The invention relates to a device for dividing a continuous sausage into portions, in particular sausage links. The invention includes at least one pair of opposing clamps which can be moved towards one another by actuation means in order to crush the sausage. Each clamp includes at least a first plate (141, 151) and a second plate (142, 152), each of said plates having front clamping edges (141a, 151a; 142a, 152a) and being arranged such that the front edge of the first and second plates form respectively first (181) and second (182) variable-cross-section passages. The invention also includes at least one blade associated with the pair of clamps, which can be moved transversely to the plates between the first passage and the second passage in order to cut the sausage.

The present invention relates to a device for portioning a continuous strand in order to form individual portions, especially a device for portioning comprising at least one pair of pliers associated to a cutting blade, particularly for producing sausages from a continuous strand constituted of minced meat or fish and/or vegetables, covered by a skin or casing.
There has been known from patent document EP 1 434 490, portioning devices for producing sausage-type products, comprising a pair of opposite pliers able to be moved towards one another by actuation means from an open position to a closed position in order to pinch the strand, and cutting means comprising one blade associated to the pair of pliers able to be actuated by actuation means to cut the strand when the pliers are in a closed position. Each plier comprises one plate provided at the end with a front pinching edge, substantially V-shaped, with the two pliers being shifted in relation to one another in such a way that during their displacement towards the closed position, the plates overlap like shears, and form by their front edge a passage or diaphragm whose cross-section decreases progressively. The two pliers are arranged and moved in such a way that a passage remains in the closed position. The blade may be mounted on one of the two pliers and be actuated by a jack to cut the strand just upstream or downstream from the plates.
This plier system ensures a progressive pinching around the strand, limiting risks of casing tearing. Meanwhile, in the event of producing sausages from a strand obtained by coextrusion of the casing and a food product, the shearing efforts applied by the pliers on the casing that has just been formed, for example by gelling, may be too important, and lead to a breaking of the casing. Furthermore, the cutting being realized just upstream or downstream from the pliers, the food product tends to come out of the casing by the end of the sausage formed on the side of the blade.

Portioning device including clamps and a cutting blade


The disclosed computer-implemented method for efficiently classifying data objects may include (1) receiving a data object to be classified according to a group of rules, where each rule includes one or more clauses, (2) creating, for each rule, a rule evaluation job that directs a rule evaluation processor to evaluate the data object according to the clauses within the rule, where the rule evaluation processor evaluates the clauses in increasing order of estimated processing time, (3) submitting the rule evaluation jobs created for the rules to rule evaluation queues for processing by the rule evaluation processor, where the rule evaluation jobs are submitted in decreasing order of estimated processing time, (4) receiving an evaluation result for each rule evaluation job, and (5) in response to receiving the evaluation results, classifying the data object according to the evaluation results. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Data management systems, such as archival systems and data loss protection (DLP) systems, often handle different categories of data in different ways. For example, different data retention or data security policies may apply to internal email messages versus email messages sent to clients, or marketing data files versus financial or engineering data files. As such, data management systems often assign each data object to a category before determining how to handle individual data objects.
Unfortunately, the number of data objects processed by data management systems may be very large, often with periods of peak workload. Consequently, the process of classifying data objects often proves to be a bottleneck in data management systems. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for efficiently classifying data objects.

Systems and methods for efficiently classifying data objects


A communication system includes a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module may receive a first type of communication signal (e.g. a mobile telephone signal) and convert it into a second-type of communication signal (e.g., a millimeter wave radio signal). The first type of communication signal may be a mobile telephone signal from a first fire fighter's mobile telephone who is located outside of the building. The first communication module may transmit the second-type of communication signal to the second communication module.

Telecommunication and data communications are an important part of everyday life. Examples of telecommunications systems are telephone systems, telegraph systems, radio broadcast systems, television systems, and mobile telephone systems.
Examples of telecommunication and date communication systems that are evolving, are wireless communications systems. An example of a wireless communication system is a mobile telephone system. In a mobile telephone system, users can communicate using a mobile telephone. A mobile telephone is a radio device that operates similar to a conventional wire-line telephone. A user can dial a telephone number in their mobile telephone and they will be connected with a telephone associated with the dialed number. Additionally, mobile (mobile) systems are adapted to transmit data as well.
Emergency rescue personnel (e.g. firemen, policemen, and paramedics) often use telecommunication systems in the process of saving lives. It is important for the different rescue personnel to communicate with each other. If a rescuer is unable to communicate with other rescuers during a rescue, human lives may be unnecessarily lost. For example, if a fire fighter is fighting a fire in a tall building and he is unable to communicate with his colleagues that he/she needs backup, that fire fighter's life may be in danger and he may be prevented from saving victims lives because he is unable to communicate his need for backup.
There are several reasons why a radio-based telecommunications system may fail. Of course, there is a desire to reduce the failure rate in communication systems so that rescuers can maintain communication with their colleagues. Further, there is an overall desire to improve telecommunication systems so that people with mobile telephones can communicate freely in a variety of locations.


A method to produce a fibrous body that includes structures crosslinked in a fluid-permeable manner. The method includes constructing the fibrous body in layers by alternately applying a fiber-matrix material to a layer substrate and fusing each applied layer of the fiber-matrix material. The fiber-matrix material contains a matrix material and a plurality of short fibers and/or fiber particles.

According to the prior art, the production of fiber-plastics composite components is based on the use of reinforcement semi-finished products produced by textile engineering. For this purpose, fibers first have to be produced and processed to form a textile intermediate product such as a woven fabric, a laid scrim or a nonwoven fabric. A process of this type requires a high amount of effort with regard to both the execution thereof and the required devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,600 B2 discloses a method for producing fiber-reinforced composite material, in which a liquid mixture of nanotubes is sprayed to form a fiber. A plurality of portions of these fibers are oriented and optionally subjected to a textile operation such as weaving or braiding, before they are melted, pressed and cured to form a preform.
One disadvantage of a procedure of this kind is the complex handling of the fiber portions. In addition, the fiber portions have to be positioned in accordance with a desired shape of a composite material to be produced, unless cutting takes place, which is accompanied by material loss.
US 2014/0361460 A1 discloses a method for generatively manufacturing a component, in which a fiber-reinforced composite thread having an axial roving is provided and melted in a matrix material. In this case, too, a continuous roving has to be fed, resulting in a corresponding amount of effort and a low deposition speed.


