A position indicating system for an elevator system includes a position indicator which operates in conjunction with an elevator control to provide an indication of elevator position and direction of travel by means of a display disposed within the elevator or at any position in the building. The position of the elevator is sensed by the elevator control and is converted into a multi-bit digital word which is transmitted serially over hoistway wires to the position indicator. The position indicator utilizes the multi-bit word to access a memory in which is stored a library of codes for character sets which may be indicated by the display. The proper codes are obtained from the memory and used to energize the display elements to illuminate the desired characters. By transmitting the position word in serial fashion to the position indicator, only six hoistway wires are required regardless of the number of position indicators utilized in the building. Further, a standardized library may be stored in the memory element, in turn permitting the position indicator to be mass produced.

The present invention relates generally to indicating devices and more particularly to an elevator position indicating system which is capable of displaying position information and other information to an occupant of the elevator car.
A prior elevator indicating system, disclosed in Mandel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,719, includes a position indicator having a display operated in conjunction with an elevator control which detects the position of an elevator car in a hoistway and generates a binary signal representing the position of the elevator car. The binary signals are transmitted to the display located in the elevator car which in turn provides an indication of elevator car location.
One disadvantage of the above-noted system is that the binary signals are sent in parallel form to the display in the elevator car, thereby requiring separate conductors for each bit of the binary signal. This in turn requires a large number of hoistway wires, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of the system.
A further disadvantage is that the elevator control generates a standardized binary signal for each floor of a building regardless of the indication to be generated for that floor, e.g. the elevator control generates a particular signal for the first floor of a building irrespective of whether the display is to indicate a "1" (for the first floor) or "L" (for lobby). This type of system therefore requires that the position indicator be custom programmed so that the position indicator can be used in a particular installation. This programming is in addition to the programming required for the elevator control, thereby requiring customization of both the elevator control and the position indicator and further complicating the task of installing such a system.


A paper device for coloring, highlighting, lowlighting and lightening hair that includes a pad having a plurality of sheets of water dissolvable and biodegradable paper wherein each sheet of paper has a first surface and a second surface; a plurality of colors, a lightener, highlighting agent or low lighting agent on the first surface; an inhibitor on the first surface; a coating of silicone on the second surface to prevent the bleeding of color through the sheet; and a water soluble adhesive strip on the second surface for securing the sheet on a client's hair. Each sheet may also have a heat seal coating applied to either surface that allows the sheet to be made into a dissolvable pouch, cone, corkscrew or other desirable shape. The colors may be used in organic or inorganic dyes, hennas, colors, stains or lighteners and may be infused, coated, imbibed or applied to the sheet using a tint brush or spray.

Traditional methods for hair coloring and lightening hair have been used for thousands of years, when materials such as henna, indigo, sage, and chamomile were used. In the Roman Empire, dark haired women who admired the blonde hair of female slaves lightened their own hair using saffron, red arsenic, nut shells, and plant ash. In the latter part of the Nineteenth Century synthetic dyes came into use for hair coloring, and hydrogen peroxide came into widespread use as a bleaching agent.
While it is relatively easy to change the color of a person's hair as a whole by dyeing or bleaching, the results of applying such a process uniformly to all of the hair are generally disappointing and difficult, with the hair acquiring an uninteresting non-uniform color. Conventional methods include measuring and mixing hair color or lightening with a developer in a mixing bowl or applicator bottle. The hair color or lightener is then applied to the hair with a tint brush or applidqto4 bottle. This method is messy when mixing and applying it to one's hair, resulting in unpredictable color results. It is also very difficult to store, transport and clean up hair coloring and lighteners. Therefore, such a process is generally followed by another step, in which selected portions of the hair are lightened, in a process known as streaking, or darkened, in a process known as reverse streaking.
The method most commonly used today for coloring selected portions of the hair is the foil method, in which the stylist isolates a strand of hair to lie along the upper surface of a sheet of foil having an edge held against the head near the roots of the strand of hair. The selected strand is then treated by the application of coloring material, being isolated from adjacent portions of the hair with the foil, and the foil is then folded around the strand to continue providing a barrier preventing migration of the coloring material to other parts of the hair during time necessary to provide the desired treatment.
One problem with the foil method arises from the cost of the large number of foil sheets that must be used to treat the hair of an individual and from the space required for their disposal or the costs of recycling the material. Foil makes up approximately fifty percent (50%) of color salon waste. The time required for the completion of the process is also disadvantageous in its effects on the cost of the process and on the discomfort of the individual whose hair is being treated. Furthermore, since the strands of hair being treated are covered by the foil, it is difficult for the stylist using this method to track the progress of the treatment, often resulting, for example, in the over bleaching of certain strands of hair being streaked.
Before the strands of hair can be pace d on individual foil panels and treated with coloring materials, the hair must be separated into strands. For example, this is done by weaving the hair using an ordinary rattail comb, having a comb section with ordinary teeth from which a pointed extension, or rattail, extends. The comb section is used to shape each strand, and the strands are individually placed to extend across alternating sides of the rattail, in a woven fashion.
Given the shortcomings with conventional methods for coloring and lightening hair, there exists a need for a device and method for coloring or lightening hair that provides predictable, uniform results, that does not require messy measuring and mixing bowls, eliminates the need for foil, is easy to clean up, dissolves with tap water, washes safely down the drain, and that is biodegradable and environmentally safe. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. The instant invention addresses this unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing a device and method for coloring and lightening hair with dissolvable and biodegradable paper products as contemplated by the instant invention disclosed herein.

Apparatus and method for coloring or lightening hair


Disclosed herein are methods of increasing the expression rate of epigenetic markers such as ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK with administration of a therapeutic agent (e.g., vitamin C or its derivatives, analogs, metabolites, prodrugs, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof). Also described herein are methods of modulating the methylation pattern of epigenetic markers such as ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK with administration of a therapeutic agent (e.g., vitamin C or its derivatives, analogs, metabolites, prodrugs, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof).

The rate and progression of aging varies from person to person and are further influenced by environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and/or physical fitness. In some instances, studies have shown that the state of the epigenome (e.g., mutation within the genome and/or methylation) correlate with age. As such, DNA methylation are utilized, for example, for determining age or changes in the rate of aging based on environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and/or physical fitness.

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A manually operable buoyant tub toy simulating a jet powered boat or boat dashboard includes a manually operable air bubble and wake generator, a manually operable bow spray generator and a sound generator responsive to rotation of a steering wheel. A floodable compartment located under a hatch in the deck of the toy boat has a transparent top wall and contains miniature simulations of various aquatic life forms. A manual handle located toward the rear of the toy boat is suitable for carrying the toy boat or propelling it through the water. Functional or simulated nautical instruments and implements such as a compass, a speedometer, and horn are provided on the toy boat.

The present invention relates generally to a toy boat and more particulary to a toy boat suitable for play in shallow, confined bodies of water. The toy boat is provided with means corresponding to or simulating nautical instrumentation and implements associated with boats and with means for simulating some of the visual and audible phenomena incident to the operation of boats.


A portable accelerometer unit is described for measuring deviations or excursions from a datum due to an applied load or force. The portable accelerometer unit includes an accelerometer device mounted by suspension means in a housing, and is operable to generate an output signal in response to the applied load. An electrical circuit is also provided connectible to the accelerometer device to receive the output signal therefrom. This circuit includes at least one operational amplifier stage containing an operational amplifier. This amplifier has two input terminals and an output terminal. One of the input terminals is connected through a first variable resistance to a power supply. The other input terminal is connected to the accelerometer to receive the output signal therefrom. This other input terminal also has a feedback circuit operatively connected to it. The feedback circuit is controlled by a second variable resistance, whereby to effect zeroing of an accelerometer output signal due to gravity. An output device in the form of a meter, strip chart recorder or the like is driven from the output terminal to provide a readout of the applied load. A more preferred form of accelerometer unit includes a second operational amplifier stage to provide for isolation of the output device from the accelerometer device. In a still more preferred form, the portable accelerometer unit includes a third operational amplifier stage. The third operational amplifier has a feedback circuit connected between an input terminal and its output terminal, controlled by a variable resistance. This provides sensitivity control of the output signal.

There are many instances when it is highly desirable to be able to measure accurately the magnitude of a load applied to a vehicle, a ship, a floating buoy, or some other transportation device. This is especially so if measurements are being taken, or something is being towed. For example, in the process of mineral exploration, magnetometers or other similar devices are frequently dragged in the air behind an aircraft, or in the sea behind a ship. The body being towed normally comprises a complex package of electronic instrumentation. Thus, it would be highly desirable to know accurately the kinds of vertical loads applied to the towed body, the towing cable, or any couplings connecting that cable either to the towed body or the "towing vehicle". When aerial surveys are conducted, for example, in hilly terrain or where the topography of the land includes many lakes, rivers or valleys, air turbulence is frequently encountered. The same sort of buffetting will apply, of course, to the vertical motion caused by waves on a lake or ocean.
The measurement of vertical acceleration loads is frequently made in the "towing vehicle". This, one must take into account pitching and rolling motions of that vehicle. In other words, it is an accurate measurement of the vertical component of the applied load which is most frequently of concern. That vertical component must therefore be isolated or separated from non-vertical components of the load or force applied to the "towing vehicle". One technique for eliminating the non-vertical components of a load applied to the towing vehicle is the use of stabilized platforms. Such platforms, however, are relatively bulky, are costly, and have an operating life span of perhaps three hundred hours mean time between breakdowns. Moreover, using a stabilized platform requires a much higher level of maintance skill, with its attendant higher costs. Further yet, the provision of spare units for backup purposes would also be costly.

