A sheet shipping and storage container includes a base supporting a stack of glass sheets in a vertical orientation, and a pair of telescoping end caps mounted on each side of the stack in facing relationship to one another. A first endless strap has its course around the end caps to bias the end caps toward one another about the stack; a second endless strap has it course around back end of each end caps and the back side of the stack to bias the back surface of the stack and the end caps downward toward the front of the base, and a third endless strap around the opposite end of the end caps and the front side of the stack to bias the end caps and the front side of the stack downward toward back side of the base to unitize the plurality of sheets, end caps and base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article shipping and/or storage container, and to a shipping and/or storage container having articles, e.g. flat sheets, and more particularly, to a shipping and/or storage container having a base and end caps, the end caps and base are biased toward one another about a plurality of flat glass sheets to maintain the glass sheets in a vertical position and to unitize the base, end caps and glass sheets.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problem
The design of containers for shipping articles, e.g. and not limiting to the discussion, flat glass sheets has evolved in the last thirty five years to reduce the cost of storage and/or shipment of the glass sheets, and to address environmental concerns. More particularly, the shipping containers were initially made of wood and designed for ease of loading the sheets into, and unloading the sheets out of, the shipping containers, and to protect the sheets during shipment and/or storage. To eliminate or reduce the waste disposal concerns, many of the wood containers have been replaced by returnable metal containers.
Although the returnable metal containers provided a solution to the waste disposal problem, it raised other concerns. These concerns included the need for storage areas for the empty containers at the supplier's and customer's facilities, and the transportation of empty containers from the customer's, to the supplier's, faculties. One of several solutions to overcome these concerns was to design containers that were stackable, followed by designing containers that were collapsible and stackable.
Although containers are presently available to meet the present day requirements, e.g. containers that are collapsible, stackable, and protect the sheets against physical damage during shipment and/or storage, it is appreciated by those skilled in the art that it would be economically advantageous to provide a container that is collapsible and stackable into a smaller volume than the presently available containers; protects the sheets against physical damage during shipment and/or storage; and has a minimal amount of disposable material.

Article shipping and/or storage container and a shipping and/or storage container having articles


A surface access double hemostatic valve comprises a first hemostatic valve mounted in the wall of a hemodialysis graft, a chamber extending from the first hemostatic valve, and a second hemostatic valve mounted at the distal end of the chamber for positioning at the surface of the skin of the patient. The graft having the surface access double hemostatic valve mounted thereon is surgically installed in the skin of the patient. Thereafter the interior of the chamber is sterilized and a blood access member is inserted through the second hemostatic valve, through the chamber, through the second hemostatic valve, and into the interior of the graft for access to blood flowing therethrough to effect hemodialysis.

Modern hemodialysis techniques include the surgical installation of one or more hemodialysis grafts to facilitate access to the blood flow of the patient. Currently hemodialysis patients undergo repetitive, often painful large needle punctures of their skin and underlying tissue numerous times per week to gain entry into the hemodialysis grafts. The disadvantages of this approach are numerous and well documented. Hematomas can result from uncontrolled bleeding. The graft is damaged by the multiple puncture technique leading ultimately to poor and inadequate functioning or thrombosis resulting in the need for additional operations, replacement of the graft and resultant tissue trauma. Temporary dialysis access through internal jugular veins or other venous access site further adds to patient morbidity.
Significant technical expertise and nursing care is currently required to puncture the grafts. Following dialysis and needle removal, skilled nursing staff are required to hold pressure on the graft puncture site for variable periods of time which not infrequently last up to an hour.
The present invention comprises a surface access double hemostatic valve for hemodialysis which overcomes the foregoing and other problems long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a surface access double hemostatic valve includes a first valve which is secured in the wall of a hemodialysis graft. A chamber extends from the first hemostatic valve to a second hemostatic valve which is situated at the outer surface of the skin of the patient. Access to the blood flow of the patient is achieved by inserting an instrument through the second hemostatic valve, through the chamber, through the first hemostatic valve, and into the graft.
The advantages obtained by means of the invention include the following:
1. Decreased patient suffering. PA1 2. Increased patient comfort and satisfaction. PA1 3. No needle damage to the hemodialysis graft. PA1 4. Longer lifetime of the graft. PA1 5. Decreased number of surgical procedures in the lifetime of the patient. PA1 6. Decreased cost of medical care for hemodialysis. PA1 7. Improved graft functioning with greater flow rates and decreased time in dialysis. PA1 8. Decreased nursing staff time without difficult, highly skilled punctures having to be performed. PA1 9. Decreased post-procedure time with no requirement for applying pressure at the puncture site to control bleeding. PA1 10. Further potential for improving graft design by strengthening the material used as graft punctures are no longer required. PA1 11. Decreased number of graft-related complications for patients undergoing long-term dialysis with less arm hematomas (therefore less associated vein, nerve, and arterial compression with less deep venous thrombosis and decreased potential for decreased use of the extremity), less potential for arterial embolic disease and, less exposure to the risks of anesthesia with decreased need for surgical intervention or radiologic declot intervention. PA1 12. Decreased damage to the entire venous system of the patient with decreased need for temporary access to other large caliber veins because of graft malfunction.

Surface access double hemostatic valve for hemodialysis


To provide a transreflective liquid crystal display device that can produce a bright and high-contrast display with a wide viewing angle. A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal layer held between a pair of substrates and has a transmissive display region and a reflective display region in one dot region. The liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal being initially vertically aligned and having negative dielectric anisotropy. The pair of substrates have electrodes to drive the liquid crystal on sides facing the liquid crystal layer. The electrodes have openings and protrusions in the transmissive display region and the reflective display region, respectively. The opening areas of the openings and the in-plane occupying areas of the protrusions are larger in the reflective display region than in the transmissive display region.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and electronic equipment, and specifically, it relates to a technique to produce a display with a high contrast and a wide viewing angle in a transreflective liquid crystal display device that produces displays both in reflective mode and transmissive mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Certain transreflective liquid crystal display devices working both in reflective mode and transmissive mode are known as liquid crystal display devices. Among such related art transreflective liquid crystal display devices, one including an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer held between the upper and lower substrates and having a reflective film on an inner surface of the lower substrate has been proposed. In this device, the reflective film includes a film of metal, such as aluminum, has a window for optical transmission and functions as a transreflective plate. In reflective mode in this device, extraneous light incident from the upper substrate passes through the liquid crystal layer, is reflected by the reflective film on the inner surface of the lower substrate, passes through the liquid crystal layer again, exits from the upper substrate and thereby contributes to display. In contrast, in transmissive mode, light emitted from a backlight and incident from the lower substrate enters from the window of the reflective film, passes through the liquid crystal layer, exits from the upper substrate to the outside and thereby contributes to display. Of regions where the reflective film is arranged, a region of the window constitutes a transmissive display region, and the other region constitutes a reflective display region.
However, related art transreflective liquid crystal display devices have a narrow viewing angle in transmissive display. This is because these devices have the transreflective plate on the inner surface of the liquid crystal cell for avoiding parallax and must thereby produce reflective display by using only one deflection plate arranged on a side facing an observer. Owing to this constraint, they have a small degree of freedom in optical design. To solve this problem, Jisaki et al. propose a liquid crystal display device using a vertically aligned liquid crystal in Development of transreflective LCD for high contrast and wide viewing angle by using homeotropic alignment", M. Jisaki et al., Asia Display/IDW'01, p. 133–136(2001). The device has the following three features.
(1) The device employs "vertical alignment (VA) mode" in which a liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy is aligned vertically to substrates and tilts upon application of a voltage.
(2) It employs a "multi-gap structure" in which a transmissive display region and a reflective display region have different thicknesses in the liquid crystal layer (cell gaps) (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H 11-242226).
(3) It employs a "domain division structure" in which the transmissive display region is an equilateral octagonal, and a protrusion is arranged in the center of a transmissive display region on a counter substrate so as to allow the liquid crystal to tilt in eight directions in this region.
However, Jisaki et al. never discloses any configuration to control the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the reflective display regions, although the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the transmissive display regions is controlled by the use of protrusions. In the reflective display regions, therefore, the liquid crystal molecules tilt in random directions, which induces discontinuous lines called "disclination" at the interfaces between different regions where liquid crystal molecules have different alignments, thus causing, for example, afterimages. In addition, regions where the liquid crystal molecules have different alignments show different viewing angle characteristics. Thus, rough, spotting uneven display is seen when the liquid crystal display device is viewed from an oblique direction.
Providing such a multi-gap structure in transreflective liquid crystal display devices is very effective to match the electro-optical characteristics (transmittance-voltage characteristics, reflectance-voltage characteristics) between the transmissive display regions and the reflective display regions. This is because the light passes through the liquid crystal layer twice in the reflective display regions, whereas it passes through the liquid crystal layer only once in the transmissive display regions.
FIGS. 12(A) and 12(B) illustrate effects of the multi-gap structure on the electro-optical characteristics (transmittance-voltage characteristic and reflectance-voltage characteristic). FIG. 12(A) shows the electro-optical characteristics when the transmissive display regions and the reflective display region have the same cell gap. Such a liquid crystal display device having no multi-gap structure has such a reflectance-voltage characteristic that a reflectance excessively sharply drops with an increasing voltage in reflective display and may induce display problems, such as decreased transmittance or the inversion of halftones in reflective display, unless the transmissive display regions and the reflective display regions are driven at different voltages. In contrast, FIG. 12(B) shows the electro-optical characteristics when the transmissive display regions have a cell gap about two times as large as the cell gap of the reflective display regions. By employing such a multi-gap structure the reflectance-voltage characteristics in reflective display substantially match the transmittance-voltage characteristics in transmissive display, and the reflective display regions and the transmissive display regions can be driven at the same voltage.
However, providing the multi-gap structure may induce a decreased substantial aperture, since liquid crystal molecules in step regions are resistant to move. The step regions allow the cell gaps different. In addition, its manufacturing process requires extra photoprocesses for the formation of the multi-gap structure, inviting increased cost.

