A method, system, and computer program product for identity-aware load balancing are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A sender of a packet is identified using an attribute communicated with the packet. The attribute is sufficient to identify a sender of the packet. The packet is directed to a set of resources managed by a load balancing application. A rule corresponding to the sender is selected. The rule is executed to identify a characteristic of an algorithm usable in a load balancing operation of the load balancing application. The packet and the identified characteristic of the algorithm are communicated to the load balancer. The communicating causes the load balancer to select an algorithm for a load balancing operation with the packet such that the selected algorithm includes the identified characteristic of the algorithm.

Data processing environments often provide multiple resources, such as servers, to handle certain workloads. For example, a popular website or service is often supported by multiple web servers so that requests for the site or service from numerous browsers can be handled efficiently and without unacceptable delays.
The technique for distributing competing or similar workloads across a pool of similar or analogous resources is called load balancing. A load balancer is an application or a component that implements load balancing for a given pool of resources. Data processing systems and applications are some examples of resources, whose multiple instances can be pooled and managed by a load balancer. Requests, data transmissions, and job submissions directed towards such data processing systems or application instances are some examples of workloads that a load balancer can direct or manage for the resource pool.
Many different types of algorithms are presently available for load balancing. A load balancer executes a load balancing algorithm to select an instance of a pooled resource to which a given workload should be directed. For example, a random selection algorithm randomly selects any of the instances of the pooled resource and directs the workload at hand to that randomly selected resource instance. As another example, a round-robin algorithm sequences the resource instances in a pool, and progressively selects the next resource instance in the sequence to handle each subsequent workload.
As another example, a weighted round-robin algorithm implements the round-robin method, and further takes into consideration an amount of load a sequenced resource instance can handle to select an appropriate resource instance in the sequence. For example, if a server in the pool can handle twice the load of another server in the pool, the weighted round-robin algorithm counts the larger server twice in the sequence and the smaller server once, so that the larger server can receive twice the workload that the larger server can handle.
As another example, a fastest response load balancing algorithm selects that resource instance from the pool, which can respond to the workload the fastest at a given time. For example, some servers in a given pool may be more congested, utilized beyond a threshold, or have a comparatively lower throughput as compared to another server in the pool. The fastest response algorithm selects a resource with these and other similar considerations to provide the fastest response time for a given workload at a given time with a given pool of resources.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A system and method for charging a weapon. In an illustrative embodiment, a charging assembly attaches to the side of an MK19 grenade launcher. The charging assembly includes a chain that attaches at one end to the charging bolt of the MK19 grenade launcher. The other end of the chain attaches to a crank assembly. The crank assembly includes a handle and a sprocket that rotate around a pivot axis, pulling on the chain and the charging bolt. The sprocket is large enough that the charging bolt is fully drawn by rotating the handle and the sprocket less than one full rotation around the pivot axis.

The present invention relates to a system and method for charging a bolt on a weapon, illustratively a grenade launcher, such as the MK19, 40 mm grenade machine gun mounted to the turret of an assault amphibious vehicle (AAV). Prior weapon charging systems involved cranking assemblies that required an operator to turn a crank multiple revolutions in order to achieve the stroke needed to fully draw back the bolt on the MK19 grenade launcher. These systems were not only time consuming, but also took significant effort to execute. Space is very limited within a turret of an assault amphibious vehicle (AAV), and previous systems occupied a space that is in close contact with the operator. Previous systems attached to the inner ring of the AAV turret. This placed the charging system directly in line with the hip of the gunner, which resulted in both loss of valuable space and created a possibility of gear damage and/or personal injury.
One aspect or embodiment of the present disclosure addresses time and effort concerns by providing a cranking system that fully charges the bolt on the MK19 grenade launcher by turning a handle less than one full revolution. Another aspect or embodiment of the present disclosure addresses space and safety concerns by locating the cranking system above the turret ring, directly behind the weapon, and out of the way of the operator.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for charging a bolt of a grenade launcher is provided, wherein the bolt of the grenade launcher is charged when the bolt is fully drawn along a linear path. The system includes a charging assembly including a frame attachable to the grenade launcher, a chain supported by the frame and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the chain being configured to move a bolt of the grenade launcher. The system further includes a crank assembly operably coupled to the charging assembly, the crank assembly including a handle, a sprocket, and a pivot pin coupled to the handle and the sprocket for rotating the handle and the sprocket about a pivot axis defined by the pivot pin. The proximal end of the chain is coupled to the sprocket at a sprocket radius from the pivot axis such that when the handle and the sprocket rotate around the pivot axis, the chain moves the bolt along a linear draw length, and the sprocket radius has a value large enough such that rotating the handle and the sprocket by an angle of rotation less than one full rotation around the pivot axis defines an arc length sufficient to fully draw the charging bolt along the linear draw length.
According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for charging a bolt of a grenade launcher is provided, wherein the charging bolt of the grenade launcher is charged when the bolt is fully drawn along a linear path. The system includes a charging assembly includes a frame attachable to the grenade launcher, a flexible coupling supported by the frame and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, a charger block coupled to the distal end of the flexible coupling and configured to engage the charging bolt of the grenade launcher. A crank assembly is operably coupled to the charging assembly. The crank assembly includes a sprocket coupled to the proximal end of the flexible coupling, and a handle coupled to the sprocket for rotating the sprocket about a pivot axis. Rotation of the sprocket by an angle of rotation less than 180 degrees about the pivot axis by a pull force of less than 40 lbs. is configured to transmit at least 60 lbs. of pull force on the charging bolt through the charger block to fully draw the charging bolt along the linear path.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a charging system for a grenade launcher includes the steps of securing mounting pins onto a frame, such that the distance between the mounting pins is substantially the same as the distance between pre-existing mounting sockets on a grenade launcher, attaching a charger block for sliding movement within a longitudinally extending slot in the frame, and attaching a spring to the charger block. The method further includes the steps of attaching a distal end of a chain to a chain attachment, and coupling the chain attachment to the charger block. The method further includes the steps of installing a pivot pin into a mounting bracket, attaching a handle to the pivot pin for rotation about a pivot axis, attaching a sprocket to the pivot pin for rotation with the handle about the pivot axis, and attaching a proximal end of the chain to the sprocket.
According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of charging a weapon includes the steps of providing a charging assembly including a charger block operably coupled to a chain, and providing a crank assembly including a rotatable sprocket operably coupled to the chain of the charging assembly, and a handle configured to rotate the sprocket. The method further includes the step of rotating the handle and the sprocket rearwardly by less than 360 degrees, wherein the charger block engages a charging bolt on the weapon and moves rearwardly by a linear draw length of the weapon.
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.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The invention provides an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) a system and method for a plurality of wireless local area networks (WLANs) operated by a plurality of WLAN operators comprising a mobile communications device connecting to a terminal comprising an Internet access application program for accessing the Internet, a personal identification number (PIN) application program, and a unique identifier application program. An Internet access session is requested from the mobile device by activating the Internet access application program in the terminal. Entry of a PIN is requested by activating the PIN application program in the terminal, wherein the PIN is authenticated. If the PIN is authenticated, a unique identifier is retrieved from the mobile device by activating the unique identifier application program in the terminal wherein the unique identifier is accepted by all of the plurality of WLANs operated by the WLAN operators, wherein the unique identifier is sent to an authentication server for WLAN authentication. If the authentication server authenticates the unique identifier, the authentication server instructs an access server that the unique identifier has been authenticated wherein the access server instructs an accounting server to begin access fee calculation. If the access server determines that the Internet access session has ended, the access fee calculation is ended at the accounting server and a total fee is calculated from the ended access fee calculation.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are a rapidly growing communications medium for both enterprises (such as corporate intranets and hotels) and public facilities (for example, airports and convention centers). As an indication of the expected explosive growth of WLANs, it has been estimated that revenue for WLAN equipment will reach $3.2 Billion by the year 2005 (IDC Bulletin Unwiring the Network: Worldwide Wireless LAN Market Forecast Update, 2000–2005).
Around the globe, there are several main mobile telephone systems in operation, among them, Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and its variants such as Time Division Synchronization Code Division Multiple Access (TDS-CDMA) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA). The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations recognizes, CDMA 2000, and TDS-CDMA as standard specifications for 3G (Third Generation) wireless communications while W-CDMA and CDMA 2000 are championed by Europe and the United States, respectively. Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the very popular second generation digital mobile phone system established by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute and currently in widespread use in Europe and Asia. A GSM system typically includes Mobile Stations (MS) which are typically mobile phones and other terminals, a plurality of Base Station Subsystems (BSS) each having a plurality of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and a Base Station Controller (BSC), and a Network and Switch Subsystem (NSS) composed of a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSC), Home Location Registers (HLR), Visitor Location Registers (VLR) and Authentication Centers (AuC). The Mobile Switching Centers switch communications connections and are communicable with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and with at least one Base Station Controller (BSC). The BSC controls the handover of radio connections and the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) includes antennae towers for transmitting and receiving wireless signals and each delineating a cell each of which has a specific coverage area related to the physical location and the antenna direction of the Base Station Subsystems (BSS). The Home Location Registers (HLR) contain a database comprising subscriber information, such as user profiles, current location, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers and other administrative information. The Visitor Location Registers (VLR) comprise a database containing location information of all the MS. The Authentication Center (AuC) is coupled to the HLR and provides the latter with authentication parameters and ciphering keys utilizable for security purposes.
The mobile phone typically is functionally separated into the Mobile Equipment (ME) part and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card which typically includes a subscriber-selected Personal Identity Number (PIN), dialing numbers, names of preferred networks to provide service, and the like. Some of the SIM information can be modified by using the keypad of the mobile phone or through a connected personal computer. The ME typically includes non-subscriber-related hardware and software specific to the communications interface. When the SIM is removed from the ME, the ME can no longer be used for reaching the service provider except for emergency calls.
Wireless mobile Internet access is widespread in Japan and Scandinavia and demand is steadily increasing elsewhere. It has been predicted that over one billion mobile phones with Internet access capability will be sold in the year 2005. Efficient mobile Internet access, however, will require new technologies. Data transmission rate improvements such as the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), and the Third Generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (3G-UMTS) are underway.
Conventional systems utilize a PCMCIA card plus a wireless LAN card to provide a connection between a mobile phone and a WLAN. However, such a system requires a user to purchase all three of the components which will amount to several hundred dollars, thereby exacerbating the obstacles to widespread WLAN use.
While the promise of wireless LAN is immense, its more widespread use has encountered the sometimes conflicting problems of ease of use and security. As anyone who has traveled with a notebook can attest, connecting to any LAN, not even a wireless LAN, is a problem requiring assistance from an MIS professional. This is because of a lack of connectivity standardization. On the other hand, if the connection is standardized and easy, there is a problem of security; that is, if anyone can log on, then confidential or sensitive information available through the LAN will be accessible by anyone, thereby compromising the LAN. Concomitant with the standardization and security issues is the business issue of payment; that is, how is a LAN user to be charged for his use? This issue is succinctly summarized in industry jargon as "AAA", Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. That is, the problems of ease of use and security are addressed by authenticating the user, authorizing him, timing and billing him.
Finally, there is the critical problem of cost. WLAN will take off after the above AAA issues are successfully addressed and the direct and indirect costs of WLAN decreases to a level allowing mainstream utilization.
There is therefore a need for a WLAN system and method that allows cost-effective ease of use while maintaining security and providing an effective and efficient billing and monitoring procedure.