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence


A smart dimming system includes: a server communicated with a control device; a Bluetooth series interface control module; a first series dimming control module electrically connected to a first light-emitting diode lamp module; and a second series dimming control module electrically connected to a second light-emitting diode lamp module. One of the first series dimming control module and the second series dimming control module is electrically connected to the Bluetooth series interface control module. A dimming control signal is transmitted to the server, the server provides a Bluetooth control signal to the Bluetooth series interface control module according to the dimming control signal, and the Bluetooth series interface control module provides a series dimming signal to one of the first series dimming control module and the second series dimming control module to dim light of the first light-emitting diode lamp module and the second light-emitting diode lamp module.

In the field of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, a dimming function is very important. In a conventional dimming system, as shown in FIG. 1, a dimmer 91 is electrically connected to an LED driving module 92, and the LED driving module 92 is electrically connected to an LED lamp 93. The dimmer 91 is disposed at a place where an AC voltage VAC is inputted. That is to say, a conventional dimming method uses the dimmer 91 to cut the AC voltage waveform to achieve a dimming effect, but the method is considered being low efficiency in terms of electrical loop.
Accordingly, it has become an important issue to provide a smart dimming system in the industry.


An apparatus and method for determining the particle size distribution of a plurality of particles in a sample, the apparatus comprising a particle charging chamber for charging the particles in proportion to a dimension of the particle, such as surface area, and from which charged particles exit primarily one-at-a-time, a collector electrode for catching the exiting particles, and a charge-measuring device that produces an output with a value representing the measured particle charge. The particle charging chamber may comprise a number of electrodes and a DC voltage source connected to the electrodes. A conversion device, such as a computer, may receive the output from the charge-measuring device and convert measured individual particle charge data to a particle surface area distribution. The apparatus may further comprise light beams and light detecting means between the exit of the charging chamber and the collector electrode, for determining particle terminal velocity as it exits the charging chamber. A method for measuring particle size using the apparatus described herein is also disclosed.

This invention relates to a particle size analyzer and more particularly to an apparatus and method for determining the particle size distribution in dry powders by charging the particles and measuring the individual charge accumulated on each particle in a sample.
Characterizing particles that make up bulk materials has become increasingly important as the sophistication and control requirements of industrial processes increase. In the past the usual method was to use a microscope and measure the size distribution of an exemplary sample of the material to obtain an indication of the mean particle size and size distribution.
More recently a number of instruments have been developed to avoid the tedious and labor intensive process of measuring and counting particles under the microscope, by apparatus which can provide a particle size measurement and particle size distribution analysis automatically.
The range of particle size measured, particularly of dry powders, typically has a mean diameter between 1 xcexcm and 10 xcexcm. In most instances the instruments used employ indirect measurement techniques which include sieve fractionation, laser light scattering, dynamic light scattering, sedimentation/centrifugation, and gas absorption.
More recently, in an article published in the Proceedings of the 7th International Metrology Congress, Oct. 17-19, 1995, Niemes, France, pp. 215-217, entitled xe2x80x9cAn Electrodynamic Method Of Obtaining Calibration Materials For Granulometryxe2x80x9d, authored by V. J. Gerasimov and V. V. Romanenko, and incorporated herein by reference, it was shown that it is possible to obtain narrow-disperse calibration powders by using electrodynamic sedimentation of powders. In this article it is proposed that dry powder may be divided by particle size by subjecting the powder to a charging DC voltage applied between two inclined angled electrodes and providing a number of openings along a bottom electrode and an ancillary air stream of controlled velocity. By controlling the inclination of the bottom electrode, particles are separated along the electrode by mass and can be collected at specific points to obtain particles of selected similar mean diameter.
Most of the above systems, except for systems relying on the size measurement of the actual particle under a microscope, typically segregate a number of particles and calculate an average diameter for the segregated particles. Others use a means of fitting a presumed particle size distribution to a size sensitive response such as in the laser light scattering methods.
The present invention provides an instrument for automatically charging and obtaining a direct measurement of a dry powder""s particle charge distribution in a sample, which uses electrodynamic particle separation in a new way in combination with an electrometer to obtain a measurement of the individual, particle-by-particle, charge on a plurality of charged particles, and to present an analysis of the charge distribution. The charge on each particle is related to the particle surface area and thus is also an indirect indication of the particle equivalent sphere or cube diameter. This process has the advantage that individual particles are measured and the individual particle distribution is obtained, rather than providing an average particle area or volume measure or a fit to a response function indirectly reflecting the particle size distribution.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining the particle size distribution of a plurality of particles in a sample, the apparatus comprising a particle charging chamber adapted to charge the particles to a saturation level proportional to a dimension of the particle and to release particles from the charging chamber primarily one-at-a-time, a collector electrode located outside the charging chamber, and a charge-measuring device connected to the collector electrode for producing an output with a value representing the measured charge. The particle charging chamber may also be a pseudo-fluidization chamber such as, for example, an electrodynamic pseudo-fluidization chamber. Such a particle charging chamber comprises a top and a bottom electrode therein, a DC voltage source connected to the top and bottom electrodes, and a conversion device for receiving the output from the charge-measuring device and for converting measured individual particle charge data to a particle surface area distribution. The bottom electrode inside the particle charging chamber is spaced from the top electrode and has an exit orifice, an inner surface facing the top electrode, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. The particle charging chamber further comprises a side wall extending between the top and bottom electrodes and a means for inserting the plurality of particles in the chamber. The collector electrode is aligned with the bottom electrode exit orifice and is spaced therefrom. The DC voltage source applies a voltage to the top and bottom electrodes of a magnitude insufficient to cause arcing between the electrodes.
The apparatus may further include an enclosure defining a space enclosing the particle charging chamber and collector electrode. This space may contain a gas, in particular an inert gas such as nitrogen, at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.
The chamber may be subdivided into subchambers by a plurality of middle electrodes located between the top and bottom electrodes and spaced therefrom, for example a single middle electrode may divide the chamber into an upper section and a lower section.
Such a middle electrode may have a convex surface with an apex facing the top electrode. The orifice in the middle electrode is placed away from the apex of the convex surface. The DC voltage source may apply a first DC voltage between the middle electrode and the bottom electrode and a second DC voltage between the top and middle electrodes, the DC voltages insufficient to produce arcing between the electrodes.
The apparatus may further include one or more fan-shaped light beams, such as two beams in parallel spaced planes between the exit orifice and the collector electrode, and a means for detecting any beam disruption by the passage of a charged particle and for generating an electrical signal indicating the passage and time of passage of any such particle through each of the beams of light.
In accordance with the apparatus of the present invention, there is also provided a method for determining a particle size distribution of a plurality of particles having a plurality of sizes by charging the plurality of particles and measuring a charge magnitude for each particle. The method comprises the steps of charging each of the particles in a particle charging chamber to a saturation level proportional to a dimension of the particle and releasing the particles from the chamber primarily one at a time. For example, the particles may be introduced in a space between a pair of electrodes in the presence of a static electric field wherein the method further includes providing an orifice in one of the pair of electrodes. The method also comprises collecting any charged particles exiting the particle charging chamber, such as through the orifice, and generating an electrical signal having a magnitude indicative of the charge of any such escaping charged particle; and using the distribution of the electrical signal magnitudes of a plurality of charged particles as an indicator of the particle surface area distribution.


A head with a heating element and control regime therefor is disclosed. In embodiments described, the control regime or controller energizes the heater or heating element to provide intermittent heating between read or write operations to optimize transducer temperature and operating characteristics or parameters of a data storage device. In particular, in one embodiment described, the controller provides a low amplitude signal or current to provide low grade thermal heating. In another embodiment, the controller provides a high amplitude signal or current to preheat the transducer portion for write operations.

