An interferential current therapy kit for treatment of a patient following an orthopedic shoulder surgery includes, within a container for facilitating the distribution and transport of the kit, a first plurality of electrodes, a second plurality of electrodes and an interferential current therapy control unit. The interferential current therapy control unit is configured to supply interferential current electrical impulses, via the electrodes, so as to give rise to at least one first beat impulse acting on the suprascapular nerve of the patient and so as to give rise to the at least one second beat impulse acting on at least one of an axillary nerve and a supraclavicular nerve of the patient.

The theory of electrical stimulation therapy for pain control has been studied at significant length since it was initially theorized. Historically, the use of electrical properties to control pain dates back to 46 AD when torpedo fish were used to treat headache and gout. The theory behind the effectiveness of the use of electrical stimulation for pain has been described as the gate theory of pain modulation, which describes how pain stimulation can be blocked from reaching the brain by other signals. This theory has provided the bases for pain management with electrical stimulation using different modalities. In the 1950s, the use of interferential current therapy (IFC) was developed to provide dual current therapy to provide deeper tissue penetration to allow for improved pain relief.
In the field of orthopedic surgery, several studies have compared the use of electrical stimulation therapy for patient pain relief with differing results. Two systematic reviews were done comparing use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as a possible adjunct after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Both studies found significant improvement of pain scales and active knee range of motion.
More specifically, IFC therapy has also been compared to both TENS and placebo for pain relief. When compared to TENS for back pain, there are conflicting results. Some studies indicate overall pain improvement but no difference between modalities. Another study found IFC to be more effective in treating chronic low back pain due to deeper tissue penetration. The author of this patent application is an Orthopedic Surgeon, and has compared TENS unit treatment to IFC treatment in clinical practice with findings of IFC use to be far more effective than TENS for treatment of muscular and neurogenic pain.
One study out of Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic clinic in 2001 compared IFC therapy to placebo for post-operative pain, edema and range of motion after ACL, meniscectomy or knee chondroplasty. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled prospective study, patients were treated post-operative with IFC therapy providing therapeutic or placebo electrical stimulation. In the study, all IFC subjects reported significantly less pain and greater range of motion for all reviewed time points.
The techniques of the Kerlan-Jobe study were improved upon, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,682,512, by providing for a system and method employing IFC therapy that may be used by patients following orthopedic surgeries, for example, following knee arthroplasty surgery. The invention disclosed therein provides for improved patient outcomes, which result in shorter hospital stay, reduced use of opioid medication and decreased need for manipulation under anesthesia.
The present invention builds upon the techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,682,512, but is specifically targeted at providing improved outcomes following shoulder surgeries, including shoulder arthroscopies, as well as partial and full shoulder arthroplasties.

System and method employing interferential electrical stimulation following shoulder surgery


The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ultrathin organic light-emitting device and, more specifically, to a method for manufacturing an ultrathin organic light-emitting device capable of dramatically reducing the thickness thereof, in addition to improving light extraction efficiency. To this end, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an ultrathin organic light-emitting device, comprising: a polymer material coating step for coating a polymer material onto a support; a frit coating step for coating a frit paste onto the polymer material; a heat treatment and separation step for conducting heat treatment at a temperature at which the polymer material breaks down, thereby separating the support and a frit substrate which has been formed by heat-treating the frit paste; and a device layer forming step for forming, in sequence, a device layer comprising a first electrode, a device layer comprising an organic light-emitting layer, and a device layer comprising a second electrode, on one side of the frit substrate which has been in contact with the polymer material.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ultrathin organic light-emitting device, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing an ultrathin organic light-emitting device, of which the light extraction efficiency can be improved and the thickness can be significantly reduced.
Description of Related Art
In general, light-emitting devices can be generally divided into organic light-emitting devices in which a light-emitting layer is made of an organic matter and inorganic light-emitting devices in which a light-emitting layer is made of an inorganic matter. In these light-emitting devices, the light-emitting layer is a self light-emitting layer which generates light using energy emitted from excitons that are generated through the recombination of electrons injected through a cathode and holes injected through an anode. Such organic light-emitting devices have a variety of advantages, such as, low-voltage driving, self-emission, a wide viewing angle, a high resolution, natural color reproduction and rapid response.
Recently, active studies are underway in order to apply organic light-emitting devices to a variety of devices, such as portable information devices, cameras, watches, office equipment, information display windows of vehicles, televisions (TVs), displays, or illumination systems.
Approaches for improving the luminous efficiency of organic light-emitting devices include an approach of improving the luminous efficiency of a material that constitutes a light-emitting layer and an approach of improving the light extraction efficiency at which light generated from the light-emitting layer is extracted.
The light extraction efficiency depends on the refractive indices of layers which form an organic light-emitting device. In a typical organic light-emitting device, when a ray of light generated from the light-emitting layer is emitted at an angle greater than a critical angle, the ray of light is totally reflected at the interface between a higher-refractivity layer, such as a transparent electrode layer, and a lower-refractivity layer, such as a glass substrate. This consequently lowers the light extraction efficiency, thereby lowering the overall luminous efficiency of the organic light-emitting device, which is problematic.
More specifically, only about 20% of light generated from the light-emitting layer is emitted to the outside and about 80% of the light is lost by a waveguide effect originating from the difference in the refractive index between the light-emitting layer which includes an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, an emissive layer, a hole transport layer, and hole injection layer, and an anode, and a glass substrate, as well as by a total internal reflection originating from the difference in the refractive index between the glass substrate and the air. Here, the refractive index of the internal organic light-emitting layer ranges from 1.7 to 1.8, whereas the refractive index of indium tin oxide (ITO) which is generally used for the anode is about 1.9. Since the two layers have a very small thickness ranging from 200 to 400 nm and the refractive index of glass used for the glass substrate is about 1.5, a planar waveguide is thereby caused inside the organic light-emitting device. It is calculated that the ratio of the light lost in the internal waveguide mode due to the above-described reason is about 45%. In addition, since the refractive index of the glass substrate is about 1.5 and the refractive index of the ambient air is 1.0, when the light is directed outward from the inside of the glass substrate, a ray of the light having an angle of incidence greater than a critical angle is totally reflected and is trapped inside the glass substrate. The ratio of the trapped light is up to about 35%, and only about 20% of the generated light is emitted to the outside.
The organic light-emitting device is gaining increasing interest due to its slim profile that is thinner than those of the other light-emitting devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Since the self-emitting organic light-emitting device does not require a backlight unit (BLU) to be added thereto, the organic light-emitting device advantageously allows a final product with a thickness of several millimeters. However, although it is desired to further reduce the thickness of the organic light-emitting device, it is impossible to further reduce the thickness of the organic light-emitting device based on the existing structure or process, since there is a limit in reducing the thickness of a glass substrate or an encapsulation glass substrate of the organic light-emitting device. When the organic light-emitting device is fabricated under the existing process, the minimum thickness of the glass substrate is 0.1 mm. When the organic light-emitting device is fabricated based on the existing process, the thickness of the organic light-emitting device must be greater than the thickness of the glass substrate.
The information disclosed in the Background of the Invention section is provided only for better understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms a prior art that would already be known to a person skilled in the art.

Method for manufacturing ultrathin organic light-emitting device


A control logic detects voltage regulator failure in a power supply. The control logic comprises first and second lines configured for respective connection to a controller node and a phase node of a voltage regulator, a delay element coupled to the first line configured to delay signals at the controller node into alignment with signals at the phase node, and a level detector coupled to the second line configured to convert the signals at the phase node into at least two digital representations indicative of respective signal thresholds. A logic compares timing of the delayed signals with the digital representations and detects occurrence of a voltage regulator fault based on the timing comparison.

