A mailer type business form and intermediate are constructed from a single sheet of paper to include a reply envelope. The sheet is devoid of cut outs or windows, yet may be simplex printed with the reply and outgoing addresses formed on the same face of the intermediate and having the same orientation. The mailer is easily opened by removing tear strips along the edges, a data panel is detached from a reply envelope flap, and a ply containing the outgoing address detached from the reply envelope so that no computer printing or postal service bar code pertaining to the outgoing address is visible on the reply envelope, including the closing flap portion of the reply envelope.

In the construction of intermediates for mailer type business forms, and the mailers themselves, where it is desirable to provide reply envelopes, several features are desirable. First of all it is desirable to ensure that no part of the reply envelope (including the flap for sealing the reply envelope) has any computer printing or USPS bar code pertinent to the outgoing envelope which is visible on the reply envelope since that may undesirably impact upon the deliverability of the outgoing envelope. Also it is desirable to be able to simplex print the outgoing and reply addresses (as well as other indicia, such as the customer account number in the return address portion of the reply envelope) and in such a way that all of the indicia have the same orientation. This provides for maximum ease of construction and utility of the intermediates and mailers. Also it is desirable that the intermediate is formed by--and the mailer is constructed from--a single sheet of paper, such as a legal size sheet (although other size sheets may also be provided as long as the final mailer and reply envelope have an appropriate size for USPS regulations).
According to one aspect of the present invention an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided comprising the following components: A sheet of paper having first and second opposite parallel longitudinal edges; first and second opposite end edges; a first face adapted to provide the majority of the interior of a mailer when constructed from the sheet; and a second face adapted to provide the exterior of the mailer when constructed. First, second and third fold lines formed in the sheet perpendicular to the longitudinal edges, and dividing the sheet into, in sequence, first, second, third and fourth panels, the first panel being defined by the first end edge and the first fold line, and the fourth panel by the second end edge and the third fold line. First and second longitudinal lines of weakness formed in the sheet parallel to and adjacent, but spaced from, the longitudinal edges to define first and second tear strips. First and second adhesive patterns disposed on the tear strips to hold the sheet into a mailer when folded about the fold line. Third adhesive patterns disposed on the first face of at least one of the second and third panels for joining the second and third panels together adjacent the first and second longitudinal lines of weakness and adjacent the second fold line for forming a reply envelope when the sheet is folded about the fold lines. A first transverse line of weakness formed in the first panel parallel to and adjacent, but spaced from, the first fold line to define a reply envelope flap. And, a fourth adhesive pattern formed on the first face of the reply envelope flap.
Preferably the intermediate is substantially continuous, being devoid of cut outs or windows. Also the reply address indicia when imaged on the intermediate second panel second face has an upright, readable orientation when the first end edge is at the top of the intermediate. The outgoing address indicia, when variably imaged on the fourth panel second face, has this same orientation. Also the outgoing addressee's account number, and like indicia, may be imaged at the "return address" portion of the second panel second face (forming the outside of the reply envelope).
Typically the second and third fold lines are lines of weakness. Also the fold lines are positioned so that the first panel has a length that is a distance X less than the lengths of the second through fourth panels, and a fifth readily releasable adhesive pattern is preferably disposed on the first face of the fourth panel adjacent the second end edge, and not extending substantially more than the distance X from the second end edge.
According to another aspect of the present invention an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided comprising the following components: A sheet of paper having first and second opposite parallel longitudinal edges; first and second opposite end edges; a first face adapted to provide the majority of the interior of a mailer when constructed from the sheet; and a second face adapted to provide the exterior of the mailer when constructed. First, second and third fold lines formed in the sheet perpendicular to the longitudinal edges, and dividing the sheet into, in sequence, first, second, third and fourth panels, the first panel being defined by said first end edge and the first fold line, and the fourth panel by the second end edge and the third fold line. First and second longitudinal lines of weakness formed in the sheet parallel to and adjacent, but spaced from, the longitudinal edges to define first and second tear strips. First and second adhesive patterns disposed on the tear strips to hold the sheet into a mailer when folded about the fold lines. Third adhesive patterns disposed on the first face of at least one of the second and third panels for joining the second and third panels together adjacent the first and second longitudinal lines of weakness and adjacent the second fold line for forming a reply envelope when the sheet is folded about the second fold line. Reply address indicia imaged on the second face of the second panel, the indicia upright when the first end edge is at the top of the intermediate. And, outgoing address indicia imaged on the second face of the fourth panel, the outgoing address indicia being upright and readable when the first end edge is at the top of the intermediate.
The details of the intermediate according to this aspect of the invention are preferably as described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention.
The invention also comprises a mailer type business form. The mailer type form comprises the following components: First, second, third and fourth plies each having first and second faces, longitudinal edges, and end edges. The first ply having outgoing address indicia imaged on the first face thereof, the first face being an exterior face of the mailer, and the outgoing address being readable when the first end edge thereof is at the top of the mailer. Aligned first and second longitudinal lines of weakness formed in each of the plies adjacent but spaced from the longitudinal edges thereof to define tear-off strips. First and second adhesive patterns provided in the tear-off strips connecting the second face of the first ply in face-to-face engagement with the first face of the second ply, and the second face of the second ply in face-to-face engagement with the first face of the third ply, and the second face of the third ply in face-to-face engagement with the first face of the fourth ply. Third adhesive patterns disposed adjacent the first and second longitudinal lines of weakness on the opposite sides thereof from the first and second longitudinal edges, and adjacent the second end edges of the third and fourth plies for holding the second face of the third ply in face-to-face engagement with the first face of the fourth ply even when the tear-off strips have been removed, defining a reply envelope. And, reply address indicia formed on the first face of the third ply and being upright and readable when the first end edge of the first ply is at the top.
In the mailer according to the present invention the construction is preferably such so that the second ply has a longitudinal dimension that is shorter by the distance X from the first and third plies so that the second end edge of the second ply is spaced from the second end edges of the first and third plies; and the mailer further comprises a fourth adhesive pattern formed adjacent the second end edges of the first ply second face or the third ply first face for holding the second face of the first ply adjacent the second end edge thereof to the first face of the third ply adjacent the second end edge thereof in a readily releasable manner. The readily releasable adhesive pattern preferably comprises spaced adhesive spots. The mailer also preferably comprises a line of weakness formed in the second ply adjacent the first end edge thereof to define a reply envelope flap; and further comprises a user activated adhesive pattern formed on the first face of said second ply at the reply envelope flap; an account number imaged on the first face of the third ply adjacent the first longitudinal line of weakness and adjacent the first end edge thereof; and, indicia imaged on the second face of the second ply.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, versatile, and effective intermediate for a mailer type business form, and mailer type business form, that can be easily simplex printed and will not have any adverse extraneous indicia (such as USPS bar code) on the reply enveloped, including the sealing flap thereof. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

Two way self mailer from one ply of paper


A metal-can label is bonded to a metal can by heating. The label has a thermally stable transparent label substrate; and adhesive layer composed of a thermosetting resin; and either a printer layer or a deposited metal layer or both. These layers are formed between the transparent label layer and the adhesive layer. The label has, at its edge, a clear portion having a predetermined width in which the transparent label substrate and the adhesive layer are laminated without the interposition of either the print layer or the deposited metal layer. A can having rolled top covering the clear portion of the label is described.

