The present method detects an ink consumption condition in an ink cartridge loaded on an ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head for jetting ink drops, using a piezo-electric device mounted on the cartridge. The method detects the ink consumption condition using the piezo-electric device when the recording head is in a non-recording state. A complicated seal structure is not necessary and the ink residue can be detected surely.

As an ink container to which the present invention is applied, an example of an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus in a removable state will be explained. An ink jet recording apparatus generally has a pressure generation means for pressurizing a pressure generation chamber, a carriage in which an ink jet recording head having a nozzle opening for jetting pressurized ink from it as ink drops is loaded, and an ink container for storing ink to be fed to the recording head via a flow path and is structured so as to realize continuous printing. The ink container is generally structured as a cartridge attached to the recording apparatus in a removable state so as to be simply exchanged by a user at the point of time when ink is consumed.
Conventionally, as a control method for controlling the ink consumption of the ink cartridge, a method for calculating the count of ink drops jetted by the recording head and the ink amount sucked at the maintenance step of the recording head by software and controlling the ink consumption by calculation and a method for attaching two electrodes for liquid level detection directly to the ink cartridge, thereby detecting the point of time when a predetermined amount of ink is consumed actually and controlling the ink consumption are known.
However, in the method for calculating the jet count of ink drops and the sucked ink amount by software and controlling the ink consumption by calculation, depending on the use environment, for example, changes in the temperature and humidity in the room, the elapsed time after opening the ink cartridge, and differences in the use frequency on the user side, the pressure in the ink cartridge and ink viscosity are changed and an unnegligible error is often caused between the calculated ink consumption and the actual consumption. In this case, a problem arises that, although there is no ink actually, ink is calculated as if it still exists and detection of ink exhaust is delayed, or reversely, although there is still plenty of ink actually, ink is calculated as ink exhaust and ink is wasted. Furthermore, a problem also arises that even if a difference is generated between the calculated ink consumption and the actual ink consumption, it is difficult to correct it halfway. Further, a problem also arises that it is difficult to feed back changes in the ink characteristics due to the use environment to measurement of the subsequent ink consumption condition. Further, a problem also arises that when the same cartridge is removed once and mounted again, the calculated count is reset once, so that the actual ink residue cannot be known at all.
On the other hand, the method for controlling the point of time of ink consumption by the electrodes can detect the actual amount at a certain point of ink consumption, thereby can control the ink residue highly reliably. However, the ink level is to be detected, thus ink must be conductive, so that the kind of ink to be used is limited. Further, a problem arises that the liquid-tight structure between the electrodes and the ink cartridge is complicated. Furthermore, as a material of the electrodes, a highly conductive and corrosion-resistant noble metal is generally used, so that a problem also arises that the manufacturing cost of ink cartridges is increased. Furthermore, the two electrodes must be mounted respectively at different positions of the ink cartridge, so that a problem also arises that the number of the manufacturing steps are increased and the manufacturing cost is increased consequently.
Further, the conventional method for controlling the ink consumption of the ink cartridge detects the ink consumption even during recording of the recording head, so that the central processing unit (CPU) of the ink jet recording apparatus is used to detect the ink consumption condition, and the time to be used for recording by the CPU is reduced, and the recording speed is lowered. Further, in an on-carriage ink cartridge which is mounted on a carriage and moves together with the carriage, when the ink consumption condition is detected at the time of recording of the recording head, the ink cartridge itself and the ink in the ink cartridge vibrate and the ink consumption condition cannot be detected accurately.
Further, when a sensor for detecting the ink residue in the ink cartridge is attached in the ink cartridge, if the ink in the ink cartridge is consumed, the sensor detects that there is no ink in the ink cartridge.
However, even when the sensor detects that there is no ink in the ink cartridge, some amount of ink may remain in the ink cartridge. For example, ink may be collected or hardened in a complicatedly-shaped part of the groove or hole. Further, when air bubbles are attached in the neighborhood of the actuator or the sensor is attached to a position slightly above the bottom of the ink cartridge, if the ink level is below the mounting position of the sensor, the sensor detects absence of ink. In this case, a user cannot effectively use ink remaining in the ink cartridge.
Furthermore, the conventional control method for ink in the ink cartridge often measures the ink consumption condition always and unnecessarily. Further, regardless of the ink residue, the conventional method measures the ink residue at a uniform measuring interval, so that a problem arises that, when the measuring interval is long, the opportunity for detecting ink end at appropriate timing is lost.
Further, during and immediately after movement of the carriage, ink in the ink cartridge is often not in a rest state. Particularly, when the ink residue is small, the ink tends to wave. When the ink in the ink cartridge waves like this, during measurement of the ink consumption condition, ink makes or does not make contact with the measuring member. Therefore, a problem also arises that, although some ink remains still, ink end is detected by mistake, or although ink is almost exhausted, presence of ink is detected by mistake.
The present invention was made with the foregoing in view and is intended to provide an ink consumption condition detection method and an ink jet recording apparatus for detecting the ink residue accurately and requiring no complicated seal structure. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink consumption condition detection method and an ink jet recording apparatus for detecting the ink consumption condition accurately without lowering the recording speed.
Further, the present invention provides an ink consumption condition detection method and an ink jet recording apparatus for effectively using ink remaining in the ink cartridge.
Further, the present invention is intended to provide an ink consumption condition detection method and an ink jet recording apparatus for effectively measuring the ink consumption condition and properly measuring the ink consumption condition without maldetection even if the ink residue is reduced.

Ink consumption detecting method, and ink jet recording apparatus


A conical screw compressor or pump comprising: an inner element configured to rotate around a first axis; and an outer element configured to rotate around a second axis; wherein an outer surface of the inner element and an inner surface of the outer element comprise cooperating grooves and teeth that intermesh on rotation; the first axis and the second axis are each stationary and the first axis is inclined relative to the second axis; and the inner element and the outer element are configured to be, in operation, synchronously rotated, thereby to reduce or eliminate force exerted by the inner element on the outer element or vice versa.

A rotary positive-displacement machine is a machine that displaces a fluid by means of rotary motion. Rotary positive-displacement machines may include rotary positive-displacement pumps and rotary positive-displacement compressors.
Compressors in general may be used in a wide variety of industries (for example, oil and gas, transportation and refrigeration) to compress a variety of compressible fluids.
One known type of compressor is a screw compressor, in which two members each having a screw thread relatively rotate such that the screw threads intermesh.
It is known to design screw compressors in which each of the members has a conical geometry. Such a screw compressor may comprise a substantially conical inner element having helical grooves and lands on its outer surface, and an outer element having a substantially conical cavity having corresponding helical grooves and lands on its inner surface, such that the grooves and lands intermesh on rotation. The intermeshing grooves and lands may form continuous lines of sealing between the inner element and the outer element, forming a number of closed chambers. The grooves and lands may also be referred to as teeth, gears, threads or lobes.
In operation, a compressible fluid enters the assembly at the large end of the cone. As the inner member and outer member rotate, each of the closed chambers reduces in size as it travels from the large end to the small end of the cone, thereby compressing the compressible fluid. High-pressure fluid leaves the assembly at the small end of the cone.
One example of a screw compressor is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,085,115. The compressor or pump in U.S. Pat. No. 2,085,115 comprises at least three helical gear elements positioned inside one another. The three helical elements may be considered as an outer, a middle, and an inner element. One may consider two groups of mating elements: a first group comprising the outer element and the middle element, and a second group comprising the middle element and the inner element.
In each group of two mating elements, the element with the outer screw surface has one tooth less than the second element surrounding the first element. That is, the middle element has one tooth less than the outer element, and the inner element has one tooth less than the middle element.
It may be important for achieving high efficiency of compressor operation that there is a tight contact between the compressor elements. Complexity of motion of the elements of a compressor, simultaneous interaction of multiple elements which are inserted into each other, and interaction of geometrically complex surfaces may present difficulties in achieving a tight contact between the compressor elements.
Compressor elements may be in contact with each other, and exert force on each other, along complex geometric lines of contact that may extend over the entire surface of the elements along the longitudinal axis (lines of contact that may wrap around the surface of the cone and may extend from one end of the cone to the other). In such cases, it is possible that errors may occur due to imperfections in manufacturing and/or due to backlash. Errors due to manufacturing and/or backlash may lead to imperfect movement of the compressor elements and to imperfect geometry of the lines of contact. In such circumstances, it is possible that the complexity of movement, imperfections in the movement, and forces distributed along imperfect lines of contact may cause the elements to become stuck and cease to rotate. Moreover, at high pressure it may be difficult to keep tight contact between the elements without increasing friction and wear on the elements.
It may be a complex matter to manufacture the surfaces of compressor elements with sufficient precision to ensure tight simultaneous contact between multiple elements of the compressor, where each element of the compressor has a complex geometric surface in the form of a conical spiral.
If one element is driven by the other element, much or all of the torque load may fall on the compressor screw elements, where one screw element is supposed to rotate another screw element. The torque load on the compressor screw elements may lead to an increased frictional force, and therefore to high wear of the compressor screw elements.
A further example of a conical screw compressor is known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,217. A compressor or pump in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,217 comprises two helical elements, an inner element inserted into an outer element, where the outer element has one more helical tooth than the inner element. Each tooth of the inner element has a form such that the tooth may maintain constant contact with the outer element at any cross-section. The screw compressor of U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,217 may be made in a cylindrical form or in a conical form.
In some compressor designs, the inner element makes an eccentric rolling motion within a static outer element. The centre of mass of the inner element therefore fluctuates around the central axis of the outer element. The fluctuation of the centre of mass of the inner element around the central axis of the outer element may cause vibration and noise.
In circumstances in which the inner element revolves using an eccentric rolling motion, the axis of the inner element has variable position. The distance from the centre of the inner element to the shaft of the motor is constantly varying. The varying distance from the centre of the inner element to the shaft of the motor may require that an additional device is used between the axis of the motor and the axis of the inner element to smoothly transfer torque from the motor to the inner element.
Because of the fluctuations of the axis of the inner element, the inner element may hit the outer element which may naturally reduce the service period of the compressor.
Another design of a screw compressor is known from PCT Patent Application WO 2008/000505. WO 2008/000505 describes a Moineau pump which has an outer element and an inner element, where the inner element is located inside the outer element. The outer and inner element each have a conical shape, and the elements can revolve around their longitudinal axes. Revolution of the inner element drives the rotation of the outer element or vice versa.
In some compressor designs in which revolution of one element drives the rotation of the other element, much or all of the torque load may fall on the lines of contact between the elements. In some circumstances, the application of such a torque load to the lines of contact between the element may result in high wear of the contacting surfaces, backlash, and excess clearance between the elements. Since compression of gaseous fluids may demand tight contact between the mating surfaces of the compressor's elements, increased clearances (for example, increased clearances caused by wear) may lead to a degraded efficiency of compression.
WO 2008/000505 describes compressor designs in which the inner element or outer element is designed to move along its longitudinal axis. Such movement along a longitudinal axis changes the relative longitudinal positioning of the inner element and outer element.
However, if at least one of the inner element and outer element moves along its axis, gaps between the helical teeth and grooves of the inner element and outer element can occur and gaseous fluid may leak through these gaps.