Liquid crystal display device having particular alignment controlling elements in transmissive and reflective pixel regions


The battery includes a cathode configured to generate oxygen ions during discharge of the battery. The battery also includes an oxygen ion-conducting electrolyte that receives the oxygen ions from the cathode during discharge of the battery. The battery further includes an anode that has an anode active medium positioned in the pores of a porous anode current collector. The anode active medium receives the oxygen ions conducted through the oxygen ion conducting electrolyte during discharge of the battery. Additionally, the anode active medium includes an elemental metal that reacts with the oxygen ions to form a metal oxide during discharge of the battery.

Metal-oxygen batteries can provide large energy levels because the active material in the cathode (oxygen) can be provided indefinitely from air. Current metal-air batteries require a counter anion to capture the metal ions that are generated during discharge of the battery. An example of a common counter ion is hydroxide generated by reduction of a catholyte such as water. Another common catholyte is ammonium chloride. The batteries that employ these catholyte typically include a reservoir of the catholyte. The reservoir and catholyte increase the size and weight of the battery and accordingly decrease the energy density of the battery. As a result, there is a need for a metal-oxygen battery having a reduced energy density.

High energy density metal-oxygen battery


An embodiment of the invention includes a method and apparatus for enabling application components to communicate through connection points. Embodiments of the invention include a communication manger allowing application components that implement connection points and listeners to communicate without having prior knowledge of each other's implementation. Application components implement connection point containers that register with a communication manager. Application components may broadcast events and messages to other components and request to be notified when an application component implementing a given type of connection point registers with the communication manager. Other embodiments of the invention implement proxy classes, which allows for automatic generation of connection point classes.

Modern software applications typically rely on a modularized architecture where several different software modules, built within a common framework, target a well-defined set of functionality. The advantages of such an architecture are numerous. For instance, a modular structure eases the process of code debugging during the development cycle and give developers the ability to add new features to applications requiring minimal alterations to existing code. One common framework applications can be structured around is referred to by those of ordinary skill in the art as a component object framework. A component object framework supports the underlying architecture of the program by using a set of Application Programming Interfaces (API) to support component (i.e. module) development. Examples of component object frameworks are the Component Object Model (COM) from Microsoft Corporation™ and the JAVA™ Standard Development Kit from Sun Microsystems™. In these frameworks, individual components contain a well-circumscribed set of functionality.
In addition, components often need to communicate with one another. For example, a component may access data and manipulate it while a different component is accessing the same data. In this case activities of both components must be coordinated to ensure data integrity. Some components may be specialized in capturing user input and need to notify other components about user events. Yet, other components may be specialized in detecting system events that are of importance to other components. Existing component object frameworks offer, as part of their API supporting component development, a framework (e.g., additional APIs) for inter-component communication.
In Microsoft's COM, a mechanism that supports inter-component communication is known as The Connection Point Mechanism. Connection Points typically provide a mechanism for allowing a first component (e.g. a server) to notify a second component (e.g., a client) of an event for which the client requests a notification, when that event occurs in the server. In component object frameworks, the client typically connects to the server using a common interface, passes to the server requests for specific notification types, and provides information about how the server should notify the client of specific events. In inter-component communication models, the client calls the server with arguments indicating the type of notification requested, and a method in the client interface the server is to call when an event to a specific type is executed. In the component object framework, the method to be called by the server is usually implemented in a separate component called a Listener. A variety of listeners may be implemented by a component to achieve communication with other components.
Swing, a JAVA based component object framework also developed by Sun Microsystems and the Microsoft™ Component Object Model, are both frameworks for developing graphical applications. Both of these object frameworks support an inter-component communication framework. Swing and Java provide an event/communication model that relies on direct communication and direct knowledge between objects in the system. With the Swing model, there are two types of objects: a broadcaster (call it B), and a listener (call it L), and an interface (call it I). For any interface on which the broadcaster is to broadcast an event, the interface implements the methods addIListener and removeIListener. The listener object must implement this interface, and pass it as an argument to the addIListener method on the broadcaster. The Java Swing model requires that the listener know of the broadcaster, and specifically register against it.
Microsoft COM, on the other hand, provides an implementation of The Connection Points Mechanism where the client typically connects to the server using a common interface, passes to the server requests for specific notification types, and provides information about how the server should notify the client of specific events. The intended use of connection points within COM is to allow a host to communicate with a set of components, with the host having knowledge of these components. However, the Swing model and Microsoft COM models both fail to provide a flexible global communication mechanism. Therefore, there is a need for a global communication mechanism that provides components with a flexible way to establish communication links with each other.

Method and apparatus for supporting data communication between program components


An apparatus for testing a rheological property of a fluid with a particulate includes: (a) a receptacle having a cylindrical side wall enclosed by a bottom wall defining a cavity for receiving a fluid to be tested; (b) an axial support adapted to be positioned in the cavity of the receptacle, whereby relative rotational motion can be imparted to the receptacle and the axial support; (c) at least one inward projection extending inward from an inside surface of the receptacle; (d) at least one outward projection extending outward from the axial support; and (e) at least one projection for directing fluid flow that has at least one major surface angled or curved upward. A method of testing a rheological property of a fluid with a particulate includes: (a) placing a sample of the fluid and the particulate in the apparatus; (b) imparting relative rotational motion to the receptacle and the axial support; and (c) measuring the torque between the receptacle and the axial support. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well includes: (a) placing a sample of a fracturing fluid and a particulate in the apparatus; (b) imparting relative rotational motion to the receptacle and the axial support; (c) measuring the torque between the receptacle and the axial support; (d) adjusting the conditions for mixing the fracturing fluid and the particulate in response to the measured torque; and (e) injecting the fluid and particulate into the well at a sufficient rate and pressure to fracture the formation.

