A computer implemented process for detecting errors in computer systems including the steps of executing sequences of instructions of a software program on each of a reference system and a test system, detecting and recording state of the reference system and the test system at comparable points in the execution of the program, and comparing the detected state of the reference system and the test system at selectable comparable points in the sequence of instructions including the end of the sequence of instructions. In a particular embodiment, the execution of portions of the sequence of instructions between selectable comparable points on each of the reference system and the test system is automatically replayed if a difference in compared state of the systems is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems and, more particularly, to systems for rapidly and accurately debugging computer systems.
2. History of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to detect errors in a computer process or a computer system. To accomplish this, one typically tests the behavior of the system being designed (the "test system") against models of a system (the "reference system") which are known to function correctly. If the behaviors of the test and reference systems agree, the test system is presumed to be functioning correctly. If the behaviors of the systems differ, an error has been detected.
There are many ways to compare the behavior of two systems. One is to cause each system to generate a stream of internal or external events such as procedure calls, state transitions, or bus signals, and compare the two streams. However, some event streams may be too difficult to capture to make comparison of the event streams practical. Other event streams may be too expensive to capture. Yet other event streams may be too coarse-grained to provide useful localization of the errors. In some event streams, the events may depend too much on the implementations of the systems and thus be incomparable.
Another comparison technique is to run both systems, record the state of the systems while running, and then compare the state of the systems. State comparison may suffer the same kinds of problems as the comparison of events streams. Some state may be expensive or impossible to access or may depend too much on implementation details of the two systems.
Different methods may be used to accomplish comparison of either state or events. Traditionally, where the reference system is informal or is a non-executable, the method has been an ad hoc search for various test state or events that are inconsistent with state or events produced by the reference. This method, of course, offers significant chance to miss important problems which may reside in the test system.
Where the reference is an executable specification, it would be desirable to be able to simply run the two systems simultaneously and compare the state at any instant to detect differences. The problems delineated above make this more difficult.
The exact comparison of system state after each step is not generally possible. First, the test system and reference system necessarily differ in some manner (such as function, implementation, or performance) so that the total state of the systems is not comparable at all times. With some systems, the total state may never be comparable. For example, it is often desirable to compare the state of a test system which is significantly different that the reference system as when porting an application program from one type of processor running a first operating system to another type of processor running a second operating system.
What is necessary is that the test system produce the same final results as the reference system. Since the processors and operating systems differ, the operations being performed at any instant in running the two systems (and thus the state) will probably differ.
Second, it may be prohibitively expensive to repeatedly compare the state after each operation by each system. In order to compare the state of two systems, all of memory (possibly including second level storage) and all of the registers of the two systems must be compared to see if they are the same. The sheer size of the state comparison makes this expensive.
Finally, some state information may be unavailable, for example state in unreadable processor registers or state that is represented implicitly in one of the systems. Therefore, the comparison must often be selective.
Even though the comparison of state at all points during execution is difficult, it is possible to select points at which the results of the test and reference system should be the same. At these points, a comparison of state may be taken. However, to date no automated or rapid method for comparing systems has been devised.
It is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for rapidly detecting errors in a test system.
More particularly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for detecting errors in a computer process or a computer system.

Method and apparatus for correcting errors in computer systems


A method and apparatus for more-quickly locating an individual during a man-down situation is provided herein. During operation a light source on an officer's vehicle will be directed towards the downed officer when a man-down situation has been identified. Since a light source will be pointed at the downed individual, respondents responding to the man-down situation may more-quickly locate any downed individual.

Many public safety officers are equipped with devices that aide in locating the officer during a "man down" situation. For example, a police officer may press an emergency button on a radio that helps identify and locate the officer during a man down situation. Similarly, a fire fighter may wear a Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) device that detects a lack of movement and sounds an audible alarm when movement ceases. Other man-down notification systems sense when an individual has switched from vertical to horizontal orientation and sends an alarm signal back to a dispatch station.
Existing man down notifications have limited effectiveness. For example, people standing 100 feet away from an alarm might not notice a man down audible alert, delaying assistance to the downed individual. Therefore a need exists for a method and apparatus to more-quickly locate a person during a man-down situation.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.

Method and apparatus for locating a person during a man-down situation


A device (10; 110; 210; 310) includes a support structure (12), on which there are mounted a plug (16), which is adapted to assume a plurality of operating positions including an opening position and a closing position, in which the plug is adapted to at least partially free and respectively obstruct a passage (14), which is meant for a fluid flow. A mechanism (18) is suited to move and hold the plug (16) between said operating positions. An opening actuator (20) and a closing actuator (22) are suited to separately act upon the mechanism (18), so that the mechanism (18) moves and holds the plug (16) between said operating positions, namely towards said opening position and towards said closing position, respectively, due to electric current supplied to the opening actuator (20) and to the closing actuator respectively.

In the technical field of refrigerators, valve devices are known, which are used to control a cold air flow, so as to allow the temperature in the refrigeration chamber or cell to be controlled.
A device of this type, which is also known as a damper, generally operates by controlling a plug, which selectively frees and obstructs a passage, which is meant for a cold air flow to get through, the cold air flowing by being suited to perform a heat exchange in the refrigeration chamber or cell. Typically, the above-mentioned heat exchange takes place by temporarily allowing the cold air coming from the freezing chamber or cell of the refrigerator, which has a lower temperature (in general, equal to a value ranging from approximately −18° C. to approximately −20° C.), to flow to the refrigeration chamber or cell, which has a higher temperature (in general, equal to a value ranging from approximately 0° C. to approximately −4° C.)
Hence, by freeing and obstructing the passage according to predetermined criteria, for example with a thermostatic kind of control, the device is able to permit the adjustment of the total quantity of cold air flowing through the passage in order to reach the refrigeration chamber or cell, so that it can assume the temperature value desired, which can typically be selected by the user.
In the technical field, valve devices of the type described above are known, which use electric motors of the stepper type or low-power synchronous motors, which are connected to the plug, so as to move it between the opening position and the closing position.
This technical solution, though, has many drawbacks, among which there is the high noise mainly due to the "jerk" operation that characterizes the electric motor of the stepper type, which tends to produce vibrations that can normally be perceived in a significant manner, in particular in slow running mode.
In the art are known some devices as described in their respective documents.
For instance, DE 10316209 A1 discloses a damper that consists of a fixed frame with guides in which a moving element slides. The degree to which the slots coincide controls the air flow. Two form memory wires of e.g. nickel-titanium alloy are each fixed at one end to the frame and at the other end to the moving element. These wires contract when heated by an electric current and alter the position of the moving element to control the air flow.
According to US 2008/257086 A1, a driving force transmission mechanism in a motor type damper device, when a small AC synchronous motor rotates in one direction and a tooth-missing gear part of a tooth-missing gear engages with the first rack part of a rack member the rack member is moved upward to operate a baffle in an open direction and, when the tooth-missing gear part engages with the second rack part of the rack member, the rack member is moved downward to operate the baffle in a close direction. In this manner, even when the baffle and the rack member are operated in both directions, the tooth-missing gear is required to be rotated in only one direction and the rotation of the small AC synchronous motor is not required to be reversed. Therefore, the structure of a control circuit for the motor type damper device can be simplified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,061 A discloses an apparatus and method for controlling the temperature in a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerator by supplying appropriate cooled air to each of the compartments of the refrigerating chamber according to a temperature in each of the compartments. A cooled air controlling plate is provided for controlling the size of the cooled air discharge outlet according to the individual temperatures in the compartments. The cooled air controlling plate is moved in an up and down direction in multiple stages depending on the temperature in the refrigerating chamber to control the cooled air discharge rate to each of the compartments of the refrigerating chamber so as to make the temperature in the refrigerating chamber uniform.
According to EP 0905461 A2, cool air is fed into a compartment of a refrigerator through a plurality of apertures. The air flow is directed up and down by pivotable blades associated with respective apertures. The apertures can be blocked by pivoting the blades to the maximum extent.

Valve device for controlling a fluid flow, in particular for controlling the cold air flow in a household appliance, such as a refrigerator


A gel particle film of amino group-having polymer compound particles has a large acid gas absorption amount and desorption amount per unit volume, and has a high acid gas absorption rate and desorption rate per unit mass, and further has high stability. A gas absorber having the gel particle film supported on a carrier is useful as an acid gas separation material having good energy efficiency.

