A high capacity, fast access dynamic random access memory is provided. Furthermore, a pipelined write method can be realized at each array block by affixing a latch between the sense amplifier and write data line for each column. In this manner, a data write phase can occur simultaneously with the pre-read phase of the following address. Using this method, the effective access speed to the array block can be increased, yielding a fast access cache memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memories and, more particularly, to a series of array structures, arrangements, and activation schemes for high density, fast access semiconductor memories that have a separate read and write data line and that exhibit destructive write behavior.
2. Discussion of Background
In conventional microprocessors, a cache memory module is fabricated on the same semiconductor die as the processing logic in order to accommodate rapid data and instruction storage and retrieval. Semiconductor memories for on-chip cache applications are typically comprised of six-transistor static random access memory (6T SRAM) or one-transistor one-capacitor dynamic random access memory (1T-1C DRAM). The 6T cell is the more common solution since the access speed is faster and design and production costs are low since the memory can be fabricated next to the logic with a minimal addition in processing steps. However, as cache memory capacity requirements greatly increase to accommodate for multimedia processing, the large cell size of the 6T SRAM leads to a large area, high cost cache memory solution.
A 1T-1C DRAM memory cell can be used as a semiconductor memory when high bit density is required. This technology has several drawbacks and faces serious complications as device dimensions are scaled smaller. Notably, since the DRAM cell has no internal gain, a high capacitance element (˜30 fF) must be fabricated in each cell to store a charge large enough to be reliably detected. Therefore, complex capacitor structures and expensive materials must be used to build a device with adequate capacitance, which leads to expensive fabrication and incompatibilities with standard logic processes.
Inexpensive gain cell technologies (for example, three transistor (3T) memory cell technologies) with bit densities much larger than SRAM have been proposed to provide high-density cache memories. However, these often fail to be used in products because of a slower access time than SRAM. In a conventional destructive write dual data line gain cell memory, the output of the sense amplifier of the read data line signal is directly connected to the write data line. A write access proceeds as follows. Data is first read from all cells in the selected row by activating the read word line and discriminating the data with a sense amplifier. New data presented to the bank is written over the old data only in the selected columns. A data write phase then occurs in which the data in the sense amplifiers is applied to the write data line and the write word line is activated, transferring the new data to the selected cells. In this manner, the write cycle time is the summation of the read and write phases. This long read then write cycle is a serious detriment to gain cell solutions, especially those with a longer write phase.
For solving the above problems, a 3T memory cell technology written in JP10-134565 proposes. FIG. 3 shows a part of the FIG. 1 of JP10-134565. The 3T memory cell of FIG. 3 separates write word line and uses AND logic of write word line signal WWL and column select signal WY for selecting the write word line. In this way the write operation can become a non-destruction operation because the number of memory cells selected by the write word line is equal to the number of data written to memory cells. Therefore it does not need to read the data from the memory cells selected by write word line and high speed write operation can be realized.
Although it is efficient to use this technology in writing a lot of bits of data, it is difficult to adopt this technology in writing small bits of data, for example 8 bit data. The reason of this is because it needs to separate the write word line every 8 bit, the region of AND circuit for selecting the write word line and wiring of the column select signal increases. Therefore the feature of 3T memory cell that is high density is damaged.


A novel media path mechanism which utilizes the position and/or motion of buffer nips to deflect the leading and trailing edges of the sheets entering the buffer to enable the sheets to be reliably shingled in the buffer media path. The sheets are stored in properly collated order until needed for insertion into the print stream. By shingling or overlapping successive sheets in close relationship in a row within the buffer, this process can greatly increase the volume of storage or parking of sheets within the buffer. This can significantly reduce the size or footprint of the buffer within the printing system or significantly increase the capacity of an existing system.

1. Field of the Technology
The present disclosure is applicable to methods and systems of storing cut sheet printed media in a sheet buffer, to be inserted into the media stream at the proper time to achieve correct and complete printing job sequence.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many printing applications, especially with Multi Print Engine Color Hybrid Architectures, buffers allow the batching of the print output from one of the engines to maximize system productivity and reduce run cost. For example, in some of the proposed TIPP (Tightly Integrated Parallel Processing) architectures consisting of a mono and a color engine, there is a need to store color prints in the sheet buffer to minimize color engine start up and shut down cycles.
However, such sheet buffers typically add significant cost, and in the case of the Entry Production Color market, an increase in the precious footprint of the total printing system. The invention provides an efficient alternative to the prior art media path sheet buffer configurations, such as disclosed in FIG. 1.

Deflecting nip sheet shingling buffer mechanism


In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request from a remote distributed fabric protocol (DFP) system master, using a dedicated processor of a DFP system member, to register local I2C devices on the DFP system member, and sending an acknowledgement including a list of local I2C bus devices back to the DFP system master using the dedicated processor of the DFP system member. The acknowledgement present on the DFP system member. In another embodiment, a system includes a local processor, one or more local I2C bus devices, and a dedicated processor electrically coupled to the local I2C bus devices. The dedicated processor is configured to route interrupts from the local I2C bus devices to the local processor, and expose the local I2C devices to a remote DFP system master by sending details of the local I2C bus devices to the remote DFP system master.

The present invention relates to Ethernet switches and switching, and more particularly, this invention relates to providing I2C bus over Ethernet.
A significant portion of network switches have various devices which utilize I2C bus as an interface to a local host external of the network switch or a local processor of the network switch, such as a central processing unit (CPU). Devices which communicate using an I2C bus will be referred to throughout this document as I2C bus devices. These I2C bus devices are typically controlled by the local processor over the I2C bus of the network switch. Some typical I2C bus devices include, but are not limited to, fan controllers, power supply units, various thermal gauges, serial electrically erasable programmable read only memory (SEEPROM) memories of various subunits, etc. In cell-based distributed fabric protocol (cDFP) and/or Ethernet-based distributed fabric protocol (eDFP) scaled out systems (referred to herein collectively as DFP systems), there are multiple individual system members which, in order to function properly, need to be controlled by the system master in real time. However, in conventional distributed systems or clusters, there is no way to provide real-time I2C bus over Ethernet.

International Business Machines Corporation


An inductance element is arranged to parallel resonate with a ground stray capacitance component of an antenna element on a motor vehicle and a feeder cable to a receiver. Matching means is provided to compensate for a Q-factor of the parallel resonance for improving a reception gain over a wide range in a reception band.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reception system for a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to a system using an antenna circuit having a large ground stray capacitance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A defogging heater conductor is attached to a window glass, particularly to a rear window glass of a vehicle by baking or embedding. As is well known, the heater conductor is used as an antenna or a portion of an antenna element for an AM broadcast band.
FIG. 13 is a view showing a conductor pattern of a window glass antenna of this type. A large number of heater wires 2 are attached to a defogging region of a rear window glass 1, and power is fed through feeder buses 3 and 4 connected to one end of upper and lower groups of the heater wires and is returned through a junction bus 5 connected to the other end thereof. When the heater wires 2 are used as an AM broadcast reception antenna, a feeder 7 such as a coaxial cable is connected to a feed point 6 of the junction bus 5, and a reception signal is output to a tuner through a DC cut capacitor 8.
Heating currents flow in the feeder buses 3 and 4 through magnetically coupled choke coils 11a and 11b and feeders 12 and 13, respectively. The choke coil 11a connected to a main power supply +B and the choke coil 11b connected to the ground point are negatively coupled, so that magnetic flux due to the corresponding heating currents cancel each other in the cores, and small-volume cores can be used for operation in a nonsaturated state. For a received high frequency wave, the choke coils 11a and 11b exhibit high impedances. Since a reception signal induced in the heater wires 2 is prevented from leaking to a low-impedance power supply or ground, reception efficiency is improved. Note that a line connected to the main power supply +B is connected to a decoupling capacitor 14, so that power supply noise is not mixed in the reception signal.
FIG. 14 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the antenna shown in FIG. 13. Reference symbol e.sub.0 denotes an induction electromotive force of the heater wires 2; C.sub.1, an active capacitance of the antenna; C.sub.2, a reactive capacitance of the antenna; C.sub.3, a stray capacitance (reactive capacitance) of the feeders 12 and 13, the feeder capable 7, and the like; C.sub.c, a capacitance of the capacitor 8; R, an internal resistance of the antenna; and L.sub.x, an inductance of the heater wire 2 and the choke coils 11a and 11b.
When an AM broadcast signal is received by the heater wires 2, the magnitude of the induction electromotive force e.sub.0 depends on the size of the When the window glass area is small. The induction electromotive force e.sub.0 is small.
The reactive capacitances C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 in the equivalent circuit diagram shown in FIG. 14 are not decreased in proportion as the window glass area is decreased. For this reason, when the window glass area is small, signal loss due to the reactive capacitances C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 is relatively increased. Accordingly, when a glass antenna with a small reception area is used, an AM broadcast signal cannot be received well.