This invention relates generally to improvements in devices and methods that are used to test the rheology of fluids, especially ones containing or mixed with particulate material (subsequently referred to simply as "particulate"). The particular field of use is the oil and gas industry.
Various types of fluids are used in the oil and gas industry. Non-limiting examples include drilling muds, cement, gravel slurries, and stimulation treating fluids. Such fluids are typically pumped into oil or gas wells in known manners. It is desirable to know various characteristics of the fluids to determine how such fluids will act upon being pumped and placed in, or circulated through, the wells.
Rheology is the branch of physics dealing with the deformation and flow of matter. Viscosity, elasticity, and consistency are rheological characteristics that sometimes need to be measured for a given fluid. Such rheological characteristics can be non-linear functions of time, temperature, and pressure. Known devices used to test fluids for these characteristics include viscometers, rheometers, and consistometers.
Some fluids used in oil or gas wells carry particulate, and it is typically desired that such fluids support the particulate in suspension for at least some period of time. That is, the particulate is preferably dispersed throughout the volume of a particular fluid during at least part of the time the fluid is used in a well. For example, a fracturing fluid might include a base fluid that can be crosslinked to a gel form so that it can better support a quantity of particulate referred to as a propping agent or proppant. An example of a propping agent or proppant is sand. The fracturing fluid is a fluid that preferably initially increases in viscosity as the fluid approaches the well's treatment zone, to suspend or support the proppant in the fluid during the time the mixture is pumped into a well. The fracturing fluid later "breaks" or decreases in viscosity so that it can easily flow back out of the well, while leaving a clean proppant pack in the fracture. The pumping is under pressure sufficient for the fluid to hydraulically fracture a selected zone of the earth traversed by the well. After fracturing, the fluid may be flushed out with the flow of hydrocarbons from the fractured zone, but the propping agent preferably remains in place to prop the fractures open.
Proppant transport is a function of: (1) wellbore and fracture geometry; (2) volumetric rate; (3) proppant size, concentration, and specific density; and (4) carrier-fluid rheology.
A typical fluid used to transport particulate has a viscosity that changes during the time the fluid is used in a well. Viscosity is defined as the ratio of shear stress to shear rate (velocity gradient). If this ratio changes with shear rate, this may be referred to as "apparent viscosity function." Viscosity is one parameter of the fluid that defines the fluid's ability to support the particulate in suspension. However, to measure a single viscosity point or the apparent viscosity function does not directly indicate the time during which the fluid will support particulate in suspension and the time during which the fluid will not. That is, a measurement that merely shows a changing viscosity does not indicate when the particulate is in suspension within the fluid and when it is not (i.e., when the particulate has settled out of the fluid).
Elasticity is another parameter of the fluid that defines the fluid's ability to support the particulate in suspension.
Instruments such as Fann Model 50 viscometers are available for measuring viscosity, including at high temperatures and pressures, but elasticity is much more elusive to measure. Additionally, most viscometers, such as the Fann Model 50, are designed only to handle the "clean fluid systems," e.g., without proppant. It has generally been assumed that higher viscosities will do a better job of transporting proppant, as well as generating the desired fracture geometry.
Several rheological properties directly impact a fracturing fluid's performance: (1) apparent viscosity function, (2) yield stress, (3) dynamic viscosity, (4) rheomalaxis (irreversible thixotrophy), (5) viscoelasticity (for example G′, G″, tangent delta), and (6) the related issue of turbulent-drag reduction. In laboratory research, sample volume is often very limited, thus necessitating rheological testing and evaluation of small quantities. Also, most bench-top rheometers use batch mode, that is, small samples are placed in a testing chamber as opposed to flow-through testing, as is the case for pipe viscometers. This presents the challenge of simultaneously: (a) Imparting viscometric shear history that simulates the wellbore travel path; (b) Not exceeding the proper mechanical energy input—the bench-top batch process should impart about the same amount of integrated work as the wellbore path; and (c) Maintaining satisfactory thermal balance, e.g., being sure not to create localized "hot spots" in the bench-top process because of its batch mode of operation.
In the case of most polymer-based fracturing fluids, the capability to transport proppant is directly related to their "rheological equations of state (RES)." Extent of crosslinking, breaking, shear history, and volume-average shear rate are major factors affecting a fluid's RES.
Where viscous drag dominates, as in the classical case of a tow-winged vertical fracture with parallel-plate geometry, the challenge in proppant transport is to ensure that vertical settling time is much greater than horizontal travel time. Sufficient vertical settling time allows the particle to reach a maximum horizontal distance, thus avoiding a duning effect. Preferably, the horizontal transport time is at least 50 times greater than the vertical settling time.
In the case of crosslinked gels, the elastic forces are designed to dominate, preventing any substantial viscous settling during the fracturing and placement of proppant. It is believed that a minimum value of G′ (oscillatory elastic storage modulus) of 10 to 12 Pa's is sufficient for most 20/40 frac sands.
The complex viscoelastic nature of crosslink fracturing fluids presents a dilemma for the fracturing rheologist. Conventional rheometers are designed for measuring viscoelastic properties through well-controlled oscillatory deformations that are small, non-destructive, and within the linear elastic range. However, the actual fracturing process involves large amounts of shear strain of multiple orders of magnitude, well beyond the linear elastic range. As the breaker reaction begins to dominate, the transport mechanism shifts from elastic to viscous, leading to settling caused by the low viscosity of the broken fluid system.
The Fann Model 50 viscometer was designed for characterizing fracturing gels under simulated downhole temperature-time conditions. However, the Model 50 and most other bench-top viscometers/rheometers are not adequately equipped to handle proppant-laden fluids. In the case of concentric cylinders, the centrifugal forces tend to stratify the particles, thus resulting in nonrelevant data. In cone-plate and plate-plate viscometers, the small gaps necessary to provide torque sensitivities result in "particle jamming." Additionally, the large density differences between most proppants and conventional fracturing fluids can result in settling during testing, thus producing unreliable results.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,735 issued Aug. 31, 2004 and entitled Testing Device and Method for Viscosified Fluid Containing Particulate Material, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses a device and a method for testing a viscosified fluid containing particulate that indicate when the particulate is in suspension within the fluid and when it is not. The device and method stir the fluid and particulate mixture for a time during which the viscosity of the fluid changes such that during a first period of the stirring time substantially all the particulate remains suspended in the fluid and during a second period of the stirring time substantially all the particulate settles out of suspension in the fluid. A signal is generated during the first and second periods such that the signal has a characteristic that changes from the first period to the second period to indicate the change in particle carrying ability of the fluid. Other characteristics, including crosslinking time, can also be determined. A test chamber includes interacting projections extending from the inner surface of a cup receiving the fluid and from an axial support extending into the fluid in the cup. U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,735, Abstract. For example, a viscometer according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,735 can be uniquely designed to keep highly concentrated dense particles suspended in fluids while measuring "volume-averaged shear stresses and shear rates." However, the devices and methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,735 must be loaded with pre-crosslinked fracturing fluid along with the particulate and breakers such that the proppant is suspended during mounting and testing.
In addition, well fracture fluids are sometimes blended at the well site with the proppant while the fluids are in the "un-crosslinked" state and are at the same time mixed or contacted with chemicals called "crosslinkers" that cause crosslinking after a specified temperature-time history. Un-crosslinked well fluids are not designed to support proppant and attempts to test with conventional equipment results in errors due to proppant settling or fallout. For example, conventional viscometers and rheometers, are not capable of accepting fluids with particulates the size of proppants, ranging from a few hundred microns to 1,000 microns. Usually the clearances between the surfaces used to establish a known shear rate, are on the same order of magnitude as proppants. In the cases in which "large gap devices" have been employed to solve this problem, centrifugal forces and local vortices cause significant error due to sample stratification of the proppant. On the other hand, conventional testing devices that provide constant agitation do not prevent the particle settling, and may operate in the turbulent regime.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device and method to measure the viscous and elastic properties of mixtures of un-crosslinked well fluids, both with and without particulate, including before, during and after crosslinking and before, during, and after breaking, under dynamic conditions at elevated temperatures and pressures at a variety of shear rates and in such a way as to directly indicate particle transport, suspension, and settling.
At least one embodiment of such a testing device and method preferably should also be suitable for use at a well site to properly measure the rheological properties of fluid mixtures before, during, and after crosslinking and breaking.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Proppant suspension testing devices and methods of use


Provided are processes for suppressing jamming signals that may include use of a signal processing circuit. A signal processing circuit can be configured to obtain a jamming signal and a feedback signal, process the jamming signal and the feedback signal to determine a cancellation signal for use in suppressing the jamming signal, and output the cancellation signal to a radio-frequency transmitter. The signal processing circuit may be further configured to obtain a transmission signal, determine a jamming channel from the jamming signal and a feedback channel from the feedback signal, and combine the transmission channel, jamming channel, and feedback channel to determine a transfer function, where the transfer function is configured to determine the cancellation signal.

Jamming signals may be commonly used to disrupt clear communications between a transmitter and a receiver. The ability to suppress jamming signals to enable clear communications may be essential in many applications, including military or intelligence operations. Present methods of suppressing jamming signals may carry with them significant drawbacks that may prevent their implementation in certain types of locations or operation, or may be impractical to implement due to limitations of existing communications equipment. There is thus a continuing need to develop novel apparatuses and methods of suppressing jamming signals that may be adapted to a broad range of operations and apparatuses.


The invention relates to a process for two separate seismic crews to work in proximity to one another that would otherwise require expensive time sharing where one crew is a conventional seismic acquisition system and the other is a phase encoded seismic acquisition system. Typically, each recording system would receive seismic energy from the other that neither data set would be very useful. The invention primarily envisions some collaboration between the crews where each adjusts its sweeps to comprise a different time duration so that the energy the other crew's sources are distinguishable in the data set and easily eliminated therefrom. Distinctions may be further enhanced when the two crews use construct their sweeps so that each crew has a distinctly different start frequency and a distinctly different end frequency.

In the process of acquiring seismic data, a crew is typically deployed across several square miles of a survey area positioning cables and seismic receivers while seismic sources move from predetermined point to predetermined point to deliver vibrational seismic energy into the earth. The receivers capture the reflected signals that are recorded and subsequently processed to develop images of geologic structures under the surface.
Occasionally, two crews will end up working survey areas that are sufficiently close that recordings in one survey area will include seismic energy delivered in the other survey area. As both crews try to acquire useful seismic data, both typically end up with obscured data that is difficult to process and unhelpful for resolving the subsurface geology. Typically, when these situations arise, the crews end up time sharing such that only one crew is permitted to deliver seismic energy at any moment in time. While the data is much more useful and valuable, the time for acquiring the data is prolonged and much more costly.
Phase encoded seismic sweeps by sweep vibrators on separate source points, sometimes described as Zenseis® seismic prospecting, increases seismic survey productivity over conventional seismic by acquiring data at several source points at the same time. If two phase encoded surveys are being conducted at the same time in close proximity, as long as the start times for each sweep are reasonably separated and the phase encoding of each crew is optimally tuned, each may generally proceed without time sharing. However, a conventional seismic survey crew receives the phase encoded sweeps as significant noise and, heretofore, have not been able to proceed when another crew is in the area.

