Method and apparatus are provided for a new type of geophysical prospecting. The method applies an electric field to a fluid-containing porous subsurface formation to create a fluid pulse from changes in the polarization of pore fluid dipoles. The fluid pulse propagates in the subsurface as a seismic wave that may be detected by an appropriate array of seismic detectors. The apparatus is a pulsed DC or AC source for generating an applied electric field and a seismic detector.

This invention relates to geophysical prospecting, and more particularly relates to geophysical prospecting by detection of acoustic responses generated by an electric field.
Conventional seismic prospecting techniques for land involve the use of an appropriate source to generate seismic energy and a set of receivers spread out along or near the earth's surface to detect any seismic signals due to seismic energy being reflected from subsurface geologic boundaries. These signals are recorded as a function of time, and subsequent processing of these signals, i.e. seismic data, is designed to reconstruct an appropriate image of the subsurface. In simplistic terms, this conventional process has seismic energy traveling down into the earth, reflecting from a particular geologic layer (impedance contrast), and returning to the receiver as a reflected seismic wave.
The seismic energy may be so-called shear waves (S-waves) or so-called compressional waves (P-waves). Shear waves and compressional waves differ with respect to their velocities, angles of reflection, vibrational directions, and to some extent the types of information that may be obtained from their respective types of seismic data. However, both types of waves suffer similar attenuation by earth formations; that is, the earth formations tend to attenuate the higher frequency components and allow the lower frequency components to pass through the earth relatively unattenuated. This means that for deeper formations the low frequency content of the reflected seismic energy contains the information about the underlying subsurface formations. However, because of the low frequency of the detected reflected seismic energy, the resolution of the reflected seismic energy may be insufficient to allow for detection of very thin geologic layers.
Further, if the impedance contrast between adjacent but distinct geologic layers is very small, very little seismic energy is reflected and the distinctness of the geologic layers may not be discernable from the detected or recorded seismic data. Thus, efforts continue to be made to appropriately image subsurface layers by geophysical prospecting techniques other than by seismic prospecting techniques alone.
A new technique for geophysical prospecting is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,942 to A. H. Thompson issued Feb. 27, 1990. This patent describes a method for petroleum exploration involving generating an electric field in a fluid-containing porous earth formation with a seismic wave. More particularly, the pressure gradient associated with a seismic wave causes fluid to flow in the pores of a porous rock formation. When the fluid contains charged species, the flow produces a distortion of electric dipole layers and thereby an electric field. The resulting electric field propagates to the surface of the earth where it may be detected with electromagnetic sensors.
This so-called electroseismic prospecting technique may provide additional information about subsurface geologic layers, but will be most sensitive to high permeability fluid-filled layers. This electroseismic technique is not sensitive to low permeability shales or shaly rocks. Thus, this technique will not be able to determine whether or not the detected, porous proposed reservoir layer is capped by a low permeability sealing layer, or what low permeability layer may be the source of the petroleum fluids, if any, in the proposed reservoir layer.
In addition, there have been published articles discussing the theory and use of electrokinetic effects. In general, these articles describe laboratory devices designed to convert electrical energy into acoustic or electromechanical energy. For example, one such device is a micropipette apparatus employing a porous material containing fluid where an applied electric field causes the porous material to eject a very small quantity of the fluid. Such laboratory devices find limited applicability due to their low efficiencies compared to conventional loudspeakers and pumps.
These and other limitations and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, however, and improved methods and apparatus are provided for geophysical prospecting.


In an embodiment, a method for changing a direction of an electrostatic discharge includes: providing a structure having a path capable of passing an electrostatic discharge, and changing by over about 90° (ninety degrees) a direction of an electrostatic discharge passing through the path. In another embodiment, a case assembly includes: a case member; and a light pipe assembly coupled to the case member. The light pipe assembly includes a body, a leg member coupled to and depending from the body, and a head supported by the body. In an embodiment, a case assembly includes a switch actuator assembly coupled to the case member and capable of activating when pushed a switch supported by a circuit board.

Electrical static discharge is electrical discharge of static electricity that builds up on personnel or equipment, generated by interaction of dissimilar materials. Static sensitive devices, especially those of a printed circuit assembly (PCA), may be damaged or disturbed when they come into close proximity with electrostatic charged objects. This is also true when the static sensitive devices are packaged in a container (e.g., a plastic case) for shipping purposes or other purposes and the outside of the container comes in contact with electrostatic charged objects. Cases or containers having a seam or path, such as between a light pipe, or a switch or another actuator, and the case or container, are especially troublesome for static sensitive devices since the seam or path provides a conduit for electrostatic electricity to the static sensitive devices.
There are a number of conventional solutions to prevent damage to static sensitive devices that are proximately disposed to a light pipe. One method for increasing electrostatic discharge immunity involves increasing the linear distance between the electrostatic discharge "charged" object and the static sensitive device on a printed circuit assembly. The linear distance is increased by adding an additional flat surface of plastic to the light pipe such that the new surface is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the light pipe. As the size/diameter of the flat surface is increased and the corresponding linear distance for a discharge from an electrostatic discharge device to travel is increased, the voltage needed to breakdown between the charged object and the printed circuit assembly is increased. The primary disadvantage in the use of a wide flat surface around a light pipe to increase the electrostatic discharge immunity is the requirement for a large space around the light pipe or actuator. For small products and products with a light pipe located in a corner or adjacent to another mechanical or electrical component, there may not be adequate clearance around the light pipe to add a large enough flat surface to provide a meaningful increase in electrostatic discharge immunity protection.
Another method of increasing electrostatic discharge immunity involves removing or reducing the "air-gap" between the light pipe and the product case. The space between the light pipe and the product case may be removed/reduced by any one of the following three options: (i) glue may be applied to the seam between the product case and the light pipe at the time of assembly; (ii)the plastic of the light pipe maybe attached via ultra-sonic welding causing the plastic of the product's case to melt together with the plastic of the light pipe; (iii) the light pipe and the plastic product case may be manufactured to precision tolerances and assembled to obtain what is regarded as a non-ionizable air gap of less than about 10 um. The primary disadvantage of these air-gap reduction alternatives is centered on increased material and labor costs. More specifically, the glue alternative approach increases the manufacturing cost for both labor and material in addition to loosing the flexibility of rework and decreased cosmetic yields. The ultra-sonic welding approach increases labor cost by requiring complex machines and training and additionally reduces flexibility of reworking products if required. The precision-tolerance approach which reduces the air-gap to less than 10 um results in substantial increased cost in manufacturing by injection molding, as well as the labor to manufacture the parts.
The options mentioned above fail for parts that need to be moving. An example of a situation in which a moving member passes through the structural member is a PCB-mounted switch having a plastic rod, as actuator element, that extends through the plastic enclosure.
In this case, neither glue nor welding can be applied. Creating and maintaining a very narrow gap under use a gap between the moving actuator and the plastic enclosure is very difficult, such that other solutions must be sought.

Method and apparatus for protecting a circuit assembly from electrostatic discharge

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A circuit board is protected by being enclosed in a security housing that includes conductive tamper traces running along its interior surface, the conductive tamper traces being a housing portion of a tamper detection circuit. The tamper detection circuit also includes a board portion that detect tampering with the tamper detection circuit by monitoring voltages at monitor nodes along the board portion. The board portion of the tamper detection circuit is connected to the tamper traces via multiple connector pieces. The connector pieces can be held in place by board connector piece holders affixed to the board or housing connector piece holders of the housing. When tampering is detected, it can be localized based on voltages measured at multiple recesses along the housing. The tamper detection circuit can be arranged in a wheatstone bridge layout for environmental tolerance. The circuit board's functions/components can be disabled if tampering is detected.

Certain devices, such as credit card or debit card reading devices, include circuitry that reads, stores, or transmits sensitive information. Sensitive information can include credit card numbers, debit card numbers, personal identification number ("PIN") codes, or personal identification information, for example. If unprotected, a malicious party can sometimes retrieve such sensitive information from the devices by accessing the circuitry that stores or transmits the sensitive information.
Some devices that read, store, or transmit sensitive information include a tamper circuit that passes current through a tamper trace. Such a tamper circuit can detect tampering by detecting when current stops flowing along the conductive tamper trace. Such a tamper circuit can sometimes be bypassed if a malicious party short-circuits the tamper circuit, breaks or reroutes a tamper trace by drilling into the device, or floods a portion of the tamper circuit with conductive ink, among other attacks.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved tamper circuitry.

