In one embodiment, at least a portion of an object model having at least one namespace is serialized. An ancestor namespace is searched for based on a current namespace declaration. The ancestor namespace is associated with an ancestor prefix and an ancestor uniform resource indicator (URI). The current namespace is associated with a current prefix and current URI. The search is performed to find an ancestor prefix matches the current prefix. When the current namespace is an implicit no default namespace and the ancestor namespace is an explicit default namespace based on, at least in part, the ancestor prefix, a serialized namespace declaration is generated for the current namespace.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to serialization of XML data, and in particular to XML canonicalization.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases allow data to be stored and accessed quickly and conveniently. Various query languages may be used to access the data. An example of a typical query language is the Structured Query Language (SQL) which conforms to a SQL standard as published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the International Standards Organization (ISO). An extensible mark-up language (XML) can represent data in a serial text format. XML text can be conveniently exchanged with applications over the Internet. XML query languages, such as SQL/XML and XQuery, can be used to retrieve data from a database and represent that data in XML format.
XML query languages contain query features, called constructors, which are used to construct XML data based on input data. The constructed XML data may be stored in an internal format, such as a tree that conforms to the XQuery data model. Eventually, in many cases, the constructed XML data goes through a serialization process to generate equivalent XML text (or binary stream), also referred to as serialized data or text, for applications to consume.
An XML document may contain many element names and attribute names, and names that represent semantic information. In W3C recommendation, "Namespaces in XML", REC-xml-names-19990114, Jan. 14, 1999, to avoid name conflict, XML provides a mechanism, referred to as XML namespaces. An XML namespace provides a unique name so that semantics of names associated with the namespace are well-defined. The XML namespace is a fundamental feature of XML and in the constructed XML data. An XML namespace has a namespace name (a uniform resource identifier, i.e. URI), which is bound to a namespace prefix, and is sometimes represented as (prefix, URI). The URI is used to identify and locate resources on the Internet, and the prefix is used as a proxy for the URI.
In the serialized data, a namespace declaration, signified by the "xmlns" attribute name or prefix, is used to declare a namespace. Due to syntactic and semantic requirements of query languages, the literally serialized XML text from constructed data in an internal XML format often contains redundant XML namespace declarations. If the data returned in response to a SQL/XML query is literally serialized into text format, the namespace declarations can sometimes take up the major portion of the XML text. To reduce the amount of data and application processing expense, it is desirable to reduce the number of redundant or superfluous namespace declarations in the serialized XML text. Eliminating superfluous namespace declarations is also a part of XML canonicalization, W3C recommendation, "Canonical XML Version 1.0", 15 Mar. 2001.
In addition, when a portion of the XML data, such as an XML fragment or sub-tree, is constructed without a default namespace, but later is connected to a containing fragment or tree with a default namespace, the fragment without the default namespace has to "undeclare" the default namespace in the containing fragment. If the default namespace is not undeclared, the XML fragment or sub-tree will inherit the default namespace, which is not correct, and will cause errors.
Therefore there is a need for a technique to eliminate redundant or superfluous namespace declarations. There is also a need for a technique to undeclare inherited default namespaces for fragments or sub-trees which are constructed without a default namespace.

Eliminating superfluous namespace declarations and undeclaring default namespaces in XML serialization processing

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a method of preparing microspheres by using a polymer having a sol-gel transition property and microspheres prepared thereby, and more particularly, to a method of preparing microspheres by using a polymer having a sol-gel transition property and microspheres prepared thereby capable of preventing a solvent in a polymer solution for a carrier from being rapidly diffused to the aqueous medium before formation of the microspheres to reduce porosity of the microspheres and reduce surface roughness of the microspheres in order to obtain microspheres having a sphere shape, and increasing an encapsulation ratio of a bioactive substance, by using a polymer having a sol-gel transition property as a surfactant included in an aqueous medium into which a primary emulsion is injected and gelating a secondary emulsion formed after injecting the primary emulsion using the sol-gel transition property of the polymer used as the surfactant.

As particle preparation techniques, general preparation methods include a double emulsion method (W/O/W), a phase separation method, a spray drying method, a super critical fluid (SCF) method, and the like. In recent years, a method of preparing monodispersed particles has been developed by which uniform particles can be prepared.
A representative example of the double emulsion method includes a method of preparing fine particles, which includes forming a primary emulsion by dissolving a biodegradable carrier in a solvent and dissolving a water-soluble drug in an aqueous phase, and then forming particles by injecting the primary emulsion into a secondary solution in which poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is dissolved. Takeda corporation registered patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,441) regarding the double emulsion method, and many other patents were filed regarding the double emulsion method after mass production and commercialization. Particularly, methods have been developed of preparing fine particles whose encapsulation ratio is improved according to a drug and which exhibit initial release control by optimizing the composition, molecular weight, change in terminal group, and the like of a polymer configuring the fine particles, and have been known as the most suitable methods up to for the purposes of encapsulating the water-soluble drug. However, as disadvantages, the particles exhibit porosity due to temperature, concentration, and stirring speed during the preparation process, which leads to an increase in the initial drug release ratio and a decrease in the encapsulation ratio of the drug. Further, as a solvent dissolving the polymer, methylene chloride having high toxicity is used, and its water solubility is as low as 20 g/L (20° C.). Since an organic solvent having low water solubility needs to be used to encapsulate the water-soluble drug effectively, solvents that may be selected for dissolving the polymer are limited.
With respect to the phase separation method, a patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,563) was first filed in 1984, and its related products includes Somatuline LA. The phase separation method is a preparation method including forming the primary emulsion into a coacervate with silicon oil and the like and then forming particles by curing the polymer. In recent years, a technical trend of the phase separation method is to control the particle size, encapsulation ratio, and the like of the fine particles according to changes in pH, temperature, and compositions of the coacervate. The phase separation method has an advantage in that the size of the particles may be controlled only by controlling a chemical composition without any need for specialized facilities. However, it has a disadvantage in that a large amount of solvent needs to be used, and it has many parameters when the coacervate is formed.
The spray drying method is a method of forming fine particles by spraying a primary emulsion in hot air. A method was developed by Alkermes Corporation in which the primary emulsion is sprayed in hot air to compensate for the disadvantage that there is a limitation in use of encapsulated drugs, quenched using LN2, and extracted with ethanol. After development of the freeze-spray drying method, similar techniques have been developed so far. Various shapes of spray nozzles have been developed, and fine and uniform particles may also be formed using an atomizer, an electrode, a sonicator, and the like. The spray drying method has an advantage in that the particles may be easily mass-produced, but has a disadvantage that it is difficult to form spherical particles and the primary emulsion needs to be sprayed in hot air except in the freeze-spray drying method.
The super critical fluid (SCF) extraction method is a technique of spraying the primary emulsion with a super critical fluid by using a representative supercritical fluid CO2 as an anti-solvent. The SCF extraction method has an advantage in that it is eco-friendly and does not require an additional process of removing a residual solvent and the like, but has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to control particle size distribution during mass production.
When the particles are prepared using a conventional double emulsion method, the step of forming particles by injecting the primary emulsion into the aqueous medium and diffusing the solvent used in the primary emulsion into the aqueous medium is very important in preparing the particles. In the step, particle size, porosity, surface roughness, encapsulation ratio, and the like of the fine particles are determined according to the speed of the solvent which is diffused into the aqueous medium. The solvent diffusion speed is determined according to the kind of solvent, water-solubility of the solvent, temperature of the aqueous medium, and the kind, concentration, stirring speed, and the like of a surfactant configuring the aqueous medium.
In the above step, in order to increase the speed at which the solvent is diffused into the aqueous medium, a method of selecting a solvent having high water-solubility, increasing a temperature of the aqueous medium, reducing a concentration of the surfactant configuring the aqueous medium, or the like may be used. When the solvent diffusion speed is increased, the curing time of the polymer constituting the carrier is shortened, and thus the porosity of the particles is increased, the particle size is relatively large, and the encapsulation ratio is decreased. As a result, a solvent having high water-solubility such as ethyl acetate is diffused into the aqueous medium at a rapid speed, resulting in difficulty in forming a spherical shape, a low encapsulation ratio, and easily-formed porous particles. Accordingly, when the solvent having high water-solubility is used, the concentration of the aqueous medium is increased or the temperature is decreased to prevent the solvent from being diffused to the aqueous medium at a rapid speed. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,777, a multistep method of preparing fine particles using ethyl acetate is disclosed. This is a method of forming particles by initially reducing the volume of the aqueous medium to prevent ethyl acetate from being diffused into the aqueous medium at a rapid speed before forming the fine particles, and then evaporating the residual solvent by diluting the particles with a large amount of aqueous medium. However, it is disadvantageous in that a yield is reduced to 10 to 20%. Accordingly, in order to form the particles by various methods without limiting the solvent, the demand for a technique capable of controlling solvent diffusion time is very high.
In order to cure the polymer and diffuse the solvent into the aqueous medium, generally, a stirring process is performed. The stirring process includes methods such as stirring at room temperature, heated stirring, pressure stirring, and the like. In the case of stirring at room temperature, stirring time during mass production is increased, and a water-soluble drug is released after stirring for a long time, which leads to a decrease in the encapsulation ratio. During heated stirring, the curing speed of the polymer is increased and the stirring time is reduced, but the polymer exhibits porosity and its content is decreased. During pressure stirring, the solvent is diffused into the aqueous medium and simultaneously evaporated by pressure, and thus the solvent may be evaporated in a rapid time, and fine particles appropriate under the guidelines on residual solvents in pharmaceuticals may be prepared. However, during pressure stirring, when the reaction volume is large, it is difficult to reach a desired vacuum and the degree of vacuum is decreased, and the polymer needs to be carefully treated to prevent formation of bubbles in the solvent during stirring under the control of the vacuum. Particularly, when the surfactant is included, the bubbling phenomenon is more serious, and thus conditions need to be maintained to control a vacuum pressure. In order to solve these problems, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,700, a method of cooling the entire aqueous medium and removing the solvent under depressurization was used. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,004, a preparation method of obtaining microspheres by cooling and freeze-drying the primary emulsion was disclosed.
Under the background, the present inventors have confirmed that microspheres having a spherical shape may be obtained by using a polymer having a sol-gel transition property as a surfactant included in an aqueous medium into which a primary emulsion is injected in order to gelate a secondary emulsion formed after injecting the primary emulsion, thereby preventing a solvent in a polymer solution for a carrier from being rapidly diffused into the aqueous medium during formation of the microspheres to reduce porosity of the microspheres and reduce surface roughness of the microspheres, and a high encapsulation ratio of the microspheres may also be easily achieved without restriction to solvent selection, or other stirring or solvent evaporation. Therefore, the present invention has been completed based on these facts. Further, in the method of preparing microspheres according to the present invention, since a desired amount of microspheres may be obtained at a low volume ratio of the secondary emulsion to the primary emulsion, innovative process efficiency may be improved through reduction of the reaction volume.