A data line and an amorphous silicon pattern are formed on a substrate. The first electrode pattern is extended from the data line and overlaps an edge of the amorphous silicon pattern. The second electrode pattern is made of the same metal as the first electrode pattern and overlaps the edge of the amorphous silicon pattern at an opposite side of the first electrode pattern. Edges of the first and the second electrode patterns are sharply formed so that a tunneling effect easily occurs through the amorphous silicon pattern. An indium-tin-oxide pattern for a capacitor is formed at the end of the second electrode pattern. The capacitor is formed between the ITO pattern and a common electrode.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid crystal displays (referred to as an LCD hereinafter) and manufacturing methods thereof, and more particularly, to electrostatic discharge prevention circuits for LCDs and manufacturing methods thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD), which is one type of flat panel display (FPD), includes two substrates having transparent electrodes and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates. In the LCD, light transmittance is controlled by varying the voltages applied to the liquid crystal layer.
On a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate of the LCD, N gate lines and M data lines, cross one another and define a plurality of pixels in an Nxc3x97M matrix. A pixel electrode is formed for each pixel, and is coupled to the gate and the data lines by a switching device such as the TFT. The TFT controls display signals transmitted through the data line according to the states of the scanning signals transmitted through the gate line.
The majority of the LCD manufacturing process is performed on a glass substrate. Since the glass substrate is nonconductive, electric charges generated suddenly cannot be dispersed. Such an electrostatic charge may damage the insulating films or TFTs.
In the LCD manufacturing process, the high voltage electrostatic charges generated after the assembly of the TFT substrate and a color filter substrate may decrease the substrate quality, even though the charge amount is small. Also, the electrostatic charge generated during the cutting step of the substrate flows into the active area of the pixel regions through gate and data pads and damages the channels of the TFTs near the pads.
FIG. 1 shows a layout view of the conventional LCD substrate which is damaged by an electrostatic discharge. As shown in the drawing, the LCD panel includes a TFT substrate 10 and a color filter substrate 20. A pad area 30, in which pads are formed to connect each wire of the TFT substrate 10 to driving circuits, and an active area 40, where actual images are displayed, are separately formed on the TFT substrate 10.
Lines 50 in the active area 40 illustrate pixels of TFTs damaged by electrostatic charges. If electrostatic charges are generated in the pad area 30 and propagate into the active area 40, the channels of the TFTs next to the pads are damaged and the channel quality is deteriorated.
The deteriorated TFT is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in the drawing, a gate line 60 and a data line 80 cross each other. An edge of a gate electrode 61, extended from the gate line 60, overlaps an end of a source electrode 81 which is extended from the data line 80. An edge of the gate electrode 61, opposite the edge overlapping with the source electrode 81, overlaps with a drain electrode 82. A semiconductor film 70 is formed on the overlapping portion of the gate electrode 61, source electrode 81 and drain electrode 82.
The electrostatic charges entering into the TFT will be discharged with sparks between the source electrode 81 and the drain electrode 82, thereby damaging the semiconductor film 70.
To reduce the damage caused by electrostatic discharges, a shorting bar is typically used to disperse the electrostatic charges. The shorting bar is located at the edge of the substrate and connects all the metal wires. However, the shorting bar alone cannot prevent damage caused by a large electrostatic discharge. Moreover, the electrostatic charges cannot be prevented from entering into the substrate after the shorting bar is removed.
In manufacturing the LCD panel, a polarizer is attached after performing a visual display test by applying signals to the shorting bar. Then, the mother substrate is cut into individual LCD substrates, liquid crystal is injected between the substrates, and the injection holes are sealed. The shorting bar is removed as the substrate is cut. In another visual display test, different test signals are applied to adjacent data lines via corresponding parts by probes and driving circuits are attached to the LCD panel.
As mentioned above, since the shorting bar is removed as the substrate is cut, it is difficult to protect the substrate against the electrostatic charges subsequent to the removal of the shorting bar. Moreover, since the polarizers are attached after the simple test, in which only one signal is applied to every wire, by using the shorting bar, the polarizers will be evenly attached to the damaged LCD panel. If a panel is determined to be damaged in a subsequent test, it has to be discarded along with the polarizers, thereby increasing overall manufacturing costs of the LCD.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display having a substrate that is safe from electrostatic charges, regardless of the strength thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display that prevents electrostatic charges from entering into the substrate after a shorting bar is removed, thereby minimizing pixel defects.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display that prevents an LCD panel from being damaged by an electrostatic discharge, while reducing the manufacturing cost of the LCD.
The present invention provides a LCD with a plurality of spark inducing circuits. The spark inducing circuits dissipate electrostatic charges generated in wires of a TFT substrate. A plurality of electrostatic charging circuits that dissipate the electrostatic charges by storing them.
The spark inducing circuit includes a plurality of the TFTs, connected in series between two adjacent wires and gate electrodes of which are connected to that of the other; and two capacitors, one electrode of which is connected to the gate electrode of the TFTs and the other electrode of which is connected to the adjacent wire. Since a plurality of the spark inducing circuits are connected in parallel between the adjacent wires, if electrostatic charges generate in the wires, sparks occur in the TFTs of the spark inducing circuits, which induces a strong current between the source and the drain electrode of the TFTs. This surge current transforms into joule heat, thereby losing its strength. Therefore, the TFTs in an active area are protected from the electrostatic discharge. The electrostatic charges generated in a wire also disperses to the adjacent wires. The spark inducing circuit formed by connecting a TFT and a capacitor in series between each wire and a common electrode.
In another aspect, the spark inducing circuit may be formed with a TFT, whose gate electrode and drain electrode are respectively connected to the same wire, and source electrode is connected to a dummy line; and a capacitor formed between the wire and the drain electrode.
A circuit for dispersing electrostatic charges comprises a resistor and a capacitor connected in series between a data line and a dummy gate line and another resistor connected between an adjacent data line and the capacitor to replace the spark inducing circuit.
The electrostatic charging circuit comprises a first electrostatic charging circuit, which is formed outside a sealing material that assembles the TFT substrate and the corresponding substrate and a second electrostatic charging circuit, which is formed inside a sealing material. The first electrostatic charging circuit has two capacitors connected in series to each other between two adjacent wires. A number of the first electrostatic charging circuits may be connected in parallel to the adjacent wires. The second electrostatic charging circuit, which prevents electrostatic charges from entering the active area, comprises capacitors formed between each wire and a common electrode. The capacitor includes wires and an additional corresponding electrode coupling to the common electrode. The corresponding electrode over the gate line is made of a metal used for forming the data line, and the corresponding electrode over the data line is made of a metal used for forming the gate line. The first and the second electrostatic charging circuits remove the electrostatic charges generated in the wires by storing them.
To protect the TFT substrate from electrostatic charges, a shorting bar, which links all the wires formed on the TFT substrate, is formed inside a cutting line of the substrate. Since the shorting bar remains on the substrate even after the TFT substrate is divided into a plurality LCD panels, it is still possible for the TFT substrate to be protected by the shorting bar.
To protect the LCD from electrostatic charges occurring in the manufacturing process, an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, a TFT and wires are formed on a substrate. A shorting bar is formed inside the cutting line of the substrate, and the substrate is cut into several TFT substrates. Next, individual LCD panels are assembled and the shorting bar is removed by edge-grinding. After visual display tests by applying test signals to each of the wires, polarizers are attached on the LCD panel of no defect. Driving circuits are then connected to the LCD panels.
In the manufacturing method of the current invention, the LCD panel is protected against electrostatic charges since the cutting step, injection of the liquid crystal and the sealing of an injection hole are all performed while the shorting bar remains on the LCD panel. Moreover, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost since polarizers are attached on the good LCD panels only.
In another embodiment of the present invention, dummy lines are laid outside an active area that forms a plurality of dummy pixels by intersecting gate lines and data lines. A dummy TFT connecting the dummy line is formed for each dummy pixel.
In the above, the width to length ratio of the dummy TFT channel is higher than that of the TFT channel formed in the active area, or more than one dummy TFTs are formed for one dummy pixel. Accordingly, electrostatic charges are dispersed through the dummy TFT when generated.
A dummy pixel electrode, which is connected to the TFT, is formed in the dummy pixel, and a black matrix to cover the dummy pixel is formed on one of the two substrates.
Generally, electrostatic charges that generate at the beginning or at the end of each step pass through dummy gate lines and dummy data lines of the dummy pixels surrounding the active area and deteriorate the dummy TFT first. Therefore, the TFTs of the active area connected to the gate and the data line, are protected against electrostatic charges. Here, damaged dummy pixels do not affect the LCD quality.
The shape of the dummy TFT may vary to effectively induce electrostatic charges. It is preferable that the width to length ratio of the dummy TFT channel is higher than that of the TFT in the active area. A plurality of dummy TFTs may be formed in the dummy pixel.
Meanwhile, an electrostatic charge dispersing pattern, consisting of two electrodes and a semiconductor pattern, is formed outside an active area to dissipate electrostatic charges through the channel of the semiconductor pattern. To effectively discharge electrostatic charges, the ends of the electrodes may be pointedly formed and a capacitor is formed at the end of the semiconductor pattern. A plurality of the discharge patterns may be connected in parallel to one or two wires.


A binary screen, system and method for performing dual energy radiographic imaging, using single pulse x-rays, are depicted. The binary screen includes a first phosphor which emits light of a first wavelength and a second phosphor which emits light of a second wavelength. The first and second phosphors are heterogeneously dispersed in the binary screen. The first phosphor is preferably Gd.sub.2 O.sub.2 S:Eu.sup.+3 and the second phosphor is preferably Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S:Gd.sup.+3. The second phosphor can also be Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 :Gd, Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S:Pr or Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S:Neodymium.

Dual-energy (DE) radiography is a well-known technique which allows the calculation of either bone-only or soft tissue-only images. The potential and clinical effectiveness of DE radiography has been well documented. DE radiography requires the acquisition of two images in which the effective energy of the detected x-rays for each image differs. The desired calculation is achieved by subtracting one image from the other. For a more detailed explanation of dual energy radiography, see W.R. Brody et al., A method for selective tissue and bone visualization using dual energy scanned projection radiography, Medical Physics, Vol. 8(3), May/June 1981, pps. 353-357. Presently there are two practical acquisition scenarios for dual energy imaging.
In one category of DE image acquisition, two images are acquired sequentially using a two-pulse method, wherein the kilovoltage and/or filtration is changed between the two pulses of x-rays, thereby changing the energy of the two images. Because of the problem of patient motion, the two images need to be acquired in rapid succession. This mandates a near real-time detector system such as an image intensifier (II) digital video system, as well as an x-ray generator capable of rapid kV switching. Van Lysel has recently reported on this type of dual energy acquisition for dual energy subtraction in cardiac angiography, following earlier studies by others. While useful for many angiographic applications, II based imaging cannot meet either field of view or resolution requirements of general radiography.
Another category of dual energy acquisition utilizes a single x-ray pulse and stacked detectors. See D.L. Ergun et al., Single-Exposure Dual-Energy Computed Radiography: Improved Detection and Processing, Radiology, Medical Physics, Vol. 174, No. 1, 1990, pps. 243-249. The polyenergetic nature of the x-ray spectrum is exploited where a stack of detectors (with perhaps intervening filters) is used such that the first detector captures the lower energy image, and as the x-ray beam passes though the first detector and intervening filtration it is hardened before striking the second detector, which captures the higher energy image.
The single pulse used in this technique is attractive because the potential for motion artifacts is reduced. However, because the detectors are necessarily stacked they need to be very thin and thus only film/screen systems or stimulable phosphor systems can be used. Because stimulable phosphor systems to date are composed of only a single phosphor, typically BaFBr:Eu, differences in the so-called k-edge absorption properties cannot be exploited. In order to digitize the images from these stacked detector systems, they need to be separated and in the process the spatial alignment between the detectors is lost. This requires the re-registration of the images on a case by case basis.
While filters with different k-edges can be placed in a stacked detector between the fore and aft screens, the aft screen achieves energy separation (relative to the fore screen) only through the removal of x-ray photons from the x-ray beam, i.e, through filtration. Consequently, the high energy image derived from the aft screen will generally suffer from x-ray quantum noise effects, relative to the low energy image. Since the signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the subtracted image is maximized when the number of absorbed x-ray quanta are approximately equally distributed between the low energy and high energy images, true optimization is hard to achieve using the stacked stimulable phosphor approach.
As indicated previously, the stacked stimulable phosphor cassette must be dismantled in order to read the latent images on each of the screens using a scanning laser, requiring the images to be re-registered in the computer. Although correlation techniques have found to be a viable approach to the re-registration, these techniques are numerically intensive and could hinder practical clinical implementation of the technology. Furthermore, the scanning laser system employed to read out a stimulable phosphor screen is subject to time jitter noise similar to those in video systems. Since CCD cameras employ an array of discrete stationary detectors, time jitter noise does not exist for these devices. For more general background on the use of CCD cameras in radiography, see J.M. Heron et al., x-ray imaging with two-dimensional charge-coupled device (CCD) arrays, SPIE Vol. 486 Medical Imaging and Instrumentation '84, (1984), pps. 141-145.
Consequently, a need still exists for a dual energy radiography system which does not suffer from x-ray quantum noise effects, which does not require dismantling in order to analyze images and which is capable of real time imaging.