Voltage regulators, for example DC-DC converters, supply a stable power source to an electronic system. Voltage regulators are typically designed to maintain terminal voltage sources within specified limits even in variable input voltage and/or load conditions. Voltage regulators are typically susceptible to faults or failures, which can cause the output voltage of the regulator to go outside a suitable range during a fault. A fault in the voltage regulator can damage a device using the regulated DC voltage or render the device unusable.
A fault may not be detected until the affected voltage regulator is out of tolerance as determined by a fault detection device that monitors the output voltage of the regulator. To avoid catastrophic failure of the system, redundant voltage regulators can be used to ensure reliability, coupled in parallel to a load device so that if one voltage regulator fails, another continues to maintain a stable supply voltage.
Typically the redundant voltage regulators are connected at an output voltage rail. To isolate the parallel-connected voltage regulators for fault tolerance, a diode can be connected between the individual voltage regulators and the rail. However, an OR-connection of the diodes to isolate a faulty voltage converter can decrease system efficiency due to the finite voltage drop of the diodes and can prevent suitable dynamic load performance.
The difficulties in making the parallel connection of redundant voltage regulators can be avoided by detecting faults and disabling a faulty regulator before the output voltage goes out of regulation.

Failure detection in a voltage regulator

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A patterned indicator is provided which contains latent information. The patterned indicator includes a first substrate having first and second surfaces, the first surface having a uniform pattern printed of an ink thereon. A second transparent substrate having first and second surfaces is also provided. An adhesive activator is provided on the first surface of the second substrate. The indicator is activated by placement of the first surfaces of the first and second substrates into adhesive contact such that the ink and adhesive activator coact to cause the ink pattern to gradually bleed and blend together to cause a change visually perceptible through the transparent substrate in a selected time interval.. A preferred embodiment of the invention is a parking permit, while other preferred embodiments include transit tickets, admission tickets, time passage indicators for other applications. Also within the scope of this invention are patterned indicators printed with inks having multiple sensitivities for indicating tampering with goods in packages sealed with such indicators.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to patterned indicators, wherein latent information is contained within a pattern. The latent is revealed upon the application of an activator or stimulus to the pattern.
In particular, this invention relates to an indicator wherein the relative amount of time that has elapsed from the initial activation of the indicator can be rapidly and easily determined by the progression of a visually perceptible change in color along different areas of the indicator. Also this invention relates to indicators wherein a latent pattern hidden in an array is brought forth upon application of activator or stimulus or after a period of time to reveal or conceal information. This invention also relates to a novel means for adjusting selected time periods for such indicators. Further, this invention relates to security indicators that expose latent information upon being attacked in various manners.
2. Prior Art
Numerous devices are known which provide a visual indication of the passage of a pre-arranged amount of time. Such time indicators are useful, for example, when attached to perishable items for indicating the length of time the items have been on the wholesaler's or retailer's shelf. Thus, foods and other perishable items such as photographic materials can be provided with indicators which after being activated, evidence a visual change, after the passage of a predetermined period of time. Time-temperature indicators are also known which indicate a visual change as a function of both time and temperature. Virtually any time indicator however is also, at least to a minor extent, dependent upon temperature.
Applicant is aware of the following prior art, none of which teach or suggest the claims of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,611 to Biritz describes a time indicator device which may be used for frozen foods, parking times, construction periods, etc. The device comprises a backing which is attachable to the outer surface of, for example, a package of frozen food. Superimposed on the backing is a strip of filter paper having a chemical reagent laminated thereto. The chemical reagent is an oxygen reactive material. The strip is hermetically sealed by a covering of transparent, impervious pressure sensitive cellophane which allows visual inspection of the oxygen reactive layer. A pin-hole size opening is provided in the covering to allow for ingress of air within the interior of the container. This opening is sealed by a removable tape. When the tape is removed the oxygen reactive material reacts to change color by permitting air to enter and diffuse into the container to make contact with the material. The pin-hole opening is provided at one end of the container and as time proceeds, the color proceeds toward the other unexposed end of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,124 to Myers, describes a parked car time indicator which includes a first sheet having a first reactant and a second sheet having a second reactant, and a release sheet, which is peeled away to permit contact of the first sheet with the second sheet to start a reaction over a selective time interval terminating with a color change of the reactants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,402 to Jackson, describes a time indicator formed of an absorbent carrier having absorbed thereon at least one chemical compound which changes color upon exposure to oxygen. The carrier and chemical compound absorbed thereon are protected from ambient oxygen by a non-perforated barrier layer which is transparent and through which atmospheric oxygen can controllably diffuse over a preselected period of time. Thus, when the chemical compound changes color, the preselected period of time is indicated. The graduated time indicator may be produced by utilizing more than one chemical or a layer covering the various pieces of absorbent material of different thickness. For each piece of absorbent material, the chemical absorbed on the piece of absorbent material would change color at different times, e.g., the chemical on one piece would change color after, say, one week, and the chemical absorbed on another piece would change color after ten days, and the chemical on a further piece of absorbent material would change color after fourteen days. Thus, a graduated time indicator is described.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,954,011 and 3,962,920 to Manske, describes a time indicating device suitable for visibly measuring parameters such as time, temperature and time-temperature relationships. The device includes a porous fluid-carrying pad, a wick material for said fluid and an indicator means whereby the progress of fluid along the wick material can be visibly indicated and used to measure the passage of time, the exposure to a given minimum temperature or time-temperature relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,876 to Delatorre describes an apparatus for visually indicating elapsed time by a color change which comprises a transparent container having a rupturable capsule therein and in which a first composition is contained. A transparent matrix surrounds the second composition which is also in the container. The device may be secured to a surface by means of a mechanical fastener or an adhesive layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,153 to Kydonieus, et al describes a laminated indicator which changes in a visually perceptible mode with the passage of time. The indicator comprises at least two layers whereby the molecular migration of an agent in an interior layer to the outermost surface of the exterior layer causes a change which is visually perceptible. This reference also describes the use of a step-wedge test color panel placed next to the indicator which is used to compare the developed color or shade. The step-wedge can be provided with indicia corresponding to the time period required to develop the color at each step of the wedge.
Attention is also drawn to U.S. Ser. No. 07/401,080 entitled "Time Indicator Enhancement Method", filed Aug. 31, 1989, and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,254, which is an improvement of the aforementioned patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,153 to Kydonieus et al. In that it provides a time indicator badge which provides a clear indication of the expiration of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,813 to Lilly, et al describes a time indicator which utilizes a silicon oil which is slowly absorbed onto and moves up a porous strip at a rate which is a function of time. One side of the strip is printed with an oil soluble ink, while the other side is unprinted. The printed side of the strip is laminated with polyethylene film to an unprinted strip. As the silicon oil moves up the strip, the oil contacts the ink causing a dye in the ink to migrate from the printed side to the unprinted side, thus providing a measurable color front moving up the strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,700 to Youngren describes an indicator which contains a mineral jelly which is in contact with a wick, such that the mineral jelly diffuses into the paper in accordance with the changes in ambient temperature over a period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,557 to Bradley, et al describes a timer comprising an absorptive layer disposed on a base layer which accepts a carrier mixture at a predetermined rate. A barrier means is disposed between the carrier mixture and the absorptive layer, and the removal of the barrier activates the timer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,330 to Nichols describes a color change indicator which includes a liquid having a predetermined index of refraction and a rate of evaporation, a reservoir for holding liquid, and an opacifying layer of microporous material. The opacifying layer has an index of refraction approximately the same as that of a liquid and overlies the reservoir. The opacifying layer has an open cell network of pores for absorbing liquid from the reservoir and is in a first radiation scattering condition when the liquid occupies the opacifying layer, and in a second scattering condition when the liquid is depleted from the opacifying layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,122 to Seybold describes a diffusion controlled security tag comprising a carrier containing a solution of a compound which changes color upon diffusion or evaporation of the solvent. The carrier is enveloped in a barrier film which controls the rate of diffusion/evaporation of the solvent from the carrier, such that a change in color of the carrier indicates undesirable storage or product tampering.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,393 to Lenkoff discloses a coloring package combination comprising magic pictures and a felt tip marker pen filled with water. The pictures comprise printed papers which have various figures outlined in dark colors, wherein space within the figure is printed with a uniform water soluble ink including one or more latent water soluble color materials which may be printed in a pattern of dots. When the insoluble imprints of ink are contact by the felt tip pen, the water in the pen is deposited on the paper and releases a latent coloring material which spreads it on the paper.
European Patent Application 0 451 888 A2 to Pedicano discloses an indicator wherein a migrating ink blends through an opaque layer where it can be seen. The Pedicano device has a base portion and an indicator portion. The base portion includes a clear and permeable base coated onto a non-occurring coating having a release sheet. The clear impermeable base carries printed ink, a portion of which contains the migrating ink. The indicator layer includes a clear and permeable top layer, a non-occurring indicator layer coating an indicator release sheet. The non-occurring indicator layer coating, upon activation of the indicator, is exposed into adhering contact with the base layer to contact the printed ink. The indicator layer is preferably an opaque plasticizer-vinyl-titanium dioxide mixture. This opaque layer provides a background for a message display and obscures the non-migrating camouflage component of the printed ink. The content of Pedicano is an article 54(3) prior art, and is therefore only considered for novelty purposes.
International Publication No. WO 91/06853 to Muller discloses an indicator for attaching to objects to display time lapses. The indicator produces a visible display by means of a color change produced by the reaction of chemical substances which are initially separated by one or more barriers. The barrier can be penetrated by local corrosion of a chemical substance initially enclosed by the barrier.
International Publication No. WO 91/04520 to Tothill describes a timer for visibly indicating elapsed time comprising a lamination containing a piece of porous wick material and a reservoir of liquid. As the liquid in the reservoir is released, it soaks into the porous wick thereby creating a visible trace of liquid. Traces can be viewed through the transparent lamination.
Australian Patent Specification No. 290,343 to Morison discloses an indicating device indicating a variety of parameters including time, temperature, viscosity, or surface tension of liquids. The invention comprises a capillary material of a preselected plurosity having connected voids of sufficiently small size to induce an aggressive absorption of liquid, a cover ring material enclosing capillary material, and a closed reservoir for holding a fluid of controlled surface tension and absolute viscosity properties, whereby the covering material is impervious to the fluid and the reservoir is communicable with the capillary material to enable the fluid to flow from the reservoir and become progressively absorbed in the capillary material, the rate of travel of the fluid being effected at a temperature of the fluid.
One of the problems associated with all of the foregoing devices is that they are complicated to adjust for a selected period of time. Adjustment often involves experimentation with many types of inks, solvents, wicks, etc. to prepare a device which can operate under the conditions expected. Additionally, very few of these devices can indicate the relative length of time that has elapsed since the device was activated, i.e., it is difficult to determine what fraction of the selected period of time has elapsed. Most of the prior art devices gradually change color over a period of time and involve, at best, a guess on how much time has elapsed. When this is combined with the possible variations in temperature, humidity, etc. that may exist in the environment of the time indicator, the viewer has very little confidence that he is close to the expiration time of the device.
A need thus exists for an indicator which is inexpensive and can clearly, relatively accurately and quickly indicate the lapse of progressive selected periods of time increments. Also, there is a need for indicators which provide information upon the passage of discrete time intervals. Further, there is a need for self-expiring or self-canceling tickets to prevent reuse and counterfeiting. Further still, there is a need for a means for easily adjusting the selected period of time without the cumbersome trial and error methods used in the past.
In a related aspect of this inventions, there is also a need for maintaining the security of sealed packages. Enormous sums are lost each year by industry from theft occurring during transportation of goods in packages. Thieves simply open the packages in which goods are transported, remove goods, and reseal the packages. The unwary purchaser is thereby victimized. There is thus a need for tamper indicating security means which requires merely a brief visual inspection of the package in which the goods are transported to determine whether the package has been tampered with.