Wireless LAN authentication, authorization, and accounting system and method utilizing a telecommunications network


In the prior art, a user bore a heavy burden on operating together different products having the same functions. A user 102 calls a job net managing function 105 via GUI/CLI 103, and defines a job net 106. A job net execution controlling function 109 interrupts a definition of the job net 106, and sequentially executes the defined jobs. The defined jobs call not real commands directly, but switchers 110 to 114 that define regularized interfaces. The switchers, referring to environment variables 101, select adaptors 115 and 116 properly to call real commands 117 and 118 corresponding thereto.

The present invention relates to a job processing method, a job processing unit, and a storage managing system, particularly to those for processing a plurality of jobs defined as a job net.
The prior art disclosed in JP-A No. 32258/2002 and JP-A No. 282551/2001 provides methods for automatically executing a plurality of jobs defined as job net. In job processing methods using this prior art, a "job" may be one command or a script in which a procedure for executing a plurality of commands or programs is stated. For example, to execute a backup command BU of a backup tool A, the command BU and its parameter are specified for a job definition.
Generally, various products having similar functions have been brought to the market. For example, backup tools sold by different vendors provide some unique functions, but mainly function in the same way as one another (backup and restore of data). The same goes for database management tools, large storage management tools, virtual volume management tools, and ability management tools.
Commands or scripts for these tools are usually specified for jobs in a job net. Job definitions need to be changed depending on a product to be used. For example, a backup command of a backup tool A is assumed to be BUa. The BUa is defined as a job. When a backup tool B is used, the job definition needs to be changed to a backup command BUb of the backup tool B. This means that, although the commands BUa and BUb have the same function, the job definition needs to be changed. This is because different products have different command names and different option specifying methods. Commands and scripts, such as the backup commands BUa and BUb, of tools providing functions required by a user are hereinafter called real commands.
In a small system, management using the aforementioned jobs in the job net does not cause serious problems when the job definitions are changed. When the tool B is used instead of the tool A because of integration of large systems, all the job definitions need to be changed from the command names and options for the tool A to those for the tool B although there are few differences between the contents of the job nets of the tools A and B. As a management tool for large storage, however, challenges are presented because the capacity of storage is expanding quickly, and personnel managing the storage use some storage management tools which expand daily. In a huge data center, large storage of different manufacturers may be used, and thus different management tools may be required for the different storage. In such a case, the aforementioned prior art require a command name defining a job to be changed depending on a storage to be used. This causes a heavy burden on a system manager.

Job processing method, job processing unit, and storage managing system


The present invention provides a novel compound which is suitable as the starting material of a side-chain type liquid crystalline polymeric substance having a reactive group which is excellent in reactivity upon fixation of the liquid crystal orientation structure. The novel compound is a (meth)acrylic compound having an oxetanyl group represented by the formula

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel (meth)acrylic compound having a polymerizable oxetanyl group and a novel side-chain type liquid crystalline polymeric substance derived from the (meth)acrylic compound. This invention also relates to a liquid crystal film containing such a polymeric substance and a liquid crystal display mounted with such a liquid crystal film.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, as a result of the researches and developments which have been actively conducted to apply liquid crystal materials to optical purposes, a liquid crystal film produced by aligning a liquid crystal material has practically used for the purposes of providing a liquid crystal display with color compensation and wide viewing angle properties.
Various methods of forming a liquid crystal material into a film are known. For example, there is a method in which a liquid crystal film is produced by forming a liquid crystalline polymeric substance film over a substrate which can align the substance and then heating the film to a temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition temperature "Tg", followed by rapid cooling of the film so as to fix the orientation of the liquid crystal, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3-9321. However, although this method is applicable to both main chain- and side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substances, it has problems that the process would be increased in load and eligible alignment substrates are limited when using a main-chain type liquid crystalline polymeric substance with a high Tg. Furthermore, when using a side-chain type liquid crystalline polymeric substance, this method has a problem in the heat resistance of the resulting liquid crystal film and a drawback that the orientation of the liquid crystal would be disordered at a temperature in the vicinity of the Tg.
Alternatively, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication, No. 8-21915, there is a method in which a liquid crystal film is produced by pouring a liquid crystalline low molecular weight substance having a reactive group into a liquid crystal cell provided with an alignment substrate and heating the cell to a temperature at which the substance exhibits a liquid crystal phase so as to be oriented in a liquid crystal orientation state, followed by fixing the orientation by polymerizing the substance with an external force such as light or heat. However, in this method, it is difficult to control the parameters of the resulting liquid crystal film because the liquid crystal to be oriented is a low molecular weight substance and thus the physical properties such as fluidity and birefringence are heavily dependent on temperature. Further, this method may often have a problem with the heat resistance of the resulting liquid crystalline film because the structure of the liquid crystal after polymerization becomes similar to that of a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance and thus the sufficiently high Tg can not be obtained.
As an alternative for polymerizing and fixing a liquid crystal orientation by an external force, there is a method in which a mixture of a liquid crystalline polymeric substance and a reactive low molecular weight substance is allowed to be oriented to a liquid crystal phase and subjected to an external force so as to be reacted and cured, as reported in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-120640. However, because the reaction between the liquid crystalline polymeric substance and the reactive low molecular weight substance does not progress sufficiently, the Tg is not sufficiently raised, leading to a problem with the heat resistance of the resulting liquid crystal film.
In view of these problems, a method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-319527 is now considered to be the most effective in which method a reactive group is directly introduced into a liquid crystalline polymeric substance with a relatively low Tg, such as a side chain-type and then subjected to an external force such as light or heat to be cross-linked after orienting the reactive group to a liquid crystal state, thereby raising the Tg. However, this method has a problem that it is difficult to synthesize such a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance with a reactive group. For example, when the polymeric structure is constructed prior to the introduction of a reactive group, the amount thereof may be insufficient. On the other hand, in a method in which from a monomer having two reactive groups, a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance having a reactive group is synthesized by polymerizing one of the reactive group, it is necessary that the reactivity of the other reactive group must be maintained lower than that of the reactive group to be reacted, leading to a problem that the reactive group of the polymeric substance after being oriented to a liquid crystal phase tends to be insufficient.
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing problems and provides a novel compound which is suitable as the starting material of a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance having a reactive group with an excellent reactivity upon fixation of a liquid crystal orientation and a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance derived from such a compound. Furthermore, the present invention also provides a liquid crystal film with an excellent heat resistance which is produced from a liquid crystal material containing such a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance by fixing the orientation state of the liquid crystal material and a liquid crystal display mounted with the liquid crystal film.
After an extensive research and study made by the present inventors, they found a novel polymerizable compound having an oxetanyl group which can be used as the starting material of a side chain-type liquid crystalline polymeric substance which can be easily synthesized and is excellent in orientability and fixation of the orientation structure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(Meth) acrylic compound having an oxetanyl group and liquid crystal film produced by using same

Abstract: wherein R1 is hydrogen or methyl, R2 is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl, “—L1—M—L2—” represents a mesogen portion, and n and m are each an integer of 0 to 10. The present invention also provides a liquid crystal film containing the side-chain type liquid crystalline polymeric substance and a liquid crystal display mounted with such a liquid crystal film.