Recently, global warming by carbon dioxide and water vapor discharged from large-scale facilities such as thermal power plants, ironworks, cement plants and the like, and environmental pollution by hydrogen sulfide and the like have become problems. For preventing such climatic change and environmental pollution and for realizing low-carbon society, studies of a method of separating and recovering acid gas such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and the like and water vapor discharged from such large-scale facilities and capturing and storing them in the ground or on the sea bottom (CCS: carbon dioxide capture and storage) are under way. However, in the current technology, the energy cost for CCS is extremely high, and significant reduction in the energy cost is desired. In particular, the separation and recovery process for carbon dioxide accounts for about 60% of the energy cost in CCS, and therefore, for reducing the energy cost in CCS, efficiency increase and significant energy conservation in the separation and recovery process for carbon dioxide is absolutely imperative. Also in the field of energy supply, a process for separation and recovery of acid gas such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or the like as well as water vapor from natural gas having a high carbon dioxide concentration, coal gas formed in an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), or fuel gas such as hydrogen or the like for use in fuel batteries is carried out, and efficiency increase and energy conservation in the separation and recovery process for carbon dioxide and the like is also important for energy cost reduction in that field.
As a method for separating carbon dioxide from exhaust gas, a chemical absorption method using an aqueous amine solution is known. The chemical absorption method is a method where a low-temperature absorption liquid (aqueous amine solution) is brought into contact with exhaust gas in an absorption tower to make the absorption liquid selectively absorb carbon dioxide and then the absorption liquid is transported to a desorption tower and heated therein to desorb the carbon dioxide. The chemical absorption method is actually applied to treatment for exhaust gas from large-scale facilities. However, the absorption liquid must be heated up to 130° C. or higher for carbon dioxide desorption, which is therefore problematic in that the necessary energy amount is large.
As opposed to this, PTL 1 and NPLs 1 and 2 propose use of a temperature-responsive electrolyte whose basicity varies before and after the phase transition temperature for separation and recovery of carbon dioxide. PTL 1 describes an example where carbon dioxide is absorbed by a temperature-responsive electrolyte under a condition of 30° C. and then the carbon dioxide is desorbed from the temperature-responsive electrolyte by heating at 75° C.

Gas absorption material, use of same for gas absorption, gas absorption body, gas absorption method, acidic gas absorption device, acidic gas recovery device, water vapor absorption device, water vapor recovery device, heat exchanger, and heat recovery device

KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION


A valve block for an active suspension damping system of a vehicle includes a valve housing delimiting an interior space for connecting to a shock absorber of a wheel suspension system, and a valve piston movably guided in the interior space. The valve piston divides the interior space into a connecting space and a control space. A connecting duct communicates with the connecting space for hydraulically connecting to a damper volume of the shock absorber. At least one connector duct communicates with the connecting space for connection of a hydraulic line. A control duct communicates with the control space for applying a control pressure in the control space. The valve piston has a plug for closing the connecting duct in a closed position of the valve piston in the interior space and for opening the connecting duct in an open position of the valve piston in the interior space.

DE 197 12 929 A1, which is incorporated by reference herein, has disclosed a shock absorber for a chassis of a motor vehicle, in which shock absorber a hydraulic fluid is shut. The hydraulic fluid communicates with a transfer chamber, of which one side is delimited by way of an elastic disk. A variable pneumatic pressure can be applied on that side of the elastic disk which points away from the hydraulic fluid, in order to vary the flow resistance of the hydraulic fluid through the transfer chamber and to set the damping action of the shock absorber to be softer or harder as a result.
In order for it to be possible for the damping behavior of a shock absorber of a wheel suspension system for a motor vehicle to be changed hydraulically, it is desirable not to enclose a hydraulic fluid of the shock absorber, but rather to feed and/or discharge the hydraulic fluid to/from the shock absorber with the aid of a pump as required, in order to set a desired pressure in the shock absorber. Since the function of the shock absorber is already to be tested prior to the installation into the motor vehicle, it is necessary to this end to already fill the shock absorber with the hydraulic fluid for the function test and to connect the hydraulic lines for connection of the pump only later, for example during final mounting in the motor vehicle. To this end, it is necessary to shut the hydraulic fluid which is already filled in the shock absorber until the connection of the hydraulic lines during the mounting in the shock absorber and/or temporarily for repair and maintenance measures.

Valve block for an active suspension damping system, and method for mounting a shock absorber for an active suspension damping system


A method estimates bit rates for sets of coding parameters, based on characteristics of a channel, and an end-to-end distortion is estimated based on signal statistics of the video. A particular set of coding parameters that satisfies an available bit rate of the channel and that minimizes the end-to-end distortion of the video is selected. Motion compensated multiple descriptions of the video are encoded according to the selected set of coding parameters.