Data storage devices store digitally encoded information on discs. Heads read data from or write data to discs which are supported for rotation relative to a base chassis by a spindle motor or drive. Heads include transducer elements, such as magnetoresistive, magneto-optical or inductive elements for read or write operations. An actuator assembly moves the heads relative to select data tracks on the disc for read or write operations.
Typically the head includes a slider having an air bearing surface which is coupled to a head suspension assembly. Rotation of the disc creates an air flow along the air bearing surface of the slider to provide a lift force. The lift force of the air bearing surface is countered by a load force supplied via the suspension assembly to define in part a fly height Hfly of the slider relative to the disc surface. The slider is coupled to the head suspension assembly via a gimbal spring so that the slider pitches and rolls to follow the topography of the disc surface. The slider generally flies at a pitch angle so that a trailing edge or portion of the slider or head defines a close point of the head relative to the disc surface. The fly height Hfly of the trailing edge is generally above a glide avalanche height of the disc to limit slider-disc contact.
The fly height Hfly parameters of the head effect spacing between the transducer elements of the head and a magnetic or data layer of the disc. Following a "warm up period" increases in ambient temperature of the device and heat generated via write current can cause thermal expansion of the transducer portion (or pole tip protrusion) of the head relative to the slider body. Thermal expansion of the transducer portion provides a smaller separation between the transducer elements and the recording media. Prior to a "warm up" period and thermal expansion, the spacing between the transducer element or elements and the recording media may be too large for effecting writing on the first few sectors interfering with write operations. Energization of a heating element heats the transducer portion to limit interference with write operations prior to the "warm up" period.
Transducer elements of the head are typically embedded in an Alumina Al2O3 or other materials. Ambient moisture or condensation of ambient moisture can corrode or damage the transducer elements or portion of the head. Prior head designs include a diamond-like carbon layer or protective layer deposited on the transducer or portion to protect the transducer portion or elements from corrosion or wear. The protective layer increases the spacing between the transducer element or elements and the media relative to the fly height of the head or slider. Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.

Head with heating element and control regime therefor


Skates having increased lateral stability for use in speed skating and hockey. A primary blade is provided with first and second secondary blades which extend laterally outwardly from the primary blade at angles therefrom. In a first preferred embodiment, these secondary blades extend outwardly at equal 45.degree. angles and engage the surface of the ice when the primary blade tilts either direction through an angle of 45.degree.. In a second preferred embodiment, the inner secondary blade extends outwardly at a lesser angle of say 30.degree. so that double blade engagement of the ice can be more easily accomplished for sprinting situations.

Every few years, the world is reminded how slippery ice is when several contestants in speed skating at the Winter Olympics wipe out and go skidding into the wall of the ice rink. The bottom line is that the skate slipped sideways on the ice and sent the skater sprawling. A more technical analysis is that the skate blade formed an angle with the surface of the ice which was too severe, taking into consideration the mass of the skater, the speed going into the turn, and the position of the skater's center of gravity, so that the coefficient of lateral sliding friction of the skate blade relative to the ice was insufficient to maintain the skater erect resulting in a fall.
In a separate venue, ice hockey players also battle the slipperiness of the ice. Most notably, when sprinting to/with the puck on a breakaway, for example, the player will roll her/his ankles in, laying the blade toward flat in order to dig the blades into the ice, so that s/he can push outwardly and back in an attempt to out sprint her/his opponent to the puck or goal. This attempt to increase traction for sprinting can actually result in slipping should the player be unsuccessful in sticking the blade deeply enough into the ice.
The present invention seeks to provide a remedy for this slippage. The ice skates of the present invention comprise a pair of skate blade assemblies, each assembly including a blade support to which a primary blade and a pair of secondary blades are attached, the primary blade having a first mean blade thickness and a first height, first and second secondary blades which each have a second mean blade thickness substantially equal to said first mean blade thickness, said first and second secondary blades each extending angularly outwardly from opposing sides of said primary blade at first and second predetermined angles; means to attach a pair of said blade assemblies to right and left feet of a wearer, respectively; whereby when one of said primary blades of said pair is in contact with and extends at a third or fourth predetermined angle with an ice surface, either said first or said second secondary blade will come in contact with said ice surface and provide auxiliary support, significantly reducing a risk of falling as a result of said primary blade slipping laterally on the ice surface. The preferred value for each of the first, second, third and fourth predetermined angles is 45.degree., such that when the skater's primary blade is at 45.degree. with the ice and s/he would be at risk of losing sufficient frictional force to remain upright, the secondary blade will a) be vertical, in optimum position to support the skater's weight, b) provide additional resistance to lateral slippage, and thereby, c) avoid a spill. Further, for the hockey player, having two blades on each skate which can dig into the ice in a sprint situation will provide a decided advantage over a single blade skater.
While the design is simplified by having the secondary blades extend at equal 45.degree. angles, some applications may dictate that the inner secondary blade engage the ice at a different angle than the outer secondary blade. For example, on the hockey skate, it may be advantageous to position the inner secondary blade in such a manner that it will engage the ice at an angle of 30.degree. so that the skater need not roll her/his ankles in so far in order to get two blade engagement during a scramble for the puck. The outer secondary blade could remain at the 45.degree. position for stability purposes. The inner blade could be made to engage the ice at an angle of 30.degree. by changing the angle it forms with the primary blade to 30.degree. and/or extending its length.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the following specification.


This invention provides a computer method and system for interactive administration of medical cannabinoid treatments. The invention also provides information on cannabinoid product availability and geographical information. Medical professionals, cannabis growers, cannabis manufacturers, and other stakeholders can use this computer method and system to study trends, efficacy, and other information pertinent to the medical cannabis market.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method operable in a computer readable medium and system for use by medical cannabis consumers, health professionals, growers, manufacturers, and sellers, which encompasses various computer interfaces, databases, and connectivity. This method and system utilize existing knowledge in the medical cannabis field while incorporating a newly built medical cannabis database for effective application of medical cannabis knowledge. Information collected from consumers is stored and aggregated for research purposes and may be used by medical professionals, growers, manufacturers, and other medical cannabis stakeholders to further develop the effectiveness of medical cannabis treatments and medical cannabis product provision.
Description of the Related Technology
The cannabis plant has many naturally occurring substances that are of great interest to scientific and medical communities. Isolated compounds from the cannabis plant include Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabidivarin (CBDV), among other compounds. While THC has psychoactive effects, CBD, CBC, CBG, and CBDV do not. Isolated compounds from the cannabis plant are called "cannabinoids." There are a total of eighty-five (85) cannabinoids that have been isolated from the cannabis plant. Many researchers have confirmed the medicinal value of cannabinoids, including for the possible treatment of seizures, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, pain, arthritis, inflammation, and other conditions.
The IUPAC nomenclature of THC is (−)-(6aR,10aR)-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro-6H-benzo[c]chromen-1-ol. CBD's IUPAC nomenclature is 2-((1S,6S)-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclo-hex-2-enyl)-5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol). CBC has the IUPAC nomenclature of 2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7pentyl-5-chromenol. These are among the most prominent compounds in the family of compounds extracted from the cannabis plant referred to as cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids may be isolated by extraction or cold pressing of cannabis plants. Plants in the cannabis genus include Cannabis sativa, Cannabis ruderalis, and Cannabis indica. These plants are the natural sources of cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are also available in synthetic forms. Methods to synthesize cannabinoids in lab settings were discovered and are currently practiced. Synthetic cannabinoids are more targeted than natural cannabinoids, in that the synthetic compound can come isolated without any other cannabinoids mixed in.
Cannabidiol is derived from hemp and is marketed in the United States as a dietary supplement. Various products containing cannabidiol have been marketed in recent years. Cannabidiol may be consumed by ingestion, by inhalation, or by transdermal delivery.
The cannabinoids CBD, CBG, and THC, have anti-bacterial properties, with fast acting mechanisms and a minimum inhibitory concentration at between 0.5-2 μg/ml for various Staphylococcus aureus strains.
Various medical marijuana products have become increasingly popular in the United States. Due to the placement of marijuana in Drug Enforcement Agency's Schedule I, the sale and prescription of medical marijuana has been limited in states where such practices are allowed. Recently, hemp products with cannabidiol became increasingly popular as an alternative. However, there is a clear gap in knowledge sharing in medical practices relating to medical marijuana.
Artificial intelligence is well utilized in medical practices, especially in integrating knowledge and assisting in dispensing rule-based decisions. Because medical knowledge is extensive, artificial intelligence plays a major role in updating and storing medical definitions and medical inter-relationships between many disparate concepts.
The Unified Medical Language System® (UMLS®) Metathesaurus® is a large, multi-purpose, and multi-lingual thesaurus that contains millions of biomedical and health related concepts, their synonymous names, and their relationships. The Metathesaurus® links alternative names and views of the same concept from different source vocabularies, and identifies useful relationships between different concepts.
The UMLS® also uses a Semantic Network, which contains a set of broad subject categories or semantic types that provide consistent categorization of all concepts represented in the UMLS® Metathesaurus® and a set of useful and important relationships, or semantic relations that exist between semantic types.
The third component of the UMLS® is the Specialist Lexicon. The Specialist Lexicon consists of a set of lexicon entries with one entry for each spelling, or set of spelling variants, in a particular part of speech. The Specialist Lexicon provides lexical information needed for the Specialist Natural Language Processing System.
Various medical software products exist to collect data on symptoms and diagnose patients. However, data collection and tracking patients' outcomes have not been focal points in these software products. In the medical cannabis field, due to Federal prohibition, there has been little development in merging medical cannabis use with information technology.
There exists a demand for a streamlined process to suggest and prescribe medical marijuana and related products through a database enabled by computer method with user interfaces. Data collected from the interactive process may be stored and used by medical professionals, producers, and marketers to evaluate trends and demands in the medical marijuana market.