A technique versions a configuration of data storage equipment. The technique involves receiving, while the data storage equipment operates in accordance with a first version of the configuration of the data storage equipment, a configuration change command to change the configuration of the data storage equipment. The technique further involves changing the first version of the configuration of the data storage equipment to a second version of the configuration of the data storage equipment in response to the configuration change command. The technique further involves, while the data storage equipment operates in accordance with the second version of the configuration of the data storage equipment, concurrently maintaining access to the first version of the configuration of the data storage equipment and the second version of the configuration of the data storage equipment.

A data storage system performs host read and host write operations on behalf of one or more external host devices. Examples of such host devices include file servers, web servers, email servers, database servers, transaction servers, combinations thereof, and the like.
During operation, the data storage system may encounter various changes. Along these lines, a human administrator may change the size of a cache, replace a magnetic disk drive, invoke/disable snapshotting, add/remove replication targets, alter the time at which backups are performed, and so on.
For example, suppose that a human administrator initially sets up an asynchronous replication session between a first storage array and a second storage array to asynchronously replicate a particular storage object from the first storage array to the second storage array. At some later time and perhaps among other activities, the human administrator may decide to change how the particular storage object is replicated from the first storage array to the second storage array. For instance, suppose the human administrator operates a graphical user interface (GUI) of the data storage system to change the process of replicating the particular storage object from asynchronous replication to synchronous replication. Accordingly, the GUI overwrites the current replication setting from "asynchronous" to "synchronous". In turn, the data storage system responds by synchronizing the particular storage object from the first storage array to the second storage array and thereafter performing synchronous replication on the particular storage object.

Versioning a configuration of data storage equipment


A washer based nut has a nut body (11), a frustum disc spring (12) of a countersunk shape and rotatably fitting on the nut body, and a washer (14) for bearing against wooden articles. The washer has a central bore (16) and a round recess (17) formed around the bore and in a top face of the washer, and the round recess (17) formed coaxial with the central bore has a diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the frustum disc spring (12) such that the latter is fitted in the round recess. Two or more portions of a circular periphery of the round recess (17) are deformed to retain the washer (14) on the frustum disc spring (12), so that the fastening works are rendered more efficient and manufacture cost of the nuts is reduced, under an easier management of the parts.

The present invention relates to a washer based nut comprising a washer that is combined with a nut body for use is fastening wooden articles such as foundations of wooden houses to certain anchor bolts whose feet are embedded in and secured to a footstall.
In general, the washers combined with such wooden article-fastening nuts must have a sufficient diameter and sufficient thickness so as not to `cut` into those wooden foundations when said nuts are forcibly driven and tightened on the anchor bolts. According to the current standards, those nuts for instance of `M14` class must be used with round steel washers 4 mm thick and having a diameter of 45 mm or, alternatively, with square steel washers also 4 mm thick and having a size of 45 mm.times.45 mm. The wooden foundations, and more particularly their portions thus pressed with those washers and nuts, may tend to become slender and lower the fastening effect thereof in the course of time. Therefore, an annular leaf spring has been interposed between each of those large washers and the nut body, in order to compensate any significant reduction in thickness of those foundation portions.
FIG. 5 shows one example of the prior art washer based nuts of the described type. In this example, a nut body 1 is attached to a large washer 3 serving as the `base` for the nut body, with an annular leaf spring seat 2 intervening between them and these three parts forming an integral unit. Since each nut body is freely rotatable on and relative to the washer, such nut units reduce labor in construction works and are convenient to manage their parts.
However in the prior art washer based nut shown in FIG. 5, the nut body 1 must comprise a tall cylindrical boss 4 continuing therefrom towards the washer that has to be combined with the nut body. The rim defining a free open end of this boss has to be deformed uniformly and centrifugally within the washer 3 underlying the spring seat 2. The step of deforming the cylindrical `boss` end in this way is somewhat difficult and noticeably raises overall manufacture cost. A round recess 5 formed in the bottom of washer 3 and around the central bore thereof for rotatably receiving the cylindrical boss 4 does leave there a thin annular shoulder 6. Since this thinned shoulder is subject to a strong thrust imparted thereto when fastening the nut, it has been difficult for the central portion of the washer to realize its full strength inherent in the increased thickness.