Secure electronic circuitry with tamper detection


A mechanical-optical transducer comprises a readout illumination source providing light having different wavelengths or different polarization states; an image sensor array for sensing the light from the readout illumination source; and a mechanical-optical device including sensing pixels whose optical property change in response to incident thermal infrared radiation, the mechanical-optical device having a reflective surface disposed to selectively reflect light from the readout illumination source to the image sensor array.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to arrays of micro mirrors structured by MEMS (micro electrical mechanical systems) and, in particular, to radiation detection devices using optical readout of micro mirror orientations.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, MEMS devices micromachined from silicon by electronics-industry techniques, have become important as transducers of various kinds. MEMS devices may be structured individually or in arrays. When a physical effect causes a microscopic deflection of a MEMS structure having a micro mirror, it is advantageous to detect the deflection with a reflected light beam. One well known example is the atomic force microscope, whereby the position of a single microscopic probe tip is sensed optically by reflecting a laser beam from the probe. In another example, a rectangular array of a plurality of MEMS micro mirrors may have individual deflections which relate to the variations in, temperature across the MEMS array. The deflections of all the individual micro mirrors can be read out as an image by a broad light beam. In all such cases, the ultimate sensitivity and dynamic range of an instrument whose transduction mechanism is the optical readout of an array of MEMS micro mirrors is at issue.
The prior state of the art discloses a plurality of thermal detector systems based on optical MEMS, or a mechanical-optical transducer, that include micro-mirror arrays. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,219 "Radiation imaging device and radiation detector," discloses an imaging device comprising a substrate transmissive to infrared radiation, an infrared lens system, a conversion unit for converting infrared radiation into displacements, and a readout optical system. Similar devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,301, "Radiation detectors including thermal-type displaceable element with increased responsiveness," and U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,932 "Thermal displacement element and radiation detector using the element."
FIG. 1 shows a conventional imaging device 10 comprising a visible-wavelength imager, such as charge coupled device (CCD) 11, to read-out the converted image, and a visible light source 13 to provide readout light. A first lens system 15 is used to guide readout light from the visible light source 13 to an array of micro mirrors 17 of a MEMS device 19. A ray flux limiting part 21 is used to selectively pass only desired ray fluxes transmitted in a portion of readout light reflected by the plurality of pixels after passing through the first lens system 15 and an aperture 23. A second lens system 25 forms positions conjugate with the plurality of reflection parts in conjunction with the first lens system 15. The photosensitive surface of the CCD 11 is placed at the conjugate positions.
In operation, the surface of the MEMS device 19 provides a uniform reflection when there is no physical disturbance to any of the micro mirrors 17. In certain applications, such as infrared imaging, an objective lens 29 is provided to project an infrared image onto the MEMS device 19. When such infrared radiation is incident, each corresponding micro mirror 17 may tilt and deflect readout light away from the aperture 23, thus modulating light transmitted to the CCD 11 in proportion to the incoming infrared radiation level. This design effectively converts infrared induced micro bending of the micro mirrors into intensity change at a visible read-out illumination. The optical readout from the CCD 11 typically tracks deflections of all micro mirrors 17 in the MEMS device 19 and provides an intensity map as an output.
Certain applications, such as imaging systems, could benefit from an imaging device having dynamic temperature ranges larger than that achievable using the prior art designs described above. It is appreciated that, as the device responsiveness increases, the corresponding readout dynamic range is proportionately reduced. This can be qualitatively described by Equation 1, where the temperature dynamic range (δTt)max is inversely proportional to the responsivity of the sensing device:(δTt)max=100%/Responsivity  (1)
What is needed is a mechanical-optical transducer that provides for a greater dynamic range than imaging devices in the prior state of the art, but where the sensitivity of the mechanical-optical transducer is not correspondingly decreased.

Radiation detector with extended dynamic range


A bearing assembly (12) for a rotating element (13) has one race (15) adapted to be fixed relative to ground (11) and to selectively be free for arcuate movement relative to ground. A selective locking device (18) can be provided for the relatively fixed/movable race (15).

Typically such a bearing supports the rotating load of a moving element with respect to a ground element. One of the races, constitutes or is fixed to the moving element and the other is fixed to the ground element, typically by an interference press fit. The weight of the load is taken vertically on the upward facing side of the fixed race or bush, via the rolling elements where provided. Typically, a race which is fixed to the load rotates in use, so that the load is transmitted progressively and repeatedly around the entire circumference thereof. However the race or bush which is fixed to the ground element, being relatively stationary, has weight taken continuously by the same upwards facing portion; conversely the downwards facing portion takes no weight. As a result wear of the relatively fixed race is asymmetric, and the bearing may require replacement more frequently than if wear had been distributed around the entire circumference of the fixed race. Non-vertical loads may be transmitted to the same sector of a relatively stationary bearing, for example due to the separating forces on a pair of parallel geared shafts.
The problem of asymmetric wear is most apparent in bearings which support sustained unidirectional loads and/or support high bending forces in the vertical plane, such as hub bearings of wind turbines. The traditional solution is to employ larger bearings of high precision, but also to accept that more frequent replacement may be necessary. Large bearings are difficult and expensive to manufacture, and tend also to suffer disproportionate deterioration due to vibration compared with small bearings.
What is required is an arrangement capable of eliminating this kind of asymmetric wear profile, but which is adaptable to standard types of bearing, particularly rolling element bearings, and particularly to the fixed and moving elements which transmit loads via the bearing.
A further problem is sustained static pressurisation of bearing lubricant between the metal surfaces of the bearing. This occurs in the region of the upper side of the fixed race of the bearing arrangement when it is static. Over time, hydrogen atoms may escape from hydrocarbon molecules in the lubricant and react with the metal surfaces resulting in hydrogen embrittlement of the metal surfaces, which increases the incidence of failure.
What is required is an arrangement capable of limiting the exposure of the metal surfaces to prolonged contact with static pressurized lubricant.
One solution to these problems is to provide a bearing assembly comprising an inner race, and an outer race concentric with the inner race, one of said races being adapted to idle in rotation on a ground element.
This arrangement is applicable to a plain bearing, but is particularly suitable for a rolling element bearing having rolling elements between the inner and outer races.
The bearing is thus arranged so that the race of the ground element is adapted to idle on its support. The idling speed is preferable imperceptible, and may be as low as a few revolutions over the rotation and life of the bearing. Idling may be in the range 0.1 degree per day to 0.1 revolutions per minute.
Faster idling may be permissible according to the type and size of bearing, and kind of installation. In any event idling above 50 rpm, alternatively one tenth of hub speed, is not envisaged. Furthermore this solution is particularly suitable for large bearings, having a shaft diameter in excess of 250 mm.
In order to idle, the race of the ground element slides on or in the ground element, rather than being an interference fit, and the corresponding diameter of this race may be dimensioned accordingly. Thus where the inner race is mounted on the ground element, the inner diameter is slightly increased; where the outer race is on the ground element, the outer diameter is slightly reduced. Alternatively the ground element may be sized as a relatively loose fit in or on the adjacent race.
The race of the ground element should not rotate at a speed sufficient to cause wear of the ground element or of the race itself, and is preferably at least an order of magnitude less than the speed at which such wear is measurable over the life of the bearing.
The idling rotation may be continuous. However intermittent motion is also possible, and may be suitable where the bearing can tolerate a fixed position of one race for a pre-determined period—for example up to 5 years. Reversing and reciprocating motion is also envisaged.
It would be desirable to regulate and/or control idling in order to allow intelligent relative positioning of the races.


Proteins useful as sphingomyelin detecting probes, which specifically recognize sphingomyelin and have low cytotoxicity. The proteins of the present invention may be obtained by deletion of between about 110 to 170 amino acid residues from the N terminal or C terminal of earthworm toxin Lysenin 1. Kits for detecting sphingomyelin are also disclosed.