Binary screen, system and method for single pulse dual energy radiography


A method of fabricating a second semiconductor integrated circuit device includes steps of forming a first semiconductor integrated circuit device which has a microcomputer and is furnished with an EPROM; determining a program for controlling the microcomputer and to be set in the EPROM (performing an initial evaluation) while information is being written into and erased from the EPROM built in the first semiconductor integrated circuit device; and thereafter forming a second semiconductor integrated circuit device in which the EPROM of the first semiconductor integrated circuit device is replaced with a mask ROM. In replacing the EPROM with the mask ROM, the peripheral circuits required for both the EPROM and the mask ROM have their circuit arrangements held basically the same, and specific peripheral circuits for use in only the EPROM have their circuit regions left as they are as logically inactive regions.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device which is mounted on electronic apparatuses, and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, it relates to techniques that are effective when applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit device which has a microcomputer furnished with a nonvolatile memory circuit.
In order to satisfactorily perform a so-called initial evaluation (debug) such as system check or circuit check at the initial stage of development, a semiconductor integrated circuit device (LSI) having a microcomputer to be mounted on an electronic apparatus should desirably be capable of altering internal data and internal logic with ease. It is therefore a recent trend that an EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) is built in the semiconductor integrated circuit device as a memory into which microprograms, data programs etc. are written.
The EPROM is a nonvolatile memory circuit into which information is electrically written and from which information is erased with ultraviolet light, so that the information can be rewritten after the production process of the LSI. A technique of this type is described in, for example, the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 188234/1984.
More specifically, a semiconductor integrated circuit device which has a built-in EPROM as a memory for writing a program thereinto is used till the stage at which the program for controlling a microcomputer is determined by an initial evaluation.
When the initial evaluation has ended to determine the program for controlling the microcomputer, it becomes unnecessary to use the EPROM as any memory. Since the EPROM has its memory cells formed of field effect transistors of double-layer gate electrode structure, it requires a complicated production process and involves a large number of manufacturing steps. Moreover, the EPROM necessitates windows for ultraviolet erasure, which increase the fabrication cost of a package. For these reasons, the semiconductor integrated circuit device having the microcomputer furnished with the EPROM incurs a high cost of production. Besides, when the articles of the semiconductor integrated circuit device are mass-produced, the determined program needs to be written in the built-in EPROMs of the individual articles, and hence, a period of time for writing information becomes long in the semiconductor integrated circuit device which has the EPROM as a memory.
In order to avoid the above drawbacks, it is practised that, after the program has been determined by the semiconductor integrated circuit device having the microcomputer furnished with the EPROM, a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a microcomputer furnished with a mask ROM is developed anew, whereupon the determined program is set in the built-in mask ROM. The mask ROM is a nonvolatile memory circuit which serves only for reading out information, and into which the information is written in the production process thereof. The mask ROM has a simple construction in which memory cells are formed of field effect transistors of single-layer gate electrode structure, and it is fabricated by a simple production process and a small number of manufacturing steps. Moreover, since the mask ROM does not require the windows for the ultraviolet erasure in the case of the EPROM, the fabrication cost of a package can be reduced. Thus, the semiconductor integrated circuit device having the microcomputer furnished with the mask ROM is inexpensive and is suited to mass production, with the result that the cost of an electronic apparatus can be curtailed.

Method of fabricating a second semiconductor integrated circuit device from a first semiconductor integrated circuit device


Provided is a windowpane for a combustion apparatus in which a light-blocking layer containing an inorganic pigment powder and a glass powder is formed on a surface of a transparent crystallized glass plate and the light-blocking layer can sufficiently hide an adhesive, a gasket or the like used to fix the windowpane to the body of the combustion apparatus and which can reduce the occurrence of cracks due to heat in the light-blocking layer. A windowpane for a combustion apparatus in which a light-blocking layer containing an inorganic pigment powder and a glass powder is formed on a surface of a transparent crystallized glass plate, wherein the light-blocking layer contains 30 to 50% by mass of the inorganic pigment powder and 50 to 70% by mass of the glass powder and has a thickness of 1 to 10 μm and the inorganic pigment powder has an average particle size of 0.8 μm or less.

Stoves and fireplaces for burning firewood, gas, coal, oil or the like are conventionally used as combustion apparatuses having a space heating effect. Such a combustion apparatus is equipped with a windowpane to allow visual check of the condition of flame from the outside. The windowpane needs to be transparent to visible light and have high thermal shock resistance. As materials having these properties, low-expansion transparent crystallized glasses are generally used.
The windowpane for combustion apparatuses is fixed to, for example, a metal frame of a combustion apparatus body through a gasket, an adhesive or the like. If the gasket or adhesive is visible from the outside, the design quality is impaired. Therefore, to hide a portion of the windowpane lying on the gasket or adhesive, a light-blocking layer is printed on at least part of the windowpane. For example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disclose methods for forming a layer containing an inorganic pigment powder and a glass powder on a surface of a transparent crystallized glass plate.


Metals in oxide, carbonate and/or hydroxide form in ores or ore concentrates are converted to the corresponding carbide by a solid state reaction with carbon. The carbide then is separated in substantially pure form from the gangue constituents and may be converted to the metal.

The metal values in ores usually are present in oxide, carbonate and/or hydroxide form in intimate admixture with gangue constituents which also are metal oxides. "Gangue" is considered to be the minerals and rock material mixed with the metallic ore which are themselves valueless. The precise chemical form of the gangue constituents depends on the ore but usually includes silica, alumina, magnesia and lime.
Since the initial ore or concentrate thereof contains an intimate mixture of metals in oxide, carbonate and/or hydroxide forms of very similar properties, the desired metal for which the ore was originally mined cannot readily be separated in its oxide, carbonate, and/or hydroxide form from the gangue material.
The recovery of metals from their ores generally has involved a smelting procedure using coke and a flux. The liquid metal is tapped at intervals from the smelter, followed by solidification, cleaning and sizing of the metal or alloy. The process is polluting in nature, difficult to control, is subject to heavy product losses in slag, hence requiring recycling, and impure products often are formed.

Production of metal carbides in pure form


An extended reach penetrating tool which includes a tubing string lowered into a casing, anchored in position and including a cutting tool for forming a lateral hole in the casing. A formation penetrating tool is then substituted for the cutting tool on the tubing string and extended laterally through the hole in the casing and outwardly into the formation to a desired extent for enhancing production from the formation. The cutting tool for cutting a hole in the casing includes a laterally extendable cutting element urged radially from the tubing string by a piston and cylinder assembly with the cutting element in the preferred form being a rotatably driven cutting element which is extended radially from the tubing string into cutting engagement with the interior of the casing for forming a lateral opening. The formation penetrating tool is subsequently aligned with the opening in the casing and is in the form of a spiral tube that is moved through a guide structure and out through the hole in the casing for penetrating the formation as the spiral tube is unwound by a slowly rotating drive shaft to form a rigid lance having a nozzle on the end forming a lateral bore in the formation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to oil field equipment and more specifically an extended reach penetrating tool which includes a tubing string lowered into a casing, anchored in position and including a cutting tool for forming a lateral hole in the casing. A formation penetrating tool is then substituted for the cutting tool on the tubing string and extended laterally through the hole in the casing and outwardly into the formation to a desired extent for enhancing production from the formation. The cutting tool for cutting a hole in the casing includes a laterally extendable cutting element urged radially from the tubing string by a piston and cylinder assembly with the cutting element in the preferred form being a rotatably driven cutting element which is extended radially from the tubing string into cutting engagement with the interior of the casing for forming a lateral opening. The formation penetrating tool is subsequently aligned with the opening in the casing and is in the form of a spiral tube that is moved through a guide structure and out through the hole in the casing for penetrating the formation as the spiral tube is unwound by a slowly rotating drive shaft to form a rigid lance having a nozzle on the end forming a lateral bore in the formation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various efforts have been made to enhance the production of oil wells by treating, conditioning or otherwise endeavoring to stimulate fluid flow from the underground formation. Such efforts have included introduction of heated fluid, introduction of acids or solvents, introduction of wave energy, penetration of the formation, explosive cartridges, and the like. However, the prior art does not include an extendable reach penetrating tool in accordance with this invention and specifically does not include a structure for cutting a hole in the casing and extending a formation penetrating tool in the form of a rigid lance radially from the casing by extending the tool through the hole formed in the casing as disclosed in this application.