Method of preparing microspheres by using polymer having sol-gel transition property and microspheres prepared thereby


Provided is a connector in which a frame is provided with a bending portion while the properties of the frame are maintained. The connector includes a housing to which contacts are attached and a frame which has an end in the first direction fixed to a board and which surrounds the housing. Of the frame, an end portion on a board side in the first direction is provided with a bending portion bent in a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction, and a pair of adjacent surfaces adjacent to opposite end surfaces of the bending portion in a third direction, the third direction intersecting each of the first direction and the second direction.

The present invention relates to a connector, in particular, to a connector which can be fitted with a counter connector in a first direction and in which a housing that holds contacts is surrounded by a frame.
An example of the connector to be fitted with a counter connector is a connector described in JP 2016-12553A (hereinafter, referred to as "connector 1"). The connector 1 is a receptacle connector and is to be fitted with a counter connector that is a plug connector (not shown) in a vertical direction.
As illustrated in FIG. 20, the connector 1 is configured such that a housing 3 (insulating member) that holds contacts 2 (connection terminals) is surrounded by a substantially rectangular frame 4 (fixed terminal). The frame 4 is fixed to a board (not shown) and is disposed at a position at which the frame 4 faces a side wall surface of the housing 3.
In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 21, protrusions 5 and 6 are provided at a lower portion of the frame 4. The protrusions 5 and 6 are bent toward a side on which the housing 3 is situated (i.e., inner side) when the frame 4 is viewed from an upper position. Tip portions of the protrusions 5 and 6 are each inserted to a predetermined site in the housing 3, whereby the housing 3 is held by the protrusions 5 and 6 of the frame 4.
The above-described frame 4 is provided with cutouts, more specifically, punched holes 7, on opposite sides of each of the protrusions 5 and 6 as shown in FIG. 21. The punched holes 7 are provided to form the protrusions 5 and 6; specifically, the punched holes 7 are holes that are provided in order to form the protrusions 5 and 6 by cutting and bending a sheet metal that constitutes the frame 4. Since the punched holes 7 are provided, it becomes relatively easy to form the protrusions 5 and 6 in the frame 4, that is, the cutting and bending process is facilitated. On the other hand, since through-holes are formed in the frame 4, shielding property or other properties of the frame 4 as well as the strength of the frame 4, for example, may be deteriorated.

Electrical connector assembly with electromagnetic shielding frame surrounding plurality of terminals and connector housing

JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED


A device for clamping a golf club to a base including a clamping mechanism adapted to clamp the face of the golf club at a predetermined angle with respect to the base, and a measuring mechanism including at least a loft scale operational in combination with the clamping mechanism wherein the loft scale is pivotable about an axis parallel to the club face, further including measuring scales for reading loft angles of the club and optionally including scales for measuring the lie angle of the club.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf club adjusting devices and in particular to golf club adjusting devices which measure the loft or lie angles of a golf club and permit the golf club to be adjusted accordingly.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
A pervasive problem in the golf industry is the accuracy and predictability of a golf club's performance, and in particular with respect to the loft and lie angles of a club. Although all clubs of a particular design are presumably manufactured according to the same guidelines and specifications, an individual club may not actually have lie or loft angles which meet manufacturer's specifications. Moreover, a golfer may want to reset a club's loft or lie angles in conformity with the golfer's swing. Hence, the measuring and adjustment of golf clubs has evolved into a science.
The prior art, in particular U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,431 to Muldoon teaches that to properly fit a golf club to an individual player, the club should be fitted from "a playing position." By way of background, the basic elements of a golf club include a club head, a shaft upwardly extending from the head and can also include a hosel connected to the club head for receiving the shaft. The club head further includes a face including a plurality of parallel score lines and a sole. The sole of some golf clubs, woods, for example can be curved. Muldoon teaches that a clamped golf club is rotated until the club head is in a plane horizontal to the ground with the score lines being parallel to the ground regardless of the sole radius; i.e. the club is clamped in a soled position. Further, Muldoon teaches that the shaft of the club must be in a plane vertical to the plane in which the club head lies. Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,431 and pending U.S. patent application No. 07/926,945 are incorporated by reference herein.
Unlike the prior art, the present invention teaches an apparatus for determining the loft or lie angles of a golf club wherein the golf club is held stationary at some predetermined angle with respect to the base. A measuring apparatus is brought into proximity with the golf club shaft so that loft or lie angles can be measured from the clamped club. Loft or lie angles can then be adjusted where necessary.
Both the loft and lie angles affect the path of the ball after it is struck by the club head. The lie angle determines whether the ball will travel left or right as it is launched. Loft angles, on the other hand, are the angles that a club face makes with the vertical shaft plane (or any plane parallel to the vertical shaft plane) when the sole of the club is parallel to the ground line. The club's loft and the lie angles affect the vertical trajectory of the ball which is further affected by the swing of the golfer; therefore, to optimize the height and distance that the ball travels, the lie and loft of the club should further be adjusted to the particular player's swing. Once the loft and lie angles of the club have been measured, the hosel of the club is bent to change either or both of these angles to some other desired angle which is better adapted for a particular player's swing or in conformity with manufacturer's specifications.

Apparatus for determining and adjusting loft or lie angles of golf club


An exemplary apparatus for use with an auditory prosthesis system includes a housing, a connector port disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to be communicatively coupled to an auxiliary audio input device, a telecoil disposed at least partially within the housing, and a multi-position switch disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to selectively enable the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil. The auxiliary audio input device is enabled and the telecoil is disabled when the switch is in a first position, both the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil are enabled when the switch is in a second position, and the telecoil is enabled and the auxiliary audio input device is disabled when the switch is in a third position. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

The sense of hearing in human beings involves the use of hair cells in the cochlea that convert or transduce audio signals into auditory nerve impulses. Hearing loss, which may be due to many different causes, is generally of two types: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when the normal mechanical pathways for sound to reach the hair cells in the cochlea are impeded. These sound pathways may be impeded, for example, by damage to the auditory ossicles. Conductive hearing loss may often be helped by the use of conventional hearing aids that amplify sound so that audio signals reach the cochlea and the hair cells. Some types of conductive hearing loss may also be treated by surgical procedures.
Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is caused by the absence or destruction of the hair cells in the cochlea which are needed to transduce acoustic signals into auditory nerve impulses. People who suffer from sensorineural hearing loss may be unable to derive significant benefit from conventional hearing aid systems, no matter how loud the acoustic stimulus is. This is because the mechanism for transducing sound energy into auditory nerve impulses has been damaged. Thus, in the absence of properly functioning hair cells, auditory nerve impulses cannot be generated directly from sounds.
To overcome sensorineural hearing loss, numerous auditory prosthesis systems (e.g., cochlear implant systems) have been developed. Auditory prosthesis systems bypass the hair cells in the cochlea by presenting electrical stimulation directly to the auditory nerve fibers. Direct stimulation of the auditory nerve fibers leads to the perception of sound in the brain and at least partial restoration of hearing function.
Conventional auditory prosthesis systems include a sound processing unit worn on or behind the ear of a patient. The sound processing unit typically includes a microphone for detecting sounds in the patient's environment and audio processing circuitry for modifying, digitizing, and/or amplifying the detected sounds. As such, sound processing units worn behind or on the ear are often relatively large, cumbersome, and noticeable by others. They often lack desirable features (e.g., extended battery life and optimal sound processing capabilities) because such features would make them even larger and more cumbersome.
Hence, sound processing units have been developed that may be worn by a patient off the ear (e.g., secured to a piece of clothing worn by the patient, carried in a pocket or pouch, and/or otherwise carried by the patient). However, conventional sound processing units configured to be worn off the ear lack the ability to selectively interface with a telecoil and/or an auxiliary microphone positioned proximal to the ear canal of the patient.