Major lipid components in cell membrane include glycerolipid, sphingolipid, and cholesterol. Glycerolipid in animal cells has a structure in which 2 molecules of a fatty acid and a phosphate group are bound to a glycerol skeleton, and has, upon dispersion in an aqueous solution, a two layered membrane structure in which a hydrophobic fatty acid residue is present inside and a phosphate group portion is present outside. The formed two layered membrane structure has a property of liquid crystalline, and in 1972 Singer and Nicolson (United States) proposed a "fluid mosaic model" in which a protein is floating in such liquid crystal.
In addition to the cell membrane for separating the cell from outside, the cell also has a complicated membrane structure inside and has organelles having their own respective characteristic functions. A portion which constitutes a cell membrane is synthesized by an organelle referred to as an "endoplasmic reticulum" and is finally transported to a cell membrane through a Golgi apparatus.
Glycerolipid which is one component of a cell membrane, contains a fatty acid and a phosphate group. However, the types of fatty acid are various, and the phosphate group portion also has variety, for example, it may contain choline, ethanolamine, serine, or inositol. Further, sphingolipid to which a variety of saccharides such as glucose, galactose, or lactose are bound, exists. There are several tens of thousands of lipid molecules in the natural world if all the above lipids are included. The composition of the lipid varies depending on the type of organisms, the type of organs, the type of cells, and the type of organelles. Furthermore, the lipid composition of the inner layer constituting the lipid bilayer of the biomembrane is different from that of the outer layer.
Unlike glycerolipid, since sphingolipid has a base referred to as "sphingosine" as a skeleton, it can be either donor or acceptor of a hydrogen bond. Also, in general, sphingolipid binds to a long-chained fatty acid. Due to this structural character of sphingolipid, in the case of a plurality of sphingolipids, the hydrophilic portions are likely to aggregate through hydrogen bonding while the hydrophobic portions are likely to aggregate through the hydrophobic interaction of fatty acid chains. Simons et al. (Germany) proposed that sphingolipids on the cell membrane aggregate and form a lipid domain. They named this a "lipid raft" (hereinafter merely referred to as a "raft").
Ever since the concept of the "raft" as described above was proposed, it has been suggested that the raft plays an important role in the signal transduction, as well as cell adhesion, infection of viruses and bacteria, polymer translocation in the cell, and the like. In recent years, it has been shown that among sphingolipids, sphingomyelin is a necessary and enough factor in the formation of the raft.
The present inventors have heretofore found that Lysenin, which is a toxic protein secreted by Eisenia foetida, specifically binds to sphingomyelin.
Lysenin is already known and the existence of three types of Lysenin 1, 2, and 3 is known. Lysenin 1 is composed of 297 amino acid residues, and Lysenins 2 and 3 are composed of 300 amino acid residues. Among these, Lysenins 1 and 3 have high cytotoxicity and, thus, they could not be used for labeling sphingomyelin in living cells. Lysenin 2 does not recognize sphingomyelin. Therefore, Lysenins which have been heretofore reported, could not be put to practical use as sphingomyelin detecting probes.


Techniques are disclosed for capturing and visualizing data lineage in content management systems. For example, a method comprises the following steps. A plurality of data sets is received. Each of the data sets is associated with a party and comprises a plurality of information. A set of lineage data about one or more of the data sets is received. The lineage data comprises information about the history of a particular data set. A user interface is presented that conveys a representation of one or more of the plurality of received data sets and at least a portion of the lineage data about the history of one or more of the data sets. A command is received at the user interface to merge or unmerge two data sets in the plurality of data sets. Two or more data sets in the plurality of data sets are merged or unmerged based on the received command.

A content management system is, generally speaking, a system that allows users to manage content. Content can be in any form including, but not limited to, electronic data representing documents, videos, images, names, phone numbers, addresses, records, application-specific data (e.g., scientific data), etc. The content management system typically comprises one or more computer-executable software application programs that implement procedures for managing the electronic data.
One example environment for a content management system is a company where multiple users store and access electronic company data in a collaborative manner. In such an environment, the content management system controls, for example, storage, retrieval, publishing, viewing and editing of the electronic data associated with the company. Many challenges can exist, however, in implementing the data management procedures of a company.

Capturing and visualizing data lineage in content management system

International Business Machines Corporation


An optical communication apparatus includes an erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier for amplifying a modulated optical signal, wherein a light which is not modulated is inputted to the erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier together with the optical signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical communication apparatus, and more particularly to an optical communication apparatus in which an output waveform of an optical fiber amplifier (refer it simply to as an EDFA, hereinafter) is improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Meeting the age of multi-media including an Internet, the optical communication network technique of a main communication system in which more improved service is desired over a wide area has been rapidly and progressively developed for an information society. Further, as the capacity of an optical communication line becomes large and the speed of the optical communication line becomes high, a receiving section of an optical transmitting system has been also requested to have a receiving function of a higher performance.
As one of components of the optical communication apparatus, an EDFA (erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier) obtained by adding an erbium ion to an optical fiber has been known.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a basic structure of an optical communication apparatus using the EDFA. The optical communication apparatus 1 includes the EDFA2, a light receiving element 3, an amplifier 4 and a signal reproduction section 5.
The EDFA2 receives and amplifies a signal from a modulation light source 10 that is transmitted through an optical fiber cable 6. The light receiving element 3 converts an amplified optical signal to an electric signal. The amplifier 4 amplifies the electric signal. In the signal reproduction section 5, identification of "1" or "0" is performed based on a set threshold value to reproduce data.
The EDFA has excellent features such as high gain, high output, wide band, low noise and independence of a polarized wave. Therefore, the EDFA is indispensable for a present optical fiber communication system. In the present optical communication, the EDFA is employed in a structure in which a light that is modulated by a constant rapid period is inputted to the EDFA.
Related arts using such EDFA are disclosed in JP-A-2003-179552 and JP-A-2002-026874.
However, in the EDFA, when a light is suddenly inputted from a state that the light is not inputted or a pulse-shaped light having a long period equal to or above the order of μs is inputted, a light surge appears that has an output several times to several ten times as large as an output that can be obtained from an ordinary gain or a saturated output. This phenomenon results from a fact that a relaxation time of excitation and emission in the EDFA is in the order of μs. Accordingly, there is a possibility that optical components arranged in a rear stage may be broken due to the light surge.
FIG. 8 shows an input light inputted to the EDFA2 from the modulation light source 10 of the optical communication apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 shows a waveform of an output light from the EDFA2 and a state that the light inputted from the modulation light source 10 is inputted to the EDFA2 and outputted as an amplified and modulated light. In these drawings, an axis of ordinate designates a value (mv) obtained by inputting a light power to a PD (Photo Diode) and converting it to an electric signal, and an axis of abscissa designates a time (μs).
When a rectangular optical signal having a long period (1 kHz, −10 dBmp-p) ΔY=2.0 mv as shown in FIG. 8 is inputted, the output waveform is ΔY=40 mv as shown in FIG. 9, so that a large gain can be obtained. However, in a head portion of the rectangular signal, the light surge having an extremely large output exceeding 100 mv appears as shown in a part A.
FIGS. 10A-10D show output waveforms when the power of the input light is changed from 0 dBmp-p to −3 dBmp-p, to −7 dBmp-p and to −10 dBmp-p. Also in this drawing, an axis of ordinate designates a value (mv) obtained by inputting a light power to a PD and converting it to an electric signal and an axis of abscissa designates a time (μs). The frequency of a signal light at this time is set to 1 kHz. A large protrusion (surge voltage) is generated at the beginning of the waveform, which is different from a case of 10 GHz. This protrusion shows that as the power of the input light (0 dBmp-p to −3 dBmp-p, to −7 dBmp-p and to −10 dBmp-p) is large, the protrusion of the surge voltage is also large.
As described above, in the case of a wavelength of about 1 kHz, the light surge appears, however, when a modulated light in unit of GHz employed in the present optical communication is continuously inputted, the EDFA can be used as an extremely good optical amplifier.
However, in an optical switch using a label switching high in its availability as an optical communication apparatus in future, an optical burst switching network of a next generation or an optical packet switching network, a signal is intermittently inputted. Accordingly, during a time of disconnection, there is a state that the light is not inputted to the EDFA. Therefore, in an ordinary using method, the light surge is undesirably generated as shown in FIG. 9.
When the modulated light of several GHz that is used in the present optical communication is constantly and continuously inputted to the EDFA, the EDFA can be used as a very preferable amplifier. However, when a light is suddenly inputted from a state that the light is not inputted or a pulse-shaped light having a long period equal to or more than the order of μs as shown in FIG. 8 is inputted, a light surge appears that has an output several times to several ten times as large as an output obtained from an ordinary gain or a saturated output.
Accordingly, since in the optical switch using the label switching in future, the optical burst switching network of a next generation or the optical packet switching network, there is a state that the light is not inputted to the EDFA, the light surge is undesirably generated by a current using method.


A power-save system for a network with an access point and an associated power-save client. The access point buffers wireless data that includes a unicast frame and a multicast frame. A periodic scheduled beacon message is transmitted with a unicast indication element and a multicast indication element. The unicast element instructs a client to remain awake to receive a buffered unicast frame, which includes a destination MAC address. The multicast element instructs a client to remain awake following the beacon to receive a buffered multicast frame, which includes a destination multicast address designating a multicast group of which the client is a member. At least one beacon message is designated as a multicast delivery beacon. The buffered multicast frame is transmitted following the designated multicast beacon. The multicast element contains a list of entries, each entry corresponding to either a multicast MAC address, multicast IP address, or client identifier.