A game system that uses a swinging launcher to strike and propel a magnetic projectile. The magnetic projectile is propelled toward a primary target. If struck, the magnetic projectile clings to the primary target with magnetic attraction. Optional obstacles may be provided to make the striking of the primary target more difficult and the game more challenging. A tee is provided for placement of the magnetic projectile. The swinging launcher is spring loaded. The swinging launcher has a striking head that contacts the magnetic projectile on the tee when the spring loaded striking head is cocked and released. The striking head hits and separates the magnetic projectile from the tee thereby propelling the magnetic projectile toward the target.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to novelty games that simulate the game of golf. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of launchers, projectiles, and targets used in the game.
2. Prior Art Description
The prior art is replete with toys and games that utilize magnetized projectiles that are capable of sticking to metal surfaces. For instance, there are many magnetic dartboard games that use magnetic tipped darts in place of sharp pointed darts. Such games are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,531, entitled Magnetic Dart Game.
In such prior art games, the magnets are used at the front end of the projectile. The projectile is typically thrown or propelled by being placed within a spring-loaded launching mechanism. If a launching mechanism is used, the launching mechanism often contains no magnetic metals that react with the magnetic tip of the projectile. In this manner, there is no magnetic interaction between the projectile and the launcher that would detract from the launching of the projectile.
Since the magnetic within the projectile does not interact with the structure of the launcher, the magnet in the projectile does not help retain the projectile within the launcher.
In the present invention, a unique configuration is made between projectile and launcher that enables a magnet in the projectile to both adhere to a target and to assist during launching. The unique projectile and launcher system enables games to be configured and played in a manner not available through the prior art. The details of the game system are described and claimed below.

Novelty golfing device having magnetic projectile


A system and method for integrating communications equipment. The system includes a power supply in which the power supply provides power to telephone equipment located in a centralized unit and at least one power converter for receiving the power from the power supply and having a chassis for supporting at least one power converter module. The power converter converts the power from the power supply into at least one output voltage for powering a second set of communications equipment, and the second set of communications equipment is located in the centralized unit. In one arrangement, the second set of communications equipment can include cable television equipment.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electrical equipment and more particularly, to power converters.
2. Description of Related Art
In today's telecommunications industry, consolidation has become prevalent, and as a result, several companies have began to offer telephone and cable television service. Generally, telephone utilities use a negative (−)48 volts DC (VDC) to power telephone equipment located at a central operations facility. For example, many telephone service providers employ −48VDC power from one or more battery primary power source buses to power such equipment. Multiple buses may be used to ensure operation in the event of a bus power failure.
In contrast, cable television companies typically rely on standard 110 Volt AC (VAC) primary source power to operate the equipment necessary to provide cable television services. In many cases, this primary source power is converted to 24 VDC to operate the cable television headend equipment. Moreover, the 110 VAC power supply is typically backed up with a generator or a stand alone 110 VAC backup system, each of which can supply the required voltage to operate the headend equipment in the event of a power failure. As a result, should a single communications entity desire to supply telephone and cable television services to the consuming public, such an endeavor creates a need for numerous power supplies, including associated backup sources, and for large amounts of space to accommodate the necessary equipment, particularly if the operation is to be centered at a sole location. Thus, what is needed in the art is a system for integrating the equipment to provide these services that does not require large amounts of room in which to operate.


This invention relates to novel phenolic rosin resins and the process for preparing them. In particular, the invention relates to novel phenolic rosin resin compositions which exhibit properties that make them useful in formulating vehicles for lithographic printing inks and other coating applications.

Lithographic inks consist primarily of pigments, natural and/or synthetic resins with high melting points (100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.), alkyd resins, and hydrocarbon solvents. Low concentrations of plasticizers, antioxidants, chelates, pH modifiers, antiskinning agents, and other additives also are included in lithographic ink formulations.
The natural and synthetic high-melting resins are typically either petroleum-derived or wood-derived. Used solely or in combination, these resins are dissolved in the high-boiling hydrocarbon solvents to give homogenous systems well known in the art as varnishes. Varnishes usually contain 20 to 70% resin solids. The alkyds, plasticizers, antioxidants, etc. are often included in the varnish, so that solids levels may exceed 70%.
It is known to those skilled in the art that in order to prepare phenolic resins, rosin may be reacted with phenols and formaldehyde to give phenol-rosin condensates which contain reactive double bonds and which may be reacted further in Diels-Alder and/or "ene"-addition fashion with alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. These Diels-Alder and ene adducts of phenol-rosin condensates are then esterified with polyols to give broad molecular weight distribution resins with low residual acid numbers. The traditional methods of producing such phenolic rosin resins are well-known. Generally, the rosin is first heated (to around 180.degree. C.) and melted. Thereafter the temperature is reduced (to around 115.degree. C.), phenol and formaldehyde are added, and the mixture is reacted in a phenol-condensate reaction over a period of time (normally around two hours). The resulting product is held under pressure for about two hours, then vented. The temperature is subsequently elevated to about 195.degree. C., maleic anhydride (or the like) is added, and the resulting mixture is maintained at temperature for around an hour and a half. Thereafter a polyol is added to the mixture, the temperature is increased to about 275.degree. C. and maintained for eight to ten hours in order to produce the phenolic rosin resin.
Phenolic resins must meet with several general requirements to be useful as lithographic ink resins. In order to make varnishes, for example, they must be capable of being dissolved in high-boiling hydrocarbon solvents to yield clear varnishes with manageable viscosities for easy workability. The varnishes must be stable in storage to viscosity, color, and clarity changes. On paper, the resin in the varnish or finished ink must dry to yield a durable, smooth, and uniform film with good resistance to abrasion and chemicals.
Moreover, it is appreciated that for phenolic resins to be useful as dispersing resins in lithographic ink pigment processing operations such as flushing, the resins must exhibit several specific properties in addition to the aforementioned requirements general to all lithographic ink resins. For example, when mixed with highly aqueous pigment presscake in high torque dough mixers commonly used for flushing operations, the resins present in the lithographic ink varnish must exhibit excellent pigment wetting properties. Such properties lead to rapid and thorough coverage of pigment particles present in the presscake and to the concurrent displacement of water originally bound to or entrained in the particle aggregates and agglomerates. Good wetting properties also lead to strong adhesion of resin to particle surfaces so that, as aggregates and agglomerates are broken down into primary particle units, resin will coat the particle surfaces thereby providing a steric barrier to particle-particle reaggregation and reagglomeration. Strong adhesion to and thorough coverage of surfaces of primary particle units by resin thus leads to increased color strength, gloss, and transparency, as well as reduced bronzing in the resulting pigment concentrate.
However, major problems exist with the traditional methods of producing phenolic rosin resins. For example, the condensation reactions associated with these methods often result in excessive foaming. Such foaming can lead to spillages and the release of excessive amounts of aldehyde vapors into the atmosphere. While it is a common practice in the industry to employ anti-foaming agents in an attempt to control this problem, the use of such agents adds to the cost of the process. Moreover, these agents often cause printing inks formulated with the resulting phenolic rosin resin compositions to have adhesion problems (which are known in the industry as "fish eyes").
Another problem associated with these methods is that the phenolic condensation reaction temperatures must be maintained above about 110.degree. C. Should the temperatures drop below this level, the rosin can crystallize--thereby forming a gel and rendering the mixture unusable. Yet a further problem associated with these traditional methods is the excessive cycle times caused by the necessity of adding the aldehyde at a controlled rate.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to solve these major problems by disclosing an improved method of producing phenolic rosin resin compositions that exhibit properties which makes them useful in formulating vehicles for lithographic printing inks and other coating applications.
A further object of this invention is to produce novel phenolic rosin resin compositions which can be employed in varnishes for use in formulating lithographic printing inks.