Modular adapter assembly for telecoil and auxiliary audio input device mixing


Embodiments relate to generating short displacement instructions. An aspect includes performing code generation by a compiler to generate an instructions. Another aspect includes determining whether the generated instruction supports long displacement. Another aspect includes based on a determination that the generated instruction does not support long displacement, determining whether a short displacement budget is full. Another aspect includes based on a determination that the short displacement budget is not full, marking data associated with the instruction in a symbol table maintained by the compiler. Another aspect includes incrementing the short displacement budget using a size of the marked data associated with the instruction. Another aspect includes based on a determination that the short displacement budget is full, performing a low cost fix up.

The present disclosure relates generally to programming languages and compilers in a data processing system and more specifically to program stack management in the data processing system.
Typical computer hardware architectures provide an instruction set comprising instructions with a displacement field for accessing memory locations. For example, an instruction having a base plus displacement format, referred to as base plus offset. In this format a load register instruction has an effective address equal to the displacement value plus the contents of a specified base register.
In another example, an instruction may be of a form of base plus index plus displacement, which is referred to as base plus index plus offset. In this format the load register instruction has an effective address equal to the displacement value plus the contents of a specified base register and the contents of a specified index register.
In a further example as computer hardware architecture evolves, the architecture expands to support multiple sets of instructions used to access memory comprising a short displacement format and a long displacement format. In the short displacement format, the instruction is defined as a traditional 12-bit (short) displacement instruction. Using this type of instruction enables a maximum addressing of +4,095 bytes from the origin (base address). In contrast the long displacement format, defines as an extended 20-bit signed (long) displacement instruction. Using this type of instruction enables a maximum addressing between −524,288 bytes and +524,287 (512K) bytes from the origin (base address). This type of instruction has 8 additional bits appended to the left of the 12-bit displacement (as in the short displacement instruction).
A 20-bit signed displacement enables relative addressing of up to 524,287 bytes beyond the location that is designated by a base register or base-and-index-register pair and up to 524,288 bytes prior to that location. Examples of instruction pairs supporting both short and long displacement as supported in one commercially available example system (z/OS® is a 64-bit operating system for System z® computers, produced by IBM® IBM, z/OS, System z are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both) include operation codes of L/LY, LA/LAY, ST/STY, (and other pairs of this type). Examples of additional instructions, which only support a short displacement type, include operation codes of MVC, CLC, and other instructions of this type.
In a typical compiler implementation when instructions are generated the displacement is not known at compilation time and the compiler has to make assumptions about the displacement field. The displacement is known after a stack mapping stage, which occurs after instructions are generated. Therefore when short displacement-only instructions are generated a compiler cannot determine whether corresponding offsets will fit into the short displacement field.
When the offset does not fit into the short displacement, a fix-up to re-create the offset in a separate register is required. The separate register is added to the original displacement and later used as a base register for the particular instruction. Pessimistic assumptions by the compiler for the displacement field result in unnecessary up-front fix-ups whereas optimistic assumptions result in expensive fix-ups for the data that does not fit in the displacement field.
Typical attempts to mitigate the displacement size problem typically use an early stack mapping stage. The early stack mapping stage is performed before instructions are generated providing an estimate of the respective displacements. However a disadvantage of this approach arises when displacements are not accurately computed (for example, extra temps for register spilling can introduce distortions). As well this technique does not consider how the data is used and may inadvertently penalize instructions in a hot areas of the code for the benefit of the infrequently executed sections of the code (cold areas of code).


In order to prevent the lowering of yield of fibers of stock which is pinched by two wires and being transferred, specific dewatering blades are disposed on each of the wires are used. Blade sets are disposed on two wires 1, 2 forming loops to pinch stock 7 and running therealong. The blades of one blade set are dewatering limiting blades 20, each having a plane portion 20a to support the wires 1, 2 and an inclined face 20b disposed on the wire entering side of said plane portion 20a and forming a space of a wedge shape facing the wire face and enlarging toward the upstream side in the wire running direction. The blades of the other blade set are dewatering blades 21, each having a plane portion 21a to support the wires 1, 2 and an edge 21b to scrape water toward the upstream side of said plane portion 21a. The plane portion 21a having the edge 21b is disposed opposite to the space of a wedge shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper machine twin-wire former and a dewatering device to be used for paper layer forming therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a twin-wire former as a paper layer forming device in a conventional paper machine, two wires each form a loop, stock is pinched there between, and as the stock is transferred, it is dewatered by various dewatering devices so that a fiber mat is gradually grown and a web is formed.
In FIG. 10, a construction of a typical twin-wire former is shown, and a paper layer forming device of the twin-wire former is described with reference to FIG. 10.
Stock 7 injected upwardly from a headbox 6 is pinched in a gap 5 of a wedge shape formed by two wires comprising a top wire 1 and a bottom wire 2 guided by a forming roll 4 and a breast roll 3, respectively. As the stock is transferred with the same velocity as the wires 1, 2, the gap 5 is narrowed, and as the stock if further transferred along an approximate curve R on a plurality of dewatering blades 9 arranged on a certain curvature R with intervals between one another on the side of the bottom wire 2, the stock is dewatered toward both sides by a dewatering pressure generated by the dewatering blades 9. A fiber mat is thus gradually grown and a web is formed.
Next, at a suction box 11 and a suction couch roll 12, dewatering by vacuum is performed. At the suction couch roll 12, the web 13 is transferred onto the bottom wire 2 and then is transferred to a next press part by a suction pick-up roll (not shown).
A water deflector 10 is disposed within a wire loop of the top wire 1, so that white water which accompanies the top wire 1 is discharged outside the system therefrom.
Further, in the construction of the twin-wire former shown in FIG. 10, as a countermeasure to meet various problems accompanying the dewatering being done on both sides at the same time, the employment of dewatering limiting shoes (dewatering limiting blades) of the Japanese laid-open patent application No. Hei 2(1990)-133689 as shown in FIG. 11 and a combination of dewatering limiting shoes (dewatering limiting blades) and dewatering shoes (dewatering blades) of the Japanese laid-open patent application No. Hei 4(1992)-194093 as shown in FIG. 12 have been disclosed.
FIG. 13 shows another dewatering device used for paper layer forming in the twin-wire former shown in FIG. 10. That is, FIG. 10 shows an example wherein a dewatering device in which dewatering blades 9 are disposed within one wire loop, or a loop of the bottom wire 2, is mainly used, FIG. 11 shows an example wherein a dewatering device 39 incorporating dewatering limiting blades is provided within one wire loop 32, and FIG. 12 shows an example wherein dewatering limiting blades 59 are disposed within a loop of a first wire 51 and downstream thereof both-side dewatering blades 60 are disposed within a loop of a second wire 52.
In the arrangement of the respective dewatering device shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, the dewatering pressure generated between the wires is decided by the curvature R on which the dewatering blades 9, 39, 59, 60 are mainly arranged, the intervals with which the dewatering blades 9, 39, 59, 60 are disposed, the tensile force of the top wire 1, 31, 51 or of the bottom wire 2, 32, 52, and the dewatering resistance of the fiber mat layer formed between the two wire. There is no function of adjusting the dewatering pressure from the outside during operation.
So, what is shown in FIG. 13 is a dewatering device having the function of adjusting dewatering pressure. Dewatering blades 21 can adjust the pressing force given to the wires from the outside during operation and are disposed opposite to the conventional dewatering blades 9 as shown in FIG. 10 via the bottom wire 2 and the top wire 1.
In a case where the conventional shape of the dewatering blade is used in a mutually opposing dewatering device, the fiber mat layers formed between the wires receive a reaction force via the wires when the wires bend or jerk at the front edge portion of the dewatering blade. The fibers between the fiber mat layers are further moved and dispersed by the force.
But at the same time short fibers (or fine fibers) lose binding with long fibers and there is a strong possibility that the short fibers are washed off together with the water that is to be dewatered by the pressure acting on the mat layers. The yield of the short fibers on the dewatering blade side tends to become worse.
For this reason, countermeasures are taken in which the bending of the wire is made smaller or is shared by the front and rear edge portions. But in this case the fiber dispersion ability of the dewatering blades is lowered and as a result there is a disadvantage that the formation becomes worse.
Further, as the dewatering is done toward both sides, there is a large problem in that the short fibers of the central portion in the thickness direction of the paper layer move toward the outer layer portion, becoming fewer in the middle layer portion. Thus the binding between fibers becomes weaker and the strength in the thickness direction is lowered.
In order to prevent the lowering of the strength in the thickness direction, a countermeasure is taken wherein the dewatering ratio toward both sides is changed by use of the dewatering limiting blades as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. But there is still no adjusting means to correspond to changes in paper making conditions such as changes of fiber length in the stock, paper making velocity, and alterations of grammage (basis weight).
That is, in the device shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to prevent the washing-off of short fibers, but it is difficult to enhance the dewatering pressure. For this reason there is a disadvantage in that the fiber dispersion ability within the mat layers is not enhanced. Further, in the device shown in FIG. 12, a paper in which a difference in nature between front and rear faces is small can be made by a construction in which both-side dewatering blades are disposed downstream of the dewatering limiting blades disposed immediately downstream of the stock being supplied. Reversely short fibers within the mat layers move to both sides, and there is a disadvantage in that the inner binding strength is lowered.