A sealed container includes a base jar for containing a substance and a removable lid for closing and sealing the base jar. The base jar includes a bottom wall, a side enclosure extending upwardly from the bottom wall having an upper portion with a screw thread, and an upper wall extending inwardly and upwardly from the upper portion of the side enclosure having a circular brim which defines a wide mouth opening for the base jar. The removable lid includes a top wall and an encircling member extending downwardly therefrom with a screw thread which matingly engages with the screw thread of the upper wall of the base jar. For sealing with the base jar, the removable lid also includes a circular projection extending downwardly from the lid which engages and seals with the circular brim. For additional sealing, the removable lid further includes a circular flexible flange extending downwardly from the lid having a tip which is radially flexed relative to a remainder of the flange upon engagement with the upper wall of the jar to seal therewith as the circular projection and circular brim matingly engage. Preferably, the top wall of the lid also includes a circular centering rim which, before engagement of the circular projection with the circular brim, engages an inside surface of the circular brim to positively locate the circular projection vertically adjacent the circular brim. A stacking mechanism is further provided so that the containers can be stacked one on top of another.

In the packaging of substances, it is frequently desired to protect the substance from the outside environment with a package, while still allowing intermittent access to the substance. For example, where the substance is fructose-containing powdered beverage mix, it is desired to package a number of servings of such a powdered mix in a single package. Thus, a mechanism must be provided with the package for periodic access when the user wishes to remove a serving. However, in the interim (which may be days or even much longer), it is equally important that the powdered mix be completely protected or sealed from moisture in the surrounding environment.
While various packages of this type have been proposed in the prior art, various drawbacks have existed with such packages. Among the drawbacks has been: incomplete sealing of the substances from the environment, difficult access mechanisms, hard to handle packages, and hard to reseal packages.


An insert is provided for use in a refrigerant receiver of a vehicular air conditioning system. The receiver has an interior that receives the insert and a charge of desiccant. The receiver is connected to a header of a condenser by a refrigerant inlet to the interior from the header and a refrigerant outlet from the interior to the header. The insert includes a wall having a first and second oppositely facing sides. The first side lies closer to the inlet than the second side with the insert received in the interior of the receiver. A first portion of the wall is aligned with the inlet, and at least the first portion is substantially impervious to the refrigerant flow from the inlet to shield the desiccant charge from direct impingement by refrigerant flow from the inlet. In one embodiment, the second side cooperates with a surface of the interior to define a receptacle for the desiccant. In another embodiment, the second side defines a receptacle surrounding the desiccant.

Inserts for use in the refrigerant receivers of vehicular air conditioning systems are known. Often, the inserts will be used as a container for a charge of desiccant and may also include a filter for the refrigerant passing through the receiver. In some known constructions, the insert will include a perforated cylindrical wall that surrounds the desiccant. An example of one insert that meet the above description is shown in EP 1 147 930 B1, which is commonly assigned with the present application.
While many of the known inserts may be suitable for their intended purposes, there is always room for improvements. For example, one functional drawback of known inserts is that the desiccant, which is typically provided in a granular form, is ground up in a relatively short time by abrasion caused by the flow of refrigerant. The abraded desiccant does not perform its intended function as well and, further, must be filtered from the refrigerant.

Insert for use in a refrigerant receiver


A rocker panel assembly for a vehicle includes an upper rocker panel, a lower rocker panel, and a fastener. The fastener connects the upper and lower rocker panels. The fastener has a frustoconical tip to locate the fastener on the lower rocker panel, a body with a plurality of fins to stabilize the fastener between the upper and lower rocker panels, and a shoulder including an arrow-head configured to clamp the lower rocker panel to the upper rocker panel between the shoulder and a head of the fastener.

Rocker panel assemblies for vehicles typically require attachment between two panels. During operation of the vehicle, detachment between the two panels may cause certain problems. For example, as air moves around the vehicle during travel, one panel may bounce against the other panel and cause rattling within the vehicle. Typically, foam is placed between the panels to reduce the rattling. Adding foam between the panels increases cost of the vehicle. Improving the attachment between the panels reduces the rattle and eliminates the need for the foam.

Fastener for providing a clamp load between two parts


There are provided an image processing apparatus and method capable of providing a good image whose overexposure and underexposure are suppressed by holding information about saturation and contrast at the time of performing a dynamic range compression. In the image processing apparatus, a level information calculating circuit calculates the level information of each pixel from R, G and B image signals for each pixel, a gain calculating circuit refers to a gain table based on the level information of each pixel calculated by the level information calculating circuit and calculates a gain by which the R, G and B signals of each pixel are multiplied, and a multiplying circuits multiply the R, G and B signals by the gain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and an image pickup apparatus, and in particular, to a technique for performing a dynamic range compression.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent No. 2748678 discloses a gradation correction device including a luminance signal conversion device which forms a luminance signal from R, G and B signals, a correction coefficient calculation device which calculates a ratio of the result that the luminance signal is gamma-converted to a gradation characteristic of any shaped desired to the luminance signal and a multiplying device which multiplies the output of the correction coefficient calculation device by the R, G and B input signals.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image pickup apparatus


A beverage cooling device is provided for use with a capsule containing preferably liquified gas such as carbon dioxide. The beverage cooling device includes a cap section having a top with at least one aperture formed therethrough, a push rod projecting downwardly from the top, a sidewall, and a base. Additionally, the beverage cooling device includes a base section detachably secured to the cap section with the base section having a bottom and a base section top. The base section top has formed therein a base section aperture and the base section has projecting upwardly therefrom a pierce pin. The base section bottom also has a lower surface adjacent the pierce pin.

The present invention relates generally to a beverage cooling device, and more particularly, to such a device as may be submerged into a beverage.
It has been estimated that more than one billion beverage cans are sold or consumed every single day. During consumption of most beverages from a can or bottle, the desirable temperature of consumption is preferably about 45.degree. F. In order to achieve this temperature, grocery stores and other convenience stores, as well as individual members of the consuming public and restaurants, of necessity keep the beverage cans refrigerated until the beverage contained therein is consumed.
Refrigeration of the beverage containers not only costs money from the standpoint of the energy consumed by the refrigeration of the beverages, but also consumes storage space which perhaps could have been more effectively utilized for the storage of other products. Additionally, since refrigeration units also typically utilize freon gas, which gas has been linked to depletion of the ozone, there are several reasons why it would be desirable to not have to refrigerate beverage containers.
Unfortunately, it has not yet been acceptable practice to serve canned beverages which have not been refrigerated, except to the extent that ice is provided with the beverage to be consumed to lower the temperature of the beverage to about 45.degree. F. before consumption. However, the use of ice in the lowering of the temperature of a beverage has the unwanted effect of watering down the beverage to be consumed, and thus adversely affecting the taste.
On a much larger scale, large beverage containers such as beer kegs, and to a lesser extent cans and bottles, have been cooled by submerging them in ice. Sometimes, fire extinguishers have been used to cool the container wall itself such that over a period of time the cooled container walls in turn reduce the temperature of the beverage contained therein.
Other attempts have been made to cool items through the use of chemical reactions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,504 discloses a chemical thermal pack which has a sealed envelope filled with a powder that produces or absorbs heat when the powder is dissolved in water. The envelope is separated from a quantity of water by a rupturable membrane. The envelope is contained within an outer pouch. Additional examples of heat producing thermal packs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,136 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,463.
One drawback associated with normal usage of each of these thermal packs is that, at best, they could only be utilized to cool the outside of the beverage container and, as such, a large amount of their cooling effectiveness is lost, since only one side of such a pack could be in contact with the beverage container. Additionally, attempts to cool a can in this manner result in the temperature difference from abient being approximately 10.degree. F., which is not sufficient. Further, such packs are relatively bulky.
It is thus apparent that the need exists for an improved beverage cooling device which can effectively cool a beverage prior to consumption.


Ballasting for a fluorescent lamp is provided by one or more incandescent lamps connected in series between the line voltage source and the fluorescent lamp. Lamp operation is initiated by a triggering pulse applied to a conductive member placed adjacent the fluorescent lamp. In one embodiment, a plurality of incandescent lamps are connected in parallel and are selectively gated into the circuit depending upon exposure requirements for the lamp.

