The present invention is a method and apparatus for positioning a dual element magnetoresistive (MR) head relative to a storage medium in a storage device. The MR head has first and second MR elements. The storage medium is mounted in the storage device to allow relative movement between the MR head and the storage medium. The storage medium includes servo information provided to induce first and second thermal responses in the MR elements. A controller is coupled to the MR head and controls the relative movement between the MR head and the storage medium using the first and second thermal responses in the MR elements.

A typical data storage system includes a magnetic medium for storing data in magnetic form and a transducer used to read and/or write magnetic data from/to the storage medium. A disk storage device, for example, includes one or more data storage disks coaxially mounted on a hub of a spindle motor. The spindle motor rotates the disks at speeds typically on the order of several thousand revolutions-per-minute. Digital information, representing various types of data, is typically written to and read from the data storage disks by one or more transducers, or read/write heads, which are mounted to an actuator assembly and passed over the surface of the rapidly rotating disks.
The actuator assembly typically includes a coil assembly and a plurality of outwardly extending arms having flexible suspensions with one or more transducers and slider bodies being mounted on the suspensions. The suspensions are interleaved within the stack of rotating disks, typically by means of an arm assembly (E/block) mounted to the actuator assembly. The coil assembly generally interacts with a permanent magnet structure, and is responsive to a controller. A voice coil motor (VCM) is also mounted to the actuator assembly diametrically opposite the actuator arms.
In a typical digital data storage system, digital data is stored in the form of magnetic transitions on a series of concentric, spaced tracks comprising the surface of the magnetizable rigid data storage disks. The tracks are generally divided into a plurality of sectors, with each sector comprising a number of information fields. One of the information fields is typically designated for storing data, while other fields contain track and sector position identifications and synchronization information, for example. Data is transferred to, and retrieved from, specified track and sector locations by the transducers which follow a given track and move from track to track, typically under the servo control of a controller.
The head slider body is typically designed as an aerodynamic lifting body that lifts the MR head off the surface of the disk as the rate of spindle motor rotation increases, and causes the MR head to hover above the disk on an air-bearing cushion produced by high speed disk rotation. The separation distance between the MR head and the disk, typically 0.1 microns or less, is commonly referred to as head-to-disk spacing.
Writing data to a data storage disk generally involves passing a current through the write element of the transducer assembly to produce magnetic lines of flux which magnetize a specific location of the disk surface. Reading data from a specified disk location is typically accomplished by a read element of the transducer assembly sensing the magnetic field or flux lines emanating from the magnetized locations of the disk. As the read element passes over the rotating disk surface, the interaction between the read element and the magnetized locations on the disk surface results in the production of electrical signals in the read element. The electrical signals correspond to transitions in the magnetic field.
Conventional data storage systems generally employ a closed-loop servo control system for positioning the actuator and read/write transducers to specified storage locations on the data storage disk. During normal data storage system operation, a servo transducer, generally mounted proximate the read/write transducers, or, alternatively, incorporated as the read element of the transducer, is typically employed to read information for the purpose of following a specified track (track following) and seeking specified track and data sector locations on the disk (track seeking).
A servo writing procedure is typically implemented to initially record servo pattern information on the surface of one or more of the data storage disks. A servo writer assembly is typically used by manufacturers of data storage systems to facilitate the transfer of servo pattern data to one or more data storage disks during the manufacturing process.
In accordance with one known servo technique, embedded servo pattern information is written to the disk along segments extending in a direction generally outward from the center of the disk. The embedded servo pattern is thus formed between the data storing sectors of each track. It is noted that a servo sector typically contains a pattern of data, often termed a servo burst pattern, used to maintain optimum alignment of the read/write transducers over the centerline of a track when reading and writing data to specified data sectors on the track. The servo information may also include sector and track identification codes which are used to identify the position of the transducer. Embedded servo offers significantly higher track densities than dedicated servo since servo information is co-located with the targeted data information (and servo information may be taken from one, single disk surface).
In a further effort to increase disk capacity, a proposed servo information format was developed, termed pre-embossed rigid magnetic (PERM) disk technology. As described and illustrated in Tanaka et al., Characterization of Magnetizing Process for Pre-Embossed Servo Pattern of Plastic Hard Disks, I.E.E.E. Transactions on Magnetics 4209 (Vol. 30, No. 2, November, 1994), a PERM disk contains servo information in a number of servo zones spaced radially about the disk. Each servo zone contains pre-embossed recesses and raised portions to form a fine pattern, clock mark, and address code. The fine pattern and address code are used to generate servo information signals. To generate the servo signals, the magnetization direction of the raised portions and the recesses must be opposite. The magnetization process involves first magnetizing the entire disk in one direction using a high-field magnet. Then, a conventional write head is used to magnetize the raised areas in the opposite direction.
While use of a PERM disk may increase disk capacity, such an approach suffers from a number of shortcomings. Servo information is provided on a PERM servo disk in a two-step magnetization process, as described above. This significantly increases the amount of time required to write servo information to the disk. Moreover, during the second step of the process, servo information is not yet available on the disk. Thus, an external positioning system must be employed, thereby increasing the cost of the servo writing process. Additional concerns associated with PERM disk technology include durability.
Finally, the PERM disk, like other embedded servo techniques, still stores servo information in disk space which could otherwise be used for data storage. As a result, PERM disk technology, although still at the research level, has not been widely accepted by industry.
There exists in the data storage system manufacturing industry a need for a servo information format which is inexpensive to provide and which optimizes the data capacity of a disk. The present invention addresses these and other needs.

Method for calibrating a dual element magnetoresistive head

International Business Machines Corporation


A tire-wheel assembly having a wheel with a rim and a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, the pneumatic tire having a cavity inside for charging air. The pneumatic tire has a cavity's resonant frequency Fc arising from the cavity, and the wheel has a plurality of natural frequencies. The difference between the cavity's resonant frequency Fc of the pneumatic tire and the natural frequency Fw of the wheel closest to the cavity's resonant frequency is 10 Hz or more.

In order to reduce road noise due to pneumatic tires, there have been conventionally proposed a variety of techniques including, for example, proper adjustment of the structure of the bead portions or sidewall portions thereof (see Patent Document 1, for example). However, there is a limit to reduce road noise with a tire alone, and it has been required to propose a new technique.
Patent Document 1: Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 2001-97011


A system for multitasking inner loops, such as DO loops, using multiprocessors, provided with a plurality of shared registers each corresponding to one of a plurality of individual processors comprising the multiprocessor system. The plurality of shared registers store start and end values of segments resulting from dividing ranges of loop variables corresponding to the inner loops. The system for multitasking inner loops comprises an executing unit for iteratively executing the processing of the inner loops until the end value is reached. The system also comprises a decision unit for deciding whether or not there remain any unprocessed loops. Finally, the system comprises a continuing unit, responsive to the decision unit for continuing processing of the unprocessed loop or loops by transferring a part of a range which the loop variables corresponding to the unprocessed loop or loops can have.

The present invention relates to a multitasking system for inner loops, such as a DO loop, in a multiprocessor system for use in information processing.
Multitasking of inner loops, such as the DO loop, in a program is now achieved in a multiprocessor system provided with a main storage accessible from a plurality of processors and from each of the processors. This multitasking results in the simultaneous presence and processing of a plurality of tasks, which are the smallest manageable units in an operating system (OS). Thus, the simultaneous processing would take place among tasks into which a job is divided. This makes it necessary for the OS to have a function which controls data sharing and the synchronism of events among tasks. Usually, a common routine and disk files are used in multitasking.
This multitasking enables a plurality of tasks to be executed in parallel on a plurality of processors to increase the execution speed of inner loops.
In this multitasking of inner loops, the start and end values of loop variables pertaining to loops are set in a single register shared by more than one processor to initiate each task. Each of the initiated tasks compares the start and end values by referring to the start and end values in the shared register while excluding simultaneous reference to the shared register with any other task and its updating. Each task, is this comparison shows that the start value is not greater than the end value, increases the start value in the shared register by an increment corresponding to a single loop, and at the same time executes the loop at that start value. By this method, each processor refers to a single register shared by the processors every time each processor executes a task. As a result, there is the possibility that contention for reference to the shared register occurs as many times as the loop is executed, and this contention increases the time taken to execute the procedure.
By another method, the frequency of contention for reference to the shared register may be reduced by having the programmer designate the number of loops to be executed by a task at a time. This method requires trial and error to find the appropriate value. It further is unable to cope with the unevenness of execution times in iterating a loop, resulting in a corresponding increase in the time taken to execute the procedure.
An object of the present information, therefore, is to provide a multitasking system for inner loops so designed as to reduce the possible occurrence of contention for reference to the register shared by more than one processor and thereby to increase the execution speed by multitasking the inner loops.