The present invention relates to a metal-can label which is bonded to a metal can by heating adhesion and to a metal can carrying the metal-can label. Specifically, the present invention relates to a metal-can label that is resistant to peeling-off even when a metal can carrying the label undergoes, for example, drawing or retorting, and to a metal can carrying this metal-can label.
Metal cans include beverage cans that are filled with beverages such as soft drinks and beer, and spray cans that are filled with gases. These metal cans are classified as a three-piece can composed of a can body, a can bottom and a can lid, and a two-piece can composed of a can bottom and a can body formed as an integral can main body and a can lid fitted onto the can main body. In some cans, the neck of such a can main body is subjected to neck-in processing to form plural steps, and this type of cans have been used in large numbers in recent years.
When an external ornament such as a trade name, a manufacturer name, and a design (pattern) is made on a metal can such as a two-piece can or a three-piece can, the external ornament is generally printed directly onto the outer surface of the body of can main body. However, the outer surface of the body of metal can (two-piece can) to be printed generally curves cylindrically and is lower in printability than a conventional film printing, and a beautiful finishing cannot be significantly obtained. Particularly, color printing such as photomechanical printing which requires precise processes invites many problems, and there is a limitation when a satisfactory external ornament is to be made on a metal can by direct printing on the outer surface of the can body.
Consequently, an attempt has been made to yield an improved ornament by allowing the body of a metal can to carry a shrink label. However, shrinkage of the shrink label becomes uneven in, for example, neck-in processed portions, to invite deformation or rupture in the top edge or bottom edge of the shrink label, and the shrink label peels off from the metal can. Additionally, the shrink label is not bonded to the body surface of metal can, and when the shrink label reaches the rolled portion, the shrink label which is not bonded disadvantageously weakens the rolling strength.
Under these circumstances, as a metal-can label that can yield satisfactory external ornament, adhesive label 21 as shown in FIG. 9 has been discussed. Adhesive label 21 includes transparent label substrate 22, and print layer (or deposited metal layer) 23 and adhesive layer 24 composed of a thermosetting resin successively laminated on transparent label substrate 22. FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the top of can main body 10. In this state, a metal can carrying aforementioned adhesive label 21 on its can body has been further subjected to neck-in processing. Adhesive label 21 can be surely affixed to the surface of the can body of metal can by heating adhesion, and does not deteriorate the rolling strength even when the adhesive label reaches the rolled portion. However, if the neck of the can body is subjected to extreme drawing (neck-in processing), stress is applied to attached label 21 in neck-in processed portion 10c, and the it top edge of the label peels off, as shown in FIG. 10. This peeling-off is generally occurs in the interface between print layer (or deposited metal layer) 23 and adhesive layer 24. Additionally, when the metal can carrying label 21 is subjected to hot water treatment or retorting, water or moisture enters the edge of label to invite the label to peel off.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a metal-can label that can bear a satisfactory external ornament, can be surely affixed to the outer surface of the body of a metal can, and is resistant to peeling-off even when the metal can is subjected to extreme drawing or to hot water treatment or retorting, as well as to provide a metal can carrying the metal-can label.
After intensive investigations to achieve the above objects, the present inventors found that the formation of a clear portion having neither print layer nor deposited metal layer at the edge of a label make the label to be resistant to peeling-off even when a metal can carrying the label is subjected to extreme drawing or to retorting. The present invention has been accomplished based on these findings.
Specifically, the present invention provides a metal-can label to be bonded to a metal can by heating. The label includes a thermally stable transparent label substrate, an adhesive layer composed of a thermosetting resin, and at least one layer selected from a print layer and a deposited metal layer each formed between the transparent label layer and the adhesive layer, and the label has, at its edge, a clear portion having a predetermined width, in which the transparent label substrate and the adhesive layer are laminated without the interposition of any of the print layer and the deposited metal layer. In this label, the transparent label substrate may be made of a biaxially oriented polyester-based resin film, and the adhesive layer may be made of a thermosetting polyester-based resin.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a metal can which carries the metal-can label on the outer surface of a can body by action of heating adhesion. The metal can carrying the metal-can label on the outer surface of a can body by action of heating adhesion may be further subjected to neck-in processing. The metal can may carry the metal-can label on the outer surface of the can body in such a manner that the clear portion of the label is hidden by a rolled portion of the top of the can body and a can lid.

Metal can label and metal can having metal can label applied thereto


An apparatus for controlling an image display device such as the CRT includes a dual port memory having a first memory and a second memory. Data may be written into a first memory and read from the first memory at any time. Data is sequentially read from the second memory to provide information for the display. Data is manipulated during a data transfer cycle, a dynamic memory refresh cycle, a memory write cycle and a memory read cycle. Data is transmitted between the first memory and second memory during a data transfer cycle. A cycle reconciliation circuit prioritizes the manner in which the cycles occur giving top priority to the data transfer cycle.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus which controls the display of a raster scan display device, and in particular, to an apparatus having a dual port memory for storing information which is to be displayed.
The use of dual port memories for storing information to be displayed on a raster scan display device is known in the art. Such conventional devices utilize a dual port memory having a random access memory (RAM) and a sequential access memory (SAM) which are controlled by a processor for storing and outputting information. The memory includes two outputs and two inputs and is capable of transferring data between the RAM and SAM. To produce a display, the memories are utilized to store information about characters stored at successive addresses, and color information characteristics of the characters such as flicker display.
The information concerning the dots forming graphical images or color information is successively read from the SAM. The characters are then converted into a different pattern, the colors are selected or the data is otherwise processed. This transmitted data is then fed to a display device. The processor outputs instructions for writing the information into the RAM at arbitrary addresses or for reading the information from the RAM already stored at the arbitrary addresses. An address selecting signal and a control signal are input to the RAM to cause information to be written in or to be read from the RAM. These input signals also act to refresh the memory. The memory is a dynamic memory and therefore it is periodically refreshed to prevent the stored information from being lost. Another function of the input signal is to transfer data. Additionally, a limitation is imposed by the amount of data which may be continuously read from the SAM.
By way of example, in a device utilizing a dual port memory of 64 kilowords by four bits, the maximum amount of data which can be continuously read out is 256 words. Therefore, 256 words of information is transferred from the RAM to SAM at a single time. It follows that when a display is initiated, i.e., when data is first read from the SAM, the data to be read out must be transferred from the RAM to the SAM.
To perform these functions, the device performs four memory cycles. When a raster scan display device such as a CRT, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display or the like displays an image, video data traces a succession of horizontal lines beginning with the upper left position of the display screen. As seen in FIG. 1, the right hand end of a horizontal line is followed by the left hand end of the succeeding horizontal line. The upper right hand end of a line is followed by the upper left hand end of the succeeding line of information. During the interval between the end of one horizontal line and the start of the succeeding horizontal line, a horizontal synchronization pulse 201 is produced to inform the display device of the occurrence of the end of a horizontal scan. Also a blanking time period 202 is output during this interval. Therefore, a data transfer cycle for beginning the next line is able to use this blanking time.
However, if the 255th data word, indicated as 204, is read while the horizontal line is being displayed, then data transfer for reading next word of data, the 0th word, is needed. Specifically, it becomes necessary to transfer data from the RAM to the SAM at the same time data is being read from the SAM. In such a case, a very stringent limitation is imposed on the moment at which the data transfer cycle is executed.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 wherein a timing chart for such a transfer is provided. A SAM access clock pulse 301 rises causing image data 302, 303, 304 . . . to be successfully read from the SAM at successive addresses. As this operation is repeated, a leading edge 306 of a SAM clock pulse causes the 255th data item, indicated at 307, to be read out from the SAM. If the process were to be continued further, then data can no longer be read from the SAM port because of the limitation of the SAM capacity, i.e. there would be no more data to read. For this reason, the data transfer cycle is carried out. If the transfer is not completed before the next leading edge 308 of a SAM access clock pulse, then incorrect data would have to be read when in fact data 309 should be the 0th data item.
During the data transfer cycle, leading edge 211 of a data transfer control signal 310 actually causes the transfer. Therefore, the data transfer cycle must be executed in such a way that the leading edge 311 occurs between leading edges 306 and 308 of the SAM axis clock pulses 301. The method used in the prior art is to fix the first address of the displayed image or to place some limitation if the first address is not fixed.
When a limitation is provided some of the first (lowermost) bits of the address are fixed. Thus, the position at which data transfer is needed during the display of an image is predetermined. The moment in time corresponding to this position is reserved for the data transfer cycle. One example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the relation of the horizontal position displayed on the view screen to the address in the memory used for the display is shown. In this example, each horizontal line is segmented into 320 addresses. If the limitation is set so that the first six bits of the first address are given values of 0 and the initial data read from the SAM at the beginning of display operation consist of one of only four specific data items such as the 0th data item 401 on the first horizontal line, the 64th data item 402 on the second horizontal line, the 128 data item 403 on the third horizontal line and the 192nd data item 404 ion the fourth horizontal line, neither the 256th data item or the 320th data item is included. In this example, since the dual port memory is designed to store 64 kilowords by four bits, the 256th data item is the 0th data item of the next line or the 256th word to be output. Considering the position at which the data transfer is needed for each of these data items, between the 255th data word and 0th data word positions 408, 407, 406, 405 are respectively assumed to be the desired position for the lines beginning with the 0th, 64th, 128th, 192nd data words. It is at these positions that the data transfer cycle is performed and the reading operation is repeated with the 0th data word. The data read out at the end of the line consist of the 63rd data item 409 on the first line, the 127th data item 410 on the second line, 191st data word 411 on the third line and the 255th data word 412 on the fourth line. The data read out at the beginning of the succeeding line consists of the four data-words in the same manner as in the case of the first four lines. Therefore, the position at which the data transfer occurs which is necessary for the next line always occurs at one of the locations 405, 406, 407 and 408. This way data transfer is required to occur at one of four locations for every line displayed.
Each line is assigned four time periods 413, 414, 415 or 416 corresponding to the point in time at which the data transfer cycle must occur. A decision is then made to determine whether the data transfer cycle must occur based upon the address at the preceding positions for 417, 418, 419 and 420. The data is read out and compared with the 240th data word at positions 417, 418, 419 or 420. When data read out exceeds the 240th data word execution of other cycles is prevented and the data transfer cycle is carried out at precisely the previously assigned time either 413, 414, 415 or 416 which ever occurs next. If the 240th data word is not exceeded it is not necessary to transfer the data and another cycle is carried out as requested. In this manner data transfer is correctly executed.
These prior art techniques have been satisfactory, however they suffer from the limitation that timing limitations are imposed on the setting of the address at which a display is initiated. This makes it impossible to display the image data stored in a desired region in the memory.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an apparatus for controlling the raster display which overcomes the disadvantage of the prior art described above to permit any image data stored in a desired region in the memory to be displayed on a view screen.