This invention relates to fluorescent lamps and more particularly to a fluorescent lamp which uses incandescent lamps as the lamp ballasting circuit.
Ballasting circuits are generally required for stable and efficient operation of fluorescent lamps. Under operating conditions, the lamp appears as a negative impedance device so a magnetic ballast device is normally used to provide a balancing positive series impedance thereby stabilizing operation. For certain applications, such as illumination sources in a photocopier machine, operating voltage requirements are such that the open circuit voltages must be higher than the ac line voltage (.apprxeq.105 VAC). In addition, a starting aid potential (SAV) required to initiate discharge is substantially higher (typically 450 volts peak) than the line voltage. Auxiliary starting circuits are generally used in these applications to provide the SAV for the relatively short time needed to initiate discharge. The conventional magnetic ballasts can be designed to provide the required open circuit and starting aid voltages while also providing current limiting and some level of regulation.
The conventional magnetic ballasts however, have some drawbacks, depending on use made of the lamp. For example, they do have appreciable weight which may be a detriment to portable applications. The magnetic ballast is also a relatively high cost item.
A potential answer to the above problems is the use of incandescent lamps to provide the required ballast characteristics. Such ballasting techniques are known in the art (see "Fluorescent Lighting Manual" by Charles L. Amick, published 1947 by McGraw Hill, pages 53, 53). Such techniques, while attractive because of the lower cost of incandescent lamps, however, have not proved commercially practical since it has proved difficult to provide an open circuit voltage that is higher than the line voltage.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent lamp incandescent ballasting system which provides reliable starting conditions.
It is a further object to provide a ballasting system which is lighter and less costly than magnetic ballast systems.

Fluorescent lamp with incandescent ballasting systems


An exemplary magnetic flux sensor in accordance with the present invention is characterized by an electrical output that is proportional to the total static and dynamic flux passing normally through a large area. An oscillating electrical current passing down a conducting area produces Lorentz forces, which are transferred to piezoelectric areas. The piezoelectric areas produce electrical voltage at the oscillation frequency whereby amplitude is proportional to the total magnetic flux passing normally through the conducting area. Demodulating the voltage provides an electrical signal with high sensitivity, dynamic range, and noise immunity.

The present invention relates to magnetic flux sensors, more particularly to magnetic flux sensors suitable for sensing magnetic flux through relatively large areas.
There currently exists no practical method to measure the total static and dynamic magnetic flux passing normally through a large area. Semiconductor Hall devices are commonly used in magnetic machines, but they are small and essentially sample a single point. Magnetoresistive devices are becoming more practical; however, they are small and they sense flux down the device axis and not though the sensor thickness.
Many devices would benefit from a large area magnetic flux sensor. For example, an electrodynamic actuator produces forces proportional to the current through the coil conductors and the total flux perpendicular to the coil surface. Typically the coil is designed to be wider than optimum to keep the flux within the area of the coil as it moves, and to thereby reduce force dependence on position. If the total flux perpendicular to the entire coil surface were known, then the conductor current could be controlled to eliminate the force dependence on position. This would allow the coil width to be optimized for more efficient actuator operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,109 to Bo Su Chen discloses a microelectronic sensor that uses the Lorentz force and a piezoelectric effect to measure magnetic flux. A direct current is passed through a first layer, and the resulting Lorentz force causes shear in a piezoelectric second layer, which produces a voltage proportional to the magnetic flux. It should be appreciated that the device disclosed by Chen is not capable of continuously measuring a static or slowly varying magnetic flux. A statically induced piezoelectric voltage will dissipate with time, and stray electrical charge noise will build up in the detection circuit and degrade the flux measurement accuracy of Chen's device. Also, the construction methods of the apparatus disclosed by Chen limits its use to a small area. Finally, Chen's device will have a low sensitivity, because piezoelectric materials have a greatly reduced voltage response to shear as compared to extension modes.

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A wireless network (2, 150) for monitoring a patient includes a body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176) that includes one or more wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) operatively connected to the patient that collect and transfer information related to the patient's health to the wireless network (2, 150). A set-up server (4, 154) configures the one or more wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) with keying material before the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) are deployed to the wireless network (2, 150). A base station (178, 180) distributes a key certificate to the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) associated with the body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176), such that two sensors generate a unique pairwise key based at least in part upon the pre-distributed keying material and the key certificate distributed by the base station (178, 180).