Paper machine twin-wire former with dewatering limiting blade device


A treadmill belt guard includes a weighted cylindrical body, a first arm, a second arm, a first adaptor, a second adaptor, a first interlocking fastener, and a second interlocking fastener. The first arm is externally connected onto a lateral surface of the weighted cylindrical body. The second arm is externally connected onto the lateral surface of the weighted cylindrical body. The first arm and the second arm are positioned parallel to each other. The first adaptor is terminally mounted to the first arm through the first interlocking fastener. The first arm is positioned in between the first adaptor and the weighted cylindrical body. The second adaptor is terminally mounted to the second arm through the second interlocking fastener. The second arm is positioned in between the second adaptor and the weighted cylindrical body.

Treadmills have been used as exercising machines for running or walking in one place. In other words, a treadmill is an indoor exercise machine and provides an effective solution in the event of unpleasant weather conditions that can prevent someone from exercising outdoor. More specifically, treadmills have a moving platform so that the user can walk, jog, or run on the moving platform to complete their exercise. The moving platform is generally a wide conveyor belt that is driven by an electric motor and other necessary components. The conveyor belt moves from front end to the rear end of the treadmill, requiring the user to walk or run at a speed matching that of the conveyor belt. The rate at which the conveyor belt moves is the rate of walking or running as the speed of conveyor may be controlled and measured. One of the main safety problems with the existing treadmills is that foreign objects (toys and exercising equipment) can get clinched to the conveyor belt and drag underside of the treadmill. Resultantly, these foreign objects can unbalance and tip over the treadmill thus compromising the safety of the user.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a treadmill belt guard prevents the suction of foreign objects into the underside of the conveyor belt. More specifically, the present invention is attached to the rear end of the treadmill and behind the conveyor belt so cover the gap between the underside of the conveyor belt and the floor. The present invention is also a weighted body so that the present invention cannot be easily move away from the floor. As a result, the present invention is able to prevent accidental suction of unnecessary objects or materials that can potentially damage the treadmill or compromise the safety of the user.


The present invention provides an ink which provides an image with a sufficient image density free from bleeding and unevenness, dries rapidly on paper and can be jetted at a high reliability and a recording method using said ink. A novel ink for ink jet recording comprising water, a coloring material and a water-soluble organic solvent is provided, characterized in that said ink comprises a polymer containing a carboxyl group having an average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 20,000 in the free or salt state in an amount of from 0.1 to 3% by weight, a water-soluble organic compound which normally stays solid and vaporizes in a proportion of not less than 50% by weight at a temperature of from 100.degree. C. to 350.degree. C. in an amount of from 1 to 20% by weight, and a compound represented by the following formula (A): EQU R--O--X.sub.n H (A). wherein R represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of C.sub.4-8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, phenyl, alkylphenyl, alkenylphenyl and cycloalkyl groups; X represents an oxyethylene or oxypropylene group; and n represents an integer of from 1 to 4 in an amount of from 1 to 20% by weight, and said ink exhibits a surface tension of from 20 to 40 mN/m and a pH value of not less than 7.5. The ink is jetted at an output of from 1 to 70 ng per droplet to effect recording.

Because of its advantages such as small size, inexpensiveness and noise-free operation, a so-called ink jet recording apparatus which is adapted to jet a liquid or molten solid ink through a nozzle, slit, porous film or the like against paper, cloth, film or the like to effect recording has been extensively studied. In recent years, besides black monochromatic printers capable of recording on so-called ordinary paper such as report blank form and duplicating paper with a good print quality, many printers capable of recording in all colors have been commercially available and thus played an important role in the art of recording apparatus.
An ink for use in these ink jet recording apparatus is mainly composed of a solvent, a coloring material and additives. An ink for ink jet recording method has the following requirements:
(1) It must provide a high resolution, high density uniform image which does not run or fog on paper; PA1 (2) When dried at the tip of the nozzle, it must cause no nozzle clogging, providing invariably good jetting response and stability; PA1 (3) It must be easily dried on paper; PA1 (4) It must provide an image with a good fastness; PA1 (5) It must have a good storage stability.
In particular, various measures have heretofore been devised for the requirements (1) and (3). For example, JP-A-63-132083 (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") discloses a method which comprises the use of 10% and 30% solutions of a solid substance such as polyethylene glycol, aliphatic acid and salt thereof having a molecular weight of not less than 300, the viscosity ratio of which is 1:3 or more, to provide a thickened ink which causes less bleeding. U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,803 discloses a method for inhibiting bleeding which comprises the use of a high molecular colloidal substance having a molecular weight of not less than 10,000 such as alginic acid, carboxymethylcellulose and carrageenan. JP-A-6-136306 discloses a method which comprises using a high molecular substance having a molecular weight of from 3,000 to 50,000 to define the surface tension and viscosity of the ink to a predetermined range that can accomplish both the desired fixability and prevention of bleeding. However, these inks disclosed are disadvantageous in that they provide uneven image, dry slowly, tend to clog the orifice or, if used in a recording process which comprises the action of heat energy to jet the ink, cause an output drop. These problems are particularly remarkable in a high resolution small drop print ink jet recording method.
Further, JP-B-60-34992 (The term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), JP-A-62-11781, JP-B-62-13388, JP-A-1-230685, JP-A-3-41171 disclose a method which comprises the addition of a surface active agent, a polyvalent alcohol derivative or the like to enhance the dryability of the ink on paper. However, the inks disclosed in these patents are disadvantageous in that they tend to run on paper and penetrate into paper, causing the drop of image density. Thus, no inks which provide a highly color-developed image with a good print quality on ordinary paper, dry rapidly on paper and can be jetted with a high reliability have been found.

Ink for ink jet recording and ink jet recording method


This invention relates to a process for making foundry shapes (e.g. cores and molds) using epoxy-acrylate cold-box binders containing an oxidizing agent and elevated levels of an organofunctional silane, which are cured in the presence of sulfur dioxide, and to a process for casting metals using the foundry shapes. The metal parts have fewer casting defects because the foundry shapes made with the binder are more resistant to erosion.

A foundry process widely used for making cores and molds entails the sulfur dioxide (SO2) cured epoxy-acrylate binder system. In this process, a mixture of a hydroperoxide (usually cumene hydroperoxide), an epoxy resin, a multifunctional acrylate, a silane coupling agent, and optional diluents, are mixed with an aggregate (typically sand) and compacted into a pattern to give it a specific shape. The confined mixture is contacted with SO2 vapor, optionally diluted with nitrogen, by blowing the SO2 into the pattern where the shape is contained. There, the SO2 reacts with the hydroperoxide to form an acid and free radicals. The generated acid cures the epoxy resin and the generated free radicals cure the multifunctional acrylate. The mixture is instantaneously hardened to result in the desired shape and can be used immediately in a foundry core and/or mold assembly.
The epoxy-acrylate binders used in this process are currently sold by Ashland Specialty Chemical under the trade name of ISOSET® and ISOSET THERMOSHIELD™ binders. Though the process has been used successful in many foundries, one of the major weaknesses of the epoxy-acrylate binder system has been the lack of adequate erosion resistance. Erosion occurs when molten metal contacts the mold or core surfaces during the pouring process and sand is dislodged at the point of contact. This occurs because the binder does not have sufficient heat resilience to maintain surface integrity until the pouring process is complete. The result is that loose sand is carried into the mold cavity by the liquid metal, creating sand inclusions and weak areas in the casting. A dimensional defect is also created on the surface of the casting.
To correct this problem, foundries have historically resorted to the use of refractory coatings. Core and mold assemblies or parts thereof are dipped into, flowed or sprayed with a slurry consisting of a high melting refractory oxide, a carrier such as water or alcohol, and thixotropic additives. When dried on a mold or core surface, the coating very effectively prevents erosion, in most cases. The problem with this approach is that the coating operation is messy, adds complexity to the sand casting process, and requires expensive gas fired, microwave, or radiant energy ovens to dry the wash onto the core surface. When the core and/or molds are heated during the drying process, the strength of the organic binder-to-aggregate bond weakens significantly. This results in problems handling the hot cores and reduction in productivity due to distortion or cracking of the core or mold.
All citations referred to under this description of the "Background" and in the "Detailed Description" of the invention are expressly incorporated by reference.

Process for preparing erosion resistant foundry shapes with an epoxy-acrylate cold-box binder

Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property, LLC


Disclosed is a method for displaying a health registry-issued vaccination certification of a user on a user-mobile device, said method comprising the steps of: coupling the user-mobile device to a health registry over a network for display of a health registry-issued vaccination certification for the user; and outputting a visual display from the user-mobile device certifying the user's vaccination status.