Apparatus for controlling a displayed image on a raster scan display


A memory card includes: a first memory chip responding to all commands input externally; and a second memory chip responding to commands, among the commands input externally, relevant to reading, programming, and erasing operations with data. Card identification information stored in the first memory chip includes capacity information corresponding to a sum of sizes of the first and second memory chips. The plurality of memory chips of the memory card are useful in designing the memory card with storage capacity in various forms.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor memories. More specifically the present disclosure relates to flash memories and a memory card system including the same.
Multimedia cards (MMCs) are kinds of communication media and data storage units generally used in low-priced devices intended for normal users. MMCs are usually designed to be operable in various applications, such as smart phones, cameras, personal data assistants (PDAs), digital recorders, MP3 players, pagers, and so forth. MMCs are nowadays regarded as being characterized by high portability and good performance with low prices.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a general multimedia card.
Referring to FIG. 1, the MMC 20 includes an MMC controller chip 22 and a flash memory 24. The MMC controller chip 22 and the flash memory 24 are each constructed as independent chips. In other words, the MMC 20 is composed of two chips. The flash memory 24 is formed in a NAND type that is well known in this art. The MMC controller chip 22 functions to conduct interfacing operations between a host 10 and the flash memory 24.
As the MMC 20 is organized of two chips, the cost is increased for fabricating the MMC 20. Further, data security would be worse due to exposure of data that is transceived between the MMC controller chip 22 and the flash memory 24.
With the object of solving those problems, a way of fabricating a one-chip MMC 40 has been recently proposed, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In the MMC 40, an MMC controller 44 and a flash memory 46 are integrated in a single memory chip 42. Since the one-chip MMC 40 can be structured without pads and signal lines for connecting the MMC controller 44 with the flash memory 46, it makes the chip area smaller and can be produced at a lower cost. Moreover, without exposure of data transferred between the MMC controller 44 and the flash memory 46, it enhances the data security.
Generally, wide-scope applications and diverse users usually require MMCs that are variable in storage capacities. If a number of the flash memories 24 are provided in the MMC 20 shown in FIG. 1 and changes made to a firmware of the MMC controller 22, a capacity of the MMC 20 may be variable.
It is not easy, however, for the MMC 40 to vary the storage capacity of the flash memory. To change a storage capacity of the flash memory, it is required to fabricate a memory chip using newly designed circuit patterns and providing plural memory chips to the MMC. In organizing an MMC with pluralities of memory chips, there needs to be considered an interface pattern between a host and the MMC.

Memory card and memory system having the same


A method of diagnosing a fault in a network path comprises the steps, performed at a diagnosing node, of initiating a path discovery test. The diagnosing node receives at least one path discovery test response and identifies the diagnosable node on the network path from a path discovery test response. The diagnosing node remotely accesses said diagnosable node and performs a diagnostic routine at said diagnosable node.

In computer networks such as the Internet, packets of data are sent from a source to a destination via a network of elements including links (communication paths such as telephone or optical lines) and nodes (for example, routers directing the packet along one or more of a plurality of links connected to it) according to one of various routing protocols.
One such protocol is MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching). MPLS is a protocol that is well known to the skilled reader and which is described in document "Multi Protocol Label Switching Architecture" which is available at the time of writing on the file "rfc3031.txt" in the directory "rfc" of the domain "ietf.org" on the World Wide Web. According to MPLS, a complete path for a source-destination pair is established, and values required for forwarding a packet between adjacent label switched routers (LSRs) in the path together with headers, or tags or "labels" are pre-pended to the packet. The labels are used to direct the packet to the correct interface and next hop. The labels precede the Internet Protocol (IP) or other header allowing smaller outer headers.
The path for the source-destination pair, termed a Label Switched Path (LSP) can be established according to various different approaches. One such approach is the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) in which each router in the path invokes an LDP session with neighbouring LSRs and sends its label to the next hop router on the path as determined from its IP routing table. Alternative label distribution mechanisms include Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) in which case, for example, a network administrator can engineer a path, providing strict source routing and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). In all cases a Label Forwarding Information Base (LFIB) stores both the next-hop information for the LSP, together with the label required by the next hop as a label binding.
For each LSP created, a forwarding equivalent class (FEC) is associated with the path specifying which packets are mapped to it.
At an ingress LSR to the LSP, packets destined, for example, for a certain destination or "prefix" are assigned to a corresponding FEC and injected into the LSP with the LSP next-hops ingress label pre-pended. The LSP next-hop router swaps its ingress label with an egress label received from its next-hop router and so forth. At an LSP egress router, the ingress label is removed and the packet is forwarded on towards the destination prefix according to the routing protocol supported thereafter.
One known use of MPLS is in MPLS virtual private networks (VPN) where an LSP is established between ingress and egress provider edge routers (PE) accessible by respective customer edge (CE) routers hence providing an effective tunnel between the customer edge routers.
MPLS VPN's are used for a range of telecommunications services but can give rise to difficulties in fault finding and troubleshooting. For example troubleshooting may be a manual task requiring complex procedures and hence costly skilled operators to find and diagnose faults. Both the isolation and identification of the cause of "broken" LSPs can hence lead to prolonged loss of connectivity for services using MPLS as a transport. Furthermore, problems tend to occur in ways that are not automatically detectable by the individual routers, such as misconfiguration or software/hardware defects such that customer intervention is required to draw the problem to the attention of the service provider.
Traditional fault management products focus on problem detection, alarm management and "trouble ticket" management. Problem detection is typically based upon receiving messages from network devices using simple network management protocol (SNMP) traps and logging messages, or polling the devices at regular intervals for predetermined fault symptoms. Alternatively test traffic can be injected into the network and problems detected in the form of an alarm. However other than generating a trouble ticket there is minimal support for subsequently diagnosing or troubleshooting the fault.
One known approach for detecting faults is described in "Detecting MPLS Data Plane Failures" of Kompella et al ("Kompella") which is available at the time of writing on the file "draft-ietf-mpls-lsp-ping-03.txt" in the directory "proceedings/03jul/I-D" of the domain "ietf.org" of the World Wide Web. According to the approach described therein, in a first detection step a "LSP ping" command is sent followed by an "LSP traceroute command". The LSP ping corresponds to an internet control message protocol (ICMP) ping comprising a packet sent along the path from the ingress point which is responded to from the egress point. Receipt of the response indicates that the path is healthy. LSP traceroute comprises a message which is received at each router along the LSP, passed along and responded to with additional diagnostic information. If there is a fault then the vicinity in which it occurred can be determined from identifying which furthest router sent a traceroute response. In addition the response itself may carry some low level diagnostic information. Accordingly the approach described in Kompella will tell a network administrator whether the path is healthy or broken and the general vicinity of any fault, but provides little more useful information.