Synchronized conical screw compressor or pump


The invention, which relates to an electronic component with a semiconductor chip, which is connected to a carrier substrate and surrounded by a housing, is based on presenting a substrate-based, housed electronic component, which enables the continuous release of the internal vapor pressure arising when the electronic component is heated, and at the same time can be produced inexpensively using the known and tried-and-tested methods and materials. According to embodiments of the invention, this is achieved by virtue of the fact that the carrier substrate comprises a plurality of hollow vias open on both sides, which vias are distributed areally in at least one section of the carrier substrate that is covered by the housing.

Such housed electronic components (packages) are known, for example, as chip size packages, as multichip modules, or as BGA components. They essentially comprise one or more semiconductor chips, which are mechanically mounted and electrically contact-connected on a carrier substrate. For this purpose, a semiconductor chip is located on one side of the carrier substrate. Through-plating leads extend through the carrier substrate as far as its second side. Electrical external contacts on the second side of the carrier substrate are used contact the package to a circuit board. Conductor tracks are furthermore arranged on the second or, if necessary, on both sides of the carrier substrate, by means of which conductor tracks the various contact areas are connected to one another in such a way that the external contacts are electrically contact-connected to the corresponding contacts of the semiconductor chip.
The through-plating may be embodied in various ways according to the embodiment of the electrical contacts of the semiconductor chip and the mechanical mounting thereof on the carrier substrate. By way of example, in the case of central contact rows and in the case where the semiconductor chip is mounted with the active side downward (face-down), the carrier substrate has a single, relatively large passage (bonding channel) in the central region of the carrier substrate. The through-plating is equally possible by means of a relatively large number of areally distributed through contacts, in the form of metallized holes in the carrier substrate.
In order to protect the semiconductor chip against ambient influences and against damage during the further processing of the package, the semiconductor chip is surrounded by a housing. This is effected, for example, by means of a potting composition in an injection molding method, so that the entire electronic component with the exception of the electrical external contacts is sealed by a plastic composition.
An ingress of moisture, dependent on the respective materials, into the package is also always associated with the various material components of such a package, the carrier substrate, the housing material and, if appropriate, the adhesive material for fixing the semiconductor chip on the carrier substrate. Moreover, water vapor constantly diffuses through the housing into the interior thereof or small quantities of water penetrate along the connecting areas between the housing and the carrier substrate. Both the residual moisture that has remained in the package and the water vapor that constantly penetrates from outside under a normal atmosphere lead to disturbances or else to the failure of the package, particularly if the package is exposed to elevated temperatures as is effected for example during the soldering process for the integration of the package. On account of the water content in the package and the elevated temperature, vapor pressure is developed in the housing if the water vapor cannot emerge from the housing in a timely manner. The internal pressure, which thus builds up, can lead to the destruction of the housing and consequently of the package as a result of the known popcorn effect, and to delamination along the contact area of the housing with the carrier substrate.
In order to assess the residual moisture present in the package and the associated possible storage of the package under a normal atmosphere, which means without particular measures for keeping it dry such as, for example, without dry packaging, the packages are subjected to various loading tests and, with conclusions being drawn therefrom, are assigned to corresponding classifications, the so-called moisture sensitivity levels. Particularly during soldering processes using lead-free solder, which proceed at relatively high temperatures, it is necessary to use packages having the highest classification level, MSL1/260° C. These packages have to withstand, without damage, being artificially stored for several days at 85° C. and 85% relative air humidity and a subsequent soldering simulation at 260° C.
In order to reduce the water content, special materials are used for mounting and housing. Thus, by way of example, a potting composition for producing the housing with a relatively high proportion of filler is used since the water absorption of the potting composition can thus be significantly reduced. German Patent Application No. 197 41 437 A1 describes the use of a potting composition whose basic epoxy resin is based on a biphenyl structure so that the potting composition is distinguished by low water absorption besides a high proportion of filler. In order to reduce delamination, moreover, the semiconductor chip is provided with a buffer layer made of polybenzoxazole on its side facing the potting composition, which buffer layer is intended to bring about a good adhesion imparted between the materials of the chip and the potting composition and thus the reduction of the ingress of water in this region.
However, these measures relate only to the potting composition and the contact thereof with respect to the semiconductor chip and cannot be applied to the connection of both materials to a carrier substrate or to other housing embodiments. This is because, particularly when glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy resin is used, capillary acting moisture paths arise along the glass fibers, and they cannot be prevented by selected mounting materials either. These moisture paths have particularly disadvantageous effects if the semiconductor chip is adhesively bonded on such a carrier substrate since the adhesive material has a high proportion of water-absorbing polymer that cannot be reduced by a filler without impairing the adhesive properties.
If the carrier substrate itself also has a specific water content, which may occur in the case of plastic substrates, the carrier substrate also participates in the ingress of moisture into the package and is affected by the damaging popcorn effect and delamination.
On account of the changing number of material components involved in the package, their further requirements that principally have to be satisfied with regard to their electrical, mechanical and also thermal properties and their compatibility with one another, an initial ingress of moisture is practically unavoidable. Subsequent drying, just like preventing the ingress of water or water vapor, is also associated with an increased outlay in respect of time and materials and is, therefore, not a practicable solution particularly on account of rising production numbers.

Substrate-based housing component with a semiconductor chip


A method of joining a pair of tubular ends (1, 2) comprises: providing the tubular ends with intermeshing tapered edges (3, 4); joining the tubular ends by inserting an adhesive between the tapered edges and pressing the tapered edges (3, 4) together; arranging an axial load carrier collar (5) around the joined tubular ends; inserting an adhesive between the inner surface of the collar (5) and the outer surfaces of the joined tubular ends (3, 4); and inducing the adhesive to bond the inner surface of the collar (5) to the outer surfaces of the joined tubular ends. The axial load carrier collar (5) may be equipped with a series of flexible reinforcement strips (8, 9), which carry a majority of axial loads exerted on the tubular joint, such that only a minimal axial load is exerted on the bonded tapered edges (3, 4).

It is known to join a pair of tubular ends by flanges that are bolted together or by welding, brazing or bonding a pair of co-axial tubular ends together. If the tubular ends are bonded together by an adhesive then the bonded co-axial tubular joint is relatively strong in radial direction since hoop stresses are distributed over the co-axial tubular ends, but is relatively weak in longitudinal direction, since longitudinal forces generate shear forces in the relatively weak bonding region.

Method of joining a pair of tubular ends


In a BSCR or BJT ESD clamp, the breakdown voltage and DC voltage tolerance are controlled by controlling the size of the collector of the BJT device by masking part of the collector.

Bipolar junction devices such as bipolar SCRs (BSCRs) and BJTs as electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structures experience difficulties when required for high speed output circuits, since in the case of high frequency bipolar structures the subcollector is typically heavily doped in order to provide the requisite short rise times. In fact the rise time may be comparable or even smaller than the typical rise time of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) pulse. Thus dynamic coupling cannot be used to turn on the device since the sensitivity of the device to dV/dt results in the device either having too low a turn-on voltage during normal operation or too high a turn-on voltage during ESD events. Therefore the few available DC breakdown blocking junctions that are currently available in supported devices do not adequately accommodate different breakdown voltage requirements.
What is needed is away of tailoring the breakdown voltage to the specific needs.