The following relates to wireless networks. It finds particular application with the establishment of secure communication of information within a wireless body sensor network. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention may also find application in providing secure communication between other wireless devices and other wireless transponders.
Mobile body sensor networks (BSNs) have received attention for medical applications and are generally used for patient care and monitoring. A BSN includes data-collection nodes and optionally control nodes. Sensor nodes are battery powered, have limited computational capabilities and memory, and rely on intermittent wireless communication via radio frequency. Conventionally, a large group (e.g., thousands) of interoperable nodes are deployed in a medical area such as a hospital and then, by different means, spontaneously join to form different disconnected BSNs. The BSN is usually composed of a small subset (from 2 to 50 nodes) of all the nodes, e.g., the nodes assigned with an individual patient in the medical area. A priori, the size and membership of a BSN is unknown: BSN nodes may be present at the moment of BSN formation or may be added and deleted subsequently. Some nodes have limited mobility after formation of the BSN and others are highly mobile and often roam through different independent BSNs formed in the same area (e.g., data collection and control nodes carried by human users, sensors worn by persons, etc.). Some nodes might be left unattended. The lifetime of a BSN is limited to a few days, weeks, months, etc. The lifetime of sensor nodes typically is longer than the lifetime of a BSN instance. The BSN is formed in public or hostile areas where communication can be monitored and sensor nodes are subject to capture and manipulation by an unscrupulous individual. Cross talk between the nodes of BSNs associated with different patients could compromise the medical validity of the sensed data.
These challenging operational requirements place equally challenging security constraints on BSN design. Security services for BSN include authentication and communication confidentiality. Typically, key management services provide and manage the basic security material for satisfying the previously mentioned security services. The computational and communication constraints of BSN sensor nodes make it impractical to use any security solution based on public key cryptography. The ad hoc nature of BSNs and the operational requirements of BSN make typical online server-based solutions inappropriate.
Key management based on key pre-distribution schemes (KPS) is the one option for BSNs. The need for unique node authentication and key establishment, independently of the BSN membership and size, imposes strict requirements on a KPS for BSNs. However, existing KPS proposals are limited for BSNs. First, network wide key pre-distribution does not offer enough security or cannot be managed in BSNs. Second, trivial KPS is neither scalable nor manageable in BSNs. Third, the resiliency and scalability of Blundo's KPS (Perfectly Secure Key Distribution for Dynamic Conferences. In Advances in Cryptology—CRYPTO '92, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1993, pp. 471-486) is limited by the memory and computational power of sensor nodes. Fourth, random key pre-distribution does not offer good connectivity properties for BSN with a limited number of nodes. Finally, çamtepe and Yener deterministic KPS based on combinatorial design theory (Combinatorial Design of Key Distribution Mechanisms for Wireless Sensor Networks. In Proc. of Computer Security-ESORICS, Springer-Verlag, LNCS 3193, 2004, pp 293-308) has compatible connectivity properties and moderate resilience for BSNs but does not provide unique pairwise keys.
Basagni et al. (Secure pebblenets. In Proc. of the 2nd ACM International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing, pp. 156-163. 2001) presents a key management scheme to secure sensor communications by periodically updating the group symmetric key shared by all the sensor nodes. This scheme assumes tamper-resistant sensors and a distributed sensor network (DSN) wide connected management infrastructure, assumptions that are not applicable for BSNs (A large-scale DSN can be viewed as the interconnection of multiple BSNs with singular operational and networking differences. Alternatively, BSNs are seen as multiple disconnected splits of a large-scale DSN).
Perrig et al. (SPINS: Security protocols for sensor networks. In Proc. of MOBICOM, 2001) proposes SPINS, a security architecture specifically designed for sensor networks. In SPINS, each sensor node shares a secret key with the base station. Two sensor nodes cannot directly establish a secret key. However, they can use the base station as a trusted third party to set up the secret key. In BSNs, a base station may not be available at the moment of key establishment.
Blundo et al. proposes a polynomial-based KPS to derive group keys. For groups of two users, Blundo's key pre-distribution scheme can be used to establish pairwise keys in BSNs. A set-up server randomly generates a symmetric bivariate λ-degree polynomial
      f              (              x        ,        y            )        =            ∑              i        ,                  j          =          0                    λ                          a        ij                          x        i                          y        j            over a finite field Fq wherein q is a prime number large enough to accommodate a cryptographic key. By the property of symmetry f(x,y)=f(y,x). The setup server computes and distributes a polynomial share of f(x,y) to for each sensor u, i.e. f(u,y). Each sensor u has a unique identifier. After the deployment phase, for two arbitrary nodes u and v, node u can compute the common key Kuv=f(u,v) by evaluating f(u,y) at point v, and node v can compute the same key Kuv=f(v,u)=f(u,v) by evaluating f(v,y) at point u.
The resiliency, α, of a Blundo's KPS is α=λ+1, i.e. an attacker needs to compromise α sensors to be able to generate pairwise keys of non-compromised sensors. Each sensor node u requires storing a λ-degree polynomial share f(u,y), which occupies (λ+1)log q storage space. It is to be appreciated that λ is limited by the memory m available on sensors, i.e. m≧λ+1 keys. There is no communication overhead during the pairwise key establishment process. To establish a pairwise key, both sensor nodes need to evaluate the polynomial at the ID of the other sensor node. This requires λ modular multiplications and λ modular additions in Fq, which can be costly in sensors with limited CPU capabilities.
Liu et al. (Establishing pairwise keys in distributed sensor networks. In Proc. of the 10th ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS), 2003, pp. 52-61) describe a modification of polynomial evaluation to adapt to the restrictions imposed by low-bit CPUs with no division instruction and thus reduce computation requirements on sensors. This is achieved by reducing the length in bits of the coefficients of a λ-degree bivariate polynomial to log q′ and by choosing q′ of the form q′=2k+1.
Liu et al. demonstrate that a key of log q bits can be compounded by concatenating the t partial keys generated with t λ-degree bivariate polynomial shares {fi(u,y)}i=1, . . . t with coefficients on Fq′, where t=└log q/log q′┘, without a significant loss of security, i.e. the resulting log q-bit key possesses similar entropy as it had been generated with a λ-degree bivariate polynomial with coefficients on Fq. A joint set of t λ-degree bivariate polynomials {fi(x,y)}i=1, . . . t with coefficients on Fq′ is referred to a t-polynomial-set Fi(x,y). The t-polynomial-set Fi(u,y) evaluated at point u hereafter is a t-polynomial-set share.
The downside of this technique is that a polynomial over Fq′ can only accommodate a maximum of q′−1 sensors (instead of q−1). Particularly, t polynomials over Fq′ combined in parallel (i.e. a t-polynomial-set) can only accommodate a maximum of N′=q′−1 nodes. For instance, for 8-bit CPUs, q′=28+1 offers optimal computational performance but, then, the number N′ of maximum nodes is 256. A property still holding is that each bivariate polynomial {fi(x,y)}i=1, . . . t, over Fq′, and, thus, a t-polynomial-set, is λ-collusion resistant. The polynomial split technique can be applied to any polynomial-based KPS, under certain lower bound on λ imposed by q, q′ and the total number of polynomials over Fq′ used by the KPS.
A balanced incomplete block design (BIBD) is an arrangement of v distinct objects into b blocks such that each block contains exactly k distinct objects, each object occurs in exactly r different blocks, and every pair of distinct objects occurs together in exactly t blocks. The design can be expressed as (v, k, t), or equivalently (v, b, r, k, t), where: t(v−1)=r(k−1) and bk=vr.
In a symmetric BIBD (SPIBD) b=v and, thus, k=r. A SPIBD has four properties: every block contains k=r elements, every element occurs in k=r blocks, every pair of elements occurs in t blocks and every pair of blocks intersects in t elements.
Given a block design D=(v, k, t) with a set S of |S|=v objects and a set B={B1, B2, . . . Bb} of |B|=b blocks where each block includes exactly k objects, a complementary design D has the complement blocks Bi=S−Bi as its blocks for 1≦i≦b. D is a BIBD with parameters (v,b,b−r,v−k,b−2r+t), where b−2r+t>0. If D=(v,k,t) is an SBIBD, then D is also an SBIBD.
Finite Projective Planes (FPP) is a subset of SPIBDs of special interest for key pre-distribution. An FPP is an SPIBD with parameters (n2+n+1, n+1,1). An FPP exists for any prime power n, where n≧2. FPP of order n has four properties: (i) every block contains exactly n+1 points, (ii) every point occurs on exactly n+1 blocks, (iii) there are exactly n2+n+1 points, and (iv) there are exactly n2+n+1 blocks. çamtepe and Yener (Combinatorial Design of Key Distribution Mechanisms for Wireless Sensor Networks. In Proc. of Computer Security-ESORICS, Springer-Verlag, LNCS 3193, 2004, pp 293-308) apply SBIBD design for key pre-distribution in SNs.
Assume an FPP with parameters (n2+n+1, n+1,1), with elements belonging to a set S, where |S|=n2+n+1. Using Eschenauer and Gligor (A key-management scheme for distributed sensor networks. In Proc. of the 9th ACM conference on Computer and communications security, pp. 41-47, 2002) terminology, S is associated with a key pool i.e. each element in S is associated with a distinct random key. Further, each block of FPP is associated with a key ring. The properties of FPPs guarantee that any pair of key rings (blocks) has 1 random key (element) in common.
For a sensor network (SN) of N nodes, with total of N key rings, an FPP with n2+n+1≧N blocks needs to be constructed by using set S. That provides n2+n+1≧N key rings each having K=n+1 keys and one key in common. The memory size required on nodes is then (n+1)×log q (equivalently m=n+1). A wise attacker needs to capture α=K=n+1 nodes to be able to compromise the SN.
Each sensor node of an N-population SN receives a different key ring. Observe that every two nodes share a specific key in common. Actually, because of the properties of FPPs, each n+1 sensors share the same specific key. Consequently, the keys of this KPS cannot be used for node unique authentication. A second related problem is that it is not always possible to find an FPP in which (i) n is a prime power and (ii) n2+n+1≧N, with the limitation m≧n+1.
çamtepe and Yener solve the above problem by constructing a Hybrid Design, which includes n2+n+1 blocks of an FPP (n2+n+n1, n+1,1) where n<m−1 (i.e. now the size of the key ring m≧K>n+1) and N−n2+n+1 arbitrarily selected (n+1)-element sub-blocks of FPP (n2+n+1, n2, n2−n). The side effects are: (i) K>n+1, (ii) some specific keys are shared by more than n+1 nodes, (iii) some pairs of nodes may share up to n2−n keys in common and (iv), at least N−n2+n+1 blocks do not have a key in common. Thus, because of (iv), at least N−n2+n+1 cannot directly establish a common key, and because of (i), (ii), and (iii), α≦n+1<K≦m, i.e. the network resiliency lowers.
Recently, a number of random key management schemes based on key pre-distribution have been proposed for securing the communication infrastructure of large-scale DSN. Such management schemes assume DSN-wide connectivity based on the assumptions that a sensor node is able to wirelessly connect to a minimum degree of neighbor nodes (e.g., nodes in wireless communication range) and that sensor nodes have very restricted mobility after deployment. These schemes aim at maximum DSN-wide secure connectivity and network resiliency yet satisfying operational constraints of DSNs. In random key pre-distribution schemes each node receives, before deployment, a random subset of keys from a large key pool. To agree on a key for secure communication with certain probability, two neighbor nodes find one common key within their subsets and use that key as their shared secret key. Two sensor nodes, which do not find a common key, make use of other trusted nodes in their neighborhood or even some hops away to help establishing a common key. Random pairwise key pre-distribution schemes based on Blom's (An optimal class of symmetric key generation systems. In Proc. of the EUROCRYPT 84 workshop on Advances in cryptology: theory and application of cryptographic techniques, pp. 335-338, 1985) or Blundo's schemes enhance the former by increasing network resiliency and additionally providing for node authentication.
However, random key pre-distribution schemes are not suited to secure BSNs. First, due to the small degree of neighboring nodes, the BSN does not always enable two arbitrary nodes to directly or indirectly establish a common key. Second, due to the possibility of node captures, node authentication should be performed directly without any intermediaries.
Since independent BSNs are not interconnected, centralized or distributed global intrusion detection systems (IDS) suggested for DSNs or for ad hoc networks cannot be used in BSNs. A compromised node might be detected in a BSN, but conventional systems and methods do not efficiently distribute this information to the rest of nodes in other BSNs. Therefore, BSNs are far more vulnerable to node replication attacks than a large-scale DSN. In hospitals, for example, attacks from the smart attacker are the largest threat for BSN security. Although not clearly stated in literature, network resiliency against node captures and node replication of former key pre-distribution schemes highly depends on the existence of a DSN-wide effective IDS. Iresiliency of the network is defined as a number λ of nodes that an attacker needs to capture to compromise a fraction of total DSN communications. A smart attacker does not bother capturing and tampering λ nodes to mount an attack. The smart attacker just captures one or a small fraction of nodes and uses the compromised keys to attack the network. Actually, to go undetected, the attacker does not try to disrupt the network operations of the network, but attempts to read or modify confidential information or even inject false messages. In this manner, the attacker may acquire and/or inject the desired information without even having to waste their own resources to compromise other network communications.
Finally, the key establishment mechanism assisted by neighbors is needed in some schemes to achieve a high degree of secure DSN connectivity. An attacker with the appropriate keys can obtain assistance from one or more adjacent nodes, nodes adjacent to such nodes, and so on to establish keys with the complete neighborhood. If secure connectivity is sacrificed to improve security by restricting the key establishment assistance to the node's neighborhood, the attacker is still able to move and try to attack as many neighborhoods as possible. An effective and secure key management scheme must consider the smart attacker, especially in BSN settings.
What is needed is a key pre-distribution scheme that enables authentication, confidentiality and integrity services and provides increased network secure connectivity, resiliency and scalability coupled with optimal performance efficiency. It is also needed a key management scheme, which controls usage of pre-distributed keys, suitable for the operational conditions of BSNs. The present invention contemplates an improved apparatus and method that overcomes the aforementioned limitations and others.