Method for preparing phenolic rosin resins


A two component reactive composition is described. Each component, before they are mixed together, contains a filler having thin platelet structure, e.g. a nanoclay, and a further filler that interacts with the platelets. The individual components can have a filler loading that makes them flowable and therefore the components can readily be mixed together for ready dispensing. When the components are mixed thoroughly together, the resulting resin may have a viscosity higher than that of the individual components. The loading of the filler is preferably chosen so that the resulting blended resin is capable of being applied on to a vertical surface without experiencing significant slump. The viscosity of the mixed material can be up to 5 to 10 times or more than that of the individual components before mixing. The composition can be used in adhesives, modelling pastes, coatings, sealants, putties, mastics, stopping compounds, caulking materials, encapsulants and surface coatings, e.g. paints.

Two-part components are widely used in many industries for many purposes, including:    1) Model making: Within the automotive, aerospace, rail, wind turbines energy fields and marine industries there is a need to produce dimensionally accurate master models, particularly of large format. These models are used by engineers for the conceptual design of the individual components utilised in the final product. More and more, such models are tested for technical and functional use, thus requiring technical material properties.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,477 and 5,773,047 describe a method for making prepreg parts for use in the aerospace industry where pliable solid patties prepared from syntactic epoxy material are hand-applied to a block made by stacking successive layers of aluminium honeycomb core. The entire resulting structure is then heated to effect cure of the patties. However, this approach is again labour intensive, in that it involves hand application of the pliable solid patties to the honeycomb core. It also requires heating of the entire structure in order to cure the applied patties. The resulting models are also of relatively high density.
WO02/20261 describes a method of making models by making a sub-structure, applying a foamed mixed two-component resin (epoxy/amine or isocyanate/polyol systems) to the substructure to form a continuous layer, curing the resin and machining or hand cutting the cured resin to shape. This method is referred to as "net size casting" using a "seamless modelling paste" (SMP). The paste includes a thixotropic agent to increase the thixotropy of the paste after mixing and dispensing onto the substructure to ensure that the paste does not sag during curing. Amines are given as examples of suitable thixotropic agents.    2) Adhesives In the aerospace, auto, rail, structural and other industries, two-part adhesives are widely used, e.g. in wind turbine blade bonding and to bond other structures. Thixotropic and gap filling adhesives are of special interest for successful bonding of large structures in order to achieve even, stress-free bonding, without flow out at the edges of the structures being bonded. Thixotropic high strength adhesives are also useful if they can be dispensed as 'ropes' onto vertical or slanting surfaces to adhere protective barrier panelling, e.g. on the sides of liquid gas tanks or fuel carriers    3) Component manufacture Two-part curable resins are also used to form heavy electrical mouldings. Of especial interest are flowable thermosetting compositions which can mix very well, set and cure evenly in the casings of large transformers.    4) Paints and coatings Two-part curable resins are also used to form paints, e.g. automotive paints, and coatings and mouldings.
The above are given as examples of the use of two-component curable resins but the list is by no means exhaustive.
It is important that the individual components are flowable so that they can readily be mixed, especially when using machines that both mix and dispense the mixed composition. This sets certain limits on the viscosities that can be utilised and, in turn, sets limits on fillers and thixotropic agents that can be used, ultimately setting limits on the final properties that can be reached.
In many applications there is a need for the two-component composition to have a high viscosity shortly after mixing to provide a resistance to slump, i.e. a change in shape once the mixed composition has been placed in a desired location. The degree of non-slumping required can even be that of retaining almost exactly the shape and dimensions achieved by extruding the compositions through a shaped orifice. This non-slump texture is frequently obtained by dispersing a thixotropic agent such as a hydrophilic fumed silica in one of the components to blends, provided sufficient thixotropic agent is used, that generally retain their shape and non-slump properties until they are gelled and cured. A thixotropic composition can be defined as a composition whose viscosity under shear is lower than under no shear.
However, adding agents to increase the viscosity after mixing generally requires the individual components to also have high viscosities, even though they are thixotropic to a degree and hence have lower viscosities under shear than under no shear. The high viscosities of the components leads to difficulty in mixing the components together especially when mixing is achieved automatically during the dispensing of the mixture, leading to poor mixing of the components and hence a reduction in the properties of the cured resin.
This is especially true when using platelet nanofillers that increase the viscosity of compositions substantially, even at low loadings if highly dispersed.
Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles are particles of nanosize i.e. having at least one dimension on nanometer scale. They can be derived of naturally occuring- or synthetized-clay minerals, hence the name of nanoclays. Clays are generally phyllosilicates such as of the smectite group, for example a bentonite, montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite or the like. The surface of the clay can be modified to become organophilic hence the name of organoclays. The inorganic exchangeable cations which occurs in natural or synthetic clay mineral are replaced by organic cations comprising sufficient carbon atoms to render the surface of the cation-exchanged clay hydrophobic and organophilic. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,734 discloses phyllosilicates which can be treated with a quaternary or other ammonium salt of a primary, secondary or tertiary organic amine in the presence of a dispersing medium.
Nanoclays are often plate-like materials also called platelets. Platelets have 2 dimensions higher than the third one, they have a planar extent and a thickness. Fibers have one dimension higher than the 2 others, no planar extent but a high length.
Researchers have concentrated on four nanoclays as potential nanoscale particles (nanoparticles): a) hydrotalcite, b) octasilicate, c) mica fluoride and d) montmorillonite. The first two have limitations both from a physical and a cost standpoint. The last two are used in commercial nanocomposites. Mica fluoride is a synthetic silicate, montmorillonite (MMT) is a natural one. The theoretical formula for montmorillonite is:M+y(Al2-yMgy)(Si4)O10(OH)2*nH2O
Ionic phyllosilicates have a sheet structure. At the Angstrom scale, they form platelets, which can be 0.3 preferably 0.7 to 1 nm thick and several hundred nanometers (about 100-1000 nm) long and wide. As a result, individual sheets may have aspect ratios (Length/Thickness, L/T) varying from 200-1000 or even higher and, after purification, the majority of the platelets have aspect ratios in the 200-400 range. In other words, these sheets usually measure approximately 200×1 nm (L×T). These platelets are stacked into primary particles and these primary particles are stacked together to form aggregates (usually about 10-30 μm in size). The silicate layers form stacks with a gap in between them called the "interlayer" or "gallery". Isomorphic substitution within the layers (Mg2+ replaces Al3+) generates negative charges that are counterbalanced by alkali or alkaline earth cations situated in the interlayer. Such clays are not necessarily compatible with polymers since, due to their small size, surface interactions such as hydrogen bonding become magnified. Thus, the ability to disperse the clays within some resins is limited and at the beginning, only hydrophilic polymers (e.g. PVA) were compatible with the clays because silicate clays are naturally hydrophilic. But, it was found that the inorganic cations situated in the interlayer can be substituted by other cations. Cationic exchange with large cationic surfactants such as alkyl ammonium-ions, increases the spacing between the layers and reduces the surface energy of the filler. Therefore, these modified clays (organoclays) are more compatible with polymers and form polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites. Various companies (e.g. Southern Clays (of 1212 Church Street, Gonzales, Tex. USA 8629), Süd Chemie, Nanocor, etc.) provide a whole series of both modified and natural nano clays, which are montmorillonites. Apart from montmorillonites, hectorites and saponites are the most commonly used layered silicates.
A nanocomposite is a dispersion, often a near-molecular blend, of resin molecules and nanoscale particles. Nanocomposites can be formed in one of the following three ways: a) melt blending synthesis, b) solvent based synthesis and c) in-situ polymerization, as is known in the art.
There are three structurally different types of nanocomposites: 1) intercalated (individual monomers and polymers are sandwiched between silicate layers) 2) exfoliated (a "sea" of polymer with "rafts" of silicate), and 3) end-tethered (a whole silicate or a single layer of a silicate is attached to the end of a polymer chain).
There has been immense activity in the use of nano clay composites in recent years, for use in polyolefins, methacrylates (e.g. PMMA), polyamides, bio-polymers, polyurethanes, phenols, polycarbonates, to achieve benefits and claims have been made for increase in strength, flame retardency, barrier protection and high temperature resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,927 details the formation of a nanomaterial where the clay material is homogeneously distributed throughout the polymeric matrix. The resultant nanocomposites could be moulded via injection moulding or extrusion processes.
Example 16 of the patent FR 1,452,942 discloses a two-parts epoxy adhesive composition whose hardener part contains silica, hardener, carbon an silica aerogel whereas the resin part contains epoxy resin, bisphenol A and ammonium bentonite.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,849 details the preparation of organophilic phyllosilicates by treating naturally occurring or synthetic phyllosilicates with a salt of a quaternary or other cyclic amidine based compound. The patents covers polymeric systems, preferably epoxy resins, polyurethane and rubbers containing such organophilic phyllosilicates. The organophilic phyllosilicates may be added either to the resin or else to the hardener.
EP 0 267 341 A1 discloses a resin composition comprising smectite organoclays of improved dispersibility. In an example, the organoclay is incorporated into component A of a two-Pack Epoxy enamel.
EP 1 209 189 A1 discloses polymer foams containing nanoclay described as nanosized clay of plate-like form, dispersed therein. For example, clay platelet CLOISITE® 10A is dispersed in the polyol part of a polyurethane foam.
An article entitled "Polyurethane nanocomposites Containing Laminated Anisotropic Nanoparticles Derived from Organophilic Layered Silicates" by Carsten Zilg, published in Advanced materials, VCH, Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, D E, vol. 11, No.1 07 Jan. 1999, pages 49-52, discloses a polyurethane nanocomposite material prepared from a polyol dispersion containing ion-exchanged organophilic fluoromica and an isocyanate component.
The incorporation of nano clay materials into polymer matrices, to enjoy the above-mentioned benefits, is not straight forward, however. The highly anisotropic nature and large surface area of nano clays can give problems in processing of polymers, particularly where 2 component reactive systems are envisaged. High loadings of the nano clay can result in unacceptably high viscosities, yet high viscosity is what is sought to achieve anti-slump characteristics in reactive systems.
A problem underlying the present invention is to develop two component systems where the components individually are of reasonably low viscosity for ease of processing, particularly for machine dispensed materials, yet which develop high viscosity when the components are mixed together to form a resin that is undergoing curing.
None of the above mentioned prior art documents provide a clue to solve that problem.
We have found that such a property can be achieved from particular blends of platelet additives, e.g. nano clays, and preferably other fillers, for two component reactive systems, combined with distribution of the nano clay material between the two components. Unexpectedly, exceptional non-slump characteristics are achieved indicating a synergism between the blended platelet additives and the curable resin matrix, over and beyond simple addition effects.
A general problem underlying the present invention is to provide a two component composition containing platelet nanofillers that can more readily be mixed, even at high nanofiller loadings. Another aspect of a problem underlying the present invention is to provide a two component composition that, when mixed, has good anti-slumping properties and therefore has a high viscosity at rest while at the same time the individual components have a relatively low viscosity to ensure good mixing.
It has now been found that two-component compositions with platelet nanofillers present in both components (or in at least two components for a multi-component composition) are easier to mix. In addition, it has been found that the mixed composition can have unexpectedly higher viscosities than the individual components have. This opens the way to making curable two part compositions having, when the components are mixed, high viscosities (and hence good anti-slump properties) from components that have relatively low viscosities, allowing them to be readily mixed. This invention therefore unexpectedly extends considerably the capability to use modern thixotropes synergistically within the application process, such that both the requirements for mixing and applying the mixed components and for the final cured product can be expanded