Method and system for medical cannabinoid treatment and product selection


To ensure proper electrical insulation under thick-field isolation regions (23) grown in triple-well structures, the channel-stop impurity (30) is implanted using multiple doses at different energies, depending on the oxide thickness of the thick-field isolation regions (23). The split-implant procedure results in much wider process variation windows for the thick-field isolation regions (23). Process variations include oxide thickness of grown oxide, implant energy/dose and reduced thickness caused by wet de-glazing steps.

This invention relates to channel-stop implants under thick-field isolation regions formed on triple-well structures to provide electrical insulation between N-channel field-effect devices.
Certain Flash Electrically-erasable, Programmable Read-Only-Memory (Flash EPROM) arrays are formed using triple-well structures. A compensation method is used to form a typical triple-well structure in a silicon substrate of P-type conductivity. The first step is to implant phosphorous in the substrate, then perform a tank-drive step to form wells of N-type conductivity (N-wells). The next step is to implant boron, followed by a second tank-drive step, to create isolated wells of P-type conductivity (P-wells) inside the N-wells. Therefore, the P-wells contain both boron and phosphorous, with boron predominating. The triple-well structure is completed by forming source/drain diffusions of N-type conductivity in the P-wells. The source/drain diffusions are a part of N-channel devices such as memory cells or peripheral transistors. Memory cells and many of the transistors of peripheral circuits require electrical separation between these source/drain diffusions.
In general, EPROMs of all types use boron channel-stop implants under grown thick-field isolation regions to provide electrical isolation between N-channel memory cells and between N-channel peripheral transistors. However, use of boron channel-stop implants under thick-field isolation regions formed on triple-well structures causes a unique problem. The segregation coefficient M, which is defined as the ratio of impurity concentration in silicon over impurity concentration in silicon dioxide, is less than one for boron and is greater than one for phosphorous. This results in boron depletion in the silicon immediately under a thick-field isolation region grown in a P-well structure and results in a phosphorous accumulation in the silicon immediately under a thick-field isolation region grown in a N-well structure. That is, during growth of the oxide forming the thick-field isolation regions, boron is depleted and simultaneously phosphorous is accumulated immediately under the thick-field isolation region. As a result, the phosphorous concentration overcomes the boron concentration in that location, creating a N-type region that is responsible for current leakage, possibly a short-circuit, under the thick-field isolation regions.
Using boron as a channel-stop implant before growing the thick-field isolation regions is one conventional method for preventing current leakage under those isolation regions in a P-well structure. In that conventional method, boron is implanted into the selected P-well sites before growing the oxide forming the thick-field isolation regions. The boron implant is made for the purpose of increasing the threshold voltage for current flow under the N+ thick-field isolation region. When a boron channel stop is implanted prior to growing the oxide forming the thick-field isolation regions in a triple-well structure, some boron diffuses deeper into silicon and some diffuses into the thick-field isolation region during the oxide growth. Therefore, a much higher dosage of boron is needed to overcome the phosphorous accumulation and to maintain as P-type the silicon region underlying the thick-field isolation region. However, a high-boron dose channel-stop implant has an adverse effect on the transistor-junction breakdown voltages under the thick-field isolation regions.
On the other hand, a second prior-art method uses a single high-energy channel-stop implant performed through the thick-field isolation regions, the implant performed after the oxide growth forming those regions. The high-energy implant is also intended to stop formation of a conductive channel in the silicon immediately under the thick-field isolation regions. However, when using this second prior-art method, there is a problem in placing a sufficient concentration of boron at the correct depth under the thick-field isolation regions. In a part of the detailed discussion below, high-energy channel-stop implants are simulated for thick-field isolation regions built in an isolated P-well formed inside a N-well. Simulation results indicate that if only one high-energy implant is performed, a precise channel-stop implant energy is needed to place the correct amount of boron under the thick-field isolation regions to stop channel conduction and source-to-drain shorts.
There is a great and continuing need to shrink the size of integrated-circuit devices in both the horizontal and the vertical directions. That need includes shrinking the size of thick-field isolation regions to allow placement of more transistor devices on a silicon substrate. There is also a great and continuing need for thick-field isolation regions that are not only small and thin, but that are easy to manufacture and easy to shrink in size as minimum photolithographic capabilities become available. Preferably, the channel-stop implant method used to accomplish these goals should, at the same time, be independent of process variations. Those variations include:
1) minor changes in energy and dosage of the channel-stop implants, and PA1 2) variation in the thickness of the thick-field isolation regions, including non-uniform thickness resulting from wet de-glazing steps.

Channel-stop process for use with thick-field isolation regions in triple-well structures


Disposable glue traps for catching rodents such as rats or mice are formed by sheets of folded paper or cardboard each provided with a glue layer. Each folded sheet has a self-adherent tear-away border so that a trap forms its own packaging, thereby dispensing with the need for separate outer packaging materials.

This invention relates to glue boards and glue traps for trapping vermin and rodents, such as mice and rats.
Glue traps are well known and consist generally of a layer of extremely sticky pressure sensitive adhesive on a suitable backing or support, such as a board or tray. In use, the trap is strategically located on a floor or other support surface in an infested area and in a manner whereby a rodent may be attracted onto or otherwise incidentally step onto the adhesive surface, thereby becoming entrapped by adhesion.
One known form of disposable glue trap comprises a board (e.g., stiff paper or cardboard) with an adhesive layer which, for shipping and sale of the trap, is covered by a release paper. Other traps may be folded up and packaged singly or in groups in an outer container, such as a cardboard sleeve or wrapper. In use, a consumer must remove a trap from the wrapper, uncover the adhesive and eventually dispose of both the trap and the wrapper.


In one embodiment, a system may receive a pattern from an analysis engine, where the pattern includes information regarding a corrective action to be taken on a configuration setting of a processor, configure a performance monitor based on the pattern, collect performance monitoring information during program operation, analyze the information during the program operation, and dynamically implement the corrective action during the program operation based on the analysis. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

In today's complex computer systems, a variety of different components are provided such that a given system can have many different components that interact with each other. Furthermore, many computer systems are adapted for specialized workload processing, such as server computers that are adapted to perform given business processing tasks. Processors such as central processing units (CPUs) within these systems can have various features that are enabled or disabled via configuration settings of the processor.
In many computer platforms, a number of performance-sensitive processor and platform-specific settings are exposed as basic input/output system (BIOS) settings. Examples are hardware prefetch, second sector (i.e., adjacent sector) prefetch, snoop filter, high-bandwidth memory option, hyper-threading, among others. These settings, or knobs, have default settings according to validation benchmarking. Default settings are enforced by the BIOS on system boot, and are not changed without an update to the BIOS. A limited set of workloads is used to determine default settings and, therefore in many cases certain critical workloads suffer a performance penalty due to a configuration that does not suit them.

Dynamically reconfiguring platform settings


The concepts described herein include a storage access system including two access paths using different path configurations resulting in the ability to do a two part boot from the same boot memory. The two storage access paths address the boot memory using a globally unique identifier. The first storage path is a slower path that transfers instructions from the boot memory to configure the second storage path used to transfer the operating system from the boot memory.

Production data communication interfaces sometimes lack sufficient on-board programmable read-only memory for machines to boot using the internet small computer system interface. As a result, typical systems use a multi-stage boot process. In the first stage a small boot kernel, capable of configuring a production data communication interface and internet small computer system interface, loads from a local device. In the second stage the full operating system is loaded using the internet small computer system interface over the production data communication path from another storage device. This multi-stage process requires systems to maintain multiple storage devices for the sole purpose of booting the machine.

Boot path and production path accessible storage system


Power consumption in a microprocessor platform is managed by setting a peak power level for power consumed by a multi-core microprocessor platform executing multi-threaded applications. The multi-core microprocessor platform contains a plurality of physical cores, and each physical core is configurable into a plurality of logical cores. A simultaneous multithreading level in at least one physical core is adjusted by changing the number of logical cores on that physical core in response to a power consumption level of the multi-core microprocessor platform exceeding the peak power level. Performance and power data based on simultaneous multi-threading levels are used in selecting the physical core to be adjusted.