Nut having frustum disc spring and washer for fastening wooden articles


Handoffs must be fast for wireless mobile nodes without sacrificing the security between a mobile node and wireless access points in an access network. A secure session keys context approach is shown having all the good features, like mobility and security optimization, of the currently existing proposals of key-request, pre-authentication, and pre-distribution but also providing improved scalability for the access network and for the mobile node. The new approach is compared to the existing proposals including memory requirements and especially how to reduce memory usage using a “just-in-time” transfer of security information between access points and a mobile node during a handover.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to secure wireless communications and, more particularly, to preserving security of a wireless communication during handover.
2. Discussion of Related Art
I. Introduction
Protected Session Keys (SK) management for mobile terminals attached to wireless access networks has become a hot research topic. The term "Session Keys" (SKs) refers to keys that are used to create ciphering keys between an Access Point (AP) and a Mobile Node (MN). This SK could also be named as an Authentication Key (AK). In IEEE groups such as 802.11(r,i)[17], 802.21, and 802.16 (WiMAX) are working with issues to improve support for mobile terminals without sacrificing the security of Mobile Node sessions. The so-called Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) working group in the IETF (RFC 3748) is working with key hierarchies and key derivation [2]. The IETF Protocol for carrying Authentication for Network Access (PANA) working group is tackling the issue of mobility optimizations for the PANA protocol [12], 13] and at a high-level is facing the same problem as the other groups. They have all encountered the security problem of using the same SKs with multiple APs. Thus, one of the key issues in the SK management area has been a requirement of having cryptographically separate SKs for every Access Point (AP) [1]. To achieve this, different proposals have emerged. Three existing proposals are analyzed, namely pre-distribution, key-request, and pre-authentication, and they are compared to the new approach of the invention.
The remainder of this background section describes the reference architecture, an analysis is provided of separate SKs used for APs in the context of a handoff process. The three existing proposals for separate session keys for APs are then described.
II. Separate Session Keys for Access Points
A. Reference Architecture
In this specification a simple reference architecture is focused upon, in which a centralized gateway (GW) is connected with multiple APs. This architecture is outlined in FIG. 1. All the APs have a wireless interface towards the wireless MN and a wired (or wireless) interface towards a centralized GW. APs forward packets between the MN and the GW and the wireless MN can be moving between the APs, leading to handoffs. The GW forwards packets to and from the MN to the Internet. The access network has multiple randomly attached MNs. One AP may handle multiple MNs simultaneously. APs under the control of the GW have direct connections via an Ethernet switch for example. Other connections are of course possible and this is but one example. In this specification it is assumed that the traffic protection happens between the MN and the AP, not for example between the MN and the GW. In this way the APs can filter traffic that is not properly authenticated and protect the GW from direct attacks. All SK establishment and distribution mechanisms described in this specification would not be needed if the MN uses the session with the GW to create ciphering keys between them. This would mean that the packets are encrypted and decrypted in the MN and the GW. Also, in such a case the rogue-AP security threat would not be critical because the AP would not be able to decrypt the traffic. On the other hand, integrity protection of the control plane signaling between the MN and the AP would have to be protected or moved from the AP to the GW.
When a wireless MN is changing its attachment point from one AP to another, this change is called a handoff. The new AP is the AP that the MN changes its attachment point to. This AP can also be called the target AP, as it is the target of the handoff process. The old AP is the AP from which the MN switches to the new AP. This AP can also be called the previous AP. The serving AP is the AP that the MN is currently attached to.
The GW has a security association with all the APs (SA1, SA2, SA3) as shown in FIG. 1. These security associations (SA) can be used to encrypt and protect the integrity of data packets to preserve confidentiality of the information between the AP and the GW. Both the MN and the GW have a common Key Root (KR). Usually the KR is formed as a result of an authentication protocol run between the MN and an Authentication Server (AS) that may reside in the Internet or in the GW. This authentication protocol run that is (for example EAP [10]) is out of the scope of this invention and is not described in further detail. Here it is just assumed that the KR has been established. Privacy must be preserved for the MN in such a way that it does not reveal its permanent identity in plain text over the wireless interface. The KR could be used to protect the identity exchange after it has been established, but before that other protection mechanisms must be used, e.g., using public key cryptography to encrypt the permanent identity or using temporary identities. This need not be discussed any further herein.
B. Session Keys
FIG. 2 shows a simplified key hierarchy, where long-term credentials are used to derive a KR based on an authentication signaling. The KR is used to derive SKs for the sessions between a MN and an AP. The SK is a shared secret between the MN and the AP that currently communicates with the MN. The SK is used to create fresh ciphering keys that protect the packets on the wireless link between MN and the respective AP. SK derivation is a process in which a Key Derivation Function (KDF) is used to create new keys from existing keying material. The KDF is typically based on a one-way hash function. An example of the SK derivation function is given below. The assumption here is that the KR is fresh and nonces are not used because the system must be able to derive the keys based on the existing information. Ciphering (session) key derivation would additionally include nonces into the KDF.SKMNx-APi=KDF{KR∥IDAPi∥TIDMNx∥"AP Key"}  (1)
Where
i =index (AP number)SKMNx-APi =Session Key between APi and MNxKDF =Key Derivation FunctionKR =Key RootIDAPi =Public Identity of the APiTIDMNx =Access network specific MNx identifier"AP Key" =Constant stringFrom a security perspective there exists a threat that an AP may have been compromised. A compromised AP is called rogue-AP. To mitigate the threat of a rogue-AP a requirement for SK management has been created [1]. The requirement is that the MN has cryptographically separate SKs with each and every AP it is communicating with on the wireless link. This means that when the MN moves for example from AP1 to AP2, it must change the SK it had with AP1 to a new SK with AP2. Cryptographically separate or independent SKs means that an AP must not be able to derive an SK that was used or will be used in some other AP. Based on the reference architecture and the KR between MN and GW it is assumed that the MN is able to derive AP specific SKs based on the information that the AP is advertising on the access link. At a high level, the KDF is fed with the KR key and AP identity information and the result is a session key that is bound to the AP's identity. This mechanism is called channel binding. The MN needs to know the AP identity to derive the AP specific session key. This typically happens during the handoff. The MN needs to send its identity to the AP, so that AP is able to find the correct key.
Schemes in which the same SKs are transferred from one AP to another must be rejected, because they do not fulfill the security requirement of separated SKs. Key derivation mechanisms between APs and the MN that use public key (asymmetric) cryptography, like AP certificates, fulfill the requirement of SK independence, but typically require heavier computation than symmetric key cryptography (shared secrets). Handoffs are time critical and thus asymmetric cryptography is something that is not considered any further herein for SK creation between MN and an AP.
C. Handoff Considerations with Separate Session Keys
It is possible to derive the target AP specific session key before the handoff if the MN knows the target AP's identity (material needed for the key derivation). This way the key derivation process does not add to the handoff time. On the other hand executing a hash function of a few bytes is very fast. If MN buffers encrypted upstream data and handoff occurs, the new AP is not able to decrypt the upstream packets encrypted for the old AP. This means that the MN must discard the encrypted upstream packets in the buffer and re-encrypt the same packets with the new AP specific SKs. This can however be problematic if there is no other buffer of plain text packets available anymore. In the worst case an upper protocol layer must be informed that the packets were lost. Discarding encrypted upstream packets and re-encrypting them adds to the handoff delay. This problem arises also in uplink soft handovers, where the MN concurrently sends uplink packets to two APs. To overcome this problem the upper-layer must either buffer upstream data without encryption or encrypt them with both old and new AP SKs.
The MN cannot derive an AP specific SK before it gets the AP identity. On the other hand, deriving keys beforehand is not possible if real data protection keys need to be further derived from the AP specific SK based on communication between the MN and the target AP (for example nonce exchanges). In other words, deriving ciphering keys beforehand is not possible if communication between the MN and the target AP is needed, for example nonces exchange. This method to create fresh protection keys is in many cases required to provide replay protection. With separate SKs per AP this threat of replay attack is limited to the scope of a single AP with the same SK. If a fresh nonce can be transferred to the MN together with the AP identity, then the MN has all the required external information to derive SK based protection keys. The MN itself can choose a fresh and random nonce and send it along with the first upstream message to the AP. Now, the only problem is that the new AP can't send encrypted data to the MN without first getting the nonce from it. To overcome this problem, the MN can send its own fresh nonce before the handoff to the network, which then must deliver the nonce to the MN's target AP. This can happen for example during a context transfer from the current AP to the target AP.
Next are described three existing solutions for preserving cryptographically separate SKs for APs serving MNs, first (1) pre-distribution, then (2) key-request and finally (3) pre-authentication.
III. Session Management Mechanisms
This section describes three existing proposals for wireless mobile networks that require separate SKs for each AP. In Kerberos [15] the MN or client uses tickets to authenticate to servers and services. This description concentrates on methods that do not require the MN to carry and transfer keys for the APs.
A. Predistribution
In a pre-distribution [4][8], [17] scheme, as shown in FIG. 3, the GW derives AP specific SKs and distributes them to a number of APs when the MN has successfully attached to the access network. Channel-binding mechanisms are used in AP specific key derivation as described in the section II.A. above describing the Reference Architecture.
The benefit of this approach is that when the MN moves from one AP to another the new AP already has a session key for the MN because it was pre-distributed. This way the AP doesn't have to fetch the key or derive the key, but it needs to find a correct key from its key database (memory). To find a correct key AP needs to know the corresponding identity of the MN. This means that the MN's identity must be communicated to the AP before it is able to find the correct key and prepare the communication channel further. Another drawback is that the MN may never move under an AP that has a session key ready for it. This means that the APs are reserving memory resources even if they never need them. Pre-distribution may happen only for selection of APs near the MN. For this reason if the MN moves out of the pre-distribution area, new keys must be distributed from the GW.
In a rogue-AP situation, in which an attacker has gained access to an AP, it is possible for the attacker to know how many MNs are active in the area or even identify the MNs based on the key names used.
B. Key-Request
In a key-request scenario, such as shown in FIG. 4, the GW is contacted in every handoff. GW acts as an on-request Key Distribution Center (KDC) and delivers an AP specific session derived from the KR. When the MN moves from AP1 to AP2, the MN does a fast re-authentication with the GW through AP2. As a result the AP2 and the MN have a new AP2 and MN specific session key.
This scenario provides just in time, separate and fresh SKs for every AP, but the key derivation and signaling with the GW adds to the handoff delay (break).
C. Pre-Authentication
In a pre-authentication scenario [17], such as shown in FIG. 5, the MN authenticates with multiple APs through a single AP [17], [18], [20]. This way the MN has pre-established SKs with multiple neighboring APs.
When the MN moves from AP1 to AP2 or AP3 the pre-established session key is used. This makes the handoffs very fast since no signaling between AP and GW is needed. Also signaling between new and old APs is unnecessary. When doing pre-authentication, the AS and GW are heavily loaded. The high probability that the MN does not visit all the APs makes this scenario less efficient.