Huntsman Advanced Materials Americas LLC


In a Roots vacuum pump, an inlet port is located at a position n spaced by a positive displacement angle of 120° in one direction from a center of each rotational axis relative to an imaginary line m connecting rotor axes. An outlet port is located at a position o opposite to the inlet port relative to the line. An air feed port is formed at a position t on a casing wall obtained by returning by 90° from the position o to the inlet port side so that two closed spaces are defined by adjacent rotor lobes and a casing inner wall at both port sides immediately after air suction respectively. The casing has discharge grooves in an area of the inner wall so as to communicate with the outlet port. The area ranges from the position o to a position u obtained by returning by 45° from the position o to the inlet port side. The discharge grooves have a total volume ranging from 2% to 5% of a volume of one of the closed spaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-lobed spar rotor or helical rotor type Roots vacuum pump used as a vacuum source for dust collectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional positive displacement Roots vacuum pumps, a casing at an outlet port side has a temperature ranging from about 120° C. to about 150° C. by heat of compression when pressure difference of −45 kPa or above is caused between an inlet port side and the outlet port side during operation of the pumps. Consequently, domestic and foreign manufacturers have taken necessary steps since about 1960 in order to prevent the temperature increase. In one of such steps, the casing is provided with a feed port through which outside air or cooling air is introduced into the casing so that the aforesaid temperature of the casing is reduced to 120° C. or below. Furthermore, measures have also been taken against noise produced during operation of the pump. The assignee of the present application has offered effective suggestions in Japanese Patent Nos. 2616823, 2884067 and the like.
It is known that a closed space is defined by two adjacent rotor lobes and an inner peripheral wall surface in general three-lobed rotor Roots vacuum pumps. It is also known that the aforesaid closed space necessitates a positive displacement angle of 120°. When the positive displacement angle is less than 120°, an inlet port and an outlet port of the pump communicate with each other. Consequently, the pump cannot operate.
Some Roots vacuum pumps have a structure that the aforesaid feed port for outside air or cooling air is provided in a part of the area of the positive displacement angle. These pumps result in reductions in volumetric efficiency and mechanical efficiency and production of loud noise of 90 dB or above. Accordingly, use of these Roots vacuum pumps necessitates installation for noise reduction which reduces noise depending upon environment in which the pumps are installed. Such installation increases the costs, resulting in diseconomy. Furthermore, a high-temperature gas caused by compression leaks little by little through a minute gap inevitably defined by the inner peripheral wall and rotor lobes to the suction side. This results in a reduction in the mechanical efficiency of the vacuum pump and deterioration in the temperature characteristic.


A stable aqueous solution of creatine acid sulfate provides a source of creatine to an animal when taken orally. The aqueous solution of creatine acid sulfate (after neutralization and buffering) has a pH of about 7.2 to about 7.8 and is stable for at least six months at room temperature. The creatine acid sulfate is produced by adding creatine monohydrate to a sulfuric acid solution in a stoichiometric amount to result in creatine acid sulfate having a pH initially of 2.0-3.0. The resulting creatine acid sulfate is diluted with water and neutralized to raise the pH and avoid the formation of creatinine. The resulting creatine acid sulfate solution preferably contains a buffering and neutralizing agent such as tribasic potassium phosphate which forms mono- and dibasic potassium phosphates by interaction with the hydrogen ions liberated from the acid sulfate. The aqueous solution can be combined with a sweetener, electrolyte and carbohydrate source to produce a stable drink for providing a source of creatine to an animal in need thereof. An effective amount of glycerol is preferably added to enhance absorption of the creatine through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream and eventually to the needy skeletal muscles.

It is well established that the energy which enables the muscles in mammals to contract and expand is produced from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The adenosine triphosphate metabolizes in the muscle by cleaving a phosphate radical to release the energy to contract the muscle and to produce adenosine diphosphate (ADP) as a byproduct. As the amount of adenosine triphosphate is depleted during extended exercise, muscle strength decreases and muscle fatigue increases.
Adenosine triphosphate can be produced in the muscle from glycogen or creatine phosphate. Creatine phosphate provides a ready source of phosphate and is able to resynthesize adenosine triphosphate at nearly twice the rate compared to glycogen. The amount of creatine phosphate in the muscle and the bloodstream are important in the time required to recover from muscle fatigue.
Creatine is produced naturally in humans and other animals and is converted to creatine phosphate in the muscles. The creatine phosphate is stored in the muscle as an available source of phosphate for the resynthesis of adenosine triphosphate from adenosine diphosphate.
Creatine is produced in the liver, kidney and pancreas and is supplied to the body by the food intake. Creatine is only sparingly soluble in water and is normally present in the bloodstream at a concentration of about 50 .mu.mol per liter of blood. The creatine enters the muscle tissue by active transport where it is converted to creatine phosphate. Muscle fatigue and the accumulation of lactic acid occur when the supply of creatine phosphate is exhausted and the adenosine diphosphate cannot be converted to adenosine triphosphate.
Numerous efforts have been made to increase the content of the creatine phosphate in the muscle to increase the muscle power and the ability to exercise longer. Creatine can be supplied to the body to enhance physical performance since the list of drugs prohibited by the International Olympic Committee, which includes more than 120 kinds, does not include creatine, which is an amino acid normally biosynthesized in vertebrates. For example, International Patent Publication No. WO 94/02127 discloses a method of increasing the creatine levels in the body by administering creatine orally, enterally or parenterally to an animal. However, creatine is generally not effectively administered orally in powder form since creatine rapidly converts to creatinine by the acidic conditions in the stomach, and is not in a soluble bioavailable form causing a disturbance in the positive osmotic pressure necessary for absorption. Creatinine is the inactive form of creatine which is quickly depleted from the body. Creatinine is not able to convert to creatine phosphate and does not participate in the regeneration of adenosine triphosphate and is excreted in the urine.
Creatine has also been used in aqueous solutions as a beverage which is intended to supply creatine to the body. Examples of beverages containing solubilized creatine are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,612,375 and 5,397,786. Other methods which do not use any heat have to be developed since heat was found to accelerate the conversion of creatine to creatinine. Creatine is only sparingly soluble in water so that the amount of creatine that can be supplied in solution is limited. In addition, acidic conditions in the stomach convert the creatine to creatinine, thereby reducing the amount of creatine available for absorption by the body. Heat and hydrogen ion concentration accelerate decomposition of creatine.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists in the industry and in athletic circles for an improved method of administering creatine and supplying creatine to the body in stable form.