Multitasking system for in-procedure loops


The controller determines the presence or absence of operation of the trigger switch according to an ON/OFF state of the main contact of the trigger switch and designating the rotation speed of the motor based on a signal outputted from the speed contact. The controller stops the rotation of the motor, after the trigger switch is activated and the main contact is turned ON and the motor is driven according to a signal outputted from the speed contact, when an OFF state of the main contact is detected, only in the case where a signal value outputted from the speed contact is a predetermined value or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power tool configured to control the rotation speed of a motor in accordance with an amount of operation of a trigger switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are power tools which rotate tip tools such as a drill, driver, or a like by using a motor as a driving source. Of these types of power tools, there is a power tool which controls the rotation speed of a motor in accordance with an amount (degree) of operation of a trigger switch. In general, such power tool is configured to control the rotation speed of a motor by varying a voltage applied to the motor in accordance with an amount (degree) of operation (stroke) of the trigger switch.
Generally, the power tool of this type increases (or decreases) a voltage applied to the motor in accordance with an increase (or a decrease) in the amount of operation (stroke) of the trigger switch to exert control so that the rotation speed of the motor is raised (or decreased). Such the control prevents a rapid rise in the rotation speed of the motor at a time of start of operations and rotates the motor at a low speed to make it possible to easily position a tip tool in an object to be worked or to enhance ease of working.
A power tool to perform such control as above is disclosed in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-024960. The power tool disclosed in the publication determines, in accordance with an ON/OFF state of a main contact of a trigger switch, whether the trigger switch has been operated or not. The power tool also determines the rotation speed of a motor based on a signal from a speed contact of the trigger switch. The speed contact changes output voltage thereof in accordance with the amount of operation (stroke) of the trigger switch.
Further, a power tool is proposed which uses a brushless motor in order to achieve long life of the power tool. Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2007-196363, for example, discloses a power tool using a brushless motor.
When the start or stop of the motor is controlled in response to only an ON/OFF state of a main contact, there is a possibility that, regardless of whether an operator has moved his/her hands off the trigger switch, the main contact is turned OFF due to some reasons such as vibration, noise, or the like. When the main contact is turned OFF, the motor also stops regardless the operator has not moved his/her hands off the trigger switch.


A vibration generating apparatus comprises a cylinder assembly (6) having a cylinder and a piston (3) slidably inserted in a cylindrical bore (2) of the cylinder for defining a first pressure receiving chamber (4) with a small pressure receiving area and a second pressure receiving chamber (5) with a large pressure receiving area. The piston (5) is selectively movable in one direction and in the other direction responsive to pressures in the pressure receiving chambers. A switching valve (9) has a first pressure chamber (13) with a large diameter, a second pressure chamber (14) with a small diameter, a pump port (10), an auxiliary port (23), a principal port (11) and a tank port (12). The switching valve (9) takes a first position under a pressure within the first pressure chamber and takes a second position under a pressure within the second pressure chamber. When the switching valve (9) is in the first position, the pump port is allowed to communicate with the auxiliary port and the principal port is allowed to communicate with the tank port. When the switching valve (9) is in the second position, the pump port is allowed to communicate with the principal port and the auxiliary port is allowed to communicate with the tank port. A servo valve (19) is responsive to a movement of the piston for establishing a communication of the first pressure chamber with a fluid pressure source (21) or a tank.

As a vibration generating machine that can be used in a breaker machine, road roller machine and so forth, there has hitherto been known, for example, one that is disclosed in FIG. 1 of the drawings attached hereto.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 it is seen that a unit body 1 has a piston 3 slidably inserted in a cylindrical bore 2 thereof. The said piston 3 is formed thereon with a large diameter portion 3a, a large diameter rod portion 3b and a small diameter rod portion 3c for defining with the correspondingly contoured surfaces of the said cylindrical bore 2 a first pressure receiving chamber 4 of a small pressure receiving area and a second pressure receiving chamber 5 of a large pressure receiving area, thus constituting a cylinder assembly 6. Further, a switching valve 9 is constructed by inserting a spool 8 slidably into a spool bore 7 of the said unit body 1 and defining a first pressure chamber 13 of a large diameter and a second pressure chamber 14 of a small diameter at both end sides of the said spool 8, respectively.
The above mentioned spool 8 is designed to establish and block a communication between a pump port 10, a principal port 11 and a tank port 12. Thus, the said spool 8 is thrusted to take a first position with a pressure fluid within the said first pressure chamber 13 of the large diameter to establish a communication between the said principal port 11 and the said tank port 12 and is thrusted to take a second position with a pressure fluid within the said second pressure chamber 14 of the small diameter to establish a communication between the said pump port 10 and the said principal port 11.
A servo valve 19 has a construction in which the above mentioned tank port 12 is normally allowed to communicate with a drain port 15 that is formed in the said cylindrical bore 2, the said first pressure chamber 13 is normally allowed to communicate with an auxiliary port 16 that is formed in the said cylindrical bore 2, and the said auxiliary port 16 is designed to establish and block, via a switching spool 17 that is integral with the said piston 3, a communication between the said drain port 15 and a first port 18. And, the said principal port 11 is allowed to communicate with a second port 20 whereas the said first port 18 and the said pump port 10 are supplied with a pressure fluid that is discharged from a hydraulic pump 21.
The above mentioned vibration generating apparatus is diagrammatically represented in FIG. 2 of the drawings attached hereto, in which the said first port 18 is shown as serving for both the said servo valve 19 and the said first pressure receiving chamber 4.
The above mentioned vibration generating apparatus will operate as set forth below.
When the said piston 3 is held at its neutral position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the said spool 17 will act to block the said drain port 15, the said auxiliary port 16 and the said first port 18 so that the pressure fluid may be sealed within the said first pressure chamber 13. Then, the spool 8 (i.e. in the switching valve 9) will take a first position A to allow the said principal port 11 to communicate with the said tank port 12.
This will cause the said piston 3 to be moved in one direction (as shown by the arrow a) with the pressure fluid within the said first pressure receiving chamber 4. When it is so thrusted to take a position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the said auxiliary port 16 will be allowed to communicate via a small diameter portion 17a of the said switching spool 17 with the said drain port 15 so that the pressure fluid may flow out of the said first pressure chamber 13 into a tank 22. The said spool 8 will then be thrusted to take a leftward position, i.e., a second position B as shown in FIG. 2, with the pressure within the said second pressure chamber 14 to establish a communication between the said pump port 10 and the said principal port 11.
This will cause the said second pressure receiving chamber 5 to be supplied with a pressure fluid and will thus cause the said piston 3 to be moved in the other direction (as shown by the arrow b) due to a difference in pressure based upon a difference in pressure receiving area.
When the said piston 3 is then thrusted to reach a position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a communication between the said auxiliary port 16 and the said first port 18 will be established via the said large diameter rod portion 3b of the piston 3 to supply the said first pressure chamber 13 with a pressure fluid until the said spool 8 is thrusted to reach the said first position A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 due to a difference in pressure based upon a difference in pressure receiving area so that the said piston 3 may be moved in the said one direction (shown by the arrow a). Such a series of operations will be repeated with the above mentioned vibration generating apparatus.
With such a vibration generating apparatus, it has been found, however, that when a said piston 3 is switched to move from a stroke end position in one direction into the other direction, a state will develop in which a pressure fluid is sealed in a said first pressure chamber 13. Thus, if the said piston 3 is moved slightly from a stroke end position in one direction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 into the other direction (as shown by the arrow b), a communication between a said auxiliary port 16 and a said drain port 15 will be blocked to bring about the the state in which the pressure fluid is sealed in the said first pressure chamber 13.
This will cause a pressure fluid in a said first pressure receiving chamber 4 to be leaked through a gap between a said cylindrical bore 2 and a said switching spool 19 to flow into the said first pressure chamber 13, and can, with a said spool 8 that may possibly be moved towards a said first position A, possibly result in a false operation.
More specifically, if the said spool 8 is allowed to reach the said first position A while the said piston 3 is being moved in the other direction, a said second pressure receiving chamber 5 will be caused to communicate with a said tank 22 so that the said piston 3 may be moved in the said one direction, i.e., reversely. Since this can result in a false operation, it may no longer be possible to ensure a regular reciprocating movement of the said piston 3.
With the above mentioned problems taken into account, it is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a vibration generating apparatus which, without a piston suffering from a false operation, enables a reciprocating movement thereof to be carried out without fail.