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a flexible substrate and a plurality of OLEDs. The flexibility substrate includes at least one curved portion. The OLEDs are positioned in every pixel area that is set on the flexible substrate and includes a pixel electrode, an organic emission layer, and a common electrode. At least one OLED that is positioned at a curved portion in the OLEDs is formed in a lens shape and concentrates light toward the center of a pixel area.

1. Field
The described technology generally relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and more particularly to a flexible OLED display.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An OLED display includes an OLED and a pixel circuit in every pixel area on a substrate and displays an image using light that is emitted from a plurality of OLEDs. The OLED display is a self light emitting type and thus does not require a backlight, unlike a liquid crystal display (LCD) and can thus reduce a thickness and a weight.

Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including curved OLED


An external fixation apparatus for applying force against a single isolated plane of deformity in the distal radius for fracture treatment, and which can be used to avoid the need for a bone graft to correct a distal radius malunion. A pair of laterally spaced-apart circular rings are coupled by three rods extending between the rings. Z-shaped brackets are used to offset each of the rods distal to the distal ring, and each rod is pivotally coupled to a Z-shaped bracket by a ball joint. One of the rods is also coupled to a gear mechanism and functions as a pushrod that provides for adjustment of the spacing between the rings along the axis of the pushrod. Each ring carries a radius fixation mechanism, and an optional metacarpal fixation mechanism can be attached to the distal side of the distal ring. An optional ulnar fixation mechanism can also be attached to the proximal ring.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to treating bone fractures, and more particularly to an external fixation apparatus for treatment of fractures and malunions of the distal radius which eliminates the need for bone grafting.
2. Description of the Background Art
External fixation devices are well known in the field of orthopedic medicine, and such devices are widely used to support and align a fractured bone to facilitate healing. External fixators commonly include a frame made from interconnected bars and full or partial rings having a number of holes, where the rings fit partially around the bone, or completely surround the bone. Additionally, single rings can be used or multiple spaced-apart rings can be used. The devices are then secured to the bone using transfixating wires or pins and/or non-transfixating pins. Transfixating wires and pins pass laterally through the bone and are typically connected at opposite ends to the frame, whereas non-transfixating pins are introduced into the bone without completely transversing it. Once the pins or wires are inserted in the bones and tissue, small adjustment to the alignment to the frame with respect to the bone are typically made by removing, realigning and reattaching components to the bone.
A common problem with the majority of external fixation systems used for the distal radius is that they are only capable of maintaining a reduction that is obtained manually. Such systems apply ligamentaxis in a longitudinal fashion without concern for the three dimensionality of the fracture deformity. One device that is available, known as the Agree Wrist Jack, has attempted to solve this problem by applying ligamentaxis in several planes, and the technique is referred to as "multiplanar ligamentaxis" in the medical field. This device, however, tries to achieve reduction in a stepwise fashion; that is, a deformity is corrected sequentially in one plane at time. Unfortunately, however, correcting one plane of deformity creates a block to correcting the second plane of deformity due to the ligamentous anatomy. While the Agee Wrist Jack is the current state of the art in distal radius fracture fixation, it suffers from the lack of appreciation that a fracture deformity is three dimensional and exists in only one plane.
In an attempt to solve this problem, devices have been developed to direct the force against the single isolated plane of deformity. For example, the Ilizarov methodology of fracture fixation employs a huge assortment of rings and pieces of equipment that look very similar to an erector set, and use of the equipment requires special training. The frame is fashioned from the rings and rods using nuts and bolts, with complicated assembly being required each time that a frame is set up for a particular patient. In addition, the device requires complicated disassembly and, in effect, rebuilding of the frame configuration to make periodic adjustment. Most surgeons who treat fractures are intimidated by the complexity of such equipment.
In addition, the current state of the art for correcting distal radius malunions is surgical osteotomy of the bone followed by bone grafting with plate fixation. This requires harvesting the bone from the iliac crest, thus creating more morbidity. It also leaves a plate and screws in a person which can cause future problems. While the Ilizarov methodology can be used to avoid a bone graft, the equipment is very complex as described above.
Therefore, there is a need for an external fixation device that can be used for both fracture treatment and malunion treatment of the distal radius in the forearm, that does not require complicated assembly and disassembly, and that will direct the applied force against the single isolated plane of deformity. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies in currently available technology.

Apparatus for treatment of fracture and malunion of the distal radius

The Regents of the University of California


There is provided an image processing method including acquiring a degree of attention of a viewer to a stereoscopic input image, acquiring a relation between the degree of attention and a disparity value for stereovision from each pixel of the input image, and weighting a disparity value of a pixel having the high degree of attention on the basis of the relation between the degree of attention and the disparity value, and increasing the disparity value of the pixel having the high degree of attention.