Simultaneous conventional and phase-encoded seismic acquisition


A press assembly includes first and second members which engage opposite sides of a workpiece during operation of the press assembly. A cushion assembly is provided to absorb force transmitted from at least one of the members during operation of the press assembly. A high pressure reservoir is connected in fluid communication with a cylinder of the cushion assembly to receive fluid during operation of the press assembly. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the cushion assembly at a relatively low pressure during operation of the press assembly. A valve is operable to block a flow of hydraulic fluid from the cushion assembly as the press assembly begins to operate from a closed condition toward an open condition to thereby retain the cushion assembly in a retracted condition. A secondary or pump cylinder may be actuated by operation of the press assembly to pump hydraulic fluid to the cushion assembly. A modulating valve is operable to modulate the fluid pressure conducted from the pump cylinder assembly to the cushion cylinder assembly during operation of the press assembly.

The present invention relates to a press assembly and more specifically to an apparatus for controlling operation of a cushion assembly during operation of the press assembly.
During operation of a press assembly, it is desirable to control the manner in which a cushion assembly is operated. By controlling the operation of the cushion assembly, the rate of application of force to opposite sides of a workpiece can be controlled. In addition, shock loading of components of the press assembly can be minimized. Known methods of controlling the operation of a cushion assembly are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,003,807 and 5,065,606.


The present invention discloses a process for breaking an emulsion comprising water and oil, comprising the steps of mixing an emulsion consisting of water and oil with a culture, bacterial cells or a culture supernatant of a bacterium belonging to the genus Alteromonas or the genus Rhodococcus capable of breaking an emulsion comprising water and oil; and consequently separating said emulsion into an aqueous layer and oil layer; and, a process for breaking an emulsion comprising water and oil, comprising the steps of mixing an emulsion comprising water and oil with bacterial cells of a bacterium belonging to the genus Aeromonas capable of breaking an emulsion comprising water and oil so as to form an aqueous layer and an aggregated layer consisting of bacterial cells and oil, and then separating these layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for breaking emulsions comprising water and oil using microorganisms, and to microorganisms used therefor.
2. Related Art
Complex water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions are generated in various petroleum recovery and refining process. Prior to further processing of the petroleum phase, the emulsions must be broken and aqueous layer separated from the oil. This separation is troublesome and difficult, so that destabilization of emulsions is a perpetual and costly problem for which better solutions are continuously sought.
W/O emulsions are generated during recovery and processing of petroleum crudes. Surfactants, steam and/or water is used to form an emulsion to improve the recovery rate as well as increase fluidity and movement. In an oil refining, stable emulsion are formed in a process to remove the moisture and highly concentrated salts contained therein.
O/W emulsions are generated from various stage, so that in the crude oil recovery process, the washing process of crude oil transport tankers and storage tanks, oil refining process and handling process for storage of petroleum products and so forth. In addition, excess amounts of industrial waste water emulsions are produced from food processing manufactures, dust control plants and oil handling factories. The industrial and domestic waste water may cause a severe environmental pollution. In addition to difficulties encountered in handling these emulsions due to their high viscosity, it is also difficult to treat these emulsions in the form of waste water. In order to treat emulsified waste water, it is first necessary to break emulsions and separate it into water and oil components.
In the case of carrying out a chemical reaction in a two-phase system consisting of an oil phase and a water phase, the formation of an emulsion by addition of surfactant is known in, for example, emulsion polymerization, and due to the considerable problems encountered when trying to remove the surfactant after reaction, the use of surfactant has been limited.
Moreover, in the case of bio-refining technology in which desulfurization, demetalization and denitrification and so forth are performed on crude oil and petroleum products by applying biotechnology, an emulsion is formed by biosurfactants produced by the microorganisms used. Although biosurfactants promote the bio-processing reactions, since there are serious problems encountered when trying to separate the oil and water components following completion of the reactions, effective means for breaking the emulsion have to be found. Various other means of solving these problems are being proposed in various ways depending on particular cases.
Processes for breaking emulsions known in the prior art include processes that use an inorganic or organic demulsifier, and processes that treat emulsions mechanically. An example of a process that uses an inorganic emulsion breaking agent is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 54-156268, which process uses an inorganic salt such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride. A process using a mixture of aluminum chloride and iron (III) chloride as a coagulating agent is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 50-116369, while a process using aluminum sulfate or iron chloride and so forth as coagulating agent is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 46-49899. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 46-33131 describes a process using ferric sulfate.
In addition, as an example of a process using an organic substance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 54-10557 describes a process wherein an emulsion is broken by filtration after lowering the viscosity of the emulsion by using a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether-based additive. On the other hand, as an example of mechanical treatment process, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 53-91462 describes a process wherein an emulsion is filtered by a filter having a demulsification function.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-187098 describes a process wherein suspended solids including Kaolin clay are treated using microorganisms belonging to the genus Aeromonas after which COD, BOD and so forth are lowered by aggregation of those organic substances. In addition, a process wherein industrial waste water containing specific organic compounds is treated using microoraganisms belonging to the genus Aeromonas having an ability to assimilate and decompose said specific organic compounds are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-116647, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-11646, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-133954, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-133475.
However, a process in which emulsions composed of water and oil are broken by using Alteromonas species bacteria, Rhodococcus species bacteria or Aeromonas species bacteria is not known in the prior art.

Microorganisms, demulsifiers and processes for breaking an emulsion


A latch is provided that includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit. The first inverter to receive the first clock signal from an input port and to provide a clock signal. The second inverter to receive the first clock signal from the input port and to provide a clock signal. The first latch circuit is to store data and to receive a clock signal from the second inverter. The second latch circuit is further to store data and to receive a clock signal from the first inverter.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention may relate to latches and/or other types of information storage circuits.
2. Background
A Single Event Upset (SEU) may change a value of a bit in a logic circuit. Single Event Upsets (SEUs) may be caused by natural radiation sources, such as alpha particles and cosmic rays, interacting with transistors included in a logic circuit. SEUs may be a significant source of soft errors in logic circuits. Any circuit node to which either a drain or a source of a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor is attached may exhibit a random change of voltage due to an SEU, which may cause a soft error in the operation of the microprocessor. The consequence of a soft error may be an unwanted change of state of a microprocessor beyond control of a user program. This may lead to processing and storage of corrupted data. Soft errors, as opposed to hard errors, may not cause physical damage to the underlying circuitry, although erroneous operation caused by soft errors may result in physical damage to the circuit itself or other parts of the system.


In one embodiment, a cell of an integrated circuit includes a master-slave flip-flop and comparator logic having inputs adapted to receive an input signal of the master-slave flip-flop, an inverted input signal of the master-slave flip-flop, an output signal of the master-slave flip-flop, and an inverted output signal of the master-slave flip-flop. The master-slave flip-flop comprises a master flip-flop and a slave flip-flop. The slave flip-flop includes a first inverting element and a second inverting element. An output of the first inverting element is connectable to an input of the second inverting element and an output of the second inverting element to an input of the first inverting element. To output the output signal and the inverted output signal of the master-slave flip-flop, the output and the input of the second inverting element are connectable to the inputs of the comparator logic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit and a standard cell of an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Background Art
Sequential circuits for performing logic operations with the additional ability to store individual variable states are known from U. Tietze and Ch. Schenk, "Halbleiterschaltungstechnik" (Semiconductor Technology), 12th edition, 2002, pages 675 to 681. For integrated circuits, flip-flops are provided which are subdivided into transparent flip-flops and flip-flops with buffer storage. A master-slave flip-flop with a master flip-flop (master) and a slave flip-flop (slave) can be provided for buffer storage. It can be formed as a two-edge-triggered flip-flop. The flip-flops can be realized, for example, with inverters, NAND gates, or NOR gates as feedback inverting elements.
An edge-triggered D flip-flop as an implementation with transmission gates is known from "CMOS—Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation," R. J. Baker et al., IEEE PRESS, 1998, page 270. A D flip-flop can be, for example, a standard cell, as is described on page 291. Standard cells are designed for a manufacturing process and measured and characterized with suitable test structures even before the startup of mass production. Thereby, the complete circuit properties of the cell over the planned operating range (voltage, temperature) are determined and transformed into suitable simulation models. A plurality of cells is combined in this regard into a cell library.