A guide blade for steam turbines, having in the blade interior a cavity (18) to which a vacuum is applied, is provided with an opening (3) for drawing off fluid in the region of the trailing blade edge (4). This opening is provided with a porous cover (7). The cover is dimensioned in such a way that, during operation, all its capillaries are filled with the fluid to be drawn off. It is anchored in the guide blade by a mechanical fastening element (20).. The mechanical fastening element (20) is a spring-loaded quick-acting lock and comprises a bush (21) which fixes the cover in the blade opening (3) and projects with its cylindrical part (24) into the blade cavity (18), and a pin (25) which is axially displaceable in the interior of the bush, is equipped with spring means (26) and is provided at its end with a cap (28), which rests on the inner wall of the blade.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a guide blade for steam turbines, having in the blade interior a cavity to which a vacuum is applied, and having at least one opening, which is provided with a porous cover having capillaries, for drawing off fluid from the trailing blade surface, preferably in the region of the blade edge, the opening leading into the cavity, and the cover being dimensioned in such a way that, during operation, all the capillaries are filled with the fluid to be drawn off.
2. Discussion of Background
In the low-pressure part of steam turbines, guide blades which are provided with a means for drawing off water are generally known. Guide blades of this type have openings, for example in the region of their trailing edge, which are formed as slits parallel to the blade edge or as bores and which lead into a cavity in the interior of the guide blade. The cavities of all the guide blades are connected to an annular duct, which is itself connected to the condenser of the steam-turbine plant. From the condenser, a comparatively low vacuum is applied to the cavity in the interior of the guide blade. By means of this vacuum, water condensed on the surface of the guide blade is drawn into the openings and passes on from there into the condenser. Without the water being drawn off in this way, water droplets would form on the guide blade and these would separate from the blade edge located downstream and come into contact with the moving blades of the steam turbine, which rotate at high speed. The moving blades can be eroded to a considerable extent by the water droplets coming into contact with them. This source of erosion can be eliminated by drawing off the water.
Through these openings, which have a comparatively large cross section, steam is also, as a rule, drawn off together with the water, a factor which brings about a reduction in the efficiency of the steam turbine. Furthermore, the edges of these openings disturb the steam flow along the guide blades.
In addition, it is known from DE-A1-2 038 047 to cover these openings, intended for drawing off the water, with a porous material which is permeable to liquid. By means of a comparatively large pressure gradient, the porous material is partly sucked empty in a continuous manner in order to create sufficiently open pores, into which the water wetting the blade surface is then drawn by means of the capillary action. The water is then drawn out of the pores into the blade cavity by means of the pressure gradient. When the comparatively large pressure gradient is utilized in this way, a certain proportion of the steam flowing around the blade is likewise drawn off as well despite the porous cover, a factor which results in a reduction in the output of the turbine. A comparatively large quantity of energy is consumed in order to maintain the comparatively large pressure gradient for drawing off the water.
DE-A1-195 04 631 discloses a guide blade of the type mentioned at the beginning. In this guide blade, a wall which withstands the application of a vacuum is formed by the porous cover and the liquid-filled capillaries. This wall is only permeable to the fluid where it is wetted by the fluid. The porous cover has a pore size which is matched to the fluid to be drawn off and to the vacuum. The openings for drawing off the fluid have a comparatively small effective cross section. During operation, there is always an impervious wall between the inner cavity to which a vacuum is applied, and the turbine interior, which is exposed to steam, which wall is composed of the porous material of the cover and the fluid contained in all the capillaries of this cover. This impervious wall constantly withstands the pressure gradient, designated as barrier pressure, between the turbine interior and the inner cavity to which a vacuum is applied. Although the water which wets the surface of the guide blade passes through this wall, steam cannot be entrained in the process, since, for the steam, the wall is solid and impermeable. The efficiency of the steam turbine is not significantly reduced by the water being drawn off at the guide blades, but its availability is substantially increased, since erosion phenomena caused by water droplets now no longer occur.
The openings for the covers are formed in the blade in the region of the trailing edge as a single-part or multi-part groove running parallel to the blade edge. The porous cover is connected to the guide blade by full-surface or spot brazing, by welding, by adhesive bonding and/or by mechanical peening. All these known fastening methods make it more difficult to exchange the cover if the need arises.


An apparatus for the measurement of liquid quantity, comprising a frame (12) with a chamber space (13) inside it, an inlet duct (8) in the top part of the frame to pass a liquid into the chamber space (13), an outlet duct (11) in the bottom part of the frame to pass the liquid out of the chamber space (13) and elements (1, 2) placed in the chamber space (13) to form a weir container, said elements comprising a wall (2) and at least one orifice (1) formed in the wall, through which orifice (1) the liquid is passed out into the outlet duct (11), and means (3) for measuring the level of the liquid in the chamber space (13). The apparatus comprises means (10) for directing the liquid entering the chamber via the inlet duct (8) into at least two sub-flows (14, 15) and for directing these sub-flows from different directions to a point near the orifice (1) in the wall so that when the sub-flows (14, 15) meet again, they substantially damp the flow.

In prior-art, there are solutions for the measurement of liquid flow in which a liquid channel is provided with a weir or a wall with an orifice in it to permit liquid flow through it. The rise of liquid surface caused by the weir is measured. The liquid level in the weir container is proportional to a mathematical formula of the flow rate or according to a curve obtained via calibration measurements. An apparatus of this type is presented in international patent application publication WO 96/36851. One of the drawbacks of prior-art solutions is that when the height of fall of the liquid is increased, the flow rate increases in front of the weir opening, leading to a lower accuracy of measurement.
The object of the present invention is to achieve an apparatus for the measurement of liquid flow that makes it possible to eliminate the drawbacks of prior art and to achieve a measuring apparatus that is capable of a better accuracy of measurement even in the case of a large height of fall of the liquid.

Apparatus for the measurement of liquid flow


The present invention provides a composite separator for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a method for manufacturing the same. The inventive method involves allowing graphite foil layers to be brought into direct contact with each other when graphite foils are stacked on both sides of a carbon fiber reinforced composite material prepreg, thereby improving electrical conductivity in the thickness direction of the separator.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a composite separator for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). More particularly, the invention relates to a composite separator for a PEMFC and a method for manufacturing same. The inventive method involves bringing graphite foil layers into direct contact with each other when graphite foils are stacked on both sides of a carbon fiber reinforced composite material prepreg, thereby improving electrical conductivity in the thickness direction of the separator.
(b) Background Art
In general, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a device that generates electricity with heat and water by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen (or air) as reactant gases. The PEMFC has various advantages, such as, high energy efficiency, high current density, high power density, short start-up time, and rapid response to a load change as compared to the other types of fuel cells. For these reasons, it can be used in various applications, such as, a power source for zero-emission vehicles, an independent power plant, a portable power source, and a military power source, among other applications.
A conventional fuel cell stack is shown in FIG. 1 and described, as follows.
A conventional fuel cell stack includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA), which is positioned in the center of each unit cell of the fuel cell stack. The MEA comprises a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 60, through which hydrogen ions (protons) are transported, and an electrode/catalyst layer disposed on each of both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane 60. The electrode/catalyst layer can include an air electrode (cathode) 61 and a fuel electrode (anode) 62, in which an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen takes place.
Moreover, a gas diffusion layer (GDL) 40 and a gasket 41 are sequentially stacked on both sides of the MEA, where the cathode 61 and the anode 62 are located. A separator 30, including flow fields for supplying fuel and discharging water produced by the reaction, is located on the outside of the GDL 40. An end plate 50 for supporting the above-described components is connected to each of both ends thereof.
Therefore, at the anode 62 of the fuel cell stack, hydrogen is dissociated into hydrogen ions (protons, H+) and electrons (e−) by an oxidation reaction of hydrogen. The hydrogen ions and electrons are transmitted to the cathode 61 through the electrolyte membrane 60 and the separator 30, respectively. At the cathode 61, water is produced by the electrochemical reaction in which the hydrogen ions and electrons transmitted from the anode 62. The oxygen in the air participates and, at the same time, electrical energy is produced by the flow of electrons.
In the above-described fuel cell stack, the separator divides the unit cells of the fuel cell and, at the same time, serves as a current path between the unit cells. The flow fields formed in the separator serve as paths for supplying hydrogen and oxygen and discharging water produced by the reaction.
Since the water produced by the reaction inhibits the chemical reaction occurring in the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell, the water should be rapidly discharged to the outside. Therefore, the separator material may have high surface energy such that the water is rapidly spread on the surface of the separator (hydrophilicity) or may have low surface energy such that the water rolls down the surface of the separator (hydrophobicity). Therefore, it is necessary to maximize the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the flow fields in order to minimize the electrical contact resistance between the separators and facilitate the circulation of the produced water.
In consideration of these factors, conventional separators are formed of graphite, thin stainless steel, or a composite material in which expanded carbon particles or graphite particles are mixed with a polymer matrix.
By comparison, the electrical resistance of stainless steel is significantly lower than the electrical resistance of graphite.
However, since the electrical contact resistance is related to the contact area, pressure, and rigidity, the electrical contact resistance of graphite is lower than that of stainless steel. However, while the graphite satisfies the conditions of the separator in electrical and chemical aspects, it is vulnerable to impact and is difficult to process.
Therefore, a continuous carbon fiber composite separator which can improve the electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties would be an advance in the art. Moreover, a method for manufacturing a separator for a fuel cell which can reduce the contact resistance between unit cells, which is one of the most important electrical properties, and control the surface energy of a continuous carbon fiber composite separator to facilitate the discharge of water produced by the reaction has been required.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Composite separator for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell and method for manufacturing the same

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A polygraph automated scoring system in which polygraph signals are input and a probability of deception is output. To begin the process, digitized polygraph signals are transformed into more fundamental signals. These fundamental signals are then subjected to standardization, a critical step. The standardized signals then have certain features extracted at each question. The features for all of the relevant questions are then standardized against the features for all of the control questions. From each of the resulting standardized relevant features, the 80th percentile is taken. Finally, a logistic regression model (logit) converts this set of 80th percentile features into a probability of deception.