Method and apparatus for diagnosing a fault in a network path


Expandable polystyrenic resin particles having superior resistance to cracking of a molded foam product, having superior retention of blowing agent and maintaining expandability over a long period of time, a production process thereof, and a molded foam product are provided. These expandable polystyrenic resin particles contain a volatile blowing agent in polystyrenic resin particles obtained by impregnating and polymerizing a styrenic monomer in polyolefin resin particles to form a polystyrenic resin, wherein together with the styrenic monomer being used at 140 to 600 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin resin particles, the average thickness of the surface layer observed in scanning electron micrographs obtained by immersing sections cut into halves through the center from the surface of the resin particles in tetrahydrofuran followed by extracting the polystyrenic resin component and capturing cross-sections of said sections is 15 to 150 μm, and the volatile blowing agent is contained at 5.5 to 13.0% by weight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to expandable polystyrenic resin particles (beads) and a production process thereof, pre-expanded particles and a molded foam product. More particularly, the expandable polystyrenic resin particles of the present invention employ a core-shell structure (see FIG. 1) having a surface layer (shell), and together with maintaining high expandability over a long period of time due to favorable retention of blowing agent, allow the obtaining of a molded foam product having superior resistance to cracking even if the blending ratio of polystyrenic resin is low.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-291116, filed on Oct. 26, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Impregnating polystyrene resin particles with a volatile blowing agent such as propane, butane or pentane allows the obtaining of expandable polystyrene resin particles (EPS) that have the ability to foam. Expandable polystyrene resin particles have favorable retention of blowing agent, can be stored at room temperature or in a refrigerated state, can be heated to form pre-expanded particles at appropriate times, and can be molded into molded foam products by filling into a mold of a molding machine and heating. Since this molded foam product has superior heat insulating properties, cushioning properties and light weight, it is used in a wide range of applications including food packages such as fish containers, cushioning materials for home appliances, and heat insulating materials for construction materials. However, these polystyrene resin molded foam products have the problem of being susceptible to cracking due to impacts and the like, thereby limiting further expansion of their applications.
On the other hand, molded foam products composed of polyolefin resins such as polyethylene resin or polypropylene resin are known to be flexible and resistant to cracking (superior cracking resistance) in addition to having the characteristics of polystyrene resin molded foam products. However, since polyolefin resins have inferior blowing agent retention, they cannot be stored as expandable resin particles. Moreover, since foam molding conditions are required to be precisely controlled, they also have the problem of high production costs.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a molded foam product has been proposed that compounds a polystyrenic resin and polyolefin resin.
Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S54-119563) proposes secondary expandable foam particles in which the surface layer is composed of a foamed polyolefin resin while the core section is composed of foamed polystyrenic resin for the purpose of realizing the characteristics of both polystyrenic resin and polyolefin resin by mutually compensating for the shortcomings thereof.
In addition, Patent Document 1 describes that, according to these foam particles, moldability is superior since blowing agent is retained in the foamed polystyrenic resin of the core sections. Moreover, it is described that a molded foam product obtained from these foam resin particles has superior rigidity, flexibility and low-temperature properties.
However, as a result of the inventors of the present invention carrying out additional testing on the resin particles described in Patent Document 1, even if blowing agent was impregnated into the resin particles comprised of polystyrenic resin particles coated with polyolefin resin and immediately subjected to pre-expanding, only the internal polystyrenic resin underwent considerable foaming, while the polyolefin resin only exhibited slight foaming or no foaming at all. In addition, as a result thereof, separation occurred at the boundary between the surface polyolefin resin layer and the polystyrenic resin, thereby preventing the obtaining of the target molded foam product. In addition, due to prominent escape of blowing agent from the surface layer, it was difficult to store in the state of expandable resin particles. Thus, these foam particles have not been able to be used on an industrial scale.
In addition to the method described above, several expandable resin particles have been proposed in which polystyrenic resin is modified with polyolefin resin by impregnating a styrenic monomer into polyolefin resin particles and polymerizing an in aqueous medium.
For example, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. H7-45590), the inventors of the present invention proposed expandable styrene-modified polyethylene resin particles comprising impregnating a readily volatile blowing agent into styrene-modified polyethylene resin particles containing 0.01 to 5% by weight of water-containing silicon dioxide.
However, the properties of these modified expandable resin particles and molded foam products thereof are greatly affected by the ratio of the polystyrenic resin and polyethylene resin. Namely, although resistance to cracking of the molded foam products improves the higher the ratio of polystyrenic resin, since retention of blowing agent decreases rapidly, the period during which the expandable resin particles can be foam molded (to be referred to as bead life) is shortened, and it was difficult to realize both resistance to cracking and bead life.
In addition, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-70202) proposes styrene-modified polyethylene expandable resin particles containing 300 to 1000 parts by weight of a styrene resin component and a volatile blowing agent to 100 parts by weight of a polyethylene resin component containing an inorganic nucleating agent and having a melting point of 95 to 115° C., and in a state in which styrene resin particles of 0.8 μm or less are dispersed in a surface layer to at least 5 μm from the surface of the particles.
Although these modified expandable resin particles have improved bead life as a result of the styrene resin component being present in excess than the polyethylene resin component, the object of the present invention is unable to be achieved due to inadequate resistance to cracking.
In addition, the inventors of the present invention proposed foam particles of polystyrenic resin modified with polyolefin resin and a production process thereof in Patent Document 4 (International Publication No. WO 2005/021624).
The base resin particles of these foam particles were produced by adjusting the impregnation polymerization conditions of the styrenic monomer, namely adjusting the required stirring force to within a predetermined range, and adjusting the content of styrenic monomer in the polyolefin resin particles to a predetermined amount. Since polymerization progresses in the state in which the amount of styrenic monomer gradually decreases from the core sections towards the surface of the polyolefin resin particles, and further progresses while styrenic monomer is sequentially absorbed into polystyrenic resin formed in the polyolefin resin particles, the polyolefin resin particles become richer in polystyrenic resin the closer to the core sections accompanying formation of polystyrenic resin, while the surface is in a state in which polyolefin resin is present at a higher ratio.
In these foam particles, although polystyrenic resin is contained at a high ratio in the core sections thereof, at locations near the surface, polyolefin resin is contained at a high ratio while the ratio of polystyrenic resin gradually decreases moving towards the surface of the particles, thereby resulting in a state of being finely dispersed within the polyolefin resin, while the particle surface is in a state in which there is hardly any polystyrenic resin present.
Since a resulting molded foam product has a structure in which the entire surface thereof is covered with polyolefin resin containing a high ratio of pre-expanded particles near the surface thereof, the molded foam product is provided with superior resistance to cracking as well as chemical resistance.
However, since there is no change in the tendency for retention of blowing agent to decrease easily even if this technology is applied, it is difficult to maintain the bead life of the expandable resin particles for a long period of time, and it is still difficult to easily realize both resistance to cracking and bead life.
In addition, Patent Document 5 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H2-284905) discloses a method that uses a water-soluble polymerization inhibitor in the production of carbon-containing styrene-modified expandable polyolefin resin particles by supplying styrenic monomer to an aqueous medium in which olefin resin particles containing electrically conductive carbon particles are dispersed in water, suspension polymerizing the styrenic monomer, and impregnating a volatile expansion agent into the particles.
The water-soluble polymerization inhibitor inhibits polymerization of vinyl monomers containing styrene near the surface of particles while dissolving in an aqueous medium and being absorbed by carbon-containing olefin resin particles. As a result, since the surfaces of the resulting styrene-modified expandable polyolefin resin particles have a lower amount of polystyrene than the particle centers, while conversely the surfaces having a higher content of electrically conductive carbon, styrene-modified olefin resin particles are obtained that have superior electrical conductivity.
As has been described above, a water-soluble polymerization inhibitor has the effect of inhibiting polymerization of styrenic monomer on the surface of polyolefin resin particles, and in that sense, makes it possible to improve the blackness and electrical conductivity of a molded foam product. However, since inhibition of styrenic monomer polymerization is limited to only the surface, effects for improving resistance to cracking are inadequate. Accordingly, since the ratio of polyolefin resin in modified resin particles cannot be lowered, retention of blowing agent is not enhanced and similarly the object of the present invention is unable to be achieved.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S54-119563    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. H7-45590    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-70202    [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. WO    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H2-284905
With the foregoing in view, an object of the present invention is to provide expandable polystyrenic resin particles, which together with having superior resistance to cracking for molded foam products, that was a problem for expandable polystyrenic resin particles of the prior art, maintains high expandability over a long period of time, a production process thereof, and a molded foam product.

Expandable polystyrenic resin particles and production process thereof, pre-expanded particles and molded foam product


A punch for opening passages between two compartments comprises an outer hollow tube and an inner needle tube. The outer hollow tube has a sharp distal edge constituting a circular knife. The needle tube is provided with screw actuating member at a proximal end thereof and a bevelled tip at a distal end thereof. A screw mechanism is located upon a distal end of the needle tube, and the screw mechanism is connected to a cutting disc. The mechanism is screw-actuated by the actuating member. The punch is particularly suitable in cardiac surgery and cardiology as a cardiac catheter and in opening the inter-atrial septum of babies.

The present invention relates to a punch for opening passages between two compartments. Such a tool is in particular suitable in cardiac surgery and cardiology as a cardiac catheter. The invention will be described in connection with said use, however it is not restricted to same.
In cardiac surgery it is very often essential to form passages between various compartments which are blocked. This applies in general for the transfer in each of the arteries and chambers of the heart between same and at their outlet when they are blocked. This is, for example, very important in opening the inter-atrial septum of babies with transposition of the great arteries. Moreover, this is very important in the production of such a passage having a well defined hole in a graft in the heart or at the wall of the artery.
There are known surgical means and methods for the opening of such passages, e.g. the balloon method of Rashkind et al., JAMA 1966; 196; 991-2.
However, all said known devices and methods require rather complicated surgical means and methods. These means and methods are not satisfactory and the mortality rate in some of the operations to be performed with them is quite high, e.g. 47% in the surgery of opening of the inter atrial septum of babies.
It has therefore been desirable to design means which overcome the above drawbacks. Said means should be relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture and be safe and simple to use.

Punch for opening passages between two compartments


A multiplier array processing system which improves the utilization of the multiplier and adder array for lower-precision arithmetic is described. New instructions are defined which provide for the deployment of additional multiply and add operations as a result of a single instruction, and for the deployment of greater multiply and add operands as the symbol size is decreased.