Deterministic key pre-distribution and operational key management for moblie body sensor networks


A force and torque converter is provided which provides an electronic representation of a planarly applied force and a torque applied about an axis that is orthogonal to the plane. The converter includes a base, an actuating member which is relatively displaced in response to the applied torque and force, resilient mechanisms to provide a restoring force and torque to the actuating member, and sensing mechanisms to sense the applied torque and force and generate an electronic representation thereof. The electronic representation is characterized by a sensitivity curve in which relatively small applied forces and torques result in a relatively low scale factor and where for a range of small applied forces and torques the relation of scale factor with respect to applied torque and force has a relatively low derivative. Further, for a range of larger applied forces and torques, the sensitivity curve has a relatively large scale factor and a relatively large derivative. In one embodiment, the sensitivity curve is implemented by a processing mechanism which includes a microprocessor and firmware.

There is a need for a sensing system to monitor applied forces and torques. An example of such a sensor system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,445 to Hill and Sword. In that specification, the manipulator is of a hand-like form comprising a pair of jaws, which are relatively pivotally movable under operation of an electric motor. The manipulator includes a wrist. Sensing means are provided for sensing the magnitude and direction of applied forces and torques. The applied force is decomposed into components corresponding to three mutually orthogonal axes intersecting at the wrist. The sensing means include a series of sensors, extending around the longitudinal axis of the manipulator.
To date, torque and force converters have been largely limited to sophisticated computer applications and have generally been prohibitively expensive for general computer use. In particular, prior art force converters have high manufacturing costs because of the sensing mechanisms and construction requirements that are necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,608 issued Mar. 14, 1989, Force and Torque Converter, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Joysticks, track balls, and mice are commonly used to convert a manual motion into an electronic representation to be used by the computer system. Frequently, these devices are employed as pointing instruments to move a cursor or otherwise manipulate a graphical image on the computer screen.
There are two major types of prior art mice: the mechanical mouse, and the optical mouse. Both types are displacement sensing devices. As such, both types have the disadvantage in that they must frequently be lifted and reoriented to allow further movement. For example, the user's range of comfortable motion is often reached before the user is finished "dragging" a graphical object across the screen. Consequently, the user must stop the operation and lift and reorient the mouse, before resuming the desired task. In addition, small work space environments exacerbate this annoying feature, as there is less space in which to displace the mouse.
Besides these ergonomic disadvantages, mechanical mice require regular cleaning and can slip during operation. This results in inconsistent operation. Most optical mice require an optical pad to operate.
Furthermore, computer types, such as lap tops and notebook computers, are gaining increasing acceptance. These computer types have the potential to operate with extremely limited working space requirements, e.g., while a user is seated on an airplane or a train. However, as just discussed, prior art mice do not readily lend themselves to limited working space environments and thus are unamenable to these computer types. This is unfortunate as "mice" are preferred input devices.
Alternative, relatively stationary input devices, such as track balls and joysticks, have been tried. These devices usually sense either the displacement of the apparatus, e.g., joystick, or a velocity component of the device, e.g., track ball. Though these devices do not require large work spaces, they have numerous disadvantages.
To begin with, the software industry has developed software, for the most part, utilizing mouse-functionality as a de facto standard. For example, popular windowing packages exploit mouse-functionality in the well-known "click and drag" feature. In this feature, the user moves the pointer to a desired menu displayed on the screen; the user then depresses a button to display/select the menu; the user, while still depressing the button, then moves the pointer, until the desired menu option is highlighted; the user then releases the button to activate the option.
A mouse implements this in an ergonomically-acceptable fashion. The user needs only one hand to perform the operation of moving the mouse and depressing and releasing the buttons. Moreover, he can use his ergonomically-preferred fingers, i.e., index and middle fingers, to operate the device and, therefore, attain high accuracy yet comfortable movement.
In contrast, the alternative input devices are awkward devices for these type of graphical operations and ergonomically-disadvantageous to use. A track ball and joystick require the user to use two hands, one hand to move the pointer by displacing a joystick or rolling the track ball, and another to activate the buttons. Alternatively, the user can attempt using just one hand to operate the device and activate the buttons, but this requires the user to use ergonomically-disfavored fingers, e.g., the thumb must be used to either roll the ball or operate buttons. To begin with, users prefer to use one hand when performing graphical input operations. In addition, ergonomically-disfavored fingers do not perform precise operations well. Further, joysticks have an inherent difficulty in placing the buttons sufficiently proximate for use.
Similar difficulties are experienced with popular editing packages and other software.
Further, most existing computer input devices are displacement or velocity sensing devices, not force sensing. It is believed that users prefer to have the sensitivity characteristics of the input device (e.g., precision and quickness of pointer movement) change in relation to the applied force and not in relation to displacement. Though it is recognized that some force and torque converters have been used, these are costly and therefore limited to relatively sophisticated systems.
The dynamics of a displacement sensing device depend on many inputs. Two different applied forces can result in the same velocity or displacement of the device depending on these other input variables, such as the weight of a user's hand. Thus, there is no functional relationship between the displacement and the applied force. Consequently, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a displacement sensing device to implement desirable sensitivity characteristics relating the applied force to the output of the apparatus.
Lastly, existing mice, track balls, and joysticks provide limited information to the computer systems. The planar translational movement of the device is usually decomposed into an X component and a Y component (X and Y being orthogonal axes within the sensed plane). Track balls perform an analogous decomposition of the angular movement of the ball. The decomposed information is then used by the computer system to manipulate a pointer or similar graphical object. Consequently, only two basic pieces of information are generally provided, the X component and the Y component, thus offering only two degrees of programming freedom for the applications developer. If the device could sense a rotational component about an axis, in addition to sensing the planar components, a third degree of programming freedom could be offered to applications developers. This additional degree of freedom could then be utilized to add functionality to the applications.


The instant invention provides a process for substantially reducing the polymer cement viscosity or reducing the molecular weight distribution of the a conjugated diene polymer synthesized by using a charge of catalytically effective amounts of a rare earth catalyst and an organo magnesium component by adding an organo zinc component to the charge in an amount and under conditions sufficient to reduce the polymer cement viscosity. The invention also contemplates a catalyst compostion for substantially reducing the polymer cement viscosity of a polymer product as well the resultant polymer product.

Problems have existed in the synthesis of polyconjugated dienes broadly and specifically in the synthesis of polybutadiene, including: the reduction the polymer cement viscosity in the polymer product; suppression of gel formation in the reaction mass; and, the reduction of a broad weight distribution in the polymer product.
The use of various catalyst systems containing rare earth compounds for the polymerization of conjugated diene monomers has been disclosed. Examples of such disclosures are (1) Mazzei A., Makromol. Chem. Suppl. 4 61 (1981); (2) Witte J., Angew. Makromol. Chem. 94 119 (1981); (3) Shen Tse-Chuan et al, J. Pol. Sci. Polym. Chem. Ed. 18 3345 (1980); (4) Marwede G. and Sylvester G., Trans. 22nd Annual Proceedings of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Madrid Paper III-3 (1981). Such catalyst systems have two or three components, for example a lanthanoid alkyl, alkoxide or salt (e.g. neodymium tricarboxylate) with an organoaluminium compound and optionally a Lewis Acid. When used in the polymerization of conjugated dienes, they yield a product which has a high content of cis isomer (e.g. 98% for polybutadiene and 94% for polyisoprene)
Diethylzinc (hereinafter referred to as "Et.sub.2 Zn") is well known as a chain transfer agent in the Zeigler-Natta polymerizations as described in J. Boor, "Zeigler-Natta Catalysts and Polymerizations", 1979, p375. Diethylzinc has also been used in BuLi and barium catalyzed polymerizations of butadiene as described in H. Hseih, J Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed., Vol. 14, p379-386, 1976; and, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,129,705 and 4,092,268, to de Zaraux. EP Patent Application No. 0234 512 to Takeshi, teaches that Et.sub.2 Zn can be used in combination with rare earth catalyzed polymerizations of butadiene, as a third, nonessential catalyst component of the system. However, Takeshi makes no disclosure that Et.sub.2 Zn may be used reduces the viscosity of the polymerization.
Thus, there exists a long felt need to vary the molecular weight of polybutadienes during synthesis; more particularly, to reduce the polymer cement viscosity of polybutadienes during their synthesis. The instant invention purports to solve all of the foregoing problems without noticeably affecting the rate of the polymerization or the microstructure of the resultant polymer.

Organo zinc and rare earth catalyst system in the polymerization of conjugated dienes


A polymeric polyphosphite and copolymeric polyphosphite is described which contains a cycloaliphatic moiety, preferably cyclohexane dimethanol, in the polyphosphite backbone chain.