Integrated circuit and standard cell for an integrated circuit


The present invention relates to methods of making imide-modified polyester imide resins. The present invention further relates to forming these imide-modified polyester imide resins into articles, such as preforms, bottles, containers, sheets, films, fibers, and injection molded parts.

Because of their strength, heat resistance, and chemical resistance, polyester containers, films, and fibers are an integral component in numerous consumer products manufactured worldwide. In this regard, most commercial polyester used for polyester containers, films, and fibers is polyethylene terephthalate polyester.
Polyester resins, especially polyethylene terephthalate and its copolyesters, are also widely used to produce rigid packaging, such as two-liter soft drink containers. Polyester packages produced by stretch-blow molding possess outstanding strength, clarity, and shatter resistance, and have excellent gas barrier and organoleptic properties as well. Consequently, such lightweight plastics have virtually replaced glass in packaging numerous consumer products (e.g., carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices, and peanut butter).
Despite these recognized advantages, conventional polyethylene terephthalate resins are often unsuitable for applications requiring thermal stability, such as for automobile interiors or for outdoor applications requiring exposure to summer temperatures. Moreover, conventional polyethylene terephthalate resins do not hold up well during high temperature washings (i.e., near 100° C.).
In this regard, polycarbonate is a preferred polymeric material for it possesses not only an elevated glass transition temperature (TG) of about 150° C., but also exceptional impact strength. Accordingly, polycarbonate is frequently employed in higher temperature applications. Polycarbonate is also used as an unbreakable glass substitute in windows and eyewear lenses. Thermoplastic polycarbonate is available, for example, under the trade name LEXAN® (GE Plastics).
Similarly, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), an acrylic, possesses a glass transition temperature (TG) of about 105° C., which imparts respectable heat bearing capability. PMMA also has excellent clarity. Although PMMA possesses lesser impact resistance as compared with polycarbonate, it is less costly and is often used as a glass substitute, such as in windows and signs. PMMA is available, for example, under the trade names PLEXIGLAS® (Elf Atochem) and LUCITE® (Ineos Acrylics).
Polyester having satisfactory properties could provide a cost-effective alternative to polycarbonate and PMMA in many applications. In this regard, there is a need for polyethylene terephthalate resin that retains—and perhaps even improves upon—the strength and durability of conventional polyesters, yet provides improved thermal stability.

Methods of making imide-modified polyester resins


An apparatus is provided that can stably produce a laminated body including a vapor-deposited polymer film having a predetermined composition and thickness on a film substrate. The apparatus includes: a film substrate supply means 46 that supplies a film substrate 15 on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum 35 in a vacuum chamber 24; a plurality of blowoff members 64 positioned around the rotary drum 35, each of the plurality of blowoff members including a vapor outlet 66 opening inside the vacuum chamber 24 to the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 35 and an inner space constituting a deposition chamber; and at least one monomer vapor supply means 84 arranged to supply plural kinds of monomer vapor into the deposition chamber and blowoff the plural kinds of monomer vapor from the vapor outlet of each of the plurality of blowoff members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a laminated body, and more particularly to an improvement of the apparatus for producing a laminated body including a film substrate and at least one vapor-deposited polymer film deposited on the film substrate by a vacuum deposition polymerization.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Conventionally, the laminated body including a film substrate such as a resin film and a vapor-deposited polymer film formed on the film substrate by a vacuum deposition polymerization is used for various purposes. For example, the laminated body is used as a gas barrier film for preventing a permeation of oxygen gas or water vapor, or as an organic electroluminescence cell. Further, these days, it is considered that a stacked film including a metallized film and a vapor-deposited polymer film on the metallized film is used as a film capacitor element.
As an apparatus for producing such a laminated body, there are various kinds of apparatus, and one example thereof is shown in JP-A-2001-261867, for example. The apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2001-261867 includes, in a vacuum chamber thereof, a rotary drum (referred to as a cooling and coating roller therein), a feeding roller that supplies a film substrate (referred to as a substrate film therein) onto an outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and a pair of evaporation sources each heating and evaporating a different kind of material monomer. The apparatus is arranged to form a vapor-deposited polymer film on the film substrate by evaporating material monomers using two evaporation sources and polymerizing the two kinds of vapor monomer on the film substrate, while the film substrate unwound from the feeding roller and sent to the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum is traveled in a circumferential direction of the rotary drum along with the rotation of the rotary drum. Such an apparatus for producing a laminated body allows the intended laminated body to be mass-produced in a continuous process.
However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, the entire of the vacuum chamber constitutes a deposition chamber. Further, only a pair of evaporation sources each containing different kind of material monomer is provided in the vacuum chamber, and two kinds of monomer vapor are supplied on the film substrate only by the pair of evaporation sources. Thus, change in pressure in the vacuum chamber (change in vacuum degree) and change in the evaporation rate of the material monomer (vapor pressure of the monomer vapor) caused by changes in the amount of material monomer remaining in the respective evaporation sources and heating temperature directly affect the composition and deposition rate of the vapor-deposited polymer film (formation rate of the vapor-deposited polymer film). As a result, the laminated bodies to be produced may have the vapor-deposited polymer films that have varied compositions and varied thickness.
In the formation of a thick vapor-deposited polymer film on the film substrate by using the conventional apparatus, the evaporation rate of the material monomer in each of the evaporation sources needs to be increased. However, in such a case, the heating temperature of the material monomer in the evaporation source is difficult to be controlled. Further, as the vapor pressure of the monomer vapor becomes high, the pressure resistance of the components of the evaporation source needs to be increased, leading to a problem of increased cost.
Further, when plural kinds of the vapor-deposited polymer film are formed on the film substrate by the above-described conventional apparatus, the vapor deposition polymerization operations need to be repeated in the same number as the number of kind of the vapor-deposited polymerization film, which is very troublesome.
JP-A-2008-287996 discloses an apparatus for producing a laminated body, which includes two sets of evaporation sources each containing a different kind of material monomers. However, the apparatus may have difficulty in maintaining a desired vapor pressure of each of monomer vapors generated by the two sets of the evaporation sources, due to the mutual interference between the two sets of the evaporation sources.


Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring a sound are described. An audio signal is obtained and the audio signal is analyzed to generate an audio signature. An object type is identified based on the audio signature and an action corresponding to the object type is identified.

Objects emit a variety of sounds audible to the human ear. For example, musical instruments may emit unique sounds when played. A motorcycle may emit a unique sound when throttling. Tires on an automobile may emit a unique sound when they are worn. Sounds may be captured by a microphone, converted to an electrical audio signal, and processed to boost certain frequency bands, to eliminate background noise, and to isolate particular sounds. The generated electrical audio signal may also be recorded and stored for future processing.

Action based on repetitions of audio signals


A liquid crystal display device whose transparent electrodes have slits of a rectangle shape or a parallelogram shape. The slits include slits of first and second kinds having different angles relative to a row direction. The slit of the first kind in one transparent electrode and the slit of the second kind in the other transparent electrode are alternately disposed along the column direction to form a first slit column, and the slit of the second kind in the one transparent electrode and the slit of the second kind in the other transparent electrode are alternately disposed along the column direction to form a second slit column. The first slit column and second slit column are alternately disposed along the row direction, and each position of slits of the first slit column is shifted by half a slit period from each position of slits of the second slit column.

A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device having devised electrode patterns.
B) Description of the Related Art
It is required to improve the visual angle characteristics and transmissivity of a liquid crystal display device.
For a vertical alignment liquid crystal display device of a segment type or a type combining segments and dot matrices, a so-called two-domain alignment control method has been disclosed or proposed by which slit openings are formed through electrodes of the display device to generate oblique electric fields near the slit openings formed through the upper and lower electrodes in a display area, and liquid crystal alignment is controlled by these electric fields to make central molecules in a liquid crystal layer have alignment orientations shifted by 180°. A twisted nematic (TN)-LCD has been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3108768, and a vertical alignment LCD has been proposed in JP-A-2004-252298. According to these publications, a longer side of each slit opening is disposed along a right/left direction of the liquid crystal display device. Therefore, two-domain alignment is obtained having different alignment orientations of liquid crystal molecules along an up/down direction of the device, so that visual angle characteristics having good up/down and right/left symmetries can be acquired.
With the method described in the above-described Patent Document, since refractive indices of longer and shorter optical axes of liquid crystal are different, it is difficult to equalize the visual angle characteristics along the up/down and right/left directions. It is also desired to maintain good transmissivity by making alignment uniform as much as possible.