The present invention relates generally to wireless broadcast transmissions and more particularly to a method for power consumption by an IEEE 802.11 client station containing both a Voice-over-Internet Protocol and an Internet Protocol paging application.
An IEEE 802.11 client station having both Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Internet Protocol paging applications must receive unicast VoIP messages, broadcast Address Resolution Protocol, or ARP, messages, and IP Multicast "paging" messages. In a typical computer network, unicast VoIP operation is a communications transmission between a single sender and a single receiver over a network.
In contrast to the unicast transmission of VoIP, paging is typically a multicast operation. Multicast is a technique that allows data, including data encapsulated in packet form, to be simultaneously transmitted to a selected set of destinations. Some networks, such as Ethernet, support multicast by allowing a network interface to belong to one or more multicast groups. In some applications of multicast, identical data is simultaneously transmitted to a selected set of destinations in a network, without obtaining acknowledgement that the transmission was received by the recipient devices. Multicast transmissions are also capable of being sent to a multicast address, which is typically a routing address that is used to address, i.e., designate, simultaneously all the computers in a group and usually identifies a group of computers that share a common protocol, as opposed to a group of computers that share a common network.
Thus, while multicast has a single sender and multiple recipients, unicast has but a single sender and a single recipient. Similar to multicast, broadcast operation is the transmission of signals that may be simultaneously received by stations that typically make no acknowledgement of the receipt of the transmission.
Address Resolution Protocol is a communications protocol used to map a selected Internet Protocol (IP) address to a preset Media Access Control (MAC) address. ARP matches higher-level IP addresses to the physical addresses of the destination host. It uses a lookup table (called an ARP cache) to perform the translation. When the address is not found in the ARP cache, a broadcast is sent out on the network with a special format called the ARP request. If one of the machines on the network recognizes its own IP address in the request, it sends an ARP reply back to the requesting host. The reply contains the physical hardware (MAC) address of the receiving host. The requesting host stores this address in its ARP cache so that all subsequent datagrams to this destination IP address can be translated to a physical address.
A Traffic Indication Message (TIM) may be found in an 802.11 Beacon Frame which is transmitted from an 802.11 access point (AP). In essence, a TIM is used by access points to tell power-save client devices that one or more unicast packets are waiting for them. A TIM consists of an array of bit flags, with one bit flag for each client associated with the AP. An AP sets a station's TIM bit to "1" if it has one or more frames buffered for the client. An AP sends Beacons at fixed intervals. If an 802.11 power-save station only needs to receive unicast frames, it can wake up to receive a Beacon, check its TIM bit, and immediately return to a "sleep" mode if the TIM bit is set to "0".
A Delivery Traffic Indication Message (DTIM) is contained in DTIM Beacons sent by access points. If a power-save station associated with an AP, then the AP buffers broadcast and multicast frames and sends the buffered frames to associated stations immediately following a DTIM Beacon. If a power-save station must receive broadcast or multicast frames, then it must wake up for each DTIM Beacon transmission and it must stay awake until the last broadcast/multicast frame is transmitted, following the DTIM Beacon.
Proxy ARP refers to a method wherein an AP sends an ARP Reply, on behalf of an associated station, when the AP receives and ARP Request directed to the associated station. Proxy ARP enables a power-save station to sleep during the broadcast/multicast period, following a DTIM Beacon, if it does not need to receive any of other multicast or broadcast frames.
Previous attempts to implement proxy ARP 802.11 VoIP phone applications have been met with limited success. Such uses of the proxy ARP has enabled the VoIP phone to sleep, or operate in power-save protocol mode, during lengthy broadcast/multicast transmissions. However, this mechanism, by itself, is not usable for an 802.11 VoIP/Paging device insofar as the paging application requires the phone to remain active following the DTIM to receive other multicast transmissions.
A problem associated with an 802.11 client device supporting both VoIP and paging applications is that the radio power consumption in an 802.11 VoIP phone is much higher than the radio power consumption in a cellular telephone. The greater drain on energy has limited the application of both VoIP and paging into a single device. Power-save stations must stay awake, for the duration of the multicast delivery period, to receive multicast transmissions. As a result, broadcast/multicast transmissions can reduce battery life in power-save stations.
Thus, there exists a need for a system and method to provide an effective power-save solution for combined VoIP/paging applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Power-save apparatus for 802.11 multicast paging applications


A usage limiting method for a device executing a job generated by a driver, in which a driver corresponding to a device manages a usage state of the device, and when the usage state agrees with a predetermined condition, the driver stops generation of a job corresponding to the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device usage limiting method, apparatus and program, and more particularly to a device usage limiting method, apparatus and program which limit the use of the device according to a use condition of the device.
2. Description of Related Art
With the spread of networks in these years, various types of devices such as printers, facsimiles and scanners come to correspond to the networks and have many occasions of commonly used by plural users.
The devices corresponding to the networks have an advantage that plural users can use them but also have a possibility that a user who is desirably restricted the use of them from a management viewpoint can use them. Therefore, there have been proposed many technologies of limiting the use of such a device. Among such technologies, there is a system that each user can use a ticket issued by a server limiting printing to print within the limitation determined for each user (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-117737).
Where the device is allowed to be used by many users, the individual users are often charged. Especially, where an indefinite number of users are allowed to use the device, a prepaid type charging system is often employed.
As the prepaid type charging, it is general to use a method that a user ID is issued to a user who wants to use the device, and an access volume corresponding to a prepaid amount is managed in association with the user ID. This method requires a management server for managing the user ID and the access volume.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306278 describes a print system capable of automatically deleting an installed driver after completion of printing.
Where the use of a device such as a printer is limited and if a user who is not allowed to use the device happens to install a device driver of the device in error or if a user installs a device driver of the device before the device usage limit is implemented and later is not registered as a user allowed to use the device, the device driver remains installed in a terminal device such as a PC (personal computer) to be a client unless the device driver is uninstalled by the user. In such a case, the user might erroneously operate the device to use it.
There may be a user who intentionally uses a usage limited device. In such a case, unnecessary data is sent to a network if the device is an output device such as a printer.
Therefore, it is not desirable for the user to operate erroneously or intentionally so to use the device of which use by the user is limited.
Where a prepaid system is employed to bill the user for use of the device, a management server is often necessary to manage the user ID or the like. Therefore, even when charging processing is employed for a small-scale system having a small number of users or a system temporarily used at an event hole or the like, the management server is necessary, and its operation involves a large amount of costs.

Device usage limiting method, apparatus and program


A method of producing a metal mold is disclosed. A heat resistant sheet is forcedly brought into close contact with a product configuration surface of a matrix such as a wooden pattern, a resin model, or the like by making use of negative pressure. The matrix is brought into contact with a melt of a low melting-point alloy while that state of close contact is being maintained and the melt is allowed to cool as it is, thereby casting one part of the mold which makes up a pair. The matrix is then removed, and by using the one part of the mold thus cast as a new matrix, this new matrix is brought into contact with the melt of a low melting-point alloy via the heat resistant rubber sheet and is allowed to cool as it is, thereby casting a counterpart of the mold that makes up the pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a metal mold easily by using a low melting-point alloy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, to produce a metal mold easily, a method has been generally adopted in which a gypsum pattern and a sand mold are fabricated consecutively from a matrix by means of transfer, and a low melting-point alloy (mold material) such as a zinc alloy is cast into the sand mold ("Metal Press" November 1976, pp. 16 and 17). According to this method, however, there is a problem that transfer processes are numerous and a long period is required for fabrication of the mold, resulting in a high cost burden.
Accordingly, a dual forming method has been proposed in which a press apparatus and a melting apparatus are formed integrally, and a forming model (matrix) having a product thickness of such as a sheet metal model and provided with bores is immersed in a melt of a low melting-point alloy in a melting tank and is allowed to solidify as it is, thereby simultaneously obtaining a punch and a die (Japanese Patent Publication No. 7576/1973). As a modification of the dual forming method, a method is also known in which, by using a forming model having no bores, an outer surface of the forming model is brought into contact with a melt of a low melting-point alloy, and an alloy of a type different from the aforementioned alloy is poured into its inner surface and is allowed to solidify as it is, thereby simultaneously obtaining a punch and a die of different types of alloy (Japanese Patent Publication No. 15969/1978, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55733/1976, etc.). These methods have already been established and put to practical use. According to these methods, it is possible to obtain a punch and a die simultaneously via a forming model. The efficiency with which metal molds are produced can be improved substantially over the widely practiced method using the aforementioned sand mold.
However, with these methods using forming models, it is necessary to fabricate the forming models with high accuracy in order to ensure a clearance between the punch and the die. Hence, there have been drawbacks that the fabrication of the forming models is very troublesome, and that it is impossible to readily cope with design changes.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6014/1980 discloses a method wherein a heat resistant resin sheet is attached to a matrix such as a wooden pattern, and this assembly is accommodated in a casting frame, into which a melt of a low melting-point alloy is subsequently cast to produce a female die. The resin sheet is transferred onto and attached to the female die by the heat generated at that time, the casting frame is inverted, and the melt of a low melting-point alloy is poured into the female die, thereby casting a male die. According to this method, since it is possible to ensure a die clearance by means of the resin sheet, the aforementioned forming model becomes unnecessary, so that various problems encountered in the use of the forming models can be overcome.
However, since the aforementioned heat resistant resin sheet is an adhesive sheet which thermosets afterwards, if an attempt is made to bring the sheet into close contact with the product configuration surface of the matrix, a local elongation unavoidably occurs, and the occurrence of wrinkles and the trapping of air cannot be avoided. For this reason, so-called patching work must be performed by dividing the sheet into a multiplicity of small pieces. Consequently, much labor and skill are required in the same way as in the attachment of sheet wax, with the result that a decline in the work efficiency becomes unavoidable.