Organic phosphites are known for their antioxidant properties when added to polymers and other organic materials. At least one purpose associated with the addition of a stabilizer to a polymeric resin is to prevent deterioration of the polymers derived from the resin during processing at high temperatures and also to permit the manufacture of products with increased intrinsic quality attributable at least in part to increased resistance to thermal and light degradation during their intended use.
Organic phosphites can be synthesized from variety of alcohols, diols, triols, and alkylphenols. Among them are the commercially significant phosphites, tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite (TNPP) and tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)phosphite. Historically, these two phosphites have been the low cost stabilizers for the rubber and plastics industry. Recently, however, alkylphenols and phosphites made from them have come under scrutiny due to concerns about them being xeno-estrogenic and bio-accumulative. Therefore suitable replacements for these are desired.
It has been determined that many useful polyphosphites can be synthesized based on cycloaliphatic diols, e.g., cylcohexane dimethanol ("CHDM"), and which are suitable replacements for the alkylphenol containing phosphites. The phosphites made at least in part from CHDM are superior to many of the commercial phosphites in terms of performance, thermal stability, and hydrolyic stability. Furthermore a great variety of phosphites can be produced from cycloaliphatic diols (e.g., CHDM) having a variety of properties.
Therefore what is disclosed are solid and liquid polyphosphites synthesized at least in part from saturated cycloaliphatic reactants (e.g., cycloaliphatic diols), mono-hydroxy terminated alcohols acting as chain stoppers and trifunctional phosphorus moieties (e.g., triaryl phosphite) and their performance as stabilizers.

Cycloaliphatic polyphosphite polymer stabilizers


Various embodiments include apparatuses and systems for controlling rotational imbalance of a rotary element. In one embodiment, a rotational imbalance reduction apparatus includes at least one heating element for heating a location on a rotary element, a pulsing element configured to pulse actuate the heating element in synchronization with a multiple, fraction, or mixed fraction of the frequency of rotation of the rotary element, and a control system coupled with the pulsing element and the heating element, the control system actuating the heating element and the pulsing element to apply heat to the location of the rotary element in pulses synchronized with the multiple, fraction, or mixed fraction of the frequency of rotation of the rotary element.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to rotary elements. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to apparatuses and systems for reducing turbine rotational imbalance.
When disturbed from rest, all mechanical structures, such as turbomachine rotors, vibrate at particular frequencies. Rotational imbalances in the rotors exacerbate the vibrations, which can pose considerable problems when operating rotors, especially above certain rotational speeds. Excessive vibration can cause unnecessary fatigue, structural stress and strain, less efficient operation, or undesirable physical interference between moving parts, for example. Conventional balancing techniques attempt to adjust the weight of the rotor at a single speed, but these techniques cannot always compensate for rotor imbalances because often the imbalances arise or change while starting or operating the rotor. For example, asymmetric thermal heating of the rotor results in bending of the rotor shaft, which causes the rotor to be imbalanced around the rotational axis. In another example, the excitation coils of large turbo-generators sometimes shift along the rotor axis. If these shifts are not exactly symmetrical, mechanical stresses and strains are induced which also result in imbalances. Erosion of the compressor and turbine blades is a further mechanism that can unbalance a rotor of a large gas and steam turbine. These imbalances result from operation of the rotor, and hence, cannot be adequately addressed by conventional techniques.


A method for improving the thermal stability of polymer of ethylene having vinyl unsaturation in which the polymer is admixed with a stabilizing amount of a silane compound represented by the formulae R.sub.2 SiA.sub.2 and R.sub.3 SiA' in which each R is the same or different and is selected from aryl, alkaryl, or aralkyl groups containing from 6 to about 24 carbon atoms, each A is the same or different and is selected from hydrogen, azido, halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy groups in which the alkyl radical contains from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and alkenyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms and one A can be lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms with the other A selected from among azido, halogen, hydroxy, and alkoxy, lower alkyl and alkenyl as described above, and A' is selected from among halogen, hydrogen and hydroxy groups. The composition of matter produced thereby. A composition of matter containing a polymer of ethylene and a thermally stabilizing amount of a silane represented by the formulae R.sub.2 SiA.sub.2 and R.sub.3 SiA' in which each R is the same or different and is selected from aryl, alkaryl, or aralkyl groups containing from 6 to about 24 carbon atoms, each A is the same or different and is selected from hydrogen, azido, halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy groups in which the alkyl radical contains from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and alkenyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms and one A can be lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms with the other A selected from among azido, halogen, hydroxy, and alkoxy, lower alkyl and alkenyl as described above, and A' is selected from among halogen, hydrogen, and hydroxy groups.

This invention relates to improving the thermal stability of polymers of ethylene. In one of its aspects, this invention relates to a composition of matter containing a polymer of ethylene and a thermal stabilizer. In another of its aspects, this invention relates to the use of certain silane compounds to provide thermal stabilization for polymers of ethylene.
It is known that polyethylene and copolymers of ethylene and other monoolefins are produced that contain a small amount of vinyl unsaturation. This vinyl unsaturation seems to cause an inherent thermal instability. At elevated temperature in the presence of oxygen, cross linking of the vinyl unsaturation is known to occur which results in a marked decrease in melt index of the polymer. It has now been found that the drop-off of melt index experienced upon heat treating these polymers can be improved, i.e., made less, by the incorporation of certain silane compounds with the polymers of ethylene.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method for improving the thermal stability of polymers of ethylene. It is another object of this invention to provide compositions containing polymers of ethylene and silane compounds which exhibit improved thermal stability as compared to the same polymers of ethylene that have not been admixed with the silane compounds.
Other aspects, objects, and the various advantages of this invention will become apparent upon studying the specification and the appended claims.

Thermally stabilizing polymers of ethylene


A landing gear platform is positionable between rearward and forward tires on one side of an aircraft landing gear and rearward and forward tires on the opposite side of the aircraft landing gear. The platform includes a pair of chocks that engage between the rearward and forward tires on the one side of the aircraft landing gear and the rearward and forward tires on the opposite side of the aircraft landing gear and prevent the tires from rotating. A panel spans over the tops of the pair of chocks. A top surface of the panel can be reached by a worker using a stepstool, enabling the worker to stand on the top surface of the panel when performing work on the landing gear above the rearward and forward tires of the aircraft landing gear.

During initial construction stages of an aircraft the aircraft is supported on jacks. The main landing gear of the aircraft are elevated by the jacks and do not bear any of the weight of the aircraft. This allows all of the main landing gear tires to spin freely.
Currently, mechanics and electricians working on the aircraft landing gear assemblies are exposed to awkward conditions while performing the work. The employees climb over free-spinning tires, hydraulic lines, and struts in order to access the work area located above the tires. The employees balance on the aircraft tires and struts while maneuvering over the hydraulic lines to access the work area above the main landing gear tires. Also, employees may place job supplies on the top of the free-spinning tires. These supplies can easily slide off, which may result in a spill.


In an environment where a plurality of data platforms are communicatively coupled via a communication network, one platform in the environment may govern whether other platforms in the environment are permitted to participate in the sharing of asset-related information. For example, a first platform may receive, from a second platform (e.g., a master or seed platform) that is communicatively coupled to the first platform via the communication network, criteria that governs whether the first platform is permitted to share asset-related data with one or more other platforms in the network. In turn, the first platform may assess the reliability of the platform's stored asset-related data and then apply the criteria to the assessed reliability to determine whether the first platform is permitted to share asset-related data with the one or more other platforms and then operate in accordance with that determination.

Machines (referred to herein as "assets") are essential to the modern economy. From locomotives that transfer cargo across countries to farming equipment that harvest crops, assets play an important role in everyday life.
Because of the increasing role that assets play, it is also becoming increasingly desirable to monitor asset-related information. To facilitate this, an organization that is interested in monitoring an asset may deploy a platform that is configured to receive and analyze asset-related information from various sources. In one example, this asset-related information may take the form of data indicting attributes of an asset in operation (e.g., asset operating data such as signal values output by sensors/actuators at the asset, fault codes generated at the asset, etc.). In another example, this asset-related information may take the form of data indicting transactions associated with an asset, such as whether an asset has been sold, rented, or leased during its lifetime. In yet another example, this asset-related information may take the form of data reflecting maintenance and repairs associated with an asset. For instance, such data may indicate that a dealer or repair shop performed certain repairs on the asset or assessed certain asset conditions, such as tire condition, fluid condition, or battery condition. Many other examples are also possible as well.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Computer systems and methods for governing a network of data platforms


A method and apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network are described including sending an extended request message, wherein the request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification and receiving an extended response message. Correspondingly, a method and apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network are described including receiving an extended request message, wherein the request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification and sending an extended response message.