Video encoding with compression enables storing, transmitting, and processing of audio-visual information with fewer storage, network, and processor resources. The most widely used video compression standards include MPEG-1 for storage and retrieval of moving pictures, MPEG-2 for digital television, and MPEG-4 and H.263 for low-bit rate video communications, see ISO/IEC 11172-2:1991. "Coding of moving pictures and associated audio for digital storage media at up to about 1.5 Mbps," ISO/IEC 13818-2:1994, "Information technology—generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio," ISO/IEC 14496-2:1999, "Information technology—coding of audio/visual objects," and ITU-T, "Video Coding for Low Bitrate Communication," Recommendation H.263, March 1996.
Most video compression schemes are designed to remove spatial redundancies within a single video frame and temporal redundancies between a sequence of video frames. A discrete cosine transform (DCT) is frequently used to compact signal energy and reduce the spatial redundancies, while motion compensation is used to minimize the temporal redundancies. Video frames are usually subdivided into macroblocks, e.g., 16×16 blocks, and the typical coding operations, such as motion compensation and DCT, are performed on a macroblock basis.
Frames can be encoded in two ways: (1) as intra-frames, e.g., I-frames, in which the entire frame is coded independently of any other frame, or (2) as inter-frames, e.g., P-frames, which employ motion compensation techniques and rely on the prediction of neighboring frames. Inter-coded frames may contain macroblocks that are intra-coded.
Compressed video is extremely sensitive to transmission errors due to the predictive nature in which the video signal is encoded. Errors introduced into the bitstream by channel impairments can result in very severe artifacts in the decoded video. Error recovery techniques for general data communication have been developed. For example, retransmission techniques aim for lossless delivery. However, such techniques cannot be applied to streaming video transmission due to delay constraints.
Error-resilient encoding techniques developed especially for videos are necessary for robust and reliable video transmission over error prone transport channels. The primary reason is that with video, even if all the bits of a frame are received correctly, it is still possible for the frame to be corrupt due to error propagation from a previously decoded frame. Motion compensation removes inter-frame temporal redundancy by encoding only a prediction error between a current frame and previously encoded frames, i.e., reference frames. Therefore, the loss of a reference frame can introduce errors that propagate into subsequent derived frames.
A fundamental problem in designing error-resilient video encoding schemes is that there exist contradictory requirements between compressing efficiency and error resilience. When the transport channel is lossy, there are two types of distortion observed at the decoder. The first is the encoding distortion, which is caused by quantization noise introduced during compression. The second is the distortion due to transmission errors. The total distortion includes the effects from both encoding distortion and transmission distortion and is referred to as end-to-end distortion.
Given an available bit rate (bandwidth), high compression efficiency requires one to minimize the encoding distortion by removing redundancy in the encoded bitstream. On the other hand, high error resilience requires reduction in transmission distortion by adding redundancy into the encoded bitstream.
Ideally, the video encoding scheme should balance the compression and error-resilience such that the end-to-end distortion is minimized. This must also be done under current channel characteristics, which account for the available bit rate on the channel and the channel error rate. It should be noted that most conventional video codecs do not consider methods for dynamically varying the amount of error resilience in the coded bitstream, but only focus on minimizing the coding distortion given the available bit rate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,462, "Method and apparatus for transmitting MPEG video over the internet," issued on Nov. 13, 2001 to Boyce et al., a coded bitstream is split into two partitions: a high-priority partition and a low-priority partition. A systematic forward error erasure/correction (FEC) code, such as a Reed Solomon (n, k) code, is then applied to bits in the high priority partition. Boyce focuses on protecting important information at the bit level. However, error propagation effects are not addressed.
One useful technique to mitigate error propagation effects is to force some macroblocks to be coded as intra-blocks, also referred to as intra-block refresh. By intentially turning off the motion compensation for some macroblocks, the intra-macro blocks do not depend on past frames and error propagation can be minimized for those blocks. In "Optimal intra coding of blocks for robust video communication over the internet," Image Communication, September 1999, Cote et al. described a random intra-block refresh technique to reduce the error propagation. The intra-block error rate β, influences both bit rate and the transmission distortion.
The above prior art techniques for error-resilient video can be classified into two main categories depending on the means of adding redundancy. The redundancy can be added explicitly, e.g., FEC, or implicitly, e.g., intra-block refresh. However, it should be noted that different error resilient tools differ in the methods for adding redundancy and utilizing redundancy to reduce distortions, i.e., it should be possible to provide a better error resilience tool to further reduce distortion with the same amount of redundancy.
Another important problem in designing an error resilient video encoding scheme is to determine the amount of redundancy to add. Ideally, this should change adaptively according to current video signal and current channel characteristics. If the channel has a smaller error rate, or if the frames contain less motion, then less redundancy is needed. Otherwise, more redundancy should be added. Usually, because the signal and channel characteristics vary over time, a good video encoding scheme for transmission should also be changing the coding methodology and the amount of the redundancy dynamically based on the signal and channel characteristics.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,450, "Error resilient transcoding for video over wireless channels," issued on Jan. 15, 2002 to Chang et al., an error resilient transcoder is described. The transcoder maintains the resilience at an optimal level to accommodate the prevailing channel characteristics as measured by the BER of a wireless channel. The error resilience tools used include means for increasing the proportion of intra-blocks and increasing the length of slices.
In "Joint Source Channel Rate-Distortion Analysis for Adaptive Mode Selection and Rate Control in Wireless Video Coding" IEEE Trans. Circuits and System for Video Technology, June 2002, He et al. described a scheme to adaptively select intra-block rate and source-channel bit allocation based on time-varying wireless channel characteristics.
FIG. 1 shows the general structure of most prior art error-resilient encoders. Input video 101 is fed into a single description, error-resilient video encoder 110. The encoder 110 includes error resilience tools such as intra-block refresh. A statistics generator 120 extracts source statistics 121. A rate-distortion (R-D) statistics analyzer 130 adjusts the encoding behavior according to the source statistics 121 and channel characteristics 151. The R-D statistics 131 are used by a parameter and method selector 140 to determine coding parameters and coding methods 141, which in turn control the output 111 of the encoder 110.
To calculate the end-to-end distortion, which includes the distortion caused by transmission errors, the R-D statistics analyzer 130 requires the characteristics 151 of a transmission channel 150, such as packet loss rate 152. In addition, the channel throughput 153 also keeps changing. Therefore, the throughput is sent to the parameter and method selector 140 to help the process of parameter and method selection. Using the selected coding methods and parameters, the encoder 110 encodes the input signal 101 and outputs a coded bitstream 111 based on a single description.
Most prior art video coding techniques utilizing the above structure generate one bitstream for a video signal. Such coding schemes are referred to as single description error-resilient encoders and the bitstream produced by the encoder is referred to as single description. The advantage of single description coding is that the receiver can decode the video signal at a highest possible quality when the bitstream is received completely. However, if parts of the stream cannot be received, then received parts are of little use.
Multiple description coding (MDC) is different from traditional coding techniques. With MDC, a video signal is encoded into several bitstreams, i.e., descriptions. Now the receiver can recover the encoded signal by receiving any of these descriptions. In general, the more descriptions that are received, a higher quality decoded video is obtained. The motivation for using MDC is because the probability of losing all streams is much lower than losing one stream. Consequently, the receiver has a much higher chance to reconstruct the video with acceptable quality compared to using single description coding.
FIGS. 2A and 2B shows the basic structure of a prior art MD video encoder 210 and decoder 220 based on two descriptions. The MDC encoder 210 generates two bitstreams 211–212 from an input video 201 using a fixed set of parameters 202 and transmits the stream over two channels 213–214. The decoder 220 has three decoders 222–224, which are used dynamically according to the information received. If both descriptions, i.e., bitstreams, are received, then decoder II 223 is used to output a signal 226 with a lowest distortion. If only one bitstream, e.g., bitstream A 211, is received, decoder I 222 is used to output a signal 225 with a higher distortion. The same is true if only bitstream B 212 is received. In that case, decoder III 224 is used to output a signal 227 with a higher distortion.
FIG. 2C shows two example bitstreams 211 and 212 generated by a prior art MD video encoder. Bitstream 211 has the bits of coded even frames (2, 4, 6). Bitstreams 212 has the bits of coded odd frames (1, 3, 5). For each coded frame, there are two parts: a central part and a side part.
An MDC video coding scheme "Multiple Description Motion Compensation (MDMC)" was described by Wang et al. in "Error Resilient Video Coding Using Multiple Description Motion Compensation," IEEE Transaction on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, June 2002.
FIG. 3A shows the encoder of that MDMC scheme 300. There are three primary components: a central encoder 310, an even side encoder 320 and an odd side encoder 330.
All frames of an input video 301 are fed into the central encoder 310. In the central encoder, a central prediction frame 351, c_pred, is constructed by a linear combination of two prediction frames 371–372, pred_frame1 and pred_frame2, as:c_pred=a1*pred_frame1+(1−a1)*pred_frame2,  (1)where a1 is the weighting parameter used by a central predictor 350.
A difference 305 between the current frame and the prediction frame 351 is subject to a DCT 340, and then quantized by the central quantizer 345 with quantization parameter, Q0. The quantized DCT coefficients are variable length coded (VLC) 375 and sent as central part of bitstream A 376 when the current frame is an even frame, and as central part of bitstream B 377 when the current frame is an odd frame.
A frame reconstructor 355 inversely quantizes the quantized DCT coefficients, performs an inverse DCT, and then adds back the central prediction frame. The result is stored in a frame memory 360, which also stores two previously encoded frames.
A motion estimator 365 carries out motion estimation and determines two motion vectors, one between the current frame and previously coded even frame, and the other one between the current frame and previously coded odd frame. The two motion vectors and the two coded frames are sent into a prediction frame constructor 370, and two prediction frames, pred_frame1 373 and pred_frame2 374, are generated. Those two prediction frames are passed to the central predictor 350 and the central prediction frame 351 is constructed by a linear combination of the two prediction frames.
The even frames 302 of the input video sequence 301 are fed into the even side encoder 320. In the even side encoder, a side predictor 321 generates an even frame prediction frame 322 using pred_frame2 372. A difference 323 between the current frame and the prediction frame is DCT quantized 324. The DCT coefficients are subtracted 325 from the quantized DCT coefficients of the central branch, and then a side quantizer 326 quantizes the resulting signal with a quantization parameter, Q1. The quantized signal is variable length coding (VLC) 327 coded and sent as the side part of bitstream A 328.
Odd frames 303 of the input video sequence 301 are sent into the third branch, which is symmetric to the second branch and is illustrated simply as a side encoder for odd frames 330. The generated bitstream is sent as the side part of bitstream B 331.
In a video transmission system, the thus generated bitstreams are sent over different channels, which may either be two separate physical paths or a single path with two virtual channels. Assuming two bitstreams and two channels, there are three possible scenarios in the receiver. In the following, the decoding is described assuming frame level processing, however macroblock level processing can also be applied.
In the first scenario, as shown in FIG. 3B, the information for both the current frame, e.g., bitstream A, and the corresponding previous odd frame, bitstream B, are received. In that case, a conventional decoding strategy is applied. Bitstream A is first variable length decoded 378, then the bitstream is dequantized 380 and subject to an inverse DCT 382. The resulting signal is then added 383 to the prediction frame 389 generated by central predictor 388. The reconstructed frame 384 is finally displayed 385 and stored in the Frame Memory 386.
In the second scenario, as shown in FIG. 3C, the information of the current frame, e.g., bitstream A, is received and the corresponding previous odd frame, bitstream B, is lost. In this case, the side decoder is used. Both the central and side parts of bitstream A are passed through their respective VLD and dequantization processes. The two resulting components are then summed. This signal is then subject to an inverse DCT and added to the even prediction frame, which was constructed only from the previous even frame by the side predictor and prediction frame constructor. The resulting frame from the summation is the reconstructed even frame.
Because the previous odd frame is lost and current reconstructed even frame contains some information of the previous odd frame, a lost frame estimator or an odd frame estimator can be used to construct an odd frame to be used as a reference frame. After that, the estimated odd frame and the reconstructed even frame are displayed and stored in the frame memory 386.
In the third scenario, the information of the current frame is lost. Then, the decoder must wait for the next frame. If the next frame is received, then the side decoding strategy described for the second scenario is used. If the next frame is also lost, then a conventional error concealment method such as copying the previous frame can be used.
From the above scenarios, it is evident that if both streams are received, then the side part of the bitstream is totally useless. On the other hand, if some error happens, the side part of a bitstream can help to reconstruct a frame with lower, but still acceptable quality. So, the side part of a bitstream is considered redundant for the purpose of error resilience. It should be noted that the amount of the redundancy can be controlled by Q1, the quantization parameter used by the side quantizer.
The coding efficiency of both the central encoder and side encoder rely on the choice of Q0, the central quantization parameter, and a1, the weight used by the central predictor. Both of these parameters have a direct influence on the redundancy introduced since the mismatch signal depends on the output of the central quantizer, as well as the central prediction frame that is used to produce the input to the central quantizer.
Prior art adaptive error-resilient video coding focuses on single description codecs. However, the existing error-resilience models and techniques used by these codecs are not easily extended to multiple description coding. Also, the redundancy control methods are incompatible with each other. It is important for an error-resilient video coding scheme to be adaptive to changing signal and channel characteristics.
The performance of an MDMC codec, namely the coding efficiency and error resilience, is controlled by four parameters, a1, Q0, Q1, and β. In the prior art, the set of coding parameters used for coding are selected heuristically and implemented for fixed periods without regard for changing signal and channel characteristics. That is less than optimal. Therefore, there is a need for providing an adaptive MDMC coder that can select the coding methods and parameters dynamically based on the signal and channel characteristics.