Method of controlling the breakdown voltage of BSCRs and BJT clamps


A dual stage filter assembly for use in a fluid cleaning and sludge removal operation. An upper stage centrifugal separator incorporated into a first vessel. A lower stage baffle filter is incorporated into a second vessel, such that a dirty fluid flow delivered to the upper stage separator includes a clean outlet along with a separate dirty outlet which is delivered to an inlet of the lower stage filter for subsequent filtering and outflow. A convex collection element facilitates delivery of dirty fluid to the lower stage filter and includes a cone shaped separator element and can be either fixed or removable relative to the upper stage separator. An ascending pipe from the upper separator evacuates a clean fluid flow resulting from a negative pressure created within the upper separator concurrent with the dirty outlet from the upper stage being directed through the baffle filter in the lower stage.

The prior art discloses examples of centrifugal separator assemblies for separating solid particles from a liquid. Examples of these include the separator constructions disclosed in each of Hallgren U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,752 and Brunsell U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,188 and Kramer U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,009.
Other examples include the decanter centrifuge of Caldwell U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,524 incorporating a heavy phase solids baffle in the form of a radially extending and spiraling disc extending outwardly from a conveyor hub and adapted for projecting into a separated heavy phase material conveyed along a bowl wall.
Suzuki U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,681 discloses a centrifugal separator with continuous discharge incorporating a rotating bowl having a slurry inlet orifice, a sludge discharge port and a liquid discharge port. A screw is positioned concentrically inside the rotating bowl for rotating in the same direction as the bowl at a different speed. At least one baffle plate is provided within the pitch of the screw and is immersed in the liquid separated and accumulated in the rotating bowl in the main section in which the solid/liquid separation is carried out.

Sludge concentrator assembly incorporating upper centrifugal separator and lower barrier filter and exhibiting high flow velocity clean fluid outlet combined with low flow velocity solid entrapment


A test strip with an incorporated optical waveguide and deflectors punched through the optical waveguide allows light to exit through a layer of the test strip and be detected by a photo detector. Using light and a photodetector, these uniquely coded strips are identified. The waveguide can be constructed by sandwiching two layers of the test strip around a light transmissible layer. This configuration allows light to be transmitted through the test strip and out the other end, as well as allowing some light to escape the deflector. This light is detected by a photodetector mounted in the analyte test meter. The deflectors may be placed in patterns such that detection of this light indicates certain characteristics of the strip, such as non-counterfeit, regional identification, type of analyte tested, and coding information.

The present invention relates to analyte test strips and meter devices used with these test strips. The invention also relates to health monitoring.
Test strips, such as those used in the current invention, are used to measure the amount of certain analytes in a biological sample, generally using electrochemical reactions. Test strips are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,351; 5,565,085; and 5,628,890, and US Pat. Pub. 2005/0258035. All references cited in the present disclosure are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Small disposable electrochemical test strips are frequently used in the monitoring of blood glucose by diabetics. The test strip is combined with a sample such as blood before or after insertion in a reusable meter, which contains the mechanisms for detecting and processing an electrochemical signal from the test strip into an indication of the presence/absence or quantity of the analyte determined by the test strip. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,626 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Because some test strips vary from batch to batch, some models require the user to enter in a code found on the vial of test strips, or insert a chip that comes with the test strip. By entering the code or inserting the chip into the glucose meter, the meter will be calibrated to that batch of test strips. However, if this process is carried out incorrectly, the meter reading is quite inaccurate. The implications of an incorrectly coded meter can be serious for patients actively managing their diabetes. For miscoded meters, the probability of making an insulin dose error of 2 units is 50%. The probability of making an insulin dose error of 3 units is 24%, compared to 0.49% when using a no coding meter. (Significant Insulin Dose Errors May Occur if Blood Glucose Results are Obtained from Miscoded Meters, Charles H. Raine III, et al., 1 J. OF DIABETES SCIENCE AND TECH. 205 (March 2007). This places patients at increased risk of hypoglycemia. In order to reduce user error and decrease testing time, some test strips are now "no-code." This is done by designing the test strips such that they communicate with the meter and transmit calibration information with no need for user interaction. See, e.g. US Pat. Pubs. 2008/0237040 and 2005/0258035, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Analyte test strip and analyte meter device


Disclosed is a GaN LED structure with a p-type contacting layer using Al—Mg-codoped In1−yGayN grown at low temperature, and having low resistivity. The LED structure comprises, from the bottom to top, a substrate, a buffer layer, an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, a p-type shielding layer, and a p-type contacting layer. In this invention, Mg and Al are used to co-dope the In1−yGayN to grow a low resistive p-type contacting layer at low temperature. Because of the Al—Mg-codoped, the light absorption problem of the p-type In1−yGayN layer is improved. The product, not only has the advantage of convenience of the p-type contacting layer for being manufactured at low temperature, but also shows good electrical characteristics and lowers the operating voltage of the entire element so that the energy consumption during operation is reduced and the yield rate is increased.

Conventional multiquantum well (MQW) In1−yGayN/GaN light emitting diodes (LED) use a p-type GaN grown at high temperature as a contacting layer. The contacting layer is usually grown on top of the active (light-emitting) layer. During the manufacturing, it is found that the contacting layer grown at high temperature will affect the epitaxial characteristics of the active layer grown at low temperature in the previous step, so that the epitaxy will not keep the regular structure formed during its growth. The result of this effect is that the LED is either dysfunctional, or has poor electrical characteristics, such as having higher operating voltage so that the energy consumption is increased. Therefore, it is imperative to provide a new structure so that a p-type contacting layer grown at low temperature and having low resistivity can be obtained.

GaN LED structure with p-type contacting layer grown at low-temperature and having low resistivity


A flying disc toy formed from plastic resin includes a circular central body portion surrounded by a circular rim that has a stair-step cross-sectional configuration. The rim includes an upper step and a lower step that extends outwardly therefrom. Each step has a circular horizontal tread portion and an upright annular riser portion at right angles to one another. An inner surface of the lower riser is dimensioned to form a sliding fit over an outer surface of the upper riser of a similar disc that is positioned beneath it when the discs are placed in a stack.

Several disc shaped flying toys have been previously proposed as described, for example, in the following patents: Des. 329,121; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,947; 3,359,678; 3,571,811; 4,212,131; and 4,378,653.
Flying toys of this kind have two general purposes; the entertainment of people and dogs, and to serve as an advertising medium. However, in manufacturing prior products of this kind, certain problems were encountered. The products were difficult to stack so that when put on top of one another for placement in boxes they did not form a stable stack. This made handling and packaging difficult and reduced the number of discs that could be placed in each box. In addition, when the discs were hot following removal from the forming dies, they were subject to distortion or warpage. Prior to developing the present invention, several flat tables were tried to support the hot discs just removed from molding dies in an attempt to allow them to harden without distortion. Placing them on the tables was time consuming and labor intensive. Advertising material printed on prior discs was also often of non-uniform or of uneven quality due to the surface distortion previously encountered.
In view of these and other deficiencies of the prior art, it is one object of the present invention to provide a flying disc toy of the type described that can be made dimensionally distortion free to thereby enhance flight characteristics and prevent printing problems.
Another object is to provide a flying disc toy having a distortion resistant feature for stabilizing the dimensions of the toy while at the same time maintaining or enhancing its aerodynamic flight characteristics.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flying disc toy that has a substantially uniform cross-sectional thickness throughout without enlarged or thickened portions which require additional resin.
Another object is to find a way to enable a toy of the type described to be removed from molds in a hot condition and be self-regulating with respect to maintaining dimensions and preventing distortion during the cooling process.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved flying disc toy that requires no supporting fixtures during the cooling step after being withdrawn from molding dies and wherein a smaller carton than previously required can be used for the same number of discs.
These and other more detailed and specific objects of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following Figures and detailed description which illustrate by way of example but a few of the various forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Dimensionally stable flying disc toy construction


A PIP capacitor and methods thereof. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a field oxide film over a silicon substrate to define a device isolating region and/or an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a lower polysilicon electrode having doped impurities on and/or over an field oxide film. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include performing an oxidizing step to form a first oxide film over a polysilicon and/or a second oxide film on and/or over an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming an upper polysilicon electrode on and/or over a region of a first oxide film and forming a gate electrode on and/or over a second oxide film at substantially the same time. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a polysilicon resistor. A PIP capacitor is disclosed.

