shapes in the scene. Alternately the candidate with the best score can be used as a training fiducial.

Machine vision systems, also termed "vision systems" herein are used to perform a variety of tasks in a manufacturing environment. In general, a vision system consists of one or more cameras with an image sensor (or "imager") that acquires grayscale or color images of a scene that contains an object under manufacture. Images of the object can be analyzed to provide data/information to users and associated manufacturing processes. The data produced by the image is typically analyzed and processed by the vision system in one or more vision system processors that can be purpose-built, or part of one or more software application(s) instantiated within a general purpose computer (e.g. a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone). Some types of tasks performed by the vision system can include inspection of objects and surfaces and/or alignment of objects (also termed "workpieces") on a moving motion stage, which can include servoing the motion stage along one or more orthogonal axes and/or in rotation.
Alignment of a workpiece often requires identification and location of a predetermined shape, that can be termed a "fiducial". As part of the alignment process, the fiducial is recognized on the image, and its "pose" in 2-dimensions (2D) or three-dimensions (3D) is determined. Based upon determination of the pose, the workpiece can be aligned to perform a manufacturing operation, such as assembly of components.
Often, the shape of the fiducial (e.g. a cross) is trained into the vision system as part of its initial setup. This training is based on either a synthetic or actual image of the fiducial. It is recognized that the fiducial can be distorted. Such distortion can be the result of the process that generates the shape/fiducial. For example, the printing of a cross-shaped fiducial can give rise to process variations that can result in a variation in the cross stroke width. In the case of a cross and circle, stroke width can vary and part of the circle can be flattened, resulting in an edge that defines an oval or spline. While vision system applications that search for affine transformation (i.e. changes in scale, rotation, translation and skew, typically in 2D) can identify and locate (determine pose of) a fiducial with relative efficiency, the inclusion of distortion in combination with affine transformation, can make the process of determining fiducial pose more challenging and less reliable/efficient.

System and method for automatically determining pose of a shape


High viscosity materials are dispensed or aspirated by an assembly of cartridges having plungers reciprocally mounted within them. A device for translating rotary motion into linear motion is connected to the output shaft of a small electric motor so that operation of the motor effects linear movement of the plungers. The assembly replaces hydraulic and pneumatic systems and enables better control of the dispensing or aspirating process. In a first embodiment, a single cartridge dispenses a high viscosity material. In additional embodiments, plural cartridges are employed. In the final embodiments, the apparatus is equipped with a suitable assembly of one-way valves and other auxiliary equipment so that it can be used to perform liposuction or aspiration procedures and irrigation of surgical sites.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to electrically driven dispensing and aspirating machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thixotropic pastes such as most silicones, polyurethanes, adhesives in general, human and animal fat, and the like, exhibit non-Newtonian, i.e., thixotropic behavior when being dispensed or aspirated. Thus, as indicated in the diagram below, very high pressures are required to produce even low flow rates of such substances. ##STR1##
Hydraulic and pneumatic machines are currently used to dispense thixotropic materials, as well as polymers, pastes, and other high viscosity materials that exhibit non-Newtonian behavior. More particularly, such machines are used to drive pumps and pistons that dispense and meter such materials. However, there are a number of drawbacks with both of these types of machines.
For example, hydraulic machines are heavy, expensive, and somewhat insensitive in that they cannot generally be used to adequately control small volumes and low flow rates. As a result, they are usually used in large systems, i.e., those of five gallons or more.
Pneumatic machines are lighter in weight and less expensive, but due to the compressibility of air they cannot provide consistent repeatability of shot sizes and flow rates. For the same reason, they respond sluggishly to changing demands, i.e., they cannot respond instantaneously to changes in flow rates as required in many applications. Where thixotropic materials are being handled, unacceptably large air cylinders are required to produce even very small deliveries.
What is needed, then, is a revolutionary, entirely new way to dispense and aspirate materials exhibiting high viscosity. Those of ordinary skill in this art, however, are continuing to refine the existing hydraulic and pneumatic systems in the belief that their respective limitations can be overcome if enough refinements can be made.

Apparatus and method for dispensing and aspirating high viscosity materials


In one embodiment, method performed by an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) that determines, within a driving space, a plurality of routes from a current location of the ADV to a desired location. The method determines, for each route of the plurality of routes, an objective function to control the ADV autonomously along the route and, for each of the objective functions, performs Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP) optimization in view of a set of constraints to produce a path trajectory. The method determines whether at least one of the path trajectories satisfies each constraint and, in response to a path trajectory satisfying each of the constraints, selects the path trajectory for navigating the ADV from the current location to the desired location.