Adaptive error-resilient video encoding using multiple description motion compensation

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc


A plane antenna includes a resin casing including a bottom cover, and a top cover covering the upper surface of the bottom cover; and an antenna element 1a and circuit elements concerning thereto which are set in the resin casing. In the plane antenna, the bottom cover is formed by using a material which is prepared by mixing aluminum powder with molding resin.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a plane antenna for a GPS (global positioning system), and more particularly to an improvement of a resin casing which accommodates a plane antenna element.
2. Related art
As is well known in the art, a GPS plane antenna is designed as follows: That is, in order to receive radio waves from a GPS artificial satellite, the plane antenna is magnetically mounted, for instance, on the metal roof panel of an automobile. The conventional plane antenna is designed as shown, for instance, in FIG. 3
In the conventional plane antenna, as shown in FIG. 3, its antenna body 1A is made up of an antenna element 1a, and a circuit board 1b on which its relevant circuit elements are mounted. The antenna body 1A is accommodated in a water-proof and dust-proof resin casing, which is fixedly mounted on a roof panel X or the like. The resin casing is formed by injection-molding. The resin casing thus formed has a bottom cover 3A, on the outer (lower) surface of which a fixing permanent magnet 2A is fixedly mounted. After the antenna body 1A has been mounted on the inner surface of the bottom cover 3A, the bottom cover 3A (the inner surface side) is covered with a top cover 4A.
The antenna body 1A set in the resin casing be affected by its ambient electric or magnetic field. Hence, In order to prevent the antenna body 1A from being adversely affected by the ambient electric or magnetic field on the side of the roof panel X, a conductive aluminum-vapor-deposited sheet 5A, which may be used as a name plate when necessary, is bonded to the bottom of outer surface of the bottom cover 3A.
In this case, the aluminum-vapor-deposited sheet 5A, which may be the name plate as the case may be, is employed as was described above. Of course, it is necessary to specially form the aluminum-vapor-deposited sheet 5A. The sheet 5A is relatively high in manufacturing cost. In addition, since it is necessary to bond the sheet 5A to the bottom cover, the number of manufacturing steps is increased as much.

Plane antenna having metal/resin bottom cover


A centrifugal micro-fluidic device detecting analytes in a liquid specimen and a method of detection of analytes from a liquid specimen using the micro-fluidic device are provided. Reaction efficiency is increased using a repetitive flow of the liquid specimen induced by an alternating combination of capillary force and centrifugal force, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate generally to a centrifugal micro-fluidic device for detecting analytes in a liquid specimen and a detection method using the micro-fluidic device and, more particularly, to a centrifugal micro-fluidic device for detection of analytes from a liquid specimen with improved sensitivity. wherein a repeated flow of a liquid specimen induced by both capillary force and centrifugal force enhances reaction efficiency, as well as a method for detection of analytes in a liquid specimen using the micro-fluidic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to cause a fluid to flow or move in a micro-fluidic structure of a micro-fluidic device, a driving pressure is generally required. The driving pressure may be a capillary pressure or pressure generated using an additional pump. In recent years, clinical diagnostic analyzers have been proposed that are designed to enable detection of a target material present in a small amount of fluid in simple and economical ways. One example is a centrifugal micro-fluidic device having a micro-fluidic structure mounted on a circular disc-type rotational platform such as a lab-on-disc and/or a lab compact disc ("CD").
Lab-on-disc, meaning "laboratory on a disk" is a CD-type device in which various experimental units are integrated for analysis of biomolecules used in a laboratory in order to execute several experimental processes including, for example, isolation, purification, mixing, labeling, assaying and/or washing of a sample on a small disc. Upon introduction of a biological sample, such as blood, into a micro-fluidic structure placed on a disc, the CD-type device may advantageously transfer a fluid such as a biological sample, a chemical reagent, etc. Centrifugal force alone may be used to induce driving pressure and transport the fluid without additional driving systems.
Recently, the use of a 'lap-on-a-chip' for blood analysis has been investigated for its ability to rapidly obtain a variety of information from blood samples collected from clinical cases. As a result, a rapid-chip or a rapid-kit has been developed. For such a rapid-chip or rapid-kit, several processes are executed in only a reaction part of the rapid-chip or rapid-kit, including: combination of a material to be analyzed (that is, an analyte) with a detectable signal generator; combination of a composite of the analyte and the detectable signal generator (referred to as "detectable signal generator-analyte complex") with a capture binder and washing thereof; and the like. However, since the analyte is primarily combined with the labeling reagent, a large amount of labeling reagent is required, although this requirement is seldom satisfied in view of practical aspects. In addition, if the analyte does not fully react with the labeling reagent, an un-combined portion of the analyte and the detectable signal generator may be combined with a capture binder present on a test line, in turn competitively inhibiting the detectable signal generator-analyte complex from being bonded to a control line or test line. Furthermore, combination of the analyte and each reagent is terminated within only a single fluid sample stream in one direction, thus resulting in insufficient combination and causing decrease in sensitivity and difficulties in quantitative analysis. The kit does not have an active device for controlling a re-lysis rate of the detectable signal generator and, therefore, the detectable signal generator is excessively re-lysed by a constant volume of a fluid sample flowing thereto, thus causing waste of the detectable signal generator at an early stage. On the other hand, re-lysis of the detectable signal generator is drastically reduced in a later stage, thus entailing difficulties in sensitive detection of the analyte.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Centrifugal micro-fluidic device and method for detecting analytes from liquid specimen