The present disclosure relates to an image processing method, an image processing device, and an electronic device.
In recent years, stereoscopic display device that can stereoscopically display content have become widespread. In such stereoscopic display device, images for the right eye and images for the left eye are displayed on a display while being deviated from each other in the horizontal direction, a disparity amount is adjusted to the extent of the deviation, and accordingly, content is displayed at an arbitrary distance in a depth direction.
For example, as described in JP2010-529521T, a technology for efficiently using a disparity display range in front or back of a display screen in a case where disparity distribution is biased toward one side with respect to the display screen is known. In this technology, histogram smoothing (histogram equalization) which is widely used as a technology for enhancing contrast of an image is performed on a display map, and layout of the disparity is converted in a manner that the bias of the distribution is reduced in a limited disparity range.

Image processing method, image processing device, and electronic device


A binder for containing a plurality removable paper sheets and having a back portion with covers attached to each side thereof and an elongated spine portion attached to the inside of the back portion with a plurality of binder rings integrally formed with the elongated spine to form a single unit. The annular rings have an outer portion of a first width and an inner portion of a second smaller width that matingly engages die-cut recesses in each sheet that likewise have a first narrow portion extending inwardly from the edge of the sheet to a second portion having a greater width than the first narrow portion such that the paper sheets can be inserted and removed from attachment to the binder rings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a loose-leaf binder structure for containing removable pages and in particular relates to a loose-leaf binder structure in which binder rings are integrally formed with an elongated spine that is rigidly attached to and extends along the inner surface of an elongated back portion of a binder.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
There are many types of prior art binding devices that hold bound pages. Some of them are locking ring notebooks while others are spiral ring notebooks.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,114, there is described a modular binder ring comprising a flat disk-shaped central portion having a first axial width and an aperture disposed substantially in the center thereof. An annular outer rim is formed on the periphery of the central portion. The annular rim includes an arcuately-shaped outer surface which is configured as the outer segment of a circle. A plurality of loose-leaf paper sheets with die-cut recesses proximate an outer edge thereof attach to at least two of the binder rings. The die-cut recesses are configured to loosely fit on the annular outer rims of the binder rings.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,065, a loose-leaf binder structure is disclosed in which a pair of swingable covers and a back is provided with a plurality of spaced rings extending through openings in the cover for interlocking with a base element. A rib has a plurality of notches on the base and each ring includes a central web extending through the cover for receipt in a corresponding notch to the end web and rib. Thus the ring elements are secured to a base member through slots formed in the cover or back portion of the notebook so that the parts are releasably connected, thereby eliminating the need for conventional riveting or adhesive operations to secure the rings to the notebook binder.
In each of these cases, there is lacking a simple notebook having a binder with an elongated back portion with opposed longitudinal edges and a pair of cover portions hingedly attached to the longitudinal edges of the back portion for containing removable sheets of paper. It would be advantageous to have such a simple binder that could contain a plurality of removable sheets of paper.


The production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation is enhanced by use of a well treatment fluid which contains a carboxylated guar which may be prepared by reacting a guar source and a derivatizing agent of the formula X(CH2)nCOOH or alkali salts thereof, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of —OSO2CH3; —OSO2C2H5; —OTs, —Br, and —I and n is between from 1 to 4. The intrinsic viscosity of the carboxylated guar in 2% KCl at 27° C. is at least 750 mL/g and the degree of substitution (DS) of the carboxylated guar is typically between from about 0.02 to about 0.15.

A common method of increasing productivity of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation penetrated by a wellbore is to subject the formation to stimulation techniques, such as hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing of a subterranean formation is accomplished by pumping a fracturing fluid into the wellbore which penetrates the formation at a sufficient pressure and flow rate such that cracks or fissures are opened into the surrounding formation. The fracturing fluid typically contains a proppant which functions to prop open created fractures such that the fracture provides larger flow channels through which an increased quantity of a hydrocarbon may flow. Productive capability of the well is therefore increased.
Fracturing fluids are typically viscous gels in order to provide a medium that will adequately suspend and transport the solid proppant as well as impair the loss of fracture fluid to the formation during the treatment. The fracturing fluid, typically water or oil-based, usually contains a viscosifying polymer which serves to increase the viscosity of the fluid. The fracturing fluid's viscosity is proportionally related to the created fracture geometry and fracture width so that more viscous fluids will produce longer and wider fractures.
Common viscosifying agents for use in fracturing fluids are polysaccharides (galactomannans), such as guar gum and guar gum derivatives. The most commonly used guar gum derivatives are carboxymethyl guar (CMG) and carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar (CMHPG). Gelled fracturing fluids containing guar gum derivatives are highly desirable for certain fracturing applications because they exhibit excellent proppant transport properties and high thermal stability. As such, they have particular applicability in high temperature applications.
Further enhancement of the viscosity of the fracturing fluid may be obtained by using a crosslinking agent in conjunction with the viscosifying polymer. Typical crosslinking agents include those which are titanium, aluminum, boron and zirconium based as well as those which are boron based.
Typically, carboxylated guars used in hydraulic fracturing operations are formed by derivatizing the guar seed endosperm, often referred to as a "split", which is generally semi-spherical in shape (about ⅛″ long and 1/16″ in diameter) and from about 0.5 mm3 to about 1 mm3 in volume. Guar splits are typically treated with aqueous caustic to cause swelling, and then exposed to a derivatizing agent, such as sodium chloroacetate ("SCA") in an amount necessary to provide a desired molar degree of substitution ("DS") value, which is the number of hydroxyl groups on each pyrannoside sugar occupied by the derivative. Typical guar split derivatization yields using SCA are about 60%, with about 40% of the SCA being consumed to form undesirable byproducts such as glycolic acid. Following derivatization, the splits are typically cooled and washed to remove excess caustic and unwanted byproducts before being dried and ground to a powder.
After the fracturing fluid is injected into the formation to produce the fracture, the viscosity of the fluid is reduced as the gel slowly degrades. As the viscosity decreases and pressure is released, the fractures relax and close on the proppant pack. The well is then cleaned up by flowing the fluid of decreased viscosity out of the well. Clean-up may be hindered by formation damage caused by gel residue left in the proppant pack. The effectiveness of well clean-up and the degree of gel residue left in the fracture often determine ultimate hydrocarbon production from the well. It is desirable to reduce loading of the viscosifying polymer in the fracturing fluid as much as possible in order to reduce formation damage. In addition, when equivalent fracturing fluid performance may be obtained with lower loadings of polymer, overall treatment costs are reduced.
A need exists for improved fracturing fluids which exhibit high viscosity at lower polymer loadings. It is desirable that such fluids further cause minimal formation damage such that clean-up may be more efficient, thereby improving production of hydrocarbons from the well.