Vehicles operating in an autonomous mode (e.g., driverless) can relieve occupants, especially the driver, from some driving-related responsibilities. When operating in an autonomous mode, the vehicle can navigate to various locations using onboard sensors, allowing the vehicle to travel with minimal human interaction or in some cases without any passengers.
Motion planning and control are critical operations in autonomous driving. In order to effectively perform these operations, autonomous vehicles relay on complex algorithms that are performed by onboard processors. Since some of these algorithms are being processed by the processors in real time (e.g., while the autonomous vehicle is traveling on a roadway), the process time which is required by the processors to perform the algorithms is critical.

Differential dynamic programming (DDP) based planning architecture for autonomous driving vehicles


A curable composition which contains an alkenyl group containing polyorganosiloxane, an organosilicon compound having two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms, a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst, and a glass frit, which is suitable, upon cure, for use as a firewall sealant.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to organosiloxane compositions that are curable to form organosiloxane elastomers. More particularly this invention relates to hydrosilylation reaction curable organosiloxane compositions that are curable to form organosiloxane elastomers which are useable as firewall sealants.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art describes organosiloxane compositions that cure to yield crosslinked elastomers and other useful products by the reaction of polyorganosiloxanes containing at least two alkenyl groups per molecule with organosilicon compounds containing at least two silicon bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule as the crosslinker. This reaction is typically catalyzed by platinum compounds. The reactive ingredients of these compositions are typically packaged in two containers with the crosslinker in one container and the hydrosilylation reaction catalyst in a second container. The curing reaction occurs when the contents of the two containers are mixed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,349, which issued on Jul. 20, 1954, Welton discloses a composition comprising a heat-convertible organopolysiloxane in which the organic groups are alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or halogenated aryl radicals and at least 5% of a finely divided glass frit filler. The present inventors discovered that organosiloxane compositions containing glass frits and polyorganosiloxanes, having an average of at least two organic groups which are alkenyl groups, yield elastomers having unexpectedly improved fire resistance properties. The compositions of the present invention are useful in sealing firewall constructions to prevent the passage of flames and air and other vapors.


A lens film is used in filtering visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. The lens film has one or more metallized layers stacked together. Each metallized layer has a substrate with a metal coating covering one face of the substrate. One or more protecting layers are disposed over the stack of metallized layers to provide protection film. The lens film also has an ultraviolet absorbing material, such as an ultraviolet absorbing binder or substrate material. The lens film can be configured so that it meets the American National Standards Institute's shade standards for protection from harmful or intense light. The lens film can be mounted on a lens of an eye protection device. One method of mounting the lens is to provide an adhesive layer over a portion of the lens film and then binding the lens film to the lens with the adhesive layer.

Many activities require eye protection due to the presence or creation of harmful visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. One example of such an activity is welding where intense light is generated by the welder's torch and the heated metal. Current safety standards for industrial eye and face protection for welding and other activities are published by the American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI) in American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection, ANSI Z87-1-1989, incorporated herein by reference.
The ANSI standards define a set of shade ratings between 1 and 14 based on the weighted transmittance of luminous (380-780 nm), far ultraviolet (200-315 nm), near ultraviolet (315-385 nm), infrared (780-2000 nm), and blue (400-1400 nm) light. The ANSI standards also indicate the minimum shade protection recommended for certain specific activities. For electric arc welding, a protective lens should have a shade rating of 10-14, for gas welding, shades 4-8 are recommended, and for cutting or torch brazing, shades 3-6 are recommended.
In meeting these standards, those engaged in these hazardous light-generating activities must often wear eye protection devices which are extremely limiting and usually dedicated to that particular activity. For example, a welder typically has a special helmet, mask, or pair of goggles that is worn only while welding. Furthermore, such a helmet, mask, or goggles often provides only a limited range of vision as the protective lenses of the eye protection device have only a small viewing area.
These features of current eye protection devices are inconvenient for many wearers. For example, a worker on a job such as bridge repair, where welding is only one of the necessary activities, would find it convenient to have an eye protection device that could be used for both welding and other activities. Unfortunately, the lens shades required for eye protection devices appropriate for welding are usually too dark for other activities. Thus, there is a need for an eye protection device that can be used with activities that generate harmful light irradiation and can still be used with other activities that do not require such extreme light shielding.
In addition, workers must often wear other protective gear such as respirators which may not be conveniently or cost-effectively combined with current protective helmets, masks, or goggles. There is a need for a lightweight, low-cost light filtering device that can be used in conjunction with other protective gear without requiring that such gear be dedicated for use only with harmful light-generating activities.
The light filtering lens films of the present invention address these needs. The lens films of the present invention can be mounted on the lens or lenses of existing eye protection devices and are often detachable from these physical eye protection devices so that a worker can continue to wear the physical eye protection device while engaged in other activities. The lens films of the present invention provide a convenient, lightweight, low cost product for protecting wearers from harmful light arising from a wide variety of sources.