The present invention relates to an instruction set and data paths of processors which perform fixed-point and floating-point multiply and add operations, and particularly processors which perform both multiply and add operations as a result of a single instruction.
A general-purpose processing system which performs multiply and add operations may allow these arithmetic operations to be performed at varying precision. High-precision operations generally consume greater circuit resources than low-precision operations. For example, in order to double the precision of a multiply operation, about four times as many circuits are required if the same performance is to be achieved.
A multiplier array which is capable of performing a multiply of two 64-bit operands, without reusing the array in sequential fashion, must generate the equivalent of 642, or 4096 bits of binary product (a 1-bit multiply is the same as a boolean or binary xe2x80x9candxe2x80x9d operation), and reduce the product bits in an array of binary adders which produces 128 bits of result. As a single binary adder (a full adder) takes in three inputs and produces two outputs, the number of binary adders required for such an array can be computed 642xe2x88x92128, or 3968.
There are well-known techniques for reducing the number of product bits, such as Booth encoding. There are also well-known techniques for performing the required add operations so as to minimize delay, such as the use of arrays of carry-save-adders. These techniques can reduce the size of multiplier arrays and reduce the delay of addition arrays, however, these techniques do not appreciably change the relation between the size of the operand and the size of the multiplier and adder arrays.
Using the same arithmetic as before, a multiply of 32-bit operands generates the equivalent of 322, or 1024 bits of binary product, and use the 322xe2x88x9264, or 960 full adders to generate a 64-bit product. This clearly is approximately one fourth the resources required for a multiply of 64-bit operands.
Because the product of 32-bit operands is 64-bits, while the product of 64-bit operands is 128-bits, one can perform two 32-bit multiples which produce 2 64-bit products, giving a 128-bit result. As such, because the 32-bit product uses one-fourth the resources of the 64-bit product, these two 32-bit products use one-half the resources of the 64-bit product. Continuing this computation, four 16-bit products use one-quarter of the 64-bit multiplier resources, eight 8-bit products use one-eighth of the resources, and so forth.
Thus, while this technique produces results with the same number of bits as the 64-bit product, decreasing the symbol size results in a proportionately decreasing utilization of the multiplier and adder array resources. Clearly, a design that has sufficient resources for a 64-bit multiply will be under-utilized for multiplies on smaller symbols.
Accordingly, there exits a need for a method, instruction set and system in which a set of multiplier and adder circuit resources may be employed in a manner that increases the utilization of these resources for performing several multiply and add operations at once as a result of executing an instruction, and which also permits the expansion of the multiplier and adder circuit resources to an even higher level so as to further increase overall performance.
The present invention relates to a method, instruction, and system which improves the utilization of a multiplier and adder array for performing multiply and add operations at a lower precision than the full word size of the processor and particularly the multiplier and adder array.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a novel group-multiply-and-sum instruction is performed wherein operands which are the word size of the processor, for example, 128-bits, are divided into symbols where the symbols are 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, or 1 bit. Multiplier and multiplicand symbols are then multiplied together, and the products are added together so as to produce a single scalar result. The instruction performs twice as many multiplies as a group-multiply-and-add instruction (as described in related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/516,036, hereinafter referred to as the parent application) of the same symbol size. The instruction also avoids fixed-point overflows, because in the current example, the 128-bit result is large enough to hold the sum.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a novel group multiply-and-sum-and-add instruction is performed, wherein two operands are divided into symbols and then multiplied together. All the products resulting therefrom are then added together, along with a third operand value so as to produce a single scalar result. The instruction performs twice as many multiplies as a group-multiply-and-add instruction (as described in the parent application) of the same symbol size.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a novel group-complex-multiply instruction is performed, wherein the 64-bit multiplier and multiplicand operands are divided into symbols. Alternate symbols are taken to represent real parts (a and c) and imaginary parts (b and d) of a complex value, and a computation (a+bi)*(c+di)=(acxe2x88x92bd)+(bc+ad)i is performed. The instruction performs twice as many multiples as a group-multiply instruction (as described in the parent application) of the same symbol size, and in the current embodiment generates a result which is a 128-bit value.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a novel group-complex-multiply-and-add is performed, wherein two 64-bit operands are divided into complex-valued symbols, and a third 128-bit operand is divided into complex-valued symbols of twice the symbol size. The computation (a+bi)*(c+di)+(e+fi)=(ac-bd+e)+(bc+ad+f)i is performed. The result is a 128-bit value.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a novel group-convolve instruction is performed, wherein all but one symbol of a 128-bit value is multiplied with symbols of a 64-bit value. Certain of these products are summed together to form a 64-bit-by-64-bit slice of a convolution. The result is a 128-bit value.
As described in detail below, the present invention provides important advantages over the prior art. Most importantly, the present invention optimizes both system performance and overall power efficiency. The present invention performs a greater number of multiply operations and add operations in a single instruction without increasing the size of the result of this single instruction. The present invention arranges these operations in a manner which is advantageous both for implementation of digital signal processing algorithms, as the instructions perform these operations with greater parallelism and greater avoidance of arithmetic overflow, and which is advantageous for implementation of the multiplier itself, as these multipliers are formed from a partitioning of a single multiplier array, thereby overcoming significant disadvantages suffered by prior art devices as detailed above.
Additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, which exemplify the best mode of carrying out the invention.
The invention itself, together with further objects and advantages, can be better understood by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Multiplier array processing system with enhanced utilization at lower precision


A computer system which includes a direct memory access (DMA) controller which can provide a 32 bit memory address and yet can also provide 24 bit memory address operation to remain compatible with previous systems. The DMA controller also monitors system operation and if only 24 bit address operations are occurring under the control of an external bus master or the DMA controller, the DMA controller drives the top memory address byte provided to a cache memory controller to help insure cache coherency. Additionally, the DMA controller can provide optimal time transfers for word width transfer between an odd starting memory address and an even starting input/output port.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to memory and input/output space data control systems used in computer systems, and more particularly to systems utilizing direct memory access techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computer systems are becoming increasingly prevalent and increasingly more powerful. Computer systems have always had the problem of transferring information from a device to memory for use by the computer and from memory to various devices for storage or operation purposes. In early personal computer designs these transfers between the memory space and the input/output space associated with various peripheral devices such as disk controllers, displays, keyboards, and serial or parallel interface units were directly performed by the microprocessor in the computer system. As the capabilities of the various devices increased this transfer task became a burden on the microprocessor and other approaches were developed to free the microprocessor from this effort. One of these approaches was direct memory access (DMA), where a different controller handled the task of coordinating and performing the transfers once the necessary transfer information was provided to the DMA controller. The DMA controller was provided with the memory address information and other parameters. When operating, the DMA controller provided the address values to the system bus and drive the various control signals as necessary to cause the transfer operation to occur between the memory space and the I/O space.
This DMA technique was incorporated into the original IBM PC produced by International Business Machines Corp. (IBM). The IBM PC was based on the Intel Corporation (Intel) 8088 microprocessor, which had 20 address lines and transferred data over an 8 bit wide path. The DMA controller included in the IBM PC therefore only needed to use a 20 bit address and transfer data in one byte packages. This original DMA controller had eight channels, allowing transfers between eight different devices and memory to be programmed and operate without further microprocessor attention.
The capabilities of the devices and components that could be used and incorporated in personal computers continued to advance and users requested the advances to allow more complex programs to be developed and used. Eventually the IBM PC, and its hard disk-based relative, the PC/XT, were considered unsatisfactory. IBM introduced the IBM PC/AT or AT, utilizing the Intel 80286 microprocessor and incorporating more advanced capabilities. The 80286 and the AT could use 24 bits of address information and could transfer data over a 16 bit bus. However, this extended addressing capability and need to handle two data widths necessitated redesign of the DMA system. The DMA system was redesigned to handle the wider address and data buses, with certain channels designated for byte operations and certain channels designated for word operation.
Once again, the capabilities of components and peripheral devices proceeded to increase and users continued to demand the performance available. Several different events occurred in an attempt to help resolve the performance demand situation. One event was the introduction by IBM of the PS/2 line of personal computers. One perceived limitation of the AT was the inefficient method of allowing for multiple bus masters. A bus master is a device which can take full control of the system buses for its own purposes. The general cases where bus masters are used are cases which need greater peripheral performance than available using a DMA controller. Members of the PS/2 line utilized the MicroChannel Architecture or MCA to improve bus mastering capabilities, as well as other system capabilities. The operation of the MCA is more fully defined in the IBM Personal System/2 Model 80 Technical Reference Manual, bearing a copyright date of 1987 and published by IBM.
The MCA utilized a revised DMA control system. The DMA control system was compatible with previous computer programs but offered extended features not previously available, including a different method of providing the DMA controller with the information necessary for its operation. The extended method of providing the information utilized passing memory address information uniformly through two input/output (I/O) space locations or I/O ports, instead of the 16 I/O ports previously needed. A channel was selected at a first I/O port and the address information was passed through a second I/O port. The DMA controller also operated in two phases, a first phase where the data to be transferred was read and a second phase where the data was written, instead of the single phase operation used in the previous systems.
However, the DMA system in the MCA was limited in that it could only utilize 24 bits of address. The host microprocessor and the bus masters could utilize 32 bits of address information, but the DMA controller was limited to 24 bits. These 24 bits were provided conventionally or through three successive accesses to the new I/O port.
An additional limitation of the DMA controller was that data could not be readily transferred between an I/O port and a memory location starting on an odd address using word wide operations. The data could only effectively be interchanged with the memory in byte wide operations. For example, during a DMA read operation, the DMA controller obtained the data from the memory in bytes, assembled the individual bytes into the proper word and then transferred this word to the I/O port of the device. This resulted in DMA operations that took much longer than necessary to operate and thus reduced the performance of the computer system.
An additional problem with computer systems implementing the MCA was that if a device having only a 24 bit wide address, such as the DMA controller or a bus master, were driving the system bus, the upper 8 bits of the address bus were floated. This presented a cache coherency problem should a cache controller be present in the computer system. A cache controller is used in conjunction with cache memory to increase the performance of the computer system. Cache memory is fast memory which allows the microprocessor to operate at full speed, unlike main memory which, for cost reasons, is slower and often reduces the speed of the microprocessor from maximum available rates. Identical copies of data are contained in both memories, with the cache controller noting when main memory locations are accessed and deleting that reference in the cache. The cache controller uses all 32 bits of address to perform its tasks, but when the upper 8 bits of the address bus are floating there is no guarantee that the cache controller is receiving the same address as the involved memory units. Thus a possible coherency problem between the data maintained in the cache memory and in the main memory may result during 24 bit address MCA operations.
The second event of interest was the introduction of the 80386 microprocessor by Intel. This was an enhanced machine that had a full 32 bit address and could operate using 32 bit wide data. The use of this microprocessor allowed the capabilities of the computer system to be greatly enhanced. Users could access vast amounts of memory if desired and transfer data at very high rates over a 32 bit data bus. The large address space allowed programmers to use as much space as needed to position applications where desired, not where forced.
However, a problem occurred when the 80386 was used in an MCA machine. The 80386 used 32 address lines, but the DMA system in the MCA used only 24 address lines. Thus the freedom made available to programmers by the use of the 80386 was taken away if DMA operations were to be performed because of the 24 bit address limitation.