Extended reach penetrating tool and method of forming a radial hole in a well casing


For sealing a pipeline at selective locations in order to perform leak tests, a pipeline packer assembly capable of internal travel within the pipeline can be moved to and stopped at selected locations and the packer inflated against the interior pipe walls to prevent further movement of the unit, and to provide a seal so that the pipeline may be subjected to internal high pressures to detect leaks. According to the invention, a control device for such unit comprises a gamma ray detector and signal processor receiving the electrical analogue signal from the gamma ray detector. An energizing signal from the signal processor actuates a stepping switch which provides "inflate" and "deflate" energization of the packer, and is kept in "off" condition while the packer is inoperative as in transit within the pipeline. A radiation source on the surface or selectively inserted into a bore hole near the pipeline provides a stimulus for the gamma ray detector which controls the operation of the stepping switch. The insertion and subsequent withdrawal of the radiation source from the vicinity of the pipe adjacent the control unit, successively causes the successive stepping of the stepping switch to "inflate", "deflate" and "off" conditions. The assembly is moved through the pipeline at low pressure, and the pipeline subjected to high pressure behind the packer when it is inflated, thereby to permit leak detection at successive locations within the pipeline.

The present invention relates to a method for detecting the location of leaks in a pipeline, and to a control device for selectively actuating a packer unit of a packer assembly capable of internal travel through the pipeline, and capable of selective sealing of the pipeline in response to the operation of the control device.
Packer assemblies of various degrees of complexity for introduction into oil and gas wells and for sealing off oil and gas wells at predetermined depths are known. Various devices for insertion into pipelines for the performance of various functions are also known. Notwithstanding this knowledge, heretofore the standard method of detecting the location of a leak in a pipeline has been to sever the pipeline at a selected point, block a portion of the pipeline thus severed, and introduce fluid under pressure into the pipeline to determine whether in the severed portion there is a leak.
When packer assemblies are used in oil and gas wells, their location within the well is readily determinable by measuring the number of feet of supporting cable played out. However, this approach to determination of location is impracticable in a pipeline because of the long distances involved, the danger of cable breakage, excessive friction by cable rubbing against pipe walls, etc.

Pipeline leak detection method and control device therefor

Interprovincial Steel and Pipe Corporation, Ltd.


A telecommunications network comprising components configured to implement a method comprising: receiving a reservation from a customer, reserving a network resource specified in the reservation, initiating the establishment of a reserved connection through a network, the reserved connection parameters based on the reservation, subsequent to the establishment of the reserved connection, detecting a data stream transmitted from the customer, and allowing the data stream to be transported over the network using the reserved connection. Also disclosed is a method for reserving bandwidth on a network, the method comprising: submitting a reservation request specifying a bandwidth requirement and a start time, receiving a confirmation that the reservation has been accepted, and transmitting a data stream to a network at the start time, wherein the data stream is transported over the network using no more than the bandwidth specified in the reservation request.

Modern communication networks allow data to be transferred between electronic devices. Specifically, a source electronic device, such as a computer or a telephone, starts the transfer process by passing the data to the network. The network transports the data from the source device to a destination device, where the data may then be used as desired. The elapsed time between transmission of the data by the source device and receipt of the data by the destination device is dependent in part on the amount of bandwidth available on the network. Specifically, if there is a relatively large amount of available bandwidth, then the data may reach the destination device relatively quickly. However, if there is a relatively small amount of available bandwidth, then the data may take considerably longer to reach the destination device.
One of the problems with existing networks is that it is difficult to predict the amount of network bandwidth that is available or required at any given time. From the customer side, it is difficult to predict the amount of bandwidth that will be available when data is transmitted. Such unpredictability in available bandwidth leads to an unpredictability in the transmission time, which causes customer frustration. From the provider side, it is difficult to predict when customers will request network bandwidth, as well as how much bandwidth they will request. Such unpredictability in required bandwidth may cause a shortage of bandwidth at particular times, which causes provider frustration.

ASON/GMPLS architecture extension for reservation based and time based automatic bandwidth service


Techniques and systems are disclosed for implementing multi-core beamforming algorithms. In one aspect, a method of implementing a beamformer technique includes using a spatial filter that contains lead-fields of two simultaneous dipole sources rather than a linear combination of the two to directly compute and obtain optimal source orientations and weights between two highly-correlated sources.

This application relates to devices and techniques that use medical imaging technologies.
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a functional imaging modality that directly detects neuronal activity. Because a number of different source configurations can generate the same MEG signal, assumptions are made about the nature of the sources (source models) to uniquely localize them. Conventional MEG source-modeling methods require a priori information when localizing highly-correlated networks from noisy MEG data.
The beamformer methodology is a spatial-filtering approach where the MEG sensor signal is filtered by different beams based on lead-field vectors corresponding to specific source-grid points. Each of these operations generates a pseudo-Z-statistic, which can be maximized to find the most highly-contributing source-grid dipoles. The beamformer method has low computational cost, although the orientation angle of each dipole must be optimized. The beamformer approach generally works well for MEG data with a low SNR. However, the conventional beamformer suppresses source-power estimates from source-grid dipoles that have highly correlated time-courses, as the method assumes that source time-courses from different generators are uncorrelated. Variants of the beamformer method, including the coherently combining signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (CC-SINR) beamformer and the constant modulus algorithm (CMA) beamformer, address reconstruction of correlated sources, but have been met with moderate success. Likewise, the coherent source suppression model (CCSM) and the independently developed nulling beamformer (NB) accurately reconstruct correlated sources but require a priori information of interfering source locations. Furthermore, entire unknown pathways of neural activity cannot be easily identified since correlated sources are suppressed to reconstruct a single source of interest.

Enhanced multi-core beamformer algorithm for sensor array signal processing by combining data from magnetoencephalography