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an LED light bar and an LED light bar thereof. The method includes (1) providing a metal substrate (20) and a plurality of LED lights (40); (2) forming a graphene layer (60) on the metal substrate (20) in such a way that the graphene layer (60) includes hollow sections (62) formed to correspond to the LED lights (40); (3) mounting the LED lights (40) to the metal substrate (20) in the hollow sections (62); and (4) forming silicone layers (80) in the hollow sections (62). The method for manufacturing the LED light bar and the LED light bar thereof according to the present invention use a graphene layer formed on a metal substrate and use silicone layers for planarization and heat transfer so as to effectively enhance heat dissipation performance of the LED light bar and extend lifespan of the LED light bar.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) light bar, and in particular to a method for manufacturing an LED light bar and an LED light bar thereof.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus of wide applications, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, computer monitors, and notebook computer screens.
Most of the liquid crystal displays that are currently available in the market are backlighting liquid crystal displays, which comprise an enclosure, a liquid crystal panel arranged in the enclosure, and a backlight module mounted in the enclosure. The structure of a conventional liquid crystal panel is composed of a color filter (CF) substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the two substrates and the principle of operation is that a driving voltage is applied to the two glass substrates to control rotation of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer in order to refract out light emitting from the backlight module for generating images. Since the liquid crystal panel itself does not emit light, light must be provided from the backlight module in order to normally display images. Thus, the backlight module is one of the key components of the liquid crystal displays. The backlight modules can be classified in two types, namely a side-edge backlight module and a direct backlight module, according to the site where light gets incident. The direct backlight module comprises a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light-emitting diode (LED), which is arranged at the backside of the liquid crystal panel to form a planar light source directly supplied to the liquid crystal display panel. The side-edge backlight module comprises an LED light bar, serving as a backlight source, which is arranged at an edge of a backplane to be located rearward of one side of the liquid crystal display panel. The LED light bar emits light that enters a light guide plate (LGP) through a light incident face at one side of the light guide plate and is projected out of a light emergence face of the light guide plate, after being reflected and diffused, to pass through an optic film assembly so as to form a planar light source for the liquid crystal display panel.
Heat dissipation has always been a primary factor that affects the lifespan of a liquid crystal display device. A major source of heat of a liquid crystal display device is generated by a backlight source. The backlight sources that are conventionally used are generally LED light bars. An LED light bar basically comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) and LED chips that are mounted on and electrically connected with the PCB. The cause that the LED light generates heat is that the electrical power supplied thereto has not been all converted into light energy and a fraction thereof is converted into thermal energy. A characteristic of the LED chip is that a huge amount of heat can be generated in an extremely small volume. The LED chip itself has a small thermal capacity so that the heat must be dissipated with the greatest speed, otherwise an extremely high junction temperature may result.
Heat dissipation of the LED chip is attracting more and more attention. This is because light decay or lifespan of an LED chip is directly associated with the junction temperature thereof. Poor heat dissipation leads to a high junction temperature and a short lifespan. According to Arrhenius Law, the lifespan would be extended by two times for every temperature drop of 10° C.
An LED light bar heat dissipation solution commonly adopted in a conventional liquid crystal display device is a heat dissipation plate arranged between a PCB and a backplane to transmit as efficiently as possible heat generated by an LED chip to the outside. However, such as heat dissipation solution is imperfect. If the heat dissipation plate is arranged to be a metal-made heat dissipation plate, then the weight of a backlight module would be increased.
Graphene is a novel type of material having advantages of temperature resistance, small thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and small friction coefficient and can be attached to a curved surface or an irregular surface. Heat dissipation with grapheme shows relatively high horizontal thermal conductivity (see FIG. 1), enabling efficient conduction of energy in a horizontal direction to make uniform distribution of thermal energy over an enter surface in the horizontal direction and eliminating localized hot spots.
thermal conductivitymaterials(W/m · K)common metalssilver429copper401gold317aluminum237carbon basedGTS (Thermal Graphite Sheet)1500-1700materialsCNT (Carbon Nano Tube)3000-3500diamond1000-2200graphene4000-6000otherssilicone gel1-3
It can be seen from the above table that graphene has the largest thermal conductivity. Using graphene as a heat dissipation material for an LED light bar would greatly improve the performance of heat dissipation and extend the lifespan of the LED light bar thereby extending the lifespan of a liquid crystal display device using the LED light bar.

Method for manufacturing LED light bar and LED light bar thereof

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A Foley catheter with a retention balloon includes an elongated inflation tube so that the inflation port used to inflate and deflate the balloon may be maneuvered away from the drainage port of the Foley catheter. If the Foley catheter was placed using a urethral access sheath, the elongated inflation tube allows the surgeon to easily remove the access sheath from the patient.

Drainage catheters are widely used when patients are unable to reliably void themselves, typically after surgery that is related to a urinary function. For men, the use of a drainage catheter may be related to surgery for a diseased prostrate gland. For women, a drainage catheter may be needed after surgery to repair the pelvic floor or to support the urethra. For patients of either sex, a urinary catheter may be needed when the patient is immobilized in a hospital bed. These catheters often take the form of what is known as a Foley catheter, which includes a drainage lumen from the bladder to outside the body.
A Foley catheter also includes a balloon placed in the urinary bladder for retention of the catheter. The balloon is inflated by using pressurized water or saline solution. The water or saline is added through an inflation lumen that is independent and separate from the drainage lumen. The inflation lumen extends from the balloon inside the bladder to a fitting outside the body. The fitting is used to inflate the balloon, which then holds the catheter reliably within the patient's urinary bladder.
In order to place the Foley catheter and the uninflated balloon into the patient's body, an access sheath is frequently used. An access sheath, such as one similar to those depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,304 and 5,700,253, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, is placed within the urethra. The catheter is then placed into the patient through the access sheath. The access sheath typically uses a very lubricious hydrophilic coating on its outside to ease the passage of the access sheath through the urethra.
One difficulty in using access sheaths is that once the Foley catheter has been placed, it may be difficult to remove the access sheath, because the proximal (outside) end of the Foley, with its fittings may be too wide to allow removal of the access sheath. Accordingly, access sheaths, such as those described in WIPO Publication No. WO 93/04726, have now been designed as "tear-away" sheaths, that is, they are easy to split along their entire length. Thus, the access sheath may be torn down its length and removed from the patient at will.
A problem with this approach is that, even with hydrophilic coatings, the process of tearing and removal of the access sheath is traumatic to the patient. What is needed is a Foley catheter that allows removal of the access sheath with a minimum of trauma to the patient. What is needed is a Foley catheter that can be implanted with the aid of an access sheath, and which allows removal of the access sheath once the Foley catheter is implanted.

Drainage catheter with extended inflation lumen


Described is a technology by which a memory controller is a component of a hybrid memory device having different types of memory therein (e.g., SDRAM and flash memory), in which the controller operates such that the memory device has only a single memory interface with respect to voltage and access protocols defined for one type of memory. For example, the controller allows a memory device with a standard SDRAM interface to provide access to both SDRAM and non-volatile memory with the non-volatile memory overlaid in one or more designated blocks of the volatile memory address space (or vice-versa). A command protocol maps memory pages to the volatile memory interface address space, for example, permitting a single pin compatible multi-chip package to replace an existing volatile memory device in any computing device that wants to provide non-volatile storage, while only requiring software changes to the device to access the flash.

Various existing and new computing devices make use of high speed, volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory, or DRAM) to hold operating instructions and data. Such devices include mobile phones, television set-top boxes, personal computer memory, and so forth. Increasingly computing devices are also including large amounts of relatively inexpensive nonvolatile NAND flash memory to store applications and data.
However, many existing DRAM-based computer devices are designed without the appropriate bus interfaces to support NAND flash memory; to support NAND flash memory requires a costly and lengthy redesign of the device chipset. Similarly, most NAND flash-based devices cannot simply add DRAM. Significant changes to a device's physical architecture are required to put flash memory into an updated model of what was a DRAM-based device, for example, or vice-versa.
While a combination of volatile and nonvolatile memory provides benefits in many situations, often the expense of redesigning a device chipset is too costly/risky for a vendor, whereby the vendor forgoes new features and business models that would be otherwise enabled by having volatile and nonvolatile memory in a device. Further, there is no straightforward way to use existing architectural models and, for example, update an existing DRAM-based device with NAND flash memory; e.g., an entire circuit board would need to be redesigned and replaced, instead of simply adding memory to or changing memory in an existing device (and updating software as appropriate). Moreover, there is a large difference in bus speeds between non-volatile and DRAM-based memory.