Full address and odd boundary direct memory access controller which determines address size by counting the input address bytes


Arrangements directed to arrangements for queuing/tracking of transaction portions to reduce latency are disclosed. A queue/pointer arrangement to queue first execution information portions and second execution information portions for transactions may comprise a first queue and a second queue. The first queue and the second queue may be adapted to store the first execution information portions and the second execution information portions, respectively, may have a first pointer arrangement and a second pointer arrangement, respectively, and may operate independently of one another. The first execution information portions and corresponding second execution information portions with respect to the first queue and the second queue, respectively may comprise, address portions and full-line portions for the transactions.

The present invention is directed to arrangements for queuing/tracking of transaction portions to reduce latency.
Often times within computing systems, and especially within bridging devices, transactions such as read or write requests are passed between differing devices (e.g., interfaces) using queue arrangements. One arrangement is to let each device (e.g., interface) handle/process each respective transaction independently from all other devices, and to pass a transaction to a next sequential device once the device""s handling/processing of the transaction is complete. However, during research leading to the present application, it was found that such independent/sequential passage and handling/processing of transactions by sequential devices are disadvantageous in that a latency to move a transaction through the system is not minimized. Accordingly, what is needed is a new and improved approach for the handling of transactions passed from device-to-device within a system.

Arrangements for independent queuing/tracking of transaction portions to reduce latency


A steering column bracket assembly for a steering column of a vehicle body includes a filled polymeric plastic modular unit carried by the vehicle body having a U-shaped beam with an inner surface and an outer surface and a panel. The panel and the U-shaped beam define an air duct. The U-shaped beam has an upper wall, a side wall and a lower wall with the walls having a plurality of holes and at least one of the walls having a groove. A support bracket has a plurality of flanges for engaging the outer surface of the U-shaped beam and a protrusion for aligning with and being received by the groove of the U-shaped beam. A plurality of embossments on the support bracket align with and are received by the holes in the beam. A steering column bracket mounts to the support bracket securing the steering column to the support bracket. An insert bracket engages the inner surface of the U-shaped beam and has a recess for aligning with and receiving the groove of the U-shaped beam. A plurality of embossments on the insert bracket align with and are received by the holes in the beam whereby the embossments of the brackets are connected securing the support bracket to the beam to secure the steering column to the vehicle body.

Typically, a steering column assembly for a modern automobile is an elongated structure having a substantially mass concentration at the hub or steering wheel end and a pair of outer tube or mask jacket sections adapted for relative telescopic or longitudinal collapse in an energy absorbing mode. To adequately support the column assembly, and more particularly the hub end on the body of the vehicle, the lower end of one of the mast jacket sections is usually anchored to the fire wall or bulkhead portion of the body while the other of the mast jacket sections is attached to reinforcing members behind the instrument panel through releasable fasteners which permit collapse of the column assembly under impact but which rigidly support the hub end of the column assembly during normal operation.
The reinforcing members are steel brackets and struts that extend to the firewall. The reinforcing members are either bolted or welded to the firewall. In the alternative, the reinforcing members extending from the column to structure on the side of the vehicle. The requirement for the reinforcing members limits placement of other items behind and within the instrument panel, for example air ducts and instrument panel air outlets.
It would be desirable to have an assembly for securing the steering wheel to a filled polymeric plastic beam which is part of a composite modular unit.


A refrigeration appliance interior lighting system for sensing the exterior light level and adjusting the light level accordingly within the interior of the home appliance. The refrigeration appliance interior lighting system includes a control unit in electrical communication with a first light bulb for controlling the illumination intensity of the first light bulb. A light sensor is positioned to measure the exterior light level and communicates the exterior light level to the control unit. When the exterior light level is above a threshold level, the first light bulb emits a high level of illumination. When the exterior light level is below the threshold level, the first light bulb emits a low level of illumination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to home appliance lighting and more specifically it relates to a refrigeration appliance interior lighting system for sensing the exterior light level and adjusting the light level accordingly within the interior of the home appliance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Home refrigeration appliances such as refrigerators and freezers have been in use for years. Typically, refrigeration appliances have an interior lighting system that is illuminated upon the opening of a door to assist the individual with viewing the interior contents of the appliance. Most refrigeration appliances utilize a simple incandescent light bulb to illuminate the interior of the appliance.
The main problem with conventional refrigeration appliances is that the light bulb illuminates a constant light level regardless of the exterior light conditions and level. Hence, even when the exterior light conditions within the surrounding room are relatively low, the light bulb within the appliance will illuminate the same level of light thereby temporarily blinding the individual upon opening of the door.
Examples of patented devices which may be related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,662 to Ott et al.; Japanese Patent 406034266 to Ogata & Akashi; Japanese Patent 405164461 to Nakamura; U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,445 to Lange et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,898 to Seok et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,533 to Sterling; U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,486 to Joseph; U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,420 to Rogers; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,509 to Cartwright et al.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for sensing the exterior light level and adjusting the light level accordingly within the interior of the home appliance. Conventional refrigeration appliances have lighting systems that are inadequate for use in varying lighting conditions of a surrounding room.
In these respects, the refrigeration appliance interior lighting system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of sensing the exterior light level and adjusting the light level accordingly within the interior of the home appliance.

Refrigeration appliance interior lighting system


Macroporous styrene polymer particles which have been partially pyrolyzed at temperatures between 300.degree. and 800.degree. C. to form non-functionalized, carbonaceous adsorbents, are functionalized according to this invention to produce weak base, strong base, weak acid or strong acid, dense ion exchange particles, or precursors thereof, using such reactions as halogenation, sulfonation, chloromethylation, chlorosulfonation and oxidation, alone or followed by aminolysis or other conventional functionalization reactions.