The Regents of the University of California


The invention provides a system and method for processing an image including means for receiving image information, means for queuing the image information, and means for receiving profile information for a plurality of image analysts. The system can further include means for selecting an image analyst from the plurality of image analysts by comparing the image information from the profile information. The invention also provides a machine readable program including a first input routine for receiving image information, a second input routine for receiving profile information for a plurality of image analysts, and a first run routine for queuing the image information. The machine readable program can also include a second run routine for selecting an image analyst from the plurality of image analysts by comparing the image information to the profile information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for distributing images to appropriate image analysts. Particularly, the present invention is directed to a queuing system for processing images.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of image sorting and distribution systems are known in the art for medical Diagnostic Imaging. Of such systems, many are directed to tele-radiology.
The multi-modality medical field of Diagnostic Imaging has a history dating back to the late 19th Century when Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered an unknown energy he termed "X-rays." Advances in medicine and technology over the past 100 years have resulted in a wide variety of imaging modalities such as radiography, fluoroscopy, mammography, computerized tomography ("CT"), ultrasound ("US"), magnetic resonance imaging ("MR"), nuclear medicine ("NM"), bone densitometry, and interventional & angiographic procedures. In the past, images were printed and stored in large file rooms. Today, images may be stored digitally in a Personal Archiving and Communication System ("PACS") and viewed on a computer monitor, printed, or may be digitally transmitted electronically for image analysis and interpretation. The presently accepted data format is called Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine ("DICOM"). The field of diagnostic image transmission, coined "tele-radiology," initially referred to image transmission across standard telephone lines. With recent advances in high-speed data transmission technology, these images can be transmitted, for example, via Wide Area Networks ("WANs"), Local Area Networks ("LANs"), or Virtual Private Networks ("VPNs") in fractions of seconds.
There has been an exponential surge in medical diagnostic imaging information over recent years—a trend that is likely to continue to accelerate. As of July 2005, the population of the United States was an estimated 295 million, with approximately 78 million "baby-boomers." As the population increases both in quantity and age, so does the number of medical visits and hence diagnostic imaging examination requests. Likewise, as approximately 30% of all healthcare related dollars are spent in the last 3 months of life, the number of diagnostic imaging examinations is accelerating. According to the American College of Radiology, there were approximately 400 million examinations performed in the United States alone in 2001.
With technological advances, especially in multi-detector CT scanners (acquiring up to 256 channels of information simultaneously as well as 3-dimensional generated sagittal and coronal reformats), and new advances in MRI sequences, the number of images acquired per examination continues to increase. Advances in CT and MR angiography have largely replaced the invasive conventional catheter based angiography, and also generate a large number of images. These pose problems for data storage, data transmission, imaging analysis and image interpretation. The number of radiologists in the United States has not been increasing at the same rate of population growth and therefore there is a relative shortage of radiologists. Hence, a referring physician's request for a timely interpretation for the diagnostic imaging study of their patient is sacrificed because of decreased throughput. The term "wet-read" originally referred to a radiologist's interpretation of a radiographic film that was still wet from the film processor and had not had a chance to dry. Today, the term "wet-read" refers to a referring physician's request for any rapid interpretation. While most Emergency Room and Urgent Care Facility generated examinations are appropriately ordered as wet-reads, an increasing number of non-emergent/non-urgent cases have been labeled "wet-read" because of referring physician impatience due to backlogged cases and decreased radiologist throughput. The problem then becomes one of prioritizing the cases properly.
Radiologists in the United States are physicians who have performed radiology residency, some with additional fellowship training allowing for sub-specialization. The American Board of Radiology ("ABR") has rigorous certification procedures that qualify radiologists to interpret these examinations. After completing and passing a series of written examinations, a radiologist becomes "board eligible." Then, a scrupulous oral examination determines "board certification." Continuing medical education requirements ensure the radiologist maintains knowledge on par with advances in technology. As mentioned above, there is a relative shortage of radiologists in the United States. Some proposed solutions include utilizing non-board certified radiologists or by outsourcing the images to non-US based radiologists for analysis. However, radiologists outside the United States are not held to the same high rigorous standards of the ABR and therefore quality may be sacrificed. Additionally, the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule excludes from payment those services that are performed outside of the United States (such as radiographic interpretation).
Most facilities in the United States are not on a completely digital PACS based format, although this is quickly becoming the trend. Large file rooms are being replaced by high capacity computer hard drives which occupy less space and are able to be referenced rapidly without ancillary staffing. In the facilities that do employ a PACS system or are networked for tele-radiology, typically a few radiologists may be responsible for analyzing all cases performed regardless of their sub-specialization. Thus, the most appropriate radiologist may not be interpreting the examination. There is the potential for the sacrifice of quality, and possible erroneous interpretation. Further imaging evaluation may be recommended when unnecessary, may be omitted from recommendation when it should be appropriate, or may be misdirected to an incorrect next best appropriate examination. Improper patient care and subsequent lawsuits may result, with subsequent depositions and court time further removing the radiologist from the act of reading those cases that the radiologist is most suited to read.
Such conventional methods and systems generally have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, these systems have room for improvement. As evident from the related art, there still remains a continued need for a system capable of matching appropriate image analysts with appropriate images. There also remains a need in the art for a system that can prioritize images to be analyzed in proper order by appropriate image analysts, while being simple and inexpensive to make and use. The present invention provides a solution for these problems.

Radiology case distribution and sorting systems and methods


A bushing cap used to close a gap in a liquid cooled bushing which surrounds a coil contained in a channel induction furnace. The coil, bushing and bushing cap is further surrounded by a thin refractory layer which is further surrounded by a molten metal loop. The bushing cap and bushing are liquid cooled to maintain a substantial uniform thermal gradient about the thin refractory layer surrounding the bushing and bushing cap. Preferably, this is accomplished by way of a bushing cap having a cooling member attached to a cover and mounted within the bushing gap. A cooling fluid is passed through both the cooling member of the bushing cap and cooling channels within the bushing to maintain a substantial uniform thermal gradient about the thin refractory layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to induction furnaces and, more particularly, to a bushing cap for closing a gap in a bushing used to enclose an induction coil in a channel induction furnace.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The principle of operation of a conventional channel induction furnace is similar to that of a transformer. An inductor coil is located around a laminated iron core which forms a core and coil assembly. This coil can be considered a primary winding. The material to be heated, typically an electrical conducting material such as metal is in the form of a metal loop surrounding the core and coil assembly and can be considered a single turn secondary winding. When an alternating voltage is applied to the coil, flux is induced into the laminated iron core. This flux induces a voltage, and a result thereof, a current exists in the metal loop. This current causes the metal loop to heat, melt and remain molten. To retain the molten metal in the loop, a refractory lining is provided about the loop. To keep the refractory from coming in contact with the core and coil assembly, a bushing is located about the core and coil assembly.
In order to achieve maximum efficiency, the molten metal loop must be closely positioned around the bushing. This close positioning requires a channel induction furnace design to have a minimal refractory thickness between the molten metal loop and the bushing. As such, it is well known in the art that a steep temperature gradient must be established in the refractory layer to achieve maximum refractory life. This is typically achieved by surrounding the core and coil assembly with a metallic liquid cooled bushing.
However, to prevent the liquid cooled bushing from also acting as a short circuited secondary winding, the bushing must have at least one gap placed along the entire length of the bushing. This is typically achieved by using an electrically non-conductive insulator in the bushing gap. Unfortunately the problem with using the non-conductive material is that it is also thermally less conductive than the metallic bushing. Therefore, the thermal gradient in the refractory layer is unfavorably altered about the bushing gap.
During normal operation of the furnace, molten metal penetrate the refractory layer around the molten metal loop. The penetrating metal forms a network or fin of molten metal in and about the refractory grains of the refractory layer. Over time, the molten metal network or fin progresses deeper into the refractory lining, thereby decreasing the thickness of the already thin refractory layer between the bushing and molten metal loop.
The rate and depth of the molten metal penetration is dependent on the thermal gradient in the refractory layer. Therefore, since the thermal gradient along the bushing gap is unfavorably altered by the material used to insulate the joint, the molten metal network or fin penetrates the refractory along the gap at a faster rate to greater depths than elsewhere around the bushing.
The molten metal network or fin may progress until it reaches the liquid cooled bushing or bushing ga insulator. If the molten metal reaches the liquid cooled bushing, it typically freezes on contact or slightly away from the bushing. However, because of the altered thermal gradient along the bushing gap and the increased rate and depth of molten metal penetration in this area of the refractory, most molten metal networks or fins will usually reach the insulating material within the gap instead of the liquid cooled bushing. When this happens, the molten metal does not freeze when it comes in contact with the bushing gap insulator. Rather, the molten metal thermally destroys the bushing insulator which then causes a molten metal run out at the bushing gap causing the furnace to be shut down.
What is needed then is a bushing cap to close the gap in an induction furnace bushing which will maintain substantially the same thermal gradient about the refractory layer as the liquid cooled bushing. Preferably, there should be no insulating material exposed to the penetrating molten metal network or fin. Accordingly, molten metal run outs should be prevented. Thus, an object of the prevent invention is to provide such a bushing cap.