Hybrid memory device with single interface


An article-storing box placed in automobile trunk includes a bottom base, two lateral side plates, two lengthwise side plates and plural separating plates. The bottom base is provided with a chamber having stepped surfaces on two lengthwise sidewalls. The lateral side plates respectively have their bottom sides fitted pivotally between the two stepped surfaces of the chamber, having two insert blocks movable in two opposite sides. The lengthwise side plates respectively have their bottom sides disposed pivotally between the two stepped surfaces of the chamber, two hooks for receiving two insert blocks of the lateral side plates and plural guide grooves for the separating plates to insert therein. The separating plates are movable and have the same structure as that of the lateral side plates. The article-storing box can be separated into several compartments for storing different articles and is collapsible to take small space in an automobile trunk.

This invention relates to an article-storing box placed in an auto mobile trunk, particularly to one possible to be collapsed, taking small space and convenient to put articles in it or take them out.
Generally, consumers are used to putting various articles just bought from a supermarket or a shopping center directly into their automobile trunk, letting raw meat or fish mingled with cooked food and the like and resulting in a filthy condition not hygienic at all.
To solve such a problem, article-storing boxes to be placed in an automobile trunk have come into existence in recent years. Such an article-storing box has plural detachable separating plates provided inside to form several compartments for storing different articles, as disclosed in a Taiwan Patent Publication No. 299731 and in an U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,412.
The aforesaid article-storing box has an advantage of storing articles by classification, but cannot be collapsed, so it takes big space in an automobile trunk even if it is empty, causing inconvenience in transporting or carrying.
The objective of this invention is to offer an article-storing box placed in an automobile trunk, capable to be collapsed, needing only small space and easy to put articles in it or take them out.
The article-storing box in this invention includes a bottom base, a pair of lateral side plates, a pair of lengthwise plates and plural separating plates. The bottom base is formed integral and has a chamber in the center. The front and the rear ails of the chamber are respectively formed with a stepped surface having a plurality of pivotal connectors protruding up and a flexible tongue is oppositely formed in a center portion of the left and the right wall of the chamber, with each tongue having a stop member protruding toward the interior of the chamber. The bottom base further has a hollow grip integrally formed protruding out of the front side.
The bottom ends of the two lateral side plates are respectively fitted pivotally and vertically between the two stepped surfaces of the left and the right wall of the chamber to let the two lateral side plates capable to be pivotally swung up and down to be placed horizontally between two stepped surfaces of the chamber when collapsed. Then a through hole is bored in the middle section near the top edge of each lateral side plate, and an insert groove is bored in two opposite sides of each lateral side plate, and further two movable insert blocks fitting in the two insert grooves are respectively provided in two opposite sides of each lateral side plate.
Each lengthwise side plate has its bottom side pivotally combined with the pivotal connectors on each stepped surface of the chamber to let the two lengthwise side plates pivotally swung up and down to rest horizontally on the lateral side plates when collapsed. Two hooks conforming to the two insert grooves of each lateral side plate are formed integral on two opposite ends of each lengthwise side plate, and each hook has an insert hole. Besides, plural guide grooves are formed integral in the inner wall of each lengthwise side plate, each tide groove has a position member aligned with the hook, and each position member is broed with a recess in the center, with the recess having an expanded position hole in an intermediate portion.
A plurality of separating plates are provided to have the same structure as the lateral side plates, respectively having a through hole in the middle section near its top edge and two insert grooves and two insert blocks provided in two sides, but detachable not pivotally combined with the bottom base.
In assembling for use, pivotally swing up the lengthwise side plates and the lateral side plates orderly to make them stand upright on the bottom base, with the hooks of the cover inserted into the insert grooves of the lateral side plates orderly from a collapsed condition of the article-storing box. Then the insert blocks of the lateral side plates actuated to extend into the insert holes of the hooks. Then each separating plate is fitted between two lengthwise side plates through the guide grooves in the inner walls of the lengthwise side plates, letting the insert blocks of the separating plates facing with the position member of the lengthwise side plates and activate the insert blocks of the separating plates to insert in the position holes of the position members, thus finishing assembly of the article-storing box for use.

Article-storing box placed in an automobile trunk

No. 295, Lane 168, Sec. 1, Chang Hsi Road


Disclosed is a releasably sealable bag for low temperature cooking comprising a film material, wherein the film material does not deform at temperatures of up to about 125° C., and wherein the bag is air and liquid impermeable when sealed. Also disclosed are such bags wherein at least a portion of the film material is comprised of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive protected from inadvertent adherence. Further disclosed are methods for food preparation and cooking using any of the embodiments of the bag of the present invention.

Low temperature vacuum cooking is a method of cooking at temperatures of about 100° C. of less. This cooking method can be used to provide better flavor as compared to certain other cooking methods, as well as to provide aesthetically pleasing, nutritious foods. However, at present such cooking requires complex and expensive equipment that is normally used only by professional chefs.
It is also known to re-heat various prepared foods using flexible bags or pouches called retortable bags. For example, certain prepared foods that are suitable to be eaten after re-heating can be purchased in hermetically sealed plastic bags. The sealed bag is placed in boiling water, and the heat from the boiling water re-heats the food without penetrating the bag. The user then only has to cut open the bag and remove the contents. A common example of this type of product is curry, available for example from the House Shokuhin, S&B Shokuhin, and Ajinomoto Companies of Japan.
The types of retortable foods that can packaged and re-heated in this manner are quite limited. In addition, such retortable bags cannot be used to actually cook fresh foods; they can only be used to re-heat a particular food that has already been prepared and preserved. Accordingly, such bags must be provided with some type of preservation agent, e.g., aluminum, as the freshness of the stored food product during storage and shelf life prior to consumer purchase must be maintained.
In addition, conventional food storage bags, such as those available under the brand name ZIPLOC from the S. C. Johnson Company in the United States and from the Asahi Kasei Company in Japan, and UBE Kitchen Bag from the UBE Film Company of Onoda City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, are difficult if not impossible to use for re-heating or for cooking foods in hot or boiling water. The materials (generally polyethylenes or blends thereof) from which these bags are made may not be capable of providing air tightness and/or liquid-tightness when sealed or during re-heating or cooking; similarly, such materials may not be heat resistant and may deform at temperatures of 100° C. Even if it is assumed that such material itself is air and liquid tight, practical methods for sealing/re-sealing of such bags and for a variety of food preparation techniques are extremely limited.
Self-venting bags comprised of nylon and polypropylene that can be used for cooking of certain foods (such as potatoes) by placing the bag in boiling water have been sold under the name "Jokigen" by the Jomei Company of Japan. However, this type of bag must be heat sealed by using a particular device before it can be placed in the water, and once sealed, it cannot be re-sealed.
There also exists a need to improve the meal preparation chores of consumers. Meal preparation and dish cleaning are believed to account for about 50% of today's household chores, and many consumers wish to reduce the time spent on meal preparation and clean-up. Although home meal replacement, take-out, and deli-style foods are available, such foods may not provide adequate nutrition and in general are perceived as unhealthy substitutes for home-cooked meals by many consumers. Some consumers further experience a sense of guilt when they substitute such alternatives for home-cooked meals. Thus, more efficient meal preparation without trade-offs relating to nutritive value, cost, taste, and pride in food preparation are desired by many consumers.
Therefore, it can be seen that there remains a desire to provide a convenient and durable bag that can be used for low temperature preparation and cooking of fresh foods in the home, without the use of expensive equipment or complicated procedures, that can make meal preparation more efficient without sacrificing taste, nutrition, and pride in food preparation. None of the existing art provides all of the advantages and benefits of the present invention.

Releasably sealable, air and liquid impermeable bags and methods for low temperature food preparation using the same


A tensioning ring and riser assembly for use in oil well platform riser tensioning apparatus. The cylindrical riser has male threads formed on the exterior surface. The annular tensioning ring has female threads formed on the interior adapted to loosely thread onto the male threads. The tensioning ring is adapted to be tensioned in a first direction relative to the riser. The female threads have a leading face lying at a shallow angle to the assembly centerline in the first direction and a trailing face lying approximately perpendicular to the assembly centerline. The male threads have a complementary configuration. When the tensioning ring is tensioned in the first direction, the shallow angled faces are brought into tangential pressure contact so that hoop stress is uniformly distributed and minimized in both riser and tensioning ring with the shear load between them distributed over the wall thickness of both parts. When the tensioning force is released, the only contact is at the faces that lie approximately perpendicular to the centerline. This contact is under little pressure and has a minimal contacting area, allowing easy rotation of the tensioning ring relative to thread the tensioning ring up or down the riser. A rounded root between the threads on each part allows clearance for thread tips as the threads move between the tensioned and untensioned positions.