Method of treating subterranean formations with carboxylated guar derivatives


The present invention is to provide a method and system for compression and decompression text comprising: creating a redundant universal permanent reference vocabulary which include commonest symbols utilized by all application, and symbols found in thousands of books, specific, professional vocabularies and is created in advance of any information processing, own vocabulary containing during process of text compression and decompression wherein the own vocabulary includes words and symbols e.g. slangs are found in written conversation between persons; splitting the universal vocabulary into a root of tree symbol/index and main symbol sections; creating a first temporary vocabulary; wherein the first temporary vocabulary includes commonest symbol/index utilizing by all applications, root of tree word/index section, and merging index table section to words content in specific vocabulary section; creating a second temporary vocabulary for repeating symbols found in the source text and not found in the first temporary vocabulary; creating pseudo-code by merging an indicator with root of tree or main indexes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of compression and decompression of text.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compression algorithms, such as Huffman, LZ78, LZW and hundreds of other variants of the above techniques usually exploit statistical redundancy of the English letters and give limited compression rate, which was formulated by Claude E. Shannon. According to the Claude E. Shannon's theory of data compression there is a fundamental limit (entropy rate) to lossless data compression. Shannon has been able to estimate for the general model (by using a prediction method) that the entropy rate of the English text can in theory reach 2.3 bits/character. None of the proposed above compression algorithms can provide results as theorized in the Cannon's third-order statistical distribution of English text entropy rate, with the obtainable limit reaching 2.77 bits/character. There were a lot of techniques proposed to increase the compression rate (absolute number) or compression ratio (relative number), e.g. a word-based Huffman coding, where, the table of symbols in the compression coder becomes the text vocabulary; or an Efficient Optimal Recompression; or a Semi-lossless Text Compression; or a Programmed selection of common characters and pairs; or a Programmed selection of prefixes and suffixes; or the method of compression text proposed by U. Khurana "Text compression and Superfast Searching;" [5] based on sequentially converting words of source text into 16 high bit length indexes. For the method of compression text proposed by U. Khurama it is impossible to increase compression ratio because of limitation up to 65,536 words contained in the permanent reference vocabulary by means limitation to build vocabulary symbols as phrases, punctuations, and words and mark combinations. Compression techniques involve trade-offs between various factors, such as the complexity of the designs of data compression/decompression schemes, the ability to search a compressed text in the system without decompressing it, the speed of an operation system, the consumption of expensive resources (i.e. storages and transmission bandwidth), the compression capability, the time it takes to compress information, the user's computer power, the cost of text compression due to the text coding and decoding as well as other factors. None of the methods satisfy the requirement of efficient compression and decompression of text. Furthermore, the methods have both advantages and disadvantages of implementation of different kinds of applications e.g. the requirement of reducing time of text decompression and reducing the working frequency of a microprocessor of an electronic rider. The present invention tries to resolve some restrictions of the systems and apparatuses, which are involved in the process of coding/decoding, storing, and transmitting of text. Furthermore, the present method of converting any symbols into indexes permits to increase the compression ratio of the stored text, to increase the compression rate of the transmitted text, and to reduce the cost of the receivers.
In parent U.S. Pat. No. 8,332,209 ('209) of the "Method and system for text compression and decompression" discloses of compression text by creating the "permanent reference vocabulary" wherein the "permanent vocabulary is a redundant vocabulary including words, word combinations, and word and punctuation combinations"; splitting the permanent vocabulary into various functional sections, such as section 1—with most common usable words, section 2—nouns, section 3—verbs, section 4—adjectives . . . "; and creating the temporary vocabulary, wherein "the functionality of the temporary vocabulary is to convert high bit length indexes belonging to the permanent vocabulary into low bit length indexes presented in the temporary vocabulary, which are then used to create pseudo-code."; "splitting a temporary vocabulary into two sections, which include a root of tree section and a main section." Also discloses techniques for implementation of text compression and decompression such as "creating pseudo-codes; arranging the pseudo-codes for storage and transmission."
Below demonstrates features and advantages for the method of text compression and decompression.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Management of a network may be provided by moving management functions from each switch in a network cluster into a locally controlled server. The management functions may be organized into an Ethernet distributed fabric switching protocol (E-DFP) based management plane. Control functions of each switch may also be organized into a control plane. The management plane and control plane of the network may be moved from each switch and integrated into the server. Efficiency in network switching may be provided by releasing the switches of their management and control responsibilities and centralizing these responsibilities to the server. In some embodiments, the server may be outside the cluster.

The present invention relates to network management, and more specifically, to management of a distributed network switching cluster.
As networks scale, the management responsibilities related to larger networks grows accordingly. Administrators may find it increasingly difficult to manage large scale networks, especially those with switch points that span across physical locations. Management of multiple switches may consume large amounts of resources as data may need to travel from each switch to a control point outside the switch. This may be more apparent in cloud environments where network traffic may span across several network entities.
As may be seen, finding improved efficiency in managing a network in a distributed environment may be desired.

Management of distributed network switching cluster

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A composite bipolar plate of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is prepared as follows: a) preparing a bulk molding compound (BMC) material containing a vinyl ester resin and a graphite powder, the graphite powder content of BMC material ranging from 60 wt % to 80 wt %, based on the compounded mixture; b) molding the BMC material from step a) to form a bipolar plate having a desired shape at 80–200° C. and 500–4000 psi, wherein the graphite powder is of 40 mesh–80 mesh.

Taiwan Patent Publication No. 399348 discloses a method for preparing a bipolar plate, which comprises: mixing at least an electrically conductive material, at least a resin, and at least a hydrophilic agent suitable for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, to form a substantially homogeneous mixture wherein, based on the weight of said mixture, said at least an electrically conductive material is about 50% to about 95% and said at least a resin is about 5%; and molding said mixture to form a bipolar plate with a desired shape at a temperature of about 250° C. to about 500° C. and a pressure of about 500 psi to about 4000 psi, wherein said at least a resin is selected from the group consisting of thermosetting resins, thermoplastic resins, and a mixture thereof, and said at least an electrically conductive material is selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon black, carbon fiber, and a mixture thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,467 discloses a fuel cell composite bipolar plate, wherein the particle size of the graphite powder is mainly in the range of 80 mesh–325 mesh. This patent has mentioned that the mixing of the resin becomes inhomogeneous during processing when the particle size of the graphite powder is larger than 150 μm.
WO 00/57506 discloses a highly conductive molding composition for molding a fuel cell bipolar plate, wherein the particle size of the graphite powder used is mainly in the range of 44 μm to 150 μm, wherein the amount of the graphite powder larger than 150 μm needs to be lower than 10%, and the amount of the graphite powder smaller than 44 μm also needs to be lower than 10%.
To this date, the industry is still continuously looking for a fuel cell bipolar plate having a high electric conductivity, excellent mechanical properties, and a high thermal stability.

Preparation of fuel cell composite bipolar plate

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The present invention discloses a method of forming a multi-band antenna, especially the fractal antenna which allows a convenient reception of single for communication. The multi-band behavior is obtained by a set of geometry patterns of the same basic elements. The antenna is formed by preparing coating particles including particles, silica, and a solvent. Heating the metallic particles, the silica particles and the solvent at a temperature higher than about 100 degrees C. to from a coating solution. An additional passive layer can be added to protect the conducting layer of the antenna. Materials for this passive layer are made, for instance, of oxide.