Badges have long been a mainstay in public gathering situations as a way to identify the people engaged in the public gathering. It has also been a primary way of communicating to others a level of credential to facilitate access or a professional process. While the badge has long been simply a name card, with title, and possibly a photo, they have recently morphed into digital versions. Digital badges may be operatively coupled to networked devices and be enabled to reconfigurably display items. According to one embodiment disclosed and claimed by Identity Systems, Inc. (US20150348498), the digital badge device may include a mounting means, power source, microprocessor, memory, and display to receive and display digital content from a network device according to a pre-defined rule. Identity Systems badge may be associated with an individual or employee, and then automatically display at least the name of the individual or employee based on the association and the pre-defined interaction rules between the digital badge and networked device.
Identity Systems digital badge does not disclose or claim for any digital interaction between digital badges. In other words, the badges are not configured to communicate between badges or share digital content between badges or from badge to networked device. Therefore, the badges are simply contemplated as being a visual display of identity or group/brand association—that may be dynamically displayed according to a pre-defined rule. However, it is not envisioned to serve as a true digital communication tool, that may interact with other badges, and push digital content from one badge to another badge—in a dynamic and targeted fashion. Additionally, badge-displayed content or badge-badge shared content is not enabled for social media sharing or inclusion into a running virtual footprint of a badge wearer. What's more, without tracking of such a virtual footprint, behavior or influence ratings cannot be accurately identified in order to dynamically push targeted content.
Aside from a lack of badge-badge or badge-device interactivity or footprint tracking for targeted content delivery, digital badges lack a system or protocol for communicating an approach or further engagement of digital content interaction. More specifically, badges, such as Invent Systems, lack a symbol or color-coded display cue between users who are in their 'line of sight' (or groups of people) for communicating a permission to approach, and more particularly, further sharing of content messages, emotions, feelings, wellbeing, states of mind, general interest, marketing and advertising, and interactive behavior for likeminded people.
Digital badges need a form of universal standard language which would transcend normal language and enhance it for the digital communication between at least two badges or at least between badge and receiver. The communication protocol would also need to take this language into account to enable humans to act on the language interaction. Conventionally, people cannot transmit a message directly to another person who is in their line of sight without talking, signaling or using a facial expression to communicate with them. There is currently no method for a person to send an electronic signal to person in their line of sight directly. There is currently no method for an individual to display and instantly transmit their willingness to be approached, feelings, emotions, state of mind, state of like-mindedness, social media footprint, general interests and digital information or online dashboards. Furthermore, there is no global standard or universal symbol language to communicate non-verbal approach messages via badge devices. Currently, there is also no way for two like-minded people to share non-verbal content messages between badges and, or static devices.
In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic gripping the entire world, it has become increasingly clear that a line-of-sight signaling devise may be crucial for signaling to others a "health status". This displayed "health status" would ensure an "up-to-the-minute" digital certification issued by a public health registry—allaying any concerns or fears from others attempting to engage. This "health status" display would allow for even non-essential channels of commerce to reopen. It has been recently estimated by the IMF that we will experience a 3% contraction in global GDP as a result of the pandemic. The sectors that have been most affected are those that involve a high-level of social interaction, such as the food service industry. According to a recent report from the National Restaurant Association, 3% of the 4,000 member restaurants have already permanently gone out of business, with a staggering 12% anticipating going out of business by the end of April 2020. This vital channel of commerce may be reopened—despite the lack of ubiquitous testing or a vaccine—provided every customer and employee was mandated to display a time-stamped public health agency-issued "COVIF-free" certification.
Furthermore, there is sorely a need for a user-worn display device that may also be used as a social distancing and contact tracing tool. While there is an emerging consensus that social distancing has been instrumental in flattening the epidemiological curve, in reality, it is quite difficult to constantly practice, especially in more dense cities, such as New York City. Practicing social distancing in heavily foot-trafficked scenarios would be significantly easier with a device triggering a color, symbol, or audio alert upon detecting the presence of another device within a threshold proximity. Moreover, this registered contact could be tracked for facilitating future contact tracing efforts. While there are a number of apps designed to track contact for tracing purposes (TraceTogether), the contact registered is not made known to the individuals involved at the time of contact. The extant systems are mobile device-based and do not feature a line-of-sight display alerting individuals of the contact at the time of the contact. Without a line-of-sight real-time alert, individuals may be prone to unwittingly extending the contact, thereby further exposing oneself to an infection.
In addition, there is a lack of a standardized certification or certification signaling display on a user-worn device (circle-of-sight or line-of-sight wearable device) or user-carried device (mobile device, a.k.a., cell phone or smart phone) to alert others (gate-keepers, business operators, event/venue participants) of a health-registry issued/validated certification of a negative virus infection test and/or a positive vaccination. Without a certification or certification signaling display, there will remain a lack of confidence or trust in family, social, or public gathering. Any effort to reinvigorate the decimated economy will require restoring confidence in lawmakers, public health experts, and the general public in gathering once again—whether in the once familiar confines of a loved one's home, at the neighborhood pizza shop or local bar, and in offices across the world. It is becoming increasingly evident that a health-registry issued certification display and/or certification signaling display on a user-worn or carried device is mission-critical.

System and method for a health status display


The subject disclosure relates to tracking and/or auditing memory allocations for one or more computer-implemented processes. In particular, memory allocation commands as well as memory free commands, both native and managed, can be intercepted. As such, a tag can be created that can be associated with a particular memory allocation. This tag can include various information that can more robustly describe the current state of system memory. Moreover, the tag can be deleted as an associated memory free command is received. Thus, as memory is freed and therefore no longer relevant to the current state of system memory, such does not clutter present examination.

In the domain of software application development, a prolific difficulty is avoidance of memory leaks. Memory leaks can lead to inefficient use of system resources, if not instability of the system or a particular application executing thereon. When attempting to detect a memory leak, a particular scenario might repeat multiple times, with perhaps millions of memory allocations and associated memory releases or "frees". Call stacks collected for native memory allocations must be manually matched with their associated memory free, since unmatched memory that was not freed could constitute a leak.
Engaging in the matching process constitutes an enormous amount of labor that currently must be accomplished manually, by a developer. Moreover, once done, even if accurately so, finding a memory leak is still problematic and requires analysis of huge amounts of data. Moreover, this process is particularly difficult in a garbage collected (e.g., "managed") system where there are no explicit memory frees. Furthermore, unmatched leftover memory allocations are to be associated with scenario iteration. A pattern of allocations per iteration, such as 23 identical allocations, could be a leak, but might not be.
There are many software utilities or tools intended aid in this process, for example, by presenting various information known about the current or historic state of system memory. One such tool is User Mode Dump Heap (UMDH), which is described at http colon slash slash support dot Microsoft dot com slash kb slash 268343. UMDH can record the call stack of heap allocations. Thus, for each unique stack, UMDH will total the memory allocations. Typically, UMDH operates by running a particular scenario twice to get two related UMDH dumps. From these two scenarios, the differences between them will show which memory allocations and totals were made between the two iterations. However, UMDH has numerous shortcomings. In particular, UMDH is not applicable beyond native memory calls, and thus is not useful in the case of managed or non-native calls. Secondly, UMDH is not an interactive tool, but rather is useful for post-scenario analysis instead. Third, UMDH is not capable of identifying certain inefficient memory usage, but rather aids in detecting memory leaks instead. Fourth, UMDH is not compatible with certain types of memory allocation commands, such as VirtualAlloc, mapped files, or as noted, managed code.
Another memory tool is WinDbg and Visual Studio debugger extension called SOS.DLL, which is detailed at http colon slash slash msdn dot Microsoft dot com slash en dash us slash library slash bb19074 dot aspx. SOS.DLL allows a user to dump the managed heap. From that dump, one can view counts and references of various managed objects. However, SOS.DLL does not utilize call stacks and further is not compatible with native memory calls, but rather managed memory calls instead. As such, SOS.DLL can give many false positives in connection with leak detection, especially if no garbage collection has yet occurred.
A third tool is Common Language Runtime (CLR) Profiler. CLR Profiler allows a user to see managed objects, but has no native memory allocations components.
The above-described deficiencies of today's techniques are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with conventional systems and corresponding benefits of the various non-limiting embodiments described herein may become further apparent upon review of the following description.


A Buttocks Support Device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a support device that comprises an abdominal element and a pair of thigh support elements each of which can be but is not limited to be formed as a ring shaped element. Each thigh support element has a buttock section and a midriff or abdominal section, the buttock section being configured to lift and restrain the wearer's buttock. The preferred device includes a sleeve there over for permitting the “rings” to be tightened without pulling on the wearer's skin. It is a further aspect that the device anchor about the wearer's midriff from below the chest to the widest part of the hips or at either the waist or the hips, depending upon the wishes of the wearer. Still further, the thigh support element include adjustment means for adjusting the length of the thigh rings. Furthermore, the preferred abdominal element includes means for attaching and detaching the device from around the wearer's waist as well as adjustment means. Alternatively, the device may be custom fitted to the size of the wearer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to support garments and, more specifically, to a Buttocks Support Device.
2. Description of Related Art
In today's society both women and men have become increasingly more concerned with their appearance. A variety of approaches are being taken to improve one's physical appearance, including cosmetic surgery, exercise, dieting, as well as enhancements to the body shape acquired through the wearing of a variety of undergarments. The problem with these previous below-the-waist undergarments, is that none lifts, supports and shapes a person's buttocks similar to the underwire bra that is a fairly common undergarment for women today. While there have been a variety of devices that add padding or some other shape to the buttock, none actually lift it, while also giving it a desirable shape.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, after cosmetic surgery involving liposuction or other procedure to the buttock area it is a standard procedure for the patient to be required to wear some sort of garment, such as shorts of a girdle or other device. These devices press the skin into the desired position while the skin re-attaches to the structure beneath it. The problem with wearing these stretch pants and girdles is that they are extremely uncomfortable. In the days following these liposuction procedures the skin is extremely tender and therefore the last thing that the patient wants is to have something pressing against the surfaces that were just bruised during the surgery. What's needed is a less intrusive alternative or supplemental means for holding the skin into the desired position. The present invention is designed to lift, hold in place and provide a desirable shape to the buttocks in the same way that the brassiere is designed to accomplish this goal for breasts.