The desire for increased production or workload in a microprocessor platform needs to be balanced with the management of power consumption by that platform. This includes controlling the peak power demands of that microprocessor platform. Existing solutions to workload and power management exploiting mutually exclusive activation of resources or token-based control and power shifting across processor and memory resources, depending on whether the workload phase is central processing unit (CPU) bound or memory-bound. Both of these methods, however, have limitations on their implementations and ability to provide the desired level of workload and power management.
Information about mutually exclusive regions of the logic requires significant analysis, which is hard to automate in tool form. The information has to be generally gleaned manually from designer knowledge. In some implementations, the opportunities for absolute mutual exclusion are quite small, unless the designer is aware from the beginning about the plan to use this style of peak power control. Similarly, the token-based control of peak power requires careful analysis to make sure that the algorithm for token allocation and de-allocation does not hurt system performance in a significant manner. There is no straightforward, simple rule of thumb that would allow one to assess the performance cost of enforcing peak power using these two methods. This makes it hard to commit such power control algorithms to hardware, since some workloads may experience unpredictably large performance hits.
Power shifting across CPU and memory resources capitalizes on the observation that workloads often go through alternate durations of CPU-bound and memory-bound behavior. However, if each processor core supports n-way multithreading, e.g., simultaneous multithreading (SMT), where "n" may be as large as 8, the probability of all 8 threads in a core moving from CPU-bound mode to memory-bound mode and vice versa in synchrony is rather small in the general case. Hence, the opportunity of power savings may become rather small if this is the only actuator that is used to shift power across distinct resource regions while maintaining a power cap. Also, in both of the prior systems for power management, the primary hardware mechanisms used to disable or throttle a resource when shifting power elsewhere are actuators like clock-gating, power-gating, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) or fetch throttling. Opportunities for getting such actuators engaged for power reduction are very limited in n-way multithreaded cores where "n" is large (e.g. 4 or 8).
Other related methods for peak power management fail to work very well in the presence of heavily multithreaded processor cores. As such, there is a need for peak power control systems and methods that work well for modern multi-core microprocessors in which significant levels of multithreading are supported for every core in order to maximize the microprocessor's workload throughput performance for a given area and power budget.

Power shifting in multicore platforms by varying SMT levels

International Business Machines Corporation


A water distribution system is disclosed in an ink flow temperature control system of a plurality of printing presses such as multi-color offset perfecting and nonperfecting web and sheet fed presses. The system includes a plurality of printing presses each having at least one printing head whereat water is used to control the temperature of ink distributed through the head. A multiple zone control unit controls the temperature of water distributed to the printing heads of the plurality of printing presses. An enlarged rigid conduit extends between the multiple zone control unit and each printing press. A plurality of flexible non-metallic distribution hoses are located within the enlarged rigid conduit for distributing water between the multiple zone control unit and the printing heads of the plurality of printing presses.

Printing machines normally include a printing couple or head which has a number of cylinders and/or rollers such as impression cylinders, master or plate cylinders, blanket cylinders, ductor rollers, transfer rollers, oscillating rollers, form rollers, and the like. For instance, an ink fountain is disposed generally at the rear of the machine for feeding ink to the various rollers of the printing couple which transfers images to copy sheets. In such printing machines as multi-color offset perfecting and nonperfecting web and sheet fed presses, a moisture fountain also is disposed adjacent the printing couple for feeding moisture to the printing couple. A number of rollers which generally can be termed "distribution" rollers are provided between the ink fountain and/or moisture fountain for distributing ink and/or moisture to the printing couple of the machine.
One of the problems with ink feeding systems in machines of the character described above is the inability to effectively compensate for varying environmental conditions, such as varying temperature and/or humidity. It has been found that moisture content or "presence" in the immediate environment of a printing or duplicating machine may be for the biggest problem area in maintaining quality printing. For instance, too much moisture in an inking system can "flood" the ink and cause emulsification. Even a 0.5-1.0 percent change in humidity can have a significant change in the ink flow characteristics of the machine. Consequently, an operator is constantly adjusting the ink fountain and/or moisture fountain of the machine in varying environmental conditions, because controlling the environmental humidity is very difficult if not impossible in a particular location. Yet, moisture control cannot be divorced from temperature control within the printing unit.
The moisture problem, above, in conjunction with the need for ink/water balance in conventional offset lithography has traditionally been the source of a multitude of problems for the offset printer. Variations in ink/water balance can cause emulsification of ink, as stated above, and can also lead to inconsistency in color, longer drying times, streaking problems as well as scumming and plugging of halftones. These variables include such things as water hardness, PH, conductivity, alcohol content, water take-up of ink and absorption of substrates.
Because of the various problems identified above, there is a definite contemporaneous trend to "waterless" printing processes and/or temperature control systems for the individual printing units in the printing process. By eliminating the need for ink/water balance, the waterless system changes the printing process from a chemical/physical process to a purely physical one, eliminating a large percentage of process variables as described above. The waterless system offers a shorter learning curve for press operators and greater ease of operation. Because there is no need to achieve ink/water balance at the start of a press run, a waterless press can roll up to color almost immediately. The system will normally achieve color in less than twenty impressions, thus giving the press operator nearly instant color communication. Response times to color changes are dramatically improved over conventional lithography. Controlling the water temperature of the individual printing units gives greater control of the printing process.
A control system to maintain the proper temperature is required for a waterless printing process. The control system normally includes a water circulation system through one or more points of the printing unit such as the plate cylinder, the vibrator roller(s) or the ink "ball" roller of the printing unit. A popular temperature control system circulates the water through one or more of the ink distribution rollers of the machine, such as an oscillating or vibrator roller. The system also includes water heater and chiller units, pumps, valving and appropriate conduits or piping. A temperature monitoring system is incorporated in the printing unit, such as at the plate cylinder surface, and a feedback system is provided to control the plate cylinder surface temperature by adjusting either water temperature or water flow to the vibrator roller(s). The bulk of the water circulation system, such as the water heater and chiller units, pumps, valving and the like normally are housed remote from the printing machine itself.
Because of the remoteness of the control unit, a water distribution system is required between the remote control unit and the ink distribution rollers of the machine through which the water is circulated. Heretofore, the water distribution systems of the prior art have included hard metal conduits or pipes, such as of copper material or the like. Such hard metal piping is not very cost effective, particularly in installation costs, which include many straight pipe pieces, elbows, junctures and the like. Cosmetically, such hard metal piping is not aesthetically pleasing at all. Other problems include potential water leakage because of the number of pipe pieces and fittings required between the remote control unit and the printing machine. Such hard metal piping also has a tendency to "sweat" due to differential temperatures between the water within the piping and the temperature of the surrounding environment. All of these problems are magnified in a multi zone control system wherein a plurality of printing machines or a plurality of printing units within a large press, for instance, are controlled from a single control unit which is considerably remote from the machines themselves.
The present invention is directed to solving this myriad of problems by providing a very simple, cost effective and substantially maintenance free water distribution system between a remote control unit of an ink flow temperature control system and one or more printing presses controlled by the system.

Water distribution system in an ink flow temperature control system of a printing press arrangement


A radiation measurement apparatus and method extends the measurement range of a single Geiger Mueller tube (GMT). The apparatus may operate in a either a conventional mode, used to measure low radiation levels, e.g. background radiation, or an extended range geiger (ERG) mode, used to measure high radiation levels. Both modes utilize the same GMT and basic operating circuitry, including a power supply for generating a GMT anode voltage, a GMT anode voltage control circuit, a GMT trigger circuit, a clock circuit, and a GMT pulse counter circuit. In the conventional mode, the radiation rate is determined as a function of the number of GMT pulses counted over a prescribed time period. In the ERG mode, an additional counter is employed to count trial intervals of a prescribed duration. The radiation rate is determined in the ERG mode statistically as a function of the ratio of the GMT pulse count and the trial interval count, with a prescribed number of trial interval counts being rejected after each GMT pulse in order to assure known initial conditions.