Embodiments relate to methods of fabricating a semiconductor device. Some embodiments relate to a method of fabricating a Polysilicon-Insulator-Polysilicon capacitor.
A Polysilicon-Insulator-Polysilicon (PIP) capacitor may be used to prevent an analog device from emitting noise and/or modulation of frequency. Since a PIP capacitor may have a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed of polysilicon, which may be a similar material as a gate electrode of a logic transistor, electrodes of a PIP capacitor may be formed together with a gate electrode without separate forming processes. When a device requires relatively large capacitance, a PIP capacitor may be used.
In a PIP capacitor, there may be a structure which uses an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) as an insulating material and/or a structure which uses an oxide film as an insulating material. FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of a PIP capacitor having an ONO structure. A PIP capacitor having an ONO structure may be provided with lower polysilicon electrode 122 formed on and/or over field oxide film 120 on and/or over substrate 110. ONO films 132, 134 and/or 136, and/or upper polysilicon electrode 140 may be provided. Polysilicon resistor 124 on and/or over field oxide film 120 may be formed at substantially the same time with lower polysilicon electrode 122. Gate electrode 145 may be formed at an active region at substantially the same time with upper polysilicon electrode 140.
A PIP capacitor may have capacitance fixed by a thickness of nitride 134. If nitride 134 is relatively thick, a portion of the nitride may remain on and/or over lower polysilicon electrode 122 of a PIP capacitor in etching ONO layer 130. A failure of formation of silicide 154 on and/or over lower polysilicon electrode 122 may occur during a subsequent silicide step.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section of a PIP capacitor having an oxide film structure. A PIP capacitor may be provided with lower polysilicon electrode 232 formed on and/or over field oxide film 220 on and/or over silicon substrate 210. Polysilicon oxide film 240, gate oxide film 250, and/or upper polysilicon electrode 260 may be provided. Polysilicon resistor 234 may be provided on and/or over field oxide film 220 and may be formed at substantially the same time with lower polysilicon electrode 232. Gate electrode 262 may be formed at an active region at substantially the same time with upper polysilicon electrode 260.
A thickness of an oxide film that may be an insulating material of a PIP capacitor having an oxide film structure may be fixed by a polysilicon oxidizing step, a gate oxide film forming step, and/or a washing step. A polysilicon oxidizing step may refer to a step of making first oxide film 240 grow on and/or over lower polysilicon electrode 232. A gate oxide film forming step may relate to a step of forming gate oxide film 250 on and/or over silicon substrate 210 at an active region. A washing step may relate to a step of removing first oxide film 240 formed substantially evenly at an active region in a polysilicon oxidizing step before a gate oxide film forming step.
A thickness of an oxide film, for example, a first oxide film and/or a gate oxide film, formed on and/or over lower polysilicon electrode 232 may be fixed by a polysilicon oxidizing step and/or a gate oxide film forming step. A washing step, which may be performed to remove first oxide film 240 from an active region before a gate oxide film forming step, may impair uniformity of a transistor formed on and/or over an active region. Moreover, an amount of loss of silicon required for growth of an oxide film may increase during the two oxidizing steps, resulting in a relative reduction of thickness of lower polysilicon electrode 232.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method of fabricating a PIP capacitor which may secure substantial uniformity of a transistor, formation of silicide and/or relative thickness of polysilicon of a lower electrode. There is a need to provide a method of fabricating a PIP capacitor which may maximize productivity, for example by minimizing washing and/or furnace steps.


A spectral camera control device, being installed, along with a spectral camera provided with a liquid crystal tunable filter, in an aircraft capable of stationary flight. The spectral camera control device causes the spectral camera to capture a spectral image in a snapshot mode each time a transmission wavelength of the liquid crystal tunable filter is switched while the aircraft is in stationary flight, and the spectral camera control device causes a plurality of spectral images to be captured in succession at a same transmission wavelength when an SN ratio of the captured spectral image is less than a predetermined threshold.

A spectral image is obtained by capturing an image of visible light and infrared regions, etc. by a spectral camera. Since this spectral image allows a user to grasp, for example, the protein content of an object captured in an image, it makes it possible to grasp the state of harvest, or grasp harvesting location and harvesting order for better yielding.
Moreover, a spectral image allows a user to grasp the growth of agricultural products and the state of disease, pest insects, and soil, and can also provide accurate information in classification of trees, grasping the carbon fixation rate (growth rate) thereof, searching for mineral resources, estimating a fishery, and grasping regions of seawater damaged and contaminated regions.
In particular, since capturing a spectral image from the sky by an airplane will make it possible to investigate in a short period of time an overwhelmingly vast range including forests, oceans, rugged mountains, and contaminated regions, where access by a human through field survey is difficult, its application range is extremely wide.
Conventionally, when capturing a spectral image having several tens of bands or more, which has a narrow wavelength resolution of about 20 nm or less, an optical device called a hyperspectral sensor including a diffraction grating is installed in an airplane having a fixed wing, and image capturing is performed by using an image capturing method called a push-broom system. This push-broom system is a method for acquiring a spectral image in a two-dimensional space, in which a one-dimensional spatial visual field set in a direction perpendicular to the travelling direction of the airplane is used to simultaneously record all the bands (all the wavelength bands) at one exposure, and this recording is performed successively at a time interval required for moving a distance corresponding to one pixel, thus sweeping in the travelling direction.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-169896 discloses an invention relating to a hyperspectral imaging system equipped with a push-broom type sensor (Patent Literature 1).

Spectral camera control device, spectral camera control system, storage medium storing spectral camera control program, and network system for distributing spectral camera control program

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY


The present technology relates to a transmission device, a reception device, a transmission system, and a transmission method capable of improving transmission efficiency of subdata added to main data.

Conventionally, a technique for adding and transmitting a variable-length packet other than a transport stream (TS) packet in a digital broadcasting system has been disclosed. Specifically, it has been disclosed that a TS packet, third packets obtained by dividing a variable-length packet by the same length as the TS packet, and header information including types of respective packets and flags indicating whether or not the respective packets include a head position of the variable-length packet are multiplexed and transmitted. Furthermore, it has been disclosed that information indicating the head position of the variable-length packet is inserted into the third packets (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Transmission device, reception device, transmission system, and transmission method

Abstract: A transmission device includes a frame sequence number setting unit that, on the basis of a frame number indicating an order of a subframe in a main frame, assigns to the subframe a frame sequence number indicating an order of the subframe in a frame sequence including a plurality of the subframes, and a multiplexing unit that arranges a data packet at a predetermined position in the subframe on the basis of the frame sequence number. The present technology can be applied to a CCU, for example.


Under the present invention, componentized costs for providing/producing an item are collected from a plurality of suppliers. The componentized costs include the fixed and variable costs associated with raw materials and production for providing the item according to various specifications and order quantities. When a buyer wishes to obtain the item, a particular order specification and a demand forecast for the item will be provided. Based on the particular specification, the demand forecast and the componentized costs, an optimal order quantity for the item will be calculated. Then, a total (lifetime) cost for providing the item will be calculated for each supplier. The supplier having the lowest total cost for the projected lifetime of the item will be identified to the buyer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method, system and program product for selecting a supplier. Specifically, under the present invention, one of a plurality of suppliers of an item is identified based the supplier offering a lowest total cost for providing the item to a buyer.
2. Background Art
As computer technology continues to advance, individuals and businesses are increasingly utilizing computer networks such as the Internet to perform everyday tasks. For example, today a potential buyer can search for and purchase various goods/services over the Internet. Typically, buyers seek to minimize spending on purchased goods and services. In the case of businesses, such savings can pass directly to bottom line profit. Traditional purchasing involves buyers seeking price quotations for all goods/services sought (e.g., either for immediate purchase or from an open contract against which future purchases are made). In many cases, the buyers choose three or four suppliers and solicit a price quotation therefrom. Unless the buyer happens to know which suppliers will present the most cost effective options, the buyer generally relies on luck soliciting from the lowest priced suppliers. In addition, in traditional purchasing methods such as this, economic purchase quantity (e.g., sometimes referred to as economic order quantity) is determined by optimizing tradeoffs between fixed costs and inventory costs. This generally assumes a perpetual life span of the goods/services purchased, and ignores the financial impact of scrap or waste for goods/services that have a finite life span.
Heretofore, various system such as SAP and MAPICS have been developed for fostering network-based purchasing. Unfortunately, such systems assume that supplier selection is determined explicitly from parameters of the goods/services sought and predetermined order volumes. Thus, the existing systems fail to address the issues that arise with goods/services having a finite life span. Moreover, the existing systems fail to determine an optimum order quantity, which can vary based on the supplier. Accordingly the existing systems fail to provide a way to truly minimize spending by identifying a supplier that has the lowest total lifetime cost.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a method, system and program product for selecting a supplier. Specifically, a need exists for a system in which componentized costs for providing an item are collected from a plurality of suppliers. Another need exists for the componentized costs to be approved before they are utilized to process an order. A further need exists for a total (lifetime) cost for the item to be calculated for each of the suppliers based on a demand forecast, a particular order specification for the item and the approved componentized costs. Still yet, another need exists for the supplier having the lowest total (lifetime) cost for the lifetime of the item to be identified.