On any given day, more than a thousand suspects in criminal investigations will voluntarily take polygraph examinations in the hope of being cleared. The analyses performed are based on the assumption that, when deception is attempted, small changes in human physiology occur as a result of either cognitive processing or emotional stress.
Polygraph tests are administered by more than two thousand trained and experienced examiners in the United States, Canada, Japan India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and many other nations. Somewhere between 40% and 60% of those who take the tests will be cleared on the basis of an examiner's decision of "No deception indicated." For those who are not cleared, the criminal investigative process will continue. Polygraphs affect the lives of many people, from those who are the victims of criminals to those who are suspects.
While the primary use of the polygraph test is during the investigative stage of the criminal justice process, polygraph results are sometimes presented in court as evidence. Polygraph tests also play a small role in parole and probation supervision.
In addition to the significant role in criminal justice, polygraph examinations are also used for national security, intelligence, and counterintelligence activities of the United States and foreign nations. Thousands of federal screening examinations are used annually to grant or deny clearance and access to sensitive operations and material.
A polygraph test format is an ordered combination of relevant questions about an issue, control questions that provide physiological responses for comparison, and irrelevant (or neutral) questions that also provide responses or the lack of responses for comparison, or act as a buffer. All questions asked during a polygraph test are reviewed and discussed with the examinee and reworded when necessary to assure understanding, accommodate partial admissions, and present a dichotomy answerable with a definite "yes" or "no." During the test, the questions are delivered in a monotone voice to avoid emphasis on one question or another.
Polygraph examiners have a choice of several standard test formats. The examiner's decision on which format to use will be based on test objectives, experience, and training.
Three classes of test formats are used: control question tests, concealed knowledge tests, and relevant-irrelevant tests. Each format consists of a prescribed series of questions that together make up a chart. Two to five charts make up a test.
The majority of criminal investigation tests are conducted by using one of the possible formats of control question tests. These tests consist of a series of control, relevant, and irrelevant questions. Each question series is repeated two to five times, and each series produces a separate chart.
An example of a relevant question is, Did you embezzle any of the missing $12,000?. For this test format, the corresponding control questions will be about stealing; the questions are threatening to the subject but are not about the theft at issue. An example is, Before you were employed at this bank, did you ever steal money or property from an employer? The control and relevant questions will be compared.
Irrelevant questions will also be asked that will probably be answered truthfully, are not stressful, and act as buffers. Do you reside in Maryland? or Do they call you Jim? are examples of irrelevant questions.
If the police have facts about a crime that have not become public or common knowledge (facts that would be known to the guilty subject but not to the innocent), they will use a concealed knowledge test. In another version of the concealed knowledge test, the examiner does not know the critical item but believes the examinee does know.
A relevant-irrelevant test differs from a control question test in several ways. It has few, if any, control questions on each chart, the sequence of questions usually varies from chart to chart, and the amplitude of reactions to relevant questions is not compared with the amplitude of reactions to the control questions. This type of test is widely used for multiple-issue testing, such as that used for commercial and counterintelligence screening.
Regardless of the test format used, three physiological measurements are normally recorded:
1. Volumetric measures taken from the upper arm: A standard blood pressure cuff is placed on the arm over the brachial artery and inflated to about 60 mm Hg pressure for an indirect measure of blood pressure variables, together with the strength and rate of pulsation from the heart. PA1 2. Respiratory measures taken from expansion and contraction of the thoracic and abdominal areas using rubber tubes placed around the subject: The resulting data are closely related to the amount of gaseous exchange. PA1 3. Skin conductivity (or resistance) measures of electrodermal activity, largely influenced by eccrine (sweat) gland activity: Electrodes are attached to two fingers of the same hand and a galvanometer records the measured skin conductance or resistance to an electrical current.
When some charts are scored, the examiner cannot make a clear decision and must score the chart as inconclusive. From analyzing charts where decisions were made, a government agency completed a report on polygraph validity based on all the studies of real cases conducted since 1980. Examiner decisions were compared with other results such as confessions, evidence, and judicial disposition. Ten studies, which considered the outcome of 2,042 cases, were reviewed.
It must be pointed out, however, that studies of real polygraph tests are necessarily flawed by the fact that the guilt or innocence of the subject must be determined, and correct calls are more easily confirmed than incorrect calls. For example, if the test shows that the subject is guilty, the examiner will often obtain a confession. Thus, tests scored as guilty are more often confirmed if the subject is guilty.
If the test shows that the subject is innocent, other people may be investigated. If another person is found to be guilty, the test becomes confirmed innocent.
With this in mind, and assuming that every disagreement was a polygraph error, the results in the report indicate an accuracy (or validity) of 98% for the 2,042 confirmed cases. For deceptive cases, the accuracy was also 98%, and for nondeceptive cases, 97%.
Mock-crime studies generally have correct calls about 85% of the time. Because of the nature of mock-crime studies, it is believed that real-crime tests are scored as accurately or more accurately.
The accuracy of polygraph decisions for real cases, then, is somewhere between the 85% demonstrated with mock-crime studies and the 98% demonstrated with confirmed charts.
In 1973, the concept of quantifying polygraph patterns for computer analysis was first presented. Later, analysts at the psychology laboratory at the University of Utah began to develop a computerized scoring algorithm, employing a few of the many variables available in physiological patterns. Their research suggested that the most useful measures were the amplitude and duration of the electrodermal response, the rise and fall of the cardiovascular pattern (related to blood pressure changes), and the length of the respiration tracing within a fixed time sequence. These responses were incorporated into a special-purpose computer analytic system, marketed under the name CAPS (Computer Assisted Polygraph System).
A novel aspect of the CAPS system was the introduction of decisions based on a probability figure. For example, deception might be indicated with a probability of 0.89. The probabilities were developed by using both laboratory and field polygraph data, the latter being tests conducted by the U.S. Secret Service that were confirmed by confession. Two other features of the CAPS system are its ability to rank-order reactions and its analytic system, which gives the greatest weight to electrodermal responses, less to respiratory responses, and the least to cardiovascular responses. Before this work, scoring systems gave equal weight to responses from each of the three physiological recordings.
A deficiency of the CAPS system is that the data are taken from a field polygraph instrument that is often nonlinear, and the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) is performed after some processing. New instruments will reduce distortions in the data by performing the ADC before any processing, displaying, or printing.
In 1989, Axciton Systems, Inc. of Houston, Tex. developed a new commercial computerized polygraph. This system features a computer that processes the physiological signals directly, scrolls the physiological data across a screen in real time during testing, provides for a later printout, records the test on a hard drive or a floppy disk, and provides a system for ranking subject responses.
The system has been field tested with real cases in a Texas police department and is user friendly. The charts, printed after the test, look like standard polygraph charts and can be hand-scored by traditional methods.
The availability of the Axciton system and the probability of other new computerized polygraphs becoming available requires that new, more accurate algorithms be developed for incorporation in these new systems.


An apparatus and method for communicating between a hand-held electronic game apparatus and other electronic systems is described. Small hand-held electronic games, preprogrammed with a single game, may be linked together through a communications unit to engage in interactive gaming between two users. Alternatively, the communications unit can be connected via a special cable connected to the serial port of a personal computer to permit connection to a central processing unit on an Internet website. The website central processing unit can modify the preprogrammed game, provide upgrades to the game, unlock hidden features and simulate a second hand-held electronic game apparatus for interactive play with a user. Software is installed on the personal computer permits communication between the hand-held electronic game and the personal computer, between the PC and the Internet website and thus between the hand-held game and the Internet website. Data from the hand-held game can be communicated to the Internet website, for example, to register high scores, or to play the preprogrammed game with other game users connected to the website.