Aqueous creatine solution and process of producing a stable, bioavailable aqueous creatine solution


A method of analysis including an intrinsically valid class of statistical methods for dealing with multivariate ordinal data. A decision support system that can (1) provide automated decision support in a transparent fashion (2) optionally be controlled by a decision maker, (3) provide for an evidence acquisition concept, including automatically increasing the content of an underlying database, and (4) provide a computationally efficient interactive distributed environment. The method is exemplified in the context of assisted diagnostic support.

The first statistical methods for ordinal univariate data were developed between 1935 and 1955 and have subsequently been extended to cover special cases of multivariate data, including, but not limited to, interval and approximate data. Some of these methods were based on conventional u-statistics and also the well known Marginal Likelihood (MrgL) principle.
The first results had a limited range of applications and were rarely used, due to deficiencies in the theory and lack of computationally efficient algorithms. An earlier application 20030182281 ('Statistical Methods For Multivariate Ordinal Data Which Are Used For Data Base Driven Decision Support'), which is incorporated herein by reference, provided for a method that allowed for more efficient algorithms, yet the method did not cover an important aspect, namely how to incorporate knowledge about relationships between variables or subsets of variables.
This application extends the earlier application 20030182281 by providing a method to construct partial orderings that a decision maker can use when the variables are structured hierarchically, i.e., if variables can be grouped into subsets of variables, the variables in each subset known to be related to a common feature of the latent factor. The proposed application allows for recursive subdivisions, i.e., each of subsets can then be subdivided into subsets itself.
Shortcomings of Currently Available Statistical Methods When Used with Ordinal Data
Most statistical analysis programs are based on the linear model, not because the assumption of linearity is realistic, but mainly because it leads to computational simplicity. When applied to multivariate data, it comprises the use of linear combinations (i.e., weighted averages) of the variables (e.g., 10 times expression of gene A plus 2 times expression of gene B minus the logarithm of the expression of gene C). With biological, psychological, and genomic applications the relationship between the measurement (body temperature, IQ, gene expression) and its meaning (fever, social status, immunity), however, are rarely linear, but usually merely ordinal. An increase in body temperature (observed variable) by 2° C. from 35° C. to 37° C., for instance, is usually irrelevant with respect to fever (latent factor), while an increase by the same amount of 2° C. from 41° C. to 43° C. is lethal. Thus, body temperature as an indicator of fever is 'ordinal', i.e., the sign (direction) of the difference is important, yet the magnitude has no consistent meaning. In such situations, i.e., when a linear combination may not be meaningful, even after some transformations, the use of linear models is questionable at best.
A different class of approaches comprises the use of models for categorical data, where data are interpreted on a 'nominal' scale, i.e., where any order between categories is assumed irrelevant. Non-limiting examples are colors, races, but also disease codes. For these models to be applicable, however, continuous variables need to be discretized, which typically introduces arbitrariness and leads to loss of information on the order of the categories, which is clearly undesirable in many applications.
The need for methods capable of handling multivariate monotonic data has been widely acknowledged (see, for instance, US Patent Application 20060149710), yet the lack of practical methods for dealing with ordinal data has led to linear model methods being applied to ordinal data. External 'validation' is then used to justify a conceptually invalid approach. For such 'validation' to be at least a reasonably good approximation, however, one needs an independent set of entities where the latent factor is known (often called a 'gold standard'), against which the various linear score functions can be compared. Aside from being conceptionally questionable, external validation, poses several technical problems. While methods based on the linear model are relatively simple for a given transformation, the evaluation of many possible 'linearizing' transformations is computationally challenging. Moreover, collecting data from entities with similar characteristics and known conditions may prove time consuming. If the population considered is relatively 'unique', similar entities can be difficult to find.
Methods for multivariate ordinal data, ideally should be somewhere between linear models for interval scaled data and categorical models for nominally scaled data. They should not assume a specific form of the relationship between each of the observed variables and the latent factor, but recognize the fact that 'more is better' (or worse, for that matter).
The MrgL approach was introduced about 1973 for use with censored ordinal data and has been applied to assess side effects, determine risk factors, evaluate prevention strategies, and measure immunogenicity. However, the MrgL approach may lead to methods of extreme computational complexity.
The methods of the earlier application 20030182281 generalized a related approach based on u-statistics to multivariate ordinal data. While the earlier application 20030182281 provided a method to measure information content, it did not resolve a common problem which causes loss of information content when u-scores for multivariate data are applied to situations involving many variables. u-scores rely on determining all pairwise orderings between objects. For univariate data, this ordering is 'complete', i.e., the order among any two objects (A, B) can be determined as either A<B, A=B, or A>B. For multivariate data this ordering may only be 'partial'. If one variable is higher in object A, and another variable is higher in object B, the order between the two objects is ambiguous (A˜B). As any two discordant variables cause the ordering between two objects to be ambiguous, information content, i.e., the number of unambiguous orderings decreases as then number of variables increases.
The earlier application 20030182281 resolved this problem for two special cases where dimensionality can be reduced through amalgamation of some variables or through the use of specific multivariate partial orderings. Non-limiting examples of such amalgamating functions comprise of average, median, and test statistics. Non-limiting examples of specific orderings comprise those specifically designed for intervals (the special case considered by Gehan 1965), interchangeable variables, probe pairs on Affymetrix GeneChips, and diplotypes.
The current application provides for a more general method to ameliorate the loss of information content with increasing numbers of variables. It applies to all situations, where variables can be structured in a hierarchical fashion, thereby allowing a decision maker to obtain results from multivariate ordinal in situations where the method of the earlier application 20030182281 might suffer from or fail due to low information content.
The preferred method addresses this problem by providing a generic method that allows for some of the variables to be grouped in a hierarchical fashion. For instance, one may have collected information about several features of the latent (unobservable) factor. In clinical trials, such feastures might be safety (adverse effects) or efficacy (desired effects), When assessing quality of life, as another non-limiting example, one may have several variables for each of the following features: 'quality of sleeping', 'sexual desire', and 'job satisfaction' (first hierarchical level). One may then have measured each variable twice, the first time before and the second time after an intervention, aiming at assessing the magnitude of the intervention's effect (second level). Finally, one may have measured each variable at each time point repeatedly to reduce the effect of measurement errors (third level). In genomics, as yet another example, one may have observed changes in the expression of genes known to act along different genomic 'pathways' (where the genes acting along the same pathway comprise the first hierarchical level), each gene then is typically represented by several specific sequences of base pairs (which comprise the second hierarchical level), and each sequence is accompanied by a 'mismatch' to determine specificity (the pair comprising the third hierarchical level).
The gain of information by using a hierachical structure among the variables is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this non-limiting example, it is assumed that variables X1 and X2 are related to one feature of the latent factor, while variables Y1 and Y2 are related to another feature of the same latent factor.
Referring to FIG. 7 Hesse diagrams are used to illustrate which pair wise orderings can be decided. The first row of Hesse diagrams illustrates the univariate partial ordering for each of four variables. Pairs of observations whose order can be decided as being either '>', '<', or '=' are connected by lines, with horizontal lines indicating '='. For instance, Object B is larger than object A with respect to variable X1 (2>1), but of the same order as object A with respect to variable Y1 (3=3). For object C, the data for variable X1 is missing ('?') and, thus, subject C is not connected with any other subject in the Hesse diagram generated by variable X1.
The second row illustrates the corresponding Hesse diagrams for the case where the variables are grouped as (X1, X2) and (Y1, Y2), with the pairwise orderings being obtained using method described in the earlier application 20030182281.
The third row illustrates the difference between the non-hierarchical method described in the earlier application 20030182281 (left side) and the preferred hierarchical method (right side). If the hierarchical nature of the variables' relation to the latent factor were ignored, only three pairwise orderings could be decided: A>C, B>C, B>D, resulting in u-scores U′=(1, 2, −2, 1), depicted in the lower left diagram of FIG. 7. However, if the relation of the variables to the two features of the latent factor is accounted for, one obtains the additional pairwise ordering A>D, resulting in a more informative lattice (four vs. three pairwise orderings decided) yielding the u-scores U=(2, 2, −2, −2).
As a related, yet also inferior approach, the earlier application 20030182281 could be applied to score related variables first, using the method of the earlier application 20030182281 and then applying this method again, this time to the scores obtained in the first step, possibly using different partial orderings. Then this process of rescoring subsets of scores could be repeated until the data is reduced to a single score. Unfortunately, this approach does not necessarily provide the most informative scores. As can be seen in FIG. 7, subject D with (UX+, UY+)=(−0.5, −1.5) (bottom of center row) would be considered larger ('>') than subject C with (UX+, UY+)=(−1.5, −1.5), while the diagram provided in the lower right of FIG. 7 demonstrates that the hierarchical order between subjects C and D is undetermined.
With the non-hierarchical method of the earlier application 20030182281, an ambiguous order between two subjects (A˜B) in any group of related variables results in the pairwise order between the two subjects being declared 'ambiguous', even if subject A is superior to subject B in all other groups. The preferred approach allows for groups of variables to be defined in a hierarchical fashion, in a way that some of the ambiguities that would be created with the method of the earlier application 20030182281 could be resolved. As the preferred approach operates on intermediate lattices (which could be depicted as Hesse diagrams), rather than intermediate scores, it does not ignore ambiguities as would merely applying the method of the earlier application 20030182281 in a hierarchical fashion.
Shortcomings of Currently Used Decision Process When Applied to Multivariate Ordinal Data
Situations where categories need to be ranked with respect to their exigency based on multivariate results in a test entity are frequent. One non-limiting example is the decision of a diagnosis in a patient. Traditionally, such decisions are based on comparing the patient's value in each variable individually against a published 'normal range' derived from a 'standard' population of 'controls' (healthy individuals). Frequently, these ranges are determined as the mean (x.)±2 times the standard deviation (SD) of the empirical distribution among the controls. Depending on which observed variables exceed their normal ranges, the decision maker (the physician) determines that the entity (patient) belongs to a specific category (of disease) in which such observations are expected, often employing subjective criteria to pick one of several categories. There are several inherent problems:    (1) Characterizing empirical distributions by ranges x.±2×SD is valid only if the theoretical distribution is Gaussian, an assumption which is inappropriate for the majority of variables in fields comprised of medicine, biology, genetics, and sociology.    (2) A single 'standard' reference interval is unlikely to be optimal for all entities.    (3) Addressing specificity only, i.e., ignoring the distribution of a variable among the cases in either category (sensitivity) is not sufficient to even partly automate the decision process.
The above problems are even more relevant in dealing with multivariate data (each variable being point, interval, or distribution). Further:    (4) Looking at a single variable at a time is often not sufficient.    (5) The set of variables to be optimal to determine the relative position of the entity with respect to the reference populations may vary.    (6) As linear combinations cannot be meaningfully utilized to reduce multivariate ordinal data to univariate data, as within the linear model, specific problems exist that have not been addressed.    (7) To determine sensitivity and specificity for a cutoff target, it is not sufficient to compare the test entity with either population (controls and cases) separately, as in the linear model.    (8) Often some different subsets of variables are related to different features. In medicine, for instance, some variables may describe clinical efficacy, while others describe side effects or quality-of-life.Shortcomings of Previously Proposed Decision Support Systems
The complexity of dealing with multivariate data has led to several generations of decision support systems (also known as knowledge based systems or expert systems). Of the first generation, developed in the 1960s, most remained only prototypes. Even the second generation, developed in the 1970s, has failed to gain widespread acceptance because they merely tried to mimic the human decision process, rather than striving at overcoming its shortcomings by utilizing advances in technology to go beyond the 'heuristic' nature of human decisions. With more information becoming available through 'information technology', the inherent problems of intuitive decision making are likely to become even more apparent. The advent of genetic, genomic, and proteomic information, has further complicated the situation by increasing the number of variables relevant to diagnostic decision-making. Simply increasing the computational capacity of conceptually insufficient 'expert systems', clearly, cannot overcome the underlying obstacles.
In previous 'expert systems', the separation of a general purpose 'inference engine' from an unstructured 'knowledge base' containing a vast set of 'heuristics' and applying it in an iterative fashion, resulted in a lack of transparency, that could not be overcome with yet a different component, an 'explanation facility'. Similar criticism regarding the obscure algorithms underlying Google's 'quality scores' has recently been expressed at the Search Engine Strategies 2006 conference. When decision makers cannot understand the decision process, they cannot not control it. The need to acquire knowledge as heuristical rules with subjective 'certainty factors' attached, not only contributed to non-transparent decisions, but also made the knowledge acquisition process difficult.