System, method, and program product for selecting a lower cost supplier based on total cost and forecasted demand

International Business Machines Corporation


Rubber compositions of a selected base rubber and a specified paraffin was containing 50% or more of a normal paraffin and having a carbon area ratio of less than 4.0 as determined by gas chromatography within a carbon number range of from 23 to 42. The ratio is derived by counting a first paraffin content which is defined by the paraffin of maximum content in the wax and a second paraffin content which is defined by the paraffin of minimum content in the wax and thereafter dividing the first paraffin content by the second paraffin content. The composition is highly stable in initial tack with less dependence on temperature before curing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rubber compositions having improved stability in initial tack with reduced dependence on temperature prior to curing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various rubber compositions are known for use in applying or coating reinforcement cords of nonmetallic or metallic origin adapted to be assembled in pneumatic automobile tires and conveyor belts. These compositions before being subject to curing are rather dependent on temperature and necessarily variable or irregular in tackiness at ambient temperature. This tendency is markedly seen where organic cobalt compounds are blended to improve adhesion of rubbers to steel cords. In such instance objectionably excessive tack will develop with temperature rises in the hot season. With the reinforcing cords obtained by coating with the above prior compositions, the resulting rubbery sheets will become too tacky to be handled and cause those tires and belts to be produced at a low rate.
Attempts have been made to reduce tackiness with use of paraffin waxes chosen to meet seasonal changes or varying temperatures. To this end those waxes for use in the hot season have a maximum peak in the carbon area in the vicinity of 34 carbon atoms and those for use in the cold season at around 27 carbon atoms. Such carbon areas are determined with resort to a graphical chart in which the total carbon area of paraffin waxes within a predetermined number of carbon atoms is counted by means of gas chromatography and thereafter plotted against the carbon number. A distribution curve of carbon number to carbon area is thus drawn for quick reference from which either one paraffin wax is selected to provide a good balance between the tack quality and the ambient temperature.
The above mode of wax selectivity, however, is wholly unsatisfactory as the ultimate composition when held not constant at ambient temperature is encountered with insufficient tackiness and oftentimes with instable initial tack owing to irregular wax blooming. An impetus therefore has been given to the advent of rubber compositions free from the foregoing drawbacks of the prior art.


In the case where facsimile receiving is carried out while a failure occurs with a printer, a CPU creates a notification E-mail having the received image data attached thereto as a attachment file, and transmits to Internet the created E-mail when an E-mail address registered in a notification destination address area in the information storage is defined as an address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus that receives image data transmitted via a network, and prints an image indicated by this image data, but carries out memory reception while there occurs a failure such as a state in which printing cannot be carried out; and a control method of such facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A facsimile apparatus receives transmitted image data, and prints the image data by a printer in real time. Thus, if there occurs a failure such as a state in which no printing paper or no toner is provided, printing cannot be carried out, and thus, facsimile receiving cannot be carried out.
Because of this, some high class machines each are equipped with a large capacity of memory, and comprises a function that stores received data in the memory in the case where a printer fail occurs. This function is called a memory receiving function. According to such a facsimile apparatus, even if a printer fails, facsimile receiving can be carried out.
On the other hand, a failure state may be left as is without a user being aware of a printer failure state. In such a case, even if a memory receiving function is provided, a memory becomes full, and memory receiving cannot be carried out.
In order to solve such a problem, a technique for forwarding image data received while the printer has failed to another facsimile apparatus is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-56242, for example.
However, in such a technique, a facsimile apparatus that is a forwarding destination is required in order to forward image data. Thus, in the case where a receiver has only one facsimile apparatus, even if such a facsimile comprises such a function based on the above technique, the above function cannot be used because of the absence of the forwarding destination.