This invention relates to apparatus and method of communicating between a hand-held electronic game apparatus and other electronic systems.
Inexpensive, hand-held electronic games have become more popular as the complexity and increasing costs of the cartridge-style video games, games in which the user can play more than one game by replacing a game cartridge in the game unit, have increased. Additionally, while users enjoy the low cost of single game electronic game, users have grown to expect features of the higher priced and more complex games to be included in the less expensive units.
Some of the features sought after by users include access to upgrades to lengthen the life of the electronic game, hidden features and functionality, and the ability to engage in multi-user game play. The advent and increased popularity of the Internet in homes has made multi-user game play with remote users and access to manufacturer web pages as close as the family personal computer.
Increased miniaturization and reductions in manufacturing costs in the semiconductor industry have made more sophisticated games possible for the hand-held electronic game apparatus industry possible. An example of such an improved hand-held electronic game is described in co-pending application, assigned to the assignee of this invention, entitled "Electronic Game" application Ser. No. 08/940,732 filed Sep. 30, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. However, even with such improvements, the memory available for such hand-held games, often no larger than a key fob or pocket watch, is insufficient to include the additional software needed to provide the increased functionalities sought. Such simple games do not contain the additional software or hardware needed to link with other games.
Examples of previous efforts to link game apparatuses are known in the prior art. For example, Sides U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,831 discloses a hand-held electronic game apparatus useable by a single player, but also useable for direct competitive play between two or more players through both direct physical linkage of multiple units of the apparatus and indirect linkage by radio signals or the like. The electronic apparatus of Sides is designed for larger, more complex games and requires a communications link be built into each electronic game apparatus. Further, the electronic game apparatus of Sides contemplates operating on larger power supplies such as 12 volt batteries or common household AC current, which is far greater than the typical 3 volt battery power supplies used in inexpensive, hand-held electronic game apparatuses.
Vaughn et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,088 discloses a game of skill or chance playable by remote participants in conjunction with a common game event including inserted interactive advertising. This system requires communication with a remote central computer and does not permit game play between two or more users directly.
There is thus a need for an apparatus and method for communicating between a hand-held electronic game apparatus and other electronic systems.

Apparatus and method of communicating between electronic games


An axle assembly for a vehicle. A movable housing is movably positioned within a closed channel defined by a central housing. The movable housing moves the axle assembly between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. A mounting assembly may be coupled to and spaced from the movable housing and slidably positioned adjacent the central housing. A steering actuator is coupled to a steering arm and the mounting assembly such that the steering actuator moves as a unit. A track assist bracket may be fixedly coupled to the central housing and define a gap sized to slidably receive a mounting plate of the mounting assembly. A bushing may be disposed on each wall of a telescoping portion of the movable housing. A bellows may be provided to enclose exposed portions of the bushings in the extended configuration. Methods of adjusting the track of the axle assembly are also disclosed.

In certain industries it is desirable to utilize a vehicle capable of adjusting its track, or more particularly a distance between opposing wheels. One example includes a lift assembly, such as a boom lift, in which the track may be selectively widened to provide stability when the boom is deployed. Another example of particular interest is agricultural implements for accommodating crops of varying row widths. For example, crops such as corn may be planted in rows spaced by fifteen, twenty, twenty-two, and thirty-inch rows, among others. Other crops, such as soybean and wheat, may be planted at rows spaced by the same or different row widths. The agricultural implement (e.g., planters, sprayers, etc.) traverse the field to perform farm-related tasks, and the wheels of the vehicle are preferably positioned in between the crop rows to minimize impact on the crops themselves.
Known axle assemblies may include an actuator, for example a hydraulic cylinder, for adjusting the track of the vehicle, and another for steering the vehicle. Such an axle assembly may require the steering actuator to extend as the track actuator extends the track of the vehicle. Extension of the steering actuator to compensate for the extension of the track actuator may unnecessarily subject the steering actuator to forces (e.g., impact, vibration, etc.) based on the operational conditions of the vehicle. The need to extend the steering actuator to compensate for the extension of the track actuator may also limit the maximum track to which the axle assembly may be extended. Still further, with the axle assembly at least partially extended, certain components of the axle may be exposed to the external environment. In the context of the agricultural implements previously mentioned, for example, this may include the stalks of the rows of corn that, once of sufficient height, impact the axle and the exposed components. The repeated impact against the components may lead to premature wear and/or suboptimal operation of the axle assembly. Another example includes ingress of particulate from the operating environment that my degrade the movement of movable components of the axle assembly.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an axle assembly for a vehicle designed to overcome one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages


A label switched path (LSP) is established within a network using an MPLS fast reroute bypass tunnel when a resource along a primary path of the LSP has failed but is protected by the MPLS fast reroute bypass tunnel. While establishing the LSP, a network device identifies a failed resource along a primary path of the LSP. In response to identifying the failed resource, the network device determines whether a bypass tunnel exists from the network device to a node along the primary path, wherein the bypass tunnel avoids the failed resource. Upon determining that the bypass tunnel exists, the network device tunnels a message for establishing the LSP to the node over the bypass tunnel.

Routing devices within a network, often referred to as routers, maintain routing information that describe available routes through the network. Upon receiving an incoming packet, the routers examine information within the packet and forward the packet in accordance with the routing information. In order to maintain an accurate representation of the network, routers exchange routing information in accordance with one or more defined routing protocols, such as the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
The term "link" is often used to refer to the connection between two devices on a network. The link may be a physical medium, such as a copper wire, a coaxial cable, any of a host of different fiber optic lines or a wireless connection. In addition, network devices may define "virtual" or "logical" links, and map the virtual links to the physical links. As networks grow in size and complexity, the traffic on any given link, including peering links, may approach a maximum bandwidth capacity for the link, thereby leading to congestion and loss.
Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a mechanism used to engineer traffic patterns within Internet Protocol (IP) networks. By using MPLS, a source device can request a path through a network, i.e., a Label Switched Path (LSP). An LSP defines a distinct path through the network to carry MPLS packets from the source device to a destination device. A short label associated with a particular LSP is affixed to packets that travel through the network via the LSP. Routers along the path cooperatively perform MPLS operations to forward the MPLS packets along the established path. LSPs may be used for a variety of traffic engineering purposes including bandwidth management and quality of service (QoS).
A variety of protocols exist for establishing LSPs. For example, one such protocol is the label distribution protocol (LDP). Another type of protocol is a resource reservation protocol, such as the Resource Reservation Protocol with Traffic Engineering extensions (RSVP-TE). RSVP-TE uses constraint information, such as bandwidth availability, to compute paths and establish LSPs along the paths within a network. RSVP-TE may use bandwidth availability information accumulated by a link-state interior routing protocol, such as the Intermediate System—Intermediate System (ISIS) protocol or the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol.
Head-end routers of the LSP are commonly known as ingress routers, while routers at the tail-end of the LSP are commonly known as egress routers. Ingress and egress routers, as well as intermediate routers along the LSP that support MPLS, are more generally referred to as label switching routers (LSRs). A set of packets to be forwarded along the LSP is referred to as a forwarding equivalence class (FEC). A plurality of FECs may exist for each LSP, but there may be only one active LSP for any given FEC. Typically, a FEC definition includes the IP address of the destination of the LSP. The ingress label edge router (LER) uses routing information, propagated from the egress LER, to determine the LSP, to assign labels for the LSP, and to affix a label to each packet of the FEC. The LSRs use MPLS protocols to receive MPLS label mappings from downstream LSRs and to advertise MPLS label mappings to upstream LSRs. When an LSR receives an MPLS packet from an upstream router, it switches the MPLS label according to the information in its forwarding table and forwards the packet to the appropriate downstream LSR or LER. The egress LER removes the label from the packet and forwards the packet to its destination in accordance with standard routing protocols.
In general, each router along the LSP maintains a context that associates a FEC with an incoming label and an outgoing label. In this manner, when an LSR receives a labeled packet, the LSR may swap the label (i.e., the incoming label) with the outgoing label by performing a lookup in the context. The LSR may then forward the packet to the next LSR or LER along the LSP. The next router along the LSP is commonly referred to as a downstream router or a next hop.
In some instances, a node or link along an LSP may no longer be available. For example, a link along the LSP, or a node may experience a failure event, such as when one or more components of a router fail or the router is brought down by a user, such as a network operator. In these instances, signaling of a new LSP would fail when the LSP was to be explicitly routed along a path that traverses the unavailable link or node. An LSR along the path of the new LSP would detect the failed link or node, and may send an error message indicating that the new LSP cannot be established as requested.

Label switched path setup using fast reroute bypass tunnel


In a method for calibrating a biosensor for the amperometric determination of creatinine in biological liquids, consisting of one electrode system each for measuring the concentrations of creatinine and creatine, with at least two calibration solutions being used, the electrode system for measuring the creatinine concentration is calibrated with a creatinine solution which, prior to the calibration measurement, was mixed in the form of an acidic solution with an alkaline buffer solution, and the electrode system for measuring the creatine concentration is calibrated with a solution in which creatinine and creatine are at a thermodynamic equilibrium.