Display lamp includes a base and a cover having a lower face. A side is provided between the cover and base, and the side, cover, and base define a display volume. A light source on the base directs light at a reflector on lower face of cover, and reflector reflects light from light source downwardly away in a diffuse manner within the display volume. There may be a light housing covering the light source and an oculus in an upper portion of light housing configured for directing light at the reflector. A light guide may be provided adjacent the light source for collimating light emitted from the light source into a column of light directed at the reflector. There may be a support between the cover and base for supporting an article to be displayed in the display volume, and illuminated by reflected light from the reflector.

Display cases which are lighted are known, such as displays found in museums. Lamps are likewise known which have replaceable, decorative lampshades, such as lamp shades of different colors or patterns.
Further, lamps are known which have decorative lamp stands, including painted and carved designs and figures, such as birds, reptiles, and humans.
There exists a need for a display device in which changeable objects, to be displayed and illuminated, can be readily replaced, and which includes, for example, a hidden light source.

Display lamp, in particular easily assembled display lamp with hidden light source


An iron electrode and a method of manufacturing an iron electrode for use in an iron-based rechargeable battery are disclosed. In one embodiment, the iron electrode includes carbonyl iron powder and one of a metal sulfide additive or metal oxide additive selected from the group of metals consisting of bismuth, lead, mercury, indium, gallium, and tin for suppressing hydrogen evolution at the iron electrode during charging of the iron-based rechargeable battery. An iron-air rechargeable battery including an iron electrode comprising carbonyl iron is also disclosed, as is an iron-air battery wherein at least one of the iron electrode and the electrolyte includes an organosulfur additive.

Large-scale electrical energy storage systems are needed to accommodate the intrinsic variability of energy supply from solar and wind resources. Such energy storage systems will store the excess energy during periods of electricity production, and release the energy during periods of electricity demand. Viable energy storage systems will have to meet the following requirements: (i) low installed-cost of <$100/kWh, (ii) long operating life of over 5000 cycles, (iii) high round-trip energy efficiency of over 80%, and (iv) ease of scalability to megawatt-hour level systems. Rechargeable batteries are particularly suitable for such large-scale storage of electrical energy because of their high round-trip efficiency and scalability. Among the types of rechargeable batteries under consideration are vanadium-redox, sodium-sulfur, zinc-bromine, zinc-air and lithium-ion batteries. In addressing the challenges of durability, cost, and large-scale implementation of the foregoing types of batteries, the beneficial features of iron-based alkaline batteries for large-scale energy storage have been largely overlooked.
Nickel-iron batteries have been used in various stationary and mobile applications for over 70 years in the USA and Europe until the 1980s when the iron-based batteries were largely supplanted by sealed lead-acid batteries. Because of their high specific energy, iron-air batteries underwent active development for electric vehicles and military applications in the 1970s after the "oil shock" but major research in this area was abruptly discontinued after 1984 and with few exceptions iron electrodes have not received significant attention since that time. However, despite being less conspicuous in common applications, iron-based alkaline batteries such as iron-air and nickel-iron batteries have unique characteristics that make them very attractive and highly suitable for meeting the emerging need of grid-scale electrical energy storage systems.
The electrochemistry of the iron electrode in alkaline batteries involves the redox process involving iron (II) hydroxide and elemental iron:Fe(OH)2+2e−Fe+2OH−Eo=−0.877 V  (1)
The forward reaction occurs during charging of the electrode and the reverse reaction occurs during discharge.
Iron, the primary raw material for iron-based battery systems, is globally abundant, relatively inexpensive, easily-recycled, and eco-friendly. Also, the iron electrode is well-known for being robust over repeated cycles of charge and discharge. Stable performance over 3000 charge and discharge cycles has been demonstrated in nickel-iron batteries. Such robustness is extraordinary as most rechargeable battery electrodes degrade within 1000 cycles. The robustness of the iron electrode is attributed to the low solubility of the hydroxides of iron in alkaline media. The principal limitation of the iron electrode is its low charging-efficiency that is in the range of 55-70%. This limitation arises from the wasteful hydrogen evolution that occurs during charging according to the following reaction:2H2O+2e−H2+2OH−Eo=−0.828 V  (2)
The hydrogen evolution reaction occurs because the electrode potential for this reaction is positive to that of the iron electrode reaction (Eq. 1). Consequently, batteries will have to be overcharged by 60-100% to achieve full capacity. The hydrogen evolution that occurs during charging is undesirable because it lowers the round-trip energy efficiency and results in loss of water from the electrolyte. Thus, suppressing hydrogen evolution at the iron electrode has far-reaching benefits of raising the overall energy efficiency, lowering the cost, and increasing the ease of implementation of iron-based batteries in large-scale energy storage systems. However, suppressing hydrogen evolution and achieving an iron electrode with a charging-efficiency close to 100%, without interfering with the other performance features of the electrode, has been a formidable challenge for many years.
Another limitation of commercially available iron batteries is their inability to be discharged at high rates; when discharged in less than five hours (also termed the five-hour rate), the capacity realized is very small. Grid-scale electrical energy storage requires that the battery be capable of being charged and discharged in one to two hours. The discharge rate capability of the iron electrode can be improved if the passivation by the electrically non-conductive iron (II) hydroxide, (the discharge product) can be mitigated (Eq. 1). Shukla et at have demonstrated the beneficial role of various additives on mitigating passivation (K Vijayamohanan et al., J. Electroanal. Chem., 289, 55 (1990); T S Balasubramanian, J. Appl. Electrochem., 23, 947 (1993)). However, achieving high rate capability and high efficiency simultaneously continues to be a challenge.

High efficiency iron electrode and additives for use in rechargeable iron-based batteries


An optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for cellulose acylate film, which contains a compound having a nucleic acid base skeleton, is capable of preventing the fluctuation of Re and Rth of the film against the humidity change in usage environments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for cellulose acylate film. The invention also relates to a cellulose acylate film and a retardation film using the optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for cellulose acylate film, as well as to a polarizer and a liquid crystal display device using the cellulose acylate film or the retardation film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Use of liquid crystal display devices is expanding year by year as energy-saving and space-saving image display devices. Heretofore, one serious defect of liquid crystal display devices is that the display image viewing angle dependency of the devices is large. Recently, however, wide viewing angle liquid crystal display modes such as VA-mode and the like have become put into practical use, and accordingly, even in the market of televisions and others that require high-quality images, the demand for liquid crystal display devices is being rapidly expanding now.
The basic constitution of the liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal cell with a polarizer arranged on both sides of the cell. The polarizer play a role of transmitting a light polarized in a predetermined direction alone, and the performance of a liquid crystal display device greatly depends on the performance of the polarizer therein. The polarizer generally comprises a polarizing element with a transparent protective film stuck to both sides thereof, in which the polarizing element is formed of a polyvinyl alcohol film or the like having adsorbed iodine or dye through alignment thereon. A cellulose acylate film of typically cellulose acetate has high transparency and can readily secure airtight adhesiveness to polyvinyl alcohol used as the polarizing element, and is widely used as a polarizer protective film.
It is known that disposing an optically biaxial retardation film between the polarizer and the liquid crystal cell in a liquid crystal display device realizes wider viewing angles, or that is, improves display characteristics. As the retardation film, a cellulose acylate film is specifically noted that can express excellent optical properties, concretely excellent in-plane retardation Re (nm) and thickness-direction retardation Rth (nm) of the retardation film; and such a cellulose acylate film is used in a liquid crystal display device as the retardation film therein.
On the other hand, cellulose acylate film has a problem in that, as compared with any other synthetic polymer, it readily absorbs water and therefore the film properties often change with the environmental humidity change therearound. With the recent tendency toward expanding use of liquid crystal display devices, large-size and high-definition use of televisions and others has become expanded, and the requirements for the quality of polarizer, retardation film and polarizer protective film are much increasing. In particular, large-size and high-quality liquid crystal display devices are desired to be used in various severer environments than before. From such viewpoints, the cellulose acylate film for use in liquid crystal display devices is earnestly desired to have improved resistance to humidity.
Regarding the above, a method has heretofore been investigated that comprises adding a hydrophobic compound to a cellulose acylate film as an optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for the cellulose acylate film to thereby prevent the film from absorbing water. As the optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for cellulose acylate film, mainly proposed are polyalcohol derivatives, polycarboxylic acid derivatives, compounds having a structure of both a polar group moiety and a hydrophobic group moiety, and ester-type plasticizers (see JP-A 2007-84692).
JP-A 2007-84692 discloses an example of adding an ester-type plasticizer, which has a benzenecarboxylic acid residue or a phenol residue at both ends thereof and has a structure containing an aliphatic cyclic glycol and an aliphatic cyclic dibasic acid, to a cellulose ester film. The patent reference says that, by adding the additive of the type thereto, a cellulose ester film can be provided which is excellent in resistance to humidity-dependent fluctuation of the optical properties thereof and does not physically degrade through reduction in the film thickness (thinning).
On the other hand, however, adding an additive that contains a nucleic acid base such as adenine, guanine or the like in a part of the skeleton thereof, to a cellulose acylate film has been heretofore investigated little from the viewpoint of improving the resistance to humidity of the film.
JP-A 2004-109410 discloses a retardation enhancer for cellulose ester, which comprises at least one compound having a combination of functional groups that express intermolecular interaction and capable of forming a molecular complex and contains a keto-enol tautomerizable compound. The patent reference discloses alanine and guanine as examples of the retardation enhancer for cellulose ester. However, JP-A 2004-109410 does not disclose an example where adenine or guanine is actually added to a cellulose acylate film to demonstrate the effect thereof, and, in fact, therefore, nothing has heretofore been disclosed or suggested at all relating to the humidity dependency-improving effect of the additive that contains a nucleic acid base such as adenine, guanine or the like in a part of the skeleton thereof, added to a cellulose acylate film.
The present inventors investigated the ester-type plasticizer described in JP-A2007-84692 in point of the optical performance humidity dependency-improving effect thereof for cellulose acylate film, and have found that the plasticizer is still ineffective and requires further improvement.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optical performance humidity dependency improving agent for cellulose acylate film