Facsimile apparatus and control method for controlling the same


A system and method is disclosed for dynamically and securely establishing a tunnel for a mobile device. In the preferred embodiments, the system and method operate to dynamically assign one or more tunnel endpoint addresses to a client which is not on the same IP-link as an authentication agent depending on an authentication result based on using an authentication protocol source port number in order to address communications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to, inter alia, methods for dynamically and securely establishing tunnels in computer networks. The entire disclosures of each of the following co-pending patent applications of the present assignee are incorporated herein by reference for background: 1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/761,243 entitled Mobility Architecture Using Pre-Authentication, Pre-Configuration And/Or Virtual Soft-Handoff, filed on Jan. 22, 2004; 2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/908,199, filed on May 2, 2005, entitled Quarantine Networking; and 3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/975,497 filed on Oct. 29, 2004, entitled Dynamic Host Configuration And Network Access Authentication.
2. Background Discussion:
Networks and Internet Protocol:
There are many types of computer networks, with the Internet having the most notoriety. The Internet is a worldwide network of computer networks. Today, the Internet is a public and self-sustaining network that is available to many millions of users. The Internet uses a set of communication protocols called TCP/IP (i.e., Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) to connect hosts. The Internet has a communications infrastructure known as the Internet backbone. Access to the Internet backbone is largely controlled by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that resell access to corporations and individuals.
With respect to IP (Internet Protocol), this is a protocol by which data can be sent from one device (e.g., a phone, a PDA [Personal Digital Assistant], a computer, etc.) to another device on a network. There are a variety of versions of IP today, including, e.g., IPv4, IPv6, etc. Each host device on the network has at least one IP address that is its own unique identifier.
IP is a connectionless protocol. The connection between end points during a communication is not continuous. When a user sends or receives data or messages, the data or messages are divided into components known as packets. Every packet is treated as an independent unit of data.
In order to standardize the transmission between points over the Internet or the like networks, an OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model was established. The OSI model separates the communications processes between two points in a network into seven stacked layers, with each layer adding its own set of functions. Each device handles a message so that there is a downward flow through each layer at a sending end point and an upward flow through the layers at a receiving end point. The programming and/or hardware that provides the seven layers of function is typically a combination of device operating systems, application software, TCP/IP and/or other transport and network protocols, and other software and hardware.
Typically, the top four layers are used when a message passes from or to a user and the bottom three layers are used when a message passes through a device (e.g., an IP host device). An IP host is any device on the network that is capable of transmitting and receiving IP packets, such as a server, a router or a workstation. Messages destined for some other host are not passed up to the upper layers but are forwarded to the other host. The layers of the OSI model are listed below. Layer 7 (i.e., the application layer) is a layer at which, e.g., communication partners are identified, quality of service is identified, user authentication and privacy are considered, constraints on data syntax are identified, etc. Layer 6 (i.e., the presentation layer) is a layer that, e.g., converts incoming and outgoing data from one presentation format to another, etc. Layer 5 (i.e., the session layer) is a layer that, e.g., sets up, coordinates, and terminates conversations, exchanges and dialogs between the applications, etc. Layer-4 (i.e., the transport layer) is a layer that, e.g., manages end-to-end control and error-checking, etc. Layer-3 (i.e., the network layer) is a layer that, e.g., handles routing and forwarding, etc. Layer-2 (i.e., the data-link layer) is a layer that, e.g., provides synchronization for the physical level, does bit-stuffing and furnishes transmission protocol knowledge and management, etc. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) sub-divides the data-link layer into two further sub-layers, the MAC (Media Access Control) layer that controls the data transfer to and from the physical layer and the LLC (Logical Link Control) layer that interfaces with the network layer and interprets commands and performs error recovery. Layer 1 (i.e., the physical layer) is a layer that, e.g., conveys the bit stream through the network at the physical level. The IEEE sub-divides the physical layer into the PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Procedure) sub-layer and the PMD (Physical Medium Dependent) sub-layer.
Wireless Networks:
Wireless networks can incorporate a variety of types of mobile devices, such as, e.g., cellular and wireless telephones, PCs (personal computers), laptop computers, wearable computers, cordless phones, pagers, headsets, printers, PDAs, etc. For example, mobile devices may include digital systems to secure fast wireless transmissions of voice and/or data. Typical mobile devices include some or all of the following components: a transceiver (i.e., a transmitter and a receiver, including, e.g., a single chip transceiver with an integrated transmitter, receiver and, if desired, other functions); an antenna; a processor; one or more audio transducers (for example, a speaker or a microphone as in devices for audio communications); electromagnetic data storage (such as, e.g., ROM, RAM, digital data storage, etc., such as in devices where data processing is provided); memory; flash memory; a full chip set or integrated circuit; interfaces (such as, e.g., USB, CODEC, UART, PCM, etc.); and/or the like.
Wireless LANs (WLANs) in which a mobile user can connect to a local area network (LAN) through a wireless connection may be employed for wireless communications. Wireless communications can include, e.g., communications that propagate via electromagnetic waves, such as light, infrared, radio, microwave. There are a variety of WLAN standards that currently exist, such as, e.g., Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, and HomeRF.
By way of example, Bluetooth products may be used to provide links between mobile computers, mobile phones, portable handheld devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other mobile devices and connectivity to the Internet. Bluetooth is a computing and telecommunications industry specification that details how mobile devices can easily interconnect with each other and with non-mobile devices using a short-range wireless connection. Bluetooth creates a digital wireless protocol to address end-user problems arising from the proliferation of various mobile devices that need to keep data synchronized and consistent from one device to another, thereby allowing equipment from different vendors to work seamlessly together. Bluetooth devices may be named according to a common naming concept. For example, a Bluetooth device may possess a Bluetooth Device Name (BDN) or a name associated with a unique Bluetooth Device Address (BDA). Bluetooth devices may also participate in an Internet Protocol (IP) network. If a Bluetooth device functions on an IP network, it may be provided with an IP address and an IP (network) name. Thus, a Bluetooth Device configured to participate on an IP network may contain, e.g., a BDN, a BDA, an IP address and an IP name. The term "IP name" refers to a name corresponding to an IP address of an interface.
An IEEE standard, IEEE 802.11, specifies technologies for wireless LANs and devices. Using 802.11, wireless networking may be accomplished with each single base station supporting several devices. In some examples, devices may come pre-equipped with wireless hardware or a user may install a separate piece of hardware, such as a card, that may include an antenna. By way of example, devices used in 802.11 typically include three notable elements, whether or not the device is an access point (AP), a mobile station (STA), a bridge, a PCMCIA card or another device: a radio transceiver; an antenna; and a MAC (Media Access Control) layer that controls packet flow between points in a network.
In addition, Multiple Interface Devices (MIDs) may be utilized in some wireless networks. MIDs may contain two independent network interfaces, such as a Bluetooth interface and an 802.11 interface, thus allowing the MID to participate on two separate networks as well as to interface with Bluetooth devices. The MID may have an IP address and a common IP (network) name associated with the IP address.
Wireless network devices may include, but are not limited to Bluetooth devices, Multiple Interface Devices (MIDs), 802.11x devices (IEEE 802.11 devices including, e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11 g devices), HomeRF (Home Radio Frequency) devices, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) devices, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) devices, 3G cellular devices, 2.5G cellular devices, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) devices, EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) devices, TDMA type (Time Division Multiple Access) devices, or CDMA type (Code Division Multiple Access) devices, including CDMA2000. Each network device may contain addresses of varying types including but not limited to an IP address, a Bluetooth Device Address, a Bluetooth Common Name, a Bluetooth IP address, a Bluetooth IP Common Name, an 802.11 IP Address, an 802.11 IP common Name, or an IEEE MAC address.
Wireless networks can also involve methods and protocols found in, e.g., Mobile IP (Internet Protocol) systems, in PCS systems, and in other mobile network systems. With respect to Mobile IP, this involves a standard communications protocol created by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With Mobile IP, mobile device users can move across networks while maintaining their IP Address assigned once. See Request for Comments (RFC) 3344. NB: RFCs are formal documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Mobile IP enhances Internet Protocol (IP) and adds means to forward Internet traffic to mobile devices when connecting outside their home network. Mobile IP assigns each mobile node a home address on its home network and a care-of-address (CoA) that identifies the current location of the device within a network and its subnets. When a device is moved to a different network, it receives a new care-of address. A mobility agent on the home network can associate each home address with its care-of address. The mobile node can send the home agent a binding update each time it changes its care-of address using, e.g., Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP).
In basic IP routing (e.g., outside mobile IP), routing mechanisms rely on the assumptions that each network node always has a constant attachment point to, e.g., the Internet and that each node's IP address identifies the network link it is attached to. In this document, the terminology "node" includes a connection point, which can include, e.g., a redistribution point or an end point for data transmissions, and which can recognize, process and/or forward communications to other nodes. For example, Internet routers can look at, e.g., an IP address prefix or the like identifying a device's network. Then, at a network level, routers can look at, e.g., a set of bits identifying a particular subnet. Then, at a subnet level, routers can look at, e.g., a set of bits identifying a particular device. With typical mobile IP communications, if a user disconnects a mobile device from, e.g., the Internet and tries to reconnect it at a new subnet, then the device has to be reconfigured with a new IP address, a proper netmask and a default router. Otherwise, routing protocols would not be able to deliver the packets properly.
The preferred embodiments improve upon technologies described, e.g., in the following references, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties:    [RFC2003] C. Perkins, "IP Encapsulation within IP," RFC 2003, October 1996.    [RFC2004] C. Perkins, "Minimal Encapsulation within IP," RFC 2004, October 1996.    [RFC2784] D. Farinacci, et al., "Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)," RFC 2784, March 2000.    [RFC2401] S. Kent and R. Atkins, "Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol," RFC 2401, November 1998.    [RFC3344] C. Perkins, "IP Mobility Support for IPv4," RFC 3344, August 2002.    [RFC3775] C. Perkins, et al, "IP Mobility Support for IPv6," June 2004.    [RFC2409] D. Harkins and D. Carrel, "The Internet Key Exchange (IKE)," RFC 2409, November 1998.    [IKEv2] C. Kaufman, "Internet Key Exchange (IKEv2) Protocol," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-ipsec-ikev2-14.txt, work in progress, November 2004.    [RFC3748] B. Aboba, et al, "Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)," RFC 3748, June 2004.    [PANA-FRWK] P. Jayaraman, "PANA Framework," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pana-framework-01.txt, work in progress, July 2004.    [PANA] D. Forsberg, et al, "Protocol for Carrying Authentication for Network Access (PANA)," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pana-pana-05.txt, work in progress, July 2004.    [PANA-IPSEC] M. Parthasarathy, "PANA Enabling IPsec Based Access Control," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pana-ipsec-03.txt, May 2004.
The Internet Protocol defines a way to carry a network layer packet (i.e., an IP datagram in the Internet Protocol) over various link-layers including Ethernet and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol). An IP datagram can also be carried over an "IP-link" where it is transmitted while encapsulated in the payload of another IP datagram. This technique is referred to as "IP tunneling" or "tunneling." Tunneling is used as a means to alter the normal IP routing for datagrams, by delivering them to an intermediate destination that would otherwise not be selected based on the (network part of the) IP Destination Address field in the original IP header [see C. Perkins, "IP Encapsulation within IP," RFC 2003, October 1996]. Once the encapsulated datagram arrives at this intermediate destination node, it is decapsulated, yielding the original IP datagram, which is then delivered to the destination indicated by the original Destination Address field. The IP-link that provides the tunneling functionality is referred to as a "tunnel." The encapsulator and decapsulator of the IP-link in tunneling are then considered to be the "endpoints" of the tunnel.
A tunnel may be based on, e.g., IP-in-IP encapsulation [see C. Perkins, "IP Encapsulation within IP," RFC 2003, October 1996], Minimal Encapsulation [see C. Perkins, "Minimal Encapsulation within IP," RFC 2004, October 1996], Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) [see D. Farinacci, et al., "Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)," RFC 2784, March 2000], IPsec tunnel mode encapsulation [see S. Kent and R. Atkins, "Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol," RFC 2401, November 1998.]. A tunnel is created either statically or dynamically. When a tunnel is based on IP-in-IP encapsulation, Minimal Encapsulation or GRE, and the tunnel is used by an IP mobility protocol for tunneling IP datagrams from a home agent to a mobile node, the tunnel is dynamically created by using Mobile IPv4 [see C. Perkins, "IP Mobility Support for IPv4," RFC 3344, August 2002] or Mobile IPv6 [see C. Perkins, et al, "IP Mobility Support for IPv6," RFC3775, June 2004]. When a tunnel is based on IPsec tunnel mode encapsulation, the tunnel may be dynamically created by using IKEv1 [see D. Harkins and D. Carrel, "The Internet Key Exchange (IKE)," RFC 2409, November 1998] or IKEv2 [see C. Kaufman, "Internet Key Exchange (IKEv2) Protocol," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-ipsec-ikev2-14.txt, work in progress, November 2004]. An appropriate authentication method is involved with any of the above methods for dynamically creating a tunnel.