A process for optimizing flame polishing of a glass product includes subjecting a glass product to heating parameters related to the glass product, first sensing a first thermal image of the glass product, polishing the glass product with a flame, second sensing a second thermal image of the glass product after the polishing of the glass product, and adjusting parameters of the flame polishing as necessary based upon the second sensing of the second thermal image of the glass product.

The present embodiments relate to imaging of glass products and glass containers for determining the quality of the glass product for flame polishing.
Glass manufacturers for various products confront increased quality demands for the products, especially in art and tableware, container glass, flacons (eg, high quality bottles for products such as for example perfume) and also in the flat glass segment. In conjunction with the rise in quality demands, glass manufacturers are encouraged to cut production costs and to increase glass production efficiency, such as for example replacing acid polishing and the minimization/elimination of mechanical post-processing during glass surface treatment.
Certain technologies and processes have been produced to provide a higher quality product and productivity efficiencies. Process parameters of the burner technologies, such as flow velocities and heat transfer rates, working distance of the burners, flame shapes, etc., enhance the efficiency of glass surface treatment as well as fire polishing and related processes.
For example, HYDROPOX™ and HYDROPOX-C™ burner systems distributed by Linde Aktiengesellschaft of Germany use increased thermal efficiencies of pre-mixing burner technologies to improve the heat transfer rate due to a higher flow velocity of the burner technologies and a shorter distance of the burners from the product. The heat transfer rates of pre-mixed hydrogen/oxygen flames are approximately two to three times greater than those of pre-mixed natural gas/oxygen flames. Similarly, the heat transfer rates of pre-mixed natural gas/oxygen and hydrogen/oxygen flames are approximately six to eight times greater than the heat transfer rates of post-mixing burners with the same mediums.
However, the use of these technologies are a relatively expensive, and such processes are usually reserved for use with premium glass products. Additionally, due to the significant differences in shape of the products, there is frequently little or no repetition of set-up for these premium products and each run for the products is usually set up manually, which also increases the cost of the process. In certain applications for premium products, the amount of time in the glass leher (i.e., the heat treatment annealing stage) can be as high as 40 to 180 minutes, which results in a large amount of premium product being processed before there is any feedback of quality in the resulting processed product. Glass bottle forming machines typically have more than one mold and in some cases up to 12 sections with each section having from one to four molds for the products to be processed. Therefore, depending upon the position of the mold with respect to other ones of the mold in the machine, the temperature of the glass may be different from the first mold to the very last mold processed. Consequently, if burners are positioned too close to the product and/or operated under excessive fire power, there is a risk that flashbacks will occur and/or the flame arresters being blown out which will stop the flame polishing process, thereby requiring replacement of components, pressure testing and then re-ignition of the melter. This results in a tremendous loss of production time and product loss.
It would therefore be desirable to know the quality of the glass for premium products prior to the run being completed so that the necessary adjustments can be made during the production run, such as in HYDROPOX™ and HYDROPOX-C™ systems.

Thermal imaging to optimize flame polishing


An object of the invention is to provide a brake control system for a vehicle, according to which a comfortable feeling for a vehicle deceleration is obtained. An index of evaluating a vehicle distance change is calculated based on a relative vehicle speed, wherein the index has a characteristic feature according to which the index value is increased as the relative vehicle speed becomes higher and a vehicle distance becomes shorter. A brake assisting operation is carried out such that the index is controlled at a target value.

A brake control system for a vehicle is known in the prior art, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication H4-121260. According to such a conventional brake control system (also referred to as the first conventional system), an operating speed of a brake pedal is detected, when a vehicle driver operates the brake pedal. And fluid pressure of braking fluid is rapidly increased to its maximum braking pressure, when the detected operating speed of the brake pedal is higher than a predetermined reference value. Namely, in the above first conventional system, whether it is an emergency braking operation or not is determined by the operating speed of the brake pedal. And a brake assisting control to the braking pressure is carried out so that the maximum braking pressure is generated when it is determined that there is the emergency braking operation.
Another brake control system for the vehicle is further known in the prior art, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication H11-334557. According to such a conventional brake control system (also referred to as the second conventional system), a relative vehicle distance between a driver's vehicle and a front vehicle (or a front obstacle) is detected by, for example, a laser radar device. A target vehicle deceleration is calculated in order that the driver's vehicle can be stopped before reaching at the front vehicle (or the front obstacle), based on a relative vehicle speed (which corresponds to a rate of change of the relative vehicle distance) or a vehicle speed of the driver's vehicle. And a brake assisting control (a control of pressure increase) to the braking pressure is carried out so that an actual braking pressure is increased to a target braking pressure, which can realize the above target vehicle deceleration.
According to the above first conventional system, the emergency braking operation is simply determined based on the operating speed of the brake pedal. Therefore, the brake assisting control to the braking pressure is always carried out whenever the detected operating speed of the brake pedal is higher than the predetermined reference value, whether or not the vehicle is under the emergency braking operation, such as a situation in which the driver's vehicle is approaching closer to the front vehicle (or obstacle). On the other hand, the brake assisting control to the braking pressure is not carried out, when the vehicle driver can not rapidly operate the brake pedal even in the case of the emergency situation. As above, it is difficult to always carry out the appropriate brake assisting control to the braking pressure, in the case that the brake assisting control to the braking pressure is performed simply depending on the operating speed of the brake pedal.
According to the above second conventional system, it is possible to generate a necessary braking force in the emergency situation, because the brake assisting control to the braking pressure is carried out so that the actual braking pressure is increased to the target braking pressure (the target vehicle deceleration), with which the vehicle can be stopped before the front obstacle. However, if the brake assisting control (the pressure increase control) to the braking pressure was always carried out in order to achieve the target braking pressure so that the vehicle could be stopped before the front obstacle, an extremely high deceleration would be rapidly generated. Accordingly, a decelerating operation having a sense of security to the vehicle driver may not be realized in most cases.

Brake assisting control system using a distance index


A method of preventing a wire from becoming entangled in a reinforcing bar fastening machine having a wire feed device for feeding a wire for fastening reinforcing bars, a guide arm for guiding the wire so as to wind around a crossing point of the reinforcing bars in the form of a loop, a twisting device for performing a tying operation by twisting while picking up part of the loop of the wire wound around the crossing point of the reinforcing bars, and a cutting device for cutting the loop from the wire on a reinforcing bar fastening machine side, the method comprises the steps of: monitoring a torque of a motor for driving the twisting device; and stopping the operation of the twisting device when no increasing tendency is observed in changes in the torque after a predetermined time has elapsed from an operation start timing of the twisting device.

The invention relates to a method of preventing a wire from becoming entangled in a reinforcing bar fastening machine that judges that a reinforcing bar fastening wire is fastening an object to be fastened such as reinforcing bars and other structures correctly, and that forcibly brings the fastening operation to an end when it is judged that the reinforcing bar fastening wire is not fastening the object correctly.
Generally, in the case where reinforced concrete is employed for constructing buildings and structures, concrete is deposited after crisscrossing reinforcing bars have been fastened. Recently, a reinforcing bar fastening machine is used for fastening reinforcing bars. As shown in FIG. 5, such reinforcing bar fastening machine is operated in the following manner. A main switch 20 is turned on in advance, and a wire 22 is fed by operating a trigger lever 21 at the time of performing a fastening operation. Then, the thus fed wire 22 is further forwarded so as to form a loop from a curved section in the front of a guide arm 23, and such loop of the wire is wound around a crossing point of reinforcing bars 24. Then, part of the wire loop 25 is thereafter picked up with a twisting hook 26 and twisted to thereby fasten the reinforcing bars. The torque of a motor 28 that drives a twisting device 27 for turning the twisting hook 26 is measured, and when the torque of the motor reaches a predetermined value, the reinforcing bar fastening machine judges that the fastening operation has been completed, and therefore stops the operation of the twisting device (the motor 28).
However, when a wire fed from the reinforcing bar fastening machine is not guided regularly into the wire guide while abutted against reinforcing bars or other structures, or when the twisting hook fails to pick up the wire loop even if the wire has been wound around the reinforcing bars or other structures correctly, the twisting device performs the twisting operation with no load. Since there is no load, the torque of the motor does not increase (see FIG. 6). For this reason, the peak of the torque cannot be detected. Therefore, a control means applies a forced stop signal for stopping the motor to thereby forcibly stop the operation of the twisting device upon elapse of a predetermined time set in advance. However, when the twisting device performs the twisting operation for the set time by forwarding the twisting hook with the wire not wound around the reinforcing bars, the wire gets entangled in the twisting hook, which in turn has made the operation of removing the entangled wire extremely cumbersome.