A system for reducing jet noise emission from an internally mixed gas turbine engine exhaust, comprising a fan/core flow mixer having a plurality of mixer lobes and a common flow nozzle having an equal number of tabs located along a circumferential edge of an aft end of the nozzle. There is a predetermined clocking relationship between the plurality of mixer lobes and the plurality of nozzle tabs that results in reduced exhaust noise emission, most evident in the lower frequency range. A method for reducing jet noise emission from an internally mixed gas turbine engine exhaust comprises selectively aligning a circumferential distribution of a mixed flow vorticity field produced by a fan/core mixer with a circumferentially distributed exhaust flow vorticity field produced by a modified common flow nozzle at an exit plane of the engine exhaust.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to gas turbine engine noise reduction and, more particularly, to a tandem system including an internal mixer and an exhaust nozzle modification, and an associated method, for effective flow stream mixing to reduce jet noise emission.
2. Description of Related Art
The generation of noise from turbulent jet exhaust is the dominant component of jet engine noise during aircraft takeoff. This noise presents public and environmental concerns and the reduction of jet noise emission continues to be a challenging problem.
Jet exhaust noise is created by the turbulent mixing of high velocity engine gases that emanate from the rear of a modern gas turbine. In large measure, it is the shearing forces between the high-velocity exhaust gases and the ambient air that produce the significant noise emission. Generally speaking, the jet noise generated by turbo fan engines is normally dominated by two sources: the fan or bypass flow and the primary or core flow. These two sources are concentric components that flow in axial streams out of the engine exhaust nozzle (tailpipe) to produce useful thrust.
Historically, engine designers have achieved jet noise reduction by decreasing engine exhaust velocities. This has led to passive approaches for reducing the peak velocity and temperature of exhaust plumes. For example, a lobe mixer concept has been used for long ducted, common flow exhaust systems for low bypass ratio engines such as those of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine family. Examples of lobe mixer systems and methods for turbine engine noise reduction are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,775,095 and 5,638,675, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the fullest extent allowed by applicable laws and rules. The '675 patent, for example, discloses a lobe mixer for a gas turbine engine that includes axially and radially extending chutes. The chutes act as gas conduits whereby relatively cool, low velocity fan air is directed into the chutes and in turn into the hot, higher velocity core gas flow. The lobe mixer thus increases the mixing of the core and fan bypass gases. The mixing reduces the internal flow/temperature gradients and the peak exhaust jet temperature and velocity. The flow undergoing mixing, as a result of the strong streamwise vorticity shed in the wake of the lobe mixer, evolves inside an extended tail pipe and exits from the tail pipe into the ambient environment. The reduced mixed velocity and temperature of the resulting exhaust results in a significant jet noise reduction.
In addition to the mixer concepts typical of common flow exhaust systems of low bypass ratio engines, noise reduction improvements have also been made to separate flow exhaust systems that are typical of moderate and high bypass ratio engine exhaust. These improvements have taken the form of tab-like projections or chevrons extending from the aft end of the tail pipe or exhaust nozzle. The teaching of these systems and methods can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,314,721 and 6,360,528, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety to the fullest extent allowed by applicable laws and rules. The tabs or chevrons described therein are essentially geometric cutouts of the exhaust nozzle circumferential aft edge, such that triangular, trapezoidal, or other shaped tabs are distributed around the perimeter of the aft end of the nozzle. The spacing, periodicity, continuity, size, and shape of the tabs can vary as disclosed in the literature, along with the varying degree of inward or outward radial penetration of the tabs into the exhaust flow. These techniques, while creating a vorticity field downstream of the tab, lack any structure to create bypass flow streamwise vorticity for interaction farther upstream. U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,537, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to the fullest allowable extent, teaches an exhaust shroud having multiple perforations and a tab-like trailing circumferential edge. The patent suggests that the exhaust shroud of the invention is applicable to a long cowl nacelle of a gas turbine engine that has a mixer device for mixing the combustion gases and the bypass airflow within the nacelle structure to improve thrust and reduce gas jet noise level. The present inventors have discovered, however, that the mere combination of internal mixer and external exhaust shroud modifications, without proper consideration of their relative placement and orientation may actually increase jet exhaust noise.

Jet exhaust noise reduction system and method


A circuit and a method for providing an indication of the position of a bit having a selected characteristic in an n-bit binary word are disclosed. The n bits of the binary word are arranged into groups of W bits so that each group is input to a fundamental encoder. The position of the bit having the selected characteristic, among each group of W bits is provided as an encoded output. A multiplexer tree provides a single output indicative of the position of the bit having the selected characteristic in the binary word based on the encoded outputs from the encoders.