This invention relates in general to tensioning of risers used in offshore oil production and exploratory drilling and, more specifically, to an improved tensioning ring and slip assembly for fastening a riser tensioning apparatus to a riser pipe suspended from an offshore drilling vessel or floating platform. Off shore oil drilling and production operations are conducted through a pipe, called a riser, running from the subsea wellhead to the surface platform or floating vessel. In order to support the weight of these risers and to control the stresses induced by ocean currents and vessel motions, the upper end of the riser is connected to a tensioning device. This riser tensioner maintains a predetermined range of tension throughout the range of vertical and lateral motions of the drilling or production rig. The conventional approach to tensioning risers is to use a combination of a hydraulic or pneumatic mechanical cylinder, pressurized using a compressed gas, to apply the tensioning forces to the riser. Each riser tensioner is located on a deck of the floating platform or floating vessel and structurally connected through its cylinders to the riser. The cylinders are typically connected to the risers through cylinder rods. The rods are connected to a tension ring which may be threaded directly onto, or otherwise connected to, a slip assembly surrounding and fastened to the riser pipe. The tension ring and/or slip assembly generally is movable along the riser to permit positioning in an optimum position with the cylinders extended in an optimum manner. Where the tension ring is threaded onto the riser, this adjustment is accomplished by rotating the tension ring. Typical of such systems is that disclosed by Myers et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,387, which uses a conventional thread or spiral groove on a riser top joint engaging a tensioner ring.
Because of the high tension between base and tensioning ring during normal operation, rotating the ring or slip assembly to thread the ring up or down along the riser is often very difficult. The ring or slip assembly and riser are often jammed together with tight threads so that even when the tension is released rotation of the ring is very difficult.
The thread forms used are subject to deformation which increases the difficulty of rotation. Further, tight machining tolerances for the threads are required to prevent further problems in rotating the ring. A great variety of thread forms have been developed for widely varying, specific, purposes. For example, rounded threads such as are described by Johansson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,570 have been developed for percussion drill rods. Rounded thread bottoms such as are described by Frerejacques in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,210 have been designed to reduce stress. Non-symmetrical threads are disclosed by Ditson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,837 for connecting lengths of drill rod together. The prior thread forms, however, do not address the problems which occur in tension ring assemblies.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for tension ring and/or slip assemblies for riser tensioning systems that operate well in the difficult environment, permit ease of rotation and ease of positioning when tension is released, resist deformation under tension and do not require tight manufacturing tolerances.

Tensioning ring and riser assembly for an oil well platform tensioning apparatus


An optical communication cable includes a core, armor surrounding the core, a jacket surrounding and bonded to the armor, and a binder film also surrounding the core and interior to the armor. The core includes buffer tubes surrounding sets of optical fibers and a central strength member. The buffer tubes are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the buffer tubes and the binder film holds the buffer tubes in position. The binder film is bonded to an interior of the armor, thereby providing a quick access capability to access the core via simultaneous removal of the binder film when the armor and jacket are removed.

The disclosure relates generally to optical communication cables and more particularly to optical communication cables including one or more features configured to protect the cable body from interaction with components located within the cable jacket. Optical communication cables have seen increased use in a wide variety of electronics and telecommunications fields. Optical communication cables may contain or surround one or more optical communication fibers. The cable provides structure and protection for the optical fibers within the cable.


Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide of extreme importance as a catalyst, reductan, and reactant. It can be depleted intra-cellularly either by forming a direct complex with an electrophilic agent (accomplished investigationally by agents such as bromobenzene or diethyl maleate), by way of inhibition of synthesis, or by subjecting cells to oxidant stress. Most cells, except for epithelia cells, do not have a direct transport capacity for intact GSH. Non-epithelial cells must either transport precursor substrates for GSH synthesis or salvage amino acids from circulating GSH for reuse in intracellular resynthesis. Dietary cysteine is a rate limiting substrate for the synthesis of glutathione and also inhibits GSH efflux. Although GSH is synthesized from precursors in virtually all cells, the liver is the main source of plasma GSH. Protection and support of liver function is paramount to elevating GSH levels. The disclosure is also of a unique combination of nutritional supplements including n-acetyl cysteine, vitamin C, 1-glucosamine, n-acetyl d-glucosamine, quercitin, sylimarin, Alpha lipoic acid and high protein, low fat whey that are combined to support various bodily systems involved in glutathione synthesis, reutilization and storage; all intended to elevate glutathione concentration in the mammalian cell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a method of improving glutathione (GSH) concentrations, both intra and extra-cellularly, in mammals, thereby improving the cellular and humoral immune response. It comprises oral administration of a therapeutically effective amount of nutritional supplement which is composed of critical and synergistic quantities of amino acids, peptides, and bioflavanoids.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Glutathione is a well-known tripeptide, which exists in two basic forms. The antioxidant form or "reduced glutathione" tripeptide is conventionally called "glutathione" and abbreviated as "GSH". The oxidized form is a sulfur-sulfur linked compound known as glutathione disulfide (GSSG).
Glutathione in its biologically active, reduced form (GSH) has the formula: and is appropriately named γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine. It is ubiquitous in animals, plants, and microorganisms and being water soluble is found mainly in the cell cytosol and other aqueous phases of the living system. Glutathione often attains millimolar levels inside living cells, which makes it one of the most highly concentrated intracellular antioxidants.
Glutathione is homeostatically controlled, both inside the animal cell and outside. Enzyme systems synthesize it, utilize it, and regenerate it per the gamma-glutamyl cycle. (Meister A. Glutathione, Ascorbate and Cellular Protection Cancer Res (Suppl) 1994 (Apr 1); 54:1969S-1975S).
Glutathione is most concentrated in the mammal liver (10 mM), where the P450 Phase II″ enzymes require it to convert fat-soluble substances into water-soluble GSH conjugates in order to facilitate their excretion. While providing GSH for their specific needs, the liver parenchymal cells export GSH to the outside, where it serves as systemic source of-SH/reducing power.
Briefly, glutathione synthesis occurs within animal cells in two closely linked enzymatically controlled reactions that utilize Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and draw on nonessential amino acids as substrates. First, cysteine and glutamate are combined (by the enzyme gamma-glutamyl cysteinyl synthetase, with availability of cysteine usually being the rate-limiting factor. Cysteine is generated from the essential amino acid methionine, from the degradation of dietary protein, or from turnover of endogenous proteins. The buildup of GSH acts to feedback-inhibit this enzyme, thereby helping to ensure homeostatic control over GSH synthesis.
The second GSH synthesis reaction combines gamma-glutamylcysteine with glycine to generate GSH (catalyzed by GSH synthetase).
With regard to the essentiality of GSH for the survival of the mammal, substantial information is available from studies on hereditary GSH depletion in the human, and from experimental depletion and repletion of GSH in animal models and cell cultures, see for example: Meister A. Larsson A. Glutathione Synthetase Deficiency and Other Disorders of the Gamma-Glutamyl Cycle; Scriver CR. et al eds. The Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease (Volume I). New York: McGraw-Hill: 1995:1461-1495 (Chapter 43); and Beutler E. Nutritional and Metabolic Aspects of Glutathione, Annu Rev Nutr 1989;9:287-302.
Reduced GSH levels in mammalian cells are associated with a wide variety of pathophysiologic states, including hepatic dysfunction, malignancies, HIV infection, pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, related immunologic illnesses and physiological conditions; see for example the descriptions in Kidd, Alternative Medicine Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, pages 156-176 (1997).
The consequences of sustained GSH depletion are fatal. As cellular GSH is depleted, first individual cells die in those areas most affected. Then zones of tissue damage begin to appear. Localized free-radical damage spreads across the tissue in an ever-widening, self-propagating wave.
An object of this invention is to promote gastrointestinal absorption and intracellular uptake of components which will maximize intracellular reduced glutathione production by a mammal including a human.

Method of treating glutathione deficient mammals


A ground voltage reduction device is connected between a neutral reference node and a ground node defined by two bypass capacitors of a blocking circuit. The ground voltage reduction device senses the voltage difference between the neutral reference node and the ground node and drives the ground node to reduce the voltage difference between a voltage of the ground node and a voltage of the neutral reference node.