Channel induction furnace bushing cap cooling device


The invention discloses deploying MIDlet suites in an Open Services Gateway Initiative environment. A MIDlet suite is re-packaged by adding to it an interface element to the Open Services Gateway Initiative environment. The invention allows using deployed MIDlet suites in an Open Services Gateway Initiative environment in a way that requires significantly less user interaction than prior art arrangements.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to MIDlet suites and Open Services Gateway Initiative. In particular, the invention relates to a novel and improved way of deploying MIDlet suites in an Open Services Gateway Initiative environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today more and more various terminal devices and embedded devices include a Java programming language platform to allow running of Java applications. One of these Java platforms is Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME). J2ME is targeted particularly at embedded systems with limited resources, such as mobile phones, pagers, personal digital assistants, smart cards and set-top boxes. Due to differences in capabilities of devices implementing J2ME, J2ME has been segmented via configurations and profiles. A configuration-profile pair defines a minimum set of application programming interfaces or APIs a device must support. Typically, this set can be extended with additional optional libraries. Two of the configurations included in J2ME are Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) and Connected Device Configuration (CDC).
CLDC is targeted at devices with limited resources, such as mid- and low-end mobile phones, for example. CLDC defines a virtual machine and a set of libraries which are scaled down compared to those specified in the Java Language Specification. Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) is a profile specified especially for the CLDC. MIDP defines a simple model for application programming, including an application model, a user interface (e.g. textboxes, forms) and networking.
CDC is targeted at relatively powerful devices which are less resource limited than those targeted by CLDC, such as e.g. smart phones, communicators and personal digital assistants. CDC defines a virtual machine that is fully compliant with the Java Language Specification. CDC is usually accompanied by a Foundation Profile (FP) which extends the basic set of libraries of the CDC for e.g. input/output, networking and security. However, FP does not specify an application model. The application model and user interface libraries are disclosed by a Personal Profile (PP).
A Java application that conforms to MIDP and CLDC is called a MIDlet. MIDlets are typically targeted at devices that provide some level of network connectivity. The devices that will run MIDlets typically also have several common attributes: limited screen size, memory and processing power. As described above, MIDP and CLDC are designed to address these constraints.
MIDlets are often packaged and distributed as MIDlet Suites. A MIDlet Suite is a set of one or more MIDlets plus resource files that may be required by these MIDlets. The MIDlet Suite is typically deployed as a Java Archive (JAR) file. Furthermore, a Java Application Descriptor (JAD) file may be associated with the JAR file. The JAR file comprises one or more Java class files, and a manifest file describing the contents of the JAR file. The JAR file may further comprise resources, such as e.g. images and application data. The manifest file included in the JAR file is typically a text file containing various attributes related to the MIDlet Suite, such as a name of the MIDlet Suite, a version number of the MIDlet Suite, a vendor name of the MIDlet Suite, a J2ME Profile required by the MIDlet Suite, and a J2ME Configuration required by the MIDlet Suite. The JAD file is typically a text file containing administrative information about the MIDlet Suite and the JAR file the MIDlet suite is packed into, such as a name, JAR file size, version number, vendor information and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of the JAR file. An object of the JAD file is to facilitate getting information about the JAR file: since typically the JAD file is significantly smaller than the JAR file which comprises the entire MIDlet suite, it is faster to download only the JAD file rather than the JAR file.
In recent years MIDP in combination with CLDC has become extremely popular. In mobile phones, it is today the dominant Java platform for third party applications. In other words, there is a vast amount of MIDlets already developed, and more are being developed.
Yet the platform consisting of MIDP and CLDC has also met more and more criticism for not being rich and attractive enough, and for remaining behind the standard Java platform in terms of APIs and applied virtual machine technologies.
One of proposed solutions to the above criticism is called Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi) which provides a richer application framework than the platform consisting of MIDP and CLDC. E.g. Java Specification Request (JSR) 232 proposes using OSGi as an underlying application framework for mobile devices. OSGi is a generic, service centric execution environment. It specifies a generic framework and a core set of service interfaces that enable delivery of multiple value added service implementations, potentially from different vendors. OSGi provides a general-purpose, secure and managed Java framework that supports the deployment of extensible and downloadable service applications known as bundles.
OSGi-compliant devices can download and install OSGi bundles, and remove them when they are no longer required. Bundles can register a number of services that can be shared with other bundles under control of OSGi. OSGi can run on top of CDC and FP. In OSGi several bundles can be run simultaneously on a single virtual machine, whereas in previous Java frameworks only one Java application may be run on one virtual machine. As opposed to the platform consisting of MIDP and CLDC, with OSGi there is no need to load and execute the virtual machine as many times as the number of running Java applications. Thus memory consumption is reduced.
However, OSGi does not support managing or executing MIDlets. Yet such support is imperative due to the vast amount of MIDlets developed.
An attempt at enabling execution of MIDlet suites on OSGi is provided by a corporation called Prosyst (http://www.prosyst.com). The solution by Prosyst is a bundle called MIDPLauncher that, when started, shows the installed MIDlet suites on a graphical user interface and registers a service that can be used by other bundles to install, start, stop uninstall or update a MIDlet suite.
However, there is a significant drawback to the above solution by Prosyst: it requires extensive and cumbersome user interaction. Once the MIDPLauncher is stopped, the MIDlet suites become completely unavailable to the user and the OSGi environment. Therefore, when the user wants to execute a MIDlet and the MIDPLauncher is not already running, the user is first required to launch the MIDPLauncher in order to enable execution of the MIDlet. Likewise, if the MIDlet suite comprises several MIDlets, the user is required to launch the MIDPLauncher before being able to select a MIDlet to be executed. Furthermore, even while the MIDPLauncher is running, the OSGi environment sees only the MIDPLauncher bundle rather than the separate MIDlet suites.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to alleviate the problems described above and to introduce a mechanism that allows using deployed MIDlet suites in an Open Services Gateway Initiative environment with no user interaction or at least with significantly less user interaction than with prior art arrangements. A further object of the present invention is to allow starting, stopping and uninstalling the deployed MIDlet suites without requiring a management application or any other application associated with the Open Services Gateway Initiative environment to be running at the same time. Yet a further object of the present invention is to allow executing multiple MIDlets in parallel in the Open Services Gateway Initiative environment.

Managing midlet suites in OSGI environment


A door-stop device for vehicles having a base structure with a pair of rollers that are parallel to each other and pushed against one another. The door-stop device also includes a metal tie rod with a pair of rolling surfaces set opposite to one another where the rollers act. The rolling surfaces have a positioning notch designed to engage one of the rollers and define a position of stable retention of the door. The positioning notch includes an arched central portion with an extension extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tie rod and a pair of arched lateral portions with a radius of curvature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door-stop device for vehicles, of the type comprising: a base structure carrying a pair of rollers that turn about respective axes which are parallel to one another and are elastically pushed against one another; and a metal tie rod having a pair of rolling surfaces set opposite to one another, on which the above-mentioned rollers act, said rolling surfaces presenting at least one positioning notch designed to be engaged by one of said rollers to define a position of stable retention of the door.
2. State of the Art
One of the problems of the door-stop devices of the type indicated above lies in the fact that these devices, during the movement of opening and closing of the door, present an intrinsic noisiness due to the rolling of the rollers on the corresponding rolling surfaces of the tie rod. Automobile manufacturers set very strict limits on the maximum noise level admitted for such devices. For example, door-stop devices that produce noise levels higher than 52 dB are frequently not considered acceptable.
Although numerous solutions have been adopted to reduce the noise levels of the door-stop devices in question, as yet a definitive solution to the problem has not been found.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved door-stop device that enables a reduction in the noise levels as compared to known devices, at the same time without this involving an increase in the production cost.
According to the present invention, the above purpose is achieved by a door-stop device having the characteristics that form the subject of the main claim.
A door-stop device for vehicles comprises: a base structure (12) carrying a pair of rollers (1, 2) that turn about respective axes which are parallel to one another and are elastically pushed against one another; and a metal tie rod (14) having a pair of rolling surfaces (26, 28) set opposite to one another, on which the above-mentioned rollers (1, 2) act, said rolling surfaces (26, 28) presenting at least one positioning notch (32) designed to be engaged by one of said rollers (1, 2) to define a position of stable retention of the door.
The aforesaid positioning notch (32) presents: an arched central portion having a radius of curvature Ra=(10 to 15) R1, where R1 is the radius of the corresponding roller (1); a pair of arched lateral portions with a radius of curvature Rb=(1.1 to 1.8) R1, where the aforesaid central portion has an extension, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tie rod, A=(0.15 to 0.30) R1 (FIG. 2).


A process for reopening cooling-air holes by a laser in order to remove coat down is provided. A nanosecond laser is provided and used for reopening the holes, wherein pulse times between 1 μs and 20 μs and a pulse frequency between 20 kHz and 40 kHz provided by the nanosecond laser are used.

High-temperature components, e.g. turbine blades or vanes, are actively cooled and therefore have cylindrical and/or shaped cooling-air holes with a diffuser at the surface.
When reusing the turbine blades or vanes, wherein a coating is removed from the turbine blades or vanes and a new coating is applied, the cooling-air holes which are already present may in some cases become blocked. The coating in the holes and in the diffuser (coat down) has to be removed, which is often carried out by means of a special EDM electrode.

Reopening of cooling-air bores using a nanosecond laser in the microsecond range


A method of analysis, analysis system, program product, apparatus, and method of supplying analysis of value incorporating the use of at least one data acquisition device, a central processor, and a communication link that is connectable between the data acquisition device and the central processor. The central processor is loaded with multivariate calibration models developed for predicting values for various properties of interest, wherein the calibration models are capable of compensating for variations in an effectively comprehensive set of measurement conditions and secondary material characteristics. As so configured, the calibration models can compensate for instrument variance without instrument-specific calibration transfer. Measurement results generated by the central processor can be transmitted to an output device of a user interface.