This invention relates to ion exchange materials, and more particularly to those ion exchange materials prepared by functionalizing partially pyrolyzed, macroporous polymer particles containing a carbon-fixing moiety. It further relates to the use of such materials for removal of ions from dense liquids.
Carbonaceous materials, such as charcoal, anthracite, activated carbon and peat have been functionalized in the past to produce compositions with ion exchange activity. Such ion exchange materials suffer from disadvantages common to carbonaceous adsorbents, including lack of control over starting materials, and friability of active carbon particles. They suffer further disadvantages of their own, including a limited number of functionalizing groups, and an interaction of adsorbent and ion exchange properties which makes regeneration difficult. Finally, they tend to have low ion exchange capacities.
As disclosed by Neely in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,990, which is hereby incorporated into this specification by reference, adsorbent materials have been made by partially pyrolyzing macroporous polymer particles containing a carbon-fixing moiety. These carbonaceous materials possess several unusual properties which set them apart from prior carbonaceous adsorbents, including resistance to particle crushing, elimination of activation processes, and a high degree of control over particle shape and composition. These materials are further distinguished from activated carbon adsorbents by a much lower carbon to hydrogen ratio, being typically between about 2.0:1 and about 10:1, compared with the carbon to hydrogen ratio of activated carbon which is greater than 30:1, and by the presence of carbon-fixing moieties which permit the starting polymer to char without fusing in order to retain the macroporous structure of the polymer particles. The macropores range from about 5 to about 10,000 nanometers in average critical dimension, and are present with at least one other set of pores of a different average size (i.e., multi-modal pore distribution), including smaller pores generally ranging in size from about 0.4 to about 5 nanometers, depending largely upon the maximum temperature during pyrolysis. The carbon-fixing moieties are discussed in the above-referenced U.S. patent of Neely. Although these pyrolyzed polymer particles may be made from polymers containing ion exchange functionality, they are themselves merely adsorbent materials, having lost their ion exchange functionality during pyrolysis. The term, "carbonaceous, macroporous polymer adsorbent particles", shall hereinafter refer specifically to these materials of the Neely patent, containing styrene as one of the ethylenically unsaturated monomers, and pyrolyzed at a temperature from about 300.degree. to about 800.degree. C.
It has been discovered that the carbonaceous, macroporous polymer adsorbent particles disclosed as adsorbents by Neely in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,990 may be functionalized to prepare novel adsorbents with modified adsorption properties, novel ion exchange materials, or novel precursors thereof. This functionalization may occur subsequent to the pyrolysis described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,990, or it may occur simultaneously with such pyrolysis. It is critical to the preparation of the materials of this invention that the copolymers from which these novel materials are derived contain styrene as at least one of the ethylenically unsaturated monomers.
The new functionalized adsorbents, ion exchange materials (which may be of the strong acid, weak acid, strong base or weak base type), and functionalized precursor materials retain the macroporous structure of the original macroporous polymers from which they are derived, but they possess a substantially higher skeletal density, i.e., density of the material excluding void spaces due to particle porosity and to interstitial space between particles in a packed bed. Pore size and distribution may also be different. While these new materials may function as adsorbents because they have the high surface areas characteristic of carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles and of macroreticular polymer adsorbent, they also may show enhanced specificity for certain adsorbates, and/or significant ion exchange capacity.
Observed reactions of the carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles indicate that they contain many alkyl-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fragments. Examples 1 and 2, below, illustrate spontaneous, room-temperature chlorination of these polymers, which is characteristic of anthracenes, phenanthrenes and higher polycyclic aromatics. Substituted benzenes and naphthalenes do not undergo such a chlorination. Because of this hypothetical structure, it is expected that any conventional electrophilic substitution or addition that proceeds with polycyclic aromatic compounds, and any conventional free-radical substitution reaction that proceeds with aralkyl compounds and polymers such as alkyl-substituted polystyrenes, will be available for functionalizing the partially pyrolyzed carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles. The functionalization reactions used are well known, and several are illustrated in the examples.
These functionalization reactions include, but are not limited to, halogenation, halosulfonation, sulfonation, halomethylation, amidomethylation, sulfonation, and oxidation, either alone or followed by amination, or amination and quaternization. The resulting functional groups include precursor groups to the ion exchange groups, such as covalent chlorine, covalent bromine, chloromethyl, bromomethyl and acylaminomethyl, and the ion exchange groups themselves such as sulfonyl chloride, sulfonic acid, amidomethyl, and carboxylic acid. The sulfonic acid functional group provides strongly acidic cation exchange functionality, and the carboxylic acid group provides weakly acidic cation exchange functionality. Anion exchange functionality may also be imparted to carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles which have been functionalized with groups listed above. Thus, weakly basic anion exchange functional groups may be produced by (a) reacting chloride, bromide or chloromethyl groups with primary or secondary amines, and preferably those amines having 1-6 carbon atoms, (b) reacting chloride, bromide, chloromethyl, chlorosulfonyl or carboxylic acid groups with polyamines containing at least one primary or secondary nitrogen, and preferably those amines having 1-6 carbon atoms per amine nitrogen, or (c) hydrolyzing acylaminomethyl groups. Strongly basic anion exchange functionality may be produced by alkylating weakly basic groups with an alkylating reagent such as methyl chloride.
The temperature at which the polymers are pyrolyzed has an effect on the number of alkyl-substituted, polycyclic, aromatic hydrocarbon fragments available in the pyrolyzed polymer. At very low pyrolysis temperatures the formation of new carbon-carbon bonds to produce the polycyclic fragments is limited, and at very high pyrolysis temperatures the structure tends to become graphitic. Polymers pyrolyzed at temperatures from about 300.degree. C. to about 800.degree. C. are preferred for functionalization according to this invention.
It should be noted that the carbon-fixing moiety itself does no furnish functionality. For example, the sulfur and oxygen of the samples in Table III, Example 26, below, do not necessarily enter into further functionalization reactions, nor do they themselves contribute any ion exchange functionality. Similarly, chlorine may act as a carbon-fixing moiety in polymers such as vinylidene chloride or vinyl chloride, or when it is present on the polymer backbone of aromatic polymers. Here the chlorine is thought to fix carbon by means of a dehydrohalogenation reaction. The resulting pyrolyzed materials do not contain functional chlorine, although non-functional chlorine may be present at levels as high as 2-3%. The following is a further example of the difference between carbon-fixing moieties and functional groups, as shown in a simultaneous pyrolysis and chlorination performed similarly to the reactions of Example 26, below, but using a polymer which does not contain a carbon-fixing moiety such as the sulfonic acid of Resin A (below). In this example chlorine initially acts as a carbon-fixing moiety, causing the dehydrohalogenation which promotes carbon-fixing, but as the temperature increases, additional chlorine subsequently reacts with the partially pyrolyzed polymer in such a way as to form functional groups. Thus, in a single material some chlorine atoms are acting as carbon-fixing moiety, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,990, while other chlorine atoms are acting as the functional groups of the present invention. Similarly, functionalized materials of the present invention, especially the halogenated materials, may be re-pyrolyzed subsequent to functionalization. Functional groups such as the functional halogens may remain in the material following such a second pyrolysis. Although carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles which otherwise would have no functionality following pyrolysis, but which have functionality as a result of simultaneous or subsequent functionalization, are the materials of the present invention, as a practical matter the preferred materials of the present invention contain a significant level of functionalization. Such preferred materials contain at least about 3%, more preferably at least about 5%, and most preferably at least about 8%, by weight of the functionalized material, of subsequently reactable functional groups, or they contain demonstrable ion exchange activity, preferably at least about 0.2 milliequivalents/gram, more preferably at least about 0.5 milliequivalents/gram, and most preferably at least about 1 milliequivalent/gram, each on a dry basis, of ion exchange material.
The high skeletal densities of the functionalized, carbonaceous macroporous polymer adsorbent particles and their high physical strength--typically significantly higher than that of the polymer particles prior to pyrolysis--make these materials especially well suited for moving-bed use in continuous deionization systems, and for use in treating dense streams such as uranyl salt solutions and sugar syrup process streams. The former streams typically have densities in the range of about 1.03 to 1.10 grams per cubic centimeter, while that of high-fructose corn syrup is typically about 1.18 grams per cubic centimeter. Densities of conventional resins used to treat such streams tend to be very close to these values, so that resin beads tend to float or settle very slowly. This necessitates special handling procedures or equipment to separate the resin beads from the process stream. The ion exchange particles of this invention have significantly higher densities than conventional, styrene-based ion exchange resins because their polymeric frameworks have higher skeletal densities. The skeletal density of Resin A (identified below), pyrolyzed at 500.degree. C. is 1.34 g/cm.sup.3, and that of the same resin pyrolyzed at 800.degree. C. is 1.98 g/cm.sup.3, compared with a skeletal density of 1.07 g/cm.sup.3 for crosslinked polystyrene. These dense particles settle quickly in the relatively dense streams described above, and as a result permit conventional resin-bed techniques such as countercurrent-flow washing to be used in the processes for treating such streams.

Ion exchange material prepared from partially pyrolyzed macroporous polymer particles


A mobile machine and process are provided for milling, mixing, wetting and re-forming an initial windrow of vertically layered ingredients used in the pre-wet cycle for producing mushroom compost. In performing these actions, an assembly of toothed drums, rotating in the same direction and arranged along an upwardly and forwardly projecting inclined plane, progressively mills the windrow across its cross-section longitudinally and propels the milled material upwardly and rearwardly so that it drops and mixes to form a vertically blended, transverse product. The product is preferably cross-mixed by auguring it transversely and depositing it at a transfer point, from whence it is elevated and delivered by a conveyor belt, to form a new windrow parallel or collinear with the initial windrow. Water is sprayed on the ingredients in the course of propelling auguring and elevating. A generally uniform blending of the ingredients, coupled with aeration and wetting, creates favorable conditions for contained bacteria to work on the material. The procedure is repeated on each new windrow until the pre-wet cycle is complete.