Method of preventing wire from becoming entangled in reinforcing bar fastening machine


The present invention relates to a firearm projectile capable of releasing a secondary payload mid-flight through a pyrotechnic timing mechanism. Once the firearm is fired, the powder in the casing pushes out the projectile as a typical round. In addition, the powder ignites the delay column. The formulation and amount of delay pyrotechnics determines the delay time. When the delay column is burned, the final portion ignites an expelling charge. The expelling charge builds pressure in the projectile casing and separates the base plug from the main projectile housing. The expelling assembly pushes out the secondary payload out the rear of the projectile. Although the payload exits the rear of the projectile at minimum velocity, the net velocity of the payload is still in the forward direction.

The present invention relates to a firearm projectile using pyrotechnic compositions to time the release of secondary projectiles mid-flight with a spread effect to maximize both effective range and likelihood of hitting a moving target. Current rounds that have multiple projectiles have limited range due to drag acting upon the individual particles and each projectile lacking aerodynamic shape. Single projectiles have long range but low probability of hitting the target if the target moves during the projectile's travel time or if there the firearm operator does not aim accurately. Existing projectiles using electronic timing fuzes are inadequate for most types of conventional firearm projectiles because the electronics have large space requirements, add extra weight to the projectile, and changes the center of balance, which can reduce the effective range of the projectiles.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a projectile with a projectile body coupled to a projectile base. Once the round is fired, the powder in the casing pushes out the projectile as a typical round. In addition, the powder ignites the delay column. The formulation and amount of delay pyrotechnics determines the delay time. When the delay column is burned, the final portion ignites an expelling charge. The expelling charge builds pressure in the projectile body and separates the projectile base from the main projectile housing. The expelling assembly pushes out the payload out the rear of the projectile. Although the payload exits the rear of the projectile at minimum velocity, the net velocity of the payload is still in the forward direction, similar to firing a shotgun down range.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

Projectile with pyrotechnically timed release of a secondary payload

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


A method and apparatus for initializing security information for a network device. Two protocols are used. A first protocol, which has no encryption capability, is used to create an initial account. However, the initial account corresponds to a second protocol, and this second protocol does have encryption capability. A security parameter which is used to encrypt data and which corresponds to the initial account is transmitted by the network device to the network management application. The security parameter may be transmitted from the network device to the network management application openly via the first protocol. The network management application then uses this security parameter to encrypt sensitive security information needed for initially configuring the network device. The encrypted security information can now be transmitted securely over the network to the network device by means of the second protocol. Thereby, the network device can be initially configured with the requisite security information in an easy-to-use and relatively secure manner.

Businesses and individuals rely upon data networks for communications and the exchange of information. Today, personal computers, mobile computing computing devices, personal data units, servers, storage devices, and printers are either directly or wirelessly connected to local area networks (LANs). These LANs, together with metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet enable users to readily gain access to, exchange, download, and archive data of all types (e.g., sound, text, numerical data, video, graphics, multi-media, etc.) from other networked computers, databases, and websites.
In order to communicate over a network, a device coupled to the network typically includes a network transceiver which transmits data packets generated by the networked device over the network and which also receives data packets destined for that network device from the network. For example, a printer can be coupled to a network by installing an internal network card (e.g., JetDirect™ manufactured by Hewlett-Packard™). By installing a network card, the printer is no longer dedicated to a single PC. Anyone coupled to the network can potentially use that network printer to print his or her documents.
When a device is coupled to a network, the network device must initially be properly configured and then subsequently managed and monitored. This task is often accomplished through the use of specialized network management software. A widely accepted protocol adopted by many network management software is known as the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). SNMP refers to a simple request/response protocol that communicates management information between two types of SNMP software entities: SNMP applications (also known as SNMP managers) and SNMP agents. Typically, SNMP applications run in a network management station and issue queries to gather information about the status, configuration, and performance of external network devices (commonly referred to as network elements). Meanwhile, SNMP agents run in network elements and respond to network management station queries. In addition, agents send unsolicited reports back to the network management station when certain network activity occurs.
For security reasons, the SNMP agent validates each request from an SNMP manager before responding to the request, by verifying that the manager belongs to an SNMP community which has the proper access privileges to the agent. By definition, an SNMP community establishes a logical relationship between an SNMP agent and one or more SNMP managers. The community has a name, and all members of a community have the same access privileges: either read-only (i.e., members can view configuration and performance information) or read-write (i.e., members can view configuration and performance information, and also change the configuration. All SNMP message exchanges consist of a community name and a data field, which contains the SNMP operation and its associated operands. The SNMP agents are typically configured to receive requests and send responses only from managers that are members of a known community. If the agent knows the community name in the SNMP message and knows that the manager generating the request is a member of that community, it considers the message to be authentic and gives it the access allowed for members of that community. In theory, the SNMP community prevents unauthorized managers from viewing or changing the configuration of a network device.
Unfortunately, in SNMPv1, the community name is broadcast over the network in plain text. This poses a serious security risk because unauthorized parties can snoop, sniff, trace, or otherwise intercept and obtain the unencrypted, plain text community name during startup, configuration, or any general communication between the manager and agent. Once the community name is exposed, the entire network is susceptible to being hacked, corrupted, and having its sensitive, proprietary data contained thereon compromised.
In an effort to close this serious security flaw inherent with SNMPv1, some vendors have resorted to implementing default accounts for the purposes of initializing security parameters. But hackers can nonetheless, reverse engineer from default accounts, any new accounts or modifications. Indeed, such default account schemes actually increase the vulnerability of network security were default security accounts to be hard-coded into a network device. Other vendors have attempted to control access by implementing an access control list which only provides set access control information based on the IP address of known, authorized clients. However, this approach fails to prevent unauthorized parties from spoofing or fraudulently assuming the IP address of an authorized client and gaining access thereby. Another prior art approach entails the use of a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Although SSL provides a relatively high level of security, it is quite cumbersome to set up and requires a high degree of sophistication and specific, technical know-how to put in place. In another prior art approach, vendors have provided network devices with point-to-point interfaces, such as a terminal or USB connector, designated to configure accounts. Adding physical interfaces for this purpose increases that product's costs, which is disadvantageous. Another similar prior art approach entails using a front panel display to configure accounts. Again, this prior art approach is not ideal because the front panel space is limited; besides which, it adds cost, complexity, and is overly cumbersome.
Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a method and apparatus for initializing security information on a network device. It would be highly preferable if such a method and apparatus could improve network security and yet be cost-effective and easy to use and implement. The present invention provides unique, novel solutions which meet these needs.