The present invention relates to radiation measuring apparatus and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to radiation measuring apparatus and methods utilizing a single Geiger Mueller tube (GMT) that provides a count range extending over eight decades, e.g. from background dose rates on the order of 20.times.10.sup.-6 rads (R) per hour (20 .mu.R/h) to high dose rates on the order of 1000 R/h.
Detectors for measuring radiation fields have included ion chambers, proportional counters, Geiger-Muller tubes, scintillation crystals, and solid-state semiconductors. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and the selection of a particular detector depends upon the particular application for which the detector will be used. A single measurement apparatus for measuring radiation fields from very low intensity to extremely high intensity is highly desirable, but has been difficult to achieve due to the limiting physics phenomena of the various detectors at either the high or low regions of radiation dosage.
One of the most common and well-known radiation measuring apparatus is the geiger counter, sometimes called a Geiger-Mueller counter. The geiger counter detects ionizing radiation, including gamma rays and x-rays, and alpha and beta particles. At the heart of a geiger counter is a Geiger Mueller tube (GMT), which typically comprises a glass tube about 2 cm in diameter enclosing a metal cylinder, often of copper, about 10 cm long. (Other dimensions are, of course, also commonly used.) A thin metal wire, e.g. of tungsten, passes along the axis of the metal tube. The cylinder and wire are connected through an end wall of the glass tube to a source of electrical voltage. The tube is filled with a gas, usually a mixture of an inert gas, such as argon or neon, and a halogen, such as chlorine or bromine, at a low pressure, e.g., a few centimeters of mercury. A high voltage, e.g. 550 volts, is set up between the cylinder (which functions as the negative electrode or cathode) and the wire (which functions as the positive electrode or anode). This voltage is just a little less than that needed to create an electrical discharge between the two electrodes.
When a charged particle of sufficient energy enters the GMT, it knocks electrons out of the atoms of the gas. These electrons, being negatively charged, are attracted towards the wire anode, and the atoms from which the electrons originated (which become positively charged ions) are attracted towards the cathode. The high voltage established between the anode and cathode creates a high voltage gradient that accelerates the liberated electrons sufficiently to knock further electrons out of atoms, which in turn are accelerated by the high voltage gradient to knock still further electrons out of other atoms, creating an "avalanche" of electrons. As the avalanche of electrons continues, the positive ions are also accelerated towards the cathode wall. These positive ions strike the cathode wall with sufficient energy to release still additional electrons. All of these electrons descend on the anode wire and are detected as a pulse of electric current. The occurrence of this pulse thus indicates that a charged particle has passed through the tube. The electrical pulses can then be amplified and counted, using appropriate electronic counting circuitry, and/or converted to audible sound, to provide a user of the geiger counter a quantitative and/or qualitative measure of the number of charged particles encountered by the GMT.
Unfortunately, the rate at which charged particles can be detected by the GMT is limited. This is because during a discharge, i.e., during that time during which the electron avalanche is occurring, the GMT is insensitive to further charged particles arriving at the detector. Thus, some means must be employed to stop the electron avalanche, and to prepare the GMT to detect the next arriving charged particle.
One common technique used to help stop the avalanche is to reduce the voltage potential between the anode and cathode. Some reduction of this voltage occurs naturally as the electrical pulse developed on the anode effectively discharges the charged GMT (which may be considered prior to discharge as a charged capacitor). However, it is also known in the art to deliberately decrease the applied voltage potential for a sufficient time to allow the electron avalanche to sweep out of the GMT, at which time the voltage is again raised to a value just a little less than needed to create an electrical discharge. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,605,859 and 4,631,411.
The time it takes to stop the electron avalanche and prepare the GMT to detect the next charged particle limits the rate at which charged particles may be detected. Most conventional GMT counters have a recovery time on the order of 10.sup.-5 seconds, or 10 .mu.sec. In other words, after detecting a charged particle (as evidenced by the occurrence of an electrical pulse), it takes at least 10 .mu.sec for the charge to be swept out of the tube before the tube can be readied to detect the next charged particle. Thus, such conventional geiger counters are able to detect charged particles or radiation at a rate that is limited to no more than about 100,000 pulses per second. Unfortunately, where the sensitivity of the GMT must be on the order of 25 cps/(mR/H), as indicated below, this recovery time significantly limits the high dosage rate at which radiation can be detected.
In addition to being rate limited, it is common in the art to employ differently constructed GMTs to detect different levels of radiation. That is, a particular type of gas, tube size, tube materials, and applied anode voltage may be better suited for detecting low levels of radiation than is best suited for detecting high levels of radiation. Hence, depending upon the particular level of radiation expected, a different GMT may be needed. Thus, in order to detect a wide range of radiation levels for those applications where use of a GMT is indicated, it has frequently heretofore been necessary to maintain an inventory of several GMT-based measuring devices.
The ideal radiation measurement device would be portable and would typically include operation from background radiation levels on the order of 20 .mu.R/h to high radiation levels on the order of 1000 R/h. Accuracy and response time requirements at the lower end of this range have typically dictated the use of a detector with a sensitivity of at least 25 cps (counts per second) per mR/h. Unfortunately, the photon interaction rate in a 25 cps/(mR/h) GMT is around 2.5.times.10.sup.-7 sec.sup.-1 at the upper dose rate limit of 1000 R/h. Hence, the relatively long resolving times of GMT's (tens of microseconds) requires that the counting circuit be more than just a fast counter.
Radiation measurement instruments are available, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,605,859 and 4,631,411, that address this problem by lowering the anode voltage below the Geiger threshold until the tube is in a fully recovered condition (i.e., until all space charge from the previous Geiger events has been swept from the tube), and then quickly increasing the voltage above the threshold, and then measuring the time interval to the next Geiger pulse. This is essentially a reciprocal rate measurement (i.e., dosage rate is determined by measuring the period of the time between raising the anode voltage to its operating level and receiving the next Geiger pulse), and the statistical accuracy of such measurement is improved by averaging successive measurements.
The reciprocal rate measurement technique can only be as accurate as the starting point for measuring the Geiger period. Unfortunately, this starting point, when the anode voltage is precisely at its proper operating value, is not known with a great deal of certainty. Hence, as the Geiger period becomes shorter and shorter (higher and higher dosage rates), the uncertainty of the starting point of the period contributes a larger and larger error to the measurement. Because the measurement thus becomes increasingly inaccurate for short time intervals, reciprocal rate measurement instruments of the prior art have hereto employed a relatively sensitive GMT to span the lower part of the dynamic range and a less sensitive GMT to span the upper decades. Unfortunately, this approach requires separate calibration factors for each tube and provisions in both the hardware and firmware for selecting only one of the two tubes. What is needed is measurement apparatus that utilizes the advantages of a reciprocal rate measurement, yet only requires a single GMT (thereby simplifying both hardware and firmware/software), and that eliminates the uncertainties of the beginning of the Geiger period, thereby allowing statistical techniques to be used to make an accurate estimate of the high dosage rates. The present invention advantageously addresses these and other needs.

Extended range geiger counting apparatus and method utilizing a single geiger-mueller tube

Science Applications International Corporation


Methods and systems are provided for selective scanning for WLAN coverage by a multi-mode device. In one embodiment, a multi-mode device determines whether it is charging and whether it is authenticated via a WLAN. If the device is charging and so authenticated, it stores reference data in a WLAN profile corresponding with the WLAN via which the device is authenticated, where the reference data reflects a current environment of a WWAN. If the device is charging and is not so authenticated, it scans on a fixed interval for at least one WLAN. If the device is not charging and is not so authenticated, it iteratively: (a) calculates a scanning period based at least in part on comparing the current environment of the WWAN with reference data from at least one stored WLAN profile that includes WWAN reference data and (b) scans once every scanning period for at least one WLAN.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, to methods and systems for operating multi-mode communication devices.
2. Description of Related Art
More people than ever are using mobile stations, such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), to communicate via wireless wide area networks (WWANs), which are also referred to as cellular wireless communication systems, cellular wireless networks, radio access networks and by other names. WWANs typically provide both voice and data communication using a wireless communication format such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), or another format, and typically cover relatively large geographic areas (cities, states, etc.), and are available to the service provider's (i.e. the WWAN operator's) customers generally.
Furthermore, wireless local area networks (WLANs) are becoming increasingly popular. Typical WLANs cover an area that is geographically smaller than that covered by typical WWANs, and often provide a signal in that area that is superior to that provided by the WWAN in the same location. As examples, a WLAN may cover a residence, a building, or a proximally-located group of buildings, perhaps on a corporate or academic campus. Unlike WWANs, WLANs are typically operated by a private individual or organization, and access to the WLAN is typically limited thereto, and to those to whom access data (e.g. a password) is provided.
WLANs typically provide a wireless coverage area and access to a packet-data network via one or more "access points." A common use of a WLAN is packet-data communication by a laptop computer, or perhaps by another device such as a digital video recorder or another appliance or computer. A commonly-used set of protocols for wireless communication between and among these access points and devices are those specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards, often referred to as "IEEE 802.11x."
Recently, the telecommunications industry has witnessed widespread growth in the area of voice-over-IP (VoIP) technology; that growth, combined with the ever-increasing prevalence of mobile stations engaging in packet-data communication generally, has caused the industry to introduce mobile stations ("multi-mode devices") that are equipped to engage in both (i) voice and data communications via WWANs (using, e.g. CDMA) and (ii) packet-data communications (including VoIP communications) via WLANs (using, e.g. IEEE 802.11).
In one arrangement, for instance, a service provider may operate one or more gateways that provide connectivity between a packet-switched network (e.g. the Internet) and the service provider's transport and signaling networks. The carrier may then distribute multi-mode devices to its subscribers, where those devices are capable of (a) communicating in a WWAN mode with one or more types of WWANs and (b) communicating in a WLAN mode with one or more types of WLANs. And these devices are typically also able to operate in a combined WWAN/WLAN mode, in which the devices can at least monitor and perhaps engage in communication sessions (e.g. voice calls and data sessions) with both types of networks.
When a multi-mode device is communicating with a WWAN, the device may operate conventionally as a standard cellular telephone, with signaling passing through the service provider's signaling network and bearer data passing through the service provider's transport network. On the other hand, when the multi-mode device is communicating with a WLAN, the device may engage in IP-based signaling and IP-based bearer communication via the WLAN with the service provider's gateway(s), which may then interface the signaling and bearer communications with the service provider's signaling and transport networks.