The present invention is concerned with the first stage of preparation of compost for commercial cultivation of mushrooms. This stage is commonly referred to as the "pre-wet cycle".
In the pre-wet cycle, the compost ingredients are positioned on a concrete pad and are repeatedly mixed, aerated and wetted with water at regular intervals over the duration of a retention period. Heretofore this has commonly involved:
placing bales of straw in a windrow on the pad; PA1 depositing nutrient, such as horse and chicken manure, on the bales in pre-determined amounts or proportions using a front end loader. (Typically one might have a formulation of 75% straw, 20% horse manure and 5% chicken manure); and PA1 periodically using a front end loader to turn the windrow to induce mixing and aeration. The objectives are to uniformly distribute the ingredients and to convert the mass to a "fluffed up" state so that air can penetrate the mass to assist contained bacteria in carrying out conversion to compost. The fluffed up mixture is wetted thoroughly by spraying it with water. This is done with the objective of adding as much water as the mass can absorb without significant runoff. The bacteria won't attack the straw if it is not moist. However, if there is excessive water run-off, nutrients are lost. It is then necessary to recycle the run-off water. PA1 (a) establishing an initial windrow of vertically layered ingredients provided in the proportions desired for producing pre-wet cycle compost; PA1 (b) milling across substantially the entire end face or cross-section of the windrow, at one time, and advancing longitudinally of the windrow, the milling being conducted along a forwardly-inclined plane at an acute angle relative to ground, whereby a cross-section of the windrow is removed without substantial cave-in of the unmilled portion of the windrow, and propelling the milled material upwardly and rearwardly so that it drops to form a vertically blended, loose, laterally extending product; PA1 (c) conveying this product laterally of the initial windrow and delivering it to a transfer point; PA1 (d) elevating the product from the transfer point and discharging it to form a new windrow extending in the same direction as the initial windrow; PA1 (e) wetting the vertically blended, loose product, preferably as it is conveyed laterally and elevated; and PA1 (f) periodically repeating steps (b), (c), (d) and (e) on each new windrow to produce a substantially homogeneous pre-wet cycle composting mixture. PA1 layering the ingredients to ensure that their proportions are correct within a cross-section; PA1 progressively milling substantially the entire vertical extent of the layered windrow at one time, so that the initial proportions are retained in the milled product; PA1 milling along a forwardly-inclined plane so that cave-ins are minimized, as such cave-ins would result in variations in concentration of ingredients; PA1 mixing the ingredients by propelling them upwardly and rearwardly so that they drop and collect in a now well-mixed, loose, transverse assemblage or "product" whose composition reflects the composition of the initial windrow in the vertical direction; PA1 preferably conveying the milled product laterally and delivering it to a transfer point that is advancing along the line of the initial windrow. This action provides cross-mixing, to cope with potential side to side variation in ingredient distribution (more preferably, the linear assemblage of milled material is conveyed laterally and inwardly from its ends to a central point generally coincident with the axis of the initial windrow); PA1 elevating the milled, mixed and cross-mixed product and depositing it to form a new windrow; PA1 preferably wetting the linear assemblage while it is in a "fluffed up" or loose state in the course of being propelled rearwardly conveyed laterally and elevated; and PA1 repeating the process with each new windrow until the pre-wet cycle is complete. PA1 a mobile, driven, wheeled carriage; PA1 a plurality of toothed drums, rotating in the same direction and arranged along a forwardly inclined plane, said drums being adapted to substantially cover the entire cross-section of the windrow, for milling longitudinally substantially the entire cross-section at one time and propelling the ingredients upwardly and rearwardly, so that they drop and mix to form a transverse assemblage or product; PA1 means for receiving the assemblage and conveying it laterally to deposit it at a transfer point, thereby cross-mixing the ingredients in a transverse direction; PA1 means for elevating the ingredients from the transfer point and depositing them to form a new windrow; and PA1 preferably, means, associated with the lateral conveyance and elevating means, for wetting the ingredients between the milling and new windrow-forming steps.
The temperature of the mass is used as a guide in controlling the frequency of turning the windrow. When the windrow is first turned, the bacteria become active and the temperature of the windrow rises, perhaps to 50.degree.-60.degree. C. When the oxygen in the mass becomes depleted, the bacteria becomes less active. The temperature then begins to drop, indicating that it is time to again turn and work the windrow.
The pre-wet cycle is generally considered complete when the mixture has been adequately subjected to the high temperatures and moisture levels required for the thermophilic bacterial process to accelerate at rapid rates. Moisture content is about 65 to 74 wt. % and any moisture added thereafter would be for maintenance requirements only. The compost's polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicellulose) will have been broken down sufficiently to make the compost mixture soft and porous and ready for the next stage of compost preparation, called phase 1. Phase 1 composting typically involves further mechanical processing to form compact rectangular windrows of compost, or "ricks" which are capable of maintaining self-supporting, vertical side walls.
It typically takes about 14 days to complete the pre-wet cycle, when practised as described.
It is desirable to reduce the duration of the pre-wet cycle. It would be particularly desirable to reduce it to less than 7 days, since the rest of the compost preparation and mushroom growing steps are based on cycles of a week or less. If the extent of blending, aeration and wetting could be improved, then one would expect to see a reduction in the duration of the pre-wet cycle. It is the objective of the present invention to reach that end.

Apparatus and process used in working windrowed ingredients to produce pre-wet cycle mushroom compost


A method and system for prioritizing accounts is provided. The method includes receiving operational metrics and data values associated with the operational metrics. The data values are aggregated and noisy data is removed from the operational metrics. Statistical averages associated with a performance of accounts are calculated and each account is modeled as a collection of operational performance variables and key performance indicators A ranking list is generated and a minimum number of independent operational parameters necessary are calculated. Pairwise ranks {r} of the accounts are calculated and values associated with a tolerance limit epsilon and selected.

Monitoring data with respect to products and individuals typically comprises an inaccurate process with little flexibility. Product data analysis may include a complicated process that may be time consuming and require a large amount of resources. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome at least some of the deficiencies and limitations described herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A decorative wall hanging that compresses to a compacted storage position and expands to a flat hanging position having inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, an artistic design on the outwardly facing surface, ornament positioning holes within the outline of the artistic design which pass between the inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces, and a guide on the inwardly facing surface for using the ornament positioning holes in sequence, the holes being of such size and shape to restrainably hold ornaments.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to wall hangings used for decorative purposes, and more specifically to a decorative wall hanging having the design of an object such as a Christmas tree on its outwardly facing wall hanging, a series of openings through the surface adapted to receive and hold ornamental devices such as electric lights, and instructions for properly installing the ornamental devices in proper order on its inwardly facing surface, the entire wall hanging being designed to stretch flat to hang on a wall or to compress to a smaller size for storage.
2. Description of Prior Art
It has become the widely accepted practice for those who celebrate a specific holiday, such as Christmas, to decorate their houses with a tree erected in one of its principal rooms. In the case of Christmas, it is traditional to use an evergreen tree for this purpose, and for centuries such trees have been grown and cut down or dug up live, transported to a selling area, and bought and brought home by the celebrants. Due to the nature of the marketplace, this has often resulted in either a large glut or shortage of such trees available at Christmas, and it has always resulted in a disposal problem after the holiday of enormous proportions.
There have been further problems caused by the trees drying out indoors and losing their needles or becoming fire hazards, and as a result of this, starting in the 1960ties, imitation trees of a plastic such as polyvinyl chloride were introduced and have become popular. While resolving many of the former problems, these plastic trees are expensive, require careful and bulky storage, and have to be carefully and time consumably erected for use. As house rooms continue to become smaller and more crowded with furniture, the main problem with plastic trees as with natural trees, is that they require a considerable amount of floor space for their use and this often is not possible, or at the very best causes inconvenience.
In an effort to deal with this space problem, designs of half-round trees made of plastic have been recently introduced. These half-round trees are designed to hang on a wall, and as a result the space problem has been alleviated but the problems of storage and erection persist.
It was against this background that the present invention was developed as a wall hanging to use no floor space whatsoever, to be foldable or rollable for compact storage, and to be quickly flattened and hung on a wall when taken from storage. These characteristics would be typical of nearly any wall hanging, and in fact, wall hangings with Christmas tree designs have been available recently with small ornaments and lights hanging from their surface. The problem with any such tree, however, is one of appearance, because the lights commonly used to decorate Christmas trees are made as sets of lights connected by electric wires, and when the lights are hung on the tree surface, the wires detract from the visual appearance and have been difficult to position and control.
This present invention solves this problem by providing a series of carefully spaced and sized holes through its surface, which holes receive and position the lights which are inserted in them from the inwardly facing surface of the wall hanging. Thus the lights are held in the outwardly facing surface of the tree in exactly the desired position, and the wires connecting them are concealed behind the wall hanging.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, corrugated cardboard sheet is adapted as the basic material for the wall hanging. This material has the advantages of being of sufficient rigidity to support the lights when inserted into their corresponding holes, is relatively inexpensive, can be fabricated on presently available equipment, can be printed or screened on both sides, is durable, and can easily be folded down to a compressed size for storage. The use of such a material as an automobile sunshield is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,396 to Abraham Levy and it has proven both popular and practical in such products, although no suggestion of its use as a foldable wall hanging is made there or elsewhere.