There are numerous instances where one or more properties of a material are preferably analyzed at one or more locations removed from an analytical laboratory where testing would normally be conducted. For example, agricultural products may be analyzed for the presence and concentration of certain components during the crop growing stage, at harvesting, during transportation, or after the product has been stored, as at a grain silo. Other non-limiting instances where this type of analysis would be useful include applications in the processed food industry, the mining industry, the chemical industry, the finished hard goods industries, and a variety of service, retail sales, and medical industries.
In the absence of equipment or skilled personnel for conducting sample analysis at the location of the sample, substantial time delays can result in initiating and completing an analysis. Thus in the case of the analysis of an agricultural product such as an oil seed which would be harvested within a narrow window of time, traditionally specific characteristics of the seed are determined by a laboratory. This is due to the fact that the equipment and skilled personnel generally required to conduct such analyses are not normally available to the farmer or even to the silo operator. Thus, if an oil seed is to be analyzed, a sample is taken from the farmer's truck or from the silo operator and sent to an independent laboratory for analysis. It is not uncommon in this situation for the sample to require one day for forwarding to the laboratory, two days for the laboratory to conduct the analysis, and an additional day for the results to be returned to the silo operator. Thus, a particular lot of oil seed may require four days to be analyzed. Where the value of the oil seed is dependent on the analysis, utilizing laboratory analysis results in substantial delays to the farmer in obtaining a value for his crop, to the silo operator in valuing the crop and determining the market into which the seed will be sold, and to the ultimate purchaser of the oil seed. When one considers that in the case of oil seed harvesting the oil seed crop typically is processed within a narrow window of time over a wide geographic area, the individual delays described above become multiplied at each silo within the crop growing region.
Alternatively, it is known to analyze certain components of a particular agricultural product at the location where the material is either grown, harvested, transported, or stored. Nevertheless, this resultant analysis of the product may not be directly comparable to an analysis of the same agricultural product in a different location, even though using the same methodology. Even when the same sample is analyzed at different locations, differences in analytical results may arise, for example, because of a difference in environmental conditions at one analysis location relative to the other or because of a difference in the performance of the analyzers. Results may also differ because of variations in the procedure of presenting the sample to different analyzers.
It may be convenient or necessary for on-site analyzers to be able to be easily transported from one location to another. A portable sensor unit or spectrometer is one that is sufficiently compact and robust to permit it to be transported to alternate testing locations as needed. These units are able to be removed from service and returned to service quickly for transportation to and use at a desired site for analysis. The analytical instruments for such analysis must be rugged and capable of making repetitive analyses without extensive recalibration by a skilled operator and with little or no variation over the course of use of the unit.
Because the analysis of, for example, a particular agricultural product may need to be determined at locations over a wide geographic area within a narrow time frame, it may become impractical to conduct the analyses using only one instrument. Generally it then becomes necessary to test these products at multiple sites with multiple analyzers. Under these circumstances, each of the analyzers must be calibrated so that the output results from the various analyzers can be properly compared. Depending on the type of analysis, with traditional techniques the analytical results of a particular agricultural product using multiple analyzers may vary because of different effects resulting from the environmental, instrument, or sample presentation variations discussed above. To address this, either each analysis should be conducted under the same environmental and sample presentation test conditions, or each analysis should be completed with the ability to compensate for differences in temperature, humidity and other relevant environmental variations in generating data by the individual analyzers. Further, results generated by different analyzers may differ because of inherent manufacturing differences between the highly sensitive instrument components and differences in the precise assembly of the components, the differences becoming more pronounced over time producing instrument drift. As a result, no two analytical instruments are precisely identical to one another, so accommodation must be made in considering the results generated by an analyzer when comparing the results with those from other units. While work has been done to develop practical methods for transferring multivariate calibrations between instruments, for example as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,677, these methods require that some instrument, sometimes called a reference instrument or a master instrument, be maintained in some known or reproducible state or be capable of being brought into a reproducible and well defined state to achieve instrument standardization. Then, a master calibration model developed on one instrument can be transferred to a number of target instruments. However, all calibration transfer and instrument standardization methods require additional steps to be taken at various times potentially over a range of time intervals after the initial calibration transfer. For example, the analyst may have to evaluate a set of calibration transfer samples on the target instruments after the initial calibration transfer, usually by a skilled operator, and adjust either the models or the instruments so that the response from the target instruments agrees with the response from the master or reference instrument. Further, the measurement conditions of the material samples being analyzed, for example the sample temperature, may also be different at the various sites. Again, accommodations must be made in considering the results generated from those material samples.
Another matter to be considered in conducting remote analyses of materials such as agricultural products is the amount and quality of information desired from the analysis, and the demands placed on the analyzer. Generally, as the analyzer is able to perform more sophisticated analysis, the analyzer itself becomes more complex, a higher level of training is required to operate the analyzer and interpret the results, and the weight and size of the instrument may increase as a result. An analyzer capable of undertaking more complex analyses is generally more susceptible to damage and to generating inaccurate results by the process of moving the analyzer from site to site, utilizing the analyzer under varying conditions, and the like. Consequently, the results from such an instrument are more likely to change and thus render comparison between various remote analyzers more difficult or even impossible.
The need to be able to generate comparable, statistically equivalent analyses of materials at remote site locations can extend to a wide range of materials in addition to agricultural products such as, but not limited to, manufactured products, natural phenomena, ores, renewable raw materials, fuels, and living tissue.
The combination of a calibration model with an analytical instrument to generate a predicted result has been practiced. It is known to use, for example, calibration models associated with near-infrared, mid-infrared, and Raman spectrometers in commercial processes to monitor the status of chemical reactions. This monitoring capability can involve the generation of results from an analytical method with the application of statistical analysis and calibration models to interpret and quantify the data. For example, in the manufacture of carboxylic acids and derivatives from fats and oils, it is known to use near-infrared spectrometers loaded with the appropriate chemometric software to measure a number of properties of the carboxylic acids and their derivatives. This monitoring can be done during the manufacturing process on intermediate product, as well as on the finished product. The spectrometer can be operated in a stand-alone mode with the operator bringing samples to the spectrometer for at-line analysis. Alternatively, the spectrometer can be connected in-line to enable monitoring of the process stream as the manufacturing operation proceeds. Thus, two commercially available near-infrared spectrometers such as the Bomem MB-160 FT-NIR spectrometer loaded with HOVAL software (such as Version 1.6, 1992) and AIRS software (such as Version 1.54, 1999) from Bomem Inc., Canada, and the Bruker Vector 22/N spectrometer loaded with OPUS-NT Quant-2 software (such as Version 2.6, 1999) from Bruker Optik GmbH, Germany have been used to analyze intermediate and finished carboxylic acid products for acid value, iodine value, titer, viscosity, hydroxyl value, saponification value, composition of fatty materials and derivatives, and for the presence of carboxylic acid methyl ester contaminants in a specific carboxylic acid.
The calibration models for evaluating the above properties were derived from the Grams-PLS plus (Version 3.01 B, 1994, Galactic Industries Corporation) and Bruker OPUS Quant-2 software. In those instances where more than one data acquisition device was used to generate predicted results for a particular property of interest, individual calibration models were developed for corresponding individual instruments or a master calibration model was developed on a particular master instrument, transferred to one or more other instruments, and adjusted with instrument-specific correction factors to standardize the predicted results across multiple instruments.
In determining the chemical properties of incoming raw materials such as tallow, coconut oil and palm kernel oil for the production of carboxylic acids, near-infrared spectrometry with appropriate chemometric techniques such as the partial least squares (PLS) method has been used to evaluate the free carboxylic acid content of the starting materials, as well as iodine value and moisture content. The near-infrared monitoring can also be used to monitor the progress of the transesterification process utilizing fatty triglycerides and methanol as reactants. A near-infrared spectrometer connected to transesterification process equipment can also monitor free glycerine content, bound/combined glycerine content and methyl ester concentration. Alternatively, samples can be taken during the progress of the reaction to a stand-alone near-infrared spectrometer loaded with appropriate calibration models for off-line analysis. In connection with the monitoring of the progress of a reaction, the near-infrared spectrometer can utilize a fiber optic probe connected to the spectrometer by fiber optic cable. The use of the near-infrared spectrometer in combination with the application of modeling software permits analysis of particular chemical species during the progress of chemical processing, as well as at the conclusion of the chemical process. Spectrometers such as near-infrared operating in the in-line mode are capable of providing data substantially on a real time basis. Data generation in these instances occurs under tightly controlled test and environmental conditions and involves one or more probes connected to a single instrument connected to a single data processing unit.
There is presently a high interest in the analysis of agricultural products. Genetically modified materials are of particular interest. The grain and food distribution segments in agriculture have expressed significant need for analytical technology to meet market requirements to identify and quantitate genetically modified crops, especially corn and soybean, in world markets. This need has developed rapidly. U.S. farmers have increasingly accepted crops derived from genetic engineering after the success they experienced in the 1996 growing season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that approximately 25% of U.S. corn and 54% of U.S. soybeans produced in 2000 were grown from genetically engineered seed with input traits to provide resistance to herbicides, insects, or both. The composition of such input trait crops is generally macroscopically indistinguishable from similar crops without the corresponding input traits.
In contrast, the foods of the future which will incorporate improvements of direct benefit to the consumer likely will be based at least in part on crops having enhanced output traits. The composition of these enhanced crops is different from the corresponding conventional crops. Examples include high oil corn, high sucrose soybeans, and low linolenic canola. Genetically-enhanced crops can be produced either by genetic engineering, as enabled by recent advances in biotechnology, or by specially designed traditional breeding programs. Even traditional crop improvement practices can result in plants with changed genetics and enhanced properties.
The growth and the need for analytical technology for agricultural products has been the promulgation of labeling regulations adopted in many regions of the world including the two largest agricultural commodity trading communities, the European Union and Japan. These labeling requirements have required or are expected to require food processors to label finished food products as to the genetically modified content of the ingredients used to produce these products. The initiation of labeling and the growing number of food processors electing to use raw materials which have not been genetically modified are driving the need for identity preservation.
Labeling specifications are nearing completion in both Europe and Japan. Identifying the genetic composition of grain in commercial crops and maintaining that identity throughout the agricultural complex to support labeling has become a high priority for seed companies, commercial growers, distribution and process companies, as well as food processors and is expected to increase as labeling is further implemented in the future. Consequently there is a need to provide an economical and efficient way to analyze seeds and crops at various locations along the supply chain, to identify and quantify the chemical composition and potentially other measurable properties of one or more output traits in genetically enhanced as well as conventional crops.
The interest in obtaining detailed analysis of agricultural products extends also into areas involving analysis of other materials. There remains a need as to other materials in providing an economical and efficient way of analyzing materials on site at remote locations to identify and quantify their chemical compositions and other properties of interest.