Multi-hop wireless networks (including mobile wireless multi-hop relay communication networks/systems) are emerging as a promising technology that has applications in metro-area Internet access. As used herein, "/" denotes alternative names for the same or similar components or structures. That is, a "/" can be taken as meaning "or" as used herein. In the present invention, infrastructure multi-hop wireless relay networks are considered. Infrastructure multi-hop wireless relay networks consist of one or more multi-hop relay base stations (MR-BSs), relay nodes/stations (RS) and mobile stations (MS)/end devices. Relay nodes are part of the network infrastructure and are connected to base stations to form a backhaul multi-hop wireless network. A base station may connect to other networks such as the Internet. The mobile stations/end devices associate with/connect to/attach to a MR-BS or RS to obtain network access.
In the prior art, a scheme to establish a unicast path between MR-BS and a RS has been proposed. When RS1 enters the network, after conducting the initial ranging, a path P1 is established between MR-BS and RS1, P1={MR-BS, RS1}. A path identification (ID) is assigned to P1. When RS2 enters the network, a path P2 is established between MR-BS and RS2, P2={P1, RS2}. The path information is communicated to all the relay nodes (RSs) along the path. When MS1 enters the network, after the initial ranging, MR-BS knows that MS1 is associated with RS2, MR-BS binds MS1's basic and primary management connection identification (CID) to/with P2. MR-BS also notifies RS1 and RS2 to bind MS1's basic and primary management CID with/to P2. All the unicast traffic flows that start or end with MS1 have their CIDs bound with/to P2. For all the RSs in the system, there is a unique path that leads from MR-BS to each RS. For each MS in the system, their basic and primary management CID is bound to a path. For those MSs that connect directly to the MR-BS, P0={MR-BS} is defined and their CID is then bound to P0. It should be noted in the unicast scheme that a path can be bound to multiple CIDs, but each CID is only bound to one path.
Multicast and broadcast services (MBS) are very important for mobile wireless networks. In single-hop wireless communication systems, such as IEEE 802.16e, MBSs are associated with multicast and broadcast service flows. A multicast and broadcast service flow is not dedicated to a specific end device/mobile station/mobile device. For ease of notation, end devices are denoted as mobile stations (MSs) herein but it should be noted that end devices also include laptops, PDAs, cell phones and any other such mobile devices. If one or more MSs send a request to the base station (BS) in order to receive multicast service, a multicast connection is instantiated for a multicast service flow, a connection identification (CID) number is assigned to this multicast connection. The BS then creates a multicast traffic connection with each MS requesting the multicast and broadcast service using the same CID. Each multicast service data unit (SDU) is transmitted only once by the BS, and all MSs requesting the multicast service are able to receive the SDU. Multicast SDUs are sent directly from the BS to the MSs, no multicast distribution tree needs to be established for single hop wireless communication systems.
Multicast offers efficient utilization of network resources to deliver data from a source to multiple destination nodes. In a wireless multi-hop relay (MR) system, one or more relay stations (RS) may exist between a multi-hop relay base station (MR-BS) and a MS. When a MS associated with/attached to/connected to a RS joins a multicast application, multicast SDUs/packets/frames need to be forwarded from the MR-BS to the RS with which the MS is associated. Note that only a subset of nodes in a wireless MR system may join a particular multicast service/group to transmit and receive the multicast SDUs for this multicast service. A multicast service/group has its own multicast connection ID (MCID) for communications among the multicast service members. One way to transmit SDUs/packets/frames from a MR-BS to one or more RSs is to broadcast the multicast SDUs/packets/frames to every RS in the network no matter whether they need to receive the packets/frames/SDUs or not. Another approach to solve the problem of how to transmit SDUs/packets/frames from a MR-BS to RSs is to encapsulate multicast SDUs and unicast them individually to each of the RSs, that are associated with those MSs that have requested the multicast service. In this scheme, however, the MR-BS or the intermediate RS may need to transmit the same SDU multiple times, thus also incurring substantial cost in terms of bandwidth.
It would advantageous to have a method to establish and maintain a multicast distribution tree to distribute multicast SDUs/packets/frames along each branch of the multicast distribution tree. In this way, a multicast SDU is transmitted only once by a MR-BS to an RS and then only once by that RS to a further RS or to the MSs. The multicast SDU is transmitted only to the RSs associated with the MSs that have requested the multicast and broadcast service. Thus, the bandwidth utilization for multicast is improved.
The IP layer multicast routing protocols have been used to discover and establish the multicast tree for a multicast group in wired and wireless networks. The IP layer multicast routing protocols are based on the IP addresses. The Protocol Independent Multicast—Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) and the Protocol Independent Multicast—Dense Mode (PIM-DM) are two IP multicast routing protocols. PIM-DM employs a flooding and then pruning approach, which results in large overhead. PIM-SM employs a join/prune approach, which is more efficient in terms of network resource utilization. However, these protocols are designed for distributed and connectionless Internet communications, where the establishment and teardown of multicast tree routing is conducted by the multicast group members. In contrast, in the present invention, the establishment and teardown of multicast distribution tree routing is controlled by the base station (MR-BS).
Multicast routing protocols have also been proposed for wired or wireless mesh networks based on layer 2 media access control (MAC) address. However, the establishment and teardown of multicast tree in these protocols is also distributively controlled by the multicast group members.
The network structure of a wireless multi-hop relay network is quite different from the wired Internet and wired or wireless mesh networks. In a multi-hop relay network, the BS is a central control point. The multi-hop relay network has tree-type wireless connections with the BS as the root. The multi-hop relay network is a connection-oriented network, compared to mesh and connectionless wired or wireless networks. The SDUs/packets/frames are transmitted based on the connection ID, not the destination and source addresses as in wired or wireless mesh networks and Internet communications. The connection ID is dynamically assigned by the base station. The multicast routing protocols used for wired or wireless mesh networks and Internet communications are not applicable for a multi-hop relay network. Therefore, multicast mechanisms for wireless multi-hop relay networks are needed to establish, maintain, and tear down multicast distribution trees for efficient multicast communications using multicast connection ID.

Multicast distribution tree establishment and maintenance in a wireless multi-hop relay communication system


The invention features a process and composition for reducing or eliminating moisture in fluids suitable for use in ink jet systems without significantly changing the surface tension of these fluids. It has been discovered that mixing at least one borate ester derived from an aqueously miscible organic hydroxyl-containing compound, with a substantially non-aqueous printing medium will hygroscopically stabilize the printing medium, (maintain the printing medium substantially water-free) without significantly changing its surface tension.

Ink jet printing is a relatively recent development. While a number of methods for utilizing this technique have been suggested, the most common techniques involve either subjecting a continuous stream of ink droplets to a static electric field (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275), or periodically generating a series of droplets in response to electrical pulses to form a discontinuous stream with sufficient energy to traverse a substantially straight trajectory to a recording medium. (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398).
Various types of ink formulations have been tried in an effort to optimize the jetability of an ink as well as to ensure satisfactory adherence and resolution on the substrate being used. For example, a typical ink formulation or printing medium for use on a printable substrate comprises base liquids, which can be aqueous or non-aqueous, a coloring agent such as a dye and/or pigment material, a bacteriocide (to inhibit biological growth), and, if needed, an additive to render the ink fluid susceptible to an electric or a magnetic field.
Many inks include the addition of water to the base liquids (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,252), but the addition of water may increase such problems as biological growth and corrosive properties. (See Ashley et al, "Development and Characterization of Ink for an Electrostatic Ink Jet Printer", IBM J. Res, Dev., (January 1977). If desired, salts such as sodium nitrite or lithium chloride may be used to increase electrical conductivity, or magnetizable particles may be added to increase magnetic susceptibility.
Properties such as viscosity, surface tension, conductivity, resistivity, specific gravity, and pH have been used to describe ink formulations and evaluate their suitability for use in the ink jet systems.
A number of problems have been noted in trying to formulate ink compositions. These problems include nozzle clogging, nozzle crusting, alterations in surface tension due to repeated exposure to the atmosphere during the jetting and recirculation of the ink fluid, print quality (including optical density and dot characteristics), and lack of adhesion of ink to the substrate. Many of these problems may be inter-related, e.g., alterations in surface properties of an ink caused by repeated exposure to the atmosphere during jetting and recirculation may cause nozzle clogging. Evaporation of a portion of the base liquid or absorbance of atmospheric moisture by the ink fluid may, for example, change the solubility of a particular pigment or dye in the ink fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,736, discloses the use of polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol and ethylene glycol in the base liquid because of their ability to prevent the drying of the ink in the nozzle with subsequent clogging of the nozzle orifice. The polyhydric alcohols may be mixed with a lower monohydric alcohol to ensure rapid drying of the ink after deposition on the substrate to be printed.
It has been observed that surface tension parameters are important indications of the jetability of ink fluids. U.S. Pat. No. s4,021,252, for example, discloses the use of a primary solvent comprising a mixture of one or more aliphatic alcohols and water. The surface tension is described as "less than 40 dyne/cm.", and "preferably 30-35 dyne/cm." It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the addition of water, which has a surface tension of 73 dyne/cm., to ink fluids will alter the surface tension of such fluids.
In the context of non-aqueous inks having an affinity for water, there are especially troublesome problems with absorbance of atmospheric moisture during exposure of ink droplets to air during the jetting process. Since approximately 98% of the ink droplets may be recirculated, the cumulative effects of this addition of water on surface tension and coloring agent solubility can significantly alter the performance of such inks. More particularly, a change in coloring agent solubility for an ink jet fluid can lead to the precipitation of a material such as a dye or pigment out of solution, thereby resulting in clogging and crusting of the nozzle orifice. It would be desirable, therefore, to have a non-aqueous ink jet ink that is not affected by moisture and that does not experience a significant change in surface tension or undergo precipitation when exposed to moisture.
Short chain and very reactive borate esters have been used for their desiccant abilities as deicing additives in kerosene based jet fuel. (See U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,819). Certain types of borate esters have previously been used in some hydraulic fluids for their corrosion inhibiting properties. (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,941). Glycols and polyhydric alcohols are sometimes used in these formulations.
Borate esters, however, have never been used to formulate inks for use in ink jet systems as far as is known.