For reference, a mobile station needs to be able to communicate with access points in different networks (e.g., LANs). Thus, there is a need to resolve the mapping between the IP address and the MAC address of the AP. There are two preferred approaches for AP resolution: pre-configured resolution (e.g., static resolution) and dynamic resolution. In static resolution, a mobile station can, e.g., obtain a list of pairs of IP address and MAC address of each nearby AP before it receives beacon frames from those APs. In dynamic resolution, the mapping for an AP can be, e.g., resolved when the mobile station receives a beacon frame or the like from the AP.
For reference, in, for example, Mobile Internet Protocol (Mobile IP), a home agent can involve a router on a mobile node's home network that maintains, e.g., information about the device's current location, as identified, e.g., in its care-of-address (CoA). The home agent can use, e.g., tunneling mechanisms to forward Internet traffic so that, e.g., the device's IP address doesn't have to be changed each time it connects from a different location. In some instances, a home agent may work in conjunction with a foreign agent, which can include a router on a visited network. The foreign agent and the home agent are two types of mobility agents (defined, e.g., in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) R.F.C. 2002 specification.
PANA:
For reference, information related to PANA from P. Jayaraman, "PANA Framework," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pana-framework-01.txt, work in progress, July 2004 is incorporated herein in this section. In this regard, PANA is a link-layer agnostic network access authentication protocol that runs between a node that wants to gain access to the network and a server on the network side. PANA defines a new EAP [see B. Aboba, et al, "Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)," RFC 3748, June 2004] lower layer that uses IP between the protocol end points. Id.
The motivation to define such a protocol and the requirements are described in Yegin, A. and Y. Ohba, Protocol for Carrying Authentication for Network Access (PANA)Requirements, draft-ietf-pana-requirements-08 (work in progress), June 2004. Protocol details are documented in Forsberg, D., Ohba, Y., Patil, B., Tschofenig, H. and A. Yegin, Protocol for Carrying Authentication for Network Access (PANA), draft-ietf-pana-pana-04 (work in progress), May 2004. Parthasarathy, M., PANA Enabling IPsec Based Access Control, draft-ietf-pana-ipsec-03 (work in progress), May 2004.describes the use of IPsec for access control following PANA-based authentication. IPsec can be used for per-packet access control, but nevertheless it is not the only way to achieve this functionality. Alternatives include reliance on physical security and link-layer ciphering. Separation of PANA server from the entity enforcing the access control has been envisaged as an optional deployment choice. SNMP [see Mghazli, Y., Ohba, Y. and J. Bournelle, SNMP Usage for PAA-2-EP Interface, draft-ietf-pana-snmp-00 (work in progress), April 2004 has been chosen as the protocol to carry associated information between the separate nodes. Id.
PANA design provides support for various types of deployments. Access networks can differ based on the availability of lower-layer security, placement of PANA entities, choice of client IP configuration and authentication methods, etc. Id.
PANA can be used in any access network regardless of the underlying security. For example, the network might be physically secured, or secured by means of cryptographic mechanisms after the successful client-network authentication. Id.
The PANA client, PANA authentication agent, authentication server, and enforcement point have been functional entities in this design. PANA authentication agent and enforcement point(s) can be placed on various elements in the access network (such as, e.g., access point, access router, dedicated host). Id.
IP address configuration mechanisms vary as well. Static configuration, DHCP, stateless address autoconfiguration are possible mechanisms to choose from. If the client configures an IPsec tunnel for enabling per-packet security, configuring IP addresses inside the tunnel becomes relevant, for which there are additional choices such as IKE. Id.
PANA protocol is designed to facilitate authentication and authorization of clients in access networks. PANA is an EAP [see Aboba, B., Blunk, L., Vollbrecht, J., Carlson, J. and H. Levkowetz, Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), RFC 3748, June 2004, lower-layer that carries EAP authentication methods encapsulated inside EAP between a client host and an agent in the access network. While PANA enables the authentication process between the two entities, it is only a part of an overall AAA and access control framework. An AAA and access control framework using PANA includes four functional entities, as discussed below and as schematically depicted in FIGS. 1(A) to 1(C). Id.
A first functional entity is a PANA Client (PaC) is the client implementation of the PANA protocol. This entity resides on the end host that is requesting network access. The end hosts can include, for example, laptops, PDAs, cell phones, desktop PCs and/or the like that are connected to a network via a wired or wireless interface. A PaC is responsible for requesting network access and engaging in the authentication process using the PANA protocol. Id.
A second functional entity is a PANA Authentication Agent (PAA) is the server implementation of the PANA protocol. A PAA is in charge of interfacing with the PaCs for authenticating and authorizing them for the network access service. The PAA consults an authentication server in order to verify the credentials and rights of a PaC. If the authentication server resides on the same host as the PAA, an application program interface (API) is sufficient for this interaction. When they are separated (a more common case in public access networks), a protocol is used to run between the two. LDAP [see Hodges, J. and R. Morgan, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (v3): Technical Specification, RFC 3377, September 2002] and AAA protocols like RADIUS [see Rigney, C., Willens, S., Rubens, A. and W. Simpson, Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS), RFC 2865, June 2000] and Diameter [see Calhoun, P., Loughney, J., Guttman, E., Zorn, G. and J. Arkko, Diameter Base Protocol, RFC 3588, September 2003] are commonly used for this purpose. Id.
The PAA is also responsible for updating the access control state (i.e., filters) depending on the creation and deletion of the authorization state. The PAA communicates the updated state to the enforcement points in the network. If the PAA and EP are residing on the same host, an API is sufficient for this communication. Otherwise, a protocol is used to carry the authorized client attributes from the PAA to the EP. While not prohibiting other protocols, currently SNMP [see Mghazli, Y., Ohba, Y. and J. Bournelle, SNMP Usage for PAA-2-EP Interface, draft-ietf-pana-snmp-00 (work in progress), April 2004, has been suggested for this task. Id.
The PAA resides on a node that is typically called a Network Access Server (NAS) in the local area network. The PAA can be hosted on any IP-enabled node on the same IP subnet as the PaC. For example, on a BAS (broadband access server) in DSL networks, or PDSN in 3GPP2 networks. Id.
A third functional entity is an Authentication Server (AS), which is the server implementation that is in charge of verifying the credentials of a PaC that is requesting the network access service. The AS receives requests from the PAA on behalf of the PaCs, and responds with the result of verification together with the authorization parameters (e.g., allowed bandwidth, IP configuration, etc). The AS might be hosted on the same host as the PAA, on a dedicated host on the access network, or on a central server somewhere on the Internet. Id.
A fourth functional entity is an Enforcement Point (EP), which is the access control implementation that is in charge of allowing access to authorized clients while preventing access by others. An EP learns the attributes of the authorized clients from the PAA. The EP uses non-cryptographic or cryptographic filters to selectively allow and discard data packets. These filters may be applied at the link-layer or the IP-layer. When cryptographic access control is used, a secure association protocol needs to run between the PaC and EP. Link or network layer protection (for example, TKIP, IPsec ESP) is used after the secure association protocol established the necessary security association to enable integrity protection, data origin authentication, replay protection and optionally confidentiality protection. An EP should be located strategically in a local area network to minimize the access of unauthorized clients to the network. For example, the EP can be hosted on a switch that is directly connected to clients in a wired network. That way, the EP can drop unauthorized packets before they reach any other client host or beyond the local area network. Id.
Some of the entities may be co-located depending on the deployment scenario. For example, the PAA and EP could be on the same node (BAS) in DSL networks. In that case, a simple API is sufficient between the PAA and EP. In small enterprise deployments, the PAA and AS may be hosted on the same node (e.g., access router) that eliminates the need for a protocol run between the two. The decision to co-locate these entities or otherwise, and their precise location in the network topology are deployment decisions. Id.
Use of IKE or 4-way handshake protocols for secure association has been only required in the absence of any lower-layer security prior to running PANA. Physically secured networks (such as, e.g., DSL) or networks that are already cryptographically secured on the link-layer prior to PANA run (e.g., cdma2000) do not require additional secure association and per-packet ciphering. These networks can bind the PANA authentication and authorization to the lower-layer secure channel that is already available. Id.
The EP on the access network allows general data traffic from any authorized PaC, whereas it allows only limited type of traffic (e.g., PANA, DHCP, router discovery) for the unauthorized PaCs. This ensures that the newly attached clients have the minimum access service to engage in PANA and get authorized for the unlimited service. Id.
The PaC needs to configure an IP address prior to running PANA. After a successful PANA authentication, depending on the deployment scenario, the PaC may need to re-configure its IP address or configure additional IP address(es). The additional address configuration may be executed as part of the secure association protocol run. Id.
An initially unauthorized PaC starts the PANA authentication by discovering the PAA on the access network, followed by the EAP exchange over PANA. The PAA interacts with the AS during this process. Upon receiving the authentication and authorization result from the AS, the PAA informs the PaC about the result of its network access request. Id.
If the PaC is authorized to gain the access to the network, the PAA also sends the PaC-specific attributes (e.g., IP address, cryptographic keys, etc.) to the EP by using SNMP. The EP uses this information to alter its filters for allowing data traffic from and to the PaC to pass through. Id.
In case cryptographic access control needs to be enabled after the PANA authentication, a secure association protocol runs between the PaC and the EP. The PaC should already have the input parameters to this process as a result of the successful PANA exchange. Similarly, the EP should have obtained them from the PAA via SNMP. Secure association exchange produces the required security associations between the PaC and the EP to enable cryptographic data traffic protection. Per-packet cryptographic data traffic protection introduces additional per-packet overhead but the overhead exists only between the PaC and EP and will not affect communications beyond the EP. In this sense, it is important to place the EP as close to the edge of the network as possible. Id.
Finally data traffic can start flowing from and to the newly authorized PaC. Id.
PANA with Bootstrapping IPsec
As discussed in P. Jayaraman, "PANA Framework," Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-pana-framework-01.txt, work in progress, July 2004, in this model, data traffic is protected by using IPsec tunnel mode SA and an IP address is used as the device identifier of PaC. Some or all of AP, DHCPv4 Server (including PRPA DHCPv4 Server and IPsec-TIA DHCPv4 Server), DHCPv6 Server, PAA and EP may be co-located in a single device. The EP is co-located with AR (Access Router) and may be co-located with PAA. When EP and PAA are not co-located, PAA-EP protocol is used for communication between PAA and EP.
PANA Device Identifier
For reference, in the current PANA specification:                http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafst/draft-ietf-pana-pana-10.txt, a "device identifier" (DI) is defined as: The identifier used by the network as a handle to control and        police the network access of a device. Depending on the access technology, this identifier may contain an address that is carried in protocol headers (e.g., IP or link-layer address), or a locally significant identifier that is made available by the local protocol stack (e.g., circuit id, PPP interface id) of a connected device.PANA Mobility Operations
The PANA working group document entitled PANA Mobility Operations found at draft-ietf-pana-mobopts-00.txt 1, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, explains that a PANA Authentication Client (PaC) using PANA needs to execute full EAP/PANA upon inter-subnet (e.g., inter-PAA) movement, and explains that in case seamless mobility is desirable, having to execute full EAP authentication with a AAA server would incur undesirable latency. Accordingly, the document outlines extensions to the base PANA specification to eliminate the need to execute EAP each time the PaC performs an inter-PAA handover. The scheme allows the creation of a new PANA session with a new PAA based on an existing session with another PAA. The document explains that generation of the new PANA session does not require executing EAP-based authentication, but that, instead, a context-transfer-based scheme is used to bring in relevant state information from the previous PAA to the new PAA. For reference, a call flow depicting mobility-optimized PANA execution is shown in said document. The document explains that in this flow, the PaC is already authorized and connected to subnet 1, where pre-PAA resides; then, the PaC performs a handover from subnet 1 to subnet 2; then, PANA discovery and handshake phases are executed; then, in response to the parameters included in the PSA, PANA session context is transferred from the pre-PAA to the new-PAA; and last, the PANA-Bind exchange signals the successful PANA authorization. EAP authentication does not occur. As a result, a mobile PaC's network access authentication performance can be enhanced by deploying a context-transfer-based mechanism, where some session attributes are transferred from the previous PAA to the new one in order to avoid performing a full EAP authentication.