1. Field Of Invention
This invention relates to improving blocking circuit performance in a power line communication system.
2. Description Of Related Art
Conventional power line signal receivers block noise generated by devices connected to the power supply lines of a house by using a blocking circuit. Such blocking circuits reduce noise voltages generated by devices such as home appliances from interfering with signal receivers receiving signals through the power lines.
Because power lines connected to houses have three lines where the voltage between a positive power line and a negative power line is about 240 volts, home appliances that require only 120 volts are connected between one of the positive and negative power lines and a neutral line. Thus, noise voltages are generated across the positive and negative power lines independently causing a net difference voltage between the positive and negative power lines.
The above noise voltage across the positive and negative power lines are only partially removed by the blocking circuit. Thus, there is a need to improve the blocking circuit performance for further reducing the noise induced onto power lines by devices such as home appliances.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an insulating layer having an opening, the opening exposing a portion of the substrate, a hydrophobic layer covering substantially only a sidewall and a top surface of the insulating layer, and a nanoscale conductive structure on the exposed portion of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of forming a nanoscale conductive structure and a semiconductor device formed thereby. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention related to a method of forming a nanoscale structure using a catalyst.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nanoscale conductive structures such as a carbon nanotube, a silicon nanowire, etc., may exhibit excellent electrical, thermal, and strength characteristics, and, accordingly, may be suitable for use in various electronic devices. In order to implement such nanoscale conductive structures, it may be necessary to selectively form the nanoscale conductive structure only on a desired region. However, such a selective formation may be complex, and may require a number of processes to be performed. Accordingly, there is a need for a simplified way to form nanoscale conductive structures.

Semiconductor device having a nanoscale conductive structure


An engine ignition shutdown module includes a voltage regulator circuit connected to a key switch, and a pair of isolated MOSFET driver circuits connected to the voltage regulator circuit. Each MOSFET driver circuit charges a capacitor while the key switch is in a run position and the interlock switches are closed, and each capacitor discharges through a resistor for a time delay period once the key switch is moved from the run position to an off position or at least one of the interlock switches are opened. A pair of high voltage output MOSFET transistors are switched on while the capacitors discharge and provide an output to a magneto ignition for the time delay period.

Magneto equipped gas combustion engines are commonly used to provide traction drive for grass mowing equipment, off road vehicles or other machines. During the typical shutdown of the ignition system and fuel source for these engines, there may be a period of time when excess fuel may not be ignited properly and burned. This occurs because the ignition signal typically may be grounded at the same time as the fuel source is shut off. Excess fuel may pass to the exhaust system where it may ignite and cause an afterbang condition also known as backfire.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,264 relates to an ignition circuit designed to provide a time delayed, electrical ground of the magneto signal. This circuit utilizes a triad for alternating current (TRIAC) which may be prone to self-triggering when subjected to fast changing high voltage signals which are very common with magneto signal based ignition systems. For that reason, these circuits cannot effectively support low voltage ignition signals. Additionally, these circuits continuously draw power from the ignition signal (magneto) to create the signal that is used to trigger the TRIAC in the circuit. Drawing power from the magneto signal can negatively impact the engine's performance.
There is a need for an engine ignition shutdown module that can control the time delay between the enabling and disabling of an ignition system and fuel source for an internal combustion engine. There is a need for an engine ignition shutdown module that can interface to high and low voltage, low current signals. There is a need for an engine ignition shutdown module that can reduce or minimize the power from the ignition signal used to perform its functions.


The parking brakes on a truck or other vehicle having plural axles are applied such that at least one wheel at a first end of a first axle receives a parking brake force without applying a parking brake force to any wheel at the opposite end of the first axle. In addition, at least one wheel at a second end of a second axle, the second end of the second axle being opposite to the first end of the first axle, receives a parking brake force. Desirably, any wheels at the opposite end of the second axle from the second end of the second axle are not the recipient of a parking brake force such that diagonally disposed parking brake forces are applied upon activation of the vehicle parking brakes. The first axle in one example is forwardly of the second axle and the first end of the first axle may be at the longitudinal side of the vehicle which is the heaviest.

FIG. 1 shows a truck tractor or other vehicle 10 having a front axle 12. A driver's side wheel coupled to front axle 12 is indicated at D1 while a passenger side wheel coupled to axle 12 is indicated at P1. Note: The designations D and P are for convenience only as the vehicle may be a left hand drive vehicle or a right hand drive vehicle. Truck or other vehicle 10 has tandem rear axles 14,16. Axle 14 has wheels D2 and P2 coupled thereto. Axle 16 has wheels D3 and P3 coupled thereto. More than one wheel may be coupled to each end of the axles. As is conventional, if two wheels are mounted to an end of an axle, the wheels are typically mounted by the same lug nuts and rotate together. These wheels are thus braked together if a parking brake is located in association with these wheels.
It is common for trucks to include parking brakes. Spring loaded cylinder actuated parking brakes are a specific example. For example, the brakes may be released by filling a cylinder with pressurized air in response to a control signal, such as an electronically delivered or mechanically delivered control signal. In contrast, air may be bled from the cylinder to set the brake. In another common approach, a two compartment brake actuator may be used to brake a wheel at the end of an axle (or plural wheels if more than one wheel is at the end of the axle). For example, the service brake is applied by pushing a brake pedal in the cab of the vehicle. In response to the application of the brake pedal, pressurized air is supplied to one compartment of the actuator resulting in the application of the brake at the wheel. Simultaneously, the other brakes (at other wheels) are applied in this service brake application mode. In this example, the parking brake is applied by operating a parking brake control, such as by moving a lever. In response, air is bled from another compartment of the actuator. This allows a spring to apply the brake of the wheel in a parking brake application mode. Simultaneously, the other brakes (at other wheels) are applied in this parking brake mode. Other forms of parking brake application mechanisms may alternatively be used.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate common known approaches for parking brakes. In FIG. 1, the parking brakes are located at the wheels coupled to the frontmost rear axle 14 (wheels D2 and P2). In FIG. 2, the parking brakes are located at the wheels coupled to the rearmost axle 16. Typically, both axles 14 and 16 are drive axles. As shown in FIG. 3, another known approach involves having parking brakes at wheels (P2 and D2) coupled to the frontmost axle 14 of rear axles 14, 16 together with parking brakes at wheels (P3 and D3) coupled to the rearmost axle 16. The location of the parking brakes is indicated schematically in FIGS. 1–3 by shading in the wheels that have associated parking brakes.
Thus, in the known approaches, if one wheel has a parking brake, a directly opposed wheel on the same axle will have a parking brake. In addition, the parking brakes are operated together. Thus, in FIG. 1, wheels P2 and D2 are both braked when the parking brakes are applied. In FIG. 2, wheels P3 and D3 are both braked when the parking brakes are applied. In addition, in FIG. 3, all four wheels P2, D2, and P3, D3 are braked when the parking brakes are applied.
This approach can lead to some disadvantages.
For example, it is common for vehicles to have air suspension systems for leveling the vehicle. Assume in FIG. 6 that the parking brakes are located only at the rearmost axle 16 (e.g., at wheels P3,D3) in FIG. 6. If the vehicle happens to be parked with the rear wheels at a lower elevation (for example with the rear wheels P3,D3 off the pavement and the front wheels P2,D2 on the pavement) as illustrated in FIG. 6, it is possible for the effectiveness of the parking brakes to be hampered. In this example, the leveling system over time may attempt to raise the rear axle 16 to level the frontmost and rearmost axles 14,16 of the tandem pair. This can result in the rear wheels being lifted off of the ground (if the difference in elevation between the front and rear wheels is great enough) or unloaded enough such that the parking brakes no longer as effectively hold the truck in a parked position. If the truck is on a sufficient incline, movement of the truck is possible.
The present invention relates to all novel and non-obvious features and methods disclosed herein, both alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another, as set forth in the claims below. The invention is not limited to a system which overcomes all of the disadvantages of the prior art. In addition, the invention may be implemented using conventional parking brakes as well as with parking brakes which are developed in the future.

Diagonal parking brake activation for vehicles with plural axles