Method and apparatus for initializing security information on a network device


A method for fabricating an electrically blowable fuse on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a fuse portion 102 on the semiconductor substrate. The fuse portion is configured to turn substantially non-conductive when a current exceeding a predefined current level passes through the fuse portion. The method also includes depositing a substantially conformal first layer 302 of dielectric material above the fuse portion and depositing a second layer 304 of dielectric material above the first layer, thereby forming a protrusion of dielectric material above the fuse portion. The second layer being different from the first layer. The method further includes performing chemical-mechanical polish on the protrusion to form an opening through the second layer above the protrusion. There is also included etching, in a substantially isotropic manner, a portion of the first layer through the opening to form a microcavity 502 about the fuse portion. The etching is substantially selective to the second layer and the fuse portion. Additionally, there is included depositing a substantially conformal third layer 606 of dielectric material above the second layer, thereby closing the opening in the second layer.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved techniques for fabricating electrically blowable fuses on a semiconductor substrate.
Fuses have long been employed in integrated circuits. A fuse typically comprises a fuse portion formed of a fuse material that may be turned into a non-conductive state through various mechanisms. When the fuse is in its conductive state, an electrical current may pass through the fuse portion. When the fuse is blown, i.e., becomes non-conductive, an open circuit is created through which very little, if any, current may pass.
Exemplary uses of fuses include, for example, protecting sensitive portions of the integrated circuit during manufacturing to prevent a build up of charge from damaging the sensitive electronic devices thereon. After the integrated circuit is manufactured, the fuse may be blown to sever the current path, and the resulting IC may be employed as if the current path never existed. Fuses may also be employed to, for example, set the address bits of a redundant element in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) array in order to specify to the decoding circuit the address of the defective main memory array element. With the address information furnished by the fuses, the redundant element may then be employed to replace the defective main memory array element.
Although there are many fuse designs today, two types of fuses have received wide acceptance: laser blowable fuses and electrically blowable fuses. With laser blowable fuses, the fuses are typically formed at or near the surface of the integrated circuit. A laser beam striking the fuse material renders the fuse portion non-conductive, thereby inhibiting current from flowing through. Although laser blowable fuses are relatively simple to fabricate, there are disadvantages. For example, the laser blowable fuses tend to be surface oriented, which places a limitation on the design of the IC. Further, laser blowable fuses tend to occupy a large amount of space on the IC surface since the adjacent fuses or devices must not be placed too close to the fuse or risk being inadvertently damaged by the laser beam during the fuse setting operation.
Electrically blowable fuses, on the other hand, do not have to be placed at or near the surface of the integrated circuit. Accordingly, they give the designers greater latitude in fuse placement. In general, they tend to be smaller than laser blowable fuses, which render them highly suitable for use in modern high density integrated circuits.
In a typically electrically blowable fuse, the fuse portion, typically formed of a material that changes its state from conductive to non-conductive when a current exceeding a predefined threshold is passed through, is typically disposed in a dielectric microcavity, i.e., a sealed, hollow chamber in a dielectric layer. The microcavity itself is typically formed in a multistep process, which conventionally requires one or more photolithography steps in the prior art.
To facilitate discussion, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the prior art process for forming an electrically blowable fuse. Referring initially to FIG. 1, a fuse portion 102 is shown disposed on a substrate 104. Fuse portion 102 typically comprises a conductor made of a suitable fuse material such as doped polysilicon or metal. For reasons which will become apparent shortly, the fuse portion is typically capped with a silicon nitride layer.
As mentioned, fuse portion 102 is dimensioned and configured such that when a current exceeding a predefined current value passes through fuse portion 102, it changes to a non-conductive state to essentially inhibit current from subsequently flowing through. Substrate 104 typically represents an oxide layer and may include any other structures of the integrated circuit. By way of example and not by way of limitation, substrate 104 may represent a gate oxide or even any oxide layer above a shallow trench isolation (STI) area. Above fuse portion 102, another oxide layer 106 is conformally deposited. A silicon nitride layer 108 is then deposited above oxide layer 106.
Above silicon nitride layer 108, a photoresist layer 110 is deposited and patterned to form an opening 112. Patterned photoresist mask 110 is then employed to etch through silicon nitride layer 108 to expose a portion of oxide layer 106 above fuse portion 102. After an opening in silicon nitride layer 108 is formed, a subsequent isotropic etch is performed to create the microcavity. As is apparent, silicon nitride layer 108 acts as a hard mask during the isotropic etch of microcavity 202.
In FIG. 2, microcavity 202 has been isotropically etched out of oxide layer 106 through the opening in silicon nitride layer 108. The microcavity etch preferably employs an etch process that is selective both to the liner material of fuse portion 102 and silicon nitride layer 108.
Subsequent to the formation of microcavity 202, a plug layer 206, e.g., another oxide layer, is then deposited. The deposition process that forms plug layer 206 is such that the opening in the silicon nitride layer is sealed with the plug material while microcavity 202 is left hollow. Thus fuse portion 102 is essentially sealed within microcavity 202 after the deposition of plug layer 206. Accordingly, any particulate material that may be formed when fuse portion 102 is blown is kept contained within microcavity 202, thereby minimizing or essentially eliminating any possibility of particulate contamination of the IC surface.
It has been found, however, that the conventional process of forming electrically blowable fuse 100 has some disadvantages. In particular, the prior art technique of forming electrically blowable fuses requires at least one photolithography step to pattern a hard mask out of silicon nitride layer 108. As is known by those skilled in the art, photolithography is an expensive process and is therefore generally undesirable from a cost standpoint. Further, as the density of the integrated circuit increases and its feature sizes decrease, accurate alignment becomes problematic. By way of example, as fuse portion 102 decreases in width and the adjacent fuses and/or devices are packed closer together, the accurate alignment of opening 112 in photoresist layer 110 with fuse portion 102 becomes increasingly difficult. These and other challenges presented by the photolithography step render the fabrication of electrically blowable fuses 100 unduly expensive and, in many cases, even prohibitively expensive.
In view of the foregoing, there are desired improved techniques for fabricating electrically blowable fuses. In particular, there are desired improved techniques for forming electrically blowable fuses that do not require the use of a photolithography step to form a hard mask for the subsequent microcavity etch.

Techniques for forming electrically blowable fuses on an integrated circuit


The present invention discloses a method of notifying a user terminal of MBMS service information of at least one neighboring cell of a cell of a base station where the user terminal camps, and a method of receiving from the base station where the user terminal camps the MBMS service information of at least one neighboring cell of the cell of the base station, and a corresponding user terminal and a base station. In the present invention, in a system information block SIB, the multimedia broadcast multicast service MBMS service information of the at least one neighboring cell is transmitted to the user terminal. According to the present invention, regardless of whether a current cell has MBMS service transmission or not, the MBMS service information (if any) of at least one neighboring cell of the current cell is transmitted to the UE camping on the current cell so that the UE can know in advance which neighboring cell the MBMS service of its interest is located in so as to better achieve continuity of the MBMS service.

There is a need for a user terminal UE to obtain in advance multimedia broadcast multicast service MBMS service information of at least one neighboring cell of a cell of a base station where the UE camps. For example, the UE in an idle mode can automatically take a cell having MBMS service of its interest as a cell that is the most likely to be selected during reselection of cell, so as to obtain the MBMS service of its interest as soon as possible.
Currently, only in a cell having MBMS service transmission, MBMS service information of the cell and related configuration control information is broadcasted. That is to say, MBMS service information is not transmitted in a cell without MBMS service transmission, and in a cell having MBMS service transmission, only the MBMS service information and configuration control information of the cell are transmitted.
Therefore, a scheme is needed to transmit MBMS service information of at least one neighboring cell of a current cell if there is such a neighboring cell having an MBMS service, regardless of whether the current cell has MBMS service transmission or not.

Method of notifying MBMS service information of a neighboring cell and corresponding apparatus


The present invention relates to a coating composition having excellent wavelength conversion efficiency and a wavelength converting thin film/sheet prepared using the same. The coating composition of the present disclosure includes 1 to 60 wt % of polyorgano-silsesquioxane, 0.0001 to 30.0 wt % of a wavelength converting agent, and a solvent, and exhibits a transmittance of 70% or more as compared to that of an aqueous solution. A wavelength converting thin film/sheet prepared by using the coating composition has not only excellent photoluminescence, thermal resistance, and light-fastness, but also moisture and oxygen permeability is low, and the visible light transmittance thereof is 70% or more as compared to that of the air, and when patterning is added, the photoluminescence intensity of sheet is at least two-fold higher than that of a non-patterned sheet. Therefore, the coating composition of the present invention may be conveniently used in the preparation of a wavelength converting thin film/sheet, and feasibly applied to the preparation of a solar cell in an efficient manner.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a coating composition having excellent visible light transmittance, durability, and photoluminescence characteristics, and a wavelength converting sheet prepared using the same.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Since polyorgano-silsesquioxane exhibits high transparency, thermal resistance, photodegradation resistance, gas barrier properties, and the like, polyorgano-silsesquioxane per se or a mixture thereof with another polymer material is used as an insulation film, a hard coating agent, a high-hardness film, a photomask, a sealant for a light emitting device, and the like. A ladder-like polyorgano-silsesquioxane has a general structure such as the following Formula 1, and is advantageous in that other characteristics may be imparted according to the type of R-functional group and end group:

In a wavelength converting sheet, a matrix material having high transmittance in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light regions is required for absorbing only a partial wavelength region from light to convert wavelength and allowing the other wavelength regions to have a high transmittance of 90% or more. In general, examples of a matrix material utilized for the use of wavelength conversion include epoxy (—C—O—C—)-based or silicone (—C—O—Si—C—)-based transparent resins, and other acryl-based, vinyl-based, and carbonate-based transparent polymers. In order to form a coating solution using these resins and polymers, they are mixed with a wavelength converting agent, and the mixture is diluted in a solvent and used.
A wavelength converting sheet may be used as use of converting a wavelength of a light source in a device such as lighting, a self-light emitting diode (LED), and a solar cell (European Patent No. EP 2 261 300 B1; the official gazette of Korean Patent No. 10-1068866B1). In this case, when a wavelength converting sheet is continuously exposed to a light source, and thus a polymer matrix having low heat resistance and low photodegradation resistance is used, deterioration or yellowing is exhibited, and when used for a long time, light converting performance of a wavelength converting agent therein deteriorates, thereby leading to a gradual decrease in the wavelength conversion efficiency.
Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art for a wavelength converting sheet and a preparation method thereof in order to solve the above-described disadvantages.
Throughout the present specification, various patents and publications are referenced and citations are provided in parentheses. The disclosure of these patents and publications in their entities are hereby incorporated by references into this application in order to more fully describe this invention and the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

Coating compositions comprising polyorgano-silsesquioxane and a wavelength converting agent, and a wavelength converting sheet using the same

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHONLOGY


Methods for servicing queued requests include the step of queueing at least one request for an initial wait time until at least one agent is available for accepting the queued request. A delay element is provided so that assignment of the queued request is delayed for a delay time. The queued request is then assigned to an available agent. In one embodiment, the delay time is a pre-determined availability pendency time independent of the initial wait time. In another embodiment the request is delayed until a pre-determined queue time has elapsed. In another embodiment, the request may be delayed up to a pre-determined availability pendency time as long as a pre-determined queue time is not exceeded. The delay element need not change the queue discipline. Various queue disciplines including first-in-first-out (FIFO), group FIFO, and modified group FIFO are described for a queueing mechanism incorporating a delay element. The queued requests may represent requests for service to respond to any of a variety of sources including electronic mail communications, facsimile communications, internet communications, telephone communications, etc. In one embodiment, the methods are implemented by an automated call distributor.