Liquid crystal display device whose electrodes have slits arranged in a staggered and alternating fashion


A wedge-type anchor assembly, capable of meeting cracked concrete testing standards, comprises an anchor bolt component and a substantially C-shaped expansion sleeve component annularly disposed about the anchor bolt component. A plurality of annular grooves, threads, or teeth are disposed only about the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component, as opposed to throughout the entire axial length thereof, so that when the anchor bolt component is moved axially through the expansion sleeve component, the maximum interference area (M.I.A.) and maximum interference volume (M.I.V.) can be generated between the anchor bolt component and the expansion sleeve component in a controlled and predictable manner, as well as between the expansion sleeve component and the internal peripheral side wall portions of a concrete substrate or substructure can be generated so as to enhance pull-out resistance and reliability of the anchor assembly within the concrete substructure or substrate. The expansion sleeve component may be plated with a tin-zinc (Sn—Zn) composition, and the rear end portion of the expansion sleeve component may have a larger diametrical extent than the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component so as to enhance pull-out resistance.

Anchoring assemblies, for use within boreholes that have been pre-drilled, for example, within concrete substructures or substrates, are of course well known in the art and industry. Examples of such anchoring assemblies are disclosed, for example, within U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,550 which issued to Popp et al. on Jun. 15, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,134 which issued to Bergner on May 29, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,135 which issued to Barthomeuf et al. on Feb. 27, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,224 which issued to Peterken on Jan. 19, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 1,115,205 which issued to Johnson on Oct. 27, 1914, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,000,715 which issued to Caywood on Aug. 15, 1911. Obviously, in connection with the use of such anchoring assemblies within the concrete substructures of substrates, it is desirable to develop and use anchoring assemblies wherein the same are characterized by means of structural components or features which will effectively ensure the fact that the holding capabilities, or the pull-out resistance characteristics, of the anchoring assemblies will not be compromised whereby the anchoring assemblies will remain solidly affixed, or stably embedded, within the concrete substrates or substructures for long periods of time despite the presence, existence, or development of various, varying, or volatile external environmental conditions. In this manner, not only will the anchoring assemblies exhibit desirably long service lives, but in addition, the structural components, which have been secured to the concrete substructures or substrates by means of such anchoring assemblies, will be solidly and reliably affixed or secured to the underlying concrete substrates or substructures.
One means for effectively determining or testing the performance capabilities of such anchoring assemblies comprises an industrially accepted operational technique known as cracked concrete testing which basically simulates real-world conditions, in a compressed time-frame, under laboratory testing conditions. In accordance with such operational testing, and with reference being made to FIG. 1, a block of concrete 10 has a plurality of transversely oriented rebars 12 fixedly embedded therein. A hydraulic pump 14 is operatively connected to each one of first end portions 16 of the plurality of rebars 12 by means of suitable hydraulic connectors 18, and crack initiators 20, which may comprise, for example, wedge-type devices, plates, hydraulic expansion tubes, or the like, are incorporated within the concrete block 10 at predetermined locations along the transverse extent of the concrete block 10 so as to effectively cause or initiate the development or propagation of longitudinally oriented cracks 22 within the concrete block 10, at a plurality of transversely spaced locations, when the hydraulic pump 14 is operatively cycled between pulling and pushing modes of operation whereby pulling and pushing forces are alternatively exerted upon the first end portions 16 of the rebars 12. In this manner, the rebars 12 effectively undergo expansion and contraction whereby, in turn, the cracks 22 are caused to be cyclically expanded or contracted between OPEN and CLOSED positions. A plurality of first linearly variable displacement transformers (LVDTs) 24 are operatively associated with each one of the longitudinally extending cracks 22 so as to in fact measure the size of each crack 22 as each one of the cracks 22 is cyclically expanded or contracted between its OPEN and CLOSED positions as a result of the exertion of the pulling and pushing forces upon the first end portions 16 of the rebars 12 by means of the hydraulic pump 14.
Continuing still further, and with reference being made to FIG. 2, when the pump 14 is operated so as to be disposed in its mode whereby pushing forces are exerted upon the first end portions 16 of the rebars 12 so as to effectively cause the cracks 22 to be disposed in their CLOSED positions, a hole 26 is drilled or bored within each one of the cracked regions 22 of the concrete block 10, and an anchor assembly 28 is installed within each one of the boreholes 26. Each one of the anchor assemblies 28 is subsequently torqued to its specifications, and a predetermined sustained load, as schematically illustrated by means of the arrow L, is then applied to each one of the anchor assemblies 28 by means of a suitable spring-loaded or hydraulic pump load assembly or bracket 30 that has a suitable load cell mechanism, not illustrated, operatively associated therewith so as to in fact measure the extent of the load impressed upon each one of the anchor assemblies 28.
Subsequently, the hydraulic pump 14 is cyclically operated so as to cause each one of the cracks 22 to be OPENED and CLOSED, by means of a predetermined amount, such as, for example, 0.012 inches (0.012″) for one thousand (1000) cycles over the course of a predetermined period of time, such as, for example, three or four hours, during which time each one of the anchor assemblies 28 is effectively required to exhibit sufficient pull-out resistance so as not to be permitted to move upwardly within, or relative to, the concrete block 10 by means of a distance of more than 0.120 inches (0.120″) or else the particular anchor assembly 28 will be considered to be a failure and therefore unacceptable for its intended usage. In connection with the monitoring of the movements of each one of the anchor assemblies 28, a second linearly variable displacement transformer (LVDT) 32, which may be operatively connected to the spring-loaded or hydraulic pump load assembly or bracket 30, may be employed to measure the distance that each one of the anchor assemblies 28 may move within the concrete block 10. It is to be appreciated, for example, that the cyclic testing of the anchor assemblies 28 within the concrete block 10, wherein the cracked regions 22 of the concrete block 10 are cyclically OPENED and CLOSED during the one thousand (1000) times or cycles, is designed to simulate, for example, environmental conditions wherein, for example, concrete substructures or substrates may expand and contract due to variances in ambient temperature conditions.
While it is noted that the aforenoted U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,911,550, 4,929,134, 4,904,135, 4,720,224, 1,115,205, and 1,000,715, which respectively issued to Popp et al., Bergner, Barthomeuf et al., Peterken, Johnson, and Caywood, are directed toward and disclose various anchoring assemblies for use within concrete or similar boreholes, it is additionally noted that none of the disclosed anchoring assemblies are directed toward an anchoring assembly which is specifically structured so as to assuredly satisfy or meet the requirements of the aforenoted cracked concrete testing procedures in order to ensure that not only will each anchoring assembly not exhibit failure and will in fact desirably exhibit high pull-out resistance and long service lives, but in addition, that the structural components, which have been secured to the concrete substrates or substructures by means of such anchoring assemblies, will be solidly and reliably affixed or secured to the underlying concrete substrate or substructure foundations.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved anchoring assembly which is specifically structured so as to assuredly satisfy or meet the requirements of the aforenoted cracked concrete testing procedures in order to ensure that not only will such anchoring assemblies not exhibit failure and will in fact desirably exhibit high pull-out resistance and long service lives, but in addition, that the structural components, which have been secured to the concrete substrates or substructures by means of such anchoring assemblies, will be solidly and reliably affixed or secured to the underlying concrete substrates or substructures.

Anchor bolt and annularly grooved expansion sleeve assembly exhibiting high pull-out resistance, particularly under cracked concrete test conditions


The invention relates to an inductive position measuring device or goniometer having two to no more than five digital oscillators, each of which contains measuring coils or reference coils. Particularly favorable for one application as a transmission sensor is a coil array for three or four oscillators that includes two measuring coils and/or two reference coils. When one plate-shaped measuring element that is sensitive for eddy currents passes through the measuring area, a measuring coil arranged in a planar manner is increasingly covered. One reference coil is arranged such that it does not touch the movement track of the measuring element, but is exposed to the same ambient conditions (temperatures) as the measuring coil. Another reference coil is arranged such that it is covered by the measuring element in the entire measuring area and therefore can compensate the fluctuations in the spacing height between the planar coil array and the measuring element that occur during operation. It is also possible to use additional height reference coils to compensate tilting of the measuring element. Pulse frequencies of the digital oscillator signals are counted asynchronously and subtracted by pairs in a digital evaluation circuit.