The determination of enzymatically degradable substances, such as creatinine, glucose etc., by means of sensors in biological liquids, for example in blood, urine, plasma, serum and liquor, is preferably carried out via biosensors comprising immobilized enzymes. From the literature, several electrochemical and photometric methods of determining those substances are known.
In that way, creatinine may be potentiometrically determined, for example by means of the enzyme creatinine deiminase, involving a subsequent determination of the ammonium content. Another method consists in determining the creatinine concentration by means of an enzyme cascade using the enzymes creatininase, creatinase and sarcosine oxidase, with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) being finally measured at an amperometric electrode (Tsuchida, T., Yoda, K., Clin.Chem. 29/1, 51-55 (1983)).
The invention relates to a method for calibrating biosensors that function in accordance with the last-mentioned principle. The conversion of creatinine to hydrogen peroxide is carried out according to the following reaction steps:
creatinine + H2O-creatininase→creatinecreatine + H2O-creatinase→sarcosine + ureasarcosine + O2 +-sarcosine oxidase→glycin + formaldehyde + H2O2H2O
In order to be able to faultlessly determine the creatinine in a biological sample, it is necessary to correct the results of the creatinine system that consists of an electrode system comprising all three enzymes by those of the creatine system the electrode system of which comprises only the enzymes creatinase and sarcosine oxidase, since in biological samples creatinine and creatine usually coexist and, according to the system, the creatinine system is only capable of recognizing the sum of creatinine and creatine.
Thus, for a calibration of the biosensor, solutions for calibrating the creatinine system as well as the creatine system are necessary.
The calibration of a biosensor for the determination of creatinine is aggravated further by the fact that creatinine and creatine are at an equilibrium if the solution has room temperature and a neutral pH, i.e., neither of the two dissolved analytes can, on its own, be maintained at a stable concentration, which, however, would be absolutely necessary for calibrating the electrode systems.
Therefore, the user of the biosensor is forced to freshly prepare the calibration solution(s) before measuring takes place by weighing creatinine and/or creatine into a vessel and dissolving the weighed portion in a certain amount of buffer liquid. It is indeed true that, at room temperature, said solution(s) is (are) sufficiently stable for a short period of time, in general for about a week, since the conversion of creatinine to creatine or vice versa proceeds very slowly, however, the preparation procedure must be repeated after that time period.
Said method is disadvantageous in that the continuous, at least weekly, fresh preparation of the calibration solutions prevents the calibration from being carried out at any time in a quick, simple and topically flexible manner. Furthermore, repeated weighing-in and dissolving with the purpose of securing a sufficiently high accuracy require a larger consumption of creatinine and/or creatine and of buffer liquid.


A burglar and storm-resistant cover for windows or doors and the like comprising a frame including an upper frame member and a pair of vertical U-shaped channels connected to the ends of the upper frame member and spaced to receive for vertical movement respectively of the opposite end portions of metallic louvers respectively having a relatively narrow and normally uppermost panel integral with a depending relatively wide vertical panel, a pair of first cables respectively adjacent opposite end portions of the louvers and having associated devices arranged to maintain the louvers in spaced relationship when extended vertically to close the window or door to view, coiling arrangements operable to contract the louvers into complete or partial compact manner, a pair of second cables respectively associated with the opposite end portions of the louvers and connected at their lower ends to end portions of the lowermost louver for elevation of the same when coiled in the upper portion of tile frame, and a pair of third vertical cables connected at spaced locations to the opposite end portions of the narrow upper panels of the louvers, whereby when said third cables are pulled downward when the louvers are in closed position, the louvers will be disposed uniformly in tilted manner to provide light-passage openings. Several types of locking means respectively maintain the louvers locked in closed position and certain types of cable coiling mechanisms are provided.

The breaking and entering of homes, business establishments and various types of buildings usually is found to be on the rise in times of economic stress. Burglar alarms tend to deter such activity but there are certain classes of persons who live by their wits that find successful ways of committing robberies to their advantage.
One way of attempting to discourage robberies in homes and other types of buildings is to protect windows and doors in a manner to at least discourage attempts at robbery if not actually prevent breaking and entering of buildings except where brute force is used to effect entering and robbing.
In present business establishments which have show windows, it is not uncommon at present to use various types of parallel bars loosely connected in various manners which at least tend to discourage robbery except by the hardened type of criminal individual. Such arrangements do not protect business premises from show windows being broken and articles removed therefrom through the broken glass. It is the principal purpose of the present invention to provide several types of covering arrangements for windows and doors which are intended to protect the same against damage either from robbery or storms, especially storms of severe nature, such as hurricanes.

Burglar and storm-resistant cover for windows and doors


A method and apparatus is disclosed for calculating cup and band size for a brassiere comprising the steps of obtaining an under-the-bust measurement indicative of band size and a bust measurement indicative of cup size. If the under-the-bust measurement is even, then the apparatus increases the band size by a first selected amount and decreases the cup size by a second selected amount. The resulting measurements are selectively displayed on a screen according to sizing standards in the U.S. or according to sizing standards in other countries.

Various methods and devices have been used to assist women in easily determining their brassiere size. Two examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,414,943 and 5,619,804, a continuation in part of the '943 patent, both to the present inventor and both teaching an "Anatomical Measuring Tape with Indicator."
The '943 patent discloses a device comprising a housing having first and second compartments, containing first and second lockable winding mechanisms, respectively. The first tape indicates band size and the second tape indicates cup size. Each tape has a free end that can extend outward of the compartment and each compartment has two windows for displaying the readout of the respective tape.
In use, the free end of the tape for measuring the band size is extended outwardly about the torso of a woman to measure the circumference or girth of the torso. When the free end of the first tape meets the free end of the second tape, the first winding mechanism is locked. At this point, the band size is displayed in the first window. The woman then places the tape about her bust, where the girth of the bust causes the free end of the first tape to separate from the free end of the second tape. The free end of the second tape is then extended outwardly to meet the free end of the first tape. When the two ends again have met, the second mechanism is locked. At this point, the cup size is displayed in the second window.
The '804 patent differs from the '943 patent by disclosing that the first tape is calibrated to add "5" inches to the ribcage reading (R1+5) based upon measurement techniques that are customary in the United States. The second tape is calibrated to the bust size minus the ribcage measurement (R2−(R1+5)).
In the '804 patent, a single tape is used with means for electronically measuring the bust size. The electronic means calculates a scaled offset so that when the tape is extended around a ribcage, the measurement R1 is augmented by five (5), a constant that is customary in the United States. A button is pushed on the device which enables the woman to extend the tape for reading the cup size of the bust. The cup size is based upon the difference of the girth readings, or R2−(R1+5). A well known conversion translates the reading into a cup size according to standards in the United States.
The prior art has a shortcoming in how it handles sizing where the measurement under the bust is represented by an even number. It has been determined that the customary calculations for brassieres, in these instances, produce an uncomfortable fit.
The prior art also has a shortcoming in that it calculates band and cup sizes as calibrated in a single apparatus, such as the apparatus adopted in the United States. In contrast, Europe and Italy each have parameters for measuring band sizes that differ from that adopted in the United States. The U.K. has parameters for measuring cup sizes that also differ from that adopted in the United States. A person traveling in different countries would be required to purchase separately calibrated devices for each country. Accordingly, there is a need for a apparatus and method for calculating brassiere sizes that can calculate band and cup sizes for any country having a known measurement scheme.


Attributes of a data set to be employed in generating a predictive model are analyzed based on entropy, chi-square, or similar statistical measure. A target group of samples exhibiting one or more desired attributes is identified, then remaining attribute values for the target group are compared to corresponding attribute values for the whole sample population. A subset of all available attributes is then selected from those attributes which exhibit, when comparing attribute values of target group samples to attribute values for the whole sample population, the greatest relative difference or divergence. This subset is employed to generate the predictive model. Efficiency in generating the predictive model and the accuracy of the resulting predictive model is improved, since fewer attributes are employed and less computational resources are required.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to data analysis and in particular to qualifying sample populations employed in predictive data analysis. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to reducing the number of attributes of a sample population employed in generating a predictive model based on the sample population.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide array of subjects are the focus of contemporary data collection, such as customer data which is collected by various industries, medical information which is collected for development of diagnostics and treatment protocols, or data relating to insurable or potentially insurable activities which is collected for insurance risk assessment. Collection of such data has become so routine and pervasive that "data mining" is frequently required to separate useful information from dross.
Data collection is frequently undertaken for the purposes of developing predictive models. That is, by statistical analysis of characteristics of a sample population, attempts are made to derive models which may predict, with reasonable accuracy, whether an individual subject will exhibit a characteristic or group of characteristics of interest based on known characteristics of that subject. For instance, marketing firms may attempt to develop predictive models for determining which individuals within a target population are most likely to respond to a particular promotional campaign.
Contemporary data collection generally proceeds more or less indiscriminately. That is, those engaged in collection of data typically collect as much data regarding each individual subject as possible, without regard to the ultimate usefulness of the data in, for example, developing a predictive model. This may result from uncertainty regarding which characteristics are most useful for a particular purpose and/or the simplistic conviction that more data will produce better results. More frequently, however, indiscriminate data collection results instead from the use of a data set for more than one purpose, spreading the cost of the data collection among multiple projects.
One effect of indiscriminate data collection on the development of predictive models is the inefficiency and error introduced by large data samples. A sample population may include data for five hundred or more characteristics of each individual subject within the sample population. Attempting to generate a predictive model based on that many individual characteristics is computationally inefficient. Furthermore, as the number of characteristics or attributes employed in generating the predictive model increases, the probability that the sample population is skewed by one or more characteristics or attributes also increases.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a mechanism for preprocessing a sample population to reduce the number of attributes or characteristics employed in generating a predictive model. It would further be advantageous if the mechanism eliminated characteristics which might skew the sample population and thereby degrade the accuracy of a predictive model generated from such data.