This invention relates to the field of communication systems and computer telephony. In particular, this invention is drawn to methods and apparatus for servicing queued requests.
Call centers enable queuing of customer calls for subsequent connection to agents for handling the customer""s requests. Customer calls are queued until an agent is available to handle the telephone call. An automatic call distributor (ACD) is typically used to queue the calls and subsequently route them to agents subject to implementation specific rules when availability permits.
Typical ACD routing rules emphasize distributing incoming calls among agents in a manner that 1) reduces the initial response time before the call is answered and 2) balances the call load among the agents. This often results in assigning the calling customer to the first available agent with a first-in-first-out queue discipline.
One disadvantage of this approach is that the first available agent may not be the agent best suited for handling the customer. Moreover, if that first available agent has skills particularly needed to handle a subsequent customer in the queue, the subsequently queued customer may experience undesirable extended wait periods while the first caller is being serviced. Alternatively, assigning a customer the first available agent may undesirably increase that customer""s total service time if the customer has to be subsequently forwarded to another agent for handling.
In view of limitations of known systems and methods, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide methods and apparatus to enable improved matching between requests for service and the agents servicing the requests.
Methods for servicing queued requests include the step of queueing at least one request for an initial wait time until at least one agent is available for accepting the queued request. A delay element is provided so that assignment of the queued request is delayed for a delay time. The queued request is then assigned to an available agent.
In one embodiment, the delay time is a pre-determined availability pendency time independent of the initial wait time. In another embodiment the request is delayed until a pre-determined queue time has elapsed. In another embodiment, the request may be delayed up to a pre-determined availability pendency time as long as a pre-determined queue time is not exceeded.
The delay element need not change the queue discipline. Various queue disciplines including first-in-first-out (FIFO), group FIFO, and modified group FIFO are described for a queueing mechanism incorporating a delay element.
The queued requests may represent requests for service to respond to any of a variety of sources including electronic mail communications, facsimile communications, internet communications, telephone communications, etc. In one embodiment, the methods are implemented by an automated call distributor.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.

Method and apparatus for servicing queued requests


Method of detecting a touched position on a touch display of a display apparatus includes determining an amount of an electrical charge generated by a touch on the touch display panel of a display apparatus, determining a difference between the amount of the electrical charge generated from the touch and an amount of a reference electrical charge and comparing this difference to a threshold value, detecting the position of the touch if it is determined that the difference between the amount of the electrical charge generated from the touch and the amount of the reference electrical charge is substantially the same as or larger than the threshold value and detecting the touched position using a pressure according to the touch if it is determined that difference between the amount of the electrical charge and the amount of the reference voltage is smaller than the threshold value.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of detecting a touch position, a touch substrate and a display apparatus having the touch substrate. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of detecting a touch position with a hybrid type, a touch substrate and a display apparatus having the touch substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a display apparatus including a touch display panel, to which a signal is input by a pen, a finger and so on without an input device such as a remote controller, a keypad and so on, has been used.
The touch display panel may be divided into, for example, a capacitive type, a resistive type, an optical type, and so on.
In the conventional capacitive type, a finger, stylus pen, and so on are touched on a touch display panel as touch means, an amount of an electrical charge changed is detected to detect a touch position. The conventional capacitive type may be beneficial for a smooth touch action because a small amount of power is enough for touching. However, in the conventional capacitive type, since the touch means should generate the change in the amount of the electrical charge, the touch means may be limited.
In the conventional resistive type, a finger, stylus pen and so on may be pressed on a touch display panel as the touch means, and thus a short between an upper electrode and a lower electrode may be generated to detect the touched position. In the conventional resistive type, the touch means are not limited but the smooth touch action is hard because a relatively larger pressure may be required to be applied on the touch display panel.

Method of detecting a touch position, touch substrate and display apparatus having the touch substrate


Embodiments of User Equipment (UE) and methods to support reception of content for use by an application supported by a Port Control Protocol (PCP) client are disclosed herein. The UE may receive, from a PCP server, a first portion of video content for use by the application during a first time period. The UE may send a PCP update message that includes one or more mobility status parameters. The UE may receive a second portion of the video content for use by the application during a second time period. The first and second portions of the video content may be received from a first and a second mobility anchor, which may operate as relays for the PCP server. The second mobility anchor may be determined based on a referred IP prefix included in the PCP date update message.

When a mobile device (e.g., cell phone, UE) with an active or ongoing communication connection (e.g., voice or data call) is moving away from the coverage area of a first cell and entering the coverage area of a second cell, the communication connection is transferred to the second cell (target cell) in order to avoid link termination when the device gets out of coverage of the first cell (source cell). This "transfer of a connection" is termed handover or handoff. There may also be other reasons for performing a handover, such as load balancing.
In cellular networks, particularly 3GPP LTE heterogeneous networks, handover is becoming increasingly important for device mobility, particularly with the increasing use smaller cells and coverage areas overlaid with smaller cells. Some new use cases that are currently under discussion in 3GPP's RAN working groups (WGs) are dealing with "small-cell enhancements". The concept of small-cell enhancements involves deployment of additional low-power nodes under the macro-layer coverage for capacity extension and coverage improvement purposes. In small-cell enhancement situations, devices need to be handed over between these smaller and larger cells.
One issue with handover is handover failure. Handover failure may occur during certain conditions, such as when a device is undergoing radio-link failure. When handover failure occurs, service interruption may occur. This service interruption may be unsuitable for many applications.
Thus, there are general needs for techniques to reduce handover failure. There are general needs for techniques to reduce the service interruption time resulting during handover failure. There are also general needs for improved handover techniques that reduce handover failure with small-cell enhancements.
User Equipment (UE) operating in a cellular network may receive content for use in video and other multimedia applications at the device. Transmission of such content may demand a substantial amount of throughput, and the network may experience heavy loading when many devices simultaneously operate these types of applications. Accordingly, the limited throughput supportable by the network may need to be allocated carefully for those multiple devices. As a result, overall performance of the network may be improved in some cases, and thus there are general needs for systems and methods for allocating resources in these and other scenarios.

User equipment, port control protocol server, and methods for signaling device and application feedback


A group change lockout system for protecting the configuration of a securable object in an operating system from members of a locally privileged group, such as the local administrators group, when a security descriptor exists for the securable object that includes a discretionary access control list (DACL). A copy of the security descriptor is made. Then a new access control entry (ACE) is added to the DACL in the copy. This new ACE specifies denying the local administrators group an access right to the securable object. Then the security descriptor in the operating system is overwritten with the copy.

Large-scale organizations require large-scale computer networks, or intranets, consisting of many computers all interconnected to a variety of servers and data sources. For Windows™ based systems, a common configuration for these intranets is to organize groups of systems into "domains": a group of many systems under the supervision of a single (or multiple) domain controller machine(s). This architecture allows a system administrator to make domain-wide changes to the configuration of individual machines all from a single location. Ensuring that all the machines in the domain have some common elements configured identically is essential to the proper functioning of a domain and to lowering the total cost of ownership that organizations incur.
FIG. 1 (background art) is a stylized block diagram depicting how a common implementation of this architecture is to establish a single user group on the domain controller machine(s) known as the "Domain Administrators Group," and to then ensure that this Domain Administrators Group is a member of a group with local privileges on each individual workstation being managed. Typically this the Local Administrators Group, and that example is used herein for consistency. [Placing the Domain Administrators Group as a member of the Local Administrators Group is the default configuration for a Windows™ domain.]
Members of the Local Administrators Group on each system are allowed to make any changes to their local system. Thus, when a system administrator who is a member of the Domain Administrators Group attempts to make a change to a local system, the local system accepts him or her as a member of the Local Administrators Group (which has permissions to make any changes on the local system) and allows the change to occur.
It is also common, however, to permit individual users in the domain to be members of the Local Administrators Groups of their own individual computers. This allows them to install software packages and perform minor maintenance without the need for intervention by the system administrators, a highly desirable aspect of reducing the total cost of ownership.
Unfortunately, allowing individual users to be members of the Local Administrators Group can also lead to undesirable consequences which can dramatically increase the total cost of ownership. These sometimes untrained, ill advised, or simply malicious users are able to perform any change locally, including undoing configuration changes made by the system administrators. For example, these local users can simply remove the Domain Administrators Group from the Local Administrators Group, thus preventing the domain administrators from making changes on the local machine. This can lead to security problems and increased cost of ownership for the organization.

System for protecting domain system configurations from users with local privilege rights