Method for dynamically and securely establishing a tunnel


A printer includes a frame that includes a frame back part, an arm that includes a rotation shaft and is supported by the frame to rotate around the rotation shaft relative to the frame, a platen roller that is rotatably supported by the frame or the arm, a print head that is disposed between the frame back part and the platen roller and performs printing on a recording sheet placed between the platen roller and the print head, and a first bias spring that is disposed between the frame back part and the print head and biases the print head toward the platen roller relative to the frame back part.

1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of this disclosure relates to a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printers for printing receipts are widely used, for example, for cash registers in shops and stores, and for automated teller machines (ATM) and cash dispensers (CD) in banks. Generally, in such a printer for printing receipts, thermal paper used as recording paper is conveyed into a space between a thermal head and a platen roller, and information is printed by the thermal head at a predetermined position on the recording paper.
This type of printer is configured such that the platen roller is detachable to easily place recording paper between the thermal head and the platen roller.
In a typical printer for printing information on recording paper with a thermal head, the thermal head is pressed toward a platen roller to improve the contact between the thermal head and the platen roller during printing.
Japanese Patent No. 3734753 discloses a configuration of a thermal printer including a biasing part that is provided on a lock arm and applies a biasing force to a platen roller to press the circumferential surface of the platen roller against a line thermal head, an operation part formed on the lock arm, a pressing part that engages the operation part and presses down the operation part in opposition to the biasing force of the biasing part, and a platen roller detaching part that disengages a rotational shaft of the platen roller from a rotational shaft support part of the lock arm.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-318260 discloses a configuration where a frame includes a slit having a shape for guiding a bearing of a platen roller, and the bearing of the platen roller is pressed against the slit by a lock arm to support the platen roller. The lock arm uses a biasing force of a pressure spring for pressing a thermal head against the platen roller. The pressure spring biases a head support for supporting the thermal head in a direction to move away from the lock arm.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-068551 discloses a thermal printer including a first spring that is disposed between a lock arm and a thermal head and biases a platen roller toward the thermal head, and a second spring that is disposed between the thermal head and a body frame and biases the thermal head in a direction to bring the thermal head into close contact with the platen roller.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-094767 discloses a thermal printer where a thermal head and a platen are provided as a unit. The platen is movable away from the thermal head. When the platen is moved away from the thermal head, a paper passage is formed between the thermal head and the platen. When paper is set in the thermal printer, the paper is put through the paper passage.
With the related-art technologies, however, a biasing part such as a coil spring is provided on a back support plate of a lock arm to press a thermal head toward a platen roller relative to the back support plate of the lock arm. This configuration poses some problems.


A distributed control and/or monitoring system and method includes a local application and a remote application separated from the local application. The local application includes a host computer. The remote application includes a plurality of field devices and a communication bus connected to the plurality of field devices. Packet messages are wirelessly communicated between the local application and the remote application such that the host computer and field devices can communicate with each other as if they were directly connected to the same communication bus.

In many industrial settings, control systems are used to monitor and control inventories, processes, and the like. Often, such control systems have a centralized control room, with computer systems having user inputs and outputs and having peripheral systems that are known in the art, such as printers, scanners, and the like. The controller and process subsystems are coupled to the computer systems.
Often control systems are distributed such that field devices are separated or geographically removed from the control room. The process subsystem is connected to the field devices. As used herein, the term "field device" encompasses any device that performs a function in a distributed control system and is known in the control art.
Generally, each field device includes a transducer. A transducer is understood to mean either a device that generates an output signal based on a physical input or that generates a physical output based on an input signal. The transducer transforms an input into an output having a different form. Types of transducers include various analytical equipment, pressure sensors, thermistors, thermocouples, strain gauges, flow transmitters, positioners, actuators, solenoids, indicator lights, and the like.
Traditionally, analog field devices have been connected to the process subsystem and the control room by two-wire twisted-pair current loops, with each device connected to the control room by a single two-wire twisted pair loop. Typically, a voltage differential is maintained between the two wires of approximately 20 to 25 volts, and a current between 4 and 20 milliamps (mA) runs through the loop. An analog field device transmits a signal to the control room by modulating the current running through the current loop to a current proportional to the sensed process variable. An analog field device that performs an action under the control of the control room is controlled by the magnitude of the current through the loop, which is modulated by the ports of the process subsystem under the control of the controller.
Traditional discrete devices transmit or respond to a binary signal. Typically, discrete devices operate with a 24-volt signal (AC or DC), a 110 or 240 volt AC signal, or a 5 volt DC signal. Of course, a discrete device may be designed to operate according to any electrical specification required by the control environment.
While historically field devices were capable of performing only one function, more recently hybrid systems that superimpose digital data on the current loop have been used in distributed control systems. The Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) and the Instrument Society of America (ISA) Fieldbus SP50 standards superimpose a digital carrier signal on the current loop signal. The digital carrier signal can be used to send secondary and diagnostic information. Examples of information provided over the carrier signal include secondary process variables, diagnostic information (such as sensor diagnostics, device diagnostics, wiring diagnostics, process diagnostics, and the like), operating temperatures, sensor temperature, calibration data, device ID numbers, configuration information, and so on. Accordingly, a single field device may have a variety of input and output variables and may implement a variety of functions.
Typically, remote applications have been added to a control system by running very long homerun cables from the control room to the remote application. If the remote application is, for example, a half of a mile away, the costs involved in running such a long cable can be very expensive. If multiple homerun cables have to be run to the remote application, the costs become even more prohibitive. Therefore, wireless communication is desirable. However, to minimize costs, it is also desirable to maintain existing control systems and communication protocols, to reduce the costs associated with changing existing systems to accommodate the wireless communication.

Distributed process control system and method utilizing wireless communication of packet messages


Systems and methods are provided for recording and validating modifications to a secured container. Modifications to the secured container by trusted parties are logged. The log may be maintained in a secured memory of an IHS (Information Handling System) and may be periodically validated. Each logged modification specifies a timestamp of the modification and the digital watermark assigned to the trusted party making the modification. Upon completing modifications, the secured container is sealed by imprinting the first digital watermark and the first timestamp at locations in the secured container specified by a watermarking algorithm assigned to the trusted party making the modification. Additional modifications may be serially watermarked on the secured container according the watermarking algorithm of the trusted party making each modification. The secured container is unsealed by re-applying each of the watermarking algorithms in reverse order. The integrity of the secured container, and each modification, is thus validated.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
An enterprise may employ a wide variety of IHSs within an enterprise system. An enterprise system utilizes IHSs to provide employees with access to the tools and business data required to perform their job functions. An enterprise system is required to support employee productivity, while also placing paramount importance on protecting business data, both from loss and misuse. The difficulty of supporting employee productivity while protecting business data has been greatly compounded by the advent of the modern workplace settings in which employees may expect to access business data from a variety of different locations and are not restricted to the use of a single IHS.
One of the difficulties in securing a modern enterprise system is detecting and mitigating the effects of an employee accessing business data from an IHS that has been compromised. Malicious software, such as computer viruses, may be surreptitiously or unintentionally installed on an IHS utilized by an employee. One tactic employed by such malicious software programs is to appropriate data that is stored by an IHS. Such data thefts may provide malicious actors with valuable financial information and information that may be used in identity thefts. Another tactic employed by malicious actors is the use ransomware that infects an IHS and encrypts data stored by the IHS. The malicious actor may then extort a ransom in order for the owner of the IHS to regain access to the encrypted data.
One technique for protecting enterprise data is to monitor the state of a component storing the enterprise data in order to detect whether the component has been compromised. If the integrity of the component providing access to the enterprise data cannot be validated, access to the enterprise data may be revoked. By monitoring the state of a component, any changes to the component may thus be detected. In certain scenarios, however, components may require modifications, in which case the integrity of the modifications also need to be validated in order to validate the integrity of the component.

Validation of data integrity through watermarking