Computer data is typically stored as a series of binary `1`s and `0`s defining a word, where each binary word is stored in a memory such as a shift register. Detecting the position of the first (or leading) binary `1` in a binary sequence is often desirable for computer related operations. For instance, it is necessary to detect the position of the leading `1` to perform floating point addition and subtraction, to convert integers to floating point representations, and to normalize a floating point representation to maximize precision.
FIG. 1 shows the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) double precision floating point data format (ANSI/IEEE Std. 754-1985). This format is employed in nearly all floating point microprocessors, including the Intel 8087/287/387 series and the Motorola 68881, and is therefore virtually universal in microcomputers that use these microprocessors including IBM Personal Computers.
The data format shown in FIG. 1 comprises 64 bits, B.sub.0 to B.sub.63. The mantissa or fractional part 10 comprises 52 bits, B.sub.0 to B.sub.51, representing the significant digits of the number to be represented. The exponential part 12 comprises 11 bits, B.sub.52 to B.sub.62, and is a power of 2 multiplier applied to the mantissa 10. The exponent is "biased" by adding 1024, so that the exponent field "01111111111" corresponding to bits B.sub.62 to B.sub.52 respectively, represents a numerical exponent of zero. Thus the decimal equivalent of the binary exponential part 12 may range from -1023 to +1024 indicating that the mantissa 10 may be multiplied by powers of 2 between -1023 and 1024. Additionally a sign bit 14 is included as the most significant bit (MSB) B.sub.63 of the entire 64-bit word and identifies the sign of the mantissa 10.
If M is the value of the mantissa 10 and E is the value of the exponential part 12, then the value of the number represented by the 64-bit word of FIG. 1 is: EQU .+-.M(B.sup.E-1024)
where B is the standard base value. For instance, where each bit is a binary digit, i.e. `1` or `0`, the base B is 2.
To achieve even greater precision, the mantissa 10 is normalized by shifting it left and decrementing the exponent 12 until the MSB of the mantissa 10, B.sub.51, is a `1`. The resulting value gains the precision in bits equivalent to the number of positions shifted. Since the resulting mantissa will always have a MSB B.sub.51 of `1`, it would be redundant to retain it. The mantissa 10 is, therefore, typically shifted one more position to the left to discard the leading `1` and the exponential part 12 is decremented one more time. The resulting number gains one more bit of precision. The range of numbers which can be represented is .+-.(2.sup.1)(2.sup.-1023) to .+-.(2.sup.1024) or .+-.2.2.times.10.sup.-308 to .+-.1.8.times.10.sup.308.
Thus, to maximize the precision of a floating point number, a leading one detector (LOD) may be used to locate the position of the leading `1` in the mantissa 10 and encode its position in a binary word. A resulting encoded word specifies the number of times the mantissa 10 is to be shifted to position the leading `1`, one position beyond the MSB of the mantissa 10 or one position left of bit B.sub.51 so that it can be discarded. Shifters may be used to carry out this operation. The bits which store the mantissa are then shifted according to the value of the encoded word and the bits of the exponential part 12 are correspondingly decremented with the aid of other circuitry.
Another example of the use of a leading one detector is for integer-to-floating point conversions. Consider the example of a double precision integer which contains 64 bits, B.sub.63 -B.sub.0, one of which is a sign bit B.sub.63 and the other 63 bits represent the value of an integer. In order to execute the integer-to-floating point conversion, the 63 bits of the integer are mapped into the 52 bit mantissa 10 of the floating point data format shown in FIG. 1. When the leading `1` is positioned in the most significant 10 bits, B.sub.62 -B.sub.53, of the integer format, then the integer bits must be shifted right until the leading `1` is shifted to bit B.sub.52. The number of shifts required for the integer-to-floating point conversion is provided in Table 1, below.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Integer Leading One Bit Right Shift Amount Position (Encoded LOD Value) ______________________________________ B.sub.62 10 B.sub.61 9 B.sub.60 8 B.sub.59 7 B.sub.58 6 B.sub.57 5 B.sub.56 4 B.sub.55 3 B.sub.54 2 B.sub.53 1 B.sub.52 0 ______________________________________
In this example to determine how many shifts must be made, a bias value of 52 is used. Thus the leading `1` position is determined and the bias value is subtracted from the value of that position (e.g., if the leading `1` position is B.sub.57 then 52 is subtracted from 57 to result in 5 shifts to the right). the resulting values shown in column 2 of Table 1 represent the number of positions that must be shifted for the conversion.
Leading one detectors (LOD) are well known. Some LODs are commercially available, such as Texas Instrument's 4-bit or 8-bit priority encoders, e.g., TI-74LS348. LODs for detecting the position of the leading `1` in a 4-bit or 8-bit binary word typically employ 4 or 8 gate arrays, respectively. One gate array has only the first MSB as an input, the next gate array has the first 2 MSBs as inputs, the third has the first 3 MSBs as inputs, and so forth until the final gate has an input for each bit of the binary word. Leading Zero Detectors (LZD) are also well known and can be used to determine the position of the leading `1`. An 8-bit LZD circuit for implementing this logic is shown in FIG. 2. Seven AND gates are required and the AND gates must be capable of accepting up to 8 inputs. The inputs, B.sub.7 -B.sub.0 are operated on by these seven AND gates according to the following logic equations
______________________________________ G.sub.1 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & B.sub.6 G.sub.2 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & B.sub.5 G.sub.3 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & .sup.-- B.sub.5 & B.sub.4 G.sub.4 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & .sup.-- B.sub.5 & .sup.-- B.sub.4 & B.sub.3 G.sub.5 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & .sup.-- B.sub.5 & .sup.-- B.sub.4 & .sup.-- B.sub.3 & B.sub.2 G.sub.6 = .sup.-- B.sub. 7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & .sup.-- B.sub.5 & .sup.-- B.sub.4 & .sup.-- B.sub.3 & .sup.-- B.sub.2 & B.sub.1 G.sub.7 = .sup.-- B.sub.7 & .sup.-- B.sub.6 & .sup.-- B.sub.5 & .sup.-- B.sub.4 & .sup.-- B.sub.3 & .sup.-- B.sub.2 & .sup.-- B.sub.1 & ______________________________________ B.sub.0
where B is the logic complement of the binary value of B, "&" is a symbol representing the AND operation and G.sub.1 to G.sub.7 are the outputs of the respective gates. Thus, when G.sub.1 is low there is one leading zero, and the leading `1` position is B.sub.6, when G.sub.2 is low there are two leading zeros and the leading `1` position is B.sub.5, and so forth.
The 8-bit LZD shown in FIG. 2 implements the above described logic. It is evident from this design that to increase the size of the binary input to the LZD, the AND gates must likewise be capable of accepting more inputs, i.e., a 32-bit LOD will require 31 gates where each gate accepts up to 32 inputs each. Therefore, this design is not feasible for the larger number of inputs required for many computer-related operations, e.g., locating the leading `1` in a 52-bit mantissa. However, since it is often desired to locate the leading `1` in a larger word, leading one detectors having such capability have been designed.
For example, a 32-bit LZD is described in Flynn, I. Computer Arithmetic and Logic Units, Saunders College Publishing, 1982, pages 120-125 (hereinafter "Flynn"). This LZD is shown in FIG. 3 and employs the programmable logic array (PLA) shown in FIG. 3. However, PLAs involve complicated designs and circuitry to implement the logic. Furthermore, PLAs are not easily altered to provide an output with a constant bias value, if bias value control is desired.
It is well known, that two or more such PLAs could be combined to expand the LZD of FIG. 3 to 64 or more bits. Such a combination is disclosed by Flynn and is often referred to as the carry-chain technique. For instance, Flynn describes the 64-bit LZD shown in FIG. 4 which comprises two 32-bit PLA encoders of the FIG. 3 type connected in series. The most significant 32 bits of the 64-bit input are provided to PLA 16 which determines if a leading one is present in these 32 bits. If no leading one is detected in these most significant bits, PLA 16 enables the second PLA 18 to input the remaining 32 bits and determine the position of the leading `1`, if one is present. Since the detection of the leading `1` is performed on each group of bits in series, this technique introduces substantial circuit delay which increases with each PLA added to the chain. Additionally, it would not be possible to provide an output having a constant bias value using any of the known LODs in a "carry-chain" configuration.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a versatile LOD that is capable of operating on up to 64 or more bits with minimal delay, and which is simple, reliable, and easy and inexpensive to implement. The present invention achieves these goals.

Minimal delay leading one detector with result bias control


A super-resolution scanning display. The scanning display includes a light source, a conditioning assembly, and a scanning mirror assembly. The light source is configured to emit source light from a plurality of columns of emitters formed along a first dimension, including at least a first column of emitters emitting in a first band of light and a second column of emitters emitting in a second band of light which are offset along the first dimension by a fraction of an emitter width and offset along a second dimension—that is orthogonal to the first dimension—by greater than the emitter width. The conditioning assembly receives and conditions the source light. The scanning mirror assembly scans the conditioned light along the second dimension to generate a portion of an image at a first location with a resolution that is more than a first threshold number of emitters in a unit angle in the first dimension.

This disclosure relates generally to a near-eye display (NED), and in particular, to scanning displays with super-resolution for NEDs.
Conventional displays are typically a two dimensional (2D) grid of emitters. In conventional 2D displays, the resolution is effectively the size (diameter) of the source 'emitter'—which would be scaled by the focal length into angular space for a projector display or NED configuration. However, a grid arrangement of emitters does not always provide optimal resolution.

Super-resolution scanning display for near-eye displays


Additional resources and services are provided in a satellite communication system (100) through the use of seam satellites (52). One or more seam satellites (52) are coupled to communication satellites (12) in an existing constellation using previously unused crosslinks. The seam satellites (52) are located between orbital planes (31 and 36) in which the communication satellites (12) are moving in opposite directions with respect to each other. Seam satellites (52) can provide new services such as earth sensing and observation. Seam satellites (52) can also provide attachment points for other new space-based users. Some of the communication units (26) can communicate with the seam satellites (52) via communication satellites (12). This allows these communication units (26) to use the new services provided by the seam satellite (52). Seam satellites (52) can be controlled by separate control centers or can be controlled by the control center for the communication satellites (12).

Large satellite communication systems are expensive to build and place in orbit. Because of the expense, it is not typically feasible to supplement present day satellite communication systems with other satellite communication systems if the present day systems have excess useable capacity.
A "satellite" is defined herein to mean a man-made object or vehicle intended to orbit Earth and includes both geostationary and orbiting satellites and/or combinations thereof. A "constellation" is defined herein to mean an ensemble of satellites arranged in orbits for providing specified coverage (for example, radio communication, remote sensing, etc.) of a portion or all portions of the celestial body. A constellation typically includes multiple satellites which may be arranged in multiple rings (planes) and may have equal numbers of satellites in each plane, although this is not essential.
A direct communication link between two satellites is referred to herein as a "crosslink". A crosslink is maintained where both the source and the destination or intermediate satellite's communication antennas are pointed toward each other and data communication is occurring. In a satellite communication system where satellites travel in the same direction, only small adjustments to a communication antenna's position are necessary to maintain a crosslink.
During each orbit, a non-geosynchronous satellite will travel in both an ascending (i.e., northbound) and a descending (i.e., southbound) direction. Where multiple, parallel orbital planes exist, satellites in a first orbital plane may travel in the same direction as satellites in an adjacent orbital plane, or the satellites in the first orbital plane may travel in the opposite direction (e.g., satellites in a first orbital plane are ascending and satellites in an adjacent orbital plane are descending). The space between these "counter-rotating" orbital planes is referred to herein as a "seam".
Typical satellite communication systems do not provide a method for maintaining a crosslink between satellites in adjacent orbital planes that are traveling in opposite directions. For this reason, crosslinks are not fully utilized. Satellites positioned on the "edge" of the constellation do not use all of the crosslink capability they have on-board. Typically, there is a seam on each side of the celestial body about which the satellites are orbiting.
In satellite communication systems generally, resources are managed by allocating channels to communication units as they become available within a given service area. If subscribers attempt to access the system while all resources are busy, they are generally denied access and are instructed to re-attempt accessing the system at a later time. In cellular communication systems, resources are expanded by partitioning service areas into cells and allowing reuse of communication resources. This reuse permits a greater number of users to access a satellite communication system.
In space-based cellular communication systems, however, additional potential users may not be located on the surface of the earth. Space-based communication systems must provide capabilities and mechanisms which can be used to provide communication services to additional users located in space.
Space based resources must be managed to allow additional users to gain access to the system. In order to increase services, communication links must be established between the additional resource and satellites in the existing constellation. If resources required for an additional link are unavailable, then the communication link will not be established by the additional resource. Allowing space based resources to be under utilized is unacceptable in a commercially viable communication system.
Accordingly, there is a significant need for apparatus and methods that allow acquisition of communication services by resources which are located in a space environment and provide a reliable communication link between existing satellite communication systems and new resources.
There is also a significant need for apparatus and methods which enable the processing and/or data carrying capacity within a particular satellite communication system to be increased relative to new demands and in conjunction with state-of-the-art technology. In addition, there is a significant need for apparatus and methods for increasing the utilization of the on-board resources of orbiting satellites without modifying the satellites.

Method and apparatus for providing additional resources in a satellite communication system