Topically applicable dermocosmetic compositions for improving or maintaining the appearance of human skin or the scalp, comprise a minor antioxidant effective amount of melatonin or analog thereof, formulated into a topically applicable, cosmetically/dermatologically acceptable vehicle, diluent or carrier therefor, such minor antioxidant effective amount being less than 10.sup.-4 % by weight relative to the total weight thereof, e.g., no greater than 0.5.times.10.sup.-4 % or ranging from 10.sup.-12 % to 10.sup.-15 % by weight thereof.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel dermocosmetic compositions comprising judiciously selected very low dosages of melatonin or analog thereof, having improved antioxidant activity, and which are particularly well-suited for improving or maintaining the appearance of human skin or the scalp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The role of cellular oxidation in aging of the skin, both intrinsic and extrinsic aging, in particular photoinduced aging, is known to this art. Such aging of the skin is reflected in various clinical signs and conditions, in particular the appearance of fine lines and deep wrinkles which increase or are accentuated with age. Moreover, the appearance of the skin or the scalp deteriorates. The skin complexion is generally modified and diffuse irritations and occasionally telangiectasia may exist on certain areas of the skin. Another clinical sign of aging is the dry and coarse appearance of the skin, which is due essentially to more pronounced desquamation. Lastly, a loss of firmness and tonicity of the skin are observed, which, as for the wrinkles and fine lines, is at least partly explained by dermal and epidermal atrophy, as well as by a flattening out of the formation. It is thus observed that the clinical signs of aging of the skin result essentially from dysfunction of the principal biological mechanisms involved in the skin.
Preventing or treating aging of the skin, both intrinsic and extrinsic aging, and the clinical signs described above is essentially a matter of maintaining or improving the appearance of the skin or the scalp.
Various antioxidants capable of preventing or treating aging of the skin are described in the prior art, for example melatonin (EP-214,254).
Melatonin, or N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, known especially for its activity on the circadian rhythm which regulates the production of hormones, is also described for its antioxidant activity (Reiter R. J., Verhandlung der Deutschen Zoologischen Gesellschaft, 87 (2), 195-204 (1994); Reiter R. J. et al., Neuroendocrinoll Letter, 15 (1-3), 103-113 (1993); Reiter R. J. et al., J. Pineal Res., 18 (1), 1-11 (1995)), in particular its anti-free-radical activity (Reiter R. J. et al., Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 26 (22), 1141-1155 (1993)). Most of the studies of the antioxidant properties of melatonin relate to the oxidation phenomena associated with aging of the brain (Poeggeler B. et al., J. Pineal Res., 14 (4), 151-168 (1993); Cagnoli C. M. et al., J. Pineal Res., 18 (4), 222-226 (1995); Melchiorri D. et al., FASEB J., 9 (12), 1205-1210 (1995); Sewerynek E. et al., Neuroscience Letters, 195, (3), 203-205 (1995)).
Melatonin has also been described for dermocosmetic applications in order to improve the appearance of the skin (JP-61/221,104; WO 86/05093), or to protect the skin against the deleterious effects of irradiation with UV rays (EP-0,438,856; E. Bangha et al., Dermatology, 191, [2], 176 (1995)). It is recommended to use melatonin at concentrations of between 10.sup.-4 and 10% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.
Thus, WO-86/05093 describes a cosmetic composition comprising melatonin to increase the skin sensitivity towards estrogens, in particular for the treatment of acne or the prevention of hair loss. The amounts of melatonin recommended in that application are generally between 10.sup.-4 % and more than 1% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition. The only two specific examples of compositions, a lotion for the treatment of acne and a solution for preventing hair loss, comprise 10% and 0.1% by weight of melatonin, respectively.
Similarly, EP-438,856, relating to compositions for protection of the skin against the deleterious effects of irradiation with UV rays, recommends amounts of melatonin of between 1% and 10% by weight for topical compositions, the only example of this type of composition comprising 10% melatonin.
JP-61/221,104 describes a cleansing milk comprising 10% melatonin in order to attenuate skin roughness. As regards the above two publications, the antioxidant action of melatonin is not mentioned for the effects studied.
The article by Bangha et al. (Dermatology, 191, [2], 176 (1995)) describes a gel containing melatonin which is capable of reducing the erythema induced by UV, probably on account of its anti-free-radical activity. The concentrations tested are 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5%, the authors recommending a concentration of 0.5%.

Antioxidative dermocosmetic compositions comprising very low dosages of melatonin/analogs