Statistical methods for hierarchical multivariate ordinal data which are used for data base driven decision support


A lower back support apparatus for supporting the user's lower back when seated. The lower back support apparatus includes a support frame and a support belt which is supportable on the frame. The support belt defines a belt portion and straps secured to the belt portion. The belt portion is securable around the waist of a user, and the straps extend from the belt portion and are configured to fit securely on the shoulders of the user. The straps carry two rings one each positionable at each shoulder. The support frame is configured to releasably secure to a seat. Two spring and hook assemblies mounted on opposing sides of the support frame and each includes a hook for hooking onto each of the rings.

Back pain is one of the most common ailments affecting adults today. Back pain can be the result of different activities such as heavy lifting, standing or sitting for extended periods of time in an improper position. Many individuals have occupations which require they sit for long periods of time. If they sit in an improper position, for example slouched over, pressure on the lower back can cause a great deal of stress and pain.
Several devices have been produced to support the lower back. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,802,667 D. J. Altner February 7, 1989 4,991,572 R. L. Chases February 12, 1991 5,387,183 R. W. Jones February 7, 1995 5,388,274 Glover et al. February 14, 1995 5,403,271 Saunders et al. April 4, 1995 5,421,809 M. J. Rise June 6, 1995 ______________________________________
The 667', '183, '274, '271, and '809 patents all disclose belts worn around the waist to support the back during heavy lifting. The belts are not configured to also support the body such that the spine is aligned correctly while sitting.
The '572 patent teaches a lumbar traction device which includes an inflatable section and equalization rings secured to the support strap. The rings provide a means for suspending the device while supporting the patient in a variety of orthopedically proven positions. Although the lumbar traction device provides support for the lower back, it also does not include a means for supporting the body to align the spine correctly while sitting.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lower back support apparatus for supporting the lower back.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lower back support apparatus which supports the wearer in a proper sitting position.


A cooktop has a metal support plate upon which heating equipment can be mounted and a control casing for housing or attaching a control unit or electronics. Fasteners allow for detachable connection of the metal support plate and the control casing to each other, and comprise fastenings formed on the metal support plate and corresponding slots on the control casing, whereby the fastenings are designed for attachment into the slots in an attachment orientation whereby movement of the two parts relative to each other results in the final assembled state. There is a moveable protrusion on the control casing and a recess or catch on the metal support plate that mates with the protrusion. During movement of the support plate and control casing into the final assembled position, the protrusion interacts with the catch or recess to lock the metal support plate relative to the control casing.

Usually with cooktops, such as induction cooktops, heating equipment is attached to the cooktop's metal support plate. Under this metal support plate, a control casing is affixed, which holds the controls or electronics for the cooktop. Fasteners are provided to connect the metal support plate and control casing as two detachable parts during assembly of the cooktop. Usually the control casing is screwed onto the metal support plate, for example with four metal screws at the corners of the control casing as fasteners. This step of screwing the parts together is relatively time consuming, which slows down and makes assembly of cooktop more difficult.
The invention addresses the problem of creating the type of cooktop named at the beginning, with which problems of the present assembly technology can be avoided and especially with which the assembly of the cooktop is made quicker and easier, and allows the detachment of the metal support plate and control casing.


A work transporting robot includes a first, second and third arms each of which is rotationally moved around a common axis by individual driving source within a plane, the plane being parallel to one another, a pair of first coupled arms each of which is rotatably connected its one end to a leading edge section of the second arm which is disposed intermediate position of the first and third arms, and a leading edge section of one of the first and third arms, a first work supporting table which is connected to the other end of the pair of first coupled arms, a pair of second coupled arms each of which is rotatably connected its one end to a leading edge section of the second arm which is disposed intermediate position of the first and third arms, and a leading edge section of the other of the first and third arms, and a second work supporting table which is connected to the other end of the pair of second coupled arms, and wherein the first and third arms are disposed in the same side to one another with respect to a plane which includes the axis and the second arm.