In a lawnmower with a grass collection container, the level to which the container is filled is recognizable optically or acoustically. For this purpose, a sensor is arranged in the grass entry mouthpiece of the grass collection container to supply a quantitative or qualitative signal via an electronic evaluation circuit. The collection container is attached to the rear of the frame of the lawnmower.

The present invention relates to a lawnmower having a grass collection container which can be hung on the rear of the lawnmower frame and having a collected grass level indicating device with a level sensor which indicates how full the container is.
Such a lawnmower is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,198. That lawnmower measures the fill condition in the grass container, rather than in the entry mouthpiece thereof In that lawnmower, the grass which has been cut is conveyed via a conveyor channel towards the cover of the container and the grass fills the container from the top. In the region of the cover, a bucket wheel is arranged inside the container. The wheel is turned by the same stream of air and the grass is entrained by the air stream. The rotation of the wheel is transmitted to an indicating disc on the outside of the cover. As soon as the container is full, this becomes evident from the fact that the indicating disc becomes stationary, which shows that the bucket wheel is clogged by grass and can no longer rotate.
Such a bucket wheel arrangement cannot be used when the grass is conveyed into the container from below, via a mouthpiece, and builds up in the container from the rear. In such lawnmowers, the collection container must be emptied upon occurrence of different degrees of filling, depending on the degree of wetness of the cut grass. This is to prevent the grass from being deposited on the ground instead of entering into the collection container, which would require gathering up the deposited grass.

Lawnmower with grass collection container


An image reading device includes a reading unit provided with an image sensor and configured to read a manuscript placed on a contact glass, a manuscript sensor whose output level varies depending on whether the manuscript is detected, and a moving mechanism configured to move the manuscript sensor from a predetermined reference position in an oblique direction with respect to a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction such that a detection zone of the manuscript sensor passes through a side of the manuscript parallel to the sub scanning direction and a side of the manuscript parallel to the main scanning direction. A recognizing unit is also included that is configured to recognize lengths in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction of the manuscript, based on a displacement of the manuscript sensor from the reference position.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to an image reading device which performs reading of a manuscript and an image forming device provided with the image reading device.
An image reading device obtains image data by guiding light emitted from a light source and reflected by a manuscript to an image sensor. The image reading device is often installed in an image forming device such as a multi-functional peripheral, a copier or a facsimile device. In order to output image data at a suitable size or to recognize a reading range on a manuscript, some image reading devices perform manuscript size detection. One example of the devices which perform the manuscript size detection will be described below.
One illustrative device includes a manuscript stand on which at least one side of a manuscript is paced according to a manuscript placing standard, a detection position set in a specified position deviated from the manuscript placing standard in order to detect a size of the manuscript, a detecting means for detecting the manuscript in the detection position, a size specifying means for specifying the size of the manuscript placed on the manuscript stand, based on a detection state of the manuscript in the detection position, and a moving means for moving the detecting means to a specified detection position. The size specifying means specifies the size of the manuscript placed on the manuscript stand, based on the detection state of the manuscript in the specified detection position detected by the moving detecting means. Paying attention to the fact that a lens means provided in case of performing image formation by enlarging or reducing an image of a manuscript is configured to move in X and Y directions below the manuscript stand, the image reading device may seek reduce the number of detection sensors and perform accurate detection of a manuscript size.

Image reading device and image forming device


A manipulator serving for applying a contact lens in or removing it from a user""s eye. The manipulator is of the kind that includes a manipulation part for holding the manipulator with the fingers, a supporting part on the manipulation part with the same or a slightly smaller diameter than the contact lens, and a concave face on the supporting part for in use detachably receiving the contact lens. The manipulator furthermore includes a slit made in the supporting part and extending from its concave face. When the manipulator is used to remove a contact lens from an eye, the user presses the slit together a little so that a fold is preliminarily made with a subjacent channel for taking air from the open in under the loosened parts of the contact lens. Using the manipulator according to the invention, a contact lens can easily and safely be removed from a user""s eye without risk of thereby injuring the cornea.

The invention relates to a manipulator for applying a contact lens in or removing a contact lens from a user""s eye. This manipulator is of the type that includes a manipulation part for manipulating the manipulator with the fingers, a supporting part fitted on the manipulation part for supporting the contact lens in operation, and a concave face for receiving and detachably retaining the convex face of the contact lens.
For among other things cosmetic reasons, many prefer to use contact lenses instead of glasses. The user normally makes use of his fingers to apply or remove contact lenses at the risk of thereby bringing impurities and/or bacteria from the fingers onto the lens and/or into the eye.
With a view to remedy this disadvantage during application of a contact lens, an applicator described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,049 has been developed. This applicator has a concave, elastomeric disc for preliminarily holding the contact lens. With a finger under the disc, this elastomeric disc is then inverted so that it assumes a convex form with the contact lens placed on the now formed convex face of the disc. Finally, the contact lens is applied in the eye while the user""s finger is placed under the disc. Neither this finger nor any other of the user""s fingers will thereby come into contact with the contact lens or the eye, thus avoiding introducing contaminants into the eye.
During storing and distribution, the contact lens is lying together with sterile saline solution of suitable concentration in a bowl that the elastomeric disc forms in its original, concave form. The bowl is tightly sealed by e.g. a cap during storage.
The applicant has a previous International Patent Application, publication no. WO 99/21519, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. This application discloses a package in form of a cup which is closely connected to a fingerstall for applying a contact lens into an eye. The package has a chamber with a sterile saline solution within which the contact lens lies. When the contact lens is to be used, the package is opened so that the contact lens is made to lie on a concave face on the fingerstall to which it adheres due to the surface tension in the saline solution. Then, the user uses the fingerstall to guide the contact lens into his eye where it will remain as the adhesive force between the eye and the contact lens is greater than the adhesive force between the lens and the concave face of the fingerstall.
The applicators disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,049 and PCT Patent Application publication no. WO 99/21519 are not useful for removing a contact lens from an eye. However, such a device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,602 which functions with a suction disc at the end of a handle for handling the device during the operation. When the contact lens is to be removed, the suction disc is made to stick to the contact lens. Then, the user pulls at the handle of the device in order to thereby loosen and remove the stuck contact lens from the eye.
As a contact lens is stuck to the eye with a quite considerable adhesive force, there is thus a risk that this device will not only pull the contact lens free of the eye but that the cornea will more or less follow. Thus, the present invention seeks to provide an improvement over these known devices.
From European Patent Application 0588434 is known a contact lens fitter-remover having a rigid structure with to tweezer legs. Removal of an inserted contact lens is done by resting the ends of the legs on the contact lens, closing the legs so that by means of the transversal pressure exerted by the fingers, the lens bends slightly and become detached from the eye.
This rigid tweezer construction is difficult to manoeuvre during application and removal of the contact lens and the rigid edges of the end of the legs of the tweezer are likely to damage the contact lens. Consequently, this fitter-remover is unsuitable for reuseable lenses.
The present invention now provides a device that overcomes the problems of the prior art.
The present invention provides a manipulator for applying a contact lens in or removing a contact lens from a user""s eye. This manipulator device is both easy and safe to use.
A plurality of such manipulators are conveniently provided in a single package. In addition, the invention provides a container for storing contact lenses.
The novel and unique features of the invention relate to the fact that the manipulator furthermore includes at least one slit made in the supporting part and extending from the concave face of this supporting part. When the manipulator is used to remove a contact lens from an eye, a part of the contact lens is preliminarily received as a fold in the slit whereby, between the eye and the contact lens, a channel is formed that ends in the open air. During the pulling off of the contact lens, this lens is gradually loosened from the eye while air is filled up under the loosened areas so that a negative pressure cannot be built here which in a harmful way could cause the cornea to completely or partly be loosened or pulled off the eyeball.

Contact lens applier, remover and container