Document DE 42 37 879 A1 (document '879) discloses an evaluation circuit for a similarly embodied inductive sensor. Two measuring coils are switched as differential sensors, i.e., inductivities of the two coils change in opposition to one another as a function of a detected position of a core. Each measuring coil is operated together with two capacitors as a sensor oscillator that with an inverting amplifier create a digital Colpitts oscillator. The output signal of this oscillator can be immediately further processed in a digital evaluation circuit. The oscillation duration of the oscillator is determined in that an oscillator signal releases a counter and after, for instance, two oscillation periods, the counter is stopped. The counter reading of the counter increases synchronously with a cycle frequency that is supplied by a separate oscillator and that is substantially higher than the frequency of the sensor oscillator. Then, the counter readings for the two opposing sensor oscillators are subtracted and output as digital measurement results.
Known from document DE 40 38 515 A1 (document '515) is another device for measuring longitudinal or angular position. It is used for instance in motor vehicles to monitor a vehicle body level or to measure an angular position of a crankshaft. Problems associated with the measuring device are a large temperature range and other negative effects caused by ambient conditions. A sampling coil is part of an LC resonant circuit, which is itself operated by a controlled sampling oscillator. As an analog circuit, oscillator circuit and resonant circuit produce an alternating voltage, the frequency of which is determined by the resonant circuit but is not substantially changed during the measurement. On the contrary, a plurality of sampling oscillators are used adjacent to one another, and the amplitudes of their resonant circuits are influenced by damping and non-damping of a plurality of parallel code tracks. The resonant circuit is tuned to somewhat different resonance frequencies in order to eliminate interfering cross-talk between the sampling coils. For damping each sampling coil, a binary track is used that has been calibrated in the longitudinal unit and that comprises surfaces that are alternately conducting and non-conducting metals. In order to obtain reliable measurement results over a wide temperature range, an additional reference oscillator is provided that is arranged in a manner largely identical to that of the sampling oscillators in terms of structure and space such that it is subjected to the same ambient conditions as the sampling oscillators. The reference oscillator always remains undamped; in addition it is controlled analogously in a mode with a constant amplitude. Its controlled variable, which reflects environmental factors, is used for controlling the amplitude of the actual sampling oscillators and thus as a comparison value for voltages for the sampling oscillators.

Inductive position measuring device or goniometer


A system and method for detecting airborne agents. The system includes a semiconductor ultraviolet optical source configured to emit an ultraviolet light, a controller configured to generate a pseudo-random code for emission of the ultraviolet light modulated at the pseudo-random code, a telescope configured to focus the ultraviolet light to a distance from the source and to receive elastically backscattered signals and fluorescence signals from the distance, and a sensor configured to detect the elastically backscattered and fluorescence signals. The method generates a pseudo-random code and emits at least one wavelength of ultraviolet light modulated at the pseudo-random code, transmits the modulated ultraviolet light pulses to a distance from the source, receives elastically backscattered signals and fluorescence signals from the distance, and detects the elastically backscattered and fluorescence signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to laser induced detecting and ranging (LIDAR) systems.
2. Background of the Invention
Current methods for bio-warfare agent (BWA) sensing rely on point detectors, where a local sample is taken—either in the form of air sampler or a swab—and analyzed. The analysis can be based on immuno-assay, culture, or even a fluorescence based aerosol particle sizer or detector. A stand-off detector does not need to bring the sample to it for analysis, and is thus able to provide advance warning even before the BW agent arrives near the sensor, and operates continuously—not batch processing.
Stand-off sensors for the detection and discrimination of bio-warfare agent aerosols have been used for performing the task of round-the-clock surveillance to provide advance warning for personnel of the release of a BWA. A fluorescence lidar, which first detects aerosol particles by elastic light scattering and then employs UV laser excitation to generate auto-fluorescence from the proteins contained in the BWA particles for discrimination, is well established as a technique of choice for the stand-off BWA sensor. Although fluorescence sensors are not capable of specific identification, their real-time capability for standoff and point detection and discrimination with low false alarm rates makes them well suited as the first sensor in a suite of sensors.
However, such UV fluorescence lidars have conventionally required a large, high energy UV laser source and are consequently bulky, and expensive, which in turn have limited the utility of standoff lidar sensors. Indeed, in view of the small fluorescence cross sections for most of the BW agents, fluorescence lidars have relied upon high peak power (multi kW) pulsed solid state UV lasers to generate sufficient fluorescence signal from BW agent aerosols to achieve adequate measurement range and sensitivity.
Thus, the size, cost, and limited utility of UV laser sources have limited the application of UV laser sources in lidar sensor applications.

Ultraviolet lidar for detection of biological warfare agents


There is provided to a method for measuring antenna characteristics operating in an out-of-operational frequency range of a chamber, in the chamber having a predetermined operational frequency range, including the steps of: a) measuring reflected wave characteristics of the out-of-operational frequency range generated within the chamber; b) measuring the characteristics of a measurement target antenna operating in the out-of-operational frequency range of the chamber; and c) measuring final characteristics of the measurement target antenna by compensating the characteristic data of the measurement target antenna measured in the step b) for reflected wave data measured in the step a).

Generally, an anechoic chamber is used to measure the characteristics (transmission and reception gains, radiation patterns, etc.) of an antenna. In the anechoic chamber, a predetermined frequency range in which the chamber is operated (hereinafter, operational frequency range) is set, and it is designed to remove signals reflected or scattered by the wall surface within the chamber, an installation structure, or the like in such an operational frequency range by an absorber. However, as for the signals of a range out of the operational frequency range (hereinafter, out-of-operational frequency range) of the chamber, the characteristic of removal using an absorber decreases. Thus, reflection or scattering occurs by the wall surface within the chamber, an installation structure, or the like. Such reflected or scattered signals affect the measurement of antenna characteristics, which leads to an error in the result of measurement of antenna characteristics. In other words, if a frequency range (hereinafter, operating frequency range) in which an antenna to be measured (hereinafter, measurement target antenna) operates is included in the operational frequency range of the corresponding chamber, it is possible to accurately measure antenna characteristics without any effects of the reflected or scattered signals. Otherwise, if the operating frequency range of the measurement target antenna is out of the operational frequency range of the corresponding chamber, it is difficult to accurately measure antenna characteristics due to effects of the reflected or scattered signals.
As mentioned above, each chamber having a predetermined operational frequency range has the limitation that it cannot accurately measure the characteristics of an antenna having an operating frequency range out of this operational frequency range. Thus, in order to measure the characteristics of an antenna having such an operating frequency range, a separate chamber has to be used. If no separate chamber exists, it should be additionally installed.

Method for measuring antenna characteristics out operational frequency range of chamber

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An electronic control unit executes a delay control and a load compensation control. In the delay control, the period from when an engine stop request for an engine is made to when the engine is actually stopped is extended. In the load compensation control, the engine power is adjusted according to the driving load of auxiliary devices. Further, if the engine stop request is made during operation of a compressor, which is one of the auxiliary devices, the electronic control unit executes a power reduction control, in which ignition timing is retarded to temporarily reduce the engine power. As a result, in an internal combustion engine that executes the delay control, sudden increases in the engine speed that are likely to occur when an engine stop request is made during operation of auxiliary devices are reliably suppressed.

A type of control apparatus for an internal combustion engine has been proposed that performs a delay control for extending the period from when an engine stop request (for example, the driver's turning off the ignition switch) is made to when the engine is actually stopped.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-161766 discloses a configuration for executing delay control in an internal combustion engine having a variable valve actuation mechanism for changing valve parameters of the engine valves such as intake valves and exhaust valves. The internal combustion engine disclosed in the publication has a hydraulic pump driven by the power of the engine. Hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pump is used to actuate the variable valve actuation mechanism. The variable valve actuation mechanism is activated after the delay control is started to change the valve parameter to a state suitable for the next starting of the engine. This improves the startability of the engine in the next starting.
In this manner, the power of the engine is not only used as a power source of the vehicle, but also as a power source for actuating auxiliary devices such as the hydraulic pump, a compressor of a vehicle air-conditioner, and an alternator.
When the driving load of the auxiliary devices is increased with respect to the engine power, a corresponding amount of the engine power is consumed for driving the auxiliary devices. This reduces the engine speed. Thus, a load compensation control is normally executed in which the engine power is adjusted in accordance with the driving load of the auxiliary devices. One example of such load compensation control is an idle speed control executed during idling. In the idle speed control, the engine power is adjusted such that the engine speed during idling seeks a predetermined target idle speed. For example, when the load of the auxiliary devices increases and the engine speed is less than a target engine speed, the intake air amount is increased. The fuel injection amount is increased accordingly. This increases the engine power, so that the engine speed is increased to the target idle speed. Since the driving load of the compressor is greater than that of other auxiliary devices, the target idle speed is set higher when the compressor is operating than when it is not operating.
In an internal combustion engine that executes the load compensation control, the execution of the delay control is expected to cause the following disadvantages.
When an engine stop request is made while auxiliary devices are operating, the auxiliary devices are stopped. The intake air amount that has been increased in accordance with the driving load of the auxiliary devices is reduced according to the reduction in the driving load caused by stopping of the auxiliary devices. Since the rate at which the intake air amount is reduced is less than the rate of reduction in the driving load caused by stopping of the auxiliary devices, a response delay occurs in reduction in the engine power relative to the reduction in the driving load according to the stopping of the auxiliary devices.
In the case of an internal combustion engine that does not execute the delay control, such a response delay accompanying reduction in the engine power is unlikely to occur since the engine is stopped immediately after an engine stop request is made.
On the other hand, an internal combustion engine that executes the delay control continues operating for a certain period of time after an engine stop request is made. Therefore, the above described response delay occurs when the engine power is reduced after the engine stop request is made. Such a response delay during the delay control results in a period in which the engine power is not sufficiently reduced even if the driving load of the auxiliary devices have been reduced. This results in a sudden increase in the engine speed. Particularly, when such a sudden increase in the engine speed occurs when a driver makes an engine stop request, the engine speed is increased despite the intention of the driver to stop the engine. This causes the driver to feel uncomfortable.