Selective scanning for WLAN coverage by a multi-mode device


An apparatus and method for supporting a substantial center portion of a gas distribution plate is disclosed. At least one support member is capable of engaging and disengaging the diffuser with a mating connection without prohibiting flow of a gas or gases through the diffuser and is designed to provide vertical suspension to a diffuser that is supported at its perimeter, or capable of supporting the diffuser without a perimeter support. In one aspect, the at least one support member is a portion of a gas delivery conduit and in another embodiment is a plurality of support members separated from the gas delivery conduit. The at least one support member is capable of translating vertical lift, or vertical compression to a center area of the diffuser. A method and apparatus for controlling gas flow from the gas delivery conduit to the gas distribution plate is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to supplying a gas or gases to a plasma chamber. More specifically, the invention relates to supporting a gas distribution plate within the chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel displays employ an active matrix of electronic devices, such as insulators, conductors, and thin film transistors (TFT's) to produce flat screens used in a variety of devices such as television monitors, personal digital assistants (PDA's), and computer screens. Generally, these flat panel displays are made of two thin panels of glass, a polymeric material, or other suitable substrate material. Layers of a liquid crystal material or a matrix of metallic contacts, a semiconductor active layer, and a dielectric layer are deposited through sequential steps and sandwiched between the two thin panels which are coupled together to form a large area substrate having at least one flat panel display located thereon. At least one of the panels will include a conductive film that will be coupled to a power supply which will change the orientation of the crystal material and create a patterned display on the screen face.
These processes typically require the large area substrate to undergo a plurality of sequential processing steps that deposit the active matrix material on the substrate. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are some of the well known processes for this deposition. These known processes require the large area substrate be subjected to temperatures on the order of 300° C. to 400° C. or higher, and maintained in a fixed position relative to a gas distribution plate, or diffuser, during deposition to ensure uniformity in the deposited layers. The diffuser generally defines an area that is equal to or greater than the area of the substrate. If the diffuser is somehow warped during deposition, the process may not produce uniform deposition, which may result in an unusable flat panel display.
Flat panel displays have increased dramatically in size over recent years due to market acceptance of this technology. Previous generation large area substrates had sizes of about 500 mm by 650 mm and have increased in size to about 1800 mm by about 2200 mm or larger. This increase in size has brought an increase in diffuser size so that the substrate may be processed completely. The larger diffuser size has presented new challenges to design a diffuser that will resist sag when exposed to high temperatures during deposition.
The diffuser is generally a plate supported in a spaced-apart relation above the large area substrate with a plurality of openings adapted to disperse a process gas or gases and typically has substantially the same area as the to-be-processed substrate. Diffusers are commonly made of aluminum and are subject to expansion and contraction while enduring the CVD or PECVD processes and are commonly supported around the edges to control spacing between the diffuser and the substrate. However, this edge support scheme does not provide any support for the center portion, which can tend to sag or creep over time, due to the forces of gravity aggravated by high processing temperatures during the CVD or PECVD processes.


An adaptor for replacing the crank used with a manually operated nautical winch used on sail boats. The adaptor has a body shaped to correspond to the shape of the head of the usual crank that rotates the drum of the winch. This adaptor fits into the crank head receiving socket of the nautical winch. A stem projects upward from the adaptor for connection with the chuck of a drill whereby operation of the drill rotates the drum of the nautical winch and winds the ropes of the sail onto the drum, thereby raising the sail.

Manually operated nautical winches mounted on sail boats comprise a drum on which ropes connected to the sails are wound. They include a crank connected to the drum for rotating it. The manually operated nautical winches are provided with a crank head receiving socket shaped to receive the head of a crank. When the head of the crank is inserted in the head receiving socket, manual rotation of the crank winds the rope on the drum thereby raising the sail. However the weight of the sails requires a substantial effort so that the drum in manually operated nautical winches is rotated slowly and depending on the strength of the crew, the effort required may be too much. However there is an advantage in using a manually operated crank that rotates the drum slowly, because if the rope falls off the drum, the slowly rotating drum can be quickly stopped and the rope can be repositioned on the drum before it is frayed. If the rope is frayed or torn, a great deal of time, effort, and cost is required to attach another rope to the sail.
Of course if manually operated nautical winches are already in place on the boat they could be economically modified and provided with power. However if this is done the drum may rotate too fast so that if the rope falls off the drum, the rope can be chewed up by the winch before the winch can be stopped.


A battery technology, and more particularly, a current collector may be widely used in secondary batteries, and an electrode may employ such technology. The current collector includes a conductive fiber layer including a plurality of conductive fibers. Each of the conductive fibers includes a conductive core including a plurality of metal filaments, and a conductive binder matrix surrounding the outer circumferential surfaces of the conductive core.

A secondary battery is a chargeable and rechargeable battery employing a fine electrode material, where a representative example of commercialization thereof is a lithium secondary battery. The lithium secondary battery is expected to be applied as a small power source for a small IT device, such as a smart phone, a portable computer, and an electronic paper, but also as a mid-sized or large-sized power source mounted on a means of transportation, such as a car, or used in a power storage in a power supply network, such as a smart grid.
If lithium metal is used as an anode electrode material of a lithium secondary battery, the battery may be short-circuited or explode due to formation of dendrite. Therefore, a crystalline carbon, such as graphite or artificial graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, or a carbon-based active material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium is commonly used instead of the lithium metal for an anode electrode. However, as fields of application of a secondary battery expand, it is demanded to further increase capacity and output power of a secondary battery, and thus non-carbon-based anode electrode materials that have capacities of 500 mAh/g or higher and may be alloyed with lithium, such as silicon (Si), tin (Sn), or aluminum (Al), are being spotlighted as materials for replacing carbon-based anode electrode materials having a theoretical capacity of 372 mAh/g.
From among the non-carbon-based anode electrode materials, silicon exhibits the largest theoretical capacity of about 4,200 mAh/g, and thus utilization of silicon is very important in terms of capacity. However, volume of charged silicon is about 4 times greater than that of discharged silicon. Therefore, due to change of volume during charging and discharging operations, electric connection between active materials is destroyed, an active material is detached from a current collector, and an irreversible reaction deteriorating life expectancy of a battery, such as formation of a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer like a Li2O layer due to corrosion of the active material due to an electrolyte, occurs, and thus it is difficult to utilize silicon as a anode electrode material.
To overcome the problems, a method of fabricating a nano-size active material, a method of enhancing surfaces of an active material by using graphene or carbon, and a method of synthesizing materials having various structures have been suggested. Furthermore, a technique for resolving problems of a anode electrode based on charging/discharging operations by forming a plurality of grooves with semicircular cross sections or a plurality of hemispherical grooves by wet-etching a surface of a current collector foil or forming nano-wires grown to have first ends substantially fixed to a current collector foil on an upper portion of the current collector foil and depositing an active material thereto via a physical vapor deposition has been suggested. However, in this case, since an active material layer covering all of the nano-wires is formed, and thus the active material may be exfoliated and it is difficult to effectively increase a ratio of specific surface area to volume due to the nano-wires.

Electrode for secondary battery and manufacturing method thereof


An integrated circuit and a method for designing an IC where the smallest repeatable block is selected, designed and tested to span across multiple die levels. The block is configured to be timing closed at the block level thereby reducing the overall complexity of the design and avoiding the limiting effects of the constrained EDA tools. The block may subsequently be repeated on multiple die to be stacked in an IC.

Microelectronics typically involve the use of thin semiconductor materials such as silicon wafers that may be formed into individual units or dies. Such elements are often used in integrated circuits (ICs) that may be subsequently installed onto printed circuit boards (PCBs). The field of Microelectronics has rapidly expanded over the last few decades with a demand for performance, greater storage or memory capacity and area reduction. Additionally, cost reduction is a continual concern that greatly influences the development of new microelectronic technologies and procedures. These demands on the industry have led to the increased complexity of the design of the ICs and other microscale structures.
A simple IC structure with very few components could be designed and configured manually. However, today the typical IC will consist of more than a billion transistors which generates a variety of complex problems to be resolved in placement to ensure the IC functions properly. These problems continue to increase in complexity and quantity as the demand for more storage, speed, and functionality increases. As such, these complex configurations have led to the development of a variety of rules which intern has developed into tools and other related software to help automate the process of design the microelectronic structures. The industry standard is the use of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) or use of computers to design and test the overall design and configuration of the IC. EDA tools often involve the use of software programs and large complex databases that aid in the design and configuration of the microelectronics.
The EDA tools have limitations on the size of databases that can be used. The size limitation on the EDA databases and development of multi-layer die structures may exceed the capabilities of the infrastructure of EDA users. For example, the complexity of a design will greatly increase when combining the principles of 3-D stacking because each level must function with the adjoining levels of the stack. The complexity of design and problem solving for manufacturing and testing can prove to be too much for an EDA database and users.