Method for computing models based on attributes selected by entropy

International Business Machines Corporation


An energy storage and power generation system (10) with at least one fuel cell (40), in which an oxidant and a fuel which can be stored can be converted electrochemically and in the process an electrical current can be generated, and with at least one electrolysis cell (30), which is used for generating the fuel which can be stored for the fuel cell (40), wherein the fuel cell (40) and the electrolysis cell (30) share a common electrode (21), and the fuel cell (40) and the electrolysis cell (30) each use a respective further electrode (31, 41) only for themselves. For this purpose, the invention provides that the fuel can be stored outside the fuel cell (40) and outside the electrolysis cell (30) in a store (13).

The invention relates to an energy storage and power generation system with at least one fuel cell, in which an oxidant and a fuel which can be stored can be converted electrochemically and in the process an electrical current can be generated, and with at least one electrolysis cell, which is used for generating the fuel which can be stored for the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell and the electrolysis cell share a common electrode, and the fuel cell and the electrolysis cell each use a respective further electrode only for themselves.
As a result of an increasing proportion of electrical energy from wind or solar energy, the need to buffer-store energy is increased. A possible solution to this is hydrogen which can be generated by electrolysis in an electrolysis cell in the case of a supply of inexpensive and/or regenerative electrical energy which exceeds demand and which can be used for power generation in the case of a supply of inexpensive and/or regenerative electrical energy which falls below the demand, wherein the hydrogen, as a fuel, reacts electrochemically with an oxidant in a fuel cell.
WO2005/008824 has disclosed an electrochemical system with an electrolysis cell and a fuel cell. In this case, in the electrolysis cell, water and a metal are first converted into oxygen and a metal hydride. The metal hydride is converted, by virtue of a change in temperature, into hydrogen and metal and the former is converted back into water by oxygen in the fuel cell. The electrode at which metal is converted into a metal hydride and back again is used jointly by the electrolysis cell and the fuel cell. In this case, the metal hydride acts as the only store for the hydrogen. One disadvantage with this is that only at most as much hydrogen is available for producing electrical power as there is metal available for reaction to form a metal hydride. In order to be able to store a large quantity of hydrogen, a correspondingly large and therefore heavy electrode needs to be provided which increases the weight and costs of the electrochemical system. In addition, the temperature of the fuel cell needs to be selected such that the metal hydride releases hydrogen. In addition, there is the risk of hydrogen embrittlement.

Energy storage and power generation system


A drug solubilizer or drug-absorption accelerator of Formula I is disclosed wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are herein defined ##STR1##

There have conventionally been developed ointments, poultices, tape-aids, lotions, suppositories, eye lotions and the like in the field of preparations for external use. Among these preparations, percutaneously absorbable preparations have recently attracted public attention and are arousing an increasing interest in themselves. The reasons for this are that in cases where a drug, the pharmacological action of which is expected, is administered locally or systemically so as to be percutaneously absorbed, it is advantageously possible to keep the efficacy of the drug, adjust the rate of absorption thereof easily thereby enabling the prevention of medicinal side effects caused by overdosing the drug, lessen the influence of metabolism exerted by the effect of the drug caused by the initial passage thereof through the liver as is experienced in case of oral administration, thereby enabling the drug to be effectively utilized, and administer comparatively safe even such a drug as to cause liver troubles and the like. In addition to the above preparations, there has now been developed a form of preparation, called "TTS", having a high function to control the release thereof.
(1) In these externally usable preparations attempted to be percutaneously absorbed, it is important to release a drug from a base which contains it, that is, it is necessary for the drug to be efficiently transferred from the base to the skin. To this end, generally importance is placed in the state of dissolution of the drug in the base at the stage of designing these preparations. In other words, how the drug exists in the base will have remarkable effects on not only its physicochemical stability but also its release from the base, percutaneous absorption efficiency and consequent medicinal efficacy. Thus, it comes to be very important when designing preparations, to select a solubilizer which is excellent in solubilization of the drug and exerts an effect on uniform dispersion of the drug into the base.
Solubilizers now used for drugs include fatty acids such as oleic acid and myristic acid, fatty acid esters such as isopropyl myristate and isopropyl palmitate, essence oils such as limonene, peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil, polyhydric alcohols such as polyethylene glycol and propylene glycol, surface-active agents, glycol salicylate and crotamiton, among which crotamiton is frequently used as a solubilizer for difficultly soluble drugs. For example, crotamiton is used as a solubilizer for indomethacin in Japanese Patent Gazette No. Hei 3-3368 (or No. 3368/91), as a solubilizer for steroids in Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 51-73115 (No. 73115/76) and as a precipitation preventer for valeric acid dexamethasone in Japanese Patent Gazette No. Hei 2-36572. In addition, Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 59-116212 discloses an indomethacin-containing creamy preparation comprising crotamiton as a solubilizer for the drug.
These solubilizers, however, raise problems as to precipitation of a drug in the crystal form because of shortage of their solubilizability (capability of solubilization), limitation of their use because of their odor, their bleeding with time due to their poor compatibility with the base, and their instability such as their decomposition or discoloration with the lapse of time. Further, these solubilizers cause undesirable side reactions and the like due to their irritation to the skin and they thus exhibit no fully satisfactory results in not a few cases.
(2) On the other hand, absorbability and permeability of the drug are taken as important factors when percutaneously absorbable preparations are designed. This is because the healthy skin is naturally protective against stimuli provided from the outside and, therefore, it makes the absorption and permeation of a drug therethrough comparatively difficult. Accordingly, even if the drug is administered in the form of a percutaneously absorbable preparation, it is difficult at the present to let the drug be absorbed easily through the skin in such an amount as is necessary for fully realizing an intended medicinal efficacy.
Further, in cases where the drugs are administered to let them be absorbed not through the skin but through other biomembranes such as the mouth, rectum, palate, nose or hypoglottis, there are found many drugs which are difficultly permeable or penetrable through the biomembrane concerned depending on the kind of the drugs or which are low in bioavailability.
Thus, there are sought drug-absorption accelerators which fully enhance drugs in permeability, penetrability and absorbability through the skin and other biomembranes, enable the drugs to exhibit their full pharmacological effects in their practical service concentration and are low in local and systemic toxicities and high in usability and safety.
When a drug is attempted to be percutaneously absorbed at the present, there is used an absorption accelerator which enables the drug to be absorbed in a sufficient amount by weakening the barrier function of the stratum corneum where the absorption is to be effected. Of known absorption accelerators, those such as salicylic acid, urea, dimethylsulfoxide and dimethylacetoamide are known for their dissolution of corneum, and, however, the use of them will not necessarily exhibit satisfactory percutaneous absorption of drugs. Propylene glycol, glycerin, pyrrolidone sodium carbonate and the like can keep the corneum humid, but it is hardly appreciated that they are effective in percutaneous absorption of drugs. Further, as absorption accelerators there are known fatty acid esters such as isopropyl myristate and isopropyl adipate, surfactants such as sodium laurylate and polyoxyethylene-sorbitan monolaurate, thioglycerol, urea derivatives or mixtures of a pyrrolidone-based compound and halogenated hydrocarbons (Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 60-13720), calcium thioglycolate (Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 60-11431), 1-substituted azacycloalkane-2-one (Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 60-37092), crotonyl-N-ethyl-o-toluidine (Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Hei 2-258720) and the like.
Conventional known drug-absorption accelerators, however, are not yet powerful enough to enhance the bioavailability of drugs which are low in permeability and penetrability into the biomembranes, and, thus, they do not provide a practical pharmacological effect in not a few cases. In addition, there are some of conventional absorption accelerators, which themselves exhibit skin irritation and sensitization and present textural discoloration and severe serious side effects due to their successive administration. Furthermore, they are reported to corrode synthetic resins because of their property as a powerful solvent, thereby to elute irritative substances, sensitizers and the like from drug containers, clothing, haberdashery and the like. Under such circumstances, the known absorption accelerators still now leave problems as to practicality such as limitations on general application of the accelerators and method of use thereof.
In view of the above problem (1) as to conventional techniques, a first object of this invention is to provide drug solubilizers having the following excellent characteristics. The solubilizers so provided are such that they make drugs difficult to precipitate with time because of their excellent capability of solubilizing drugs, are physicochemically stable without their decomposition, phase separation and unpleasant odor in the base, are an inactive substance without interaction with the drug and are high in safety because of few side reactions such as skin sensitization.
A second object of this invention is to provide drug-absorption accelerators which can solve the problems (2) as to the conventional techniques. The accelerators so provided are such that they enable drugs to be remarkably enhanced in permeability or penetrability through the skin, are highly safe because of their weak skin irritation and no sensitization and are excellently compatible with the base without giving any change in compatibility between the drug and the base.
Moreover, a third object of this invention is to provide percutaneously absorbable preparations comprising various kinds of drugs and the drug solubilizer of this invention or the drug-absorption accelerator of this invention.