On-site analysis system with central processor and method of analyzing


In order to reduce distortion of a real-current wave form and to suppress substantial transient fluctuation of the current and torque during changeover from a regeneration running condition to the power running condition of a three-phase induction motor, changeover from the three-phase-modulation control to the two-phase-modulation control is carried at the same time the power running condition of the motor is changed to the regeneration running condition according to the motor-state-quantum such as a detected slip ratio, detected torque, detected current or the like. Thus, distortion of the motor-current wave form is reduced and significant fluctuation of the motor-current and torque during the changeover is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter control apparatus for driving a three-phase induction motor, and more particularly, to an inverter control apparatus which changes between two-phase-modulation, in which peak values of three-phase-voltages of an inverter are fixed, and three-phase-modulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,075 proposes a PWM (pulse-width modulation) control apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the inverter control apparatus) for a three-phase inverter, in which a two-phase-modulation is adopted to reduce electromagnetic-wave noise and switching-power-loss and to improve the power-conversion-efficiency. The two-phase-modulation fixes one phase-voltage out of three phase voltage of an inverter to a certain level in sequence and modulates other two phase voltages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,743 proposes a device to change over from the above two-phase-modulation to the three-phase-modulation or vice-versa. The two-phase-modulation is changed over to the three-phase-modulation when a voltage-vector-command-signal (which corresponds to an amplitude of the inverter-output-voltage) becomes less than a predetermined value. In the three-phase-modulation of the inverter control apparatus, the PWM-control is carried at according to a difference between a set-current-signal and detected or real motor-current (e.g., PI (proportional and integrated) processing of deviation) to provide three-phase alternating voltages, which is applied to a three-phase induction motor. The two-phase-modulation fixes each phase-voltage of the inverter to a certain value at a certain phase-angle of the set-current-signal (sinusoidal wave).
The above mentioned two-phase-modulation is effective to reduce the magnetic noise and switching power loss, and also improve the efficiency of the power conversion. However, it has the following problems.
That is, the conventional two-phase-modulation fixes each phase-voltage during a certain phase-angle range of the set-current-signal, which is a sinusoidal wave signal, to a fixed voltage and controls other unfixed phase-voltages to voltages corresponding to the set-current-signal. To put it more concretely, the current wave, which has an angle range of 360.degree. in a cycle, of the set-current-signal of each phase is divided into 60.degree. phase-intervals so as to include an interval having phase-angles 30.degree. on the left and right from the center of the peak value of the current wave, and the peak value of the set-current-signal in each phase-interval in the positive or the negative direction is fixed as a peak value in the positive or the negative direction, and the rest of the set-current-signals are not fixed but controlled through a minor loop of a motor current feedback circuit.
However, in this case, the current of the set-current-signal of the phase voltage to be fixed increases and the currents of other unfixed phases are controlled, irrespective of the current increase, through a minor current-feedback loop according to a sinusoidal set-current-signal. Accordingly, the fixed phase is caused as if a disturbance is input thereto, thereby changing the set-current-signal more abruptly than that in the three-phase-modulation to distort the motor-current wave.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei 6-233549 filed by the same applicant as this application, on the other hand, solves the above problem. In this reference, a deviation between set-current-signal of each phase and a real-current-signal of the corresponding phase is processed through a PI control circuit, which is compared to a triangular wave of a certain frequency by a comparator to generate a PWM signal, which drives an inverter to control the phase voltages applied to a motor. In order to eliminate the distortion of the motor-current, an offset value that is necessary to fix a phase voltage is added to or subtracted from the triangular wave corresponding to the phase to be fixed and also a certain offset value is added to or subtracted from the triangular waves corresponding to other unfixed phases.
However, since the motor-current is feedback-controlled according to a set-current-signal and a phase voltage to be applied to the motor is determined according to a deviation between the set-current-signal and the real motor-current, there is a phase difference between the set-current-signal and the phase voltage to be applied to the same phase. As a result, if the above fixing is carried at a phase angle where the absolute value of the set-current-signal becomes a peak value, the phase angle is fixed where the absolute value of the phase voltage is not its peak, and since the offset value, which is added or subtracted to or from the fixed phase, is added to or subtracted from the unfixed phases so that the modulation percentage exceeds 100%, the phase voltage to be applied to the motor and motor-current is distorted.
The cause and effect of the distortion of the phase voltage wave in the motor operation is described next.
The three-phase induction motor operates as a ordinary electric motor which is referred to as the power running condition and also operates as a generator which is referred to as the regeneration" running condition. FIG. 14 is a vector diagram in which the phase voltage vector and the phase current vectors are plotted in the d-q coordinates, and FIG. 15 is a vector diagram showing the relationship between the above vectors in the "regeneration running condition.
In FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, a reference character .PHI.0 indicates an exciting-magnetic-flux-vector component of the rotating-field-magnetic-flux-vector, extending in the same direction as the d axis. A reference character E0 is a voltage vector induced in the motor coil by the exciting magnetic-flux-vector .PHI.0 ahead of the exciting magnetic-flux-vector by a phase angle 90.degree.. A reference character I indicates a current vector of the motor coil, Id indicates an exciting-current-vector component of the current vector I, Iq indicates a torque-current component of the current vector, R indicates a motor coil resistance, L indicates a motor coil inductance, and RI is a voltage drop across a resistor having a resistance R when the current I flows therethrough in the same phase as the current vector I. RId is a d-axis component of the voltage drop vector RI, RIq is a q-axis component of the voltage drop vector RI, .omega. is an angular velocity of the current vector I, .omega.LI is a voltage drop vector across the motor coil having an inductance L, and .omega.LIq is a q-axis component of the voltage drop vector .omega.LI and is generated when the q-axis component of the current vector I flows through the motor coil having its inductance L at a phase angle 90.degree. ahead of the torque current component Iq. .omega.LId is a d-axis component of the voltage drop component .omega.LI and is generated when the d-axis component and the exciting current Id of the current vector I flows through the motor coil having its inductance L at a phase angle 90.degree. ahead of the exciting current Id. Reference character V indicates a voltage vector applied to the motor coil, which is a resultant of a voltage vector E0, the voltage drop vector R1 and the voltage drop vector .omega.LI.
In the power running condition shown in FIG. 14, the voltage vector V advances by a phase angle .theta. ahead of the current vector I. However, in the regeneration running condition shown in FIG. 15, since the torque generated in the motor becomes negative and the torque current component Iq points the negative direction of the q axis, the advancing phase angle .theta. of the voltage vector V ahead of the current vector I becomes significant. The current vector I at this moment is controlled to be equal to the set-current-signal by a current-feedback-control loop so that the advancing phase angle of the voltage vector V relative to the set-current-signal becomes equal to the angle .theta.. As a result, the phase difference in the regeneration running condition becomes greater than that in the power running condition in the above described fixing mode, thereby distorting of the phase voltage in the regeneration running condition much more than in the power running condition.
As described above, the three-phase-modulation mode is more desirable during the regeneration running condition of the three-phase induction motor, and the two-phase-modulation is more desirable during the power running condition thereof.
However, since the changeover between the three-phase-modulation and the two-phase-modulation is carried according to the set-current-signal in the above described conventional apparatus, when the regeneration running condition is changed over to the power running condition, the real-current-signal or the detected current retards relative to the phase voltage corresponding to the set-current-signal and the detected current becomes a value for the changeover from the regeneration running condition to the power running condition a certain time after the real changeover. As a result, if the changeover from the regeneration running condition to the power running condition is detected from the change of the set-current-signal, in order to change the three-phase-modulation mode to the two-phase-modulation mode, the two-phase-modulation is still carried still in the regeneration running condition, resulting in significant distortion of the phase voltage, thereby distorting the motor-current and causing vibration of the motor.


A feeder includes a discharge guide member which is provided on a feeder main body to communicate with a tape discharging section and guides such that a carrier tape which is discharged from the tape discharging section heads downward, a peeling member which is provided on the feeder main body and peels a cover tape from the carrier tape before the carrier tape which is conveyed by a front side sprocket reaches the tape discharging section, and a contacting and positioning member which is provided on the feeder main body, causes the cover tape which covers the carrier tape which is conveyed by the front side sprocket to contact the peeling member, and positions the carrier tape from which the cover tape is peeled and which is discharged from the tape discharging section at a regular position inside the discharge guide member.

PTL 1 describes an auto-loading feeder which, when usage of a current carrier tape ends, automatically conveys a next carrier tape and starts usage of the next carrier tape. A front portion of a feeder main body is provided with a guide member which guides a carrier tape from the feeder main body to a tape discharge duct while in contact with an upper face of the carrier tape when the feeder discharges a carrier tape to a tape discharge duct which is disposed below the front portion of the feeder main body.
The current carrier tape for which usage is ended and which is separated from the sprocket remains inside the guide. Therefore, when the next carrier tape is conveyed into the guide member by the sprocket, the leading end of the next carrier tape contacts the tail end of the current carrier tape, pushes out the current carrier tape and discharges the current carrier tape to the discharge duct.