The present invention relates to a work transporting robot and semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a work transporting robot which is preferably incorporated in a semiconductor device manufacturing system and which transports a semiconductor wafer to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and puts the semiconductor wafer into and out from the process chamber. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus in which the work transporting robot is incorporated.
From past, a work transporting robot is proposed (refer to Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-73833, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-504128) which robot is incorporated in a system for manufacturing semiconductor device and which robot transports a semiconductor wafer to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and puts the semiconductor wafer into and out from the process chamber.
The work transporting robot recited in Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-73833 disposes a pair of joint linkages in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another, and includes a first driving source for driving each joint linkage and a second driving source for driving both joint linkages in directions which are the same direction to one another. Therefore, each joint linkage is independently telescopically moved and both joint linkages are rotationally moved in directions which are the same direction to one another so that a semiconductor wafer can be transported to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and the semiconductor wafer can be put into and out from the process chamber.
The work transporting robot recited in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-504128 disposes a pair of joint linkages in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another, and includes a first driving source for driving each joint linkage and a second driving source for driving both joint linkages in directions which are the same direction to one another. Therefore, each joint linkage is independently telescopically moved and both joint linkages are rotationally moved in directions which are the same direction to one another so that a semiconductor wafer can be transported to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and the semiconductor wafer can be put into and out from the process chamber.
In both work transporting robot, both joint linkages are disposed in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another. Therefore, when semiconductor wafers are reshuffled with respect to any one of process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device, one joint linkage is telescopically moved so that a first semiconductor wafer is put out from the process chamber, thereafter both joint linkages are rotationally moved by 180 degrees, then the other joint linkage is telescopically moved so that a second semiconductor wafer is put into the process chamber. Consequently, a time for rotationally moving both joint linkages by 180 degrees becomes a waste time so that a processing speed in the entirety of a semiconductor device manufacturing system cannot be improved too much.
In a semiconductor device manufacturing system, four to five process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device are generally disposed. About eight number of times of processings for putting a semiconductor wafer into and out from a process chamber are required for one semiconductor wafer in average. Processing time for one semiconductor wafer is about 1-3 minutes. Each semiconductor wafer is applied processings within 2-4 process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device. Therefore, the time for rotational movement is a fairly waste time with respect to an entire processing time.
Further, when corresponding joint linkage is telescopically moved prior to and after the rotational movement by 180 degrees of both joint linkage, an isolation valve should be opened which isolates corresponding process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device from a space in which a work transporting robot is disposed. Therefore, a total time during when an isolation valve is not closed becomes longer so that a degree of cleanness of a space in which a work transporting robot is disposed may be lowered and a desired degree of cleanness may not be obtained. The degree of cleanness affects a process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device. Therefore, the degree of cleanness cannot be ignored when semiconductor device is to be manufactured.
FIGS. 11(A) through 11(J) are diagrams schematically illustrating a sequence of putting a semiconductor wafer into and out from a process chamber by a conventional work transporting robot, while FIG. 12 is a flowchart.
As is apparent from these figures and the flowchart, it is waited until processing for a semiconductor wafer A has finished. Then, an isolation valve of a process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device is opened and the semiconductor wafer A is put out from the process chamber, thereafter the isolation gate valve is closed. Then, both joint linkages are rotationally moved. The isolation gate valve of the process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device is opened and a semiconductor B is put into the process chamber, thereafter the isolation gate valve is closed.
Therefore, it is understood a reason why the above-mentioned disadvantages arise.
Description was made for a case in which a work transporting robot is applied to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. Similar disadvantages arise when a work transporting robot is applied a system which requires putting work into and out from a chamber and which system is other than a semiconductor device manufacturing system.

Work transporting robot and semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus


A method and system for reporting changes in personal information management (PIM) data. A user operating a client station subscribes to a presence server to be notified when a change in another user's PIM data occurs. The presence server responsively subscribes to a PIM host. When the designated change occurs, the PIM host notifies the presence server. The presence server then correlates the notification with the user's subscription and responsively notifies the user of the change.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications and, more particularly, to methods and systems for managing and sharing user personal information using presence.
2. Description of Related Art
A personal information manager, or "PIM", is a type of software application that is designed to provide users with personal, event, and group calendaring, along with task and contact management. A PIM application can be client-based (such as Microsoft Outlook, for instance) and/or server-based (such as Microsoft Exchange Server or WebEvent, for instance). Through a suitable client application, a user can interact with the PIM application to enter, modify and view information, such as calendar events and names, addresses and phone number of contacts.
At the same time, the telecommunications industry has recently embraced a concept known as "presence", according to which one network entity, such as a telecommunications user, can report a change in its status to another network entity. User status may encompass variety of information such as user physical location (e.g., at home, at the office, etc.), communications state (e.g., currently on the phone, able to accept a call, etc.), willingness to communicate (e.g., available, in a meeting, do not disturb, etc.) and a preferred communication mechanism (e.g., voice, email, video, etc.).
As defined by industry recommendations, presence is based on a system of subscriptions and notifications exchanged between two distinct sets of entities known as "watchers" and "presentities". By definition, watchers are entities that request presence information and presentities are entities that provide presence information. More particularly, a watcher can "subscribe" to a presentity to be notified when a change occurs with respect to the status of the presentity. And the presentity may then "notify" the watcher when a status change occurs.
Presence-based technology has been already successfully applied in instant messaging (IM) services to provide online/offline user status information. To illustrate, when a user logs into an IM system, an IM client (e.g., user agent client) on the user's terminal may alert some central server such as an IM/presence server that the user has signed on, by sending a registration message to the IM/presence server. In effect, in this arrangement, the user's IM client is functioning as a presentity, since the IM client is alerting the IM/presence server of a change of status at the user's client station.
Further, an IM client may subscribe to the IM/presence server, to be notified when other users sign onto the system (and are therefore available to receive instant messages). To do so, the IM client (as watcher) may send a subscription message to the IM/presence server, requesting to be notified when specified other users register with the server (for example, a user may maintain a buddy list which is a list of people a user wants to keep track of). In turn, when one of those specified other users (as presentity) registers with the server, the server may send a notification message to the subscribing IM client, indicating that the other user has signed onto the system.
While providing user online status is useful, a need for broader personal interaction among communications users still exists.

Method and system for reporting changes in PIM data


A technique uses “phase windup” to determine relative yaw of a craft from a plurality circularly polarized signals transmitted from one or more transmission sources. A first difference in carrier phase measurements taken simultaneously at time t1 is determined for first and second circularly polarized signals from a given transmitting source A second difference is then determined from simultaneous carrier phase measurements taken at time t2. A third difference, which is the difference between the first and second differences, is then used to determine the relative yaw based on a difference in wavelengths of the two signals. If more than one transmitting source is in view, a mean average of the third differences associated with the respective transmitting sources may be used to determine the relative yaw.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers and, more particularly, to methods employed by the GNSS receivers to determine relative yaw.
2. Background Information
Passive ranging systems, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), employ satellites to provide signals that enable a GNSS receiver to determine its position, e.g., its latitude and longitude. If a sufficient number of GNSS satellites are in the view of the receiver, the receiver also uses the signals to determine height or altitude.
The GNSS receivers utilize codes and data that are contained in the GNSS signals to determine position. A GPS receiver, for example, determines its position using the PRN codes and data that are broadcast on the L1 frequency and the PRN codes that are broadcast on the L2 frequency, with each satellite transmitting different L1 and L2 codes. The GPS receiver, operating in a known manner, synchronizes locally generated PRN codes to the received PRN codes and calculates the times it took for the transmitted codes to reach the receiver from the respective satellites. The GPS receiver then uses the travel times in conjunction with information contained in the transmitted data (e.g., satellite locations, clock information, ionospheric delay modeling information) to determine latitude, longitude and, as appropriate, altitude. Generally, the receiver requires the signals from three GPS satellites to determine position and the signals from four GPS satellites to determine altitude.
GPS signals may also be used in a craft (e.g., an aircraft) to determine the pitch, roll and yaw, or heading, of the craft. Here, pitch is defined as rotation around an "x" axis, roll as rotation around a "y" axis and yaw as rotation around a "z" axis. A prior technique that may be used to measure one axis attitude, using a GPS system is described in T. Ford et al., "Beeline RT20—a Compact, Medium Precision Positioning System with an Attitude;" Proceedings, 1997 Institute of Navigation Conference 1997, Kansas City, Mo. The technique uses two GPS antennas that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance and calculates the one axis attitude based on a known or determined baseline between one of the antennas and a base station. Using the attitude, the system then calculates yaw. Relative yaw may be described as a rate of change in the yaw or heading. The above-described technique for determining yaw may be modified to determine relative yaw by determining an initial yaw measurement at a time t1 and determining a successive yaw measurement at a later time t2 and determining the difference between the two measurements.
One problem with determining relative yaw using the above-described technique is that the system requires the circuitry necessary to determine yaw, namely, the two antennas and the corresponding sets of GPS receive circuitry to accommodate the antennas. Further, the system must make the relatively complex calculations required to compute the three axis attitude. Further, the receiver requires the signals from at least four satellites to determine the yaw and the associated relative yaw. Thus, the receiver may be precluded from determining yaw in various environments.

Technique for determining relative yaw using phase windup