Medicinal adjuvants consisting of N-subsitituted-o-toluidine derivatives, and percutaneously absorbable preparations comprising the adjuvants


Methods and systems for generating consumer payment credentials using an Internet-connected appliance. In an embodiment, a primary Internet-connected appliance receives purchase transaction information from a secondary appliance. The process also includes generating a purchase transaction authorization request based on purchase transaction information and on payment account credential data that is stored locally in a dedicated storage element, transmitting the purchase transaction authorization request via the Internet to a gateway server computer, receiving a purchase transaction authorization response, and transmitting the purchase transaction authorization response via a domestic network to the secondary appliance for display to a consumer.

The Internet has changed the way in which consumers shop and purchase products and services. In particular, consumers desire easy access to merchants' offerings and convenient and secure methods of payment for goods and services. It is common for households to have one or more electronic devices connected to the Internet via cable-type modems or DSL-modems and/or routers, which may provide wired or wireless Internet access. For example, many household entertainment devices (e.g., television sets, set-top boxes (STB's), and game consoles) as well as home automation systems and appliances (e.g. refrigerators, security systems and the like) are currently connected to the Internet and configured to receive content for display and/or to obtain information from consumers. Some of these Internet-connected devices (including the DSL modems and/or cable-type modems and/or routers) include ports and/or connectors that can be used to plug in peripheral devices such as a reader device, and some recently manufactured Internet-connected devices include an integrated reader device.
A need exists for systems and methods that facilitate remote purchasing (or other interactions) scenarios for consumers utilizing, for example, an Internet-connected household appliance such as a television or refrigerator, whereby such systems and methods provide for automatically generating consumer credentials (such as consumer payment credentials). There is also a need for systems and methods for setting up a proxy and/or alias locally (for example, at an Internet-connected household device) which removes the need for storing payment card account details (or other financial account details) anywhere outside of a payment system.
Like reference numbers in the drawings indicate like elements.

Automatic registration and generation of consumer payment credentials using internet-connected appliances


A method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal substrate for use of an epitaxial layer growth. The method comprises the steps of: growing a CVD film on a rear surface and a peripheral side portion, of the silicon single crystal substrate; removing a portion of the CVD film on the peripheral side portion in the vicinity of a main surface of the silicon single crystal substrate, which was grown over an end of the peripheral side portion, by an abrasive tape grinding; and thereafter mirror-polishing the main surface of the silicon single crystal substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal substrate, in particular, to a method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal substrate which is used for growing an epitaxial layer thereon in vapor phase.
2. Description of Related Art
A silicon single crystal substrate (hereinafter, which may be simply called "substrate") is manufactured by slicing, etching and polishing a substrate into which boron (B) for functioning as acceptors, or phosphorus (P), arsenic (As) or antimony (Sb) functioning as donors, were added as dopants. Usage of an epitaxial wafer is available for the measure of latch up or .alpha.-ray soft error, for a MOSLSI device. Such an epitaxial wafer is manufactured by growing a lightly doped epitaxial layer having a dopant concentration of about 1.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.3 upon a heavily doped silicon single crystal substrate having a dopant concentration of about 7.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 in vapor phase.
During a vapor phase epitaxial growth upon a silicon single crystal substrate heated at a high temperature in a hydrogen atmosphere in order to manufacture an epitaxial wafer, chiefly, the rear surface of the substrate is etched by the hydrogen, so that dopants which were heavily added into the substrate are discharged into the vapor phase. The discharged dopants in the vapor phase are trapped within the vapor phase growing epitaxial layer again, that is, the so-called autodoping phenomenon is caused, to make the concentration of dopants in the epitaxial layer non-uniform. In order to suppress the autodoping phenomenon, in a conventional manufacturing method, a protection film of silicon dioxide or silicon nitride is formed on the rear surface of the silicon single crystal substrate to prevent the substrate from being etched by the hydrogen.
However, when forming the protection film on the rear surface of the silicon single crystal substrate by a CVD method (chemical vapor deposition method) using an apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 4, the raw material gas reaches the main surface side of the substrate 10 over the periphery thereof to grow a CVD film 41 thereon, as shown in FIG. 5. Although the grown CVD film 41 on the main surface of the substrate 10 can be removed by a following mirror-polishing step, the grown CVD film 41 on the peripheral side surface thereof remains. In FIG. 4, the apparatus 30 is a continuous processing type of CVD apparatus, the reference numeral 31 denotes a substrate holder, the reference numeral 32 denotes a heater, and the reference numeral 33 denotes a raw material gas feeder. When the CVD film 41 is formed on the side surface adjacent to the main surface of the substrate 10, abnormally grown grain-mass-like polysilicon 45, i.e., the so-called nodules, are formed on the side surface through the CVD film which is porous, during the vapor phase epitaxial growth, as shown in FIG. 6. Such nodules can contribute to generation of particles by separating from the epitaxial wafers during carrying them or the like, or to occurrence of an extraordinary growth what is called a crown 46 which is created in the peripheral portion of the substrate.
For this reason, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication (Laid-open) No. Tokukai-sho 62-128520, such a protection film 41 has been removed over the whole side surface of the silicon single crystal substrate by using a chemical etching process or a mechanical polishing process, as shown in FIG. 7.
In the case of using a chemical etching process, a cloth impregnated with an etchant is pressed against the peripheral surfaces and peripheral side portion to remove the protection film. However, such a process has the problem that an epitaxial layer having a non-uniform distribution of dopants concentration is formed because a largely waving boundary is formed between the region from which the protection film was removed and the region on which the protection film remains, depending upon the manner of pressing of the cloth, and the amount of autodoping generated during the vapor phase epitaxial growth is locally varied. On the other hand, in the case of using a mechanical grinding process, the grinding is carried out by pressing a grinding stone which is one for grinding against the peripheral portion of the substrate. However, such a process has the problem of remaining a working damage in the ground portion of the substrate firmly, which contributes to generation of stacking faults or slip dislocations when growing of an epitaxial layer. Accordingly, it is indispensable to thereafter carry out removal of remaining working damage, for example, an alkali etching, sufficiently.
Recently, as a silicon wafer used for a power MOSFET for a switching regulator, one in which an epitaxial layer is formed on a heavily As-doped silicon single crystal substrate has been used to lower the ON-resistance thereof.
However, the higher the concentration of arsenic which are doped into the substrate, the larger the amount of autodoping from the substrate becomes, so that autodoping occurred not only from the rear surface of the substrate but also from the side surface thereof have not been negligible.

Method for manufacturing silicon single crystal substrate for use of epitaxial layer growth


A method of selective dormant data session reactivation in a radio access network includes calculating an activation rate threshold as a function of a first plurality of packets received over a first time interval, where the first plurality of packets are coupled to reactivate at least one dormant mobile station. The second plurality of packets received in a second time interval are buffered, where each of the second plurality of packets has a destination IP address to reactivate the at least one dormant mobile station. An arrival rate of the second plurality of packets in the second time interval is compared to the activation rate threshold. If the arrival rate exceeds the activation rate threshold, the second plurality of packets may be separated into a plurality of source IP groups according to their respective source IP addresses, and progressively discarding in descending order one of the plurality of source IP groups having a highest number of the second plurality of packets until the arrival rate is below the activation rate threshold.

In cellular network systems, particularly CDMA cellular networks, a mobile station may be in a dormant state, where the cellular network is aware of the mobile station on the system, but currently, there is no activity with the mobile station. In other words, the mobile station is registered with the cellular network, but is in a dormant data session as no active communication sessions are taking place. An example of this is a mobile station that is registered and has been active in the cellular network, but is currently inactive without having powered off, such as a mobile station in a push-to-talk session, a mobile station awaiting a paging request, and the like.
In prior art CDMA cellular networks, Internet users may cause abnormally high paging rates by implementing malicious Internet Protocol (IP) scans of IP addresses terminated on such dormant mobile stations. Such IP scans can overload the cellular network system. These malicious IP scans may or may not be intentionally implemented to search for mobile stations in a dormant data session in order to reactivate them. However, whether intentional or not, IP scans of mobile stations in a dormant state does load a cellular network with mobile page attempts. The prior art is deficient in distinguishing these malicious users of the cellular network system from legitimate users.
There is a need, not met in the prior art, for a method of selective dormant data session reactivation. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.

Method of selective dormant data session reactivation