Recently, the wireless telecommunication is wide spread in the world. Most of the wireless devices such as portable phone, personal assistance and digital television need the receiving apparatus to receive the transmission signal. Owing to digitization of information signals, various types of information such as audio information, image information, etc. can be easily handled on personal computers, mobile devices, etc. Audio and image codec technologies are used to promote the band compression of these types of information. The digital communication and the digital broadcasting are creating an environment to easily and efficiently deliver such information to various communication terminal devices. For example, audio video data (AV data) can be received on a portable telephone.
The wireless communication module is attached to or detached from the main device via the connector to store data and the like supplied from the main device in the flash memory element and transfer data and the like stored in the flash memory element to the main device. When attached to the main device, the wireless communication module uses the externally protruded antenna section to enable wireless interchange of signals between the main device and a host device or a wireless system. RF circuits, transmission lines and antenna elements are commonly manufactured on specially designed substrate boards. For the purposes of these types of circuits, it is important to maintain careful control over impedance characteristics. Electrical length of transmission lines and radiators in these circuits can also be a critical design factor. Two critical factors affecting the performance of a substrate material are dielectric constant (sometimes called the relative permittivity) and the loss tangent (sometimes referred to as the dissipation factor). The relative permittivity determines the speed of the signal in the substrate material, and therefore the electrical length of transmission lines and other components implemented on the substrate. The loss tangent characterizes the amount of loss that occurs for signals traversing the substrate material. Losses tend to increase with increases in frequency.
Printed transmission lines, passive circuits and radiating elements used in RF circuits are typically formed in one of three ways. One configuration known as micro-strip, places the signal line on a board surface and provides a conductive layer, commonly referred to as a ground plane. A second type of configuration known as buried micro-strip is similar except that the signal line is covered with a dielectric substrate material. In a third configuration known as strip-line, the signal line is sandwiched between two electrically conductive (ground) planes. The antenna is patterned on a principal plane of the printed circuit board. For vehicle application, the most common solution for these systems is the typical whip antenna mounted on the car roof. The current tendency in the automotive sector is to reduce the aesthetic and aerodynamic impact due to these antennas by embedding them in the vehicle structure. Also, a major integration of the several telecommunication services into a single antenna would help to reduce the manufacturing costs.
Some references related to the antenna configuration, for example: A design optimization methodology for multi-band stochastic antennas, P. L. Werner et al., 2002 IEEE, pp. 354-357. Hexagonal Fractal Multi-band Antenna, Philip Tang, 2002, IEEE, 554-556. Compact Multi-band Planar Antenna for Mobile Wireless Terminals, Zygmond Turski et al., IEEE, 2001, pp. 454-457. Trapezoidal Sierpinski Multi-band Fractal Antenna With Improved Feeding Technique, C. T. P. Song, IEEE, Transaction on Antenna and Propagation, vol. 5, No. 5, May 2003, pp, 1011-1017. Design of an Internal Qual-Bend Antenna for Mobile Phone, Pascal Ciais et al., IEEE, Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, vol. 14, No. 4, April, 2004, pp. 148-150. Design of a Multi-band Internal Antenna for Third Generation Mobile Phone Handsets, Mohammod Ali et al., IEEE, Transaction on Antenna and Propagation, vol. 51, No. 7, July 2003, pp, 1452-11461. Fractal Multi-band Antennas Based on Lotus-pods Patterns, Ji-Chyun Liu et al., Proceedings of APMC2001, Taipei, Taiwan, R. O. C., 2001 IEEE, pp. 1255-1258. Fractal Design of Multi-band and Low Side-Lobe Arrays, Carles Puente-Baliarda, IEEE, Transaction on Antenna and Propagation, vol. 44, No. 5, May 1996, pp, 730-739. U.S. Pat. No. 445,884 proposed to use the entire windshield conductive layer as impedance matching for FM band substantially horizontal antenna element. U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,914 proposed an antenna. some elementary forms of fractals. A base element is shown as a straight line, although a curve could instead be used. A so-called Koch fractal motif or generator is inserted into base element to form a first order iteration ("N") design, e.g., N=1. A second order N=2 iteration design results from replicating the triangle motif into each segment, but with reduced size. As noted in the Lauwerier treatise, in its replication, the motif may be rotated, translated, scaled in dimension, or a combination of any of these characteristics. A higher order pattern has been generated by including yet another rotation, translation, and/or scaling of the first order motif. One well known treatise in this field is Fractals, Endlessly Repeated Geometrical Figures, by Hans Lauwerier, Princeton University Press (1991), which treatise applicant refers to and incorporates herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,898 discloses a fractal cross slot broad band antenna comprising a radiating fractal cross slot layer having a plurality of antennas each comprising a plurality of radiating arms.
Obliviously some of the antenna configurations can only operate at a determinate frequency band in reason of the frequency dependence of the antenna parameter and are not suitable for a multi-operation. The material for the antenna is metal or alloy which will reduce the visibility if it formed on glass.


A tool display pack includes a board and a security device. The board has an engaging hole with a shoulder section. The security device includes an end pivotally connected to the boar. A resilient locking member projects from an inner side of the security device that faces a front side of the board. The resilient locking member includes a hook formed on a distal end thereof and a protrusion formed adjacent to the hook. The security device includes a through-hole through which a tool to be displayed is extended. The locking member is extendible through the engaging hole of the boar such that the protrusion and the hook of the resilient locking member are located on a rear side of the board. The protrusion is releasably engaged, with the shoulder section of the board, and the hook prevents pivotal movement of the security device relative to the board when the hook is moved to bear against the shoulder section of the board, thereby locking the tool in place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool display pack with a security device.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,467 to Kao issued on Feb. 3, 1998 discloses a tool display pack having a security device. The tool display pack includes a slot in a main body for receiving a hook on a catch member, and a lock pin is extended through the catch member and the main body. The lock pin includes a flange formed on a distal end thereof and extended beyond through a hole in the main body to retain the catch member in a locked status. A tool locked by the catch member cannot be removed unless the flange is cut Nevertheless, a two-step operation is required, i.e., the hook must be inserted into the slot in the main body and then the flange is inserted through the hole in the main body, while such operation requires both hands. In addition, the security device is exposed and might affect the mood of the customers. The present invention is intended to provide an improved security device for tool display packs that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems.

Tool display pack with a security device


A recording apparatus includes a tuner which receives CATV signals and selects a TV signal therefrom. The selected TV signal is output via an output terminal to decoder in a cable box, for instance. An input terminal of the recording apparatus receives the decoder output. Both the selected TV signal and the input on from the input terminal are sent to a switching unit. The switching unit selects the input from the input terminal when input signals are present; otherwise the switching unit selects the select TV signal. The switching may be controlled manually or by a detection circuit. The detection circuit detects the presence of input signals at the input terminal. A recording unit records the output from the switching unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus capable of recording CATV (Cable Television) signals.
2. Description of Related Art
In the United States of America, CATV broadcasts are already popular, and CATV broadcasts are recorded using magnetic recording apparatus such as a Video Cassette Recorder (hereinafter referred to as VCR). Some of CATV broadcasts are pay TV broadcasts, and signals of these pay TV are scrambled. To receive and record such signals on a TV receiver, it is required to connect a VCR to a cable box which is a CATV tuner equipped with a scramble decoder to decode the scramble of the signals.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional VCR and a cable box to record a CATV broadcast. In the figure, 52 denotes a cable box. A cable from a distributor for CATV not shown in the figure is connected to the cable box 52, and RF signals of CATV are inputted to the cable box 52. The cable box 52 is a CATV tuner equipped with a scramble decoder to select a CATV broadcast channel and decode the scramble of signals.
With an operation by a user of a channel selecting operation unit installed on the cable box 52 or with application by the user of remote-control signals to the channel selecting operation unit, a desired channel is selected out of the input CATV signal channels. As to scrambled signals, the scramble is decoded, and signals of a selected channel are outputted in 3 channels or 4 channels of RF. RF signals from the cable box 52 are inputted to the tuner 53 installed in the VCR 51 via input terminal 58.
In the tuner 53, control signals to receive the channel of the signals outputted from the cable box 52, namely 3 channels or 4 channels, are inputted from the channel selection circuit 57. The signals received by the tuner 53 are inputted to the signal processing circuit 54 as IF signals, where video signals and audio signals are separated and output.
These signals are designed to be inputted to the converter 55, converted to RF signals of the 3 channels or 4 channels of RF, outputted to a TV receiver and given to the recording head 66 so that these signals are recorded on a tape.
As described above, the conventional VCR selects a CATV broadcast channel by the cable box 52. Therefore, when a user wants a broadcast of a different channel while seeing and recording a CATV broadcast of a certain channel, the user operates the channel selecting operation unit installed on the cable box 52 or gives remote-control signals to the cable box 52 using a remote-control signal transmitter. At that time, the user has to turn ON the VCR operation unit power switch and operate the channel selecting operation unit or the remote-control signal transmitter. The operation of two devices is troublesome.

Recording apparatus capable of selecting a CATV broadcast without operating a CATV decorder and method therefor


A flow rate meter including a substrate having at least one temperature-dependent resistor layer applied to it is retained in the flow of a medium by two retaining bodies parallel to one another. These retaining bodies are secured in a base body with a relatively small spacing from one another, which means the base body is not undesirably large in size. The novel flow rate meter permits one to reduce the size of the base body. Beginning at one connecting segment each, which extend parallel to one another, of each retaining body, each retaining body has a securing segment inclined with respect to the other retaining body; the securing segments protrude into the base body, extending directly next to one another. The flow rate meter is suitable in particular for measuring the mass or flow rate of aspirated air int he air intake tube of an internal combustion engine.

The invention is based on a flow rate meter as defined hereinafter. A flow rate meter is already known (DE-OS 33 28 853), in which a flat substrate with a temperature-resistor layer applied onto it is retained in a flow of a medium by means of U-shaped retaining segments of retaining bodies. The electrically conductive retaining bodies are disposed extending parallel to one another, so that they are secured in a base body spaced widely apart from one another; as a result, not only is a large base body necessary, but the electrical connection to the retaining bodies are located far apart, which makes it more difficult to connect them electrically.