Control apparatus for internal combustion engine


A signal light supporting apparatus for emergency vehicle warning signal lights employing light emitting diodes provides a secure and removable mounting for one or more of the light emitting diodes and an optic of each light emitting diode to a support casing that functions as a heat sink.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a supporting holder and heat sink for high performance, light emitting diode warning lights. In particular, the present invention pertains to a support casing for light emitting diode warning lights and their optics, where the light emitting diodes and optics are removably held to the support casing by a spring brace and where the support casing functions as a heat sink for the light emitting diodes.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Since the invention of the rotating beacon in the 1940's, a large number of emergency and service vehicles have been protected by warning lights that use an incandescent lamp. In these systems, the lamp is given the appearance of flashing by a rotating reflector positioned in the warning light. The reflector is rotated about the lamp and produces a rotating, reflected arc of coverage and a level of warning within a specified zone around the vehicle.
More recently, emergency and service vehicles have employed warning signal lights comprising light emitting diodes (LEDs). In most emergency warning light applications employing LEDs, it is necessary to use an optic placed in front of the LED. The optic, typically a lens and reflector, focuses the light output of the LED and concentrates and directs the light output into the particular area needed to provide visual protection to the emergency vehicle. Therefore, a typical emergency warning light assembly is comprised of a mounting structure, the LED, and the optic in proper alignment.
At the present time, some of the highest performance, commercially available light emitting diodes are built on circuit boards incorporating an aluminum base. The aluminum base permits cooling of the LED chip by conduction of the heat generated by the LED chip through the aluminum base to a metallic mounting structure. LED assemblies of this type are commonly called "stars" because of the star shape of the aluminum base. The cooling of the LED chip is critical to the operation of the emergency warning light because the light output of the LED is substantially reduced as the temperature of the LED chip increases. In addition, the LED chip could suffer terminal failure at about 105° C.
Since the beginning of the use of light emitting diodes in emergency vehicle warning lights, their performance has continuously improved and is currently at or above 55 lumens per watt for colors such as red-orange. It has been observed that, given the forward voltage requirement of about 3 volts per LED and the voltage drop through the control electronics of a typical warning signal light, a string of LEDs in series is typically used to achieve maximum electrical efficiency on a 12 volt automotive electrical system. LEDs with a 1-watt rating typically operate at 350 milliamps. Thus, in a 12-volt automotive electrical system, the same electrical energy is required to operate one LED, two LEDs connected in series, or three LEDs connected in series. For emergency vehicle applications, it is therefore desirable to employ two or three LEDs connected in series in the warning signal lights of the vehicle. However, with the LEDs connected in series, if one of the LEDs goes out, the other LEDs go out as well. Given the substantial cost of each LED, currently between $5.00 and $10.00 apiece, it is very desirable to be able to replace, in the field, a single failed LED of a series string of LEDs in an emergency vehicle warning signal light.

Holder and heat sink for high performance light emitting diode warning light assembly


A portable communication unit that operates based upon predetermined discrete blocks of airtime. The unit may be operated as a conventional portable communication unit when airtime is available, and operation of the unit for conventional communication is disabled when all the airtime has been used. By entering a specific code, which may be supplied by a dealer, the user may activate an additional block of airtime. Two classes of airtime may be provided; home time airtime which is used when the unit is within the area of a local or primary communication service provider, and roam time airtime which is used when the unit is outside of the area of a local or primary communication service provider. The unit may be programmed, preferably only by the dealer, with toll restrictor codes that limit the available range of numbers with which the unit may initiate a communication session.

With the advent of the cellular telephone communications systems, the portable communications industry has experienced tremendous growth. It is estimated that there are presently over 20 million Americans who own and operate a cellular telephone. In addition, there are several million Americans who have applied for service with a cellular telephone carrier, but have been denied service because of insufficient or a bad credit history. As a result, a significant segment of the potential market for the cellular telephone industry is excluded from receiving or even being considered for cellular telephone service.
The prior art discloses various techniques for operating a communication system base site to accept or deny a request for access from a communication unit. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,368 to Breeden et al., assigned to Motorola, Inc., discloses such a system where a communication base site processes predetermined identification codes to determine whether a particular request for access to the base site is authorized. U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,848 to Hanawa discloses another technique for operating the mobile communication system to restrict certain types of call operations. Again, the system proposed by Hanawa, like the Breeden et al. system, requires modification of the communication system base site to recognize particular unique codes associated with a request for service from a particular portable communication unit. The modifications suggested by such prior art systems, however, have not been widely nor consistently implemented.
Theft of portable communication service, particularly with respect to cellular telephone service, has been increasing at an alarming rate and now represents a major problem in the industry. In some cases, the portable communication service user is placed in an awkward position where hundreds or even thousands of dollars of unauthorized communication service has been charged to the account of the user. If the user is able to establish that such service was unauthorized, the portable communication service provider will lose the revenue for the service provided that was unauthorized. In addition to theft of service, theft of portable communication equipment has also been increasing. Portable communication equipment, which may not be recognized as stolen until significant unauthorized service has been used, is very costly to the user and the service provider.

Method and system for providing a portable communication service


Disclosed is an LCD device having a division-type upper cover provided with male and female coupling means to provide a structural basis for assembly at four corners, and to attenuate distortion of the LCD device. The liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprises: a main support having a rectangular shape with an opened middle portion; an LC panel laminated on the main support; and an upper cover divided into a plurality of parts, and coupled to the main support and the LC panel in correspondence to long and short edges of the LC panel, wherein the upper cover consists of a main frame coupled to edges of the LC panel and an upper surface of the main support, and a side frame coupled to side surfaces of the main support, wherein the upper cover is provided with coupling means adjacently formed at corners of the main support, and serving to couple the main support to the main frame.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an LCD device including a division-type upper cover having male and female coupling means at four corners, the male and female coupling means serving to provide a structural basis for assembly and to attenuate distortion of the LCD device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, flat type display devices have been continuously developed as media to transmit visual information since the beginning of the 21th century. Among the various flat type display devices, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices are being spotlighted as the next cathode ray tube (CRT). In an LCD device, data signals are individually supplied to pixels arranged in matrixes according to image information, and optical transmittance of each pixel is controlled, thereby displaying a desired image.
However, the LCD device cannot spontaneously emit light therefrom, thereby requiring a backlight to additionally provide light for displaying an image. The backlight may have various types, but they may be largely divided into an edge type and a direct type according to the structure of the lamp that is installed in the backlight. An edge type indicates a backlight provided with one lamp at one side, or a backlight provided with two lamps at both sides. On the other hand, a direct type indicates a backlight having a plurality of lamps therebelow. Here, the lamp may include a cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), or an External Electrode Fluorescent Lamp (EEFL).
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a direct type LCD device in accordance with the conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a reflection plate 12 for reflecting light supplied from a plurality of lamps 20 to a front surface of a liquid crystal (LC) panel 50 is attached onto a lower cover 10. The plurality of lamps 20 are fixed onto the reflection plate 12 by a fixing member, side supports 30. Although not shown, a rubber holder for protecting soldering parts of the two lamps 20 is formed at electrodes disposed at both sides of the lamps 20. The rubber holder is mounted in the side supports 30, and is fixed onto the lower cover 10.
A diffusion plate 35 for uniformly and forwardly distributing light reflected through the reflection plate 12 and an optical sheet 36 for complementing an optical characteristic of light passing through the diffusion plate 140 are provided. The optical sheet 36 includes a prism sheet for enhancing a frontal brightness of light passing through the diffusion plate 35 and a protection sheet disposed above the prism sheet for protecting the prism sheet from external scratch, etc.
A main support 40 for balancing an entire force of the LCD device is laminated on the optical sheet 36. Here, the main support 40 is formed to have a stepped portion on an upper surface thereof with consideration of the LC panel 50 to be laminated thereon.
The LC panel 50 laminated on the main support 40 is formed by undergoing many unit processes. That is, the LC panel 50 includes an array substrate; a switching device having a thin film transistor at each unit pixel; a color filter substrate having a color filter that represents colors; and an LC injected between the two substrates.
The upper cover 60 that covers an outer periphery of the LC panel 50 and side surfaces of the main support 40 is coupled to the lower cover 10 by an additional coupling means such as a hook.
As the LCD device becomes larger, all components of the LCD device also have to become larger, which creates problems. When the upper cover implemented as a metallic pattern is to be integrally fabricated, an entire frame having a rectangular shape is formed. Then, the frame undergoes a cutting process so that a central portion thereof can be opened. This may cause materials to be considerably wasted.