Systems and methods for inter-die block level design


A fuel injection control apparatus has a pressure regulator with a fuel return pipe installed within a fuel tank. The pressure regulator regulates pressure of fuel supplied to a fuel injector to be constant relative to an atmospheric pressure or an in-tank pressure. An electronic control unit drives the fuel injector by adding an invalid injection time to a required injection time determined based on engine operating conditions. The invalid injection time, which compensates for the response delays of the fuel injector, is determined by a battery voltage and a pressure difference between the fuel pressure and a selected pressure which is lower than the atmospheric pressure. The selected pressure may be a minimum pressure which an intake pressure of the engine becomes during fuel injection operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection control apparatus for internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a fuel injection control apparatus which injects an appropriate amount of fuel to an internal combustion engine by compensating for response delays of fuel injectors which vary with a battery voltage.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known generally in a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines that fuel injectors for injecting fuel into an engine have a response delay from the time point of receiving a driving voltage for starting fuel injection to the time point of actually opening a valve thereof for fuel injection. They also have another response delay from the time point of shutting off the driving voltage to the time point of actually closing the valve. These response characteristics are shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. In FIG. 7B, time To represents the response delay of the injector from the time point of receiving the driving voltage of FIG. 7A to the time point of actual valve opening, while time Tc represents the response delay of the injector from the time point of shutting off of the driving voltage of FIG. 7A to the time point of actual valve closing. The response delay time To at the time of valve opening is longer than the response delay time Tc at the time of valve closing.
The injector does not inject fuel during the response delay time To at the time point of valve opening, while it continues to inject fuel during the response delay time Tc at the time point of valve closing. Thus, the actual fuel injection time does not coincide with a required fuel injection time TAU of the injector driving voltage calculated to correspond to a required fuel injection amount. Thus, there occurs a period during which time the injector does not inject fuel during the time TAU of the driving voltage. This time (TV=To-Tc) is referred to as an invalid injection time TV of the injector.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication, Laid-open No. 1-170739, for instance, it is proposed to compensate for the response delays of the fuel injector by adding the invalid injection time TV to the calculated fuel injection time TAU. Because the invalid injection time TV varies with a battery voltage VB as shown in FIG. 8, the invalid injection time TV increases in accordance with a decrease in the battery voltage VB.
Further, the fuel injection system has a pressure regulator which returns excess fuel to a fuel tank when a pressure of fuel PF pressurized and supplied from a fuel pump becomes higher than an intake pressure PM of the engine by a predetermined pressure value. Thus, the pressure difference .DELTA.P between the intake pressure PM and the fuel pressure PF may be maintained constant even when the intake pressure PM varies depending on engine operating conditions. The pressure difference .DELTA.P between the fuel pressure PF and the intake pressure PM is maintained constant at a pressure difference .DELTA.PS, which is equal to the fuel pressure PS set in correspondence with the atmospheric pressure PA, as shown in FIG. 9A. In this instance, since the invalid injection time TV varies only with the battery voltage VB, the injection time may be compensated with high accuracy by determining the invalid injection time TV in accordance with the battery voltage VB and adding the same to the injection time TAU.
This pressure regulator, however, necessitates a return pipe which returns the excess fuel to the fuel tank. The return pipe needs to be extended from an engine compartment, which is normally in the front part of an automotive vehicle, to the rear part of the vehicle where the fuel tank is normally provided, thus complicating the arrangement of the return pipe.
It has been proposed to install the pressure regulator within the fuel tank or in the vicinity thereof to shorten the length of the return pipe and to regulate the fuel pressure PF relative to the pressure in the fuel tank or the atmospheric pressure PA as shown in FIG. 9B.
As understood from FIG. 9B, the pressure difference .DELTA.P between the fuel pressure PF and the intake pressure PM becomes large as the intake pressure PM becomes low towards a vacuum side, although it does not differ much from the set fuel pressure PS as long as the intake pressure PM is around the atmospheric pressure PA. In this instance, the invalid injection time TV will vary not only with the battery voltage VB but also with the pressure difference .DELTA.P. That is, the invalid injection time TV becomes longer as the pressure difference .DELTA.P between the upstream and downstream of the injector becomes larger, because the larger pressure difference exerts a force on the valve of the injector and causes a larger valve opening response delay. Thus, determining the invalid injection time TV in accordance with only the battery voltage VB under the condition that the fuel pressure PF is set in correspondence with the atmospheric pressure and adding the same to the calculated injection time TAU cannot compensate for the response delays correctly. In this case, the air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine deviates to a fuel-lean side, resulting in a decrease in engine output torque and an increase in NOx (nitrogen oxides) in the exhaust gas.

Fuel injection control apparatus with injector response delay compensation


Provided are a heat insulation sheet and a method for manufacturing the same. The heat insulation sheet includes: a nonwoven fabric having a plurality of pores; and first and second coating films which are coated on both sides of the nonwoven fabric and made of a polymer material, wherein the plurality of pores are implemented as air pockets for thermal capture by the first and second coating films.

Generally, if electronic products such as computers, displays, and mobile terminals do not adequately diffuse heat generated from the inside of the electronic products to the outside thereof, a collision with the residual images on a screen, the failure of the system, etc., may be caused due to excessive accumulation of the heat generated. In addition, due to the excessive accumulation of the heat, the life of the electronic products may be shortened or the source of the explosion and fire may be also provided in severe cases.
In recent years, electronic products including mobile terminals are continuously evolving, and are promoting high performance and multi-function according to user's needs.
In particular, mobile terminals are required to be compact in size and light in weight to maximize the user's portability and convenience, and integrated components are being mounted in a small space for the high-performance. Accordingly, components used in mobile terminals become increasingly high performance to thus increase heating temperature. The increased heating temperature makes an influence upon adjacent components to thus cause the performance of the mobile terminals to be lowered.
A variety of insulating materials are applied in mobile terminals in order to solve problems due to heat generated from the mobile terminals, but optimum insulation materials that are thin and has excellent heat insulation performance have not been developed yet. Thus, a technology of insulation is variously under research and development.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2012-0036574 disclosed a complex sheet structure using heat insulation nonwoven fabric including: a nonwoven sheet layer which performs a heat insulation function; an inorganic coating waterproofing layer which is coated on the nonwoven sheet layer and performs a main waterproofing function and an adhesive function; a glass fiber layer one surface of which is bonded and laminated on the inorganic coating waterproofing layer; a solventless urethane waterproofing agent layer which is coated on the glass fiber layer and performs a waterproofing function; and an acrylic resin-based coating agent layer which is coated on the solventless urethane waterproofing agent layer, to thereby provide advantages of improving the durability of the structure and preventing the deformation and the damage of the structure due to external conditions such as heat and impact. However, since the composite sheet structure is configured to form the inorganic coating waterproofing layer only on one surface of the nonwoven fabric sheet layer of performing the heat insulation function, pores of the nonwoven fabric sheet layer are exposed to the outside to thus cause a problem of reducing the heat insulation capability in the nonwoven fabric sheet layer.
Thus, the present inventors have continuously studied a technology of making an excellent heat insulation function with an ultra-thin structure to thereby form a coating film made of a polymeric material on both sides of a nonwoven fabric to thus have derived and invented structural features of a sheet which ensures thickness uniformity, maximizes heat insulation efficiency, and ultra-thins the structure, and to thus have completed a heat insulation sheet according to the present invention, which is more economical, utilizable, and competitive.

Heat-insulating sheet and method for manufacturing same


In various embodiments a distributed computing node in a plurality of distributed computing nodes executes transactions in a distributed processing system. In one embodiment, a transaction commit message is received from a client computing node for a transaction. The transaction commit message includes at least an identifier of the transaction and a transaction sequence for the transaction. The transaction sequence indicates a sequence of execution for the transaction on the plurality of distributed computing nodes. An entry within the transaction sequence associated with the distributed computing node is identified. The entry includes a sequence number for executing the transaction on the distributed computing node with respect to other transactions. The transaction is executed based on the sequence number in the entry.

The present disclosure generally relates to distributed processing systems, and more particularly relates to managing transactions within a distributed processing system.
Distributed transaction execution generally requires complex control systems to guarantee the correctness of the transaction. Compared with executing transactions on a single server, distributed transactions are difficult to implement as they require all participating servers to have a consistent data state after committing a distributed transaction. This implies atomicity for a single transaction, where the transaction must unanimously commit or abort on all servers. For parallel distributed transactions, this requirement further implies that transactions running on distributed servers should commit in the same order as if they are running in a certain sequential order. Achieving these requirements typically involves expensive distributed committing protocols. Existing solutions include traditional distributed two-phase commit protocol and deterministic parallel transactions. However, these approaches are all active in the sense that both client and servers need to actively participate into the committing protocol through message passing. As a result, both clients and servers consume significant resources in executing these protocols, which also limits the throughput and response time one can achieve with this type of active distributed committing protocol.

Passive two-phase commit system for high-performance distributed transaction execution